When Yu said she hates physics, she meant it with every fiber of her being.
It is a subject that she despises more than anything else in the world—except for homework assignments, of course. And whenever she looks at her notes or textbook for this particular subject, she gets bored and irritated instantly. The numbers that are written on the pages do nothing but bore her; the equations that are listed on them don't interest her in the slightest bit; and the pictures of the objects and theories drawn by artists only make her fall asleep. It's not just the material itself that irks her so much; it's the actual process of learning how things work—everything is just so complicated and tedious to grasp!
And the fact that she, along with three of her friends, were assigned to a group project regarding inertia didn't make things easier for her.
Sure, working with Ayumu, Sophia, and Yorimi is fun and all, but doing group work is still annoying nonetheless. Yu has absolutely no idea why people enjoy doing it so much, especially when they are forced to do so. It's so troublesome! How can anyone handle it when there's so much pressure on them!?
"Also gut. Any ideas vhat ve schould vrite about?" Sophia questions curiously with a quirked brow raised at her companions.
The four girls are currently gathered in her room, which is filled with various aerial locomotion themes and other aviation-related stuff, ranging from various models of planes and helicopters hanging from the ceiling to aviation-themed posters stuck to the walls and shelves filled with books on aviation history and engineering. In essence, the room is a haven for aviation enthusiasts. Birds are also present in the room, in the form of plush toys resting on top of her bed. There is also a large globe on her desk that she can use whenever she needs it for studying or research purposes.
However, currently, they are sitting on the floor in a circle and discussing their topic for the project while eyeing their respective laptops in front of them. The shared Canva Presentation Document that they are working on is open on each device; however, aside from their respective names and their group number, nothing else has been written onto it yet.
"Um, let's see..." Ayumu muses thoughtfully while tapping her chin lightly as she scrolls through her laptop's document files in search of any useful ideas she might've saved before.
For comfort purposes, all four girls are in their respective pajamas for this little group meeting and for their upcoming slumber party.
Yu herself is wearing a black hoodie adorned with the logo of their school idol group. Her pajama bottoms are a matching black with subtle white stripes running down the sides, offering a casual yet stylish look. Her black-green tip hair has been let loose, cascading freely down her back. Her emerald green eyes are half-lidded as she stares tiredly at the laptop screen before her. She lays on her stomach with her chin resting on her folded arms while humming thoughtfully as she ponders over the assignment she's been given.
Ayumu is sitting cross-legged beside her with an adorable oversized sea pink t-shirt featuring a cute cartoon rabbit munching a carrot. The shirt is paired with comfortable cotton shorts in a matching sea pink hue, completing her relaxed ensemble. Her dark peach hair is tied into a messy bun, while her yellowish-hazel eyes are fixed on her screen. She taps her fingers rhythmically against her laptop's keys while humming softly under her breath as she searches for suitable topics to write about.
The host of this impromptu gathering, Sophia, is settling at Yu's other side. She opts to wear a warm purple sleeveless shirt and loose-fitting pajama pants. The shirt has an eagle spreading its wings proudly embroidered on its chest, showing off its majestic glory to the world. Her warm purple hair is tied into a high ponytail, while her lime green eyes gaze intently at the screen before her. She is resting comfortably on her side, using one hand to hold up her head as she stares thoughtfully at the blank page.
And Yorimi is sitting between Sophia and Ayumu with her knees drawn up to her chest while resting her chin on them, her arms wrapped tightly around them, as well as staring intently at her screen. She has a cute chestnut red fleece onesie adorned with tiny cartoon foxes playing on top of its design, looking oh so adorable and comfy! Her dark red hair is in a twin braid style, while her chestnut red eyes glaze over as she tries to focus on the task at hand.
Yu purses her lips in concentration while clicking her mouse repeatedly in an attempt to help stimulate her brain into thinking of something to write about for their project. But nothing comes to mind; it seems like all the energy she has was spent in finishing Karin's song instead of concentrating on her homework earlier today. A heavy sigh escapes from her mouth as she rests her forehead on top of her arms, her frustration getting the better of her.
"This is hopeless..." She mutters sadly before lifting her head up slightly and glancing at Ayumu, "Get anything yet, Ayu?"
The pinkette blinks once at the sudden question before shaking her head slowly while giving Yu an apologetic smile, "Nope. Sorry, Yu-chan. I found nothing yet."
"Blasted." She grumbles tiredly as she slumps forward once again with an annoyed huff escaping from her lips.
Sophia chuckles good-naturedly at Yu's antics while giving her a sympathetic look, "Vell, nein vorries, Yu-san. I am sure ve kan kome up mitt somezzingkt. Zis iss nicht so hart after all."
"Yeah, sure. Sure." Yu grumbled as she buried her face deeper into her folded arms, feeling her head start to throb slightly in pain, "Whatever."
Ayumu sighs heavily before reaching over to pat Yu's back gently, "Come on, Yu-chan. The sooner we start on this assignment, the sooner we'll finish it."
"I know. I know." She groans loudly before pushing herself upright once more while rubbing her temple slowly as she attempts to soothe her headache, "But, ugh... this is so boring!"
"And haaaaaard~." Yorimi whined loudly while burying her face into her knees as she curled in on herself tighter, "I can't think of anything, gúnrun! This is awful!"
"Gahhhhhh!!" Yu exclaims loudly while throwing her hands up into the air in frustration before flopping onto her back dramatically as she stares up at the ceiling and sighs heavily once more, "Maybe if we watch videos on inertia, we can get inspiration from them! Yeah! That sounds good! Doesn't it!? Doesn't it!?"
"...Are you looking for an excuse to procrastinate even further, Yu-chan?" Ayumu inquires disapprovingly with a raised eyebrow directed at her friend while crossing her arms over her chest.
"Uhhhh, noooooo?" The green-tip-haired girl replies sheepishly as she glances away nervously.
Both Yorimi and Sophia giggle quietly at Yu's behavior before resuming their discussion regarding their assignment. Unfortunately, even when their physics books are open and a 30-minute worth of internet surfing later, no idea seems to come to mind, and no solution can be found for dealing with this problem.
Yu is sprawled across the floor with her face pressed against the floor, groaning miserably while mumbling incoherently under her breath. Yorimi is laying flat on her back while staring blankly at the ceiling above her. Ayumu has her back pressed against Sophia's bed while humming one of her songs in her head, her head swaying slightly from side to side as she does so. And Sophia herself is reading something entirely different than what they are supposed to be working on; it appears to be a book about aircraft.
"Hnnnnnggghhhh... Forget this!" Yu, after several moments of agonizing silence and frustration, suddenly jumps to her feet and makes her way towards the door, "I need some air! Be right back!"
"Y-Yu-chan!" Ayumu calls out worriedly as she scrambles to stand up quickly while attempting to chase after her best friend.
"Schauen Sie sich das an. Looks like Yu-san finally broke down." Sophia comments dryly while glancing up from her book briefly before returning her gaze to it.
"I feel her." Yorimi murmurs tiredly from where she's laying on the floor while sighing loudly and shutting her eyes tightly.
"You're not helping, Yorimi-chan!" Ayumu scolds lightly while hurrying after the green-tip-haired girl who just ran out of their friend's bedroom and towards the front door of Sophia's house, "Yu-chan! Wait!"
"I will be back! Don't wait up for me! Bye!" Yu shouts over her shoulder hurriedly as she dashes towards the entrance and practically kicks it open while running outside.
"Oh, for heaven's sake! Yu-chan! Stop running away and come back here!" The pinkette exclaims angrily while rushing out as well.
The sound of a door slamming shut echoes throughout the house and reaches the ears of the remaining two girls within Sophia's room. Yorimi rolls onto her stomach and props herself up on her elbows before glancing towards the door curiously, wondering if everything will be alright.
"You kan tell zat zose two are best friends." Sophia chuckles in pure amusement at their antics as she turns a page of her book nonchalantly.
"They remind me of me with Ichi, gúnrun." Yorimi says with a hint of fondness in her voice while resting her cheek against the floor.
"Ja. I kan see zat. Bozz Yu-san undt Ichika-san kan be a hentful sometimes, I reckon." The foreigner remarks with a small smirk tugging at her lips.
"Ugh, you have no idea, gúnrun. Ichi can be a real pain sometimes." The redhead grumbles irritably, though there's also a hint of fondness in her tone.
"So I'fe heart." Sophia nods understandingly at her friend before looking over at her computer screen and checking their progress.
As expected, the only thing written on the document they opened up for this task is the title and their names as the authors—nothing else has been written whatsoever. Sophia sighs heavily at this pitiful result as she runs a hand through her hair slowly while shaking her head.
"Maybe ve schould take a break fur now, Yorimi-san. A schort break schould do us good." She suggests softly while shutting down her laptop and setting it aside.
"Yaaaaay~! Break! Break! Break!" Yorimi cheers enthusiastically before hopping onto her two feet and bouncing excitedly with an excited grin stretched across her features.
Sophia giggles lightly at her friend's energetic behavior before standing up herself and stretching out her limbs with a satisfied sigh escaping from her mouth. Yorimi copies her movements exactly, mimicking her stretching routine as best as she can. Once finished, the two girls exchange smiles with one another before exiting Sophia's bedroom together.
"I haf an instant khocolate drink in ze kitchen." Sophia informs casually as they make their way downstairs, "You are velcome to haf ein if you desire."
"Ooooh! Sounds good, gúnrun!" Yorimi agrees eagerly while rubbing her palms together, "I would love one! Thank you very much, Sophia-san!"
"Kein Problem." The purplenette chuckles kindly while patting the redhead's shoulder affectionately, "Come now. Let's go."
With that said, the two girls head towards the kitchen and begin preparing their drinks in order to help themselves relax from all the stress building up inside of them from trying to figure out what topic to write about for their assignment. Maybe after this short break, they'll be able to think more clearly and finally be able to figure out what they should write about for their project. Only time will tell.
-O-O-O-O-O-
"You are very irresponsible, Yu-chan!" Ayumu scolds angrily as she marches briskly down the sidewalk with Yu walking beside her, "Running off like that!? How childish!"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I know! I know!" Yu cries out defensively as she follows closely behind her childhood friend, "I'll make it up to you somehow! Just please stop yelling at me!"
"You better! I mean it! Or else, I swear, Yu-chan!" Ayumu huffs irritably while shooting a glare towards the green-tip-haired girl before rolling her eyes in annoyance at her antics, "Honestly. You will give me gray hair someday if you keep acting like this!"
"Hey! Hey! But I didn't mean to!" Yu protests defensively with a pout forming on her lips as she stops in her tracks and crosses her arms over her chest.
The pinkette also halts in her stride before turning around and glaring fiercely at her friend with narrowed eyes and furrowed brows. Yu shrinks away slightly under Ayumu's harsh gaze and gulps nervously while avoiding eye contact with the angry pinkette. However, that glare slowly melts into a soft expression when the pinkette realizes just how much her friend is troubled by what she did earlier. Her frown softens into a more sympathetic look as she walks closer to Yu and places a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Yu-chan." She starts calmly but firmly, "I know you didn't mean to make me this mad. And I'm sorry for screaming at you earlier. But please understand that you can't keep going on like this. You are our leader, after all. You can't keep letting yourself get dragged into your bad habits again."
"I-I know... I know that." Yu replies quietly with her head lowered as she clenches her hands tightly together, "I just... I just wanted to leave for a moment and go somewhere else. That stupid project is killing my brain. And the presentation too! I don't want to mess up, but... Ugh, you know how much I hate being in dead silence like that! Not doing anything at all! It drives me crazy! It's worse than all the exams put together!"
"Okay, I understand that. I do. But please." Ayumu lets out another soft sigh and gives her a pleading look, "Please try to control your emotions next time, okay? I know you're feeling agitated about Karin-san's upcoming show, and you want to refine her performance even further. Trust me, I understand how important this event is to you, but... If you don't learn to contain your impulses, then you might end up making things worse for yourself and for all of us as well."
Yu bites the inside of her cheeks at this, still refusing to meet her gaze.
"I just wish things could have gone perfectly from the start, but it doesn't always happen that way." Ayumu continues on gently, giving Yu a reassuring smile and squeezing her shoulder lovingly, "What matters is that we did our best, right? And everyone here believes in you, Yu-chan. You know that, right? So why do you keep doubting yourself?"
"Because... Because I-I'm... Ugh, I don't know..." She lets out a frustrated groan as she pulls away and drags a hand down her face slowly in irritation, "I-I don't know. I just feel like... everyone's counting on me. And I, as the leader, have to make sure everything's right. That there's no way we'll mess up. That every aspect of our group's idol performances is perfect in every way. It's what I should do. No, what I must do. Because I'm the Nijigasaki High School Idol Club captain."
"I know the responsibilities on your shoulders can be quite heavy, Yu-chan. But I promise you that it'll all be worth it in the end if you stay focused. So please, don't push yourself too hard and be reckless. I don't want to see you be so restless over this." Ayumu says softly as she brings her childhood best friend into her embrace, "I don't want that to repeat again."
Yu flinches slightly from being reminded of that depressing memory, but nevertheless, she returns the hug nonetheless.
"...I'm sorry, Ayu. I really am. But I promise I won't let myself slip ever again." The green-tip-haired girl murmurs apologetically with a quiet yet sincere tone laced in her voice, "So please believe in me."
"Always." The pinkette whispers tenderly as she pulls back and clasps Yu's hands tenderly in hers, "And I'll be there to support you no matter what, so you better stay strong and fight! Okay?"
"Thanks, Ayu." Yu answers softly while pulling her childhood friend closer to her until their foreheads touch and giving her a genuine smile of gratitude, "I needed that. I know it's silly, but that stupid inertia assignment is killing me, and it's already driving me insane. Ugh, physics is really difficult. Music and song are my real passion anyway."
"I agree. And you're welcome." Ayumu giggles happily as she wraps her arms around her best friend's neck and squeezes her tight, "Now then, shouldn't we make our way to Sophia-chan's house? The others must be waiting for us already."
"I hope Sophia-san and Yorimi-san aren't mad at me for leaving them out like that." Yu frowns worriedly with a pout forming on her lips.
"I'm sure they understand, but maybe just explain it to them properly and slowly. It's better than nothing." Ayumu advises wisely while grabbing her hand and tugging her along, "Okay. C'mon! The sooner we finish that stupid project, the faster we can refine Karin-san's performance."
"Right! Let's hurry then!" Yu nods enthusiastically as she follows her, trying her hardest not to sprint excitedly forward.
With a cheerful smile, the pinkette pulls the green-tip-haired girl along beside her, walking down the sidewalk neither too quickly nor too slowly. The tense air around them is now gone; however, a more comfortable atmosphere envelopes them instead. Both girls felt happy, content, relaxed, and relieved from talking things out.
The evening breeze is cool and pleasant as it brushes soothingly across their skin. The sky is dyed bright orange with pink and purple hues. The sun slowly begins sinking lower towards the horizon, painting the world a shade darker. Its rays are still shining upon Mochimune's coastal townscape, but the minutes that it takes for them to disappear are just a matter of time—those rays of light will vanish soon enough to create darkness.
This scene—the sight—makes Yu smile serenely as she inhales deeply. She closes her eyes briefly while taking in the fresh scent of salt from the sea blowing past them, feeling the cold breeze gently brushing against her body and ruffling her long green-tipped hair. In the distance, the sound of crashing waves is heard, echoing throughout the entire area. Her previous worries have now dissipated, like waves returning to the sea.
"This feels nice." She thought fondly while relaxing further.
She then opens her eyes and looks up to watch the orange sky above, taking note of a solitary cloud that is just floating idly by at this moment. The orange hue radiating off of it is mesmerizing, making her smile softly in contentment before closing her eyes once more.
Meanwhile, Ayumu glances over to check on the green-tip-haired girl, only to find the latter closing her eyes and enjoying herself in peace. Seeing this makes the pinkette chuckle lightly, glad that the person she cares the most about in this world is feeling better and happier now.
Reopening her bright, emerald-green orbs, Yu gazes forward at the scenery stretched out before her once more. The small town of Mochimune with its shops and houses lined up on both sides of the main road. And the ocean itself in the distance, reflecting the evening sunlight upon its surface; it's beautiful, like the sun's own reflection upon the dark, endless abyss that is the world. A world filled with hopes and dreams that someone wants to hold close to their heart until their dying day, however brief or long that may be.
A place where a sparkling future hopefully awaits her and her fellow school idols as they walk together towards their hopeful tomorrow.
She hopes... No. She knows without a doubt that whatever happens from here on out will be all right in the end. As long as they persevere through whatever difficulty comes their way, she knows in her heart that everything will be just fine.
Their colors will always shine brightly.
As they continue their way back towards Sophia's place—while also reminding herself to apologize to her properly once they reach there—Yu notices something laying on the ground. Squinting her eyes a little, she realizes it is nothing more than an empty soft drink bottle laying forgotten on its side, next to a trash can.
Now, as a good pedestrian, Yu should pick it up and throw it properly into the bin. That way, the road would be cleaner and nicer to walk on without worrying about litter.
But as of right now, Yu feels a little bit... naughty.
With a mischievous smirk tugging at the corner of her lips, Yu runs forward towards the bottle and kicks it, sending it flying into the air to God knows where.
This action of hers earns her a gasp of surprise from Ayumu, who looks at her with wide eyes filled with shock, "Y-Yu-chan, what do you think you're doing!? What if someone gets hit by that!?"
Yu sticks her tongue out at her playfully before replying simply, "Don't worry, Ayu! I'm sure no one will get-!"
"Ah!"
As quick as a little hummingbird, Yu's cheeky expression turns into one of horror and regret in mere seconds. The green-tip-haired girl watches horrified as the bottle flies directly towards the unsuspecting person who was crossing the road a few meters away from her and Ayumu. And her best friend is also watching this with an equally mortified expression on her face as the two of them witness the bottle hitting its unfortunate target squarely in the face.
Said target is a boy roughly their age with curly green hair and freckles dotting his cheeks; he has green eyes—the same shade as his hair—and a fair skin complexion. He wears a simple dark green open jacket over a light gray T-shirt, a pair of navy blue jeans, and red shoes on his feet.
The boy's head jerks back slightly from the impact as the cursed bottle falls on the ground beside him with a hollow 'thud'. He raises his right hand to rub his nose and winces in pain as he looks in the direction where the bottle came from, a shock expression etched onto his features.
"Crap!" Yu mentally cursed as her face bloomed red from embarrassment.
"Oh no!" Ayumu mentally cried out as she covered her mouth with both hands, blushing furiously as well.
Yu blames that stupid inertia project that she and her friends have to do soon for her sudden predicament. Once upon a time, 8-year-old Yu Takasaki declared that physics was the greatest evil in the world—to be feared, hated, and defeated. And yet, her parents only laughed at her, saying something along the lines of how adorable their little girl is. And here she is now, feeling like the dumbest idiot in all of existence as she stares, mortified at the spectacle she has caused.
The fact that said boy is surprisingly adorable and is staring at her with those wide emerald eyes of his doesn't help her nervousness at all. She can feel her heart pounding inside her chest while a lump forms in her throat. She is tempted to just run away and hide forever, but there's no way in hell she can get her legs moving at the moment—especially not after what she has done. Instead, she bites her lower lip hard and curls both her hands into fists as she looks into those eyes staring straight into hers.
What a life she has lived...
And at the very end, Yu can only blame that stupid inertia, damn physics, for making her make a fool of herself in front of such a cute boy.