Chapter Text
"Wah~ It really feels weird coming back after a week here."
Kiryu raised one arm and stretched with such force that his body trembled. Tsugeura, beside him, already held a dumbbell in one hand as he surveyed the program's facilities with a smile.
"That's true," Nirei agreed, approaching them. "Somehow, it feels much more real."
"Right~?"
Kiryu turned to face the freckled boy, his typical cat-like grin playing on his lips. Playing with one of the piercings in his ear, his eyes wandered idly over his companion's face, noticing his glistening skin and plump cheeks in the sunlight.
"Nirei-chan," Unable to resist the urge, the pink-haired boy poked Nirei's face with his finger. "Did you do something during the week? You look more radiant than before."
"Ah!" Blushing slightly, the freckled boy scratched his other cheek without breaking contact with his companion. "Well, my mom and sister pampered me every day, saying I deserved to rest after such a tiring few days." He shook his head reproachingly, but his pursed lips betrayed how much he cherished those memories. "I had to struggle to wash some simple dishes."
"That sounds great!" Tsugeura spoke between them. "Your family must have a very strong philosophy, Nirei-kun."
"Something like that," the blond man's smile widened. "They're very loving and protective. It's a kind of family tradition to support whoever is going through a difficult time among us."
Hiding his hands behind his back, Nirei's eyes shone brightly as he added, "Besides, it wasn't me who came back all new! Actually, Sakura-san—"
"What 'bout me?"
The trio turned as soon as they heard the voice of their favorite grumpy cat, and their breath caught in their throats when they came face to face with the smooth, luminous skin of his face, especially soft beneath that serene expression. His uneven eyebrows rested in relaxed arches, devoid of their usual tension.
His hair was parted slightly to the left, perfectly separating the two colors and forming two small crests at the crown of his head. The ends fell naturally over his eyes, his long eyelashes trembling slightly with each blink as they tangled with the thin strands. His cheeks, tinged with a soft pink, completed the ethereal image Sakura projected in the early morning.
"Wow." That was all Kiryu could say, genuinely speechless.
"Yeah, wow." Nirei nodded without taking his eyes off his partner. "That's exactly what I said when I got in the car today."
Being the recipient of such fervent stares, the bi-colored man's lips pressed into a grimace, narrowing both eyes towards them while clicking his tongue.
“Seriously, what the hell’s wrong with you guys today? Why’re ya all actin’ like this?”
The program had scheduled them for noon, so Sakura, who was used to getting up early to go to work, ended up going to the cafe in the early hours of the morning to help out a bit before going back to filming.
The day before (and throughout the entire week off, really), Kotoha had burst into his house like a whirlwind, carrying a bag full of creams and cosmetics. Her fierce eyes left no room for complaint, so, gritting his teeth until his molars ached, Sakura accepted his fate.
According to his coworker: now that he was officially an idol trainee, his image should be his top priority. While he didn't have bad skin or any habits that could affect it, Kotoha was quite insistent that personal care should be the new habit he incorporated into his life. Therefore, in his old backpack, he now carried a couple of creams, conditioners, and lip balms, along with a few items of clothing.
The two-toned man didn't see much change in himself, but the others did. His appearance was already unique in the crowd; adding smooth skin and well-groomed hair was like sharpening a sword that already cut with just a touch.
The residents of Makochi weren't subtle either, openly appreciating the ethereal quality Sakura displayed day by day with direct compliments or whispered sounds. For someone who was easily embarrassed, that week had been the closest thing to torture.
Now, his colleagues showed the same reaction as everyone else. Nirei had even frozen in his seat as soon as he turned to greet him, staring with his mouth so wide open a fly could fly in.
"Wow."
"What?" Sakura had asked with a frown.
Pressing his lips together, the blond man avoided his gaze and spoke in a choked voice. "Nothing."
Because he didn't understand, Sakura had missed the way his partner's ears changed color. Kotoha, who had observed everything from the rearview mirror, simply laughed out loud without explaining anything, completely ignoring her coworker's growl demanding explanations.
Finally, when they arrived at the facility, Nirei was the first to leave, practically bursting out of the car, thanking everyone and saying a hurried goodbye. Kotoha made him stay in the car for a few more minutes to remind him to relax his expression, not to frown so much because it would cause premature wrinkles, and not to forget his skincare and haircare routine every morning and night.
Sakura accepted everything while doing his best to ignore Shitara's giggles from the pilot's seat, thanking them for the ride with a nod and impassive expression.
However, before driving away, Kotoha spoke to him one last time from the car.
"Good luck, Sakura."
A gentle smile greeted him as he glanced over his shoulder. "No matter what happens from now on, we'll be proud of what you achieve, Sakura. Go for it."
"Kotoha's right," Shitara said, peeking out. "Remember, we'll come for you as soon as you call. You can always count on us."
The bubbling in his chest was impossible to control. Sakura, a blush slowly creeping up his neck, used all his self-control not to yell in response, stretching his lips into a shy pout. Nodding, he walked away without a word.
Remembering only made that uncomfortable weight in his heart burn again, so Sakura pushed it to the back of his mind and focused on his companions.
"Sakura-chan, please give me your skincare routine." With serious eyes, that was the first thing Kiryu answered to his question.
Grunting, the bi-colored one spat, "Fine. Whatever. Shall we go?"
It was a few minutes before noon, and they still hadn't put their things in their rooms. Since they'd had time, they'd all arrived wearing their respective uniforms, so they could go straight there and wait for instructions after emptying their suitcases and bags.
Appreciating the change of subject, the four went to their own rooms. Tsugeura and Nirei talked about the things they'd done at their own homes, sharing family anecdotes, while Kiryu and Sakura commented in monosyllables about their short vacations.
Thus, when the clock struck noon and Kiryu finished arranging the last of his creams alongside the new ones Sakura had brought, the speakers in the facility squeaked for a brief second before resonating everywhere.
«City defenders. Please assemble at the gymnasium as soon as possible.»
As the trainees entered the gymnasium doors, their eyebrows rose in surprise at the sight of a small stage set up near the entrance. In front of it, a small rectangular area designated for the participants had the program's logo in the center.
A huge curtain, covering half the gym from side to side, was right behind the space designated for the 100 boys (one of them didn't arrive after the week off—or so Sakura had heard).
"Will this be another activity like with the HCH1MES senpais?" Tsugeura asked aloud, scratching the back of his neck as he observed the enormous gap.
"I don't think so," Nirei said, frowning and biting his lower lip. "It seems to be something bigger..."
Yawning, Sakura walked alongside the others to the group of trainees that Class B had spontaneously formed besides Class A. As soon as they saw them arrive, their few acquaintances in pink hoodies greeted them enthusiastically.
"You look radiant, Sakura!" For some reason, Umemiya looked particularly proud when he complimented him.
The bi-colored boy grimaced and ignored him, a blush coloring his cheeks, shifting his attention to anything but the white-haired boy's pompous expression. As he did so, his eyes caught a rather unremarkable machine at the edge of the stage, displaying «01:00» in red numbers.
Everything indicated that it was a countdown.
Gently nudging Nirei with his elbow, he nodded at the counter. "Look."
"Huh?" The blond boy didn't understand, but his eyes widened when he noticed the device. "Ah! What's that? I haven't seen it in any previous season!"
"Haven't we said that too often?" Even though it sounded like a joke, Kiryu's desperation was palpable in his voice.
"Should we record a personal presentation?" Tsugeura suggested, looking in the same direction.
"We thought something similar."
Behind them, Suo made himself known with his hands clasped behind his back and his typical smug grin. His two companions stood on either side of them, watching them with no reaction other than a slight nod of their heads in greeting.
"However, a PR doesn't seem appropriate at this point," the boy with the eye patch shrugged. "Don't you think?"
"They're probably innovating again," Endo chimed in with a yawn, joining the conversation. "It seems like this season is implementing a lot of changes to catch us off guard." His disinterested expression completely changed as he turned to Sakura. "By the way, you look radiant, Sakura~!"
"Tsk. Shut up."
"Whatever it is," Umemiya, who at some point had also approached the group of yellow hoodies along with his friends, smiled, "I guess we'll just prepare for it, right?"
"Of course," the bicolor replied as if it were obvious. "What else would we do?"
At his response, the nearby trainees snorted with indulgent smiles, nodding in agreement. They didn't know how Sakura managed it, but their racing hearts, due to the uncertainty of this new stage, had calmed down with just a few words.
The other more distant participants, on the other hand, reunited with their own classes and friends, their faces contorted with tension. Some placed a hand on their hearts and forced a cheerful expression for the cameras, confessing their nerves in trembling voices, while others already had a fine sheen of sweat beading on their foreheads.
Fortunately, it wasn't long before the gym doors opened again, and a youthful Arata walked in. His hair was somewhat disheveled, giving him a rebellious and fluffy appearance, while fine wisps fell in front of his crescent-shaped eyes.
During the first few days, he was often seen in stylish clothes or two-piece suits. That day, he wore baggy gray pants, sneakers, and a dark cargo jacket over a simple, plain white T-shirt. His imposing physique and long legs, however, made his casual outfit look like something from a fashion show.
Stepping onto the small stage, Arata greeted them, "Hello, trainees. How have you been? It's been a while."
Amid a round of applause and praise, the participants responded enthusiastically. A few positioned further ahead even asked him how he was doing, receiving an even wider smile from the host.
"I'm so glad to see you all looking so spectacular today, smiling and full of enthusiasm," he confessed, casually tossing the papers in his free hand toward the trainees, his smile turning dangerously mischievous. "What do you think awaits you next?"
When asked the question, the participants looked at each other, searching for answers. The more proactive ones opened their mouths wide toward the camera, while others, more dramatic, pretended to clutch their stomachs to control their nerves, starting a round of murmurs.
"What will it be?"
"Will this be another surprise from the staff...?"
"Ah, how scary..."
"Will Class F not appear on screen again?"
Hearing the depressing comment, one of the boys in the gray hoodie punched his companion's arm in exasperation."Don't even joke about that."
Arata listened to each of their assumptions in complete silence, letting the uncertainty linger for a few more seconds before raising the microphone back to his lips.
He revealed. "Team battles."
After dropping the bomb, the trainees roared a «Wah—!» as they clapped in unison almost instinctively. Those closest to each other exchanged glances instantly, forming a tacit group, while Class A received fervent attention from all directions.
"In this challenge, two teams will compete with the same song. With this team battle..."
Leaving aside the suspense required for the editing, Arata observed the participants with narrowed eyes, causing the back of most of their necks to freeze with a bad feeling.
Gulp.
"Your roles within the program will change."
A large number of the boys held their breath and shrank into themselves. This was especially true for Class F, who, after not being properly recorded for the main song, were relying on this audition to prove themselves to the public.
"Following this competition, the first ranking announcement will take place. The number of trainees who will survive this elimination phase will be…"
As if that weren't enough, Arata showed no mercy before launching into another major bombshell for the participants' mental stability. Groaning aloud at the thought of once again risking elimination, the trainees clutched their heads in despair.
"Please, please let there be more than 70..."
"Can't we survive for about 80?"
"My minimum is 60. Please let's be 60 people..."
Smiling like Cheshire the cat, Arata swept his gaze across all the gymnasium before finishing: "50 people."
"!!!"
"What?!" Unable to contain himself, Nirei tugged at his hair with an expression of deep anguish. "No! How is this possible? It's the fewest number of survivors in all the seasons!"
Sakura glanced at him sideways, listening intently with his arms crossed. Although the word "elimination" also made his stomach churn, his expression remained mostly impassive at the revelation. He didn't doubt that his partner was telling the truth, but since he hadn't seen the previous seasons, it didn't provoke much of a reaction compared to the other participants.
Feeling the tingling sensation run down his spine, Sakura squeezed his arms together and continued to stare at Arata with bright eyes.
"So, trainees. Those who will decide your future within the program…" the presenter smiled so broadly that the dimples on either side of his mouth deepened more than usual. "The mission songs are right behind you."
As he finished speaking, the enormous curtains that concealed half the gymnasium flew open. Feeling the sudden change in temperature behind them, all the participants turned around, eyebrows raised, mouths agape in surprise.
"The songs chosen for the first team competition in Fuurin 101: REBORN are…"
On a black wall, eight squares with a song title written in the center were placed side by side. At the base of each square, two large rectangles of different colors had "Group A" written in white and "Group B" in green, respectively.
From left to right, the songs that were read were:
«Energy (WEARE1)»
«This Is Our Way (N/MROD)»
«We Know (The 6th Melody)»
«BLACK FIRE (The KID from THE GROUP)»
«TMI (BPB)»
«FUÁ (ACROOS)»
«Wind Chimes (HCH1MES)»
«Sugar Drive (AFTER X UNISON)»
"Ah, ah, ah! It's BPB! BPB!!"
"WEARE1…!"
"Oh my God, Sugar Drive…!"
"Wow, even HCH1MES senpais…!"
The second the songs were played, a wave of screams and exclamations erupted from all the participants. Most stared at certain groups with flared nostrils, clearly determined to perform that song even if it cost them their lives.
Nirei was a second away from foaming at the mouth, glancing from side to side with bright eyes and a noticeably indecisive demeanor. His fascination with various idol groups was taking its toll on him at that moment.
Sakura didn't recognize any of them. With his lips pressed tightly together, his gaze wavered before he glanced sideways at his classmates in the next room, noticing that Umemiya, Tsubaki, Endo, and Takiishi's expressions seemed to freeze as they read their own—and only—debut song among those chosen for evaluation.
However, time waited for no one. Without any consideration, Arata continued with his monologue.
"All these iconic songs have been revealed. I'm sure there's one among them that you'll like and feel confident performing, right?"
As some nodded, the host continued: "We have good news for you, then. For this battle of the groups, you can freely choose the song you want to perform."
"Huh?!"
With huge smiles taking over their faces, a large number of trainees practically celebrated in silence, clenching their hands to contain their excitement.
"But…!"
"Waaah—!"
Arata couldn't suppress an involuntary chuckle as he listened to the participants' collective grumbling as he continued talking. At the end of the day, most of them were still just children in his eyes.
"We've added a special section for this phase. It's called 'Freestyle'."
"Freestyle…?"
"In this new format, the trainees will have to create their own presentation. Through it, the groups and members must demonstrate great teamwork and originality, as well as production skills, which will be specially evaluated…" the presenter smiled and pointed to himself, "by us."
The first phase of testing was one of the most terrifying, and at the same time, the easiest. Kotoha had explained that a large number of former participants in the programs confessed how comfortable they had felt in that round, unlike the following ones.
The fact that the options already had choreography and great artists as a reference to understand how the song should be presented greatly relieved the anxious hearts of those trainees who still hadn't found a way to bring out their own virtues, specially in front of the public.
Therefore, the program's sudden decision to have them create a short segment from scratch based on an existing song, while also implicitly asking them to demonstrate their editing skills, caused a large number of participants to stare blankly at the national representative, their eyes as white as a sheet of paper.
The joy they felt vanished with easily with just a couple of words.
"Now that the explanation has been given," Arata turned slightly to his left, where all the boys in pink hoodies were gathered. "Umemiya Hajime, center of our title track; please come up on stage."
Opening his eyes in surprise, the white-haired man walked amidst some applause and jeers from his colleagues, positioning himself right next to the host with curiosity oozing from his pores.
Arata gave him a sideways smile, narrowing his eyes with a hint of mockery. "Wait here while the rest of the participants choose their song, okay?"
"Huh?"
A round of incredulous murmurs spread through several classrooms, which looked at each other in utter confusion. The outlandish idea that Umemiya would be the last of the trainees to be able to select his preferred song sounded inconceivable to everyone.
"Please, guys. Move on to the song you want to perform. You'll be given one minute of time to do so." He pointed to the device in one corner of the stage.
Lamenting under their breath, most of the boys felt that Yes, indeed; that was the purpose of the unusual, inconspicuous clock. With so many good options, and such a high probability of making them stand out to the public, it was genuinely difficult to choose one in such a short amount of time. Like headless chickens, the hundred or so trainees milled about, debating aloud which song they would choose.
Sakura frowned, recalling the advice Kotoha had given him before he entered the program; even for someone as ignorant as him, BPB was recognizable. After all, they were the boy band that put the country on the map, filling arenas all over the world with countless shows.
Presenting one of their songs would bring more problems than advantages, as the fans were the epitome of demanding. As such, they were the first to be rejected.
WEARE1 didn't ring a bell, but the «1» in their name made him think they were a group from another season, so he ruled them out too. The other groups had more normal names; however, figuring out which one would be best without knowing them was a difficult task. HCH1MES were also ruled out for obvious reasons.
Making a low sound in his throat, Sakura had all those thoughts in less than five seconds. Squinting, he decided to wait until most of the participants had chosen a song to dance to, opting for the one with the fewest boys. Coincidentally, it was the one right in front of him.
Taking a confident step, the bicolor shuddered from the tingling in his spine as he read «BLACK FIRE (The KID from THE GROUP)» right in front of his face.
Tap.
Raising his eyebrows, Sakura turned around when he heard footsteps behind him. To his surprise, a nervous Nirei was standing right beside him, with a smiling Kiryu and Tsugeura not far behind. At the same time, Suo said a few quick goodbyes to his companions before decisively taking his place on his other side.
The bicolor couldn't understand what was happening. “What are ya doin’ here?”
"Huh? Didn't we already tell you, Sakura-kun?" Exaggerating his confusion, the boy with the eyepatch answered. "In the group stage, we'd be truly honored if you chose us as your teammates~"
Recalling that absurd conversation a few days ago, Sakura's ears turned so red they looked like they were seconds away from steaming, clenching his teeth as he looked from side to side at his not-yet-friends.
“Didn’t think ya were serious,” he admitted in a whisper. “Ain’t there any other songs ya like...?”
"Well, yes, but our decision is clear, Sakura-chan." With a curl in his lips, Kiryu shrugged and moved closer to his partner.
"Mhm~? This looks interesting. Can I join?"
As if the situation weren't mortifying enough, Endo approached with such laziness that he didn't even seem aware that there were less than thirty seconds left on the timer, an impassive Takiishi hot on his heels. A few steps away from them, Tsubaki greeted them effusively, flashing his pearly teeth, while Sugishita huffed and puffed at his side.
Suddenly, the least popular song among the participants was filled with trainees from classes A and B. The other groups, especially those with a large number of gray and green hoodies among them, began to murmur about how dangerous that group was and how difficult it would be to stand out against them.
Sakura, who was in the middle of the storm and had incredibly sharp hearing, slowly shrank back to control a string of curses. If it weren't for the fact that the other songs kept getting even bigger and bigger, he really would have switched places in a heartbeat.
Once the countdown reached zero, a huge blast of a horn echoed throughout the arena. Those who had been hesitating until the very last second must have remained in their seats, watching the stage with anguish.
"Very well. Since the decision of the other participants has been made, we will proceed with you, Umemiya." Turning to the white-haired boy, Arata read, "As the center of our main song, we will grant you a special privilege, which consists of…"
His dimples deepened as he playfully stretched his lips. "You'll be able to form your own team by choosing any members you want, and the group you lead will be able to secure any mission song you desire."
Opening his mouth in a perfect "O," Umemiya looked at the rest of his classmates with the same surprise. Some boys in gray hoodies howled at the sky, knowing there was a big chance they might lose the song they wanted and how unlikely it was that their classmate would choose them.
"Now, Umemiya, please choose whichever members you want."
Sakura couldn't help but feel his shoulders tense. He knew it was a bit self-centered of him to get nervous, since he'd only known the white-haired boy for a little over a week, but a feeling of unease settled deep in his stomach and refused to go away.
For some reason, Nirei moved closer until he was beside him and gripped his arm tightly. His face was so pale that his freckles stood out in the spotlights, while his colorless lips were pressed together into a thin line.
The rest of his classmates also approached, forming a small circle with him in the middle.
Umemiya observed each of the actions from a distance, maintaining a haughty expression when he noticed the dark gaze that Endo openly directed at him from the crowd, as well as the cautious glances that his other companions threw at him.
Putting on a false expression of calm, the white-haired man stifled the trembling of his lips before announcing, "The first member will be... From Class B, Sakura-san."
"!"
"This son of a..."
With his ears ringing, Sakura was unable to hear what Endo muttered, his face wrinkled as if he'd swallowed a fly. Sakura's own expression twisted into a stupefied grimace (he hoped this wouldn't end up in the final cut, as Kotoha definitely wouldn't let it go unnoticed), and his eyelids began to tremble as he felt his eyes dry with shock.
"Sakura, please come up on stage."
As if savoring every second, Arata called out to him when he noticed he was still motionless. Most of the participants didn't seem surprised by his reaction; some even chuckled softly while giving him a round of gentle applause.
Nirei pouted briefly before reluctantly releasing his arm and pushing him to encourage him to step onto the platform with Umemiya. His other classmates also showed signs of regret, though to varying degrees. Sakura, however, barely noticed them as he walked toward the stage, disbelief emanating from every pore of his body.
Therefore, he also did not hear the way some trainees whispered their opinions.
"If those two are on the same team..."
"Wow, there are only two of them and they're already a crazy team."
"Is there any chance left...?"
"Hello, Sakura." Umemiya greeted him immediately when he stood beside him, stretching his lips until they almost reached his ears.
Sakura shook his head, still speechless.
"That's an interesting choice," Arata commented. "What made you choose Sakura, Umemiya?"
"The vibe Sakura gives off is incomparable. Whether it was when he first performed or during the recording of the title track, a talent like hers is something I can't afford to lose," the white-haired man replied, his smile widening as Sakura blushed furiously. "Besides, I feel like we make a great team! And he'll fit perfectly with the song I want."
"That's a pretty good observation, then." He held up the notes again. "Now, tell us the next member."
"Mhm," Umemiya said, his expression showing he was now giving it some serious thought, scanning the classrooms. "The next member is… From Class A, Sugishita Kyotaro."
Raising his eyebrows, the tallest man's perpetually hunched back seemed to straighten for a split second, his chest puffing out with pride. His serious face brightened at the sound of his name, and Sugishita walked onto the stage with an imaginary tail swaying behind him.
He didn't even growl at a sulking Sakura when he positioned himself to his left, keeping his eyes fixed on Umemiya's back.
That's how the white-haired man called the rest of the members.
"From class B, Naohiro Samaki."
"… Class A, Suo Hayato."
"Good." Arata stopped him. "Now, choose the last member."
After a moment of silence, Umemiya quickly shifted his attention from side to side before pressing his lips together, glancing discreetly behind him before smiling.
"Class B, Nirei Akihiko."
The breath Sakura had been holding, without realizing, escaped in a deep sigh upon hearing his partner's name. In the distance, the blond boy jumped slightly in surprise before running towards the stage, unable to contain his joy.
Amid the applause, whispers from the participants soon arose, accompanied by furtive glances toward the white-haired man's former teammates. Tsubaki, Endo, and Takiishi all completely ignored this poorly disguised venom, keeping their eyes fixed on the platform, as if the outcome had been decided beforehand.
A minority, however, began to complain from the very first second.
"It just can't be…"
"A group full of B and A class students..."
"Aren't they too strong...?"
Once the commotion subsided, Arata bowed to the six members of the first group and congratulated them with a short comment, reading the contents of their notes.
"Does anyone want to say anything?" he asked.
Receiving a microphone from the staff, Suo decided to speak. "First of all, I am very honored to have been chosen. Whatever the reason for my selection, I will do my best to keep my team from falling."
Smiling like he was on a magazine cover, the boy with the eyepatch showed no mercy as he gave the floor to a nervous Nirei standing beside him, curling his visible eye with a strange emotion inside as he noticed the way the blond boy trembled, unable to refuse.
"A-Ah," he stammered. "I-I'm so happy to be with such t-talented people! I'm sure that, alongside my new teammates, I'll be able to learn and grow a lot more. I-I'll do my best, thank you so much!"
Sakura's shoulders slumped as Nirei clumsily handed the microphone back to the staff, mentally thanking to whichever god for not being near his colleague. The moment the blond man was given the pass, his instincts began sending warning signals to his brain, fearing that they would then hand him a microphone to say a few words of thanks as well.
Fortunately, the staff member walked away without looking back, allowing Arata to continue with his work while reading the next note he was holding in his hands.
"Umemiya seems to have created the «Avengers» this time," Arata said playfully, narrowing his eyes. "So, which song are you going to choose?"
As if it were a bad joke, a good number of trainees focused their attention on HCH1MES's song, causing the dozen boys standing there to shrug apprehensively. Even the presenter deepened the dimples at each corner of his lips, watching with a feeling Sakura couldn't quite place.
Biting the inside of his cheek, the bi-colored boy cast a sideways glance towards Umemiya's back, who stepped off the stage to decide which song they would perform.
Under the glare of the spotlights, his broad shoulders slumped slightly, as if an enormous weight had been placed upon them. Each time he paced from side to side, the anxious gasps that some participants were unable to suppress seemed to add another grain to the immense responsibility he had been given.
However, as if he had sensed his gaze, the white-haired man looked at him over his shoulder, giving him a lopsided smile that was devoid of any doubt or shock.
"Well," bringing the microphone closer, he put his free hand to his waist and spoke with his chest puffed out, standing in front of a song that only had one of the rectangles with people, "the truth is that the fair thing would be to choose what most of my team had in mind, so we'll go with BLACK FIRE."
The trainees standing in front of HCH1MES let out huge sighs of relief, applauding more enthusiastically than the rest of their classmates.
The few remaining participants in BLACK FIRE, on the other hand, simply shook their heads as if they had expected it and left the first rectangle with resigned auras when the rest of Umemiya's team came down from the stage to declare that song theirs. Sakura swore he heard Endo cursing under his breath, but since no one said anything, he ignored it.
"So, now..."
Drawing the attention of the other trainees, Arata spoke seriously, "Those who are undecided, or missed the opportunity to present the song they wanted, we will give you another chance to choose. This will be your last opportunity to choose."
With the machine's counter ticking back to one minute, a horn sounded again from the speakers.
"Begin!"
"Boo," Tsubaki, finally able to speak, pouted at his two companions. "I'll remember this, Umemiya. You'll see, in the future, you won't be able to beat me so easily!"
His words were harsh, but his tone made it clear he was joking. Umemiya burst into laughter and put an arm around Sakura's shoulders, pulling him close, while Sugishita let out a low growl, eliciting further giggles from Nirei and Suo.
"Hey!" the bi-colored one complained, smoke coming out of its ears.
The white-haired man ignored him. "I'll be waiting for you, Tsubaki!"
"Hmph!"
Feigning disdain, the red-lipped boy winked at them before striding off to another song, enthusiastically waving to the flustered trainees who blushed furiously at his arrival.
Endo, with a silent Takiishi at his back, simply snorted and walked away without a word, grumbling with each step toward the far end of the room. To everyone's surprise, the pair stood decisively in the HCH1MES group, ignoring the murmurs of the other participants.
Kiryu and Tsugeura, the only ones left of those who had originally chosen BLACK FIRE, reluctantly shook their heads and looked at their roommates with pity.
"Maybe next time, I guess." Tsugeura commented sadly, crossing his arms.
Nirei nodded like a chick pecking at rice. "Let's do our best!"
The two friends mimicked him. "Good luck, guys. May the best team win."
Saying their goodbyes, the two boys moved on to a song that had a high number of trainees from classes D and F, their yellow hoodies standing out like a stain within a canvas.
In the end, when the counter reached zero, not a single trainee had stepped forward Umemiya's group. The other songs had at least half a dozen participants per rectangle, if not more, while theirs only had six.
"Wow," Suo said with genuine joy. "It seems they hold us in quite high regard."
"…It seems so." Nirei anxiously clutched his chest, his body curled up.
Sakura couldn't care less. “Ain’t that better? If they don’t got the guts to face us, then we ain’t losin’ any real competition.”
"Sakura-san!"
As usual, the blond boy immediately scolded him for his tactless comment. Umemiya burst into laughter again, and Sugishita frowned, silently agreeing with his statement. Suo stretched his lips even further, tilting his head slightly upward with pride, while the poor boy, who wasn't close to them, let out a nervous giggle.
"Very well," Arata narrowed his eyes at all the participants. "Now that you've decided, we'll proceed to form the following teams."
Turning towards the BPB group, the presenter gestured to the stage. "With TMI being the most popular song among you; participants who wish to perform it, please come forward."
The nearly 30 boys looked at each other before moving forward with some hesitation. Being so many in such a small space, they had to form two tight lines, standing close together and leaving the taller ones at the back.
Like shadows, two staff members, dressed in black from head to toe, carried a small table with a strange box on it and placed it in front of Arata. The cube was completely dark, with a simple circle on top, and the program's logo visible on all four sides.
"Since there are a large number of applicants, we will choose a leader from among you by lottery."
"By lottery?"
"Wah, isn't this just pure luck?"
"I lost confidence..."
Ignoring the complaints of the other boys, Arata continued explaining, "Whoever draws a green ball will be considered the team leader, and will be able to choose the rest of the members from among the participants standing on the stage."
Thus, each participant approached the black box with palpable anticipation. Those who ended up drawing a white ball were openly dejected, receiving friendly teasing from those closest to them or silent pats of support.
The luckiest ones, upon noticing the green ball in their hands, jumped from joy and rushed to choose their friends or talented participants. The boys in gray hoodies, in particular, hurried to call one or two people from the upper classes who were available to ensure a decent performance, but no more than that so as not to lose the spotlight when it came time to present themselves to the audience.
Much to the embarrassment of those who had not been chosen, the space where they had been waiting before the curtains were opened was called the «Empty Zone», and Arata asked them to go down to that place to await further instructions.
Finally, once all the songs had the first rectangle occupied by a team and half of the participants were left in the «Empty Zone», Arata again stood in the center of the platform and read the contents of his cards.
"Since none of you were chosen for a team, we'll move on to forming B-groups," he smiled lazily in a relaxed tone. "However, before we make the selections for the remaining songs, is there anyone who would like to compete against BLACK FIRE?"
Since no one had stood in front of Umemiya's team in the second timed election, Arata was prompted through the earpiece in his ear to ask that question.
Most of the boys in the «Empty Zone» looked at each other, wondering who would accept the offer and go up first. After all, a large number of those not chosen by their peers ranged from C to F class; fighting against a team that considered themselves the «Avengers» of the season wasn't much different from suicide.
However, amidst a round of gasps, two people in green hoodies stepped forward. One had long hair and broad shoulders, wearing small sunglasses that covered his eyes, while the other's fluffy hair bounced with every step he took.
Opening his eyes in surprise, Sakura felt a chill run down his spine, and he couldn't help but clench his teeth when he noticed the pair of idiots from the introductions. If he remembered correctly, their names were Tomiyama Choji and Togame Jo, both from the foreign group «Shishitoren».
"Very well," Arata seemed to remember them too, observing them with a smile that didn't reach his eyes before turning to the other participants in the Empty Zone. "Anyone else?"
As if the two boys had given them courage, four more boys took to the stage. One of them was from class B, named Natori Shingo; two from class C, a pair of twins with the surname Takoshi; and a unique boy from class F, named Shuhei Suzuri.
"Well, what a coincidence. There are exactly six of us, so I don't see the need to choose people," Arata joked. "Do you want to choose the leader by drawing lots, or will you discuss it amongst yourselves?"
Being the tallest and most imposing of them all, Togame answered in a languid voice. "Draw."
So the half-dozen boys approached the box and formed a line. Unfortunately, the green ball came out with the first person who put their hand in, who happened to be Choji.
"Great!" he celebrated with dark eyes, seemingly containing a tangle of thoughts within them.
Turning towards the A group in the song, he raised one hand in greeting while smiling sinisterly. "Ume-chan, here I come for you~!"
At that statement, a round of gasps was heard from the participants who weren't on stage. Most turned to look at the white-haired man with curious expressions, an invisible container of popcorn in each of his hands.
"Well," Suo said, referring to Sugishita's grunt, and glanced sideways at his leader. "Do you have a story we should know, Umemiya-san?"
"Nothing like that," the white-haired man replied, scratching the back of his neck, his tone strained. His gaze, on the other hand, was as dark as the deep ocean. "We met briefly while promoting our debut and exchanged a few words. Though nothing that would explain what he said, as far as I recall."
Suo let out a melodic «Mhm~» as if he understood, while Sakura leaned towards the blond boy to ask for an explanation of how a foreign group had ended up coinciding with a national one like HCH1MES. According to Nirei, Shishitoren had followed a similar trajectory to the group in which Suo originally debuted, debuting in several countries across the continent throughout their career.
Once the new BLACK FIRE group approached, the members of Group A finished talking amongst themselves to greet them with due respect. Umemiya had to nudge Sugishita by the back of the neck to make him bow as well, prompting a chuckle from Suo.
The rest of Group B, with the exception of Choji's duo, looked visibly uncomfortable as they returned the greeting. Glancing from side to side between the leaders of both teams, their backs were as taut as an arrow's bow, clearly afraid the situation would escalate.
However, noticing their moods, Umemiya smiled and turned his attention back to the stage, avoiding the manic expression Choji was directing at him for the sake of the rest of his team's mental health.
Sakura, on the other hand, frowned when he noticed a similar gaze upon him, directly facing Togame's empty eyes without a hint of fear.
"What?" he snapped, feeling Nirei hug his arm tightly.
"It's nothing." Like a lion toying with its prey, the braided guy smiled lazily, his voice devilishly slow. "I was just curious to meet one of the most popular members of this show, Othello-kun."
“Who the hell’re ya callin’ Othello?! Name’s Sakura!”
Because of the nickname, Sakura ignored Togame's insinuation, being restrained with some difficulty by a tearful Nirei. Suo and Umemiya, along with a couple from Group B, narrowed their eyes at the mention, recalling the information they had gleaned while browsing social media after the title track video was uploaded.
And Togame wasn't lying: Sakura was indeed one of the most popular contestants on the show. His largest fanbase, called «My Faith», had gained an exorbitant number of followers in just a few days, reaching six figures and inspiring another dozen accounts dedicated to the bi-colored boy.
Whether it was for clips, gifs, or simply content and guides about the voting process; whatever you were looking for to follow the show, that account had it. And every single one of its posts was focused squarely on Sakura in the end, making a huge number of casual viewers aware of his name. Even their own fan accounts, which had been around for longer, ended up reposting what «My Faith» posted, as they were quite comprehensive guides.
Despite being just starting his career in the entertainment world, Sakura had already achieved one of the most difficult things for idols: loyal and dedicated fans.
Finally, calming him down like a cat with its fur standing on end, Nirei clung to a sulking Sakura for the rest of the team-forming process. Tsubaki ended up in Group A of «Energy», while Kiryu and Tsugeura were in Group B of «We Know». Endo and Takiishi, with Takiishi as the leader, headed Group A of HCH1MES.
Thus, the last 7 participants who were not chosen by anyone even in the new round of the «Empty Zone» selection formed their own team, becoming group B of «This Is Our Way (N/MROD)». Standing in the white rectangle, their faces were colorless, a few with tears in their eyes due to embarrassment.
With two songs having 7 members per team, and the others having 6, the 100 trainees of the program were divided perfectly among the 8 songs.
"Defenders of the city. Now that everything is decided, I will explain the benefits of this battle by groups."
Amidst a wave of complaints and nervous gasps, Arata continued explaining, "All members of the winning group will receive 5,000 votes for the elimination phase. In addition, the participant who wins the 'Freestyle' section will receive four times that amount."
"Eh—?!"
Their mouths agape, most of the trainees couldn't believe what they had just heard. That…!
That was 20,000 points…!
"As you may have noticed, this 'Freestyle' section is extremely important for this battle of the groups. Therefore, we expect to see amazing performances from you. See you soon, defenders of the city."
Bowing, Arata left the stage to a round of incredulous applause.
Guided by the staff, the hundred participants left the gym with their minds elsewhere, thinking about the number of points they could secure if they did a good job.
Sakura, meanwhile, continued to frown and pout, doing his best not to remember the words of that stupid, long-haired, slow-speaking guy.
"So," Suo spoke, drawing the attention of the rest of his team. "What will we do?"
The hidden message in his words concerned the "Center" position and what they would prepare for the "Freestyle" section. Most understood what he meant, their expressions hardening as they seriously considered how they should proceed next.
However, Sakura, who was still trying to alleviate his annoyance and didn't catch the hint, snapped sarcastically, “What else? Let’s go grab somethin’ to eat, obviously. It’s lunchtime.”
"…"
Upon receiving astonished reactions from his companions, the bi-colored boy's mind cleared slightly and he blushed to his ears.
"… What?"
"Bwahahaha!"
His face regaining its sparkle, Umemiya laughed and shook his head, slapping Sakura's back hard. "You're right, Sakura! You can't think straight on an empty stomach. Let's go!"
"Hey—!"
Pulling him by the arm, the white-haired boy dragged him stumbling toward the dining room. The rest of the team followed with more cheerful expressions, although some huffed and puffed through pursed lips. Sugishita, for his part, wrinkled his face in a grimace as if he'd eaten a lemon, but he followed them too.
And so, the first major competition had finally begun.