ｔｈｅ   ｆｉｒｓｔ
ｇｒａｄｕａｔｉｏｎ   ａｕｄｉｔｉｏｎ
ｓｏｎｇｓ

『 your p.o.v 』

          Waking up to the smell of the ocean from where I left the balcony door open just a crack is an amazing thing. Though also waking up to the sound of scratching at my hotel room door is not an amazing thing in the slightest bit.

          Groaning, I reluctantly pulled the blanket off from over myself and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, rubbing at my eyes to will my fatigue away. Masato and I stayed up till around two in the morning just talking in his room across from my own, jumping from topic to topic before we eventually both grew quiet as he went to sewing a new cross stitch project he started on the plane ride over to Okinawa while I returned to composing on my laptop. Needless to say being woken up at six in the morning after only getting around four hours of sleep is less than ideal.

          As I slipped on my slippers and shuffled over to the door, the scratching only seemed to be growing more frantic. Who would be doing something this stupid at such an ungodly hour? I would normally say that maybe it was Otoya trying to be cute or maybe even Natsuki just giving up on knocking (because that has happened once before and I've learned to not question things where any of these idol students are concerned), but this doesn't feel like anything they would do considering it's so early. Even Masato who gets up earlier than this knows to not go bothering people before at least seven.

          With a click, I opened the door and was surprised to find no one standing there. I looked down the hallway, first down the right side and then looking down the left, Syo just now leaving his own hotel room in full work out clothes. He's most definitely going out for an early morning run. If I wasn't always so tired from staying up late to compose, I'd probably join him every once in a while- especially while we're in Okinawa. This place is absolutely stunning when the sun is rising and setting, the perfect times for running.

          A small cat's meow made me freeze, Syo disappearing from my sighs as he heads down the hallway towards the elevator. Slowly, my gaze shifted downwards to near my feet only to find a very familiar black cat with emerald green glimmering eyes just sitting there, looking up at me with a slight tilt to his head and- oh my god Kuppuru is here in Okinawa.

          "Kuppuru?!" I hissed as I quickly ushered the black cat into my hotel room, not wanting anyone to see this pesky feline. "How did you even get here?! Did someone smuggle you in their luggage on the plane? Did you convince Ringo to take you with him? I don't even think this hotel allows animals, what am I supposed to do with you now?"

          Clearly unconcerned with this entire situation, the black cat jumped up onto my bed and laid down without hesitation. I stared at the cat incredulously. He has absolutely no cares to be given about him being here. Seriously, just how did no one notice a black cat casually hitching a ride in their luggage?

          With my back against the closed hotel door, I just stared at the black cat. "I don't know the first place to go to in order to buy you cat food around here, you do realize this don't you?" I asked regardless of the fact I know this cat isn't going to respond to me. "And what are we going to do about letting you outside to pee or whatever? There's no way I could get you down to the lobby and outside for you to do your business without getting caught- wait, how did you even get up to the fourth floor without someone spotting you..?"

          Meowing, the cat rolled over onto it's back and looked at me upside down.

          "Okay, you know what, I'm just going to ask Masato on what to do with you because you're clearly offering no help." I muttered as I walked over to my suitcase that's lying down beside my bed and began pulling out a change of clothes. "He might know how to handle you better and can actually feed you melon bread."

          Getting ready for a long day of who knows what, I went ahead and grabbed my phone as I wandered over to sit on the edge of my bed. Still nothing from Reiji. I know he said he'd call me in a few days, but, I can't help but be a little worried about him. Maybe I'll give his manager a call and ask to for an update on my stupid older step-brother who's far too emotionally unstable for his own good... No, I'll just wait for Reiji to call, I wouldn't want to give Kei more things to worry about if Reiji is doing just fine and completing his work without any problems. Worst comes to worst, one of those Quartet Night members calls me about why Reiji is acting so weird. Until then, I guess I'll just wait this one out.

          Kuppuru meowed once more as he got up to walk over and plop himself down on my lap. He looked up at me as I placed my phone down beside my legs and began petting down his silky, onyx black fur. "You know Kuppuru, you could be an emotional support animal, you always seem to calm my nerves when I'm beginning to work myself up."

          Meowing once more, the black cat placed his head against my stomach and rubbed a bit, his way of I guess returning the affection.

          After about ten minutes, Kuppuru finally got up and went to lie down near the middle of my bed. Taking this opportunity before that black cat can once again trap me, I stood up and made a beeline for the door to my hotel room. Though right as I was about to open the door, a set of knocks resounded.

          I blinked once, then twice, then a third time as I just stared at the door for a second. Well, this timing sure was convenient. With a click, I went ahead and opened the door and was surprised to find a tall blonde with sparkling green eyes looking down at me, his smile blinding as always. "___-chan! Do you want to go get some breakfast with me? I was looking around last night and found this cute diner not too far from here and really wanted to take you out."

          Glancing over my shoulder for a split second, I grabbed Natsuki's hand and pulled him into my hotel room, the few students who happened to be up at this time staring with widened eyes as I quickly closed the door behind the tall blonde. "I'd love to, but first, help." I said as I pointed an accusing finger to the black cat who's sleeping peacefully on my bed.

          "Kuppuru?" Natsuki asked in disbelief, looking from me to the cat and back to me. "How did you get him here?"

          "It wasn't me, he just showed up at my door this morning!"

          "Oh, that's not good."

          I shook my head. "I have not a single clue as to how he got here or even found my room. What should I do with him? I was actually about to ask Masato for his advice on what to do with Kuppuru when you showed up."

          The tall blonde thought for a moment as he approached the cat and gently petted it, Kuppuru not waking the slightest bit. "Well, I guess we just have to work together in taking care of him until we return to Saotome."

          "We're going to get found out before the end of this first week." I sighed. "There's no way we can hide a striking black cat with large emerald green eyes- he stands out too much here."

          "Well, we could just give him to Tokiya to look after."

          "And why do you think that?"

          "Tokiya is moody and would probably be the best at hiding a cat since everyone would be too scared to accuse him of hiding a cat."

          I couldn't help but laugh at that as I leaned against the wall next to the door. "Just because Tokiya is quiet and glares a lot doesn't mean he'd be good at harboring a cat."

          Natsuki shot me a playful grin. "You never know."

          "How about we go get some breakfast and figure out what to do with Kuppuru later tonight? He should be fine while he's sleeping." I suggested, already opening the door to my hotel room as the tall blonde makes his way back over to where I'm standing. "I could really use a good fresh cup of coffee after the morning I've had."

          With a bright smile, Natsuki grabbed my hand and interlaced our fingers as he pulled me out of my hotel room and closed the door behind us. "I want some cute Piyo-Chan pancakes!" He said happily as we made our way down the hallway towards the elevator. "I hope they have them."

          Just as he said, Natsuki ended up taking me to a nice little diner no more than a fifteen-minute walk from the resort. It had a similar feel to mom's bento shop; extremely cozy and welcoming. Considering I didn't really start this trip off to a good start, I'm glad Natsuki went out of his way to look around and find this place for us. It's definitely a great start to our first full day in Okinawa and I got to spend it with him. Though I probably could have gone without the whole Kuppuru-showing-up-out-of-nowhere thing...

          By the time Natsuki and I made it back to the resort, we were just in time to catch Ringo and Ryuuya's announcements for the idols and composers who were in the dining hall.

          I quickly sat down between Ren and Tomo-chan at the table our group of friends more or less already claimed for themselves within this large dining room, Ringo fixing to talk now while Ryuuya stands next to him looking incredibly tired. Something tells me he didn't get much sleep last night. Wonder what kept him up so late?

          "As you all know, this may be a vacation but you still have projects and assignments to be working on! So," Ringo paused as he looked out to us students, a sweet smile dancing across his cherry painted lips, "the other teachers and I along with Shining Saotome himself thought we'd add a little twist to this duet project of yours that you've all been given."

          Ryuuya stepped forward now, a scowl clear on his face as he studies the students before him, a couple of the poor kids even looking a little scared of him. "Alongside the duet the composers are writing for their two idols, they will now have to write a solo for each of those idols as well meaning the composer will be writing three songs in total and the idols will be writing the lyrics to both the duet and to their individual solo songs." He said, those piercing eyes of his not missing a single student as he addresses the large dining room. "Idol students, this project will now count as one of your three possible audition songs for the graduation auditions to be held near the end of the year."

          An audible gasp could be heard from around the room.

          "Yup! You heard him right, each of you idol students will have the opportunity to work with three different composers to create three possible audition songs. Whichever of the three you like the best, and if that composer agrees to go ahead and partner with you again, will be the song you sing at the graduation auditions.~" The pink haired idol shifted his weight from one ruby red heel to the other. "As for composer students, when graduation audition time comes around, you will only be able to choose one of the songs you composed for the idol students to be considered your piece for the graduation auditions. But if the idol chooses one of the other three songs, then you won't be eligible to participate in the auditions."

          "So idols and composers must choose each other in order to go forward with the graduation auditions, otherwise they will both have to choose their second choices and hope that those work out. Otherwise, well, neither of them will be able to have their professional debut." Ryuuya finished off for his colleague.

          The dining room stayed quiet for a moment before a wave of hushed whispers broke out among the students, everyone trying to figure out just what this means for our future careers as idols and composers.

          "So we will have to choose just one of the three songs we create with three different composers to do our graduation auditions with?" Natsuki asked from across the table. "I don't get it."

          Ren scoffed. "No, you have it right Natsuki. We're being forced to fight for composers and then have to hope our favorite composer chooses us back or else we don't get to even try out for these auditions."

          "Meaning ___ can only choose just one idol to go forward with when the graduation auditions come around." Tokiya tacked on thoughtfully.

          "So she'd be forced to choose just one of us..?" Otoya asked as he shot me a concerned glance. "That's so unfair."

          "You'll compose for me, won't you Haruka?" Tomo-chan asked the pink haired girl sitting beside her, Haruka simply nodding with a bright smile in response.

          Masato sighed. "It looks like this isn't going to end nicely for any of us then if we're all going to be asking ___ to become our official composer going into the graduation auditions."

          "That would make us enemy's." Syo murmured, looking to each of our friends with slightly narrowed eyes as his fedora shifts ever so slightly on his head.

          I rolled my eyes at their dramatic theatrics. "Guys, the graduation auditions aren't here just yet so we have time to figure something out. If you all want me to be your composer, then, I'll find a way to make that happen. But don't go trying to kill each other now. The last thing any of us need is to start fighting."

          The orangette sitting beside me patted my thigh. "Don't spread yourself out so thin. It might be better for you to choose just one of us in the end as well, Little Lamb."

          "Don't worry about me, I'll be just fine. Now shush, I think someone's going to ask something." I said, nodding over towards one of the front tables near where Ringo and Ryuuya are, a small looking boy raising his hand with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

          "As a composer student, would it be possible for us to choose more than one idol if we like a number of the songs we composed equally?" The small boy asked. "Or do we have to work in singular pairs?"

          Ryuuya smirked at such a bold question. "It would be unfair for composers to work with more than one idol since that would give them a better chance at debuting professionally, so, to answer your question, composers can only choose one idol."

          My shoulders fell some at that. Okay, so there's no way I can somehow go into the auditions with six idols, but there might be a way to work around this if I can come to some sort of deal with Shining Saotome himself when it's time for these auditions to be held. I don't know what I'll propose, but I have to do something. There's no way I would ever be able to choose just one of these amazing idols to compose for.

          "In terms of this project," a different teacher spoke up, him being I think a top tier idol who recently released a new single, "since there will be a total of three songs being created, we want your groups of three to think of this as a literal unit cd being released. Try and make these two solo songs not only somehow relate to each other, but also to the duet sung by the two idols without losing their individual personalities."

          "The group of three students who can give us a coherent unit cd will be allowed to perform those three songs at the upcoming Saotome Academy Music Festival where many famous alumni come to perform and show what's become of them since graduating." A famous composer teacher then said as she stood up to stand among the three other teachers. "Traditionally, only one currently enrolled student was allowed to perform on behalf of the entire school through a project similar to this one. But due to the shortage of composers this year, it's been decided that the two idols from these duets along with their composer will be eligible for performing at this year's festival so take this project seriously. The songs created in this project are not only to be considered for the graduation auditions but can also give you idols another opportunity for further exposure."

          Ringo clasped his hands together in delight, beaming a blinding smile that lit up the entire room. "Take this project very seriously everyone! After breakfast, please meet up with your groups and head off to a quiet area on this resort to start working on your songs. As a word of advice from us professionals who have worked on things like this many times before, create the duet first and then worry about the solo songs. It may not feel easier to write the duet first since you have to mesh the two idols together and have them both shine, but when it comes time to writing their solo songs from the composers standpoint, it will be much easier to link those two songs to the duet and then you can better utilize your idols best qualities to your advantage. Oh, and before the end of the day, please meet with your teacher to give them an update on your groups status as well as how you're feeling about the project! This isn't part of your grade, but will heavily affect how we grade you later on if we can't see your progress through the course of this next month so don't brush us off."

          The orange haired actor cleared his throat. "With that being said, you all are being given the rest of today to start working on your unit cd's and to relax. Until tomorrow morning, you're all dismissed and free to do as you please." Ryuuya said, ending the teacher's little speech.

          The four teachers sat back down at their table to continue their breakfasts as all the students once again began loudly talking about just how they're going to somehow finish this project before we return to Saotome Academy. It's no longer just writing one duet which was enough of a challenge, but now we have to write two solo songs alongside that duet within a months time! Even I'll struggle with making three great songs in such a limited amount of time and I'm supposed to be S-Classes top composer. How the rest of the other composers are supposed to compose under this kind of pressure is truly a mystery.

          Taking a casual sip of my water, I glanced to Ren and Masato who, for once, were actually sitting beside one another and not glaring the other person down. "So, should we go find somewhere quiet to discuss your duet once you're both done eating?" I asked.

          Ren pushed his chair back. "I'm ready to leave if you are, Hijirikawa."

          Without a word, Masato pushed his chair back as well and the two of them stood up. Taking that as their answer, I went ahead and said goodbye to our group of friends as I got up and followed after them, Ringo and Ryuuya watching as we walked past their table before disappearing out of the dining room altogether.

          Leading the two boys down the hallway of the fourth floor, I stopped right outside my hotel room door. "I figured we could just discuss things in here and then I'll start composing while you both go and relax." I said, unlocking and opening the door with a loud click ringing out into the quiet hallway. "Unless you guys would rather us talk somewhere else?"

          "You should always be careful inviting men into your room, Lady." Ren said with a flirtatious wink as he walked past me and into my hotel room. "You never know who might have ulterior motives for going along with stupid school projects."

          Masato scoffed, walking in after that pesky orange haired idol student. "She's safe so long as I'm here to keep you from doing anything to her." He said with narrowed eyes.

          Closing the door behind us, I went ahead and glanced around my room some only to find a certain black haired cat now nowhere to be found. "Um, you guys wouldn't happen to see Kuppuru anywhere, would you?"

          "Kuppuru? That black cat you've been taking care of?" The orangette asked as he plopped down onto my bed, making himself comfortable while Masato walks over to sit at the small coffee table set up with two chairs facing one another near the center of the hotel room.

          The blue haired boy sighed. "You didn't seriously take a cat on this vacation, did you?"

          Laughing, I took the other open seat across from Masato's, already opening my laptop that had been sitting on the coffee table from where I left it last night after finishing my late night composing session. "Of course not. He just showed up at my door this morning before Natsuki came to take me out. Guess he must have jumped out the window or something."

          Ren chuckled, propping himself up on the pillows as he lies down on the bed now, one leg arched up while the other is crossed over his thigh. "Cat's do have nine lives after all."

          "I'm sure even a cat wouldn't survive a four-story fall," Masato responded blandly.

          "You don't know that for certain."

          "Must you always be right?"

          "Now now you two, no fighting." I interjected, already opening up the project file that contains the sample melodies I've made for the two of them. "You're going to have to work as a unit on this song and if you can't at least put your differences aside for this project, then there's no way we'll get the highest grade or have you both perform at that music festival."

          Looking to me with a small smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, Ren twirled a piece of his hair around a single finger. "I don't particularly care about this either way so you two write what you want and I'll sing whatever's handed to me. I don't need to practice anyways, unlike someone."

          Masato's jaw clenched at that. Quickly, I reached over the small coffee table and placed one of my hands over his own larger one to try and calm him before he snaps at that orangette.

          "Ren," I spoke up, "you're not perfect so you're going to have to practice as well and actually work on this project. Even if you don't care about getting the highest grade or getting to perform live, you shouldn't pull Masa and I down with you because you're currently unmotivated." I said with a pointed look.

          The handsome orange haired boy blinked a couple of times and looked truly astonished at me standing up to him like this. He's probably not used to this kind of opposition since virtually all the girls at school idolize him and just blindly go along with whatever he says. Someone challenging him like this head on, and that someone being a girl well, it's rare to say the least.

          "You know how my father is, Jinguji." Masato spoke up, looking down at the table and never once sparing Ren even a single glance. "I ask of you this one favor, take this project seriously. Any opportunity I can take to make my father see that I'm not just wasting my time here is an opportunity I must take and I need you to play along this once in order for me to have even a chance at obtaining this opportunity."

          "You're actually asking me for help..?" The orange haired boy lounging on my bed asked with a blank expression, all previous amusement and teasing left out of his voice entirely now. "The proud, perfect firstborn son of the Hijirikawa family is asking me for help?" He then scoffed. "You must be desperate."

          "Ren." I said warningly. "Don't take out your personal issues on Masato. Let's just end this discussion for right now and have you both decide on a melody you want your duet to be centered around. We can discuss more on whether or not you should take this seriously another time."

          Before either of them could start arguing, I began playing the five melodies I thought up over yesterday and last night. They weren't anything amazing, but they did sound like a mesh of what these two could sing together and that alone was enough for what I needed to show them. Both Masato and Ren looked to me with a mixture of emotions swirling around behind their eyes. They can see themselves singing this song together as well, but they're going to need to work on themselves individually before they'll be ready to truly sing together with their hearts linked up on stage.

          We have one month to get to that point. Now let's just hope I can help them get to that point before our time here in Okinawa runs out...

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          I'm totally making up how I want the graduation auditions to work out for the sake of the plot of this story and I'm lowkey impressed with myself for thinking this far ahead lol who am i

          Question of the Chapter: How do you think the protagonist is going to somehow manage to mend Ren and Masato's broken friendship? Do you think she'll be able to do anything, or will this all come down to Masato and Ren themselves to figure out for themselves? I mean, we all know that things are eventually going to get better because otherwise, Ren and Masa would never get along and ST☆RISH wouldn't be a thing so I have to make this work between them lol but it's interesting to hear what you guys think anyways because what forces these two to finally put aside their differences is something I'm sure none of you will be expecting.~

          Can we just take a moment to appreciate the fact that Cesshi somehow managed to work his way into this chapter even though everyone is literally on an island right now like even I don't know how that kitten managed to get himself to Okinawa. Welp, we all knew cesshi was magical so I guess I shouldn't question this too much lul we also get more RenMasa cute moments from here on out during the Okinawa ark of this fic so that'll be fun to write for~ ^^ and you all know I'm 1000% going to find a way to work in that punch Masa throws at Ren from season one into this fic lmao just you all wait we're gonna see an epic *punch* from masa and everyone is going to be shooketh

          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 ♡