Are all that matters.

=4=

Yume didn't know. She didn't think that ranks in this school could change so easily. The top 20 of Four Star Academy had stayed the same ever since the start of the year, so Yume didn't think there was anyone in this school capable of climbing up the ladders.

But there were also other things she didn't know.

"Did you hear? The new girl took the tenth place with the recent test!"

"Yeah, and it's her first test too!"

Yume paid no attention to the unnamed new tenth place. It wasn't that Yume looked down on her, it was just that she wasn't her rival. But at the same time, it meant that she would meet the tenth place sooner or later. The unnamed tenth place would be moving into the empty room in the dorms since she earned her place in the school along with the fact that she would be Yume's new classmate.

Yume didn't do so well when she first met the others within the dorm since she disliked communicating with people. And she did figure that everyone who enrolled into this school was rather competitive. It was bound to get tiring over time, but Yume has yet to hit that obstacle yet.

Yume sat down at her seat, waiting for the start of the first lesson. She scanned around the room and noticed the seat where the ex-tenth sat was empty. As she stared at the empty seat, she heard the door slide open and there walked in two people.

"All right, as you all might know, we've got a change in rankings. She's also a new student, so could you please introduce yourself please?" The teacher said, facing the new student towards the end of his sentence.

"Hello everyone! My name is Hoshizora Nozomi! It's very nice to meet you. I hope we'll get along in the dorms too!"

~

"..." Yume stared at the person who knocked on the door.

"Why do you keep appearing in front of my door?"

"Just let me hide until dinner. Please. She keeps appearing everywhere." Subaru requested, desperately if Yume may add.

She?

Without giving Yume another moment to debate whether she should let her rival in, Subaru just stepped into the room and closed the door, leaving the two of them alone in Yume's room.

She turned around and sighed, "You know I didn't let you come in right? You're trespassing into a girl's room."

Subaru sat down on the ground and leaned against the foot of her bed, "It's just until dinner. If I have to see her one more time before dinner, I'll go crazy..."

"You keep saying 'she', who's that?" Yume asked as sat down on her bed, giving herself a break from studying.

"That new tenth place girl, Hoshizora Nozomi. She keeps appearing everywhere I go. Thank god she isn't my neighbour, can you just imagine if she was my neighbour?" As Subaru finished his sentence, he just groaned, as if imagining it actually happening.

"Well, that sounds amazing for me. Not sure about you, but it sounds like the best thing ever. You'd be away from me." Yume said sarcastically.

Just as she said that, another knock was heard on the door. She gave a look at Subaru, watching him get up and hide in the bathroom. She opened the door to see the expected person, "Do you need something?"

"Oh hello Yume-chan!"

Why is she calling me Yume-chan...

We're not even close.

Yume definitely looked uncomfortable with Nozomi calling her that, it was all over face, but she replied, "Hello, so did you need something?"

She had a slight smile on her face, but her facial expression was kind of frowning, "Ah, do you happen to know where Subaru-kun is? I can't seem to find him..."

"No, why would I know where he is? I spent my whole time here studying, so if you can do me a favour, please let me return to studying." Yume said as she was about to close the door on Nozomi.

~

"Oh wow you were so annoyed just now." Subaru said, laughing.

"Shut up, I wouldn't even have to deal with this if you weren't in my room." Yume said as she rolled her eyes.

There's just something about her that I dislike. I can't put my finger on it though.

Plus, even after I chased her way, Subaru continued to stay in my room until dinner. I thought he would've left.

To Yume, it was horrible during dinner because Nozomi wouldn't stop talking to Subaru and was being incredibly noisy. Even the others found it annoying, but tried to keep it to themselves. However, Yume couldn't hold it in and just told her to be quiet. Saying that it was dinner time, not fangirling time or anything.

After that, Yume stuffed everything down and went back to her own room to get some peace and quiet. She was out on the balcony, enjoying the sound of the wind and trees, until her neighbour came out onto his balcony as well.

That's how they started chatting, talking about Nozomi's arrival, throwing in some teases here and there. As time passed by and jokes were thrown at each other, Yume slowly let her guard down and forgot about her decision.

On the other hand, Subaru enjoyed the words exchanged between the two of them, even if it was only temporary. He had made up his mind there and then, that he would become Yume's friend once again, no matter what it takes.

[To be continued...]

Written on: 4 October 2019

Here and back with a new chapter! With the arrival of an original character! Name is Hoshizora Nozomi, currently occupying the tenth place in Four Star Academy. 

Credits to @mishtang for coming up with the name because I lack the creativity to do so! Thanks for suggesting a name!

You can take your guesses with the role she's going to play, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was a bit shorter than usual.

AND DID YOU GUYS WATCH AIKATSU ON PARADE? BECAUSE IM EXCITED AND YUME'S BACK! I NEED CONTENTTTTT

Next update: 13 October 2019

(Sorry about the confusion, I'll update the chapter tomorrow, along with the announcement. -Written on 12 October 2019)