I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).

Boys sing in BOLD
Girls sing in ITALICS
Both genders sing in BOTH

The sound of Syo cheering in excitement filled the air and Ren looked up just as the blond came bouncing to the table, leaning over and flashing a script. Ren was quick to tease him, earning an annoyed glower as Natsuki asked him a question, nodding in answer.

Syo nearly yelled at Aijima when the raven was confused. Then Saotome made his entrance and exit, leaving them all surprised.

"The UtaPri Brand New Award if for brilliant upcoming idols, a rare title," Hikari's voice said from behind, making them turn to her. Ren blinked at her frazzled appearance. "The Ripplers won the Veteran Award after being a group for five years last year. Otoya, phone."

Blinking, the redhead handed the device over.

"What the president said isn't incorrect, either," Tokiya said, directing their attention back to the topic. "STARISH isn't as well known as we think and the quickest way to become established idols is to claim that title… Hikari, are you alright?"

Snapping the phone closed, Hikari growled as she passed it back. "No. Saotome-dono want me to have my own concert, with my own songs and lyrics. He did say I could have two other people perform as acts and I'm choosing Otoya and Tomochika." Her eyes narrowed at Otoya, who seemed surprised. "You are mine for the Thursdays in November, December, and January."

"Hai." She nodded to herself and vanished, presumably to find Tomochika.

A small whistle left Ren. "Saotome certainly likes to live dangerously. I haven't seen her that angry since we played Uno."

There was a group cringe. At Cecil's confusion, Masato said, "Let's just say we can't play it anymore, at least not with her."

Cecil was still puzzled, but nodded.

"Is Shiori supposed to be in the special, too?" Otoya asked Syo, who nodded.

"Yeah." The blond smirked slightly. He noticed Ren grimacing. "Something wrong?"

"Ryuya-san is one of her favorite idols," Ren reminded the blond. "You'll have to make sure she stays on script."

Syo blinked. "Oh, yeah." He made a face. "I might have to ask her to keep me in check, too, then."

Ryuya turned at the call of his former student. "Kurusu."

The small blond gave him a distracted smile. "I'm looking forward to working with you. Have you seen Shiori-senpai?"

"Nanami's cousin? She's over there." Ryuya motioned over to the side, where the girl was looking through her script, lips moving.

"Thank you!" Syo rushed out before hurrying to the girl, catching her attention. He raised a brow at their hurried talking, but shrugged it off.

-AA-

Shiori watched as Syo made more attempts at the jump, making sure to avoid Hyuga lest she wilt into a fangirl. Humming low in her throat (a habit in her family), she wondered if the blond had a mental block preventing it from happening.

"Hey," a voice made her glance over. It was the stunt director, Yoshika Sawamura.

"Yoshika-san," she dipped her head.

The woman quirked her lip before nodding to Syo. "What do you think?"

"He has a mental block. Don't know why though, but Hikari mentioned he used to have a fear of heights." Shiori looked back up and winced at seeing him dangle on a wire. "Syo looks like a pendulum."

"Hmm… he could work for future segments," Yoshika muttered. "He just needs more work… and maybe meditation."

Shiori snickered. "Hikari did mention he's a hothead."

"Takes one to know one." Yoshika referred to when Rin had asked her to teach the kids the basic moves of gymnastics, the three taking to it like ducks to water. Hikari had gotten frustrated when she couldn't do something on the first try. "Speaking of hotheads, is she keeping up with her practice?"

"Every weekend she can. She's made Otoya and Syo join her too in the advanced forms, the other four in the basics." Another snicker left her. "Tomochika has joined in when she first met Hikari."

"Spread the flexibility infection, my children," Yoshika said in a mock creepy voice and they chuckled.

-AA-

Hikari tilted her head consideringly as Otoya wondered if there was anything they could do to help their friend.

"Actually…" She began, smiling wryly at Ren. "There is something someone could do."

Blue eyes narrowed at her suspiciously. "Oh?"

She smiled sweetly before straightening, pulling her phone out and walking away. "Everyone knows fighting is a way to relieve stress, after all."

"He can't have bruises!" Ren called after her, knowing he couldn't change her mind.

"Shiori-nee knows!"

"Should we be worried?" Otoya asked faintly, glancing between them.

"I don't know," Ren answered reluctantly.

Shiori patted Syo on the head as she walked up, smiling at Natsuki and the stranger she knew to be Cecil. "Welcome to the set," she said to them. "The extras are need by the towers."

Natsuki nodded and glanced over at Cecil. "Myu wanted you to study the fundamentals of idols. One of which is the basics of acting, which if what we'll be doing as extras since it isn't really paid as much attention as the main plot…" His voice faded as he walked away, Cecil a step behind.

"By the way, Syo."

He glanced at her after checking his hair. "Yes?"

"When I get into a role, I relax first." He blinked blue eyes at her in surprise. "It helps me to get into the transitioning state of mind before I become my character."

Syo's eyes lowered. "Is this about me not making the jump?"

"Kind of. More like… hmm… in the beginning, I acted like I was playing a game with my cousins. Slowly, it changed from that to actually being the character." She shrugged at his bemused look. "Some people can't sing, some people can't act, some people can't play instruments. And sometimes, some people merely change the method to suit themselves. Try it with the jump."

His lips twisted into a not quite frown. "I'll try."

"If that doesn't work, imagining people as oddly colored blobs usually helps."

A startled laugh left him as they were called.

-AA-

Syo blew out a breath against his bangs, sending the strands up into the air. The director had chosen to skip the jump scene today, instead focusing on the scene after so he was practicing the jump after the shooting. He glanced over at Shiori, who was up on the tower ledge with him. "Are you really going to stay?"

"Yep. Yoshika-san doesn't like people practicing stunts on their own." She looked at him, thinking. "Want more advice?"

"Have you ever jumped something like this?" He asked instead after a moment.

Shiori hummed faintly. "When I was sixteen, I had to jump off a cliff into the ocean. It was for a spy movie," she recalled. "I'd never been near the ocean, we never really took vacations unless it was like a forest or somewhere in the city. So the idea of being somewhere like that, where there really isn't much of a bottom, made me freeze. I'd run right up to the very edge, but couldn't take that final step into the water."

Shifting the belt, he asked, "How'd you do it then?"

"I pretended Kai, Haruka, or Hikari was struggling in the water." Syo stilled and turned to stare at her. Shiori shrugged. "It was the only thing I could think of, the only thing that would push me out of my comfort zone."

"So… imagine someone I love in danger…" he mumbled, finishing tying his wire gear on. Blue eyes focused on the other ledge and a image took place, one that made him still at just the thought, lips dry as he licked them.

Image-Kaoru clung to the edge of the walkway and Syo took a step forward.

-AA-

Shiori watched with pride as Syo made the jump, smirking faintly as she sent the clip to her cousin. The hours went by fast afterwards and she stood with Yoshika, glancing through her PDA for her next thing. Said next thing was training for the upcoming triathlon. "So much sweating," she muttered and at Yoshika's confusion, held the device out to her.

"Have fun, don't break anything," the woman said then glanced past the redhead. "Heads up."

Brows furrowing, Shiori turned and froze at seeing Syo heading over with Hyuga right beside him. Her eyes darted to Syo's but he simply smirked as he stopped walking while Hyuga stepped closer. "Nanami-san, it was nice working with you."

Her mind went staticky, all screamy and buzzy. 'MY FAVORITE ACTION IDOL JUST COMPLIMENTED ME! EEEEE!' "It was nice working with you, too, Hyuga-san," she replied automatically, bowing. He nodded to Yoshika and walked off, removing his cloak. Shiori stared after him then went down like a cut puppet.

"Senpai, are you okay?" Syo asked, hovering over her with a hand pressed against her shoulder.

"Nae ma-eum," she groaned helplessly. It took him a second to translate (thanks to hearing Hikari saying it a few times) and he laughed at her. "Dagchyeo."

Hikari and Syo were in one of the practice rooms, the girl nibbling on a pocky stick as she looked over a music sheet. Her concert theme was life and she wanted to get a couple songs out before she fully focused on STARISH. "Syo, not that I hate it… but can I please take off the fedora?"

He snickered. "You said you wanted to be my fan," he pointed out, rolling onto his stomach. "It's your certificate."

"I can wear it outside the Academy," she offered. They both fell silent, Syo flipping through his magazine and Hikari looking over the music notes. "Hey, Syo?"

"Yeah?" He glanced at her.

"You don't have anything scheduled tomorrow, right?" Syo nodded and she looked at him pleadingly, clasping her palms together. "Wanna video game marathon with me?"

Syo eyed her. "No horror games. I don't want to get in trouble again."

"Deal!"

-AA-

His thumbs pressed down even as he twitched the Wii remote.

"No!" She squawked out even as Syo knocked her closer to the Piranha Plant, removing her from the game. "Now I have to rely on stupid Toadette!"

Syo let out a cackle, pushing her away with his foot. "All's fair in love and war! Green Machine for the win!"

"Boo Duet sucks," Hikari growled, stopping in trying to mess with Syo as his team won the minigame. "I can't believe I lost to a shrimp."

"Excuse me?" Blue eyes narrowed darkly at her.

"You heard me. What're ya gonna do, sit on me?"

Sparks flew between them then he smiled sweetly. "I'll just use my Bloway Candy."

She gasped. "You bully! Fiend! Coyote! Tofu-Eater!"

"Uh…"

The voice made them turn to the door, seeing a bemused Reiji.

"Hey, senpai," they chorused, sharing faces. Hikari continued. "What's up? Are we too loud?"

"No, actually…" The brunet scratched his cheek sheepishly. "I was wondering if I could join?"

They blinked, but nodded. "Yeah, sure. I'll restart it so you can join," Syo said, shifting on his beanbag.

"Oh, Syo-tan, you don't have to do that now!" Reiji protested, accepting the controller from Hikari with mild reluctance.

"It's fine, senpai," Hikari said, kicking over another beanbag and settling in it as Reiji took hers. "'Sides, Ringo-sensei prefers it if we have some form of supervision when we play games."

Reiji paused in settling, staring at them in confusion. "Why?"

Sharing looks, Syo bit his lip and looked away, shaking slightly. "Let's just say we're both really competitive. Speaking of, you don't care for Yoshi or Boo, do you?"

"Ah, no. I prefer Toad." Reiji shrugged lightly. "I always found his hat thing funny."

"Hat," Hikari said just as Syo let out, "Head." They glared at each other."

"Eh?"

"It's his hat," Hikari said stiffly.

"It's part of his head," Syo retorted.

"Hat."

"Head."

"Hat."

"Head."

"Hat!"

"Head!"

"His hats are better than yours!"

"You're shorter than he is!"

"At least I have a toadstool!"

They paused, Hikari blinking at her words. Reiji's wheezing made them realize the innuendo in her words and she turned red, curling away from them with a groan. Syo let out a helpless laugh, slumping against his seat as he clutched his stomach. "K-Kari-he-he-he-"

"I hate you! Stop laughing!"

Nae ma-eum - My heart

Dagchyeo - shut up

Remember when I said S2 might be longer? That's might've been an overestimation. And to those who may or may not be wondering if the Nanamis should be sadder and more mournful, they've had years to get used to losing Haruka and as mentioned, Hikari was the only one to actually mourn beforehand. The ones who'd grieve the most would be Haruto and Noriko. I… hope this makes sense? (It made sense in my head, but then I've never really lost a close relative/friend)

See you next time!