CHAPTER 1
The room was not that big. It had mirrors on one of the walls, a good music system on the table. A few dance coaches and a main dance teacher were also there. The main one was talking with five girls, who were sitting on the ground. One of them had her eyes closed, head against the wall.
“Airiin..” whispered Chisa.
“M?”
“Do not doze off. We still have a recording after this.”
“I know...”
“Airiin.” patted her lightly another girl.
“Haa...”
“What are we gonna do with her, Chisa?”
“I don’t know, Hagitty...”
“Okay, everyone, you can go.” said their dance teacher.
Airi murmured something, and rested her head on Maimi’s shoulder.
“This is bad...” with worry said Maimi.
“Well, she is tired. I’d be more tired though, if I had this many activities...” noted Saki.
“I’m not sleeping, not sleeping..” murmured Airi, opened her eyes, stood up and took her belongings. “Are we going for the recording or not?” asked she with a sleepy voice and half closed eyes.
Her friends just shook their heads in disbelief...
“Un, we are.” answered Maimi.
\(o^_^o)/
The first to record was Maimi. When she was recording, Airi was a bit sleepy, but tried to keep her eyes open.
“
makenai kono kurai nante koto wa nai
SAYONARA ne Bye Bye
Bye Bye mou nido to awanai keredo
suki sugite USO mitai”
When the time came to record for Airi, she fully woke up, as singing gave her the power to move forward. And every time the girls heard Airi sing, they were also fired up. Her voice gave them the courage to move forward all the times, when things went wrong.
“
---
---
nani yo nan na no yo ikeba iin desho
SAYONARA ne Bye Bye
RARABAI ima naraba yarinaoseru wa
asa made nemuranai?
USO yo kore ijou meiwaku kakenai
SAYONARA ne Bye Bye”
“She’s too perfect...” sighed Chisa, still in a dreamy state, even though Airi ended her recording and was already sleeping while sitting on a chair, her head on Maimi’s shoulder.
“I’m glad my recording was the very first one...” also sighed Maimi and smiled at the sleeping girl. “She’s working so hard... I wonder if she’ll get a free day... She needs rest.”
“Un. I totally agree. Tsunku-san made her work too much...” noted Saki. “Ah, it’s Chisa’s turn.”
“
---
---
dakedo kore ijou meiwaku kakenai
SAYONARA ne Bye Bye
RARABAI akogare no soushisouai
ano koro ga yume mitai
makenai kono kurai nante koto wa nai
SAYONARA ne Bye Bye”
“Ah, she’s so powerful in this...”
“Stop drooling, Nakky.” snickered Mai.
“It’s in her nature. It’s Chisa we’re talking about.” smiled Maimi and patted lightly Airi’s shoulder. The girl just adjusted herself more comfortably, and slept further.
“Isn’t she adorable?” asked Chisa, who just came from the recording booth.
“Yes, she is.” mouthed silently the sentence the leader. “Ah, MaiMai’s turn.” but she paid attention just because she was a leader and had to take care of these girls. What she wanted to do mostly is just watch at Airi.
“
suki yo suki dakara unazuita kedo
owakare shitakunai
---
---
RARABAI akogare no soushisouai
ano koro ga yume mitai
makenai kono kurai nante koto wa nai
SAYONARA ne Bye Bye”
“She gave her best. She’s improving a lot.”
“Yes, leader, she is.” said MaiMai about herself jokingly, when she came from the recording booth.
“I mean it. You did a good job.”
“Thank you. Nakky, ganbatte!”
“Un.” she mouthed ‘fighting’ without any sound and went to the recording booth.
“
---
akogare no
---
---
---
kono kurai
---
---
Bye Bye
zuibun mae kara anata
kootte ita kokoro
---
---”
After they ended the recording, Maimi gently patted Airi’s cheek.
“Hey, wake up, sleepy head. Time to go.”
“Un?...Ah..” she stretched herself, yawned a bit, opened her eyes fully and smiled with her usual smile, that makes everyone’s heart melt. “Sorry I slept through your singing...” she said apologetically.
“Ah, it’s ok, never mind.” said the girls one after another.
“Let’s go.” told Maimi and they went to have dinner at a cafe nearby.
\(o^_^o)/
“Ah, this is sooo delicious...” squealed Chisa, Nakky and MaiMai, while eating the food.
“It is.” whispered Maimi, as after eating a bit Airi again fell asleep, this time her head was resting on her hands which were on the table. Her expression was content. Well, it should be. Because she was working hard from the very early morning, now ate a delicious dinner. And here she is sleeping. Why not to be content about it..? But she’s so carefree. Maimi loved that thing about her, as she herself was an airhead, but had to put a strong and reliable image to others, while Airi was just being Airi.
“Nee nee, tomorrow is the big day for the both of you, right?” asked Mai.
“Un.." answered Maimi.
"She really needs to rest and sleep well, if she wants to be perfect tomorrow.” said Saki.
“She’s always perfect.” stated Chisa.
“You’re too biased...” pouted Nakky.
“I am. I really am. And at the same time...she really is perfect, no matter how biased or not biased I am.”
“You’re having a silly conversation...” murmured Airi, and then turned her head to the other side. She was half asleep now, as those woke her up.
“On another note, I’m really looking forward for this cover to be released.” changed the topic Nakky.
“I know, right? I remember you singing it solo, Chisa.” added Mai.
“Un, I did. But I feel this cover will be much more amazing, because...”
“...Airi will be singing in it.” ended for her Mai and Saki.
“Well...” Chisa blushed. “..pretty much because of that..” she coughed fakely. “But also because we all will be singing it. And not one person, not four, but five. It’s really different this time. And we got a pretty decent line distribution..”
“Except I didn’t get a chorus solo. But I do not mind. As I will be in the center, hehe.” laughed lightly Saki.
“Good dancers are good dancers, worth of center, still dancers.” murmured some nonsense Airi. This time she was nearly sleeping, but her subconscious still heard things, so she muttered about them and this time really fully fell asleep.
“And here ends the MC Kappa’s talk.” joked Mai.
“She’s tired, poor girl.” Maimi patted lightly Airi’s head and smiled.
“How are we gonna get her home?” worriedly asked Chisato.
“I think we’ll have to wake her again. But let’s end the eating first.” spoke Maimi and continued drinking her milkshake.
\(o^_^o)/
The next morning Airi woke up at 5 a.m. She had a shower, put her clothes on, had breakfast, and headed to the station, from where the bus will take her.
She waited about 10 minutes, then the bus came. There already was Captain and Miya.
“Ohayo~.” smiled Airi after she got seated herself near the window.
“Ohayo.” said both Berryz’ girls.
“We heard yesterday you had a hard day.” said Miya in a worried tone.
“Un, a bit. But today I’m fine.” answered she in her usual cheery tone and laughed a bit. “Though yesterday was really fun, as when I tried to sleep I noticed how people care about me. And how they think I’m asleep, when I’m not. Because I tried really heard...but they kept on talking, laughing... I fell asleep for real just a few times..hehe.. How was your day yesterday?”
“I had a photo shoot for CM, then we were filming our newest TV show’s segment, then I was modeling for ‘MOUSSY’.” Miyabi’s face and eyes were shinning really bright when she was remembering the moments from the photo shoot of her modeling for her favorite brand.
“I was filming at another TV show, then our newest TV show’s segment, then had a dancing competition live event.” said Saki.
“You had lots of free time...” Airi sighed.
“We heard you were busy...” more asked than stated Miya.
“Un. A photo shoot for CM, then an interview for the magazine, then my studies, then a solo recording, then a handshake event, dance lesson and a recording with C-ute. Between the breaks I had bits of lunch, bits of half-sleep and I had a delicious dinner.”
“Whoaw...” both girls were surprised at how Airi can manage everything.
The bus stopped, and let Reina and Maimi in.
“Oha~!” nearly shouted Reina in her usual tone.
“Ohayo.” smiled Maimi and wanted to sit near Airi, but Reina was first to take the seat, so Maimi seated herself near the window behind Airi.
“Ohayo.” happily greeted Airi and both Berryz’ girls.
“Are you ready for fun today?” asked Reina.
“Un, very excited.” nodded Airi.
“Just don’t fall asleep today, okay?” asked Maimi and everyone laughed.
Airi at first tried to talk with others, but soon she was not interested anymore, as she remembered what happened a few months ago.
"I just wonder why we five gathered here..." said Miya.
"Maa, we'll find out it soon, I guess." answered Reina.
"Ah, here comes the manager." Maimi turned to the woman who just came into the room.
After saying the greetings, and exchanging the usual phrases the manager got serious.
"I invited you five here, because of the special project Tsunku-san came up with. You five will be a part of it. I checked your schedules, and I think that somehow we can manage to pull this whole thing through. This project is a really important one. It will give the fans lots of happiness. You're going to revive... ...""...ri-chan. Airi-chan!"
"..un?.."
"Let's go. We're already here." said Reina.
"Ah, yes, let's go." Airi smiled, picked her things and they went inside the certain building through the back entry.
After they got themselves in their dressing room, Airi sat on her seat.
“Ah, I’m so nervous like I’ve never been..”
“Airi-chan. Everything will be fine.”
“If you say so, Tanaka-san.”
“Oi, let’s go and change clothes.” suggested Maimi.
“Yeah, we have not that much time left, and we still need to rehearse and have the make up and hairs done.” whined Miyabi.
“Don’t whine. It’s not going to help.” comforted her friend Captain.
They changed their clothes and went to rehearse. It was fun, and all the nervousness was already disappearing bit by bit.
“Ah, thank you for working so hard with us. OtsukaReina~!” said Reina and they all bowed to the staff.
“This is gonna be fun.” smiled Captain.
Other girls just nodded. They couldn’t agree more. This is really going to be fun.
\(o^_^o)/
After the rehearsal they went to eat. The eating process was very live, as they chatted about what awaits them, took lots of pictures and ate well.
“Ah, this photo is sooo good, Airi-chan!”
“Well, it’s because Maimi is good looking today, hehe.”
“You look good today, too.” stated Miyabi.
“We all look good today, don’t we?” laughed Saki and with her laughed others.
“Un.” agreed they.
“Hey, I was wondering... When do you have free time?’ asked Saki others’.
“I don’t have. At least these few weeks.’ pouted Airi.
“E~H? Hontou ni?” Reina was in shock. This girl is really working hard, doing so many jobs, and Tsunku-san is not giving her free time?!
“Un. But it’s ok. I can do this, I just know it.”
“Airiin is so cool.” said Miya. “I could never do this much without rest.”
“Ah, do not flatter me.” blushed Airi.
“But it’s true. I agree with her.” nodded Maimi.
“Can’t we change the topic..?” asked Airi with a smile.
“Oh, I know. Let’s sing “Dance de BAKOON’ just for fun!” suggested Reina.
“Uuh, sounds fun.” nodded Miya. “I’ll take Mai’s parts then.”
“I’m going with Nakky’s.” smiled Saki and everyone chuckled.
“Then I’m with Chisa’s.” answered Reina.
“Let’s do this.” Maimi and Airi winked to each other. “One, two, three.”
They voiced the instrumental, and then started singing.
“
FANKII danshi
[Tan/Shi/Nat] Tabidatsu jikan da
FANKII neechan
[Tan/Shi/Nat] TOKIMEKU jikan da
Akirame yashi nai
Watashi no mirai
Dare no mono de mo nai
Mochiron tamanokoshi
Sorya noritai
Mainichi ga shoubu PANTSU
JAJJAJJAA
JAAJAJAJJAJJAA
JAJJAJJAA
JAAJAJAJJAJJAA
AH yadaa
Mata chotto futotta
Mou yadaa
Tegara toriagenai de~
DANSU de BAKOON
Nanka zenbu wasuretai!
DANSU de BAKOON
Namida ga tomaranai yo!
Konna ni sugoku setsunai no
Doushite kawakannai
Ima made tameta SUTORESU to
Konya de osaraba sa!”
“Ah, that was sooo fun!” laughed Reina.
“I’m glad we’re alone here.” giggled Maimi.
“Why? It would have been fun to have some audience.” nodded Captain.
“We’ll have the audience today, so don’t worry, be happy.” chuckled Airi.
"But we won't be able to perform this song." sighed Saki.
"I think we'll be able to perform it in the future." winked Maimi to her.
"I hope so." sighed again Saki.
“Oh, I’m now so waiting for the real performance.” nearly squealed Miya.
“Then let’s go. Not much time is left anyways.” said Reina and they left the restaurant.
\(o^_^o)/
After they came back to the certain building, they hurried into their dressing room, so for S/mileage not to notice them. They already heard those cute girls making noise in corridors, anticipatedly running to the stage.
“They will be surprised, hehe.” smiled Airi.
“Un.” nodded Reina.
Now they were having a make-up and hairdos done for them. After that they still had some time, so other girls chatted and Airi opened an e-mail that she got a week ago.
“
Dear Airi-chan.
I heard the news from Reina, that you have lots of work piled up, and plus your studies and the new project.
I just wanted to say, that I believe you can manage things right, and if you feel too burdened, you know you can always write to me or call me.
Also, if you push yourself too hard, the results might disappoint you.
Better take care of yourself and try to not overwork, nee?
And another thing.
I heard from Maimi-san, that you had thoughts about graduation, because you feel like you can't fulfill Tsunku-san's wishes.
Well, don't think like this.
He gives you lots of work BECAUSE he thinks you're special.
And he is right.
You just have to try to organize things in such a way, that you can have plenty of rest and eating between the work and studies.
The last thing.
I bought your newest photo book, and I can say I like it a lot
You have my fullest support, so just you know that no matter what decision you make, I'll root for you.
And good luck with that new project.
I think it's an interesting turn in all of your careers, don't you think?
Well, gotta go now.
Good luck, Airi-chan.
Your senpai,
Ai.”
She read it a few times again – like she does everyday – and smiled.
“I’m now fully ready for the show.”
“Good, Airi-chan.” smiled Reina and made some joke about food.
Airi started pulling her random jokes, too. They were having already lots of fun.
“Girls, it’s time.” said the manager, who just came in.
“Un.” they all nodded and ventured towards the stage, where S/mileage where performing.