Disclaimer: Quixotic Color does not own anything.
"You all have months before that occurs," Shining Saotome told them, "We must focus on the music company awards or else Shining Agency with be destroyed."
Haruka, STARISH, and QUARTET NIGHT looked at Shining Saotome in shock.
"D-Destroyed?!"
"Gakuen Kocho, what do you mean?" Tokiya questioned.
"The Wakana Awards are crucial when it comes around. Rising stars prefer their sponsored agencies to have those kinds of awards" he answered.
"Have you even won a Waka-whatever award?" Ranmaru demanded.
"Whoo!" the academy principal yelled out as he spun around on his foot.
"Why yes, Mr. Kurosaki, I have!" Shining Saotome told them.
"Honto?!" Otoya exclaimed, "Do you think you can show it to us?"
"Mochiron, Mr. Ittoki. You all must know what you are aiming for!"
With a double clap of his hands, the curtains closed and the lights went out.
"Eh?!" Natsuki, Syo, Cecil, Otoya, and Reiji all called out.
After a couple minutes there was another double clap and the lights were on as well as the curtains opening from the windows.
Shining Saotome stood on the couch laughing loudly, a silver glittering trophy sitting on top of the table.
"Behold at its magnificentness!"
STARISH, QUARTET NIGHT, and Haruka walk forward towards the shining trophy and looked down on what was written below. On the golden plaque, it read:
SHINING AGENCY
FIVE STARS ON SPECIALIST CRITERIA
FIVE STARS ON INNOVATION
Natsuki, Syo, Otoya, Reiji, and Haruka looked at it in awe. Ren had on an amused expression while Tokiya and Masato had their thoughts on the words 'specialist criteria' and 'innovation' that the Wakana Awards people applauded the Shining Agency for.
"Unfortunately," the academy principal's solemn voice caused everyone to look at him, "Raging Agency has one as well: Five Stars for Specialist Criteria and Distance Learning."
"Gakuen Kocho," Masato began, walking forward towards the older man, "Please explain to us what those categories mean. Special criteria, innovation, distance learning, what do they all mean?"
"Mr. Mikaze, would you please explain it to them," Shining Saotome asked the cyan-haired boy with a tone that meant that he wanted someone else to speak instead.
Ai sighed before looking up at everyone with a deadpan expression, "Specialist Criteria: World-class status excellence on a specific field that looks on the agency's accreditation and discipline rankings. Innovation: How the agency's activities affect society and culture. Distance Learning: Looks upon student services and technology, track record, student faculty engagement, student interaction, commitment to online and reputation of the university."
"On. The. Bright. Side," Shining Saotome stressed out each word, "We are ahead of Raging Agency with ONE more award."
"Maji?! Then where is it?" Syo asked.
"With me, of course," the principal opened up a side of his red jacket and took something out from a big indoor pocket.
In his tanned hands was a shimmering microphone-shaped crystal with a black stand at the bottom. As the group leant in closer, they saw a silver plaque that said:
SAOTOME MITSUO
TOP SUCCESSFUL AND PASSIONATE IDOL OF THE YEAR 19XX
"Sugoi!" Natsuki exclaimed.
"Impressive for the man who was able to build Saotome Academy just from his hit single," Masato said.
"But at this rate, that darn Otori will win most of the Wakana music company awards and cause my agency to fall!"
"How do you know that's even going to happen?" Camus asked.
"I have a feeling, a gut sensation saying so," the academy principal announced, causing everyone else to sweatdrop.
"So what do you want us to do then?" Ren asked the dark brown haired man.
"We start by recruiting new idols and composers!"
The eccentric man's statement surprises everyone as they have never expected him to say that.
"Recruits? Nande?" Natsuki asked.
"Yeah! What's wrong with us?" Syo exclaimed.
"Nothing. Nothing! Nothing is wrong with you all! Demo, we can't have our two top leading idol units winning Wakana awards alone. You all represent Shining Agency and the more of our idols gaining Wakana awards, the quicker the people will understand that Shining Agency has multiple stars skyrocketing with talent," Shining Saotome said.
"There is a Wakana award for the music company with the most achieving idols, isn't there?" Ren declared.
"Moving on!" The academy principal shouted, allowing everyone to know that such an award existed.
"What about the current idols here?" Haruka asked, wondering for her best friend, Shibuya Tomochika.
"Impossible," he said carelessly, "They are all too weak."
"What do you mean by that?! Aren't we all the same as the idols at this school?!" Otoya calls out.
Haruka could not believe that Shining Saotome had said that, thinking about what Tomochika would have done if she heard it. She would have yelled at the principal, proclaiming that the other students are just as good as STARISH and QUARTET NIGHT.
"You all are different," he stated, "Your determination and talent is what helps you become a rising idol."
"But what about the other students? Do they not have that same determination and talent?" Tokiya questioned.
Haruka remembered the times when Tomochika would talk passionately of aiming to become an idol that people could look up to. There was a radiance around the pinkish-purple eyed teen as she spoke about her dream.
"I will make things simple," Shining Saotome asserted, "This school has a limited amount of students who are accepted by taking a required exam. I am not able to speculate each and every one who comes it. They may have a dream of becoming an idol with the talent to help them, but it all depends if the people will accept them."
"Accept them?"
"Mr. Ichinose, you have gained some sort of understanding of this while you were HAYATO, right?" He asked.
Tokiya sighed morosely, "Hai. People wanted HAYATO in television appearances. My dream was to become a singer. It bruised my pride, and I almost lost hope for my goals."
"See? Even if they have determination and talent, the people must accept them for who they are, or else they will eventually fade in desperation," Shining Saotome stated.
"You mean that not everyone at Saotome Academy will reach their dreams?" Otoya questioned.
"If they passed the graduation audition, they will. Tell me, how much work have you seen from other Shining Agency students?" The academy principal asked.
They all took the time to think. To be honest, while they have seen multiple familiar faces appearing across television screens and magazines, it mostly occurred after the graduation audition each year. There were some Shining Agency idols like Takatsuki Yayoi* who have risen and were still present in the idol business. For the rest, it is mostly once in a while with it being either a guest appearance; on the credits list; or being part of a small, independent film or tv show.
Haruka remembered when they first arrived to take the Master Course, Tomochika had been busy with work while also being happy to feel what it was like to be a professional idol. Recently, Haruka had been getting calls from her, asking if she wanted to hang out as she didn't have much work to do. Through the phone, she could tell that the dark pinkish-reddish haired teen was feeling less and less confident with her goal.
Tomo-chan..., Haruka thought sorrowfully.
"Let's continue. STARISH and QUARTET NIGHT will be taking part with the Kazumi Festival!" Shining Saotome stated.
"Kazumi Festival? What the hell is that?" Ranmaru questioned.
The older man grinned, "There's only one other person here who knows it besides me."
Everyone but the principal and one other person turned to Ai, immediately believing that he would provide them a detailed explanation on the subject. To their surprise, he didn't know what it was either.
"My database expands on the knowledge of recorded information. Nothing has ever been mentioned about a Kazumi Festival," Ai defended himself.
"Wait, so it isn't Ai-senpai who knows it?!" Syo asked.
Shining Saotome nodded, "Mr. Kotobuki, would you care to say a few words on the Kazumi Festival?"
Everyone turned to look at their dark brown-haired senpai in shock and surprise. Reiji just gave them a sheepish chuckle and shrugged.
"How come you didn't say anything, you idiot?!" Ranmaru yelled at him.
"It's because the Kazumi Festival is top secret," Reiji told them.
"Secret?"
He was not able to answer as the academy principal quickly interfered. He handed everyone except for Reiji a silver plastic ID card with the words 'Guest Star' at the center. Haruka was given a creme-colored plastic ID card with the word 'Guest' at the center. They all looked at it confusingly before facing the man in front of them.
"These are your ids to get into the Kazumi Festival. Make sure you don't lose it," he told them.
"Ano, Gakuen Kocho, we still don't know what the festival is about," Tokiya said.
"I suggest you all sit down for this one," a male voice calls out from behind them.
Tsukimiya Ringo and Hyuuga Ryuuya had on an exasperated look on their faces.
Ryuuya released an aggravated sigh, "Shining-san has been obsessed with the Kazuki Festival for years ever since he got invited. He has been forcing us to go with him every year since we've been employed by him."
"We actually knew that Reiji was a member as well even before he came to Saotome Academy and became an idol. He grew up being part of the Kazumi Festival," Ringo said.
Haruka, STARISH, and QUARTET NIGHT stole a glance at the discussed senpai who looked away before they turned their attention back to their principal who was now dancing in happy glee, no doubt thinking about the festival.
"It's his paradise. He becomes infused with the music there, and he can't help but get more and more hyper," Ryuuya stated.
"Kazumi Festival! The name meaning 'Beautiful Melody'!" Shining Saotome began.
Ringo and Ryuuya forced everyone to sit down on the couches and stood behind their boss, most likely having to help him unwillingly. Reiji was allowed to sit on the arms of the couches near to the principal.
"A glorious, glorious, GLORIOUS EVENT!"
Instantly, out came poster-sized pictures being held by the teachers of Class S and Class A.
"A six day festival held over a span of two weeks with one special last day. It holds the harmony to all star and idol activities."
The pictures showed images of people singing, dancing, acting, designing, and modeling.
"It's where people can enjoy performing the things that they are passionate about and can still follow their other dreams that they want to take. They don't have to deal with the pressure of having to take the route that they believe are impossible and still be able to act like an idol or a model," Reiji told them.
Tsukimiya-sensei held a picture that presented of Reiji teaching people appearing from different ages on how to play instruments while Ryuuya had a picture of a younger version of their brown-haired, silver-eyed senpai who was bowing on a stage with the audience clapping.
"So much talented artists, so many affectionate pulses! They must be recruited!" Shining Saotome exclaimed passionately.
The pictures changed with images of a young man with messy dark brown hair, hazel brown eyes, and tanned skin having fun with the backgrounds containing a stage, food stands, competitions, and it ended with him being with a red-haired woman whose face is hidden.
"Gakuen Kocho, who is that?" Syo asked, looking at the pictures, "He kind of looks like-"
"Me!" Two voices sprung out.
Cecil and Otoya looked at each other as they were the ones who have spoken. Although, it was true. The young man had Otoya's facial appearance and Cecil's hair and skin tone.
"That is Saotome Mitsuo! It was me when I was still an idol and attended the Kazumi Festival," Shining Saotome answered.
"Eh?!"
This shocked almost everyone as they could see the resemblance.
"A-ano, could it be that you had a child when you got older?" Otoya asked.
They all looked at the red-haired teen with confusion except for Haruka and Reiji; meanwhile, he looked at Shining Saotome with determination.
Could the man standing in front of me be my legitimate father? Otoya thought.
*From The iDOLMASTER: Shiny Festa