Chapter Text
«FUURIN 101: REBORN».
Despite the ridiculous name, the new season of the idol survival show was undoubtedly a success.
Even Sakura, who knew nothing about the industry, knew about it.
The first edition ended in resounding failure due to the betrayal of the foreign partner company. Although the winning group achieved extraordinary success on the music charts, the controversy ultimately led to their disbandment. As a result, MFA&S's reputation plummeted.
Desperate to regain public trust, MFA&S launched a second male edition just three months after crowning the winning group of the female version.
The girls' debut song was just beginning to dominate every site when the program's official website posted a new call for auditions: the auditions were open to any boy, with no age limit or experience requirements.
For many critics, this marked the beginning of disaster. Many argued that they hadn't learned from their mistakes by partnering with foreign companies again, but MFA&S refused to issue any statement.
However, all that information should remain known only among industry fans due to its specific nature; how did Sakura find out about it?
"Here," Kotoha said, handing him a piece of paper with an address written on it as he finished cleaning the tables. "You're supposed to go here in a week. I've signed you up for the Fuurin 101 auditions."
Freezing in place, Sakura stared at her with eyes so wide that his head hurt.
"What did ya do?!"
"If I didn't do it, you'd never listen to me," she said, turning away and returning to the counter to begin drying the dishes. "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, you know?"
"Are ya crazy?! I don't even know what ya signed me up for!"
She rolled her eyes. "It's the show I've been telling you about for a while now. Don't be a pouty boy."
Despite her age, Kotoha had very defined tastes: with a stable job at her dad's cafe, she was an avid fan of the entertainment industry and was always aware of any new developments.
In fact, he was pretty sure she already had his album and attendance at the first signing meeting of the newly debuted girl group secured.
"The idol one?! I can't even speak properly!" And he wasn't lying. Customers always mentioned how he always answered like a cat with its fur standing on end.
A comparison he detested, of course. But that wasn't the point.
"Well, your screams have potential," Kotoha said, giving an 'okay' sign, but lowering it with a sigh when Sakura growled in her direction. "Come on, Sakura, you know that's not true. You know the whole choreography of the guys outside, and I'm sure you're not bad at it even if I haven't see you yet."
Coincidentally, Kotoha's father coffee shop, Pothos, was located directly across from a large law firm. To maintain the dignity of its employees, the entire building was covered in glass to appear much more elegant than the others in the area.
Those windows reflected as clearly as a mirror, so a dozen teenagers would gather there every day to rehearse. Some, according to Kotoha, imitated famous groups and their dances, while others were clearly professionals at a young age, creating their own choreographies.
(Actually, he was practically the same age as them, but it wasn't something he liked to admit when he saw them so full of life, laughing with friends, and he... No, he didn't like the subject.)
Since the busiest times were always in the morning and late afternoon, the midday hours were almost always empty. Bored, Sakura watched those children rehearse from beginning to end.
It was normal for him to learn a move or two. And he would never admit to practicing them in the privacy of his room, not even if he were paid.
She tapped beneath her eyes. "I have a good sight for it, you know?"
However, he refused to back down.
"I know shit! And it's not the same. I ain't even have 1% of the skill they have!"
"And there will be experienced people on the program who will teach you whatever you need," Kotoha said with a playful smile, not wanting to lose either. "You have no more excuses, Sakura~."
He gritted his teeth. "Well, that's a shame! The audition falls on a weekday and I have ta' work, didn't y'know?"
"Oh, don't worry about that."
With a shiver running down his spine, Sakura looked at Kotoha with a bad feeling, stroking the back of his neck by reflex.
Seeing that her mocking expression had become more pronounced, he paled.
"I already told Dad you won't be coming that day, and he said he'd take us to the audition himself," she said, bringing a hand to her mouth, her eyes narrowing. "Your fate is sealed, Sakura Haruka."
And as she'd said, it happened.
The following week, Sakura looked with a queasy stomach at the "Closed" sign on the cafe door. Beside her, both Kotoha and Shitara, her father and boss, were so radiant that their happiness seemed to overflow.
"You're right on time, Sakura! Being punctual will definitely make a good impression on the producers," Shitara said, smoothing out any nonexistent wrinkles and patting Sakura's shoulders with a proud expression. "God, our little Sakura is finally taking a step into the real world. You'll finally let everyone see what a good boy you are!"
Blushing furiously, Sakura abruptly and weakly pulled his hand away from him. "Y'know that's a lie!"
Shitara was a more mature-looking person, with stubble beginning to appear on his chin and thick-framed glasses. However, he almost always ended up behaving like a child and arguing loudly with him.
Therefore, he wasn't surprised when he looked at him as if he'd uttered a grave offense. "I don't lie! If my eldest son were here, I'm sure he would adore you too!"
"That's bullshit!"
"Manners, boy! And it's not!"
"Speaking of my brother," Kotoha interrupted their childish argument, giving him a look he couldn't decipher, "did he finish his thing?"
"Yes, he's practically waiting for the details now," Shitara answered.
When talking about his first child, he usually adopted a calmer and more serious demeanor.
It'd been like that ever since he met him almost half a year ago. After arriving in Makochi as a last resort, it was Kotoha and Shitara who welcomed him and patiently waited until he could trust them.
Throughout the process, they were both as sincere as possible: while Kotoha visited him between classes, respecting his space at school, Shitara always tried to make him feel comfortable in the cafeteria. And all without expecting anything in return.
He already felt grateful enough to have been offered a part-time job after school to pay his rent, so all the affection was overwhelming.
After all, he lived fifteen years of his life surrounded by hatred and hostility from every single person he ever met. It was hard to get used to it in such a short time.
However, throughout all that time, there was the existence of the "famous older brother" whom Sakura never met. He was also unable to hear his name, no matter how hard he tried. The two Shitara seemed to have all information about him sealed in stone, and all he knew was that he's constantly busy.
I guess those are the kinds of family secrets that normal people have, Sakura concluded. Strangers have no place there.
"That's good," Kotoha commented with an odd cheerfulness, oblivious to his own mental ramblings. "We must hurry then!"
"We're ready!" Shitara mimicked her excitement, looking at him again. "Sakura, you've already had breakfast, right?"
It was almost 10 in the morning, and for a boy in his growth stage who worked even on vacation, the first meal of the day had to be of utmost importance.
That's why he lied: "I did."
Both Kotoha and Shitara stared at him without saying a word, and as soon as the blush began to spread to his ears, they both nodded to themselves at his involuntary pout.
"Okay. Let's grab something to eat nearby and then we'll go," Shitara declared, walking to the driver's seat.
"I agree," Kotoha said from the passenger side, handing him a simple mp3 and reminding him: "Here. Use your time wisely and practice in the meantime."
And like a child, Sakura reluctantly obeyed. As the melody echoed in his ears, images of the boys smiling at him and performing a basic dance routine replayed.
Without realizing it, his muscles tensed slightly every time he made a small, deliberate movement. If Shitara and Kotoha noticed it from the rear view mirror, neither of them mentioned it, smiling to themselves.
The drive took almost an hour. Makochi, a friendly and comforting town for someone like him, was located almost on the outskirts of the big city. That was one of the main reasons he'd decided to go, actually.
Throughout the journey, father and daughter discussed matters unrelated to him. Out of respect for their family dynamic, Sakura focused on remembering his routine to not disappoint those who believed he'd succeed.
Breakfast was simple, too. Despite being very hungry, Kotoha reminded him to eat something light so he wouldn't get sick during the evaluation and promised that they would have a feast afterward to celebrate, no matter the result.
Just like that, he ended up in the enormous audition building with renewed energy, observing the interviewers with wide, sincere eyes.
"Th-Thank you for your attention!"
A round of applause.
"Good job."
"Yes, yes. You surprised me."
"Right? We'll contact you if there are any updates. Thank you so much for coming."
Once the boy left the room…
"Ha…"
A round of sighs.
Putting her hands to her head, one of the interviewers rested her forehead on the counter, completely resigned.
Her four colleagues understood her perfectly.
"What is this? Isn't he supposed to have experience?" she muttered, slamming her cheek against the cold surface as she read his summary on the tablet. At least it helped distract her from the disgust.
"The worst part is that the company actually exists. With his level of expertise, I would've thought he made up the whole resume," the person sitting on the far left massaged his temples, feeling the impending migraine.
"And it's been like this for almost two hours now. No, even worst: we've been like this for days," added the man on the far right, drumming his fingers on the table as he shook his head in resignation. "We had such high hopes after weeding out more than five hundred kids from the registrations, but this..."
"It's disappointing."
When the person presiding over the table spoke, the rest remained silent.
Then they nodded ruefully.
If even she said so, then the situation was worse than they imagined.
Taking a break to drink some water, neither of them felt like continuing, but they couldn't just leave. There was still a month of auditions left, and it was their job.
Reading the next guy's resume, the atmosphere soured when it read: "no prior experience".
It'll be a disaster, they thought collectively.
"Please, come in."
Crack.
Hearing the door open, the five interviewers looked up.
And their breath caught in their throats.
The first thing they noticed was the contrast of black and white in his unruly hair; then, their gazes were drawn into eyes as beautiful as a sunset. One seemed to hold the sun beginning to dip below the horizon; the other, the reflection of a vast sea swaying under the starlight.
For a moment, no one said anything. Bathed in that view, they instantly noticed that the boy wasn't nervous at all.
He was as calm as the image conveyed by his gaze.
Instinctively, their necks cracked when they exchanged glances, their thoughts so obvious they could practically read them.
"Is it dyed?"
"No, look at the roots! It's completely natural!"
"And it's not just his hair! Look at his eyelashes! His eyelashes!!"
"Don't ask me to notice his eyelashes when his eyes..."
"They're just like a cat's!"
After an endless day of disappointing auditions, it was as if heaven had taken pity on them, rewarding them with a jewel capable of attracting the entire world simply by being present.
As if they'd been injected with chicken blood, the five straightened their postures and fixed their passionate gazes on the newcomer.
"My name is Sakura Haruka," he said, taking the microphone with a bored expression and bowing slightly, almost mechanically. "Please take good care of me."
Because of the tedious day, they were finding it difficult to contain their emotion. As the public face of her colleagues, the woman presiding over the table spoke with numb fingers on the microphone.
"Welcome, Sakura," she said, hiding her own enthusiasm, glancing at the tablet without really reading anything. "It says here that you have no prior apprenticeship experience. Why did you decide to enroll?"
"It wasn't actually me: it was an acquaintance," the boy confessed, a light blush spreading across his neck and cheeks. "According to her, I have what it takes to be part of this, so she encouraged me to come."
If they had her in front of them, they'd probably fight over who got to lick her boots first. Not only was his appearance a diamond in the rough in an industry saturated with young people who wanted to be unique, but those little glimpses of a tsundere personality were precious too.
That was the icing on the cake.
This guy is the absolute best!
The girl who had resigned herself first was practically vibrating in her seat, and her colleagues weren't any better. Even the head of the table was struggling to maintain her composure and prevent a creepy smile from taking over her face.
"I see," she said, controlling her voice, and gestured with her hand. "Please present what you have."
Their next source of income looked at them with some doubt, nodding cautiously. They knew that, as a matter of protocol, they should ask a couple more questions to broaden their assessment of the trainee, but none of them were crazy enough to reject that future talent over a minor slip of the tongue.
Once in position, the backstage staff connected the speakers. The same greed shone on their faces as an energetic melody, similar to hip-hop, filled the room.
Holding their breath, the entire staff watched with rapturous excitement as the boy practically took over the stage in a second.
His movements were deliberate and even a little clumsy, but none were incomplete. His lack of experience was obvious, and the most basic fundamentals were conspicuously absent; even so, his extraordinary flexibility allowed each step to flow naturally and possess an undeniable appeal.
He was, without a doubt, a beginner performing a choreography learned from other amateurs.
However, the way in which he'd managed to appropriate it, making it seem like his own rather than a mere imitation, was a quality that even many advanced apprentices lacked.
"I think I'm going to cry," the male interviewer, who had remained silent, murmured, and the rest nodded without needing words.
It's perfect.
The presentation was allowed to last a maximum of two minutes. Throughout the day, no one had complained—though on several occasions they'd even wished it were shorter—but now they felt powerless, unable to break the rules and ask for more time while applauding.
Sakura finished with his shoulder turned toward the audience and his head bowed, breathing heavily. His cheeks were so flushed they accentuated the sparkle in his eyes, which betrayed how much he'd enjoyed dancing in front of them.
"Very good work, Sakura," one of the dance instructors sincerely congratulated him.
And even if he hadn't done so well, none of them would have said so. The boy in front of them practically had a halo before his eyes.
"Thank you," with slightly stretched lips, the two-toned man bowed.
Before silence could once again take over the room, the boy at one end rushed to grab the microphone, gripping it so tightly that his knuckles turned pale.
"Sakura, do you happen to know how to rap?"
"Huh?"
His colleague was not far behind, breathing so heavily that her nostrils flared.
"Sakura-chi, do you know how to sing?"
"… Ha?"
It seemed that the boy wasn't prepared for those kinds of questions, looking at them with his beautiful eyes wide open.
Taken aback, he scratched the back of his neck somewhat doubtfully and confessed: "I don't think I know either of them, but... I can try?"
"Do us a favor," the head of the table almost begged.
Nodding, Sakura took a few seconds to think before bringing the microphone to his mouth.
He probably didn't know he could request an instrumental backing track, but none of those present made a gesture to inform him when a clear, clean voice reached his ears.
Any professional would've immediately noticed the shortcomings in his technique: his sense of rhythm was unstable, and on more than one occasion, he reached notes higher or lower than they should've been. However, his impeccable diction and the unique timbre of his voice were too valuable to let go of.
The singing instructor placed her hands on her chest, letting a smile spread across her face.
Sakura sang for less than thirty seconds before blushing furiously, his discomfort very obvious. When none of the interviewers reacted, he interpreted their silence as a signal to continue and moved on to attempting a brief rap demonstration.
His excellent pronunciation had already been demonstrated when he sang, but, combined with his excellent flow and interpretive ability, came dangerously close to causing the rap instructor to get up from his seat to sign a contract in a heartbeat.
The only thing that stopped him was his obvious lack of breath control and experience, as well as his self-control in order to appear professional.
His attempt at rapping lasted even less than the song, however, no one complained.
The round of applause that followed was both loud and heartfelt.
Sakura blushed even more, exceeding the jury's already high expectations.
"Thank you so much for coming today, Sakura," the head of the table said sincerely. "Please wait for our call in the next few days. See you soon."
If Sakura made the mistake of not believing them, that was no longer their problem. They were dead serious.
With renewed spirits, the interviewers bid farewell to their diamond in the rough with barely concealed misgivings, silently cursing the fact that the rules prevented them from keeping him longer than the other participants.
"I think we've found our next program center," without telling anyone in particular, the table leader jotted a few things down in her notebook and smiled genuinely for the first time in days.
The others nodded without saying anything.
There was no one in that room who didn't think the same.
If Kotoha was already unbearable, she'd reached levels he never imagined after being chosen. His ears still hurt when he remembered.
Approximately one week after attending, Kotoha ran in as both Shitara and him were finishing cleaning the tables after closing time.
Jumping around, Kotoha pounced on him in a tight hug, rocking him like a rag doll.
"You got in! Sakura, you got into the program!!"
Shitara, who'd taught his daughter to behave that way, also let out a shriek and ran towards them, enveloping them in a bear hug. It was no surprise that the neighbors heard and asked about it the next day, receiving more shrieks and congratulations from each customer who found out.
"Here comes another source of pride for our small town!" the citizens repeated, patting him on the back with proud expressions.
Sakura had no idea who was first, but he didn't have time to think about such things. His mind seemed to short-circuit whenever he felt the genuine affection of those who were happy for him, and the fact that they already considered him part of Makochi didn't help much.
As a boy who dreamed his whole life of finding a place to belong, this was so unreal it was frightening.
The following days passed in a blur. Aside from working and running from the affection of the townspeople, Sakura hadn't done much regarding the fact that he was now officially a trainee on his way to debut.
It was Shitara who reminded him that same weekend.
"Hey, Sakura-chan, have you thought about what song you're going to perform?"
Silence settled for a few seconds.
Sakura blinked. "Song?"
"Song," Shitara stated. "In the first episode, they'll probably evaluate you to assign you a level. They've done that in every season."
With his heart pounding in his ears, Sakura realized he had a problem. As the person who knew the most about the subject in his inner circle, he ended up asking Kotoha.
"Oh, that. I already told you, right?" She kept stirring the onions in the pan, speaking as if he weren't in a terrible situation. "Don't worry so much, you have months to prepare. Just ask the guys in front for another choreography and that's it."
"That's not the problem," Sakura grumbled. "Didn't you tell me trainees couldn't go on their own?"
Kotoha froze.
"Oh."
"Yeah. Oh."
And that's how the two of them started to think about a way to solve it.
Sakura was completely clueless when it came to technology, so Kotoha took it upon herself to research other participants who'd made it onto the show.
Approximately one week later, their investigation paid off: a boy named Nirei, also from Makochi, commented on a forum that he passed the evaluation round.
"And is it true?" Sakura didn't sound convinced, since anyone could lie on social media.
She shrugged. "It's all we have for now, and we've got nothing to lose by trying. If it was a lie, we'll keep looking for someone else."
Since he didn't like to rack his brain about complicated things, he decided to go with the flow. Kotoha spoke to Nirei a couple of days before he agreed to go to the cafe to meet Sakura.
And their first time seeing each other was… unique. If you could say so.
"You have no trainee experience," the blonde said, "and you've never participated in any events or anything related to the industry."
Which was true, by the way. But it seemed that they boy, with his round, almond-shaped eyes full of curiosity, was focused on something else.
"Is your hair real?"
Sakura gritted his teeth. "Damn it, I've told ya' yes three times already! And it's that even important right now?!"
The dumbass ignored him. "Because of stress?"
"No! It's something I was born with, ya' idiot!"
The positive aspect was that Nirei quickly adapted to Sakura's volatile nature and wasn't offended by his temperament, even finding it somewhat endearing. He also seemed completely unconcerned that Sakura had a reputation as a bully before arriving at Makochi.
Although he knew nothing about the trainee life, he knew their past would be a problem if it came to light. Kotoha told him how vital an impeccable record was for those seeking fame, and he was aware that appearing alongside him could harm his chances, so he mentioned it.
"Okay," was all Nirei said. "To be honest, I don't mind that you're good at fighting; in fact, it's great. Years ago... well, I used to get bullied, you know? I was about to give up on everything, but someone saved me and encouraged me to pursue my dream. To be an artist even if I was a coward."
The, he smiled brightly at him. "Besides, you were doing it to defend yourself, weren't you? How is that your fault?"
Oh, Sakura felt a warm pressure in his chest. He's a good person.
And it was probably that mindset that allowed them to do a good job as a team.
Sakura detested tedious tasks, while Nirei felt more at ease when he had everything under control. Sakura liked to be the center of attention when presenting; Nirei, on the other hand, preferred to stay one step back and harmonize from the shadows wherever necessary.
They were an odd couple, yes. But they also fit together perfectly.
In that way, the months flew by.
Thanks to the help of the boys who hung out in front of the cafeteria, learning the choreography turned out to be much easier than expected. Nirei was already an extremely perfectionist during rehearsals, so the advice from more experienced dancers only ended up boosting his work rate.
As for his singing, the blond man possessed an enviable talent. He didn't reach particularly high notes, and his vocal range tended to be rather low, but his breath control and the ease with which he broke his voice at the right moments were astonishing.
"I don't think I'm that good, I've just been practicing for years," he said with an embarrassed smile, rubbing the back of his neck. "Actually, Sakura-san, you're the impressive one! Didn't you say you'd never sung before? You have a really good voice!"
"Uh-huh, and cows fly," Sakura blushed furiously, pushing him away without any real intention behind his action. "And don't be so modest here, damn it. Isn't it much more amazing that yer good after training so much? It's your effort that paid off."
The more he spoke, the more ashamed he felt. But even like that, he finished with a pout. "Be proud of yerself for that."
For some reason, Nirei almost burst into tears after hearing those words. And from that day on, he became even more clingy than he already was.
Sakura definitely didn't understand people.
It was alright, too.
It was in mid-July that they both received an email.
It was a notice that filming would begin next month, and that they should go and have their profile pictures taken to introduce them to the public.
"Oh my God," despite being covered in sweat, Nirei was trembling, phone in hand. "This is really just the beginning."
"What are ya afraid of? You participated of your own free will." He took a sip of water.
Nirei snorted, slightly calmer. "At least pretend to be nervous, ok? It makes me uncomfortable to see that I'm the only anxious one here."
Sakura shrugged in response.
In the end, it was Shitara who drove them both the next day. After going to pick up Sakura almost every day after school, both father and daughter had grown fond of the blond boy, greeting him with the day's specialty and a cup of coffee.
"Why isn't it the same for me?" Sakura had once complained.
"He brings us income every time he comes in because he's a customer. You take it away just by breathing because you work," Kotoha replied in a flat voice, handing him a cloth. "Clean table 5."
The logic was too good to argue with, but that doesn't mean he wasn't offended.
"Here are their uniforms."
Once they registered as a team for the program, a staff member handed them two boxes. Inside lay a green uniform with a white stripe down the arm and gold buttons.
"Wow," Nirei held it with the delicacy of a flower, observing every detail with a bright expression. "It's beautiful..."
Noticing his excitement, Sakura remained silent. In his eyes, it was just a simple school uniform. Nothing special about it.
After getting dressed, they headed to the studio. And surprisingly, the photo shoot took longer than he expected.
For some reason, the lead photographer practically radiated happiness when he entered the all-white space, and he asked him to strike a bunch of different poses. When he blushed from his overexcitement, the guy practically trembled.
The entire session lasted almost two hours, and although they arrived in Makochi mentally exhausted, neither of them skipped their daily practice and slept soundly until the next day without a care in the world. It was a miracle that the photo shoot fell on a weekend, honestly.
A few days later, Kotoha informed them that their photos had already been published along with the launch of the new season's logo. And, after giving them the news, she kept any comments to herself, hiding behind a particularly mischievous smile.
Sakura didn't seem to care in the slightest, while Nirei, for his part, decided not to check them for the sake of his mental health.
For a while, Sakura thought Nirei would forget about the matter when he saw him behaving the same as always in the following days.
But, just the day before the recording, he received a call from his partner.
That afternoon, Nirei left early to finish packing his suitcase. Sakura, who didn't own many things, packed what little he had into an old backpack and decided that was enough, so he went to bed early to regain his energy.
However, the ringing of his cell phone woke him up in the middle of the night.
"Nirei?" he asked half asleep, confused by the name on his screen.
"I'm sorry, Sakura-san. You were the only one I could talk to about this..."
The blond man's voice sounded somewhat nasal, almost as if he'd been crying.
Sitting with his back against the wall, he sighed. "Tell me. I'll listen."
"...Mhm," his groan sounded like a sob. "It's just that I'm nervous. And scared. I don't know how to feel," he confessed, taking deep breaths. "Our lives will change forever, Sakura-san. What will we do if we don't make it?"
Gazing at the enormous moon through his window, Sakura let the cold of the night clear his fuzzy mind while Nirei cried his heart out at the other side of the line.
After a few seconds, he replied:
"Keep trying."
Nirei remained silent for a moment, sniffing.
"It won't be that easy," his distressed tone carried a certain reproach.
"Perhaps," he agreed, "but weren't ya close to giving up in the past? Will it be so difficult to try again one more time?"
"…!"
Nirei told him a long time ago in a casual conversation, but Sakura remembered it vividly.
After all, it was at that precise moment that his mindset about him changed, realizing that he wasn't the pathetic boy who worried excessively about appearances. He was clumsy and blunt, yes, but a good person nonetheless.
A honest, kind, and resilient kid.
He'd never tell him that. Those words would die with him.
"…Thank you, Sakura-san."
"Mhm."
He didn't know how his response helped, but Nirei sounded more relaxed than ever. The next day, although he had dark circles under his eyes, he smiled as broadly as his cheeks would allow.
"Good morning, Sakura-san."
As it was the closest meeting point, the two had agreed to meet at the cafeteria. Shitara offered to drive them to the facility, while Kotoha insisted on how much she wanted to accompany them to offer her best wishes.
"Good morning, Nirei," noticing his radiant expression, he couldn't help but feel a bit of his joy rub off on him. "Ya look prepared."
"I am," the blond boy chuckled. "After all, if we fail, it won't kill us to try again, will it?"
He didn't know why, but something in his tone of voice made him explode in a way he never had before.
Red from head to toe, he tried to avoid Nirei for the rest of the trip and refused to say a word. His not-yet-friend laughed uproariously at his reaction and teased him along with Kotoha and Shitara, but he didn't budge an inch throughout the entire journey.
It was only when they stood before the enormous entrance, with an even larger edifice looming in the distance, and the guards announced that father and daughter could not enter beyond the fence, that reality finally set in for both of them.
Nirei swallowed hard.
"We're here, Sakura-san..." his voice trembled.
Throughout the entire process, he never felt nervous or particularly distressed. In fact, every time he saw Nirei giving his all to do well, he felt a certain amount of guilt knowing that he wasn't leaving his life on stage to fulfill a dream, unlike the rest.
However, in this exact moment, his heart beat faster than ever inside his chest.
"Yes," he said breathlessly, tightening his backpack strap. "Let's go."
"Yes, Sakura-san."
Saying goodbye to both Shitaras, they walked past the guards with solemn expressions.
From that day forward, and officially, they were trainees of Fuurin 101.