Chapter 43 – Idol's Promise
Mugi's POV
*Odaiba-kaihinkōen'eki ni tōchaku. Odaiba-kaihinkōen'eki-ji no teiryūjo.*
"Ugh…finally! That train was cramped as hell!" Aoi-san said as the 5 of us got off of the train that brought us all the way to Odaiba.
"Never did I think that so many people would come to Odaiba for the summer." Sumire said. "Maybe it truly isn't as seclusive as we thought it was."
"Though, we probably made it worse for ourselves with the bags we're carrying." Hiro-san (Aoi-san's friend) added.
"Well, seclusive or not, we made it in one piece." Azusa-chan said. "That's good enough, right?"
"Yeah, that's true. I didn't think I would be spending my summer in Odaiba, though. Your mischief-making is giving me yet another eventful break, Aoi."
"Oh, shut up, Hiro. I only brought you along because Azusa wouldn't let me come without you."
"It's to protect the people of Odaiba from your ridiculous money-making plots, Aoi." Azusa-chan said.
"Ugh. This better not be a repeat of Okinawa…"
"Wow…so, this is Odaiba. It's a lot prettier than I thought it would be."
"Is this your first time coming to Odaiba, Mugi-senpai?" Azusa-chan asked me as I was looking out a nearby window.
"Huh? Oh, yes. It is my first time. Aside from Okinawa, I didn't really travel to other parts of the country for my school breaks. It was mostly places like Finland and Germany."
"Australia was nice, too." Sumire added.
"Oh, yeah. It was."
"Wait, you went to Australia?!" Azusa-chan asked. "For what?!"
…
…
…
"Y-You know…I don't even know." I said after thinking about it. "We traveled internationally so much that I think most of it was just because we could. I've never thought about it until now."
"I-I see…" Azusa-chan gained a sweatdrop.
"So, do you normally get hit in the face with this "Rich Girl Reality" realization?" Aoi-san asked. Feeling the same thing her cousin was currently feeling.
"On a regular basis, yeah."
"S-Sorry…" Sumire and I apologized with guilt.
*NOTIFICATION CHIME*
"Well, Yu just texted me saying she'll be here in 10 minutes. So, we got some time to take a break and look around."
"In that case, I'll do just that." I said. "I still need to mentally prepare myself for this sudden career path that I've chosen for myself."
"O-Oh, right…" Azusa-chan gained a sweatdrop. "…Well…just don't be long."
"I won't." I said as I went to walk around the train station.
A few minutes into my self-tour, I got myself a small café drink and was looking out yet another window at Odaiba's artificial view.
It's such a small peaceful city. Hard to believe that there are idols here. Let alone school idols.
I took another sip of my drink while lost in thought.
Huh…school idols…makes me think of Honoka and the ordeal she went through. I wonder if she's doing alright…
"*moan*…why'd you guys bring me all the way here to Odaiba?"
"Huh?"
From the corner of my eye, I saw a group of four girls talking with bags of their own. Meaning that they're from somewhere on the mainland, too.
Though, one of these girls…looked VERY familiar.
Wait…is that…
"We already told you, Honoka." Said a girl with short orange hair with an orange bow on one end and a clover on the other. "There's a School Idol Festival going on here and you making an appearance in it would be all too perfect."
"I get that part. But, really…school idols in Odaiba? How is that even a thing?"
"Oh, come on. It's not that out-of-place."
"Chika's right." Added a girl with short grey hair. "When you think about it, school idols in Uchiura were even more out-of-place. So, it's fine."
"You make it sound like a good thing…" Honoka gained a sweatdrop.
"And besides…we're only doing this to cheer you up."
"Cheer me up?" Honoka went silent for a bit. "S-So…you know about what happened last week, huh?"
"We were coming to see you about the exams…and we overheard everything." Said a girl with long maroon-colored hair.
"*sigh* Aw, geez…"
Something happened last week, huh? Based on what Honoka told me before, I can kinda guess what it involved…
"Look, Honoka." The orange-haired girl said. "We're not going to sit here and come up with some bull-faced lie like "We understand what you're going through". Cause we don't. Nor can we relate to it. Not by a longshot.
But ever since we've become friends, you've gotten a little happier day by day. And I know fully getting rid of your past is completely impossible…that the memories will always be with you no matter what happens nowadays.
But…But that doesn't mean you can't try! We're your friends, damnit! And even though we only have one year to be together, we're going to make it the best year any of us will ever have! Right, guys?!"
"Aye aye, Captain!" The grey-haired girl cheered with a salute.
"I can agree to that." The maroon-haired girl added.
"So, come on! Let's have the four of us spend our only summer together will happy memories to fill! No regrets!"
Woah…that girl has so much positive energy. I'm actually jealous.
"You guys…" Honoka went silent for a bit. "…*giggle* You're right. I should be making fun good memories with you guys. After all, it is my last summer break as a high schooler. It should be filled with good & fun memories. Even though it's going to be based on a School Idol Festival in Odaiba, of all places."
"That a girl!" The orange-haired girl cheered. "Now, you keep this positivity while I…go find a place for us to stay."
"Wh-What?!" The three girls yelled in shock.
"You mean you actually brought us here and we don't even have a place to stay?!" Honoka asked.
"I-It's just a minor setback! We'll fix it in no time! Come on, you two! Let's go!"
"W-Wait! Chika!" The grey-haired girl yelled.
"*sigh* Underprepared as usual…" The maroon-haired girl said with an exasperated look.
The three girls then ran off to find some hotel or something. Leaving Honoka all alone and trying to calm down.
"*sigh* Geez, those three…"
"You sure got some great friends, you know." I spoke out.
"W-Wait…Mugi?!"
"I overheard what they did for you. I found it quite funny…so I came to laugh at your face."
"Oh, you're freaking hilarious. Using my own words to insult me." Honoka said to me with a pissed-off look.
"*giggle* I couldn't resist. Once I saw you standing there, it was all I could think of."
"Hmph. Well, I'm SO glad you got your kicks in."
"Oh, come on. Lighten up. Here, you can have a sip of my drink. It's Citrus Coma Clash…"
"A-Another weird one, huh?" Honoka gained a sweatdrop. "Well, I am curious…" She then took a sip of my drink and in an instant, her eyes lit up with excitement.
"I know, right? It's really good."
"Geez…who the hell is coming up with these flavors? The names are so weird…but the taste is so delicious…I could drink this all day…" Honoka then continued to take more sips of my drink. More than what I actually allowed her to.
"H-Hey, that's enough! Gimme my drink back!" I yelled.
"No way! *sip* This is your *sip*punishment for the *sip*insult earlier! *sip* *sip* *sip*"
"It was YOUR insult, damnit! Gimmie my drink!"
"No! *sip*"
"Honoka…!"
The two of us ended up fighting over a drink for about 2-3 minutes. Then, after realizing how stupid we look to everyone at the train station, we gave up and each bought a drink of our own. And now, we were both drinking said drinks as we were hoping that everyone around us forgot about the two nutcases that were fighting over a simple drink.
I sure hope THIS part of me doesn't go viral…
"So…what are you doing here in Odaiba?" I asked Honoka. "You really taking part in that School Idol Festival?"
"Yeah…it wasn't my idea, though. My friend Chika signed me up for it and didn't bother to tell me until last night. She's a total scatterbrain."
"You mean like yourself?"
"Shut it." Honoka retorted.
"So, if she signed you up…that means that those three girls you were with are aware that you're μ, right?"
"Yeah, they are. And they're the only ones that know about it, too. At least I thought they were the only ones…"
"Huh?"
"N-Nothing. Just talking to myself."
"I see…" Was all I said.
I'll just talk to her about it later…
"By the way…how do you know about this School Idol Festival? I know you overheard us, but…"
"Well…" I went silent for a bit. "…You're not going to believe this, but I'm taking part in it as well."
"What? But that festival is for school idols. The only way you can take part in it is if you…" Honoka then stopped talking as she stared at me with a look of shock. "Y-You're kidding…"
"No, I am not. Apparently."
"Y-You're seriously going to become a school idol? What made you want to do this?"
"It actually started with my solo performance back in Okinawa. Apparently, someone filmed it and it's gotten really popular online. And so, because of that, my friend's cousin came to me and asked if I could take part in this festival. And despite my lack of knowledge on the whole thing, I ended up agreeing to it. So…yeah. That's why I'm here."
"Wow, Mugi. That's…That's actually really cool."
"Cool? Really?" I was honestly shocked by her response.
"Sure. I mean…you do have a great singing voice. I was there. It's nice that a good friend of mine is going to become an idol, too."
"Really? I mean, people have been saying that my voice could easily rival yours."
"So? Lyrica's my rival and yet I'm a fan of her. It'll be the same thing with you, Mugi."
"Wow…thanks, Honoka." I said before taking a sip of my drink. "You know…I will need help with all of this "school idol" stuff. And since you have the experience…"
"Oh." Honoka then took a sip of her own drink. "Well…I'm not sure yet on how I can do that while keeping my identity as μ a secret. But once I figure that part out, I'll help you out as much as I can, Mugi. An idol's promise."
"Alright, Honoka. An idol's promise." I said. We both shook on it and added an extra-long sip of our drinks to seal the deal.
"We're so addicted to these drinks."
"*giggle* Yeah, big time." Honoka agreed.
"We're back…" We then caught sight of Honoka's friends walking up to us. The orange-haired girl looking gloomier than the others.
"Did you find a place for us to stay?" Honoka asked.
"No…not within our budget."
"Hotels in Odaiba are pretty expensive." The grey-haired girl said. "The cheapest one we could find was going for 17,000 yen per night."
"Woah…" Honoka then went silent for a bit before turning to me. "Hey…you can pay for that, right?"
"I may be rich as hell, but 17,000 yen a night is too damn expensive. Even for me." I gained a sweatdrop.
"*sigh* Figures."
(Quick Note: 17,000 yen = about $156)
"Hey, Honoka…do you know this girl?" The maroon-haired girl asked.
"Oh, right. You know how I went to Okinawa for my first live performance at that festival? Well, I also made a new friend there. Her name's Tsumugi Kotobuki."
"You can just call me Mugi." I added.
"Well, nice to meet you, Mugi." The orange-haired girl said. "I'm Chika Takami."
"Ahoy, Mugi! Name's You Watanabe!" The grey-haired said with a salute.
"My name's Riko Sakurauchi. Nice to meet you, Mugi." The marron-haired girl said with a bow.
"It's nice to meet you all, as well." I replied.
"Mugi-senpai!"
I then turned around to see Azusa-chan and the others walking up to us. Along with her cousin Takasaki-san.
So, it's about time, huh?
"There you are, Mugi-senpai. Yu's here to take us to…uh…hey, do you know these girls?" Azusa-chan asked once she saw me with the four other girls.
"This is Honoka Kosaka." I said. "She and her friends are here because Honoka's taking part in the idol festival."
"Seriously?"
"Oh! So, you're the last-minute entry I got yesterday morning!" Takasaki-san cheered. "Thank you so much for taking part!"
"You signed me up for this thing yesterday MORNING?" Honoka asked Chika with an exasperated look.
"H-Hey, don't look at me like that! I found an ad for it online and I wanted to get a slot in before they all went away!"
"Actually, you were the first applicant in like…3 weeks." Takasaki-san said. "This whole process has been rather slow since…well…the very beginning."
"I see…" Chika gained a sweatdrop.
"A-Anyway…you said your name was Honoka, right?" Takasaki-san then took good look at Honoka. "You know…you kinda look familiar."
"D-Do I?" Honoka began to panic a little. "I-I don't think we've met before…"
"Well, yeah. We haven't met until now. But despite that…you really look familiar."
"I…kinda see it, as well." Sumire said.
"Hey, weren't you in Okinawa at one point?" Azusa-chan asked.
"Uh…"
"S-So, where are we going to be staying at, Takasaki-san?" I asked in an attempt to change the topic.
"Huh? Oh, right. There are a few extra rooms in our school's dorm. I got permission to let you guys use them. Both groups included."
"Really now?" Riko asked. "Well, that solves our "where to stay" problem."
"Woah…a school dorm…I always wanted to see what those were like!" You said.
"Those have got to be like…top tier Japanese City Girl!" Chika said. "Right, Riko?!"
"Wh-Why would that be…" Riko gained a huge sweatdrop. "*sigh* Sorry about them. They're country girls."
"Oh, we totally get you." Aoi-san said. "Hiro and I are actually friends with a country girl."
"And she's like this all the time." Hiro-san added. "Sometimes to a mind-baffling extent."
"Heh. The same with these two."
"Hey!" Both Chika and You yelled. "There ain't nothin' wrong at all with bein' a country girl, suga!"
"There is when you talk like that." Honoka retorted with a sweatdrop.
"Alright, then." Takasaki-san said. "If everyone's all good and ready, let's head out. It's a bit of a walk…but it's not that far, I promise."
"*sigh* Just as long as I don't have to get on a crowded train with these bags again. My sides hurt so freaking bad…"
"You sound like an old lady, Aoi." Azusa-chan said to her cousin.
As the two groups merged and headed out of the train station, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. And I turned to see Honoka with a look of relief on her face.
"Thanks, Mugi. You saved me good back there." She whispered to me.
"*giggle* No problem, Honoka." I said with a smile. "After all…it is an idol's promise."
"Author's Note: Mugi and friends arrive in Odaiba…only to run into Honoka and her group of friends. Claiming that she's taking part in Yu's School Idol Festival, too. What else could be in store for the newbie/veteran idol duo?
I'll be honest…I've been wanting to write this chapter for a WHILE. After putting Honoka in this story, I was thinking of ways to add other Love Live! characters in here, too. Granted, Mugi becoming an idol wasn't part of the plan at the time. But it all worked out in the end.
Also, I ended up writing another small detail into Honoka's backstory. The more I do this, the more I want to write her story. But I'm not really sure. I'm aware of how Love Live! is treated in the Fanfiction world…and I'm not sure it will get much attention compared to stories that depict every single character as a lesbian (seriously…why, though? I just don't get it).
Next chapter continues from this point. With a few more characters yet to appear. Thanks for reading. Later.
