'Most idols take on two Circles,' Aira thought, 'I wonder if I should do the same. After all, some of them can be helpful and if I could spend time with idols...'

He was already in the Pretty 5 Circle but one more wouldn't hurt Aira. Many Circles have opened up in the dorms after he had moved in and was ordered to enter one. Ranging from sports, academics and other interests, there was a lot he could choose. A lot where he could interact with any idol of his choosing even more closely than ever.

After all, he struck gold with Pretty5 when it came to such cute and beautiful idols, just discussing about cute and pretty things. He had joined the Basketball club back at Yumenosaki to see beloved idols' form and maybe their sweat as they work hard on the court...

Honestly, how could he choose when whichever Circle he could choose would literally mean that he got to experience many idol casual events without even trying? This was too hard for an everyoneP like him who wanted to savor every moment, be it having fun with animals in ANIMALS circle, try out as a band in BB, create a theater reproduction in Dramatica or solve mysteries with the Mystery Researchers.

In the end, when it came to narrowing down the Circles and despite his desires, his needs, specifically academic because his grades after an absence of school due to trying his best at idol work and making something out of himself, prevailed as only two Circles were left for him to choose and try out.

Keito Lecture or Ibara Lecture. However, before he could even fret over his choices, the decision was already made for him.

It simply took one day for Keito to approach Aira and asked, "Shiratori, would you like to join my Circle, Keito Lecture?"

"Wha...?" Aira asked. Around that moment, he was in ES break room while simply relaxing after work before wondering whether he should just relax here, go back to the dorms or go out to Saison Avenue for a bit of recreation. He did not expect to be approached by anyone, let alone Keito who he respects as a senpai and looks up as an idol.

If Aira remembered right, the only interaction he ever had with the Akatsuki leader was during MDM when ALKALOID started co-starring with many other units in order to perform together with Crazy: B at the second half of MDM when they got enough likes. It was Hiiro who was helped by Tatsumi whenever their leader was lacking, who dealt the arrangements in performing with Akatsuki. So, Aira didn't really interact with Keito.

Even when Keito was dorm supervisor, as Aira moved into the new Seisoukan dorms, he did not remember any interactions worth noting with him. So, why was Keito approaching Aira with an offer to join his Circle like this?

When Aira had yet to reply, Keito continued talking, "Oh, I have sprung this on you so suddenly, haven't I? No wonder you are surprised. Have you joined Saegusa's Ibara Lecture? If so, then you don't need to join Keito's Lecture and you can forget that I have asked. If you haven't, I really hope that you can join us. I aspire to teach everyone who wishes to join whatever knowledge they need and as someone new in the idol industry striving to reach new heights, I feel it worthwhile helping you reach those heights with the potential you have. Honestly, I hope you join so I can be closer to you as a senpai, so will you consider it or do you already have other arrangements?"

... Was Keito Hasumi this long-winded? Then again, Keito could only be matched by the long-windedness of Eichi Tenshouin, Aira's own roommate who had a tendency to monologue during their little tea time after both Eichi and Rei welcomed him to their dorm room. Aira knew that Keito was childhood friends with Eichi so maybe this was a trait that simply rubbed off each other.

Summarizing everything at hand, he finally registered that Keito had indeed offered Aira to join his Circle for various reasons such as teaching idols knowledge he has to offer, helping Aira's potential and becoming closer as a senpai? Aira felt flustered by such an acknowledgement from his senpai, about his potential and he was flattered that Keito wanted to be closer to Aira in a senpai-kouhai relationship.

Although that might be natural for someone like Keito, and maybe all his other senpai, Aira felt that was too much for someone like him. After all, such acknowledgement was coming from idols and since there was no reason in the world to refuse, Aira totally didn't.

"Hasumi-senpai, I will be glad to join your Circle," Aira gave a short answer with a smile. Keito returned the smile with his own, with a hint of relief unknown to Aira.

"I'm glad to have you aboard Shiratori," Keito said as he stated afterwards the first Circle meeting would be a week from now at a specific time and location while asking whether Aira could make it. He was not booked with any jobs whether solo or with his own unit and he didn't really have any plans around that time so Aira answered in the affirmative.

"I will see you then," Keito said, as he left and Aira waved goodbye. Aira felt freshly stunned about such an interaction but he couldn't complain. He really did want to get to know his senpai better and while there will always be a thought of what might be if he joined Ibara's Lecture since as an Eden fan, meeting one of Adam on a daily basis for club activities would be a personal heaven on Earth, joining Keito's Lecture was an honor for he really did love Akatsuki too.

He also couldn't wait to see who the other members were.

***

"Welcome to Keito's Lecture," Keito said, to the students he had gathered around. Other than Aira, there was also Yuzuru, Mika and Hiiro. Aira had just arrived, shocked to see the members.

"Oh, Aira, my friend, what a surprise to see you here!" Hiiro shouted, immediately jumping up from the table where they had seated before hugging Aira.

"... Hiro-kun," Aira whined, managing to stop himself from saying 'Geh' at the beginning, "You... you can't just hug me out of the blue like that!"

"Oh, sorry. Sorry," Hiiro said, immediately releasing Aira from the hug and smiled brightly at him, "I didn't know that you had joined this Circle as well, Aira!"

"Neither me with you Hiro-kun," Aira admitted, the word 'Geh' still floating around his mind about this. Not because of any hatred for his fellow unit name but he didn't really feel like seeing Hiiro in an academic-context Circle or anything academic-context really. Still remembering his utter whiplashed shock over Hiiro's great grades when taking tests in comparison to Aira's own terrible ones  had made Aira avoid Hiiro on anything academic related. Lord knows Aira's HP cannot take one more magic spell called 'I can teach you if you don't understand anything in your studies, Aira!'

... Yes, his HP would be affected from that. No, that does not make him a wuss.

"Oh, so ya are here too, Shiratori-kun?" Mika asked, a smile gracing his lips and Aira could not believe the utter coincidence that he and Mika are not only in Pretty 5 together but in Kaito's Circle. That meant he had more chances with one of Valkyrie...!

He secretly wondered if that meant he had get more opportunities to know the perfect chance to ask Shu Itsuki's, the venerable leader of Valkyrie and former Enperor of Yumenosaki before Eichi took over the title, autograph.

Because, well duh, it's a definite SSR get, considering how... closed off Valkyrie can be and rarely engaging in fan service although Mika was starting to pick up in that regards. But Shu...

Ooo... he can totally think about it later. But now time to bask in a few other members' presence, such as:

"Hello, Shiratori-sama. It seems he's the last to arrive...?" Yuzuru asked Keito, who gave a simple nod to his head.

"I'm so sorry that I'm late!" Aira exclaimed, probably jumping the gun with this conversation and to his mortification, he had.

But to be fair, he was still basking as a fan getting such close contact with his idols, the absolute possibility that he could get many private moments that any other fan would drool over so forgive him if his brain-mouth filter decided to be slightly skewed.

Forgive him that he never expected to get out of StarPro's restructuring, relatively unscathed as an idol and now having moments he thought he wouldn't even get one bit of a chance to savor!

"No, you weren't late at all, Shiratori-sama," Yuzuru said, with a butler-smile so great that Aira had to stop himself from swooning. Aira knew Yuzuru was a real-life butler, who became an idol along with his master Tori. That he was not roleplaying the part and his butler mannerisms were not part of any fan service, but still...

"Yes, you are right on time. It seems that most of you already know each other but I think introductions are still in order," Keito started, "I'm Keito Hasumi from AKATSUKI, the one who started up with Keito's Circle, in order for all of you to learn, be it for your academics or anything interesting you want to know. While I founded this Circle, that does not mean I'm the only sole lecturer and we can all help each other in the learning process. That said, don't be shy to say why you are here and maybe we can help along the way."

Keito's eyes swept through every member as he said that, but for some unknown reason, Aira felt the gaze lingering him longer than the rest. Maybe that was mind tricks playing on him. Maybe it was the need for an idol to notice him more than they should as a fan. After all, there was no real reason for Keito to pay special attention to Aira, right?

Unless Keito somehow knew how bad Aira's grades were and he was somehow taking pity but that was definitely mind tricks and paranoia at this point. He had decisively ignored the gaze, or any meaning that might not have any meaning to it at all.

After Keito's introduction, Hiiro, as enthusiastic as ever, picked up from the initial introduction with his own, "Umu! I'm Hiiro Amagi from ALKALOID and I joined this Circle so I can absorb as much knowledge as I can because there's so much in this big city that I still don't know. Aira teaches me something's but it feels like the very next day, there are still so many things I want to learn."

"Do you have any idea what you want to learn?" Keito asked, but Hiiro shook his head, not necessarily negatively but not positively later.

"There are somethings on my mind," Hiiro finally answered, "But there are also too many that I don't know where to start. So I think I would just look forward to what you teach us, Hasumi-senpai!"

"Hmm... well, if that's what you want," Keito conceded, "What about the rest of you? Fushimi? Kagehira? Shiratori?"

Yuzuru immediately went next, when it seemed like Mika and Aira were more hesitant to jump up to these self-introductions, "I am Yuzuru Fushimi, a butler and from fine. I came here with a thirst for knowledge about anything you can teach us Hasumi-sama. As a butler, I know there's a lot of things that I could still learn in order to aid my master and I'm willing to see how this Circle will improve me as I go on. Of course, I will be glad to be of help to others if they are ever in need of my assistance."

... As expected of a butler! So humble and quick to serve. Aira would be truly nervous to be served under Yuzuru if he ever was offered such services because Yuzuru is not just a butler...! He's also an idol! Of course, he wouldn't mind the occasional tea but he also didn't want to take up too much of the idol's time.

"Nyah, does tha' mean I'm goin' next?" Mika asked, once the silence prolonged enough from Yuzuru's introduction for someone to speak up which turned out in this case to be Mika, "'M Mika Kagehira from Valkyrie. I came to this Circle because am dumb, wanting to learn to be human again, all the basic etiquette and anything so I don't embarrass Oshi-san. And I feel like what better place ta start learning something than in a Circle like this. I can't reply on Oshi-san anymore so I hope I learn a decent amount so I can live up his name."

... Aira didn't get it, and from the look of Hiiro's face who was simply nodding with a dumb smile on his face, he probably didn't get it either. Looking at Yuzuru and Keito, who had at least been classmates or schoolmates of Mika in Yumenosaki years ago, with the former still most definitely Mika's classmate, he saw that the two didn't seem very shock, that it was almost normal for Mika to say some mind boggling stuff like 'wanting to be human again'.

Then again, why was he surprised? He had talked to Mika during Pretty5 session and his senpai had always been very open about things like 'human', 'doll' and 'Oshi-san'.

Actually, wasn't his speech a tad tamer than what he heard from Mika before?

Then again, much as it goes against fan code, it was something he had taken with a grain of salt, which was why he still was processing with Mika's speech. Don't get him wrong, Aira would always believe every tidbit about an idol that comes from the idol themselves. It was just that Aira couldn't comprehend it, and he was processing it.

He was still processing it. Sometimes he felt idols are a whole 'nother breed compared to a mere mortal like him. Be sure though, once he had fully processed and understood the mind of idols better, as an idol himself and not a fan, he will always take anything such beloved idols said seriously.

Until then, he was kinda constrained with the common sense of a normie, kinda beneath the thinking of veteran idols.

As such train of thought passed by Aira's brain, he belatedly realised that everyone had been looking at him, waiting for his introduction. Aira was trying very hard not to be flustered, because even though he wasn't a shy person by any means, it still felt daunting when he was about to speak with idols and Hiiro.

He still haven't gotten over his idol wander, something he seriously need to break off at some point, but no, he was still fresh off from his idol love. And probably will never get rid of it, ever. But at least be professional!

Or casual, in this scenario without looking like a combusting, awkward swan. He can do this...

"Oh, it's my turn then," Aira said with a smile, "Rabu~i. I'm Aira Shiratori, from ALKALOID! There's so many Circles to choose, but in the end, I know that I needed to go for this Circle to help... with my academics. So I hope you can help me."

Okay, that was not too bad. Aira mentally patted himself on the back. That was even OK... No fried swan today from combustion out of sheer embarrassment, people!

"Oh Aira, if it's to do a with one of your tests, I can always-" Hiiro started for Aira to interrupt him by talking over him. He would definitely be fried swan if Hiiro decided to attack him with the mega HP reducing 'I can always teach you what you don't understand'. To be fair, it was not that he didn't want help, or otherwise he would not be in this Circle. He just didn't want help from Hiiro... for now.

Maybe after he got over the shock how genius Hiiro Amagi is despite being labelled an underachiever. He knew the world was not fair like that. ... It still hurts.

"That's why I'm here, isn't it?" Aira asked, with something equivalent to force cheer that luckily Hiiro could not detect, as sense and oblivious he could be, "Now that introductions are over, what do you have planned for us, Hasumi-senpai?"

It was a good change of subject, and something that he was curious about, giving it a smooth transaction between subjects. Somehow unsurprised to be addressed, Keito looked thoughtful before he started off:

"Today, we will learn about the importance of reviewing and practicing."

"Ngah, why?" Mika asked, slightly surprised. Same as how Aira felt.

"For one, you are all students and even though you are idols, that does not mean you should be slacking off in your academics," Keito explained, sounding a little like a Mom. Aira vaguely remembered the head cannons some fans had about Keito being the Mom friend due to the known fact of being childhood friends with Eichi and fussing over him, if rare tidbits leaked from Yumenosaki were to be believed. Because honestly, Keito can sometimes strike as the Dad friend with AKATSUKI at occasional times, leading his kouhai Kanzaki with his experience alongside Kuro.

Maybe Keito was a mixture of both, a Mom and Dad friend but undoubtedly a parent friend. Something Aira had to figure out himself, which he looked forward to.

Keito had continued, "For another, I would like to know where you stand in academics as well as your knowledge. That way, we might find interesting topics now that we could discuss next session."

"Hmm, that is a reasonable explanation, Hasumi-sama," Yuzuru conceded. No one offered any complaint, with Hiiro the most eager of them to learn so the lesson started smoothly from there.

Of course this Circle, whole obviously academic, was very unlike school and extra classes. Since no one brought anything today considering this was the first day, meaning no notes to go over and so forth to truly commence Keito's idea of reviewing and practicing anything, it went around to simple discussion. Keito had asked each and everyone how they were doing at school and how they were faring.

It started simple, like how regular chatting went about. Although Mika, Yuzuru and Hiiro were forthcoming about their academic progress, Aira was more closed mouth in that regard despite the others asking for elaboration when Aira was the only one who gave short answers. By the way Keito was looking, he knew that he wanted more... but Aira just can't. At least, his timidness in that regard did not impede the discussion which had gotten more long-winded when Keito used what he heard as references when giving a full blown lecture of reviewing and practicing.

Most of the time, Hiiro would interject with multitude of questions and Keito would answer them one by one. Mika and Aira had their own although they were less outspoken. Yuzuru would listen with a smile on his face. Despite the lecture, Keito would pause once in a while to let the rest of them be more engaged, asking his own questions and turning it more into an academic discussion between fellow peers rather than a teacher teaching a bunch of students.

And through it all, Keito had looked more at Aira than anyone else. Maybe that was his imagination, but he felt like he could hear Keito telling him in his mind to speak up more, to share more because how else...

Aira knew he was not helping himself, his purpose being in an academic Circle to help with his studies so it would be obvious to be more forthcoming, letting out all his problems and finding solutions. To be elaborate as possible but something held him back.

(Maybe Aira didn't want people to know how terrible of a student he is, as people might think less of him, knowing that being an idol is an excuse to escape from what he's no good at, just like how before Yumenosaki-)

"Shiratori, Shiratori," Keito said as he tapped on Aira's shoulder and startled  him out of his thoughts, "I had tried calling you a few times. What were you thinking that you couldn't even hear me?"

Aira felt like a student was caught daydreaming in class by a teacher which he actually was, and he reacted like any student would in this situation, "I'm sorry, Hasumi-senpai."

"Really," Keito sighed, "Apology accepted, now, Shiratori-"

"If I may interject, Hasumi-sama," Yuzuru suddenly interrupted much to the rest's surprise, "I think that the discussion has been going too long that some of our attention spans might be fading. I propose that we have a break now, just to relax ourselves and absorb everything we discussed. I can prepare the tea and some snacks."

Suddenly, Aira looked at the clock, surprised how much time passed since their discussion and looking at the others, Mika seemed as lost as thought as Aira was which gave credibility to Yuzuru's words. Hiiro was the same as ever, eager to learn and not tired at all but did not mind the break that Yuzuru was proposing.

Keito noticed the same things and answered, "You are right, Fushimi. I didn't notice... I know one can't work for long hours at end and a break is necessary. But Fushimi, is it really alright for you to prepare tea and snacks for all of us? If you need a helping hand..."

"Umu!" Hiiro interjected, "I would also love to help Fushimi prepare tea and snacks. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I appreciate the concern but there is no need," Yuzuru smiled at both Hiiro and Keito, "I am a butler and I know how to handle my way through preparing tea and snacks. All I ask is for you to sit, relax and let me serve you."

And that was how, with tea and delicious cookies served by the idol butler (something Aira tried so hard not to rave about because he didn't want to make a fuss but his thoughts were having a field day anyway), they all settled to chit-chat about more casual things although they do come back to the discussion they previously had with new insight and opinions.

"I didn' know that the brain is receptive to things better at those times. Maybe when I need ta cram something, I will do it around tha' time," Mika said, more to himself.

"If I learn new things around those times, does that mean I would learn a lot more? Aira, there is still so many things I don't know about the city so if you show me around when my brain is most receptive to learning, maybe I will know things faster!" Hiiro exclaimed.

"Fumu, you do need to get up to speed with the common sense of the city," Aira said, as he reached for the cookies he couldn't stop eating only to belatedly realize that he had said Hiiro's catchphrase, "Maybe after this, we can..."

The lesson continued on from there, with the addition of teas and snacks that gave it such a relaxed vibe that Aira found himself being more open and maybe careless like how he had spoken Hiiro's catchphrase without thinking. Through the discussion that slowly devolved into casual chatting with trivia, knowledge and simply getting to know each and everyone of them... Aira finally slipped up.

It started when they started talking about different languages, whether they could also teach themselves that in this Circle...

"I've been really trying to learn French ever since Oshi-san moved to Paris himself but I ain't fluent as well as Oshi-san even though we started round the same time but maybe with Oshi-san is in France himself and because it's Oshi-san, that's expected. He always scolds me for my pronunciation whenever I try to practice with him..."

"But you still manage to learn a new language, right, Kagehira-senpai?" Hiiro interjected, "I've only known Japanese my whole life so mastering any other language in a short amount of time is still amazing."

"I wouldn't call it 'mastering'. I probably don't even hold a candle to Shiratori-kun, let alone Oshi-san."

"Huh? Me?" Aira asked, surprised that he was mentioned in this conversation whatsoever.

"Well, isn't Shiratori-kun part French? When Oshi-san met ya first time, he told me how you looked part French... probably quarter French, and mused whether you know anything about the culture and language and wanted to have a chat with ya. Now that I think about it, Oshi-san also told me he could never find time to actually talk to ya the few times he had been in ES. He had the impression ya have been avoidin' him. Are ya really..."

"Eh, I don't remember anything like that..." Aira mumbled, partially a lie because throughout his time in ES and still learning how to not combust in front of idols with his nervousness as a long-time fan meeting the real thing despite being the real thing himself, there were a few idols he had found unapproachable, not because he detested them or anything. Of course not! But because they feel like they reached the pinnacle of godhood in Aira's eyes, something he could admire from afar but never personally contact unless necessary.

Also, Aira did not believe that Shu Itsuki would actually want to talk to him so whenever he was in his vicinity, Aira was sure Shu had his own business while Aira minded his own and giving a wide berth instead to gallantly take sneak peeks of his profile and noting anything down for the idol files. So maybe that's how the avoiding thing happened and thinking back, it might have been rude... He had to remember to grovel on his knees and apologize to Shu at a later date.

"Also, yeah, I actually am quarter French. How did Itsuki-senpai know?" Aira asked.

"Ah, Oshi-san said it had to do with your facial features and hair. Oshi-san got a great eye for things like this and compared you to the French people he had met before saying you might be quarter French."

"Wow... Itsuki-senpai has a great discerning eye," Aira said, making sure to note this in the Idol Research file, "But even though I am quarter French, I don't know the language. I was just born and raised in Japan, knowing Japanese my whole life."

"Eh, is that really?" Mika asked, "Would you like to learn French with me then? Is a fun language to learn~"

"I... I don't know," Aira fidgeted, "I have tried learning it... but it never stuck."

Why wouldn't he learn it, back in his childhood when people had assumed him a foreigner and wanted to speak a foreign language. He had thought that if he learned French, people would be impressed with him and stop being disappointed, but unfortunately, that didn't happen. 

"I don't think that means you shouldn't try again," Yuzuru piped up in the conversation, "It would be interesting to learn different languages like French, something we can do in this Circle. It would be really useful for world travel, especially when we are idols who could one day travel worldwide for various jobs."

"Hmm... we could try that. Learning different languages could be one of the lessons for this Circle. Don't worry about it, Shiratori. As they say, Rome was not built in a day. And to master a language, plenty of practice and reviewing will be important. I'm sure that even if it 'never stuck' as you say, we are all here to help each other."

"Alright, senpai," Aira said, "Then, I can't wait for our lessons tomorrow~"

Aira was going to pretend that he didn't see Keito looking at him, wondering if he will say more.

In the end, Keito's Lecture was pretty good. Aira was now glad that he joined this Circle, savoring the love being with idols, tasty snacks made by Yuzuru and also getting to know Hiiro better as a friend.  He was totally basking in the love!

That didn't mean he wasn't basking in the love a little less when he got homework from Keito by the end of the session.

At the end of the session, Keito thought about Aira, still unsure how to make of him but glad he wasn't worse to wear from his childhood friends. Maybe, Aira Shiratori was stronger than he looked...

Keito had first approached him to join his Circle so he could know the roommate that unluckily found himself living with his two childhood friends better, also worrying the mental strain Rei and Eichi undoubtedly unleased on the poor guy considering Keito heard tell of their pettiness in the dorm so far (because if putting a partition between each other isn't petty, Keito didn't know what is).  

However, Keito had fallen short on getting to know Aira since the boy turned out to be on the reserved side and still couldn't make out what kind of person Aira was. Despite some self-doubts here and there and unwillingness to talk about himself, he was still determined, even hanging on to every word of Keito and the others as if it was a kind of gospel, responded well enough to everyone's discussion and didn't complain when receiving homework from Keito.

'He might just be a good kid...' Keito thought, and honestly that was a worrying thought when imagining someone like that rooming with Eichi and Rei.

It was precisely because of that thought that he swore to keep a good eye on Aira, both as a senpai and sensei, just so that no one suffers the same fate as him when it came to both Eichi and Rei. At least he managed this first contact and promised to make this connection stronger throughout their time in the Circle.