~ Akihiro's Pov ~
I heard the door open. "You wanted to see Matsumoto-sensei?" Tomiko asked. "Please sit down." I said. She sat on the chair that was in front of my desk. "What is it?" she asked. "They, found out." I informed her. She had a shocked expression. "What?" she asked.
~ Tomiko's Pov ~
I was shocked by the news. "Y-you m-m-mean m-my f-f-f-family?" I asked. "Yes, but don't get stressed and overwhelmed about it. We will take care of this business once we get back to Akibastar." he said. "O-ok." I said. "Try to relax through out the Space Live." he said. "Thank you." I left after.
"My secret has been revealed. What do I do?."
~ Noa's Pov ~
I was stunned. "I have to go Ichirou, it was nice talking you." I walked away from him. "Wait, Noa-chan..." he said to her. Noa kept walking away from Ichirou.
> After the Space Live >
"Ahhh... it's nice to be home right Tomiko?" Noa said to me. "Yep." I said. "Amazing! Akira and Yuko-senpai took some great photos when we were at Atamistar!" Takako said. "Amazing!" Saki said. "Ok girls, put your suitcases into this shoot and it will automatically be in your room. "Really? Cool!" Sakura said. "The technologies these days are very proficient!" Michiyo's glasses were shining as she said it. "Ayako, can you help me carry my second suitcase." Miyu asked. "Sure." Ayako said. Accidentally Miyu's suitcase opened. There was boxes of ramen noodles and other junk foods falling out. "Miyu, why did you carry food?" Takako asked. "Because I love food. And food and I share a special bond." Miyu said. After we put our suitcases into our belongings we decided to head back to the dorm rooms. As we passed the main gate as we were walking we saw a black shiny limo with some security guards standing infront. "What's going on?" Michiyo said. "You girls stay here, we'll take care of this." Takamina said. We saw the back door open. A tall beautiful lady who looks like Itano Tomomi came out. "I-it's mother..." without thinking I ran away from the group. "Hey! Tomiko! Where are you going?!" Noa asked me as I was still running. I ignored her and kept going. "Itano-san, what are doing here?" Takamina asked. Matsumoto-sensei entered in smoothly. "Takamina, let me handle this. " he said. "Understood." Takamina obeyed. "Matsumoto-sensei, long time no see." she started to smile. "You too, why did you came here?" he asked. "I came to talk you about something really important." she seriously said. "I understand, let's take this to my office follow me." he said. They both started to walk. "Takamina, you're in charge of the members for the rest of the day, Yuma-san, you're in charge of headquarters for the rest of the day." he said to them. "Understood." they both said. Matsumoto-sensei and Itano-san walked away. "C'mon girls, it's time go." Takamina said. "Right!" we all said.
~ Akihiro's Pov ~
"So I guess the Itano family found out." I said. "Yes." Itano-san said before sipping some of tea that was brought not long ago. "When did you guys found out?" I asked. "When Tomiko debuted." she answered.
~ Noa's Pov ~
"Alright! That was the last one!" I was finished unpacking. "Noa, where are going?" Takako asked as I was about to leave the room. "I'm going to find Tomiko." I said. "I'll go with you." Takako said. We both left the room.
> 30 minutes Later >
After voyaging all over the place, we went to our last option, the garden. As we got there we saw Tomiko 's hands on her face, she was crying. We ran up to her. "Tomiko what's wrong?" Takako asked. "I-I..." she continue to cry. "Tomiko calm down, it's okay." I said. "I'm sorry...I-I can't tell you." she said. "C'mon Tomiko, you'll feel better if you tell us." Takako said. "Fine, I might as well tell you now, besides you will know sooner or later." she said. She look a deep breath. "I-I" she tears started to fall out again. "I'm not supposed to be in Akb0048." she said. "What? What do you mean?" I asked. "Yeah, aren't you supposed to be next in line to succeed Itano Tomomi?" Takako asked. "No, my family told me that I wasn't suitable to succeed my grandmother." she said. "Why?" I asked. "Be-because I-I'm different, I look different than my other family members, I was born with a very weak body while the average Itano family member had strong bodies, and I'm the only family member that has a speech disorder." she said. "What? You don't look any different from your family and what speech disorder?" Noa said. "I-I have a stuttering disorder, I have a hard time speaking and stutter uncontrollably. " she said. "Tomiko..." Takako said. "Matsumoto-sensei and my grandmother have been secretly helping me train even though I wasn't allow to follow the traditional training procedure in the family and getting into Akb0048." she said. "L-let's go back." she stood up, we all walked back together.
~ Tomiko's Pov ~
We went into the dorm building and into the lobby. We saw everybody. "Matsumoto-sensei..." we saw him also. "Tomiko-chan," he came up to me. "I talked to your mother, she wants you to quit and she's taking you away, but if we can come up with a plan so that nobody knows-" he whispered to me. "It's fine, I'm ready to tell them." I said to him. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Yes." I said. "Very well." he said. "Everyone, I have something to share with you all." I announce. "Tomiko?" Sakura asked. "There's an explaination behind the scene you saw earlier when we arrived back to Akibastar." I said. "Tomiko, what are you talking about?" Michiyo asked. I sighed. "The truth is, my mother came to take me away." I announed. "Huh?! What are you talking about?" Saki asked. "I...I wasn't supposed to be in Akb0048 in the first place." I said. "Isn't it a tradition that the Itano family member to join Akb0048?" Acchan asked. "Yes, but I was different...." I said.
< Flashback <
It was 6 years ago. "Wh...What d-d-do you mean I-I can't tr...ain?" I asked. "Sorry Tomiko but it has to be that way, the family decides that you should focus more on education than following the family tradition." my mother said. "But-" I said. "Sorry, I have to go see your sister's performance." she left. The reason why I wasn't allow to train was because I wasn't suitable enough to succeed due to not looking like my family, having a weak body and a speech disorder. As I got older, I was focused more in school, but in reality, I secretly trained to become the next Itano Tomomi like it was originally planned for me with the help of some of my family members. "C'mon Tomiko give me more power!" my older sister said. By the time was ready and I was finished with my speech therapy sessions, I auditioned for Akb0048 without my other family members knowing thanks to Matsumoto-sensei. "Tomiko-san, you really are like Itano Tomomi." Matsumoto-sensei said to me.
> Back to the present >
Everybody was shocked. "If my family found out, I will have to graduate immediately and have to pay the consequences without hesitation." I said. "Matsumoto-sensei, is all of this true?" Ayako asked. "Yes, it is true, the Itano family and Akb0048 are really close with each other." he said. "With this explanation, I have one more important announcement to make.." I paused. "I, Itano Tomiko, will graduate from Akb0048." everybody was shocked. "I will announce this to everybody else tomorrow at the theater." I said. "Tomiko-chan it doesn't have to be like this! We can work something out." Matsumoto-sensei said. "No, there isn't anything that needs to be worked out, it is what it is." I said. I walked away after. Tears started to fall out. "I thinks it's time for us to leave, dinner is almost ready." Matsumoto-sensei said.
> Dindin Time! >
~ Noa's Pov ~
"Is Tomiko really graduating?" Saki asked. "Yes." Takako answered. "Can't we do something about it?" Acchan asked. "No. We can't interfere with her, it her decision. " Michiyo said. Miyu suddenly got up from her seat. "Where are going Miyu?" Akira asked. "To the bathroom." she said. Without any attention on her she asked the chef for food. After she got the plate of delicious food she went out of the cafeteria. She walked down the hallway.
~ Tomiko's Pov ~
I was sitting on one of the benches in the hallway. I saw person that was in front of me. "Miyu?" I looked up. "Are you not going to eat?" she asked. "No." I answered. "Here." she gave me a plate full of food. "Thank you." I took the plate of food anyways. "You need to eat now." she said. "Ok I get it, I get it." she handed me a fork. "Thanks for the food." I put my hands together before I ate. "Delicious!" I said. "Tomiko, do you love 0048?" Miyu suddenly asked me. "Huh? Of course I do." I answered. "Do you really want to graduate?" Miyu asked. "Huh?" her question surprised me. "Well, I don't really have a choice." I said. "But what do you want to do?" she asked. I didn't answer. "Think about it. If you want stay, stand up for yourself." Miyu got up and walked away. "Miyu..."
> Next Day >
"There's a lot of people at the theater today..."Sakura said. "You're right." Saki said. I looked in the mirror in the dressing room. I thought about Miyu said to me yesterday. "Stand up myself...but how?" I asked myself. "Tomiko, it time." Takako said. I walked out of the dressing room and went backstage. "IRIS you're up." Yuma-san said. We all walked on stage. "Hello everybody! We are Akb0048's IRIS! Thank you so much for coming to today's performance! We all hope you guys enjoy this show!" Takako said. We started performing our first song.
~ Akihiro's Pov ~
I watched my little rainbows perform from the private room that is high up in the theater. I heard the door opened. "Tomo-chan." I said. "Hello Matsumoto-sensei." she greeted me. "Please, you can call me by my first name." I said. We both watched the girls perform. "IRIS is a really strong team." Tomo said. "Indeed, just like Tomiko." I said. "Really?" she asked. "Yes, she's getting stronger everyday, she grows like a flower." I said. "Too bad she's not suitable to succeed Itano Tomomi." she said. "Well, tonight is when she chooses her fate." I said. "Yep." she said.
~ Meanwhile ~
"Blooming...blooming...flower..." Sensei-sensei said. "Succession....." His eyes glowed.
~ Noa's Pov ~
I felt a sudden shock when I was performing. I felt a strange radiance coming from Tomiko.
~ Yuko's Pov ~
"What's wrong?" Mariko asked me. "Huh? Nothing." I was watching IRIS. Something seems off about them. "The atmosphere today seems off." Kojiharu said. "Yeah..." the successors agreed with her.
> Later >
~ Tomiko's Pov ~
"Thank you so much for coming!" we all said while the fans cheered for our encore performance. "I would like to make an announcement." I said. Everybody's attention was on me. I took a deep breath. "I've been really great full of being apart of Akb0048, I've always had the opportunity not to follow me dreams but it meet fans and make new friends along the way. I've always had fun with the members and had fun doing what I do. My goal is to keep the Itano family tradition of succeeding Itano Tomomi, but I have something to tell to you all," I paused. "Tomiko?" Takamina was curious. "As of to day, I, Itano Tomiko, will graduate from Akb0048." I finally announced.
* End of Episode *
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Takamina: Tomiko is graduating? Takako why didn't you notify us about this?
Tomo: I guess this is her fate.
Noa: Tomiko are you really leaving?
Takako: Tomiko! A-Are you okay?
Acchan: I guess I'm not the first member to succeed.
Tomiko: Next time on Akb0048: New Stage, Blooming succession!
{ A/N }
Hey guys! Sorry I have been updating slowly. I had A LOT of exams this week and I more next month! Gahh!!! Sorry if this is sloppy! I never got time to write this lately. Anyways I'll update as fast as I can! Stay tuned to Akb0048: New Stage and my original story's debut "The Angry Princess and The Bishounen Prince"! BYE!!!!
Fun Fact: I have the same speech disorder as Tomiko! Yep! It's real! If you talk to me in person, I would stutter.
Update: There might be some grammar and spelling error in this chapter! Be aware of that!