A/N: Sorry again for ignoring this story so much.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Uta-Pri.


Chapter 8

A few weeks passed, and then a full month, and throughout it all Siren was the target of bullying and methodical tactics to pull her from the top of the Idol course. Of course she didn't let these girls get their way and if anything her music became better, more refined and at the same time more passionate. She showed her heart through her weekly songs and the recognition she received from her teachers pissed off the bullies even more.

What annoyed Siren the most was that it interrupted her time with her only friend, and he had not been talking to her due to the strict rules his band mate, Jinguji, put into place. Even Nanami could not stop him from enforcing the Anti-Siren rules.

It was so bad that when a girl said something about the once-homeless girl Shou would try to fight the words only to have Ren agree over him. The other members of Starish tried in their own ways to stop their fans from bad mouthing the girl, but there was not much success until one day in lunch things changed.

"Stop saying those things!" A girl cried out from a crowded lunch table. Siren had sat there originally but had been boxed in by the other students, some were roughing her up while others just laughed and jeered and said mean things that had no basis in fact. "You all should be nice to Siren!"

The lunch room went quiet in a heartbeat. Then everyone was laughing like the girl was joking. "No!" She screamed. "You're all mean to her because she doesn't shout and scream and fawn and cry over the guys of Starish but what if she is right?"

"Shut up Jessie!" A boy nearby shouted. "You're an Otoya fan right? You do that to him." And a girl grabbed the defender, Jessie by the hair and pulled her to the ground. Ittoki was up in a flash.

"Stop it." He commanded sternly, causing the girl to let go of Jessie immediately. "Do me a favor everyone, real quick will you?" Checking to see that he had the room's attention, he moved to help Jessie up and then stood in front of Siren facing the girl where she sat, an emotionless mask on her face. "Ok, raise your hand if you're my fan." He paused and watched as about an eighth of the room immediately did so. "Ok, keep your hands raised. Now raise your hands also if you're a…. Masato fan?" More hands joined those already in the air. "Good, good. How about a Natsuki fan? Tokiya fans next. Alright, now a Shou fan… If you're a Shou fan raise your hand. Finally let's see who's a Ren fan?" By this time, bar Nanami, the other Starish members and Siren, all hands were in the air; even the males. "You can put your hands down now."

Ittoki then looked right at Siren and said clearly, "Now raise your hand if a member of Starish considers you their friend." He raised his hand, and knew the others of Starish and Haruka had lifted their hands but Siren remained stubborn until Shou stood up and walked over to her.

"Don't be like that Siren." He said with a smile and grabbed her wrist, forcing her to raise her hand.

"She is also the only one who doesn't consider herself a fan." Tokiya reminded the room. "And whether she likes it or not, she is under our protection as of now. Leave her be."

"Thank you Jessie of A Class." Ittoki called out, causing the girl mentioned to swoon. "We will handle things from here."

Ren was slouched in his seat, looking rather defeated when Siren looked over at him but she shrugged it off and went back to eating her turkey sandwich. Things would shift back to the way they had been for the past month soon, so she figured she would enjoy her peace while she could. That peace, of course, only lasted until Shou could disentangle himself from the fans surrounding his bands table and plop himself down across from her at the now surprisingly empty table.

"Yo!" He said in a too chipper voice.

Siren ignored him.

"Sorry things happened like they did," He sounded sincere enough as he rubbed the back of his head with his hand, but Siren continued to stare off in space. "It's just that Jinguji is hard to fight against when you have to work with him…" Still no response. "OI! Listen when people are talking to you!" He shouted.

"Oh," Siren finally responded, trying to keep the heat out of her voice but being unable to do so completely, "So you do have a voice? Could've fooled me." The whole of the lunchroom was now paying attention to the argument, and Ren was pinching the bridge of his nose while girls began to gossip.

"She's so ungrateful…"

"What does he see in her to act like he's her friend?"

"That bitch."

"Poor Shou."

"Just accept his apology."

Neither person was listening to the girls around them though as the argument progressed.

"I thought you didn't need any help," Shou barked, "Miss Independent."

Siren just stared at him for a long moment and most people thought the argument was over. When nobody was paying attention anymore Siren muttered softly, "I guess some things are just dreams and fancies." She got up and made to walk away causing some people to turn back to the table. Shou caught a look at her overly moist eyes and also stood up, grabbing her by the wrist and dragging her out of the lunchroom roughly.

"What was that all about?" Ittoki asked as the group watched Shou exit the room with a very distressed Siren tailing him.

"He is impossible," Tokiya grouched.

"I think it's sweet." Natsuki said with a smile.

"That is the problem." Ren growled.

"I didn't know you cared about what happened to her." Masato directed at the orange head.

"Jinguji-san isn't heartless you know." Nanami pointed out which caused the blue haired boy to laugh.


"Where are you taking me?" Siren asked in that deceptively emotionless voice.

"Somewhere private, without people." Shou answered gruffly.

"If you're there it's not without people." Again her exterior cracked just a little, letting her voice color the words with aggravation.

"I am not leaving you alone right now." Shou admitted, looking back at her as she tried to wiggle her wrist from his grasp.

"Why the hell not?" Siren finally barked, causing Shou to stop in surprise; he didn't let go though, much to Siren's dismay. Looking to the left the Starish idol saw one of the sound proof recording booths and shoved Siren inside, following directly after.

With his back against the door, the blonde explained. "That's why. The cover of that steel wall you hide behind is breaking clean open and I doubt you want people who mock you and treat you like shit to see what's behind it."

"Then why do you get to see it, Mr. I Am Not Going To Associate With Siren For A Month? You call me a friend and then abandon me because Jinguji, of all the people in the World tells you not to. I didn't need someone to tell them to stop. I have never needed someone to tell anyone who tormented me not to do so. I needed someone I could talk to about it and laugh with about it. That's what she and I used to do when they made fun of us. Me for my coloring and her for her burn scars. We would hide away where no one could see us and laugh and laugh."

"What's so wrong with telling them to stop?" Shou shouted, matching Siren's volume. Her back was to him and when she turned to respond tears were flowing down her cheeks from those scarlet orbs.

"There will always be people who say mean things. Always. If they stop now it will be because Shou of Starish told them to stop, not because they regret what they said or because their opinion has changed. But they will harbor those feelings inside, and one day they will explode. And what happens if the mighty Shou Kurusu is not there to stop his fans? I can handle when they say things, I have a thick enough skin for that. But even this thick skin can be cut with a fine enough blade!" He had never imagined a crying Siren or a Siren this passionate.

"What is it you want then? You said yourself we shouldn't be friends, so what do you expect me to do?" Shou still sounded irritated and gruff but he lowered his voice.

"It's a little late for that," Siren said sounding equally annoyed though she, too, stopped shouting. "That little stunt in the lunchroom branded me as your friend under your band's protection." Her voice was becoming emotionless again.

"Don't," Shou commanded roughly, causing the girl to look at him quizzically. "We are friends now. Do not hide behind that wall when it's just us. Please." Siren just looked at him for a long time, a war struggling in her eyes. Before too long she nodded her acceptance to his request, a small hesitant smile on her face. "Next block of class is an inspiration gathering class. So we are free of the classroom. We should go do something."

"I don't need to inspiration gather." Siren's voice carried emotions and even though it was full of apprehension and suspicion her friend smiled.

"Come on it will be fun," Shou cajoled.

"This is not a date." Siren finally said by way of agreement.

"Aw, come on Siren no Kimi, your no fun." Shou teased, earning him a whack to the shoulder. "Ow!"

"Oh, shut up, it hurt my hand more than it did your shoulder." She shot back waving her hand vigorously in the air.

Shou gaped at her. "Don't tell me the great and multi-talented Siren can't punch."

"Like I have said before, there are other ways of fighting." Siren frowned.

"On that note, there is something I want your opinion on." And once more the white haired girl was being dragged behind her friend out of the sound room and towards the Starish dorms.

"I shouldn't be in here!" Siren exclaimed as they entered the heat of the building.

"Relax, friends are allowed. Besides, you said yourself, this isn't a date. It's not like I am taking you to my room, I was gonna leave you here while I grab something." And with that the idol let go of her hand took off his shoes and ran off up a flight of stairs leaving Siren to glance around at the opulent, mansion quality surroundings. The door opened behind her bringing a cold draft of air and the rest of Starish.

They all stared at her, but Jinguji was the first to speak, "What are you doing here?" He sounded pissed but managed to swipe his hand through his hair like it was nothing.

Directly after there was the sound of a door slamming and feet pounding down an upstairs hallway at a run. "That idiot." Ichinose growled, causing their composer to look over to him in confusion from where she stood holding his right hand. Siren stared at their locked hands, causing the girl to drop the midnight blue haired boy's hand like she was being burned. Ittoki laughed and Natsuki grinned. Masato and Ren ignored the event. Shou just ran down the stairs obliviously.

"Do you have any idea what you are..." Tokiya started in on him, but the shortest member just shoved on his discarded shoes, grabbed Siren's wrist again and pulled her out of the dorm.

"You can yell at me later Tokiya." He called over his shoulder as they left. Siren, realizing that no one was around, let out a little chuckle.

"What did you need help with?" She asked as they continued at a fast but somehow comfortable pace towards the school gates. As they left the grounds she dropped her smile and monotoned, "Don't forget the disguise this time."

"Ah!" Shou shouted at that before stopping just outside the gate and pulling on his glasses, the knit beanie and the scarf. Once again Siren became a hat stand as he placed his ever present fedora on her head. "Hold that" He commanded, his voice muffled by the scarf.

"What are friends for?" She quipped in that emotionless voice as someone walked by.

"No need to be sarcastic." Shou gripped. "Anyway, Rachel is working so I thought we could go to the diner for pie or something while you look this over."

Still confused but willing enough Siren agreed.