Work Text:
IDOLiSH7 © Bandai Namco, Troyca, Arina Tanemura
楽 © bellasteils
Versi Bahasa Indonesia
English Translator ©︎ reveralette (twitter)
I do not profit in any way from creating this fan fiction.
Dedicated to Yaotome Gaku's birthday, August 16, 2025.
Happy reading.
“What’s wrong, Gaku-chan ?”
The little boy called Gaku-chan is still sullen. He popped his cheek, like a hungry hamster that already found their food. His eyes looked puffy and looked like he held back his tears.
“Is Gaku-chan crying?” Grandpa’s hoarse voice asked softly with the hope to persuade his little grandchild.
That little boy, Yaotome Gaku nodded slowly while holding his black randoseru. His little hands can’t catch every part of it, so it looked really cute. Grandpa patted Gaku;s head.
“Did your Papa do this?”
Gaku nodded once again.
“Is this about Gaku- chan’s math quiz bad grades?” His Grandpa guessed something that had already happened before.
The bell had rang, signs of visitors coming to the shop. Yamamura Soba owned by Gaku’s Grandfather from mom’s side, was (still is) Gaku’s favorite place to run away from his gloomy life as 6th grader of elementary school that was still awful in counting numbers.
Gaku nodded again, but this time he had his reason. “My grade is not bad, but my skill is still not good.”
His Grandpa responded with a warm smile. A different expression comes from Gaku’s uncle who happened to replace Grandpa’s shift. He frowned.
“What do Gaku- chan’ s like?” Gaku’s grandpa asked.
“I love dancing and singing.” He responded, enthusiastic.
As Yaotome Production’s owner’s son, no wonder that his father’s job influences his son’s dreams. Since childhood, if Yaotome Papa had a chance, he brought Gaku to the office just to be “entertainer” for the talents and staff. Gaku was always really cute and the office's favourite child.
As he grew, he saw a lot of Yaotome Production’s talents dancing and singing. The instructor also often invited him to dance even though his body was stiff. He also asked Gaku to sing, with his cute-baby-voice, of course.
When Gaku entered elementary school, that habit was still there. If he had a chance after school, he went to his father’s office to just participate in dance and singing class. At school, Gaku was also a favourite student because of his angelic voice, and his dancing skill.
“But Papa pushed me to interhit his job. I don’t like that.”
That little kid should’ve filled his day by playing with other kids. Kids like him that still have a naive mind should’ve answered loudly that he wanted to be like a doctor or pilot just because that job is cool. But Gaku, his dreams are already determined.
“Gaku- chan….” said Grandpa. Gaku tilted his head to his Grandpa, his Grandpa continued, “Do whatever you like, and prove to your papa that Gaku-chan can do it and you’re happy with that dream.”
Gaku’s sorrowed eyes suddenly changed to happy eyes and stared back at his Grandpa.
“Can I dream of becoming an idol and dancing on the stage?” He asked with a passion. His randoseru bag suddenly fell to the floor.
“Of course, you can.” His Grandpa answered and put back Gaku’s randoseru to his arm again, “Grandpa wants to hear Gaku- chan ’s voice and your dancing skill.”
“I can sing now!!” Little Gaku said, enthusiastic.
“Yo! Here’s a soba for our little cry baby.” His uncle suddenly appeared in front of Gaku with a bowl of soba. Destroyed Gaku’s plan to show his angelic voice.
“I’m not a crybaby.” Gaku said, with his pouty mouth.
“Eat a lot, boy. Dancing and singing also needs a lot of energy.” Gaku’s head was roughly rubbed until his silver strands were messy. Gaku once mocked his uncle who was already back in the kitchen.
Gaku’s eyes lit up after his favorite soba was served beautifully on his table. A soba that was already being poured with a tempting brown-coloured broth, and also two big ebi tempuras as the topping, they also added one little bowl of sliced spring onions to add a greater taste of soba.
Gaku slurped his favourite soba noodle until the broth spilled onto the tray and table. As a result, his half fluffy and snowy cheek was stained. His Grandpa smiled happily seeing his grandson who previously looked really sad but now he’s happy just because of a bowl of Soba.
The old wooden floor was creaked when Gaku stepped on tatami . The young guy sitting cross legged in front of the altar after he dropped his guitar and another thing that was already wrapped on his side.
He lit up three incense sticks and put it in the incense holder. He clapped both of his palms two times in front of his face, his eyes closed, he prayed with peace. Not long after, he opened his eyes.
“Hey, Grandpa, It’s been so long since I visited you. I’m sorry.” Gaku greeted his Grandpa’s smiling picture in front of him. On his side, there's a little tube that contains his beloved Grandpa's ashes. There’s also accessories on the top of the altar. An eggplant and cucumber skewered with four broken waribashi. The view is like a toy horse.
“I was too busy with recording and TV shoots, I just got my holiday this week.”
He fell silent.
“As promised, I can finally chase my dream as a singer, and dancer. I’m finally an idol that sings in front of people, and belongs on the stage. I’m not alone, I’m with my beloved members—Ryuu, and Tenn. They're good co-workers, and friends. I also got an opportunity as the group leader. Doesn’t that mean they believed in me for leading the group?”
Gaku chased the wrapped thing that he brought, along with his acoustic guitar.
“Look, Granpa! We won JIMA. Together, as a team.” Gaku showed the JIMA trophy in front of his grandfather's picture.
Gaku put on his beloved trophy that he borrowed from Anesagi, he dropped his head sadly. “I wish you could see this, Grandpa.”
It was in the summery mid-July. Gaku was still in the last semester of senior high school. His grandfather suddenly fainted when he served soba. His grandfather was treated for a few days in the hospital, but at the end—it was his last breath. The doctor and nurses bowed their heads to his family.
At the day of the burial, the weather was really hot at first, but suddenly it got warmer, and cloudy, and suddenly it rained so hard. It was like the sky also mourned for Gaku’s beloved person.
The feeling of guilt in Gaku’s life after Grandfather’s passing is that his beloved person hasn’t seen Gaku’s performance—his long time dream. His longest promise to his grandfather can only be his memory.
The moment after his grandfather's passing was also his bottom rock. He felt stressed out and depressed until his favourite riddle couldn’t be fun anymore. Nothing can be solved at this point.
After his passing, Gaku joined a singing and dancing course to keep himself busy and to fulfil his unfulfilled dreams. The young man also persistently begged for almost three months to Yaotome Pro’s chairman—who is also his father -- to make his debut faster.
His father wanted to make Gaku as his successor to be the chairman of Yaotome Pro, but Gaku, as persistent as he is, granted his wishes to be a successful idol. Of course, at first, The Chairman didn’t want to fulfil that wish, but Gaku’s stubbornness (that obviously comes from him) made him give up.
Gaku should prove him right, he knows he can do this. Along with that, Gaku got introduced with his bandmates.
Tsunashi Ryuunosuke and Kujo Tenn.
Three wonderful people in one group—named TRIGGER.
Gaku took a deep breath. “Alright! There’s no time to be sad. I always believed that you are always watching me from heaven.” He said with a smile.
“I will sing for you, of course my group’s song, TRIGGER, with acoustic composition.”
He took a break, and said,“Last Dimension”
Gaku picked the guitar’s strings. His hands did a chord beautifully. Even though he’s still a beginner, Gaku once studied guitar from his friend to reprise a character for his drama.
In his free time, he went to train his guitar skills again. A hum was heard. And his mouth hummed a familiar song—Last Dimension.
“Hikigane hiku no wa saa dare da~”
He finished his song, the sound of guitar still heard before he officially ended the song for his beloved Grandfather.
Along with that, tears suddenly dropped on the dulled green tatami where he sat. He promised himself, this will be the last time he mourns for his beloved person’s passing.
The fire that lit up the incense sticks started to go off. Gaku watched the remaining fire. Okuribi , the last ritual for Obon Celebration, this celebration is escorting ancestral spirits back to the afterlife. This festival is celebrated every year, on the same day as Gaku’s birthday and Grandpa’s passing.
“Thank you. Gaku will always bring happiness through music.”
Gaku took the tiny bowl and brought it back to his Grandpa’s old mansion.
“Happy birthday, Gaku-chan. I wish you well, and good luck for every hardship.”
A voice was heard alongside the wind blows. Gaku turned his head where the voice was heard, but that voice was gone.
Gaku was sure there was no one there. But he was sure that voice was his grandfather's.
Gaku stared at the golden sky. A bright red on the west side, the east side was blue coloured, with a cloud—it was like a topping in the sky. A smile was shown on his face.
“Thank you, Grandpa.”
End
Writer's Corner:
Happy birthday, Yaotome Gaku, and happy Obon 2025. It should have been a happy birthday, but instead it turned into a solemn celebration.
Although it has nothing to do with the story, I present this artwork of Yaotome Gaku playing the guitar, created by my dear friend, Rara. I really wanted to see Gaku playing the guitar because, as far as I know, there isn't a card of him playing the guitar yet.
