UtaPri: Ai x Reader

Ch. 22

I sighed as I helped Ringo wheel a cart full of stage clothes to QUARTET NIGHT's practice room.
"Do you think they'll like it?" Ringo asked me for the millionth time.
"Hai, Ringo," I said. "I like mine, so I bet they'll like theirs."
My stage uniform was a white dress. It was above the knees with a light (f/c) trim, a light brown leather belt around the waist, and the sleeves passed the shoulder a few inches. With that, I was suppose to wear light brown slouch boots. The accessories were a golden necklace with a silver dream bubble, a twin set of heart shaped rings (one on left, other on right), a (f/c) bow or ribbon (depending on weather you want to wear a ponytail of have it loose) and a bracelet that had 'QUARTET NIGHT' in studded jewels. Man, Ringo is amazing!

We opened the door, to the boys finishing off their five hour practice, I had practiced with them for the first two hours, but then Ringo had called me out.
"Minna, I have something for you all!" Ringo said, handing each boy their respected clothing.
Camus looked at his first. His was a white tux with two bottons in the middle and a blue long-sleeved undershirt so light it was nearly white. White dress pants with the same color blue for the trim,and white dress shoes.
Ranmaru toyed around with his clothing. A red-brown (not maroon) polo shirt, a white vest, white dress pants, white leather gloves with red-brown trim, and white and red Converse.
Rei-chan smiled down at his outfit. He had a white fedora with green trim, a white undershirt, a white jacket with a high collar (green) and where the buttons were suppose to be, green lines took their place. White dress pants with green going down the sides and white shoes with pale green laces.
Ai studied his outfit. A white polo shirt, a lavender tie under a white hoodie with lavender edges. White dress pants with a pale brown belt and white shoes with purple soles.
"So, how do you like it?" Ringo asked.
"It's awesome!" Rei-chan answered.
"I like the colors." Ai said.
"Worthy... I guess..." Camus said.
"The gloves are cool..." Ranmaru said.
"Yokatta!" Ringo and I said at the same time.
"Ara, minna!" Ringo said. "STARISH-tachi... I think they might need some help with practice. You know... teach 'em how to dance."
Rei-chan and I smiled. "My pleasure!" We said in unison.
***
We walked in to the STARISH members dancing.
"They're at it again!" I heard Rei-chan whisper.
Ranmaru stayed at the door, I stood next to Ai's right, Rei-chan on his left, and Camus behind us.
Suddenly, Cecil started spinning.
All of our eyes widened. Cecil explained that it was a dance from his home country, and that it was the only dance for hm.
"Ehhh... Maji?!" Rei-chan said in a weird voice.
Syo then volunteered to help teach Cecil how to dance.
"I was coming here thinking I could teach them how to dance," Rei-chan said. "But, they look like they're doing fine to me."
"How will they be ready in time?" Ai asked. "My data says that dissolution is absolute. We are going to beat them"
I stared at Ai. He didn't worry for anyone except me.
"Doushita, Ai-Ai?" Rei-chan asked. "It's not like you to worry about others."
Rei-chan turned back to the STARISH boys. "They seem like they can make the impossible possible."
"What do you mean by that?" Ai asked.
"It means that I believe in them. Yes, we're rivals for now, but they're still our kohais, our friends. And we must believe."
"Believe?" Ai asked, looking confused.
I saw Camus and Ranmaru leave out of the corner of my eye.
Ai went out a few minutes later. I was about to leave, when Rei-chan stopped me.
"Iya da, ___________, don't leave me here all alone." He said.
"Demo, Rei-chan. I have to go after Ai. He doesn't understand." I said.
He nodded, pouting. "Fine." Then, let go of my hand.
I smiled. "I'll make it up to you somehow." I said over my shoulder.

3rd Person POV:
"My data already says that dissolution is absolute. How can Reiji believe in them?" Ai asked, typing on his computer.
He thought over Reiji's words.
"Worry?" He questioned. He thought over the debut, the first time STARISH sang 2000%.
"Me, worry over them? But, we're competing against them..."
He thought about the song again. And gasped. He touched his heart, then, looked at his fingers. "What is this?" He asked.
There was a knock on the door, and ____________ walked in. Her eyes softened as she laid eyes upon Ai.
The usually smart Ai was lost and confused. Of course, she was the only who could help him understand.
"Ai-kun." She said, gently turning the chair so that he faced her when she sat on the bed. "Doushita?"
"I don't know what this is," he said, holding his heart again."It makes my heart beat faster. I can't stop thinking about them. This is different from what I felt when I was around you."
_____________ looked at him with sympathetic eyes. "That, watashi no Ai, is worry, anxiety, the bond of love and friendship."
He blinked. "Bond of love... and friendship? As in I worry over them because I have strong ties and care for them?"
She nodded."Just like that, Ai-kun. You're almost there." She hugged him.
He smiled, and leaned into her embrace. Yes, having __________ explain things and having her love him was so... comforting. She was the only one who could help him make sense of these weird feeling. He felt at ease and at home whenever she was there.

Your POV:
The next day, I finished my work early, and came back to the dorms quickly. Ai wasn't in his room, or in our practice room. I followed the sound of music, and bumped into Camus.
"Camus-san!" I cried. "Have you seen Ai?"
"In there," he said, motioning to the slightly open door. I peeked through, and saw Ai intently watching STARISH.
Just before I walked in, Camus asked, "Haven't you noticed anything strange about Kurosaki and Mikaze lately?"
I smiled. "Of course I have, Camus-san." I answered.
"Ever since they heard that song, Maji Love 2000%. Ai's in there, watching their practice without Shining-san's orders."
"Hai," I said. "That song opened up a new path, a new emotion, a new everything for Ai-kun and Ranmaru-san. STARISH changed all of our lives in general. Don't forget that, Camus-san."
I walked in, and everyone looked at me. "Ossu." I said, holding up a peace sign.
"____________-chan madde?" Natsuki asked.
"Ehh? What do you mean madde?" I asked, sitting next to Ai.
"Iya, nande mo nai." Tokiya said. "Come on, let's practice."
Once they were into it, I ran a hair through Ai's hair. "I guess we're all learning, ne, Ai-kun?" I asked.
"Doyouimida?" Ai asked, looking at me.
"STARISH is learning to deal with yet another member. You and Ranmaru are learning to deal with the emotions, Camus is trying not to change, and Rei-chan is trying to bring QUARTET NIGHT as close as ever."
Ai nodded, understanding. "We're all changing, ne?"
I quickly kissed his cheek, making it look like I had whispered something to him. Which I did. "You bet, Ai-kun. Daisuki da yo."
And he slightly blushed.

~*~* Time Skip~*~*

I opened my eyes slightly. It was midnight. Out of the corner of my still blurred vision eyes, I saw Haruka close the door behind her.
I was curious, but I didn't care. I got out of bed, and headed for the boys' dorms.
As I opened the door to Ai's room, I found Ai typing on his computer again.
"Ai," I said, and he turned.
He looked frustrated. "I still can't get it. Their dissolution is possible. We have a clear shot at winning."
"Ai..." I said, hugging him. "We need to believe in our friends and we need to believe in ourselves. We can't think lowly of one another, we can't underestimate them. Everyone has a chance of winning. We just let fate decide. You understand, don't you?"
He blinked, once, twice. "Hai, wakarimashita." He said, a serene look on his face.
I stood and backed up a bit, and tripped on one of the bed's legs. I landed on the bed, back first. Ai doubled over laughing, tripped himself, and landed on top of me.
Suddenly, the door creaked open.
Syo and Natsuki entered with big eyes.
"Not in this room!" Syo yelled, he and Natsuki fleeing the scene.
I blushed as I heard Ai laughing again.

~*~* Time Skip!~*~*

QUARTET NIGHT and I, minus Ranmaru, who had gone to the restroom, stood in our waiting room. We would perform second, very unfortunate. I wanted to upstage both groups.
Ryuya was (unfortunately, also) the guest judge, so it felt more like a class assignment than anything else.
"Ne, minna," Rei-chan said, frowning. Uh-oh...
"What happens if we disban?" He continued.
"I'd have more time to do my idol work... I guess..." Camus answered.
"I guess we'd separated..." Ai answered.
"I'd cry my heart out every night." I answered.
Ai put an arm around me.
"But, that won't happen." Ranmaru said, entering. "We won't loose!"
"Ossoi." I teased him, trying to loosen the mood.
"Urusei. I just ran into the bakas we're up against." He snapped.
The TV suddenly blared the MC's voice, and we all paid attention to Shining and Raging confronting one another.

*Then, HEAVENS sings HEAVENS GATE.*

Silence was over everyone in the audience, and even in our waiting room.
Ranmaru said a very bad word that no one should ever use.
"I agree," Camus and I said. "Holy (censored.)"

Da-Doom! Almost finished, guys!