AnthemMaiden/Episode

— **Circle of Friends**

**Nebula Productions Office, Rehearsal Room**

 **Towa:**Ahh, I'm hungry.**Towa**: Ahh, I'm hungry.

 **Towa:**There's gotta be a good cafe near school, right? Do you guys know any?**Towa**: There's gotta be a good cafe near school, right? Do you guys know any?

 **Saki:**I'm afraid not. I only transferred here recently.**Saki**: I'm afraid not. I only transferred here recently.

 **Ibuki:**Makes sense. We do have lessons after school. So we don't exactly stop many places while going home.**Ibuki**: Makes sense. We do have lessons after school. So we don't exactly stop many places while going home.

 **Noa:**A friend in class told me about one. I haven't been in myself, though.**Noa**: A friend in class told me about one. I haven't been in myself, though.

 **Towa:**Ooh, good idea! We can ask classmates! I never knew you were a gourmet, Noa.**Towa**: Ooh, good idea! We can ask classmates! I never knew you were a gourmet, Noa.

 **Noa:**It just comes up in regular conversation. You're the only one who goes out of your way to ask about this stuff.**Noa**: It just comes up in regular conversation. You're the only one who goes out of your way to ask about this stuff.

 **Towa:**That's not true. You ask about it, right, Saki-chan?**Towa**: That's not true. You ask about it, right, Saki-chan?

 **Saki:**I did ask someone to suggest a nice place for a good fruit parfait.**Saki**: I did ask someone to suggest a nice place for a good fruit parfait.

 **Towa:**See? Saki's with me... Wait, if you know of one, tell me! I want parfait now!**Towa**: See? Saki's with me... Wait, if you know of one, tell me! I want parfait now!

 **Saki:**But...**Saki**: But...

 **Ibuki:**\*ahem\***Ibuki**: \*ahem\*

 **Towa:**Aww, what's the harm every once in a while?**Towa**: Aww, what's the harm every once in a while?

 **Ibuki:**I guess there's no harm in it. I'm just surprised Saki talks about this stuff.**Ibuki**: I guess there's no harm in it. I'm just surprised Saki talks about this stuff.

 **Saki:**Mm.**Saki**: Mm.

 **Noa:**(Seeing Saki-chan sheepish is a rare sight. And a cute one!)**Noa**: (Seeing Saki-chan sheepish is a rare sight. And a cute one!)

**Several Days Later, Station Square**

 **Towa:**And so, we're taking a day off lessons today!**Towa**: And so, we're taking a day off lessons today!

 **Towa:**But there isn't much to do until it's time for the live broadcast of that idol I'm into.**Towa**: But there isn't much to do until it's time for the live broadcast of that idol I'm into.

 **Ibuki:**How about a quick jog, then?**Ibuki**: How about a quick jog, then?

 **Towa:**That'd be the same as our lessons!**Towa**: That'd be the same as our lessons!

 **Noa:**Hey... Isn't that Saki-chan over there?**Noa**: Hey... Isn't that Saki-chan over there?

 **Towa:**Are those her classmates with her?**Towa**: Are those her classmates with her?

 **Ibuki:**Heh, she looks like any other regular girl when she's like that.**Ibuki**: Heh, she looks like any other regular girl when she's like that.

 **Noa:**(Normal mode Saki-chan! That's priceless!)**Noa**: (Normal mode Saki-chan! That's priceless!)

 **Towa:**Noa, we can hear you.**Towa**: Noa, we can hear you.

 **Friend A:**It's so nice to finally walk home with you, Saki-chan!**Friend A**: It's so nice to finally walk home with you, Saki-chan!

 **Friend B:**We're gonna take you out to lots of places today, okay?**Friend B**: We're gonna take you out to lots of places today, okay?

 **Saki:**Mm.**Saki**: Mm.

 **Ibuki:**So... Why are we all sneaking around following Saki again?**Ibuki**: So... Why are we all sneaking around following Saki again?

 **Towa:**I wanna go out for something to eat... I mean, look! We're worried! Right, Noa?**Towa**: I wanna go out for something to eat... I mean, look! We're worried! Right, Noa?

 **Noa:**(Mm-hm!)**Noa**: (Mm-hm!)

 **Ibuki:**Not you too... Fine, I'll stick with you.**Ibuki**: Not you too... Fine, I'll stick with you.

 **Friend A:**I've got no idea what to do for our next test. It covers way too wide a range of topics!**Friend A**: I've got no idea what to do for our next test. It covers way too wide a range of topics!

 **Friend B:**Say, you get good grades, Saki-chan. That's pretty amazing, with all the music rehearsals you do.**Friend B**: Say, you get good grades, Saki-chan. That's pretty amazing, with all the music rehearsals you do.

 **Friend A:**Yeah, seriously! What's your trick? If you've got one, you've gotta share it!**Friend A**: Yeah, seriously! What's your trick? If you've got one, you've gotta share it!

 **Saki:**I don't... have any trick.**Saki**: I don't... have any trick.

 **Friend A:**Aww, really?**Friend A**: Aww, really?

 **Saki:**Studies are something you accumulate over time.**Saki**: Studies are something you accumulate over time.

 **Friend B:**Haha, you're as strict as our teacher!**Friend B**: Haha, you're as strict as our teacher!

 **Towa:**She doesn't pull punches with her classmates, either...**Towa**: She doesn't pull punches with her classmates, either...

 **Noa:**She's right, though.**Noa**: She's right, though.

 **Ibuki:**And they're still accepting her.**Ibuki**: And they're still accepting her.

 **Friend A:**We should drop by somewhere while you're with us. Wanna get some boba? There's a new store near the station.**Friend A**: We should drop by somewhere while you're with us. Wanna get some boba? There's a new store near the station.

 **Friend B:**They opened up after the craze died down. They must have some really good boba.**Friend B**: They opened up after the craze died down. They must have some really good boba.

 **Friend A:**Yeah, huh? Doesn't it make you curious? Oh, but the kebab place has started selling Turkish hamburgers, and I wanna try one.**Friend A**: Yeah, huh? Doesn't it make you curious? Oh, but the kebab place has started selling Turkish hamburgers, and I wanna try one.

 **Friend A:**Hmm, what to do... Which would you go for, Saki-chan?**Friend A**: Hmm, what to do... Which would you go for, Saki-chan?

 **Saki:**I’m fine with either option, but are you sure we should?**Saki**: I’m fine with either option, but are you sure we should?

 **Friend A:**Why? Did those places get bad reviews?**Friend A**: Why? Did those places get bad reviews?

 **Saki:**You mentioned you were going on a diet last week. If you're doing that, you should avoid snacking between meals.**Saki**: You mentioned you were going on a diet last week. If you're doing that, you should avoid snacking between meals.

 **Friend A:**Dieting... Oh yeah, I did say that, huh?**Friend A**: Dieting... Oh yeah, I did say that, huh?

 **Friend B:**You completely forgot?**Friend B**: You completely forgot?

 **Friend B:**Actually, I'm surprised you pay so much attention to that stuff, Saki-chan.**Friend B**: Actually, I'm surprised you pay so much attention to that stuff, Saki-chan.

 **Saki:**Well, going without treats isn't good for your stress levels. I don't think snacking is entirely bad.**Saki**: Well, going without treats isn't good for your stress levels. I don't think snacking is entirely bad.

 **Saki:**...And I don't think you need to diet to start with.**Saki**: ...And I don't think you need to diet to start with.

 **Saki:**If you're still worried about it, we could use my unit's training regimen to burn off the calories with exercise...**Saki**: If you're still worried about it, we could use my unit's training regimen to burn off the calories with exercise...

 **Friend B:**You don't need to take her so seriously, Saki-chan.**Friend B**: You don't need to take her so seriously, Saki-chan.

 **Friend A:**But hearing that from Saki-chan gave me a confidence boost! I've got plenty of style even without any dieting. Let's do both options!**Friend A**: But hearing that from Saki-chan gave me a confidence boost! I've got plenty of style even without any dieting. Let's do both options!

 **Friend B:**She didn't say anything about your style...**Friend B**: She didn't say anything about your style...

 **Saki:**I've never tried those things, so I'd like to.**Saki**: I've never tried those things, so I'd like to.

 **Ibuki:**This really is like the daily life of any regular girl. Satisfied, you two?**Ibuki**: This really is like the daily life of any regular girl. Satisfied, you two?

 **Noa:**(This gives me energy...)**Noa**: (This gives me energy...)

 **Towa:**Hey, Ibuki?**Towa**: Hey, Ibuki?

 **Ibuki:**Yeah? Still curious about something?**Ibuki**: Yeah? Still curious about something?

 **Towa:**I want boba and kebabs too!**Towa**: I want boba and kebabs too!

 **Ibuki:**Heheh. I guess we can do it, just for today.**Ibuki**: Heheh. I guess we can do it, just for today.

 **Towa:**Yeah!**Towa**: Yeah!

 **Noa:**Then let's go as a group.**Noa**: Then let's go as a group.

 **Ibuki:**Yeah, agreed.**Ibuki**: Yeah, agreed.