[TADASHI, taking out the trash, hears rustling & muffled cries for help near the dumpster]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
Is anyone there?!
I'm stuck!!
HELP!!!
[TADASHI, walks up to the dumpster]
[Theres a person stuck inside, their legs pointing up and out of the dumpster]
[TADASHI]
What the-?!
Don't worry, I got you.
[TADASHI, pulls the person out, it's a girl]
[DUMPSTER GIRL]
Gee, thanks…
I thought I'd be stuck there forever!
[TADASHI, in shock]
Uh…
No problem…
What were you doing in the dumpster anyways?
[DUMPSTER GIRL]
Lookin' for food!
[TADASHI]
Hmm…
You still hungry?
[DUMPSTER GIRL, enthusiastically nods]
[TADASHI, throws away the trash]
[TADASHI]
Come with me, I'll get you some food.
[DUMPSTER GIRL]
Thanks a lot!
[The two walk over to the mochi shop]
[TADASHI]
Boss!
I found a hungry girl over here!
Make her some mochi!
[GORO, shouting from inside the shop]
Can't say no to that!
It'll be ready in a bit!
Keep her busy for now, Tadashi!
[The two sit down on a bench outside the store]
[TADASHI]
So what's your name?
[DUMPSTER GIRL]
Real or professional?
[TADASHI, slightly confused]
Real… I guess?
[DUMPSTER GIRL, yawns]
Sakata Ginkgo…
[TADASHI]
Well it's nice to meet you.
I'm Taira Tadashi.
[GORO, walks out with mochi for Ginkgo]
[GORO]
And I'm Mochizuki Goro.
Please enjoy.
[GORO, hands Ginkgo the mochi]
[GINKGO, scarfs down the food in seconds]
[GORO, looks at her shocked]
Damn!
You must be really hungry!
[GINKGO, nods vigorously while still chewing]
[GINKGO, holds up her empty plate]
[GINKGO, mouth still full]
More please!
[GORO, laughs heartily]
Sure kid!
[GORO, takes the plate back to make her more mochi]
[TADASHI]
How long has it been since you've had a proper meal anyways?
[GINKGO, swallows, almost choking]
[GINKGO, innocently smiles]
Two weeks!
[TADASHI, jaw on the floor]
T- two weeks?!
[GINKGO]
Mhm!
I've mainly been survivin' off scraps!
[TADASHI]
Woah…
Can I ask why?
[GINKGO]
Well…
I escaped my idol group two weeks ago!
They're prolly huntin' me down as we speak.
[TADASHI]
You were an idol?
[GINKGO, nods]
Yeah…
The life wasn't for me though
All the bein' perfect…
Havin' ta sign greasy guys' pictures of me
[GINKGO, grimaces at the thought]
[TADASHI]
So were you popular at all?
[GINKGO, nods]
Yeah, I was a fan favorite.
I even had fans in the yakuza.
My managers said they'd be huntin' me down so they can keep them happy if I ever wanted ta leave.
[TADASHI]
So did your managers have ties to the yakuza?
[GINKGO, picks her nose]
[GINKGO]
I guess so…
But I was never a fan of those yakuza folk!
So big, burly, and mean lookin'!
But they'd still come crawling over to me.
MilkToast's Ginkgo and Sakata Ginkgo are not the same person, y'know?
[TADASHI]
MilkToast!?
That like- the most popular idol group out there!!
[GINKGO, nods, rubbing her booger onto Tadashi's shoulder]
[GINKGO]
Who caaaares!
I don't wanna be in the spotlight my whole life!
Much less in the spotlight where im bein' shown off to greasy guys and the yakuza!!
So two weeks ago I left!
Aaaaand now I'm here!
[TADASHI, grimaces as she rubs the booger onto him]
[TADASHI]
Could you not rub your boogers on me?
[GINKGO, slaps Tadashi]
[GINKGO]
How dare you accuse me, a world renowned idol, of such crude acts!
[TADASHI, rubbing his cheek]
Weren't you just going on about not wanting to be a famous idol?!
[GINKGO, ignores Tadashi & looks back at the shop]
[GINKGO]
Is the old man done yet?
[GORO, walks out with another plate ready]
[GORO]
Who are you callin' an old man?
[GINKGO, eyes dart over to Goro]
O- oh!
I- I'm sorry!
[GORO, places her plate in front of her]
I'll let it slide cuz you haven't eaten in a long time.
[GINKGO, starts wolfing down the new batch of mochi]
[GINKGO, while eating, looks over at Goro with puppy eyes]
[GINKGO]
Mr. Mochizuki…
[GORO, looks over at her, still hurt by the old man comment]
[GORO]
What do you want now?
[GINKGO]
Could I stay the night?
I've been sleeping in alleyways for so long now!
[GORO, grumbling]
Fine.
But only tonight.
[GINKGO, jumps up and gives Goro a big hug]
[GINKGO]
YAY!
Thank you, old man!
[GORO]
I AIN'T AN OLD MAN!
[TADASHI, chuckles]
The old man has a soft spot!
[GORO, eyes Tadashi]
Watch it Tadashi.
The only reason you're still alive is because we need you for info
[TADASHI]
Oh right…
Forgot about that!
Y'know…
After 4 arcs and 10 chapters, that kinda thing tends to slip out of one's memory…
[Later that night, Ginkgo gets settled in]
[GINKGO, walks up to Goro's room]
Thanks old man…
It's been kinda hard ever since I left the idol group.
[GORO, already in bed, waves her off]
[GORO]
Yeah, yeah…
Don't worry about it.
This mochi shop doesn't discriminate.
[GINKGO, heads back to the futon they let her borrow and falls asleep sprawled out on top of it]
[Next morning, Ginkgo wakes up to a lot of commotion outside the shop]
[GINKGO, groggily stumbles outside]
[BOKKI & SOBA, shouting at Sho]
PUT ON SOME CLOTHES!
[GINKGO, stares at Sho not processing him being half naked at first]
[GINKGO, shrieks after processing what was going on, this being the first time seeing a man even close to being naked]
[BOKKI, SOBA, & SHO, turn to see Ginkgo]
[BOKKI]
Who the hell are you?!