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Chapter 4

Trainees

The five boys knew that being an idol was not easy, but it seems that being a trainee is even worse. In the mornings before school started, the quintet has music training with Akamine-sensei. At first, they had preconceived that 'instructors' would be as ruthless as Hikaru, but Akamine proved them wrong. He was patient, calm (even though Kagami and Kise's petty arguments would piss him off) and quite understanding.

He taught them how to read musical notes in order to be able to sing the right notes at the right time. In addition to that, they do 'ear training' which helps them to identify pitch and the sounds these different musical notes produce.

However, due to Kasamatsu being able to play the guitar, he was exempted from this, since he could already read musical notes and know the different musical terms. But that doesn't mean he wasn't there with them.

After school and basketball practice (they were permitted to leave earlier than others), they'd have vocal training once again with Akamine. As the name states, this consists of exercises to improve their voices. They did breathing exercises, learning how to breathe correctly and how to control their breathing for optimum effects.

Next, they had simple singing exercises ―first they sang one note and held it for as long they could without becoming short of breath. Of course, this utilized the breathing exercise they had prior. But, because they play basketball, they didn't get out of breath that quickly.

Following that, they had to sing phrases such as 'Do, re, me, fa, so, la, te, do' and 'La, Lo, Le, Lo' among others.

But surprisingly, this carried on far more smoothly than thought. When Kenji got their progress by the end of the week, he was sort of shocked. He knew that Kasamatsu would have the highest in this area, but the others (especially Kagami) weren't doing so badly. He's interacted with them before and he already has a vague idea of their personalities.

But it could be that they were just taking this seriously. Whatever the case is, Kenji couldn't help but grin.

However, on weekends, they have dance practice. This is where the issue was. They haven't made a single friend. It wasn't that they were anti-social (they weren't) but it was the fact that the other boys of the dance class were envious of Takao and company.

On the first day when the boys had arrived, they were greeted with warm smiles and friendly behaviours. But, when lunchtime had come and the other boys were discussing about how scary auditions were; Catal Rhythm were at a loss. At first the quintet thought that they were auditioning for something else, but then they enlightened by the others:

"Before you become a trainee, you have to audition to get in the company." One boy had said.

"Oh. We didn't know that." The quintet responded. It was this fact that had the other boys had started to drift away from them, thinking that they may have bribed the company or something.

But, it didn't end there. After a week or so had passed, their dance instructor ―Eguchi, had announced that the quintet would be getting their own dance instructor. That was like adding fuel to the fire, but they was glad to be out of that stifling atmosphere.

Which brings them to their current predicament.

Their new dance instructor was none other than Kuroko Hikaru. The moment they had opened the door, they were greeted by a sinister smirk from the older Kuroko. Seeing that, they knew, they just knew that they were in for hell.

"Boys, let's be friends, shall we?" he smiled. They cringed.

"What's the reason for the sudden change?" Kise asked. "Though I'm glad to be out of that class."

"Oh? They didn't tell you?" Hikaru asked as though it was something the whole world already knew.

"No." came the unison response.

"You're débuting." He said with a shrug of his shoulders. The five boys could only stare on in horror, shock and delight.

"How?! Why?!" Kasamatsu asked. "We can't dance or sing properly yet!"

"I can't even read an entire music sheet yet!" Kagami shouted, alarmed.

Hikaru laughed at how frantic they were. Minus his son, Kise and Takao were the calmest on the outside, but he knew that on the inside they were dying. After all, that was a bomb that dropped on inexperienced trainees.

"Calm down," Hikaru soothed. "First and foremost, it's not like you'll be débuting next week or next month. The President isn't an idiot." He heard them all exhale a relief. "But he wants to get you into shape as soon as possible. Apparently, he's still a bit sceptical about making you an idol group so he wants to have you début and if the people like you, then you're in the clear."

"And if they don't?" Takao asked.

"Oh, that won't happen." Hikaru smirked. "Because I will make you into irresistible idols. Dance-wise that is." The boys shivered when they saw his face.

"I think this will be the end of me." Kagami sighed.

"What are you talking about, Kagami-kun?" Hikaru said as he threw a hand over the redhead's shoulder. "You're young and healthy. As if you'd die that easily."

Kagami nearly broke out in tears.

"Now that you've heard that, let's get down to business." Hikaru smirked. "I'll be teaching you different genres of dancing, starting off with hip-hop."

"Hip-hop? Sounds fun!" Takao chirped, earning strange looks from the others. While the dancing part sounds fun, the learning part sounds like hell. But Kagami looked relieved, as being in America he was more than likely exposed to some elements of the music. Kuroko, as always looked indifferent, and for once, so too did Kasamatsu.

xxxx

By the time the following week started, they had their regular basketball lives to attend to. At Shutoku, Takao had actually told his team that he was going to become an idol. But, they all didn't take him seriously; two reasons ―he's got basketball to focus on and secondly, he's Takao. He's always joking around whenever not on a court in a heated match.

Since he realized that his teammates didn't believe him (or rather, thought he was making an elaborate joke to cheer them up), he told Nakatani instead. Since he was a trainee, there wouldn't be any proof that he was an idol so he gave the man a heads up.

At Seirin, of course, Kuroko and Kagami had to tell everything to their teammates and Riko. And luckily (or unfortunately), the entire team were wishing them luck with this new venture, but Riko decided that she'll double their training so that their (specifically Kuroko) stamina won't run out in the middle of a performance.

Both Kagami and Kuroko groaned at this. At one point, Kagami had to wonder if Riko and Hikaru weren't secret siblings…their trainings are way too brutal.

Over by Kaijou, Kise and Kasamatsu only told Takeuchi of their new line of work, which of course, left the man gaping. He could understand entirely why Kise would want to become an Idol, but Kasamatsu? At one point, he had thought that Kise probably blackmailed the older teen into doing it with him but then again, the blond couldn't have possibly been that evil to do such a thing. Right?

However, since he couldn't wrap his mind around it, so he left it as it is. He thought that maybe there's a side (or sides) to Kasamatsu that he doesn't know. Right now, he has Inter-High to focus on.

That said, in the actual tournament, Kaijou blitzed through the rounds and made it to the quarter-finals. There, they had met Touou which meant a showdown between Kise and Aomine. This was a match that no one missed, not even the other three members of Catal Rhythm.

It was by coincidence that this happened. At first, both Seirin and Shutoku went on a training camp, and it just so happened that the two teams were staying at the same place. And of course, with Kagami, Kuroko and Takao in the same place at the same time, a lot can happen.

After practice and dinner, the three would go over what they had learnt in music and vocal training. In the midst of that, Takao would get a stroke of creativity and decide to create beats to music. In one instance, Kuroko would sing a song, and he and Kagami create a beat to match it. For the most part it ended in disaster and them laughing at each other, but the other part, it went rather…normal.

At the end of the camp, the trio went to see the quarter finals between Kaijou and Touou, which sadly end with Touou winning. But that opened their eyes for Winter. Kise and Aomine are nothing less than monsters.

After that, the schools went back to their normal routines, which meant that Catal Rhythm's idol training was intensified.

xxxx

"Okay boys!" Hikaru's voice resounded in the room. "You've done well so far. Take a thirty minute break and go get something to eat."

The five boys immediately sank to the floor, panting for air. Kuroko however, was laying face-first on the floor. This was a normal occurrence, and the others simply hauled him up into a sitting position. The very first time it happened though, Takao thought he was dead.

"I want a Maji burger…" Kagami groaned out.

"Hmm…I'd eat some fried chicken…" Kasamatsu joined in. But before anyone could speak, Hikaru said,

"You can't be serious about eating fast food, now are you?"

"What's wrong with it?" Kagami asked. The others sighed.

"In your line of work, it's forbidden." Hikaru said. "Hear what, you stay here, I'll bring you boys food." With that, he left the dance room, leaving the five to mope.

"Man, Tetsu-chan…" Takao started. "Your father is merciless."

"I know right," Kasamatsu sighed.

"Well, Mother had always referred to him as a sadist." The light-blue haired teen replied rather nonchalantly.

The others paused a bit before exploding, "WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING BEFORE?!"

With a shrug, Kuroko replied, "You didn't ask."

The other four became torn between strangling Kuroko to death (before Hikaru comes back) and strangling him after practice was done. But, to lighten the now heavy (and murderous) mood, Takao then said,

"But, I'm glad I'm not stiff anymore." He added with a chuckle.

Kise laughed. "We're not ply boards anymore!"

"But still, to have us début? That's quite serious." Kagami sighed. "I mean, wouldn't the other rookies think it's unfair?"

"So?" Kise shrugged. "It's life. Everything's unfair. We just happened to get lucky, that's all."

"That's cold, man."

"It's not! It's ―"

"―the truth." A voice said from the door. The boys looked around and saw that it was Kenji. "What Kise-kun said is indeed a fact. That's how this industry works. You really are lucky."

"That reminds me, why did you choose us? There were seventy-three entries, why us?" Kasamatsu asked. "We aren't that special. We couldn't even dance properly."

"Hmm…" Kenji hummed. "To be honest, there was something about you that struck me. It wasn't your singing or dancing, that's for a fact. If that was the case, then the top five teams would have been here instead."

The boys sighed.

"But the other teams, they were just groups that were singing and dancing in fancy clothes with fancy backgrounds. But you boys had charisma, something that made me want to watch your video over and over again…Plus, when I learned that it took you two weeks for you to have been able to dance like that then, by all means, you are special."

"So are we really débuting? If so, when?" Takao asked.

"Yes you are." Kenji replied. "But when exactly you'll début, I can't answer that. One, the President hasn't given me a date, two your song and choreo hasn't been given to me as yet, three ―Akamine says you still have much to learn in music and four; Kuroko-san isn't quite done with you."

"Oh." Came the unison response.

"I feel much better." Kuroko said.

"Right?" Takao agreed.

Just then, the door opened, revealing Hikaru with bags. He nodded to Kenji and walked over to the boys. He gave Kasamatsu the bag and upon emptying the contents, it was curry and some fruit juices.

"Sorry, Kenji, I didn't know you were coming." He smirked and took out his own lunch as well. "Hush."

"Ha! As if I'd want any of your commoner food!" the younger male replied with pride, but it was clear that he was joking. "I'll be off now," he then looked to the boys, "take care of yourself and try your best not to die."

"I'll try my best not to kill them off." Hikaru said, as if he knew what Kenji would have said to him.

"Good."

But throughout this exchange, the boys could only stare as it seems as though the two males were close friends. Putting aside the exchange, the boys had their lunch, chatting as well.

After their lunch, they were back on the beat, Hikaru teaching them more hip-hop steps. This lasted for about an hour or so, after which they had a three minute break. Continuing, Hikaru decided to increase the complexity of the dance moves, and move them up the next level.

And so, after much practice ―hours filled with dancing and breaks, they were finally finished for the day. What Hikaru was glad for was that they didn't complain, all he heard were comparisons to their basketball training which he found extremely funny.

Hikaru then left them to do whatever they wanted, which would mostly entail them just lying on the floor until they felt better.

"I can already imagine it," Takao cooed. "I can see us on stage, with many fans raving and screaming out our names…"

"Yeah, me too." Kise joined in. "I see us walking down the red carpet, and getting grammies."

"Pfft!" Kasamatsu bust with laughter. "Grammy is for English music, not Japanese!" he then softened. "But I do understand what you're trying to say. Of course we'll get to the top."

"There's only one problem with that." Kuroko started.

"Huh?"

"We can't aim for the international stage without conquering Japan first." He said.

"That's right," Takao nodded. "So our first mission will be Best Hit Song Kayosai!"

"And then Billboard Japan Music Awards!" Kise perked.

Kagami seemed lost or rather uninterested. "What are you all talking about? We're going to conquer Japan, right? So there's no need to point out all these different awards. We'll win them all because we'll be so awesome."

The other four grinned (including Kuroko). But what they didn't know was that Hikaru was outside the door, listening to their every word. These days, he had realized that whenever they were left alone, he hears some really interesting things.

With a chuckle, he then said, "You want to conquer Japan, huh. Omoshiroi."

Hikaru smirked as he moved off.

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