The next day.

(By the time school ended, I was just as excited as I'd been yesterday.)

[Fade in/out.]

Hey, what're you spacing out for? Feeling sick? Want to just go straight home today?

Hey, Ayumu. You can go on ahead. I'm going to stay back for a while.

Wait, seriously? Got something you need to do? I mean, I could help if you want.

Well, nothing serious, but after seeing that show yesterday…

Oh, yeah! That show really hit you hard, didn't it?

Right, so, I got to thinking. Maybe I could look around school to see if we have our own idol club, you know?

I just can't stop thinking about yesterday's show, and I want to find other fans.

Haha. Well, I figured you'd start something from how you were going on yesterday.

Wait, you saw this coming?!

We've known each other for how long? Still, that's a field I don't know too much about, so…sorry?

Hey, you don't need to apologize! I'm surprised how much I got into this myself. It feels like I just can't keep still, you know?

I don't know if we actually have a school idol club, but I'm going to do my best to find it.

Well, our school's pretty big. There might be one.

Yeah!

Want me to come with you?

Oh, you don't have to. I'll tell you how it goes tomorrow, but cheer me up if I don't find anything, okay?

Got it. Hope you find what you're after. See you tomorrow!

[Fade in/out.]

Phew…

(So, I'm looking for the school idol club on my own, but where would it be? The field? The AV room? The broadcasting room?)

(There're just too many choices to…)

(Wait, I know! The club ward! That's where all the school's clubs are gathered together, I remember!)

[Fade in/out.]

All right, this is the last door on the second floor. If this isn't it, I guess we just don't have a school idol club?

Ah!

Is this it? It says school idol club, but…it seems a little emptier than expected.

[Fade out.]

H-Hello?

[Fade in.]

…Hey, only members are allowed in here.

U-Um, I was actually…well, looking for…

You from the camping club?

The camping club?

If you're here about us handing over the room, you can hold your horses. The school idol club is being disbanded at the END of the month, so this is still our room!

And you're still coming to steal it away from us? You're going to make me cry! Wahhh!

Huh?! W-Wait, don't cry! I'm not from the camping club; I'm actually looking for the school idol club! This is it, right?

Huh? Wait. Wait, you mean you're…not from the camping club?

I'm not.

Oh! Oh, silly me, jumping to those conclusions, hehe. So, what did you need with the school idol club? Oh, are you looking to join?! Our doors are wide open!

Er, I'm not actually looking to join. I was just wondering if our school had one.

Aww, you're not looking to join? Ohh. Well, what brings you here, then?

Well, there's a deep reason for… Ah, okay, it's not that deep. I was just thinking that if this school had idols, I wanted to cheer them on.

Anyway, you said something about the club being disbanded at the end of the month? Is that true?

It is. The student council president didn't pull any punches when she said that if our club wasn't going to accomplish anything, she was going to give it the axe.

Wait, I just found the club and it's already on the way out? Isn't there something we can do?!

Believe me, I'd love to do something if I could! Even if we don't have that many members, school idols can go solo! And I've always wanted to be one!

I just don't want the club to end like this! Wahh!

H-Hey, d-don't cry!

I've always wanted to be a school idol, ever since I was a kid. And when I got into high school, I thought it was finally my time! I didn't want this.

Being a school idol's all I've got. I just wanted to wear those cute costumes, to sing, to dance, to have everyone tell me how cute I was!

Hey, if you can be a solo idol, how about asking the president to keep the club together if you accomplish some stuff? I mean, I could come with you if you're worried.

…Does that mean you'll be my manager?

Manager? I don't really know what that would be like, but…I owe a lot to school idols, so I want to cheer you on, and…

That sounds like a manager to me! Oh my gosh, I've got a manager now! It's official!

W-Wait, I didn't say anything about being your manager.

But you don't want the school idol club to get disbanded either, right? So we're on the same page, right?

Right.

Then help me stop the school idol club from being disbanded! I want to stay a school idol, no matter what!

All right. I don't want the club to go away, either. I want to cheer you idols on!

Hehe, then let's roll our sleeves up together! Oh! I haven't even introduced myself yet - I'm Kasumi Nakasu, a first year!

Good to meet you, Kasumi.

Likewise! The school idol club needs your help - not to mention this school idol, too!

I'll do anything I can to help!

I kind of stumbled into something super big, but I'm really glad there's school idols in this school!

I'm going to cheer my heart out for them!

And if I can…I want to do it by their sides!