Love Live and Kamen Rider 47

"Umi, do you have superpowers or something?!" Honoka Kosaka asked, looking somewhat startled.

"Anyone could have figured that out, alright!" Umi Sonoda replied with a helpless tone.

Honoka Kosaka suddenly ran behind Umi Sonoda, began kneading her shoulders, and said with a flattering expression.

"That makes it easier to talk about then! Let's go find a teacher right now and start an idol club!"

"I refuse!"

"Why!" Upon hearing Umi Sonoda's refusal, Honoka Kosaka asked, looking puzzled.

"But look, it's so cute, and it's so sparkly too! Plus, these are clothes you'd never be able to wear normally," Honoka Kosaka said, seemingly unwilling to give up.

"Do you really think doing something like this will be enough to recruit students?" Umi Sonoda looked at Honoka Kosaka with a serious expression.

"Well... as long as we're popular enough, I guess," Honoka Kosaka said, sounding a bit insecure.

"The school idols that appear in that magazine are people who work just as hard and are as serious about being idols as professionals. It's impossible for someone like Honoka, who only has curiosity, to make this go smoothly," Umi Sonoda continued, "I'll be honest with you: being an idol is impossible!"

If we do it, the three of us do it together.

On the rooftop of Otonokizaka, Senba Gari stood alone, looking down at the scenery below with a heavy heart. He stared at his left hand, and the scene of being instantly defeated by Muramasa that day flashed through his mind once again. Looking at his left hand, which was trembling slightly, Senba Gari muttered to himself.

"Have I really started to fear those guys? And, after I woke up, what exactly did that Unicorn mean by what it said?" At the same time, Senba Gari recalled the message the Unicorn had delivered to him after he regained consciousness.

[Kid, since you're so troubled, I'll give you a hint. You must remember that what you are lost about is exactly what you have lost.]

"What I am lost about is exactly what I have lost... Argh, this is just completely confusing!"

Senba Gari scratched his head in frustration. Suddenly, a sound coming from the rooftop entrance caught his attention.

"Click."

"Eh, Senba-sensei, why are you here?" After opening the door, Honoka Kosaka saw Senba Gari on the rooftop and asked.

"Ah, it's nothing. I just had some things on my mind I couldn't figure out, so I came here to get some air. What about you, Honoka?"

"Well, it's like this: I thought of a way to solve the school closure crisis, but Umi just won't agree." As she spoke, Honoka walked over to Senba Gari's side and looked at the scenery below the rooftop, though neither of them noticed a pair of eyes watching them.

"Won't agree? Can you tell me what kind of method it is?" Senba Gari asked with curiosity.

"It's school idols."

"School idols, I see. I think I know why Umi won't agree." Hearing this, Senba Gari had a sudden moment of realization.

"Eh, really? Then please tell me, Senba-sensei!" Honoka Kosaka looked at Senba Gari with curiosity.

Senba Gari organized his thoughts for a moment before speaking.

"It's simple. You shouldn't think that being a school idol is easy. You have to realize that school idols are still a type of idol; it requires a lot of grueling practice and creating new songs for every performance. It's very demanding. I think that's exactly why Umi refused—she thought of all that. You two have been childhood friends since you were little and know each other very well. She's probably afraid that you're just acting on a whim and that your head is just hot for the moment. So, this really depends on whether you can truly stick with it."

"Ugh, that..." Honoka Kosaka's tone was hesitant.

Suddenly, a beautiful, clear singing voice accompanied by piano music reached the ears of Senba Gari and Honoka Kosaka, drawing their attention. Honoka Kosaka then left the rooftop, following the direction of the sound.

"Hey, Honoka, where are you going?" Senba Gari asked as he watched Honoka Kosaka suddenly leave, but she had already departed, following the singing.

"Tch, this girl really loves to cause trouble for others. Oh well, I might as well go take a look. That singing voice must belong to that little girl." With that, Senba Gari followed behind Honoka Kosaka.

"Hmm? Was it my imagination? I keep feeling like someone was watching us back on the rooftop." When Senba Gari reached a certain stairwell, he looked at a spot with some suspicion. "Whatever, never mind." Then, Senba Gari continued to chase after Honoka Kosaka.

--Scene Change--

Outside the music room, Honoka Kosaka arrived, following the singing. She looked through the glass of the door and saw a girl with shoulder-length red hair sitting inside, playing the piano.

"I said, Honoka, couldn't you have walked a bit slower? Honoka?"

After catching up to Honoka, Senba Gari spoke to her, but Honoka Kosaka didn't respond. She was simply listening, entranced, to the piano music and singing coming from the girl inside. Senba Gari then followed Honoka Kosaka's gaze into the room.

"Dang."

"Clap, clap, clap."

"?!"

As Maki Nishikino's piano notes faded, a sudden round of applause rang out, startling her. She looked up and saw Honoka Kosaka clapping excitedly, while Senba Gari stood to the side, looking at her with a helpless expression. Honoka Kosaka then opened the door to the music room and walked in, with Senba Gari following behind.

"That was amazing! I'm so moved," Honoka Kosaka said as she walked up to Maki Nishikino.

"It was nothing," Maki Nishikino said, looking a bit embarrassed.

"You sing so wonderfully, and you play the piano so well. Plus, you're as cute as an idol."

When Honoka Kosaka said this, Senba Gari could clearly see Maki Nishikino's face turn red. Maki Nishikino stood up and prepared to leave, but was blocked by Honoka Kosaka.

"Although it's a bit sudden..." As she said this, Honoka Kosaka looked at Maki Nishikino with expectant eyes, "Have you ever thought about becoming a school idol?"

"What are you talking about? That's ridiculous." Maki Nishikino then brushed past Honoka Kosaka. As she walked by Senba Gari, her eyes flickered toward him without a trace before she left.

"I guess so, haha..." Honoka Kosaka gave a bitter laugh.

"Looks like there's no role for me here. But Honoka, I advise you to get past Umi's hurdle first. I'm heading out; I still have to prepare materials for class." With that, Senba Gari patted Honoka Kosaka on the shoulder and turned to leave.

Gokuraku Jodo, sway, sway, sway--

In the Archery Club, Umi Sonoda was holding her bow and arrow, aiming at the target in front of her. One must have a clear mind to hit the target while shooting, but just as Umi Sonoda was about to focus, an image flashed through her mind.

She was surrounded by glow sticks and cheers, becoming an idol on a brilliant stage, shouting loudly to the audience below: "Let me pierce everyone's hearts~"

The arrow veered completely off course, embedding itself in the dirt beside the target.

Ah, what on earth am I thinking!?

Lowering her head to hide the blush on her face, Umi Sonoda trembled all over.

"That's rare, Umi actually missed."

"Oh, no, I just lost my focus for a second." She said this, but her gaze drifted aimlessly. Then, Umi nocked another arrow...

"Love Arrow Shoot~"

The previous scene flashed into Umi's mind, catching her completely off guard.

A dozen arrows failed to hit the target, almost all of them sticking into the dirt. For Umi, this was such a disgrace!

Waaaaah! Stop thinking about it! Don't think about it anymore! Please, stop thinking about that kind of thing, it's so embarrassing my ears are smoking.

Umi collapsed onto the ground, rolling around: "No! No! I can't have distracting thoughts!"

"Umi, come here for a second." At the entrance of the Archery Club, Kotori Minami ran over to Umi Sonoda and pulled her out.

"It's all Honoka's fault, I can't focus on my practice at all." Walking along the path, Umi Sonoda said to Kotori Minami with some frustration.

"That means you're actually a little interested in being an idol, too."

"No... that's..." Kotori Minami's words clearly made Umi Sonoda hesitate.

"I still don't think this can go smoothly..."

"But Honoka is always the one to bring up these kinds of things first." At this, Kotori Minami and Umi Sonoda both remembered when Honoka Kosaka used to lead them to climb trees as children.

"Whenever we're in trouble, she's always the one pulling us forward."

"Because of that, haven't we also run into a lot of disasters?" At this, Umi Sonoda recalled the time they had nearly fallen.

"That is true." Kotori Minami couldn't help but smile wryly.

"Honoka is always so unreasonable." Umi Sonoda complained.

"But Umi... have you ever regretted it?"

"..." Kotori Minami's words made Umi Sonoda fall into deep thought.

"Look." When they reached a corner of Otonokizaka, Kotori Minami gestured for Umi Sonoda to look over.

Then Umi Sonoda walked over and saw Honoka Kosaka practicing dance steps by herself, but as she turned, she tripped and sat down on the ground.

"Ouch." Honoka Kosaka cried out in pain, then said with some distress, "It's really so hard... how can everyone else do it... Alright, one more time."

"One, two, three." Then Honoka Kosaka stood up and practiced the dance steps again.

"Umi, I want to try it." Then Kotori Minami turned to look at Umi Sonoda and said with a faint smile, "What does Umi want to do?"

Umi Sonoda looked at Kotori Minami and then back at the fallen Honoka, ripples forming in her eyes.

"Ouch... damn it!" Honoka Kosaka was lying on the ground, crying out in frustration, when suddenly a slender, fair hand reached out in front of her. She looked up to see Umi Sonoda, still in her Archery Club uniform, holding her hand out to her.

"Umi-chan..." Honoka Kosaka couldn't help but speak up.

Umi Sonoda looked at Honoka Kosaka gently and said.

"There's no point in you practicing alone. If we're going to do this, the three of us have to do it together."

"Umi-chan..." Honoka Kosaka looked at Umi Sonoda, moved.

To this, Umi Sonoda only offered Honoka Kosaka a gentle, graceful smile.

Inside the teachers' office, Senba Gari curled his lips as he looked out the window at the three girls, Honoka Kosaka and the others.

"It seems those three girls have reached a consensus. I'm actually a bit curious to see just how far they can go."

Suddenly, a voice came from beside Senba Gari.

"Senba-sensei~ are you interested in going on a date with me after work~"

"No! And Fukagawa-sensei, I've already told you, I have absolutely no interest in you!"

"It's okay, having no interest is fine, as long as you have 'interest' in the physical sense~"

Hearing this, Senba Gari's face turned pale, and he shouted loudly.

"That's even more impossible!"

I choose you!

Inside the student council room, Honoka Kosaka, Umi Sonoda, and Kotori Minami were standing in front of Eli Ayase.

"This is?" Student Council President Eli Ayase looked at the club establishment application in front of her and asked.

"An application to establish an Idol Club." Honoka Kosaka said, looking at Eli Ayase.

"I can see that just by looking at it."

"So, is it approved?"

"No. Even for a club activity, you need at least five people, even at the hobbyist level."

"Eh?" Honoka, who hadn't known, let out a cry.

"But I've heard that there are many clubs in the school with fewer than five members," Umi Sonoda immediately retorted.

"Clubs are supposed to have at least five members when they are founded, and they must also have a faculty advisor," Eli Ayase added immediately.

"You're still two people short, and there aren't any restrictions on the faculty advisor, so any teacher from this school will do," Vice Student Council President Nozomi Tojo spoke up, her words sounding as if she were reminding Honoka Kosaka.

"Two... I see, let's go." Just as Honoka Kosaka was about to turn and leave.

"Wait a minute, why do you want to establish an Idol Club at this time? You're already in your second year, aren't you?" Eli Ayase left her seat and asked Honoka.

"Because we have to find a way to stop the school from closing!" Honoka Kosaka stated the fundamental purpose of establishing the club very directly. "School idols are very popular right now, so..."

"Even if you manage to find five people, I still won't let you establish the club."

"Eh, why?" Faced with this response, all three of them were very surprised.

"Clubs aren't meant to be used to attract students. You can't change the current situation with this kind of impulsive action." Eli Ayase picked up the application form and pointed it at Honoka Kosaka. "Stop thinking about these unrealistic things and think carefully about what you should be doing for yourselves in the remaining two years, okay?"

"I really wish someone could have heard those words just now~" After Honoka and the others left, Nozomi Tojo said this very casually.

"Ugh, Nozomi, you just love to run your mouth..." Having been seen through, Eli Ayase turned her head away, blushing slightly.

"Hmm~ That's part of the vice president's job, too."

Outside the gates of Otonokizaka, faced with the failure to establish the club and the student council president's stern refusal, the three of them were more or less dejected.

"Don't be discouraged, this isn't your fault, Honoka." Kotori tried to comfort Honoka.

"But if we can't establish the club, we can't borrow the auditorium, and we won't have a club room. We can't do anything," Umi Sonoda said with a hint of despair, her final sentence sounding as if she were trying to persuade Honoka Kosaka to give up.

"That's true..." It seemed that Minami Kotori also agreed with Umi Sonoda's point of view.

"As I thought, I'm still going to keep doing this. When I decide to do something, I do it!" Honoka Kosaka didn't feel discouraged; instead, she said it even more firmly.

The next day, in the Otonokizaka student council room, Eli Ayase looked at the auditorium usage permit in front of her with some frustration.