Vomiting Blood on Stage: The Super Express Car 7 Lie
Blurb:
Seven years of smiling through everything—that's all Takashi ever had. Told he lacked "star quality" at his debut audition, he built himself into the ever-bright idol of Super Express through sheer willpower, hiding exhaustion, pain, and doubt behind a perfect stage smile. Now, on the first day of their biggest national tour yet, that mask is starting to crack.
A burning throat. A cough that won't stop. And finally, blood—bright red against his palm, impossible to explain away.
With tw
Vomiting Blood on Stage: The Super Express Car 7 Lie - Takashi's Decision and a New Encounter
The Fukuoka sky had been under a thin layer of clouds ever since that night.
Fifth floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan General Hospital, a room by the window. The white curtains swayed faintly in the air-conditioning. Takashi slowly sat up in bed. His pale skin was still bloodless—but the fragility of that night, the sense that he might vanish at any moment, was gone. Color had returned to his lips, faint though it was.
Takashi turned his palm over. Thin fingers. The tips of his nails were still slightly purple. An IV tube was taped to the back of his hand.
He let out a soft breath. A smile slipped out.
Outside the window, the city of Fukuoka lay steeped in the afternoon light. Far off, the waters of Hakata Bay glimmered dully.
* * *
The door to the room opened quietly.
"Takashi. How are you feeling?"
It was Kai. His chestnut hair was softly styled in a medium-short cut. The small gold earring in his left ear caught the light from the window and flashed. His light-brown eyes watched Takashi's face as if confirming something precious.
"Hey, Kai-kun! I'm feelin' great. Totally fine now."
Takashi laughed in his usual way. His voice was still a little hoarse, but it was far clearer than it had been that night.
"...Really? You're not pushing yourself?"
Kai sat in the chair beside the bed. He didn't lean back—he perched on the edge, ready to move at any moment.
"I'm not, I'm not. Don't worry about me. See? Fit as a fiddle."
Takashi bent his free arm—the one without the IV—and flexed.
Kai stared at that arm.
So thin.
Thin enough to tell even through his clothes. It didn't look like the arm of a man who had danced on that stage under the gaze of tens of thousands.
"...Hey, Takashi."
Kai's voice dropped a little.
"There's something I have to tell you."
Takashi tilted his head.
"What is it? So formal all of a sudden."
Kai took one deep breath. Then he looked Takashi straight in the eye.
"I've been hiding your vomiting blood this whole time. I didn't tell Ryouga, I didn't tell Yuuki, I didn't tell anyone. ...I'm sorry."
Kai's voice was trembling.
"If I'd acted sooner, properly. If I'd dragged you to the hospital even by force. Maybe it wouldn't have come to this. ...I'm truly sorry."
Kai bowed his head deeply.
Takashi watched the top of Kai's head in silence for a while.
Something in his chest tightened.
"Kai-kun, lift your head."
Takashi's voice was gentle.
"You've been protecting me all along, haven't you? I'm the one who hid it, who pushed myself, who collapsed. It's all my fault. You've got nothing to apologize for."
"But..."
"Listen, Kai-kun."
Takashi looked Kai straight in the eye.
"I can't stand on stage like this."
Kai's shoulders twitched.
"For rehab, and so I don't cause the others any more trouble. I need to rest for a while. But I'll definitely come back."
Takashi smiled.
It wasn't that perfect smile he wore on stage. It was clumsier, more awkward—but it came from the heart.
"Takashi..."
Kai's eyes welled up.
"I'll wait."
That was all Kai said—short and simple.
He didn't say anything more. He couldn't. He didn't need to.
* * *
By evening, Ryouga appeared in the hospital room.
His black hair was a little longer, bangs swept to the side. Narrow, sharp black eyes. Spine perfectly straight—the group's leader, Car 3, Ryouga. The same old bracelet circled his left wrist.
"Takashi. We need to talk."
Ryouga said it the moment he entered the room.
"Hey, Ryouga. What's up? So formal."
Takashi straightened up slightly in bed.
Ryouga stared at Takashi's face. Then he closed his eyes once.
"...I couldn't do anything for you."
Ryouga's voice was quiet.
"As leader, I should have noticed something was wrong with you before anyone else. I ignored Kai's warning. I ignored your SOS. ...I'm a failure as a leader."
Ryouga hung his head.
"Ryouga. Lift your head."
Takashi's voice was as gentle as it had been with Kai.
"You were thinking about the group first, as leader. How is that wrong? I'm the one who hid it. That's what's wrong."
"Takashi..."
Ryouga raised his head. His eyes were a little red.
"Ryouga. I'm going on hiatus."
Takashi said it, looking Ryouga straight in the eye.
"For rehab, and so I don't cause everyone any more trouble. I need to rest for a while. But I'll definitely come back."
The same words, this time directed at Ryouga.
Ryouga was silent.
It was a long silence.
Outside the window, the wind blew, and the curtains swayed.
"...Understood."
Ryouga spoke.
"I'll handle the tour."
His voice was as flat as ever. But his eyes held far more strength than usual.
Takashi watched Ryouga's profile. Ryouga, who had chased nothing but the group's success. Ryouga, who valued results over feelings and refused to admit weakness. And now, for the first time, that profile was accepting a teammate's decision—and on top of that, trying to protect the group.
"Thank you, Ryouga."
Takashi said it from the heart.
Ryouga gave a small nod.
* * *
Night came, and Yuuki and Haru arrived at the room.
"Takashi-kun...!"
The moment he entered, Yuuki ran to Takashi's bedside and burst into tears. His bright brown hair was soft and fluffy, styled in a soft mash. Tears spilled from his big, dark eyes. The group's beloved klutz, Car 5, Yuuki—the one whose dimples showed when he smiled. Even those dimples were wet with tears now.
"Hey, hey, Yuuki-kun. You don't have to cry. I'm not gonna die."
Takashi laughed and patted Yuuki's head lightly.
"But... but...! I thought you might never be able to stand on stage again...!"
Yuuki said it between sobs.
"It's okay. Don't worry. I'll definitely come back."
Takashi's voice was gentle—and strong.
"...Really? You'll really come back?"
Yuuki lifted his tear-streaked face.
"Yeah. Promise."
Takashi looked Yuuki straight in the eye and nodded.
"...Okay. I got it. I'll do my best for you too, Takashi-kun. I'll definitely do my best...!"
Yuuki said it through his tears—but firmly.
Takashi patted his head again, gently.
Yuuki's hair was damp with sweat. The weight of that sobbing head pressed solidly into his palm.
Takashi clenched his back teeth. He fought back the heat rising behind his eyes.
"Takashi-senpai."
Haru stepped forward.
The youngest member of Super Express, Car 14. Fourteen years old. A small boy, still with traces of childishness. That night, he had noticed something wrong with Takashi and called the ambulance.
"There's something I wanted to say to you properly, Takashi-senpai. Thank you."
Haru bowed deeply.
"Please, you have to come back. Until you do, I'll protect the group properly. I won't forget anything you taught me."
Haru's voice was shaking. But his eyes were fixed straight on Takashi.
"Haru... thank you."
Takashi gently stroked Haru's head.
"You're a kouhai I'm proud of. I'm counting on you to look after everyone."
"...Yes!"
Haru answered firmly, holding back his tears.
* * *
Late that night.
Takashi was walking the hospital corridor alone.
The doctor had given him permission for light exercise—because if he didn't move his body, his muscles would waste away.
The corridor was quiet.
Lights-out had passed, so the only illumination was the small lights near the floor.
Takashi advanced one slow step at a time.
(It's this hard just to walk.)
(And on stage, I used to dance that much.)
It felt like his body didn't belong to him anymore.
That was when it happened.
A man came walking toward him from ahead.
Black permed hair. Black eyes. About the same height as Takashi. Ten years older, maybe. A slender man with a cool air about him.
The man stopped as he passed Takashi.
"...You. You're Car 7 of Super Express, aren't you?"
The man's voice was low and calm.
"Huh? Oh—yes. That's right..."
Takashi was startled at being spoken to so suddenly.
The man stared at Takashi's face. Then his mouth softened faintly.
"I've seen your stage. ...Resting is part of the job too, you know."
With that, the man winked—one eye snapping shut.
"Eh..."
By the time Takashi tried to say something, the man was already walking away.
The back of that black-permed head disappeared down the corridor.
Takashi stared after him, dumbfounded, for a while.
(Who was that just now?)
(But...)
(Resting is part of the job too, huh.)
Deep in Takashi's chest, something eased.
He had been blaming himself all this time.
He'd thought resting was running away.
He'd thought causing trouble for his teammates was unforgivable.
But that man's words had quietly lit a light deep inside him.
Takashi repeated the man's words in his heart once more.
* * *
Back in his room, Takashi stood before the window.
He opened the curtains, and the night sky of Fukuoka spread out before him.
Through a gap in the clouds, a few stars were visible.
Takashi looked up at the sky.
"I'll come back stronger than ever."
He murmured it quietly.
It was a vow to himself.
And a promise to his teammates.
* * *
Around the same time, in Tokyo.
Third-floor conference room of Stardust Entertainment's head office.
Ryouga sat alone, alternating between the documents spread across the table and the laptop screen.
The tour's remaining schedule.
Venues, dates, set lists, member placements, interview plans, transportation.
How to fill the hole left by Takashi.
No—not fill the hole.
How to keep the group going until Takashi came back.
Ryouga typed.
Click, click, click.
Only the sound of keys echoed through the quiet conference room.
(If the group is gone by the time Takashi comes back, it's meaningless.)
(I'll protect it. I'll protect the place Takashi comes back to.)
Ryouga went over the schedule on the screen again and again.
* * *
And at the hospital in Fukuoka.
Kai sat on the bench outside Takashi's room.
Takashi was already asleep.
Kai stared at the door.
(Takashi. I'll protect the place you come back to—no matter what.)
(So you can stand on stage smiling again. I'll have everything ready.)
(So rest. Take your time. Don't rush. I'll wait as long as it takes.)
Kai swore it in his heart.
The hospital corridor was quiet.
The stillness of the night wrapped gently around everything.
No one knew yet what the future held for Super Express.
But each of them, in their own place, in their own way, had begun to fight.
For the day Takashi would return.
* * *
Takuya stepped out of the hospital entrance.
The night wind stirred his black permed hair.
(Car 7 of Super Express, huh.)
(That kid had good eyes.)
Takuya pulled his phone from his pocket.
A message from someone had arrived on the screen.
He opened it.
The light of the screen reflected coldly in his black eyes.
"...Time to begin."
Takuya murmured it softly.
Then he vanished into the night city.
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