"Hey Maki, wanna go to karaoke with us?"

Maki frowned at her phone. "Eli, I thought you already knew that I work on Saturdays."

Eli's light chuckling was loud and clear in the phone call. "Yes, yes, Maki I know. I was just going to suggest having it tomorrow."

"I don't know," Maki said. "I haven't sung in a while."

"Please, Maki?"

"Oh, fine. I'll go."

"Alright! Meet you at Akihabara station at 2!"

Maki stepped off the train. She's probably downstairs.

Maki walked down the steps of the train station and immediately noticed Eli standing in a corner with Nico.

"Hi, Eli," Maki said. "Ugh, why is she here?"

Nico pouted. "What? I wanted to sing too!"

Eli sighed. "Well, Nozomi and Umi has to do something for work, Kotori went eat lunch with her family for her birthday, Rin and Hanayo are working at their restaurant and Honoka always sleeps through Sundays, so Nico was the only one who could join us."

Maki frowned. "Honoka sleeps through the entire day on Sundays?"

Eli nodded. "24 hours."

"Guys! Can't we just go?" Nico wailed.

Maki nodded. "Yea, sure."

Nico pulled out her camera as she trailed behind Maki. "Hey, sparkly unicorns! We're currently at Akihabara Station, and we are going to karaoke!"

Eli turned to Maki as they walked down the street. "It's really close, just a few more minutes."

Maki nodded.

"Maki! Are we almost there yet?" Nico called from far behind Maki.

"No! Nico, walk faster!"

Nico strutted over to Maki and Eli. "No fair, you guys have long legs!"

Maki rolled her eyes.

Eli stopped in front of a building. "We're here."

Nico took a photo of the building and stood there tapping on her phone.

"Nico? What are you doing?" Maki called from inside the building.

"Snapchat-wait!"

Maki followed Eli to the bright, inviting front desk.

"1 room for 2 hours, please," Eli said.

The lady at the front desk nodded. "Right this way."

Maki followed the lady into one of the many doors in the hallway.

"Thank you," Eli said. "Now, guys what song do you want?"

Maki sat on the couch and picked up a small booklet. "Well, there are quite a lot to choose from."

Nico snatched the booklet from Maki.

"Hey!" Maki frowned.

Ignoring Maki, Nico let out an excited string of words. "OmigoshtheyhaveBeyonce! Icouldtotallysingthat!"

Eli pointed at a keypad. "We have to press a number on the keypad. What is the number for that song, Nico?"

"4892," Nico replied. "I'm totally gonna nail this!"

Maki shook her head. Listen? Nico will fail without a doubt.

The first few notes of the song came up and Nico almost missed the first line of the song.

"Listen, to the song here in my heart," Nico sang.

Well, she's not that bad, Maki mulled. But surely she won't nail the high note.

"LISTEN! I AM ALONE AT A CROSSROADS!" Nico sang. Or more appropriately, yelled.

Maki covered her ears. "Er, Eli, why don't you sing for a change?"

Eli nodded. "Sure!"

Nico handed Eli the microphone and sat down next to Maki. "I'm really good, right?"

Maki smiled thinly. "Yea..."

Eli started singing and Maki was astounded.

The song ended and Eli turned back to Nico and Maki. "How was I?"

"Incredible," Maki admitted. "You nailed the high notes, too. I see your singing skills have not been lost."

Eli grinned sheepishly. "Really? Well, I do try to practice..."

Nico rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Anyways, let's sing some more!"

Maki sighed.

Eli flipped through the pages of the booklet. "Ooh! I want to sing this!"

Eli pressed some numbers into the keypad and soft music started playing.

Eli started singing, "Neol pumgi jeon alji moshaetda..."

"What language is that?" Nico whispered to Maki.

"Definitely not Japanese," Maki answered. "Korean, perhaps?"

Eli's voice is incredible; it's sweet but has power. Oh god, that sounded cheesy, Maki thought.

Eli finished her song.

"What song was that?" Nico asked.

"It's called 'I will go to you like the first snow' by Ailee. She's Korean," Eli said with a smile.

Maki raised her eyebrow. "Since when did you learn to sing in Korean?"

Eli shrugged. "I never really learned, I just sing what I hear."

"Maki," Eli started after singing her 4th song. "Why don't you sing something as well?"

Maki shook her head. "I'd rather...not."

Maki flipped to the next page of the booklet and dropped her jaw. "Oh...my goodness."

"What?" Nico followed Maki's gaze onto the booklet and screamed. "OMIGOSH! YAS!"

Eli frowned at her two friends contrasting reactions. "What is it?"

Eli skimmed through the page; her eyes landing on a song title.

"Cutie...Panther?"

Nico grinned widely. "OUR SONG! Let's sing it!"

Maki shook her head. "I can't believe that our song is in here."

Eli smiled. "Nice to know our past effort wasn't for nothing."

Eli pressed the number into the keypad. "Let's do it, guys."

Maki mind started going haywire. What? What? WHAT? wHAT? I CAN'T SING THIS! I haven't sung in 7 years!

It's not a big deal, a voice in Maki's head said. You used to sing this all the time. In front of hundreds, no less.

But I've kinda changed now! Maki argued with the voice. If I sing now it would be going back on all the change I've mad-

Maki's thoughts were interrupted by the electro music intro of the song.

Eli handed Maki a mic and smile.

Maki grimaced in return.

The music kept playing and Maki realized she missed her first line.

This is not going to end well. I repeat this is not going to end well.

"Doko ni iru no? Muri yo muri yo doko ni itatte muri yo," Eli and Nico sang.

"Tsukamaechau!" Eli exclaimed.

"Dare to iru no? Dame yo dame yo watashi igai wa dame yo," Nico grinned at Maki.

"A-Amai yo amai sonna soubi ja," Maki started shakily. Dang, my voice is deeper than I thought.

Eli flashed Maki a supportive smile.

"Nigerareru wake nai janai ka. Nerai o tsukete hisoka ni haigo kara," Maki sang, smoother this time.

Nico started singing her lines with energy. "I looove yoouuuuu!"

"Watashi no koto o suki ni naru hazu," Eli sang elegantly.

"I love youuuu!"

"Soko ni seigi ga aru no!"

"Cutie Panther watashi doko demo iku yo," Maki, Nico, and Eli sang together.

Maki could see the employees of the karaoke place peering through the window.

Maki curled into a ball in the corner of the room. I can't believe I just did that.

"Well, you guys, that was pretty fun, " Eli said. "Hm?"

Eli noticed the small crowd of employees outside the karaoke room door. "What would they be doing here?"

Eli opened the door. "Hey...guys, is there something wrong?"

"It's true! Um, could you possibly be Eli Ayase from μ's?" A female employee asked.

Eli nodded. "Yes."

The employees gasped.

"We heard her sing, she's the real deal!"

"Omigosh, I can't believe I heard Bibi sing live, is this a dream?"

Eli smiled sheepishly, and Nico soon bounded at the opportunity to meet fans.

"You guys know us? Well, fear not, we will be glad to sign autographs or shake your hands-"

"No we're not, we aren't even an idol group anymore," Maki interrupted.

"Nishikino Maki? Could I please get a selfie with you?"

Maki glanced at the girl who spoke. "Er...sure."

The girl took out her phone and took a selfie with Maki (who smiled weakly).

"Could you guys sing for us again?" An employee asked. "Pleease?"

"Of course!" Nico exclaimed. "What song would you like?"

"Love novels, please!" An employee said.

"Sure thing," Eli smiled.

Nishikino Maki, 11.08 PM

Can someone please explain why a VIDEO OF ME SINGING 'LOVE NOVELS' IS ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA?

Toujou Nozomi, 11.10 PM

Power of the internet ;)