♫ 2nd Solo ♫

[ikenai]

who: Mikumo and you!
what: Self-promotion is fun!
when: The entire month of August
where: Around the Quarantine
warnings: Nothing really, except for Mikumo being a troll



Ever since her announcement over the Quarantine's version of social media, Mikumo has been busy with her agent. In the past few weeks, she's been taking photos and meeting as many people as she can. There have been trips to venues, a baseball field, and certain stores to throw together a wardrobe worthy of Riverview's first idol.

In the week leading up to the River festival, posters for her appearances start popping up all over the place. (Samples are here: One, two, three, four, five, and six.) Dates and times are splashed across the posters, drawing attention to her best assets artistically. Of course, she is the one responsible for where they're all placed. She has final say on these sorts of things, agent or not.

After the festival, it's more performing in the clubs at night and plastering the town with her face.

When she's not out promoting herself, she's in her apartment, singing, writing and working on dance moves. To everyone on the third through fifth floors of the communal housing buildings, she's not sorry that her voice carries. However, she does take requests, so that's something.

However, she's so determined to get out there that she's not paying attention to where she's going. On more than one occasion, she bumps into a stranger and sends her papers flying. "Oh, I'm sorry! Are you hurt?"

Comments

[yakyuuman]

[ He'd seen the posters stacked up everywhere and, since he knows Mikumo and spoke to her, there's a growth of pride swelling in his chest. She might reach a considerable achievement before he even does, but he's not bothered by that fact, since his own advancement in life had gone so much further in two months here than it ever did back home, and he's also proud of himself for it. He thinks it's still early to dream big.

As he stares at a few posters plastered on a building's wall, admiring Mikumo's beauty and perfect photogenic appearance, he's startled by someone bumping into him. Paper flies in front of his face and scatters to the ground. He looks down at them, then at the girl who's just asked if he's okay, and... oh. ]

Mikumo-chan! [ He brightens up instantly pumping his sleeve-covered fists with excitement. ] Wow, so you're the one putting up all the posters? You're pretty much everywhere!

[ikenai]

[Mikumo has spent more than a few afternoons watching the baseball team practice. Incognito is how she goes more days than not, just because this is something that she hasn't seen before and she doesn't want to distract the players or her number one fan in their jobs.

When she realizes who she's bumped into, her cheeks flush a bit in embarrassment (for only the second time in her entire life.) But she's quick to recover.]

Jyushimatsu-kun. How are you? [She's had years to perfect her slightly teasing tone of voice, and she doesn't waste a second before turning it on.] Well, it's not just me, but yes. This is the only way to get the most exposure without constantly spamming everyone's phones.

[yakyuuman]

[ Jyushimatsu chuckles, blushing a little himself because Mikumo is so much cuter when she's not behind a screen. Talking with a cute girl in general besides Totoko felt like a luxury to him back home, and he could only experience that luxury once when he met Homura.

Now it all seems so much easier. He rubs the back of his head. ]

I'm doing fine! And yeah, that's way more likely to attract people than spamming ads! Most people don't like spam!

[ He then remembers the papers scattered to the ground and hurries to pick them up. ]

Sorry for making you drop these! Give me a sec!

[ikenai]

[Wouldn't he be surprised to know that she really sucks at interpersonal relationships? She tries so hard to cover up her lack of experience by being flirtatious and sweet here in the Quarantine because she can't rely heavily on her whole "Mysterious Venus" persona as she did back in the Globular System. She doesn't have the other girls to bolster her in that way.]

Well, I know that I never really cared to have a lot of ads sent to my home and devices when I never asked for them. I figure that most people are much the same.

[At least she assumes so, because it's only logical.

She chuckles a little as she picks up some of the posters near her and straightens up the stack after he hands her the ones he's retrieved.]

It's quite alright. I really should watch where I'm going. And possibly not text and walk. [She acts as if she has had a great revelation.] Are you free to help me put more of these up by chance?

[yakyuuman]

[ Generally, he's pretty bad with putting things in order, in every sense of the term. His thoughts are messy, his lifestyle is messy, his schedule is erratic, he ends almost every single day covered in dirt, and the way he's stashing those papers causes them to bend and crumple a little because although he's super ready to help, the way he goes about it is quite careless. He'll leave the job of straightening them out to Mikumo, satisfied with himself when he stands up and sees that the ground is now clear. ]

Done! And it's fine, I get distracted all the time!

[ Jyushimatsu nods instantly at the suggestion, so hard and excited he feels dizzy for a few seconds. He doesn't recall what he was even supposed to do for the rest of the day. ]

Free as a bird! I can totally help out! Just tell me where to go!

[ikenai]

[And she's so used to having things in her life taken care of by other people that she doesn't really know what being unorganized really looks like. She doesn't throw things around because it's easier to put it away. It's just a practical thing to do. It makes sense.

Maybe one day she'll even thank Lady M for that.

It doesn't matter if the posters get a little rumpled. She's sure that the wind and rain on the moon will do that anyway. So long as they get posted and seen, that's fine with her.]

I appreciate your excitement. How about you staple the posters to the surfaces and I'll carry them?

[She hates the stapler. It's evil.]

[yakyuuman]

[ Jyushimatsu nods again with more convinction than before. He'll do whatever is asked of him as long as it's an easy to understand task. One could say he really likes being told what to do by the people he likes. Like a faithful dog of sorts. ]

Alrighty, just point me to where I should attach them and I'll do the job in no time at all!

[ikenai]

[Mikumo's never had a pet, but she's dealt with Chuck enough to know what that sort of behaviour is like. Or, well, Messer with Kaname as well. A part of her is worried about someone who is so eager to please, but she's probably going to have to keep an eye out on to make sure that she doesn't take advantage of that sort of attitude.

She knows herself too well.]

Well, mostly street poles and fences. I do have a roll of tape in my bag, but there are more staples at this point.

[She's tried to be organized about this, after all. Oh, and before she forgets, she hands him the stapler, glad to be rid of the thing.]

[yakyuuman]

[ He takes the EVIL stapler from her, running the task through his mind a few times so he won't forget and do something stupid as a result. Once sure he got everything memorized, he gives another enthusiastic nod. Doing a good action for someone sure brings his spirits higher, closer to cloud nine. ]

Stapling is fine! We'll do everything in no time with my speed!

[ When Mikumo is ready to leave, he'll bounce by her side and follow her lead. ]

[ikenai]

[She is only too happy to have the help. Tacking up posters is really just not something she thought she'd have to do herself. Her agent and his assistants should have taken care of it, but she wanted to make sure it was done correctly!

Her directions are kind and gentle, and she's more than willing to answer any questions she's asked, but she's very direct. When the last is hung, she leans over and gives her assistant a kiss on the cheek.]

Thank you for all of your assistance, Jyushimatsu. I never would have gotten this done so quickly without it.

[yakyuuman]

[ Time breezed by just as he expected. The wildness in him wanted to attach those papers on every surface he found, but Mikumo's presence kept him grounded. He didn't want to be weird as his usual and make her think less of him.

And look at that - he gets rewarded for the effort! His lame and virgin self is going to dream about the kiss for ages afterwards, probably. He looks at her with a pleasant kind of shock, cheeks going so red and heated some smoke even puffs out of his ears. ]

I-It was a pleasure! That wasn't hard at all! I'm happy I could help! Muscle, hustle!

[ He flexes his arms, but in doing that the smoke grows thicker from his ears. Another bit and he might as well spontaneously combust. ]

[ikenai]

[What a cute young man. Absolutely perfect just the way he is. Mikumo is actually glad that she's been kind and cultivated his attention the way that she has.

And not just for moments like this. He reminds her a bit of Lt Chuck and she really needs the reminder of home right now.]

Now, aside from a kiss, would you like a pass to my next performance? I have a few to give out.

[yakyuuman]

[ He thinks he's about to pass out from dehydration because he's burning all over. The only thing keeping him from exploding is Mikumo talking to him.

What a great day this is. ]

Sure thing! Hearing Mikumo-chan sing live for the first time would be super amazing!

[ikenai]

[She is a little worried about the way he's so red and the steam.

She reaches into her small bag at her side and pulls out a pair of tickets for him.]

Here you are. You can bring a friend as well.

[The weather is warm and she's ready for a drink.]

Why don't I get you a cold drink too?

[yakyuuman]

Hahaha! I'll see if someone's interested!

[ He's confident in the fact his circle of friends here is not full of creeps. And then there are also his brothers, maybe he'd ask one of them to come with him. Except they'll disappear a few days later.

Stuffing the tickets into his hoodie, Jyushimatsu takes a deep breath to try and calm down. ]

You don't have to, but thanks, that might help me chill!

[ikenai]

[She throws him a fond smile over her shoulder as she heads to the nearest cafe.]

Well, I would like a cool glass of milk because there's nothing better than milk after exercise.

[yakyuuman]

[ He catches up with her quickly, once again bouncing in his steps. It's like his feet don't even touch the ground. ]

I'll get a juice then! I usually get beer, but grapefruit juice is my second fave drink and won't get me drunk at least!

[ikenai]

[At his comment, she stops and blinks for a few seconds.]

Just how old are you?

[yakyuuman]

I'm twenty-five!

[ He answers, innocently. ]

Did you think I was younger? I don't blame you!

[ikenai]

You're twenty-five?

[She is, in fact, a bit floored. Messer was twenty, Kaname closer to twenty-four..... And they were so much more serious than him.]

I would never have guessed.

[yakyuuman]

Right? People mistake me for a teen all the time! It's funny!

[ He's not offended in any way, unless they openly antagonize him for being a "kid". ]

I am totally legal for things like drinking! And I love beer!

[ikenai]

[She's the last person to judge anyone for not acting their age. His behavior doesn't impede her at all, so he's free to be himself.]

I've never had that before, so I can't offer an opinion. Besides, alcohol is usually frowned upon for idols.

Although, I know that the Captain and Major enjoy it at parties back home...

[yakyuuman]

[ Jyushimatsu nods in understanding. He can imagine how "dirty" it would be for an idol's image to drink unrefined stuff like alcoholic drinks. Milk and fruit juice are good alternatives he can get behind. ]

Beer is an end-of-all drink to have at parties, so I can relate with them! Had a load of beer parties with my brothers, myself! It's not for everyone though, and I understand!

[ikenai]

Isn't it full of empty calories? What's so good about that?

[yakyuuman]

It's fresh and delicious! It's gratifying for the body, until you get a hangover from it! [ HAHA. ]