Love Live!: SHATTER [PART 9]

MY MENTOR, MY SENSEI:

*P.O.V SWITCH - MAI NATSUKAWA*

Perhaps it would be best for me to start from the beginning.

Growing up I was accustomed to helping out at my family's photography studio, which has been running for many generations dating back to the days of my great-grandpa.

I lost my dad when I was ten, so helping my mom was second nature to me. He was a wizard with a camera... I've never seen anyone frame others so perfectly.

Since he died, mom and I have been keeping his family's legacy alive here at the Natsukawa Photography Studio. We owe it to him for making our lives so special...

We miss him...

Our old regular customers say that I remind them of him, so it's nice to be compared to such a wonderful man. Even if I can't work a camera like he did.

As you know already, our little studio is founded on tradition. We're a little slice of classic Nippon that allows both traditionalists and tourists to have wonderful pictures taken with elegant kimonos.

Did I enjoy helping out?

Of course! Who wouldn't? We had people from all over the world coming to wear our kimonos, and it kept our family's business afloat.

Even so, I felt like there was something missing... Like I was almost living my life for someone else. If even for a brief moment, I wanted to sample what it was like to choose something for me to do.

Outside of photography, I love practicing traditional dancing and singing in my local choir. I'm quite the performer they'd say! *Giggle*

Three years ago I started studying at Shion Girls Academy. School idols weren't so popular back then, so there weren't many opportunities for them to shine. I wasn't familiar with what a school idol was...

So it wasn't like I could do anything spectacular with the talents I had. I was content.

Until the day she walked through the door...

She was beautiful, elegant, and motherly... I was bewildered by her.

Next, she would come to our studio every day to take 'commemorative' photos, and to look through old archives we had.

I desperately wanted to start a conversation with her, because I knew that there was something special about her. I just wanted to find out what that special something was.
But I was shy around her, she wasn't one of our usual regulars so it took some getting used to before I made a move.

Or rather, she's the one who called out to me.

???: "Hm...?"

MAI: *Gasp* "Ah!"

In a panic I hid from her, peeking shyly around the corner.

???: *giggles* "Ah, thought someone else was here. No need to hide, dear."

MAI: "S-Sorry... I didn't mean to cause any trouble..."