Dream Star

Only one person could do it . But, if that person were going to hold a live, then she would surely have known .  After all, she subscribed to that person"s fan club, and she is still a fan . Today, that person should be busy with the Universal Star academy event . So, how come? Why? As Mei pondered on that thought, one of the reporters broke the silence .

"Woaaahh! Is that Teras.h.i.+ma Lila?"

"A—awesome, you can hear her voice from out here . "

"Wait, I"m getting some footage from my friend . "

"d.a.m.n, your friend is lucky . How did he get to the front?"

There"s no way a reporter could have reached the front with the way things are now . So, how come? Unless they set her up? Of course, that woman is capable of it . After hearing of the things Lila has done, Mei was slowly losing her respect for the girl . However, even then, she still held the belief .  After all, it was because of Teras.h.i.+ma Lila that she pursued her dream to become an idol . To start her singing career . Her respect was already slipping, and she was holding onto that faint belief that everything she heard was lies . But, she recalled how the girl acted when she visited her home . That woman is seriously pus.h.i.+ng her luck .

Does she think she can get away with his and humiliate her like this? Not a chance . Mei looked over at Haruka who was looking at the girl with such an endearing look in his eyes . Haruka, you"ve made a mistake . This woman is nothing .

"I"m going back," Mei turned to walk away, but Haruka grabbed hold of her wrist, "W--what…" even though she was planning to walk away with a cold expression . "This is the first time he"s holding her hand," Mei suddenly felt shy .

"Stay . "

Wait; what? He wants her to stay with her? She hopes the reporters are still around . Somebody snap a picture .

"Stay and be humiliated?"

"Man, he"s as brutal as ever . "

Her happiness immediately shattered at those words . Mei looked back at Haruka; he said nothing but Mei knew from the look in his eyes that the reporters were speaking the truth . Stay? Stay and be humiliated? Like she would allow that . "I"ll stay," Mei removed her hand, "But, only to show you that I can beat her . "

There is no way she would falter in the face of her enemy .

"Can you take me closer?"

"Yeah . "

. . .

It was challenging to get through the crowd . But once people saw Haruka, they let him through . Usually, when people spotted them together, they would make comments about them looking like a good couple . However, today, she heard no such thing . Everybody"s attention seemed to be on the stage . Hmph, this kind of level is nothing . Her stage in the -- Mei paused in mid-sentence, and she rushed to the railing . When Mei looked down, there were hundreds of groups of people . No, there"s more than a hundred . How come? This stage is supposed to be low key; there"s not supposed to be enough seats .

Indeed from where she stood, Mei could see that there weren"t many people sitting down . No, the majority seemed to be standing . Don"t tell her that people are willing to stay seated despite there not being any seats? Or rather these songs are… . .

"My daughter sings my songs well, doesn"t she?" a voice from behind her said . Mei turned around and saw a woman with long brown hair and gorgeous, amethyst colored eyes . Of course, she knew who this person was .

"Why isn"t she singing her songs?"

Sumire laughed, "What a bold child . Well," she turned to the stage, "My songs are just the warm-up . "

Haruka sighed, "The legendary Queen of Music songs are being used as the warm-up? What has the music world come to . "

"Should I give you an answer to that? The music world today is revolving around my daughter," Sumire walked over to the railing, "I may have returned to the music industry, and in terms of sales and crowd my stages still surpa.s.s my daughters . But the one who inspires the new generation is not me but my daughter . Is it not the same for you, Aizawa Mei?"

It was, it was for the longest time . The truth was she lied to Haruka that time . She is a fan of Teras.h.i.+ma Lila, the one that irritated her was Kiku Ari . Mei disliked how the girl was so much like her idol, and yet at the same time wasn"t her .

But, but, it"s already far too late for her to return to those naive days . Far too late, Mei"s gaze landed on Haruka . She will persuade him to choose her . This is only the start, Mei won"t back down now . She"s come so far, and she can"t turn back anymore .

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Contrary to what may one believe . But the singing only stopped momentarily, and even then it was during the chorus part of the song . The second the chorus had ended, the singing started up once again . Around that time, his patroon had been receiving the news too, so the silence was expected . However, it did not last long, and the ladies gorgeous singing fell upon the place once again .

Ameno wonders if the ladies strength and determination got through to those people on the verge of giving up . In a place not too far from here, a large scale fight was taking place . Of course, the lady knew nothing about it . It was the adult"s decision not to tell any of the kids . If he hadn"t graduated already, he probably wouldn"t be informed either .

After all, it"s already been a good 9 hours since the fight started . It was only natural that the regular soldiers would show signs of wear and exhaustion . Those who belonged to the groups that were ambushed randomly ought to have been well past their peak . However, with those two, leading, "spirit" and "perseverance" cannot be an absence . Anyhow, it was after the lady started singing no more than a few minutes after receiving that news did the men in his platoon become motivated again .

What simple men, getting motivated by a ladies determination . If it were just any normal lady, he would have said those words out loud . Perhaps Ameno would have mocked them a little . But because it"s her, because it"s that person his original opinion can be swept aside .

"You know Ameno-senpai, I learned something from all my idol activities in the G.o.ddess4 . You can s.h.i.+ne far more brilliantly when you"re with others than when you are alone . I want to see many more idols continue to s.h.i.+ne ever brighter . To that end, I will become everyone"s guiding light, illuminate the path ahead, and be the brightest-s.h.i.+ning first star . "

Lila said those words with a hint of tears on her face and with a bright smile . For Ameno, even more than her miracle win against her sister, that was the moment, where he saw her s.h.i.+ning the brightest . The lady who said those words didn"t say it on a whim or the flow of the situation . But because she is resolved . She no longer has remaining doubts . Despite her inner fears, she can move past it and look ahead; to be everyone"s guiding light .

When they first met . If you asked him if the lady was capable of such a thing, Ameno would answer "no . " Back then, she was so afraid of seeing more bloodshed than necessary; let alone risking so many lives . But now despite these conditions, she"s still able to sing and s.h.i.+ne so brightly .

His thoughts broke when he hears approaching footsteps, to a woman with long pink hair . His lips curve to a smile, "No longer playing hide and seek with me Agehchan?"

A deep sigh escaped the girl"s lips, "Your annoying," Ageha turned towards the stage, "Not going to join?"

"No need for me to steal the spotlight . Besides, she looks like she is having so much fun right now . "

Ageha sighed but nodded, "I suppose that"s like you," she trailed off, "Lila seems to have caught the interest of so many people lately, those people are included in that bunch . "

"Now that"s interesting .

"Even before I got to know her, I"ve always felt that there was a mysterious charm around her . She attracts many people to her side and even without singing, she"s able to s.h.i.+ne . But, her kindness towards others is a weakness . Rather than grab the opportunity for herself, Lila would end up giving it to somebody else . "

Ameno"s gaze softened, "You don"t have to worry about that . Opportunities come in all sorts of forms, and besides her dream is something more simple . Even though she is aiming for something grander, even if she doesn"t achieve it, she will still be happy . Because all Little Lila has always wanted is to spread her music, to make people smile, to make people s.h.i.+ne and feel inspired by her stage . To start another person"s story . "

"Even if it hinders her own progress? Spending so much time helping other people besides herself?"

Ameno smiled, "Yeah, it doesn"t matter . Her dream to become the number one idol, she"s already achieved it, and now she"s aiming to win the dream stars tournament . Most people comment that if she does win it, she should challenge her mother next . Little Lila maybe thinking that too, but even if she doesn"t make that dream come true . There is another dream, a far larger one . "

"Teras.h.i.+ma Sumire or Lila, who do you think," Ageha trailed off and shook her head, "There is no need to ask, huh?"

"Yes," he paused and took a deep breath, "I understand that Little Lila has grown up now . She is no longer the same as she once was . But that makes little difference to me . I still feel like protecting her, protecting her innocence, even though I know she can"t continue this way forever . "

"What a complex mentor . "

Ameno responds with a laugh, "Coming back yet; I think she will be more motivated if you compete against her again . "

"We will see . "