“There’s no way that’s all for me.”
Ranko looked out the front window of All Bangers, a large record store a few blocks from the Phoenix. It was here that the majority of the Rise cassette singles from the trial run had sold out, and their new shipment had just arrived. A line stretching around the building waited just outside the glass front door, which was locked pending the start of their special release event.
“I’m pretty sure it is!” Goji, the store manager, laughed, tousling his black hair. “I hope we brought enough markers!”
Ranko blushed, looking down at the ten fine-point silver markers lined up on the table in front of her next to a large pile of B5-sized black-and-white prints of the Rise single cover art. To the left, another large table contained stacks of Rise cassettes, as well as black tee shirts in a variety of sizes featuring the new pink Ranko and the Dapper Dragons logo. Two All Bangers employees, one of which Ranko shared her history class with, stood at the ready behind the merch tables to assist patrons with their selections. A third, a young blonde woman, waited at a white folding table with a cash box to handle the actual sales.
“I can’t believe I’m about to do this,” she said, her face nearly the color of the blood-red lace dress she wore over a pair of black leggings. A matching red ribbon tied her hair back in a loose ponytail. Though it had taken her almost two hours, she’d gotten her foundation, lipstick and eyeliner mostly the way she wanted them, entirely on her own. She felt ridiculous for how proud of herself she was, considering how normal it was for other girls her age – but then again, she knew she still wasn’t quite like other girls her age. It never failed to make her blush when she realized just how quickly that gap was narrowing of late.
I… I know there’s always one or two hundred people in the Phoenix, but there must be two thousand people out there! Maybe more! All for… me?
Goji walked over to the door, placing his hand on the deadbolt. The first few people in the line outside seemed to perk up excitedly, seeing him preparing to open.
“Are you ready, Ranko?”
She sat in the black metal folding chair behind her table, crossing her ankles under the black tablecloth. With a nervous chuckle and a grin, she nodded to the manager. “As I’m gonna be!”
The manager turned the lock and opened the door, and the crowd began to pour into the store. For every fifty people who entered the door, maybe one peeled out of the line to go shop for something else, the rest filing into line to pass the merch tables. First, the line passed the table to purchase their cassettes and tee shirts, then to the cashier, and finally Ranko’s table to be signed.
At this rate, I’m going to need to modify the Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire technique just to be able to sign all these things fast enough!
She wrote as quickly as she could, smiling up at fan after fan. Some she recognized from the Phoenix or from school, others not. More than a few asked for a quick Polaroid snapshot with her, which the store manager was happy to snap while she posed. She wasn’t sure she was comfortable with the number of guys who had put their arms over her shoulder, but she tried her best to smile through it. It’s just for the picture. It’s fine. Chill, Ranko. If you look pissed, they’ll see it in the pictures.
“Damn shame about you and Eiji.”
Ranko looked up, blinking, taking a moment to recognize Hachiro Murata from the Yusue basketball team out of his uniform. She felt bad about it, as he was both Eiji’s best friend, and her fellow cheerleader Mizuki’s boyfriend, but in fairness, Eiji hadn’t exactly gone out of his way to make her encounters with his friends especially interactive. “Yeah, it just wasn’t meant to be, I guess.” She shrugged, taking the tee shirt he’d purchased and signing it on the left breast area, just above the larger pink version of her signature that dominated her band’s logo.
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“Are you okay?” Hachiro carefully took the folded shirt back, avoiding touching the area she’d written on.
“Me? Yeah, I’ll be fine. Better once the stupid rumors die down a little more.” Ranko shrugged, signing a cassette cover for the next person in line while Hachiro stood off to the side. “Eiji doing alright?”
Hachiro nodded. “Yeah. He doesn’t really talk much about his personal life lately.”
Ranko nodded, holding her head still just long enough to snap a photo with a pair of young girls led to her table by their mother. “I’m glad he’s doing good. He’s a good enough guy, I guess, we just weren’t really as compatible as we thought.” Probably the whole, “he has boy parts” thing.
“Hey, I’m gonna get out of here or I’m gonna get run over. I’ll see you at the game on Thursday?” Hachiro picked up his purchases, offering a wave.
“Sure! Take care, Hachiro!” Ranko waved back with her right hand even as her left signed another tee shirt.
----------------------------------------
After the better part of an hour, she stood, stretching her back. The metal folding chair the store had given her was quite uncomfortable. She didn’t stop signing, though, and the line appeared no shorter than it was when she first arrived. How many tapes did the store even get in? Sheesh! Still, it’s worth it. The people… my fans… are having a good time. Holy crap, I can’t believe I have fans. And this many? Besides, I need the money.
As she returned to her chair, one of the store employees tapped her on the shoulder, handing an energy drink in a tall, narrow can over her back to her.
“Ohmigods, Sotaro. You’re a lifesaver.” Ranko popped the can open, swigging from it quickly before standing for another photo. She set the can down, standing next to a large, stocky boy with a black flat top. He put his arm around her shoulder as the others had, pulling her close against his body.
“Um, hi.” She tried to smile as the photo was taken, but once the Polaroid camera ejected the photo, the titanic boy did not let her go.
“So, Ranko. I heard you and Eiji split up. Bummer. But I guess that means you’re free to come to the movies with me tonight.”
Ranko tried to slip free, but his grip on her shoulder was painfully tight. “I, um, I’m busy. And, like, who are you?”
The boy smirked. “How can you not know? My name is Saburo Kimura, grade twelve. Captain of the Yusue wrestling team, and your new boyfriend.” Ranko felt the fingers of his other hand tracing along the back of her skirt.
“Um, excuse me?” Ranko ducked under his arm, pulling away from him. “I’m not looking for a boyfriend right now. But, you know, thanks, I guess.”
“Oh, we’ll see about that. Nobody says no to Saburo Kimura.” The muscular boy laughed, reaching for her shoulder again.
“Somebody just did, man. Back off.” Ranko growled, taking a further step clear.
“Hey! Leave her alone,” yelled the man next in line.
Another woman a few steps further back in the line yelled, pointing to Saburo. “Somebody get rid of that guy!”
Goji approached behind Saburo, reaching up to put his hand on the wrestler’s shoulder. “Why don’t we go ahead and let Miss Tendo sign for some more people? Come on, now.”
Saburo smirked darkly. “See you soon, Ranko.”