12
(yellow)

Rin pretended to sing with the microphone in her hand and marched forward.
The cords of the microphone were wrapped around my wrist.
And Rin's school jacket covered my hand. This really looked more like a cop with a criminal than a captive.
Actually, Rin didn't really tie the cords tight on my wrist. But I've already told her I would bring her to Hanayo, so there's no other option for me anyway.
But as I spotted Eli standing in the Idol Research Club's front door, I felt that things were already under control.
"Why is the president of student council here Nya?" Rin asked curiously. Eli observed my looks closely before replying.
"You're Hoshizora Rin?"
"Ah! Yeah!"
"Could you let Maki go first?"
"Um—No Nya! She's Rin's captive."
"Relax, there's no need for a captive." Eli said with a convincing voice and pointed to the door behind her.
"The student council had the situation under control. Koizumi-san is perfectly safe."
"Really Nya?"
"Of course. We're here to protect the students." Eli blinked at me.
Till this point, I understood what Eli's doing. I added along, "See? Hoshizora-san, they've got the kidnapper. Can you let go of me?"
"If this is what the president said, Rin will let you go Nya."
Rin took the cords off me, then gave the microphone to Eli.
"I'll give this to you Nya." Rin saluted like a soldier and dashed into the club classroom.
Eli grimaced at me. "You okay?"
"Yeah." I stared at her curiously. "Is this all Tsubasa's idea? Or are you all working with her?"
"You can check. I'll return this to the PA room."
Eli left with the mic.
In the classroom's corner, Kira Tsubasa was tied on a chair. Umi was standing beside her with a weird Take(bamboo)-Sword out of nowhere, looking as if she was a fighting samurai. Nozomi was sitting from a distance and played with her tarot cards. Nico stared as if she saw something unbelievable. Rin, however, was too busy checking on Hanayo over and over to notice the rest of the room.
This is the situation I saw.
"Kayo-chin, are you okay?"
"Oh…Rin-chan…I'm fine…"
"That's great. Let's go!"
"Oh, w..wait…"
Rin prepared to drag Hanayo out. I stood by the door and blocked their way.
"Move aside, red-head."
"My name is Nishikino Maki." I corrected her, and looked at them.
This is the first time I looked at them properly after I got here.
It was just as before; Hanayo was always hiding behind Rin cowardly and not making any decisions…or being dragged along before she could make any.
Rin knew Hanayo very well, but she sometimes forgot to take care of Hanayo when she's striding forward.
Their relationship didn't change before they joined μ's.
"Let Rin pass, Nishikino-san, Rin and Hanayo are going to the track and field club."
"Um, oh, Rin…" Hanayo whispered quietly.
If you don't pay attention, you'll miss out the glistening lights in her eyes.
"Your friend seems to wanna say something to you, Hoshizora Rin-san."
Hanayo widened her eyes.
Rin stopped and turned to Hanayo.
"Kayo-chin?"
"Um…Rin-chan…I…" Hanayo lowered her head. Her voice went smaller and smaller.
"…Idol…"
Rin got closer to her.
"What is it, Kayo-chin?"
"I…I…wanna…be…a…idol…too."
She said it.
My jaws dropped with surprise as I glanced at Tsubasa, who was smiling triumphantly.
Wow! This girl…if she wasn't all tied up I'd really admire her.
"Kayo-chin?" Rin repeated her name, and then suddenly yelled.
"Oh! Rin got it! That kidnapper tricked you Nya!"
"That's not what it is." I couldn't help but reply.
I decided to help out Hanayo. Because I knew, whether it's the Hanayo here or the Hanayo there, they've all got dreams in being an idol.
"Don't barge into us, red-head!" Rin grabbed Hanayo's shoulders and glared at me. "You only met us today! Don't answer for Kayo-chin Nya!"

I kinda missed this always-raging Rin a bit. Although the Rin now was a-okay too.

"You're friends with Koizumi Hanayo, right? You should be listening to her then."
Rin turned to Hanayo again after hearing my words.
"U…um, Rin-chan…Actually, I…I…I still want to be an idol…"
"Kayo-chin…"
I remember the other Rin once told us that Hanayo's dreams were to become idols. She even wrote it on her essay.
"Wait, are you going to leave Rin behind?"
"Uh? Um…no…I…"
Rin shook Hanayo back and forth. Hanayo's voice went quieter again, all I could hear was "someone save me".
"Hang on."
"NYAAAAAA?"
I pulled Rin. She screamed like a cat that'd been touched in the wrong spot.
"What are you doing Nya!"
"Come on, let her finish."
Rin flustered at me. What a over lively kitty she is…
But the whole point was Hanayo. Whatever happened when I wasn't here, if she decided to join, I have to let her finish her sentence.
"Rin..Rin-chan…I, I want to be an idol."
Rin stammered with uneasiness.
"After…after I watched μ's live concert…I really admired them. They were just…in the same school with us…but…it felt like I was watching A-RISE…they're really cool. Maybe I…couldn't be that cool…but…I still want to…be an idol. So…Rin-chan, could you be with me?"
Hanayo finished her words and looked at Rin with anticipation.
But she didn't receive the answer she was waiting for.
It's because of Rin's own past scars. The Rin now…
"Rin couldn't be any idols." Rin lowered her head, fists clutched tight. "Kayo-chin is cute, you could definitely be an idol, but Rin…Rin isn't cute at all."
Rin pushed me out of the way and ran out.
"W…wait, Rin-"
Hanayo lost her balance and almost fell. I grabbed her. Looking at Hanayo's sad expression, I decided I had to make both of them join.
"Koizumi…san."
"Yes?"
"If you really want Rin to join with you, you must support her later."
I told Hanayo and walked out.
Although I'm no match for Rin's sprinting speed, but I knew where she'll end up after running aimlessly.
So I arrived at the huge tree in the courtyard.
Rin stopped there, gasping for air.
"Calmed down for a bit?"
Rin shuddered. Without turning around, she stared up at the tree.
"Koizumi…san wants you to be idols with her."
Rin quietly replied, "Rin is in no shape for an idol."
"That's not true."
From what I remembered, Rin was the most girlish one among all of us.
That's why she took what happened in elementary school in her mind for a long time.
"Hoshizora-san, I think you'll be a perfect idol."
"Rin is not meant for being an idol." Rin lowered her head, disheartened. "Rin's hair is really short. Rin's rough. Rin's not suited for skirts. So Rin can't be an idol."
"There're a lot of girl idols out there with short hair, and not all idols have to be nice and neat. Besides…I think Rin is really cute."
Rin spun around, surprised.
"You just called Rin's name."
"Yeah."
"Is Rin really suited for being an idol?"
"Absolutely."
I reached out to Rin and smiled.
"Come on, let's go back to Koizumi-san together, okay?"
"Okay. But Rin has one more question."
"What is it?"
Rin frowned and spoke.

I came to my senses and found out I was home.
I had the faint memory of going to the club classroom with Hoshizora Rin, and chatting with Koizumi Hanayo, Eli-senpai, Umi-senpai and Nico-senpai.
But I couldn't remember how I came back here.
Well, to put it this way…
I couldn't remember why I was in Otonokizaka again.
I didn't want to meet that person at all. I hated that person from the bottom of my heart.
But as she talked and laughed with me, I felt that the hatred in my heart lifted.
I didn't remember much about being a School Idol too.
But…there's a voice in my heart. As if it was calling out to me from the depth of my soul, asking me not to abandon the tiny Nico-senpai.
Hmm, whatever. I don't hate her anyway.
I walked back into my room and decided to take a rest first.
Because I got the feeling that Nico-senpai would call me tonight.

I stared blankly at the golden hourglass in my hands.

The sands were empty.

To be specific, they were gone.

There was no trace of any grains of sands in the empty hourglass.

Don't do this to me.
Please don't do this to me.
I haven't say goodbye to everyone yet.
Don't do this to me…

Tears rolled down my cheeks.

Thick sadness engulfed me.