【7】

A month later...

Hara Kana's schedule got very hectic once Peony returned to Japan. 

The girls successfully completed promotions for "HANA NO HIME" and practiced diligently for their forthcoming special three day concert at the Nippon Budokan Indoor Arena. 

It would be the J-Pop girl group's first time performing at the famed venue.

To commemorate the occasion, their distributor Pony Canyon would be producing and releasing a DVD entitled「HARA KANA 原宿のかわいい女の子 LIVE in Budokan DVD Special」for their fans to purchase.

Already the tickets that were priced upwards of ¥13,000 for premium seats had nearly sold out.

More than 10,000 people were estimated to be in the audience each day with over 30,000 total attending their show. 

That put lots of pressure on the girls since this would be the opening act for their Japan-wide tour that would take them to Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe, Fukuoka, Sendai, Sapporo and Yokohama in the next two months.

The newspapers and magazines in Japan all wrote about the anticipation of how well the group would do on their extensive eight city tour however their agency Horipro assured all that they had full confidence in Hara Kana's success.

They'd been steadily building momentum since their debut and this seemed to be the pinnacle of their career in the Japanese music industry.

It was now or never for them to show everyone what they were made of. 

Meanwhile at the same time, gossip publications such as Nikkon Sport and Women's Weekly started to write about the members in their "IDOL SECRETS" sections where they revealed information about the girls' private lives that were previously unknown to the public. 

Some celebrities considered it an honor to be mentioned in the periodicals alongside the likes of Gackt, SMAP, Arashi, AKB48 and Ayumi Hamasaki but it could be a double-edged sword. 

With the increased media attention the girls knew they had to work harder to live up to the hype. 

On the day of the first concert the members were nervous and anxious for the show to start. 

Fans started lining up around 4:30 pm for the two hours and a half performance that began at 7:00 pm. 

There were vendors outside the arena with Hara Kana memorabilia for sell as well as snacks and beverages.

The six members of the group: Reina, Peony, Alice, Sakura, Yui and Apple along with their alternate members Megumi and Akina had already arrived. 

They'd been there since noon that day, rehearsing and making certain everything was ready for the main event.

None of them wanted to fail. 

Things really got crazy backstage right before the show started.

"Twenty minutes before curtains, girls!" their manager Haruka Seito came to their dressing room to inform them. 

That put everyone in a rush; the girls and their staff especially. 

Rimi-chan was Hara Kana's head style coordinator and Henry Dori did their makeup.

The six girls were more renowned for their fashion and looks than their music. 

Although they did possess vocal talent Hara Kana were trendsetters in Japan above all.

Girls wanted to look and dress like them.

Boys simply wanted to date or marry them. 

"Iyah! (No way!)" Sakura exclaimed in frustration as she struggled to fasten the side of her pleated checkered skirt around her waist. 

For their first performance, the girls were wearing Black Queen custom-made school uniforms with white button down shirts, navy checked kilts with matching bowties or neckties that cost ¥6,980 per set. 

They accessorized with ankle socks, knee highs and stockings.

As well as Jesus Diamante 'Lady 1' enamel round-toe Mary Janes in black or white.

"Did you gain weight?" Yui asked her, going over to help get her skirt on. 

Rimi's assistant stylist Keiko helped also.

Sakura shook her bobbed natural black hair. "I lost two pounds. I don't know what's going on."

She was the tallest member with a slim frame so it was odd. 

"Maybe you put on the wrong skirt" the youngest Apple suggested, brushing her mocha brown shoulder-length locks in front of the vanity mirror. 

Alice was beside her adjusting her milk tea brown pigtails.

On the other side of her was Peony who was getting her long hair that was dyed sunflower blonde with pink cotton candy-colored ends crinkled with a hot comb by Henry Dori while she applied Anna Sui Curl & Volume Black Mascara to her lashes. 

Each of the girls were wearing Diamond Lash x Yuki Yamamoto false lashes in the styles Aurora Eye, Pearl Eye, Luxe Eye and Noble Eye. 

Peony examined her heart-shaped face in a pink Hello Kitty hand mirror.

Other cosmetics on her face were Lancome x Jason Wu Blush Subtil in Sheer Macaroon, Anna Sui Spring 2014 Collection Lipstick in No. 01 Cherry Pink, Yofi 'Crushing Hard' Silver Glitter Eyeshadow and VDL Metal Cushion Long Wear Foundation.

She used a fluffy brush to dust on Canmake Loose Powder to set her makeup.

However she was distracted by the feel of eyes burning into the side of her head. 

She turned and met the accusatory gazes of her members. 

All except the leader Reina who was busy discussing the setlist with Haruka. 

"Ge-ge? (What?)" Peony wondered why they were all staring at her for. 

The other four girls continued to stare her down.

She didn't know what their problem was. 

"Did you take Sakura-neesan's skirt?" Apple asked outright.

It had happened more times than they could count.

Peony donned whichever clothing or accessory she liked the best regardless of who it had been picked for by Rimi.

However Peony always swore it wasn't on purpose so they just let her be. 

Peony paused to think. "I don't think I did.This time I actually checked with Rimi-chan before I got dressed" she replied.

But her group mates still seemed skeptical.

They let it go though.

They couldn't dwell on that small matter when the show would begin soon. 

Musa Endo, the show director and coordinator came into their dressing room to inform the girls that the show would start in ten to fifteen minutes. 

Hearing that made the girls anxious and excited.

And also, rush to finish getting ready.

They did last minute makeup, hair and wardrobe checks. 

Reina sat on a chair next to Peony to quickly put on Anna Sui Glittering Lipgloss in Jewel Red.

And brushed her dark brown hair that was up in a cute top bun with a big blue bow.

Peony helped her apply Jeffree Star Beauty Killer Eye Shadows in Princess and China to her eyelids.

The girls knew how to put on makeup like the pros because when they were first starting out as a group their agency hadn't hired them makeup and hair stylists.

They'd had to do it all by themselves.

All they had were people to make their clothes.

They even had to purchase their own shoes or wear their old ones.

Reina