Chapter 1: I want to try

[-x-x-x-]

Yumesaku high school; a school like any other. Located at a small town at the northern coast of Japan, it has about 100 students for two first year classes, three second years and three third year assignment. The town of Fuyuumi was not that populated, even less than Numazu. It was even considered the countryside of countryside.

On said school, during spring, when the flowers were starting to bloom, the chairman has suddenly summoned every student at the gymnasium for an announcement. Not being aware of the reason of what, the innocent teenagers went into said location and took seat on the clean soil, waiting for the head teacher to start his speech.

The small building was now filled with students wearing white-and-blue uniforms while every teacher were standing at the corners of the room. Among these students were three girls who were friends since middle school and has decided to have a little chat while waiting.

"What do you think they want to announce?" The red-head of the trio started as she folded her legs. She was wearing a dark blue short instead of skirt so it was not going to bother anyone and she didn't have to worry anyone would see her underwear.

"Maybe something concerning the cafeteria..." The girl with bright orange hair and matching orange eyes placed her fingers on her chin. Her uniform's skirt was longer than the average and she was wearing a pair of mid-thighs length stockings, though it looked more like tights. She was sitting on her knees like a young lady and slightly adjusted her glasses. "I don't really know. They didn't even tell us members of the Student Council."

The third girl who had dark raven hair that reached her mid-back let go of a sigh. She was definitely older than the two others and was wearing a tight with her skirt while her tie was neatly attached. "I just hope it won't be too dramatic or something like that."

"Maybe it's about the upcoming summer festival." The first girl thought aloud.

"I seriously doubt it, Umeko-san." The girl at her left, the orange-haired one sweatdropped. "It's only in three months after all."

The tallest of the trio couldn't help but to chuckle. "Umeko-senpai is such a child sometimes."

Said girl pouted. "Nozomu-chan and Tsui-chan are such a meanies! And Ume just wanted to give her opinion." She said, earning more chuckles from her two childhood friends.

However, their small chat was put into an end as a tall man wearing a dark blue suit walked in from of everyone and grabbed a microphone. "Ahem! Your attention all!" He started, earning the attention of every sitting students and standing teachers. "I am very sorry for calling you all this suddenly but I have a very important announcement to do." He took a breath before moving his hand and started rubbing his bald head. "I am not going to beat around the bush. Our school is going to close down next year."

Silence followed as everyone tried to process what the chairman has just said. Though, following that, several screams and questions erupted from the students and even teachers. "Wait. What?"

"But that's impossible!"

"And why is that?"

"And what is going to happen to us?"

A woman with white hair and also wearing a suit walked beside the chairman and the man offered her the microphone. "Please calm down everyone." She seemed like a reasonable authority figure as the crowd quieted down when she started speaking. "I guess we all know about the low number of student this school is having. Plus, being in such secluded town, not many people are willing to send their children here. Atop that, we are very low on budget." The woman continued before giving the microphone back to the bald man and walked at the side.

"So, as Mrs. the Secretary has said, we are in a big dilemma. However, be assured. Yumesaku will only close its door after winter. As for the first and second years, you will all be sent to the neighbor towns' school without any worry."

The chairman bowed before walking toward the exit. Gossips started once again but the teachers have decided to lead everyone out. On their way out, Umeko was still chocked by the sudden revelation and so were her two friends. They just left the gymnasium without any more word.

[-x-x-x-]

"I can't believe this!" A certain blonde complained as she sat behind her desk. "This is a real scandal!"

The two boys beside her sweatdropped before turning to Umeko who was sitting in front of them. "Though I can't believe this is really happening." The first boy stated, placing a hand on his chin. "Can't we really do anything?"

"But even though..." The second boy sighed before realizing that the red-head was paying them no attention. "Akatsuki-san?"

Umeko let go of a sigh and rested her back on the desk behind her, massaging her temples. "I can't think of anything!" She complained, earning a scoff from the half-foreigner. "What is making you laugh, Mitsuki?"

Said blonde stood up from her chair and walked in front of the shorter girl's desk. "I thought you'd say something like that. After all, you are not even cut to be the class representative, Lune rouge."

A vein popped atop Umeko's head. Sure, the two were not on very good term, especially since Umeko was assigned as the class rep. Rosary wanted that post so badly though and since then has acted as the red-head's rival with everything.

"Mitsuki!" The short girl stood up and slammed the table. "You are once again using that nickname!" She said with an upset tone. "I am so jealous! Why is it you can easily give us all French nicknames? I want to give you a nickname as well!"

Rosary and the other second year students sweatdropped. "There she goes again." A girl in the background sighed.

"What do you mean again this time, Lune rouge?" The blonde also slammed the desk, her face red.

"What I mean is that Ume wants to get closer to Mitsuki-chan but why is Mitsuki-chan always acting very cold toward Ume?"

"What the...?" The boy from earlier sighed before slamming his face on his desk. "There they go again! You two are really like an old-married couple."

"La ferme!" Rosary yelled at the boy before pointing an accusing finger at the clueless red-head in front of her. "Stop trying to change the subject! The main reason of this meeting is for us to find a solution. I can't accept such thing as the closure of this school."

"Then, why not just asking your parents to invest in Yumesaku so this school could be saved?" Another boy proposed.

"Yeah!" His twin sister agreed. "Since their family is rather rich, that might work."

An anime drop fell from Rosary's head before she sighed and looked down. "Well... It's not as simple as that. Maman is very strict and wasn't even okay with me attending this school. As for Papa, he will be overseas until the end of the year."

Following that was an awkward silence until the girl from earlier realized something. "Then, why is it you are still studying here when your Mom is against it?"

"That's..." A blush appeared on the half-foreigner's face. "That's because... I have my reason! That's all that's needed to know."

"O...ok..." The twin brother said, unsure before turning back to the class representative. "So, class rep., what should we do?"

Said red-head sat back on her chair and had a look at everyone. "No idea! I even tried to ask Nozomu-chan and she said that even the Student Council isn't able to find a solution." She then sighed while looking down, resting her chin on her desk. "To think that my beloved Nozomu-chan is doing her best to find a solution, I can't just slack off like this."

The girls sweatdropped once again at how gay their classmate was. "Umeko-san... You never beat around the bush, don't you?"

"Why hiding who I am though? I have nothing to hide and my life is perfect." She replied before pausing an instant. "Well... near perfect! I am still waiting for graduation before confessing to the girl of my dream."

"Kya!" The fangirls screamed. "How romantic! That's Umeko-sama for you!"

"Hehe!"

The homeroom teacher has finally arrived after that and everyone had to go back to their seat. The brown-haired woman stood in front of the backboard and adjusted her glasses while clearing her throat. "I am sure that you all heard the chairman. However, we shall not let it disturb us. We'll just continue class normally so you won't have any difficulty integrating another school next year." And with that, she started writing on the blackboard.

[-x-x-x-]

It was lunchtime and most students were either at the cafeteria or at their classroom or at the garden to eat. Umeko and company were seated outside, at the shadow of a tree and were enjoying lunch like everyone else.

"So, you found nothing?" Nozomu asked as she opened her pot of instant ramen and started eating. "It's delicious!"

The red-head shook her head as she accepted a spoonfull of curry from Tsui. "Nope! I held a meeting with everyone from my class but we found nyathing."

"That's too bad." The ravenette said while accepting Umeko's spoonful of omelettes. "I also tried searching on my own but every formula I used had a weakness."

Umeko just sweatdropped. "You really like Math, don't you?"

"Not really. I am more into social studies and literature I guess. The one good with Mathematics are Nozomu-senpai and Alice-kun."

"I was thinking about it for a while now but..." The ginger-head paused an instant as she placed her chopsticks and turned to the older girl. "It's a little weird that you are calling us senpai even though you are older than us."

The taller girl looked down at that. "So, do you really hate it when I call you like that... I'm sorry... It's just that even though I'm already 18, I'm still a high school and that might embarrass you to walk side by side with me..."

"What are you saying~?" Umeko took Tsui in a hug and offered another spoonful of omelette. "We will never be embarrassed about something like that. Tsui-chan is our precious friend and we want you to be more at ease and closer to us. You using 'senpai' make it look as if we have a great gap so we want you to drop it so we look a lot closer." She added with a pleading eye. "Pretty please~"

Tsui let go of a sigh before smiling. "I guess... Umeko... Nozomu..."

"Yay!" The red-head tackled her love interest once again while Nozomu was just watching, smiled and resumed her lunch.

"However," a teenager with blonde hair cut above their shoulder closed their eyes as they let go of a sigh. They were wearing the boy's uniform but had a very girly appearance such as a petite body, silky skin, childish face and all. "It will be such a pain if Yumesaku was to really shut down."

The three girls turned to them with a puzzled face. "Alice-kun... Since when were you there?"

"Since lunch has started. Tsui-Nee-sama has proposed me to eat with you all." He replied casually with a tilt of the head and chopped a broccoli from his lunchbox.

"So, you hear everything?"

The petite boy nodded. "I just got used to this environment with everyone. I would go as far as to say that I love this school even though I was just a student here for two months. I think it will be very sad if we were all to part and forced into a new environment with only new strangers surrounding us."

There was a moment of silence as the three teenagers looked at the sky. It was a vast blue with no cloud at the horizon. With the wind gently brushing the grasses and leaves of the trees around, the atmosphere was calm with only few students' chatter occasionally breaking the silence.

The one to break the silence was Alice. "I will do anything to save this school." He said out of nowhere before standing up and bowed at the three girls. "Please let me know if you find a solution." And then he left. The blonde was rather mysterious at times and remained quiet most of times but he was enjoying his high school life. He didn't want this to end this abruptly.

With the girly boy out of their sign now, the trio just let go of several yawns before standing up and started walking around. Since it was Friday and the teachers were having a meeting, classes have been canceled for the evening and the students were free to go home. Umeko however has proposed to stay behind since she wanted to talk with someone. Her two friends just waved goodbye at her before going home. Nozomu still had to copy few notes for a sick friend while Tsui wanted to go home earlier and help her Moms with their work.

[-x-x-x-]

The occult club's clubroom was empty as always with the only member being seated on a small pliable chair. The curtains were all open and the stuffs tidied inside a drawer. Gazing outside, the brown-haired boy let go of a sigh as he placed his bottle of mineral water beside him.

"So boring..."

He was the only member of the occult club. After his uperclassmen has graduated, no one has since then been interested in Demonology and it was boring to do research alone on his own. It was quiet too that day and the brunette has decided to untie his hair. He had long silky hair that reached his hip and was more or less girly, especially right at the moment as he was wearing a dark cape over his school uniform.

"Sorry for the intrusion!" The door to the room however was slammed open as Umeko got inside and walked beside the young boy. "Heya, Yuuki!"

The brown-haired teenager just sighed, not even bothering to turn toward the girl. "What is it, Akatsuki? I already told you to stop slamming the door. This club has almost no budget so we won't be able to afford preparations."

The red-head made a childish pout before resting her hands on the window. "Well... Umeko has spent the day looking for a plan with Tsui-chan and Nozomu-chan but we haven't managed to find anything."

"Too bad in that case." Yuuki replied dryly with a cold voice, his eyes still glued to the horizon.

Umeko sighed before taking a seat on a pliable chair beside the boy. The two of them were neighbor and since they were about the same age, the red-head thought they were friend. Yuuki however was just a social awkward who barely got interested in anything.

As the red-head was about to say something though, the door toward the room was opened and a petite blonde girl walked in. "Greeting! Yuuki-Nii-sama! Umeko-Nee-sama!"

Umeko turned her chair and smiled before running toward the girl, hugging her and shoving her small chubby face in her cleavage, inflicting her some séance of marshmallow hell. She struggle to get free but quickly ran out of oxygen. "If it isn't my cute lil' sister Yuuka-chan!"

"Yggdra!" Yuuka attempted to correct, her voice muffled by the pair of airbags suffocating her.

After a good minute of struggling, the dyed-blonde girl finally managed to get free and Umeko gave her a smile. "Heya, Yuuka-chan! What brought you today?"

The petite girl adjusted her green-and-white dress before scoffing. "I am not glad to see you as well, Nee-sama!" She said with a girly pout. "Please have a diet!"

"Eeeh! But they ain't fat!"

"Whatever!" Yuuka, or Yggdra as she insisted, folded her arms before taking a phone from her pocket. "I heard that this school is about to close down. Father has told me."

Umeko nodded before kneeling down in front of the shorter girl, taking her in a hug and playing with her hair. "That's my lil' Yuuka for you! She's just so smart! Please become my wife when I graduate from high school!"

A vein popped atop Yggdra's head but she held her fist for the time being. "Whatever! I've decided to come her because I found the best solution to save this school." She showed her phone whose screen was playing a video where a group of young girl were dancing and singing. "I also want to attend this school once I graduate from middle school."

The red-head grabbed the phone and watched in awe at the video. "Wow! They're are so cute and they sing so well and their choreography is so cool! I wanna marry their leader!"

"Please no!" The blonde sighed.

That took Yuuki's attention though and he stood up to have a better look at the video. "Idols?"

"School idols!" The petite chuunibyou girl corrected. "There is a tournament where school idols from different school take part in the Love Live. The winners will get very popular. I heard that the group u's has managed to save their school by taking part of this."

Umeko had a look at the logo and so did Yuuki. "I thought it read as 'micro s'." The boy made a tilt of the eye as he attempted to read it. "Y'know, in physics. One micro equal 10 power minus 6 of a unity. Like micro Farad or micro Henry."

Steams appeared atop Umeko's head. "Jeez! Stop talking in alien language!"

"But it's Math language."

"It's the same thing!" The red-head responded before returning her attention to the screen. "I think it read as Muses, like the nine goddesses of music from the Greek mythology."

"Really? I always sleep during history class so..." The boy sighed but his eyes remained glued to the screen. "Though they are shining. I bet they are very popular and has lot of attention from their surrounding."

Umeko couldn't help a smile from forming on her face. "I know! Let us become school idols so we could save our school!"

"I thought you would say that!" Yuuka smiled. "So, how many people do you think you could gather?"

The red-head thought an instant. "First off, if I manage to convince Nozomu-chan and Tsui-chan and then Mitsuki-chan... Also, Alice-kun has said he would do anything..."

"Also, count me in!" The ravenette said. "I am not letting all the fun to you alone!"

"Yuuka-chan..."

"Me too..." Yuuki shyly raised a hand. He thought that maybe becoming an idol will help him opening up and cure his awkwardness. Maybe that way too, he will get more attention from his parents and siblings.

"Ara... Even Yuuki-kun?" Umeko smiled before running toward the window, popping her head out and feeling the wind. "I don't really know what's waiting for us but..." She took a deep breath. "I want to try being a school idol too!"

[-x-x-x-]

A/N: The story begins! Also, some mention to Love Live, my favorite anime about idols :p