[Play: STAR ANIS : We could be]
Back in Erie's hospital room in Los Angeles. Roughly 4:30 PM and half an hour into Rin's... Or rather, Hana's stream.
Hope covered her mouth as she watched the stream, doing her best to not burst out into a laughing fit.
But Erie had given up on that. "Pft! That's... owowow my ribs, but oh my GOD, Rin... Hana... whatever!"
Juliet was literally pacing around the room and watching the stream on her phone, her thumbs flying as she reacted to everything in realtime, a bright smile on her face. "Hanaaaaaaaa!" She hugged her phone to her chest and said, "She's the best little sister anyone could ask for!"
Seeing Juliet react like that, Hope couldn't help but laugh. "Hana really IS your Oshi, isn't she?"
"Of course!" Juliet jumped up and struck a pose like Hana would, making a peace sign. "Ohanayo~ Ohana means family, you know?"
Erie started smacking her blanket, trying to catch her breath. "Stop, stop. You're killing me here, Julie...! Hahaha...!"
Juliet was practically vibrating with energy as she said, "I can't help it! Two Hanas! No, Rin and Hana... but it's like, double little sister power! Kyaaaa!"
Hope giggled. "Well... at least you're happy?"
It was a bit unexpected since Juliet had seemed the cool type... but everyone had their moments to geek out.
And Hope wouldn't judge. After all, if it was about Sailor Luna, she'd probably be the same way~
Erie finally got her laughing fit under control and wiped her tears away. "Owowow... Worth it. I haven't had a laugh like that in years..." She watched Juliet still avidly interacting with the stream and smiled. "...But fans like you really exist, huh?"
Juliet smiled at Erie and said, "I can't help it! Seeing Hana chase her dreams of being an idol, seeing how bright and energetic she is... doesn't it fill you with energy too?"
Erie shook her head. "I mean, yeah. But not like you..."
Hope giggled and said, "You say that, but aren't you the same with Freddy's, Erie?"
"Hey!" Erie pointed at Hope from her bed and said, "You put some respect on Freddy's! The pizza was good, the arcade games were fun, and the spooky animatronics even better!"
Almost as if Hana heard them (though it was definitely a coincidence), Hana spoke up from the stream and said, "Oh yeah! Speaking of Freddy's and spooky things! Should we do an IRL stream of going to an abandoned hospital?"
Rin's excited voice echoed right after. "WE SHOULD! And we can see if there are cool things left behind, like scalpels!"
Erie paused after hearing that and looked at Hope. "Uh. Hope? Is Rin like that in real life? Or is it a bit?"
Hope hummed. "Well, she's definitely playing it up for the stream... but Rin-senpai *is* a little weird in person too."
Juliet gasped and said, "You take that back! The strongest little sister is perfect the way she is!"
Erie side-eyed Juliet and said, "...You're totally going to pass out when you meet her in real life, aren't you?"
Juliet paused. Then her olive-green eyes widened as she screamed, "I FORGOT THAT I GET TO DO THAT NOW AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
At that time, a soft cough came from beyond the hospital room door. Then a gruff and aloof male voice echoed. Claud. "...This is a hospital, girls. Sound proofing is good, but not that good."
Juliet immediately turned a bright red and quietly sat back down in her chair. But a giddy smile was on her face as she watched the stream, idly kicking her feet in the air.
Erie laughed again, clutching her sides. "Owowow..."
Hope glanced over and looked concern. "Are you okay, Erie?"
Erie waved her off and said, "I'm fine. Nothing that'll kill me."
Hope frowned more and said, "...You know, joking about it's fine, but..."
Erie smiled. "I'm grateful for the concern. But I'm just joking. Honestly." She paused. "I guess it's more of a habit these days..."
Juliet looked up and said, "Don't worry, Erie! You'll get over your depresso espresso in no time!"
Erie blinked. Then she stared at Juliet, amused. "You really ARE a diehard fan for Hana, huh? You're like a completely different person right now."
Juliet nodded. "Hana is the best! She's like the little sister I never had, you know? Agh! I can't wait to meet her in person!" She paused. Then her eyes snapped to Hope. "Wait! Hope!" She dashed over and said, "You've met Hana in person, right? How is she?"
Hope tilted her head. "Um... the same?"
"Perfect! But... argh!" Juliet flopped back into her chair. "I can't turn 18 fast enough...! Another few days before I turn 18 and then Johnny can get my passport to head to Japan!"
Erie's eyes lit up and she said, "That's right! Mister John said I get to move to Japan too!"
Hope gasped and looked at Erie. "You DO? Not just visit?"
"Yep!" Erie nodded. "I mean, I don't have anything here anyway. The family I have aren't really family to me, and friends... forget about it."
Hope grabbed Erie's hand and said, "We could be roomies then!"
Juliet pointed at Hope and said, "ROOMIES! Yes! Me too!" She jumped to her feet and said, "We could have all-night songwriting sessions!"
Hope gasped and ran over to grab Juliet's hands. "Julie! You get me!"
"Hope!"
Erie laughed. "Our apartment is never going to be quiet, is it? Well." She smiled. "Good thing I'm a night owl then."
Hope paused to think. And then her sky-blue eyes widened as she said, "We could all be on each other's streams! Like, all the time!"
Erie tilted her head. "You mean like, guerilla collabs? Every day or something?"
"Yeah!" Hope nodded. "Mister John said it, right? We don't have to do what the others are doing!"
Juliet's olive-green eyes sparkled as she said, "We could have late-night jam sessions!"
"And morning cooking streams!" Hope let out a bright smile.
Erie laughed. "Sure, I guess? Then what, afternoon makeout sessions or something?"
Hope and Juliet immediately looked at Erie.
Erie blinked. "What? I just said-" She realized what she said and turned as red as her hair. "I MEANT MAKEUP! MAKEUP!"
Juliet burst out laughing. "Sorry to disappoint, Erie, but I like guys."
Hope giggled.
Erie groaned. "I hate you. I'm going to jump off a cliff." She paused. "In Meincraft."
Juliet's eyes flashed and she said, "More like Mein-"
"Don't you say it!" Erie laughed. "We can't afford to get cancelled before we debut!"
Juliet rolled her eyes. "Like anyone's listening-"
"Ahem." Claud's voice echoed from beyond the door.
Immediately after, a suave and smooth male voice echoed. Seth's. "Oh, let them make the joke, Claud."
"Company protocol says no, Seth. And don't you start. You make worse jokes."
"I know. That's why I want to hear it."
"...This is why you got dropped by Loriel."
Seth gasped. "You take that back!"
Erie covered her face. "Oh, brother..."
Juliet held up her phone. "Oh, sister!"
Hope laughed. "Oh my god..."
At that time, the door opened and John peeked his head in. "You called?"
Erie burst into another laughing fit at that. "Oh my GOD. John... Pft hahahaha! Stop...!" She wiped away her tears, clutching her ribs.
Juliet laughed too and said, "Johnny! You're SO corny!"
Hope rolled her eyes. "Mister John, really?"
John walked inside the room and said, "Sorry. Low-hanging fruit. Couldn't resist." He looked at the three girls and smiled. "But it looks like you're getting along well-"
*-And then we can make a pipe bomb to clear the room in case there are zombies or something hiding in the basement!*
John paused and immediately looked at Juliet's phone, still playing Hana's stream. "...What in the world are they talking about? She's not seriously suggesting that, right?"
Juliet wiped tears away from her eyes and said, "Don't worry, Johnny. Right now, Hana's talking about The Lost of Us zombie game."
John stared at the screen where Rin and Hana were making VERY animated gestures and also sketching diagrams of accurate room clearing routes. "...I am... slightly concerned. But I guess it's fine. Anyway." He clapped his hands together. "Good news and bad news, girls. Good news, Erie, you're cleared for discharge. The docs said that you're still banged up, but its just bruises and sprains. Your bones are all healed up already."
Erie's emerald eyes widened and she pumped a fist in the air. "Hah! Finally! Freedom!"
Juliet looked like she wanted to keep watching Hana's stream. But with great reluctance, she put her phone away and looked at John. "And what's the bad news, Johnny?"
John looked at Juliet and said, "Bad news is that since you're still a minor, your parents are making things difficult so your passport can't be finished yet. But the moment you turn 18, we can push that through, so you'll be stuck here for a while longer."
Juliet clicked her tongue. "Of course they'd make things difficult-" She paused, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "Wait. Did they try to...?"
Hope gasped, stifling a laugh. "Did they try to threaten you, Mister John?"
Erie cackled. "No, no. Tell me they did! Tell me that Julie's parents had such a big stick up their butts they thought they could threaten the guy who bought international screentime just to simp for his wife."
"Hey." John pointed at Erie. "It wasn't simping, it was an apology. And for the record..." He looked at Juliet and said, "Yes, they did. So I pulled a Bruce Way- I mean, Bruce Vayne and bought out their companies."
"NO!" Juliet burst out laughing. "YOU DIDN'T!"
"I did~" John laughed. "I forgot how much fun faceslapping is when you do it with money instead of fists."
Hope giggled. "Mister John! You're terrible!"
"Terribly rich, you mean. But anyway." John pulled out his phone and said, "I have to do some more negotiations to buy Freddy's for Erie, so I'll head out again. After tomorrow, we can take Erie and Hope to the airport to head back to Japan, and then Juliet, you and I can go around to fulfill whatever wish you want."
Erie's eyes widened. "Wait! You were serious about the Freddy's thing?"
John adjusted his suit and said, "I am always serious. Except when I'm not. And you should be more worried when I'm not."
Juliet paused and said, "Wait. What's this about a wish?"
"Hm?" John blinked. "...Oh yeah, I forgot to talk to you about it. But basically, in addition to the sign-on bonus, I'll grant a wish you want. Something fun. Don't think about it too hard-"
"I WANT A STRADIVARIUS GUITAR!"
John stared at Juliet.
Juliet stared back.
Then John slowly said, "A Stradivarius... guitar? You mean like the one that's sitting in a museum? And not a violin?"
Juliet crossed her arms. "What? Can't do it?"
"I mean, I CAN. But, wow. Sure. I guess we'll be making a trip to South Dakota then to buy it from the National Music Museum."
"Oh!" Hope chimed in and said, "If you're going to South Dakota, can you go pick up some fresh corn from North Dakota while you're there? It should be in season!"
"...Corn." John looked at Hope. "...You mean like the yellow stuff. The corn on the cob type of corn."
"Yes!" Hope nodded. "I'm going to roast some and make corn tortillas!"
John blinked. Then he said, "Hope..."
"Yes, Mister John?"
"...Are you sure your last name isn't Valencia?"
"Huh?"
"...Never mind. But got it." John pulled out his phone. "Get Freddy's for Erie, make a trip with Juliet to pick up the Stradivarius Guitar... then bring back corn." John paused. "How much?"
"A crate or two would be nice!"
John shook his head, amused. "Well... I guess you guys ARE American. Forgot how weird we all are."
Erie gasped. "YOU'RE AMERICAN?!"
John laughed. "Of course I am. What? Did you think I was some ex-pat second generation from Hong Kong or something?"
Erie nodded and said, "Yes! I did!"
At that time, Seth spoke up from outside. "Wait. Boss ISN'T Chinese? Claud, does that mean that he might actually be-"
"I swear to Gaia, Seth, if you make a joke about our Boss being some sort of enhanced supersoldier fueled by the lifeblood of the planet, I WILL throw you out the window."
"But what if he-"
*CRASH*
"Worth iiiiiit."
John let out a deep sigh.