A PoT fic by Maria
Rating: PG Genre: Fluff, friendship.
Pairing/Characters: Tomoka Osakada, Sakuno Ryuuzaki, Ryoma Echizen, Satoshi Horio, Karupin.
Short Summary/Comments: Tomoka is the one who always cheers for her friends. Now, she's the one in need of cheering.
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"Tomo-chan".
"Uh?".
"Your dress' bow is loose, Tomo-chan. Let me fix it for you...".
"Thank you...", Tomoka murmured as Sakuno got up from her chair and adjusted the silk bow that adorned her pretty blue dress. The two 15-year-old girls, along with Sakuno's boyfriend Ryoma, their common friend Horio and Ryoma's cat Karupin (comfortably placed on Ryoma's lap), were in a waiting room of a TV studio, where Tomoka was waiting for a very special moment...
"Osakada", Ryoma said dryly when his girlfriend sat back down, next to his seat, "stop walking around and sit down. Not only that's why the bows on your dress are maladjusted, Karupin will get dizzy".
"B-but Ryoma-sama, I'm so nervous!", and the usually self-assured Tomoka covered her face with her hands over-dramatically. "I'm the next one in line, and I will have to dance and sing in front of all of those famous music people!".
"You've practiced a lot, Tomo-chan", Sakuno gently told her. "You do have good dancing rhythm and a pretty singing voice...".
"And you can scream and jump with all of your energy while cheering...".
"Horio-kun!", and Sakuno angrily stared at her friend.
"But it's true", Ryoma said, rolling his eyes. Karupin looked up at both his owner and Horio and meowed softly, like lecturing both boys.
"... Sorry".
Tomoka murmured a 'Don't worry' sort-of phrase and smiled. But soon, her nervousness was back and the smile was gone. "Oh... I'm scared... I'm used to cheer for Seigaku and Ryoma-sama, but I'm less experienced in performing, never been in an audition, and never thought it'd be like this...".
Karupin mewed again, now very sweetly, its blue eyes fixed on the girl. Ryoma scratched behind his ears and smirked at his girlfriend's best friend.
"You see, Osakada?", he said. "Even Karupin trusts you".
Tomoka closed her eyes for some seconds, then opened them and looked at her friends. Sakuno had her hands crossed on her lap, and was smiling. Karupin looked at her, his tail swinging lightly. Horio had his arms crossed in front of his chest, grinning. And Ryoma... well, he was there, even when he hated all of this stereotypically girly stuff, and that was more than something.
"They wouldn't be here... if they didn't... trust me", she thought. But right then, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Tomoka turned and saw a young woman in her twenties, obviously an employee of the TV station.
"Miss Osakada?", she asked. "Your turn. Your friends must wait here until you're done; it'll be only you and the people in charge...".
"Okay".
It took her many days to get permission from her parents, who even offered to take care of the twins the whole day. Unlike other girls, she had almost zero experience at singing or acting. And yet, she was there...
"I always give my best while cheering...", Tomoka thought. "So it's now, or never!".
With a last smile, Tomoka decided to try, and after saying good-bye to the other kids and Karupin she followed the older woman into the audition room.
As the door closed behind her, she breathed in deeply, and extended her hand in a dramatic pose, staring at the judges.
Her last thought before starting her performance was: "Let's go, future super star!".
