"I know, I know." Aimi took a deep breath, steeling her nerves. Then, she faced you again, determined. "I will accomplish my goal. I don't plan on backing down."

You hummed in amusement. "So, you're declaring war?"

"... Yes." She smiled. "And my spoils will be you."

Aimi almost collapsed in the school bathroom recalling that memory. Despite the conversations being a few days ago, it was still fresh in her mind. She washed her hands, hoping the cold water would somehow quell the furious blush on her face.

I can't believe I said that–––ahhh, I might die of embarrassment.

Whilst Aimi was preoccupied with her thoughts, she almost ran into a certain trio upon exiting the bathroom.

"We can head there together! Though, we'll probably have to part ways at the actual concert."

That was your voice! The blonde had to step on her own foot so that she wouldn't rush towards the source of the sound to see your face. She hid behind a wall and remained still. As much as she wanted to sneak a glance, there was a high chance she'd be found out.

"We'll come with you anyway!"

Aimi's eyebrows furrowed. That voice was... Kasumi's brother, right? What was he doing with you? Actually, no. She knew what he was doing with you. The two of you were close. Too close. Everyone in the school knew he has a crush on you. Just how shameless could he get by announcing his feelings to the world like that?

The guy used to have a reputation for being unapproachable because of how blunt he was; people avoided him. Now? Girls gush over how open he is with his feelings for you and boys find his bluntness respectable since he was straightforward and blunt.

"Are you an idiot? Do you even have backstage passes?"

And that was Kasumi herself. The girl who everyone hated, but you befriended. Seriously. Kasumi was supposed to be the school's antagonist, but people stopped disliking her so much after you became friends with her. The petty bullying stopped and Kasumi even formally apologised to those she wronged, even Aimi.

Those three are so close. Aimi clenched her fists. Just be patient. She'll be all yours soon. Then, she'll ditch the siblings within a heartbeat.

With a sigh, Aimi left. It was time for club activities. She dreaded the idea of being around people, but doing some music doesn't sound too bad. Aimi took her time arriving at the club. Today was a slow day anyways; people were left to their own devices for some downtime since they've recently finished a performance.

The moment Aimi entered the room, she was greeted by a certain idol.

"Aimi-san!" Utari waved at her. "Over here."

Utari and her were acquaintances outside of the club and they were friends during it. They shared conversations, exchanged a few chuckles, but never truly connected. The two were only close when it was time for club activities because of their shared passion for music.

Aimi went over to Utari. Now that I think about it, he's been growing closer to (Y/n). Did he confess yet?

"I've been hearing about a concert," Aimi said.

Utari nodded. "Genji-san and I will be performing. Are you coming?"

Aimi forced a sheepish chuckle. "I can't exactly afford a ticket."

"That's a shame." Utari suddenly snapped his fingers. Leaning in closer to her, he whispered. "Hey, what if I tried to get you one? Think of it as a small gift as one fellow musician to another."

Aimi's smile remained wooden. Because of her role as the heroine, the system granted her easy and cliche scenarios to grow closer to the male leads. Even this far into the game, these scenarios still came up.

Did Aimi want to go to the concert? Frankly, no. Logically speaking, she should go to keep an eye on you and gain insight on your development with Utari. However, upon eavesdropping earlier, she learnt that you had backstage tickets. If she went, nothing meaningful would be done. She had other plans that she could do at home.

"It's fine. I can always watch a recording. I don't want to be unfair."

"Alright~ Don't come crying to me later."

"Right." It was a miracle that she didn't sigh out of exasperation. "I'm going to go practice now."

"Sure thing."

Aimi grabbed a random guitar and sat in the corner of the room. She strummed absentmindedly, letting her thoughts separate her from those in the room.

There was a short silence in the air before Aimi cleared her throat. "Utari-kun, why did you choose to become an idol?"

The blue-haired male fluttered his eyes in surprise at the sudden question before releasing a chuckle.

"Because I like to sing," he answered simply. "I like to think of it as another way to get my emotions across to others."

"...Are you sure?"

Utari's smile didn't falter, but there was a brief pause in his response. "Of course!"

Aimi gave him a slow nod.

"You sure smile a lot, huh?"

"Ah, is it annoying?"

"No." Aimi shook her head. "But, just don't feel the need to force it. Feel free to act however when you're around me."

That was an early conversation she had with Utari when they were on their way to karaoke. It was a feeble attempt at being the 'heroine'. Aimi was given hints on the right things to say to the idol. But the words she communicated were hollow and scripted; he was just some stranger at the time, why should she be obligated to help him? What was the point if she didn't care about him?

Aimi wasn't the type to be able to think on the spot and boldly take action. She also wasn't the type to engage in mind games. And she wasn't the type to plan ahead and adapt accordingly when things didn't go her way.

But she can be persistent when it comes to you.

[ You're not really good at this, aren't you? ]

The flash of blue from the holographic screen forced Aimi out of her thoughts. She blinked slowly, remaining silent. Her subtle glare gave off a silent message; to leave her alone.

[ How rude >:( Why is it that you and (Y/n) never look amused when I show up? ]

Having something in common with you placed a smile on Aimi's face.

[ Anyways. I've come to lecture you! ]

[ You. Have. Literally. Not done much in this game, huh? Aside from that stunt with that art student ]

The blonde held back the urge to roll her eyes.

[ At this rate, (Y/n) would win the game. Look, if you want my help, you can just ask ]

"I don't need it," Aimi seethed. "Now leave me––"

"Is everything okay?"

Aimi flinched. Utari had taken the seat beside her. How long was he there for?

"Yeah, just a little annoyed since I kept messing up this new song." Aimi swallowed her frustrations towards the system. "Got a little carried away on the annoyed part."

"Oh, I get that."

Aimi had a feeling Utari didn't buy her excuse, but at least he dropped the subject.

Because the idol sat next to her, Aimi had garnered some envious stares from other students. The same old scenario.

Drag him away for me if you don't want me sitting next to him.

"You know, I'm also working on something new," Utari said. "It's for a specific someone."

The idol was always bright and lively, but this time he looked especially excited. Any fan of his would be desperately scrambling for a camera right now to capture that smile of his.

"Can I know who that specific someone is?"

Utari looked like he was waiting for her to ask that question. He leaned in closer and lowered his voice to a whisper.

"(Y/n)."

Of course it was for you.

A fond smile graced Utari's lips. Aimi was sure if anyone else noticed how love struck the idol looked at the moment, they would've melted on the spot. Aimi managed to feign a surprised look and Utari bashfully looked down at his guitar. Clearing his throat, he began playing a few notes before scribbling a few things down. Aimi could've returned to her own guitar, but she had to ask the question.

"Do you like her?"

Utari's face flushed. Despite his ability to mask his emotions, when it came to you he could be an open book.

"I-I mean..."

"I'm not surprised," Aimi mumbled. "I admire her a lot as well."

"Right?" Utari beamed. "I respect (Y/n) a lot too! What do you admire about––"

"Aimi-san, Shichirou-san is looking for you!"

Aimi looked up ahead. A familiar student with purple hair entered the music club. Shichirou smiled politely at the club members and everyone returned his greeting with great enthusiasm. When the two made eye contact, he pulled out a book from his bag. A book on origami. Aimi happened to pick it up one day out of pure boredom and was reading it alone during lunch. Shichirou walked past her and caught a glimpse. Without missing a beat he asked her if he could borrow it.

"I came to return this."

"Thanks. Was it useful?"

"It was... Though, I can't say the results were good." He chuckled. "But it was fun."

Aimi settled the book next to her. "Why the sudden interest?"

The student council president smiled happily. "It's because of someone."

Shichirou briefly glanced at Utari as he said that. The idol was preoccupied with his guitar, but Aimi knew he was listening in on the conversation.

Utari and Shichirou liked you, and Aimi knew they had obsessive tendencies. However, she wasn't going to focus on them to accomplish her goal. Shichirou played too many mind games; Aimi needed to plan ahead, use her words carefully, and take so many things into consideration. Utari? He'd see through her intentions faster than she could blink. Acting wasn't her strong suit.

Satoshi, however, was a little different. He was the one you focused the least on and he was the one she understood the best. After all, she was doing all of this so you two could stay together; create a world where only you and her existed. That was Satoshi's goal as well.

"Utari-san, can you reserve my spot?" Aimi asked. "I need to quickly check up on something."



===



The faint shouts that came from the sports club, the occasional footsteps that would echo down the hallway, the scratching of charcoal on canvas and pencil on paper, the subtle drags of a brushstroke, and the soft murmurs exchanged between club members; Satoshi disliked most social settings, but this was one he felt at peace at.

It was after school and Satoshi was minding his own business in the art club. It was a rare occasion today, everyone at the club was present in the room. Normally, people liked to scatter around the school to work on their craft.

Satoshi hummed to himself, analysing his painting.

I wonder if (Y/n) would like this.

The thought of you never failed to lighten up his mood. Satoshi would always daydream little things about you. What would you do if you had forgotten your umbrella on a rainy day? How would you go about politely refusing someone's offer to go on a date? How would you look at someone you loved?

What kind of person would you fall for?

"Satoshi-san, someone is looking for you."

Pulling him out of his reverie, a student gently tapped the leg of his easel. He glanced at the door and saw Aimi. Her hands were behind her back and she timidly met his gaze. The brunet didn't bother hiding a tired sigh. And just when his mood was light.

Satoshi curtly thanked the student who informed him before standing up and stepping outside the club room. He looked down at Aimi with cold eyes.

"You seem to be a fan of me."

Satoshi's words appeared playful, but his nonchalant delivery indicated anything but.

"Let's go somewhere more private," Aimi insisted.

Normally, Satoshi wouldn't entertain her. He hardly held a casual conversation with a person for more than a few minutes, let alone talk to them privately. However, you and Aimi appeared to have some sort of connection that he wasn't understanding. Talking to Aimi may give some useful hints.

"Alright."

The walk was short; they stopped at a corner of the school where people rarely passed by. Satoshi leaned against the wall, arms folded. His silence urged Aimi to initiate the conversation first.

"Sorry for calling you out of the blue," Aimi mumbled. "Uhm, I––"

"Please get to the point. I'd like to get back to painting."

"R-right..."

The blonde sighed wearily, mumbling a string of words that didn't reach Satoshi's ears.

"Satoshi-san, do you like (L/n)-san?"

Satoshi's indifferent expression didn't betray any of his thoughts towards the confrontational question. He noticed Aimi glancing away uncomfortably under his gaze.

What a weird question.

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Why aren't you answering?"

He sighed.

Seriously...

"If you're implying in the romantic sense, then no. Is that all?"

Satoshi observed Aimi's body language carefully. Her shoulders slumped at his response and a soft breath escaped her. It seemed like she was relaxed, but also felt troubled by his answer.

What did Satoshi think of Aimi? At the start of the school year, she garnered a lot of attention due to her scholarship. She captured his interest. It also helped that they shared one thing in common; they both weren't from a wealthy background. She approached him a few times and the exchanges were short and brief, just like how he would've liked it. He didn't like her or dislike her––Satoshi thought Aimi was fine.

That was his opinion of her until the day of the blackout. Out of the blue, she approached him and insisted to learn more about him. She spouted ridiculous lines and was awfully persistent. The girl seemed to have a motive behind her annoying acts, and Satoshi couldn't help but respond in a... hostile manner.

"I don't think she wants anything to do with you."

Satoshi was slow to respond as he was previously lost in his thoughts again. Even after processing what Aimi had said, he was unfazed by her words.

"I don't see why that has to do anything with you."

"Don't you want to get closer to her?"

"Whether or not I do, it has nothing to do with you."

Satoshi sighed. Nope. This wasn't worth it. He was going back. He'll figure out your relationship with Aimi through you. At least you were pleasant to talk to.

The moment he turned his back to Aimi, she grabbed his shoulder. He didn't bother holding back a hostile glare. The blonde didn't shy away from his display of animosity and returned it with a determined look.

"I can help you. I may not be able to make her fall in love with you, but I can get her to warm up to you––"

"I don't need it."

"I have information."

"Again, I don't need it."

"Because you can find out through stalking her, right?"

Oh?

"..." Satoshi slowly turned around, and Aimi hesitantly stepped back. "You seem very sure about that."

"I am sure."

Satoshi examined Aimi's expression carefully. His silence, his calm demeanour, and his indiscernible expression; Aimi couldn't tell what he was thinking and a part of her didn't want to know.

"How much do you know about me?" he asked.

"More than you think." Aimi hesitated for a moment. "Why? Does it make you uncomfortable?"

"I guess that would be an appropriate answer. But I'm more curious about how you knew and why you're so indifferent towards what is essentially a crime."

"I know a lot of things. I know information about Utari-san and Shichirou-san as well. If you want (L/n)-san's attention, you should be considering them as your rivals. I have information you'll never be able to obtain through just observation." Aimi swallowed. "So, will you listen to me now?"

Satoshi smiled, a smile that only made his warm golden eyes appear cold.

"You have a few minutes to convince me."



===



"We're stopping by to get ice cream," Kai said. "Then we're going to the arcade."

"Huh."

The moment you exited the student council room, you almost ran into Kai and Himari in the literal sense. How long were they waiting for you here? Yusei glanced at the siblings from behind you, and you gave him a sheepish smile.

"Uh, we can still walk to the gate together. We'll just have some additional company."

"Very good additional company!" Kai beamed. "Well, maybe not counting Himari."

Himari rolled her eyes at Kai's comment and kicked his shin. Unfortunately for her, he dodged in time. Kai childishly stuck out his tongue and Himari looked ready to claw out his eyes with her nails.

"It's fine," Yusei assured. "I need to head the opposite direction to see a teacher."

"Oh, okay. Then, I––"

Kai suddenly threw an arm over your shoulder. "Wanna join us later? We can wait until you're done with whatever you're doing."

Yusei blinked in surprise. It looked like he was conflicted on whether to be caught off guard by Kai's sudden offer or the fact that he was touching you so casually. You were reminded of Yusei's feelings for you, and the idea of him being jealous made you a little uneasy. You nudged Kai's ticklish spot to get him to remove his arm. Kai shot you a playful glare and ruffled your hair as payback.

If Yusei found your interaction with Kai unpleasant, he didn't show it. "I'd love to, but I'm busy."

You nodded. "Okay, but don't overwork yourself. I'll be calling you later to check up on you."

"I look forward to it."

After that, the Kasumi siblings proceeded to drag you out of the school. Once you three were past the gate, Kai glanced around hurriedly.

"Okay, we're alone, right?" he asked.

Himari sighed. "Yes. We're alone."

You were confused. "Why is that important––"

Kai proceeded to pull you into a bone crushing hug. Then, he lifted you up and spun you around once. Though you were surprised, you couldn't help but laugh. When Kai set you back onto the ground, he was still hugging you. He looked so happy to embrace you.

"Okay, what's this about?"

"We haven't spent much time with each other lately!" Kai frowned. "Y'know, because of my basketball competition. I missed ya, obviously. Himari got you all to herself."

Himari shrugged. "It was peaceful for a change. Can you let go of her now? We'll never reach the arcade at this rate."

The moment Kai begrudgingly released you, Himari snatched your hand and began pulling you away.

"Wh––Hey!"

Kai's indignant shouts were happily ignored by Himari.

"Pretend he's not there," she whispered to you. "Keep walking."

When Kai rejoined you and Himari, he fired a barrage of complaints towards his older sister, saying how she was 'being unfair' and was 'stealing you away.' Himari managed to shut him up by making you promise that you'll cheer him on in his next basketball game.

"(Y/n), I'm gonna ask you something," Himari said.

"Uh––yes? Okay?"

"Why do you look so confused?"

"Because usually people say 'hey, can I ask you a question?'"

"Oh." Himari shrugged. "Anyways, you've been tense these past few days. Is something up?"

Kai nodded. "I wanted to ask that as well!"

Well, there was Kashi's confession, Kashi's subtle display of possessiveness, and the prospect of preventing Genji's death at a concert––yeah, those things would rightfully warrant you being tense.

"Huh. I thought I did a better job at hiding it."

Kai looked at you, baffled. "That's not a healthy response!"

"Wait, lemme change it."

"(Y/n)!"

You laughed. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding..."

The siblings looked at you expectantly. Their looks weren't pressuring you for an answer, they were simply ready to listen to whatever you have to say. What could you even tell them?

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to," Himari said, earning a sigh of relief from you. "I just wanted to check in."

Aw, she was concerned for you? You smiled, heart growing warm.

"Thanks, that means a lot."

Himari avoided your eyes and grumbled, "Yeah, whatever."

You swore you saw the tips of her ears going red. You giggled at that.

"If you're feeling down, tell us so we can take you somewhere fun!" Kai exclaimed. "But you better not keep everything to yourself, okay? Bottling everything sucks."

Though you had no intentions of telling the siblings your troubles, the fact that they were more than willing to listen made your heart feel at ease. Maybe someday after the game you can try to open up a little. Though, you don't have the faintest clue how you would even explain your situation.

You nodded. "Okay, will do."

"Good!" Kai patted you on the shoulder. "I'm a great listener. Vent to me all you want! Or we can get some boxing gloves for you. There's a punching bag at my house."

Your eyes lit up. "The last part sounds good."

"Right?!"

"It's a very good stress reliever," Himari said. "Whenever I have an argument with this abomination, I imagine his face on the punching bag and release all my anger. When I see the real thing again, I manage to not break his teeth out of pure anger."

Kai looked incredibly offended. "What––"

You happily watched as the siblings continued to bicker. They continued even when you guys were purchasing ice cream. The man serving you looked very concerned and you gave him a thumbs up. The siblings finally stopped going at each other's throats when your phone rang.

Oh! It's Kei.

Kai bent down to glance over your shoulder. "Who's that?"

"A friend of mine. I mentioned him a couple of times."

"Is he the one who runs the flower shop?" Himari asked.

"Mhm. It's where I got the flowers for you."

You slipped in a wink and Himari rolled her eyes.

Kai was giddy with excitement. "I wanna see him! Put him on facetime!"

"Alright~"

You positioned your camera so that you, Kai, and Himari were in the frame. With a wave of your hand, you cheerfully exclaimed.

"Hey, Kei!"

"(Y/n)! Oh? You've got some company."

You introduced the siblings to Kei. Not even three seconds in Kai enthusiastically proclaimed that you were his crush.

"Ohh, I can see why," Kei said. "You've got good tastes."

Kai furrowed his eyebrows. "Don't tell me you also like her."

"No need to worry." He showed an okay sign. "We're purely platonic."

"What, so you don't like her in that way?!"

"Wait, why do you look so offended––"

"Because how can you not fall for her?!"

At this point, Kai was holding onto your phone whilst lecturing Kei and listing reasons why he should like you romantically. Himari rolled her eyes. If it weren't for the fact that Kai had your phone, she would've made you ditch her younger brother.

"Anyways, are you free right now?" Kai asked.

Kei looked confused. "Yes?"

"You're coming to the arcade with us. We'll come pick you up at the flower shop. Okay, bye."

Kai ended the call before Kei could get a word in. The brunet returned your phone with a grin.

"More company?" you asked.

"Obviously. Let's go! We don't wanna keep him waiting."

You laughed as Kai walked ahead of you and Himari in large strides. Curse his long legs.

I've never hung out together with Kei and the siblings before. You were really looking forward to this hangout. If only times like these could be your everyday life.

Well, more of a motivator to win this game, huh?