"Wait… this is where you decided to disband?" Dia asked the former μ's leader. Maki nodded.

"Yeah. Honoka and I talked it over, and after a lot of thinking, this is where we decided we would tell Eri, Nozomi, and Nico-chan." The former μ's members all smiled sadly at the not-so-fond memory of the day that they decided on their disbandment.

"Actually, girls…" Riko said to her friends. "I actually wanted us to go to Otonokizaka because Maki-san set that up…"

"Set up?" Dia asked, quoting Riko.

"What d'you mean, Riko?" Kanan asked.

"She wanted us to come to Otonokizaka. That's why we came face to face with μ's." Riko smiled towards her mentor. "She planned this whole thing out." Maki blushed slightly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, I-I mean, I can't take all the credit. Nico-chan's the one that came across your guys' website."

Nico responded by pouting, mirroring Maki's movements.

"Hmph! Put me on the spot, why don't ya!"

"Well, you were the one that found them!"

"Maki-chan," Nozomi said, getting her former underclassman's attention. "We're getting off-track." She gave a smile. "That's not the reason we came here, now, is it?"

Maki groaned at that, and blew a breath.

"Then, I'm assuming you and Eri told Kanan-san and Dia-san already, right?"

"Yes, we did," Eri replied, looking at Dia.

"Um… then, could we please have a minute alone with our group, Eri-san?"

The blonde Russian glanced at the rest of her friends, and they all nodded affirmatively.

"Alright. We'll leave you to it, then…"

"What's this about, Kanan-chan?" You asked.

"Onee-chan?" Ruby asked her sister.

The two older girls heaved a collective sigh, Kanan placing her hands on her hips, and Dia crossing her arms over her chest.

"Guess this couldn't wait till we got to the clubroom, huh…"

"If the two of you have something so important to say, then spit it out already!" Yoshiko demanded.

"Yoshiko-chan!" Hanamaru retorted to her friend.

"Maru, Yoshiko-chan's right. It's time this was let out in the open…"

The air among the nine of them was tense. Dia kept her eyes locked on her younger sister's, feeling a pang in her chest. Kanan locked eyes with her childhood friend, Chika, and clenched her fist.

"Mari-san… you do know that as third-years, we graduate fairly soon, right?" Dia asked. The blonde Aqours member nodded.

"Of course I know that."

"Mari…" Kanan said, calming her nerves. "That was… part of the reason why I didn't wanna re-form Aqours after you came back…"

"W-What does you being third-years have to do with—" Dia cut her sister off.

"Our last year at Uranohoshi also means… our last year as school idols. Permanently."

A slight breeze flew among the nine of them, making the air that much harder to handle.

"K-Kanan-chan…" Chika said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Y-You… can't be serious."

"Don't play dumb, Chika," Kanan said sternly to her childhood friend. "Knowing so much about school idols, you, of all people, should have seen this coming!"

"W-Well, I…"

"Kanan-san…" Dia said softly, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Onee-chan…" Ruby whispered. Dia looked her sister in the eye, and could see the pain building in those emerald gems. "Why… didn't you say anything…?" Dia kept her lips creased together, in an effort to keep from shouting at her sister. This frustrated her so much!

"Kanan… Dia…" Mari stepped over to her dear friends. "You're telling me that this will all end immediately after we graduate?"

"You're not gonna be the Director for long, Mari!" Kanan shot back. "Your position as a school idol isn't the only thing that's ending!"

"… Riko-chan…?" You asked her friend. Everyone's eyes turned on her, and her fists were clenched at her sides.

"Riko?" Kanan asked her underclassman.

"So, you're saying… we should disband. Is that it?" Riko challenged, biting down on her tongue for even suggesting such a thing.

"N-No! T-That's not what we're trying to—"

"Really, Kanan-san? Because that's what I'm hearing." She angrily stepped over to Kanan, her golden eyes flaring. "We haven't even made our first step in trying to save Uranohoshi, and you're already willing to let go of the one thing that's gonna save it?"

"Riko!" Kanan said, raising her voice, making the redhead flinch. "Just listen to me, alright? We're not saying we're disbanding Aqours! We just… need your guys' help in deciding whether or not—"

"That shouldn't even be a decision for anyone to make, much less the two of you!" Riko said, cutting her off, and glaring between Kanan and Dia. "I don't want Aqours to disband! Not even after the three of you graduate! I…" She looked back at the rest of her team members. "I don't wanna lose any of you…" She could feel her throat closing up as tears built up in her eyes. "Aqours… has finally given me a purpose for my piano playing. It's because of this group that I've regained my passion for the piano." Her voice broke. "All the fun times that we've had since I came to Uchiura… I don't want all that to go away because of some… stupid rule."

Pure silence swept among the girls before Dia cleared the air.

"How about this, then?" She suggested. "Until we sort this out… Aqours goes on hiatus."

"What?" Yoshiko demanded.

"Riko-san is obviously against disbandment," Dia pointed out, as Riko nodded. "So, until… until this gets cleared up, we'll take a break." She glanced at Ruby, then quickly looked away, not meeting her sister's eyes. Kanan blew a breath.

"Okay, so who's in favor of that?" She asked, raising her hand slightly. "Anyone who is, raise your hand." One by one, the girls raised their hands. Even Ruby, who knew she couldn't disrespect her sister's wishes, mirrored her friends' actions.

"Then, it's settled," Chika declared. "Aqours will be on hiatus until we clear up what to do."