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Secret Identity
by Black Rainbow

Disclaimer: The SD boys belong to Takehiko Inoue. This story is based on a book by Jahnna N. Malcolm, so most of the plot and songs belong to her. Some band names are made up, and some are real. All non-SD characters are original. *whew! What a long disclaimer!*

Chapter 6

Hana was nervous. He felt like every single nerve he had was tingling, and he could not focus. He had spent the whole train ride to Ryonan staring down, not noticing the stares he himself was getting. He had played in clubs before, but not in clubs as big as *Lost Souls?*. And now he was backstage of the club himself, looking for the rest of his band.

He heard a couple of girls giggling, and he turned to look at the source of the voices. He saw Mitsui and Fujima talking to two girls from Pristine Smut. He recognized them from the posters he saw outside the club. Fujima was looking a bit flushed. Hana narrowed his eyes toward Mitsui.

Hanamichi (in his normal ‘guy’ clothes, and his hair hidden in his cap) shoved a couple of books into the ‘new arrivals’ shelf, glancing at his brother who was doing some bookkeeping.

“Oniichan?”

“Hmm?” Kiminobu murmured vaguely. “Something wrong?”

“What’s with you and Mitsui?”

Kiminobu’s pen dropped as he looked at Hanamichi, startled. Pain registered in his eyes. “Hi-Hisashi didn’t tell you?” he asked hesitantly.

“If he did, would I have asked you?”

Kiminobu turned back to the figures before him, and jerked his shoulder with a quick shrug. A few seconds went by. Then Hanamichi heard his brother answer.

“We broke up.”

Hanamichi’s jaw dropped. “SINCE WHEN?”

His brother just answered with another shrug.

Hana advanced towards Mitsui and Fujima, feeling rather jealous that *they’re* getting the attention of the girls when *he* was the tensai who made it all possible.

“Hana!” Mitsui called in glee. “Guess what just happened to Kenji!” Hana glared at him.

“We should be getting ready,” he said. *Why is it that I have to be the one who makes sure everyone gets ready?* he thought resentfully. Fujima gave him a smile and introduced him to the girls, Himiko (a small girl with short, spiky hair dyed in blue and purple) and Anika (a tall, slim girl with long plaited black hair).

“We heard that you’re really good,” Himiko said politely. She strongly reminded him of Sakumi from Space Cadets. He smiled at her.

“Thanks,” he said. Then he looked pointedly at Mitsui and Fujima.

“Yeah, yeah, we get the point.” They rolled their eyes and went off to get ready, grumbling about ‘certain jealous people.’ Hana continued walking around the backstage, in search of Rukawa.

“Er… have you seen a big lug of ice lately? He’s about my height, with weird fox-eyes,” Hana told Himiko, “and he looks like he’s never used a comb in his life.” Himiko smiled at the description, and nodded.

“He’s asleep somewhere.”

Mitsui shouted from wherever he was, “don’t wake him up if you have any sense at all in that head of yours! He’ll be ready in time, you know he will.”

It’s true. Rukawa has what Kiminobu calls ‘selective narcolepsy.’ He never falls asleep during practice or a gig, but you never know what would happen to him any other time.

Himiko and Anika left the backstage to talk to their sound technician. Hana sat down and stared at himself in the mirror. He was getting annoyed that Rukawa, Fujima and Mitsui were getting all the girl fans, and it seemed like even the girls from Pristine Smut have taken a shine on them. Meanwhile, he had to forfeit on the girl fans just because of his disguise.

Someone tapped the door lightly and a spiky-head popped in, smiling at the four of them. “Just came here to wish you guys luck,” Sendoh said, his eyes twinkling at Hana, who was already in her ‘stage’ dress. “You look amazing, Hana.”

Hana went red as he felt Sendoh’s eyes on him. “How’s the crowd?”

“Great. I don’t know why, but Taoka is here. He’s in the front, and judging from his face, he looks like he’s suffering from diarrhea or something.” Hana scowled at the news.

“That guy’s an asshole,” he said.

Grinning, Sendoh said, “he’s also paranoid and extremely suspicious. So be careful around him, okay? Hey, Hana, have you heard the latest Plague of Happiness tape?”

Hana’s eyes widened. “I’ve been listening to it all of yesterday!” he exclaimed. “I really love their music.”

Sendoh nodded. “I know, they’re the type of band the crowd here usually go for. Their sound remind of Androgynous Zone, actually. Their bass licks are similar to Rukawa’s. And their lead is incredible – they can’t compare to you, of course,” he said, smiling widely. “I love their cover art.”

“Hana has been buying tapes and CDs according to their cover art since forever,” Fujima commented.

Hana got up and grabbed his guitar, telling the rest that he wanted to warm up. As he pushed past Sendoh, he could feel Sendoh’s eyes on him.

Once he was out, he could hear Kiminobu fooling around with the levels. *Good*, Hana thought. *He showed up.* Hana went up to see his brother. “Oniichan,” he said. Kiminobu looked up and gave him a smile.

“Everything’s ready. You want to check?”

Hana wondered again what could have caused his brother and Mitsui to break up. They always seemed like the perfect couple (and made everyone else sick when they go all mushy with each other). “Later,” he said. He sat down and sighed.

“Daijoubu desu ka?”

Hana shook his head. After a few minutes, he shrugged and said, “I never figured that this disguise thing would be so hard.”

Kiminobu left the levels alone and sat next to his brother. “You figured out that pretending to be a girl is not just about a different hairdo and a dress, huh?” He smiled, but when he saw Hana’s face he asked, “what’s the problem?”

“Everything! I can’t date girls, girls only see me as a friend, I have to use the girls toilet, I have to wear make-up and skirts…” Hana shuddered. “And then there’s Sendoh,” he said quietly.

“Souka…”

Both boys were quiet as they stared into space. Then, Kiminobu asked, “what about Sendoh?”

Hana shrugged impatiently. “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter, anyway. He’s a guy.” His brother’s eyes widened at the comment.

“You didn’t care when Hisashi and I were together,” he reminded Hana.

“That’s different. I knew…” he paused. “I knew you were gay. I’m not. At least, I don’t think so.”

“Then why don’t you find out?”

Hana didn’t know what to say. He just stared ahead. Kiminobu continued, “whatever you do, think about how you feel. If it feels right in your heart, then there’s nothing to worry about.” He smiled. “And remember that for now, at least, you’re a girl.”

“Hey, you guys ready yet? We’re up in a minute or so!” Fujima called out from the dressing room. Putting the conversation behind him, Hana grabbed his guitar and stood up, ready to perform.

-TBC-

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