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『 your p.o.v 』

          For the third evening in a row, I left Ren's room and made my way back down the hallway. He's been skipping meals and refusing to leave his hotel room ever since Masato punched him. Clearly, something that day really struck a nerve with that poor orange haired boy and he really isn't feeling like himself right now... I almost feel bad for him in a way. He always looks so deep in thought, just thinking about everything while I bring him food three times a day and sometimes pop in to check up on his current status during a rare moment of spare time. Thankfully his lip is almost fully healed now.

          Ren's just lucky that I managed to talk to Ryuuya about what happened not long after I first brought him back to his room the evening Masato punched him. I managed to convince our teacher to let Ren off the hook for now and even give him some extra time to finish assignments that are due soon. Apparently that pesky orangette also spoke to him sometime yesterday while I was off with Ringo and Haruka discussing composing strategies, Ren actually apologizing for always brushing off his homework the way he'd been doing for the better part of this year already and saying he'd start turning things on time from now on.

          Now that is surprising, don't you think? Ren apologizing? That's so out of character for him. Even Ryuuya was shocked by it and immediately came to tell me that Ren asked for an extended amount of time to work on these projects himself considering I never told him I got him the extra time already. It looks like he's finally taking an initiative to try stay at this school. Hopefully now he'll be more willing to take our duet project seriously and will finally work towards truly singing without restraint. I'd love to hear him sing honestly and I might finally get that chance while we're here in Okinawa together.

          Taking the elevator down to the ground floor of this large resort, I wandered my way over into the large dining room, dinner just being served. I quickly found an open spot sitting between Syo and Tokiya while the rest of our friends sat in random seats around the table.

          "Ren still not feeling well?" Natsuki asked the second I was seated across from him.

          I offered the large blonde a smile. "He's doing better. Actually, he's working on catching up on a lot of late work right now so he's hauled himself up in his room until he burns through a fair chunk of it." I then explained with a laugh. "I'm sure he'll start joining us for meals again soon though."

          Masato sparred me a fleeting glance before looking back down to his food. The day he punched Ren, I went to his room later that night and we talked for a long while about his past with that orangette as well as what he knows of Ren's past. To sum things up, he's always thought of him and Ren being one of the same despite their lives being drastically different. They've both lost things in their lives, whether that be tangible or abstract is beside the point here. Masato, at the end of the day, kind of feels a certain link to Ren, almost like it's them against everyone else and now each other, but the link is still there nonetheless and he doesn't want Ren to give up on a dream they together share.

          It's hard to explain and I'm not sure I completely understand it myself, though there's no doubt in my mind that Masato does care for Ren to an extent and is concerned for him so I'm more than positive that they'll be fine in the long run. This is probably similar to what I imagine two siblings fighting would be like or something. It'll get pretty messy every now and again, but they still care for one another and will get past this little hiccup. Maybe not fully, but they'll eventually put their differences aside when it matters most, I just know it.

          "Jinguji's just lucky he missed that photo shoot." Tokiya sighed, pulling me out of my thoughts.

          Syo shuttered at the sheer memory of what transpired that day. "We are never letting Satsuki come out in the water again."

          Everyone nodded in agreement at that with the exception of Masato who looked just about as confused as I do.

          My eyes widened some as I looked to Natsuki. "Satsuki came out during the photo shoot?" I asked.

          Otoya shrunk in on himself a bit where he sits beside the tall blonde. "It was scary."

          "I was sure he was finally going to kill us." Syo tacked on.

          "Shinomiya lost his glasses while playing around in the water," Tokiya explained, both Masato and I slowly nodding as if we understand this, "the second his glasses came off, Satsuki showed up and nearly drowned Kurusu and Ittoki until I managed to place his glasses back on the bridge of his nose."

          Natsuki laughed as he sheepishly rubbed at the back of his neck. "Satsu-chan was just playing."

          "Playing." the short blonde sitting next to me scoffed as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked to Natsuki with a pointed glare, his fedora shifting ever so slightly on top of his head with the sudden movement. "He tried to kill me and Otoya!"

          The red head nodded his head with a saddened smile. "And here I was hoping Satsuki and I could be friends..."

          Masato glanced around some before looking to me. "Where are your roommates?" He asked, easily changing the subject so the conversation doesn't die.

          "Tomo-chan and Haruka?" I murmured as I looked around the dining hall, not surprised to find them sitting off at a secluded table with just the two of them there to keep one another company. "Ah, found them. Looks like they're on yet another date." I teased while returning to my meal.

          Natsuki clasped his hands together as he cooed. "They're so cute together!"

          "You don't believe they're truly dating, do you?" Tokiya then asked as those deep blue eyes of his shifted to me. "Love is forbidden here..."

          I shrugged my shoulders as I stuffed another fork full of food into my mouth. My roommates business has nothing to do with me and it's not like either of them has necessarily been giving me status updates on their relationship so really, I don't know much more than these boys do. For all I know, Tomo-chan and Haruka could just be great friends. Though, if I had to take a wild guess, I'd say there's something going on there behind the scenes for sure.

          "Ah, I'd kill for a girlfriend," Syo said beside me as he took a large bite of his food. "Someone to support and look after me sounds great right about now."

          A small smirk tugged at the corners of Tokiya's lips. "Isn't that what ___ already does for you?"

          Both Otoya and I nearly choked on our drinks at that. "W-What? ___ isn't like a girlfriend at all!" My red headed best friend tried to play off with an uneasy laugh, only drawing more attention to the fact he likes me and is horribly awkward about it.

          I shook my head. "I support and look after all of you, equally."

          "You're like a mother! You don't pick favorites." Natsuki reasoned.

          "I'm not sure if that was a compliment but thanks?" I responded with a laugh.

          "Changing the topic," Masato spoke up as he flicked his eyes from Otoya to myself, "___, how has our duet song been coming along?"

          A smile stretched it's way across my lips. "I'm still a little bit in a slump about it right now. I'm hoping I can convince Ren to meet with you and I either tomorrow or the day after so we can brainstorm together over which direction this song should go in." I said before taking a quick sip of my drink. "Once I get a decent way into this duet, then I'll start composing your solo songs so we just need to focus on this one song for right now thankfully."

          Natsuki sighed as he placed his chin on the palms of his hands and looked to me with a slight pout. "I wish you were composing for me again, I love your songs the most ___-chan."

          "She'll get a chance to work with the both of us again soon so stop looking to her with those big puppy dog eyes." Syo scoffed, throwing a balled up napkin right at the taller blondes face. "It's creepy."

          Otoya grinned. "I want to sing a duet with Tokiya soon!" He said without a second of hesitation. "I want to sing one of ___'s songs again and I really want to sing it with Tokiya this time around."

          The navy haired boy sitting beside me looked to the red head with a small smirk. "Oh? You want to challenge me head on like this?"

          "We're rivals so of course!"

          "Then I accept."

          I shook my head just as my phone began to buzz on the table, an incoming call lighting up the screen. "You two rivals are too much for me." I sighed, fixing to silence the call since we're in the middle of dinner before hesitating when I noticed the caller is Reiji. "I'll be right back guys." I said while I stood up and quickly made a beeline for the large outside balcony area connected to the back of the dining room.

          My friends watched as I slipped through the large glass doors, answering the call and lifting the phone to my ear before I was fully outside. "Hey." I said as a warm ocean breeze blew past. "I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me."

          "Forget about my special girl? I could never." Reiji responded with a bright laugh, sounding much more like himself than he was during our last call together a little over a week ago now. "How's your vacation going anyways? Having fun seeing all those hot idols getting wet in the ocean?" He then asked with an obvious smile dancing across his lips just by the teasing tone his voice had taken on.

          I rolled my eyes at that as I leaned against the balcony's railing while having my gaze linger over the beach the resort overlooks, the moon high up in the night sky now without a single cloud in sight to block its light from glistening over the rippling water. "I didn't come to Saotome just to drool over all the hot, soon-to-be idols Rei-chan."

          The brunette laughed. "Of course you didn't when you have me around to fawn over."

          "You are my idol." I agreed.

          A calm silence fell around our conversation as I watched the waves of the ocean lap over the pale sand of the beach. "You know ___," Reiji spoke up, "you're surprisingly mature for your age."

          I hummed in response. "I've often been told things along those lines."

          "You always know just the right things to say and when just to get me out of a bad head space- I really don't know what I'd do without you."

          "I'm not going anywhere so it's not like you have to imagine a life without me by your side."

          "That's true." Reiji murmured. "It's just... Nothing, never mind. What project are you working on right now? I think Ryuuya said something about you guys having to compose a duet sometime soon?"

          Nodding some, my gaze shifted upwards towards the moon. "Yeah, we're working on a duet piece right now as well as the idols first set of audition songs for the upcoming graduation auditions," I explained. "I'll also be writing solo songs for each of the two idols I'm currently composing this duet for so hopefully we'll get the highest marks on this project so that they can perform at the Saotome Music Festival."

          "I'll be performing there!" Reiji quickly said excitedly. "Shining's letting Quartet Night perform one solo for each of us before having us debut our first single together at the very end for his big grand finale.~"

          My eyes widened some. "Really? I'm so happy for you guys! Have you already gotten a new composer to write your debut track then?"

          The brunette didn't hesitate in quickly responding with "no! We're still needing to talk with Shining about having you compose our song for us sometime soon before the festival. It doesn't have to be your top song or anything, just something to really highlight each of our individual talents."

          I thought for a moment, looking down beneath the balcony to the rocks below near where the beach ends and the resorts high wall begins. "I can probably throw something together from listening to some solo songs each of you has sung in the past. But AI is a new idol isn't he? If you could, give him my email and ask him to send me a song or two he's done on his own so I can get a better feel for how he sings- oh, and ask Ranmaru and Camus which of their solo songs they've released so far are their favorites so I can use those as primary references too. The more options I have to pull from the better if I'm to be composing for Quartet Night."

          "You're the best my special girl!" Reiji said loudly. "I knew I could count on you for everything. You really are the best, you know that right?"

          "How could I not when you refuse to let me forget?"

          The brunette chuckled. "Thank you." He said, voice taking on a softer and more gentle tone, no teasing to be found anywhere now.

          My heart stuttered ever so slightly. "What are you thanking me for now?"

          "Who knows anymore, I have a list of things I could thank you for at this point but I think it would take over a lifetime to even begin thanking you for everything you've done for me." He said with a small laugh. "Thank you for being you, ___."

          "You sure you're doing alright Rei-chan? It's been a while since I've heard you get this sentimental." I said as a small smile worked its way over my lips.

          Reiji hummed in response. "I'm doing much better after talking to you. I'm not truly okay just yet and it's going to take me a lot longer to get over Aine, but, I'll get there with you by my side. I'll become a man you can be proud of ___, I promise."

          "I'm already proud of you, idiot." I said, laughing at the mock gasp of offense coming from the other end of the line. "You're an amazing guy Reiji so stop selling yourself so short or I'll have to make one of the other Quartet Night guys my new favorite idol."

          "I wouldn't let that happen in a million year."

          "Then you better start seeing just how awesome you really are before I move on." I teased.

          Reiji sighed. "It's getting pretty late so I guess I'll let you go. I'll try to call you again in a few days once I have some of the guys' input on what songs they want you to look at as references for our debut song. We'll have about two weeks to complete this entire debut single once you get back from your vacation so if you can while you're out there, come up with a mockup song or two so that we're not starting from square one when we meet." He said, clearly back into his usual working idol mode where his maturity truly shines. "I know this is a lot to ask of you, Ryuuya says you're even looking after that troublesome Jinguji family kid and a whole other crowd of misfits so I hope this isn't too much to put on your shoulders."

          "They're a handful," I agreed, "but composing for Quartet Night won't be a problem once I get this duet project song up and rolling. I'll give you updates when I start your groups debut song."

          "My special girl is growing up so fast."

          "Oh shut up, don't you have an interview or some other schedule to be going to right about now?"

          Reiji barked out a laugh at that. "I stepped out of a meeting with the boys to talk with you. Camyu was getting annoyed since I kept spacing out and said that I should call you if I was just going to sit around moping the entire time."

          I shook my head. "You're a professional Reiji, you can't go moping over wanting to call me like that. This easily could have waited until after your meeting with those three was over, couldn't it have?"

          "Yes and no," he responded, "we're discussing debut concepts and ideas so I also used this as an excuse to call you.~" He then sang. "Isn't your idol so smart? C'mon, tell me I'm smart."

          "You're an idiot Rei-chan now go back into that meeting already before you get kicked from your own band." I scoffed. "Tell the Quartet Night boys I said hi and look forward to working with them soon. Make sure you make it clear that I won't be becoming your official composer until after I graduate from Saotome, alright? I don't think I can somehow help all these boys here at the Academy professionally debut and work with another group of professionals right off the bat. The last thing we need is me ending up in the hospital next." I teased.

          The brunette chuckled. "Take care of yourself ___. It's bad for my health if I'm always having to worry about you."

          "Don't throw my own words back in my face like that. You're just being rude now."

          "I'm joking!" Reiji said with a bright laugh before an angry voice calling for him vaguely rung out through the phone's speaker. "I'll be right there RanRan- no you don't need to get Camyu and AIAI! Give me like, two seconds!"

          I couldn't help but laugh as another aggravated call resounded, this one more clear and closer than the last and obviously being Ranmaru's deep, understandably annoyed voice. "You should probably go before those three kill you and make Quartet Night into Trio Night." I mused.

          Reiji laughed dejectedly. "Alright, he's on a warpath so I'll call you back in a few days my special girl! I love you!"

          Before I could respond, the line went dead and I was left with nothing but a calm silence to fill the void that warm-hearted idol left behind. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I placed both of my arms onto the railing and leaned on it a little more now, watching as the moonlight danced across the ocean.

          I'm happy he called. I was really beginning to worry about him since it's been a little over a week now that we've all been in Okinawa and he hasn't contacted me once. But if he's been talking with Ryuuya and most probably also Ringo, then I'm sure he's doing fine back in Japan otherwise those two would have come to me looking for answers by now. Thankfully he's in a much better mood now that he knows I'm safe. I don't know what any of us would do if Reiji truly lost his smile.

          "What's a pretty girl like you doing out here all by her lonesome self?"

          I glanced over my shoulder at the familiar voice. "Never thought I'd see you abandon your wine glass like this." I responded with a small laugh. "Or is that what you're hiding behind your back?"

          Pulling out his hand from behind the dip in his back, Ringo revealed a wine glass with the crimson red liquid sloshing around some from the sudden movement. "You know me so well." He chuckled, ruby red heels clicking against the concrete tiles of the balcony as he comes over to lean against the railing beside me, long pink wig flowing some in the warm ocean wind. "Ryuuya went up to check on Ren and I thought I'd come pay my favorite student a visit as well. We haven't talked one on one since I scared you off that one evening I asked you to help me grade some assignments."

          Almost instantly I was taken back to that day when Ringo had me pressed up against one of the many back windows within the teacher's lounge, his hands on either side of my head, pressed firmly against the glass and trapping me in place as he asked me questions about Reiji. That happened nearly two months ago now and yet I can remember that encounter like it happened just yesterday.

          Snapping out of it, I smiled some as I glanced to the pink haired idol. "Well you did corner me out of nowhere." I reasoned.

          Ringo chuckled some at that before taking another sip of his wine. "True, and I want to apologize for that. I shouldn't be doing something like that to a student let alone my best friends younger sister. But, I had to make sure you weren't just faking all of this." He then said.

          "Faking all this..?" I repeated, obviously unsure of just where he's going with this train of thought.

          "I'm sure you've heard from Ren and Masato at this point, but someone like you is pretty rare to come across in this industry. A pure type of girl-"

          "I'm not pure."

          "You're genuine."

          I looked from Ringo and back out to the ocean. "I'm not following."

          The pink haired idol took another drink from his wine glass, smiling bitterly as he does so. "It's so common to come across people just being nice in order to gain something in return. They do you something and expect you to do something even better for them and if you don't, they make your life miserable. Everyone just uses each other in this industry to get ahead of the competition. But you," Ringo paused as he motioned the wine glass towards me, "you, my dear ___, aren't helping these boys because you want something out of it for yourself. You don't want Ren's money or Masato's connections or anyone's anything for that matter which is surprising considering most of these boys come from wealthy, influential family's. You're here because you love music and want to make others love music too and now you just want all of these boys to live out their dreams no matter the cost. That type of honesty and purity behind one's actions is rare when you're dealing with some of the most vain and arrogant people on the planet." He laughed dejectedly.

          "So what were you thinking I was doing here before you cornered me like that in the teacher's lounge?" I asked, genuinely curious to hear his answer.

          Ringo flashed me a handsome smile. "I thought you were manipulating Reiji and those weird friends of yours so you could get more recognition for your composing." He responded without a moment of hesitation.

          I couldn't help but to laugh some at that. "You thought I was the devil didn't you?"

          "You're just too nice so can you blame me?" He asked with a quirky grin. "You're so nice many of us thought you were just putting on an act so more people would like you. Never did Ryuuya and I think you'd turn out to be a genuinely great person. Guess Reiji was right and you are a special girl."

          "Glad I lived up to Rei-chan's expectations of me." I mused sarcastically, smiling some as I watch the waves of the ocean crash into the sand more and more as the warm midnight wind begins to pick up.

          Ringo scoffed. "Reiji knew before any of us you were the real deal. He's always hiding behind his own mask so he's a natural at figuring out who's faking kindness to get something and who's actually just a kind individual. Ryuuya and I shouldn't have doubted you for as long as we did, but we also weren't sure if you were using Reiji which is why I had to corner you like that." The pink haired idol said before suddenly shifting much closer to me so that our arms were pressed flush against one another's now as we continue to lean against the railing. "But don't think I did it only because I was testing you on the pretense of protecting your brother because that won't be the last time I corner you, hun."

          "You're dangerous." I said with a small laugh.

          "What can I say," the pink haired idol mused as he pushed himself from leaning against the railing and turned to start walking back inside to the dining room, "I have a thing for the pure types."

          And with that, Ringo left me outside on the balcony by myself with those parting words, my mind running a mile a minute while I tried desperately to calm my racing heart.

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          you know this fanfic has taken on a life of its own when originally i was going to have the protagonist and the starish members graduate from saotome by chapter 30 and yet here we are, at chapter 30 with a solid 10+ chapters before graduation comes around lmao whoops

          Question of the Chapter: What's your favorite part about this fanfic so far? It can be a particular moment or just something I'm doing that you like lol I'm curious why so many of you are still continuing to read this fic xD (and lowkey i couldn't think up a good QOTC so this was my backup question lul)

          Okay a lot happened in this chapter but also like nothing at all happened depending on how you look at it lmao we had some updates on Ren and what he's doing in the background, some fun with the starfishy boys, more hints at Tomo x Haruka, a call with Reiji, more talk of Quartet Night (and ranran lowkey about to kill rei-chan) and now having an official debut set in place for those four as a group, and we got Ringo lowkey hitting on the protagonist again lol but other than conversations, there wasn't much action stuff going on sooooo I dunno what to make of this chapter lol probably why I titled it "interlude" lul

          also btw apparently anything written that's over 40,000 words is considered a book and i'm somewhere between 120,000-150,000 words for this story so far lul and i'm not even a third of the way done with the story yet fjkdlajflkdsajlf;ds this fic is truly turning into one monster of story i wrote on a whim lol how am i even managing to write this much???

          As always, I love each and every last one of you lovely cuties and thanks so much for taking the time to read this chapter <3

    ~ ｋａｔ ♡