I forgot to add this on the first chapter. I don't own Idolmaster.
Yuuki's POV
Another brand new day began. However, it wasn't just another normal day. It was the day that the concert nii-san and his idol agency organized was held, the day that I would know whether to continue my love for singing and dancing.
As I prepared for the last day of school before summer break, I did all of my daily routine. A quick cleanup of the house, preparing the breakfast and reading the daily newspaper while eating it. As for my mother, she was sound asleep in her room…
My mother would always come home late after work. It was just a habit, I guess. As I placed her breakfast on the table, with a note telling her to microwave it before eating, I set off for school.
On my way to school, I stopped by Kuromi's house. It wasn't that far from mine, so we would always walk together. When I arrived on a green house with a brown roof, she was there, waiting for me.
"You're here, shall we set off?"
When she was alone with me, she'll open up her feelings. She had changed since the incident, not afraid of anything anymore but she was still shy and couldn't make proper contact with people that she didn't know. The reason she was always cold to everyone at school was because she wanted to protect me from any harm. Not only that, she was shy and didn't try to make new friends.
Halfway to school, I stopped our walk and said,
"Kuromi, I have something to give you."
I handed her the ticket that Ta-kun gave me. Because I had the backstage pass, I didn't need it. I couldn't let it go to waste, so I decided to give it to her. As she received the ticket, I jokingly said,
"Now you have a date with Ta-kun."
When she heard my joke, she immediately shot a glare at me.
"Looks like you really want a punishment from me. Do you, Yuuki?"
I quickly waved my hands and replied with an apologetic face,
"I'm sorry. Please forgive me."
She then returned back to normal and looked at the ticket.
"I can see that you still don't want to go to any concerts…"
"You're wrong. It just so happens I have a backstage pass with me."
I showed her the backstage pass that I received from nii-san. After she took it from me and examined it carefully, she gave it back to me and asked,
"How did you get a backstage pass?"
"My distant relative is a producer from 765 Productions, the idol agency that is holding this concert."
"So, this means you're going to face your past?"
As she asked me that question, I frowned and said,
"Maybe this is the only way I'll ever get rid of this nightmare…"
After a brief silence surrounded us, we continued making our way to school. A few minutes later, we arrived at the gate. Before we walked inside, Kuromi separated herself from me.
"Well then, I'll be going to my class. See you after school, Yuuki."
When she enters the school, she turns into the cold and fierce Student Council President that everyone feared. Everyone who saw her walking in would wonder: Who will be her first target? The most likely suspect was already floating around in my mind…
"Hi, Yu-kun! All hyped up for the concert-"
As Ta-kun approached me, I could see that Kuromi was closing in on us. An aura of a tiger ready to attack was flowing out from her body. My body shivered as I saw this.
"Sohma Takeru, I heard that you ran in the hallway again yesterday…"
When Ta-kun saw Kuromi ready to attack, his face became pale. Not wanting to suffer any of her punishments, he immediately ran away into the school building. However, he was still caught by Kuromi, who was said by everyone to have the best athletic ability in school.
"Time to correct your mistakes, Takeru-kun…"
"Save me, Yu-kun! Anybody, just anybody, save me!"
I could hear Ta-kun's loud cry as he was slowly being dragged away by Kuromi. Everyone just stood there and watch, not wanting to share the punishment. I would feel pity at him and try to help him, but that wasn't the first time he was dragged in. I also experienced a few punishments myself, and I never want to get involved in one. As Kuromi's friend, I could only stand there and watch like the rest.
As I opened my shoe locker, dozens of mail were seen inside, with my shoes unseen. I sighed and groaned at this sight. It looks like they were doing a desperate move to ask me out before summer break starts. Didn't I tell them I was a guy? I immediately cleared my locker of the useless mail and threw them into the dustbin, without checking the contents. Besides, everything that they wrote was the same anyways.
After I entered my class and waited for home-room to start, Ta-kun came back into the classroom, with an appearance that looked like he came back from a war. His clothes were ragged and he showed a depressing and terrified face.
"How was it?"
As I asked him what happened, he still shook in fear and muttered,
"I don't know… I don't know…"
Looks like Kuromi dished out a very hard punishment on him…
The teacher then came in and homeroom started. The class was as normal as always. Everyone was paying attention in class, except for Ta-kun who was still traumatized. I looked out the window while leaning my head on my hand, staring at the blue and clear sky.
I wish that today would rain…
It looks like a part of me still didn't want to go to the concert. I was scared that I would remember all of those crowds' faces during the festival. What if something like the time during the festival happened to the idols?
No, I can't think like that. Remember, the past is behind me.
I cleared the thoughts that clouded my judgment. I already decided that I would go. Thinking about useless stuff like that is going to set me off from my decision. Not wanting to think anymore, I immediately paid attention on the lesson.
Few hours later, the bell rung and everyone cheered loudly. School break was finally here. A lot of girls and guys chatted with their friends to make plans during the break. Of course, even I was not left out. Ta-kun immediately came over my desk, regaining to his normal self, and happily yelled,
"Yeah, school break is finally here! By the way, Yu-kun, are you hyped up for the concert?"
Not wanting to tell the truth that I got a backstage pass, and trying to play a joke on him, I replied with a smile,
"I already gave my ticket to Kuromi."
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"
After hearing that Kuromi was going to sit next to him, he immediately slumped to the floor, muttering,
"So that was what she said about taking care of her…"
He then stood up and shook my desk, and cried,
"Why did you pair me up with the demon?! You're not going with me?"
"Sorry, maybe next time."
Of course I lied. If I told him that I had a backstage pass, he'll definitely pester me to go together in order to meet the idols. I can't let that happen. As he was still thinking about what to do about the concert, I immediately went back home without him noticing.
After I arrived back home, I saw that my mother was trying to make dinner. I immediately gulped my saliva and panicked.
This is bad. If she cooks, I don't know if I'll ever live…
I quickly stopped my mother, who was going to heat up the pan with orange juice.
"T-that's okay, mom. I'll cook."
"Aren't you going to the concert? Don't worry; I've improved over the past few years."
Yeah right, says the chef who used orange juice to heat up the pan…
"T-then I'll order takeaway! I'll call the manager in the ramen shop and have him send us two bowls of ramen, okay?"
After looking back at the pan for a while, she nodded and put the pan down. I breathed a sigh of relief as I avoided another confrontation with death. Looking at the clock, I had four hours left before the concert starts…
Producer's POV
Four hours before the concert starts. I was feeling nervous and woke up a bit too early, fearing that the concert wouldn't go well. But, judging by the weather and a few of the fortune-telling magazines that Azusa-san brought me it was going to be a great day. The idols were coming in from school one by one and they were looking energetic and cheerful. While I left them to prepare, I was busy looking at the music set with the staff and Otonashi-san in order to make sure that the idols didn't have to sing two songs in a row. I had learned my lesson when Miki danced and sang two songs in a row during the first concert and almost collapsed. After a while, Shachou came in to check up on us.
"Today is a great day, isn't it, Producer-kun?"
"Yeah, I hope that everything goes according to plan."
"Well then, keep up the good work."
Before Shachou left us, I had to ask him about taking care of Yuuki during the concert.
"Shachou, can I ask a request from you?"
Not curious of what I was going to ask next, he laughed and said,
"Ask anything!"
"I want Shachou to take care of someone while he is here."
"I see… Very well then. I'll take care of him, so don't worry."
As Shachou left, I saw Makoto running here in a hurry. She looked panicked when she approached me. When I asked her, she told me the worst news that could happen before a concert…
"Producer, bad news, Azusa-san is missing!"
"What?!"
Not again…
"Everyone played rock paper scissors to decide who gets to buy the drinks, Azusa-san lost and went to buy them!"
This is bad, Azusa-san gets lost very easily. If I don't find her quickly, the concert won't be able to start!
"Makoto, I'll find Azusa-san. Go back and rehearse with the others!"
"Okay!"
As Makoto went back to the other idols, I told Otonashi-san to help the staff for a while and ran outside the stadium to look for Azusa-san…
Yuuki's POV
Three hours left. I just got off from the train and was on my way to the stadium. But first, I went to the bathroom to take care of a little business. As I washed my hands, I looked at the reflection of myself in the mirror, which showed my appearance. I was wearing the shirt that nii-san gave me but I wore a brown jacket on top of it, as to not become the center of attention. I also wore blue jeans paired with red sports shoes.
No matter how I look at it, I still look like a girl…
Even though I tried to wear many things to show my manly side, I just see a girl wearing a man's clothes on the other side of the mirror. Was this a curse? I just hope that this 'curse' is not passed on to my children…
As I walked closer to the stadium, I saw a rare sight…
A woman with purple and short hair was standing in front of a fountain. She had a great figure that would be the focus of many men. She was looking back and forth, looking as if she wanted to ask directions. The only thing that made her stand out was...
Is she wearing a tracksuit? Why would anyone wear a tracksuit in the evening? No one would go jogging in the evening! Her getup makes her stick out like a sore thumb!
There was nobody nearby, so I thought,
Should I help her?
I hesitated for while, but it looked like it wasn't necessary. She approached me and asked,
"Excuse me; Do you know which way is it to the stadium?"
I was speechless. With the directions printed on a signpost just behind me and the building can be seen not far away, I could say that nobody would get lost that easily…
I couldn't leave her behind. Since she was going to the same place as me, I should help her out. Besides, she looked a bit familiar…
"Okay, I'll show you the way."
"Thank you."
She then clasped her hands and made a bright smile. I couldn't help but blush at the sight. Afterwards we ended up walking together to the stadium.
I could see the poster as we approached the stadium, but there was one thing that I couldn't help but look at it again…
This woman looks so familiar…
As I looked once more at the poster, my jaw dropped.
My hunch was right; she was on the poster with the other idols.
I looked back at her with a surprised face and asked,
"Excuse me, but are you…"
The woman then smiled and said,
"My name is Miura Azusa. I'm an idol from 765 Pro. Nice to meet you."
I couldn't help but slap myself in the face…
Authors Note: Another chapter. Actually, I'm going to national service in January, so the story will be on hold until March (or if I have the energy to write on Chinese New Year.) However, there will be one more chapter before it goes on hold. Anyway, any mistakes on the story, please tell me. Thanks!
