Adjusting his pair of square glasses, the young tall boy with raven hair and matching dark eyes hummed at the paper in front of him. The sign "Student council president" was placed on the desk in front of him and several other pile of paper was on said desk. The room itself was a total mess with few shelves full of registers and chairs in all places.

Lifting his head, the president smiled at the two people in frontof him. "I see that you are determinated, Akatsuki-kun."

Umeko returned the smile. "Of course! It's all thanks to Yuuka-chan that I got the idea." She hummed happily while making a girly twirl. "Now that I think about it, the solution against the closure was just under our eyes but we couldn't see it yet."

Yuuki however was trying to avoid any form of eye contact as he was just fixing the wall at the other side of the room. "So, we have decided to apply for a new club; the idol's club...and are asking for your cooperation."

The raven-haired boy gave a nod before holding the paper at the tip of his fingers, the light making his glass shine. "I see no problem with the way you filled it... however, we are lacking any form of budget..."

The red-head gave a tilt of the head and the vice-president who was standing behind the tall boy let go of a small sigh. "With the closure triggered, our budget has crashed so much that we will be forced to close few clubs to be exact. Only very few will remain."

Umeko's mouth formed a "o" and she walked beside the orange-haired girl, clinging to her. "Then, what should we do, Nozomu-chaaaaaan...?"

Nozomu placed a finger on her chin as her friend continued to pout on her ear. It was making Yuuki more nervous to see his childhood friends getting this touchy with each others. He was not jealous or anything but he was more scared that Umeko might do something "shameless" once again since it always happen each time she was clinging to a girl. Last time, for example, the brown-haired boy had to apologize to the owner of a fast food because a certain red-head wouldn't stop kissing each girl she knew in said place.

Massaging his temples, the young brunette let go of a sigh. "Then, if we can convince the other clubs to support the idol club, maybe we could get a chance."

"…Like asking them politely to disband their own club to allow us to form?" Umeko said in an innocent tone and made it look as if what she has said was the most normal thing in the world.

"Please do not say it like you are going to use the other's sacrifice to survive." The raven-haired president sweatdropped.

"Anyway..." The red-head clung closer to her (girl)friend and turned to the taller boy. "Amatsuka-senpai, is there any way for us to assemble all the club presidents and talk it out like civilized people? I don't want to spend too much time with it since we are racing against time."

The president (AKA Amatsuka Shirou) placed both elbows on the desk and thought an instant. "I could organize an assembly today after class but I can't guarantee that everyone will be there. After all, most of them are still busy preparing for the upcoming festival in town."

Yuuki sighed another time before walking over to the window. "If there is chance, even 1%, we will take it. It is too late to search another solution. We need to upload our first PV at the later in two weeks."

Shirou nodded. "So, you are really determined about this entire story?" A nod from Umeko was enough and the raven-haired president stood up beforewalking toward another boy with long ginger hair by the door. "Aoi, we will be holding an assembly after class. I am counting on you." He then turned to his twin sister, also ginger-haired but shorter than the boy. "Midori, you are responsible of the room."

"Aye, sir!" The Sakurai twins saluted before walking out of the room.

The president then turned to the three remaining people inside the room. "All right! Now, I guess we need to talk about the members." He said before walking near a shelf and picked a book. "You said that you are seven members yet there are only four names on the application you have handed. May I know why?"

The red-head rubbed the back of her head and started giggling awkwardly. "W-well... I am planning on asking them during lunchtime..."

Shirou just nodded before walking back behind his desk. "I will be counting on you in that case... Since class hasn't even started yet, you have about 8 hours until the meeting begins."

Both Umeko and Yuuki nodded before walking out of the room, leaving the two members of the student council behind. With the duo out, the raven-haired boy sighed and fell on his chair. "She sure hasn't changed..." He said with another sigh before eying Nozomu. "I am surprised you can easily follow all her little caprices and fantasies."

The orange-haired girl just chuckled before grabbing a book from the desk and started tidying it alongside other papers. "Well... Umeko might be naive but she has a big heart and enough brain to think things ahead. She would have never started this plan if she wasn't sure it had chances to success. Yuuki on the other hand might seem eccentric and awkward around people but he wouldn't do anything foolish that won't benefit his friends. The reason he is following Umeko is because he is convinced it is for the best. As for Yuuka-chan, she is a nice girl and her dream is to go to this school by any cost. That's why I want to lend them my abilities as well."

Shirou nodded, his lips forming a smile. "You do really love, Akatsuki, don't you?"

The response came as a nod. "Umeko is a nice girl but she is very slow and is still oblivious to my feelings..." Nozomu slowly moved her hand to clutch her chest. "I wonder if I should be more direct and tell her face to face..."

A chuckle was all the response she heard. "Assurance, Hikari! You need more assurance" The president returned his attention to the pile of paper in front of him. "She might not seem like it but I think that Akatsuki is reciprocating your feelings only. She is only flirting with other girls as to make you jealous and so you would tell her the three words she has been waiting since middle school."

The ginger-head looked down at these words. "I... just don't have the courage... at least not yet..."

Shirou slightly tilted his head to have a look at Nozomu's back. "You're still not over it yet? Are you still afraid that the incident with that senpai will happen again?" There was no response and the raven-haired boy sighed. "Umeko will never make you suffer! I understand you are scared because of these girls who have treated you like a trash because you are into girls. After all, we all had a painful middle school life... but, you need to move on and face your fears."

"I know that..."

Another sigh escaped Shirou's lips before he returned back into his work.

[-x-x-x-]

"Alice-chan~"

Said blonde turned his head to see Umeko waving at him and his lips formed a smile. "Good morning, Akatsuki-senpai, Makoto-senpai!"

Yuuki gave a slight bow of the head as the red-head walked behind the young girly boy. Alice was dressed in skirt instead of pants for that morning and he looked very cute. His face was still very stoic though as he was not minding the way he was dressed it. Umeko's smile just widened. "As I thought, Alice-chan is so cute and girly~ I bet you would look good in idol outfits."

"Idols?" The young crossdresser slightly tilted his head. "Well... Mother has already dressed me in all kind of frilly dress and they don't seem bad."

"Really? That's super!" The red-head made a twirl as she took a paper from her pocket and handed it to the petite boy with a pen. "Then, does that mean you are ready to join us? We are going to be school idols and save the school."

There was a small pause until Alice grabbed the paper and examined it, his facial expression still remaining very calm. "Do you mean we are going to imitate the Muses?"

"Ara? You know about them?"

Alice just nodded. "Mother is a huge fan of them and has prepared lot of costumes, based by their design. My Aunt has also downloaded all their song so I could learn them."

"Really?" The red-head switched into her fangirl more as her eyes started to shine. "So, you can sing and dance well?"

"I can't say I am very good at it but I know the base." He replied calmly before signing the paper. "Though, please forgive my rudeness but may I ask about senpai?"

"Me?" Umeko pointed to herself before smiling. "I am not very good at singing and dancing but I have enough confidence in my strength and stamina. Also, we still have a week to master the technique." She then eyed at Yuuki.

The brunette just nodded. "I sing badly and dance as if I have two left feet..."

There was a slight moment of pause until the red-head giggled. "No worry about it! We just need some practice. I am sure Yuuki-kun is able to learn fast."

The brunette just smiled at these words.

[-x-x-x-]

Umeko entered her classroom and hurried toward her rival's desk. Rosary was already unpacking her stuff and lifted her head to see the grin on the red-head's face. "What do you want, Rouge?"

The red-head's smile dropped and turned into a pout. "Mitsuki-chan is such a meanie..."

Rosary just scuffed. "Anyway, what do you want? Please just hurry up."

"Eeeh!" Umeko just clung to the blonde girl and rubbed their cheeks together. "That was very mean! Why are you always this cold toward Ume-chan?"

The half-French girl's face turned beet red at her "rival's" sudden action and she tried to push her back but to no result. Umeko's whimpers intensified and it soon turned into sobs. That caught the other students' attention, making Rosary look like she was the one making Umeko cry.

She quickly patted the shorter girl's head and drew circles on her back, hoping that that would make her calm down and make the others stop looking at them like that. "There, there! Aww... Rouge; why are you always this spoiled child!?" The blonde then sighed and started looking everywhere but the crying red-head. "I understand... I am sorry for always being a meanie... Please forgive me..." By this time, her face was already the darkest shade of red.

"Really?" Umeko's face lit up again as she grabbed Rosary's hands. "But I can't really believe you." She said with a disappointed tone and moved one hand as to place a finger on her lips. "Give me a kiss and I will forgive you."

That was the trigger to make everyone else rolls their eyes, much to Rosary's embarrassment. "Mpfff! The old couple is flirting once again." Aoi scoffed while taking a seat.

"Seriously; you two should get a room already." Midori sighed as well as she took seat beside her brother.

"It's not very kind of you, Midori-chan." Another girl with gray hair and emerald eyes who was sitting behind the ginger girl pinched her cheeks from behind, making the younger Sakurai to flinch. "After all, the one and only one for Umeko-san is Nozomu-senpai~"

The ginger girl turned toward her friend and smiled at her. "Well... They make a cute couple but I just can't help but to ship UmeRosa. Don't you think, Shizuka-chan?"

"UmeRosa?" Aoi questioned his sister with a tilt of the head.

"Yeah!" The girl replied cheerfully. "It's very common in anime and manga and even real life to give that kind of name to our favorite pairing. For example RomiJuli for Romeo and Juliet. Some even uses NozoEri for Nozomi and Eri-chan for instance~"

"Ara..." Shizuka placed a hand in front of her mouth as to suppress a giggle. "I see that someone is also fan of the µ's~"

Midori proudly scoffed and puffed her (very flat) chest. "Of course! Rin-chan is the best girl!"

The other girl couldn't hold her giggles anymore by this point as her lips formed a big grin. "I see that you're childish as always~"

The boy just sighed at these girls' conversation. "You two are just too weird. It was as if you're an old married couple..."

"We're not!" Midori and Shizuka said at the same time but the latter added a little inaudible "at least not yet."

"So, as I was saying~" Back to Umeko and her friend-rival, said red-head has already given up on her childish whimper and was on serious mode. "I was thinking about building our own school idol group to save our school. A little like µ's you could say."

"Don't you mean Muses?" Rosary corrected as she sat straight once again, her face turning back normal.

"Ah yeah!" The energetic girl's lips curled into a bigger smile. "So, you were into stuff like these as well?"

"Of course, anything that's cute is enough to interest me."

"I see..." There was a brief moment of silence until she spoke again. "So, as I was saying, we'll be building our own group. I've already managed to gather five members and hope you will ne the sixth."

Another silence took place as the blonde placed a finger on her chin and thought. "Are you really serious about this? I mean the idol industry is a cruel and hard one. Do you have enough determination? Are you sure you could withstand failure?"

Umeko gave another tilt of the head. "What do you mean?"

Rosary sighed as she stood up. "What I am saying is that this is no game. Lot of painful drama will wait for anyone who attempts to follow this road." She said, her face's expression showing how serious she was. "Hundreds of group has already attempted but have given up midway because they didn't have the strength or courage to continue. It's not just a fantasy that you can just declare aloud that you're going to become idol and think everything will work fine."

"I know that."

The blonde was surprised by how calm the tomboy girl's voice was. A smile, not the usual idiot grin but a serious one, was on her face as the red-head has joined her hands on her chest.

"I spent the night at Yuuka-chan's place and learned about all the problems that we could encounter. However, I won't give up!" She reached a hand to the taller girl as her smile turned into a more comforting one. "That's why... I need your help, Mitsuki."

There was another silence as the blonde was surprised. After a good minute though, Rosary finally accepted the offer and shook Umeko's hand firmly. "You'd better not break that promise or I will sue you!"

Umeko just chuckled.

[-x-x-x-]

"Really?" Tsui was happily eating an apple while her two childhood friends were busy with their own lunch. The younger duo has just told the brunette about their plan and Tsui has decided to think about it. "I don't mind. I think I would like to try."

Both Nozomu and Umeko cheered at their friend's word. "Really?!"

A nod from the tall girl was enough. "I just need to tell Mom and Mama. Though I am mostly sure they will agree."

"Yay!" The red-head just jumped at the older girl and rubbed their cheeks together. "I so looove you, Tsui-chaaan~"

Nozomu just giggles. Though she felt a little jealous deep inside but quickly brushed the thought away. "So, that makes us seven members? What about our group name?"

Umeko gave a tilt of the head as she turned to the gingerhead. "Our group name?" She asked, her arms still wrapped around Tsui's neck. "Maybe we should gathered all the members first and decide that together."

"I see... I guess that's the best thing to do." Nozomu sighed as she threw the empty plastic cup of ramen on the bin. "Also, about the meeting..."

"I already have a flawless plan." Umeko cut her words and took a small notebook from her pocket. "I've somehow managed to think of something by gathering all my classmates so we could discuss about this. The other students have agreed to talk to their seniors about their group and have several club fuses into a single one."

"I already know for sure that the Judo, Kendo, Archery and Karate team will fuse and reduce their budget to support us." Yuuki said from behind the trio. The young boy has just arrived several minutes prior but hasn't said a word until not.

"Ara... Makoto-kun?" Tsui smiled at the boy whose hair was let lose on his back, down to the hips, instead of being attached in the usual ponytail.

The brown-haired boy just nodded, never smiling as he took a notebook from his pants' pocket. "I've also managed to get the support of few 'ghost' club such as the Neighbor club, the gaming club, the novel research club, the UFO research club and waifu simulator club to disband. And of course, I've also disbanded the Occult club to give us more chance."

"The waifu simulator club?" Tsui gave a tilt of the head.

"UFO research club?" Umeko also questioned.

The orange-haired vice president however couldn't help but to chuckle. "I guess we had lot of funny clubs around. However, they always went to every assembly and never caused us any trouble so we let them be." She then stood up straight and bowed at the younger boy. "Thank you for the help though!"

"It's nothing..." Yuuki replied with a calm tone before returning the bow and turned on his heels. "However, my mission is not done yet. I still have to convince the president of the Crossdressing club?"

"Crossdressing club?"

The brunette replied with a nod. "The members are not bad guys but they are all afraid of girls and hate anything manly so I will need to dress up a little before I could have a talk with them." And with that, the boy left the area.

Umeko couldn't help but to sigh as she stood up and rested both hands on her hips. "He's doing his best...? That's Yuuki for you!"

Nozomu couldn't hold herself anymore by this time and turned to the red-head, her eyes reflecting her seriousness. "I have been wondering that for a while but what kind of relationship do you have with Makoto-san?"

"?" The red-head was taken aback by the sudden question and thought for a minute before replying. "Well... Back when I was a child, I was always causing trouble and other kids avoided me. Sometimes later, a group of girl has bullied me. That was when Yuuki has shown up and got humiliated instead of me."

"?"

"Let me explain!" Umeko said as she saw her friends' puzzled expression.

~ Flashback ~

"Found you~" A young girl with blue hair sing sang as she found little Umeko behind a desk. She then grabbed the little red-head by her hair and the latter started to cry.

"That's very mean! Why are you doing this?"

"Because you are annoying us and we want to have our revenge!" The other silver-haired little girl said as she, the other bully and a ginger-head girl dragged Umeko outside.

It was raining outside and the bad trio has insisted to throw the red-head in the mood as to humiliate her. Umeko started to cry. "I'm sorry! I won't play a prank on you anymore." She said in a sad voice as she was scared. Her mother was going to get mad if she came back home with her clothes dirty and covered in mud.

As the bullies were about to reply though, a new child walked in their direction from inside the school building. They had long brown hair attached in twintails and was wearing a simple T-shirt and shorts. "Please let go of her!"

"Ara... If it isn't Yuu-chan?" One of the girls grinned. "Tomgirls like you should just stay behind the others or just hiding in the shadow. What we are doing have nothing to do with you."

"Do not worry though." The other bully continued. "We will also take care of you later~"

"What do you prefer to wear? A summer dress? Girl's swimsuit?" The last one joked.

However, much to everyone's surprise though, the young boy ran forward and charged the one girl who was holding Umeko by the hair. He was not very strong though and was the one to fall when the girl just smirked. "How weak!"

And with that, the girls' attention turned to Yuuki, having them forget about Umeko who was whipping her tears. The red-head saw the brunette being beaten up on the mud though and thought that it was unfair that someone else was taking her punishment for herself. She then finally decided to summon her courage and ran to the four other people, apologized to the bullies and allowed them to cover her clothes with mud.

In the end, Umeko's mother was very mad and she was punished for covering her clothes with all kind of dirt. She however didn't say anything else and just thanked Yuuki the next day when they met at school.

"It's nothing to worry about." The young boy said with a more or less calm voice. It seemed a little sad to Umeko's opinion but maybe it was because he was lonely.

Well... Because of how girly Yuuki looks, he was usually bullied and since she heard his family was very large, the others rarely gave him any attention so he must be lonely inside.

That was when the red-head has decided to take a decision. "How about we become friends? Or siblings? I've always wanted a big brother."

"?"

"Yeah! Think about it!"

"..."

"..."

"Okay... I guess..." Yuuki nodded his head, his voice still dry. "But I am not interested in girls."

"No need to worry!" Umeko gave a thumb up. "I'm gay so there's no problem!" She said proudly and shamelessly, somehow earning her a chuckle from the brunette. "Or maybe the term lesbian would describe me better..."

"You really are not like the others, aren't you, Umeko?"

"Thehe..."

~ end of the flashback ~

"So, that's our story!" Umeko said proudly and Nozomu let go of a sigh.

"I see... So, you consider him like a brother and he consider you like his GAY sister?"

Tsui's joke had an impact on the now literal red-head as her face was matching her hair color. "It's very embarrassing so please don't make that joke anymore!"

"Thehe!" The two older girls just chuckled.

"Thehe!" Umeko also laughed at their antics and grabbed both girls by the side so she was in the middle, holding a girl by her left and her right. "But I'm just so lucky to have two cute girls like this by my side everyday. Also, I have a very cute tsundere to tease, a very cute little sister." Nozomu felt a little pang in her chest at Umeko's words but the red-head quickly took her by the chin and placed a light kiss on the ginger-head's cheek. "And of course, my one and only beloved soon-to-be-my-girlfriend~"

Tsui just chuckled at her friends' antics as Nozomu has started blushing like a madwoman. Umeko however still had a grin on her face as she let her two friends back inside the school building. "All right! Let us take part in that assembly and have our club approved!"

[-x-x-x-]

Chapter 2: It's not that hard when you try

[-x-x-x-]

Sakurai Aoi: Heya!

Sakurai Midori: So, we will be doing the ending note for this chapter?

Minakaze Shizuka: Looks like it... How about we talk a little about what's waiting for our friends.

Amatsuka Shirou: Honestly, I wouldn't worry about them. They are all good child who will always be ready to help each others.

Aki Albein: That's right! I'm so glad Tsui-chan has managed to make such good friends.

Haru Albein: Right, honey?

Sakurai Aoi: Wait! Who are you two?

Haru Albein: *chuckles* We're Tsui's adoptive mothers and we will make our first appearance in the next chapter.

Erika von Scarlet: And don't forget about Alice-chan's mother~

Takumi Eine Scarlet: ...and Alice-chan's beloved aunt~

Sakurai Midori: Woaa! There are so many people here...

Minakaze Shizuka: *giggles awkwardly* W-well... The author doesn't like to do things half...

Aki Albein: Anyway, please look forward to the next chapter!

Haru Albein, Erika von Scarlet, Takumi Eine Scarlet & Aki Albein: See you next time!

Sakurai Aoi & Amatsuka Shirou: *sigh*