*LATER*
*ELI'S ROOM - AYASE RESIDENCE - CHIYODA - TOKYO*
Maki's piano lesson event today was a great success. Chika, Honoka, and even Shioriko got to try their hand at playing the piano.
The hard work today is far from over though, since Eli and I are putting the finishing touches on her new School Idol Newspaper.
Meanwhile, I know Chika and Honoka are both working hard to create dance instructions to promote the School Idol Festival.
With the big event approaching faster than ever, it's great to see everyone stepping up to advertise the event. Especially since we've got an even bigger venue for the Main Stage to fill.
The Tokyo Dome.
The pinnacle of our nation's venues, the stage that every idol wants to stand on one day.
We're lucky that this early in our careers we can stand on it.
If we're accomplishing something like this at this stage of our careers... Then what's going to stop us from reaching even greater heights?
ELI: "First, choose an approximate layout, then place the picture... There."
AKI: "There are so many things you have to balance when making a newspaper, huh?"
ELI: "Yeah. It's more difficult than I thought, but having you here is really reassuring. All of the pictures you and Yu took are fantastic as well."
AKI: "Thank you! We couldn't have done it without your help."
ELI: "I'm planning on putting Ayumu's article here. I'm having some trouble deciding which picture to use, but what do you think?"
AKI: "Hmm, let me see. Yeah. I think the one of Ayu practicing is good, don't you?"
ELI: "Yeah, I agree. That was the moment that drew my attention the most.
Okay, so I'll enlarge the photo and put it in. It should be good right about here..."
AKI: "What about the text? Do you have something in mind?"
ELI: "Yeah. 'The sight of a school idol seizing her dreams and refusing to give up is more beautiful than anything else. It never leaves people's hearts.'
I was trying to think of something that would show the charms of Ayumu and school idols at the same time."
AKI: "I think it's great how you're able to do that, Eli."
ELI: "Once they see Ayumu putting in so much effort, even more people are bound to get interested in school idols."
AKI: "Without any doubt. I mean, this is Ayu we're talking about. Her charms are definitely connected to the charms of school idols as a whole."
ELI: "Even so... Seeing Ayumu practice so much to overcome all those hurdles... It made me realize what a wonderful school idol she really is."
AKI: "I completely agree! It's been a privilege to watch Ayu blossom into the wonderful young woman she is today.
She's an amazing school idol and as charming as can be. But..."
ELI: "Hm?"
AKI: "...while she is my childhood friend, it doesn't mean that my eyes are entirely on her.
You're a wonderful school idol too, Eli."
ELI: "Huh?"
AKI: "Take making this newspaper for instance. You take everything seriously and I think that's amazing!"
ELI: "Thank you. No matter what it is, I want to face it head-on.
But I must say... You always blurt out things like that. If you keep complimenting me I'm going to start blushing."
AKI: *Chuckle* "Maybe I'll do just that?"
ELI: *Giggle* "Oh you...
Still... Your words make me very happy, Akihiko.
Even though you're not a school idol, you still support us with your whole heart.
Even though you're a boy, and not a student here at Otonokizaka, you still support μ's.
You always find time in your busy schedule for us and I couldn't be more grateful.
I really admire you. Thank you for always being here for us."
AKI: "Eli... I'm happy that you're here for me as well."
ELI: *Giggle* "Thank you. Well then, shall we get this newspaper over and done with?"
AKI: *Chuckle* "Let's."
...
After completing the final details of the School Idol Newspaper, we examined our handiwork with pride.
AKI: "Wow... This is great!"
ELI: "Let's hope that everyone will like it."
AKI: "Hope? Are you kidding me? Of course they'll like it! Wait until Dia and Setsuna see this!"
ELI: "Actually, Dia is staying here tonight. She wants to make some finishing touches of her own."
AKI: "Sounds like fun. I've actually got plans with Nico after this, she's invited me over for dinner."
ELI: "Lucky you, I know how wonderful her cooking is. Plus, her family is so wonderful."
AKI: "Absolutely. Cocoro, Cocoa, and Cotaro are cute little bundles of sunshine and joy. Nico loves her siblings very much.
Though, the same could be said about you, Eli."
ELI: "That's right. Arisa means the world to me. Which is why... I won't let anything happen to her."
AKI: "Huh... That sounded ominous. Is there something wrong with her?"
ELI: "Don't worry about it."
AKI: "Eli, saying that only makes me even more worried.
Though, if it's a personal family issue then I won't dig any deeper."
*KNOCK* *KNOCK*
AKI: "Oh! A knock on your door, looks like Dia's here."
ELI: "Let's not keep her waiting. Come in!"
The door opened.
ARISA: "Ta-dah! What do you think of my new uniform? Isn't it cute?"
ELI, AKI: "...?!"
Wh-Why is Arisa wearing a Yuigaoka uniform?
...Hold on a second.
...
HONOKA: "Wh-What's so wrong with Otonokizaka?!"
YUKIHO: "There's nothing wrong with the place. Well...actually. There is a lot wrong with it."
HONOKA: "Oh really? Name three bad things!"
YUKIHO: "All the other clubs aside from the Idol Research Club are failures.
If not for μ's the place would have closed down.
It's falling behind the times when there are new schools around Tokyo."
HONOKA: "What are you saying? That you'd rather attend UTX?!"
YUKIHO: "No."
HONOKA: "Or maybe you're thinking about Nijigasaki? That place is giant and you'd get lost there!"
AKI: "I...wish I could deny that, but I can't. Even I still get lost in that castle of glass sometimes."
YUKIHO: "Ugh. If you're going to be this way, Honoka, then I'll go eat in my room."
KISARA: "Yukiho, please, we have a guest here."
YUKIHO: "Yeah, one of Honoka's friends, not mine."
...
There was that whole situation with Yukiho, and how she was having second thoughts about Otonokizaka.
She had a lot of negative thoughts about the school, and seemed unusually hostile towards me.
As if someone was feeding her misinformation...
...
AKI: "R-Right. You looked out of focus there for a sec, that's unlike you. Is everything okay?"
ELI: "...Everything is fine. Just fine."
AKI: "They don't seem that way if you put it like that."
ELI: "Tell me..."
AKI: "Hm?"
ELI: "Do you find Otonokizaka to be the kind of school that girls would choose to attend?"
AKI: "Um... Eli, I'm a boy. I'm the wrong person for you to be asking that question."
ELI: "Right... Of course."
AKI: "But if I was a girl who lived in the area, I'd definitely consider the rich cultural history of Otonokizaka over the flashy high-rise style of UTX."
ELI: "UTX aren't who I'm referring to..."
AKI: "Huh?"
ELI: "Nothing..."
...
Then there was the situation with Eli, and how she suddenly asked me, as an outsider, if Otonokizaka was really a school worth attending. It was a surprising question, and it left me feeling concerned at the time.
Plus she was referring to another school as if she was worried about them in comparison to her own.
But now... Arisa Ayase is standing in front of us wearing a Yuigaoka uniform.
Arisa and Yukiho are both aspiring school idols, while their sisters are members of the revered school idol group, μ's. With their famous last names and their upcoming high school careers, they are perfect candidates for recruitment.
And who is looking to monopolize the school idol industry?
Golden Calf.
Who is Yuigaoka's sugar daddy?
Seichi Kamijou, Chairman of Golden Calf.
I'm starting to see the bigger picture here. These dots of information are connecting and I'm beginning to understand the situation at hand...
ARISA: "Hm? Is something wrong?"
AKI: "That uniform..."
ARISA: "What? It's Yuigaoka. What's so wrong about that?"
ELI: "I...thought you wanted to attend Otonokizaka."
ARISA: ""Oh yeah, I did! It was so cool! Yukiho and I saw Liella! live and they blew us away. They invited us backstage afterwards and kept going on about Yuigaoka. It's such a great school and they said they really want us to join them!"
ELI: "What?!"
ARISA: "They're the fastest rising school idol group in history, and they're part of the Golden Calf agency. Isn't that awesome?"
ELI: "No... No, it's not 'awesome'."
ARISA: "Harasho?"
ELI: "Arisa, I know you're not blind... Haven't you seen the destruction they've caused to other school idol groups? The way they've brutally trampled them? Don't you see how ruthless they've been? How can you not see the truth?!"
ARISA: "Well, they want to win, don't they? Don't you want to win too?"
ELI: ""Arisa, there is a significant distinction between defeating someone and obliterating them. Liella! are not simply trying to beat everyone else; they desire to completely annihilate them."
ARISA: "...Haven't you been doing the same thing?"
ELI: "Huh?"
ARISA: ""Isn't it true that μ's have claimed to be the best school idol group in history?
What does that make everyone else?
Inadequate?
Are you trying to hold others back from reaching their full potential?"
ELI: "Harasho..."
AKI: "Arisa, stop saying things like that. You're starting to remind me of Kanon! You sound just like her!"
Or rather... Shiro Okuda and all the lies she has been feeding Kanon.
This is serious... If Kanon gets her hands on Yukiho and Arisa, then they will become the next victims in the cycle of corruption.
Kamijou Senior.
Seichi Kamijou.
Shiro Okuda.
Kanon Shibuya.
and then...
Yukiho Kosaka and Arisa Ayase.
ARISA: "What's so bad about that? Kanon's an amazing leader who pours her heart and soul into everything she does. Plus, she's only in her first year, that's impressive!
If I attend Yuigaoka, I'll have the chance to train beside her and Golden Calf for two years. It would be a dream come true for my school idol career! You can see that, right sis?"
ELI: "O-Oh... Just listen to me for a moment. That girl has been deceived by a treacherous businessman. If you go with her, she's going to corrupt you even more than she has already been corrupted herself.
Please, I'm begging you, don't make that mistake..."
ARISA: "Why? Are you telling me that I should be learning under you?"
ELI: "No, I-"
ARISA: ""Remember, you're graduating soon, so you won't be around to guide me anymore. I would be on my own at Otonokizaka, and I don't know what I'll do without you."
ELI: ""That might be true, but... joining Liella! at the moment would be the biggest mistake you could ever make. I'm not trying to hold you back, I'm just trying to protect you!"
ARISA: "So... you don't want me to join Liella! Is that what you're saying? Are you implying that I should join μ's instead?"
ELI: "I..."
ARISA: "Oh... That's right... You didn't want me to join μ's, even after Yukiho and I told you how much we wanted to next year."
ELI: "?!"
ARISA: "Sis... "I can't help but feel a sense of regret and sadness knowing that you didn't want me to join μ's. Yukiho and I both agreed that we wanted to become part of the group, but it seems that our dreams were too idealistic for you.
Your rejection still stings after all these months. It's hard for me to believe that you didn't see the potential in allowing me to join μ's, considering everything we could have accomplished together.
I'm upset and I can only imagine the disappointment Yukiho felt knowing that she wouldn't get to perform on stage with her sister."
ELI: "Arisa, please..."
ARISA: "How can you say that I'm not good enough to join μ's? Are you telling me that my talents and passion don't matter to you? That they're not good enough for the group?"
ELI: "No... Nobody else can join either..."
ARISA: "So you can't accept anyone else joining μ's? I guess...Kanon was right. She told me your superiority complex is so strong that you can't bear the thought of sharing your stage with someone else.
It hurts to see the truth but, maybe you and the other members of μ's are actually selfish and arrogant after all..."
ELI: "That's not true!"
ARISA: "Then why? Tell me why the nine of you never wanted me and Yukiho to join μ's!"
ELI: "......"
ARISA: "You can't answer that. I see... It's because only nine of you are good enough, nobody else is... I'm not going to stand here and let you treat me like a second-rate idol. I deserve to be part of μ's, but all you see is a liability.
Liella! are willing to welcome me with open arms. Which is more than me and Yukiho can say about our own sisters."
ELI: "......"
ARISA: "I'd better get going... I've got a meeting tonight."
A meeting...?
ELI: "..........."
Damn it... This is heavy.
I can't believe that Liella! has been trying to recruit Arisa and Yukiho behind our backs all this time. It's so dishonorable and underhanded... I worry about what else they might be capable of...
I'm just so worried about μ's now. If Liella! is willing to go to such lengths to sabotage them, then it means not only Nijigasaki are being targeted. If Yukiho and Arisa fall victim to that horrid cycle then I'm sure that Honoka and Eli would never forgive themselves...
In terms of leadership roles, Eli and Honoka are definitely the two girls in control of μ's. If they fall into despair because of this, it could tear μ's apart. Opening opportunities for Liella! to take them down too...
Eli looks torn apart by all of this.
Shit...
SHIT!
I can't just stand here with my jaw dropped, doing nothing... I have to stop Arisa-
*CRAMP*
ARGH!
Damn it... I'm still sore from all that training yesterday. If I push my body any further then I might collapse.
However...
A recent discovery in battling fatigue could be the key to preventing that, and restoring my energy!