The day has arrived to announce the passers of the examinations. A crowd had gathered by the huge bulletin board, creating a rash of emotions ranging from jubilation to desperation to depression. Wonder what the members of News would have?

"Yatta!" went Iida at the results. She passed.

It took Suzuko's sweat, blood, and tears- and threats, too, that is, that Aina's eagle claws will come for her nape again when she least expects it- for Takatsuki to earn a decent score, not the almost-dead borderline mark. The joy and relief was shared by the all the rest of the members.

"But wait," wondered Emi. "Didn't Sasami-senpai loaf around?"

They all looked at her, much to her embarrassment. Turns out she had been secretly doing some studying on her own. She really hated to give off the impression that she cared about the group, but in the end her interest in keeping themselves together had prevailed. Her eyes shifted and she wanted to step away. "S-So what? Maybe I cheated. Who knows?"

Emi laughed. "Come on! Who brags about 'maybe' cheating? You did it! For real!"

Before Sasami's confused mind could cook up a proper rebuttal, the group has already crowded on her. "We're so proud of you, Sasami-senpai!" gushed Suzuko.

"Never thought you'd actually score so high, nya!"

Most disconcerting of all, though, were the looks from Aina and Yoshino. Aina's face had the same pride as the others, while Yoshino, although silent, looked noticeably calmer and gave a tiny nod of approval.

W-What do I give a fig about what you guys think? You expect me to be happy? Huh? It's not like that, not like that, at all!

Sasami turned her back on them. "Fine, OK, thanks. You're gonna practice, right? You go on ahead. I'll drop by when I feel like." She began to walk away. "A-And stop calling me -senpai!" she concluded, her back still turned to them. "You're making me age sooner than I deserve!"

But everybody were smiling.

At that moment, they all remembered a certain song about surely hearing one's youth. "You know," remarked Aina, "I do think we should drop the -senpai thing while we're doing things as a group." She looked mischievously at Yoshino. "Except for Miss President. 'Cause she's, you know, the eldest of us?"

It elicited an instant reaction. Even presidents want to be young. "W-Well, do what you like," she said uneasily. "But mind you, only during practice. OK?"

Aina only cat-smiled back.

"OK..." said Iida bringing out a pair of maracas. "Let's rock!"

With the tests cleared, the group went full throttle under Yoshino. She was still tough as ever, but everybody were now too preoccupied to even care. They were rehearsing for a live show, they were shooting a music video, they were meeting and greeting fans in flash press-cons in classrooms and courtyards and cafeterias. Aya was especially busy with designing and making the costumes.

"Minna!" cheered Emi with the others at the auditorium before a raving crowd. "Please support us! Help us represent our school at the National Live Tourney! Let's make our school great again! Yay!"

"Nyu~zu!" The crowd roared. "Nyu~zu! Nyu~zu!"

"As your Student President," announced Yoshino, "I promise that if we make it to the Top 20, I will personally push for a permanent foreign exchange program. I want our school to be known outside Japan as well. I want all of us to know the world better." At this, there was no uproar of approval, but the murmurings of excitement were just as intense. Yoshino was deeply pleased.

Sasami didn't miss the chance to flaunt her showmanship. She sang a thrilling number, much to the enthrallment of the audience. They answered with a resounding applause, forgetting the spartan episode she led back at the courtyard. Yoshino clapped along. She decided that Kobayashi deserved the attention for not sabotaging the group with a failed test.

Afterwards, everyone had the time of their life posing with the members and having their notebooks and other items signed. They weren't that famous yet, but their group was a breath of fresh air, and they were very proud of their own. That same day saw News' ranking skyrocket through the ranks.

"But it is still only #208," lamented Yurika over the laptop back at the clubroom. "If we don't get to the 50s before the month is out, we'll never make it. Maybe we should rush the music video, you know, cut corners here and there."

"Let's just chill, Yurika-chan," said Aina. "If we can't make it this year, I'm sure News would have had developed the quality it needs to truly compete early the next."

Yurika's face fell. "Don't you want to be part of the contest?"

"But at least you will still be around."

"Nuh-uh," said Emi standing up. "We are nine now. That number is who we are. I will not let our group of nine become a six when we get to the Live."

Aina raised her eyebrow, just a bit, but she just smiled smugly and did not voice any opposition.

"Aina-chan, Yoshino-sem... Yoshino-san, Sasami-chan," she said with increasing fervor, "none of you will be left behind. Do not dwindle yourselves like you're not members of News. Uhm. That's right. We must have a goal if we are to move forward. And I say... Let us make it to finals this very year. No less can be accepted. What do you say, guys?"

Suzuko, Guile, Aya, and Yurika were delighted. This really isn't the time to hold back big dreams. "Look, everybody," beamed Yurika showing the photos they had with the students earlier. "They are all counting on us." Even VP and Yoshino looked admirably at the pictures. Aina sighed in resignation. She has to give it to them. What she had said earlier to the second years about the school losing a sense of community was being resolved.

"See?" said Emi. "We have all the reason in the world to make it to the top! I say, News, let's go for it this year, right now!"

"Ne, Emi-chan," remarked Sasami. "Are you making decisions for the group now?"

"Eh...?"

"I mean, hasn't this group been taken over already?"

"Oh," said Aina. "That's right. Yocchi is the one calling the shots here. Say, Emi-chan, haven't you shed your habit of leading the members?"

"But..."

"Komiya-san," said Suzuko, "Emi is the person we looked up to as leader ever since the beginning. I don't think we should just lay her aside."

"Yoshino-san hasn't said anything about joining the live yet," seconded Guile. "Only that the admin won't let us join if we failed the tests. And we all passed."

"Yocchi did say we should leave contests to the professionals."

They all looked at the president. She only stared back at them sizing up each one of them. She did take over the group but it was simply to put things under control and she didn't want petty leadership issues to disturb the peace now.

"How are we going to be professionals if we don't have the experience?" protested Emi.

"Emi-chan," said Aina. "I suppose you should respect lines of authority before anything else, don't you think?"

"Alright," said Yoshino standing up as well. She went to the window and faced them, as if to emphasize that she was unmistakably over them. But she wanted her words to be different. "Everyone. I am the Student President, and I am in charge not only of a group of nine, but also a school of a hundred plus or so. I hope that fact is still clear to everyone.

Emi was dumbfounded for a bit, but she calmed down.

"I am glad you have been cooperating with me this whole time. You have been very consistent in taking orders from me, even if I made things hard for you. In fact, Inami-san was one of the most consistent in following my instructions and I do hope she stays that way."

But her face has softened somewhat even as she spoke.

"In return, I now want to give each member their say about joining the tournament. If it is a decision about the future and direction of the group I believe each member who has given time and sweat to the group must at least be heard.

"We will hold a majority vote. Whatever comes out, even I will comply. Well now, I still think we shouldn't join." She raised her hand. "Who is with me?"

Aina looked blank, but immediately took the president's side. And, much to the dismay of the underclassmen, Sasami as well.

"Who needs contests when the greatness of Sasami is already obvious to all? I am allergic to contests." To reinforce her statement, "I mean it!"

"Well, I guess all the third-years are," said Emi ruefully.

For a blink of an eye, Aina threw a glance directly at Aya. It disturbed her in a way she couldn't explain. Maybe it was just because it was so random?

Emi now looked around to see if anyone has raised their hand in favor of the seniors. There were none. "Well, then," she said with a smirk, "I guess we won."

"Wait," said Guile.

"Huh?"

"Please don't count me in yet."

She was thunderstruck. "What?! But why?!"

Guile's eyes shifted about. "I-I think it's enough for us to love what we're doing..." Emi couldn't believe what she was hearing from her. "B-But," she quickly followed, "we haven't even heard what Iida-chan has to say."

It was then that they remembered Iida wasn't there at the moment. "Oh..." said Emi. "Right. W-Where is she?"

"You are both three-on-three," explained Guile. "Whichever side Takatsuki-san votes for will automatically become the majority, and I will just... I will just follow."

Just then, the bell rang, putting an end to the school day.

"Yokatta!" said Emi stretching out, as though the whole argument had been nothing more than a fitful nap. "We'll get Iida first thing tomorrow." Yawn. "I'm sure she'll vote for us, anyways. Let's go. I'm famished."

They all got up to go home, but Aina and Yoshino agreed to look for Iida before they leave. "I think we could easily induce her to side with us," remarked Aina as they closed the room.

Yoshino didn't answer right away, only said, "Let's make this quick. It looks like it's going to rain tonight."

Only a soft, cool breeze with the scent of rain blew under the darkening sky, but there was no rain just yet. It was refreshing weather. The students were taking their time chatting on the streets as they left. It didn't take them long to find Iida. She was at one of the cherry trees along the walk facing the south-facing back gate. She was sitting on one of the lower branches, humming and savoring the cool wind.

"Breakback-chan!" called Aina. "Aren't you going to fall off from there?"

"Wha?" she said startled. She saw them. "D-Don't call me that, nya!" She saw the president with her. "I... I'm just... I'm just letting the crowd pass before I go, that's all!"

"Oh," teased Aina, "but the president is not amused to see a high-schooler hanging on a tree branch like she was in grade school, now, don't you say, Yocchi?"

She ignored her. "How's the tree, Takatsuki?"

Iida promptly forgot her nervousness as she found the chance to talk about her favorite spot. "Oh, she's A-OK!" Giggle. "She's not due to bloom until next year, but I love to imagine her already all pink and pretty! Uh-huh. So nice... So beautiful... Walking under the sakura, having a picnic. And sitting in this exact same tree, nya! You know, this tree makes the biggest blooms and bears the yummiest cherries!"

She decided to share a little tidbit with them. "Would you believe it? Back at grade school, I was already passing by around here... and I saw this tree every time. I asked myself, what school is this where this tree is growing? Ah, I'd like to enrol here when I get older. It looks like this school could be the friendliest, warmest place, and I could make so many friends and so many memories here, if the trees here were so pretty." Giggle. "It sounds silly, but that's how I really feel. Even now. Boy, I'm so glad I go to this school." And she returned to her happy humming.

Yoshino did not speak any more.

She saw the students going home and chatting. Among them, she picked out Emi and the second years Aya and Suzuko, with the freshman Yurika in tow, all four of them laughing. She took in Iida's humming, as well as the scent of the trees all around. If there were any people around to encourage students to enrol here next year, they were the ones to do the job.

"Aina," she finally said. "Let us not talk about next year and passing on, about us leaving and they staying. Please. I really hate it when you bring that up. Please. Say nothing about it. Even just for now. Please?"

Aina smiled weakly and shrugged. "Well, who am I to question you?"

"Look at her," said Yoshino referring to Emi. "Uncaring, she pushes forward with her goal. Her focus and energy is disturbing at times, but, if those girls are to face the real world someday, isn't that the first thing they'll need out there?"

"..."

"Let's drop all mention of this voting. I will quietly let Inami lead the group around while I watch. You won't object now, would you, Aina?"

Another shrug. "Welp. It's Emi. I guess it's OK."

"The fun is just starting... Starting... Starting..."

News has finally uploaded their first music video. Now they are in the top 150.

The second-years threw a huge party at a local cafe to celebrate. Parfaits and crepes and sweets galore were everywhere, and Sasami had her fill of near-unlimited hours at the karaoke while the others struggled to keep up with her.

But Yoshino wasn't there. She assigned Aina to attend the party and look after the group while she took paperwork home. It was still light when she came home lugging around a trolley-bag's worth of council work. she stayed in her own flat, which wasn't so big; not even the mailbox was huge. So she easily saw that something was sticking out awkwardly from it. An envelope. She took it out. The address sobered her up.

Evua, R.O.T. (Russian Overseas Territory). A former Soviet base in the Indian Ocean. Current population, 20,000, mostly ethnic Russian.

She first found a postcard-like photo inside. She smiled. "Belka... Strelka..." Her dogs. But her silence returned when she read the letter itself. She went inside and put aside her things. She ate a light dinner before going to the shower.

As soon as she had dressed, she turned on the cable TV. She tuned in to the news channel that featured world news.

"Uh-huh," said Aya happily over the phone with Emi, lying around in bed back at her dorm. "Of course. That was just creepy." Low giggle. "I told Suzuko-chan not to mind too much, but it seems she can't get over it just yet." Chuckle.

This was such a peaceful night, to match such a fun day. But she can't sleep from sheer excitement, long after she put down the phone. News is working its way up. Maybe, just maybe, they would make it to top 10. Maybe, just maybe, they'll be noticed abroad. Maybe... maybe... maybe...

Great was her anticipation that she didn't mind too much when the cat, that same cat, leapt from the open window and onto her bed. She'd been in this room before. "Oh, hi, neko-chan!" Giggle. "Do you know why I'm so happy? I can't stop tickling myself."

The cat only gazed back at her, but it seems it was listening.

"Do you have a new mission for me? Bring it on! I can do anything!" She got up and picked up the animal to look for anything tied to it. There it was, under its belly. She untied and saw. "Hahahahah," she laughed. "I guess you came just to congratulate us." It was a photo of her posing cute at one of their flash press-cons. It bore her autograph. She looked behind to see if there was anything written. There was nothing.

"Oh, neko-chan," she said cuddling and nuzzling the kitty. "You're so sweet. I didn't know I have a little fan now. Eheheh." She looked over the photograph again. Her little treasure from a little kitty. And then she saw.

She didn't notice it the first time since there was no writing... but there it was. A price tag.

"Th..." she gasped, losing her breath. How could one's mood shift so quickly? "Th-They're... They're selling this?"