The music video airs in the cafe before anywhere else! A chime sounds over the speakers, Todomatsu shouting in excitement. “The video’s coming on! Everyone, look, look, it’s time! I haven’t even seen it, I’m so excited.”

The video opens on the wind rustling over the ocean. Blue waters, white sand, and a path leading up past the shore, down a paved stretch of road, landing on a small building.

A metal shooting star hangs above the futuristic (according to the fifties) diner. The outside is all small, glassy, multicolored tiles and chrome railings up concrete ramps.

The asphalt parking lot around it is particularly spacious, and the camera pans to show the reason why: six nearly identical carhops, skating past the camera in line, with wildly varying levels of actual skill with rollerskates.

((The song sample for this is Natsu Da Ze, Johnny! The original version linked here is by Shiritsu Ebisu Chuugaku, but! This version by RYO from Orange Range is fantastic, and deserves more views than it has?))

The boys alternate shifts, it seems; the shots take place all throughout the day, skating to cars and picnic tables around the lot.

Under the midday sun, prime lunch rush time, Osomatsu comes out first, gliding over to a car with slow, easy strides so he doesn’t spill. Choromatsu has no such luck, trembling until he clings to the side of a retro convertible, weakly offering them the goods. Karamatsu adds a bit more flair, but loses half of the french fries in his last dramatic spin. As he offers an apologetic smile, the camera cuts to the younger trio around the dinner rush.

They’re holding their own about as well as the older boys. Totty’s efficiency is halved because he’s keeping his parasol up until dark. Jyuushimatsu, however, is making up for him in two ways: two trays on each arm, and Ichimatsu being pulled along by his apron strings. Ichimatsu lets go, gliding right into the car he needed to go to. He’s bruised, but “feeling fine!” he insists.

Nighttime rolls around, and the boys are skateless and dancing on the sandy asphalt, high on the sea air, summer nostalgia, and that paycheck, man. Maybe a few of the references to their summer jams of choice show their age a little too clearly, but the brass section is too infectious to get hung up on the details. It’s summer, honey!

And summer means something good for the late afternoon matsus. They younger three are piled inside on the pleather and chrome booth seats, staring out the window at the folks walking up to get something to eat. Guys in shirts, girls in bikinis, an array of eye candy that stretches from sand to sea! Summer’s the best, isn’t it? The elder trio piles in, plastered to the glass, before they take over outside.

You get all kinds here. Osomatsu skates three milkshakes to a happy car full of cheering kids. Karamatsu skates over to a group of bikers at a picnic table, forcing himself to be casual, and getting a few claps on the back and friendly shakes for his effort. Choromatsu crouches by the restaurant, Ichimatsu and Todomatsu both pushing him in a straight line toward a car. He stops just short of it, delivering his tray with no incident. He jumps up in excitement, lands on his wheels, because yes, his skates still exist, and lands right on his tush. “I’m good!”

The six are inside this time, the veritable playground of an almost empty diner proving to be too tempting. Jyuushimatsu and Osomatsu are doing the twist on the counter by the kitchen window, Karamatsu and Todomatsu are taking pictures by the jukebox, and Choromatsu and Ichimatsu have no idea how to function as a duo, desperately trying to edge away from each other, almost looking like they’re playing hide and seek in the booths.

It’s night when they’re finally free, walking down the paved streets, past buildings and other stores. They give each other a look, and go sprinting.

“We need to go!”

“Hurry up!”

The next morning, they’re all at the beach, matchy Matsu trunks on, sunglasses on their faces, Todomatsu finally taking his highlight spot. He tosses his sunglasses back at Karamatsu, declaring that he’s feeling confident today, good enough to give these beachgoers everything he’s got! The boys prowl the beach in tandem, drawing as much attention as possible, Todomatsu leading the charge in front. It’s all in and games until they’re swarmed by cute people, six bundles of nerves, giving someone’s phone a wobbly smile for pictures.