Miracle 12: The Preparation, The Overture and The Epilogue
Takahashi Residence
"What is it that I'm really looking for? Satisfaction? Recognition?" I shook my head as I slowly put my head on my desk. I couldn't understand the feelings that I feel right now, ever since I wanted to challenge the K-I Idol group which has grown a bit bigger with the addition of three other aspiring school idols.
"I think I need some fresh air" I stood up and wore my outdoor clothes as I left the comfort of my own home. I looked up at the dark skies with the streak of dazzling moonlight. I walked and walked taking everything into account the things I have done so far. I always remembered my reasons for doing every little thing. But for some reason, I have no idea why I dared to challenge the K-I group when I know that I'm a part of the Drama Club which are both distinctively different.
I sat down on a nearby bench in a park "Maybe challenging the K-I group was a bad idea. It goes against everything that the Drama Club stands for." Sighing again I looked up at the dark painted skies which was synonymic to what I'm feeling right now. Lost.
"I don't think it was a bad idea challenging us." I heard a voice which caught me off guard. I nervously check my surroundings before finally fixating my gaze on a girl wearing a white one-piece dress in this dark night. It illuminated in the darkness as if she's the light in the darkness.
It was none other than the opponent that I have to face. Fuse, Saki the student council president and the leader of K-I.
I stutter a bit since I wasn't expecting to meet our opponents until the end of this week. "Wh-what are you doing here in this dangerous night?"
"I could ask you the same thing, we're both girls after all." Saki's reply was enough to keep me pinned down and unable to reply.
Saki motioned herself to sit beside me and I couldn't get myself to be in the competitive mood, probably because of the dark clouds and the moonlit skies.
"I wanted to take a walk because I was tired of staying inside a room. My house, the student council room. We haven't even started in our practice yet for the duel that you and I will head into." Saki said it quite solemnly as if it was a natural thing to say.
"That's not a nice thing to say to your competitor." I said frowning while looking at her directly "I've already thought of everything that is needed in order to wipe you off the floor and become the school idols of our school." My competitive attitude began to rise and felt the fire that is being lit within me.
"I suppose so. I guess I was being rude. I'll ask you something on the day of the competition Takahashi-san. Because I feel, that there's more to gain if what I ask is accepted." Saki stood up from the bench and bows before me.
"What do you mean? Can't you just spill it right here and right now?" I asked her as it was something to get evidently curious about. I feel like she's pulling the strings of something. It was as if she's playing God, knowing where the best paths that should be taken. Was she always like this? I never felt this kind of vibe before from her. She was and still is a diligent student but some event in the LLAFC must've changed her. She's like a different person.
Saki smiled at me and bows again "I'm sorry but I can't because it is for the best right now. Bye" She gave a genuine wave and smile as she left the park. "This is too convenient. It sounds like things are being put into motion but I'm not in charge of it!" I despised the thought of being played into someone else's game. I'll defeat her and the K-I to prove my worth!
Drama Club
"Natsumi, you're not doing the steps correctly like I planned it to be." Shiho spoke her frustration at the unkempt turquoise long haired girl who glances towards her critic.
"Shiho, you know that having only a few days of preparation isn't going to get us anywhere close to perfection. Then the moment she glanced at the long lavender haired girl who seemed to have gotten the steps, she was perplexed that her friend Izumi was able to learn all these so quickly.
Shiho looks at Natsumi with a repugnant look and sighed "The thought seemed to cross my mind. I wonder why you're here at the drama club, it sounds like you have no motivation, when you can learn these things quickly enough like Izumi can."
Natsumi burned with anger hearing that comment "I will learn these steps before the showdown alright?! So I'll do my thing while you shut up!"
Shiho disliked Natsumi's aggressiveness which provoked her to add more steps "I'll make sure you master all these steps which will guarantee us a win against the K-I group!"
"Argh! Don't make it even harder for me!" Natsumi's cry was definitely more like a plea than a demand.
"Someone who wants to say such things to my face like that will give me maximum effort! I expect the best performance from you!" Shiho continued her counterattack much to Natusmi's dismay.
"It sure feels great doesn't it?" These words caught the attention of the arguing girls to look at the lavender haired girl.
"Of course it is great steps right?! Only you can truly see the brilliance of my choreography!" Shiho took her word into this context but the girl before Shiho was not accepting what she said. "Do you think I would say that about your choreography Shiho?"
This reply got Shiho and Natsumi to look at Izumi with a curious gaze. "Then what feels good?" Shiho replies but this got Izumi to sigh and just shake her head "Never mind. It's not really important."
This left Shiho and Natsumi confused but they didn't want to pursue this, for special reasons.
The Auditorium
Despite the match being secret to just only the 6 girls who challenged each other, the auditorium was packed with students who wanted to watch the K-I Idol and the used to be popular Goddesses of the Sea face off in an idol match.
The place was tense, the students had wondered when this rivalry has been going on. They never would've expected that the drama club would face off against the K-I group in their turf. Nobody knows the true reason and something even interesting, how did this event get leaked to other students.
But that didn't matter. The stage is prepped for their bout. This starting with the Goddesses themselves.
"Listen to me K-I as I said before that if we win. We will take over as the sole idol group of this school and nothing will stop us from attaining that goal!" Shiho the leader of the Goddesses was heard loud and clear from the audience and some murmurs were heard from them. Many of the students had wondered why there was no reply from the K-I group themselves but were rather surprised to see them composed which is a far cry from what they used to be back then when they were just an idol appreciation group.
The Goddesses from the drama club started their performance. They actually used something that would normally get people bored but they used it to interesting effect.
It was a musical piece from some Broadway production and added a bit of pop to make it catchy. Surprisingly enough, it garnered enough applause once they ended in their mermaid like poses. Shiho was ecstatic to get such an applause after a long time, they had this thrill before but never experienced it again until this day. It was a blessing and something that the girls would relish in.
Later, the drama club clears the stage for the K-I group and they got into position. The room soon was filled with violins breaking the silence and then comes in the acoustic guitars and piano. The three members walked apart from each other and did a dance number regarding about mirrors. The drama club were surprised at something like this, it wasn't flashy by any means but it gave a bit of context as to what they were trying to convey along with their new song Lights. It was not a song that is filled with pop though, rather it was melancholic and was something that K-I has never done before but the message was strong. It was received well and no doubt could ever be brought to this performance. It was assured who the audience have chosen.
The roaring screams and echoes of claps fill the auditorium and they are ready to end things once and for all. The drama club admits defeat as they were about to let themselves out.
"Please wait!" The defeated group looked towards the girl with a microphone in hand. "Takahashi-senpai. I'll finally be able to disclose what I wanted to say when we met last night." This quote caught the attention of not just the audience but also both the K-I members and Drama Club as well. Miki and Yuki were looking at Saki with a curious gaze while the drama club look to Shiho wondering if she would tell them of their meeting last night.
"I've always felt this burning that you always had on you. I've felt that in itself can spark a movement to anything has run stale. I've wanted to say this since last night but I didn't want to distract you from trying to beat us in this competition. But I can say it now without any obstacles." Saki gave her monologue and it was enough that everyone was thinking of what Saki would say. It is obvious? Is it complicated? Is it simple? But the only one who can tell us that answer is Saki, the K-I leader herself.
"Would you give us the honor to perform side by side with you?" Saki gave a surprising statement. She has done this before to the three individuals who were smiling at the three possible new members. Shiho being the leader was a bit frustrated but didn't want to follow the "If can't beat them, Join them" club.
It was not Shiho who walked before them, it was none other than Morita, Izumi. It was surprising, Shiho and Natsumi didn't expect their friend to be proactive right now, there's always a reason for her actions and they could only wonder what is the reason behind this action she took.
"What is the meaning of this Izumi?" Shiho despite knowing that Izumi does things for a reason is a little irritated at what Izumi is clearly hinting at.
"Don't you think this is a good opportunity Shi-chan?" Izumi's calm voice was opposite to Shiho's harsh tone of her voice.
"Why do you want to side with the opposition? Why do you side against me?" Shiho didn't stand down and wanted a proper answer from her. From this point on, Natsumi had to stay away from the argument that is Izumi and Shiho.
"You're too absorbed into winning Shiho." The sudden tone of voice that Izumi took was more stern and a bit tense.
"Huh? Are you...?" Shiho hands held onto her chest as if clenching her heart.
"Yes, I've had enough of this. I want this to end." Izumi's tense voice was enough to say that this is hard for her too. "I want the old Shi-chan back! I want the ever so cheerful Shiho who wanted to perform for the fun of it!" Izumi's shouting voice got everyone to flinch but it hit home to Natsumi and Shiho who only they know the reason behind this hurting Izumi. "I don't want this! I never wanted my friend to be so absorbed at wanting something!" Tears started to flow down the cheeks of the Goddess trio. "Please Shiho... I want us and Natsumi included, to have fun doing any activity we want to do. I want our friendship to not fall apart after that incident last year... Please..." The girl choked on her words. The tears she can't fight back, sobbing right in front of the ever affected girl.
Shiho took a few steps until she was only 2 feet away from Izumi and her arms slowly reaching towards the sobbing girl.
"You idiot...! I want to have fun too! But... because of what happened back then, I couldn't accept anything else except victory..." Shiho started to cry and bury her face on her friend's shoulder while Izumi is doing the same. Natsumi couldn't hold it any longer and held onto both of them also crying her eyes out.
It took just about 10 minutes to finish what they were doing but it felt like time stopped during that incident.
Slowly, but ever so surely.
Shiho and the others finally stood up properly and walked towards Saki with her arm extended out to her. Saki could only smile and shake her hand.
"We'll join you underclassmen. We'll surely be together from now on!" Shiho said with determination.
"We look forward to it." Saki smiles
Slowly, the audience gave a heartfelt applause as the other three members: Aika, Lucine and Kotone went up the stage.
They all huddled up into a circle and began their start has begun.
"Yuki!"
"Saki!"
"Miki!"
"Aika!"
"Kotone!"
"Lucine!"
"Izumi!"
"Shiho!"
"Natsumi!"
"K-I! Go!"
Play the song "START:DASH!" here either in your head or through the net ( watch?v=JGT6nw6nCLI)
Romanji Lyrics
I say
Hey, hey, hey START:DASH
Hey, hey, hey START:DASH
Ubuge no kotoritachi mo
Itsuka sora ni habataku
Ookina tsuyoi tsubasa de tobu
Akiramecha dame nanda
Sono hi ga zettai kuru
Kimi mo kanjiteru yo ne
Hajimari no kodou
Ashita yo kaware
Kibou ni kaware
Mabushii hikari ni terasarete kaware
Start!
Kanashimi ni tozasarete
Naku dake no kimi janai
Atsui mune kitto mirai wo kirihiraku hazu sa
Kanashimi ni tozasarete
Naku dake ja tsumaranai
Kitto (kitto)
Kimi no (yume no) chikara (ima wo)
Ugokasu chikara
Shinjiteru yo... dakara start!
Hey, hey, hey start dash
Hey, hey, hey start dash
Ameagari no kibun de
Takamaru kitai no naka
Tsumazuita koto sae mo
Omoide ni shiyou
Ashita ga saku yo
Kibou ga saku yo
Tanoshii merodii kuchizusami saita
DASH!
Yorokobi wo uketomete
Kimi to boku tsunagarou
Mayoimichi yatto soto e nukedashita hazu sa
Yorokobi wo uketomete
Kimi to boku susumu darou
Sore wa (sore wa) Tooi (yume no)
kakera (dakedo) itoshii kakera
Kanata e to... boku wa dash!
Mata hitotsu yume ga umare...
Kanashimi ni tozasarete
Naku dake no kimi ja nai
Atsui mune kitto mirai wo kirihiraku hazu sa
Yorokobi wo uketomete
Kimi to boku tsunagarou
Mayoimichi yatto soto e nukedashita hazu sa
Yorokobi wo uketomete
Kimi to boku susumu darou
Sore wa (sore wa) Tooi (yume no)
kakera (dakedo) itoshii kakera
Kanata e to... boku wa dash!
English Lyrics
I say
Hey, hey, hey START:DASH
Hey, hey, hey START:DASH
Even newborn baby birds
Will soar through the sky someday
They'll fly with great, strong wings
Don't ever give up
The day will definitely come
You can feel them too, can't you?
The beats of the beginning
O Tomorrow, change!
Transform into hope!
Transform, illuminated by that brilliant light
START!
Being closed in by sorrow
And just crying - That isn't you
With your blazing heart, you definitely can clear the way to the future
Being closed in by sorrow
And just crying is boring
I'm sure (I'm sure)
Your (dream's) power (right now)
Can set things in motion
I believe in you, so START!
Hey, hey, hey START:DASH!
Hey, hey, hey START:DASH!
The mood after the rain
Amidst growing expectations
Even the times when we stumbled
Let them become memories
Tomorrow will blossom!
Hope will blossom!
A humming fun melody blossomed
DASH!
Grasp the happiness and
Let's form a connection between us
We've finally broken through and found our way
Grasp the happiness and
You and I will push on forward
Those are (those are) a distant (dream's)
Fragments (but they're) precious fragments
Towards beyond the border... I'll DASH!
And again, a dream is born
Being closed in by sorrow
And just crying - That isn't you
With your blazing heart, you definitely can clear the way to the future
Grasp the happiness and
Let's form a connection between us
We've finally broken through and found our way
Grasp the happiness and
You and I will push on forward
Those are (those are) a distant (dream's)
Fragments (but they're) precious fragments
Towards beyond the border... I'll DASH!
The road ahead can only get better from here...
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