Elcall: thanks!
Starfire9927: thanks! I bet I'm gonna write like 30!
anotheraveragegirl: umm... sorry, no backstory... maybe later?... sorry... 😓
D.N.S. Akira: hehehe
xxxxx
Yume, Laura, Mahiru, and Ako stepped onto the steps together.
"Sakuraba Laura. It's our time to shine!"
"Kasumi Mahiru, like a radiant light."
"Saotome Ako, making her dazzling entrance!"
"Nijino Yume, ready to go!"
The four girls placed their cards into the slot-thingys and ran inside the (whatever that outfit changing place is called) and changed into their coords.
xxxxx
"The winner of the boys division is... the talented M4!" The announcer yelled into his microphone. Behind him, the chart showed that M4 won pretty much 75% of the votes. "And the girls division is..." Behind him, S4 had about one-fourth, and 'Dreaming of you had about... one-fourth? "...wait a minute, S4 and 'Dreaming of You' are tied! No... wait, wait, wait. Let me see... one minute please..."
The announcer whispered into his mike,"There's a glitch! S4 is losing by a point!"
"It's not a glitch," the headmaster said in awe. "Nijino's team really has beaten S4."
"I don't believe it!" The announcer yelled. "S4 has been beaten by one vote! Wow! What a change of events!"
The four 'Dreaming of You' girls stood there in shock. Then reality sank in.
"I-I'm on the same level as Hime-sempai!" Yume cheered.
"All right! This gets me going!" Laura yelled.
"I... beat onee-chan!" Mahiru realized, her eyes filled with shock.
"Well, naturally, with my amazing talent," Ako said. The she smiled and whispered," I can perform with Kanata!"
"I heard that."
Ako's eyes widened.
"Kanata?"
"Here," he said, throwing a pink heart-shaped box at her. "For you."
"Chocolate."
He smiled. "I like you."
"I love you," Asahi read. He smiled. "It was really lucky that Koharu-chan's letter got to me right now, huh?"
"I really, really like you!" Koharu read off a piece of pink paper. She giggled. "Thank you, Asahi-kun."
"I like you!" Laura yelled, handing Nozomu a box of her chocolates.
"Me too," he replied smiling. "Here," he said, handing her a box. "Chocolate."
"Here, Tomato," Subaru blushed as he handed over a box of chocolates.
"Thanks!" She grinned. "Here!" She handed him a pink box with a ribbon on top. "I made them!"
"For... me?"
"Actually, they were for Nozomu-kun."
"Nozomu?"
"But he said he liked Laura, so he kindly rejected it." Yume smiled sadly, a tear rolling down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away. "I'm the only one who didn't have requited love this time, huh?"
"That's not true."
"Then who else?"
Subaru clenched his teeth.
"Me!"
"You?"
"Couldn't you tell I liked you? I even told you, and you didn't get it! Why can't you notice?"
"I did."
"You... did?" Subaru was shocked.
"But I wanted to act like I didn't," Yume said. "I was worried Nozomu wouldn't like me that way."
"If someone loves you, they'll love you no matter what, right?"
"Huh?"
"Even though you like Nozomu, I still like you! Like that!"
"Hey, Boiled Octopus."
"What?"
"How come my heart beats so fast when you say that?"
"What?"
"It's going like, dokidokidokidokidoki."
(Doki is Japanese for the sound of a heart thumping.)
"Isn't that love?"
"You mean, like, I love you?"
Subaru nodded.
Yume laughed. "That's impossible! ...right? I like Nozomu-kun... don't I?"
"At any rate, I really like you... Yume."
A blush spread across her face.
Why am I blushing so much when he just says my name? What's wrong with me?
"Can I can you... Subaru-kun?"
He blushed.
"Boiled Octopus sounds kinda awkward."
(I would put too long, but in Japanese, it's yudetako, and that's like the same syllables as "Subaru-kun," so...)
"Sure, but then you're... Yume-chan... okay?"
"Yeah," she said, turning red.
He looked at her. "Once again, you're a boiled octopus. I couldn't call you that 'cuz it was my name, but now I can."
"Why would you call be that?"
"Huh?"
"Boiled octopus is more purpley, so... and why did you call me tomato, too? I mean that color made sense, but why not just my name?"
Subaru smiled. "It's 'cuz they're my favorite foods."
"Eh? But Ako said you liked eggs."
"Nope. An egg brand paid me to sponsor their eggs, so yeah."
"Oh, cool. So which one do you like more, boiled octopus, or tomatoes?"
"I'd say... tomatoes."
"Why's that?"
"'Cuz I really love Tomato."
"That's bad grammar. Wait... did you mean...?"
"Now she's called Yume-chan."
Does he think I'll change how I feel if he keeps saying he loves me? I will forever and ever like Nozomu-kun! ... I think? Why does my heart beat so fast? What's wrong with me?
"Isn't that love?"
Is it? I- I'm so confused! I like Nozomu... and I love Subaru? Is that true? Why am I always blushing so much he calls me a tomato? That's love too, right? I- what- I think... Could it be that... I... love him?
"H-hey, Subaru-kun," Yume whispered.
"Yeah?"
"I think... I might... love you, too."
"What... but... Nozomu..."
"A crush and a loved one are different things, right? I... love you!"
Mahiru and Laura suddenly showed up.
"SubaYume..." Mahiru said.
"... is now real!" Laura yelled.
"You ruined the moment!" Subaru yelled.
Yume giggled, and Subaru smiled.
"Ooh, lovey-dovey," Laura said.
"Of course!" Yume said, shocking everyone. "I love Subaru-kun!"
"Well, Subaru, how do you feel about Yume-chan?" Asahi said, showing up with Nozomu and Laura, and Kanata and Ako.
"Uh... I...love..."
Yume smiled encouragingly.
"I love her!"
Suddenly, fireworks shot into the sky.
Kanata wrapped his arm around Ako. Nozomu smiled at Laura. Asahi reread his letter.
And Subaru kissed Yume.
