KINDRED_BAND MEMBERS
(Vol. 1 Track 2)

[sfx: crowd cheering and screaming over TV]

Akane: Oi! That’s still not nearly enough!

[sfx: beep, TV turning off]

Mashiro: Huh? Why’d you turn it off?

Akane:  How would you feel if you had to watch your own performances sober?

Mashiro: What an adorable thing to say, Akane-sama!

Akane: Stop calling me that. Earlier too, on the radio, why were you calling me king?

Mashiro: Well, it’s accurate, isn’t it? It’s only Rubire because you’re here.

Akane: Please don’t, you’re starting to sound like Kurono.

Mashiro: You say that, but I’ve been told to be as polite as humanly possible to our Akane-sama, or I might get bitten! By your little stay-at-home doggy, Kurono-chan.  

Akane: You’re saying he’s not well-behaved?

Mashiro: Oh, not at all! I just can’t help but adore that cute dog and his equally cute owner, after all…There.

[sfx: Mashiro corking open the wine bottle, pouring]

Mashiro: That being said, spoiling cute girls as much as I can is still where my real interests lie. Right! Cheers!

[sfx: wine glasses clinking] 

Akane: Ah, so that’s how you seduce the ladies, is it? Noted.

Mashiro: That’s a horrible thing to say!

[sfx: Mashiro taking a long sip of his wine]

Akane: You didn’t deny it, though.

Mashiro: Uwah! What kind of wine is this? It tastes expensive!

Akane: Dunno. I got it as a souvenir when I was coming home from abroad.

Mashiro: Oh man… This is what happens when I hang out with a rich man’s son. It was just sitting there, so I opened it without a second thought! What should I do?

Akane: Just drink it, right? No point just letting it sit on a shelf. 

Mashiro: I suppose… Well, let’s enjoy it then! 

[sfx: Mashiro sipping his wine again]

Mashiro: Mmh, speaking of! What were you doing in New York?

Akane: Oh. One of my friends there was having a birthday party and told me to come, so.

Mashiro: In the middle of a tour?!

Akane: Well it is my tour after all, and I don’t really care.

[sfx: Mashiro wine sip 3]

Mashiro: Awwh…Well, I guess that’s true. Did you happen to get me a souvenir while you were there?

Akane: You fine with a chocolate bar?

Mashiro: You’re kidding! You went to a celebrity birthday party and that’s what you got me?

Akane: Oh, but the birthday cake was so damn big, it wouldn’t fit in my carry-on!

Mashiro: Tell me in advance next time you go away! I’ll give you a shopping list.

Akane: And what are you gonna ask for?

Mashiro: Clothes!

Akane: I get the feeling you’re gonna make me buy you something ridiculously expensive.

Mashiro: I do like designer clothes, but honestly I prefer the hem and sleeve length of… Hm? Hey, is that a silver ring? Did you get hitched while you were away?!

Akane: Hm? Ahh. I bought it while I was away too. You can have it if you want.

Mashiro: Eh? Seriously?

[sfx: ring clinking on the table]

Akane: Here.

Mashiro: W- Huh? Well, this isn’t romantic at all! You put it on for me, Akane.

Akane: Hah?

Mashiro: It’s a ring, isn’t it? Come on!

Akane: What do you need it to be romantic for?

Mashiro: Don’t even worry about it!

Kurono: Oh? Perfect, just the mop of hair I was looking for. Here, you can use him instead of a pot stand.

Mashiro: Oh? The doggy Kurono-chan’s come to say hello! 

Kurono: Shut up, zip it and don’t move, pot stand! (sudden sweet voice) Akane-san, sorry to keep you waiting so long! Just as you requested, your sukiyaki.

Akane: Right… Kurono, stay. I’ll go find the pot stand.

Kurono: It’s alright! If you need a pot stand I can…!

Akane: …<Stay.>

[sfx: Akane walking away]

Mashiro: Oh nooo! The puppy’s master is having to do all the work himself, what a disaster!

Kurono: You’re the one attempting to extort money and gifts out of Akane-sama, you son of a bitch. Don’t you dare make fun of me!

Mashiro: I’m not extorting anything! Though, Akane did say he’d give me one thing… this ring!

Kurono: You shameless pot stand! Face the wrath of my iron pot!

Mashiro: Suure! Kurono? Stay!

Kurono: You don’t get to say that!

[sfx: doorbell, door opening]

Akane: Yo, Haiji.

Haiji: Afternoon! Sorry for visiting so late!

Akane: No worries. Although, can I ask for a favour? Help me look for a pot stand in the kitchen, will ya?

Haiji: A pot stand?

[sfx: broth bubbling]

Akane: (slurping) Augh, hot!

Kurono: Ah, Akane-san! Are you alright? Did you burn yourself?

Akane: All good, I’m fine. (slurping)

Mashiro: Sukiyaki at this hour, huh?

Kurono: I didn’t make it for you.

Akane: I wanted to eat some proper Japanese food when I got back, but I missed my chance for ramen.

Kurono: I’m sorry, I should have planned better…

Akane: Yum. Oh man, I could eat Kurono’s sukiyaki every day n’ never get bored.

[sfx: Akane putting down his chopsticks]

Kurono: I’ll go get you something to drink!

[sfx: Kurono hurriedly getting out of his chair and walking off]

Mashiro: Very well done, my lord. You’ve trained your doggy well!

Akane: Now you’re just deliberately teasing me.

Mashiro: It's just so cute!

Akane: You’ve either got really bad taste or society’s gone to shit…

Haiji: I have to say, I was a little surprised earlier! I thought you were all already drunk when I arrived.

Mashiro: If you hadn’t found the pot stand when you did, my hair would’ve ended up a fried mess!

Haiji: I wasn’t able to find the pot stand, but thankfully there was a portable stove we could use!

Akane: And thanks to you, my sukiyaki’s piping hot.

Kurono: Sorry to have kept you waiting! Akane-san, a beer and some water. I’ll leave them here for you!

Akane: Yeah, thank you!

Kurono: And you, Haiji? You’re really fine not eating anything?

Haiji: Yeah! I already ate something back at home, so I’m alright with just the wine and some snacks!

Mashiro: Hey, what do you guys say to drinking a little more, then we can keep watching the concert clips together, all four of us?

Akane: Eeh?

Haiji: Which performance recording were you thinking of?

Mashiro: Hm? The first Tokyo performance. The energy there was electric, I liked it a lot.

Haiji: Is that the only one they’ve recorded?

Kurono: No, I believe they’ve recorded all of the performances so far.

Haiji: Then, I wonder if they’re gonna tape the outdoor performance on the last day too.

Mashiro: So long as there’s no issues, they’ll just record it as usual, right? Album sales are going well, too. Here’s to hoping we’re in for a special bonus!

Haiji: Performing under the clear evening sky… It’ll look beautiful on video! 

Kurono: The weather looks promising for the last day too.

Haiji: I can’t wait! Oh, right!

[sfx: Haiji getting something out of his bag]

Haiji: Akane-san. This is from Iwahara-san!

Akane: Hm? What is it?

Haiji: A reward for hitting number one on the daily charts, he said.

[sfx: Akane opening the envelope]

Akane: A USB stick?

Mashiro: What’s on it?

Haiji: Good question. He didn’t tell me anything…

Kurono: Akane-san, any ideas?

Akane: Nope, no clue.

Haiji: He’s probably already asleep by now… Sorry guys, I should asked him what it was.

Akane: There’s no rush. Booting up the PC now would be a pain. I’ll have a look at it tomorrow

Mashiro: A reward just for Akane, hm? It’s from Gan-chan, so there’s gotta be some special meaning behind it.

Kurono: Call him Iwahara-san. You act far too familiar.

Mashiro: But he's the one who said to call him Gan-chan! You don’t get to complain this time, Kurono!

Kurono: The distinction between you and your superiors should be clear.

Haiji: Ah, but even I call him Gan-chan when we’re at home.

Kurono: Really? That’s unexpected.

Mashiro: Haiji, you still use honorifics with us even after all this time, don’t you?

Haiji: I guess… I feel more comfortable speaking politely to people older than me. But that guy’s so disheveled that I just… don’t.

Kurono: Disheveled? Iwahara-san?

Mashiro: Well, maybe after 3 years of working together, that’s Gan-chan’s way of showing you not to be so uptight around him.

Haiji: Probably, right? Though, sometimes I wonder if I’m too strict with him about little things.

Akane: You? Strict?

Kurono: What do you mean?

Haiji: Erm… I mean, they’re just small things, really. Like leaving a trail of clothes in the corridor when he gets undressed.

Akane: Oh, yeah, I do that sometimes too.

Kurono: Not to worry! I pick them up for you!

Haiji: Or like when he comes out of the bath still dripping wet to grab his underwear from his room…

Mashiro: I’ve done silly things like that as well, for sure.

Kurono: It’s a good idea to have a place to store your undergarments in the washroom.

Mashiro: Oh, that’s smart! Wow, Kurono, you’re always looking out for the little things!

Kurono: Shut it! I am for Akane-san’s personal use!

Akane: What do you sound so proud for…?

Haiji: What else… Oh, yeah, putting his clothes in the washing machine with tissues still in the pockets?

Kurono: Wait, hold on. You’re definitely allowed to get mad about that.

Mashiro: Oh for sure, that’s infuriating.

Akane: Ah, we all agree then.

Haiji: Eh? Uh, huh? Huuh?