Wonder Zone
Chapter 2: Wonder Zone
It had been about a week since Maki had joined Honoka, Umi, and Kotori's 'school idol group'. It was weird for Maki… she had never been into pop music, let alone composing it. The songs were all peppy and full of love, where she liked classical music which told a story. Maybe it was her high class snobbery, but she felt… out of place. It wasn't entirely the group or even her wealthy status's fault, it was those stupid letters. Maki couldn't help focusing on the part of the letter about Nico… she wasn't with them ten years for now? Why? Why did her future self even care? Nico was rude, selfish, and hard to deal with! Of course Maki wasn't at aaaallll like this either, right? She tried to ignore the letters for a while, but now it was beginning to become more of a challenge.
Today Honoka decided to tell the student council president about her plans for being school idols, and had gotten herself pretty psyched up about it. Umi was nervous, mainly because she had a small secret crush on the president herself, but would never admit it. Kotori was pretty okay with it, basically allowing Honoka to do whatever and just following blindly. Yet Maki… she was unsure. She wanted to check the letters, yet didn't want to at the same time… she felt like if she continued to read them she'd be manipulated again. Sighing, Maki idly listened to Honoka go on and on about what she'd say to the student council president as Umi scolded her. Life with these girls was… weird. Maki wanted to quit, but felt like she had an obligation to stay—an obligation to herself. As the others droned on, violet irises fell to the open classroom door, red brows knit in confusion as she saw a black pig-tailed girl open the door to the room across from theirs. The ravenette was carrying several posters with 'A-RISE' printed on it, nimble fingers struggling to open the door as she tried to shove all of this new merchandise inside the 'idol research club' room. Maki knew it was none other than Nico Yazawa—the one who was 'not with them anymore'. Seeing the petite girl caused some anxiety to pool into the other's chest, eyes shifting towards her school bag that was slightly open. She saw the pink envelope, the envelope which held the secrets of the future.
"You guys can go…I'll stay here…" Maki piped up, running a hand through her red hair as her free hand shuffled around her bag for the envelope.
"But Maki-chaaaan! You have to go! If you don't go, we won't seem like a unit!"
"I have no desire to go."
"Maki-san is right; we shouldn't go and disturb Ayase-senpai…"
"Oh Umi, I know it's just your little crush but we still need to go!" Honoka teased, causing a negative reaction from the navy haired girl. Maki ignored the others, taking the pink envelope out of her school bag. Opening the pink envelope, Maki pulled out the second page of her letters from the future.
Dear Maki Nishikino,
Today, Honoka decides to go to the student council president about being school idols, but turns her down by saying how she needs 5 members in order to become a club. Even with finding more members for the group, the student council president claims that there already is a club—Nico's club. Honoka goes on her own to convince Eli Ayase to let there be a school idol unit, yet she continuously refuses the group. Honoka then goes to Nico, who refuses her as well.
Please Maki, go try to convince Nico to allow you all to join the school idol research club.
Violet irises gazed back over to the door of the idol research club, red brows knit as a heavy sigh passed her lips. This was just great; she had to associate with that brat again? She was annoying, irritating, rude…she was just awful! Maki remained in her own turmoil as the other girls bickered about crushing on the student council president, making irritated groans as she began to feel overwhelmed about all of these letters and demands her future self was continuing to make. Maki shouldn't know the future, and she shouldn't be an idol she should be a doctor just the way her parents had planned. Doubts and fears swirled and whirred around her brain, causing her to shoot up from her seat.
"How do I even know the future if I didn't even become a school idol?!" All eyes were plastered on the red head, causing an awkward silence in the room. Violet irises fluttered open, landing on her fellow idols with blank expressions. A pink blush dusted her cheeks, brows twitching and knitting profusely—did she really just blurt that out?! "A-ah…uhm…e-excuse me!" The first year blurted out; then dashed off across the hall and banging on the idol research club's door.
"What do want?!" The door swung open, revealing the black haired third year who had a deadpan expression. This expression changed, however, upon seeing who was at the door. "You're the girl who ran into me! You still owe me an apology!" Nico bellowed, crossing her arms and knocking her forehead against the other.
"What?! I did too apologize! You have to apologize to me for being such a rude little—hey!" Nico tried to close the door on the other, but Maki quickly shoved her foot in the doorway to keep it open. "Don't close the door on me when I'm talking to you!"
"I'm not going to listen to you bitch about me! I have nothing to say to you, so LEAVE!"
"No WAY!" Maki pried her arms into the open crack of the door, pulling it open with all of her strength. Nico stumbled and fell back, allowing the door to swing wide open. "I have things to say to you!" The school idol hissed, placing her hands on her hips as she stared down at the other. She did feel slightly bad for knocking the girl over, which caused her to grudgingly extend her hand to the other. Nico puffed her cheeks and wanted to scream at the other, but instead she slowly took her hand and stood up.
"What do you want?" She asked quietly, crossing her arm and poking out her hip at the other.
"Be an idol."
"I already am."
"Be one with me."
"You?!" Nico laughed, slapping her knee and causing the other to scowl.
"Yes with me!" Maki yelled, placing her hands on her hips again and restricting herself from mouthing off to the other.
"You don't know a thing about idols, how could you possibly be one?!"
"Because I want to!" The bickering commenced again, causing the two to begin screaming at each other loudly.
"Erm…Maki…-chan?" A soft voice interrupted the fighting; violet and crimson irises falling on the source of the voice. It was a taupe haired girl with a green ribbon tying a small chignon bun on the side of her head. "The girls ah… well they're on their way to see the student council president…would you ah…join us?"
"Ah…Kotori…sure." Maki shot a final glare at the third year, then turned to the other and began to make her exit.
"You're going to see Eli?" Nico piped up, causing the two girls to look at her. "If this is about your idol nonsense, she's not going to listen."
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"Eli doesn't like idols, and won't support them, especially with not enough members."
"How do you know we don't have enough members?" Maki spat, eyeing the semi-vulnerable girl.
"I-I just do!" Nico shouted in embarrassment, crossing her arms and turning away.
"Well, might as well go tell the others." Maki sighed, gesturing for Kotori to follow her out. As Maki exited, Kotori glanced back at Nico, who had a saddened expression. Shaking her head, the second year left the girl alone, the way she was used to being.
[~]
"No." Echoed throughout the room, right when the door to the room opened quietly.
"Oh dear…she's already begun…" Kotori sighed, slowly following Maki to appear alongside the other girls.
"I will not allow a school idol club."
"But Eli-senpai, a school idol club will help the s—,"
"My answer is no, Kousaka-san; you don't even have enough members." Eli spoke sternly, fiddling around with the stack of papers on her desk. Honoka looked at the other girls, seemingly dejected. Sighing, the orange haired girl looked at the others, who all had the same expression…except for Maki. Maki's expression was one of shock—how can these letters be right again?! Kotori placed a small hand on the other's back, causing the red head to jump back into reality.
"Eli-cchi… what if I joined?" All eyes shifted to the dark purple haired girl who was silent up until now.
"Nozomi?"
"If I joined these girls, would they have enough members, Eli-cchi?"
"W-well… yes but… we already have an idol club!"
"I can take care of that."
"Nozomi, what are you doing?" Eli hissed; crystalline irises widening as the other stood up, walking over to the group of girls. "Would you ladies let me join you?" Nozomi smiled, extending her hand towards the others.
"Sure!" Honoka blurted without really asking the other girls as she took the others hand, causing an awkward uneasy tension amongst everyone in the room.
"Great! I'll be sure to talk to Nico-cchi about letting us join her club!" Turquoise irises glanced over at the blonde haired girl, smirking slightly. "…okay, Eli-cchi?" Eli scowled, crossing her arms and turning away. Nozomi smiled at the girls once more, walking away and 'accidentally' brushing against Maki. Maki scoffed quietly, violet irises peering down at the third year. Her bright eyes widened, however, falling upon a pink envelope with 'Nozomi Toujo' written on the back—a letter identical to her own!