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

chapter forty

ｌｅｔ   ｕｓ   ｇａｍｂｌｅ

『 your p.o.v 』

The walk down the busy hallways of Saotome Academy felt surprisingly lonely as I neared the teacher's lounge. That hour passed by far quicker than I was anticipating, nerves truly beginning to set in now as I ready myself to make possibly the biggest gamble of my life thus far.

I didn't get a chance to talk with any of my friends before I left the lounge meaning I'm essentially making this decision on my own without their input. Hopefully they don't hate me for what I'm going to propose, but Masato and Ren both said they'd work hard no matter what was thrown at them so I'm sure the other four will feel the same when I gather them all after this meeting is over. Though if Shining really does threaten to kick me out for working with Quartet Night behind his back, then I don't know what my friends will manage. We've all grown so close, I'd hate to see all of this just disappear so I won't let that happen. I'll fight for not only Quartet Night but for my friends as well.

With a newfound hop in my step, I continued down to the end of the hall and then entered the large double doors to the teacher's lounge. Immediately my eyes locked onto the six idols all sitting and standing off near Ryuuya and Ringo's desks that happen to be placed side by side over in the far right corner of the room. Slowly, the idols attentions shift to myself as I close the double doors behind me, all the other idol and composer teachers having left for the day a long while ago. "Hey guys."

Ringo was the first to get up and walk over, meeting me halfway between the doors and his desk and immediately encasing me in a tight hug almost as if he was expecting me to have an emotional breakdown. "___! We were beginning to think you weren't going to show up." He said with a pout as he placed his hands on my shoulders and pulled back just enough to get a clear view of my face. "Have you decided on what you're going to do?"

Offering him a smile, I slipped out of his grasp and made my way over to sit on the chair placed just in front of his desk. "Ringo, did you and Ryuuya tell Shining about me composing for Quartet Night?" I asked instead, Reiji walking over to lean against the desk while standing beside me, one of his hands coming to rest on my shoulder while his bandmates look to me questioningly.

Ryuuya sighed, the orange haired actor standing with his arms crossed over his chest and his back against the wall to my right. "We had no choice. He was going to find out eventually and we figured it would be better hearing it from us sooner rather than right before the Soatome Music Festival."

Slowly, I nodded before looking up to Reiji with a kind smile. "And you told them I was composing for you despite telling me to keep it a secret, right?" I asked, laughing as the handsome brunette quickly diverted his gaze. "I'm not upset, just trying to figure everything out is all." I said as I reached up and placed my hand over his that still rests on my shoulder. "Anyways, I have a plan."

"A plan?" AI repeated.

"What kind of a plan does a peasant like you require?" Camus then asked.

"Aren't you just going to walk up in there and tell the old man that you're going to drop out and become our full-time composer?" Ranmaru tacked on from where he sits on the windowsill, a pair of crimson red headphones draped over the back of his neck with the wire leading to his leather jacket's pocket.

I shook my head. "No, I refuse to drop out of school." I said without leaving room for discussion. "My friends are more important to me as of right now so if I was forced to choose between you four or them, I'd choose them. No matter how much I love Reiji and look up to you guys, I can't betray my friends. But, I'm willing to make a gamble in order to get what I want."