How Could You? (Souyo)

Let-Down

Yosuke's POV:

Geez, can you walk any slower!?

I always get to school early, so I thought that if I woke up a little later, I wouldn't have to wait around as much.

But this is freaking ridiculous.

There's a bunch of first-years in a small group, taking up the entire sidewalk.

I turn the volume on my headphones up when I hear Risette's name being mentioned. Then, I silence my music completely, sliding my headphones down to my neck.

"She's missing!?" One of them gasps.

"No way... How come?"

"I dunno..."

"I know," a guy says.

"You do!? Ooh, tell me, tell me!"

"Ehhh, I can't. It's confidential," he grins.

"Are you serious?" Someone groans. "Why would you go and get our hopes up like that!?"

"I'm her number one fan. I can't afford to have competition, you know?"

"It's true," a guy sniffles. "I've seen him in the practice building after school stalking her online."

"Stalking?" A girl pulls a face.

"I-it's not stalking," he quickly denies. "I just look through her social media, alright? There's a difference."

"If you know where she is, why don't you tell the police?"

"...I don't know where she is..." He mumbles.

"Are you serious!?" The girl scoffs.

"I just know the reason she took a break from showbiz. My guess is that her disappearance is related to that."

"She's probably just looking for media attention," a guy yawns.

"That's messed up," the girl sighs.

But the other guy shakes his head. "You just don't get it."

I walk a little faster, ready to pull the guy to the side, when the school bell rings, and the group darts off ahead of me.

At least I know where to start.

~~~

"Hey."

"Wh- what do you want?"

I stand behind the kid I overheard this morning, peering over his shoulder as he watches Risette's latest ads.

"You're a fan, right?" I ask, nodding to his cell.

He quickly pockets it, backing against the wall. "S-so?"

"I just wanted to talk."

"I- It's not weird," he snaps. "I- I have nothing to say to you!"

He tries to make a run for it, but I manage to block his path.

"I'm not trying to... scare you," I scoff. "I just want to know some stuff about her."

He eyes me up and down, still unsure what to make of me.

"Please?" I sigh. "To a fellow idol enthusiast."

"Hrm... Okay," he sighs. "What do you wanna know?"

"Why did she take a break?"

"Between you and me," he says lowly. "She's been really stressed out lately. She keeps worrying 'cause she doesn't know who the 'real Risette' is."

"...Huh."