*SECOND AUDITORIUM - NIJIGASAKI HIGH SCHOOL - ODAIBA - TOKYO*
AYUMU: "H-Huh?!"
KATSUO: "Yeah, I bet you didn't expect to see me here, did you? Come on, hand that microphone over. The King knows what the audience wants to see, and The King is not going to disappoint them!"
I couldn't believe what I was seeing. In the back of the audience, I watched as Katsuo, with a sly smirk on his face, swiftly moved beside Ayu and swatted the microphone out of her hands before she knew what was happening. Ayu's eyes widened in shock and I could bet the rest of the group looked on in confusion and horror backstage.
I was so angry that my fatigue from the panic attack was instantly pushed aside, at the cost of my own body. The adrenaline coursing through my veins filled me with an intense rage, and I pushed my way through the crowd to confront the bastard who had put me through this. I climbed onto the stage, my hands trembling with anger, and I was ready to let him have it.
KATSUO: "Oh, and look who it is everyone! It's Nijigasaki's resident Nepotistic Chairman! Only rewarding the- Hmmm?"
I was so frustrated that I picked Ayu's microphone back up off the floor. I knew that Katsuo was trying to provoke me, and I refused to let him win. I couldn't let myself lower myself to his level, no matter how frustrating the situation was.
I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of getting under my skin. I was determined to be the bigger person, even though it was hard, and even though I was so tempted to lose it.
AKI: "Someone get this guy out of here. Do we have security around?"
KATSUO: "Oh, that's right, I forgot that you were so noble and courageous. Getting someone stronger than you to fight your battles for you...what a hero you are. Bravo, bravo, Akihiko!"
Katsuo wasn't my priority. What mattered was checking on Ayu and making sure she was okay. She was my friend, and I couldn't just leave her there trembling.
AKI: "Are you okay?"
AYUMU: "I-I'm fine..."
But she was shaking...
KATSUO: "Ha!"
*CROWD BOOS*
KATSUO: "You want to boo me? I'm right! I'M RIGHT! When has this guy ever done something that wasn't to appeal to three groups? Tell me, where was Akihiko Suzuki when you were fighting against Liella?!
You know where?
He was too busy kissing ass at Otonokizaka, taking a vacation in Uchiura, and playing the Nijigasaki High School Idol Club like a fiddle! He's a snake in the grass, and you all think he's some kind of saint!
Wake up, people, and see him for what he really is!"
Just like that, the crowd's boos died down, and they were listening to Katsuo, hooked on his every word. It was easy to see why he was the top male school idol in the nation. He had the power to control a crowd, even one that was rooting for us.
It was as if he had this supernatural ability to captivate his audience, and they were all too happy to be swept up in his performance. It was almost hypnotic, the way he had the crowd under his spell.
AKI: "..."
KATSUO: "Look at him! Look at the guilty expression on his face, he's nothing more than a liar! His only interests are μ's, Aqours, and Nijigasaki. He doesn't give a rat's ass about anyone else!"
I reluctantly once again put the microphone to my mouth. I knew what I had to do, but a part of me didn't want to go through with it. I didn't want to have this argument, but I couldn't let Katsuo have the last word. I took a deep breath, and I steeled myself for the confrontation.
AKI: "That's... That's not true."
KATSUO: "W-W-W-Why is that, huh? What's with the stutter? Too afraid to tell the truth that you're the biggest hypocrite this industry has ever seen?
You dare talk all this crap about corrupt producers? You call my producer, Seichi Kamijou, corrupt? You're the one pulling strings, making yourself the Chairman of the biggest school idol event that YOUR group just so happens to be headlining!"
AKI: "Respectfully, it was μ's, Aqours, and the School Idol Club who made that decision to appoint me as Chairman of the School Idol Festival Planning Committee, not me."
KATSUO: "Mm-hm, and don't you think that everyone else gets a say in this?!"
*CROWD MURMUR*
Damn it, this is just like what happened in Hokkaido with Kanon. She used that live stream to try and turn the other school idols against me.
I hate being on stage in front of a crowd...I can't stand this, this sucks.
KATSUO: "Well now. What are you waiting for? You've got something to say for yourself, right? Or do you want your little girlfriend to come and do the talking for you?"
AYUMU: "G-Girlfriend?!"
That's the last straw, if this guy wants to mess with Ayu, then he'll have to deal with me first! I won't stand for his insolence any longer. I'll argue back with all my might to protect Ayu, and I won't stop until this coward backs down!
AKI: "There wouldn't be a School Idol Festival this year without me!
I was just as shocked, upset, and let down as every other school idol fan when I heard that the School Idol Festival was canceled. Especially since I know how hard Ayu worked to win. She had to fight through muscle cramps and give the performance of a lifetime just to get us to the Main Stage!
But even more painful was seeing how everyone else just gave up and stopped supporting the event. Everyone was satisfied with letting the event die, becoming apathetic and not showing support anymore.
Not me.
Not me, Katsuo!
I refused to let that happen. I fought and scratched and clawed alongside the School Idol Club until we brought the School Idol Festival back to life!
With the help of groups like μ's and Aqours, we rebuilt that festival from scratch and earned our spot on the Main Stage.
So yes, we deserve to be on that Main Stage, not only because we rightfully QUALIFIED, but because we're the ones who built the damn thing, and we're taking the whole platform to the Tokyo Dome!"
KATSUO: "Oh, so now the suit can talk? That's cute. But you can't talk your way out of this, Akihiko Suzuki. Because not only have you held down the rest of the female school idols, but you're the reason why male school idols don't get a chance!
Just because you're a big shot Chairman doesn't mean you can control everything! The School Idol Festival is for everyone, not just the chosen few!"
AKI: "Excuse me?"
KATSUO: "You heard me, everyone! This guy is the reason why you don't see any male school idols showcased at the School Idol Festival! He's just as sexist as the misandrist bitch who started it all! What a joke."
*CROWD GASP*
AKI: "You can talk about me all you want, but don't you dare put Kaoroko down like that! She's the one who put in the hard work to make the School Idol Festival the biggest event in the industry!
You don't know the first thing about what it takes to be an idol. All you've ever done is whine, bitch, and cry for three years blaming everyone but yourself!
Don't buy into his crap, people. The reason why he never got a spot in the School Idol Festival is because he's a pretentious asshole who thought he deserved the Main Stage without even trying!
And by the way, being the "top male school idol" isn't worth much when you're the only one around anymore. Who worthwhile have you beaten?"
KATSUO: "I beat everyone! There's nobody left! I even beat Sekiro 'Wolf' Okami!"
AKI: "Wait, are you really trying to take credit for defeating an injured Wolf? You waited for him to break his face before taking action? How brave!
I really respect Wolf for the efforts he made to get the male side of the school idol industry on the map. He did everything right, and you only stepped in to take credit after he was hurt.
You're nothing but a vulture, picking the bones of another man's hard work and claiming it was your own. Call yourself a king all you want Katsuo, but you're just Kamijou's pawn waiting for the queens to kick your ass."
KATSUO: "I don't need to prove myself to you or anyone else! I've worked my ass off to get where I am today. I've dedicated myself to becoming an entertainer and I won't let anyone stand in my way.
So, if you want to see what I can do, then give me a spot on the Main Stage! I've got the skills and the talent to bring the house down, so let's see if you have the guts to let me prove it!
Or are you just going to reject me and prove that you're nothing more than a braindead simp?"
AKI: "...Ugh. You know, any respect I had for you has vanished."
KATSUO: "The next time you want to talk to me about disrespect, tell your friends with their super bright penlights to stay at home. You invaded my show to challenge Liella!, and now I'm going to give you a taste of your own medicine.
I'm invading your show to make a statement, and you better believe that I'm going to bring the house down while I'm at it.
So, if you want to see what I can really do, then bring it on. I'm going to show you what a real idol acts, dances, sings, and looks like! I am the complete package!"
AKI: "And in saying that, you can 'kiss' any chance of the Main Stage goodbye."
KATSUO: "Let me be very clear to you. I don't like you, I hate you.
You're a snake, taking low blows and hiding behind a disguise. All you ever do is exploit people's insecurities to get what you want. You manipulate girls and act like you're helping them when all you're really trying to do is build up a harem.
You're nothing more than a power-hungry snake, and I'm not going to let you get away with it!
You made your bed, now lie in it! You're going to bow down and fall in line by giving me what I want!"
AKI: "Harem? You must be completely deluded, school idols can't date, you complete imbecile!
Besides, even if I gave you a spot on the Main Stage, the rules state that all Main Stage performances have to be live show battles.
Alongside μ's VS Aqours VS Nijigasaki VS Liella!, there would be a second live show battle.
But like you've already said, there's nobody left in the male school idol scene to challenge you.
That's your own fault for driving them away with your shitty, underhanded, intimidation tactics. It's pretty easy to be the most popular male school idol if you're the only one left."
KATSUO: "..."
AKI: "I want to believe that there is a future for the male school idols, but with a narcissist like you at the helm, that future is a pipe dream.
The only way that the scene will have a chance at success is when you're no longer the face of it. So pack your bags, leave your crown behind for the next guy to take it, it's over! Go home!"
KATSUO: "You think you know what it's like to be denied your crowning achievement? You wouldn't know a thing about that, you bastard.
I've put in the hard work, the blood, sweat, and tears to get this far. And now you have the nerve to stand in the way of my graduation and my glory?!
I will end my school idol career at the School Idol Festival...
...by defeating you, Akihiko Suzuki!
I am once again throwing down the challenge, this time not behind closed doors, but for the whole world to see.
Akihiko Suzuki VS 'The King' Katsuo Togo on the Main Stage at the School Idol Festival!"
AKI: "Do we really have to go through this again?! I have told you time and time again that I am not a school idol, yet you insist on putting words in my mouth. I'm tired of your crap and your assumptions. I don't need this, not today.
So, if you have nothing realistic to add to the conversation, then please just leave us in peace so that we can give our fans the live show they want to see."
KATSUO: "You're part of a School Idol Club, aren't you? Surely you have to be registered as a 'School Idol' to be part of one!"
Huh?
AKI: "I don't know what you're talking about."
KATSUO: "Look it up, it's in your rulebook! The School Idol Festival is open to anyone who is a registered member of a School Idol Club, it's clear as day!"
AKI: "What about you?"
KATSUO: "Shujin's School Idol Fanclub. A club about school idols and I'm the focus!"
AKI: "Shit..."
KATSUO: "Well? Being part of a School Idol Club makes you perfectly eligible to compete.
So stop being difficult and give the king what he wants."
AKI: "I don't know what your deal is, but why are you so stuck on me? I've done nothing wrong, and yet you keep picking fights with me every chance you get. I don't know what kind of power trip you're on, but I'm getting real tired of it. So, unless you have something constructive to say, please just leave me in peace!"
KATSUO: "Because you're the boy who's been making the most waves in the industry this past year! You're the one who caught the attention of Seichi Kamijou by causing a second school idol boom to school idol popularity!
So, naturally, everybody is going to be looking at you, and they're all going to want a piece of what you've got.
But, let me tell you, I'm not going to just sit back and watch as this industry bends to your will. I'm going to give you a run for your money."
AKI: "No, it was not me. School idols like A-RISE, μ's, Saint Snow and Aqours were the ones who inspired me and helped push the school idol scene into the mainstream.
Their success was a group effort, and I will not take credit for that.
That being said, I'm not going to deny the impact that my own group has had in pushing the scene to new heights. We've worked hard to get where we are, and we're not going to let anyone take that away from us."
KATSUO: "Oh, please. Who do you think helped them accomplish that? Who do you think is the one running things behind the scenes and lifting those girls up? Helping them with their problems and writing songs for them."
AKI: "..."
KATSUO: "And that's what I'm saying! Your ability to sing karaokes are quite impressive, so why are you still hiding behind them? You have no excuses to reject me, I'm telling you.
I know that you have a passion for singing just as you have a passion for school idols. I also know that you have what it takes to be a successful idol.
So, what are you waiting for? It's time to step up and show the world what you're made of.
Ha! But of course, accepting would lead to the biggest humiliation of your life!"
AKI: "Gah..."
I don't know what to do, I'm running out of options. My back is against the wall...
KATSUO: "Ladies and Gentlemen, fans of the School Idol Festival, let me ask you something.
Do you want to see a historical showdown on the Main Stage?
Do you want to see the greatest male school idol face off against the greatest school idol producer?
Do you want to witness the first-ever male School Idol Festival Main Stage Battle?!
I'm sure you all do.
And I'm going to make it a reality.
Because this is what the people want, and this is what they deserve.
So, who's with me?!"
*CROWD ROARS*
AKI: "...No."
*CROWD BOOS*
My rejection of Katsuo's challenge was not met with applause, but rather with a chorus of boos.
The boos from the crowd grew louder with every passing moment.
It wasn't the first time I had experienced hostility from this many people. But it still made me feel entirely alone. With no one on my side, and everyone against me, I felt the weight of the world bearing down on my shoulders.
KATSUO: I suppose you don't care about what the school idol fans want, do you?
Pfft, what kind of Chairman are you if you don't care about the wishes of those who support you?
You should be ashamed of yourself, turning your back on those who looked up to you.
Don't you know that they all believed in you? That they all expected more from you?"
GAH! Expectations... The weight of the world...
AKI: "I never asked for this, I never wanted this! Don't you understand me?! I'm not a school idol, I'm not qualified to be on a stage like that!
Just because I'm the Chairman doesn't mean I should be on the Main Stage!
I don't deserve this, and I don't want it."
KATSUO: "You're forgetting. When Ayumu Uehara qualified for the Main Stage, she earned the rights for any Nijigasaki school idol to perform on the Main Stage.
And as the rulebook states, only the groups that have qualified can allow any additional schools to perform. Just like when you gave Liella! their spot.
You can make this happen, Suzuki, you can give me the ending that I deserve!"
AKI: "I'm not going to give it to you. You don't deserve it."
KATSUO: *Inhale* *Exhale* "Allow me to show you how desperate I have been..."
Katsuo threw back his hood, revealing a different hairstyle beneath.
As he stepped forward, the crowd shifted, trying to get a better look at the surprise.
Katsuo's new hairstyle abandoned his signature shaggy hair that his fangirls found so charming, and instead, introduced a thinner style.
Even I was caught off guard...
AKI: "Huh?"
KATSUO: "I've been cutting off pieces of my hair every day since you rejected me. Every piece I cut brought me one step closer to the edge, and now I've finally reached it. I've had to completely restyle my hair because of the damage I've caused.
You did this to me, Suzuki.
You're the one who brought me here, and now you're forcing me to suffer.
I can't believe how cruel you can be."
AKI: "You're the one who did this to yourself, Katsuo. You're not desperate, you're just pathetic. If this is how you're going to act at the School Idol Festival, then I don't want you anywhere near the event.
You don't deserve to call yourself a school idol
You're a disgrace, and I won't let you ruin this for everyone else.
Get out of my sight."
Katsuo's tone slipped further into desperation with every word he spoke. The desperation in his voice was palpable, and it was clear that he was willing to do anything to get what he wanted. His words were filled with emotion, and it seemed that he was on the verge of tears.
The tension in the room was palpable, and everyone was watching his every move.
KATSUO: "...You don't understand. I can't face rejection here. I need the Main Stage. My career will end not only as a school idol, but as an actor and performer too. Everything I've worked so hard for... it will all be gone.
I can't bear the thought of it.
I need the Main Stage, I need it now.
Give it to me."
AKI: "So you're quitting just because I rejected you? Did your ego take that much of a hit when someone finally told you no? It's not an insult, it's a fact of life that we have to learn to accept no for an answer. If someone tells you no and they're uncomfortable with something, that's it.
You need to respect that.
So the next time one of your fangirls rejects your advances, don't throw your lips on her!"
*CROWD GASP*
KATSUO: "GIVE. ME. THE. MAIN. STAGE..."
AKI: "You want the Main Stage? Is this really what you want?"
KATSUO: "Yes! G-Give me it! I need it! I want you on the Main Stage!"
AKI: "I'm not a school idol. The answer is no. Now get the hell out of our school."
I swatted the mic out of Katsuo's hands and turned my back on him. Then I started walking back over to Ayu to give her microphone back to resume the show.
But...
*PUSH*
AKI: "ACK!"
I was shoved forcefully to the ground, and the air was knocked out of my lungs before I even had time to process what was happening.
I turned to see that it was Katsuo, in a final fit of desperation, who had delivered the cheap shot from behind.
He charged towards Ayu, pulling her face close to his.
I didn't have time to react before he...
KATSUO: *KISS*
AYUMU: "MMPH?!"
AKI: ".................."