"What?" Eika asked. She couldn't tell why her tears stopped instead her blood boiled inside her. She could feel her heart wanting to burst. She closed her hands into a tight fist. She narrowed her eyes. She burned with the desire to snap.

"H-uh? Why are you l-looking at me like that?" Noriko covered herself with the bed sheets. Her hand s.h.i.+vered under the covers and, Hikaru swooped to prevent Eika from doing anything brash.

Eika wasn't angry. It was the melodies in her head. She didn't understand why the music was suddenly loud and painful. In her head, the notes played chased after. It rushed to her. An enveloping shadow.

"Didn't you say you were a dance champion in Akihabara?" Eika stepped away from Hikaru and sat down on the chair. She folded her arms. She took a deep breath. The melodies in her head escalated in volume.

"Yes, your point?" Noriko raised a brow. She dared to cross her arms in front of her repeating the same hostility as Eika.

But she wasn't hostile. The music was and, only she can hear it. Her head is the isolation for her feelings. Lock them away, lock them away. She repeated to herself.

Do not make noise.

"I heard you say it," Eika stated. She didn't stand up from her chair. She remained with her feet closed and her hands near her. "Your champions.h.i.+p doesn't secure your place in the top 50, what does that have to do with me pa.s.sing the auditions?"

"Because you're the only one who pa.s.sed-" Noriko shoved the sheets away and, Eika raised her hand to stop her.

"So? What's the difference?" Eika raised her voice and, it cracked when it reached its peak. The melodies in her head died down and her eyes blurred. She could feel water forming in her eyes.

Don't make me yell, please.

"W-well I..." Noriko trailed off. She looked down at her hands in fear and silence filled the room. Eika clutched on her skirt but, then it eased. Hikaru looked down at the speechless girl. He helplessly smiled at Noriko and rested his hand on Eika's shoulder.

"Let's go," He whispered in her ears but, Eika didn't move. She refrained herself from crying. Not in front of Noriko, him or, herself. She removed Hikaru's hand.

"I don't know why you would ever see it as a threat but, I didn't pa.s.s the auditions because I was someone you were expecting to be like G.o.d talented," Eika said honestly. She hardly cared if Noriko were to judge her right now. They are free to think of anything.

"I auditioned because I wanted to have a dream like everybody else. I was tired of the life I've been living with," Eika continued. She pressed her fingers on her palm and, she let out heavy breaths. She closed her eyes in shame.

Noriko stared at her dumbfounded. She wanted to have a dream like everybody else? Pathetic but at the same time she didn't have to hide.

"A dream like everybody else?" Noriko repeated. "We don't have a dream either. We didn't become idols because we have dreams. It was for the sake of our problems but, you wouldn't understand," She shook her head and, Eika's smile faded from her face.

The melodies in her head died down leading back to the single note she thought in her head.

"What would a sheltered girl know about problems?" Eika said to herself. She stood up from her chair and took Hikaru's hand. She urged him to follow her outside without being obvious.

"What did you say?" Noriko asked and, Eika turned to her for a moment. She smiled at her that her strength could muster. She had his philosophy ever since she was a kid.

Your problems don't matter as long as you don't show weakness in front of someone.

When she was alone in her bedroom, the lights of her laptop were on with endless chat notifications popping up in her messenger. She had her head rested on her knees as her former cla.s.smates exchanged about stories their happy life.

Laughter messages here and there. Memes that she had known for years. Projects and deadline reminders. Questions about who did this or who did that.

Her mother opened the door to her room with light from outside peeking in. "Get out of bed! It's time for dinner!" She would scold her and slam the door behind her as she climbed down the stairs.

What does she know about problems?

"You'll never be able to cause me pain anymore," Eika rea.s.sured her. She stood by the doorway waiting for Hikaru to approach her. "I promise you'll be able to stay for your grandfather," She was about to leave until Noriko called after her.

"What are you going to do?" Noriko spoke up and, Eika narrowed her eyes down at the floor. She didn't hear the melodies in her head. They all died out.

"I'll make sure she won't harm you, me or anybody else," Eika walked out of the room. She wanted to run out of the infirmary but, she prevented herself from doing so. She didn't want to run away into her dorms to cry alone again.

She b.u.mped into one of the students and her ankle stings. She looked up to find someone standing in front of her that's taller than she was. He had a large build that could crush you along with his intimidating eyes staring down at her own.

"I-I'm sorry," Eika whimpered. She stood up from the floor and, the guy that she b.u.mped into was about to speak but, she ran away from him as soon as possible.

She made her way to the courtyard where there's a singular stone fountain surrounded by serene flowers. She sat down at the fountain bench and hung her head down. She could hear someone's footsteps brush against the gra.s.s.

"Why did you leave me?" Hikaru asked. He tried to catch his breath and, Eika didn't look up to him. She stared at her feet and listened to the flow of the streams.

"I didn't want to leave you. I was in a hurry to get out of there," Eika reasoned with him. She didn't want to look at anyone else and, Hikaru sighed. He sat down beside her. He was about to flick her forehead but, then he nudged her shoulder instead.

"Hey! We could have done witty one-liners together! You just have to go and do all the cool stuff yourself!" Hikaru exclaimed and, Eika raised her head. She wrinkled her nose.

"How is that cool!? I look like I was about to cry like a loser!" Eika blurted out and, Hikaru ended up laughing like the usual a.s.shole he is. She could strangle this laughing seal of a man! All he ever do all day is make fun of her!

"You're not a loser! I really thought you were cool!" Hikaru insisted and, Eika rolled her eyes but, a small smile appeared on her lips. She looked cool to someone? Is she dreaming?

"I didn't know being a loser is cool," Eika voiced out. She lets Hikaru sit close to her since she didn't mind his presence unlike back then in the auditorium. She could hear the melodies in her head again. What was it? There's another note but, she couldn't figure it out what it was.

"It's a compliment, shees.h.!.+" Hikaru threw his hands in the air and Eika let out a chuckle. "But, but, forget about Noriko! Do you know what else is cool?" He said merrily, for a guy, he's too excited about everything even if there was something serious going on in the background. He didn't think too much of it.

Nothing harms this dude. Ever.

"What else is cool?" Eika raised a brow curiously and, Hikaru shot her a wide smile with his teeth showing.

"Ice cream!" He snapped his finger in delight and, Eika's smile grew wider along with him. The melodies inside her head played louder but, it wasn't a singular note anymore. The tune playing inside her head felt warm and cheerful.

"Iceberg?" She said excitedly and Hikaru gave her finger guns. She watched him stand up and, pull her away from the fountain even though Hikaru is the type to never take things too seriously. She was happy she had him to cheer her up.

Maybe one day she might have stories to tell to her cla.s.smates.

She could tell the story of how a song that's made for one became for two.