//Why is my heart beating so quickly?//
Ignorant of Minami’s discomfort, Atsuko lightly blew on the wound she’d caused, not noticing as the other girl froze in reaction to the gesture. “It’s just a scrape and a small bump, though you might end up with a bruise. I’m so sorry, Minami.”
//Why is my chest so tight? And why does my stomach feel so strange?//
“A-Acchan, I think I need to r-rest; my heart it beating pretty quickly and I-I don’t feel so well.”
Atsuko looked at Minami with worry filled eyes. “I’ll help you into one of those chairs. C’mon, stand up.”
“Ahem!”
It was the familiar sound of a displeased person clearing her throat to gain attention. Minami and Atsuko both froze in their ministrations and slowly looked up to find a certain couple looking down at them disapprovingly. Caught red-handed, the two cast sheepish, guilty smiles at the pair.
Portraits
An AKB48 Fan Fiction
Chapter 1, Part 4
_ _ _ _ _
Humans have complex emotions; it’s one of the things that most sets them apart from other animals. Love; hate; joy; jealousy; these are but a handful of many such emotions.
Humans also make mistakes.
Contrary to popular belief, Takahashi Minami is, indeed, human.
Amidst the overlooked seeds of love in Minami’s heart, a dark seed sat germinating._ _ _ _ _
“I’m getting a solo song! Can you believe it?” Atsuko squealed as she stepped through the doorway behind Minami. Crossing the lobby swiftly, she ran up and pulled a stunned Minami from her seat and into a hug.
“I’m sorry, could you repeat that?” Minami asked, glancing up at an elated Atsuko.
Atsuko let out another excited squeal. “I’m going solo!”
“That’s great!” Minami cheered, doing her best to show her excitement for her friend. “Congratulations, Atsuko.”
“I can’t believe it! I have to go call my family. Don’t go anywhere, okay? Promise?”
Minami cast Atsuko a small nod and a wry smile, but in her current state of elation Atsuko didn’t notice Minami’s sudden sullen demeanor. Minami gave a slight wave as Atsuko left the small lobby area, turning once to look back at Minami with a wide grin.
I’m happy for you, Atsuko, Minami thought with a sigh, collapsing into the chair from which Atsuko had pulled her out of excitedly just a minute before.
I really am, which is why I’m scared of this ugly feeling that just washed over me. Minami knew this feeling; it was jealousy, through and through. It was the same thing she’d felt when Tomochin’s solo was announced.
There goes another friend, living my dream. Minami hung her head over the back of the chair with a grunt of disgust. Her eyes quickly focused on the item before them, albeit upside down. It was a doorway with a placard next to it, leading to an office with which she was familiar. In her current emotional state she probably wouldn’t think twice about going into said office and discussing graduation.
After all, it was beginning to seem that her dream of a solo career would not be possible while she was still in AKB.
She stood from her chair and moved slowly across the room in a trance-like state, coming to a halt before the door. How long she was standing there staring, she didn’t know. Her heart was screaming one thing while her mind was screaming another. Hesitantly, she lifted her hand to knock on the door.
“Minami?” a concerned voice called out, and Minami shot her head around to find that Atsuko had returned. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah,” Minami replied with a smile. “Everything’s fine. I’m fine.”
Atsuko tilted her head curiously. “Did you have an appointment with Akimoto-sensei, too?”
“No, no,” Minami stuttered, shaking her head in fervent denial. “No, I’m only here because you asked me to accompany you.”
“Okay,” Atsuko said slowly, her voice laced with suspicion. “Shall we go then?”
“Let’s!” Minami agreed, running up beside her. It was clear that her sudden change in behavior only strengthened Atsuko’s doubts, but the taller girl did not question her any further. The two turned to leave in silence. After a few steps Atsuko reached down to grab Minami’s hand, an affection which Minami realized she had long since grown used to; it was something that felt natural. As they stood waiting for the elevator Minami gave Atsuko’s hand a light squeeze.
“Thanks, Atsuko,” she said honestly.
“You’re welcome, but… for what?”
“For being here,” Minami replied, earning a blush from Atsuko.
You saved me from making a very big mistake.
_ _ _
Minami was overcome by a strange sensation as she stood on the set behind Atsuko, her eyes focused on the other girl’s back. The band was placed around them, ready to play. The song had started flawlessly, yet as they continued Minami almost missed the cue. Admittedly, her mind had been elsewhere.
The two were on television, Atsuko performing her single, “Flower,” and Minami performing as her back up. And although Minami’s role was only that of back-up, she was elated at the chance to sing with Atsuko. Despite her initial feelings at the news of Atsuko’s single, Minami had fallen in love with the song instantly. Performing it today brought her no worries; she’d memorized it almost immediately after she’d first heard it.
Here she was, singing on a stage with Atsuko, something they’d done numerous times before, and yet… something felt different. Perhaps it was because it was nearly a duet? Or maybe it was because she was behind Atsuko, and not beside her.
No; it wasn’t that it felt different. Simply feeling ‘different’ wouldn’t affect her this way. No, Minami had been caught off-guard because it all felt so comfortably
natural. Supporting Atsuko, singing a song with her, basking in her smiles; these were all things Minami suddenly understood were natural to her. She smiled as the realization washed over her.
Bringing her focus back to the song, she was relieved as the performance ended flawlessly. Being together with Atsuko was indeed natural for Minami. As she stood studying Atsuko’s back during the applause, she couldn’t help but to think that she didn’t want it any other way.
_ _ _
/////
//Not again.//
With a huff, Minami reached a hand up behind her ear to find that the flower from last time was still there. Heaving a sigh in defeat, she once again began trudging toward the small light in the distance. The song she was always humming quickly returned to mind, and the sound filtered out into the nothingness that surrounded her.
//I’m stuck in this awful dream once more.//
“You know, little flower,” she began, giving a small chuckle at the idea of her talking to a flower. “I wish you could tell me where the heck we are. That light never gets any closer.” She nodded towards said light, as if the flower needed clarification. “Here I am in the middle of nowhere with nothing but you and that song to keep me company. The other members tell me that I hum it all the time, but to be honest, I never noticed until now. I’m not even sure as to why it would be that song, but… it’s not a bad song, so I’m not complaining. There must be some reason behind it, right?”
Minami paused and reached a hand behind her head as she smiled sheepishly. Realizing that in the end she was still talking with a flower in the dark in a dream, she hung her head in shame. With a sigh she took another step forward but paused yet again, her face contorting in thought. Looking up in a double-take, a smile reached her lips.
“Look, we’ve gotten closer!” she shouted, running towards the light. As she drew even closer she could now tell that the light was filtering through a small window, about the size and shape of a ship’s porthole. Suddenly she crashed over a large, hard object, falling to the floor with no amount of grace. The small flower fell to the floor as well, going unnoticed by Minami. Rubbing her backside, she stood up and scowled at that which had assaulted her.
“Why is there a chair here, in the middle of nowhere?” she mumbled, righting the chair so that she could take a seat, though cautiously. (She sighed. Even in her dreams she was hesitant to take a seat, after the pranks they’d pulled on her.) Minami was a bit startled to find that the chair retained some warmth, but from what? It hadn’t been in the light when she’d arrived.
//The light…//
Turning to the source of the light behind her, another important question came to mind. “Never mind the chair, why is there a window in the middle of nowhere?” she grunted. “How is there a window?” Minami stood and moved the chair below the window, climbing atop easily. However, try as she might, she could not see through it. With a huff she sat back down and closed her eyes. “May I please wake up now?”
she asked in frustration.
///// “Please do, Takamina,” a gentle voice said beside her, and Minami awoke with a start to find she was in a van, seated next to Haruna.
“Where am I?” she asked groggily, sitting upright.
“We’re in a van, on the way back to the theater after a no3b event.”
“Huh?”
Seeing that Minami was still confused, Haruna pointed to a spot on her shirt. “You were talking in your sleep, and you were beginning to drool. I’d rather you didn’t drool on my blouse.”
Minami looked up to see that despite her scolding words, Haruna was smiling kindly. “Sorry, Kojiharu. And thanks for letting me sleep on your shoulder.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Haruna replied with a light laugh. “Strange dream?”
“Probably,” Miichan piped in from behind them, her head appearing over the backs of their seats. “The same thing happened a little while ago, when I’d spent the night at her house. When she woke up she couldn’t even remember why I was there.”
Haruna turned to Minami with her brow raised in curiosity. “Care to share?”
“Not really, no.”
Disappointed that Minami was being so reserved, Haruna smirked before resting her hand atop Minami’s head. Closing her eyes for a moment, she opened them again with a grin. “I saw it!” she exclaimed, earning a glare from one Minami and a laugh from the other.
“Knock it off,” Minami said, swiping Haruna’s hand away. “You want me to tell you what’s wrong, but this is exactly why I can’t hold a serious conversation with either of you, not to mention both of you together.”
“Relax, Captain,” Miichan drawled, grasping Minami’s shoulders. “We’re just poking a little fun. C’mon, now; you just admitted there’s something wrong, so you might as well tell us. I mean, if you can’t tell us, then who can you tell?”
Minami glanced between Miichan and Haruna and sighed. The youngest no3b member was right. Miichan was at the top of her of list of people that she could be open with, and Haruna was not far behind. Shifting in her seat, Minami settled her gaze on the headrest in front of her as she spoke.
“I’ve been having weird dreams lately.”
“Tell us something we don’t know,” Miichan teased, earning a smack in the arm from Haruna.
“There’s not much to say. I’m in the middle of nowhere, darkness all around. In the first dream there was nothing but a faint light, so I began walking towards it.”
Haruna and Miichan both stared at Minami, aghast.
“What?” Minami grunted.
“Takamina!” Miichan exclaimed, shaking Minami by the shoulders. “Don’t you know? You should never walk towards the light! You should run away from it! Very, very quickly!”
“She’s right!” Haruna gasped, at the same time saving Minami from Miichan’s grasp. “We could have lost you!”
Minami scowled at their teasing, as if to say, ‘This is why I didn’t want to talk about it’.
Miichan, unhappy with Minami’s sudden silence, poked the distraught girl in the cheek. “What else, Takamina?”
“There was a flower. I don’t know what kind, I can’t see it, but I know it’s a flower. I picked it up and carried it with me.” Minami heaved a sigh and continued. “In the first dream I never made it to the light, but in the dream just now, I did.”
“I’m glad to see you’re still with us,” Miichan mumbled, earning a glare from Minami and a giggle from Haruna.
“And?” Haruna asked, prodding Minami to continue.
Minami sighed. “The light was streaming through a window, though how there was a window, I don’t know. And there was a chair. It was warm.”
“How so?” Haruna prodded her again, genuinely intrigued.
“Almost like-” Minami began, trailing off in mild shock.
“Almost like?” Miichan repeated.
“Almost like… someone had been waiting in it,” Minami whispered, only just now realizing the cause. Miichan and Haruna shared quick glances. It was obvious to them that Minami had not wanted to continue any further. Still, it certainly was a strange dream, and both of them were eager to hear more about it.
_ _ _
///“How about a movie?”
“I don’t know, Atsuko, it’s kind of late.”
“Please?”/// Minami glanced at the girl sleeping peacefully beside her. They were seated in the back of a cab on the way home to Atsuko’s house, having left the movie theater not too long ago. (Always see Atsuko home first; it was a part of Minami’s chivalrous side that she never failed to execute.) Atsuko had rested her head on Minami’s shoulder and within minutes had fallen asleep. Minami always is the best pillow, after all; Atsuko would swear by that fact.
The slumbering idol had called Minami a few hours ago, insisting that the two go out to catch one of the film industry’s latest releases. The film was rather mediocre and a bit predictable, Minami felt, but Atsuko had been smiling the entire time. Minami eventually found it more interesting to watch Atsuko’s reactions instead of the film. Now she sat watching Atsuko’s slumbering face. As busy as she was, Atsuko had been adamant about going out tonight with Minami; she simply wouldn’t take no for an answer. Her schedule was obviously taking a toll on her, and Minami was both a bit disappointed and honored that the other idol was risking her health to be with her.
As the cab rounded a corner Atsuko mumbled something in her sleep.
“What was that, Atsuko?”
The sleeping Atsuko made no reply, but…
//“This was fun, like a date.”// Minami gulped nervously, suddenly remembering Atsuko’s words from right after the film had ended. They had been outside, idly spending time with each other while waiting for a vacant cab. Atsuko had saddled up to her, taken her hand, and with a bright smile (too bright for that time of night)…
//“This was fun, like a date.”// Minami felt her face grow red as the words repeated in her mind. How was tonight different from any of the other times they had gone to see a film together? The cab hit a bump and Minami lifted an arm to brace the sleeping beauty beside her. Atsuko’s head began to slip so Minami gently guided it from her shoulder to her lap.
//“You know, Minami…”A hesitant whisper.
“Hmm? What is it?” A curious pout.
“No, it’s nothing.” A cowardly shake of the head.
“Aww, c’mon, Atsuko, that’s not fair! What were you going to say?” A grasp of the hand.
“Well, it’s kind of silly.” A small, embarrassed blush.
“Try me.” A serious expression.
“Sometimes I feel like we’ll be together forever.”// Minami absentmindedly stroked her fingers through Atsuko’s hair.
“Forever, huh?” she thought, gazing down at her friend.
It’d be nice if there were such a possibility. As she studied Atsuko’s face a warm smile crept upon her lips. “You’re most beautiful when you sleep, Atsuko,” she whispered, sighing contently.
Wait… (A pause.)
What? (A blush.)
Beautiful? Well, sure, yeah, Atsuko certainly is beautiful, but I think all the others are too…
Wait, why is my heart beating like this? It’s just like when we were spying on- “Minami, are you feeling alright?”
“Eh?” Minami squeaked, jumping in her seat as best she could while wearing a seat belt.
“You were making a lot of silly faces,” Atsuko continued as she sat up drowsily. “Are you okay?”
“Oh, yeah, sure. I’m fine. Just fine.” Minami blabbered, earning disbelieving looks from both Atsuko and the cab driver. “Umm…” She gulped nervously. “Acchan, h-how long have you’ve been awake?”
“About half a minute. Minami, you’re rambling. Are you sure you feel fine?” Atsuko gently touched her forehead to Minami’s, earning a gasp from the short-statured idol.
Why is my stomach suddenly full of butterflies? “You don’t seem to have a fever,” Atsuko said with a sigh of relief. “I’d feel horrible if you’d wound up sick because of my selfish request.”
Oh, no; Atsuko’s feeling guilty. I have to do something, quick.
Wait, why do I have to do something?
Because she’s my friend, and I don’t want her to be sad.
Right; she’s my friend. “Don’t worry, Acchan; I feel fine, really,” Minami assured her with a sheepish smile. “There’s nothing to feel guilty about. Even if we hadn’t gone to that movie I would probably be up this late anyways. Honestly, I’m more worried about you.”
Atsuko clasped her hands together and stared down at them in her lap. “Even so, I was still being selfish. It’s just that…”
Ah, crap, Minami thought, panicking as she stared at Atsuko.
Those are tears. She’s about to cry. What do I do? I can’t handle crying people… “It’s just that, I’m going to be really busy with filming soon and no3b just released a single so your schedule will get busier so I wanted to spend one last evening with you while I could a-and-”
“Atsuko.” Minami whispered her friend’s name as she reached out to embrace the about-to-cry woman. “There’s nothing wrong with being selfish from time to time. You can always be selfish around me. I like the selfish Atsuko.”
Atsuko gave a small laugh as she wiped at her eyes. The cab pulled up in front of Atsuko’s house then, and Minami quickly escorted her out of the cab to her door. Seeing Atsuko successfully unlock her door, Minami said a quick goodbye and turned on her heels. Walking back to the cab, she paused when she heard Atsuko call out to her.
“Thank you, Minami. I love you, really.”
“Heh, I know,” she replied with a small wave. “You tell me that all the time.”
But this is the first time my heart has skipped a beat because of it._ _ _ _ _
As easily as Minami and Atsuko had grown close, they also grew distant. Each had a growing career, and as Minami appeared as a guest on more television shows and Atsuko landed roles in more movies and dramas, they soon lost time for each other. Mails were shared and phone calls made, but there was a difference between such contact and being with someone in person._ _ _ _ _
Minami hummed quietly on her walk down the hallway, practice having ended not long ago. It was a song that seemed to always make its way into her head over the years, but most especially of late. Having walked the path thousands of times she walked on auto-pilot, not really paying much attention to her surroundings, a reflex which allowed her thoughts to wander.
Today’s practice had been another success. The newer members continued to try their hardest and the veteran members ‘kept up the good work’. Minami spent most of the practice watching the others, stepping in to help out where needed. From time to time she caught herself spacing out, remembering old times with the others, both good and bad.
The first time Acchan and she danced next to each other…
The time that Meetan successfully harassed every member in the span of one rehearsal…
The time that Yuko tried (and failed) to do the same…
The first time that she heard their single on the radio, the experience filling her body with euphoria. She was one step closer to her dream…
The time Acchan slipped and fell during the middle of their routine. Minami had been the first to reach her side, and Acchan had thankfully stood up laughing with little more than a bruised rear-end.
The time Mariko finally joined the group, fitting in with the others seamlessly. Minami was relieved to know that she had worried for no reason…
The time that she consoled Amina after the girl’s disappointment with the
Iiwake Maybe video. (The girl deserved more than she received, and Minami hoped to convey that. It may have been a small mistake on her part, though, as Amina seemed to have fallen in love with her after the fact.)
The time that Haruna pulled her aside to confide in her…
The time that she consoled Akicha…
…and Tomochin…
…and Maachan…
…and Acchan. (Here, Minami smiled unknowingly.) Always Acchan…
(Okay, so she did a lot of consoling. That was one of the responsibilities of being a captain, was it not? Even though she found herself consoling members from all of the teams, not just Team A.)
The time that Acchan led her by the hand (and every time after)…
The times she argued with Myao…
(This thought brought a frown to her face, but it was quickly replaced with a smile.)
The time that Miichan fell asleep in the middle of rehearsal, standing with her eyes wide open…
The time that Tomochin attempted to give her a complete fashion makeover… and failed…
The multiple times the group learned about overseas performances…
The first time Accchan hugged her (and every time after)…
And then it dawned on her:
Most of her fond memories involved Atsuko.
I miss her, Minami thought, pausing a moment as she rounded the corner and approached the stairwell.
I miss Atsuko.
Atsuko had grown busier lately with her drama schedules and the two had not had much time to spend together. Minami was not lonely; she continually hung out with the others, particularly Miichan. In the end, though, it was hard to ignore the fact that the girl she had grown used to seeing nearly every day was no longer hers to see. Acchan was moving on with her dream, and Minami was still here in the halls of AKB, a place she undoubtedly loved. She was also busy, turning down Miichan’s invitation to dinner tonight in hopes of gaining a couple extra hours of sleep.
Just then the sound of mumbling and a door slowly shutting reached Minami’s ears and she slowed down, approaching the bottom of the stairwell cautiously. Her humming dwindled as quickly as her nerves.
I spaced off again.
“Hello?” she called out hesitantly, stepping down from the last step. “Is somebody there?”
There were more muffled whisperings and Minami gulped as she slowly took a few more steps down the hallway. Opening her mouth to speak again, she jumped in surprise when the door she passed flew open. In the next instant she was pulled into a small practice room, her mouth covered by her abductor’s hand.
Beginning to panic, Minami took a moment to calm down and ponder her situation. The hold was by no means romantic, but it was strong and protective. Most importantly, it was familiar.
I know this embrace, these strong arms. Minami relaxed into the person holding her and her suspicions were confirmed when she heard a familiar voice.
“You recognized me, huh?” the captor said, releasing her grip on Minami.
“It wasn’t hard to figure out,” Minami replied, turning to face the Team K captain.
“Nice song you were humming there, by the way. It’s one of my favorites,” Sayaka complimented before singing. “
Hajimete kimi to…” ++
Minami’s eyes narrowed menacingly, ceasing Sayaka’s singing prematurely. “Why did you drag me in here like that?” she asked, not letting Sayaka stray from the matter at hand.
The older girl grinned mischievously. “I’m kidnapping you.”
“Eh?!” Minami gasped, her eyes bulging incredulously. “Why?”
Sayaka crossed her arms and looked down at Minami. “The answer to that is because somebody,” here she paused to indicate Minami with a fierce stare, causing the shorter girl to gulp involuntarily, “turned down Miichan’s invitation, so now I have to do things the hard way.”
“What?”
“You’ll see. Let’s go,” Sayaka instructed, placing her hands on Minami’s shoulders and turning the short girl around, pushing her back through the door from which they’d come. “Forward, march!”
_
“Surprise!”
A chorus of voices greeted Minami as she and Sayaka stepped into a private room at a restaurant the group frequently patronized.
“What’s this for?” Minami gasped in disbelief, facing the whole of Team K before her.
Sayaka stepped up beside her and led her to an empty seat in the middle of the group. “This is Team K’s thank you to you, Takamina. You’ve done a lot over the past few years for the better of AKB as a whole, not just for you or Team A. We wanted to say thank you so we’ve thrown this party.”
“Oh, I see,” Minami muttered, still in shock as she took in the familiar faces surrounding her. “Wait, why is Paru here?” she asked, seeing Haruna standing at Yuko’s side.
“Eh, just ignore her presence,” Miichan said, answering Haruna’s pout with a teasing smile. “She and Yuko are kind of like a two-for-one.”
“Oh,” Minami replied as she finally sat down, not quite comprehending the answer.
“Am I late?” a voice asked melodically from the doorway and Minami instantly turned to see Atsuko standing there with a warm smile.
“Atsuko…” The name escaped her lips as Minami stared at her friend, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Acchan! Just in time!” Sae shouted excitedly, rushing over and guiding Atsuko to sit beside Minami. “We were afraid you wouldn’t make it!”
“I wouldn’t dare miss this.”
Minami blinked at the sight of the girl next to her in confusion. “First Kojiharu, and now Acchan? I thought this was a Team K thank you party.”
“Huh?” Sayaka grunted with her classic gorilla expression. “You don’t know?”
Minami shook her head. “Know what?”
“It’s kind of like an unwritten rule in AKB,” Tomochin offered with a sly smile, stepping behind Minami and resting her hand on Minami’s shoulder.
“What is?” Minami asked, only growing more confused as she saw Atsuko look away from her with a small laugh, albeit red-faced.
“Where there is Takamina, there shall also be Acchan,” Yuko declared dramatically, a wide grin on her face.
“Or something like that,” Sayaka stated, wincing as she watched Haruna smack Yuko in the back of the head. “Besides, she’s also done quite a lot for the benefit of the whole group.”
“Should we ask her to leave?” Umechan asked with a devilish grin.
“N-no!” Minami shouted, half-rising from her seat, and the others paused and stared at her in silence. “I-I mean, she’s here now, so she might as well stay, right?” With a hand behind her head, Minami smiled sheepishly in an attempt to mask her outburst. Somehow her face grew even redder as she heard a slight giggle from beside her.
“Oh, c’mon, Bakamina! Just admit that you miss her already!” Miichan shouted, rolling her eyes at Minami’s classic failure behavior.
The others’ laughter filled the room, and Minami sat back down in embarrassment. Minami was not the only one growing red at this point, and Atsuko had long since given up trying to hide her face from the others.
“Alright, that’s enough teasing.” Minami glanced up to see Tomochin stepping into the role of savior and gave the young woman that was one of her best friends a thankful smile. “We invited her here to thank her, not to tease her.”
Sayaka nodded a confirmation. “She’s right; let’s show the midget captain how we say thank you, Team K style!”
“Here here!”
“Long live Takamina!”
“Woohoo! I’m singing first!” Ucchii shouted as she ran to the karaoke machine, having beaten Ayarin, Tanamin, and Reinyan in janken.
As the festivities began, Minami couldn’t help but to feel happiness from the image before her. The room was filled with smiles and cheering, and each member took the time to stop by and say their thanks. Feeling a hand on hers, Minami turned to find Atsuko smiling at her, the other girl enjoying the party as much as anyone.
“I missed you too,” Acchan whispered, her breath tickling Minami’s ear. The sensation brought a bright blush to Minami’s cheeks.
“Hey, Takamina-san, you’re up!” Moeno called from across the room, where Micha and Sakippe had just finished singing.
“R-right!” Minami shouted, standing up as she felt Atsuko give her hand a small squeeze.
What’s wrong with me? she thought as she walked over to the karaoke machine, her heart beating quickly. “Th-thanks,” she stuttered as a smirking Yui stooped to retrieve the microphone.
“What would you like to sing?” Yonechan asked her, having taken over the job of manning the selection system. Tomochan sat beside her, scanning the options diligently.
“Eh?” Minami squeaked, caught off guard for the second time that night, having been lost in her thoughts yet again. “Umm… surprise me, I guess?”
“Ooh, let me, I’ll pick for her!” Miichan shouted, running across the room and quickly making a selection. Seeing the information on the screen, Yuko and Sayaka sent Miichan approving nods.
Gripping the microphone and not quite understanding what she was feeling as she stood there looking over her friends (her gaze lingering on a certain member), Minami began the song expertly.
“
Kore kara donna mirai ga matte itemo You & I boku wa kimi wo hanasanai…”****
End Chapter 1, Part 4
**** “YOU & I,” copyright Shimizu Shota and Mastersix Foundation. Released January 26, 2011. The opening lines (repeated in the song) were used in this chapter.
“What kind of future is waiting for us after this? You and I, I won't let you go.”++Again, this song's legal information will be shared at a later point.
Woohoo! An update! Although it's a bit shorter than the previous parts, but... I did say that it would be. Hopefully this part has helped to convince the doubters that this story is, indeed, an Atsumina story.
The sequence of memories that Takamina remembers are a mix of fictional happenings imagined by yours truly and real incidents that I learned about in my research. Also, I'd like to state that I don't have anything against Myao; I needed a minor antagonist for a couple parts, so I decided to play off the rumored animosity between Myao and Takamina. There have only been a couple hints thus far, but in the next part it's more prominent, so I felt that I should put out a little disclaimer.
Also, in regard to the Team K scene, I apologize if I offended anyone. Regrettably, I don't know much about all of the members, so if I portrayed them in what you deemed to be a blasphemous manner then again, I apologize. I meant no harm by it. Also, I know that Yonechan is (sadly) no longer in AKB, but at the point in the story's timeline at which that scene took place she was still a member.
As for the next update, as stated before, I'd like to write more of the story before updating (in a mediocre attempt to not use up what I have completed too quickly.) Chapter 1 only has one more part, and while it is rather short compared to all the others, it is arguably one of the most important.
I hope that you've all enjoyed the story thus far.
Topic: Portraits (Atsumina) Chapter 4 Part 2 (Read 51633 times)