Second and final chapter's up! Sorry if it feels kind of rushed. Just typed down whatever I felt at the moment of typing. 
Please enjoy nonetheless! 
Graduation - Part II (Final)
I could feel the bright, morning light shining through the gaps on the window blinds beside my bed right on my face. The warmth of the sunlight woke me up as I squinted my eyes to slowly adapt to the surroundings of my room. It was the beginning of a new day.
The 8th of December, 2014.
The day that AKB48 celebrates its 9th Anniversary and also…
The day that I, Takahashi Minami, decided to announce my graduation.
After I had lifted myself from a sleeping position, I placed both hands on my face with my arms being supported by my thighs while arching slightly, thinking about how everything will turn out being today. Flashbacks of my nine years of service in AKB48 flashed through my mind like a video reel and I was nearly brought to tears until I heard my cellphone vibrate.
The caller ID stated it was Minegishi Minami who called me. A person who I truly think of as a sister who shares the same first name as I do, and a best friend who has been there for me whenever I broke down. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her that I would graduate today but surely, she’s ready for my sudden announcement… right?
“Mii-chan…?” I said groggily, yawning right after.
“Takamina, NyanNyan and I are coming over to your place now. You ready? We’re supposed to go to the theatre together right?”
Oh right… I forgot. I texted them before I slept last night, telling them it’d be a cool idea for the last three people of the First Generation of AKB48 to enter the theatre together to rehearse for the 9th Anniversary tonight… Just great, I’m not out of bed. Let alone close to being prepared.
“Mmm… mmm,” is all I said while rubbing the back of my neck in a lazy manner.
“We’ll be there in 5 minutes. See ya later.”
Mii-chan held up right after that. I got out of bed and got myself ready. While looking at myself in the mirror, my heart started beating fast. Yes. I, Takahashi Minami, Soukantoku of the 48 Group and Captain of Team A, was actually nervous for practice. It has been so long since I’ve felt this sensation.
The last time being when AKB48 was just being started. Looking at my hands, I was shivering. I felt I could collapse at any moment if this continued on.
That was when I heard the doorbell and an airhead shouting, “We’re here to play~” in her usual airheaded, slightly high-pitched voice.
I quickly attended to my two close friends and also unit members who flashed a smile at me once I opened the door for them.
“NyanNyan don’t just go yell like that, seriously…” I groaned but the latter just put her tongue out playfully. Such an airhead.
“So are you going to invite us in Takamina? It’s freezing honestly…” Mii-chan said, followed by a shivering action that made me welcome them in immediately. And the first thing they do is gather by the heater near the entrance, trying to warm themselves up after I had closed the door behind us.
“Ah! Takamina~” NyanNyan called out to me, causing me to turn around to face her when I was about to return to my room to grab my bag, “Yuu-chan told me she’ll be coming to see us perform later on! Thought you should know~” She looks awfully excited. It’s no wonder there are KojiYuu fans out there, whenever NyanNyan talks about Yuko she unconsciously lets out this excited vibe of hers.
I nodded with a smile, “Thanks for letting me know. I’m just going to go grab my bag and we’re leaving okay?” They both nodded in agreement.
Exiting my house and locking the door behind me once again, we head towards our beloved theatre in Akihabara. It sure was chilly with strong wind blowing right at us from time to time unless we went through a covered walkway or something. Since we were properly disguised with the help of our winter wear, it was easy for us to move around freely like this without worrying about paparazzi or accidentally causing a stir in public. Mii-chan suggested we bought breakfast at a nearby convenience store and we did. Bread of different flavours.
It felt like the old days. A group of us would just buy breakfast at a convenience store that would make do for practice sessions till the afternoon, where we would have lunch prepared by the staff members. That was because our dance instructor was really strict, even till now. But since we’re pretty much the ‘older’ members, we get to avoid any long-winded lectures for being late and so on as we’ve been through so much more than the young ones.
Arriving at the theatre, my heart just wouldn’t stop pounding like crazy. It hurts, but at the same time, it was filled with anxiety and weirdly, happiness. Probably because it’s finally our 9th Anniversary. We have done so much just to pave the way to get here. It’s quite a shame that the new generation wouldn’t be able to experience all the pain and suffering we all went through to get here despite they themselves having their fair share of pain and suffering, especially during dance lessons.
We childishly slammed opened the door, holding our hands together with one another, announcing our arrival with the members who were already there to practice early with their friends both surprised and laughing at the same time. My lips unconsciously formed a smile on its own accord when I see the scene of members being happy and practising hard.
“Morning, Takamina-san!”
Yokoyama Yui greeted me with a bright smile. This girl has so much potential since the day she was promoted to being an actual member. And the fact that I will be passing the baton of a Soukantoku to her, it was hard to greet her without looking weird now.
“H-Hey. Yui,” I’m pretty sure I’m putting up a deadpanned facial expression as of now, because Yui’s moving closer and closer to me with an obvious concerned face. Until I suddenly thought of something to divert her attention for just a moment! Today’s her birthday, isn’t it?!!
“Umm… Takamina-san? Are you--”
“H-Happy birthday, Yui!!!” I exclaimed despite shaking ever so obviously now, while trying to force a smile.
“O-Oh! Thank you Takamina-san…!” Yui thanked me with a wry smile, the other two with me followed suit in wishing her.
“Oi Takamina… you okay? You’re shaking like crazy,” Mii-chan returned her attention to me and voiced out in a concerned manner and nudged my shoulder, gesturing that we were still holding hands. NyanNyan looked worried too. Oh no… I’m making a fool out of myself!
I quickly let go of their hands and bowed at them politely, gesturing I’d like to excuse myself and ran to the dressing room, where my two other Kouhai were.
“Morning Takamina-san,” the cool beauty Yamamoto Sayaka a.k.a. Sayanee greeted me.
“Morning, Takamina-san!!” And then there was the more energetic, center of SKE48, Matsui Jurina.
“O-Oh you two. Morning. Were you both practising?”
They both nodded their heads in unison and then looked at each other for a moment and winked. The next thing I knew, they were bowing down right in front of me.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done, Takamina-san!” Sayanee exclaimed.
“Thank you for your guidance since I was a kid, Takamina-san!” Jurina followed suit.
What’s with them? Wait. Did Yuko or Atsuko leak about my graduation announcement?!
“W-What’s this all of a sudden you two?” I had to ask. This was just weird.
“Well~ Sayanee suggested that we should thank you in person before the rehearsal starts since it IS the 9th Anniversary. Takamina-san has done a bunch of stuff for us, so it’s only right we thank you somehow.” Jurina grinned. As expected of this young, but extremely mature teenager. She’s really been growing up finely, though she does do things over the top at times…
Sayanee nodded, “Yeap. I really wanted to thank you for getting us to where we are now. Probably without you, NMB48 wouldn’t even have been formed!” She laughed heartily. Sayanee’s really coolheaded, and was one of the candidates I had nominated as next Soukantoku… but she would be too busy being Ace of NMB48 and having a dual position as with Jurina here… she’s amazing but overworking her may cause a huge issue… not that I’m saying I won’t overwork Yui but—
“Rehearsal’s starting!!!”
I heard the shout of a staff and quickly gestured the two aces of both SKE48 and NMB48 to quickly get on stage with me. Mii-chan, NyanNyan, Yui and all the rest of the members were already on stage, ready to practice. It’s at these kind of times, I’m really proud to have stayed this long. It’s a view that not many predecessors have seen. Even though I may be behind everyone now, seeing everyone’s backs, acting like a guardian… yeah. I don’t mind that at all.
A staff member called out to me to give a short ‘warm-up’ speech before rehearsals begin.
I know I’m fidgeting in front of everyone now since some young members are shooting questionable gazes at me but eventually I pulled myself together and put on my Soukantoku façade with my handy megaphone in hand to project my voice properly without having to actually shout.
“Morning everyone,” all the members greeted back as usual, “… Umm as you know, today’s our long-awaited 9th Anniversary so everyone, please practice as hard as you can without overworking yourself for tonight! We have to pull ourselves together and perform to the best of our abilities so far tonight, understood?” With an acknowledging shout that resounded throughout the theatre, I gave a fiery punch into the air to lift everyone’s spirits up with the members doing the same with energy.
After rehearsals have ended, everyone rushed to get ready for the main performance. As for me, I approached one of the pillars of the theatre which currently had eight pink stripes. Each stripe symbolizes as a reminder of how many years have gone by, in which in every single anniversary, we put up a new pink stripe to celebrate our hardwork for the year. It’s a nice feeling, since I’ve been putting these pink stripes from the very beginning. It really felt like our hardwork has been rewarded abundantly as each year passes.
“Takamina?”
A voice called out to me. It was NyanNyan. She seemed a little serious though.
“Yeah?” I looked at her, with a hand placed on one of the pink stripes of the pillar.
“Are you… going to announce something important tonight?”
I was rendered speechless. Did she make a lucky guess? Or did Yuko tell her?! I felt my eyes widening involuntarily and I’m sure NyanNyan caught that but she gave me a smile regardless. A warm smile that implied that everything will be okay.
“It’s alright. You don’t have to tell me. Mii-chan and I will be by your side no matter what. Remember that, okay?”
At that moment, I wanted to burst into tears and embrace NyanNyan while she comforted me but no, I just couldn’t. Not now. Not when the actual performance was about to begin in two hours’ time.
“… T-Thanks… NyanNyan…” I held in my tears, clenching both my fists now while turning my back at her to face the pillar.
She reminded me to get ready soon before walking away. As much as I felt like sitting at a corner, crying myself to sleep right now, I have to really pull myself together to give the best performance anyone has ever seen so far! If I really wanna announce, then I need to do it after a hell of a performance yeah?!
Physically slapping myself and mentally reassuring myself never ever felt so good. I think I’m going insane though.
Before heading on stage, my phone vibrated twice. They were messages from both Atsuko and Yuko, basically telling me to do my best and control my emotions at least till I deliver the final speech of the celebration, as well as my graduation announcement. Another message suddenly popped up, and it was from Akimoto-sensei himself, saying things like “good luck” and asking me once again if I’m sure I was going to announce my graduation from my beloved group.
Other than Atsuko and Yuko, Aki-P was the first person I went to prior to even the Mechaike special prank. He and I discussed about the future of AKB48, and he had also given me the blessing of announcing my graduation with a condition.
That I would stay and bear witness to the 10th Anniversary of AKB48, which was today of next year.
I agreed unconditionally with his terms. If I could improve the group even further and train Yui as the next Soukantoku within one year, I would be satisfied. And would have accomplished my duties in full with no regrets. And on that basis, I replied a simple “yes” to Akimoto-sensei’s message and rushed to lead the team hurdle and a quick motivation speech as always.
Without realising it, the anniversary performance ended in a blink of an eye.
It was time for me to give a speech before putting up a new pink stripe, to commemorate the 9th Anniversary was successfully held. I held the mic firmly in my hand, holding in my emotions at least till the part where I announced that “I, Takahashi Minami, on the 8th of December 2015, will graduate from AKB48”. The fans who attended went “eh?!” and remained silent all the way through my speech, even Yui whom I called out to appoint as the new Soukantoku was at loss of words and only nodded and shook her head whenever I said anything to her, tears appearing glossily on both her cheeks.
But… finally announcing my graduation, brought me a sense of relief… and relaxation. It was like all the stress that I had built up these few days disappeared without a trace. It was like a blast of calmness within me that refreshed my mind. As I hung up the new pink stripe, I mentally pat myself on the back for a job well done as applauses and cheers resounded throughout the theatre. The celebration officially ended when we thanked the attendees and closed the doors.
Member by member started coming up to me, hugging me and apologising for whatever they’ve done while thanking me after the event, bursting into tears which I could understand. I tried comforting them as much as I always have, while relaying the message that everything was going to be alright even if I were to graduate.
“Hey. You did it.”
I turned back, seeing Yuko in glasses and a pleased expression on her face, “Great job out there, Takamina.”
“Yuko I…”
Before I could continue, she pressed both hands rather hardly onto my face with a smirk while I closed my eyes as an involuntary action, “Enough with being sappy for one day Bakamina! It’s over! Time to celebrate today’s extremely successful anniversary!”
Once she let go, I rubbed the area she pressed on with a pout, “Okay okay… sheesh you didn’t have to do that. It hurts!” I groaned at her which the latter just laughed it off.
“Well it’s all because you’re being a ball of emotions—Ah! NyanNyan!” And there she goes to cling onto her beloved NyanNyan who was approaching towards me, followed by Mii-chan. Seriously those two.
“I’m glad you’ve let such a heavy burden off your shoulders, Takamina,” Mii-chan gestured a thumbs up, with an unwavering smile.
NyanNyan, while patting Yuko on the head while the squirrel latched onto her arm like some koala, followed on, “We’re really happy for you Takamina.”
“Thank you so much… you guys…” I started to break down again, wiping my tears with my arm.
“Gosh you’re seriously a ‘tear tank’ or something, Bakamina,” expressed Yuko with NyanNyan retaliating on my behalf while I continued sobbing while smiling at the same time. Yes. They were tears of joy, not sadness.
“Photo-taking time!” A staff suddenly yelled out, asking us to get ready for the commemorative photo-taking of the 9th Anniversary and everyone quickly scrambled into position with Yuko stealthily disappearing from the scene after garnering momentary affection from NyanNyan.
“Come on!” Mii-chan grabbed onto one of my hands.
“Photo time, Takamina!” And NyanNyan on the other.
All the younger members called out to the three of us to get into position with a bright smile on their faces despite tears still apparent on their faces. Sayanee, Yui, Jurina and all the more experienced seniors did the same thing, despite Yui looking like she was going to cry again. As we got into positions, the staff timed us so we could take the photo properly and also mentioned that we should yell out anything we wanted to, making the photo seem very lively instead of it being overly formal.
This view is precious to me. This memory will last in my heart and mind forever.
Yeah. I don’t think I regret announcing my graduation after all. It’s time the next generation took over, and ‘reboot’ AKB48 from how it has always been to something completely different. I’m sure everything is going to be fine. After all…
“I love AKB48!!!!!!”
Topic: Graduation [Takamina-centric] - COMPLETE (Read 16787 times)