Type: Novel Summary
Title: Back Stage!!
Series: Love Stage!!
Author/Circle: Eiki Eiki, Amano Kazuki
Rating: PG
Language: English
This time: Rei’s been running ragged with organizing the Crusherz schedule, so Shougo decides they need a little change of pace–and scenery.

Chapter 5

Rei wakes from a nap with a jolt to find Shougo leaning over him, gently shaking him and telling him they’re finished–he’s at a recording studio for a talk show, and Shougo’s just finished his segment. Rei had tagged along to keep an eye on him, but now that the taping’s finished, they need to get going.

He’s been extremely busy of late, being the only person on the SenaPro staff who’s capable of keeping up with the huge influx of Crusherz-related work that they now have to deal with. Add to that the fact that he’s also personally managing Seiya and Nagisa as well still, and he’s about at his limit, as evidenced by the fact that he’s just been caught sleeping on the job.

The Crusherz have been going amazingly well, though–their debut single hit the top of the Oricon chart as if that was their rightful place, and their second single wasn’t far behind, as well as their recently released first album. The band in general–and Shougo in particular–have been making their rounds on the talk show circuit as well.

Given that Shougo’s very obviously his father’s child given his looks and the fact that the band signed with SenaPro, it hadn’t taken long for it to come out that he was the eldest child of the Sena family. While there had been some making noise about ‘coattail riding’, the majority by and large understood how hard Shougo had worked to get where he was, and there’d been next to no effect on his workload. Shougo himself hadn’t seemed to mind the comparisons at all–but without fail, whenever he was asked about his father in interviews, he always made comments like he’s my greatest rival!

Naturally, most took that to mean in the singing field–but Rei understands it for what it really is, meaning that he views his father as a rival…for Rei.

With all this stress, it’s little wonder Rei’s body’s about at its limit, and he reminds himself that he really has to find a manager for the band to take some pressure off himself. They’ve already started looking, but there aren’t many candidates who fit the bill. Still, they’ll have to find someone, because Rei’s stamina can’t take this hectic schedule for much longer.

And that’s when it comes: “Let’s record our next single overseas!”

Rei’s flabbergasted–he’s working his ass off with this busy schedule, and Shougo’s suggesting they just flit off somewhere for a recording?! He unloads on Shougo here, pressing him as to just when he thinks they can possibly fit such a trip into the Crusherz’ schedule. Shougo points out that they’ve already set aside a whole week in the schedule for recording–why not go then?

Rei returns that they’d have to factor in the time to get to and from the location, which would cut into their recording time–what on earth does Shougo not like about just recording here in Japan? Shougo explains that he’s super bored with spending all this time in-country and wants to get out and relax on some foreign soil–at this rate, he’ll never be able to think up new lyrics cooped up in Japan like this! A true artist’s complaint.

Rei eventually allows, “…Well, do you have somewhere you want to go?”

“New York!!”

“NEW YORK?!” That’s a whole day lost just on the trip there and back! On top of that, they’d have to account for jet-lag as well as general fatigue from the trip. Shougo understands this, though, and feels that there’s still merit in going–simply being there will pump new life into him and his song-writing. Rei eventually agrees to work with the schedule and see what he can do–but Shougo stops him with, “It’s fine! I’ve already booked our flight and hotel and a studio to use! Plus I’ve gotten the other members to agree!”

He shoves a bunch of documents in Rei’s direction as proof, and Rei realizes that he has indeed taken care of everything–more so, this is clearly evidence that he can manage his own schedule and Rei has no need to be running himself ragged trying to keep up. But Shougo counters that no way~ it’s way too annoying to keep up with all this. He’s only managed it this time because he was so eager to go.

Rei eventually agrees to bring it up with Seiya, seeing as he’s the president of SenaPro for one and Shougo’s father for another. He heads back to the Sena family residence where he finds Seiya. However, upon mentioning Shougo’s desire to go abroad…it turns out Seiya already knows everything and has already given his okay. On top of it, he urges Rei to go along as well–he’s been busy lately and deserves a break, and this would be perfect.

When he returns to Shougo, the guy seems stupidly pleased with himself. Rei grumbles, “I never expected you to have already talked it through with Seiya-san…”

Shougo is unmoved, “Well, while I might not like it, I knew there was no way you’d refuse if my dad gave his okay!” Rei eventually agrees to go along–but only because it’s part of his job.

Izumi’s heard the whole thing, though, and is not happy he’s being left behind. He pitches a fit, clamoring to go as well, and Shougo does his usual job of easily placating his little brother, calming him down and making him see logic. They eventually agree to bring him back plenty of souvenirs, leaving Rei to breathe a sigh of relief.

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“Eh? It’s your first time overseas?” Rei supposes it’s not strange for someone like Shougo, who’s made the trip to and from Japan several times during his schooling, to think it weird that Rei’s never been outside of the country before, but given his family’s financial straits prior to being picked up by Seiya, they just didn’t have the cash. He’s more than a little nervous–he won’t be able to communicate in Japanese in New York, and it’s a completely foreign country. But Shougo tells him not to worry, that he’ll take care of everything. Rei’s known he should try and increase his English conversation skills, as it’ll probably be necessary for work in the future, but he’s far from the fluent state that Seiya and Shougo enjoy.

He’d planned to study on the flight, but Shougo convinces him to just get some sleep and leave everything to him–and when he wakes, they’ve landed at John F. Kennedy airport in New York.

They grab a taxi–and while Rei tries his best to let the driver know where to go, Shougo winds up having to explain everything before they can get going. Embarrassed, he apologizes, but Shougo doesn’t understand what there is to apologize for. He told Rei to let him handle things, didn’t he?

Over the course of their journey to the hotel, Shougo has to swoop in several more times, letting the bellboy know where to take their bags and taking care of the tip. Not once does he call Rei on not pulling his weight on the trip as the manager, instead offering a helping hand wherever he can. He’s apparently been to New York several times before and already is fairly familiar with the city’s layout.

“You know–just by you being here, it’s really helping me out a lot, Rei. So stop worrying and lean on me, ‘kay?”

Rei isn’t certain how appropriate that is–he’s supposed to be here supporting Shougo for work, but this is the first time since they met that he’s realized Shougo could be this reliable; truthfully, he doesn’t want to be apart from the guy for even an instant in this foreign city. He knows how hearing that would just give Shougo ideas, though, and so he wisely keeps his lips sealed.

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Given that they’re there to work, they find themselves mostly stuck in the studio recording all day. This suits Rei, though, as given that this means he’s moving around with Shougo most of the time, he doesn’t have any problems being out in an unfamiliar city with no knowledge of the language.

For his own part, while Rei had assumed recording here wouldn’t be all that different from in Japan, the band seems to have no such misconceptions. Shougo seems particularly more motivated than usual and is putting his all into his performances.

“Aren’t you pushing yourself a bit much?” Rei whispers half to himself as he drapes a blanket over Shougo in his hotel room, who’s out like a light.

They’re sharing a room on this trip, but while Rei had at first been on his guard, in reality Shougo’s been in the studio til late at night every day and collapses into bed as soon as he gets in, so there’s seemingly no need to worry.

If coming halfway around the world has provoked this level of get-up-and-go in Shougo, then perhaps it’s been all worth it.

Shougo continues to give great work for the rest of their time there, though, and they wind up wrapping up the recording a full day early–meaning there’s still time for some sight-seeing! Haru and Rinpei make plans of their own to get out and see the city and buy souvenirs. Rei decides to leave the Crusherz trio to their sight-seeing and wrap up his own work at his leisure.

To be continued…

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