*MEANWHILE*
*SCHOOL IDOL CLUBROOM - NIJIGASAKI HIGH SCHOOL - ODAIBA - TOKYO*
AKI: "Good morning. Sorry I'm late, a certain teacher asked me to do somethi- Huh?"
EMMA: "Shhh!"
AKI: "Ah..."
EMMA: "Karin's sleeping."
AKI: "Oh, right..."
EMMA: "She's been pushing herself really hard lately to prepare for an amateur model contest."
AKI: "Yeah, I know. The Miss Venus contest."
EMMA: "Can you let her get a little rest?"
AKI: "Sure."
EMMA: "She hasn't been taking it easy, even on her days off."
AKI: "She's been going all out training with different people, huh?"
EMMA: "Even at night, she goes walking for exercise. She never stops!"
AKI: "Wait, don't tell me she hasn't been sleeping at night?"
EMMA: "No, she's been sleeping. She said it would all be pointless if she doesn't get her beauty sleep."
AKI: "Oh, well, that's good..."
EMMA: "But she's been getting up really early to make up for it.
Lately, she's been getting up before I even come to wake her."
AKI: "Did Hell freeze over?!"
KARIN: "Mmmmnnhh.... Ah... Oh, no, I fell asleep?!
Ugh, look at the time! Why didn't either of you wake me up?!
I haven't finished all my training for today yet. Can I even finish in time?
Maybe I can if I don't take my break...?"
AKI: "Karin! Don't push yourself too hard. Even if you didn't have the contest and your Club activities to do, it's too much!"
KARIN: "What? But that's exactly why I'm doing all this!"
AKI: "That might be true, but..."
KARIN: "I don't want to hear it! You're the one who's been firing me up lately, aren't you?"
AKI: "ACK!"
EMMA: "Oh, that makes sense..."
KARIN: "So have some faith in me!"
Oh for crying out loud...
Ugh, it's not like I can talk. All I've been doing is working hard lately.
Today is big enough without this drama. Because today the results of that manga contest Setsuna entered are published, and Mia is holding a live show in the second auditorium.
I should head over to Setsuna's place after school, since it's her day off... Then come back here for Mia's live.
That's the ideal way to handle things.
...
*SETSUNA'S ROOM - NAKAGAWA RESIDENCE - CITY BAY TOKYO TOWERS - ODAIBA - TOKYO*
SETSUNA: "The big day is finally here..."
AKI: "The results of the Newcomer Awards are in this magazine."
SETSUNA: "Um, can you look first, please?"
AKI: "What? You should be the one to check it, Setsuna."
SETSUNA: "I-I can't. I'm so nervous, I can't even turn the page! So, please... You go first!"
AKI: "Okay. I'll flip over to the page..."
SETSUNA: "Thank you."
AKI: "The results of the Newcomer Awards are..."
SETSUNA: "Hnghhh..."
AKI: "You... You won the award for distinguished effort, Setsuna! Check it out!"
SETSUNA: "Y-You're kidding... Oh, you're not..."
AKI: "Why the hell would I joke about something like this?"
SETSUNA: "We won... WE WON! WE DID IT! The manga we made together got an award!
We'll have to tell all the girls about it first thing tomorrow!"
AKI: "Yeah, I'm sure they'll be so happy for you."
I know I already am, especially through the struggles that Setsuna has experienced lately.
Go to hell, 'DISCIPLINE'.