5:00 am - Beach Harbour, island.
"So cold~!" Kyoko exclaimed. But, her gaze flickered towards the sky. What a beautiful morning.
Her thoughts broke off as she heard approaching footsteps, "Kyoko-nee."
"My, there you are." Kyoko trailed of seeing the clothes her sister was wearing and stepped forward until she was in front of the girl, "Hmm, you not only smell like Karashima-kun. But you are adopting his tastes."
"That's not it!" her sister exclaimed embarrassed.
Kyoko chuckled softly.
"Jokes aside…" she trailed off and pulled her sister into a hug, "It's good to see you again."
At that comment, the blue hair girl burst into tears, even more than yesterday. Her gaze softened. She probably held back her tears yesterday because everyone else was watching.
.
.
"It's a—good!" Lila said. It was clear that the girl forced herself to eat the food.
What a kind child.
"I know my cooking can be questionable. No need to gloss it over." Kyoko said.
"No! It's good Kyoko-nee."
She really is too kind.
"Hiro-kun and me plan to get married by the end of this year," she informed her.
Her sister appeared confused, "Eh? Why not sooner?."
Kyoko smiled, "Before I take on his last name, there's something left I have to do, as a member of the Terashima family.."
"Something you have to do?" Lila repeated.
"Is it not the same with you, Lila-chan?"
Her sister was silent for a few minutes and then looked her in the eye, "Be honest with me Kyoko-nee, how far did you get when you visited that place?"
Kyoko laughed, she's way too blunt.
"Not as far, perhaps pass the central chamber."
"That's what I thought, how did I beat you when I only reached the steps?"
...This was news to her. But, not unexpected. Lila-chan is still immature as an idol, but she progressed fast; especially in the last year. Unlike her, who was forced to make life-threatening decisions. The challenges Lila-chan and she faced are completely different. Perhaps that's why she only reached the steps.
"Lila-chan, when you saw that place. What did you think?"
Lila pulled a thinking face, "Well honestly it's kind of vague and mushy in my memories now.."
"You don't remember?"
"No I do, but like... Whenever I try to picture it completely, something gets in the way…" Lila said with a sigh.
Kyoko paused before she replied, "Mother?"
"Eh?"
"Well, Mother was with you in yours. Isn't that the difference?"
"Does that mean…"
Kyoko shook her head, "Don't panic too much. Father is with her and everyone else too. Like you and me, she's surrounded by so much love. .." Kyoko trailed off, before she added, "It is true, that her powers as the Queen of Darkness have increased. She's been going back and forth the dark region a lot too."
"Mother is still in pain.."
"Lila-chan?" Kyoko noticed something off about her sister's tone.
"I always thought, that if I became an idol. That if I kept singing for Mother, she would come back. Last year, that happened. But it wasn't my singing that brought her back. I always sang with the deep feelings to bring her back. I wanted my voice to reach the very ends of the galaxy.." Lila trailed off, "My dream wouldn't exist without Mother. In the beginning, I wanted to be like her and followed in her footsteps. I wanted to sing exactly like her. Even though she seldom sang when I was younger, but when she did I remember how much admiration I had for her. ," she laughed softly.
"You know, I used to take a few CDs and music player, and go listen to music in the loft in the middle of the night. It was dark with only a small light source and yet, the music was filled with so much warmth."
"Lila-chan.."
"I wanted to be like mother, to be exactly like her and yet at some point. Even though my feelings towards bringing mother back had grown stronger. Something changed, I became a different type of idol. I wanted to convey various feelings. Feelings of love, towards my most beloved person. Romantic love.."
Kyoko said nothing, but continued to listen. The entire time though, she was monitoring something. Oujiro-kun was right to worry, at least that's what she thought when she first saw her sister yesterday. However, hearing her now. There was no need to worry.
_____________________________________________________
She recalled the words she said to mother about being her inspiration. She said those words to her mother when she came to visit her hospital room; after she saw Akari. The words she has been thinking this entire time. Mother. ...her mother was the reason why she became an idol. Even though her sister was the one who encouraged those dreams further. For her, there have always been two guiding lights that only keep shining brighter and brighter...
But that's never discouraged her, not even once. Although there were times where she felt frustrated, it only lasts for like five seconds. It's because there have always been two people shining brighter than her. Because she has such bright stars to look up to that she's come so far.
As the idol Terashima Lila and just 'Terashima Lila. '
Lila extended her hands up towards the sky... She can see it, the distant stars. Even with all the lights on in town, one can see the distant stars, if they looked carefully. Even during the day. It hasn't changed, has it? Talking with her sister like this, being able to voice out her thoughts. She fully understands it. Nothing has changed. She's already become the number one star; and yet there are still so many messages she wishes to spread with her singing, very important messages. For the people who cared and watched over her this entire time.
It was because of Mother that she became an idol. The one who helped her get to that start point was...Her gaze softened as she found her sisters gaze on hers.
"Lila-chan, tell me. What is it you want to do now? At least for now."
Her sister was smiling, almost as though she knew already.
"I want to do something for you."
"Why?"
"Because, I wouldn't have gotten this far if I didn't have my start point," Lila explained.
"And that's me?"
"Yes," Lila said too enthusiastically and bit her tongue. "Ouch.."
"You really are too brash. There, there." Kyoko patted her back.
"Ah! No treating me like a kid, I'm being serious now."
Her sister chuckled, "And?"
Lila realises a few seconds later what she meant. "I know it won't be a proper showdown, it doesn't even have to be a showdown. But, I want to share the same stage with you again." She wants to see it now. After all this hesitating she has been doing whether she will sing. Whether she's still able to sing with those deep emotions.
"You're barely halfway through your journey, and yet you're thinking of challenging me again.."
"I am number 1."
"True." she trailed off, "But number 2 will always be on your trail, you can't relax even for a single second. No matter the circumstances."
Lila's eyes widened, realising what she meant and nodded, "Yes."
"Very well, I accept your challenge, once again. Let's share the same stage."