章 157: Just One Candle
"Happy birthday to yooooooooouuuu…"
Ranko blushed as her family serenaded her over the microphone-shaped cake sitting on table thirteen. She stood back almost half a meter, as nineteen candles gave off enough heat to make her a little uncomfortable, but as the song ended, she leaned down and blew them all out quickly, careful not to let her ponytail dangle too close to the flames.
The family had decided not to close the bar down for her birthday tonight as they had last year, and Ranko was fine with that. Last year, she was a broken little thing and needed every ounce of reassurance and love she could get. Now? She had her problems to be sure, but she knew who she was, she knew where she belonged, and she had people who loved her. I am wanted, I have worth, and I have people who care about me, Yui had once taught her. It had taken a year, but most days, she believed that now, and that was progress to be proud of.
Rather, the staff of the Phoenix Bar in the Minato district of Tokyo decided to throw a party in the middle of a Sunday afternoon, before the bar opened to the public. Because it was a weekend, Kaito, Hoshi, Ayako and Kage had all been able to come; Ranko almost never saw them during the week because they were all so busy. Akane was there too, a very welcome addition from last year, and she'd invited Nabiki to come along. Kasumi had considered coming as well, but she hadn't had enough time to fully acclimate to all of Ranko's cover stories about her past, and she and Akane had ultimately decided it was safer to give it a little more time.
Ranko's bandmates were there as well - all of them, including Ariel, Hitomi and Emi. Shiori and Kou from the cheerleading squad had come too. The only person Ranko had really hoped to see and didn't was Kumiko, but she understood why. She'd had to all but ghost her best friend at school to keep up the ruse with Eiji, and it was absolutely killing her.
"I can't thank you all enough for coming," Ranko said as Hana began distributing slices of chocolate cake.
Shiori giggled. "You had us at free pizza."
Kou laughed. "Well, speaking as the girl who has to throw you in the air, maybe take it a little easy with that."
Standing a few meters back, leaning on the bar counter next to Yui, Akane knocked a bit of frosting around with a sigh on a purple paper plate with a plastic fork. Ranko had, after everything went south with her father and the volleyball team, suggested that as far as her schoolmates went, they should continue to keep their relationship hush-hush. It sounded like a great idea in practice. But now, as Akane watched the woman she loved tittering with her friends and sisters, radiant in her mint-colored dress, and had to constantly remind herself that she couldn't walk up and wrap her arms around her, kiss her until she gasped for air, and tell her how insanely proud of her she was, Akane hated the decision even if she understood it.
Finally, she understood how Ranko had felt all that time. Akane had been dealing with it for almost twenty minutes, and she was already about to crack.
As the cake was distributed, Ranko slid over between Shiori and Kou, putting one arm around each of their shoulders. "Thank you girls so much for coming!" Her voice lowered to a whisper. "Remember, my mom doesn't know I'm dating Eiji, so let's keep that to ourselves, okay?" Please don't let Akane hear you say that shit.
"Watch out, everybody!" The saloon door swung open from the kitchen and Izumi entered, carrying two large baskets of various and sundry finger foods.
Ranko gasped, running up to the bar. "Girl, are you crazy?! You're like, gonna pop any second here. Maybe let one of us handle that?" She reached out, taking the baskets from her sister.
Izumi flopped awkwardly onto her stool with a sigh. "I, for one, can't say I'm not ready for it to be over with."
With a bright giggle, Ranko dropped the baskets of onion rings and chicken wings on the bar counter within easy reach of all the party's attendees. "Maybe, but I don't wanna share my birthday with the little bugger, so hold out a little longer, okay?"
Izumi blushed. "I'll see what I can do, kiddo."
Ranko flitted over to Hitomi and Emi, putting one of her arms around each of them. "I'm so glad you girls are here."
Emi gave Ranko an uncomfortably tight hug around the neck. "Us, too!"
With a smirk, Ranko motioned to the paper bag under Hitomi's arm. "Did you bring 'em?"
Hitomi opened the bag to let Ranko peek inside with a nod. "Did you?"
Ranko nodded. "Mine's behind the counter. C'mon."
Ducking under the bar for a plastic grocery bag she'd wadded up, Ranko surreptitiously ducked out of her party and led the girls through the saloon doors and the kitchen, through the steel door to the back alley behind the Phoenix. Clearing a small patch of asphalt a good three meters from the building of leaves and debris with her foot, Ranko reached into the blue plastic bag, pulling out a thin white blouse and a green plaid microskirt. She dropped them in the clearing she created in a little clump. "Girls?"
Emi reached into the paper bag in her roommate's hand, pulling out an identical white shirt and plaid skirt. She walked closer to Ranko, tossing her old uniform on top of Ranko's. Hitomi followed, turning the bag upside down and dumping a third set onto the heap.
Ranko looked over her new backup dancers. She was so happy that she'd been able to free them from the hellhole she'd met them in. They were both sweet kids, and if Ranko was being honest with herself, she needed this moment of catharsis as much as they did.
"Hitomi, wanna do the honors?" Ranko reached into her jacket pocket, pulling out a small cardboard box and tossing it to the taller of her companions before taking a step back from the little heap.
Hitomi smiled, looking down at the small pile of clothing. If one had combined what all three girls had worn at that awful place, there was maybe enough fabric there for a dress that wouldn't be entirely indecent on her. She slid the box open, pulling out a small wooden stick and dragging it against the long side of the box quickly with a flick of her wrist.
"So long, Takao, and fuck you." Hitomi dropped the match.
"Yeah! Eat shit, Katsuo!" Emi whooped as their old uniforms began to ignite.
Ranko walked up between the girls, putting one of her arms around each, and the three girls squealed together as the souvenirs from their shared trauma burned a few meters from their feet. "C'mon, it's cold out here." She led the pair inside, letting the fire burn itself out in the alley.
As Ranko pushed through the saloon door to re-enter the main bar area, she thudded into something solid. "Ugh! Dammit, Crash. I swear, dude!"
The guitarist laughed, righting her on her feet. His eyes lingered a bit, and he blushed as he spoke. "Sorry about that, birthday girl." Ranko didn't notice Akane watching over her shoulder, but if she had, she'd have wondered why Akane had that look on her face like she used to get whenever Shampoo showed up at the dojo unannounced.
"Oh, here." Crash handed Ranko a stack of four folded pages he had stashed in the inside breast pocket of his coat. "We took a first whack at the music for Call Me Pandora, if you wanna check it out."
Ranko pointed to the scales of notes, shrugging. "You do know you might as well have just handed me Egyptian hieroglyphics, right?"
With a hearty laugh, Crash shook his head. "Girl, you're hopeless. We gotta teach you some of this stuff."
Ranko waved as she walked away. "Sure, when I get some free time, in like, 2023 or something."
She sidled up next to Akane, who had taken over one of the back booths in the back with Nabiki. "How's things on the home front?"
Nabiki shook her head. "I was just telling Akane. No change. The dummy spent two years trying to force you two chuckleheads to fall in love, and now that you did, he's all bent out of shape." She looked up at Ranko with a mischievous grin. "I swear. Guys. They just make no damn sense. Right, Ranko?"
Ranko blushed, looking up at Akane with a mockingly disgusted smirk, sticking out her tongue. "I know, right? Friggin' gross, too! Eugh!"
Akane laughed heartily, but Ranko's face took on a serious expression as she asked a follow-up question to which she really didn't want the answer. "And what about… you-know-who?"
"Daddy told him everything. I don't really know what to make of it; he seems kind of sad, but he hasn't really talked about it. Of course, he also hasn't seen a tea kettle in two weeks, so he hasn't really said much of anything."
Ranko nodded solemnly. She supposed, as her notoriety grew, it was only a matter of time before her father found out the truth of what had become of his son. She'd forced the issue herself, just another piece of fuel for the dumpster fire that had been Sneak. She was honestly surprised that he'd known for two weeks and hadn't shown up, but she was glad he hadn't. As far as she was concerned, fifty years from now would be too soon to see him again.
The redhead craned her neck around into the main bar area. "Crap, I gotta get back out there. Thanks, Nabiki."
Ranko went to stand, but felt a tug on the side of her dress. "Hey, get back here, you." Noticing that the tall backs of the bar booths obscured them from view of the rest of the room, Akane leaned over and stole a quick kiss. As Ranko rose from the kiss, she gave the redhead a quick, sneaky swat on the backside. "Now, scoot."
Ranko slipped out of the booth with a quiet yelp, walking over to another of the partygoers and dropping to her knees. "Hey! What are you doing with my cookie?!"
Hoshi turned around, grinning as he popped the rest of the chocolate chip cookie in his mouth, talking with his mouth full. "Get your own, Auntie Ranko!"
"Get my own, huh? Get my own? I'm gonna get you!" She waited until he swallowed to make sure he didn't choke before reaching out and grabbing the eight-year-old boy, pulling him into a hug and tickling his ribs as he squirmed and kicked. Ranko was careful to keep his legs shielded from her body, as even the child's kick could have put her on the floor in agony.
"So, you ready to be a big brother?"
Hoshi shrugged. "I guess. Mama says the baby's coming soon?"
Nodding, Ranko smiled brightly. "Yep! Probably before Christmas."
"What if I don't know how to be a brother?" Hoshi gave a furtive little expression.
Ranko laughed, giving the child another little squeeze. "Well, I'd never been a sister before until last year, so I had to learn, too. And I didn't even get to be a big sister. I'm the baby of the bunch. But here's what your mom and your aunties Yui, Mei and Ayako showed me: it's all about teaching them stuff, keeping them safe, and making sure they know, a hundred percent, every single day, no matter what, that someone loves them and is there for them. It's like having a best friend, but even better. When your sister comes, you gotta take good care of her and make sure she knows she can always count on you. But you also gotta remember that once she gets a little older, you're gonna be able to count on her, too. Forever."
The little boy blushed. "I think I can do that, Auntie."
Ranko squeezed him tight, giving her nephew a kiss on the forehead. "I know you can, buddy."
She motioned with her head as Mei carried a pair of round pans out of the kitchen. "Looks like Auntie Mei's got a couple of fresh pizzas there, if you want some."
Hoshi nodded. "I asked for one with shrimps."
Ranko let the boy go, rising to her feet. "Well, you'd better go get some before it's all gone, bud!" As the child ran off, Ranko made her way to another round table, slipping into a chair between Yui and Hana. "Mama, thanks so much for doing this. I haven't gotten to spend as much time with the family with everything going on, and I've missed this."
Hana nodded. "You're welcome, sweetheart. Your sisters and I were just remembering this time last year, and how far you've come since then. There just aren't words for how proud of you we are, baby girl."
Ranko blushed. "You know what? I'm actually pretty proud of me, too."
"And modest, too!" Yui threw her arm around Ranko's neck, pulling her into a hug against her side a little roughly. The redhead tried not to wince as the metal rivets of Yui's denim jacket scraped roughly against her exposed skin on the back and side of her neck.
"She has every right to be proud of herself, Yui," Ayako said with an admonishing glance. "A career, thousands of fans, doing well in school… On track to win the All-Tokyo Cheerleading Invitational, too, according to her friends over there."
Plus, you know, figuring out how to put on a bra and makeup, walking in heels, learning to cook, coming up with a whole new identity… little stuff like that, Ranko thought to herself with a satisfied grin.
"I know she does, I'm just busting her chops, Aya." Yui grinned. "She's a rock star. Literally. Well, pop, but close enough, I guess. But you're right. Our little sister's a badass. At least, when she keeps her arms out of the pizza oven."
Ranko rolled her eyes. "You fall asleep in a 425-degree furnace one time, and they never let you live it down."
Yui nodded, but her smile became a little less mirthful and more sincere. "Really, though. I mean it. You done good, kid sister. We're so glad you found us."
Ranko smiled brightly, turning to make sure she made eye contact with everyone at the table. "So am I. Gods, so am I. I love you all so much, and I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me this last year."
Again, Yui smirked. "Oh, when you're rich and famous from your music career, we'll think of ways."
Blushing, Ranko nodded. "I promise, the first mansion after mine is yours, Yui. We'll make sure there's plenty of room for Sakura, too…" She smirked, tossing a coaster at her sister playfully.
It was Yui's turn to blush. "Listen here, you. I'll have you know, Sakura is a perfect lady and there is absolutely nothing untoward going on there that we are gonna talk about while Mama's at the table."
"Well, if it's half as good with your perfect lady as it is with Akane, we'll have to make sure the bedrooms in your new mansion are soundproofed."
Hana gasped with a broad smile. "Ranko!"
The birthday girl blushed. "Sorry, mom."
Shaking her head, the family matriarch laughed heartily. "Please, baby. I've been in the bar business for thirty-two years. You gotta work harder than that to make me blush."
Yui smirked, raising and tilting her glass to her mother. "Challenge accepted, mama."
Hana tipped her glass to the side. "Looks like someone's waiting for your attention, Miss Popular."
Ranko blushed, turning and looking up at her girlfriend with a smile. "Seems so." She stood, and walked with Akane.
"C'mere a minute." Akane took her lover's hand, pulling her through the saloon door into the back area and nudging her up the stairs toward her old apartment.
"Um, Akane, don't get me wrong, I love where your head's at, but should we really do this with all those people downstairs?"
Akane blushed furiously. "Oh, you. Such a silly girl. Get your butt up there. I just want a minute."
Ranko climbed the steps, turning the doorknob and entering her old room, sitting exactly as she left it. She closed her eyes and breathed deep, just taking in the familiar smell of the place. She'd always felt at home in the apartment she shared with Akane, but this was the place where she'd learned what the words love and safety meant, and she'd treasure that feeling every time she set foot in that tiny little room.
"Close your eyes a sec." Akane smiled, nudging her to the foot of the bed.
Doing as her lover asked, Ranko waited as she heard the oven door open and close. In a former life, she'd be worried that Akane was about to try to force her to eat something she cooked, but thanks to the Cat's Tongue, if the oven had been on in the last hour or so, she'd be able to feel it from where she sat. She heard two quiet clicks coming from the kitchen area, and then footsteps approaching her.
"Happy first birthday, Ranko Tendo."
The redhead opened her eyes, and Akane was holding a little pink cupcake. Sticking out of it was a single lit candle, white with colored wax splotches, in the shape of a numeral one. It was almost as big as the cupcake itself.
"I know you're nineteen today, but… technically, this is your first birthday as the person you are now, and I just… I felt like we should celebrate that, too. Maybe it was silly. I don't know." Akane blushed deeply, almost embarrassed of her gesture now that she said it out loud.
Ranko stood, smiling lovingly at Akane. She'd thought about it throughout the day, remembering vividly burning her old identification card on the front-right burner of the stove that stood not four meters away a year ago . Remembering every thought and feeling that coursed through her head that night. The night she decided she'd discovered who she wanted to be, and decided what she had to give up for it was worth it. It was the hardest, and best, decision she'd ever made in her life.
She leaned down, gently blowing out the candle.
"What did you wish for," Akane asked with a warm smile.
Ranko wrapped her arms around Akane's neck. "Come here, and I'll show you."
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