Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I was born with bad luck.

If I went on a picnic, it would rain. No amount of lucky weather charms ever worked. My new hat would get blown away by a gust of wind, my favorite shoes would get splashed by a passing car… No matter how hard I tried, so many things would still go wrong. And I just got sick of it… 

That’s when I saw Haruka on TV. She was an idol. I still remember her words,

“Tomorrow will always be a better day!”

And I hold them dear. I have to keep trying, enduring all these hardships. Then, I will have a better tomorrow. 

“One, two, three, four,” Minori pants, waving her arms along to the rhythm. “One, two, three– gah!” Toppling over her own feet, she squeals and hits the floor. Laying on the cold floor of the school rooftop, she stews in yet another failure. “Ah… I still can’t get this part right. Guess I should pack up for today…”

Then, she snaps back to her usual self. To herself, she scolds, “N-No, wait! You can’t just give up now, Minori! Think about Haruka! Her training must be a million times harder than this! I just gotta have faith that tomorrow will always be a better day!” With a huff, she pushes herself off the hard stone tiles and dusts her clothes off. “So I have to keep trying! Until I can become an idol like Haruka one day!” She hops over to the makeshift phone stand made from her backpack, aiming to restart the ASRUN song and begin her practice again. However, when she bends down to reach for her device, it suddenly flashes a bright white. Startled, she falls backward onto the floor once again. 

“‘Untitled?’” She reads off her screen, “I don’t remember downloading a song called that…” As she leans closer to further observe the mysterious track, it suddenly flashes at her again. She reels back, covering his eyes with her arms. “Wh-What’s happening?!” 

Coming to in an unfamiliar place, Minori frantically whips around to any sign denoting her new whereabouts. A large stage stands before her, fully lit by the overlooking lights. Several large screens fill the space of the venue, with clover-shaped neon signs decorating the rest. It’s as if the entire crowd of a concert hall had vanished and been replaced only with herself. Still, despite the strange situation, Minori can’t help but silently gush over the cute decor to herself, aww -ing over the bright lights and pretty signage. 

“Hello!” A bright voice perks up from behind, causing Minori to flail in shock as she tries to turn around. Regaining her balance, she sees a teal-haired girl closing the distance between them from across the pit. 

“Wha– Huh?! Wh- Who are you?!” Minori shouts, stancing up to bolt at any wrong movement like a feral kitten. However, as the figure draws nearer, she gasps out in realization, “M- Miku?!”

Then, once more, from behind her another voice rings out, “Don’t forget about me! Welcome to your SEKAI, Minori!” A smaller, bright blonde girl shouts from the stage. Minori whips around to face her, feeling like she’s been caught in some weird game of Monkey in the Middle. 

“Wh–?! Rin’s here too? This has to be a dream!” Minori babbles, trying to pinch her own cheek.

“It’s not a dream, it’s your SEKAI!” Miku giggles back, winking.

“Huh? SEKAI?”

“Mm, mm! A world born from all of your feelings!” Rin shouts, jumping off of the stage to join Miku and Minori on the floor. “We’re here to help you all find your true feelings again, here in this SEKAI,” she explains. Miku hums in agreement.

“True feelings? W-Wait! I’m confused, what are you talking about…” Minori exclaims breathlessly, going dizzy with the information overload. 

“Really? Not even a little?” Rin muses, taking a second to think to herself. “Well, it seems like you already know your true feelings, anyway…”

“My true feelings?” Minori echoes, still disoriented. “Like, my dream to become an idol?”

In response, Miku giggles once more. Impishly, she answers, “Maybe? In any case, you should hold onto those feelings and never let them go.” Then, in a sudden fashion, she clasps her hands and looks down with a frown. “...Because all of the others are close to forgetting about theirs,” she finishes, tone starkly changed. 

“Huh? I’m still confused…”

“It’s almost time for the show to start!” Miku quickly deflects, looking over Minori’s head towards the illuminated stage. “I’ll see you around, Minori! As long as you and the others keep the same feelings, we’ll all meet again here in this SEKAI one day!”

“Yeah! We’re all rooting for you,” Rin cheers, “Fighting!” She lifts a fist in the air.

“Ah– uh–” Minori starts, but then realizes that the world has started shifting around her once more, “W– Wait!” 

When sensation returns to her body, she’s immediately hit by a cold sting running through her body. “Wh– wh– Huh? I fell asleep on the roof?!” Pushing herself up, she frantically moves to pick up her phone and backpack. “I must be tired… Having a weird dream like that, too…” She laments, “Guess I should really pack up for today.”

Swinging her bag over her shoulder, she shoves against the rooftop door, exhausted from the day’s practice. As she begins her descent through the levels of the school, she checks the time on her phone. “Uu–! It’s past the time they said our audition results would be sent out!” Pulling open her email, said response is sitting unopened at the top of her inbox. Inhaling deeply, she pauses with her thumb hovering over the email. It’s not like I haven’t been through this before, just open it and read it… Still, she can’t check the nervous energy locking up her hand. I got through the initial round, so surely… 

She clicks on the email, scans it over.

Rejected.

I should’ve known. This is number fifty, isn’t it? Trying to snap herself out of her wallowing, Minori continues, Still, I have to remember Haruka’s words! “Tomorrow will always be a better day!” There’s no use in complaining about what’s done, just keep trying!

Even so, it seems that her expression betrays her hopeful thinking, as a classmate calls out to her once she enters the courtyard, “Minori! Did you see the news? It looks like it…”

“Huh? What news?” Minori questions, walking up to the girl and her friend. All sorts of ideas start to rush through her head– Did a classmate get expelled? Was a teacher fired? Did someone die?!

Yet, the real answer seems to be the worst option of them all. “They’re saying ASRUN has disbanded and Haruka Kiritani is retiring!”

Minori’s world cracks in one instance like a fragile mirror. Any semblance of hope she had talked herself into keeping was suddenly dashed, like a candle met with the wind. Unable to find any words, she sputters out, “Wh– Wha– I– I need to get home!”

“Minori!” Her classmate reaches out, but it’s too late. Minori sprints through the school gate, and doesn’t look back. 

The next morning, Minori flops into her seat in Class 1-A, ignoring the stares of her concerned classmates evaluating the ghastly aura shrouding herself. She could barely get out of bed, only motivated by the looming threat of falling behind in her schoolwork. How was she supposed to wake up, peppy and ready as ever, when the only thing keeping her spirits high was just pulled from her reach in one moment? 

ASRUN disbanded, and Haruka retired…

“Hey, doesn’t that girl in the hall kinda look like Haruka Kiritani?” A voice whispers behind Minori, but it pierces through her skull like a banshee shriek. 

“Woah, I think it actually is!” Another voice replies, much louder.

“She’s going into Class C, is she actually–?!”

“Huh?” Minori mumbles to no one, looking to the door at her side. Sure enough, she catches the unmistakable Haruka Kiritani shuffling into another classroom, before growing obscured by other students crowding near her. 

ASRUN disbanded, and Haruka retired… But now she’s only a classroom away from me?!

She lets out a long sigh, but it’s masked by the excited ramblings of her classmates gossiping about the new student. Feeling faint, she puts her head to the desk, and starts to tune out the commotion around her. 

“Minori, are you okay?” A classmate prods her, tapping her shoulder. 

“Wh– Oh! I think I drifted off, sorry…”

The girl’s blonde pigtails sway as she jumps back, startled by her awakening. “Ah! Sorry for waking you up, it’s just that the school day ended, so…” She trails off. 

“Did it really? I must’ve slept through so much, I didn’t sleep well last night!” Minori rambles, scrambling to pack up her supplies. 

“Oh, you don’t need to rush!” The girl advises, “A huge crowd formed right outside our room because a former idol was just moved into the class across from us, so you’ll have to either wait or push through them.” She brushes her hands through her long hair, nervously. 

“Former idol?” Minori thinks out loud, the cogs in her brain turning to catch back up with reality. “Ah, Haruka!” She squeals, covering her mouth with her hands.

“Yes, that’s her. Were you a fan?” 

“Y– Yeah, I was,” she mutters, suddenly feeling shy. Her classmate’s expression lights up, seemingly understanding Minori’s troubles now. 

“She’s been talking with some of the people in the crowd. Do you want to try talking to her?” She offers, adding, “I’ll support you from behind!”

Frantically, Minori shoots up and starts waving her arms. “N- No! Th– That’s not a good idea!”

“Ah! I’m sorry!” Her classmate shrieks, bowing her head. 

“Wait, no! Don’t be! I’m just… not ready for that!” Minori grabs her shoulders, trying to show her sincerity. 

“O– Oh, I see,” she nods. “Then, would you like to walk home together? I wouldn’t want you passing out on your way home…”

Despite the embarrassment flaring up in Minori’s heart, she nods back. “Sure, we’re gonna need a little manpower to get through this crowd, anyway…”

“Heh, yeah…” The girl laughs with apprehension, twiddling her fingers. 

They both grab their respective bags, and move through the open door of their classroom. Immediately, they meet the backs of several schoolgirls surrounding the former idol. Squeezing through the first set of obstacles, Minori catches a glimpse at Haruka. 

“No way,” she whispers to herself, stumbling and stopping in place. Having held on to some disbelief that the Haruka Kiritani was really attending her own school, she falters seeing the undeniable proof of her existence. “I feel like I’m splitting in two!” She squeals, then is pressed back into her classmate trailing her. 

“‘Split in two’?! Are you okay, Minori?” She shouts back over the crowd of gossiping classmates.

“Yes, s– sorry! I’m just feeling overwhelmed right now!” She shuffles back away, ignoring Haruka in the corner of her eye to keep pushing her way out of the crowd. 

Seeing Haruka here in front of me almost makes me able to accept her retirement… Still, I suppose even she was a regular girl like me before she became an idol, right?

She accidentally steps on the back of someone’s shoe, and stutters out an apology.

…Haruka gave me so much hope. I never would’ve been able to keep trying after my first few failed auditions if I never had her words to support me. 

She takes another glance back, looking over the girl following her. Haruka stands with her hands clasped by her stomach, looking out of place but still as charming and confident as ever. Her blue hair sways as she nods in agreement at something a classmate just said, her eyes lighting up as if struck with lightning as she begins to laugh. 

She really does look like a normal girl, after all. She seems so happy and comfortable here… Maybe this is what she really wants. A normal school life is her “better tomorrow”…

“Minori?” Her classmate lightly nudges her, looking a little more than concerned.

“Ah, sorry!” She turns back around, wading through the sea of people. Eventually, she comes to the outskirts, allowing both girls to move more freely.

I’ve only ever been on the receiving end of such warmth, and she’s given me more than enough. I should support her new endeavor, and give her back the kindness she gave. With newfound resolve, Minori hums to herself and pumps her fist. It’s my turn! I’ll be an idol who spreads hope to others! I need to keep working, more and more!

Seeing this, her classmate’s concern only grows. “M– Minori?!”

“Sorry, I need to do something before I leave!” Minori declares. Dashing ahead of the other girl, she waves, “Let’s walk home together some other time, yeah?” 

“O– Of course! Goodbye, Minori!” She waves back, looking uncertain as she raises her other hand to adjust her glasses.

“Bye-bye, Kohane!”

“Alright, let’s pull myself together and get back to practice!” Minori coaches herself, patting her cheeks. Scrolling through her library of songs, she hums to herself in thought. “Maybe a Miku song today? Since ASRUN…” She ponders out loud, then shakes her head. “Wait, ‘Untitled’?–”

“Oh…”

Startled by the sudden visitor, Minori whips her head around, dropping her phone in the process. At the entrance of the rooftop, a certain girl with short, blue hair stands.

“H– H– Haruka?!” Minori squeals, stepping backwards as if the former idol poses any threat. 

“Sorry for bothering you, um…” The former idol trails off, looking to the floor. I’ve never seen her so bashful before! What poise!

“Ah, um, m– my name is Minori Hanasato! Class 1-A, student number 21!” Minori shouts, then cuts herself off when Haruka flinches back. Ah, don’t come off too strong!

“So we’re in the same year. Well then, I’m Haruka Kiritani, Class C. I just transferred, actually…” Minori doesn’t tell her that she already knows, of course. Haruka continues, “Is it alright if I read here? I won’t bother you, I just wanted some time away from…” She trails off, unsure how to finish her sentence without seeming rude. 

Unable to say no to her idol, Minori responds with an enthusiastic, “Of course!” However, once Haruka begins to settle down on the bench, she notices that her former glow has somewhat dimmed. She was used to her always being so put-together on stage, but in person, she seemed exhausted. She seemed paler than usual, slouching instead of sitting upright, and her hair had lost its shape from styling. 

All that attention must’ve tired her out. Ah, maybe I should skip practice today after all. It’ll be hard for her to focus if I’m dancing…

Before she can decide what to do, Haruka speaks up. “Hey, what were you doing up here, anyway?”

“M– Me?! I was, um, doing some dance practice!” She quickly adds, “I’m hoping to be an idol one day! J– Just like you!” With a big smile and flushed cheeks, she clasps her hands together. Yet, when she looks up, Haruka does not return it with her usual warm glow.

“Huh?”

Suddenly, a loud voice shouts out from behind the rooftop door. “Just tell it to me straight!” After a beat with no audible response, it shouts again, “I’m not leaving until you talk to me!” 

“Huh– Who’s that?” Haruka stands up, discarding her book.

“I don’t know! It sounds like an argument…” Minori replies, looking fearfully at the door. Then, without warning, it swings open. 

The owner of the voice, a pink-haired girl, pushes another girl through the door. Not taking any reprieve to survey her surroundings, she continues berating the other girl, “I heard from an old friend that there’s a rumor you’re leaving your group and joining some– some–”

“Airi…” The light-haired girl mumbles, glancing meekly at the two girls already on the rooftop.

“H– Huh? Wait, Haruka Kiritani?!” The brash girl sputters out, finally recognizing their company.

“Mhm. Hi, Shizuku. It’s been a while since we last talked,” Haruka greets the calmer girl, but the other cuts her off.

“Hey, we’re trying to have a private conversation! Why are you trying to listen in?!”

“What? You’re the one who barged up here, yelling loud enough for the whole school to hear you,” Haruka bites back. Minori swallows a whimper, unused to this side of the ever-hopeful idol. 

“Wh–” Airi starts, but Haruka shows no regard and keeps talking.

“Don’t worry. I know when to keep my mouth shut. We all know how the industry is,” she mutters, and Minori doesn’t miss the quick glance Haruka throws at her. She gulps.

Airi seems to choke on her words, gritting her teeth. “Whatever! You big shot idols always act so high and mighty like this! This is why I hate dealing with you types,” she spits out, then directs her attention to Minori. “And you! Don’t go gossiping to all your friends about this!”

Freaking out, Minori squeals, “O– Of course!”

Pleased with the assertion, Airi nods curtly. “Good. You can both leave now. We still need to talk.”

As Minori starts to stutter out a faint objection, Haruka interjects, “Excuse me? You’re the one who interrupted her dance practice. You should be the ones leaving if your conversation is so important.”

“Dance practice? For what?!” She scoffs back. Beside her, Shizuku shifts uncomfortably. 

“I– I’m practicing to become an idol one day. I– It’s my dream!” Minori explains, shy but proud of her goals. 

Then, Airi gives an unexpected response, “You? An idol? Seriously?” 

“Airi!” Shizuku warns, but the bold girl keeps prodding.

“Yes, it’s my true dream! I’ve been rejected fifty times, but I’m never going to give up–”

“It’s no surprise that an amateur like you has been rejected fifty times,” she states blankly, making both Shizuku and Minori reel back. “You should give up. It’s for your own good.” 

Minori just stares back with an unreadable expression, clasping her hands near her chest. Airi adds, “You’re not really the idol type anyway.”

“Huh?” Minori finally responds, blinking at her. Then, with more conviction, she starts, “N– No, that’s wrong! Anyone can be an idol! I want to spread hope to others, just as Haruka gave hope to me! It’s just like she said, ‘Tomorrow will always be a better day!’”

Now, it’s Airi’s turn to recoil in shock. Yet, Haruka’s the one to speak up first. “Minori…” She mumbles, looking to the ground. “You shouldn’t listen to me.”

“Huh?”

“You shouldn’t listen to me,” she reaffirms, then looks straight into Minori’s eyes. “Because I lied. Even I don’t believe my own words anymore.” The words hit like a sucker punch to the stomach, her gaze piercing like a sword to the heart. 

“Wh–”

“See, even Haruka agrees!” Airi perks up, gesturing to the girl in question. Minori freezes in place, a coldness spreading through her body. When she looks to either side, all she sees is a former idol staring at her with a disgusting pity in their eyes. There’s no hope, no kindness, no idolesque warmth. It makes her want to throw up. 

So, she grabs her phone off the cold tile and bolts. A certain untitled track disappears from her library.

Saki readjusts her backpack, unused to carrying the culmination of the weight of all her books at once. Trudging through the courtyard, she hums to herself. Ichi had to stay for her class representative duties, and Honami and Shiho blew me off… Clutching the straps, she thinks, I’m back at school, so why do I still feel so lonely?

However, she’s struck out of her thoughts when a weight much heavier than her books crashes onto her. 

“Ah! I’m so, so sorry! Here, let me help you,” the panicked girl shrieks, lifting herself up and extending a hand out to Saki.

“Oh, don’t worry,” she responds, grabbing her hand and letting herself be hoisted up. However, when she looks up at her accidental assailant, Saki immediately feels a wave of concern wash over her. “Hey, are you okay? Are you crying?”

Having care shown to her just makes the girl start full-on sobbing, however. “W– Wait! What’s wrong?” Saki frets, ushering her over to a bench shrouded behind a tree so passerbys won’t gawk at them. 

“I– I just had a really, really bad day,” she hiccups out, rubbing her tears away with her uniform’s sleeves. 

Frowning, Saki mutters, “Yeah, I get that…” The two girls fall into a comfortable silence, with Saki rubbing the girls’ back as she weeps her feelings out. 

After some time, the girl eventually cries herself out, only some faint hiccups left racking her body. “Th– Thank you,” she breathes out, then snaps back to her senses. “Ah! I’m so sorry for just crying like that!”

“It’s okay, really!” Saki assures her, helping her stand up. “Can I walk you home? I want to make sure you get home safely,” she then asks.

The girl sniffles, then beams back, “Of course! Thank you, again!”

The two of them shuffle over to the gate, the other girl still wiping away some escapee tears. 

“Oh, by the way, I’m Saki Tenma!”

“Oh, right! I’m Minori Hanasato, Class 1-A! It’s a pleasure to meet you, even like this!” The girl exclaims, bowing politely. 

“1-A? So we’re both first years! I’m in Class C!” Saki cheers, giggling lightly.

Minori falters, but tries to keep the conversation going, “Wow, your class must’ve been hectic today, huh?” 

“Yeah, a bit,” Saki sighs, but picks up on the prickling energy coming off of Minori. Attempting to make the tone more light-hearted, she jokes, “I’m more upset that I didn’t get a giant crowd outside our classroom when I transferred in!”

“Wha–?! Were you an idol, too?” Minori squeals, stumbling in shock.

“Oh, no! I just had some, uh, circumstances that stopped me from attending regular classes,” Saki explains, “It’s okay now, though!” Then, she tacks on with a bitter chuckle, “God, I wish I was an idol.”

“Huh?”

“Oh, nothing. I just guess things would’ve been easier if I was an idol, but that would never happen for me…”

You’re not really the idol type anyway.

I lied.

Tomorrow will always be a better day!

“Don’t say that! Anyone can be an idol!” Minori shouts, stopping in place.

Shocked, Saki looks back at her. “Huh?”

“We can both be idols, Saki!” Her eyes gleam, and Saki can’t discern if it’s from her crying fit or her newfound spirit. “No matter what anyone says, we can be true idols!”

“Minori…” Saki warns lowly, but she isn’t sure what against. 

“I’ve been practicing ever since I was little, and I still practice everyday! I’ve been rejected so many times, but I keep applying!” Minori shouts, but with no malice. “I’m going to be an idol, and so will you!” She grabs onto Saki’s hand, beaming at her with a hopeful grin.

“Th– Thank you, but I think you got the wrong idea–” Saki stutters out, trying to pull back. 

“No, I understand completely! No matter how many times we’ve been rejected, pushed aside, and ignored, we need to keep moving on! More and more!” Minori gushes. “Meet me on the rooftop after school tomorrow, let’s practice together!”
“Practice… together…?” Saki echoes, her hands going slack. 

“Let’s make tomorrow a better day, together!” She beams, warmth radiating off her small stature. 

Together… Saki muses to herself. 

Then, she nods. And then nods again, with a more dramatic notion.

“Mm! Rooftop, tomorrow!” 

Throwing her hands up in excitement, Minori throws herself onto Saki once more. This time, Saki catches her weight and hugs back. 

The next day, once classes are dismissed, Saki immediately bounces over to Class A across the hall. Dodging the stream of students rushing over to meet Haruka, she stands at the doorway of the other classroom, waiting for her new friend to pack up. Catching Minori’s eye, she waves at her excitedly. Minori returns the motion with an equal amount of energy, quickening her pace of cleaning. However, her glee is quickly sapped away as a familiar figure saunters by. 

“Oh, Shi–”

“Sorry, I have plans to meet with someone,” the gray-haired girl returns, although her cool tone doesn’t seem very apologetic.

Saki visibly deflates, but tries to keep her tone polite. “Ah, alright.” The other girl doesn’t stop, so she shouts to her, “S– See you later!”

Turning back to the classroom, she nearly jumps when she’s met by Minori standing right in front of her. “You know Shiho?” She asks, but seems to have caught onto the sullen tone of their interaction. 

“Mhm! We’re childhood friends!” Saki exclaims, trying to lift the mood. Surely, we’re still friends, even if she’s acting a little weird… Right? 

“Oh, that’s nice!” Minori’s energy perks back up with Saki’s mood. “Well, shall we go?”

“We shall!” Saki giggles, interlocking her arm with Minori’s.

The two exit the classroom and begin to make their way down the hall to the stairwell. However, Saki falters when another familiar face shoots out from another classroom in front of the pair. “Ah, Hona–” She reaches out, but the other girl shoots a frightened look her way.

“S– Sorry, I have to go!” She stammers, dashing off in the other direction. Minori stands awkwardly at Saki’s side, still holding onto her arm. Saki just sighs, looking down.

“Hey, where did Honami go?” A high-pitched voice asks, catching both girls’ attention. Bounding out of the classroom, a short pink-haired girl appears.

“Oh, she just left. She seemed busy,” Saki explains, unable to mask her disappointment. 

“Uuu… That’s too bad! I wanted to ask her something~” The girl hums, then gasps when she notices their interlocking arms. “Are you two off on some super cool magical journey together?!”

“Uh, we were just heading to the rooftop–”

“A super secret rooftop spy meeting?!” The girl gasps, buzzing with energy. “Let me come, let me come!” She surges forth, grabbing onto Minori’s arm to join their link. 

“Wh– Huh?!” Minori squeals, unused to such forwardness. 

Saki, however, just smiles sweetly at the girl’s antics. “Sure, let’s go.” 

So, the three girls bounce arm-in-arm up to the rooftop, chirping with anticipation. Once they finally arrive at their destination, they spread out to take in the fresh air. 

“Ah…! I love the feeling when it woosh-wooshes and blams right into your face!”

“Like, a strong breeze?” Saki guesses, her pigtails blowing in the wind. 

“Mm, mm!” The girl confirms, shifting her weight between both legs. 

After setting up her makeshift phone stand, Minori pipes up, “Hey, I don’t think I caught your name. I’m Minori Hanasato, Class 1-A!”

“Oh, and I’m Saki Tenma from Class 1-C!”

“Oh, yes, yes! I’m Emu Otori, Emu meaning ‘smile’! I’m in Class 1-B!” The excitable girl exclaims, “Wonderhoy!”

“W– Wonderhoy?” Minori repeats, taken aback. 

“Oh, like the Phoenix Wonderland greeting?” Saki asks, then gasps in realization. “Wait, Otori as in…”

“Mm, mm! My family owns PhoeniLand!” Emu squeals, but tones down her excitement, “I’m not really involved in all that anymore, though.”

“Oh, why is–” Saki begins, but Emu cuts her off.

“What super duper secret cool spy secrets are we discussing today?!”
“Ah, we’re actually here for dance practice…” Minori admits, scrolling through the music library on her phone. Hm? I thought I had another song here?

“Dance practice?!” Emu shrieks, somehow growing even more excited. “Like, for a show?!”

“Well, for an idol show! We’re going to be idols one day, and spread hope and smiles to everyone!” Minori beams, looking up at the hyper girl from the floor.

“S– Smiles?!” She yelps, eyes shining. “Minorinrin! Please let me join your dance practice!” 

Ignoring the sudden nickname, Minori falters slightly. “R– Really? You want to be an idol, too?”

“Idols are all kira-kira shiny smiles! I want the whole world to smile, just like you!” She explains, as confusing but brightly as ever. “So let’s team up!”

“Well, I suppose that makes sense…” Saki mumbles, a small grin growing on her face.

“Emu…!” Minori gasps, heart aflame. The last time she was on this rooftop, she had her dreams dashed in one conversation. Now, they are being revived in the same way. “Of course! Let’s form an idol group!”

The three girls end up practicing for several hours, far past the regular times that after-school activities disperse. They would have continued, if not for Saki remembering her evening shift at the cafe where she works. 

“That was great, everyone!” Minori lauds, moving to grab her phone and bag. However, from behind her, Saki suddenly shrieks with genuine fear. Immediately, Minori and Emu also scream in response. However, Minori’s heart beats with terror when she sees the source of Saki’s panic–

A pair of eyes staring at them from a crack in the door. But, then, Minori notices that the person behind the door is also screaming…

“I– I’m so sorry!” The girl shrieks, opening the door wider. Her glasses shine as the setting sun’s light hits their lenses. 

“K– Kohane?!” Minori gasps, her fear subsiding. 

“Woah! My heart is going dum-dum-dum-dum!” Emu squeals, falling to the floor.

“You know her?” Saki asks, clutching her chest.

“Yes, we’re in the same class,” Minori explains, then turns her attention to her classmate, “What are you still doing here? It’s late!”

“S– Sorry! I heard your music from the stairwell when I was leaving, so I took a peak, but got distracted watching you guys, and then…” She trails off. “I’ve just never seen an idol group perform in real life,” she answers, bashfully. 

Seeing her face flush, Saki speaks up, “Oh, we’re not like, a full-fledged group or anything. This was our first practice, actually!”

“R– Really?! You were so in-sync, though…” Kohane gushes.

“Aw, thank you!” Minori beams, turning to retrieve her phone. “Still, we have to keep practicing, more and more! Wh–!” She’s cut off by her phone flashing a bright white as soon as she picks it up. 

“Ah, your phone’s flashlight is so bright!” Saki moves to shield her eyes.

“That’s not–! Ah!” Minori wails as her vision begins to warp around her. Once everything settles around, she’s positioned in a familiar space. “Wh– Where–?!” She begins, but another voice speaks up before she can gather her thoughts.

“You know where you are, Minori!” Miku playfully hits her arm, causing her to jump back in shock. Her fellow schoolmates look at her in shock, and even though she wants to, Minori can’t find it in her to deny the Vocaloid’s assertion. Even though some of the details have changed, such as the clover decora being changed out with similar, neon four-point stars, it is undeniably the same venue she had been transported to previously. 

“Welcome, everyone, to your SEKAI!” Another voice, Rin, rings out. The yellow-haired girl bounces up from behind the other three girls.

“Our SEKAI?” Saki questions, blinking wildly, “Wait, Miku? Rin?!”

“SEKAI: A world made from your shared, true feelings!” Rin exclaims, gesturing her arms out to the place around them.

“Although, this is a little different than what we originally thought…” Miku adds, shooting Minori a sly wink. 

“Wow!” Emu blurts out, taking in the overload of sights surrounding them. “Everything’s so kira-kira-shiny-shiny cute!”

“I’ve never been in such a large venue like this,” Saki gushes, Kohane frantically nodding in agreement. 

“Fufu, I’m glad you all like the redecorating,” Miku giggles, then looks off to the side, “Though, I do wonder who’s responsible…”

“Huh?” Minori perks up.

“Ah, nevermind! Rin and I just wanted to give a warm welcome to our new friends!”

“Mm, mm!” Rin agrees. “We hope that you’re all able to achieve your true dreams, and we’re all here to support you!”

“That’s nice, but… how are you real ?” Saki asks, brows furrowing.

“The same as you!” Miku replies cheerfully, although it’s not much of an answer.

“Ah… I… see?” Although she thinks to herself, I really don’t. 

“Well, if you want to return back to your world, just press pause on the Untitled track on your phones at any time,” Miku explains, pointing at Minori’s device in her hand. 

“Is that your way of shooing us away?” Minori asks slyly, causing Miku to laugh.

“You’re welcome to stay, but I figured you’d want to go back as soon as possible~” She coos.

“P– Please, let’s go back!” Kohane squeaks out, looking faint. 

“Ah– Alright! Bye-bye, Miku, Rin!” Minori pauses Untitled, and the world blurs around her. Distantly, she hears the two Vocaloids shout their goodbyes back. 

Back on the rooftop, Saki’s the first to speak up, “Ah– Um… Well, I do have to go to work now…” She trails off, turning to collect her bag. 

“R– Right! Um… Let’s meet back here after school tomorrow,” Minori notes, grabbing her own backpack off the floor. 

“Mm, okey-dokey!” Emu cheers, skipping behind the other two girls as they exit the rooftop. 

Behind them, Kohane stands awkwardly, rubbing her hands together. “Wh– What…?”

“One, two, three, four–!” Minori counts, stepping in time to the rhythm. From the corner of her eye, she spots Emu swinging around wildly while Saki does her best to follow the choreography while dodging Emu’s spirited improvisations. However, each girl falters in place when the loud creak of the rooftop dear echoes out from behind them. 

“H– Hello?” A meager voice blurts out, a head of blonde popping out from behind the door. 

“Kohane! Welcome, welcome!” Minori cheers, running over to her classmate as the idol song on her phone keeps playing. “We just started! Come on, I’ll show you what we’re working on–”

However, the sheepish girl holds her ground when Minori tugs on her hand. “W– Wait, I didn’t…”

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

“I’ve never… never done anything like this. I– I don’t know if I can,” she admits, a downcast expression crossing her face. “I only came up here to– to tell you that I can’t join.” She turns to scurry off, but Minori thrusts her hand out to grab onto her shoulder. 

“W– Wait! Miku said that we all share the same feelings, so we need you! Let’s reach our dreams together!” She exclaims, eyes shimmering with hope when Kohane turns around to meet her gaze.

“I– I don’t–”

“Please! Just join us for today, at least,” she pleads, still holding onto her shoulder as if the other girl will disappear completely if she lets go. 

Met with Minori’s intense gaze, Kohane’s insistence wavers. Still, she utters, “I’ve never sang outside of music classes, and I don’t have any experience with dance…”

“I was in the same boat when I first started practicing to be an idol,” Minori explains, “You’ll never flourish if you don’t start learning! It’s like… a flower! You won’t see it bloom if you don’t plant any seeds!”

“Ah… I guess I understand, but…” Kohane looks behind her to glance at the other two girls. Emu bounces back and forth, while Saki sways in place with an expectant look on her face. 

Seeing Kohane look her way, Saki speaks up. “This is my first time at a dance practice, too. My only experience with music before this was a band I was in when I was younger,” she admits, face blushing. 

“I’ve only done unofficial shows at PhoeniLand before!” Emu bubbles, nodding her head.

“See, we’re all pretty inexperienced! We can all learn, grow, and become the best idols ever together!” Minori glows, extending her other hand out for Kohane to grab.

“I– I see…” She whispers, hesitating. However, after a moment’s contemplation, she lunges for her hand. “Okay! I’ll try for today!” 

Minori stumbles back at the sudden movement, but quickly regains her balance. Giggling, she rejoices, “That’s the spirit! Let’s keep trying, more and more!”

“More, more, more!” Emu repeats with a squeal, grabbing onto Saki as she jumps with joy. 

“Ahah…” Kohane laughs nervously, ambling behind Minori as she skips back to the center of the rooftop. “Sooo… How am I supposed to start?”

“Hmm…” Saki ponders out loud, “Why don’t you start by watching us go over what we already learned, and then join in when you’re feeling comfortable?”

“Mhm! That’s a good idea!” Minori chimes with agreement. “You can sit behind my phone and restart the music for us, too!”
“Ah– Alright,” Kohane mumbles, following her directions. The rest of the girls assume their beginning formation, and she restarts the song on Minori’s cue. 

After several run-throughs of the same sequence, Saki feels her heart pounding against her chest, ready to burst out at any slight movement. When she gasps for air, it comes in through quick pants, a small wheeze stringing her breaths. Vaguely, in the distance, she hears Minori’s voice bubble up, and a small-but-quick affirmation hum from their newest member, Kohane. Blinking slowly, she holds onto Minori’s melodic ramblings to keep her grounded, willing her legs to stop shaking so she doesn’t melt straight to the floor. She bends down, bangs obscuring her already blurry vision as she grabs onto her knees, as if she could physically hold herself up by sheer willpower alone. Suddenly, a strident shout pierces into the back of her skull, causing her body to shudder and lock up. As if every muscle in her body constricted at once, Saki hits the ground despite her efforts to regain control of her body.

“S– Saki!” Minori squeals, another shock echoing through Saki’s head. Through blurry darkness, her sneakers race towards Saki’s fallen figure. Panic surging through what small consciousness she had managed to cling onto, Saki gathers the rest of her strength to push herself up on shaky arms. 

“I– I’m fine, I s… swear,” she slurs out, trying to bring her feet back under herself. 

“Are you sure?!” Minori yelps out, moving to support the other girl’s weight.

“Yeah, I’m just… uh… not used to exercising this much, is all,” she mutters out, bashful but regaining her balance with a surprising ease. 

“WAH! Do you need water? Or food?! Something sugary and sweet–! I’ll find a vending machine!” Emu squawks out, dashing through the rooftop’s door without a moment to spare for a response. Despite Saki’s guilt at thinking so, she’s glad that the owner of such a loud voice has left for the time being. 

“Are you really sure that you’re fine?” Kohane pipes up, “That looked like a nasty fall…”

“It’s really okay!” Saki affirms, giggling to show her wellness. “I skipped breakfast today since I was running late for school. I’m probably just hungry, like Emu said…” She trails off, thinking back to the pancakes her brother made for that same morning. It’s fine if it’s just a little white lie… I can’t have them worrying too much… “Besides, it’s not like I fully blacked out, or anything!” She adds, a triumphant smirk painting her face.

“Ah… Do you faint a lot, then?” Kohane asks, worry crossing her features.

Shoot! “Oh– No, no! Ahah…” She laughs nervously, looking away from the concerned looks of her teammates. 

Sensing the awkward air, Minori steps in, “Well, we should probably call it here for today, anyway.” She turns to address Kohane, “Sorry that you didn’t get to join in today… But there’s always tomorrow!” She brightens up. 

“I don’t mind,” Kohane breathes out, her tense form relaxing. 

“W– Wait!” Saki insists, “It’s okay! We can keep going if you want! Don’t let me hold you guys back.”

For some reason, Minori frowns at her declaration. “Saki…” She murmurs, then shakes her head. “No, I’m tired too. Let’s all get a good night’s rest, then meet back tomorrow.” Stepping into the role of group leader, she instructs, “I’ll go find Emu and tell her that we’re done for today. You guys can pack up your stuff and head back home. See you guys tomorrow!” She punctuates with a huge grin and a wave, and bounces off to complete her task. 

Silently, Saki stumbles over to her discarded backpack. 

“Oh, Count Pearl, we’re really in it now…” Kohane sighs, lifting the lid off her snake’s vivarium. She dips her hand down, grabbing the water bowl and raising it out of the tank. “How am I supposed to be an idol when I don’t know the first thing about performing?” She asks, dumping the old, dirtied water out into another bowl. Pausing to look at Count Pearl, the snake just blinks back. “I know, I shouldn’t expect you to respond…” She murmurs, cracking a new water bottle open to replenish the water bowl. 

“Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘learning on the job’?” A voice rings out, making Kohane stumble to the floor and spill the newly opened water on herself.

“Wh– Count Pearl?!” She whispers, shocked and indignant.

“No, not– How would the snake speak? Over here, Kohane!” She follows the reverb of the voice up to the table, where a small, staticy figure waves down at her. 

“M– Miku!” She stutters, picking herself back up. Rubbing at the wet stain on her shirt, she croaks, “...You’re really real, huh?”

“As real as I can be!” Miku nods, grinning back with hands on her hips. “Anyway, have you?” She refers back to her initial question. 

“Y– Yeah?” Kohane stutters in response.

“Then, you should know that in order to learn how to be an idol, you need to start!” 

“I– I know!” Looking down, Kohane shuffles her feet awkwardly. “It’s just… not easy.” She looks up to gauge Miku’s reaction, but is just met with a quizzical look. Taking a deep breath, she continues, “When I was watching the other girls, it’s like, they all have this unique spark to them that makes me think, ‘Yeah, that girl is an idol!’ But… I don’t have something like that.” 

“Fufu… Y’know, it’s a little funny you say that,” Miku covers her mouth, trying to stifle her giggling. 

Suddenly feeling ashamed for oversharing, Kohane wails, “W– Why?!”

“If I had this conversation with any of the other three girls, they would say the same exact thing!” She mocks, “ Oh, the others are all so cute and talented, I could never be like them, ah…! Meanwhile, you have so much potential that you’re hiding from yourself.”

“Huh?” Kohane breathes out, confusion stopping any coherent thoughts from forming.

“What I’m trying to say is: you all have that ‘unique spark’ you were talking about. You just need to find it within you!” Miku beams, looking up with a hopeful gleam shining across her eyes. “So, please join the others tomorrow! I want you to find your spark, but you need to start your journey to do so!” She pleads, hands interlocked with each other. 

“Ah–” Kohane begins to decline, but falters looking at the heartening girl. Gulping down her fear, she responds with a firm nod, “Okay, I’ll try my hardest!”

“Wah– Really?!” Miku squeals, jumping with earnest joy at the girl’s newfound determination. 

I wish I was a worse person, Kohane thinks to herself, fidgeting with a loose thread on her shorts. Then, I could’ve broken my promise with Miku, and bowed out of practice, and went home, and not have to feel this… this feeling… 

“Alright, a full-house practice~!” Minori sings out, clasping her hands together. At the sudden noise, Kohane shudders and jumps. Bashfully, she looks around to make sure none of the others saw, and relaxes when she confirms no one is looking at her. “I thought we could start with a quick refresher of the last song we learned, since Kohane is joining us now,” Minori continues, tone shifting to be more serious.

With the sudden mention of her name bringing attention to her, Kohane feels her body wash over with a cold air. The gaze of a thousand eyes hits her back, but one survey of the rooftop shows that none of the others are actually paying any attention to her. 

Minori’s cheer of “ Alright guys, let’s start! ” startles Kohane out of her paranoid state, but she only rocks forward on her toes when she tries to walk forward. Huh? Why can’t I… 

“K– Kohane?!” Saki gasps, holding her hands over her heart, “Are you okay?”

“Ah–” She croaks out in response, “I… uh…”

“Oh no, she’s crying!” A new voice pipes up, a staticy vision of a yellow-headed girl flickering up from Minori’s phone, laying on her backpack. Kohane lifts a shaky hand to her cheeks, and wipes away a falling tear she hadn’t realized was there. 

“Rin! Ah, it’s not really a good time–” Minori starts, but is cut off by the newcomer.

“What do you mean? I’ll have you know I’m especially good at pep talks now! I’ve been studying– it’s my speciality!” She huffs out, affronted. 

“How do you study pep talks ?” Saki questions in earnest, while Emu stirs with curiosity behind her. 

“That’s not what’s important right now!” Rin shouts back, waving her arms towards the still-frozen Kohane. 

“Ah– right! Kohane, try to calm down!” Minori squeals, stepping towards the other girl with her hands raised aimlessly, as if she wants to reach out and help but doesn’t know how. To her gratitude, Saki takes the reins over the situation. 

“Hey, can you try to breathe in rhythm with me?” She murmurs, softly pressing her hand to Kohane’s back and rubbing in small circles. “Think of it like one of the songs from music class, just simple and easy,” she hums out, slowly guiding the both of them to the ground. As if a switch presses down, as soon as she touches the cold tile, Kohane’s silent tears morph into full-on wailing. Taken aback by the sudden change, Saki reels for a moment, but quickly regains her footing. “It’s okay, you’re okay…” She coos, petting the top of Kohane’s head as she lets the girl sob into her shirt. When Saki looks up to the other three girls occupying the roof, they just stare awkwardly back. So, she returns her attention to the girl in her arms and waits for her to cry herself out.

In the back of the small group, Emu loiters, shifting her weight between her legs with a small frown disgracing her lips. Wordlessly, she looks up from her friend sobbing on the floor up to the newly-colored sky. 

The sun sets so early in the winter. 

“S– Sorry…” Kohane chokes out after a few minutes, pulling back from Saki’s grasp. She takes a moment to wipe at the tears still trickling from her eyes before continuing, “I’m just cutting into your practice, sorry… I shouldn’t have come.”

“Weh? Why wouldn’t you come?” Emu asks, eyes going wide.

“I’m just…” Kohane sighs, looking down to avoid the other girls’ gazes, “I talked with Miku about this last night, and she said we all have something to offer, but I… I can’t do this!” She suddenly whips her head up with a fierce glow in her eyes. “I’m not like you guys! I can’t just stand up in front of others and perform for them! I don’t have that natural talent!” Her breath hitches after the outburst, making Saki fret and waver her hand over her back again. 

“I wouldn’t say it’s a natural talent,” Rin jumps in, tapping a finger to her chin. “Think of it more like a learned skill… Like, ah–! Like roller skating !”

“Roller skating?” Saki echoes, but Rin ignores her and continues on.

“Miku is really good at roller skating, but I’m always falling… Still, I keep going! Miku’s always been better at balancing than me, but she fell when she started too! I was really jealous at first, and I wanted to quit learning how to skate at all. That was, until Miku told me how she fell so hard her first time roller skating that she split her knee pad in half! ”

“Wait– you kinda lost me…” Kohane interrupts, sniffling. 

“I get it!” Emu chimes in, giggling to herself. “It’s like when I started doing shows when I was reeeealy ~ little! I thought it would make my brothers smile, but they didn’t really get it…” She looks off to the side with an uncharacteristically fragile smile. “At the time, it made me really sad, since I thought shows were supposed to make everyone smile. But, when I told my grandpa I wasn’t going to make any more shows, he said that he would help me on my next one so I could really make everyone smile! And we did! So, I think, with a little help from everyone, we can boost your confidence and help you be the best performer EVER !”

“W– Wow, ah… ‘ever’ might be a little much, but…” Kohane stutters out, fumbling over her words as she tries to process Emu’s story. “Thank you, that… does make sense.”

“Mm!” Minori hums out in agreement. “We’re all rooting for you, Kohane! Believe in us believing in you, and we’ll raise you up to the stars!” She shouts, Rin cheering in the back.
“You guys are coming on a little strong for little Kohane,” Saki jokingly reprimands, patting her on the head one last time. “They’re right, though. None of us really have true experience with this whole ‘idol’ thing, so you’re not alone in your fears. Still, as long as we’re having fun performing together, I just can’t consider anything we do a failure,” she adds, pulling Kohane back up to her feet. 

“When you say it like that, I can’t help but agree,” Kohane blushes and averts her gaze. “I still feel a little shaky,” she admits, but steels herself, “But I’m going to trust in myself and you all!”

“Yay, yay☆!” Emu chirps, balling up her fists to her chests as if trying to physically contain her excitement. “Now we can have a wonderhoy-ful practice together!”

“Ooh! Since it’s your first practice with all four of the team, can I sit and watch?” Rin inquires, although the playful smile and determined gleam in her eyes betrays any innocence in her question. 

“Of course!” Minori obliges, leaning down to meet Rin’s face. 

“Ah~! Thank you, thank you– Oh! I should get Miku so she can watch too! This is a historical event, after all!” The virtual singer rambles on. “I’ll be right back! With Miku!” With a flash, Minori’s phone returns to its powered-down state. 

“Hehe, maybe we should start quickly before they return. Something tells me we’re not gonna get much work done with them around,” Minori jests, picking up her phone to start her playlist of music. However, when she looks up to gauge the reactions of her teammates, she meets the pale, glazed-over expression washing over Saki. 

“Huh? Are you–” Before she can finish her sentence, the blonde girl croaks out a muffled noise, and crumples to the floor in a heap. 

“S– Saki!”

It’s cold.

My mouth is dry.

What’s beeping?

Oh, is that–

Saki comes to with a start, breath wheezing through her cracked lips. She faintly registers voices clamoring at her awakening, someone hovering nearby her side while another shuffles off, shouting something about “finding a nurse” or whatever. It’s all intensely familiar to her by now, but all the voices are off, their shadows too short, the scents too sweet–

“Saki, are you awake?” Brown eyes are looking down at her. Who has brown eyes again?

“Kohane…?” She whispers back, conscious thought slowly shifting the gears in her brain back into action. 

“Mm, that’s good,” Kohane responds, but it doesn’t seem to be directed at Saki. The next questions, however, are: “How are you feeling? Do you need anything?”

The cogs turn, albeit slowly. It feels as if every thought is being grinded against rust, drifting through molasses before reaching her tongue. “...Water.”

Kohane obliges, grabbing a water bottle off the bedside table and twisting the cap off with a hum. “Do you need help, or…?”

Wordlessly, Saki shakes her head and pushes herself up into a sitting position with weakened arms. The motions make her dizzy, draining the little energy she had replenished in her unconsciousness, but she still grabs the bottle and tips it onto her lips. It’s not a cure-all solution, but the coolness helps shock some sense back into her for the time being. 

Right when she thinks the faint throbbing echoing in her head has finally begun to subside, a voice suddenly booms through the door, “ SAAAAAAAKIIIIIIIII! ”

Ah, now this is a familiar situation.  

The boy curtly turns to the other two girls occupying the room, bowing to them with regret. “I apologize for not coming sooner! I was at my new job across town, but I promise I rushed here as soon as I got the call!”

“Waah– You’re so sweaty! Did you run here from across town?!” Emu questions, not one to mince her words. 

“Mm, yes! From Phoenix Wonderland,” he explains, wiping his brow in a self-conscious manner. 

“WOAH! What do you do there?!” Emu squeals in delight, bouncing up to her feet. Kohane turns to hush the loud pair, but the boy responds before she can stutter out the words.

“I’m the future star of the Sunrise Stage, you see!” He boasts, a prideful smirk gracing his face. However, at his declaration, Emu’s bubbliness pops and disintegrates into a simmer of politeness.

“Sunrise…” She whispers to herself, seemingly unaware that she’s doing. Quickly, as if it never left, she regains her former energy, “That’s so cool! I hope you make a lot of people smile!”

The boy’s expression shudders and stills at this, mouth gaping. “Y– Yeah, me too!” His eyes glisten as a toothy grin forms. Emu wonders why this only makes the pang in her chest dig further in. Without another word, she sits back down.

At the same, Minori comes bounding back in, a nurse in tow. “I found one!” She gasps out, bending over to catch her breath.

“Ah… next time, you can press that button over there to alert us that you need a staff member,” the nurse explains, gesturing with a small smile. 

“Oh–! Sorry, I panicked and wasn’t thinking…” Minori responds bashfully, face going red. 

“That’s alright!” The nurse assures, giggling. “Ah, I am going to have to ask you all to step out for a moment while I check over some things with Ms. Tenma, sorry,” she adds, looking sorrowfully at the cast of kids in the room. Obeying, each of them shuffles into the hallway. 

“Oh, I didn’t even notice we had someone join us!” Minori blurts out, looking at the boy. “I’m Minori Hanasato, Saki’s schoolmate and friend!”

“Don’t even worry, I just got here!” He insists, before clearing his throat to jump into his well-practiced introduction. “Tsukasa, meaning to govern! Tenma, representing the majestic Pegasus who soars in the skies above! I am the future star, Tsukasa Tenma!” Punctuating this, he strikes a pose. 

“Wow, what an intense introduction!” Minori gushes, thinking back to her idol auditions. “You must be Saki’s brother, then?”

“Mm, yes!” He nods.

“That’s nice of you to come all the way from Phoenix Wonderland to make sure she’s okay,” Kohane chimes in, albeit much softer than the other two, “I’m Kohane Azusawa. I’m also Saki’s classmate and teammate.”

“That’s right, Saki mentioned she was forming an idol group with some new friends of hers!” Tsukasa recalls. “It’s great to meet you all!” Expectantly, he turns to the pink-haired girl diagonal to him, and prompts, “And you are?”

Having spaced off, Emu shutters back into her peppy persona, like a marionette suddenly hoisted by its strings. “Wah– Ah! Wonderhoy☆!” She waves her hands out, shouting her usual greeting without thinking, “I’m Emu Otori! Emu is meaning ‘smile!’”

Much to her joy, Tsukasa doesn’t seem to piece the phoenix-shaped puzzle together. Sensing a lull in the conversation, Minori takes the moment to ask, “Tsukasa, have you noticed Saki behaving weirdly lately?”

A bewildered and concerned look crosses his face as he tenses up. “Hm? No? If anything, she’s seemed happier than usual, but that’s probably from meeting you guys.”

“Oh, well she did have a small fainting spell yesterday during our practice, and then today she fully passed out, so I’m a little worried…” She trails off, looking to Tsukasa to supply any new information. 

“Ah, well that’s–” He pauses, looking over the girls before him. “Wait, did Saki not tell you?”

“Tell us what?”

“About her…” Tsukasa gulps, looking to the side with a nervous air forming around him. “It feels a bit rude to tell you guys without her permission, but if you’re going to be working together, it’s important that you know…” He trails off again, fidgeting.

“Know– Know what?” The hesitant energy creeps to Minori. Tsukasa frowns, meeting her expectant gaze.

“I’m sorry, it’s not right for me to tell you. You should ask her herself,” he concedes, rubbing his arm. 

Just as Minori begins to respond, the nurse opens the door and shuffles through, holding a clipboard to her chest. 

“Everything’s fine!” She shares, abating the fears of the group. “We’ll keep monitoring her for a few more hours, but she should be fine to go home tonight. You’re all good to head back,” she explains before heading off down the hallway. At her signal, they file back into the hospital room, where Saki’s sitting upright with her usual soft glow returning to her skin. 

“Heeey… guys…” She drawls, smiling at them. It’s a weak facade. Minori tries to return the gesture, but it’s just as meager.

“Hey… Um, Tsukasa said that there’s something we should know about…?”

Immediately, Saki’s shaky grin dissipates. She puffs out her cheeks, snapping as she starts to kick the hospital bed sheets around to get up, “Tsukasa! Did you tell them that–”

He stops her with frantically waving hands, shouting back, “No, no! I swear I told them none of the specifics! Sit back down before you hurt yourself!”

Saki pauses for a moment, glaring at her brother as she weighs the veracity of his words. Appeased, she settles back down onto the bed. With a more solemn demeanor, she turns to the girls. “I suppose I should tell you…” she sighs out.

“Tell us what?” Kohane probes, stepping forward. Behind her, Emu silently takes a seat. Her gaze stays glued to the floor, even when Tsukasa shuffles over to sit next to her. 

“I’ve been… Well, sick. Ever since I was little,” Saki admits, looking down despite having nothing to be guilty about. “I was in and out of the hospital a lot, and even had to stop going to school for a while. I’ve been doing much better lately, though, which is why I came back.”

“Wait– Why would you hide this from us?” Minori questions, no malice behind her words. Still, Saki falters at her words.

“I…” She pauses to sigh. “I really wanted to have a great school experience, since I missed out on so much. I was excited to reconnect with my childhood friends, but… Something happened while I was gone, and it just– it wasn’t the same. I couldn’t rekindle those bonds, no matter how much I wanted to.”

“Oh, Saki…” Minori coos, chest constricting with sympathy.

“I guess I was just worried that my illness would interfere with our idol activities, so I was trying to cover it up,” Saki pauses, breath hitching as tears well up in her eyes. “I just– I don’t want this to fall apart, too. I thought if I could act like it doesn’t exist, then it wouldn’t interfere, but it still did, and I’m so sorry–” She blubbers, clawing at the tears spilling out.

“Saki!” Minori and Tsukasa gasp at the same time, both rushing up to her side to comfort her. Kohane hovers nearby, looking on while clutching her chest. Emu stays seated, head turned to the ground.

“Why are you apologizing? You’ve done nothing wrong!” Minori frets, feeling her own tears starting to form.

“I– I lied to y– you guys,” she chokes out through sobs, “And– And now I– I can’t be an idol with you guys be– because I can’t even get through a stu– stupid practice!”

“Saki, try to calm down,” Tsukasa pleads, squeezing her hand. “You’re going to make yourself sick again…”

“See! I can’t even– I can’t even cry without a problem!” She blurts out, a hand immediately flying over her mouth as soon she says it.

Tsukasa gasps, stepping back to give her some space. “I didn’t mean it like that!”

“Ah– Saki, there’s no problem!” Minori reassures her, “Your health doesn’t change anything! We’re all still gonna be idols together, and keep working towards our dreams together! Even if you need a break, or have to take a hiatus, or anything– We’ll all keep rooting for you!”

“But–”

“But what?! Why would something like this come in between us, or our dreams? I promise that no matter what happens to you, or us, we’ll always keep moving forward!” She finishes with a small hop, “More and more!”

Kohane hums in agreement. “Just think! We have the–” She cuts herself off, glancing over at Tsukasa with wide eyes. “Um… We have our shared dreams! We can’t just abandon you, or let you run away, because of your health. Like Minori said, we’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”

Catching onto Kohane’s awkward gesture, Tsukasa pipes up, “I’ll excuse myself so you guys can talk in private.” He squeezes Saki’s shoulder before turning to exit the room.

“Oh, it’s okay!” Kohane politely intervenes, but he waves her off.

“I insist! This is a talk amongst friends and teammates, after all.” With that, he closes the door behind him. 

As soon as it clicks back into place, Saki’s phone, placed on the bedside table along with some of her other belongings, emits a sudden vibrant light. “Fufu, now I can say my piece~!” Miku sings out.

“M– Miku! Is it okay for you to be out in public like this?!” Kohane gasps out.

“I don’t think anyone’s going to come in here for a bit. It’s fine!” She affirms this with a nod, and continues on, “Saki, I think your intentions are misguided.”

“Huh?” Saki bleats, “I was just doing what I thought would help!”

“I know, but surely you realize by now that it didn’t turn out like you were hoping.” Miku pauses, and crosses her arms. “Quite frankly, it’s because you still don’t know what an idol is.”

Offended, Saki retorts, “I– I know what an idol is! I’ve been listening to idol groups since I was little!”

“Mmm, that’s true, but…” Miku puts her hands on her hips. “When you think of an idol, what do you think of?”

“Um, well… Like the pretty costumes? And fun dances, or–”

“Ah! There!” Miku jumps in, cutting her off. “Wrong!”

“Wrong?” She echoes.

“Some idols are extraordinary singers. Others are trained dancers, or excel in variety shows,” Miku explains, “But the one thing they all have that makes them a true idol is their spirit .”

“Um…?”

“I get it!” Minori chimes in. “I got into idols because of what Haruka said: ‘Tomorrow will always be a better day!’ That type of attitude spoke to me, and made me want to become an idol as well. It wasn’t her singing or dancing that made her an idol, but her spirit!”

Saki hums as she mulls their preposition over. “So, it doesn’t matter if I won’t be able to perform all the time, as long as I keep my spirits high and keep trying?”

“Precisely!” Miku beams, grinning. “Hold onto your hopes, and then you can spread them to others!”

Minori thinks back to Haruka, surrounded by her new classmates. 

It’s my turn!

I’ll be an idol who spreads hope to others!

… We’ll be idols who spread hope to others.

She smiles, holding out a hand. “Saki, will you continue this journey with us?”

A cold hand fits into her warm palm. “Of course.”

“Good, because even if you have bad days, tomorrow will always be a better day! ”

The four girls crowd around Minori, crouched down on the cool rooftop tile to hold her phone out. On the screen, a recording of their latest dance rehearsal plays. 

“Ah, I pivoted on the wrong foot there,” Kohane whispers.

“And I forgot to point up at that mark,” Saki comments.

A breeze of crisp air combs through their hairs. 

“Um… Emu?” Minori pipes up.

“Weh?!” The pink-headed girl squeaks, jumping back as she’s startled from her thoughts.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you!” She amends, before jumping back to business, “I can’t believe I’m telling you of all people this, but it seems like you’re lacking energy in this number. It’s really a bouncy, fun number, so it really needs to pack a lot of power in it! Don’t hold back, alright?”

“Uu– Um– Yeah! Hehe! Heh…” Emu stutters out, throwing up an awkwardly toothy grin and peace signs.

Brushing off the strange exchange, Minori continues, “Alright! Let’s try this one again, and see if we improve!” At her instructions, the other girls bounce into their starting positions. Moments later, Minori starts the song, rushing into her own spot. Three of them start to move with the choreography, but Emu stands frozen in place.

Seeing this, Minori quickly ushers the others to stop and asks, “Emu? Is everything alright?”

“Ah– Yep, yep!” She yelps back, waving her hands around. “I forgot in the moment! Oopsies! It’s alllll –right, though! Just start the song again, hehe!”

Saki tsks, frowning at the obvious cover-up. “How about we take a break?” She suggests.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Kohane agrees, hurrying over to the bench to grab her water bottle.

“Oh– Okey-dokey! I’m gonna go buy a snack, hehe! I heard they put these really cute bunny shaped cookies in the vending machine by the art room, WAHAHA!” Emu rambles as she scrambles out of sight. 

As soon as she’s gone, Saki remarks, “Okay, Emu’s been kinda weird today, right?”

At this, Minori lets out a deep breath of air. “Thank god, it’s not just me! She seemed to be spacing out a lot, and kinda jumpy…?”

“She’s been off ever since we were at the hospital,” Kohane supplies, setting her water back down. 

“Hm? Did something about the hospital upset her? Or was it just the overall situation…” Saki speculates, pressing a finger against her lips.

“I don’t think it was the hospital. She was her normal self when we got there, and didn’t really change until later in the visit…” Kohane responds, mimicking her thoughtful pose.

“Oh, you know what?! Do you remember if anything happened or was said while I went to find a nurse? If I recall, she was fine when I left, but looked a little down when I came back,” Minori points out.

Both girls take a moment to ponder before Kohane answers, “Not really? I mean, Saki’s brother showed up, but I can’t imagine they have any type of history together.”

“No, they don’t know each other,” Saki agrees, then adds on with a gasp, “Although, he recently started working at Phoenix Wonderland as an actor. Emu’s family owns the park, don’t they?”

“They do!” Minori blurts out, “Do you think he did something at work that upset her? Or even worse, her family?!”

“Wouldn’t they have fired him though?” Kohane denotes.

“Definitely not!” Saki exclaims, “Tsukasa’s not that type of person! He’s so nice and caring, he wouldn’t do something to purposely offend someone!” 

“But what about accidentally offending someone!?” Minori shouts back, frightened. 

Saki freezes, thinking back to Tsukasa’s general demeanor. Oh… No… “We need to interrogate Emu! I can’t let him lose his job over a misunderstanding!” She panics.

“Wait!” Kohane speaks up. “If we corner her, she’s just gonna keep evading our concerns like she’s already been.”

“Right!” Minori agrees with a firm nod. “We need to be sneaky about this! Like, slipping in random comments that could relate to the situation and see how she reacts until she finally breaks!”

“Ah… That’s a bit of a sinister way to put it, but I guess that might work…”

“Mhm, agreed!” Saki affirms. “Operation ‘Find Out What’s Wrong With Emu & Save Tsukasa’s Job’ is a-go! ”

“That’s a bit of a long name…” Kohane mutters, to no response. Suddenly, the door opens with a loud clang .

“I’M BAAACK!” Emu squeals, skipping through with arms full of candies. “I got treats for us all, hehe!”

“Aw, you’re too kind!” Minori fawns. “How about we sit down and eat them while having a little team chat?” She turns to ‘inconspicuously’ wink at the other two girls, who voice their agreements with her suggestion. The four form a circle on the floor, dividing Emu’s offerings amongst each other.

“Say, Emu, I’d like to hear your thoughts on something,” Saki starts.

“Mm, mm?” Emu perks up, mouth full of cookies.

“Before you came back, we were talking about, um…”

“Work ethic!” Minori supplies in a shout.

“Right, work ethic!” Saki nods back, then hesitates. “Because, um…”

“Because idols need to have a good work ethic!” 

“Yes, right! So we were wondering how you feel about… um…” She looks up to Minori for another adlib, but the girl just stares back with wide eyes. “People who are like, really loud!”

“Hmm?” Emu hums, swallowing the food in her mouth. “That’s fine by me! As long as they’re happy, I’m happy!”

“Ah, right…” She shoots her a small smile, looking down at the assortment of treats.

“How about people who are late to work?” Kohane asks, munching down on a sweet.

“Mmm… I guess that’s a little annoying!” She responds, voice chipper as ever. 

“Well, how about if someone were to assault their coworker–” Minori chimes in, causing Saki to sputter indignantly. 

“Tsukasa would never! ”

“Weh? Tsukasa?”

“I don’t know that! He was really loud!” Minori argues back.

“That doesn’t mean he’s aggressive!”

“Loud people tend to have tempers!”

“Not him!”

Catching on, Emu interjects, “Why are you guys asking me about Saki’s brother? We only met at the hospital…”

Seeing the horribly dejected look on her innocent face, Kohane breaks first. “We just noticed you haven’t been acting normally ever since he showed up, so we thought…” She trails off, unsure of how to admit their hypothesis.

However, Emu finishes for her, “That something happened at PhoeniLand?” Kohane gives a brisk, small nod as she fidgets with the wrapper of a sweet. “Well, it’s not like I’d know,” she scoffs, her unusually cold tone making the other girls flinch.

“But… your family owns the park, right?” 

“They sure do,” she responds, a darkness creeping into her eyes. “Speaking of my family, I should probably go–” She starts to get up, but Minori scrambles to grab onto her arm.

“No! Wait!” She yelps, falling in her frenzy. “Please just speak to us! Let us know what’s wrong!”

“It’s nothing you guys can help with, so–”

“It doesn’t concern us?” Saki interrupts, her blank eyes meeting Emu’s scorned expression. She smiles at the smaller girl, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. There’s no response, so she continues, “I thought the same about my illness. We all saw how that played out, so…” She gestures to the floor. “Just sit down and talk with us. We might not be able to solve your problem, but we can help. Even if it’s just lending you our support.”

Another breeze cuts through their circle. Emu’s bangs split open with the wind. Looking up, she sees that the sky’s turned a hazy pink hue. 

She sits back down.

“Do you remember the story I told you about my grandpa helping me put on a show after I failed to make my brothers smile?” She looks around, the girls nodding in response. The air is abnormally somber between them. “My grandpa loved shows so much, and he spread that love to me. He even built an entire stage by himself, just to make people smile with its shows.” The ghost of a smile creeps onto her face, but she keeps her eyes focused on the cluster of vending machine goodies. “It was called the Wonder Stage. My dad had it demolished last year, after Grandpa died.”

“Wh– Why?!” Minori gasps.

Emu shrugs back. “Money reasons, I think. Shows aren’t very profitable nowadays. Most kids like fast, zoom-zoom rides,” she laments, “But I liked the shows the most.”

“Wait, but I thought they just built a new stage? That’s where Tsukasa’s working…” Saki interjects.

“Yep!” Emu beams, slowly regaining her cheery nature. “A famous idol offered to work on new shows at PhoeniLand, so they built a new stage!” She giggles, but falters. “Right where Wonder Stage used to be.”

“Oh…” Saki agonizes, regretting bringing the topic up.

“It’s okay, though! As long as there’s shows bringing smiles to everyone’s faces, I don’t mind if it’s Wonder or Sunrise Stage!” Emu bubbles, but the tears streaking her cheeks betray the portrayal of careless joy she’s put on. “It doesn’t matter if my family didn’t tell me they were rebuilding the stage, or ask me to help! As long as they’re happy, I’m happy!”

“Emu…” Saki pauses, unsure of how to respond to her crumbling mask. Even if she could pick up the fallen pieces, she wouldn’t want to put them back and shove the girl back into a box of everlasting, unfaltering joy. “That’s not okay,” she states firmly.

“But–”

“No, it’s not okay. That was wrong of them to do that to you. You shouldn’t be happy, you should be upset. Mad, even!”

Sighing, Emu’s smile falls. She looks to the wrapper-covered ground, face tinged red from the cold air. “Grandpa cared a lot about shows. He always knew how to make them successful, spreading smiles to the whole audience. He told me that to have a successful troupe, at least one of them needs to help all the others’ talents shine.”

Intrigued, Minori leans forward. “Does that mean… You see us as your troupe?”

“Mhm, yep! I wanted to help all of you guys shine, but I couldn’t do that if I was bringing you all down with my troubles!” Her tone stays giddy, as if she’s reciting celebratory news to the group. “I guess Saki’s right, though. Hiding these things just makes it all worse.”

“Emu… It’s nice that you see us that way, knowing how important shows are to you, really,” Minori blushes, genuinely moved by the admittance. “Still, I don’t want you to think you have to ignore your own issues just to help us shine. We want you to shine, too!”

Saki chimes in, “Isn’t a show better if all the performers are at their best? We need you to be in top-form, too, if we’re gonna be spreading smiles to all our fans!”

“Right!” Minori beams in agreement. “We can’t have you drifting off and forgetting stuff because you’re so worried thinking about such awful things by yourself, after all!” She leans to pinch Emu’s cheeks, giggling.

Emu coos back, blushing at the show of affection. “Mm, mm! I won’t hold us back anymore! Let’s make everyone nico-nico-smile☆!” She pushes herself up to feet, reinvigorated. “Let’s get back to practice!”

“Ah, but didn’t you say you needed to go home?” Kohane reminds her.

“Oh, shoot!”

The next day, Minori’s the last to walk through the rooftop door. With a spring in her step, she hums the tune to a new song they’ve been practicing.

“Hey, Minori!” Kohane waves her over. “We were just talking to Miku and Rin, and they asked us to go to the SEKAI once you showed up.”

“Oh? What for?”

“They didn’t say,” Saki responds. “I’m really curious, though.”

“Right?!” Emu squeals, bounding up to grab Minori’s hands. “Let’s go, let’s go!”
“Alright, alright!” Minori chides, but lets Emu pull her over to where Kohane holds her phone out anyway.

“Ready, set…” Her thumb hovers over the play button of an untitled song. “Go!”

The world shifts and pixelates around them, reforming into the familiar venue of the SEKAI. 

“Fufu, you guys came!” Miku’s voice calls out to them from the stage above.

Standing on the floor, Minori cups her hands and shouts back. “Of course! You guys said you had a surprise!”

“Right! So take a seat, and we’ll begin~” She croons, and the girls oblige.

Soon enough, the lights of the arena dim. A spotlight clicks on, focusing in on Miku at the front center of the stage. A song begins to play, Miku swaying with the music. From behind, Rin jumps out, striking a pose in time with a cymbal crash. 

“Oh, they’re performing!” Saki notes, taking in all the sights of the stage. It really was a perfect imitation of a professional venue, even if it was just in their phones.

“Wahaha! Just like a show!” Emu squeals, kicking her feet.

The two Vocaloids start singing, voices complimenting each other sweetly. The four rookie idols look on from the crowd, eyes shining with the stage lights. They go through the song, hitting every mark. At the end, they’re left breathless in their ending poses. Despite the small audience, the cheers they emit reach every corner of the arena. 

“That was a true idol performance!” Minori gushes, running up to the lip of the stage. 

“Fufu, now how about you guys give it a try?” Miku winks down at the girls.

“Huh?!”

“It’s our turn to be the audience!” Rin giggles, hopping down onto the floor. “Go, go! We know you can do it!”

Miku joins them in the house. “Well, do you need a hand getting up?” She smirks, extending a hand.

“Ah… It’s okay…” Minori hesitates, looking up to the large stage. She feels sweat start to bead on her forehead, but isn’t sure if it’s from the bright lights or rising fear.

Still, she’s rocked from frozen state when Saki pats the top of her back. “C’mon, I’ll help you up!” Without waiting for a response, she picks Minori up by the waist, and hoists her up so she can pull herself onto the stage. Quickly, she does so.

When she turns around, she looks down into the seemingly endless sea of black chairs, where Miku and Rin have occupied two in the front. The rest of her friends have joined her side, giggling in excitement for their eminent performance. 

A better tomorrow, huh?...

She runs over to her starting position, and strikes a pose.