An Annoying Paradise - Den-O 32 - Repairing the Damage - 12/30/12 season finale

[resop2]

(This is a fan fic based on the "public images" of various Hello!Project artists and is no way, shape or form trying to imply anything about the personal lives of the real people behind the public images.)

An Annoying Paradise Part 14 ("serialized in sho-komi")

"Okay, bridge two, take thirteen."

Aika tries hard not to wince in pain.  Wow, even with boots without high heels, this shoot is a killer.

Aika remembers some of the advice that Reina gave him on the phone the night before: "Never forget to smile."  I wish that she hadn't called so late last night considering that I had to get up so early, but at least the advice is coming in handy.

"And cut.  Okay, take a five minute break."

Aika breathes a sigh of relief.  How many takes of each part of the dance did they really need?

Suddenly Aika notices a new crop of spectators who had come to check out the shoot.  Hey, this group looks familiar.  "No way!"

Aika signals to the making of cameraman to stop shooting and runs over to the spectators.  "I can't believe it!  There are five thousand onsens in Japan and we wind up at the same one?"

Hiro looks totally embarrassed, but Kiraki is bouncing up and down with excitement.

"Aika, what are you doing?"

Aika sees Megumi charging straight at him, looking furious.  Oh no, Miss Megumi thinks that I am flirting with a bunch of random guys.  "It's okay.  We already know each other.  These three boys are from my school.  Kiraki and Hiro are in my homeroom.  Seiji and Hiro are going to perform today.  The older guy, from what I've been told, must be Josephine."

Josephine smiles and bows.

"But, what are the onsen guests going to think if you're so familiar with these boys?  They don't know you guys go to the same school."

Josephine waves his hand.  "Don't worry miss, these boys have a lot of work to do so they'll be going now."

Aika waves good bye and then runs back to the set.  He catches the eye of the making of cameraman.  Okay, one left to go.  Aika puts his arms around the head of Saki, in a similar way that he did to Risako.

Aika hears a loud thump but tries to ignore it so that the cameraman can get some good flirting footage.

Finally the shooting is over.

"Okay, that's a wrap!"

Yurina sighs.  "Finally.  Every muscle in my body is sore.  But, now we get our reward."

Aika smiles.  "The cake?"

Yurina waves her finger.  "That's later.  They got a room with a private spring just for us.  We can all hit it together."

"But, I didn't bring a swimsuit."

"Swimsuit?  No one brought a swimsuit."

Aika's stomach turns upside down.  Oh no!  What am I going to do now?  Obviously the group is going to want us all to be there, but they'll be nude and worse they're going to expect me to be nude, too!

Panicking, Aika looks around the area until he finds an exposed sharp object.

"Itai!"  Aika grabs his right index finger with his left hand.

Megumi runs over "Miss Aika, what's wrong?"

"I cut myself."

"I think there's a first aid station."

"I'll try to find it."  Aika runs off.

Megumi starts to run after Aika, but stops.  Aika is pretty level headed, she can probably stay out of trouble.

After Aika gets out of visual range of the set he stops overacting and starts giggling.  This plan is going to work.  All I need to do is put a band-aid on the finger.  No one is going to want to look underneath it.  Then, I can claim that I am not allowed to go into the hot spring.

Aika rounds a corner and then immediately jumps back.  He sees that Kiraki is walking down the other hallway.  If sumo boy sees me not being in pain the word would get around and my story and possibly my cover could get blown.

"Itai!"  Aika rounds the corner pretending his finger hurts.

"Aika-kun, what's wrong?"

"I cut my finger."

"There's a first aid station down the hall."

"Thanks sumo boy."  Aika runs down the hall.  Did he buy my story?

Aika puts a band-aid on his perfectly good right index finger.  Done, now all I have to do is explain things and then take a walk outside on the trail.

After finding the room number from Megumi, Aika knocks on the door.  "Excuse me, coming in."

Aika walks in to see the other three girls patiently waiting dressed in towels.

"Oh my god, I can't tell you how happy I am to see you.  This is the most difficult atmosphere here with these two people."  Yurina points to Saki and Risako, who giggle and poke each other.

Aika bows apologetically.  "I'm horribly sorry but I cut myself.  I'm not allowed to go into the spring."

"At least could you hang out?"

"I would feel weird.  I was thinking I would just walk the trail outside."

Yurina sighs.  "Okay, but you owe me a favor, Aika."

"Absolutely."

Aika escapes outside.  The trail is nice and secluded and features nice views of the mountain and the adjacent ravine.

Aika rests on a bench and takes out his cell phone.  Fortunately, the onsen is only two miles away from a town so there is adequate reception.

"Hello Reina?"

"Oh my god, oh my god, how did the shoot go?"

"Tough, but we got through it."

"Great."

"And, I remembered to smile."

"What are the other girls doing now?"

"They're in a hot spring."

"Why aren't you with them?"

"I cut myself."

"Oh no!  That's terrible!  I'll make it up to you.  I'll take you on a date and we can go to an onsen together."

Aika turns red.  "Well, maybe after our debut as a duo."

"Absolutely."

"Well, I had better go back.  I went outside to get better reception."

"Okay.  Remember to enjoy yourself.  We're only young once so don't hold back."

"I won't hold back."

Since Aika is more than halfway around the trail, he continues along.

Suddenly Aika realizes that there is a point in the trail were there is an inadvertent view into some of the hot spring areas.  The point is at a rest area, but one has to stand on the bench to fully see.  Yes, we're only young once.  I won't hold back!

Aika gets up on the bench and realizes that he can see the hot spring that his group is using.  Although he is far away, he can see that Yurina looks totally awkward and embarrassed and Risako and Saki are all over each other.

To be continued!

[oddball]

Good thing Aika can think of a plan in a hurry, that could of gotten, um, intresting 

Hmm, seems as though he couldn't resist 'checking up' on his groupmates from the viewing point though..... 

[resop2]

I don't think that Aika wanted to look in on his own group.  I think he was hoping to peak at some other random group and got stung when he realized that he was looking at his own group.  But, that's the danger of not holding back.

[resop2]

(This is a fan fic based on the "public images" of various Hello!Project artists and is no way, shape or form trying to imply anything about the personal lives of the real people behind the public images.)

An Annoying Paradise Part 15 ("serialized in sho-komi")

"Excuse me, I'm coming in."  Aika enters his group's room.

Yurina is already fully clothed and lays on the sofa with a wash cloth on her head.

"You okay?"

"A little grossed out.  You should have been there, you and I could have made them behave."

"Sorry."

"It's okay, they're still changing.  We can beat them to the cake."

"Sounds good."  This is no good at all.  We're supposed to be coming together as a group.  We're not supposed to be this fragmented.

Aika beats Yurina out to the courtyard.  What the heck?  Most of the cake and sweets are already gone?  "Whaaa?"  Aika pouts.

Megumi sneaks up behind him.  "Don't worry, we saved all of you appropriately sized portions so you guys don't gain weight."

Aika and Yurina give Megumi stereo withering stares.

Aika rolls her eyes.  "That sounds like a convenient excuse for you guys to grab the most of the cake for yourself."

Yurina turns up her nose.  "After a workout like today I could have went through that whole cake by myself."

Megumi turns red.  "Okay, there was that as well.  But, putting that aside, why don't you grab your stuff and take it back to your room and order room service?"

"Room service?"  Aika's and Yurina eyes grow wide.  Without another word they gather up the deserts and run back to their room.

Within thirty minutes of ordering the four of them are sitting around a portable hot grill with containers of meat, vegetables, and rice on the side.

Aika sighs.  "Teppanyaki.  This makes the trip completely worth it!"

The other murmur their approval.

Yurina nudges Aika.  "Come on, teppanyaki father, time to get started."

"Itadakimasu!"  Aika starts throwing meat and vegetables on the grill which is sizzling hot and prepared with a coating of vegetable oil.

Aika soon realizes that it is survival of the fastest as three times in a row another member of the group beats him to a piece of meat that he is trying to snatch from the grill with his chopsticks.  "So, that's how it is?"

Aika steps up his game and soon all of the members have had a roughly equal portion of the barbecue.

Yurina looks at her watch.  "Yikes, it's already ten after four.  We're going to miss the concert."

Saki looks at Yurina funny and motions to the untouched desserts.

"You guys can have mine."  Yurina runs out.

Aika winces.  Oh great! If I follow Yurina then the "no self control twins" will eat all the desserts and get fat and then they will somehow blame their weight gain on me.

Aika gets up and starts loading the desserts into the portable refrigerator.

Risako makes a face.  "What are you doing?"

"We should all eat dessert together."

"That's a dumb idea."

Aika goes into intimidation mode and gives Risako a scary look.  "I don't think it's a dumb idea."

"I guess I can wait."  Risako whispers.

The three of them make the performance just as it is starting.

Wow.  Hiro is really good!  Too bad I got thrown out of the audition, I would have liked to have seen his audition as well.

Aika notices that most of ladies from the onsen that were there were older than him.  Yikes, they are very into the choreography and little tricks that Seiji and Hiro are using to appeal to them.

"Thank you very much!"

This is interesting, Yurina is one of the first people to start chanting for an encore.

Sumo boy comes out.  "Hello everyone!  Person C here again.  This time I am going to conduct an interview with some people you might want to hear from ..."

The crowd looks at him with blank expressions.

".. Hiro and Seiji!"

Hiro and Seiji come out.

"Of course, as a grizzled and hard boiled reporter, I will be asking the tough questions.  So, Hiro, Fushigi Yuugi or Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden?"

Hiro nearly falls over.  "What kind of silly question is that?"

Kiraki turns red.

Oh no!  I shouldn't yell at my host, no matter how stupid my host is.  I better cover.  "It should be obvious that I would like the first series."

Seiji nods.  "However, I've been enjoying the prequel."

"So, Seiji, Uwasa no Midori-Kun or There Were 11?"

Yikes, the crowd is rapidly turning on Kiraki.  "Not to dodge this worthy question, but I'll bet there are lots of people in the audience who have their own questions."

Immediately half he people in the audience raise their hands.

"Yes, you?"

A younger girl tries to make herself be heard.  "Do you guys have any puppies?"

Seiji smiles.  "I don't have any puppies, but I do have a turtle.  Her name is Kamei-ko."

Kiraki does a good job in organizing the question and answer session.  Until ...

"My question is for Hiro.  What type of girls do you like?"

Aika shoots Yurina a threatening look.  What is wrong with her?  Doesn't she know that this sort of question will make Hiro look bad no matter what he answers?

Hiro is able to come up with a suitably noncommittal answer, but Aika is able to tell how uncomfortable the question made him.

After the concert, the group grabs their desserts and get herded back into the bus.

After a few miles, Saki and Risako fall asleep with Risako's head on Saki's shoulder.

Even before finishing his desserts, Aika nudges Yurina and talks low so that Megumi who is toward the front of the bus cannot hear.  "Don't you think that was kind of a harsh question to ask Hiro?  He is in my homeroom class, you know.  I have to stick up for him."

Yurina turns beet red.  "Well, um, I guess I wasn't thinking."

"Just don't do it again."

Aika goes back to his dessert and Yurina cowers behind her copy of sho-komi.

To be continued!

[oddball]

Well seems as though Aika sticks up for the guys for telling Yurina off for asking a silly question, seems as though she may have a thing for Hiro though.....

[resop2]

(This is a fan fic based on the "public images" of various Hello!Project artists and is no way, shape or form trying to imply anything about the personal lives of the real people behind the public images.)

An Annoying Paradise Part 16 ("serialized in Shounen Jump")

Kiraki sips some water in the trainee lounge in the Jeneral Entertainment building.  He moves slowly and is covered in the sweat of two hours of dance practice, which was preceeded by two hours of voice lessons.  Geez! Martial arts is a lot less strenuous than this!

"Kiraki, babes, may I see you in my office?"

Kiraki walks with Josephine.  Oh, no.  I must be in trouble for sure.

They sit down.

"Kiraki, you are making some great strides so far.  Also, word of how well you did assisting Hiro and Seiji has really impressed the boss.  He feels we can take this to the next level."

Kiraki nods, not knowing what to think.

"Kiraki-chan, I think that you just might be ready to be part of a group."

Kiraki raises an eyebrow.  "Not a duo?"

Josephine waves his hand in front of his face.  "Let's crawl before we walk.  You're not ready to be the focus of a duo, but in a larger group your lack of singing ability can be hidden, so that when your singing catches up, you'll be used to performing."

"Sensei, if you think that I am ready, then I will do my best."

Josephine smiles, but then gets a sinister look.  "But, before this group can form, there is a problem that I trust that you can fix."

"What is it?"

"It involves Satoshi and Masaki."

"I don't know who they are."

Josephine slams his hand down on his desk in exasperation.  "And, that is the problem!"

Oh no!  I'm done for for sure!

"Those two baka boys are supposed to be your mentors and are supposed to be helping you.  But, they ditch so many of their responsibilities that you've never even heard of them!"

Oh, it doesn't have anything to do with me.  Lucky!  "Do you have pictures?"

Josephine shows Kiraki the picture of the two boys.

Kiraki instantly recognizes them.  They are the two boys who Seiji scolded for bullying a smaller boy on Kiraki's first day of class.

"If you can get these two boys to do their chores and come to practice, then I will form a five person group with them, you, Hiro and Seiji.  If you can't then I will fire those two and the group will not be formed and you'll continue your training."

Kiraki gets a look of dread on his face.  I'm doomed!

"Kiraki-chan, your job is not in jeopardy.  You've being giving  us your best.  I'm only giving you this assignment because I think you have the best chance of pulling off a miracle and saving these boys.  But, if you don't, I won't hold it against you."

Kiraki's hands ball into fists.  "Thank you, Josephine, I hope to prove worthy of your trust."

"Good.  Now, here is a directional finder.  I have instructed Satoshi and Masaki to take their cell phones with them at all times.  This device will help you track them down.  Now, tomorrow morning, they should be cleaning the building.  You don't have to because you have a perfect attendance record so far.  You can probably count on them not showing up.  This device will help you track them down so you can force them to do their chores.  Got it?"

Kiraki nods.  I would really rather have Josephine teach me martial arts by making me do exercises in a sailor fuku than trying to chase down these two punks.

That night Kiraki has a nightmare about tracking Satoshi and Masaki down to a seedy part of Tokyo and getting involved in a gang fight.

When the alarm rings Kiraki groans.  I could be sleeping in this morning instead being a babysitter.

Kiraki arrives at the JE building and examines the lockers of Satoshi and Masaki.  Wow, their janitor gear not only is still there, but is covered with a thick layer of dust.

Kiraki looks at the clock which shows seven fifteen.  Well, it's too late for them to just claim that they were going to show up but got delayed.

Kiraki breaks out the directional finder.  It reads that the two boys were together, about two kilometers away.

Kiraki shakes his head.  Well, at least that is where their phones are.  No guarantees that they haven't ditched their phones.

Kiraki sets out looking for his prey.

Kiraki is surprised to find that unlike his nightmare, the neighborhoods that he travels through get better as opposed to more seedy the farther he goes.

Finally, the directional finder leads him to a park and then to a giant tree.  Looking up he spots his prey.  "What are you guys doing?"

Satoshi, a blond, puts down his binoculars and looks down from the branch that he lays on.  "What's it to you, weirdo?"

Masaki, who has dark hair, sticks out his tongue at Kiraki.  "Go play with dolls, kid."

Satoshi grabs a seed pod and throws it at Kiraki.

"Wow, Josephine was right, you two are a couple of baka boys."

Masaki and Satoshi both turn red and get "busted" looks on their faces when they hear Josephine's name.

Satoshi laughs a fake laugh.  "We were just kidding.  You're not going to tell Josephine, right?  By the way, what's your name kid?"

"Kiraki, and Josephine has asked me to make sure you two stop ditching your chores."

Masaki and Satoshi climb down the tree to the ground.

Satoshi cracks his knuckles.  "Is that so?  Well, I have a better idea.  How about you go and do our chores and then tell Josephine that we did it?  Doing chores is too boring for guys as cool as we are."

This should be entertaining.  Kiraki pretends to show fear.  "Oh, no.  What am I to do?  There's two of you and only one of me."

Masaki turns and looks at Satoshi.  "Hey, Sato-kun.  Let's give this sissy a free sample."

When Masaki turns his head back Kiraki's foot arrives at the same time.

Smack!

Masaki crumbles to the ground and doesn't move.

"Maybe the odds are better now, don't you think?"

Satoshi starts crying.  "You idiot!  What if you scarred his face?  We're going to be big stars!  Are you trying to ruin his career?"

"His career?  Well, if you two had paid any attention to your so called careers in the last month, you would know that you two were supposed to be helping to train me.  And, you'd know that we're all supposed to be put into a five person group together.  But, seeing how it is, why would I want to be in a group with you two donkeys?  It would be a lot easier to let you two get kicked out of the agency, which I can arrange by tomorrow."

Satoshi grovels before Kiraki.  "Okay, okay, you win.  We'll do cleaning today."

Kiraki smiles.  "That's much better.  But, I have one question, why are you two clowns here of all places?"

Masaki finally makes it to his knees.  "We heard on 3-chan that there was photo shoot today at the mansion next to the park.  Take a look."

Kiraki takes Masaki's offered binoculars.  He climbs the tree to take a look.

Kiraki gasps in surprise when he sees a limousine pull up in front of the mansion and Aika and Reina step out of it.  They are herded into the mansion by the same lady who was helping them at the onsen.

Kiraki climbs down from the tree.  "Maybe you two aren't as dumb as you look.  But, those rooms are not going to get clean by themselves.  Let's go."


To Be Continued

[oddball]

"Those two baka boys are supposed to be your mentors and are supposed to be helping you.  But, they ditch so many of their responsibilities that you've never even heard of them!"

Oh, it doesn't have anything to do with me.  Lucky!  "Do you have pictures?"

  Well that's Ok then, If Kiraki isn't in trouble over these two.....

"If you can get these two boys to do their chores and come to practice, then I will form a five person group with them, you, Hiro and Seiji.  If you can't then I will fire those two and the group will not be formed and you'll continue your training."

 

Well, then again..... 

[resop2]

(This is a fan fic based on the "public images" of various Hello!Project artists and is no way, shape or form trying to imply anything about the personal lives of the real people behind the public images.)

An Annoying Paradise Part 17 ("serialized in Shounen Jump")

After a long day of cleaning, the job was finally finished.

"This is the worst!"  Whines Masaki.

"What is it now?"  Kiraki rolls his eyes.  I've had to put up with these two baka's bellyaching the entire day.  It took more work to make them work than they actually worked.

Masaki looks at his phone.  "3-chan is flooded with reports of weird stuff going on at that shoot."

"But, who is putting up those reports?  Isn't the shoot inside?"

"The staff members and people with telescopes.  And, it could have been us, if a certain someone hadn't have come along and ruined our day."

"Aren't you guys worried about getting in trouble for being peeping Toms?"

Satoshi smirks.  "All we were doing was climbing a tree in a public park to look at birds with our binoculars.  We have plausible deniability."

"So, what are you going to use for plausible deniability on Monday?  Or, are you going to be showing up for dance and singing lessons?"

An evil grin comes over Satoshi's face.  "Kid, since we are supposed to be mentoring you, let me say that you're still kind of behind the curve when it comes to thinking like a boy idol singer."

A frown crosses Kiraki's face.  This can not be good.

"It's an idol's job to have all the fun for the country.  Everyone assumes that we live a wild life of excitement, so if we can get away with it, why not?"

"That doesn't explain what you're going to do on Monday."

"It does.  You see, Monday is on Monday, but today is Saturday.  So, we are not going to worry about Monday until Monday."

Masaki giggles.  "So, if you're done riding roughshod on us today, we were thinking of going back to the park and look at the birds some more, before they fly away."

Kiraki sighs.  "Well, I don't need you guys to do anything more today."

Masaki and Satoshi start to get ready to leave.

"So ... what are some of those reports saying?"

Masaki shows Kiraki a saved post on his cell phone.

"No way!  I cannot believe that some of our classmates are having a whipped cream orgy."

"Can you prove they're not?"

"Well, I guess you guys can go, if you can stay out of trouble."

"Wait a second.  As your mentors, we must insist that you come with us.  The sooner you learn about what really goes on in the idol industry the better."

Well, maybe their experience could help me?  Kiraki follows Masaki and Satoshi back to the park.  Geez, even though these two knuckleheads are passionate about peeping some photo shoot, they're so far behind in their conditioning work that they run like old ladies!

At the park Masaki and Satoshi have to help each other up to low branches, but Kiraki is able to scale the tree to a higher branch as if the tree has a ladder on its side.

Figures!  All of the windows of the mansion have curtains.  If that "insider" report that did not come directly from someone inside the building then it had to be a bunch of baloney.

After thirty minutes dusks starts settling.  Masaki and Satoshi start climbing down.

"Hey rookie.  Do you want to borrow my binoculars?"

"Sure."

Masaki hands Kiraki his pair of binoculars.

Kiraki suddenly starts noticing some movement.  He sees Reina exiting the mansion in tears and jumping into a waiting limousine.  This is followed by Aika and some girl he didn't know coming out out looking concerned and entering the limousine.  The car takes off.  I'll have to talk to Aika about this on Monday.

Scanning back along the wall of the mansion his nose suddenly starts bleeding.  Oh my god.  Two of the girls who were at the onsen video shoot are doing this and that and this and that.  And, they must think that they are in a private spot.

"Hey, are you done up there?  It's going to get dark.  And, there's another place we need to show you."

Kiraki climbs down.  "Another place?"

"Yeah, it's where it really all happens if you're going to be an idol."

Masaki hails a cab which takes the three of them downtown a seedy part of town.

Kiraki gulps.  Maybe my dream last night is going to come true and I am going to be in a gang fight.

The cab lets them out in front of an alley.  Down the alley is a line of people and some bouncers.

Satoshi smiles.  "Come on, Jenny-boys are always welcome."

The three of them walk past the line and then past the bouncers who wave them past without a second thought.

After going through a door, they find themselves in a darkly lit nightclub, complete with blaring music.  Masaki guides Kiraki to a seat.

"I can't believe they let underaged kids in a place like this."

"Let us in?  Not only do they let us in, they let us have whatever we want."

"You guys get drunk here?"

Misaki and Satoshi grin and nod.

"I don't understand this at all.  You guys come here to get drunk, then you're not in any condition to study in class or train to be idols.  How is this a good thing?"

"Because dozens of film producers hang out here."

Kiraki scans the club as best as he can.  The ratio of males to females in the clubs is about ten to one.

"Guys, this has been eye-opening, but a growing boy needs his rest.  So if you will excuse me."

Masaki grabs his arm, preventing him from leaving.  "You're not leaving until you get drunk with us."

Kiraki leans over and whispers in Masaki's ear "Let go or Monday your wrists will be duct taped to the school gate with you just wearing your underwear."

Masaki's face shows that he believes Kiraki's threat.  "Okay, it's no big deal.  I was just trying to be a proper senpai to you."

"Well, see you guys Monday."

Kiraki leaves the club and finds a subway station to start his journey home.

What should I do?  If I am going to "save" Satoshi and Masaki, then I will have to prevent them from clubbing, but if I raise a stink and have them banned from that club, then there were probably a dozen more that will have them.

And, if I rat them out to Josephine, then they would probably be bounced at once.

Also, what am I going to do about those two girls who are in that group with Aika?

Kiraki stares off into space.

To be continued

[oddball]

Man these two are hopeless, seems as though Kiraki has his biggest challenge to date..... 

[resop2]

(This is a fan fic based on the "public images" of various Hello!Project artists and is no way, shape or form trying to imply anything about the personal lives of the real people behind the public images.)

An Annoying Paradise Part 18 ("serialized in Shounen Jump")

"Aika-kun, may I have a word with you?"

Oh my god, I can see this not ending well.  I can imagine Aika crying and kicking me in the shin, or Aika not believing me and stop talking to me in school, or Aika not caring at all.

And, I saw Aika hugging one of the two girls who were making out from behind at the video shoot.  (I certainly can't forget that bruise I got on my forehead walking into a wall when that happened.)  Is Aika going to freak when she hears that this girl was cheating on her?

Aika looks at Reina as if to get permission.

"It's okay, but don't leave me alone too long."

Aika picks up her lunch and follows Kiraki to a different table in the cafeteria.  "What's up, sumo boy?"

"Well, first, um, I have a confession to make."

"Oh?"

"I peeped at your shoot on Saturday."

"No way!  How did you get through the security?

"I was in the park, watching from a tree.  I saw Reina run out of the building and she looked really upset.  Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Thanks for the thought, but for now, just being a good class mate of hers is plenty."

Kiraki nods.  "I also saw two of the girls who were in the video shoot with you."

"You did?  Was one taller than the other?"

"About the same height."  Wow, Aika's face says that she is not going to be surprised at what I am about to tell her.  "They were making out outside."

Aika hangs her head and nods.  Aika sneaks a glance over at the two girls in question who are hanging out at another table.

Kiraki can see that the two girls are not acting abnormally.

Finally, Aika looks up.  "Okay, I've got it.  This is going to sound weird, but I need you to play along."

"Okay."

Aika takes some money out, enough for a large size lunch, and hands it to Kiraki.  "Don't tell anyone about it."

Kiraki's jaw drops.  "But ..."

"Take it!"

What a scary voice!  "Okay."  Kiraki puts the money away.

"Now I can guilt trip those two that I had to pay hush money and not have to lie about it.  Now, if you'll excuse me."  Aika returns back to an impatient Reina.

--

Kiraki enters the Jeneral Entertainment building and is flagged down by the receptionist.

"Kiraki-kun, Josephine-sama needs to talk to you before practice."

This can not be good!  Kiraki rushes to Josephine's office.  Crap!  Josephine looks totally distraught.

"Kiraki-kun, this is all my fault.  I'm sorry."

"Sorry about what?"

"This."  Josephine holds up a picture of Kiraki leaving the seedy nightclub from Saturday night.

Busted!  I am so dead meat now.  "Woah."

"No kidding.  I had to pay the tabloid leaches good money to keep this out of the papers."

Kiraki bows deeply.  "I'm sorry."

"No, it's not your fault.  It's my fault.  I sent you to clean up two giant mounds of crap, so it's natural that some crap rubbed off on your clothes."

"So, you know that Masaki and Satoshi go there?"

"I pay the photographers hush money nearly every week."

"I only stayed there a couple minutes."

"I know that you're a good dependable boy.  But, now I know that even with your powers of persuasion, there's no way those two boys can be reformed."

"I'm sorry my help was no good."

"No, it's all my fault.  I got your hopes up with the offer of being in a group and now, well, that's not going to happen."

Well, the dream was okay while it lasted.  Kiraki nods.

"Kiraki?  Maybe you can do me a favor.  As you no doubt noticed, the crap brothers didn't do their jobs this morning as usual.  And, I'm pretty sure that they're not showing up for practice tonight."

Yeah, I'd bet money on that and I don't even bet!  Kiraki nods.

"I'm going to talk to the boss.  If things go well, I will need you to relay them a message."

"A message?"

"That they are fired.  But, that's only if things go well."  Josephine nervously scratches his head.

Woah, do those two have incriminating photos or something?  "Why wouldn't things go well?"

"Masaki and Satoshi are nephews of the boss."

Kiraki's jaw drops.  "Ne-ne-nephews?"

"How do you think they have survived so far?"

Even so, I would have kicked those guys out if they were my nephews.  Kiraki nods.

"Now go to practice."

Kiraki goes through his two hours of vocal training and dance lessons while trying to put this situation out of his mind.  However, it is difficult and he has even more trouble than usual staying on pitch.

Finally, he drags his body to the talent lounge, where he finds Josephine waiting for him.

Josephine makes an "O" sign with his arms.  "Success.  The boss has known about them for a while and just needed a slight amount of prodding to move him in the right direction."

"Prodding?"

"I reminded him how much hush money we pay per month for them."

This seems so wrong to me that he would ignore their disgraceful behavior because they are family but kick them out over money issues.  "So, they're gone?"

"Gone.  Period."

However, I am not above wanting to kick them on the way out.  Kiraki gets an evil grin.  "So, Josephine, maybe you could help me craft an appropriate speech for them?"

--

Around two in the morning Masaki and Satoshi leave the nightclub.  They have an older well dressed gentleman with them who has his arm around Masaki's shoulder.  When they get out of the alley they are confronted by a tall youth.

"Imagine finding you guys here."

Masaki smiles.  "Kiraki, let us introduce our producer friend here."

Producer?  Is that what he calls himself?  He looks like the only thing he produces is dirty thoughts about young boys.  "No need.  I just dropped by to warn you two that your cell phones are going to deactivated in the morning."

Satoshi raises an eyebrow.  "Are we going to get better models?  These pieces of junk won't run any of the coolest apps.  They're so embarrassing."

"I don't know.  Maybe Mister producer-san can buy you guys new phones."

"Aren't you getting a new phone?"

Kiraki lifts his chin and tries to look superior.  "My getting a new phone from Jeneral Entertainment wouldn't affect people like you."

Masaki starts to get Kiraki's meaning.  "You didn't rat us out did you?"

"No, they just got tired of paying the photographers hush money."

"Photographers?"  The older gentleman runs away at a dead sprint.

Satoshi, who is visibly drunk, shoves at Kiraki without connecting.  "You moron.  He was going to get us on television!"

I don't think any video that that guy produces can be shown on television.  "Sure he was."  Kiraki smirks at Satoshi.  "But, don't worry, you won't have to worry about us Jeneral Entertainment folk screwing up your business any more.  Josephine sent me to tell you two that you are fired."

"What!!"

"Jeneral Entertainment wishes you two all the best in your future endeavors."

Kiraki turns and walks to the subway station, not even bothering to revel in their reaction.  I am going to be tired the tomorrow in class, but this was so worth it.

To be continued

[oddball]

Ha, that will sort those two idiots out!  why do I feel that Kiraki may not of seen the last of them though?.....

And Aika giult tripping Rii and Saki  and once again poor kiraki gets involved in it 

[Shiawase_Honoo]

I want these two stupids are fired for long time!!!
(So evil I am )
Thanks for your hard working

[resop2]

(This is a fan fic based on the "public images" of various Hello!Project artists and is no way, shape or form trying to imply anything about the personal lives of the real people behind the public images.)

An Annoying Paradise Part 19 ("serialized in sho-komi")

Aika gets to the front of the Harmony Project building.  Reina is already there.  Wow, look what the cat dug up!  Aika giggles.  "Wow, looks like our makeup crew has it's work cut out for them."

"Baka.  It's eight in the morning.  I was only told of this shoot last night.  I don't know what T is thinking about sometimes."

Aika yawns.  "Yeah, it was really last minute for me as well."

A limousine pulls up.  "Ladies, please enter in the back."

Aika sees that some of the makeup staff is already in the back seat.  "Wow, they're not kidding around."

After a short drive, the car pulls up at an old mansion.  Megumi greets them and directs them down a hall in the mansion to a room marked as the waiting room.

Reina smiles.  "I hope we get some cool clothes to wear.  This mansion has tons of possibilities."

Aika nods.  Nice architecture and furnishings.

Reina opens the door.  "We're coming in!"

Aika follows and runs right into Reina who suddenly freezes as solid as a statue.  Aika looks around Reina.  Okay, this is not what we were told about on the way over!

Instead of a waiting room, Aika sees before her a classroom.  In the classroom, hiding discretely in the far corners are cameramen.  Standing not so discretely in the front of the class room is Takaki, one of the stars of the variety show UtaMecha.  Takaki's show is a show that all of the girls in her agency try to get on. Even though those who have gotten the show on have been brutally teased by Takaki, their sales have always skyrocketed after the cruel treatment.

"You're late."

Aika looks at the clock.  The clock says ten after eight.  "Late for what?"

"Late for what?  Late for what?  Are you stupid?  I said in class yesterday that everyone was to assemble here at eight."

Aika looks at Takaki funny.  Takaki gives her no clue as to what is going on.

"You two, take your seat."

Aika and Reina shrug their shoulders and chose two seats next to each other.

"Reina-kun?"

"What?"

"What?  Is that how you address your teacher?"

Reina rolls her eyes.  "Yes, sensei?"

"Your clothes."

"What about my clothes."

"They are against school regulations."

Reina checks her outfit.  She wears a t-shirt with an anime character on the front and wears long baggy pants.  "But, it's Saturday.  Surely the school regulations don't apply tod ..."  Before Reina can finish her sentence she has to dodge a piece of chalk thrown at her head by Takaki.

"You should have respect for your school at all times.  How are you going to be able to concentrate in such clothes?"

Reina nudges Aika.  "Oh no, this is one of their pop quiz shows."

Aika looks at Reina with surprise.

"They ambush various celebrities and groups and give them pop quizzes."

Aika groans.  "No!"

The door opens and Sayumi starts entering.

"You're late!"

Sayumi looks terrified and then runs away.

Takaki signals the camera people to stop shooting.  Takaki breaks character and talks to Aika in a less authoritative tone.  "Why did she run?  She's not supposed to do that."

Aika gets up.  "I'll see if I can get her."

Aika had saw which direction Sayumi had ran and quickly finds her trying to hide in the curtains by a window.  "Sayumi, are you okay?"

"Please, let me hide.  I'm not prepared."

"Do you have a zit?  They can fix that with makeup."

"No, no.  I'm not prepared for a pop quiz."

"Oh, I get it, you don't want to seem dumb."

"No, you moron, I don't want to seem smart!"

"I don't get it."

"I do a idol character who's supposed to be a ditz.  But, I haven't prepared any ditzy answers.  If I just take the test straight, then I'll get a perfect score and lose all of my fans."

Aika looks at the curtain in shock.  A tumbleweed rolls past.  "Sayumi, I think you need to believe in yourself.  Just draw on your experience with being a ditz.  I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out.  Now, let's try to not ruin his show."

Sayumi comes out from behind the curtains pouting.  "Okay, but please stick up for me if I can't pull this off."

"I will."

Aika leads Sayumi back to the class.  "Here she is."

Takaki gestures for Aika to come.  "Okay, Aika sit down.  Sayumi, wait outside and pout and I will come get you.  Okay?"

Sayumi nods.  "Okay.  Pout, right?"

Takaki nods.

After Sayumi closes the door, Takaki and the cameras got out side the room to get Sayumi.

Reina smiles.  "Don't worry, they can fix this by editing."

Sayumi walks in.  "Oh, no.  I was hoping today was going to be a shoot and I would get to wear cute outfits."

Takaki frowns.  "The only thing you might shoot today is your chances for academic advancement."

Sayumi finds a seat and pouts.  "Oh no, what am I going to do?"

Aika looks at her sideways.  "Take the test?"

Soon, Takaki gets a signal that more are coming.

The door opens and Saki and Risako enter the room holding hands.  They are so into their "cute" conversation that it takes them some ten seconds to realize that they are not in a waiting room.

Aika rubs her forehead and whispers to Reina.  "There goes my hard work in protecting them!"

"They can fix that by zooming in to crop out their hands."

"You two are late."

Both Saki and Risako get a "busted" look on their faces.

Saki recovers.  "It was a really nice morning and we lost track of time."  Saki realizes that she is still holding Risako's hand and finally lets go of it.

"Today is not the day to lose track of time.  Today is the day that you need to be at your best.  Today might be the most important day of your life!  Didn't I explain this yesterday in class?"

Risako pushes Saki.  "I told you to stop texting me in class."

"Well, you don't have worry about texting today, Risako-kun.  Today we will be collecting your cell phones."

Risako and Saki look at each other with a look of horror.

To be continued!

[shenlog]

exam for the biggest baka ? 

[oddball]

  Sayi is actually smart? Noooooooooooooooo!   

Oh dear poor Rii and Saki, seems as though they got pretty much busted with this and all the hand holding, hmm perhaps Aika can get them out of it.....

[resop2]

@shenlog - O - ping-pong.  Yes, this is the bakajo test parody arc.

@oddball - About Sayumin being smart ... The whole story is supposed to be based on assumptions that some fans make about morning musume that are not based on hard evidence.  On another board I was floating the rumor that Sayumi was secretly a genius who in her spare time lectured in Paris, France about Metaphysics and Literature Deconstruction.  However, she does it in her Princess Why Why disguise and goes by the French translation of "the little rabbit of peace".  One of her lecture DVD's outsold one of her photobook DVD's that was released at the same time, but there was speculation that her photobook would have done equally well in Paris if she had not shaved her arm pits.

However, just because Sayumi is super smart doesn't make her infallible ...

[resop2]

(This is a fan fic based on the "public images" of various Hello!Project artists and is no way, shape or form trying to imply anything about the personal lives of the real people behind the public images.)

Note: Students going to an "elevator School" do not have to take standardized tests to get into High School because the elevator school includes it's own high school.

An Annoying Paradise Part 20 ("serialized in sho-komi")

"I'm coming in!"

Aika sees Yurina enter the class room and then turn stiff for several seconds.

"You're late."

"How can I be late?  Isn't this the Shabondama Four photo shoot?  After all, we're all here."  Yurina gestures to Takaki that Aika, Saki and Risako are also in the room.

"There are no soap bubbles here.  Please take your seat."

"But ..."

"Don't talk back to your teacher!"

"Yes, sensei."

Yurina sits behind Aika.  "They got you too, huh?"

Aika turn around and nods.  "Yeah, I thought that it was going to be a Shabondama Four photo shoot as well."

Takaki slams a ruler down on Aika's desk.  "Don't talk about your club activities in class!  You need to focus your mind."

Takaki then gets another signal.

A minute later Risa and Eri enter the room.  Eri wears a cowboy outfit and Risa wears a club outfit.  Both turn as stiff as boards when they see the classroom.

"You're late."

Risa recovers first.  "Something must be wrong.  I was told on the way over this was going to be a photo shoot for the Race Car Five."

Takaki slams his hand down on the desk in exasperation.  "Do you see any race cars, let alone five of them?"

"Yes, we're all here."  Risa gestures to Takaki that Eri, Reina, Sayumi and Risako are also in the room.

"This isn't school club activity day."

Eri grabs Risa's arm.  "I don't like this."

"I hope that you girls studied last night."

Eri's eye grow wide.  "Studied?"

"Now take your seats."

Eri and Risa take seats by Sayumi.

Sayumi turns around and grabs Risa's hand.  "Please, let me copy off of you."

Whack!

Sayumi lurches in her chair as a piece of chalk bounces off of the back of her head.  "Sayumi!  How can an honor student such as yourself consider cheating?"

Sayumi rubs her head.  "Since when am I a honor student?  This is going to be the worst."  Sayumi pouts.

Wait a second, I promised I would be helping Sayumi in her act.  "Teacher?  I don't recall Sayumi being an honor student."

Takaki grins a sinister grin.  "Well, she's cute, so that's just as good."

"Gross!"  Aika sticks his tongue out at Takaki.

Takaki smirks to himself.  This show is going to write itself.

Takaki again gets the signal that more victims were coming.

A minute later Maasa and Momoko enter the room.  Maasa looks like she is dressed for the beach and slowly lowers her sunglasses to survey the scene.

"Maasa, students are not allowed to wear sunglasses in school."

"School?"  Maasa looks at Takaki without comprehension.

Momoko tilts her head.  She is dressed in clothes currently fashionable in England.  "I'm here for a photo shoot for Edge.  I'm even wearing a plaid shirt to get me in the mood."

"The only edge that you have to worry about today is the edge that a good education can give you.  Now take your seats."

Momoko and Maasa sit in the front, in front of their fellow Edge member Reina.

Takaki starts writing on the blackboard with chalk, but looks over his shoulder as he writes as if he is afraid that the girls would get into mischief if he takes his eyes off of them for one second.  "Today, we have our standard high school exam!"

The girls groan as they see the words "high school exam" on the board.

"All of you want to get into a good high school so that you can get a good job and have a good life.  This test is what you need to conquer to make this happen."

"But, we're already in a elevator Junior Hi..."  Aika ducks just as a piece of chalk comes whizzing by.

"As I was saying, good high school, good job, good life.  Everyone knows this, right?"

The girls nod their heads, not wanting to draw fire.

"However, among the ten of you, there is one girl who will stick out like a lock of hair that refuses to stay combed down.  As we all know, such a lock of hair is called an ahoge.  The girl who gets the lowest score on this test will be given the title of the ahoge girl, or the ahojo."

Sayumi puts her head down on her desk and sobs.  "Why?"

Aika reaches back and sideways and pokes Sayumi.  "Sayumi, do your best."

"Now that everyone is here, I would like you all to change into your regulation school uniforms.  There will be a study hall for two hours, then lunch, then we will start the test.  And, then we will find," Takaki whips around and looks right at Saki, "the ahojo!"

Saki screams in terror.

Aika is able to find a private room in the mansion to change without drawing attention to himself.

Coming back into the room Aika notices that the mood has considerably changed.  Before, the room was a riot of color from all the trendy outfits worn by his fellow Harmony Project members.  Now the room is very somber as all of the girls are wearing identical dark blue sailor fuku school uniforms.

"Aika?"

Aika looks up from the review material.  "Yes, sensei?"

"Is your uniform okay?  T tells me that you are quite a Tom boy."

Aika smiles and tries to cover.  "I like sports a lot.  By why would that mean that I don't like my school uniform?  It's cute."

"Are you sure you wouldn't like a boy's uniform?  Like Utena?"

Aika giggles a little until a snappy comeback comes to him.  "Utena didn't wear a boy's uniform because she was Tom boy.  She wore one because she was tall and they didn't have a girl's uniform her size."

Takaki notices that Sayumi is furiously writing notes on the margins of her study material.  "Sayumi, you realize that this is not an open book exam?"

Sayumi slaps her head, but then continues to take notes.

After a little bit more, Takaki takes a break, convinced that he has enough footage for the first part of his show.

Aika looks backward at Sayumi, trying to see what she is writing, but cannot.  "Pssst.  Hey, Sayumi.  What are you writing?"

Sayumi whispers back.  "Ideas for stupid answers."



To be continued!

[shenlog]

Can't wait for answers like Chan Pon Chan   

[oddball]

Nice to see that Sayumi is studiying hard...... er to get the wrong answers... 

[resop2]

(This is a fan fic based on the "public images" of various Hello!Project artists and is no way, shape or form trying to imply anything about the personal lives of the real people behind the public images.)

Note: The kanji for road that the teacher was looking for is the same kanji that is in the last name Michishige, something that "Sayumi" should have known (sort of).

The kanji for island that Saki got correct was the same kanji that is in the last name of Nakajima.

An Annoying Paradise Part 21 ("serialized in sho-komi")

"Itai!  I think you guys gave me the wrong size for the school shoes."

Oh yeah, sure, Sayumi.  That's really transparent.  It's not obvious that you're cheating by hiding notes in your shoes.
Aika smiles. I guess it's okay though since she's doing this to get a lower score, not a higher score.

"Kuso!"  Reina has gripped her pencil so hard that it breaks in two.

What is she doing?  She is just staring at the broken pencil.  "Sensei, may I have another pencil?"

After Takaki gives Aika another pencil and goes back up to the front of the room, Aika slips Reina the new pencil.

Finally the test is over and it is graded.  It is already evening, but the lights in the room makes it look like only a little time has gone by.

"Okay, class.  Before we give out the results, there are many answers that we must carefully, seriously, and with great erudition, make fun of.  Let's start off with the Kanji questions."

The class groans.

"This test had Kanji that you learned in each of your first six grades.  Is everyone confident that you did well?"

Aika and Yurina raise their hands.

"Shouldn't idols have more confidence than that?"

One by one the rest of the girls raise their hands, with the last one to gain confidence being Sayumi.

"Sayumi, this is good.  It is good to be confident.  Let's look at one of your Kanji.  We wanted a Kanji for the idea of a road.  Here is what you drew."  Takaki puts up a slide showing the Kanji Sayumi drew.  "This is not a road (michi).  This is the kanji for a worm (mushi).  This is disturbing.  What message does this send to the kids out there that even for a national idol there are still worms on the road that they walk?"

Sayumi hides her head in "shame" but secretly snickers.

"Another question was 'which Kanji has the idea of an island?' and, Saki!"

Saki jumps a little bit.  "Yes?"

Takaki displays her answer.  "Your answer was correct."

"Thank goodness."

"Now, let's talk about the Geography questions.  You were asked to outline Russia on a map.  Reina!"

Reina jumps two inches off of her chair.

Takaki puts up a slide with Reina's incorrect answer.  "Reina, this is no good.  Suppose you were going to do a concert in Russia and you flew to Australia instead?  The promoter would be frantic.  They would find out where you were and it would be a scandal.  How would T explain that you would rather perform in a warm climate than a cold climate?"

Reina giggles and tries to cover up for the mistake.  "I would depend on the airport people put me on the right plane."

"Is it really good for a national idol to be this carefree?  Now, we also had the geography question: name the capitals of China, Mongolia, and Italy.  Risa!"

"Yes?"

"I enjoy these foods as much as you do, but pizza is not the capital of Italy."

"No way!"

"Genghis khan is not the capital of Mongolia."

"You're kidding?"

"And, chow fun is not the capital of China."

"Ohhh!  This sucks!"

"You do know the capital of Japan, right?"

"Tokyo, of course."

Takaki smiles.  "That's good.  I was expecting you to say Takoyaki was the capital of Japan.  Next up, we had math questions.  In this question we are to solve for 'x' in this equation."  Takaki displays the equation with a projector.  "Sayumi!"

Sayumi looks at the teacher suspiciously.  "Yes?"

"Your answer was wrong.  But it was cute."

This is my cue.  "Sensei, this test isn't about being cute."

"No, it isn't.  But her answer was cute."

"What's cute about a wrong answer in math?"

Takaki slams his hand down on his desk.  "If I say it's cute, then it is cute."

"So, now it is time to find out who the ahojo is."

The class collectively groans.

"We will start from the top score and go to the bottom score.  Coming in at number one was a member of the Shabondama Four club."

Risa groans.  "Hey, that isn't me!"

"No, it is not, it is Yurina who scores a ninety five percent."

The girls give Yurina a hand.

"Number two, is someone whose name ends with the 'ah' sound."

Risa smiles and prepares to celebrate.

"That person is ... Aika who scored a ninety two and got a perfect score in math."

Sayumi pushes Aika from behind.  "Being good in math isn't cute."

"In third place is someone from the first row."

"That's not me!"

Saki, Risako, and Sayumi brighten up.

"That person is ... Saki who scored a eighty eight."

Saki breathes a sigh of relief.

Eri raises her hand.  "Teacher, this isn't fair.  All of the top people so far have been in the Shabondama Four."

"Fair?  Fair?  Life is not fair.  School is not fair.  We graded the test according to the correct answers, not to distribute the high scores to the individual clubs."

Takaki regains his composure and paces at the front of the class.  "Now, as we all know, by the results of the tests, we are placed into classes.  So far, the people I have called have all been in the 'A' class.  That is the class you want to be in.  The next person will be the last person in the A class.  And that person is ... someone whose name ends in 'oh'."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."  Momoko taps her hand on her desk.

"And that person is ... Risako with a score of eighty six."

"Eeeeeeh!"  The members of the class who were not in the Shabondama Four raise their voices in indignation.

"So, class A will be all members of the same club.  However, those who cannot get into class A can get into class B.  You will want to be in class B because, those in class B cannot be ... the ahojo!"

The class groans.

"So the first member of class B, and the fifth highest score, is ... someone in the second row."

Risa again puts on a happy face.

"And, that person is ... Maasa who scores an eighty three.  But, this means that we have only five places left.  We have gone through half of the class.  Place raise your hand if your name hasn't been called yet."

Sayumi, Risa, Eri, Reina and Momoko all raise their hand with embarrassed looks on their faces.

"Now, still in class B we have ... Risa with a score of eighty one."

Risa pumps her fist in the air.  "Finally!"

"Which brings us to the last person in class B.  And, this last person is ...  Momoko with a score of seventy nine."

Momoko and Maasa slap each other high five.

"So now, one of the final people remaining, one of the members of class C is going to be the ahojo.  Who can it be?"  Takaki goes around and inspects the hair of Sayumi, Eri, and Reina.

Risako is grossed out.  "Teacher, please stop smelling the hair of the students.  It's perverted."

"I was looking at their hair to see if any of their locks were sticking up.  There are no perverted teachers here.  We're all here to help our students."

Risako rolls her eyes, unconvinced.

"Next up, the top of class C, is ... is ... Eri with a seventy five.  I must say, though, that this class is one of the best groups of students ever.  Usually, a seventy five is good enough for the top of class B."

Risa pats Eri on the shoulder to comfort her.

"But now, we have the moment of truth.  Either Sayumi or Reina is going to be ... the ahojo."

Aika notices that while Sayumi gives a good reaction, it is a faked one, as if she wants to be last.

"And, so, number nine, with a score of seventy two is, ... Sayumi!"

"I am?"

"So, Reina, with a score of sixty eight is the ahojo!"

One of the camera people hand Reina a hair bow that has one giant lock of hair that sticks straight up on it.

"Please put on your prize."

Reina reluctantly puts on the bow and poses for the camera.

"And, that's a wrap!  Thank you everyone!"  Takaki breaks character and is all smiles since the show will probably bring a high rating number.

Aika finds a private place to change back, then goes to try to find Reina again to comfort her.

Reina barges past Aika and heads for the door of the mansion.

Sayumi catches up to Reina.  "Hey, I'm sorry, I thought I threw enough questions to take the heat."

Reina ignores her and runs out.

Aika tries to catch up to her but is held back by Sayumi.

"Aika, there's something you should know.  When Reina went on the regular UtaMecha show she was badly teased by Takaki and she took it really badly.  I should have known that Takaki would make her nervous now.  This is my fault."

Aika looks straight ahead, stunned.  "It's okay.  No one said being an idol was easy.  We'll just have to support Reina in class next week, okay?"

"Okay."

To Be Continued