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It was December. After the area finals, us μ's members met A-RISE during the New Year Homage.

After encouraging each other, we're about to enter the grand finals.

At that time, something extremely shocking happened, leaving me completely lost in disbelief.
Even now, I couldn't be sure if that was just a horrible nightmare, or something that truly happened.
Because it was so realistic.
Oh.
Sorry, due to my shock, I forgot to make things clear.
My name is Nishikino Maki, one of μ's member.
What I'm about to tell you, is what happened after the New Year Homage, the "disaster" I've encountered.
Maybe you won't believe me. Maybe it was just a dream.
But that dream sure made me cried a lot.
And it also inspired me to compose more...
Let's just say, it's like Alice's Wonderland.

We returned to school first thing after vacation.
Defeating A-RISE in the area finals contributed our fame. Students from other schools would come see us specially.
Among them were junior high kids, and even celebrity scouts.
"Hi. Um...are you Nishikino senpai?"
"Huh?"
I stared at the three junior high kids in front of me, unable to react.
"Oh, um, we watched μ's competition..."
"Ah, is that so? Thanks."
I mumbled a reply. One of the girls took a cardboard from her backpack.
That's a signing board, right?
"Can...Can you please sign for me?"
Her face blushed as she asked out loud, handing both the board and a pen to me.
What the heck is going on?

Totally don't get it.

Is it me? Did she want me to sign?
Pointing at myself, I saw the girl nodded furiously with an anticipating expression. I took over the signing board.
Maybe I'll just sign it casually?
No, wait. What if I become REALLY famous in the future? This casually signed board is gonna be something embarrassed to look back on.
But what should I do? I haven't practiced signing at all...
Anyways, I signed the board in my own way.
"Thank you! Nishikino senpai!"
"Ah, um, not at all."
"Senpai, you look kinda cold, but you're unexpectedly nice!"
"Yeah!"
"Um, we're planning to go to Otonokizaka High School this year, can senpai pray for our enrolling exam?"
"Pretty please?"
Hey, don't treat me as a goddess or something!
"Uh, you should probably start with studying hard..."
"Okay!"
The three girls ran away cheerfully.

Totally don't get it.

"Ma~Ki~chan!"
As I stood frozen, someone hugged me hardly from behind.
"Wait-stop, Rin!"
"Maki, you're so cool! I can't believe someone asked you to sign for them Nya!"
Being wrapped by Rin, I looked around, hoping that someone could help me out.
A girl with glasses jogged to us slowly.
"Rin-Chan...you ran too fast!"
"Kayo-chin! Someone asked Maki-chan to sign for them! It's so cool Nya!"
Rin said as she stick herself to me.
"Wow, really? Maki-chan, you're great!"
Behind her glasses, Hanayo's eyes widened with astonishment as her expression turned to awe.

"Whatever! Let me go, Rin~!"
I frantically tried to escape Rin's clutch, and tried to walk forward.
Well, if someone asked me, "Do you hated this kind of physical contact or not?" I would say-
Not at all.
But definitely not in public space!
"Humph-humph, Maki, are you shy?"
I looked to my left. Two people walked towards us, one of them is carrying a mysterious deep smile on her face.
"Rin, Maki is a little bit disturbed, why don't you let go of her?"
"Really? Maki-chan, do you hate Rin for doing this?"
Rin looked at me with a sad puppy face.
"Well, at least not the on the streets."
I said, turning my head away. Rin let go of me immediately, and grabbed the smiling girl.
"Wa-Wait, Rin! Don't just hug me like this!"
Rin had became very dependent after area finals for no obvious reason.
Seeing Nozomi looked both happy and troubled as Rin hugged her, I can't help but smile.
I loved my life like this.

"So, we're going in the grand finals now."
"Oh!"
In the club classroom, nine people wowed out loud at the same time.
Eli and Umi stood by the white board. One giving out encouraging words, one supplied answers.
"By defeating A-RISE, we'd become one step closer to the national champion. And our training sessions will grow harder as well."
""No~~~""
"Rin wants to take a rest Nya!"
"Umi-chan, you're a devil!"
"HO-NO-KA."
Complains shot out from all directions. Our leader even provoked Umi into a dangerous ghoul face.
"That's actually not so bad." I said.
I meant it. Even though we won over A-RISE, that doesn't equal to being national champion.
I still got senses. If we lose our grip, we might end up failing.
"Maki's right, folks. We did win over A-RISE, but there are a lot of groups out there, equivalent or even better than them. We can't relax just now."
Eli said. Next to her, Umi nodded heavily.
"Due to that, I made a new practice schedule-"
"Umi, the current practice level is enough."
"Eli..."
Eli is the mastermind of μ's, and usually the one to stop Umi from getting too hot-headed. Having Eli in μ's is such a relief.
"Kotori agrees with Eli~"
"Humph, Nico thinks this schedule is far from enough. But, well, in order for you all to keep up with Nico, it's totally okay for Nico to lower standards-"
"Didn't Nico failed to keep up Nya?"
"Uh."
Nico froze from Rin's truthful words and sat back on her chair.
Although Nico always barely kept up during training sessions, but you could never see that when she's performing. Her pro dedication earned my respect.
I really love everyone in μ's.
But after the finals...
Eli, Nozomi, and Nico.
They'll be graduating.
Till that time, what will become of μ's?
"Maki-chan?"
The call drew me back from my thoughts.
Nozomi stared at me worriedly.
"W-What's wrong, Nozomi?"
I answered.
"Maki-chan, you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm just...thinking about composing."
Nozomi smiled. I'm not sure if she'd see through my uneasiness.
"Maki-chan. You know...sometimes, it's necessary to keep moving forward."
It's necessary to keep moving forward...
I understood it. Crystal clear.
But I still hope that time would stop.
No. It'll be better if time rewinds.
I really, really thought so.

As I thought back on this idea, I wish I'd slap the heck out of me from the past.

Mom wasn't home when I returned.
The note on the table wrote that Dad and her need to go to Osaka, and would not be home till Sunday.
That means it's just me. Home alone for these two days.
"What the...aren't they worried about their cute daughter at all?"
Just saying. I got used to it long ago.
When I was little, they also went traveling together. The cleaning lady would come do the laundry and make meals.
But, today's especially...lonely.
Probably because of what happened in the afternoon. The thoughts of the twelve-grades graduating left my heart in melancholy.
"If only time could rewind..."
I said out loud.
And started dragging heavy steps into my room.

"Ka-Ching!"

I shuddered.

That sound came from Dad's study room.
Step by step, I trended lightly over there.
"Ka-Ching!"
I placed my hand on the doorknob.

"Ka-Ching!"

I opened the door silently.

Nothing.

Dad's study room, as always, was filled with medical books. Medic reports and research papers piled up on his desk.
Sooner or later, I've got to inherit these.
My mood grew darker as I thought of it.
As I was about to shut the door-

"Ka-Ching."

That sound again.
Curiosity suddenly winded up in me for no reason.
I walked into the study room and searched for the source of the sound.
It didn't took me long to locate it.
It was a gold hourglass.

A gold strip bonded the middle part, and the sands inside also glistened with a golden glow. This hourglass was placed right in the center part of the bookshelf, which didn't match Dad's study room at all.
Several words were engraved on it.

"Si le temps derevenir"

Doesn't look English to me.
I held it up and turned it upside down.
Watching the golden sands roll downwards greatly lighten my heart.

"Time to get up, Maki."
I sat up with bleary eyes.
It's only seven in the morning and it's Saturday.
Wait. Something's not right.
It's not cold at all.
Besides, did I fell asleep watching the hourglass?
And...
Weren't my parents supposed to come back until Sunday?
"Maki, are you awake?"
I stared at Mom.
She stared back at me doubtfully.
"What's wrong? The semester starts today, remember?"

What. Did. She. Say?