Dream Star

- Y Event Hall -

After Lila parted ways with Haruka, she quickly headed inside . Today"s job was with her fellow G.o.ddess4 members, she would help set up for the welcoming party festival . Some late students enroll at this time . These late students are more pressured than the others since they missed a good four months . Universal Star academy, however, offers a program that allows them to graduate on time, despite the late enrollment . Lila thought that with the current situation, she could not help .

So it surprised her when she received the call asking her to come . Of course, because she wasn"t on speaking terms with Soichiro . Yori was the one who pa.s.sed on the message . Other than Maaya, the other two were here . Though Kasumi stepped out for a bit . The three of them were gathering the equipment and setting everything up for the two-stage event .

The daytime stage event that takes places on campus, and the nighttime one which takes place here . They have a lot of work to do, so Lila didn"t know whether she could see Haruka for lunch .

Lila only noticed it an hour later . It"s a good thing, hardly anybody noticed it . She found a quiet spot and pulled out her bag, only to spot various papers inside . "Ahh, wrong bag," Lila cursed . She grabbed whatever, and it"s not like she picked a girl bag for today . So it"s only natural for the mix-up . But for this to happen now of all times, is she cursed or something?

Lila should have known, it was Haruka after all . There was no way he would let her go just like that . Thankfully Rinna also noticed .

"I knew," Rinna said, "It was a good thing I brought my bag with me . Let me help you cover it up . " Rinna said . Lila allowed her without so much of a fuss, usually, she would not mind the marks Haruka made on her being visible . However, right now, she is at work .

This girl is Kusaji Rinna, the rock type specialist in the G.o.ddess4 . With her long indigo-colored hair and amber-colored eyes . Perhaps Rinna heard what happened with Kasumi because the remaining awkwardness between the two has vanished completely .

"Thank you, Rinna . They would think of me a hypocrite, promising to protect them, and yet showing that I"ve engaged in a very action they can"t understand," Lila sighed at the mere thought . She only remembered them kissing and having s.e.x, though . Haruka must have drunk her blood when she was fast asleep .

Although the rules regarding hanyou"s living out in the open is entirely different than her mother"s generation . There"s still the anti fraction, that cannot accept that there are beings out there who are different from them .

"Your welcome . But please be more careful, after that announcement of yours, many are observing you," Rinna trails off, "Thinking about it, recently you said something bold in front of the meeting with the anti-council . Your lucky Kasumi was there to smooth things over . "

"Because of that, I"m now being observed," Lila paused . Too carefully for her liking, she"s not used to having someone follow her around . But she"s the one who did something for them to think she needs more protection . Lila briefly caught a glimpse of Izumi who was standing by the door . He could at least come in .

"Izumi, huh? You two don"t have any blood relation . But he was practically raised by your mother . You"d think he would be on more friendlier terms to the woman who saved his life"s family . "

"In his words, his debut is only towards mother . " and yet Lila saw Izumi occasionally speak with Father . . . Over the years, Lila never knew what they talk about since they lock themselves in the study for so long . However, when the doors finally open, Lila sees a warm and gentle expression on her father"s face . "He seems close with Father, though, so maybe he isn"t a bad guy . "

But then again, even now she doesn"t know exactly what her father"s like . By the time he came to live with them, she was incredibly shy and would cling on to Mother . She was so used to Ren-san being there, that having another man in the house felt strange . At that time, she should have known better than to act like a child .

She should have tried to be more of a grown-up . Back then mother was falling apart, she didn"t have the time to look after her like before . In the years since her father started living with her, Lila has never once gotten to know him, and when she attempted to do so, it was too late . By that time, what bound them together being mother was already gone .

Rinna patted her shoulder and softly said . "I saw Huan-san earlier, and Kyoko-san seems to be sticking around for long too when you have an opening in your schedule, or even after work . Why don"t you grab a bite to eat with them? I"m sure they came here because they were worried . You can bring Izumi too . He won"t be stubborn with those two around . "

When Lila found out that her brother was staying, she was shocked . He usually doesn"t like being apart from k.u.mi-senpai too much . It didn"t take her long to figure out the reason why - after all, he made it, incredibly obvious .

He"s such a contradictor . What happened to accepting her relations.h.i.+p with Haruka? Still, while she was in town, there was something she would like to do other than work and Haruka .

"I want to go to the planetarium with Kiryu, we couldn"t go that time," Lila recalled their last date before she went on her journey . This time around they won"t go as lovers but friends . Yet, Lila still wanted to go with him .

A knowing "ah" pa.s.sed Rinna"s lips, "You two really do love stars . "

"Is it strange?" Lila questioned .

"No not for you, it fits your image perfectly . On the other hand, that guy . At first glance, he looks like a delinquent, someone who rides motorbikes with those gangster outfits . But actually, he"s a guy who likes looking at stars . With that silver hair, it"s really hard for people not to misunderstand . "

Lila looked at her friend, with a confused expression . What is she talking about?

"It"s the hair? But I really like it . It"s so soft," Lila nodded .

"His eyes, he"s always glaring . "

"Their such a pretty color, he always stares at me with them," the corner of her lips tug into a smile as she recalled something, "He"s so silly . "

Rinna stared at her speechless for a few seconds before she said, "You have a counter for everything I say about Kiryu don"t you?"

Counter? But she"s only saying her real thoughts . These things about Kiryu though, they"ve been said quite often since elementary school . However, Lila has never once seen any of his characteristics and physical traits as bad . But there must be a reason why everyone thinks so .

As Lila racked her brain for an answer . The doors opened, revealing an exhausted-looking Kasumi, "This is bad . There"s not enough staff to help set up the stage . "

"If it"s just the stage, the three of us can probably do it by ourselves . Lila"s fast when it involves decorating . "

Kasumi shook her head, "It"s not just the stage staff . But the catering service team all caught illnesses, and there"s a chance that the food got contaminated . The stages will be long since there"s a lot of first-years this year . If there are no refreshments, the audience and board members will get tired . Also, the others will be late . Maaya said they ran into some trouble out in the field . "

"The problems just keep piling up, huh? Right now this is bad . The welcoming party is one of the biggest traditional events . We can"t break it now . But without food and refreshments, as well as a shortage of staff," Rinna trailed off, "We could probably get something sorted out, but we need to distract the audience for a while . One of us will have to do the opening live . "

"I"ll do it," Lila spoke up .

"We can"t have you performing first . Or rather, please be careful with your voice," Kasumi reminded her .

"No, that"s not what I mean . I"ll do it, you know helping find a catering service that can help us out on such short notice," even Lila knew better than to try singing now .

"But, will there be anyone who will be willing to a.s.sist in such short notice? We have a lot of guests, and they"ll be running their own shops too . "

"I know, my chance of success is low . And maybe it would be better for me to remain here so we can get everything done . However, this stage is a very important for the ones who worked hard to get into this academy . I don"t want to waste their efforts and ruin the reputation of Universal S academy," Lila trailed off . Even now she still loves it, Universal Star Academy . That place has so many memories for her .

"I will protect it, this place . In such a short amount of time, I grew to love it . The scenery from the roof of this school . The voices of chattering in the halls, the sounds of people practicing . But even more than that," Lila smiled brightly, "I love this school, and everyone"s radiance . They"ve all put in so much effort into this day . They are all sparkling with their own unique light . We have to show everyone, a bright starry path created by all the idols here . "

The other two seemed stunned, and for a split second, Lila thought she said something wrong . When Rinna spoke up, "Lila, I"ll leave that to you," her friend turned around to face Kasumi, "Kasumi, coordinate the stage, and call the a.s.sistants . "

"Ah, I did that earlier! I figured it would be more lively and exciting if we had more people in the opening stage . They"re already on their way," Lila interjected .

"You"ve grown dependable, huh?"

Lila smiled, "Un . "

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