After Haruka chooses to be with Tokiya and Shining Saotome accepts their relationship, the rest of the group of STARISH are in a huge state of shock. Most of all, they're heartbroken. But what other choice did they have but to move on?
The very day...
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"No way! They both confessed to you?"
Tomochika's screech stirred the building itself.
"Tomo!" you hissed.
"Oops, sorry." The redhead barked a laugh. Testament to her promise of going out together, she showed up out of the blue this morning and dragged you to one of her favourite breakfast branches. You'd received your orders, but little eating had been done. Tomochika was talkative, and had managed to pry out every last drop of your worries in record time. "So? What are you gonna do? Who's the lucky man?"
You opened your mouth.
"Or is it mans? You'll choose both?"
Your shoulders drooped. You swirled the straw in your drink. "Isn't it strange?"
"What is?"
She wanted you to spell it out?
"The fact that those two like me!" You slapped the table for emphasis. "It's way too sudden. And unexpected. Besides, just a little while ago, they were so heartbroken about Haruka their band almost disbanded!"
Tomochika leaned against her seat and folded her arms.
"That is true. But maybe you're the one who healed their hearts?"
How so? You'd done nothing special from what you could think of.
"Are you worried those feelings aren't genuine?" Tomochika knocked the bullseye. She rested her chin on her knuckles. "That now that the no-love rule is dissolved, they're just coming onto you to get over Haruka?"
"I mean," you said, "I'm nobody special. Getting to work at the Shining Agency. . . meet Otoya and Ren. . . it was just a lucky opportunity. I was there at the right time—when they got their hearts broken."
"You shouldn't look down on yourself like that. Not anyone special? You've been flourishing far before Shining Saotome scouted you. And even after seeing all the turmoil and suffering of your favourite idol group, you cheered them on. If it wasn't for you, I'm sure both Ren and Otoya wouldn't be able to smile like they are right now. Your charisma draws people to you. You're an irreplaceable existence."
"Even. . . to my favourite idols?"
"Especially to your favourite idols." She snorted. "What to do. You're getting unbelievably popular. It's only a matter of time before you steal Haruka's former role and form a harem of your own."
"Please don't joke about that, Tomo. I'll get excited."
"Oh, you would? I kinda figured."
She laughed again. She was always so full of energy.
"If anything, you're the one not viewing me in a serious light. Constantly brushing my declarations aside, with no remorse. When will you realize just how important, how irreplaceable, you've become to me?"
"Sure chance may have played a role in our encounter, but for it to be able to bring us together, I'll gladly thank it. Because we met, every day is better than the last. Looking at it like that, it has to be fate. Obviously, then, I want to get closer to you. As close as I possibly can. Am. . . I the only one who does?"
"Love doesn't have a timeline," she added. "It all comes down to your heart. The surreality of it all aside, how do you feel about them, (First Name)?"
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"Jinguji-san and Ittoki-kun finally completed the lyrics! The president and the movie director approved of it as well, and they'll be in the studio recording it any day now. I'm so, so glad to have worked with you on this, (First Name)-chan! It definitely wouldn't have turned out so splendidly. Let's keep working hard on future songs, all right?"
You received the news when you'd returned from your outing with Tomochika. In a hurry, Haruka had excused herself, on the notice that she'd made plans. She didn't deliberately say it, but by her flushed cheeks and timid demeanour, you assumed it must've been a date with Tokiya. Since the fiasco, the two interacted with no reservation. Their relationship was still fairly professional but both were definitely happy; made sure the world around them knew it, too.
Shining Saotome had also summoned you to his office to offer you a permanent job here as well to arrange all of Haruka's future songs.
Life was seriously too good lately. It had to be a dream. That, or sooner or later, you'd end up paying the consequences for hogging all this fortune and suffer tenfold.
Sighing, you surveyed the music and lyric sheets Haruka had passed on before her departure. At a passing glance, the lyrics were standard for their band's image. Unspecific romantic lyrics, an upbeat tune. But, without a doubt, mentions of you and you alone bled through the pages. Without a doubt, you were their inspiration.
A coincidental encounter.
A sweet girl who wished nothing more than to cheer them up.
A re-encounter that'd changed everything.
A video game tournament and spontaneous soccer match.
Banal and difficult conversations. Sadness and happiness. Friendships and intimacy.
A fiery, passionate emotion that'd engulfed them without their knowing.
Someway, somehow, you met your dearest idols, and your love for them had grown leaps and bounds stronger. The future was uncertain, but like Otoya had said, it was best to treasure every moment and make it last.
Part of you had made your decision a long time ago.
_________
So! Who do you choose, dear readers? Otoya or Ren? Which ending to this fanfic would you like to see?
(Truthfully, I've written two endings (which I've posted) but you can decide which one you'd want to read first or which one you like best XD)
