Merry just come back from studio after recording. Now she gotta wait for the whole things to be mixed and filming a music video. She still has a lot works to be done even after the festival. Talking about festival, there's still not much times left so it's better practice hard for now. Well, Merry has experience on performing in front of people, she couldn't said the same for the current B Komachi though...
Entering Miyako's place, Merry meets the scene where Mem-Cho and Ruby kneel down on the sofa in front of Kana that seems frustrating with them.
'I enter at the wrong time, didn't I?' Thinks Merry while staring at the scene, already tired thinking what ie happening right now.
"Is this what I think it is? Do you assume I was a pushover and that if you casually dropped the announcement while we were filming, I wouldn't be able to refuse?" Asked Kana while give a sharp look to Ruby and Mem-Cho. Mem-Cho then tried to explain that they already already talked it over at Karaoke with Merry and don't think both of them would make a great center. Even Merry agreed with them.
"Then, we saw the promo video for your single." Interupts Merry, surprising everyone inside the room. Merry puts down her bag sits on the empty seat while continuing look at the group. Kana swings her seat to look the other way, doesn't expecting they would found her single promo video that she wishes to forget about it.
"'Pepper Exercises' sold pretty well, so everyone had the idea I could make it as a singer...and we all got burned bad." Explained Kana with a sad sound. She told Mem-Cho and Ruby to just forget about their idea to make her as a center. For her, that past was a symbol of her wandering years when Kana Arima doesn't how to market herself.
"You don't have to put it like that..." Said Ruby, concerning about Kana and how she told her past story like she hated it a lot.
"I swear, if I told you how bad the sales were, you'd wet your pants. Everybody involved just want to forget it." Said Kana without looking at the group. For a few seconds, no one said anything as they just stare Kana with a worried face before Ruby speaks up.
"Frankly, on 'Pepper Exercises'....I thought you were tone deaf. But, by your second single, you'd gotten really good and the third one was even better." Said Ruby truthfully. She knows Kana must have practiced really hard to improve herself and become much better.
Merry looks between Ruby and Kana. As much as she wants to say something too, she understands that this conversation is between the group and not for outsider like her to suddenly interupts in the middle of the conversation.
Honest speaking, Merry also doesn't really like how off Kana sings 'Pepper Exercises' before. She had a hard time to hear the song, in other word, forced herself to bear with the song. But then, Kana is still a kid....well at that time, she is more arrogant and full of herself than now probably due to her past.
"You worked really hard don't you? So you wouldn't let anybody down..For someone as responsible as you, being B Komachi's center wouldn't-" Ruby couldn't finished her sentence but Kana already looks more upset than she was before. She might be thinking that Ruby is still sugarcoating her to accept being B Komachi's center.
"SHUT UP! If you think butter me up a bit I'll say yes. Quit mocking me!" Snaps Kana who abruptly stands up. She turns to Ruby and seems to manage let out some of her stress after that snap.
"I really... can't do this. I mean it! I don't care how many times you ask, I won't be the center." Said Kana with more calmer voice than before. The situation become more tense everyone become silent for a few seconds. Ruby bows her head as if she feels sorry at what she just did just now.
"I'm sorry we didn't talk about it over with you first. I won't bring it up again." Merry almost break her neck at how fast she turns to Ruby. Don't tell her that they gonna pick a center between Ruby and Mem-Cho.....
"Before we move on, though, listen to us sing." Said Ruby who acts like she's holding a microphone on her hand. Mem-Cho also synchrony with Ruby. Merry ain't gonna listens to them singing again so she silently leave the place and planning to go practicing instead.
Though she already guessed what's gonna happen after she comeback later. Today, she's just going to practice for a short time and trying to focus more on her vocal.
~~~
Your Idol
Sign is B
They finally stop after finishing the song. Mem-Cho and Ruby seem kind of proud with their practice and they also compliment Kana for her voice that is much better than them. Kana seems to be stressed out as she is forced to take the position after hearing how the other sounds like.
Merry on the other hand, examines their dancing and singing. She is kind of disappointing though but it's understandable since the group just formed not a long time.
Their voice aren't match yet so it still kind of hurt to be heard. Their dance still have many mistakes that need to be point out. There isn't much time for them as the show is getting closer and closer day by day. Everything need to fix quickly. Well, maybe not everything, just something that could make the performance more better.
Merry snapped out from her thought when she realizes a door besides her got opened by someone. Miyako appears and looks at everyone in the room while crossing her arms. It sounds like the group already figured it out after a little argue before. Everyone turn to Miyako who wants to talk to them about somethings. Merry already know what Miyako wants to say though as Miyako already discussed with her about this.
"There isn't much time left before the show. You'll need to get started on your final set. I grabbed you some support stuff." Miyako puts her hand on Merry's shoulder.
"From now on, Merry will help you how to control and improve your voice. I am pretty sure there are certain peoples in this group that are still bad at controlling their voice." Miyako gives a look at Ruby and Mem-Cho. Both of them quickly look away and acting like they didn't understand a thing. Miyako hasn't done yet so she continue again.
"There is still one more person that will help you guys at this." Miyako gives a sign for the person to enter the room. Ruby and Mem-Cho seem curious to know who is it. Kana slowly turns towards the door, hoping it someone who she thinks it is....
"Hiya!" Pieyon greets everyone in the room. Kana already in disbelief and kind of mad that it wasn't someone she expected to be...Well.. This person is also the one who makes Ruby and Kana to dance until they feel like they couldn't even feel their legs anymore. At that point also is where Ruby names the group as B Komachi.
Ruby happily greets Pieyon back, Mem-Cho was shocked that it was a 'real' one while Kana doesn't take his appearance that pleased unlike others. Mem-Cho shyly said about Pieyon who used to be a procuder and has been a choreographer for idols too. She asked Pieyon how do the group look in his professional opinion. In her opinion, she doesn't think they're doing too bad though.
"Mm, well... plenty of kids do take the stage at your level. If you're trying for serious quality though..." This week probably a hell for them to went through. Their faces sweep all the excited and happiness at hearing what they gonna do starting tomorrow.
"Merry. You also needs to join them too." Said Pieyon. Merry already can feel the tiredness she will get tomorrow. She had done some kind of exercising to maintain her stamina on performance before but she never remembered do this kind of torture before...
Simple to say, B Komachi and Merry have to ten time hill sprints, run through their full sets three times with a forced smile and exhausted. They had to do this in order to build their stamina. In the evening, vocal training by Merry in order to match their singing more. Kana is alright for Merry with a little a adjustment. Mem-Cho has a unique way to sing but still, it's need a little practice more in order to make it match the group singing. Ruby always has an off tone and losing control of her vocal which sometimes went unusual high pitch and sometimes too quick or slow than other members. Merry had teach Ruby how to sing before as Merry knows Ruby always wanted to be an idol. Somehow, she kinds of forgot the lesson Merry gives before so she has to start all over again.
They have to repeat this everyday even their brain almost rotten at these.
~~~
In the night, where everyone is busy to think what they need to do.
We can choose the way of our future
Try a brand new path
If I change the world
If I change the world~
The dance is pretty simple yet complicated. It's still the same as how Merry remembers her memory as 'Uta' but she added some moves there and there. To be honest, she just add another work for herself and she knows this.
'Maybe I should raise my hands more higher at here...' Merry thinks back at how she dances usually. She turns back just to see that Ruby and Mem-Cho are trying to adjust and add some moves for the performance. They seem to have much more energy even after what they're doing this whole day. Merry looks towards the balcony where Kana and 'Pieyon' are talking with each other. But, Kana looks more happier than she always look like this whole week before.
"Pieyon's gotta be busy, but he comes by everyday. He's nice." Said Ruby. She is grateful that someone wants to teach them to be much more better. Before, she always thought that every effort she puts in is enough but now, she finally can understand how much effort to put in as an Idol.
"Isn't he?! He's a lot different than he is in his videos." Said Mem-Cho. She thought he'd be more muscular but it's looks like he's a lot summer than she expected. However, that never raise any suspicious within her but it definitely catches Merry's attention.
Mem-Cho's right. Merry had seen Pieyon's video before.... then...Who is this 'Pieyon'?
"He's about Aqu-tan's height too." Said Mem-Cho following with Ruby's laugh hearing that. If it's really Aqua, she'd be laughing at him for the rest of his lives. Merry who eavesdropping the whole time, got an idea that appears inside her head.
~~
In the next morning, which will be their last one practicing day,
As always, the group once again practicing the dance while singing at the same time. They decided to take a quick break after some practicing. Pieyon gives a bottle of water to Kana which Kana happily accepted it and drinks the water until it's empty.
"He really is nice. Completely unlike some Aquas I know." Complain Kana. Hearing that, Mem-Cho start to question if that Kana hate Aqua that much so she openly asked Kana.
"There's not one things to like about him. He has zero tact and no common sense. He acts aloof, but he's just quiet and awkward. Both he and his sister, Ruby have lousy attitudes towards their elders. Fortunately, Merry is much better than them. He's never once used polite speech with me. I might just have to rip him a new one for that." Kana answers Mem-Cho with a lot of complain, insult and comments were thrown on Aqua at the same time.
Mem-Cho listens to Kana properly but starting to regret asking Kana the question while Merry who's just listening the whole time is holding her laugh for a reason. Not that she blames Kana though, even she agrees with some of Kana's words.
"Sheesh. When he was a kid, atleast he was cute." Said Kana after a long comments before. Mem-Cho pretty surprised that they've known each other for awhile. Once again, Kana makes a long comments about the difference between Aqua now and Aqua when he was little. Mem-Cho though listening to Kana words by words.
'She kinda reminds of my past little self where I tried to act like I don't miss Luffy at all.' Merry smiles to herself at thinking about the past. She remembers Shanks used to ask her if she missed Luffy after leaving the Dawn Island. Okay, She admitted after leaving it, she kinda feels like something is missing and the whole day at the ship, feels something off for her. That's why Shanks asked her that after seeing his daughter weird behavior that day.
Well, of course she doesn't admit the fact and act like she doesn't miss Luffy at all, saying that it isn't worth misses a person like him or something. But she knows herself. Deep inside, she knows that she actually missed Luffy and everything they used to do. The competition they fight with, she won all of them (no matter how many times Luffy say he won all the competitions, Merry will stands at her statement. She won it okay. Even after a long time since their last meet, Luffy still fell for her trick and couldn't accept his losses.)
No matter how many times she remembers back the past, a small smile appears on her face.
"I wonder if Luffy miss me before right after we depart...Does he thinks I am cute too when I was a kid?..." Merry muttered unintentionally to herself. She also chuckled, not realizing what she just said. Then, it feels like time stopped all of sudden. She feels like she's saying something wrong at the moment.
It took her a few seconds to procees what she just said before. Her heartbeat become much more faster and red blush appears on her face. Her cheeks start to burn up. She slapped herself and buried her face with her hands.
'W-what did I just say before? Of course not! I mean- Luffy must have been busy thinking something involves Pirate King more!' Merry convinces herself. Well, yeah. They hug together after twelve years depart. Even Luffy said it's been a long time. It's a sign he misses her right? NOTHING ELSE INVOLVE. The more she thinks about it, the more she feels like she will be dead cause of embarrassment.
She was just too following on what Kana said about Aqua. Yes! That's why some none sense things come out of her mouth!
Pieyon notices that Merry in the corner. She looks red from a far. Did she has some kind of fever? He takes a bottle water from the table and walks toward Merry.
"You okay?" Merry was taken aback that someone is beside her. She looks up, only to meet with a chick face. It's Pieyon... That's what everyone think so. He just passes a water bottle to her which Merry accepted it even though she's kinda confused why he gives it cause she doesn't remember practicing something earlier. Even her water bottle is still half.
Then, he walks away to the group back. Probably to train them once again. It was so sudden coming for Merry to react actually. It's eventually sweep all what Merry thoughts before and glad about it. But, one thing that she can think about what happened just now...
"He actually pretty timid"
~~~
"Alright, sleep well. Tomorrow will be your biggest day and you need a proper and solid rest." Said Merry to Ruby, Kana and Mem-Cho. Everyone say good night to her and Merry closes the door softly. She stands a few seconds in front of the door before starts to run towards the stair.
"IT'S TIME!" Merry screams in a low voice with her eyes shining so bright like she is excited for something. Okay, okay. She needs a solid sleep and break too like others. But, hey! She will just finished what she wants and then sleep.
Merry walk fastly downstairs and went straight to kitchen, where there is a big box on the table. She opens it almost immediately just to take what is inside. It was something she had ordered since she knew that she will has a performance at JIF.
It's actually a set of black cone-shapped headphone with light blue bands. It's almost the same as her golden headphone before but this one is much more smaller and don't have a thing like small mic or something. Isn't that she's complaining. Oh you don't want to know how much she had to pair for this type of headphone...
She has another headphone (but not a cone-shapped one) like this where she would wear it everytime she goes out. She bought that headphone for her first live performance and like it. Isn't that she hated the headphone that Ai bought to her when she was a kid, but that thing already too small and tight for her ears.
Merry hugs the headphone while spinning around the kitchen. Then, there's new steps coming to the kitchen and Merry turns around immediately. It was Aqua who's walking in while holding 'Pieyon' mask with both hands. He is full with sweat probably because he doesn't open the mask unless everyone is sleeping.
Seeing how tired Aqua is, Merry put down her headphone first before grabbing a cold drink inside the refrigerator. Aqua seems to not realize Merry's present yet so she slowly walking towards Aqua.
"You work hard today." Said Merry while put his drink on the table. Aqua's reaction shown that he is surprised that someone still around but when it just Merry here, his reaction when back to his gloomy one. He takes the drink that was given and drinking almost like half of it, proving just how tired he was plus he has to wear the chick mask for a whole day.
"Don't worry. This will be the last day you have to pretend to be someone else and wear the mask. Still can't believe you make those voice though." Merry holds her laugh on the last sentence. Aqua glares at Merry before finishing the whole drink.
"You aren't sleeping yet?" Asked Aqua. Merry shooks her head and saying that she just opened somethings for tomorrow while showing the headphones to Aqua. He just takes a glance at it before looking away.
"If you have nothing else to do, you should sleep right now. You also have performance like them tomorrow." Stated Aqua. Merry rolls her eyes and lazily said fine. Well, she's pretty tired today. That's why she just kinda follow what Aqua said.
She stands up and happily grabs her headphone before walking towards stair. But, then, Aqua said somethings to Merry just before she disappears from his sight.
"Do you planning to use it?" Asked Aqua without turning to Merry. Merry stopped at where she is and tilting her head. Aqua gives her a 'you know what I mean' look and it took a few seconds for Merry to catch what he's saying. The atmosphere around seems to become tense all of sudden.
"I don't know. Just wait for tomorrow." Merry gives a smile to Aqua, wanting to break the tense. She continue walking upstairs, leaving Aqua sitting alone in the living room. He just stares at where Merry was before.
Merry on the other hand, silently walking upstairs and just straight up headed to her room, completely unaware that there is a door closed sound from another room.
~~~
"Okay, people, here we go! It's Japan Idol Fest Time." Ruby cheers happily as soon as they get to where the Japan Idol Fest is. Same as Ruby, Mem-Cho also feels the same way. Miyako just smiles at seeing how Ruby and Mem-Cho acting right now.
"It's so hot." Complains Merry. She is wearing a black mask with a sunglasses. It's freaking hot these days but right here, she wears a long sleeve shirt with short pants. She pulls up the sleeve a bit and she can feels the sun burn on her skin. Luckily, she wears sunscreen just before she went out. Miyako just puts her hand on Merry's shoulder, pity that Merry has to hold the heat until they get to the dressing room.
"Merry! Merry! Which stage you will be? Our group will be on the star stage." Asked Ruby while hopping up and down beside Merry. She gives the paper that fills with a lot of songs in different stage. Merry forces herself to look at all the songs and searching for her own. Her eyes lazily laid on 'New Genesis' song on one of the stage that seems far away from B Komachi songs.
"Top stage." Said Merry. Ruby couldn't believe what she heard and when she looks carefully, her sister was right! Ruby quickly shows Mem-Cho the news while Merry at here still suffer with the heat. She looks at Ruby and Mem-Cho surprised expression and feels like something or someone is missing...
Now that she realizes it, she confused at first so she turns around and see Kana with rather tired look as if she didn't sleep last night. Her eyes looks like they just want to close already and her body seems like they're lack of energy.
When Kana finds that Merry stares at her, she quickly looks away. Merry confused why she did that but don't mind it too much.
"Let's just go to dressing room already..." Merry said dryly while putting her head on Miyako's shoulder. Miyako pats Merry's head and said they will now. Kana who thought they gonna go to dressing room by the stage, go to opposite way than the others. Well, it was until Miyako called her out.
"You're only allowed to use the dressing room by the stage right before you go on." Explained Miyako. The others seem to get amazed by the new information. Ruby then asked where do they change. Miyako gives the most suspicious smile in the world and Merry already get bad feeling just by looking at Miyako.
~~
The dressing room
Kana,Ruby,Mem-Cho and Merry surprised, flabbergasted and jaw dropped at seeing the situation inside.
It's total chaos here.
It's insanely over populated with several hundred performers and staff members jammed in. There's no even a place to put luggage. Everyone busy doing their things. Some told to move their stuff and some even ask for makeup in the middle of the chaos. Obviously, they didn't care whatever happening around them.
It feels much more hotter at here than outside.
Kana starts to question what is this hellish place. Miyako simply said it's the dressing room. She explained that this is what it's usually like at festivals with lots of stages and also mentioning that this is what type of treatment that Indie and midrange Idol get. Note that the photo op spot is nice and neat though despite all the chaos inside the room.
"Though I couldn't say the same with group that famous enough to be invited to the main stage is the same at here." Miyako turns to Merry who is still can't believe what she's seeing here. Ruby wants to know what is it, poked Merry to answer it.
"Right. We were given separate rooms and a much better one I could say." Answer Merry while scratching her head. Hearing that, Mem-Cho suggested to just go with Merry to the said room before Ruby shooks her head.
"This is what an Idol like us has to go through from the start right? Let's just get through this. Merry had work hard to build her reputation and popularity so she deserves it." Said Ruby, definitely oppose the idea going with Merry. Miyako just smiles at seeing Ruby's determined to experience what Idol had to go through. At last, Mem-Cho just follow what Ruby wanted. Kana doesn't say or argue with Ruby's idea either, probably because she lacks of energy or agreeing with Ruby.
"Well, even you agree to go with Merry, I doubt the staff there will be accept you to get through." Said Miyako. Merry excuses herself to go to the other dressing room which is actually just right above the level they're right now. Mem-Cho and Miyako waves at her while Ruby reminded Merry to come watch their performance later.
~~
The much better and less crowded dressing room..
"This is the dress you will be wearing at your performance this night." The staff shows her a school like dress with a big grey and white long sleeves. There is something that cover her chest and on top of it, there is a red ribbon.
The staff also shows a one maroon long glove that on top of it written a 'M' and 'U' words. Unlike 'M' words, 'U' one has a slash on it.
"This is as per your request." Added the staff. Merry takes the long glove and touch it softly. She turns the glove to other side where a drawing can be seen and smiles warmly to herself.
Two yellow circle with different size. The top one being smaller than the bottom one. In the middle of the circles, there is a red rectangle. At first sight, it just an ugly drawing that seems like was made by a 4-5 years old kid.
For her, it's a drawing that precious cause it reminds her of Luffy. It's because the drawing originally made by him but she sketch it back in this life. Another person that the drawing reminds her once again is Shanks. Luffy said the drawing was Shanks's strawhat. Though she still can't see how it really resembles the strawhat, but what Luffy said the drawing is already enough for her to keep it.
"Your performance will be the last one on the main stage." Reminds the staff while handing a paper that like Ruby shows to Merry before. Merry snapped out of her thought after hearing what the staff just said.
She thanked the staff, takes the paper and sits on the seat that was set in the middle of the room. There also a table set in front of her with a lot of snacks on top of it. The staff excuses herself to leave, eventually leaving Merry inside the room alone. Merry looks at the paper and examines it unlike before.
"Man, B Komachi's performance also will be the last one." Merry pouted when looking at the paper. Luckily, the time was different from Merry so she still have a chance to watch Ruby's group performance. It just that she has to leave as soon as their performance done. She also couldn't catch a break make the run cause it will be her own performance next.
"Hah...I guess... I will be a little tired today.." Merry looks up and looks at the clock. It's only about time that their performance about to start.
It's also only about a time her performance about to start. She might looks relaxed about this, but she actually feels excited and nervous inside. There will be a lot more people than her last two performance from before.
Though those three performance still couldn't beat the number of people come and watched her performance from past life, she still can't wait for this. Especially after her long thinking and plan what to do in this performance. She will make sure everyone that come enjoy her performance today and she will not regret about the performance that she prepare today.
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And the chapter end here.
Well..One more chapter to go! Wohoo!
Ok..more like two chapter, one will be the performance and the other one will be epilogue. I will be publish two chapters at once later...so It might take some times..
(Found any grammar mistake or error? Just comment and this author will be on her way to edit it cause this lazy author don't read back the chapter after publishing it and she slowly becoming stupid in holiday 😍)