*THAT EVENING*
The song I want to write this time will be different from all the others I've written. It'll be one expressing my feelings... No, the feelings of everyone who supports school idols.
Tokimeki RUNNERS could be considered as my first successful song with me actually writing the lyrics.
But that song expressed my own love for the Club and all school idols. Now, I'm writing lyrics for a song that expresses the love of EVERY school idol fan.
How should I go about writing it? It's not like I can ask the girls for advice, since they are school idols themselves rather than fans...
I want to make it a song filled to the brim with the sentiments of every school idol fan.
Which is why I should probably ask the fans themselves. I've encountered plenty on this journey.
Shiro, Yu, Misato, Mai, Satsuki, Uzuki, to name a few...
For song of this magnitude, I can't do it alone. The optimal choice would be to ask fans in person.
Starting tonight.
Time to make some phone calls.
...
*LATER THAT NIGHT*
AKI: "Pardon my sudden intrusion, Misato, but I really wanted to ask you for your thoughts on something."
MISATO: *Giggle* "You're not intruding at all. We're both fellow school idol fans, right? No need to be so formal with me. What is it you wanted to talk to me about, though?"
AKI: "Well..."
MISATO: "Oh no, did something happen with Ai?"
AKI: "No, not at all! Ai hasn't gotten into trouble or anything! You don't have to worry about that since she's bursting with motivation right now.
So much that it's almost tempting to ask her to tone it down... I'm worried that she might end up practicing too much and overwork herself, you know?"
MISATO: "I understand. I'll give her a subtle reminder about it."
AKI: "Thank you. However, that's not what I've come to talk to you about. Um... Basically, I just want to hear your thoughts."
MISATO: "My thoughts?"
AKI: "About your love for school idols, or Ai, or anything really. Sorry if that's pretty vague."
MISATO: "Hmm... Let's see... I don't know how coherent I can make this, but..."
AKI: "Anything will do, it's fine. Please, take your time."
MISATO: "Ai and I were raised together, here in Tsukishima. Ai's grandma tends to stay at home more these days, but she used to work in the shop a lot more in the past.
So Ai often came next door to my place when she was little.
She hasn't changed since she was young. She was always full of energy and loved to play outside.
But my CVID made me pretty frail, so I couldn't go along with her much. I often got heatstroke while catching bugs, or caught colds when we went out playing in the snow.
That's why we ended up playing indoors a lot whenever she was with me, and I don't think that was enough to satisfy her."
AKI: "Really? But Ai would always talk about the times she spent playing with you."
MISATO: "That's the kind of girl she is, always trying to meet people halfway. Maybe that's why she never thought badly of the compromises she had to make.
She's the type to prioritize doing something everyone around would enjoy because she'd have more fun that way, too.
She never put herself first..."
AKI: "...So that's why she took the initiative to join the Clique. Because she never put herself first, and finally decided to do something that would benefit her."
MISATO: "It's all because I never gave her the chance to. I'm sorry..."
AKI: "No, don't apologize. It's all over with now, the Club and Clique are one. I can always depend on Ai."
MISATO: "She was always very dependable. Maybe even a little too dependable.
She never demanded anything for herself, never cried, or got angry... I was worried she might be suppressing her emotions."
AKI: "Misato..."
MISATO: "But she's changed since becoming a school idol. She gets frustrated, she cries, she gets angry, she gets sad... Her emotions have their hands full.
From Ai's point of view, it might be a bad thing because she's compromised her sense of stability, but I personally felt a little relieved.
It's good knowing that Ai is capable of blowing up with strong emotions, too.
She really was in two minds when she decided to test her abilities at the Clique.
She said she wanted to take on the challenge but was worried she would hurt everyone in the process. She wasn't sure what to do.
Losing to Setsuna in the Rainbow Hearts Tourney made her bawl her eyes out."
AKI: "..."
MISATO: "If you go at your opponent with all you've got, they'll come at you full strength, too. She said that's part of the fun, but she was devastated that she couldn't beat Setsuna."
AKI: "I recall... She completely broke down when the results were announced. Yet she was back to normal in no time."
MISATO: "Maybe she still feels too shy to show you that side of her, like she does for me..."
AKI: "You think so?"
MISATO: "Yes. But I'm very aware that soon in the not-too-distant future, her closest confidant will change from me to you. During that time I want you to take care of her in my place."
AKI: "..."
MISATO: "That's why I want you to understand. Ai was granted freedom by becoming a school idol. The freedom to express herself and to be accepted for who she is.
She's going to keep chasing after what she likes and make more joyous moments from now on. And then she's going to share that joy with the world.
Joy is Ai's greatest weapon. Her charm is what keeps sweeping us into all these fun things. That's what I think."
AKI: "Yeah, I think so, too! She's able to do that because she's such an amazing school idol, and an even greater person!"
AI: "Hey, Misato, get this- ...Huh? Prez?! What are you doing here?"
AKI: "Ai! I, uh, was just asking Misato about something..."
AI: "Ooh, about what? Lemme join the conversation! Let's do it over some of my special recipe monjayaki at my place!"
AKI: "Um..."
MISATO: "Yes please!"
AKI: "Well, if you insist."
AI: "Yaaay! I have so much I want to tell you, Prez! Man, it feels so good to call you that again! C'mon, let's go!"