Many people believe that the time of high school was the most important moment of their lives, and I can see what they mean. Changing from kids to adults, pursuing dreams, discovering romance, all of these appear to be the main crux of a healthy teenage life.

That's what they say, anyway, and by they, I meant old people (high school graduates, obviously) who simply talked with their sight from rose-tinted glasses. And, if the above are what make a healthy life of an adolescent, you can declare me to be terminally ill.

I decided from enrolling into high school that all I mentioned above are all not for me. Having dreams is cool and all, but that was it. Only a dream, not real. I found that fantasising over something that is impossible to achieve is pointless. Of course, I'm not discrediting any great inventor inspired by their wild idea, but the thing is, making a dream come true takes time.

And I don't want to waste my time.

Same goes for romance. Sure, the idea of having someone to always be there for you no matter what (and to do… some things in private) sounds amazing, but again, this sort of thing takes time. Meeting said person, bonding together with her/him (your preference), and confessing your love to each other, these all sound like some fantasy romance, but wasn't that pretty the gist of making love? You meet, you snug, and you f- let's just stop there.

Anyway, that takes time. And I don't want to waste my time.

If someone read this, they would probably see me as lazy, ambition-less, or even hopeless, and I don't blame them. You can blame the Internet or even globalization for that… yes, seriously. For all its modernization and high-speed communication goodness, it didn't stop this one boy from discovering the awful truth of the world. And no, it wasn't war, famine, or even Global Warming. In one way, it was everything I told you, and in another way, it was nothing but the obvious.

The world is huge, and I was small.

That may sound obvious, yet it was a gradual but certain revelation for me. This came from the boy who used to feel like he was able to move the mountains with his voice or be a superhero who protects his loved ones. Now, however, I can say without a shred of doubt that I do not want to be any of those things, or any other troublesome prospective. Though I can't say I don't have a goal. I have one, a paltry one, but it still counts

I want to go through my high school with an easy and uneventful life.

And so I did, for a full whole year, and I'm proud of it. But, be it through some divine intervention, or even mere coincidence of strings of events, my instinct told me that my calming and peaceful teenage year had come to an end.

Right as my cousin stopped blaring through the speaker of my laptop.

At this moment, we were doing a video call with both of us separated literally halfway around the world, and it would seem that she was going to return home nearby (my uncle's home, to be exact), and continued her study in Tokyo. This was okay, until she spoke to me what she wanted her school to have. Losing any meaningful reply, I could only mutter the keyword of her long-winded speech…

"School idol…?"

Her Bob-styled hair swayed as she vigorously nodded. Her brown eyes stared directly at me, not taking refusal as an answer.

"Yep, that's right! It's the big thing in Japan right now! Girls are grouping together and sing, dance, and other idol stuff all while they are still in high school!"

That much was obvious from the name. Even so, it was the first time I heard such a thing was happening here.

She clicked her tongue and waved her index finger, "That's because you don't care about anything other than what you like. You gotta widen your view, you know, see the world!"

I already saw enough from the plastic screen of my computer, thank you very much. I countered her remark by saying, "Besides, it's not like you would join an idol group just as you are transferring, are you? It's not like you were any good at singing, much less dancing."

I could feel a vein popped on her head, and it was clear she was frustrated by her change of colour on her face, "But I can train! I can take dance lessons and even singing lessons so I can improve! And if I still couldn't…" as she trailed off, she looked down in deep thought, "…it just looks so fun. Every part of their movement, music, lyric, I was very moved by all of them, and that they are very much the same age as me makes it even more impressive. So even if I'm not good enough, I want to see it. I want to see how they could have that passion, I want to be near them, I want to help them! I want to have that feeling in my life!"

There was no way I could respond to that (not without it ending in a big fight, at least), so I scratched the back of my head and sighed.

"Fine, I'll take a look at nearby campus."

This maybe a half hearted reply, but it was enough to make her happy, as her face brightened and she cheerfully replied, "Really?! You're the best, Ichi-nii! Okay, once you know of any good school idol, come talk to me through video call like right now, okay? And don't talk about this with daddy, 'cuz I don't think he'll let me near any of this idol stuff. Alright then, see you soon, I'll wait for your reply! Bye-bye!"

Not waiting for any reply, she closed off the video call and my eyes were greeted with a survey to review the quality of the connection. I quickly closed it as I couldn't be bothered. I turned off my laptop and stared at the ceiling. This was bad, I completely have no knowledge of where to start. The first thing would be to check the most popular idol group, but that would need the laptop which I just closed. Curse me and my close mindedness. Then, I recalled an object that was idol-related. It was in my bag, so I quickly took my bag and took out said object. It was an amateurishly made flyer which I had just obtained this afternoon…

"Please watch our live show!"

It was a sudden combo of approach and declaration, with an upbeat manner any door-to-door salesman would vie to have. My stroll came to a sudden halt. She lent one hand forward, holding a paper of sort. I took a glance, and guessed that it was not advertisement for the shops in Akihabara. Just like the girl said, it was to promote a concert, one that would be held in a school called Otonokizaka. I ought to refuse was my intent, but that train of thought came to a sudden halt as I caught a glimpse of the girl.

She had ginger hair, with a small bundle tied as a ponytail on the side. Her spirit and energy was clearly reflected in her blue eyes which definitely made me stumble ever so slightly. Our eyes locked toward each other only for a moment, yet it felt like an eternity. In that instant, my body felt a sensation (maybe more of an instinct to danger) comparable to when my sister asked me a request (usually very odd or even downright weird). What came from my mouth after that was completely out of habit to avert trouble.

"Y-yeah… sure," I stuttered and took the A4 pamphlet and looked in greater detail. I noticed the date and time written on it. It was tomorrow.

"We're holding the concert after school, so if you have any time, feel free to take a watch!" The sudden speech from the cheery girl snapped me out of my pondering, her smile plastered on her face. Holding a concert? Seriously? You and what army? From the amateur flyer to her happy-go-lucky attitude, it felt like something she decided on a whim.

I was about to open my mouth launching a barrage of question, until another girl approached the ginger girl while rather distressed. She wore the same uniform and she held a stack of paper in one hand. Must be from the same group, then. I noted that her hair was ash-brown-like coloured and longer than her friend.

That girl chirped, "H-Honoka-chan, this is bad! Umi-chan, she's…!" she then turned to a direction, and the other girl (and me) followed the line of sight where I saw another girl. Her back was turned against us so I couldn't get a clear look of her face, but her hair was flowing black, not styled in anyway. She was very much in contrast to the busy and crowded street, slumping in one front corner of some shop, completely focused on some capsule machine. "Ah, look, a rare one…"her dispirited voice mumbled as she opened a capsule. Again, I noticed a stack of paper was held in this girl's hand. Don't tell me this one had stage fright? And you're going to do a concert with these members?

"Uwah, Umi-chan!" With that, the ginger-haired girl rushed to her friend to help her of the disease known as facing-the-crowd, ignoring my weak interjection (just a weak "o,oi", mind you). She seemed to notice, however, as she turned back and facing me once again, widely smiling.

"I'm Honoka, Kousaka Honoka! If you come during our live, just ask my name and I'm sure someone will take you to the place. Well then, see ya later!" She said, and then continued her stride to her friends.

That was unexpected. I never asked for her name. And she acted as if I was actually going to come. More questions swirled in my head instead; though it was unlikely that it would be answered (they were helping their nervous pal, after all). I folded the piece of paper and walked onward, ignoring the three girls' antics. After a few hours, those simply became distant memories; another part of irregularity of my uneventful high school life….

And that led us back here, inside my small yet vacant bedroom. I considered the possibility of this being some elaborate prank. The thoughts became less likely the more I remember that Kousaka girl and her radiance. Doesn't seem like the type who would give up that easily. Then again, did Otonokizaka ever have an idol group in the first place? I mustered my mental strength and tried to remember all I know about the school.

Otonokizaka was an all-girls high school located between three districts. It has a very traditional root with a history that spanned centuries. I knew this much because my mother wouldn't stop gushing about her high school and how many wonderful friends she had made while studying there. From the alumni and my own observation, it seemed to be a good school with a not-bad grade and a great place to make friends and be personal. Doesn't stop the school from getting closed in three years, though, due to the lack of applicants. Hmm, did this forming of idol group have any to connection to the school closing down?

My thought was cut off by my loud yawn. I saw my clock, right above the door to the living room, and realised that it went past 10 already. Damn you time difference. There were no laundries and all plates were cleaned, so all I need to do was some well-earned z's. Before that, though, I needed to make a short contact with someone from Otonoki (shortened from Otonokizaka), so I picked up my cellphone and messaged her. In about 5 minutes, my phone rang with her reply. It seemed she was just about awake, asking me what I needed. I asked her about the group I met on the street, and about school idol in Otonoki. She told me that this will be a long topic, so we agreed that we will discuss this on tomorrow morning, at which we will walk together to our respective school together.

And thus, morning came, and the light pierced through the small gap between the bedroom curtains. I was greeted by the bright radiation, marking the start of my day.

After a quick breakfast of rice and boiled egg and a quick shower, I got out of my humble and generic flat and locked the door. With no care (or respect), I loudly yawned, my mouth gaping wide. This was not gone unnoticed, as I heard a playful tutting directed to me from the side. Without even looking, I could sense who was making that noise.

I turned and saw that she had a light-hearted smile and gentle eyes. She really did give a mature expression at times, despite being only a year older than me. The girl said, "It's not good to yawn in the morning, y'know~? Ya get sleepy the rest of the day~."

Fine by me, that would just mean I won't waste as much energy today, I told her. She shook her head and gave me a look, one that was comparable to a mother watching how childish her son can be. Then she lightly sighed, and I grunted in response. This was a normal greeting for us. It became like a ritual we would do should we cross path as we departed to our schools. As we walked side-by-side down the stairs, I figured I should give a proper greeting. You know, for courtesy.

"Morning, Toujou."

…

…

…

Okay, this was awkward. There was no response. At all. Not a reply, an "mm-hm", or even a nod. This continued until we reached ground level. By the time we reached it, I already realised the reason to her lack of response. I mentally hammered this even to my brain as a reminder. I swallowed my gut and redid my greeting.

"Good morning, Nozomi."

Then she turned to me and said, "Good morning', Ichijo-kun".

I suddenly shivered as she said my name. That was my first name, not Yuuya, my family name. Been a while since a (Japanese) girl actually called me by my given name. I think it was already six to seven years since then? That was quite the cold shoulder she gave me, I pointed out.

"That's because you're so stiff. We're not from the same school so the senior and junior honorific don't count. I'm just thinking as fellow students who live off on their own, we should get along better as neighbour."

I was sure there was a certain boundary a good neighbour would not pass, and you just broke that boundary by a few layers. But, as we already had acquainted for a year, this may simply be a natural progression

The relationship between me and Nozomi can be described, in a few words, like birds of a feather. She had stayed in her flat a year (or more) earlier than me, and in more ways than one, she helped me on how to manage a home. I, in turn, gave her some of my cooking whenever I made too much. A few time that happened, she took the liberty of making it a chance for us to talk, sometime with her friends. Mostly mundane stuff, though. So, yeah, I was indebted to her.

She was the first friend I made outside of school and family from the start of my normal and independent high school life.

Anyway, enough about that, time to get back on track. As we strolled to the nearest bus stop, I recounted our night discussion and went to the main point: Otonokizaka's new and sudden school idol. I handed out the flyer from yesterday to her.

As she skimmed through the flyer, I explained how I obtained the flyer, including the explosive encounter with the Kousaka chick. She hummed in understanding, "So, you are talking about μ's."

…Muse? Was that the name of their group, I asked, answered by her nod. They named their group after a brand of soap?

"Well, the name was decided on a popular vote… and there was only one vote, so~…."

I thought my heart skipped a beat there, "Not much interest in the student body, huh?"

Nozomi poked her chin, "Hmm, I wonder~. It is a new thing in our school. Maybe they just don't know how to approach it without being embarrassed."

That, I could get. Nobody would want to perform only to end up getting jeered and booed on. They'd be seen as idiots. Will those three actually perform on stage? What about the song? The dance? Choreography? I listed these things to my friendly neighbour in no particular order, not expecting an answer.

But lo and behold, she was neither looking confused nor lost. In fact, I could sense a bit of spirit beneath her whimsical attitude, "Ah, don't worry, μ's will perform, they even book the auditorium ahead of time just for this day…," How could you possibly know - oh wait, you are the student council vice-president there, " …They practiced in front of the shrine, and even the rooftop every after school. Don't worry about the song, too, because a nice first-year student composed a song for them to sing."

That was awfully detailed, I remarked. She merely laughed as a response.

"Teehee~, it is part of my job to watch over Otonokizaka's student. 'Sides, it's not like you to be interested in things like idols. Don't tell me… you have a crush on one of μ's? A love at first sight?" She grinned, then winked and added, "Just kidding."

Don't joke about stuff like that, I warned her. She'd jinx me. By now, we had reached a bus stop and waited for one to arrive. I was about to explain my predicament, but I saw her attention was fixed elsewhere. It was the road further ahead, and I saw a girl who wore the same uniform as Nozomi. Though not as well endowed, she had the charm of a beautiful foreigner due to her tall posture, blonde ponytail and blue eyes.

Nozomi waved to the girl and said, "Mornin', Eli-chi."

'Eli-chi' kept a cool expression and replied, "Good morning, Nozomi… ," she then faced me and nodded, " …you too, Yuuya-kun."

"Ayase."

That summed up the whole relationship between me and Ayase Eli. We may have known each other for more than half a year, but our conversation never lasted for more than a few minutes. I was alright with it, though, and she seemed to understand, as well. It was an unspoken agreement between two people of which we would mind our own business, no interference from one another. I don't think I would ever speak to her if Nozomi weren't here.

With a composed manner, Ayase spoke to Nozomi, "So, you didn't call me to meet you now on accident, did you? Yuuya-kun is here, so I suppose this involves him, right?"

"Sorta~," Nozomi answered whimsically, "He's interested in μ's."

If someone were to invent a device to piss people off, μ's would be the key to that invention for Ayase. Her icy-blue eyes turned into a sharp glare, like a bear who just found the one that trespasses its territory, and said glare was directed toward me, "In Muse? Is that true?"

I held a stern expression, not counting my lazy eyes. I faced her; our eyes underwent a staring match, "Uh, yeah. Aren't they part of the school club?"

"No, they're not," Ayase boldly responded, "Otonokizaka does have an Idol Research club, but μ's is not part of it. It is merely a group made out of impulse as a reaction to the school closing."

Her tone, though stern, also made it clear to me that μ's was more than an annoyance to the student council president. I felt the hostility was a bit excessive, making me slightly irritated in effect. The only counter argument I could think on the spot was either a snide remark or rude, which will not ease the tension between us. Really, the tension between us was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

What broke our standoff, thankfully, was not a butcher's knife. It was a well-placed statement from Nozomi, "Hey, there's the bus," was the remark, and so us high school students prepared ourselves on riding the bus.

As the bus went closer, in a lighter tone, Ayase said, "Still, I never pegged you for someone with an interest in idols. What sort of wind causes your change?"

"I know, right? It really came out of nowhere," Nozomi interjected.

It was neither virus nor diseases that affected me, so no need to worry biologically-wise. The bus had opened by now, so I told them I'd explain along the route. The two girls went first, so I entered last, thinking the shortest and quickest way to explain my newfound trouble.

"He~eh, is that so? Sounds tough"

"Yes, your sister put out an outlandish request."

Correction, she was my cousin, I chastised. Such were the comments made by each girl who were now sat behind me. I'd agree with Ayase, but I must do it, lest I be on the receiving end of endless nagging or worse.

I rested my head on the cold seat, staring at the metal surface of our transportation, at which I let out a drawn-out breath. Nozomi was right, I really should stop sighing in succession, I felt tired already. "So, yeah, I really need to find a school with idols pronto. Feel free to give any better suggestion."

Ayase quickly responded, "What about your own school? Don't they have their own school idol?"

It wasn't like I hadn't thought of it, I countered. Besides, it would be best if I kept her option as wide as possible. Thinking of her grades, I concluded that it will be hard for her to enroll in the same school as me, I explained.

"I see. Even so, i can't recommend you to see this "μ's" live performance. Not only are they not an official club, there is one small problem for you if you'd like to watch."

"Oh, and what would that be?" It was a rhetorical question, as I had expected the answer.

"Otonokizaka is an all-girls school…and you are a boy," tch, just like I thought.

"But won't it be held after school?"

"Uh-huh, at about 4 o'clock," Nozomi suddenly cut in on our argument. Ayase badly reacted, as she became flustered, "Wh-Nozomi! You don't need to tell him that!"

"It's true, though, isn't it?" Nozomi nonchalantly replied. The way this girl just butts in while putting in information was something to be admired… or feared. I glanced at the window and realised why she interrupted at that timing.

I faced forward, stood up and said, "Oh, this seems to be my stop." The bus stopped after a few seconds, and after Nozomi handed back the flyer I gave her, I thanked both girls for their cooperation and waved one hand with only the index and middle finger raised. As I was stepping down, I peeked at the two girls and saw Ayase rubbing her temple. Nozomi might be a good friend, but she was one that could pull the switch on any person. Don't give up, Student Council President of Otonokizaka! Your school needed you more than ever!

You decide whether my comment above was sarcastic or not, I had other problems I needed to solve. Okay, what would I need to do to not be getting the stares from the students when I arrive? Better yet, what do I need to wear to hide which school I came from? The questions popped in my head as I strolled towards my bastion of study. At a slow pace, of course.

If one were to look out the window of the bus, the figure of a boy gradually became smaller. His hair was unkempt, and he wore a jacket that covered the rest of his clothing you wouldn't know which school he was enrolled in. One would also notice the huge bag on his back which made one wonder just what he put inside it. His name was Yuuya Ichijo, and he was on his way to school.

Such was information was unimportant for Ayase Eli, however, as she had more urgent matter to deal with, while her friend simply enjoyed the morning. The blonde-girl dug her temple as if to push out any useful idea to complete her task: To save her school, at which her grandmother also enrolled, from certain closure. Her friend, Nozomi, happily hummed a tune. Being a student council president was hard enough already, preventing the school at which the student council resided from shutting down was even worse. Now, she had a boy from another school who would come to watch a suddenly-made "school idol" which was not an official club. Said boy would no doubt attract attention, especially considering the school he came from. Eli knew Ichijo wouldn't care. She was certain he was the type of person who would barge a room with a straight poker-face.

Coming up with no solution, Eli concluded there was only one thing she could do right now: to glare and scold the cause of this all.

She crossed her arm and glared at Nozomi, "Why would you say that, Nozomi?! Now what would happen if he were to bring any friends?" She scolded in an aggressive yet calm tone.

"Oh, and what friends would he bring?" Nozomi retorted. Even with only a few seconds of thinking, Eli knew the answer; he'd bring none of them. For all the time she knew the boy, he had never been with any sort of schoolmates. What happened at school should be kept in school, was how he explained it to Nozomi. Eli just thought he was a loner.

Not that that was a good thing for her. "Even if Yuuya-kun came alone, all eyes will definitely be on him. And if the wrong teacher approaches him…,"

"Eli-chi will be there to bail him out, right?" Nozomi finished Eli's words.

"What am I, a free pass?" Eli's expression became sour.

Nozomi giggled, "Now, now, no need to worry about Ichijo-kun. I'll take him to the auditorium as inconspicuous as possible, so rest easy."

Knowing this was a futile battle, Eli turned to the bus window, and her hand supported her head, staring at the moving scenery. She then remarked, "Still, why go this far for that guy? I know that he is your neighbour, but this is a bit past normal pleasantries, don't you think?"

"Hmm~, how to put it… Ah, it's probably because he is spiritually interesting."

"Interesting… spiritually?" Eli muttered. Her friend always had a penchant for the supernatural (she part-timed as a shrine maiden, after all) so this revelation meant that Yuuya Ichijo was someone Nozomi was interested in… in a platonic sort, of course.

"What I mean is that his fortune is always very interesting," Nozomi explained as she reached her blazer pocket and picked out a tarot card. She looked at the ornately decorated card and let out an impish grin, "Even now… ". Nozomi showed the card to Eli, and were it not for her knowledge of her friend's quirks; her complexion would be even paler than what she had now.

The card's front picture was that of a human skull. The roman number XIII was engraved on the bottom. A word, written in a beautiful Latin alphabet and perfect English, was placed above the number. Any normal person would know the connotation of any person associated with the word, Eli included. The written word was…

Death

Nozomi put the card back to her pocket, "Well, you don't need to worry about the word, though; it's unlikely that he will kill anyone, or anything for that matter. Also, these cards are just to show a concept of life. They are neither good nor bad, as it all depends on how you think it."

"Then what does that…card thing represents?" Eli stuttered. This conversation had gone a sudden swerve, she thought, and all she wanted right now was reassurance from her green-eyed friend.

Nozomi saw ahead, and then stood up. It took a while before Eli realised that their stop was nearby, so she followed suit. Then, just as they got out of the bus, Nozomi faced Eli with a smile. It was a smile akin to an assured mother, knowing that her child will be safe from any harm. She answered with one word,

"Change"

As the school bell rang, I made sure I had no other plans, and with a quick goodbye to my classmates, I headed to Otonokizaka.

I reached there on foot which took about 20 minutes. I stepped in front of the school gate and did a quick overview. What a pleasant looking school, it was built mostly by brick tiles on its exterior, with a pleasant brown/red colour painted over. A symbol was placed on the upper part of the building, presumably the school's symbol. It really gave a homely feel and a traditional school atmosphere. I would definitely consider my average-grade cousin to enroll here.

But, that would only happen if there was any school idol here. So watching this performance of μ's was a must.

Leaning on the side of the school gate was Nozomi, her bag slung on her shoulder. She looked at me and said while giving a quick wink, "Wow, you actually came. I thought you were cooped up inside your house."

I admitted I enjoyed my stroll a bit much, I replied. It was almost four, shouldn't we go already?

Nozomi nodded, "Uh-huh. Come on, I'll take ya to the auditorium."

With that, I was guided by Nozomi to the auditorium. Each time we stepped deeper into the school, most of the eyes from the local girls were set on me. That's right, this was an all-girls high school, so the presence of a male teenager inside campus might be a foreign concept to them. Even the teachers started on me, though they seemed to relent as they see Nozomi. Must've trusted her enough to keep an average teenage boy from causing ruckus. A girl's only school really did give a different aura. A fearsome aura, I might add.

After the arduous journey, we reached the auditorium. Oddly enough, when we reached the audience door, Nozomi stopped and stood near a wall.

"You're not going to join?"

"Nah, think I'll sit this out," Nozomi answered while raising her head. The quick chat stopped my track, giving me a short time to think. It gave me a grim premonition.

The door to the stage was open, yet it was as quiet as a meadow during the night. You'd think a live show would have a more lively audience. There was three possibilities I could think of: one, the concert was running early, which would be stupid, because that is unprofessional, if they really wanted to emulate being an idol. Two, it really was an elaborate prank set up by that "μ's" chicks. Three…

There were no audience present to watch the live. And with no audience to spectate, what was the point of performing in the first place?

"Of course this would happen! The world isn't that simple!" A voice cried out. I instantly recognized that energetic voice. It was that Kousaka girl's voice, in a more pained and anguished tone, very much unlike how I heard her yesterday. It was an obvious statement, yet many people seemed to forget, though in their case, it was probably comparable to the worst case scenario. However, seeing it ended like this, there was only one sentence I could think.

What a waste.

As it rang inside me, I felt as if my gut was twisted with a knife.

It was all for nothing

Now I felt as if my stomach was turned upside down.

They even book in advance… they practiced… every after school, what Nozomi said in the morning was replayed in my mind. That only made my stomach and head to turn. By now, it was no longer about finding a good school for my sister, it was about honoring those whose efforts were about to be in vain.

As I said before, I don't want to waste my time. But if people had put all of their effort in one time, it was painful to see all of their efforts were for nothing. I could never leave that kind of people alone, especially if they were the honest sorts. And in all my short and inexperienced life, μ's were the only group I recognised to have put an honest effort.

I wanted to help them.

I wanted to save them.

And as I was about to step in…

I was almost run over.

It was by a random student. She wore a relatively big pair of glasses and had a short hair. She stood by the auditorium door, left completely out of breath. Please don't waste your youthful energy by running down the hallway, the not-live won't go anywhere, and you almost give this poor boy an early heart attack. I could hear Nozomi held back a chuckle; I must've looked so bad.

"Hanayo-chan…," I heard Kousaka's voice murmured. Must be the glasses girl's name, then. 'Hanayo' stumbled inside and mumbled, "Huh? The concert, what happened to it?" And some more puzzled word. Kousaka, after seeing Hanayo's entrance, changed her expression from surprise to gratitude. But, then, as she saw a figure, her eyes decided to widen in disbelief.

"Eh? You are…," she mumbled.

"Ah, that person," her friend on her right, the sandy brown haired girl, added.

"That person?" 'Umi-chan' questioned.

"Who is that guy?" "I don't know." "Beats me," was the exchange between another three girls.

Lastly, Hanayo turned to the center of attention and was startled, "Ah! Wh–-who are you?!"

Yeah… that was me.

Crap, never thought I would attract this much attention. I guessed wrong, thinking that entering as normal and unnoticeable as possible would be good. Then again, the door was pretty much at a height and opposite to the stage, so if a person on the stage was focusing on the entrance, she'd immediately notice. My backup plan failed, as well, as my guide was still standing near the door outside. Damn you, Nozomi, bailing out on me like this.

On a side note, μ's sure were looking good. Each member wore a sleeveless one-piece dress with a short skirt. Their legs were covered by high knee socks, revealing some skin between the legs and hip. Each respective performer were given a specific colour theme: Kousaka was red, 'Umi-chan' was blue, and their friend was green.

More importantly, I needed to fuse off the awkward scene. I picked out the flyer from my pocket and held it between two fingers. I showed it to μ's.

"I came here to see a performance. Don't tell me it's over already?"

Kousaka, who stood between her friends, changed her expression from confusion again to a determined smile, as if getting a revelation.

She stepped forward and declared, "Let's do it!"

"Eh?"

"Let's sing as loud as we can!"

"Honoka… ."

"That's why we've worked so hard until today!"

Hearing Kousaka's determination, the other two members were moved as well.

"Let's sing," Hono- no, Kousaka decided.

"Honoka-chan…Umi-chan…."

Nothing more needed to be said. μ's were ready to perform. The members were preparing for their position, and I, ignoring some of the stares, sat on the middle chair, arms crossed. Too mesmerised for a live show, however, Hanayo stood instead. Try not to burn yourself too much, there. That went for both μ's and you.

As the opening tune played out, the girls started their movement. Then the other instrument began as the girls began to sing.

I was completely floored.

I had expected them to be mellower in both singing and dancing from the intro, so the change to pop-style really threw me overboard. My knowledge of popular song and music were limited, for sure, but I knew their song was original. That nice first-year got good talent, I have to say.

Their lyric was completely uplifting in nature. What a sugar-coated lyric, almost tasting like saccharine, I thought. But even so, it was odd.

I didn't know what to feel.

On one hand, their choreography was alright. Together, they may look great, but hand-picked one by one, their dance movement felt dull and amateurish. They only used their hands at some parts! It felt a bit disjointed, to say the least. On the other hand, their singing was terrific. Their tone and intonation were well done, and though some my feel stage fright before, you certainly wouldn't see it on stage. Their individual voices may have their own characteristics, when they sang together, it was sublime. Far better than I had imagined.

But that wasn't it. No, what carried me through the performance was not just the singing and the music. It was something much more basic.

Their spirit

Of all the time I went to see a live show (pros or not), there was always that slight difference between people who did it for the money and the people who did it because they like it. μ's were definitely the latter. After hearing their hard work from Nozomi, it definitely showed in this performance. They were serious.

But passion isn't enough, there needs to be actual talent to back it up. μ's definitely had that covered, as well, potential-wise.

It was these qualities that made me applaud when their performance ends. The audience seemed to agree as well, as the scarcely filled auditorium was echoing the applause from the spectator.

Despite the amount of people filling the auditorium was scarce, the applause from the spectators were enough to fill the room. Although she could barely catch her breath after the performance, a wide smile gradually formed on Honoka's face. They did it! Their debut! She really didn't know what to do after seeing the empty auditorium, but with the surprising entrance of Hanayo-chan—and the mysterious schoolboy—she finally gained the courage to step forward, to show the results of their one month of practice. Together with her childhood friends, Kousaka Honoka couldn't be more satisfied and happier. She even noticed that more people had come during mid-performance. Maki-chan was on the very back of auditorium, and the short, orange haired first-year was present too. She was beside Hanayo this time, as well, so they must be close friends.

The clapping died down as a figure stepped down from the audience seat. She had traits of a foreigner, with her blonde ponytail and blue eyes. She was the student council president of Otonokizaka, and she had been disapproving of μ's' activity from the start.

With an expression of apathy, she spoke, "What are you going to do?"

Even Honoka could see where this was going, "We'll keep going."

"Honoka… ," muttered Umi.

"Why? I don't see any reason to continue," the president rebutted as she glanced around the near-empty auditorium.

Without delay, Honoka replied, "Because I want to! I want to sing and dance even more! I'm sure Kotori-chan and Umi-chan feel the same way." Honoka looked at both her childhood friends. They nodded. Honoka continued, "I never felt this way before. I am really glad that I did this! I want to trust these feelings! It's possible no one will look our way. We may not receive any support. But I still want to work hard and give people what we can. I want to share with them what I feel now!"

Then, she clenched her fist in front of her chest and declared, "Someday, we'll fill this auditorium!"

It was a statement from the bottom of her heart. She felt no regret. Even after her "astounding" performance, she would not stop from being a school idol–-from being a part of μ's. She took the president's stern expression, and saw the others. Their expression was a mixture of amazement, surprise, or even perplexion, yet one stood out. It was the black-haired boy. Honoka remembered to have met him yesterday, as she had have given him the flyer he showed before (it was the only one she could hand out before Umi-chan's…breakdown, after all). Honoka was sure he was the one to give the first applause, but right now, his face was not of joy or surprise. It was… grimace?

What a boastful statement, I mentally remarked. This suddenly felt like in a sports manga, but replace hot-blooded boys with cutesy school idols instead. Ayase's expression clearly showed disapproval like a father who figured out his son wouldn't follow in his footsteps. Even I could feel her frustration, yet she kept her cool, befitting a top authority figure.

She turned away from Kousaka and spoke, "Do as you like, μ's is still unofficially sanctioned, so I have no power of authority in that respect. Just don't forget to clean up the auditorium once you're finished. I'll check."

Kousaka stood straight and replied, "Understood." No display of hard feelings, I was impressed. Then again, Ayase was still a senior, so a simple politeness was common sense.

The president then walked towards me and coldly instructed (in my point of view, anyway), "Please follow me. I'll guide you out."

That was unexpectedly formal. Must she need to keep her image? I had no choice but to comply, "Ah, thanks."

As I followed Ayase outside, I noticed another student leaning back on the edge of the auditorium. She had a flowing shoulder-length red hair and looked rather gracious. We exchanged views in an instant and she quickly flustered. I noted her as the shy type. Then again, that shouldn't come off as a surprise, a male student entering an all-girl was a rarity already, and much less said boy looked at you curiously. I could feel the stares from other girls, as well. This felt way heavier than I thought.

"Wait!" Kousaka's voice called just before I was out. I immediately stopped and waited. What came after was anticipated, yet still touching.

"Thank you very much!"

It was the loudest and earnest gratitude I ever heard for me in my life. Just by watching a show. She must have had the purest smile as she said that. The biggest I would have seen, if I dared to look. People like her (and my cousin) were that type of person; they always put their emotion on their sleeves for everyone to see. I mustn't look. You're just too bright, dammit.

I stared at the ceiling and lightly exhaled. I spoke, the echo carried my voice, "Many people always say they are going to do it, but in the end, they are all just talk. Don't be one of them. It won't be smooth sailing, you should know. But… don't you go back on your word."

With that, I made my exit; Ayase stared before she continued leading me outside the building. I realised Nozomi was not in her previous spot, prolly went home already. She really did bail on me. Once we were in the schoolyard…

"Why do you have to say that?" Was the question from Ayase. I blurted it without much thought, I admit. Figured she wouldn't be too pleased about that.

"What? It's just some words of encouragement, nothing big."

"An unneeded one at that. They shouldn't put their hopes too much after that appalling result. They wouldn't attract anyone after… Hey, listen!"

By that point, I had ignored her and saw rather elusive creatures. There were two of them, each had fur covering their whole body. Both stood on four legs and had a long neck like llamas. One's fur was a pure white while the other was brown. The white one looked pleasant while the brown one looked rough and tough. Of course, for safety, both animals were put inside a wooden cage.

"Ooh, llamas…," I mumbled in awe as I stepped closer.

Ayase exasperatedly said, "Don't just wander around. And no, they're not llama, they're alpacas… I think–-wait, stop changing the subject!"

I sighed and continued following Ayase, "Why not put a lid on it for now?"

"Why not–what?"

At least she became a bit looser, "I mean just see where they are going with this for now. They made the club. They practiced. They performed. That all happened. No point fretting about it now."

As I finished speaking, we had reached outside the gate, meandering near the zebra cross. The sun let out a bright orange hue, signalling the start of the day's end. Ayase's expression changed from irritation to solemn, her eyes cast upon the white stripes on the crossing spot, "True, but it's not just that. Like Nozomi said, it's not like you to be interested in things like this. And I know it's not for your sister, if it were, you'd probably only put half the effort. So, why?"

Not sister, c-o-u-s-i-n. Still, sharp and quick, as expected of Ms. Elichika.

I pondered over the question and gave a straight answer, "It's not often you see that kind of person."

"Huh?"

"You know, like Kousaka. Very straightforward, facing her problems head on and completely honest with herself and other people. I might come here on a whim, but that was what I felt after watching her–their–performance. Kousaka is a rare breed, and I don't want people like her to extinct."

"Yuuya, you…"

I shrugged, "Whether they succeed or not is up to them, though."

"And you'll help them?"

Now this felt more like an officer interrogating a captive for secret info of the enemy.

"…Who knows? I do know one thing I should do, though."

"Oh, what is it, then?"

The traffic light turned green, and I made my way across. What I said right now was the ending to our conversation and the start of a new and unknown story of which I was not aware at that time. And which I would be a part of.

"I gotta tell my cousin about μ's."

Author's Note: Phew, first chapter was finally published and there was a glaring error on the first try (those who read the first version should know what it is), it was rectified this time, though, so no worries. Other than that, this note is not only an apology piece, it is also a chance to show the data of my OC, Yuuya Ichijo. You can see this profile in my profile if you want, or you can always refer back to this chapter if you need to review it. Reviews are appreciated, of course, although I do intend to see this fic through to the end... at the very least until the first season.

Yuuya Ichijo

A boy whose only wish was to go through his high school life as normal and uneventful as possible. Due to his cousin's demand and a chance meeting with Kousaka Honoka, however, he would experience a year of which he could only describe as "the most exhausting, tiring, and handful year of his life". For some reason, has a tendency to call strawberry by its English words, not Japanese.

Age: 17

Birthday: February 13 (Valentine's eve, imagine that).

Blood type: AB

Height: 171 cm

Weight: 70 kg

Three Sizes: ...wait what?

Favourite Food: Curry

Least Favourite Food: Strawberry (just the name, not the fruit itself), Liver.

Voiced by: ? (How'd you know from writing, anyway?)