Chapter Text
As soon as I wake up I look over my notes from last night. Back when the results were revealed everyone in class were chiming in with their ideas on what it must be like to work as Mizuki-san’s manager. Not only would you get a front row seat to all of her Aikatsu but you’d get to see what she does to relax and unwind too. It’s no surprise everyone was looking at me with envy. Even still there are the obvious hard parts about the job. You only need to look at the multiple appearances Mizuki-san is known for making in one day to get an idea of how busy she is.
I hear Ichigo mumble in her sleep. The sound is completely undecipherable but she looks happy. Ah, I wish I could just pack her in my bag and take her with me. She mumbled again and this time It sounded just like she was saying noriben. Of course she’s dreaming of food.
Since she’s sleeping so comfortably I wonder if I should just let her rest. Then again I feel like she would want me to wake her before I leave. I don’t want her to oversleep and miss class either.
“Ichigo, I’ll be leaving soon. Good luck in class today.”
“I’ll be up in a sec.”
“It’s alright you have plenty of time before class. I just have to leave early to match Mizuki-san’s schedule.”
“It’s okay. I’m up now so I’ll see you out.”
“Are you ready to pick up Mizuki-san?”
“I’m as ready as I can get.”
“You’ll do great, I’m sure.”
“Thanks. I’d better go wake up Mizuki-san now. Do your best today.”
“Yeah. Have fun today.”
I hope Ichigo finds something to keep busy with. Well it’s a big school so I shouldn’t have to worry about that. Time for me to make my way to the Mizuki Palace.
Wow it really is a whole separate house. I think I’d get a little lonely living here all by myself. I enter the building and somehow it’s not quite what I pictured. I was expecting the Mizuki Palace to be more luxurious but I suppose she hasn’t found the time to decorate the place. I walk past a spacious room but all I spot is a clear vase filled with an assortment of beautiful flowers. I would stop to admire them if I had the time but I really must find Mizuki-san. Is this the way to her bedroom? Since it’s so early my first task must be to wake her. I wonder if she’s a heavy sleeper? Somehow I doubt it. I’m just glad I’ll get to see pajama mode Mizuki-san.
“Aaah...”
That voice..? it’s Mizuki-san!
Even her yawning is in perfect pitch. That’s a super idol for you. I knock on the door before announcing my presence.
“I’m your manager for today, Kiriya Aoi. May I come in?”
“That’s fine.”
So much for pajama mode. Mizuki-san is already wearing her training outfit and it looks like she’s well into her morning warm ups. It’s a far cry from groggy-eyed Mizuki-san that’s for sure.
“It’s nice to meet you, Aoi-chan but I’m just finishing my vocal exercises. Could you tell Honoka that I’ll be down in a moment.”
“Of course.”
I was so looking forward to saying good morning to a sleepy Mizuki-san. Ahh, Such a sight must be impossibly rare. I should have known she’d be up and ready before I even got here. Well just being able to accompany Mizuki-san is a treasure in itself. I can hardly feel disappointed at a time like this.
I find her regular manager; Tsukikage Honoka-san. Of course she Is still here to supervise me.
“I take it Mizuki is getting in some last minute practice?”
“Yes. I was surprised by how active she is already.”
“You’ll understand once you see this. It’s a copy of Mizuki’s schedule.”
“Woah! It’s completely packed. I’m surprised she even has time to get from one place to the other. Will she really be okay?”
“This is a normal day for Mizuki. There’s no need to worry.”
“No way! I’m used to seeing Mizuki-san looking relaxed and carefree. I never realised how much of her time was taken up by work.”
“You’re used to seeing Mizuki from the perspective of a fan. While it’s no secret that she’s a hard worker, today you’ll come to see the extent of her dedication. As her manager I do sometimes wonder if she pushes herself too far but it’s also my job to ensure she reaches her full potential.”
“Mizuki-san’s true dedication. I’m looking forward to witnessing it.”
“I can tell you’re eager just by looking at you. However you’re not here to simply observe. Even if it’s only for one day, do your best as Mizuki’s manager.”
“Yes. I’m honored to have this opportunity. I’ll do everything I can to support Mizuki-san.”
Mizuki-san joins us with a reproachful look.
“She’ll be fine, Honoka.”
“Sounds like she’s been giving you quite the lecture, Aoi-chan.”
“Not at all. I’m grateful for her advice.”
“I’m sure you’ll do just fine. I look forward to working together, Aoi-chan.”
“Me too! I- I’m really excited to work with you today.” Gah! It’s no good. I’m trying my hardest to contain the fangirling but I can’t stop myself from smiling like an idiot whenever I look at Mizuki-san.
Mizuki-san has a light chuckle. “I’m happy to hear that. Are we all ready to leave?”
“Oh! There is one thing. I have something to return from Ichigo.”
I take out the luxuriously soft scarf from my bag.
“That’s right, I lent her my scarf the other night. Give Ichigo-chan my thanks for returning it.”
“She wanted to return it herself but knowing how busy you were we decided this was the best option.”
Tsukikage-san takes the scarf from me and neatly tucks it away. She even treats Mizuki-san’s belongings with care. What a great manager.
“I’ll pack your things in the trunk so the two of you can head to the car.”
“Thank you, Honoka.”
“Well then, Let’s get going, Aoi-chan.”
I’m alone with Mizuki-san! This is so odayaka ja nai! What should I do? I feel like as her manager I should be the one to lead her to the car but she’s already taken charge. How are you supposed to act as a manager to someone so perfect? It sure gives me a lot of respect for Tsukikage-san.
“Thank you for waking up so early. I hope you weren’t too rushed.”
Mizuki-san thanked me! It’s taking all of my self control not to lose my cool. I take a moment to remind myself that I’m also an idol and a student of this esteemed school. Yesterday I even performed on stage. If I just remember singing with everyone’s eyes on me, talking to one girl won’t seem so hard, right? Even if that one girl happens to be the top idol Mizuki-san.
“No. If anything my excitement pushed me to get here as soon as I could.” I manage to reply.
“I’m glad to see you’re enthusiastic.”
Goodness. Mizuki-san really is stunningly beautiful. How am I gonna keep this up all day?
Once we get to the car I hardly have time to open the door for Mizuki-san before Tsukikage-san catches up to us. In a way, she's like Mizuki’s shadow, never straying too far from her. A selfish part of me wishes that I could be Mizuki-san’s one and only manager for today but in reality I’d be in a bind without her. Not only would I have more work to do but having her here means I can spend my time with Mizuki-san without too much pressure. We get into the car and since Tsukikage-san is driving I get to sit next to Mizuki-san. I’m getting a bit better at holding my composure but that doesn’t mean my heart isn’t still racing.
“You’ll get to see a lot of the entertainment industry today but I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed. While I hope observing my Aikatsu can inspire you don’t forget there are many different paths an idol can take. You have your own path waiting to be found.”
I’m enraptured by Mizuki-san’s words but for some reason I thought I could hear Ichigo’s voice as if she were right there beside me, equally in awe of Mizuki-san. I wish she could experience this with me but I can’t let myself get distracted. I need to take in everything that Mizuki-san says.
After a short drive we arrived at the recording studio. I decide to get Mizuki-san’s bag from the trunk so I quickly go and open it.
“Ah!”
Back then when I thought I heard Ichigo’s voice. I wasn’t just imagining it. This is bad. What on earth are we supposed to say in this situation?
“H-hey Aoi. It’s a nice day today isn’t it?”
She sounds quiet and entirely unsure of herself. As someone sitting in the trunk of a car should.
“What’s wrong, Aoi-chan?”
I’m still the only one who can see Ichigo so I’m met with two concerned stares. I mumble helplessly while I try to straighten my expression. Unsurprisingly Tsukikage-san sees it best to join me and find the source of this incident herself.
“Huh?! A student from Starlight Academy!? What are you doing here!?”
“I’m so sorry! I’d been thinking so much about being Mizuki-san’s one day manager so I went to check on how she and Aoi were doing then before I knew it, I was sitting in the back of the trunk.”
“I apologise too. Ichigo took the audition with me. This whole time I kept saying it would be nice if we could go together. That must have been what put the idea in her head.”
We both bow deeply.
“It’s only natural for friends to wish that they can advance together. That doesn’t make you responsible for her actions.”
She’s definitely mad. It’s as I thought. Ichigo’s going to have to pay for her naivety this time.
“She’s right, Aoi. I shouldn’t have been so reckless.”
“Honestly what were you thinking? Not only would this be a huge scandal if someone saw you but you also could've gotten hurt.”
Tsukikage-san is very adamant in her disapproval. I’m not sure Ichigo will be able to muster up much of a reply.
“Honoka’s right. I take it you’ve learned your lesson, Ichigo-chan?”
Mizuki’s tone is far more serious than I’ve ever heard it before. It’s enough to give me goosebumps.
“Y-yes. I’ll be more responsible in the future.”
“We don’t have any time to spare, so let’s get moving. You too, Ichigo-chan.”
“Are you sure, Mizuki?”
It’s clear that Tsukikage-san isn’t for the idea. This kind of behaviour must be far too much for someone as fastidious as her.
“It’s fine. Since she’s here she may as well help.”
“Mizuki-san...Thank you so much! I’ll do my best to help.”
I’m glad Ichigo gets to be here but I hope this doesn’t get her into too much trouble. We enter the studio and it’s easy to tell that Mizuki-san is familiar with her surroundings she heads straight to the recording booth and casually greets the sound director. Once she starts singing even Tsukikage-san seems to soften up. That’s just how soothing Mizuki-san’s voice is. How does she manage to reach everyone’s hearts in such a powerful way? While it’s easy enough to point out her flawless singing voice It’s hard to really grasp what makes her song stand out so much against all the other up and coming idols. I may call myself the idol professor but when I’m faced with Mizuki-san I can only think of how much I need to learn about idols.
Mizuki-san’s singing was perfect on the first take so once she’s done we thank the staff and it’s time to move on.
“We’re leaving already?”
“Take a look.” I show Ichigo the schedule.
“She’s this busy!?”
“Shocking as it is, turns out this is just a normal day to her. No matter how many times I look at her schedule it’s still hard to believe.”
“It really is jam packed. Even just following Mizuki-san will be a challenge. At least we’ll be sure to get a lot of exercise.”
I grin at Ichigo’s unfailing enthusiasm.
“That’s true. We won’t have to worry about standing around for too long.”
Mizuki-san exit’s the recording booth so we eagerly approach her.
“That was amazing Mizuki-san. I was so moved you almost brought me to tears!” Ichigo says, unable to hold back her excitement.
“The power of song is an incredible thing. I’m glad I can convey it.”
“Please take this water if you need it.”
“Thanks, Aoi-chan. Just what I needed.”
Mizuki-san gulps down the water. Her throat must have needed it after singing so early in the day.
Once she’s refreshed she begins walking briskly so we follow along behind her.
“We’ll have to talk on the go. Honoka’s busy calling to check that everything is going smoothly at my next gig but I haven’t forgotten my other managers. I’ve still got something you two can help me with. I’ll explain once we get in the car.”
“We’ll do whatever we can.”
As soon as we enter the car Mizuki-san pulls out a hefty pile of papers.
“The staff from my radio show sent over a few letters so I could pick out some that I think would be interesting to read out on air. However I’d like to see which ones you two pick out. Have you heard my program before?”
“Yes! I’ve listened to every episode. Even when I can’t listen to it live I record it so I can listen to it in full later.” I say.
“Sounds like you’re quite the fan. Thank you for always supporting us.”
“It’s just too good to miss. I know a lot about idols but your show always surprises me.”
“I’ve heard the program too but I don’t get what this mountain of paper is for?”
“Those are the letters.” She states in a confused manner.
“All of them!?”
“I suppose that is a bit more than a few. As you can imagine I’d need a lot more time on air to answer all of them. So unfortunately I have to just pick the ones I can give the best answers to. This is where you two come in. I’d like you to carefully look through them and pick out the ones you think would be interesting to read on air. Now you don’t have to come up with answers for the questions you pick but you do have to tell me what interests you in the question. Are you up to this task?”
“Yes!”
We came here to act as Mizuki-san’s managers and- Well I came here to be her manager. We established that Ichigo wasn’t thinking when she came here but that’s not what matters. Now we are both here acting as her managers for today. This is the first real task she’s assigned us. We’ll handle it no matter what.
“I’ve got one.” Ichigo says not long into the task.
“Already? Well you must have confidence in it. Read it aloud for us.” Mizuki-san asks.
“It’s from a 6 year old girl named Sara.”
Ichigo clears her voice and proceeds to read the letter in a sweet voice.
“Dear, Mizuki-chan. You are my favourite idol. I love listening to you on the radio and watching your Aikatsu. You are very kind and very smart. I wish my Onee-chan were more like you. I just moved to a new town and I want to make friends but it’s scary when I don’t know anyone. How can I be like you and not get scared even when I’m meeting lots of new people?”
“Interesting that certainly is a tricky position she’s found herself in. You did a good job reading it too, Ichigo-chan. Having it read aloud makes it easier to sense the emotion behind the words. What made you pick this one?”
“To be honest I just felt sorry for this girl. I bet if she got a reply from her favourite idol it would mean the world to her.”
Ichigo begins to look concerned.
“Oh, but that’s not the kind of letter I was supposed to look for was it?”
“It’s true that the criteria I set for you was quite different. However you shouldn’t look so unsure of yourself. Sometimes a manager has to think outside the box so you should present your idea with confidence. Besides, I'd rather have a manager with a compassionate heart than one who only thinks of being successful.”
As expected of Mizuki-san.
“I’ve always noticed how considerate you are to your fans. Isn't it hard when you have so many?”
“It doesn't matter whether it’s hard or not. As an idol I can’t ever let myself take for granted a single cheer from my fans.”
“You really are amazing Mizuki-san. Right! Let’s get through every last one of these, Aoi.”
“Yeah! We can carry them around with us and use every spare second to look through them.”
After Mizuki’s second and third gig the mountain of unread letters is now but a molehill. I stretch my body the best I can in the car seat.
“Okay. final stretch here we go.”
I open another letter and it’s fairly long for something you’d hope to be read on the radio. The sender claims to be an idol fanatic. Heh, I bet they never expected their letter would be examined by another idol fanatic.
“Honoka, pull up here.”
“Sure. What do you need?”
“I just thought we should get our hard working managers a treat.”
“Oh you don’t have to do that Mizuki-san.” I say.
“If anything we should be getting you a treat as your managers.”
Oh I never said I wouldn’t participate. We are on a short schedule though so are you two fine with Wacdonalds?” Mizuki-san motions to the window and true enough Wacdonalds is right there.
“Yay Wacdonalds! I’ll have a big Wac and a strawberry milkshake!”
“Look at you, Ichigo, as excited as a kid.”
“I’ll have the same if you don’t mind.”
“And for you, Mizuki?”
“Umm..? Oh! What was that thing I saw advertised. I think it was a... Wcfluffy?”
Wcfluffy!? Did I just hear the top idol Mizuki-san ask for a Wcfluffy!? This is truly odayaka ja nai!
“Fu-fu. You mean a Wcflurry, Mizuki-san.” Ichigo gleefully corrects her.
“O-oh. Yes I’d like one of those, Honoka-san.”
Now she’s embarrassed about it! When have I ever seen Mizuki-san embarrassed!? I have to immortalise the moment with a photo.
“I’ll get right on it.”
Honoka briskly heads off to the Wcdonalds. Meanwhile Ichigo and I are still struggling to hide our amusement. Unfortunately being stuck together in the back of a car makes it hard to cover up even the smallest of chuckles.
“I can’t help it if I don’t know what it’s called and we were in a hurry too.” Mizuki-san says in her defense.
She really does seem put out by her little error. It must be tough when you’re used to being perfect.
“Ah, sorry Mizuki-san we didn’t mean to be rude.” Ichigo says considerately.
“It’s just you were so cute when you didn’t know what to call it.” I add.
“Mcfluffy is a way cuter name anyway. They should start calling it that.”
“Yeah! Yeah!” I say in full support.
“Well I never have shied away from having a cute side so that’s fine. Still I saw a camera back there. Did you take a photo of me?”
Mizuki-san peers right into my eyes. What an overwhelming presence. Suddenly it feels quite hot in this car.
“Oh, right. It was just such a precious moment. I couldn’t help but catch it. Here’s the pic.”
I show her the photo and unsurprisingly she doesn’t look all too pleased. At least she isn’t angry. I’d had to make the top idol angry over something as trivial as this.
“Ehh, It’s kind of embarrassing.”
“Well there’s no helping it if you don’t like it. It would be such a waste but I’ll delete it if you want.” I say with a heavy heart.
“I’m not going to make you delete it, Aoi-chan. Especially when you’re making a face like that.”
“Really!? Thanks a lot Mizuki-san.”
Mizuki-san takes one more perplexed glance at the photo before returning her gaze to me.
“Is it really something to get so excited over?”
“Ha, Ha. Taking Idol photos is quite the hobby of mine and this photo is extra special. I’m gonna
have to make a whole new folder for this.”
“Aoi loves idols more than anyone I’ve met. If she’s excited about it than it must be a good photo.”
“Perhaps if I did look at it from the perspective of a fan, I would see it differently.”
With that settled, I go back to grinning at my camera. Tsukikage-san returns with Wacdonalds in hand.
“They had various different flavors so I got you an oreo Wcflurry.”
“Wow! That’s just the one I was thinking of. Thanks Honoka.”
She has a gentle smile as she hands out the food. “I’m glad I guessed right.”
Aww. Mizuki-san looks so happy with her treat. She almost reminds me of Ichigo when she’s presented with sweets. With my camera still in hand I take another photo.
“You’ll have no complaints with this photo, I promise.”
“Alright. I’ll take your word for it.”
“We still have some letters to look over so let’s read while we eat, Aoi.”
“Yeah. At this point we’ve no choice.”
We read all the letters just in time to give Mizuki-san our final opinions before she heads into the radio booth. We sit outside and observe her through the glass. To think last time this week I turned on my radio to listen to Mizuki-san’s show and now here I am watching it with my own eyes.
“I’d like to read just one more letter today-.”
Here it is! The first letter Ichigo choose. So Mizuki-san did fit it in. As always she reads the letter while being mindful of the feelings imbued in them. It hardly feels like the words of a stranger when Mizuki-san reads them.
“Thank you very much for sending me this letter. First of all, I'm very flattered to hear you think I’m smart and kind though I hope you can come to notice your Onee-chan’s good points too. When it comes to the people we’re close to it can often be hard to appreciate how special they are. Especially the people we see every day. I’m sure your Onee-chan cares about you even if it doesn’t always show. You asked me how not to get scared when meeting lots of new people I can certainly understand why you’d find such a thing scary and I bet there are plenty of other listeners who feel the same way.”
Mizuki-san pauses but she looks in no way uncertain. She sits with poised dignity as she proceeds to finish her response.
“But really it’s simple. Whether it’s one person or many, whether it’s someone familiar or unfamiliar we’re all just trying to convey our thoughts and feelings. So you don’t have to do any more than that. Just tell them how you feel.”
Our thoughts and feelings? Truly it does sound simple. I hope the girl who wrote the letter will be able to learn something from it.
“You may have noticed that I read more letters than usual today. That was thanks to my cute one day managers who have been helping me behind the scenes.”
“Wait... That’s us she’s talking about!”
“O-Odayaka ja nai! Why would she bring us up!?”
Mizuki-san slyly looks our way before gesturing for us to come join her.
“Is she serious? She wants us to go into the radio booth?” I say skittishly.
“Don’t keep the listeners waiting.” Tsukikage-san warns us.
“Right.” From the look Mizuki-san is giving us I have to assume she sneakily planned this from the start. Instead of giving us a heads up so we could spend our time on the side lines preparing, she must want to see how we can improvise on the spot as idols.
“Please introduce yourselves.”
“I’m Kiriya Aoi.”
“I’m Hoshimiya Ichigo.”
I get the feeling she brought us here to say more than that.
“You two have been working hard to follow me around today. Do you feel like there’s anything special you’ve gained from the experience?”
Yeah. She really is putting us on the spot. I’d like to think things through carefully but I don’t have the time for that. Even though this is just a small cameo I have to leave a good impression.
“It would be hard to say that nothing special happened after getting to spend time with you Mizuki-san.” I try to act casual though a hint of my excitement seeps through as I say Mizuki-san’s name.
“All sorts of incredible things happened today so I’m certain I’ve gained something special. The truth is it was just supposed to be Aoi as Mizuki-san’s one day manager but... a bunch of stuff happened and things ended up like this. I’m still very new to Aikatsu so I’m grateful to Mizuki-san for everything she’s shown me.”
“Yes. A bunch of interesting things did happen today. Even I met my share of surprises.”
Ichigo and I laugh nervously.
Mizuki-san continues. “It’s like they say, you can’t plan for everything. That’s why It’s good to always be ready to improvise. I’d say we’ve done quite a bit of that today.”
“Certainly. I mean we are improvising as we speak after all.” I say.
“You really surprised us, Mizuki-san. When you first called us on we were so shocked we couldn’t move.”
“It may seem a little mean of me to not tell you in advance but if I did, the conversation wouldn’t have gone the same way. I wanted to demonstrate that, so thanks for going along with my whims.”
“No. We should be the ones thanking you.”
“Yeah. I can’t believe we get to be on your radio show. Even my little brother has started to listen to your show.”
“Is that so? I bet he wouldn’t expect to tune in and hear his Onee-san’s voice.”
“Definitely. He has a hard time believing I’m an idol afterall.”
“Perhaps hearing you on the radio will help that sink in for him?”
“I hope your right.” A lightbulb turns on above Ichigo’s head. “If your listening to this Raichi let mama know I’m doing my best at Aikatsu and make sure to look after yourself. Eat lots and stay full of energy, okay?”
“Hmm? Are you trying to be a proper Onee-chan even when you’re away from home, Ichigo-chan?”
“Fu-fu. Something like that.”
Poor Raichi-kun. He must be so embarrassed. I’ve never known Ichigo to be overprotective. How strange but rather than that I should really be focusing on what I’m gonna say if Mizuki-san asks anymore on the spot questions.
“We had quite the eventful day, don’t you think?” Mizuki-san asks.
“We sure have. I’ve never had to travel to so many different places in one day before.”
“I hope I didn’t drag you around too much, Ichigo-chan.”
“Not at all. I don’t like to sit around for too long so today was perfect.”
“You’re the same as ever, Ichigo.”
She giggles in that usual fu-fu way of hers.
“What about you, Aoi-chan.”
“Hm. The two of us only just became idols this week so It’s safe to say we’re not used to the lifestyle yet. As we followed you around we got to witness so many kinds of idol activities and... Well it’s a lot to take in but I’ll do my best to learn from your example.”
“It seems like there’s more you’d like to say, Aoi-chan? I bet the listens are curious too?”
Mizuki-san eggs me on and makes the listeners fell included all at once. She really knows how to host a show.
“Well, If you insist. I was actually thinking just then, about all the time we spent in between gigs.”
“Oh! Now this is a surprise.”
“I’m just such a huge fan of yours, Mizuki-san. I know I should be more professional as your one day manager but as a fan, I feel blessed to have witnessed how you manage to unwind even when your just have 10 minutes in a car before having to get back to your Aikatsu. I was trying to focus on nothing but ways to support you during that time but before I knew it you had Ichigo and I smiling to no end as we casually chatted with you.”
“Well of course even I need to find ways to relax and refresh. Even with a busy schedule, it's important to make the most of the time in between. You two should remember that when you’re busy with your own Aikatsu.”
“Yeah.” We both say earnestly.
“Thank you for coming on the show. I promise I’ll ask you in advance next time.”
“That would be greatly appreciated.”
Mizuki-san wraps up the show. We exit the booth and are greeted by a very exhausted looking Tsukikage-san.
“Your too bold for your own good Mizuki. That question could have caused you trouble if those two weren’t careful with their answers. For a second I thought Ichigo-chan would slip up and tell everyone she hid in the trunk of a car. On a lesser note your prompting Aoi-chan to continue could have forced her to talk about the Wcfluffy incident.”
“Those two may be rookies but they’re still talented idols who have earned their way into Starlight Academy. The very same school I attend. They are more than capable of handling themselves.”
“Mizuki-san...” We booth say with teary eyes.
“And don’t call it an incident!”
Ah. She’s still embarrassed about it.
“I suppose that’s fair.” Tsukikage-san gives us an appraising glance. “You two did good today. I see why Mizuki was able to put her trust in you.”
“Thank you very much.” She seems like the type who won’t just give compliments out of courtesy so I’m happy to hear that.
“Now then. It’s time to head back to the Academy.”
Ichigo yawns.”I didn’t realise how sleepy I was until you mentioned going back. I’m sure we’ll sleep well tonight.”
“ Yes. I’ve always found a bed to be more cozy after a hard day’s Aikatsu.”
Tsukikage-san drives us back. This time Mizuki-san sits in the front so we aren’t so crowded. Ichigo watches the lights from the city buildings until she drifts off to sleep. As we get closer to the academy I feel both relieved and disappointed that today is coming to an end.
“As much as I need to sleep it’s still sad to say goodbye to being your one day manager.” I say quietly.
“Don’t think of it like that. Tomorrow you have your own Aikatsu to focus on.”
“Your right. I get to forge my own path as an idol. I can’t think of anything more exciting than that.”
“I’m sure you’ll have your own kouhai wanting to follow you around before you know it.”
“Such a thing feels too far off for me to consider at this point.”
“That’s fair. I just get the feeling you’d be good at that kind of thing. You talked a lot about being excited to see me but I’m not the only one you’ve been observing today, am I?”
“WellI I may have been observing Tsukikage-san to see how a real idol manager acts. After that there was... well there were so many interesting people making Aikatsu happen. Too many to really get to know in one day.”
“I noticed you’re often looking over Ichigo-chan’s shoulder too.”
“Ah. In Ichigo’s case It’s more like I can’t help myself. I’m her number one fan after all.”
“Right from the moment you discovered her in this car, you considered it not her problem but a problem the both of you must face. I’ve never had a partner in Aikatsu so I must admit I found the experience quite intriguing.”
I sigh. “I’m not looking forward to having to explain that incident tomorrow. It’s nice that Ichigo’s a free spirit but I wish she wouldn’t be so reckless.”
“The Headmistress is a reasonable person. I’m sure Ichigo will get off with just a lecture. In the worst case scenario I’ll put in a good word for her.”
“Thank you. I can rest easy hearing that.”
“Well you’d best rouse Ichigo-chan. We’re here.”
I gently wake up Ichigo and we both say goodnight to Mizuki-san and Tsukikage-san before retiring to our room.
“I can’t get over how impressive Mizuki-san was today. She handled everything that came her way without any trouble.” Ichigo says as she shakes of her shoes and half empties her bag.
“Yeah. She can do anything with the greatest of ease. I don’t see how anyone could compete with her.”
“She isn’t at the top for nothing.”
“Uh oh...”
Ichigo is frozen in place with her hand in her pocket. She proceeds to pull out her Aikatsu phone and look at it in horror.
“Are you feeling alright, Ichigo?”
She’s looking at something on her desk. I cautiously creep towards it to take a look at what’s got her so spooked. I’m not gonna find a giant spider on here am I? I scan the desk but I can’t see anything unusual, just her Aikatsu phone, some scraps of paper, ... wait, hang on a second.
“Ichigo is that...”
“Mizuki-san! I took Mizuki-san’s phone!”
“Relax it’s not like you meant to. We only just got back so let’s hurry and return it. We should be able to get to Mizuki-san before she goes to sleep. If not we can always give it to Tsukikage-san.”
“Right. Let’s hurry.”
Fortunately, I just went to the Mizuki Manor this morning so the route is still fresh in my mind. I approach the front door and enter. They haven’t locked up yet but the place is dimly lit. I’m not overly familiar with the inside of the building so I’m not sure where to go. As I consider our options I begin to hear music in the distance.
Ichigo hears it too. “Listen, Aoi. It’s coming from this way.”
I hold onto her sleeve to prevent us from getting separated. “Ichigo, slow down. We came in unannounced, so we have to be careful not to surprise them.” We cautiously head towards the sound of the music.
“Umm, doesn’t it feel like we’re sneaking around?”
“Yeah it sure does.” I say flatly. “Don’t worry one of them’s bound to be listening to that music.” As we creep closer I realise what’s been bothering me about the music. “Hey, Ichigo don’t you think it’s odd?”
“A lot feels odd about this, Aoi. I really hope I don’t shock Mizuki-san by suddenly appearing.”
“Ah, right. This would be the second time in one day but that’s not what I meant. It’s the music that’s odd. It doesn’t sound like the kind of thing you’d listen to before going to bed.”
“You’re right. Rather than sleep, a fast song like this makes me want to dance.”
We get closer to the source and I notice light coming through a window. “This has to be it. Let's get a bit closer and call out to them.”
Ichigo seems hesitant to move. Her attention is fixated on the window.
“Ichigo..?”
“They sure are making quite a bit of noise.” Ichigo pokes her head forward to get a better look.
Her eyes widen and she suppresses a gasp. At this point I have to take a look.
“Huh? No way...”
That’s undeniably Mizuki-san. After waking up before I could even reach the Mizuki Palace and then going through everything she had to today, what on earth is she doing dancing by herself in an empty room!? She’s drenched in sweat with an exhausted look on her face? But Mizuki-san never looks like that. She’s Mizuki-san! What happened to the perfect idol who pushed past everything like it were a breeze. Now it looks like she’s at her limit and she’s desperate to push further and further.
“The floor around her... it’s completely worn down.” Ichigo says in disbelief.
“Let’s go. We can put her phone on the table in the living room before we leave.”
We turn to leave. With thoughts stuck on what we just discovered I realise I’m not focusing on my own feet as my leg collides with a nearby plant pot. Ichigo and I both grasp a side of it just before it can hit the ground. While it’s a great relief we protected the pot from damage It’s safe to say we made far too much noise in the process. We prop it back up just as Mizuki-san opens the door and discovers us.
“What, what are you two doing huh-here?”
“Oh! It’s just, I still had your phone. I’m sorry I forgot to return it earlier.”
“That’s okay. Thank you... for bringing it to me.”
Mizuki is short on breath and she’s leaning against the door frame.
“Sorry to surprise you. We just didn’t want you to worry about you phone.” I say as apologetically as I can.
“I appreciate it, really, but right now...”
“We understand. Goodnight, Mizuki-san.”
“Goodnight, Mizuki-san.”
“Goodnight to you both.” She says with a forced smile.
It may be an incredibly rare sight but it’s not the kind you’d feel lucky to see.
I’m not sure how to feel as we walk through the dim empty corridor. Just before we reach the exit a deep voice calls out to us.
“So you saw.”
I bolt up and twist around to look back at the sudden voice as if it hails from some unreachable place.
“That is to say, Mizuki’s secret.”
A dark figure approaches at the opposite side of the corridor. It’s hard to make her out but it
can only be Tsukikage-san. She steps closer so we can see each other clearly.
“In order to reach the position she’s at she had to work harder than anyone else. She struggles just to keep up with her daily training but still she insists on pushing herself even further. Mizuki is never content unless she’s finding a way to better herself. Even when everyone around her thinks she’s a perfect prodigy.”
I’m too astonished to respond. My mouth opens but no words come out. Mizuki-san, I completely misunderstood you.
“There is one other thing I should say. I was initially concerned about this one day manager ordeal. Mizuki has enough on her plate without having to worry about a junior idol who may need more help than she can give.”
Oh dear. That kinda sounds like us.
“Yet Mizuki happily agreed with the idea. While some of my concerns proved true, when we got back tonight she told me how much fun today was. So I have to thank you for making Mizuki-san smile, not for the cameras or for a staff member but simply because she got caught up in the moment.”
“I’m glad to hear that. As a fan of Mizuki-san I love seeing her Aikatsu but I don’t want her to strain herself.” I say.
“Hmph. That’s exactly how I feel but Mizuki is resolute in her devotion to Aikatsu. She’s been that way ever since I can remember.”
“It certainly shows.” I say pensively.
“You two have had a long day. You should go and get some rest.”
“No kidding. I was already half asleep until I realised I was holding Mizuki-san’s phone.”
“That surprise woke us up a bit but it really is time to go to sleep.”
I face Tsukikage-san. “Thank you for putting up with us.” I bow and Ichigo follows suit.
We say goodnight and leave the Mizuki Palace. As we walk back to our dorm I find myself wanting to talk to Ichigo about that crazy sequence of events but somehow I can’t focus on what to say.
“Aoooi.” Ichigo calls my name in an apprehensive yet cute way.
I smile dumbfoundedly. “Yes, Ichigo?”
“You seem pretty shaken up about all that but there’s no need to worry. Mizuki-san and Tsukikage-san weren’t mad at us. We were just returning something important.”
“Ah. I wasn’t worried about anything like that.” I say to reassure her.
“It’s just...I thought I understood Mizuki-san. That she had some special ability that made her stand beyond our reach.”
“Yeah. It was hard not to think like that. But I’m glad I got to see Mizuki-san’s secret.”
I can tell from Ichigo’s optimistic expression that the uncertainty from earlier has vanished. With a bright smile and the stars reflected in her eyes she raises one hand to the crescent moon.
“Because now I know we can catch up to her.”
“I learned so much today. Things I had never even considered when I thought of Aikatsu.” Beside her, I raise my arm and mirror her pose. “But it’s true. If we always push our limits then one day we can catch up to Mizuki-san!”