Thanks for having me over.

Welcome, come on in. Make yourself at home… Oh, I guess I don't have to say that to you anymore.

Yeah. I've been in your room so many times that it almost feels like it's my own room.

*Giggle* For sure. I feel the same way about your room. It feels like I belong there.

We used to visit each other a lot, but now that we've started this whole school idol thing our visits are even more frequent.

We'd chat in either one of our rooms and give each other advice and stuff, just like right now.

Yeah.

Whose room were we in when you wrote “Yume e no Ippo”?

Huh?

I think we talked in your room, and the song started coming together in my head…

And then I dragged you over to my house so that you could hear what was brewing. Then we chatted some more after that…

That's right. I remember it well too.

I'm sorry that I suddenly grabbed you by the hand and pulled you along back then. I just really wanted to play the song before the idea escaped from my mind.

Don't worry about that. It just shows how close we are, doesn't it?

Thanks.

For real though, I'll never forget the experience of writing that song.

It was the very first song that I wrote for you, and for any school idol…

I got really excited listening to you talk about it. I remember joining hands with you and swinging our arms in excitement.

Ahaha! I was so surprised when you did that.

But it really drove home the realization that you were gonna cheer me on as a school idol.

It made me really happy, you know.

It did?

I became a school idol thanks to your invitation, but at first I really wasn't sure about it.

I wasn't sure if someone like me was allowed to do something like that.

Oh, Ayumu.

*Giggle* It's because I don't have any particularly redeeming qualities.

I really admired Setsuna and how brightly she shined.

Kasumi, Shizuku, Kanata, and Emma… They all shined so brightly in my eyes.

Ai and Rina, who started at the same time, and Karin too… They were all so unique and charming.

I lost confidence every single day.

You're very charming, Ayumu! I know you the best because we've been friends since we were little. That's why I just knew that you should be a school idol!

Thank you. Hearing that from you is all I need to know for myself, but I don't think I've got all that it takes to be a school idol.

I was so scared back then… I was really worried about whether or not I could even go up on stage.

I probably wouldn't have been able to take to the stage all by myself.

But your first performance was amazing, Ayumu! I remember every detail!

Mm-hmm. I think it was all thanks to the song that we wrote together.

Are you saying that I was able to help you as a songwriter?

Not exactly… I mean, of course I love the songs that you write for me.

When I sing them, I feel like you see me for who I am, and I can tell that those songs are filled to the brim with your encouragement.

But what puts me the most at ease is when you call out to me.

You'd be the one closest to me, cheering me on and celebrating with me…

I don't think I… I mean, I don't think any school idol could become a school idol all on their own.

But as long as they've got even one person cheering for them, it's possible.

That's how someone like me can become a school idol.

You invited me to give it a try and said that you believed in me, and have always watched over me. That's why I'm able to be a school idol.

I don't have any special powers. You worked really hard to get where you are.

You can think what you want, but that's the truth to me.

I can only be a school idol because I have you at my side.

“Yume e no Ippo” was my very first step, exactly as the song suggests.

I hope that you can think of that song as your first step in the world of school idols yourself, too.

Ayumu…

I'll never forget how fired up you were when you took my hands and wouldn't let go.

You put all of that enthusiasm into my very first song, after all.

So, is it okay if I think of your first step as my own, too?

Absolutely! That was our first step together!