Aikatsu Stars! Melody Start!
Star 5: Huh? Which Class Do I Join?
"Did you see Aikatsu TV?"
"I did! They talked about Yume-chan, right?"
"Kya! Being noticed by your senpai! How lucky!"
I let out a sigh as Ako and I walked down the halls. Listening to everyone around us, I felt a bit down. Even this morning when Ako wanted to watch S4 Presents: It's Our Job to Shine, I rejected the offer and went out for a run and shower. Now I was just wondering what to do next.
Looking at my Aikatsu Mobile, I saw the Youtube Music app and sighed. I had a bunch of songs that I could use as an idol. However, their message would be lost since I was the one singing them. What do I do? Should I still be an idol? It's not really my dream or anything. I just performed because we were forced to and I only got motivated when I thought I could cheer Yume on. But I don't think I have that kind of effect.
"Hibiki-san?" Ako called out to me and made me snap out of my depressing thoughts. "Is something wrong?"
I shook my head, a small smile on my face. "I'm fine. It's just…" I'm useless? Do I say that? No, I shouldn't. She might scratch me. "I'm just unsure about which class I should join." I told her. "I mean, I did sing a different song from everyone, but I can't dance yet. I need more stamina. Singing requires strong abs, but I get tired easily."
"Well, it is a slow process." Ako smiled as I let out a sigh. "Huh?" She made us both look forward to seeing Yume and Koharu. Yume was already getting praise from others. "Well, I don't care about others, but she was good yesterday."
"Yeah." I smiled as I walked away. "For now, I wanna keep my space." After all, I did something unnecessary yesterday. "I want to improve my own skills."
Ako must have gotten excited. "Yeah, I agree. Let's go! We're outside today!"
"Eh?!"
"Okay, babies!" Anna-sensei smiled at us as our class stood in the middle of a track. I should have come running here. "Idols are all about stamina. Every first-year starts with the foundation of Aikatsu, running. Get on it!"
I started to run with Ako beside me on the track. I feel nice and warmed up since I ran this morning, but I should be careful not to push it. We all started to cheer 'Aikatsu!' over and over, with every step we took. Once we were done, we lined up and started to project our voices with Anna-sensei listening.
Clapping her hands, Anna-sensei called out. "That's enough! Nijino, just you now." She said with a smile. When Yume agreed, we all listened to her singing. It wasn't as good as yesterday's. "Louder!" The teacher yelled and made Yume sing louder, but no effect.
As Ana-sensei gave her attention, everyone else seemed to be confused as to why Yume's voice wasn't projecting. Some even said she wasn't trying. That made me sick. Sick because… it's not Yume's fault.
"Enough! Everyone take five." Anna-sensei announced, looking a bit displeased.
I watched Yume and walked towards her, but stopped when I saw Rola beat me to it. I watched her poke her abs and examine her as if she was a sick patient. Hey, hey, hey! I rushed over to hear Rola make a rude comment.
"Weren't you that girl with an awesome performance?" Rola started. "I'm just not seeing it."
"Rola, stop being rude," I spoke up as I walked over. "Give her a break. She fainted right after. Everyone seems to forget that important part." I said it loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Well, yeah, but…" Rola pouted.
Smiling at Yume, I spoke at the same volume. "Are you okay, Nijino-san? Feeling sick?"
"N-No!" Yume stood up straight. "I'm fine!"
"I'm glad." I put a hand over my chest. I knew a lot of people were watching so I had to help Yume get a better image other than a girl that wasn't trying during practice. "I was a bit worried. I heard that you woke up to Hime-senpai waking you up. Someone saw her leaving the infirmary so I'm guessing she was also worried about you."
"Yes!" Yume looked a bit stiff. "But… I still don't remember what happened on stage…" She whispered that last part.
"You don't remember?" I exclaimed a bit dramatically. "I see. You must have had an adrenaline rush."
"Adrenaline rush?" Yume and Rola blinked while Koharu stood up and stood next to Yume. I had the stage now.
"Yeah, an adrenaline rush." I smiled. "When someone feels really excited and they get a rush of energy that pushes their body over its limits. That must have been why you fainted. Your body pushed itself and shut down. And the fall may have made you lose your memory."
Now even Anna-sensei was listening. "That sounds like what happened to me." Yume pondered, forgetting that everyone was watching and listening to us. "How did you know about this?"
I blinked at the question but recovered a second later. "My brother is a violinist. He used to get adrenaline rushes all the time and it affected his body. He's recovered since then but getting those all the time isn't good." I pointed out. "Pushing your body past its limits is a very dangerous thing so if you plan on doing that, make sure someone is watching over you just in case. Well, we all saw it yesterday so it's a bit of a no-brainer but be careful, Nijino-san."
"How do I not let that happen, Nanase-san?" Yume asked me, looking a bit excited.
"Training." I pointed out. "If you can reach that level without using that rush, I'm sure you'll be fine. That requires you to train really hard so that your body can keep up with that rush."
"I see." The blonde smiled. "Then, I'll do my best! I'll definitely become a top idol!" She then took everyone by surprise, even me, and bowed. "And, I never got to thank you. Thank you for helping me yesterday. Your song helped me calm down and clear my head! Thank you, Nanase-san!"
"Eh?" I blinked, confused. Wait, what? My song helped her calm down. No way. "What do you mean?"
"Oh yeah." Ako walked forward and made me sweat. "I never heard that song before. Last night too. You showed me more songs. Did you write all of them?" Others started to gather and I began to shrink.
"Ah, not really… I just…" I thought about what to say. Last night, I asked Ako to let me see her phone and saw that she didn't have the Youtube Music app. When I let her listen to the music I had saved, she couldn't hear anyone singing or any lyrics. She just heard the music. It was strange. It was like I was the only one that could hear the actual song.
"How interesting," Rola smirked. "Are you trying to hide your skills?"
"My skills?!" I spoke my thoughts out loud. "No, no, no! I just…!" How do I explain that I borrowed a song from a Youtuber when Youtubers don't exist in this world. Plus the song was written by Maaya Sakamoto, but the version I sang was Amalee's version! So I stole that song from two people I admire!
"Could it be that we have a songwriter?" Anna-sensei smiled.
"Eh?" I blinked. "No… I…" I apologize to everyone I looked up to on Youtube and in Japan. "Y-Yes… Th-Thank you. Please don't depend on me tho. My songs are not that great." Please don't ask me to steal more songs.
"Your songs are great! They're inspiring and rocking!" Anna-sensei complimented and I just smiled. "Have more faith in yourself, Baby!" She then looked at Yume. "And let's get stronger, Nijino. Taking care of your body is also self-producing!"
"Yes!" Yume smiled.
"Yes." I sighed, but still smiled. I'm glad they liked the song but claiming it as mine really hurts. Oh well. I'll credit in the author's note.
"The one-week countdown to the class sorting auditions starts now!" Anna-sensei cheered. "You'll start your rockingest class activities this afternoon, babies."
"Class activities?" Yume asked.
In front of her, Ako and Rola seemed to be really excited. Grinning while they listened to the teacher speak. Meanwhile, I would like to know what to do as well. Those classes are a big thing in this world. Well, I can't change the storyline so I guess it's not a big deal, but it wouldn't hurt to look at my options.
"You've all been given the privilege of sitting in whichever class you'd like," Anna-sensei commented. "Everyone can decide for themselves! Because that's…" The mic stand came out, "self-producing!"
Before we could get a word out, Rola and Ako took off on their own after waving goodbye. I looked at Yume and smiled. "Nijino-san, you're going to check out the classes with Nanakura-san, right? Can I join you two?"
Yume blinked, frowned for a second and then nodded. "Yeah, of course!"
"Thanks…" I blinked. Eh, did she not want me to join?
After meeting up with Koharu, we went to our first stop, Wind Dance Class. Walking in was awesome. The Teacher of this class was Dave Sato and he's totally the dad cheerleader type.
"You are now cats!" He yelled at the dancers as they pranced around. "Let the catnip light a fire in your hearts!"
Yuzu-senpai and some other girls meowed and danced around. It was honestly really cute. I'm glad I came to check this class out, but… I don't have the stamina. Sure I could build it up, but I was kind of embarrassed about dancing as a cat in my head.
"It's no wonder Yuzu-senpai is in S4." Koharu commented while Yume looked at a poster.
"The Phantom of Cats?" Yume asked and I started to wonder about that. What's the plot of that?
Yuzu-senpai appeared out of nowhere and scared me in her neko-form. "Come on! Let's all dance together!" Her tail is wagging?! Why?!
"Worry not!" The anime dad teacher came in. "You have it in you." Dad, her tail is moving! Isn't it a costume?! "Bring out more, more, and more of your passion!"
Yume and Koharu shrunk behind me as I stared at the cat tail. "U-Um.. Isn't that fake?" I asked as I pointed at the fake tail. Everyone got quiet at my question. "Is it real?"
After escaping the cat dancers, we arrived at Moon Beauty Class. We walked inside and man, it took me by surprise. In our lessons we had like 16 oz water bottles on our heads, but these girls had half a gallon water bottles on their heads. I was fine with the 16 oz but I'll fall with that jug on my head.
"Girlies, here for your class activities?" The teacher of this class, Tamagoro Miwa, spoke up to us while fanning himself. After hearing a yes, he pointed the open fan at us. Is that so? Then do please sit yourself thereabouts." He pointed at some exercise balls and I got excited.
"Dibs on a pink one." I was the first to walk over and sit on one of the pink balls. These are so much fun. I used to play on these as a kid all the time. Using one as an adult for exercise was pretty fun too. "I don't know if I'll look like a Beauty student but this is fun!"
Yume giggled as she skipped over. "Then me too!"
"Me too." Koharu stumbled over as she tried to hop on one.
"Okay, sitting on these is kind of hard… Wah! I'm the most clumsy person. I don't think this class is good for me." I giggled as others joined us.
Tamagoro-sensei walked over and smiled at me as I struggled. "Here in the Beauty class, we are constantly in pursuit of a higher beauty. I'm sure we can help you shine."
"I'll think about it." I told him as I struggled. As he went back to his class, I thought about the class itself. Yozora-senapi's little sister has drama in this class and I don't want to get involved with their story. It's such a good one after all. I don't think me joining this class would be a good idea. Sorry, but the beauty seducing didn't work on me.
"Nanase-san!" I heard Yume's voice and looked at her to see her and Koharu struggling. "Wh-Whoa, it's so tall!" Yume pointed at the S4 member walking with…. Is that a four gallon water bottle on her head?! Excuse me but that would hurt your neck, no?!
"Kasumi Yozora-san~!" Koharu smiled. That's her name.
"Wow." I whispered. I looked at Yume and Koharu. "That looks painful." Yume and Koharu chuckled and I gasped when I saw Koharu fall. "Nanakura-san?" I called out.
"Koharu-chan!" Yume blinked, worried for her friend. Wait, the glasses came off! "Are you okay?"
"Where are my glasses…" Koharu searched but I was trying to see her face. Her bangs are in the way. When I saw who was about to help her, I grabbed Yume and kept her from interrupting. This is the scene!
"Here you are." Yozora smiled as she headed the blind girl her glasses.
"Th-Thank you." Koharu put on her glasses and smiled. "Thank you so much!" She gasped when she saw the beauty in front of her.
"All better now?" The senpai asked.
"Y-Yes!" Koharu nodded.
"That's a relief." Pretty senpai smile~!
Koharu got up and held her hands to her chest. "I'm so sorry for interrupting your lesson."
Yozora-senpai stood up straight and got close to touch Koharu's face. "Goodness You have such smooth, supple skin. You must be quite the pure and innocent girl." What you're doing would be the opposite of that. "I can tell what kind of person someone is by their skin." Pulling her hand away, she turned and walked away. "Let's meet again."
The seducing worked, everyone. Koharu, our pure and innocent child, has fallen for the Moon Beauty trap. It didn't surprise me when Koharu asked to stay after we left the building. Well, I know I can't do this. I'm clumsy after all.
"It's just us now." I told Yume as she waved at her friend. "Let's head to the Bird Theatre Class now."
"Yeah!" Yume smiled.