Returning Transcendent Opens an Idol Agency

Chapter 203: Hana Homura – [Karaoke] Karaoke party! Yay! (part I)

Chapter 203: Hana Homura – [Karaoke] Karaoke party! Yay! (part I)

A karaoke bar room with cozy chairs and a table in the center. Nearby the table sat an open cooler filled to the brim with ice, soda cans, and juice boxes.

On the left side, Alfi sat on a chair, happily sipping on a juice box.

In contrast, on the right side Aoko clutched a stack of lyric sheets in a deathgrip, her eyes wide with panic while a few empty cans were tipped over by her chair.

And then in the middle, there was Hana. She let out a bright smile, mic clutched in both hands and held close to her mouth, ready to sing.

[Karaoke] Karaoke party! Yay!

Hana Homura Ch.

Live in 5 minutes

Saturday, November 30, 2:00 PM JST

55K waiting

[sneakysnake] Ooh, we can finally hear Queen sing!

[Alfis_HotCocoa] Alfi-samaaa!

[righteousrabbit] Will there be duets?!

Live in 4 minutes.

[americaneagle: 5 USD] *Five dollar tip train?*

[canadianwombat: 5 CAD] *Bet!*

[britishbeaver: 5 EURO] *Nice!*

Live in 3 minutes.

[europeanswallow] *7 AM gang!*

[texansquirrel] *Midnight gang, LET'S GOOOOO!*

[luckyloon] The overseas bros are pretty excited today.

Live in 2 minutes.

[cornycat] :popcorn:

[orangeoctopus] lol is Aoko panicking?

[yellowbelliedfish] Can Aoko even sing?

Live in 1 minute.

[automaticmonkey] Near Automation songs please!

[curiouscow] I wonder what they're going to sing?

[boomerbat] I bet Aoko's going to sing boomer anime openings.

Waiting for Hana Homura Ch.

[killerorca] It's time!

[dubiousduck] Mini concert go!

[happyhog] *Sneak preview...?*

[Play Rainy Village (Copyright Free) - 8 Bit Lofi Hip Hop by Tad on]

Fireworks filled the screen, turning it orange. And then when they vanished, the thumbnail changed. Well, not that much.

Hana was still in the center of the screen. Alfi was on the left, sipping on a juice box. And Aoko was frantically combing through lyric sheets on the right.

[grassydragon] lol

[Ohana_Fan111] Did Hana just screenshot what was going on? XD

[FailureFox] I guess Alfi got more confident in her singing. Aoko though...

"Ohanayo!" Hana waved and said, "Thanks for coming to hang out with us today! Especially everyone from overseas! I know it's really late for some of you, so we really appreciate it!"

Alfi nodded along in the back and then turned towards the front before giving a small wave.

[voidtako] *No problem! Without MirAIs, there's no future anyway!*

[youngyapper] *Get out of here with your trash joke!*

[europeanswallow] *It's breakfast time for me, so this is perfect, actually.*

Hana placed her hands on her chest and said, "Now this isn't going to be the real concert. That's tomorrow, so don't forget! It's two hours before the time we're streaming today, 12 PM JST, um..." She paused to think and said, "I think around midnight for America and early morning for Europe? I don't know all the time zones... but Mister John should have the poster out soon! Ah, and the information should be on Tweeter already!"

[giantgorilla] Yep!

[Hanas_Oniichan] Don't worry, Hana! We got it!

[black_twinblader] I bought a Nerv_Gear just for this!

Alfi smiled and placed her juice box down. "I can't wait to sing for everyone on stage! It'll be fun!"

Hana looked back and smiled. "I know, Onee-chan! It'll be great! Ah, but did you find out if Mister John is going to sing with us?"

Alfi's smile widened. "He is! And he said there's going to be a special surprise guest joining him." She paused. "Though I think Mama had to persuade Papa to sing with us."

[lustylion] Ooh! John's singing?!

[numbskull] @Titor For real?!

[MOD: Titor] Haha... anything for my lovely daughter...

[Kiiro-chi] John got threatened with the couch again, huh?

[eagerbeaver] Now the real question is... How is he going to appear?

Aoko took a break from reading her notes and looked up. "Wait, John's going to sing with us too?"

Alfi looked over and shook her head. "No. Papa said he would open the show for us instead." She smiled and said, "He wanted us to have something to laugh at to warm up."

[MOD: Titor] Wait, I didn't say that.

[MOD: TITOR] Excellent.

[lewddood] John's still playing with himself, huh?

[nightowl] Something to laugh at... Drag?

[Kiiro-chi] Are we going to get best girl Jane Smith to appear?

Hana smiled. "That's great! That means this concert is going to be super fun!"

"And super nerve-wracking." Aoko glanced at a floating copy of the chat next to her and said, "It's one thing to talk about random crap in front of like 50K people. It's another thing to sing for them."

Alfi looked over to Aoko and smiled. "Don't worry Aoko-chan! I'm sure that they'll like you even if you mess up!" She paused and said, "Actually, they might like you more if you do. It's really cute when you get flustered, you know?"

"Gah! STOP THAT! It was bad enough last night!" Aoko turned red and covered her face with the lyric sheets.

Alfi tilted her head. "Stop what?"

"That! Why are you so genuinely appreciative! Dammit! I didn't know I was so weak to sincere compliments!"

[crudecrocodile] Oho? Last night, huh?

[FailureFox] So Queen is weak to sincere compliments...

[GoldenOrca: 20K Yen] Alright boys. You know what we're doing for Queen's next stream. First it was bullying with money, now we'll be doing it with praise!

Hana laughed and said, "That's because you aren't honest with yourself, Aneue! You're just as cute and beautiful as both of us, you know?"

Alfi placed her right hand on her chin and said, "...I think I'm more beautiful though?"

Aoko nodded. "Damned straight you are."

[GoldenOrca] I don't think that's very straight of you, Aoko-chan~!

[neodragon] *She's doing it! She's starting to believe!*

[Alfis_Knight] All is forgiven, Aoko-chan.

Hana smiled and then turned back to the screen. "Should we get started then, Aneue? Onee-chan?"

Aoko let out a deep sigh and set her lyric sheets down. "Might as well... Dammit, I wish I had some alcohol."

Alfi frowned and said, "You know you can't have any, Aoko-chan. We're on the job... besides, that's not good for you."

Aoko grabbed a can of soda and cracked it open. "Yeah, yeah..." She took a sip and looked at Hana. "So, who's going first? Me? Alfi? You?"

"Well," Hana said. "Since you seem like you're still panicking, Aneue, I'll go first, then Onee-chan, and then you. After that, we'll see what we do next." She turned to Alfi and said, "Is that fine, Onee-chan?"

"Of course!" Alfi smiled and made herself comfortable after grabbing another juice box. "I can't wait to hear you sing, Hana!"

"I *can* wait." Aoko grumbled and started flipping through her papers again. "Dammit. Knew I should've practiced more instead of staying up late again."

[dragonbeta] Up late *again*?

[xenomorph] What were you doing up late, Queen?

[jumpingjackal] I don't think you can cram practicing for singing, Aoko-chan...

"Okay. Then... I'm going to start." Hana took a deep breath and turned to the front of the screen. "This first song is a little bittersweet... but I thought that it was fitting. I hope everyone enjoys."

[Play Flaming June - Owari no Sekai Kara]

The song began, and Hana started to sing with a soft smile, joined by a soft piano.

*

Living out each happy day right here smiling with everyone is bliss

Because it's something you gave and something that I don't want to ever miss

*

A frantic guitar and driving drums picked up. With it, Hana swayed to the music and did a cute little dance while waiting for her part to sing again.

[ignorantiguana] This song is so pretty!

[flamefox] Oh no. It's *this* song!

[coldcod] I... guess it's fitting, but my heart...

The brief interlude ended and Hana started singing again.

*

I could never forget the time and emotions that I had then

Looking at you and

wondering if I can

ever be the one who you love.

But one day out of the blue I learned my wish could never come true

Because back then you said the one that you just met was the only love for you

Knowing I had lost, and wishing to have you at all costs

I used all my powers to rewind

All of our precious times so that I could be the one who you choose.

But when I arrived I saw my past self just scattered into the wind.

And the childish you who I loved cried out and ran after her again

"Hurry up! Take me back!" Desperate pleas I cried.

But the world never cared for those who would dare to try and undo time

*

A brief musical interlude, with chiming solemn bells, a driving guitar and the unforgiving drum beat, just like the flow of time.

[mightymonkey] Are we getting more lore for Hana?

[loreowl] Wait, wait, wait! Explain!

[sillysnake] Argh! So pretty but so painful...!

[purplepenguim] *I don't understand a single word, but I can feel her emotions.*

[uglyrat] *Hana is such a good singer! Agh, my kokoro...*

The interlude came to an end. Hana took a deep breath and closed her eyes, singing like she was venting out her emotions.

*

All I wanted to tell you was the truth of how I arrived here.

Yet seeing your back and the sorrow you had, I just couldn't say a word.

But before I left, you ran to me and then grabbed my hand.

A brief moment of happiness then

was shattered as I heard your desperate words echoing to my heart...

"There's a girl I'm looking for who looks almost the exact same as you."

"Tell me if you could have you seen her or if you know what I should do?"

"Where is she? Please tell me!" Your words a frantic plea.

But though I wanted to say the truth I just can't...!

Time passed and spring comes again.

Stolen time with you I spent in the place of her.

Staring at me as you left. Smiling sadly you just said, "I wish you were her..."

But I am...!

*

Another brief music interlude. Again the frantic and unceasing drumbeat, but joined with a guitar solo.

[Hanas_Oniichan] Who hurt you, Hana?

[quirkyquail] Anime when?!

[futurefowl] And this is why we don't time travel, folks.

Hana let out a bittersweet smile and started to sing again.

*

Finally it came. The time for our story, its refrain.

The lesson I thought I always knew

Was laid out before me as I was just forced to watch you-!

With tears streaming down my face I told you the truth of what I'd done now.

But right then time shattered and I was lost before I could even say how.

When I woke, all alone. Everything turned to gray and the colors of this world were all washed away.

Looking down I realized that I was holding something within my hand.

An aged and old picture of when love and colors still had filled this land.

You were there, still smiling, a time without a care.

And from that point on I swore I'd meet you again, no matter what it took.

*

The final music interlude. Chiming bells, driving guitar, and the unforgiving drums.

Then the instruments stripped away, leaving just the piano and Hana's delicate and gentle voice.

*

Living out each happy day back then smiling with everyone was bliss...

I wonder now all alone if it's something that I am fated to miss...

*

Hana's voice trailed off, and the song's outro played.

A delicate piano melody backed with dark and resonant chords, slowly fading away.

Hana looked up and smiled. But then she paused. "E-Eh?" She reached her hand up to her cheeks and muttered, "I'm crying...?"

[Hanas_Oniichan] Hanaaaa!

[OhanaYoNe] Imouto! We'll never let you go!

[fin_diesel] *Don't be lonely! What's real is family, and you don't turn your back on family!*

"...Thank you everyone." Hana brushed her tears away and let out a radiant smile.