Third POV
The morning had been a peaceful one so far. Even though she had been to a concert the day before, (Y/N) actually felt quite refreshed from her good night's sleep. And the cup of tea she was having helped with that even more. The boys thought it was amazing that she didn't seem a bit tired from her busy day off yesterday. Though, that couldn't have been said about her condition when she walked through the doors yesterday afternoon.
Flashback
After about a ten minute drive out of the city, (Y/N) could see the beautiful entrance to her agency just meters ahead of her. Still she couldn't help but feel slightly fatigued as she pulled in, even though the sun was still high in the sky. Maybe it was from all of her thinking about the future.
Still, that didn't stop her from happily walking through the doors of the dorms, though she did let out a huge yawn as she was greeted by the boys of STARISH, Reiji, Haruka, and Ranmaru, with Shinomiya, Ittoki, Haruka, and Reiji waving to her as she copied the action with a big smile.
"Soooo, how was the show?" Syo asked as he scooted over to make a spot for (Y/N) to sit down beside him on the couch.
As she sat down, everyone noticed how her body just sort of gave out a little bit as she leaned back in her seat. Yep, she's tired. Very tired. Though (Y/N) didn't really seem to notice herself.
"It was.... amazing, really. Even though they're a new group, they sure did make an impact. And it was nice to meet the other members of B-Project too," the girl explained in a somewhat dazed and tired voice.
"Oh, yeah. I forgot you had friends and family in that group," Ittoki voiced as he leaned on his crossed arms, which were on the back of the couch.
"Is there a single person in your family that isn't famous?" Syo asked with a teasing smirk.
However, (Y/N)'s tired brain didn't catch on right away, and soon, she started thinking about all of her family members' occupations. Was there anyone in her family that wasn't famous?
As (Y/N) sat there with her hand on her chin as she thought, and thought... and...... thought, Syo sweat dropped. She must have been more tired than she thought.
"I was only teasing, you know..."
"I can't think of any!" (Y/N) suddenly responded loudly, completely starting to freak out slightly, and also unintentionally ignoring Syo's comment.
That caused some snickers and laughs to erupt slightly in the group. Even Ranmaru, who had been sitting quietly with his arms folded behind his head, had to contain any source of laughter. This girl, he swore.
"Wait, Butterfly, so you come from a really talented and famous family? Tell me more about them!" Reiji excitedly suggested to (Y/N).
Her last name was something that the brown haired idol couldn't help but think that it rang a bell. If she was from a famous family, was it from THAT famous family? The ones who were basically entertainment royalty?
Expecting the girl to respond rather quickly, Reiji was surprised to hear silence when he asked her. His poor little heart could be heard cracking slightly. Of course, Reiji couldn't see what the situation was.
"Butterfly?"
"Hey. Don't wake her up," Ranmaru somewhat commanded in his usual gruff voice.
Reiji was about to ask his fellow rocker idol what he had meant, until he heard soft snoring coming from his left. Looking over, his gray eyes landed on (Y/N)'s sleeping figure. She had her head leaning back against the couch's headrest with her hands clasped loosely together in her lap, her mouth slightly agape.
"She must be exhausted. It's been an exciting morning for her," Haruka whispered as she smiled at her friend.
"Well, we should let the Little Kitten have her sweet dreams," Ren commented as Syo slowly got up from his spot next to (Y/N) being careful as to not wake her.
Ittoki stroked her (h/c) hair gently before she shifted positions, laying on her side. Shinomiya was quick to lay his jacket that he had been wearing on the sleeping girl, covering her as she snuggled into the couch.
It was an adorable sight, but everyone thought it best to leave her be, to rest her tired little self for awhile. She deserved some relaxation for once.
Flashback End
Luckily, after her nap and a good night's sleep, (Y/N) was all charged up for the day ahead of her. And she could feel that it was going to be a good one.
"Yahoo! Alright!" Syo yelled out happily as he ran towards his group of friends.
As he skidded to a stop as (Y/N) noticed what looked like a script on his hand. And the smile on his face was about to give away what he was so excited about.
"Listen to this everyone!"
And with his big toothy smile, Syo showed the script to everyone. Shinomiya, Ittoki, and (Y/N) all leaned forward to see the printed text on the cover. Since (Y/N) was a bit shorter than the other two boys, she had to put her hands on Ittoki's shoulders, standing on her tippy toes in order to see properly. The red haired boy, on the other hand, blushed slightly at her touch, and it didn't help that her face was only inches from his own.
Still, Ittoki was quick to turn back to the script his blonde haired friend had been holding, reading the title out loud.
" 'Prince of Fighting', two hour special. Eh? EH?!"
"Syo, don't tell me you're going to appear on 'Prince of Fighting'," Shinomiya realized with a look of excited shock on his face.
And sure enough, the strawberry blonde idol opened the script to show everyone his name clearly printed on the list of characters for the special. This is what Syo had always wanted to do, act alongside the 'Prince of Fighting', himself. And the others couldn't have been more excited for him.
"That's amazing!"
"I'm so excited for you!"
"You did it, Syo."
"Well, yeah."
The compliments were something that Syo welcomed, especially from (Y/N). This would be the perfect opportunity to redeem himself from his high school days. Of course, he didn't want to remember the horror of that day. Plus, he'd get to look cool on the big screen, and he'd get a step forward in being an idol. Plus, he and (Y/N) could have another movie marathon.
"Give it your best, Syo," Haruka told the boy.
"I'll be rooting for ya," (Y/N) encouraged after her bestie spoke.
And then, Syo's slight fear had come to the surface. Ren had remembered the hilarious time where the boy in question had to wear a dress in order to try out for the first part that he had ever auditioned for to act with Hyuga.
"So this means you've achieved your heart's desire, performing with Ryuya. Will you be playing someone's little sister again?" The golden haired idol teased.
That caused some giggles to erupt from (Y/N) as she covered her mouth with her hand, and turned her head away from Syo. But he could still see her shoulders shaking a little from her laughter. Well that was embarrassing, as Syo's cheeks turned into a light pink. And it didn't help that the others started joining in as they turned into chibis.
"Syo, you looked great in a dress," Ittoki commented with a small smile on his chibi face.
"Your hard work must have paid off," Shinomiya added on with his own innocent smile.
Oh, that was it. Syo was not going to be reminded of that day any longer. Soon, Syo's chibi face became huge as he glared at the three boys for teasing him about being in a dress.
"That's not it all! I'll be playing an unmistakable man this time!" The strawberry blonde declared.
"I hope I get all kinds of work soon too," His taller blonde friend said in a quiet voice.
Shinomiya kind of felt like he hadn't been given as many opportunities as the others had. And in order to make themselves even more popular as an idol group, the taller boy wanted to get more work soon. Luckily, there was someone in the group that made Shinomiya's confidence go up like a rocket.
"I'm sure you will, Natsuki. These things just take a little patience," (Y/N) assured him kindly.
She should know, it took a little while after her debut for her to get some more work. She knew that it took a little patience, and when an opportunity came, she knew to snatch it.
And the smile on her face, Shinomiya felt his happiness and courage go through the roof. Just one little action done by his little mermaid meant more than what she knew. Soon, the taller blonde was clenching his fists with anticipation, a determined and happy smile directed towards the source of it herself.
"You're right, (N/N)! Tokiya was in some commercials and dramas, (N/N)'s acted in movies and composed soundtracks, and you have offers for work too, don't you, Ren?" Shinomiya began asking the other idols as Ichinose sipped his tea.
"I've been modeling for magazines," the flirtatious idol answered.
Cecil, who had been sitting by (Y/N) before she stood up, had a look of confusion on his face. Surely idols only did musical things, right? It didn't quite make sense to the prince just yet.
"Idols do more than just sing?" He asked with curiosity.
For some reason, that only caused a tick mark to form on Syo's forehead. He still hadn't warmed up to the new coming prince just yet. Syo then pointed at Cecil to get his point across.
"Listen, you! We do a variety of stuff, from television to movies to theater!" The strawberry blonde aggressively explained.
Soon, Syo looked like he had one foot stepping on a slightly taller platform, with one hand on his hip, and the other pointing outward, a confident expression adorning his features.
"Keep taking opportunities to show off your talents! That's what an idol does!" The shortest member of STARISH declared.
Everyone just kind of hummed in agreement, because he wasn't wrong. His explanation was very Syo-like. Cecil kind of understood a little more about what idols did. Of course, he was still learning the basics from Camus. And according to his senior, he was still far from finishing them.
"I see. I had no idea," the prince admitted.
"Hello, everybody."
An unmistakable voice rang out through the hall, and while some of the group members looked around, (Y/N) leaned towards Haruka, a neutral look on her face.
"I'm not even surprised anymore," she whispered as Haruka giggled a little.
"I heard you rejected your seniors I prepared for you," Shining Saotome stated as his head appeared from behind a curtain.
The thing was, he was about twenty feet in the air, and as he spoke, the president of the agency went up and down, like he was on some kind of bungee cord. And the group was a little hesitant to admit their gutsy move that they had pulled.
"Working on your own is all well and good! It's no problem at all if you become actual idols. But you probably think you're already idols," Shining stated as he jumped down from the curtain before landing in a pose in front of everyone.
Still, his words confused the group of youngsters. What did he mean when he said that they weren't real idols yet? They had been getting work, debuted, and everything. Ittoki was the first to ask questions.
"We're not? We put out a CD though."
"Yeah, our concerts were a success," Syo added on.
But that wasn't enough to convince Shining Saotome. Of course, a seasoned idol like himself would know what it's like to be a true idol.
"I told you, the reality is many bloom splendidly..." he began as a flower appeared in his grasp, representing beginner idols.
Within seconds, like magic, the flower disappeared into a small cloud of sparkles. (Y/N) knew the meaning of it right away. And she didn't particularly like it, just as their president continued speaking.
"And fade like fireworks."
And that's what she was afraid of him saying. But she knew that Shining wasn't wrong when he said that. (Y/N) had experienced it just the day before, a new group of idols already making their way to the top on day one.
She knew that B-Pro, along with many other rookie idols like themselves had already been entered in the competition in gaining the place as a top idol. And it wouldn't be easy, that was for sure.
As (Y/N) continued on in her own thoughts, the others were trying to convince their president that they were serious about this career. This group.
"Are you trying to we're going to fade? We're not one hit wonders," Syo grumbled, a bit ticked off that Saotome would even suggest that about them.
However, the president of their agency had more to say. And it would be one that would catch everyone off guard.
"In that case, you should be able to claim both of these titles!" Saotome announced as he performed somewhat of a magic trick once again.
As he did so, a scroll of paper unraveled itself, revealing two different titles that some were very much familiar with. Syo and (Y/N) both squinted before reading the two titles out loud.
"The Uta Pri Award?"
"And the Golden Voice Award?"
Now (Y/N) knew those two names sounded familiar to her, but she couldn't place her finger on where she had heard of them. But Ichinose, being that he had been fresh from the entertainment industry before he debuted with STARISH, had a different reaction than that of confusion.
His dark eyes had widened, and he was quick to repeat the two titles in a quiet voice, signaling that he knew what their president had been talking about.
"Uta Pri? Golden Voice?"
"The pinnacle of new and extremely talented idols," Shining spoke as he spun around before posing once again, further explaining why he had brought the two award shows up.
"The Uta Pri Brand New Award! Along with the very well known Golden Voice Award. Claiming these titles will open the path to becoming a true idol! Do your best, boys and girl! Ms. (L/N), if you could kindly stop by my office later, it would be much appreciated!"
Before the group of idols could question anymore, Shining Saotome disappeared into a pink cloud with a trail of cards being left behind. Everyone was still trying to process the information that had been giving to him, and (Y/N) was trying to figure out why she needed to go to his office whenever she had time. Well, when it came to Saotome, he was just full of surprises.
"What was that all about?" Syo asked out loud as the others started to take their seats once again.
"The Uta Pri and Golden Voice awards, huh?" Ren voiced as well, having some familiarity with the two awards as well.
Of course, the others really had no idea what they were, and Haruka could see that (Y/N) was still trying to figure out if she knew anything about them or not.
"You know about them?" Shinomiya asked the golden haired boy.
It was now time for Tokiya Ichinose's mini TED talk on the famous award shows that their president had previously mentioned. He had heard about them all too well, even trying to be nominated while he was still working as Hayato.
"Both are only granted when brilliant new idols appear... and they're both rare titles," he began to explain.
That made the others who were new to the terms sweat-drop. To think that they had to do something this amazing when they had only started out.
"Rare?"
"We're supposed to win an award that amazing?"
Both Ittoki and Shinomiya were amazed that they had been given the opportunity to do this, but it also put a lot of pressure on them as idols at the same time. This could make or break both STARISH's and (Y/N)'s idol careers.
"What the president said isn't entirely incorrect. STARISH isn't as well known as we think. The quickest way to become established as idols is to claim this title," Ichinose declared.
"We should secure a foothold first," Hijirikawa added on.
Ren, who had begun smirking after that declaration, decided to give his input on what he thought about this whole situation.
"Then, let's take the Uta Pri and stand on top. If we do that, the boss can't complain," he said.
And this was enough to get the rest of the boys fired up. This may be just what they needed to achieve their dreams, and to become more well known.
"Let's do it! Let's become real idols and deliver our songs to even more people," Shinomiya agreed as he smiled brightly.
"Yeah! And with our singing, along with (Y/N) and Nanami's music, I'm sure we can do it!" Otoya cheered after.
Syo was now fired up even more than what he was before. This would really push them to proving that they weren't just some one hit wonders. With his fists clenched with excitement, the strawberry blonde was ready to take on this new challenge.
"Alright! Let's show them what we're made of! Hold on, what's the Golden Voice Award?" Syo asked right after his mini declaration, looking to both Ichinose and the (h/c) haired girl for answers.
(Y/N) hadn't even heard of the name before, and that was saying something. She shrugged her shoulders in response, not knowing how to answer. However, Ichinose was there to save her an explanation.
"It's an extraordinarily rare title for an idol to achieve. They don't even offer it to new idols, so for one of us to be nominated is an achievement itself. The award is for an idol who can impress even the most toughest of critics, and the judges don't go easy on those nominated," he explained.
Now that he explained it even more, (Y/N) remembered something she had seen in her father's office when she went to visit his agency. He had a large shelf full of different awards and photos of achievements that their entire family had gotten, including both her and her mother.
There was one trophy that she remembered seeing, the golden figure resembling a microphone, and a plaque on the bottom with her father's name, as well as the year he had won it. Was that the same thing? There were two others in their house as well, so maybe, this was fate for her.
But, she thought she hadn't been all that good enough to be nominated for such as award. Shaking her head slightly, (Y/N) froze slightly when she realized how her friends's thoughts were the complete opposite of hers.
"So that means (Y/N) would be going for that award, right?" She heard Ittoki suggest, causing her heart to stop for a second before she realized all eyes on her.
Red face alert! Surely not, (Y/N) thought she was on the same level as STARISH, but apparently, they didn't think that was the case. And their smiles said otherwise.
"Say what now?"
"I mean, it makes sense," Syo agreed excitedly.
Now she was just confused. Why did the others think that she was nominated for such an award? Her bashfulness wasn't helping with it either.
"If you think about it, you've already acted in a movie, been on a variety of shows, and you composed an entire soundtrack. I'd say you're the closest to being a real idol than any of us, (Y/N)," Ichinose told her with a soft smile on his face.
What was this, Embarrass The Heck Out of (Y/N) Day? Now her face could rival even the color of the reddest of roses. But, maybe she was a little ahead of the boys, more than she thought. But that certainly didn't mean she was superior in any way, shape, or form.
After cooling her face down a little, (Y/N) smiled sheepishly as she looked towards the group with confidence glowing in her eyes.
"I mean, if that's the case, then great. But, I think you're all amazing in your own ways. I'm honestly surprised STARISH isn't as well known as I thought it was, but that shouldn't put us down, right? We're all in this together, I know that much," she spoke as she smiled brightly after finishing her mini monologue.
Well, to say the boys didn't except that, was true. But, a part of all of them knew that they should've expected that to come from her. It didn't matter to (Y/N) who held what place, as long as they were all together, she was happy. How did they manage to gain a friend like (Y/N)?
Smiles, even on Hijirikawa's face, began to appear. STARISH couldn't believe how amazing (Y/N) was, and she just kept surprising them all everyday.
"Well now, Little Kitten, that just made me want to win even more. You just keep amazing me every second of the day," Ren flirted towards her as he rested his chin on his hand.
But it wasn't his normal flirting. There was actual genuine feelings behind his words, and Hijirikawa was the one that managed to catch it. But, he couldn't deny the fact that he felt the same way. Syo was now pumping his fist in the air, even more charged up than he was before.
"Heck yeah! That just made me even more fired up and excited! You're awesome, (Y/N), really!"
"He's right, (N/N)."
"Yeah!"
"A-A-Ah! Guys, come on! My face is going to combust!"
As she continued waving her hands around, trying to control her bashfulness, Haruka noticed Cecil gazing at her friend out of the corner of her eye. The expression on his face was almost unreadable. And (Y/N) caught it too. She noticed how he was just staring, like he was either confused, or he just didn't understand.
It wasn't a bad thing that she couldn't read him, but (Y/N) took it as a sign that maybe he wanted to know more about being an idol. Or maybe not. She wasn't exactly sure.
After their discussion ended, the idols decided to do more research on the awards that they were trying to achieve. And their (h/c) haired composer wanted to help the guys out as much as she could before she worried about her own battle.
First, Ichinose, Ittoki, and (Y/N), since it was her night to be in there, decided to talk to Reiji about it first. Surely their seniors would know.
"Wait, so we have to do more than just sell lots of CDs?" The red head asked first.
Reiji, being the goof ball that he is, was standing on his bed, his tongue sticking out like that of a child's. When the question was asked, a confident Reiji stood up straighter, hands on his hips and all.
"It would be too easy if that's all you had to do. Listen, in order to win the Uta Pri Award, you have to perform brilliantly and capture the attention of the Uta Pri Committee," their senior explained.
"Perform brilliantly?" Ittoki questioned, when (Y/N) remembered something.
Of course, with her father and mother being big time idols, they had been invited to come judge and watch other idols that performed, debuted, etc. And she actually had a memory of a time when she has witnessed something like that at a show with her father.
Flashback
She couldn't remember the exact place, or why they had even been there, but a 9 year old (Y/N) was sitting in her father's lap with her mother sitting beside her, watching a performance being held on the stage below them.
They had been in one of those fancy rooms where the stage could be viewed from above, a place where many important people had sat. Of course, little (Y/N) didn't understand that at her age. And she really didn't care either. She was spending time with her family, and that was enough for her.
The (L/N)s had been there to watch an idol who had been known for a while, but little did (Y/N) know at the time, this was the Uta Pri Award Show, and her parents happened to be members of the committee.
As the idol onstage began performing, little (Y/N) couldn't help but to be in awe at the sight in front of her. It was like she was being pulled in to a whole different world. They were like shiny stars in the sky.
"Wow.... Daddy, he's like a star. Do you think I could sing like that one day?" (Y/N) asked her father as he rubbed her head affectionately.
Unbeknownst to her, Soichiro and Valencia saw the big smile that had appeared on their daughter's face as she jumped off of her father's lap in order to go up to the window to get a closer look at the performance.
This was what the Uta Pri was all about, making people happy from the bottom of their hearts, and there was something else as well. Something that many idols had trying to accomplish and research for many many years.
Soichiro had looked to his wife, who gave him a knowing smile as he returned the gesture. They knew their daughter had always loved music, and she was starting to show her talent for it as well.
Soon, the CEO idol stood up, picking his precious daughter in the process, giving her a better view of the stage before poking her nose as she turned to face him.
"Of course you can, Sweetie Pie. You'll have to work hard, but I know you can do it," he told her as he hugged her even closer.
Valencia smiled as she stood up, walking towards her husband and daughter, placing one hand on Soichiro's shoulder, and the other on (Y/N)'s head.
"Whatever you decide to do, honey, we'll be supporting you all the way," she assured her daughter, her father agreeing.
Flashback End
She smiled at that memory, so that was what it meant to perform brilliantly. But wait, did that mean her father would be judging STARISH when they performed? That was a little nerve wracking to think of.
As (Y/N) focused back in on the conversation that was being held, Reiji then confirmed her what she had been thinking about.
"You guys have heard of Starry Sochi, right? Well, he was someone who managed to capture the world when he performed at the Uta Pri years ago. Plus, he's a two time winner of the Golden Voice too. If you've seen him perform, then you'll understand what I mean. His wife even won it a year after he did," The senior explained as the other two male idols in the room felt their mouths drop to the floor.
(Y/N) felt her (e/c) eyes widen, even she didn't know how amazing her parents were They were more than she ever expected, which was a good thing. Soon, both Ittoki and Ichinose were turning towards the girl, thinking that she could answer some of their questions.
"So, your dad would be judging us, (Y/N)? What about your mom?" Ittoki asked her, knowing that her mother was also a very popular idol as well.
(Y/N) kind of shrugged her shoulders, not really knowing the answer to that question.
"I mean, I know he's been invited to judge at a lot of different shows, so I guess he could be. My mom used to, but I don't think she does anymore" she answered while looking up in thought.
As she answered, Reiji stood there in his spot with a smile on his face, happy that his juniors were understanding. That is, until he backtracked on what Ittoki had just asked, but it didn't hit him in the moment.
"That's right! (Y/N)'s dad would be......"
And, right in that moment, it hit Reiji right in the face of what he just said. His gray eyes went wide as a look of complete shock appeared on his features.
"WAIT, STARRY SOCHI IS YOUR DAD, BUTTERFLY?!?!?" The brown haired idol now shouted as his juniors all flinched.
(Y/N) now blushed with embarrassment slightly, like how she did when the others found out about who her parents were. Now it all made sense, how she pulled moves that only an old pro would perform, her last name, all of it. She had had the best teachers, but it was still quite a shock to the member of Quartet Night.
"Yeah...." (Y/N) answered sheepishly, as she shrunk down a little.
And now came Reiji's game of, Ask (Y/N) a Million Questions. But, it wasn't like she minded all that much. It would be a good chance to connect with her seniors just a little more. Plus, it would make up for not answering his question when she fell asleep yesterday.
As the four of them began their own little discussion, (Y/N) taking the lead, Syo and Shinomiya were getting their own little version of what was expected of them in order to win this award.
"Your singing matters, of course, but the committee checks all work you do as an idol," Ai explained in his usual monotone voice.
With Syo laying on the couch, slightly bored but also listening, Shinomiya was paying close attention to his senior.
"Everything?"
"You'll have to impress their most seasoned member, an idol called Starry Sochi. He's one of the head members of the committee," the cyan haired boy explained.
Now that caught both boys' attention as Syo turned his head towards his senior when they both heard the familiar name of their friend's father. Ai, of course, knew from his data that (Y/N) was the famous idol's daughter, but that didn't change things.
"Starry Sochi is one of the head members of the Uta Pri committee. He's been the make or break decision in many idols' careers. Even if (Y/N) is your friend and composer, he certainly won't go easy on you, or her in that matter," Ai explained further.
It certainly would make sense that her father wouldn't go easy on her. Both of the boys knew that (Y/N) worked hard to get to where she was, and the whole reason she had hid who her parents were from the others was because she wanted to be her own person. Her own idol.
"The work we do individually affects STARISH's chance of winning," Hijirikawa, who was in their own dorm along with his two roommates, concluded.
"It's not that easy," the rocker idol of Quartet Night sneered as he took a sip of his coffee while laying on his bed.
As many could tell, Ranmaru didn't really think that these rookies could pull off something like that. But, his juniors took his statement in a very different way.
"Does that mean you didn't...?" Ren began.
Hijirikawa then understood, or so he thought.
"I see. We will avenge you."
A tick mark soon appeared on the silver haired idol's forehead. He didn't think these two would be that stupid, and he wasn't about to take that declaration lying down. Ranmaru was soon sitting up as he glared harshly at his two juniors.
"Shut up! You're not going to avenge anyone! There's no way you guys can win the Uta Pri Award," he somewhat shouted at them while pointing his finger towards the two new idols.
That wasn't about to put Ren and Hijirikawa down though, because they were somewhat used to Ranmaru's attitude. Still, they had questions that they wanted to be answered.
"What about the Golden Voice then?" The golden haired idol asked, not seeming to be bothered by his senior's threatening aura that was radiating off of him.
Surprisingly, the rocker stayed calm, not reacting one bit to the question. But he was silent for a few moments, taking another sip of his drink in the process, before he spoke in a deep voice.
"I'm surprised the boss even brought that up to you guys. But if he did, there must be something special there."
And that's all that was said about the matter.
Finally, in the palace like room of Camus, Cecil and (Y/N) sat down as their Count of a senior explained more about the two award shows that were mentioned earlier, as well as explaining more about the aspects of being an idol to the prince of Agnapolis.
"The key to winning the award is shining as an idol," Camus explained as he stirred more sugar into his tea.
Cecil still wasn't quite sure what everyone had meant by that term earlier, it still puzzled him. He has just thought that idols sang, acted, and that was it.
"Shining?"
"The most important aspect of an idol is not his or her skills, but how brilliantly they shine," the count continued as he held his staff up before placing a hand on his chest.
"Look at me! My glow! Capturing the heart of fools is no trouble at all."
Cecil, well, he kind of understood what his senior had meant. But it still wasn't as clear as day as to what the count had meant. (Y/N), on the other hand, understood to an extent. She had experienced that mesmerizing glow that idols gave off to pull their audience in, and to keep them listening.
The only thing was, she had no idea on how to do that for herself as an idol.
"I see," Cecil stated as he looked to (Y/N) quickly, her seeing the confusion in his features.
She sent him a quick smile, an indicator that she would try to explain what Camus had meant later.
"The Uta Pri Award has nothing to do with you," the count stated a bit harshly, gaining the attention of both of his juniors.
The prince was a little offended by that statement. He was an amazing singer, no doubt about it, but it wasn't like he couldn't enter the same award show as STARISH. A small glare appeared on Cecil's face as (Y/N) stayed quiet, not wanting there to be much conflict.
"W-Well..."
"Anyway, what happened to the work I gave you yesterday? You did it, didn't you?" Camus questioned as he sat back down in his seat.
Cecil looked down, knowing he hadn't gotten his assignment done. He had been getting them left and right from Camus, not really thinking that this would be what it took to become an idol.
"Not yet," he answered.
The icy blue eyes of the count narrowed, and it felt as if the temperature of the whole room had gone down a couple of degrees.
"You should do something about yourself before meddling in the affairs of others," the count scoffed.
Cecil only nodded before standing up, heading back to his part of the room to work on his assignment, so he wouldn't have to feel the icy wrath. Plus, he didn't want his princess to experience it either.
As the other two stayed at the table, (Y/N) was still feeling a bit awkward around Camus, they both took small sips of their tea in an awkward silence. The girl kept his gaze down, not wanting to make the count mad in any way, shape, or form.
"I heard Shining brought up the Golden Voice award," the silence was finally broken by Camus's calm voice.
That caused (Y/N) to straighten up slightly in her seat as she quickly responded with a 'yes', setting her teacup down on the table. The count watched as she did so before closing his eyes, and unreadable expression on his face.
"Hmph. Well, seeing your performance from the training game, I'd say you have a very slight chance of winning."
...
Did she hear him right? Did the Camus just tell her that she had a chance at winning something? (Y/N) turned into a surprised chibi with slightly blush cheeks.
"However, it doesn't mean you have time to rest. Be prepared for my own assignments for you, (L/N)," Camus told her as he pointed his staff towards her.
Well, it was something, maybe not the best compliment, but it was something. Especially coming from Camus. (Y/N) couldn't help but smile brightly at his words.
"Yes, I will," she smiled while nodding.
Now this was getting her excited. She would have to work hard, but (Y/N) was prepared for that. She had made that promise to her parents after all.
Taking a glance at the time, (Y/N) knew she had to get to her boss's office in order to discuss whatever they had to discuss. Politely excusing herself, the female idol made her way to her eccentric president's office.
Once she approached the large doors, (Y/N) lightly knocked before she heard a loud 'COME IN' in Shining's voice.
"You wanted to see me, sir?" She asked as she opened the doors, revealing her president sitting in his desk chair, and Ringo standing beside him with his usual smile.
First POV
"Ah, Ms. (L/N)! Thank you for coming here today!" The president told me as I smiled before approaching him and Rin.
The words of Camus and the boys were still fresh in my mind. If the Golden Voice was what I was going for, then I had a lot of work to do. Dad had won that award twice, so to take after him would be amazing. But, he wasn't a rookie when he received his, so that built up some pressure a little.
Once I was up by Rin, the president soon jumped up from his chair, standing on his desk with confetti popping out from random places in his office. It caught me off guard a little bit, but Rin was soon giving me a gentle side hug as a loud laugh filled the room.
"CONGRATULATIONS, MS. (L/N)! YOU HAVE BEEN NOMINATED AS ONE OF THIS YEAR'S PERFORMING ARTISTS FOR THE GOLDEN VOICE AWARD!" Shining announced as Rin hugged me even tighter.
It took a couple of seconds for me to process what he had just announced, and even though we all had our suspicions, it was still a shock. My eyes were as big as saucers as I finally realized the honor that had been bestowed onto me.
"That's amazing, (Y/N)! I'm so proud of you!!!" Rin yelled with excitement as he began to jump up and down with me in his arms.
My jaw was still on the floor, and I didn't know how to think at that point. All that came from my lips was stutters and gibberish. Luckily, President Shining was able to explain to me more of the situation.
"You see, Ms. (L/N), your debut performance was one thing, but you managed to really capture the attention of the committee for this prestigious award with all of your work afterwards!" He explained.
My eyes stayed as wide as they were when he first said the words. I mean, I felt like for a rookie, this was a lot. Though, I will admit, I don't think there's many that acts in a movie that they compose the soundtrack for. Even though I felt bashful in the moment, I started thinking that maybe if others thought so, then maybe I did deserve to take a shot at this award.
Though I knew it would only be a stepping stool for becoming a real, full blown idol. As a smile began to make its way to my face, the president sat back down in his chair, hands folded in front of him, covering his mouth.
"Though, I will warn you, Ms. (L/N). Your rival is someone who can shine just as bright as you, and she's earned some high titles as a rookie as well. Work hard to perform even brighter than you ever have before!" He told me as he stood up once again, and finally pointed towards me.
Wow, if the president is praising my rival like this, then she must be really good. He was right, I couldn't afford to slack now. I had to show the world what this Angel of Music was made. With my expression becoming one of determination, I nodded.
"Yes, sir," I declared.
And with that, Rin gave me one last 'good luck' hug after a quick bow to the president before exiting the office with a body full of excitement. I couldn't stop smiling once I left, this whole thing would push me to places that I had never been before. A part of that was scary, but I knew that I could do. And I would have all the support in the world by my side as well.
Timeskip
That evening, I had made my way down to the agency's gym to do some working out. It had become a routine of mine whenever I was home from work, plus, in my opinion, it just felt good.
I had been jogging on a treadmill for about half an hour before I noticed a certain tall blonde with green eyes entering the area out of the corner of my eye. Looking back at the screen to see that I had gone about two miles, I quickly stood on the sides on the sides of the treadmill before sending Natsuki a smile and a wave.
"Hey, Natsuki! How'd recording go today?" I asked.
Today was the day Syo had begun recording the 'Prince of Fighting' special with Ryuya, and I had seen him earlier in the gym. He looked really pumped up, either that or it was something else.
Natsuki sent me a smile as he made his way over to the treadmill as I hopped off, taking a drink of water in the process. And I had noticed something too. Something was off about Natsuki, I could just tell.
We had taken a seat in one of the living areas near the gym, and Natsuki told me about everything that had happened earlier that day.
"Wow, it was that bad, huh?"
Apparently, Syo had gone up to Ryuya to express his honor of acting with him. And with Ryuya being a hard shell to crack, he kind of pinned Syo as a rival to him instead of a fan.
Natsuki nodded, looking down with a bit of sadness in his eyes.
"Yeah. After that, it was like Syo couldn't perform right. He keeps missing a jump, and he's pushing himself to try and be able to accomplish it," he explained.
I nodded along in understanding. I guess I should've expected that from Syo. But still, it had to have been hard to be called a rival by the person you've looked up to for years. I guess Ryuya had his moments where he was hard on me, but it wasn't as impactful as it was on Syo.
I took another drink before I sat back on the couch a little bit, looking up at the ceiling.
"That has to suck. He was so excited to perform alongside Ryuya, I bet that had to have hurt. But..." I trailed off for a second.
All the times of when Ryuya was hard on others, and on himself, they all came flooding to my mind. I've known the action star since I was a toddler, and now I understood. Natsuki kept his attention on me as I continued.
"I guess that's how he's always been, Ryuya, I mean. He's always hard on others, and himself. But, I think he knows that Syo admires him. That's why I think he might've said that. Still though, I don't think Syo should be trying to give up what it's like to be a fan. Having that admiration for someone, it can really change the mood of things," I monologued.
I should know. After finding out about our relations to one another, there was a difference in Tomohisa and I's acting. He was a fan that never forgot how to be one, and that admiration can really show sometimes.
Still, I couldn't help but worry for Syo. This was a big next step for him, and I wanted him to succeed. We all did. I found myself smiling slightly, as I looked back at Natsuki's big green eyes. He was smiling gently, and I was hoping my words helped with his worry as well.
"You're right, (N/N). Cecil and I were able to get parts as extras, but do you want to come with us tomorrow if you're not busy? I know seeing you will put some confidence into Syo," the blonde had suggested.
I blushed slightly at the last part, but I really want to have a behind the scenes look at the special. And I had all my meetings in the morning, so I would be free all afternoon. If it was to help a friend, then I'm all for it.
I sent Natsuki a close eyed smile before nodding.
"Yeah, I'd love to. See? I told you you'd be getting offers soon if you were patient," I teased slightly as I nudged the gentle giant.
Natsuki let out a joyful laugh before gently wrapping his arm around my shoulder, pulling me to where my head was laying on his chest. My cheeks were soon becoming warm, but I didn't try to dodge it. Might've been because I was really tired. We sat there in silence for a few moments before Natsuki spoke.
"Thank you, (N/N). I don't know what we'd do without you," I heard him say in a very soft voice.
I couldn't help but smile. I was always happy to help my friends, and I want Syo to nail this part. I hummed as a form of 'you're welcome' before sitting back up to check in for the night. But not before Natsuki and I wished each other sweet dreams.
Tomorrow was going to be a big day for Syo, and I wanted to be there to help him jump his way to the finish line of succession.
Third POV
Today was a new day. Maybe, just maybe, Syo could prove himself worthy of acting alongside Hyuga. The words that were said yesterday really hit the boy hard. He knew he was capable of doing this, but to hear his idol, the one who he looked up to that whole life, say that Syo was somewhat of rival, it crushed his spirit a little bit.
As the strawberry blonde idol mentally prepared himself for an entire day of filming, a cheerful and familiar voice quickly made its way to Syo's ears.
"Syo!" The voice called out.
But, before he could even turn around, Syo was pulled into a back breaking hug down by none other than a very happy Shinomiya.
"Hooray!"
"N-Natsuki, what are you doing here?" The poor boy asked through a strained voice due to all of the air being squeeze out of his lungs.
Shortly after, Shinomiya let Syo fall to the ground, his back looking like it had been bent like a pretzel. The gentle giant kept the innocent smile on his face as he folded his hands behind his back.
"I knew (N/N) and I were the only ones who could help you relax at work, so I got a job as an extra and brought (N/N) with me!" The taller boy explained cheerfully.
Unfortunately, Syo hadn't comprehended the entire statement. All he knew was that his childhood friend would be there the whole day, and that didn't make him relax one bit.
"What good is relaxing at work going to do?" The shorter of the two rhetorically asked as he held his now sore back.
That is, until he spotted a familiar head of (h/c) hair, and a bright smile headed towards him. (Y/N) only had her fedora on, wearing her usual attire, and her purse was lying at her hip. Somehow, Syo felt even more tense than he had before.
They had both loved the show so much. And now, he had his chance to look cool in front of her. But the thought of the jump still worried him. He didn't want to look like a complete fool.
Still, Syo did relax for a second. There was just something about (Y/N) that made him feel safe to not always be strong around her. She was just amazing to be around, plus he hadn't seen her in a couple of days, so this was perfect. The strawberry blonde found himself smiling a little.... until he spotted something else.
More like someone else.
Trailing closely behind the composer was a Cecil in awe. Syo also noticed that he was wearing the same attire as Shinomiya was, ragged, older looking clothing.
"So this is a filming set?" Cecil asked (Y/N) as he continued looking at his surroundings.
(Y/N) nodded, but Syo just sweat-dropped. He certainly wasn't expecting the prince to show up. Especially with how strict his senior was.
"Cecil...."
"Isn't it exciting?"
The prince couldn't help but to be excited. This would be his first time doing more than just singing. Maybe Cecil could even impress (Y/N) with his acting, though he only had a couple of lines for his part.
"I thought you'd like it if I brought Cecil along with us as well," Shinomiya smiled to his friend.
Syo's forehead formed a tick mark, a sign of irritation. He still didn't really accept Cecil as a member of the Master Course yet, so he was about the last person he wanted to see right now.
"I don't like it at all! I'm completely happy with (Y/N) being here, but why'd you have to bring Cecil?! I thought you weren't interested in idols!" Syo yelled as he pointed to the prince.
"Myu made him promise to study the fundamentals of being an idol," Shinomiya explained.
At those words, Cecil made pouty fish lips as he turned into a chibi, (Y/N) had to hide her slight giggling with a hand over her mouth.
"A prince never goes back on his word."
"You don't want to be here at all!" Syo argued.
(Y/N) sighed through her nose as she shook her head at the two goofy boys. That was when she got a better look at Syo's outfit for the movie, and she thought it fit him very well. Even the fake scar on his face looked cool.
"Well, I'll be cheering you on either way, Sy0," she smiled to him.
Syo thought his heart was going to stop beating for a second. Her smile was radiating in the sunlight, it was almost too much. But, it would never be too much for him. Syo was happy she had come all this way to see him perform. A confident smile soon found its way onto his face, but the voice of the director cut him off before he was able to respond to her.
"Extras, gather around over here!"
And that was Shinomiya and Cecil's cue to take their spots, and (Y/N) to find a place where she could just observe. Before they headed over, Shinomiya gave Syo one last encouraging smile.
"Do your best, Syo."
Cecil was quick to copy, and that ticked Syo off a bit.
"Do your best."
"Oh, shut up!"
That didn't seem to bother the prince one bit as he trailed behind Shinomiya. That just left Syo and (Y/N) alone. She honestly was very excited to see his performance, even if he did mess up. Heck, she messed up when she acted.
Seeing that it was almost time for the cameras to roll, (Y/N) turned towards Syo, taking a few steps before wrapping her arm around his shoulders. The poor boy blushed for a second, but welcomed the gesture.
"You'll do great, I know it," she encouraged.
Those words just made him feel even more pumped up. And soon, Syo smirked a confident smirked before wrapping his arms around the girl's tiny waist, lifting her off the ground slightly before spinning them around.
(Y/N) was caught off guard at first, and her cheeks became red for the nth time that day. She let a small squeal as Syo held her slightly above him, his baby blue eyes staring into her (e/c) ones.
"You know I will. Because you're here to support me," he said to her before letting her down.
With another quick laugh shared between the two, Syo ran off to get into position as (Y/N) wandered to her area where she could just observe. Though, she really had no idea how much her presence alone did for the strawberry blonde idol.
As she watched the filming go on, she now saw what Shinomiya had meant the night before. He had now gotten over his fear of heights, but she knew he was struggling with that particular jump.
Even though she wanted to stay, (Y/N) had a few meetings with Haruka that afternoon, so she knew that it was her time to depart. Though, she did leave a small message to Syo via text.
You've got this, Syo! I believe in you!
And with that, she took her leave, hoping that her message may do the trick.
Timeskip
"Phew... I know it's part of the job, but that was a long meeting," the (h/c) haired idol sighed as she and her friend walked through the hallway.
It had been a long meeting, Haruka couldn't deny that. But she knew that when it came to being both an idol and a composer, anything may seem like it takes days to get finished.
"Yes, it was. How the filming?" The pink haired composer asked as (Y/N) stretched her arms behind her head.
At first, (Y/N) let out a hum, as if she were thinking of something. But Haruka could tell that something was up by the look in her friend's (e/c) eyes.
"I mean, for the most part, it was amazing. But, there's just something off about Syo. Hm?"
Seeing that her attention had been pulled to something else, both girls stopped as Haruka followed (Y/N)'s gaze to see that a familiar black bag was sitting on a chair. Upon closer inspection, the girls discovered that it was Syo's bag.
It was very unlike him to just leave his things, but both of them knew he was going through a lot at the moment. And the three idols still hadn't come back from filming, so (Y/N) got an idea.
"I'll bring his bag to him. They should still be at the set," she smiled as she picked up the small black duffle bag.
Haruka nodded, because she knew that if anyone could help Syo with his slump, it was (Y/N). Knowing that she had to hurry, (Y/N) gave her best friend a quick hug before running off towards the exit.
"Be careful!"
"I will!"
And with a final wave, (Y/N) ran to her car, and now had to race to find Syo. She was really hoping that he had made some progression with his jump in her absence.
But unfortunately, that wasn't the case. In fact, the strawberry blonde boy thought that he had been getting worse. The sun was beginning to set, forming shades of orange and yellow in the bright sky. Filming had already ended, but Syo was far from done.
He had placed a mattress the same distance away as the two platforms were that he had to jump across. He had to nail this jump, he just had to. With sheer determination pumping through him, Syo began running towards the line he had drawn, his jumping point.
"Argghhhh!" A yell of determination left his mouth.
Finally, when his feet hit the line, Syo used all the strength he had to jump. He had hope, because he was getting closer and closer....and closer. But... only the tips of his toes hit the mattress, causing the piece of furniture to slip out from under his feet, resulting in Syo falling straight onto his back.
Sitting back up, the boy grit his teeth together with frustration, glaring at the ground with his fists clenched.
"Damn it!"
'Why can't I do it? I should be able to jump this far....' he thought to himself.
Unbeknownst to Syo, he had gathered an audience of two. Shinomiya and Cecil had finished with their part of the filming, had changed back into their normal attire, and were ready to call it a day.
"Syo, why don't we go home? We can eat dinner together," the taller of the two boys suggested.
Shinomiya had really been worried for Syo ever since the day started. He wanted Syo to get this just as much as (Y/N). But Syo wasn't having it, keeping his back turned to the duo.
"Sure, just leave already!" He snapped.
The tall blonde had never heard such a tone come from his childhood friend. Maybe he was just over thinking it, but Shinomiya really wanted him to relax for once.
"But..."
"Just leave! You're distracting me."
Yet, another snappy response from Syo, but that was due to his stubbornness. He was determined to nail this jump, even if it took him all night. Shinomiya's usually happy green eyes now had a bit of sad tone to them, and Cecil noticed this.
"Natsuki," the prince began as he placed a hand on the taller idol's shoulder, causing him to look back.
"Let's go. There's nothing we can do for him now."
Even though he said that, Shinomiya still wanted to help in some way. But, he knew the prince was right, Syo's stubbornness and sheer determination to achieve this wouldn't stop him any time soon. And with that realization, Shinomiya nodded as he and Cecil left Syo.
The sole idol that was left stood in his spot, contemplating everything that had happened the last few days, Hyuga's words, he just knew he couldn't be a fan forever. As the sun disappeared from the sky, darkness blanketing everything, Syo had made his way up to the towers where his scene had been filmed at. For his own safety, had placed on a harness.
Until he realized something. Letting out a sigh, he ran his hand through his blonde hair.
"What is wrong with me? I even forgot a change of clothes. Oh well..."
"Syo...!"
A familiar voice reached his ears, coming from the other tower. Making sure he hadn't been hearing things because of working so much, Syo walked out from the first tower onto the platform.
"That voice..." he muttered.
Then, just seconds later, a familiar (e/c) gaze met his own as (Y/N) stepped out onto the platform from the other tower, a large smile plastered on her face.
"Hey, there you are!" She yelled over to him.
This certainly came as a surprise, Syo didn't expect to see her here so late at night.
"(Y/N), what are you doing back here?" He asked her in a surprised voice.
Then, Syo noticed a familiar black object in her grasp as she held it up. His bag. Syo heard her laugh a little before she held up it to show him.
"Well, someone forgot his bag back home. So, I thought I'd bring it to you," she explained as she began slowly jogging in his direction.
However, she had yet to notice the very large gap between the two towers. And it was a long ways down. Syo quickly tensed up as (Y/N) came closer to the edge.
"Hey, (Y/N), watch it!" He warned.
And when she heard him say that, (Y/N) stopped about three feet away from the edge, though she sort of lost her balance for a second, causing her her to drop Syo's bag right on the edge.
That was when she really got the perspective that Syo had when he was performing up that high. And (Y/N) didn't particularly like the large height from her to the ground. A look of fear appeared on her face as she sweat-dropped.
"Oh.... that's high.... do you always practice up here, Syo?" She asked as she turned into a chibi, but there was fear present in her voice.
Syo also didn't like that she was still very close to the edge, and wanted to get her away from it as soon as now.
"Hey, be careful!" He yelled to her once again.
And down to her knees she went. Her legs had turned into jelly, and it seemed like her soul was going to fly out of her body.
"Y-Yeah.... I'm scared..." she mumbled as she turned back around, now crawling on her hands and knees.
(Y/N) wanted to be down on the ground, and Syo wanted the same thing. He began shouting words of encouragement to make sure she didn't go into a panic.
"Okay, that's it! Go back slowly! Don't look down!"
"O-Okay...."
She was so close to the door, until, (Y/N) realized the whole reason why she had come up this far in the first place. Looking back over her shoulder, the (h/c) idol spotted Syo's bag hanging slightly off the edge. That now prompted her to turn back around, much to Syo's horror.
"Oh, shoot! Your bag, I forgot!" She yelled as she began to move towards it to keep from falling.
"(Y/N), it's fine, just leave it!" Syo yelled back.
But (Y/N) was just as stubborn as he was. And in the moment, Syo didn't like it one bit.
"No! I can get it!"
(Y/N) opened her eyes, which had been shut so she wasn't tempted to look down. The bag was still there, but gravity had begun to do its work. She saw it slowly beginning to fall. And now her instincts kicked it.
"Oh, no no no!" She yelled as she quickly lunged for the bag before it dropped off the side.
"(Y/N)!!!"
Syo saw it happen in slow motion is what it seemed like. As she had lunged to try and grab the bag, the girl had lost her balance, causing her fall off the edge as well. Luckily, (Y/N) was quick enough to grasp the edge, but as she did so, she felt a muscle in her arm being strained from her weight being pulled down so suddenly.
(Y/N) was now grasping onto the edge for dear life, and Syo knew he had to get over to her now.
"(Y/N)! Dammit!"
He had felt his heart stop. The one he cared about most was now in a life or death situation. The jump for the film didn't matter anymore, what mattered when Syo getting (Y/N) to safety. This was nothing to him now.
Syo ran back to get a running start, a glare etched onto his face. In that moment, he had to concentrate, and what he concentrated on what the beautiful smile that was always plastered onto her face. Within seconds, Syo's baby blue eyes snapped open.
"Just hold on, (Y/N)!"
And with that, an aura had surrounded Syo, that of someone who could accomplish anything. Now, he was running, fast.
"Maximum....MANLINESS!"
Syo felt his feet leave his platform, and he was now flying to the other side, (Y/N) saw it out of the corner of her eye, but she was too scared to say anything. Her arm was injured, so pulling herself up wasn't an option. And she felt them going numb.
His landing may have resulted in one too many somersaults, but he accomplished it. The jump was like nothing to him now. But that didn't matter. Syo quickly ran to where he saw (Y/N)'s hands grasping the side of the stone, just as they began slipping.
She couldn't hold on much longer, but as her hands slipped off the edge, Syo was quick to grab her wrist as she let out a breath she had been holding, but her arm was beginning to now throb. Her eyes were glued shut, and it felt like she was hearing echoes.
"(Y/N)!" Syo yelled once again as he began pulling her up.
Once she up enough to where her torso was on the edge, Syo grabbed her other arm and pulled her to his chest, wrapping one arm around her shoulders, and the other on the back of her head, hugging her tightly.
As she clung onto his shirt, (Y/N)'s breathing became very heavy, and Syo was worried she would start hyperventilating. He was quick to act, talking in a soft voice.
"You're okay... I got you. Thank God. If something were to happen to you, I.... I....."
Syo couldn't even bare to think of what would happen if he lost (Y/N). All he wanted to do now was keep her in his arms until she had calmed down. Using her uninjured arm, (Y/N) grasped Syo's shirt as she leaned into him more. He could still feel her taking in deep breaths, but as he held her, she began to calm down enough to where she pulled away.
As they both did so, Syo noticed (Y/N) wincing in pain as she looked down at her arm. Even he winced at the sight of a large bruise beginning to form. Wanting to get them both to safety, Syo helped her up to her feet since she was still a bit shaky, and walked over to the tower entrance where he could treat her injury.
After getting her arm stabilized and wrapped, she and Syo both sat in the tower in silence, both of them staring out into the night's sky. Though, (Y/N) couldn't help but feel awful for what had happened.
"I'm so sorry about that.... that was completely my fault," she finally apologized, breaking the silence between the two.
Syo, who had been standing with his arms crossed, kept his gaze on the sky. But he didn't want the poor girl to feel guilty. In fact, she had helped him in more ways than she thought. Though it wasn't in the most ideal way.
"Don't worry about it. I mean, you're okay. And I made the jump. I want this job to be a success, no matter what," the boy began.
He had been keeping his feelings in every since his confrontation with Hyuga. But around her, Syo felt as if he could just let everything out.
"If I could do this, I felt like I could move on from being Mr. Hyuga's fan.... After all, we're pros now," Syo admitted.
(Y/N), who as well, kept her gaze towards the sky, listened intently. She, in some ways, could relate to the strawberry blonde. She had felt that way about B-Pro, but she was a pro. They would be considered rivals to her, but she never saw them as that ever. Heck, even STARISH was a rival to her in many ways.
"Yeah, I get that. But I don't think you should force yourself to do it," (Y/N) said in a quiet voice.
Syo's baby blue eyes went from the darkness of the night over to her sitting figure. (Y/N) had an expression on her face that the boy had never seen before. It wasn't bad, nor was it good either, but her words are what really struck him.
"Force myself?"
She nodded, keeping her eyes locked on the space in front of her.
"Yeah, since this is so important to you. It's given us both plenty of happiness. I mean, it's why you wanted to become an idol.... Now, it's our turn to make people happy, but that doesn't mean you should forget what it's like to be a fan. So, you know...." she said nothing more.
But really, her words struck Syo. And he knew that she was right. She was someone that understood what he was going through, but she never let any of that stuff out her down from what she wanted to do. Syo's eyes soon softened as he looked at (Y/N), and he was rather speechless.
"(Y/N)...."
But now, Syo knew the solution to his problem.
The next day, the strawberry blonde actor stood on the platform. This time, a very real and confident look adorned his features. And it didn't go unnoticed by the others.
"When I saw him this morning, he had an excellent expression on his face. He may have realized something," Cecil mentioned as he and Shinomiya both gazed up at their fellow actor and band mate.
And he was right. As Syo stood there, ready to perform, adrenaline was rushing through his veins as he smirked to himself.
'I can do this!'
🎶chouzetsu nankan sugiru kabe datte yarukkyanee toki ga aru otoko ni wa
sanbyougo no ore wa tabun waratteru mamoru to chikatta omae no koto o
🎶Fly High! Fly High! yuuki dashite
Fly Away! Fly Away! massugu mae mite
Go East! Go West! donna tabi mo
saa chiisana ippo kara hajimarutte shinjitekou
🎶dare no senaka ni mo hane ga aru koto o
omae wa oshiete kureta Believe!ｘ3
Super na CHIKARA nante
mochiawasecha inai kedo...sou
toberu ki ga surunda
🎶omae wo omou koto de...tsuyoku naru!
And fly he did. That day, Syo was successful with the jump. Not only that, but his others scenes seemed to be even more powerful than before. Hyuga took notice of this, and when filming was done, the actor walked over to Syo, a smile on his face.
"I'm sorry for pushing you away when you were admiring me. It's clear to me that you're a real man," Hyuga told him as he held out his hand towards Syo.
Said boy was in complete shock. To hear his idol praise him like this was an absolute dream. And he had her to thank for it. Syo quickly took Hyuga's hand, bowing slightly as he nodded.
"Thank you so much. I've learned a lot from being allowed to participate," he said.
Off to the side, (Y/N) smiling on proudly. Her arm had been checked out that morning, and while it was a bad sprain, the doctor told her it wouldn't take long for it to heal.
But all she cared about in that moment is how proud she was of both Syo and Hyuga, as she started to lightly applaud when the 'Prince of Fighting' himself held up Syo's fist in celebration of their hard work that day.
And it wouldn't be long for the results to be seen. The next day, Syo had been waiting outside the agency for a certain someone. And she came a running with excitement overflowing throughout her spirit that day.
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. Syo, I saw it!" (Y/N) exclaimed as she ran to the boy's side, a huge smile on her face.
The special had aired that morning, and of course, (Y/N) didn't miss it for anything. To her, this one was even better than the 'Prince of Fighting' movies she had seen before then.
Syo smiled even bigger as he kept his hands on his hips when (Y/N) finally stopped.
"Yeah?"
"You were so cool and amazing!" She praised as she did some motions with her hands.
The boy couldn't help but chuckle silently as he looked away for a second with a small blush on his cheeks from her compliment.
"R-Really? Truth is, I was singing the song you gave me in my heart while I was acting. Your song is my source of energy," Syo told her as he looked back towards her once again.
And he saw her eyes light up like a Christmas tree. Her smile grew even bigger, a beautiful sight to behold indeed.
"Really? Wow, that makes me so happy!" She smiled as her eyes closed while clapping her hands together.
Syo let out a chuckle as they both began to walk towards the lake on the property. Truth was, he had some really good news, and he wanted (Y/N) to be the first to know about it.
"Apparently, the story is continuing, so they asked me if I'd act again," he revealed.
(Y/N) let out a loud gasp before squealing excitedly while doing little jump. She had hoped he would get another acting job like this, and for it to be their favorite show was even better.
"That's amazing, Syo! I'm so excited for it!"
"I'd say it's all thanks to you."
Suddenly, (Y/N) went from being excited to a little confused when Syo said that.
"Me?" She asked, making sure she had heard him right.
The boy nodded before turning his attention to the lake in front of them as (Y/N)'s (e/c) eyes stayed fixated on him.
"The words you said, it made me realize that I could be my usual self. That's why I was able to do it," he explained.
She was certainly a little surprised to hear that coming from Syo. (Y/N) had been a little out of it that night, so she was just kind of spewing out her thoughts. But in the end, it was all helped someone she cared about.
"Wow, really...?" She breathed out slightly.
Syo nodded before turning towards her with a blush on his face, but a smile accompanying it, nonetheless. This also caused (Y/N) to blush slightly as well.
"You understand my feelings better than anyone else. I promise you, even when I become a pro, I'll be an idol who never forgets what it's like to be a fan," he declared.
Who would've thought they'd be reading each other's minds that day? (Y/N) smiled once again as she nodded in agreement.
"That's the kind of idol I want to be too," she declared along with him.
Soon, Syo had turned into a chibi, fire lighting up and glistening in his eyes as he clenched his fists in front of him.
"I'm all fired up! Okay!" He began before pointing out in the distance, a chibi (Y/N) standing behind him.
"I'll form my own fan club and recruit members!" Syo declared as he smiled confidently.
(Y/N) thought that that was a great idea as well, and was soon pumping her fist up into the air, smiling brightly.
"Yay!! I'll be the first one to join!" She yelled out.
"What good would that do?" Syo asked as he turned back to her.
(Y/N) then froze in her spot as she gave the boy a confused chibi expression while her fist was kept in the air.
"Wait, I can't?" She asked.
Syo just sweat-dropped, because that's not exactly what he had meant.
"It's not like you can't, but.... Okay, I got something special."
Soon, (Y/N) felt a weight on her head as her eyes were covered slightly. Looking back up, she realized that Syo had placed his fedora onto her head. He smiled, seeing that it looked good on her, and she was now an official member of his club.
"Your official certificate of membership," he told her.
She quickly looked at the boy with wide eyes, in disbelief that he was giving his beloved hat to her.
"Really?"
"Take good care of it," he instructed.
(Y/N) could hear a slight teasing tone in his voice, so she gave him a look before placing her injured hand atop her head, and the other on her hip. A sassy expression now formed on her face.
"Well, obviously," she retorted.
Seconds later, the two idols burst into laughter at their own goofiness. This had been a long roller coaster, but they both knew that it was a step in the right direction, but it was just one of many in order to claim the top spot at the Uta Pri and Golden Voice Award Shows.
Syo had realized something too. He didn't really worry about girls all too much throughout his life. But meeting (Y/N) completely changed that. Syo knew that she was a keeper, and he would do whatever it took to keep her and her light safe and glowing.