*SCHOOL IDOL CLUBROOM - NIJIGASAKI HIGH SCHOOL - ODAIBA - TOKYO*
Silence.
Deathly silence and an awkward feeling in the air, leaving every single one of us in the Club feeling depressed.
EVERYONE: "..."
AKI: "..."
Setsuna's going to retire...
Karin, Mia, Kanata, and Emma are all going to graduate...
And a dark future looks possible on the horizon for all of us.
I'm set for failure at the School Idol Festival, because when I lose to Katsuo Togo, I'll have to leave the whole idol industry.
Meaning I'll never get to bring the change that I promised everyone, going back on my word and becoming a failure...
I said that I'd save the idol industry from corruption, or die trying. And the stakes between me and Katsuo are so high that it's figuratively at that point.
To me, being blacklisted from the industry will feel the same as death.
No...
Worse than death. At least in death I could rest... But being blacklisted from the industry means I'll have to live with that embarrassment for the rest of my life, never fulfilling what I set out to do, living a miserable and unfulfilled existence...
My situation isn't the only one looking dark, we're all aware just how good, just how powerful this new version of Liella! are.
They get to train with the best idols in the business, QUASAR.
They are supervised by the greatest of all time, Shiro Okuda.
They have a Producer with a perfect record, the CEO of the biggest entertainment empire this country has ever seen. Seichi Kamijou.
Under this kind of guidance, the girls might as well be going to war with QUASAR itself.
And I'm going to war with the undefeated, greatest male school idol ever... A trailblazer, The King, Katsuo Togo.
Our circumstances look bleak, because on paper it's a huge mismatch.
Are we aiming too high?
Are we reaching for a dream that is nothing but a distant star?
So grand yet so far away...
I used to think that everything would figure itself out when we got this far. That we'd cross this bridge when we arrived.
Well... We've arrived.
But we never could have anticipated how long this bridge is.
The question remains, how are we going to cross it?
YU: *Sigh*
AKI: "What?"
YU: "Is this the way it's going to be?"
AKI: "...Excuse me?"
YU: "Remember we've got a lot of work to do. We can't stay down in the dumps like this!"
AKI: "You say that, but the news has affected us all! ...You-"
YU: "-haven't been around here as long to understand the gravity of it, right?"
AKI: "...Yeah. You're a valued member of the Club, Yu, but please try to understand what us tenured members are going through."
YU: "I know that it's tough. But it's because of my short tenure in the Club that I can pick myself up and say to you all that this isn't who we are."
SETSUNA: "Huh?"
YU: "I mean, c'mon! We're the Nijigasaki High School Idol Club! Isn't it an idol's job to make people smile?"
KASUMI: "B-But it's really hard for us to smile right now... We're gonna lose Setsuna!"
SHIZUKU: "Not only her..."
KARIN: "I knew this was bound to come sooner or later."
KANATA: "Yeah. Graduation is just around the corner for us."
EMMA: "Oh well... But it was fun while it lasted, right? We made some nice memories together."
MIA: "..."
YU: "Why are you acting like it's already over?"
KARIN, KANATA, EMMA, MIA, SETSUNA: "..."
YU: "There's still plenty of time before the School Idol Festival! If we spend every second of that time beating ourselves up, then we're just wasting the time we have left.
Akihiko, back me up on this!"
AKI: "Eh? Why me?"
YU: "Because you're the President. And now more than ever is the time to act like one."
AKI: "..."
YU: "You think this place is precious, don't you?"
AKI: "I do..."
YU: "Then why are you letting it slip away?"
AKI: "That's..."
YU: "Wanna waste the precious time you guys have left, or do you want to make it count?"
She's right...
While the time we have left as a complete Club isn't much, it's never about the quantity.
It's about the quality of that time spent. If someone is told that they're going to die tomorrow, they wouldn't spend the day laying in bed...
They'd get up, get out, get out there and grab life by the balls!
AKI: *Chuckle* "Usually it's me giving these kinds of encouragement speeches. But now I'm on the other side of that... Thanks, Yu."
Yu patted me on the arm.
YU: "No problem cousin, and the same goes for the rest of you! This time is precious. Don't waste it!"
AKI: "Exactly. Because if we waste it, then we're playing right into Kamijou's hands.
I bet that smug scumbag is sitting in his office right now counting on us buckling under the pressure.
And he'd be RIGHT THERE to sweep everyone up under contracts. As a matter of fact... I don't think he's the kind of guy who would honor Setsuna's wish."
SETSUNA: "You mean..."
AKI: "Yeah, he'd continue to work you, regardless of your health."
SHIORIKO: "That's sheer madness... I shudder to think what would happen."
LANZHU: "Lanzhu knows exactly what would happen. Shioriko, you should know that too. We've both been through it."
MIA: "Me too..."
AKI: "As have I... Collapsing from exhaustion is an awful feeling. It leaves you powerless for a number of days, thinking nothing but regretful thoughts for overworking yourself..."
AYUMU: "You've always been like that... You know I worry about you, and about how you're going into school idol training."
AKI: "Ayu..."
AYUMU: "I remember my first steps in training. It was hard, I've never felt that tired in my life.
Right now, I can do the things I couldn't do back then with a breeze.
But...you really don't have much time left, Aki. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"
AKI: "I don't know..."
YU: "Why? Come on, what's the matter with you?! If Katsuo beats you, you're going to be blacklisted, Akihiko! You're going to really let him take your dream from you?!
And then what?
You're going to look back and think about what you could have been doing right now! Because 'Tomorrow' quickly turns into 'Yesterday', cousin. We've gotta make these steps while we can."
AKI: "..."
AYUMU: "I know you're doing this for me... If I hadn't stayed on that stage, he wouldn't have kissed me.
It's all my fault..."
AKI: "No, Ayu... This is my fight. I-"
RINA: "No."
AKI: "What do you mean 'No'?"
RINA: "This isn't your fight. It's ours. I... I want to stick up for you, like you did for me last night."
KASUMI: "Eh?!"
AKI: "It's a long story."
RINA: "Everyone wants to help, right, Mia?"
MIA: "Yeah. Babyboy you stood up for me in front of my parents. Until now, I've never heard my dad say he's proud of me. But because of your help, he finally did...
So, whatever happens... Know that I've got your back. You've got a real American prodigy right here if you need help with your song, and don't forget it! Ya hear me?!"
AKI: "Mia..."
SHIORIKO: "You have my support as well. When the two of us were bitter enemies, you still stood up for me and we worked together on making the Club Introductions event a success.
Had that not happened, I know for certain my Student Council presidency would have been in jeapordy.
Not only that, but when I was part of the School Idol Clique, you helped me show my sister that I can be independent.
Both times we were on opposite sides, our families even have a horrid history... Everything should have pointed towards us fighting forever, but no...
You helped me.
You still do.
I haven't forgotten all of that, Akihiko. You can count on me."
AKI: "Shioriko, I..."
LANZHU: "Mama never would have changed if it hadn't been for you, Captain! Don't fight this all alone, let Lanzhu back you up!"
KASUMI: "Me too, Senpai! You're the one who came to the Clubroom back then and believed in me when nobody would! You rebuilt this Club into what it is now.
Anywhere you go, I'd go with you!"
AKI: "Lanzhu... Kasumi..."
SETSUNA: "I don't think I have to further explain today what you've done for me. School Idol Festival may be my last show, but I'm not going to let it be yours, Chief!"
Suddenly, the whole Club were rallied behind me in support.
AKI: "..."
AYUMU: "You know I'd follow you through hell, don't you?"
AKI: "Then this is it. Ride or die, right?"
AYUMU: "I wouldn't have it any other way, Aki."
I stood proudly in front of my Club members...
AKI: "Guess I was a fool for thinking I had to take this up alone."
KARIN: *Chuckle* "You've been training us for soooo long. I think that turn about is fair play."
AKI: "E-Eh?"
KANATA: "Ohoh... I know what that means!"
AKI: "What? What does that mean?"
EMMA: "It's our turn to train you!"
AKI: "ACK! U-Um, I'm flattered, but uh... Aw screw it, please go easy on me."
KARIN: *Chuckle* "I wonder if we'll keep that promise?"
AKI: *Gulp*
SHIZUKU: "I see that devilish look on Karin's face... It's not a good sign."
KASUMI: "Tell me about it! She works so hard in training, I can't begin to think about what she'll do to my Senpai..."
KARIN: "Maybe you need a few training sessions too... Right, Kasumi?"
KASUMI: "N-No, no, no! I'm perfectly fine! Waaaah, I can't even imagine what Ai goes through training with you!"
AI: "..."
KARIN: "DiverDiva push eachother to get better, right, rival?"
AI: "...Yeah. Rival."
Now that I think about it, Ai hasn't said a word until now... And she has a look of discontent on her face...
I think the news about Setsuna has really gotten to her. Especially since she's the one Ai has always wanted to beat fair and square...
Right now, I think everyone could do with some encouragement.
AKI: "Then it's decided... I'll train with you girls for now going forward. Because even if you're battling against Liella! and I'm fighting against Katsuo...
We're all part of the same fight.
Sure our time left as a Club might be short, but let's spend the rest of it fighting as one!"
AYUMU: "Aki..."
AKI: "The way I see it we've got two destinations, and we're only making one trip.
It's either...
...to the top.
OR
...Straight to hell.
But if we're going to hell anyway, then let's all go together, fighting as one!"
EVERYONE: "Yeah!"
YU: "Now that's the Nijigasaki High School Idol Club we know and love!"
AKI: "Now that this matter is out of the way, I would like to discuss something else..."
RINA: "Yes."
YU: "Hm? What's up?"
AKI: "...We've got business in Kanazawa."