Ai waves at them with an energetic smile, entering the room.
"Hello B-Komachi, nice to meet you!"
Kana froze, her lips were shut like glue. Glancing at both Airi (which is Ai) and Akira.
"I feel like, somewhere... I've seen those two before..."
Ruby and Mem-cho were both as confused but after some processing, their eyes quickly lit up, grinning.
"What?! New mentors? This can help us for the upcoming JIF!" Ruby shouted happily.
Mem-cho walks closer to Airi-sama (Ai) taking both her hands, shaking them. Smiling back at her.
"Ahah! Aren't you A-san? So you're real name is Airi-sama?! You're an Idol mentor? Fate does bring unexpected things, huh?"
Ruby was taken aback, turning both her head to Kana and Mem-cho's reaction. Confused.
Wait...Mem-cho knows the girl and Kana also isn't surprised. What?! Am I the only one lost? Is she a celebrity or something...?!" (Ruby's thoughts, gasping)
Akira closes the door behind, looking at Mem-cho and Ai. He then turns his head to Kana.
This is bad...it looks like that Arima has seen through Ai before, her doubt seem to have never disappeared from that moment. (Akira's thoughts)
Meanwhile
Miyako stares unto Akira with eyes of suspicion. She shakes it off for now, walking up to the girls.
Mem-cho to Airi:
"Wow! I couldn't believe it! I couldn't believe you'll actually be the one to teach us!." she said excitingly.
Airi smiles back at Mem-cho.
"Well, it really is a surprise. I guess fate had other plans." she said, chuckling.
Miyako claps her hands, taking the girls attentions.
"Okay, everyone. Starting for now on. Before the incoming Japan Idol Festival (JIF). Under their control, you guys will be practicing, get it?"
Mem-cho nods her head, giving off a big smile.
"Of course, we will."
Miyako nods, leaving the room
Ruby approaches Mem-cho, whispering unto her ear.
"You know her?"
Mem-cho turns her head to Ruby's smiling happily.
"Yes, she was the one who danced with me at the arcade."
Ruby's eyes lit up, leaning in closer to Airi
"Oh , so you're that one Mem-cho mentioned when she was at the arcade?"
Airi smiles, waving her hands
"Oh, it seems like Mem-chan has been telling you a lot about me recently."
Ruby smiles back at Airi, giggling
"You seem very nice, Airi-sama."
Ai:
"Likewise."
Meanwhile
Miyako invites Akira at the table.
"Akira, come here for a sec."
Akira raises an eyebrow, confused. He followed anyway.
At the table, Miyako offers him a seat — Akira was doubting but he sat down.
"So, what?"
Miyako crosses her arms, sitting at the counter.
"Let me get straight to the point. What is your relationship with Ai?"
Akira's heart pounded, thinking of a way to get slip through the question, keeping his composure
"We have no special kind of relationship, why?" (lying)
Miyako stares upon his eyes, analyzing truth from lies.
"If it was no special, why would Ai ask for your number, back then?"
Akira sighed, drinking his root beer — Pop
He takes a sip, then turns his head to Miyako.
"It was probably she thought I was someone else."
Miyako slams the table, furious.
"Exactly, why would you accept a number if she doesn't really know you?"
Akira's thoughts:
Talk about the dead...
Akira scratches his head, sighing heavily, pretending to be nervous
"Well... can't I have a number of my favorite Idol?"
Akira locks eyes upon Miyako, trying to look true.
"What a pain. Why bring up something from 16 years ago?"
Miyako sweats, feeling like he's telling the truth
Miyako sighed, walking to the counter, taking a glass water.
"Is that so...?"
Akira crosses his legs, checking his phone. Looking at the current defenses in his IP security logs and address. Seeing 1 person who was recently trying to bypass his security, raising an eyebrow.
"Hmph? Person detected...? *Sigh* Maybe I should put more reinforces in my defense."
Meanwhile — on a dark apartment
Kuroha slams the keyboard at the table, frustrated
"2813th try and not a single code could crack open this Akira guy's address!"
Hikaru's voice echoes through the room
"It's not a surprise for someone like Akira-sama. He's a professional on it. Even after I told you to enter Science Computer and teaching you some codes Akira-sama had taught me, not even those lessons you learned could bypass his account."
He throws a dart unto a photo of him and Akira before, hitting Akira's photo accurately. He walks closer, smirking.
"He's my last genuine person. I couldn't afford to lose him now."
Kuroha turns his head to Hikaru.
"Why do you even need to find Akira
again?"
Hikaru walks closer, pointing a knife unto Kuroha's throat.
Kuroha swallows heavily — heart pounding.
Hikaru:
"Because I need him for my plans."
Kuroha sighs heavily.
"I see."
Hikaru walks away, drawing his knife away.
"Is that it?" Kuroha said to Hikaru
Hikaru turns his head slightly to Kuroha, his eyes softened in ambition and obsession
"Because I need him for myself."
Back to the Ichigou Production's dorm.
Ruby raises her arms, introducing Kana to Airi-sama and the camera.
"So, Kana Arima-chan will be our leader for the JIF!"
Airi's smile twitched, as she forces a clap for Kana.
"Oh, is she? I see."
(Ai's thoughts: It should've been my dear, Ruby-Chan? Ahh, this is frustrating. I wanted Ruby-chan to be the center.)
Airi stares upon Kana, seeing potential in her.
"But I can't deny it, she does look like she have potential for being the center... Ahh~ I still remember the day when Ruby-chan danced the bell pepper dance from Kana-chan~!"
Ruby turns her head to Kana.
"So, how do you feel now that you've been chose as one?"
Kana forces a smile, trying to look polite on the camera
"Well– first things first, turn off the camera, please."
Airi stops the video recording. She then turns her head to Kana, confused.
"Hmph? What is it, Kana-chan?"
Minutea later
Kana sits on office chair. Crossing her legs
"I've already told the... repeatedly, did I, Ruby, Mem? I refuse to be the leader."
Kana then shouted at Ruby and Mem-cho.
"Are you doing that trick? Do you think a simple girl like me who gets carried away easily...won't be able to refuse if you make this fact known while filming nonchalantly?"
Mem-cho and Ruby sweats:
"Crap, she figured it out!" (thoughts)
Airi intervenes, stopping Kana from bad mouthing them further. Scolding her.
"Hey, Kana-chan, stop that. You're hurting them. You're such a bad mouther."
Kana turns her head to Airi, keeping a sharp gaze.
"Huh? Who do you think you are? You're just a new mentor."
Airi's eyes twitched, irritated.
"Who does this girl think she is? Such a bad mouther! Yeah, you deserved it, I'm rooting for Akane-chan and Aqua-chan now."
Akira enters the room, his voice echoes fear fro Kana, Ruby and Mem
"What's going on here?"
He turns his head to Kana
"Why are you disrespecting you're mentor like she's just your age?"
Kana's eyes widened in terror, feeling the pressure, she turns her head to Akira, slowly.
"Alright, alright, I'm sorry."
Akira looks into his watch.
"As a punishment for Arima, she'll be jogging 10 km tomorrow morning."
Kana's eyes widened, clutching her hair in disbelief
"What?! Are you planning to make me bald?!"
Evening approached, Airi dances along with them, directing them the dance steps of Sign wa B.
Ruby and Mem-cho claps for Kana, noticing her adapting faster than both of them.
"Oh, my. That was amazing!" Ruby said.
Mem-cho:
"You really are a fit the job, Kana-chan!
At this rate, we're going to do well at the JIF!"
Meanwhile — Kana
Kana clutches her hair in frustration, crying
"Aw, jeez...! Why does this always happens to me?!"
Ruby and Mem on the background.
Mem-cho crosses her arms, grinning.
"My, My. I thought this big reversal was impossible, considering the hellish situation we were in earlier."
Ruby turns her head to Mem-cho, smiling.
"I knew this would happen from the beginning."
Kana shouts angrily
"Shuddup! You're crude and the other one is tone-deaf! I didn't except someone who wants to be an idol would be so terrible at singing. I can tell from your song that your looks are the only reason you've survived until now."
Ruby forces a smile.
"That's harsh."
Kana turns her back, away from Ruby and Mem.
"At this point, it might be best if I do it, after all."
(Thoughts: But...I really don't want to do it.")
She takes her jacket, wearimg it — preparing to leave.
"Seriously. You two are hopeless without me, huh? You two are gonna need to world yourselves to the bone to make me look good!"
Ruby only chuckles nervously while Mem-cho looks at her teasingly.
Kana's thoughts:
Why do I always say something contrary to my feelings?
Miyako enters the room
"It seems that you've settled everything."
Airi and the girls turn their heads to Miyako.
Airi:
"President."
Miyako sighed, gazing at Airi.
"I appreciate your training for them, but we need to be faster than that since we are running out of time before the JIF take place. We're gonna have to pick up the pace.
I've found someone who can help Akira and Airi-chan for a faster training.
Ruby raised her eyebrow, curious.
"A helper for Airi-chan and Akira-San?"
Miyako waves her hands behind her, gesturing the person to walk come.
Kana froze.
"Is it what I think it is...could it be...Aqu–"
Piyeon enters the room, waving at them
"Hey."
"NOT YOU AGAIN!" Kana shouts
Airi and Ruby's eyes lit up.
Airi (Ai):
"Oh, Piyeon?! It's my first time seeing you in real life...!"
Ruby waves back at Piyeon
"Oh, Piyeon, long time no see!
Mem-cho smiles, trying to hide her confusion
"What? He's the real deal?"
Kana shouts at him, frustrated.
"You're out biggest earner, right? I'm begging you, just go and do your normal work!"
Meanwhile, Mem-cho clutches a fist, excited
"You used to be a professional dancer, right?
You mentioned in the video that you also worked as a choreographer for idols..."
Airi and Ruby's jaw dropped, amazed
"I see!" said he both
Mem-cho continues:
"As a pro, what do you think of us? I think we're started to take shape, but –"
There was a brief Silence
"Well, there are certainly idols who can perform on stage on that level, but if you really mean business...Akira-san had prepared a training plan for the three of you."
THE NEXT MORNING —
(To be continued guys :3)