Chapter 1/Episode 5

### The First Step!

(Hearing Kasumi's passionate speech, you decide nothing will stop you from saving the School Idol Club. You rush to the person you trust most as your first step in finding the 10 members the student council president stipulated.)
 **Kasumi:** Hey, where are you going? Didn't you say we were going to persuade the members that used to be in the club?
 **Player:** Yeah, but I figured we should get some results first.
 **Kasumi:** Results?
 **Player:** Well, even if we really want the people who left to come back, we can't just try to persuade with passion alone.
 **Player:** If the club's just the way they left it, wouldn't they think that the same thing'll just happen again?
 **Player:** So we need to show them that they're not going to just have a repeat of last time. That this is a place their hard work will pay off in.
 **Kasumi:** ...That's a good point, but what should we actually do?
 **Player:** Get a member who's a really hard worker.
 **Kasumi:** A really hard worker? Anyone...in mind?
 **Ayumu:** Huh?! M-Me, join the school idol club?!
 **Player:** Please, Ayumu, you're the only one I can turn to!
 **Ayumu:** B-But I couldn't sing and dance like that! That just isn't me...
 **Kasumi:** H-Hey...
 **Player:** Hm? What's up, Kasumi?
 **Kasumi:** Is this the really hard worker you were talking about?
 **Player:** Yeah, her name's Ayumu Uehara, and we've been friends since way back in kindergarten.
 **Kasumi:** You're childhood friends?!
 **Player:** I-Is that really that shocking?
 **Kasumi:** W-Well, yeah, you've known each other for so long!
 **Player:** Yeah. And Ayumu's been the type to give things her best, no matter how tough it gets. I've always thought that's really awesome.
 **Player:** So if she's with us, I figure that she'd inspire the others, and we could all really work hard in the club.
 **Kasumi:** ...
 **Player:** Kasumi?
 **Kasumi:** I-I'm a pretty hard worker, too.
 **Player:** Oh, of course! I know you're a super hard worker, Kasumi.
 **Player:** But I figure you're going to need a lot more than just me to help you.
 **Kasumi:** Well, if you say so.
 **Player:** So, how about it, Ayumu? Let's be school idols together!
 **Ayumu:** Ahaha, you really are something, you know that? You've got some crazy initiative.
 **Player:** Huh, really?
 **Ayumu:** I mean, you went looking for the school idol club, and immediately started recruiting when you heard it was getting disbanded.
 **Ayumu:** And... And on top of that, look at how much this underclassman trusts you. And you only met her yesterday!
 **Kasumi:** You're talking about me, right? Because you're totally right! We're super tight friends already!
 **Ayumu:** Haha, I see, I see.
 **Ayumu:** ...Hey, you remember what happened back in kindergarten?
 **Player:** In kindergarten?
 **Ayumu:** All right, that look tells me you don't. And it was such a big deal to me, too!
 **Ayumu:** You told me something, back when I was really embarrassed about the dance performance and didn't want to do it.
 **Ayumu:** You said that if I did my best on stage, then the whole audience would smile right back at me.
 **Ayumu:** You squeezed both of my hands, saying you'd cheer me on as I did my best...and you had on the biggest smile, too.
 **Ayumu:** ...I've been able to come so far in so much because of you.
 **Ayumu:** So I want us both to do our best with this school idol thing.
 **Player:** Really?!
 **Kasumi:** Wait, seriously?!
 **Player:** Thanks so much, Ayumu! Let's do our best and make so many people smile!
 **Ayumu:** Yeah, we've got good times ahead! And, um... What was your name, again?
 **Kasumi:** Well, you're my senior, so just call me Kasumin!
 **Ayumu:** Senior? But technically, you've been in the club longer than I have, so...
 **Kasumi:** Hey, don't worry about it! Let's just be friendly - we're all going to be club pals from now on, you know?
 **Ayumu:** Friendly...like with nicknames? Hmm. If your name's Kasumi Nakasu, then... Kasukasu?
 **Kasumi:** Nooo! How did you know my old nickname?! All right, I'm banning that name! No Kasukasu!
 **Player:** L-Let's just settle on Kasumi, all right?
 **Kasumi:** Yeah, let's go with that!
 **Ayumu:** S-Sorry, and glad to meet you, Kasumi. I don't know the first thing about being a school idol, so I'm going to be pretty lost, but...
 **Ayumu:** ...I'll do my best, so teach me what I need to know, all right?
 **Kasumi:** Of course! I am the senior school idol here, after all!
 **Player:** All right, let's work really hard so the other members come back!