KASUMI: "Hey, where are you going? Didn't you say we were going to persuade the members that used to be in the club? Don't tell me you're going to try and run away again..."
AKI: "I'm not running away, an idea just came to me."
KASUMI: "An idea? Go on...?"
AKI: "If we're going to try to convince them, then it would be best to get some results first. They're not going to just join if it's the same..."
KASUMI: "I-I'm sure they would join either way! And what are these results?"
AKI: "We can't persuade them with just passion alone, if the club is in the exact same then they'll think the same thing will just happen again."
KASUMI: "I know that, but what do you have in mind?"
AKI: "To show them that this is a place that their hard work will pay off in."
KASUMI: "...That's a good point, but what should we actually do to show that?"
AKI: "WE are going to recruit a new member."
KASUMI: "A new member? That sounds great!"
AKI: "There is a second year student who is the hardest worker I know. She always tries her best and stops at nothing, no matter how challenging the situation is."
KASUMI: "A hard worker? I guess that's exactly the kind of person we need at a time like this. I'm with you, let's get em!"
We arrived outside of my classroom. I just hope that she hasn't left to go home yet.
AKI: "Yes! She's still here Kasumi, just leave the talking to me."
KASUMI: "Hey Senpai, why do you get to do the talking?"
AKI: "Because she's my best friend, I know exactly how to talk to her about this."
KASUMI: "Fine... But I'm coming with you!"
AKI: "I was going to ask you to do so anyway..."
We entered the classroom and approached our target to recruit.
AKI: "Hey Ayu."
AYUMU: "Aki! How did the search for the idol club go?"
AKI: "It was successful, our school actually has a school idol club."
AYUMU: "Did you get the answers you were looking for?"
AKI: "Not exactly... You see, the club currently is inactive and only has one member left. The student council are going to close the club down at the end of the month if we can't assemble enough members."
AYUMU: "We?"
AKI: "Yes, Ayu I'd like to introduce you to the last remaining member of the Nijigasaki High School Idol Club... Kasumi Nakasu!"
AYUMU: "Umm... Aki? There's nobody there."
I looked to my side to see that nobody was there.
AKI: "Oh for crying out loud... KASUMI!!!"
KASUMI: "Fine...I'm coming."
AKI: "Anyway to make a long story short, the prez is letting us reactivate the club if we can find ten members."
AYUMU: "Ten members? But you only need five to start a club."
AKI: "Yes. Five to start a club, but the club isn't starting, it's restarting. That's why if the same event happened again there would be five members left to keep the club active."
AYUMU: "So you're helping this first year find members for the club? That's so sweet of you!"
AKI: "Which is why I am asking you first to join."
AYUMU: "Huh?! M-Me, join the school idol club?!"
AKI: "Please, Ayu, you're the only one I can turn to!"
AYUMU: "B-But I couldn't sing and dance like that! That just isn't me..."
KASUMI: "H-Hey, Senpai..."
AKI: "Hm? What's up, Kasumi?"
KASUMI: "Is this the really hard worker you were talking about?"
AKI: "Yeah, her name's Ayumu Uehara, and we've been best friends since way back in kindergarten."
KASUMI: "You're childhood friends?! You told be you were friends but I didn't expect childhood friends!"
AKI: "Is...Is that really that shocking?"
KASUMI: "W-Well, yeah, you've known each other for so long!"
AKI: "We have. And Ayu's been the type to always give things her best, no matter how tough it gets. I've always thought that's really awesome. So if she's with us, I figure that she'd inspire the others, and we could all really work hard in the club."
KASUMI: "..."
AKI: "Kasumi?"
KASUMI: "I-I'm a pretty hard worker, too."
AKI: "Oh, of course! I know you're a super hard worker, Kasumi. I could never deny that... But, I figure you're going to need a lot more help than just me to fix all of this."
KASUMI: "Well, if you say so Senpai."
AKI: "So, how about it? Ayumu Uehara, will you join me in this journey of School idols?"
AYUMU: "Ahaha, you really are something, you know that? You've got some crazy initiative."
AKI: "Huh, really?"
AYUMU: "I mean, you went looking for the school idol club, and immediately started recruiting when you heard it was getting disbanded. And... And on top of that, look at how much this underclassman trusts you. And you only met her yesterday!"
KASUMI: "You're talking about me, right? Because you're totally right! We're super tight friends already!"
AYUMU: "Haha, I see, I see."
AKI: "Uh..."
KASUMI: "Don't deny it!"
AKI: "Fine, I won't..."
AYUMU: "...Hey, remember what happened back in elementary?"
AKI: "In elementary school? That was all so long ago..."
AYUMU: "All right, that look and reaction tells me you don't. And it was such a big deal to me, too!"
AKI: "It must have been for you to remember it... Is it that time I stopped those bullies?"
AYUMU: "No, that was kindergarten! But I'm glad you remember the time we met."
AKI: "So, what exactly was this memory?"
AYUMU: "You told me something, back when I was really embarrassed about the dance performance and didn't want to do it."
AKI: "The dance performance...I remember now!"
AYUMU: "You said that if I did my best on stage, then the whole audience would smile right back at me... You squeezed both of my hands, saying you'd cheer me on as I did my best...and you had on the biggest smile, too..."
AKI: "I remember you performing, thinking about how amazing you were. At dancing."
AYUMU: "I've been able to come so far in so much in life, all because of you. So I want us both to do our best with this school idol thing!"
AKI: "R-Really?!"
KASUMI: "Wait, seriously?!"
AKI: "Ayu...THANK YOU SO MUCH! Let's do our best and make so many people smile!"
AYUMU: "Yeah, we've got good times ahead Aki! And, um... What was your name, again?"
KASUMI: "Well Uehara-Senpai, I'm Kasumi Nakasu! But since you're my senior, you can just call me Kasumin!"
AYUMU: "Senior? But technically, you've been a member of the club for way longer than I have, so..."
KASUMI: "Hey, don't worrt about it! Let's just be friendly. We're all going to be club pals from now on, y'know?"
AYUMU: "Friendly...like with nicknames? Hmm. If your name's Kasumi Nakasu, then how about... Kasukasu?"
KASUMI: "NOOOOO!!! How did you know my old nickname?! Did he tell you?!"
AKI: "Why are you looking at me?! I haven't talked to Ayu since yesterday!"
KASUMI: "All right, I'm banning that name! No Kasukasu!"
AKI: "Let's agree to disagree and just settle on Kasumi, all right? There's no need for honorifics in this club."
KASUMI: "Yeah, let's go with that idea!"
AYUMU: "S-Sorry, and glad to meet you, Kasumi. I don't know the first thing about being a school idol, so I'm going to be pretty lost. But... I'll do my best! So please teach me what I need to know, all right?"
KASUMI: "Of course! I am the senior school idol here, after all!"
AKI: "All right team, let's work really hard so the other members come back!"