Mirai's POV:

You know most kids my age would be in college right now. Living their best possible lives, like surviving off top ramen, getting overly drunk with friends. A life filled with the youthful stress of college exams and term papers.

Well not fucking me.

I kicked the air from the top bunk, chewing on some gum some poor makeup artist left behind, the room was so tiny that I could nearly touch the other wall.

The walls were made from some kind of concrete or metal so it was always cold in here, along with being very narrow it seemed they were trying to keep us in a tiny compact box.

Still, I guess I could thank that extra X chromosome since the guys had it worse, having the same size cage that had to fit all 4 of them.

You'd think they would learn to treat their 'idols' better, but no.

I guess I'm not an idol in the traditional sense though, we do have 'concerts' but we're more like a group of hired entertainers that just so happen to sing more modern songs.

In which my taste in music has been skillfully ignored.

Fuck them, if you're gonna make me your fucking idol queen at least let me sing shit I believe in.

None of those corny love songs or cutesy girly ones that make me want to commit scooter ankle.

If the kids back in high school could see me they would be hysterical, those bastards.

"Mirai!" Takura called poking his head inside the room, "what?" I asked annoyed "we have to go! Ace wants us to practice for the next gig!" Takura reminded.

I rolled my eyes, "that's it?" I asked, "what do you mean that's it?! They'll kill us you know if we suck!" Takura said, he looked like a scared puppy with all his shaking.

I kind of felt bad.

"Who knows though if I suck hard enough maybe they'll just let us go" I suggested, taking out a piece of gum.

"AS IF! They wouldn't have kidnapped us if they'd let us go that easily and you know it Mirai! Come on just hurry up already!" Takura pleaded his eyes brimming with tears.

"Fine give me a few minutes," I told him jumping down from my bunk and reluctantly abandoning my gum.

"Now! If they call for you one more time they'll-" Takura started before I groaned loudly, "WOULD YOU SHUT UP ALREADY? I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TEN GOD DAMN TIMES!" I screamed.

He froze in place petrified, I didn't respond and instead held my ground.

He looked down before leaving the room, but before he did he muttered something under his breath.

"How did Riko deal with you...?"

I felt myself freeze as I wanted to call after him...I clenched my fist.

"Miri! Come on! I'll let you sleep longer if you do this for me ok?"

"Ugh fine"

"Yay! Miri is the best girl ever!"

"Shut up! And stop calling me Miri!"

"Miri Chan! Miri Chan! Miri chan is so cute when she's angry"

"SHUT UP!"

....

I glanced back at the broken mirror on our wall.

Riko stared back.

"Leave me alone..." I muttered before I left the room.

You don't get to be in my life anymore...not after what you did...

♤~♡~???~◇~♧

I crouched down against the wall, brushing the tears out of my eyes as I glanced down at my scabs.

Stupid...stop crying already...stop it...I don't...

"Hey!" A voice called out, I immediately stiffened up as I saw two pairs of feet walk over near me.

They were old sneakers that looked to small for the person, a light pink that had faded and was covered in dirt. Her shoelaces, was she a girl? Untied and she had mismatched green and purple socks.

"Hello? I said hello, didn't I? Sometimes I forget to say hello and I just start talking so I'm sorry if I forgot to!" The girl told me.

I didn't look up, what is she doing...just leave me alone...

"Anyways! What's your name?" She asked, her voice sounded so cheerful and carefree. It was almost a sickly kind of joy, infectious.

I didn't respond, keeping my stare on her shoes and hoped she didn't see my red eyes or snotty nose.

"Wow wow wow! Your hair is so pretty! It's so cute in those ribbons! I wish my hair could look like that! But every time I try it looks like I fell in some bushes! Wow, your mom must be so cool if she can do hair like that! Or was it your dad? Dads are cool too! I wish my mommy did my hair! I wonder if my mom knows how to do hair...ooh I wonder if she can make omelets I like omelets- am I talking too much? Sorry, I like talking but I can stop- or at least try to." The girl offered.

"Leave me alone..." I mumbled hugging my knees tightly burying my face into them.

"NYEH?! My waifu already hates me?! Tatsuo was right?!" She overdramatically gasped, I felt my face growing red from embarrassment.

"Hey...are you ok? You look sad. That's no good! Well I mean it's ok to feel sad sometimes, but if you don't wanna be sad right now I'll try to help! I promise to follow your wishes to make you smile lady cute kawaii panda girl!" She screamed practically, I peeked up from my knees to see her, she wasn't standing anymore instead she was crouching down to meet me eye level, she had a stupid grin on as she saluted to me with her tongue sticking out.

I snorted a little and her eyes immediately lit up as she glanced at me, heat rushing to my face I looked down again only for her to gasp.

"AAH! YOU'RE SO ADORABLE! You're like a little kitten! SO CUTE! Only this time I can hold you cause I'm allergic to cats and it's so sad cause I wanna pet them so badly but I can't help but get all sniffly and sick so miss Satoshi told me if I pet one more kitty she would throw me out of the building!" She complained.

"Anyways, my name is Riko, Riko Sanyu it's nice to meet you!" She said giggling.

I don't know what compelled me to introduce myself, maybe it was the strange sense of love and acceptance radiating from her..."Mirai...Masako Mirai..." I mumbled.

"Mirai Chan huh?" Sanyu said, "don't use my first name..." I told her reluctantly.

"Eh? You're not supposed to do that...?" She asked confused, I looked up at her confused "course not...you're supposed to call someone by their family name...I'm Masako...ok?" I told her.

"Oooooh...I don't want you to call me Sanyu though..." she said disappointed, "why...?" I asked.

"Because everyone in my house is Sanyu!" She complained, "....cause they're your family...?" I reminded.

Is this girl dumb...?

"No they're not," she said and my eyes widened, "I'm an orphan," she said as if it was obvious.

"...what?" I asked, "yeah! My Mommy didn't want me I guess so she gave me away, that's what miss Satoshi said" she said shrugging as if it didn't bother her.

"Why...?" I asked and she once again shrugged, "I don't know, never met her," she said.

"Then...how come you have a last name...?" I asked, "oh! Everyone in the Sanyu house had the last name Sanyu!" She told me, standing up and pointing at the building across the street.

"That's where I live!" She said grinning, with the light from the street I could see her face more clearly.

She had chestnut hair pulled into messy pigtails, along with brown eyes. She was wearing a slightly torn light pink dress that matched her shoes, along with what seemed like dozens of handmaid bracelets.

She bounced with every motion she made as if she was too energetic to every stop moving even if she wanted to.

"Oh..."I mumbled, "it's not very fun, the ladies are sometimes mean and the kids don't like me, Satoshi says it because I talk too much..." Sanyu- Riko said, there was a slight bit of sadness hidden in her stance.

"Luckily I got invited to join this super cool gang!" She then squealed and my eyes widened.

...what?

Riko sensing my confusion probably explained, "yeah I met these two kids like a week or two ago! They were so cool! And they offered me a spot in their group if I gave them 100 strips of gum by today! This is actually where we are meant to meet up but then I met you! So uh I got the 100 strips and let me tell you it was so HARD! Cause I don't get money at all from the orphanage and I can't even get new shoes till one of the bigger kids outgrows theirs! So not fair! Anyways I ended up having to beg some people for their gum, along with stalking the streets for dropped yen but I found them all! Then I realized I didn't know what flavor they wanted so I bought the gum and taste-tested one! It was really good!" She cheered smiling.

...

"Doesn't that mean you only have 99 now?" I asked. Her eyes widened for a second before slow dread spread across her face...

"Oops..." she muttered, "I CAN GET ONE RIGHT NOW THEN-!" She started before a short boy turned the corner and entered the alley space.

He was wearing no shoes, instead, he had dirty what must have been once white socks. He seemed to be her age and was pretty short with dark purple hair reaching his neck with matching eyes, his eyes had the look of someone who was planning something and pale skin. He was wearing a goofy police hat and a tattered jacket made to look like a cape.

Following close behind was a girl with dark red hair, it reached to her shoulders and deep amber eyes, she followed close behind but as if she was some sort of bodyguard, she was covered in what seemed to be toilet paper made into makeshift bandages and unlike the boy she had shoes, and an adult's hoodie she was wearing like a dress. She didn't seem to smile, only look down as if the entire world hung on her shoulders, and she looked like she was in pain a little.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Riko screamed when they arrived, she seemed to do an out of nowhere anime pose, the boy didn't seem to take it to heart instead he almost seemed proud of himself.

"SEE CHI! I told you I'm a supreme leader!" he bragged to the red headed girl, she paused a bit as if trying to understand him before nodding. "OH SHOOT! Uhm...hi Kokichi-oh wait do I need to call you Ouma? Cause Masako chan told me I have to call people by their last names..." Riko asked curious.

"Nah you can call me Kokichi, formalities are overrated, now...show us the goods" he said, he acted as if he was some sort of mob boss when in reality it was clear he wasn't older than maybe ten.

"Here we go Mr Kokichi Ouma sir" Riko said handing over a plastic bag she had dropped off in the corner, he handed it off to the girl before he turned his attention back to Riko, "while my trusty associate...that's the word right? Well while Chi is done counting the pack, I'm gonna interview you" he said grinning.

Riko looked tense but nodded, "it's not a math test right?" she asked, "heck no!" Ouma quickly said, "I'm just going to ask if you wanna run away with us or not, that's all" he said as if it was a simple question, my eyes widened.

"Run away?" Riko asked, not out of shock or confusion like me but with genuine enthusiasm and even eagerness, Ouma nodded, "the world is mine, so I gotta prove it! Chi and I are gonna travel the entire country and discover all the types of candy this world has to offer!" he boasted.

"So if you join you're definitely allowed to come with" he said, "wow! This is the best day ever! I really do wanna-"

"Ninety nine" the girl mumbled and Riko's expression immediately broke into one of pure despair, she even looked close to tears...I guess I don't like watermelon anyway...I sighed before reaching into my jacket pocket and took out a rumpled piece of gum placing it in Ouma's hand.

"One hundred...right?" I mumbled, the boy nodded, "I was gonna let her in anyway cause I didn't think she would actually do it-but yeah! Thanks!" he said happily, "you're in this to then!" he immediately decided.

"WHAT? But Masako chan has a family! So she can't run away!" Riko quicky told him as Ouma looked at me disappointed, "aww...oh well guess I can just sacrifice you to the tiger pits instead" he said shrugging.

"EH?!" Riko screamed in response before Ouma laughed, "it's a lie" he told her, "phew...thank god" she mumbled, "I'm actually handing her over to the piranhas!" he added, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Riko screamed loudly.

"Nihishi" he laughed, "that was another lie" he told her, and Riko once again sighed dramatically, before she turned back over to me, "well...it was nice meeting you Masako chan!" Riko told me, a wide smile on her face as the group started to leave the alley....

...

"I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS! I DIDN'T ASK TO BE A MOTHER! SO STOP YELLING AT ME FOR NOT WANTING TO TAKE CARE OF THIS BRAT!"

"IT IS YOUR FAULT YOU DUMB BITCH! I SLAVE EVERY DAY AND YOU CAN'T EVEN TAKE HER TO SCHOOL?! FUCK YOU!"

...

...

"Wait!" I called out, my face growing red as I finally tried to meet them all eye level, I gripped my hands together..."take me with you..." I mumbled, "huh?" Riko asked confused, "I don't wanna go home...so...please...take me with you..." I begged, tears forming in my eyes.

Don't make me cry...please...I don't...

Ouma grabbed my hands smiling as I looked back up at him, "man you don't need to cry ok? Come on we're kidnapping you!" he cheered as he walked with me, handing me off to Riko as she smiled widly.

"YAY! MASAKO CHAN IS COMING WITH US!" she cheered as I blushed.

♤~♡~◇~♧

The city was dark and melacholic, the rain falling down heavily as I watched from inside of the window of the barred room window, I twirled my cigarette around in my fingers. My feet were aching from the dance routine they had made us redo hundreds of times.

"Fucking shit..." I mumbled, as I groaned leaning down on the hard bed, I turned my head to see Tsuki walking inside of the room, the room getting locked behind her as she looked at me in shock.

"What are you doing?!" she screamed, I looked at her confused, "uhm...taking a break?" I asked sarcastically puffing some smoke, the pack had an almost sweet taste that I found addicting as Tsuki coughed, I turned closer to the window to help vent out the window.

"Take that out of your mouth!" she screamed furious, contradicting her usual timid and shy nature, "uhm...no? I bought this out of my own hard earned wages and I'm not giving it up" I told her, "if you don't like it I'll just finish this one and stop till tomorrow got it?" I asked.

"I don't care about the smoke! I care about your health!" she told me, I rolled my eyes, "yeah don't worry I'm fine ok? Trust me if GENKEI can get away with this then I'm basically the picture of health" I told her.

"Genkei's smoking isn't healthy either and you know it! So why are you repeating his mistakes?!" Tsuki asked, she sounded heartbroken... "I don't care" I told her, as my cigarette ran out, I fumbled with my hands as I grabbed for another one before Tsuki reached over to grab the pack.

"HEY! THIS IS MINE!" I screamed, "AND IT ISN'T GOOD FOR YOU!" Tsuki pleaded, "just trust me on this you'll thank me later ok?!" Tsuki tried desperately to convince me, "NO!" I screamed, the two of us struggled to get control before the pack eventually split in half, my cigarettes spilling out across the floor as I gritted my teeth.

"OH WHAT THE HELL BITCH?" I screamed without thinking, I glared down at the floor before...

*Hic* ....I turned over to see Tsuki as she was on her knees on the floor, small tears forming in her eyes...I turned away and didn't do anything as she grabbed the pack and slammed them into the corner of the room as far away as she could get them.

"If Taka and Riko were here, you know what they would've-"

"Just shut up" I grumbled, turning away from her and buried myself into the pillow.

...

"WHERE ARE THEY?!" I screamed panicking, it had been over three days since we had escaped the warehouse and yet despite that Chiasa, Kazue, Kokichi, Takashiro, and Riko had STILL not come to the location we had agreed on and I could barely keep myself calm.

"RELAX MIRAI" Nao told me grabbing onto my shoulders trying to stop my pacing around my room, Genkei just kept watching the TV with Takura who was shaking just as much as me maybe ten minutes ago finally asleep next to him.

"NO I WON'T RELAX!" I screamed, "where the heck are they? What happened to them? What if they're in trouble and we don't know yet?! UGH THIS IS THE EXACT TYPE OF SHIT THAT RIKO PUTS ME THROUGH!" I groaned.

"It's just like the ice cream store incident on STEROIDS!" I added, "your complaining isn't going to help" Nao said rolling his eyes, "uh guys..." Genkei started, his eyes widening as he set down his bottle of sake, "shut up, the adults are talking" I told him, "ADULT? You're not even eighteen yet!" Nao reminded laughing, "shut up.."

Genkei tried again, "no but guys actually look over here-"

"HA! SO you admit it!" Nao boasted, "Oh what the actual hell Nao?!" I groaned pulling my hair tightly, "GUYS-"

"SHUT UP" Nao and I both screamed, "breaking news, captured three days ago by the genius efforts of Kyoko Kirigiri and Shuichi Saihara, the leader of the phantom thiefs has now been unmasked, along with three other members" the TV called as I quickly whipped my head around.

No...

On the screen was Chiasa, Kazue, Riko, and Takashiro with Kokichi nowhere to be seen, "however due to conflicts with the thiefs upon arrest, two have been shot dead by the police in an act of self defense" the reporter continued with the images of Chiasa and Kazue popping up, "one of which was in fact the leader, a young girl who the identity of has still not been truly discovered" 

...

"The other two members have been taken into incarceration and awaiting trial"

...

...

...

"Mirai?"

...

...

...

"HEY! SOMEONE CALL A DOCTOR!" someone screamed....

R...Riko?

I don't remember what happened after that. The next years were meaningless to me...and here I am now.

♤~♡~◇~♧

I hid in the corner of the studio, the other members had long since returned to their rooms for the night but I wasn't exactly keen on returning after the great act of friendship me and Tsuki had the night before.

Instead I only continued to bribe the guards to pass me some booze because lord knows I need it right now. "Thought I would find you here!" Genkei called and I groaned, "wow I know I ain't a prince but lady come on I ain't that bad looking!" he complained.

I rolled his eyes as he leaned against the mirror wall with me, "so what's up with you darling?" he joked, "aw please stop we both know you're gay" I told him, "whatever floats your boat honey, ugh I had such a hangover this morning, pass me that right?" he asked pointing towards the bottle.

I did so without another thought, he returned the favor with offering me a pack of cigarettes, "heard you and Tsuki had a kaiju battle over this, hah this reminds me of Takura everytime he tries one of those fucking diet pills, it drives me insane" he groaned. Although his tone was joking a small amount of pain was laced in his words.

I took another drink, "so...want to talk about it?" He offered, "hell no" I told him, the drink was bitter and was clearly cheap but I didn't care, it was the effects I was after. "Ah I get you" he told me, clearly not bothered by my hostility.

"Been quite a few months eh?" He commented on, "I can't sing to save my life so I'm glad they chose you, sorry kiddo, oh my god if Riko was here though their ears would have been bleeding and we would have been out of here by now!" Genkei said while laughing.

I chuckled a little feeling a little tispy, remembering how Riko used to be so eager during our karaoke nights together. She had the voice of a screeching cat.

"Ah there's the devil incarnate I have grown to love!" Genkei praised, I rolled my eyes, "as if..." I muttered, "nah you're more of a domestic house cat aren't you?" he joked, "stop it..." I groaned. "Nah really-"

"I'm tired." I told him, he stopped and waited for me to continue, "everyone's acting as if everything going to get fucking better, like we should just move on, I can't fucking move on though why don't they get it? IT FUCKING HURTS! And this-" I motioned over to the cigarettes and booze, "that's the only thing that keeps me fucking sane and they keep trying to use Riko as a fucking tool to take it away from me! ASSHOLES!" I screamed malice in my voice.

"You don't mean that, you know they're just looking out for you" Genkei told me gently, "well they're doing a good fucking job" I told him downing the drink more, "I'll drink to that..." he said grabbing his own bottle as well.

"You're not going to stop me?" I asked confused, "do you want me to?" he asked, I shook my head, "then no, besides it's nice to have a bar buddy" he told me, offering me a hand up, his face was already red.

Lightweight...

"Come on darling, drinking game about how shitty this is?" he asked, and I grinned, "you're going to lose" I teased him, "as if!"

...

...

...

I don't mind it if my lungs die from my smoking, I don't mind if my liver collapses under my alchoholism...just...give me moments like this...give me some joy...and I don't care when it is that I die.