Chapter 7

It's a warm summer day and I'm sitting in class, listening to Haruka play the piano. The song she plays is beautiful but results in my mind starting to wander.

It's been around half a year since I started attending Saotome Academy with Haruka and the others. Since then I've started feeling as if I don't fit in and the others tend to ignore me, so that's why I've been hanging around by myself a lot more lately. I try not to let it bother me but I can't really help it.

After class I decided to walk around the halls and watch the rain through the windows. I think back to the dreams I've been having frequently as of late. They all seem to follow the same path. One of the people who actually talk to me – Haruka, Shou-kun, Tokiya, Otoya-kun, Shinomiya-kun, Hijirikawa-kun, Jinjuji-kun and Tomochika-san – one of them wouls be there. They would say things to me. I'm a joke to them. They're only "friends" with me for the laughs.

I don't want to believe that my dreams are true but with how things have been lately I'm not sure. I mean I'd sit at the table, right there with them but it's as if they don't even care.

The hallway that I was in was really quiet so I decided to hum a tune, gradually adding on lyrics. I didn't sing anything new, just jumbled up lyrics that I had written previously for different things.

What I didn't expect to happen next was for Hyuuga-sensei to walk through the hallway and hear me. He started praising me on a wonderful voice. To which I timidly gave a quiet 'thankyou' in response. What he said next really shocked me though. He asked if I was interested in moving up into class S.

"It would be an honour to have a student with as much heart within her vocals as you do." I didn't know what else to say, this was an amazing opportunity. So I said the only thing I thought was best. I agreed.

With that, we went to the headmaster's office and spoke to him, asking his opinion. He didn't oppose to the idea, in fact he thought it was magnificent. It was going to be a great way for me to also build on my courage supposedly.

After that I headed out and collected the new materials I needed for the idol course for class S. They weren't much different to what I had for class A but were written for a different level of students.

That night, I avoided dinner and just went to my room. Upon entering I saw a wet little Cecil sitting on the windowsill. I quickly rushed to get a towel and start drying off his fur.

Once he was as dry as I could get him I pick him up and cuddle him against my chest. I started talking to him. I don't know what it is but I just felt a sense of peace and as if I could tell Cecil anything.

I started talking about everything that had happened since I had last saw him and the exciting news of me transferring into class S.

"I'm really nervous Cecil, but I think it will be ok. I've got this…. I hope..."

The next day I sat at breakfast with everyone. No one spoke to me even if I tried. I'm not even sure if they noticed I was there. I decided to leave early so I could get to class on time.

Once in class, Hyuuga-sense introduced me, stating that I was going to be replacing Tokiya.

'Tokiya?! What happened so that I'm replacing him? Why is he not here in this class too?' I knew I was defiantly going to question Tokiya on this when I see him next.

Class went on almost no different to class A. Theory, composing, the usual. There were still the quite murmurs going around the class about me. Seems as though that's no different.

I didn't get to see Tokiya until that evening. I was walking around in the rain not caring if I got wet when Tokiya walked up behind me.

I walked along with him and questioned him on why he was moved from classes. His answer was really vague; him basically stating that he had "no heart". I tried to see if I could help him in any way but he only turned me down. Something more was going on. Tokiya wasn't being himself. He may always be very quite but he never acted like this. So I decided to do what I felt was right and left him alone; he seemed as though that was what was best for him right now.

After being in class S for a few weeks now, I was asked to preform something in front of the class. This was something everyone did about once a month and it was my turn to go up.

I decided, this time around, that I wasn't going to sing an original song but instead one by another musician. I chose to sing 'The Reluctant Heroes'.

As I sang, I absorbed myself into the song and ignored what was around me. It helped calm my nerves.

When I finished, everyone clapped and called out 'good job' before I sat back down at my desk and the next student got up to perform.

Weeks later everyone was chatting happily, all crowded around signs set up around the school.

'Summer Camp' they read. It was almost here.

"The long awaited annual summer camp is almost here." Sensei told the class. "The location is, a southern island resort."

'Ooh, sounds nice!' Was the only thought to go through my head.

"But! Don't get carried away! After you come home, it is your hour of destiny. It'll be time to decide the pairings for your graduation audition."

'Are the graduations really that close?!' The whole class was silent; processing what had been said.

"That's right. Your pairs will be formed between idol course and composing course students, and you will start working towards your debut. I'm sure some of you have already decided on whom you're going to pair up with, but for those of you who haven't: This camp is your big change to find the perfect partner."

This resulted in the class murmuring amongst themselves.

"So everyone, choose your partner carefully." Everyone takes in his words. We all know that choosing the right paster is a big thing. "And you should already know this but as a reminder… love is absolutely forbidden!"