Okay, Haruka's letter said that someone wanted to meet me...here?
Café Manmaru. This entire district is an intersection between Harajuku, Aoyama and Omotesando.
Isn't Yuigaoka Girls' High School supposed to be nearby?
Huh, guess whoever gave Haruka this letter is supposed to be here
Huh, nice place.
KANON: "¡Bienvenido! To Café Manmaru! Huh? Oh, it's you! Akihiko Suzuki, right?"
AKI: "Kanon? Hey, long time no see! How's things with 'Liella!' coming along?"
KANON: "We're all fully focused for the School Idol Festival. But I'd like to ask how you're feeling? You gave us all a big scare when you fainted at UTX."
AKI: "Oh, sorry about that. Turns out I overworked myself pretty hard to the point of collapsing from exhaustion."
KANON: "I'm sorry to hear that. Lo siento."
AKI: "I want to thank you for the coffee you gave me, it was so good! It really helped me out with my recovery, big time."
KANON: *Giggle* "I'm glad you like it. The coffee here at Café Manmaru is the best in the city! N-Not to sound arrogant..."
AKI: "Oh? Wait, this is your family's café? Wow! I knew this place was special the moment I stepped foot in here!"
KANON: "¡Gracias! Would you like a table?"
AKI: "Yes please. I'm supposed to be meeting someone here from a letter I received. I'm guessing you know nothing about it?"
KANON: "¿Qué? A letter? I don't know anything."
Hmm, if it's not Kanon who gave Haruka this letter, then who is it?
...
AKI: "Wait a second... Haruka?"
HARUKA: "Hey there!"
AKI: "So, you're the one behind the letter. If you wanted to meet up, you could have just asked me."
HARUKA: "Huh? Oh, no, I'm not the one who sent the letter. Sorry, but there's been a slight change in plans... My friends should be here soon though."
AKI: "Friends...?"
SANA: "There you are, Haruka! Wait, THIS is the guy you told us about? Looks a little average to me."
AKI: "Huh?"
KASANE: "Come on, Sana! You told me all about how excited you are to meet him!"
SANA: "N-Not true!"
KASANE: "You did all that research on the Festival. You gave Rika a run for her money!"
SANA: "Eh?!"
RIKA: "I'd have to agree with that. But my research isn't solely based on school idols, remember?"
CHRISTINA: "It feels like a miracle to meet you! My old friend Kanata told me all about you, God bless you for saving the Nijigasaki School Idol Club!"
AKI: "Uh..."
Oh, that's right. Didn't Kanata transfer from Shinonome Academy?
MIZUKI: "Chris is right, you threw a real 3-pointer to save it. Now you're saving the School Idol Festival? That's a true slam dunk!"
Aren't those basketball terms or something? She's pretty tall.
COCO: "Hello! I'm Coco Miyashita, you know my cousin Ai, right?"
AKI: "Sure, Ai's a good friend of mine. It's nice to meet you."
Ai never told me she had a cousin?
COCO: "Oh, and this is my friend Yuri!"
AKI: "...?"
COCO: "Huh? Yuri? Wh-Where are you?"
YURI: *Sigh* "Don't worry, Coco, I'm here. Yuri Mido, call me whatever you like.
So Haruka, this meeting going ahead?"
HARUKA: "Not yet, they still haven't arrived."
AKI: "They?"
I find it hard to believe that the entire Shinonome Academy School Idol Club are here in front of me. I don't know what else Haruka has in store, because I was never expecting this.
FUU: "WOOOO! Looks like I'm the first one here! I told them I was the fastest! Nothing gets me more pumped up than a run like that!"
Suddenly the girl sitting on the table next to us stood up and pulled what looked like...a kendo sword?
*POKE*
FUU: "Wha?!"
TSURUGI: "Ha! No matter how fast you may run, you don't have the reflexes to match mine, Fuu!"
FUU: "No fair! I'm faster!"
TSURUGI: "Wanna settle it?!"
RYO: "Halt! A battle such as this is simply uncalled for on this stage. Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. End this conflict and focus on the task at hand!"
KOYUKI: "Ryo, you're so cool!"
RYO: "Wait, I was? Thank you, Yuki."
FUMI: "Um...Tsurugi? Fuu? Could you both please not fight, I'm trying to keep Gyoro hidden and you're scaring him."
SHUN: "I tell you, the amount of times Taro's gotten scared and bolted off is crazy! I should show you some calming techniques. Wait, I don't know if they work on chameleons."
YUUKA: "It's for the best not to broadcast what ya'll are hiding, don'tcha think? I tell ya we shouldn't make a crazy commotion like this!"
MISAKI: "Agreed, you hit the ball dead center there, Yuuka. I don't think Himeno will appreciate this."
HIMENO: "Appreciate what?"
MISAKI: "Oh, just the others playing around again."
HIMENO: *Sigh* "I see. And you must be Akihiko Suzuki, Chairman of the School Idol Festival Planning Committee."
AKI: "Y-You're Himeno Ayanokoji! You're the group from Touou Academy!"
HIMENO: *Giggle* "I'm happy that you know who we are."
AKI: "Actually, last Sunday I went to see one of your live shows. The kimono event. You're so talented, even as a solo act!"
HIMENO: "Thank you. But I could never reach the level that Karin is at."
AKI: "Huh? You're a fan of Karin?"
HIMENO: "N-No! I mean yes! I mean... F-Forget I said anything!"
MISAKI: "She always buys every magazine Karin is featured in. She's even the one who sent a letter wishing for a new Karin fan club."
HIMENO: "M-Misaki!"
AKI: "I could introduce you to her, if you'd like?"
HIMENO: "I-I don't think my heart could take it. I-I mean...you got my letter didn't you?"
AKI: "Sure did. Wait, you're the one who wrote this?"
HIMENO: "Yes. Thank you for your cooperation, Haruka."
HARUKA: "No problem, I'm always happy to help out a fellow leader!"
AKI: "Didn't you say the plans had changed?"
HARUKA: "They did. When I told the Shinonome girls that I was meeting up with you, they wanted to meet you."
HIMENO: "I'm afraid the same situation occured with the Touou members. I'm sorry if this is all too sudden."
AKI: "Not at all. I'm just curious as to why girls as talented as you, would want to meet someone like me."
HIMENO: "I'd like to explain why, but shall we all get settled down first?"
...
AKI: "Okay, now that we're at the table, we can discuss business."
HIMENO: "Yes, you see... The Touou Academy School Idol Club wish to perform at the School Idol Festival."
HARUKA: "We at Shinonome Academy wish to do the same."
AKI: "Permission granted."
HIMENO, HARUKA: "Huh?"
SANA: "That's it? Seriously?!"
TSURUGI: "I missed kendo practice for this?"
AKI: "Is there a problem?"
SANA, TSURUGI: "No..."
AKI: "Now then, I'd love to get to know you all better. So... How does a round of Café Manmaru's famous coffee sound?"
HIMENO: "That would be wonderful, thank you."
...
KANON: "Oh my, you weren't kidding. You're quite the busy producer!"
AKI: "I only manage the Nijigasaki girls, this is just business."
KANON: "But still, you should come by often, you've brought so many customers with you!"
AKI: *Laugh* "Sure, the coffee's good and so is the atmosphere. How can I resist?"
...
AKI: "I'm so glad I got to meet and talk to you all. You're all so unique and talented in your own ways! I'd love to see you all at the School Idol Festival."
HIMENO: "I believe we at Touou Academy have something to say to you."
HARUKA: "Not before Shinonome says it first!"
EVERYONE: "Thank you! We're counting on you to make our dreams come true!"
AKI: "Don't worry girls, I won't let you down!"
It's less of that I won't, but more of that I CAN'T let them down.
μ's, Aqours, A-RISE, Saint Snow, Liella!, Shinonome, Touou, my Nijigasaki girls and every school idol and fan in this nation...
Their hopes and dreams depend on me to make them a reality. They are trusting me with them in my hands.
And I would rather die than to crush all of them.
When I got talking to the girls of Shinonome and Touou, they told me that their main ambition as a group is to perform at the School Idol Festival.
If I can't find a venue for the School Idol Festival, then I would have failed them. Not just them but an entire nation of school idol fans.
This Festival is a MUST NOT FAIL situation. There is no room for failure, only success.
I will be the one to grant their wishes. To ignite the flaming torch of hope for the future of school and professional idols!
Tomorrow, we at Nijigasaki are going to take to the PA system and broadcast our voices. The voices that speak for the entire school idol world.
FAILURE. IS. NOT. AN. OPTION.