_HAPPY_BEGINNINGS
(Vol. 2 Track 2)

[sfx: footsteps, curtains opening]

Hibari: Rise and shine, you lot.

Toki: (groans) It’s morning…? Ah, ouch…

Hibari: I went to all the trouble of buying a sofa-bed for whenever you guys stay over, so why on earth are you sleeping on the floor?

Toki: Hmph… I must’a passed out.

Hibari: How late did you end up getting to sleep, then?

Toki: Mm? (stretching) It was around 4am when I last checked the time, I think.

Hibari: You were online even past midnight? 

Toki: Yup. As soon as the song was released online, the notifications just wouldn’t stop coming. We did a quick search and peoples’ reviews starting popping up, so Tsugu got real excited. Though, he’s pretty much always like this after lives too. (more stretching, yawning) 

Hibari: Plenty of excitement then, huh?

Toki: Oi, Tsugu! Time to get up! 

Tsugumi: (sleepy groaning)

Toki: If you don’t hurry and wake up already we’ll be short on time, y’know!

Tsugumi: (defiant sleepy groaning)

Toki: We’ve gotta go check out the place they’ll be putting out the new CD, remember?

[sfx: Tsugumi sitting up very suddenly]

Tsugumi: (gasp) I’M READY!

Toki: Whu- Oi, you scared me there.

Tsugumi: I’m ready, let’s go! Hibari, I can use your shower, right?!

[sfx: Tsugumi already running off]

Hibari: Go right ahead.

Toki: Ah, dangit… I forgot to buy us something for breakfast.

Hibari: Can’t we just eat while we’re out? 

Toki: Only if we can make it there on time.

Hibari: As always, Toki-kun, you’re such a worrier! If we start preparing now, we’ll still have plenty of time to spare.

Toki: Well…I mean, we’ll be fine, but…

Hibari: (nervous gasp) … I forgot about Mitsuru.

Toki: Come to think of it, Mitsuru was more energetic than usual yesterday too, right?

Hibari: That’s where you’d be wrong. You see, Mitsuru’s been full of enthusiasm ever since we first played as Inkuro.

Toki: (laughs) That right?

Hibari: More importantly, Toki-kun… There’s something I want to ask you.

Toki: Hm? What is it that’s got you so serious?

Hibari: When we debuted… Did you tell your parents?

Toki: … I did not.

Hibari: Ah, I knew it. Yesterday, when we started talking about your hometown, you looked on-edge. I thought that must have been why.

Toki: And? What about you?

Hibari: (sigh) Asking as if you don’t already know.

Toki: Things are pretty frustrating for you back home, right? Everything okay?

Hibari: Well, if it comes down to it… I’ve been thinking of getting in touch with Higurashi Akane.

Toki: Huh? What does Rubire’s vocalist have to do with this?

Hibari: Our… My parent’s company, it’s made us pretty rich, right?

Toki: Sure…

Hibari: And his parents run a global conglomerate, right?

Toki: (short laugh) Yeah, as if! …Huh?

Hibari: Our company and the Higurashi Group, they have something of a mutual respect for each other. 

Toki: You’re serious… 

Hibari: Mhm, dead serious. When it comes to explaining things to older folks, it’s helpful to have an example to point to. Now, compared to my family’s, their company is a lot larger, and Akane is only their third son, I think, but…

Toki: Really?

Hibari: Anyways, what about you, Toki-kun? Doesn’t it bother you? Arguing with your parents before heading off to university?

Toki: I mean... I guess. In a way.

Tsugumi: Gah! That’s me out the shower!

Hibari: (light laugh) Welcome back, Tsugu-chan.

Toki: That was quick.

Tsugumi: Haah, that woke me up for sure!

Toki: You say that, Tsugu, but you hair is still soaking wet! Dry it properly! C’mon!

[sfx: Toki drying Tsugu’s hair with a towel]

Tsugumi: Ghk! Oi! Toki! I’m telling you, I’m good! I can do it myself!

Toki: You can’t, that’s why I’m doing it. What are we gonna do if you catch a cold, huh? You’d have to miss the event.

Tsugumi: I’ll be fine! I’m a genius, geniuses don’t catch colds!

Toki: Stop talking back and listen to what I’m telling you!

[sfx: Toki attacking Tsugu with the towel]

Tsugumi: Agh ! H-hold on! I get it, cut it out already!

Hibari: Moving on… Toki-kun, are you going to take a shower as well?

Toki: Uh, probably… I’d better make it quick though.

Tsugumi: Then hurry on in! I’m gettin’ hungry! But first… OI, MITSURU!!! TIME! TO! WAKE! UP!!

[sfx: Tsugumi (presumably) flinging himself onto Mitsuru]

Mitsuru: Ghuh…! H-heavy…

Tsugumi: Now is not the time for sleeping! Today’s the day Inkuro releases their debut single!

…

Toki: (sigh) Guess I’m really doing this, huh…

Tsugumi: What are you talking about, after we came all this way! Now c’mon, you can borrow my cap!

[sfx: Tsugumi throwing a hat at Toki, Toki grumbling]

Tsugumi: Heh! You won’t be so embarrassed if they can’t see your face, right?

Toki: That’s really not the issue here.

Hibari: If we keep standing outside the store like this, we’ll get in the way of customers.

Tsugumi: Yeah, what he said, Toki! You’ll be inconveniencing the public!

Toki: Alright, I get it! Let’s just get on with it.

Mitsuru: You guys? It’s over here!

Toki: (stage whisper) Oi, Mitsuru! Not so loud!

Tsugumi: (very loudly) Woah!! I wanna see, lemme see!

Toki: (hypocritically loud) I said, not so loud!!

Hibari: Yes, we hear you, Toki-kun, time to go in now.

Toki: Gh… Can’t believe this…

Tsugumi: Woah~! It’s really here!

Mitsuru: Over there too. There’s a poster on the wall.

Tsugumi: Wah, you’re right!

Toki: I mean, it is release day after all.

Tsugumi: Toki-kun~ Is that a smile I see under there~?

Toki: Uh, I mean (clearing his throat, changing tone) There something wrong with being happy…?

Tsugumi: Nothing wrong with it at all, now that you’re finally done sulking!

Toki: Oi, watch it!

Hibari: Hmm…

Mitsuru: Hm? Hibari, is everything okay?

Hibari: Ah, yeah. I’m just looking at the CDs, I glad we were placed in the new releases section… but…

Tsugumi: But?

Hibari: If maybe it were a little more… Here, if I put it a shelf higher…

Mitsuru: Oh! You can see it better up there.

Tsugumi: Ah, I get it! If they’re too high on the shelves they’re hard to reach, but if they’re too low, people won’t even see ‘em! 

Mitsuru: I hadn’t really thought about that before.

Toki: Well, I’m just glad they put them up on the shelves in the first place. You guys should be too.

[sfx: Hibari stacking CDs]

Hibari: If I could just stack a few of them face-up, like this… There.

Tsugumi: Woah, that’s sick! Now when you look at it, it’s like it’s totally Inkuro-focused! Nice, let's do that to all of them then, yeah?

Toki: Hold it, hold it! Let’s run that back a sec, alright?

Tsugumi: Oops… That a no, then?

Toki: Obviously it’s a no!

Tsugumi: Sheesh! It ain’t a big deal! You’re so boring!

Mitsuru: Tsugumi, we shouldn’t do that. If another band were to cover up our CDs with theirs, we’d probably feel hurt, wouldn’t we?

Tsugumi: Oh! I guess that’s true… 

[sfx: Tsugumi moving CDs back]

Tsugumi: There, just as it was before. My deepest apologies for having such selfish thoughts!

Toki: C’mon, we’ve had our fill already, haven’t we? We’d better get a move on.

Hibari: Oh, you’re right! We should hurry to the agency, Tobi-chan’s probably stressing himself out right about now without us there.

Mitsuru: I’m looking forward to the event later.

[sfx: Mitsuru, Hibari and Toki walking off]

Tsugumi: …

Toki: Hm? Hey, Tsugu! 

Tsugumi: … Oh, right.

[sfx: Toki walking back over]

Toki: What’re you looking… Oh. RUBIA Leopard.

Tsugumi: That’s one big ass poster.

Toki: Don’t go picking fights.

Tsugumi: Hah, too late for that now, right?

Toki: … If you say so.

Tsugumi: That guy… I’m gonna steal his crown, no matter what it takes. 

[sfx: Toki patting him on the back]

Toki: Yeah. Now, c’mon.

Tsugumi: Right!

…

[sfx: Crowd cheering, clapping]

Tsugumi: Fresh from our newly released debut single, that was RISE! I’m glad I could sing it for all of your today! Thank you all for listening!

Toki: And once again, our most sincere thanks for allowing to perform in-store like this. 

Hibari: Thanks for continuing to cheer us on!

Mitsuru: See you all again. Bye-bye!

…

Tobikura: Well done for all your hard work today!

Tsugumi: Tobi-chan, right back at you!

Toki: Thank you for your hard work.

Tsugumi: Wooh! That felt great!

Tobikura: You really livened up the crowd!

Mitsuru: I saw a lot of familiar faces out there.

Tsugumi: The front row was locked out by the regulars from back at the live house! They’re really cheering for us! 

Tobikura: (tearfully) From the bottom of my heart, I’m truly so happy to see you all debut. It’s honestly got me feeling quite emotional!

Tsugumi: We couldn’t have done it without you, Tobi-chan! Thank you!

Tobikura: Tsugumi-kun…!

Hibari: Hm? Tobi-chan, are you… crying?

Tobikura: (quickly composing himself) Eh!? Of course not!

Mitsuru: It’s okay to cry, you know.

Tsugumi: Totally! Ah! Hey, how about we toss Tobi-chan in the air to celebrate!?^[1]

Mitsuru: … Sounds good to me.

Tsugumi: Yeah, let’s do it!

Tobikura: Eh?! W-Wha?! Please wait just a second!

Toki: Too late! Hey, make sure you hold on properly. I’ll lift him from this side.

Tsugumi: Roger that!

Tobikura: E-Even you, Toki-kun?!

Toki: Once these guys get an idea in their head, they can’t be stopped. It’s better to give up now.

Tobikura: Eehh?!? I’m glad y-you’re all so happy, but…!

[sfx: door open]

Staff: U-Uh…?

Hibari: Ah, apologies if we’re causing trouble. We just got a little excited is all! We’ll be done shortly, don’t worry. 

Staff: Right…

Hibari: (to himself) Well, sometime today, anyways.