My Crown: Reimagined [IDOLiSH7 Fanfiction]

21: My Hopes and Dreams

Riku went into his deep thinking mode while watching IDOLiSH6 dance to RESTART POiNTER, leaving only the centre position open. The boys were doing great. As always, they let their charms shine through.

"Hmm." Riku wondered what would happen if the 7th member were to join them. This song was somewhat different from other I6 songs in that it relied heavily on the centre's vocal power. It wasn't as balanced as the other songs. The coach found it hard to imagine how the 7th member should appear to be like, and it was important since he would be the one setting the image for this song, or for future IDOLiSH7, even.

"Riku, what's up?" Yamato approached their training coach when the song was over. He thought it was strange that Riku had not given them any comments.

Riku just realised he was thinking too hard. He hadn't really watched them. "Ah, sorry everyone. I was lost in thought."

"Is something bothering you?," asked Sougo.

"I was thinking about the 7th member." Riku decided to answer straightforwardly since this matter also concerned those boys. "I was told what his idol image should be like but..."

"You're not sure if you got it right, correct?" Iori knew exactly what Riku was going to say.

"Yeah." Riku nodded. "I was told he is kind, caring, sensitive, and that 'his smile can change the whole world'. Sounds like the complete opposite of me."

Tamaki gave Riku a confused look. "Really? To me, he sounds exactly like you."

"I agree with Tamaki." Nagi came dancing and twirling to Riku. "You ARE very pretty when you smile, Riku."

"You're definitely kind and caring too," Sougo added.

"I have an idea. Why don't we let Riku sing and dance as our 7th member during practice?" Mitsuki voiced his opinion, and it was something I6 had been dying to hear. "We can all see how the overall performance will look."

"And we can give you feedback." Iori thought it was a good call. He then got closer to Riku, whispering in the boy's ear. "Remember Kimi to I6 Night? Just be yourself, Nanase Riku."

"M-me?" Riku pointed at his chin. "Well, I suppose it can't hurt to try."

Having anticipated this whole event, Iori chuckled lightly. The former idol was too adorably innocent. Iori wondered how he could not already know that the centre position was for him. Before long, all seven boys took their starting positions. Riku tapped into his mind, doing some last-minute thinking.

Myself. What did Iori ever mean? Before he became a training coach, all Riku did was get the people around him in trouble in exchange for him being able to feel. Anyway, he could remember the visuals of Kimi to I6 Night quite vividly. Saying it was the best day of Riku's life would not be an exaggeration. He was surrounded by his friends, supported by them and accepted by them. He'd been longing for the taste of happiness he felt that day. Would today be the day he could return to that moment and live in it?

The song started. Think, Riku. The boy told himself to play the role of the 7th member. He had to think of how to improve the already perfect version of IDOLiSH6. As he moved to the beat of the song, he had a vision of what IDOLiSH7 should look like in his mind, and it was up to him, the centre, to make it happen. He treated the mirror in front of him as an audience hall. To give them a world of dreams and smiles, he would need to smile the brightest. Riku time-travelled back to Kimi to IDOLiSH6 night. He wanted to be that boy who discovered joy for the first time in his life.

There he is. Iori smiled, watching his centre lead them to a brighter future. Riku was not just capable of changing the world. He was capable of creating a universe. Iori was sure IDOLiSH7's debut concert was going to change their lives forever.