the idols race for love, are you ready? | book one | utapri

chapter three

ｏｒｉｅｎｔａｔｉｏｎ

『 your p.o.v 』

          "Look at you two," mom said as she stood in front of Otoya and I with tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, the red head and myself wearing our uniforms for Saotome Academy, "you both look so, so grown up! Gosh, this feels just like when I was sending Reiji off all those years ago."

          Otoya laughed sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Mrs. Kotobuki, we'll come back to visit you often so don't cry."

          "Yeah mom, no water works. You should be smiling and be overjoyed that Otoya and I got accepted into Saotome." I said, grabbing a napkin off the bar counter and handing it to her before she really begins crying.

          Mom shook her head some, willing her tears to stop. "I am happy," she reassured, "I'm just overwhelmed is all. I'm so unbelievably happy for the both of you, promise."

          My smile softened. "Thanks mom. We'll visit after we get settled in and we know our class schedules. Sound good?"

          "Sounds great." She said with a small laugh. "I'm going to miss having you two around so often though. The summer really flew by didn't it?"

          "It sure did Mrs. Kotobuki. We should probably get going ___," Otoya said as he looked to me with a giddy grin, "wouldn't want to be late for orientation now would we?"

          I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we should get going."

          Before either of us could even take a step towards the front doors of Kotobuki Bento, mom closed the short distance between Otoya, myself, and her and threw her arms around the red head and I, nearly killing us with the force of her hug. Both Otoya and I laughed as we hugged her back.

          I know that Mrs. Kotobuki is technically only my mother, but she's been so accepting of Otoya since the first day he came over to meet her and Reiji. Honestly, Otoya is practically apart of the family just as I am and I'm sure mom realizes this as well what with the way she's getting so emotional over the both of us. She even made me promise to bring Otoya over before we left for Saotome so she could send us both off in the best way she knows how; cooking us a large breakfast and promptly proceeding to cry over how much she's going to miss the two of us.

          "Okay mom, c'mon, we need to go or else we'll be late." I said, squeezing her one last time before pulling back and helping Otoya detangle himself from her octopus like arms. "We'll be back before you know it and I'll drag Reiji along with us so you'll have all three of us for dinner!"

          Mom stubbornly wiped at her tears. "Alright, you better visit whenever possible okay?"

          "We will, don't worry Mrs. Kotobuki." Otoya promised with a genuine smile. "Thanks for the breakfast again and have a good day!"

          With even more tears welling up in her eyes, mom stood outside the front doors of her bento shop as Otoya and I began the long walk down to Saotome Academy. The red head and myself offered her parting waves before we turned down another block, successfully leaving her sight.

          Otoya laughed once we were unable to see mom anymore. "Geez, I was beginning to think she'd never let us leave."

          "Yeah, I'm surprised it didn't take her longer to start crying. I was sure she'd be tearing up during breakfast." I responded with a laugh of my own.

          The two of us talked and joked right up to the point when we were less than a block away from Saotome Academy. Otoya and I soon found ourselves walking alongside other students in their uniforms, all smiling and walking with a hop in their step. It seems like everyone is excited to be starting school at such a prestigious music academy. I know Reiji told me he could barely contain his excitement when he was first accepted and was just a ball of energy all throughout his years at this very school. Even Ryuuya and Ringo said he was absolutely crazy, bouncing off the walls and always singing and making a ruckus with his maracas.