*SHINODA FAMILY DINER - VENUS FORT - ODAIBA - TOKYO*

RUBY-H: "You missed your cue! We had a plan! Mem and I were going to point, and then you'd enter! It would have looked so badass! But you screwed it up!"

KANA: "Hey, I'm sorry I had to deal with a brute on my movie set!"

MEM-CHO: "B-Komachi! We're all here! Yaaaay!" *TWINKLE*

These three girls really seem to have some serious talent. I gotta say, meeting them in real life is pretty interesting. Their personalities are kinda conflicting, and it's giving me some serious deja vu. It reminds me of the girls in my School Idol Club.

I'm not sure. I mean, I've been staring at the stars for a while now, but I don't think it's going to help me figure out why a group of professional idols showed up at our School Idol Festival meeting. I need to dig deeper and find some answers.

KANA: "You're probably wondering why we're here, right?"

GAH! SHE READ MY MIND!

AKI: "Y-Yeah..."

KANA: "We'll cut to the chase. We want in."

EVERYONE: "WHAT?!"

AKI: "You...want in on the School Idol Festival?"

KANA: "Sure, why not?"

AKI: "The School Idol Festival is designed for newcomers to the industry and is not suitable for those with professional experience or expertise."

KANA: "That's what I've said! But for some reason, Ruby keeps bringing it up over and over again."

RUBY-H: "But it looks like fuuuun!"

Do I have to be the one to deliver the bad news to her? I'm kinda freaking out about it. I don't think I'm cut out for this kind of thing. Maybe Eli should do it since she's better at handling the whole rejection thing.

ELI: "I'm not saying it. You're the Chairman, you have to tell her."

GET OUT OF MY HEAD!

AKI: *Sigh* "I understand that you find it enjoyable, but I'm afraid that allowing professionals would go against the essence of the School Idol Festival's name. This event is meant to showcase the talents of school idols. However, I believe that entering the Idol Grand Prix held on this island would be an excellent opportunity for you."

RUBY-H: "I was just wondering...what would happen if we were to represent a school in addition to our agency?"

Hmm...

AKI: "That may be possible. We wouldn't want to appear hypocritical by allowing one group from an agency to perform while rejecting others. Perhaps there is a way to find a compromise that aligns with the rules we have in place."

KANA: *Sigh* "See? I told you this wouldn't work-"

RUBY-H: "We're Youtou Academy's school idols!"

KANA: "WE'RE WHAT?!"

AKI: "Ohhh...! That makes sense."

MEM-CHO: "But I don't go to Yo-"

RUBY-H: "SHH! This could work!"

AKI: "Youtou Academy is already on the list for our Showcase Stages."

KANA: "SINCE WHEN?!"

RUBY-H: "Heh..."

KANA: "RUBY!"

ELI: "Did you say Youtou Academy?"

AKI: "Hm? Yeah, it's just like any other high school in Tokyo, right?"

ELI: "Not exactly."

AKI: "What's so special about it?"

ELI: "Youtou Academy is a high school exclusively for entertainers. It boasts the highest number of students who have excelled in professional entertainment compared to any other school."

AKI: "Most in the city, hm? That's impressive..."

ELI: "Not just the city. The entire nation. It is an institutional powerhouse for rising stars."

AKI: "Is that so?"

KANA: "You know your stuff."

ELI: "As the Student Council President, it's crucial for me to stay up-to-date on all the high schools in the city. Keeping myself informed is a top priority."

RIN, CHIKA, HANAMARU: "S-So cool!"

I can't help but feel confused about Youtou Academy. How is it possible that I've never heard of it? As someone who works solely with young entertainers my age, it seems strange that a place like that would slip under my radar.

I can't help but wonder if I've encountered it before. There must be some missing piece of information that I'm overlooking. I'm curious to find out what it could be-

...MARI!

...

*LAST SUMMER*

*SCHOOL GATE - YOUTOU ACADEMY - SHIBUYA - TOKYO*

MARI: "Wow! So this is the fabled Youtou Academy!"

AKI: "Ugh, another high school. Fabled? Looks the same as all the others you've made me visit today."

MARI: "Aww, c'mon Rainbow Student! Isn't this a wonderful learning experience?"

AKI: "No."

MARI: "At least one of us is having fun."

AKI: "I haven't heard of this place having any school idols, so I guess it doesn't matter after all. Pretty irrelevant."

MARI: "Every school is unique and holds its own special place in the world. Take Uranohoshi, for instance - it's an absolute gem!"

AKI: "Admittedly, it's much more delightful than the glass palace where I usually go."

MARI: "Youtou Academy is unique in the country as it provides an exclusive Performing Arts Program."

AKI: "Eh?"

MARI: "There's no school quite like Youtou Academy when it comes to producing top-notch entertainers. From actors to models to idols and more, this place has a proven track record of shaping the biggest names in the industry. Let's celebrate the accomplishments of these talented individuals!"

AKI: "Do they have school idols?"

MARI: "Not that I know of."

AKI: "Not interested, moving on."