-3 0.3: The Beginning Of A New Dream Rewrite

April 2035- Light Town Central Stadium

A girl with long flowing blonde hair with two large buns wearing an off-shoulder pale pink dress covered in flower patterns stood backstage.

For Kanehera Yumeko, age sixteen- a week had passed since the second year of high school started. Currently, she was backstage before her solo concert. She scrolled through her phone as she waited for the signal to go on stage. The venue was small, but that didn't matter much to her as long as she had a place to sing. Her attention, however, wasn't on her live concert but the articles she was reading on her phone.

Various online articles. All these articles were about the disappearance of the number one idol Terashima Lila.

A follow-up article added.

Yumeko paused when she read that section. 'Is it possible?' Last, she heard Lila-chan intended to enter the tournament. But why would she be in disguise?

'Lila-chan, where is she right now?' No matter how much she thought about it. Yumeko didn't understand why the girl suddenly disappeared.

The promise from a year ago remained firm in her head. Lila-chan will keep it, right?

Yumeko wanted to sing and talk about her dreams with Lila again. Once again, she wanted to talk about her problems. For Kanehera Yumeko, Terashima Lila's existence is important. In her whole life, the only one that helped her is Lila-chan. The only one who accepted the idol her.

Her brother Kanehera Kouta didn't like it when she became an idol. After meeting Lila, She also avoided him a lot more. One could even say that was the reason for their disputes. The two of them fought over her decision to become an idol.

It was not because he didn't believe she could do it. No, it's because he understood her better than she understood herself. That despite all her dreams and aspirations, she did not have a fixed goal. Even after she achieved her dream of singing and performing concerts, she still felt like she was missing something, but she did not understand what it was.

While she could sing freely and perform in shows, she still isn't sure what she wanted. If she could get a glimpse, then perhaps, perhaps she will get closer to Lila.

Getting to meet her number one idol, the person she respected so easily, Yumeko felt lucky. All because she accompanied Mikami-kun at that time. Most girls her age wouldn't be able to get that chance.

Lila seemed surprised when she first met her brother and her. She found that her idol did not expect to encounter any fans.

It pleasantly surprised Yumeko at how easy it was to talk to her idol, Lila. But that didn't stop her from being nervous and fumbling with her words.

Throughout the entire time, Lila spoke without reservation, and with such happiness. Even now Yumeko could remember the words her idol said to her/

'Yumeko-chan! I love singing with you; it makes me feel happy.'

Such simple words, and yet it was enough for her.

Lila-chan said such words. Even to someone like her, who made so many mistakes and harbored dark secrets. Yumeko felt like she had tricked Lila-chan. She took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage.

...

A few hours later, (Light academy courtyard)

Light Academy is an academic school that mainly focuses on students who want to be doctors. However, in the last three years, the school received extra funding and created a music section of the academy.

Yumeko decided to return to the school after her work was over. After the live, she had several other jobs, so it was late when she arrived. Quite some time has passed since she was this busy, but Yumeko did not mind.

\"Maika-san was in the audience today,\" Ruka commented.

This girl is her best friend, Kobayashi Ruka. A girl with mid-length green colored hair.

Unlike her, Ruka focused on sports than her idol activities. But even then, that has changed as of late. While the two of them are complete opposites, it didn't take them long before they became good friends with each other.

Right after her jobs finished, they headed back to school. However, currently, classes were still ongoing, so they lounged around in the courtyard.

\"Really?!!!\" Yumeko exclaimed.

\"But, she left quickly. I think your performance was amazing!. You're better now than before.\"

Yumeko thanked her friend, but a deep sigh passed her lips. Even though her situation was good lately,

For a long time, Yumeko has made it her mission to convince the girl named 'Yamamoto Maika,' who is considered as Light Academy's top idol to create a unit with her and Ruka. However, she tapped her fingers on the table impatiently. Maika-san rejected her coldly every single time.

\"Cheer up; I'm sure you can do it. I'm stubborn as a rock, and you persuaded me.\"

\"I know. It's just...\" Yumeko played with her drink, \"...hard not to be faint-hearted. It's almost time for the major unit tournaments. We have to have at least been a unit officially for a month.\"

The 'major unit' tournaments she referred to were a series of group tournaments that ranged from groups of two people to ten. Each of these tournaments took place from next month to the start of next year—half a year's worth of tournaments.

Ruka nodded, \"True, there's hardly any time left, and if we pass the Dream stars audition round. Then, we will be busier than ever.\"

The Dream Stars tournament was an international tournament not limited to 'idols,' but professional singers could enter it too. Though Yumeko never separated the two and saw it as the same thing, many people didn't. Even then, only the top of the top - and the most talented enter. Amongst the people who enter, each round, the numbers get smaller and smaller until there is a single winner. The winner will obtain a legendary title in the entertainment industry. That title will serve as a start point to becoming a 'legend.'

Though Yumeko still doubted her skills, her main concern regarding the tournament was -- \"The Dream star auditions, huh?\" Yumeko muttered.

\"What's the matter? You seem daunted.\"

\"I just thought since Karashima-senpai is a judge, wouldn't he automatically disqualify me?\"

Karashima Haruka, two years her senior-and also the person she formerly cared about.

Whenever Yumeko thought of him, her chest tightens up due to the pain. She would remember what happened then—the event she wants to erase from her memories forever.

Ruka sweatdropped, \"Now, now, even with the hate between you two. He wouldn't go that far.\"

\"You think so? The other day, he was trying to get me in trouble with the head office.\"

\"No, no, that's because you were breaking curfew without a letter of notice.\"

\"Then, what about last week when I was reading in the library,\" Yumeko said.

\"No, no, you were fooling around, and ended up distracting the 1st years who were studying.\"

\"Gah.\"

\"Admit it; he doesn't stick his nose in your business unless you've done something wrong.\"

Yumeko pouted, \"I still don't like him.\"

\"I've always wanted to ask why. But now, I'm sort of afraid, seeing such obvious hostility.\"

At that question, she paused before she muttered quietly. \"It's not like...I want to dislike him.\"

\"Did you say something?\"

\"No.\"

It's not that she wanted to dislike him. But between being hated by him and having to dislike him, she would choose the latter. Ever since then, he had knowingly been inflicting a lot of pain on her. Others who knew about it didn't think it was a coincidence. But how could that be?

Yumeko found it strange that every single female friend she was close enough to become best friends with ended up falling for him and then abandoning her. It was not as if she was clueless about how that guy looked. But if it weren't for that person, she would have fallen for Karashima-san too.

Yumeko felt stressed out. Thankfully Ruka's attention is heavily invested in her sports, and the circle of friends she had now believed they weren't worthy enough to approach such guys, anyway. Yumeko felt like she still needed to look into it, eventually. If it wasn't a coincidence, then she ought to do something about it.

Ruka broke the silence and spoke up, \"Yumeko, when is that new student coming? She's supposed to be your new roommate. Maybe we can prepare a welcoming party for her.\"

When the words finally registered in her head, Yumeko's eyes widened alarmed. New room--!?!?!

\"Ahh! I forgot!\" Yumeko exclaimed as she bolted up from her chair and hurriedly stuffed her belongings into her bag. She cursed under her breath, how stupid could she be? Her brother said that her new roommate would be coming today.

\"Seriously?\"

\"I—I know I said we'd practice. But I better get going. Onii-chan will kill me if I don't show up.\" Yumeko dashed off.

To think she would get a new roommate and a new friend. She wondered what sort of girl she was. Would this girl also end up harboring feelings for that guy? Once again, would she be betrayed and abandoned?

A part of her was afraid. She knew if she couldn't get over her fears of betrayal and abandonment, she could never become a splendid idol, just like that person.

____________________________________________

Light Academy - Entrance -

A certain man with long shoulder length curly maroon colored hair, finally escaped the group of reporters as he headed in the opposite direction. \"So much for class,\" he muttered.

His name is Karashima Haruka, age eighteen, in a few months, he would be nineteen. Despite his age, though, he had yet to graduate from high school. But that did not bother him all too much. He's become a renowned judge and famous in the music industry. But if he only held the position, then he doubts people would respect and bother him so much. It's simply due to his important position in the Entertainment board.

An important position, huh? It's more like he has them dancing in the palm of his hands at times. That must be why they fear him.

Haruka pulled out his phone and looked at his calendar, a bunch of different appointments with female names highlighted. A long schedule today too. People referred to him as a womanizer, but they did not understand. That he never saw women who have no value to the Boss.

Despite what people may say, Karashima Haruka was a man who would become loyal to the person he loves. He didn't realize that until he fell in love with that girl.

A deep sigh escaped his lips as he recalled how he was ambushed so early in the morning, damn those guys, \"How annoying,\" he murmured.

He had no clues where she could have gone. But that hadn't stopped him from searching for her. Since the time he heard the news she went missing, he had been restless. The media must have picked up on that, and that was why they bothered him more than usual.

Haruka walked down the empty path, which led up to the entrance of the school. He figured he would leave for after a bit after checking to see if there was any luck with the investigation. She did come here, right?

Her departure was two weeks ago. She should be here by now. That girl, she didn't change her mind at the last second, right?

Where did she go?

Lila, where is she?

He wanted to see her.

He recalled the conversation they had a few months back and sighed.

-----

....

4 Months Ago, December 2034. Universal S Theme Park, Ferries Wheel.

\"Here, I've attached them,\" Haruka said.

Lila's eyes brightened as she thanked him. She lifted her phone against his.\"We match.\" Lila beamed happily.

His gaze softened at the girl's reaction; she is clumsy and naive. But he likes this about her. \"Looks like it, huh? I don't normally get things like this, though.\"

\"Eh, you don't? But aren't you always surrounded by girls?\"

Haruka sighed and explained. \"While that's true, those girls only want to sleep with me. They don't want anything else from me. Even if I were to ditch them, they wouldn't care. Even if something happened, I'd either be erased from existence in their memory or given half-hearted words of sympathy. As for presents, those gifts always have intentions. Intentions for sex or - forming a connection. That's why I must thank you. Even if you're giving it for an intention, it's a good one. Something like this makes me happy.\"

Lila's cheeks flushed red, which didn't go unnoticed by him.

\"Haruka-kun, earlier you said that when you looked at it, it would remind you of me. It's the same with me. When I look at this, it 'll remind me of you.\"

\"I see.\"

\"Ah, when is your birthday Haruka-kun? I need to make sure to get you a present then.\"

\"It's fine. I rarely celebrate it. Besides, I think it's passed already.\"

\"I see... in that case; we will have to celebrate next.. next year, huh?\" Lila trailed off. He watched as her gaze fell on the glass windows, onto the bright moon. Her expression turned tender, and he suddenly felt nervous.

\"After this day ends, there will be three days left before the end of the year. New years always come by so quickly, and people are already referring to the events of three days ago as last year. People change, and time goes by in the blink of an eye. For me, that's a problem. With these short days, people are quick to change and forget even the most simple things. How can people treasure or learn anything if the days are so fleeting?\" she trailed off, \"But, after spending such a short amount of time with you. I've learned to treasure every moment we spent together.\"

It was stupid of him to get nervous. This girl would not reject him. Haruka extended his hand out, \"Can you sit next to me?\"

Lila nodded and walked over.

\"No matter how long it takes. I will wait for you. If by chance you get there when it's my birthday, I'll tell you the day - and then we can go on another date.\"

\"And if I don't come?\"

\"I'll wait, no matter how long.\"

----

Present Day

Haruka's gaze landed on the phone strap on his phone, and he exhaled deeply. He was the one who said he would wait no matter how long. But he was the one getting impatient.

Since he returned, his behavior was odd. Even if he slept with other girls, it was not the same as before — the same with going on dates.

Whenever he went out with other girls, he is reminded about how Lila looked so happy and cheerful about the phone straps that matched and going to many places with him.

A date like that where he could learn so much about the other partner wasn't wrong. It the first time he thought like that about other girls and realized what truly made him happy.

Happy.

When he was with her, he could genuinely say he was happy.