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Another morning, a new day, another Wonderhoy day!
The sun shone through the windows, basking the room in sunlight. The pink haired girl got up cheerfully, eager to start the day with a very Wonderhoy spirit~!
She got ready and dressed for another day at school, then off to the Wonder Stage she goes!
The pink-haired girl sprinted through the halls of her house with bouncy steps.
"Morning, Hinata-oneesan, Shousuke-neechan, Keisuke-neechan~!" Emu grabbed her food and bolted out of the room, ready for a fresh day at school.
School was like any other normal day, she got to meet Saki and Shiho in class. She also caught a glimpse of Asahina-senpai during lunch as well. The purple haired girl greeted her earlier as well. On another note, she also saw a taiyaki-shaped cloud and took a photo of it! Emu couldn't wait to show the others when they met up at the Wonder Stage for practice!
As Emu rode the metro line to the Wonder Stage, she got a text from Nene.
Wonderlands X Showtime
Nene-chan!: Emu-chan, we need to talk. Come quickly. 16: 17
You: Okay! Be right there soon! 16: 19
You: Wonderhoy! 16: 20
As the train stopped at her destination, Emu skipped over cheerily to go to the theme park to see her friends. Crowds of happy families and children were on rides or shopping. She couldn't wait to rehearse the next performance at the Wonder Stage, to bring more smiles! Maybe she should bring Asahina-senpai here too. Maybe she'll actually smile!
She saw Nene sitting on a bench and ran over to her.
"NENE-CHAANNNNNNN~!!!!!!!!!!!!" The pink ball of energy ran up to the more reserved girl and hugged her.
"E-emu...!"
She looked around, and there was Tsukasa-kun and Rui-kun! But...
As she observed, all her friends looked somber. Maybe they just needed cheering up? Yeah!
"Why is everyone so gloomy today, come on, let's all WONDERHOY!"
But Emu was met with pure silence. The tension could be cut through with a knife.
It was Nene who cut through the silence, "Emu-chan... We... We're going to disband. We're sorry for not telling you earlier."
Emu froze in place, still in disbelief of what she was hearing.
"Nene-chan, is this... A prank? Tsukasa-kun? Rui-kun?" She was about to burst into tears.
This time, Rui spoke up.
"Emu-kun... We... We decided that…”
“Wonderlands X Showtime is no more. We all have other responsibilities… And we believe that we all should go our separate ways… I'm sorry.”
Emu still couldn't process the information. It was too much for her.
“B-but…! The people…! The children…! The smiles…! The Sekai…! W-what…. Why…..?”
She still couldn't wrap her head around it. No more performances…? No more happiness? No more wonderhoy? No more smiles…? Is the Wonder Stage getting destroyed? Are they… are they not friends anymore…? Emu couldn't bear it anymore.
“Everyone… Please! The- There must be another way right…!? Please? Tsukasa-kun…?”
They all just looked back at her with sorrow in their eyes.
She didn't want their friendship to end… No…! Not like this…!
Tsukasa tried to comfort her, “Emu-chan… We will still be friends… We just won't perform like we used to… This was a hard decision for all of us… But… We all want to go in different paths…”
“I…” Emu was too stunned.
“We're sorry… Emu-chan…” Nene said.
Emu tried her best to hold back her tears… She couldn't break her promise to her grandpa… She had to spread smiles. Not sorrow..
“It's fine guys! I understand…!” Emu smiled as if everything was okay.
But… was it…?
The other members sighed in relief.
“Let's all stay friends… Even if we don't perform together…!”
They all went into one big group hug, for one last time.
“We can still meet up right…?” Emu asked with uncertainty.
Rui nodded, “Of course, Emu-kun.”
That comforted Emu a little, and one by one, the others began leaving the Wonder Stage. First Nene, then Tsukasa, and then finally, Rui.
Emu was all alone now.
No one with her.
She asked for forgiveness from her grandpa before…
She broke into tears.
“Grandpa, I'm sorry I broke my promise…”
Ah, the sun was setting.
Emu hated sunsets even more now.
“Grandpa, I'm sorry… I didn't bring smiles to anyone…”
She had failed.
Failed her grandpa.
Failed her friends.
Failed herself.
Failed everyone.
No one smiled.
And Emu couldn't even put a smile on her face to make others smile.
Is this what Asahina-senpai felt like everyday?
For the first time since Wonderlands X Showtime almost disbanded, Emu felt hopeless.
She felt like she was drowning.
She couldn't even bring herself to say wonderhoy again.
But…
It's okay.
Her friends are happy.
So she should be happy for them.
And she is.
But she doesn't feel happy.
“Emu-chan!”
A familiar voice rang through Emu’s ears.
“Hinata-oneesan…?”
“Emu-chan wake up!”
Emu opened her eyes.
She wasn't at the Wonder Stage.
She was in her room. With Hinata-oneesan hovering above her.
“Hinata-oneesan?”
“Emu-chan! Wake up, it's almost time for that performance you have at the Wonder Stage!”
“What performance…?” She was confused. Wasn't it cancelled?
“The one you've been rehearsing with your friends. They're waiting for you downstairs! Hurry Emu-chan~!”
It was all a dream…?
Everything that happened…
Wasn't real…?
Her friends are…..
Still here…?
Wonderlands X Showtime didn't disband…?
She checked the chat logs of the group chat and sure enough…
The messages weren't there.
She let out a sigh of relief and began to cheerily get ready for the performance.
“Hello everyone!!!!!!!!! Today, let's put on a WONDERHOY PERFORMANCE!!!!!!!!!! WONDERHOYYYYYY!!!!!!!”
Tsukasa said, “WONDERHOY!!!!!!”
Nene internally cringed, but couldn't help but let a small smile grace her face while Rui was watching with amusement.
They all went to the Wonder Stage together.
It was a good performance. Seeing everyone smile watching them perform made Emu's heart swell with joy.
Emu couldn't wait to put another one on again.
She wishes that it could be like this forever.
But…
Deep down she knows…
It wouldn't last forever.
So…
Emu smiles.
She smiles, knowing that she can still perform with her friends now, and she smiles and performs like there's no tomorrow.
For maybe…
Her nightmare will come true one day.
But that day isn't today.
And Emu Otori is glad to forget all her worries for now.
She's with her friends now. They're all happy. That's all that matters right now.