AU Interlude - Maki-chan's Dating Simulator:
A classical melody is the first thing I hear in the morning, a sample soundbite from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony that's served as my daily alarm for the past several years. As feeling returns to my muscles, I reach a hand over and quiet the music as I automatically stretch within the comfort of my bed. A few seconds pass by before I open my lilac eyes. What I see is a large room that could best be described as luxuriously spartan. With a sigh, I get out of bed and start my morning routine.
My name is Maki, Nishikino Maki. I'm a fifteen, almost sixteen year old girl who's about to embark on her first day of high school at Otonokizaka Academy. Otonokizaka is an older school with a proud lineage, having produced many famous and powerful alumni over the years. It's also far from my first choice for high school.
I'd wanted to attend the more modern UTX, but my parents wanted the heir to their dynasty to attend Otonoki, despite my wishes. I'd tried to convince them otherwise, but they wouldn't budge. It might have been different if Otonokizaka was on the verge of closure, only just barely able to throw together a single class of first years, but unfortunately for me it wasn't.
But there's no point in crying over spilled milk. I promised myself to make the most of my high school life, no matter where it is I attend.
And actually, the daily commute isn't too stressful. It's actually kind of nice to just stroll through the city. Everyone is busy, but no one's in such a rush that anyone would run into-
BAM!
...Of course that would happen.
Groaning, I open my eyes and pick myself up off the sidewalk, rubbing my side as I look down to see a short, orange-haired girl dressed in the same uniform as me sprawled out on the pavement.
"Owwies... That really hurt, nya!" she declared. She looked up and finally noticed me. "Oh no! I bumped into a really pretty girl!" she yelped. Hmph. Flatterer. "I'm sorry about that, nya!"
...
1 - "It's alright, just be more careful next time."
2 - "How dare you run into me?! My father will sue you!"
3 - Put it in
...
"It's alright, just be more careful next time," I said as I helped her up.
"Thanks, nya!" She noticed my uniform. "Hey, are you also a first year at Otonokizaka?" she asked.
I was about to reply when a loud cry of "Rin-chan!" interrupted us and a brunette girl ran up panting. She took a few seconds to gather her breath before she immediately started scolding the other girl.
"Rin-chan, I told you not to get so excited! You might have really hurt her!"
The catlike girl, Rin I suppose, shrunk back and winced. "I'm sorry Kayo-chin..."
The brunette just sighed and turned to me. "Are you okay? Rin-chan didn't hurt you, did she?"
...
1 - "I'm fine. Thank you for your concern."
2 - "I have three fractured ribs. Your friend is going to prison for assault."
3 - Put it in
...
"I'm fine. Thank you for your concern," I responded.
"I'm glad to hear that," she said with a smile.
Rin turned to her suddenly. "Hey, Kayo-chin! Look at what she's wearing! She's also a first year, right? Right?"
I nodded. "Yep. I'm Nishikino Maki. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"My name is Koizumi Hanayo," returned the cute brunette.
"And I'm Hoshizora Rin nya~!" cheered the catgirl.
I smiled at the pair of cute girls as we all continued our walk to Otonokizaka, chatting all the way. Well, I say we talked together, but it was mostly the two of them exchanging words while I chimed in every now and again whenever one of them asked me a question. I wasn't trying to be rude or anything. I'm just not very talkative.
They seemed to realize that I was worried about that, because just before we reached the school gates Hanayo leaned in and told me she was also really shy around strangers. Then she said that she hoped we could be friends. I've only known her for a few minutes, but she already seems like an angel. And she smells really sweet too.
As we passed through the gates and into the courtyard, there were all sorts of girls shouting out, advertising their clubs to all the freshmen walking in. Rin stepped in to protect Hanayo from the really pushy girls, and I helped out a bit too, firmly but politely rejecting any offers that came our way.
Eventually though, we got surrounded by them. They closed in from all sides, like a pack of hunters stalking their prey. I didn't know what to do at that point, but thankfully Rin was there, and she acted as soon as Hanayo shouted out for someone to save her.
I guess Rin decided she liked me at that point, because she grabbed Hanayo's arm in one hand and mine in the other, then she just... took off running, dragging us with her like it was the easiest thing in the world.
We plowed through the rest of the recruiters and into the building, completely overshooting the shoe lockers as we shot into one of the corridors.
The next thing I knew...
BAM!
Someone (probably me, if I'm honest) tripped and we were all falling into one big girl pile. I ended up on top, and Rin gave me a nickname. Apparently I was now Pile-sama.
I was about to retort that it was a stupid nickname when a twin-tailed girl wearing a third year ribbon and shorter than all of us smiled down at us with shining eyes and extended a hand.
"Are you alright?" she asked in a high-pitched voice that I couldn't believe was natural. She gasped suddenly. "Oh no! Don't tell me you were actually falling head over heels for my charm? I couldn't possibly accept your feelings, though I suppose it's only natural for an idol as magnificent as I."
After picking myself up, I was about to tell her where she could put her attitude when Hanayo spoke up.
"You're an idol?! Like, a school idol?" She sounds really excited at the prospect.
The girl giggled before breaking into some strange routine she seemed to have down to a T. "Nico Nico Nii~! Anata no Heart ni Nico Nico-nii, Egao todokeru Yazawa Nico Nico~ Nico-nii te oboeteru Love Nico~"
...well that's horrifying. Please never do that again.
"Oh my gosh that's so cool!" cheered Hanayo.
Really? We avoided all the crazies on the way in and now you want to join up with this one? She's almost certainly the worst of the bunch, you know.
"If Kayo-chin is impressed than so is Rin nya!" Talk about easily impressed. Geez.
She then turns her shining crimson eyes to me.
"Would you like to join the school idol research club?"
...
1 - "No thanks. I'm not really interested in idols."
2 - "Get away from me you wannabe Cinderella Girl reject!"
3 - Put it in
...
"No thanks. I'm not-" I start to say back, before I'm interrupted rather abruptly.
"Yes, yes, yes!" shrieks Hanayo wildly, stars shining in her eyes as she jumps up and down excitedly.
"Yay!" celebrates Rin just as enthusiastically, "We're idols now!"
The third-year, Nico I believe, flashes them a full toothed grin. "That's right you are!" she tells them. She turns her beaming smiles to me. "So?" she asks expectantly, "Can I get three for three?"
I purse my lips and furrow my brow. This is getting way too out of hand for me. "No thanks. I'm not really interested in idols," I say back.
Now standing behind Nico, Rin and Hanayo frown and look at me with dejected eyes. Well sorry! But I'm not going to get involved with some really shady one woman club on the first day of school without even a minute of thought! I wish Hanayo and Rin the best and hope it works out, but there's no way I would ever do something so spontaneous.
As for Nico herself, her smile falls into a line as she looks me up and down. ...h-hey now, just what are you looking at so intently?!
"That's a shame," she says, "With a figure and stamina like yours I think you could really go far." She smirked. "Maybe not as far as Nico-nii, but it's a good start."
"What do you know about my stamina?! And don't look at me with such lecherous eyes!"
Nico shrugged. "I saw the three of you run in. Literally. Admittedly, we'd need to work on your footwork so you don't trip over yourself dancing onstage..." So I did trip earlier. "...but I know you'd be able to achieve anything with enough determination."
Huh. That's probably the first thing she said that actually made her sound like a proper senpai.
"But I get it. If you don't think you can handle being an idol, than I won't force you." She began walking off, flipping her twin-tails dismissively for good measure. "In the meantime, why don't I be a magnanimous and generous idol and show you to your classroom?"
This girl is still really annoying. But none of us knew where to go so we ended up following Nico. As we walked, Hanayo and Rin tried to convince me to join them.
"Please Maki-chan? This is something I really think could be fun for all of us!" pleaded Hanayo gently.
"Come on, Pile-sama! One of us! One of us!" chanted Rin obnoxiously.
"Thank you for the offer, but I'm afraid I must decline," I said, rebuffing Hanayo as gently as I could. Then I turned to Rin and flicked her forehead. "And don't call me that!"
They begged some more along the way to the classroom, Nico occasionally joining in, but I remained firm.
No way.
I am not getting suckered into joining an idol group.
...
Somehow I got suckered into joining an idol group.
Well, damn.
It was the weekend now, and the four of us were all over at my house to plan out just how were going to do this idol thing anyway. It turns out that Nico was apparently an accomplished costumer, Hanayo had a diary full of wishes and dreams she could scavenge for lyrics, and Rin was the type to break out into spontaneous dancing that could be used as actual choreography with a bit of refinement. And naturally, I was the composer for our music.
So we had the four main roles for an idol group covered. Our current concern was trying to fit those pieces together.
"We should plan the music with the costumes first!" declared Nico. "There's no point in wearing peppy jumpsuits with skirts if Maki's going to end up composing a funeral dirge."
"No way, the lyrics should be the basis," stated Hanayo. "An energetic song would work a lot better if we're not singing about unrequited love and a broken heart."
"Nuh uh!" denied Rin. "Dancing is the first step nya! I gotta know when Maki's gonna drop the bass!"
It should be mentioned that we were all going to coordinate our efforts.
"Costumes!"
"Lyrics!"
"Dancing!"
This argument was just about who would coordinate first.
"Costumes!"
"Lyrics!"
"Dancing!"
Apparently they all wanted to be the first to coordinate with me.
"Costumes!"
"Lyrics!"
"Dancing!"
I sighed audibly, drawing them out of their argument. And just like that, they found a solution to their dilemma.
The three stared at me intensely, expecting a decision.
...
1 - Coordinate music with Nico's costumes
2 - Coordinate music with Hanayo's lyrics
3 - Coordinate music with Rin's choreography
4 - Put it in
...
...well there was no way siding with one over the others was going to make everyone happy, so I took the only logical course of action to satisfy all of them.
Hours later, the four of us were curled up together on my bed, sweaty and naked and exhausted but very, very satisfied.
Rin was nuzzling into my neck as her lithe body pressed against and around my right half.
On my left, Hanayo was cradled in my arm, my bicep her pillow as she breathed deeply in contentment.
Atop me was Nico, our smallest senpai holding me in an adoring hug as she burrowed into my chest.
As I lay there, immersed in the afterglow, I thought back over the short time I'd known these three, and you know what?
I think I'm going to like Otonokizaka much better than I'd have liked UTX, and it's all thanks to these wonderful girls right here.
~END~
