- "A small blossom, little more than a bud~ A lively child, screaming in delight~ The will to never give up when times get rough~ They are all Chronicles of hope~"
Satoshi, after having stopped running, looked around. A voice had started to speak in a quite weird way, and he believed to recognise the voice. Since he was already lost in the strange building on a planet, he didn't know, he followed the voice, although the one who spoke had to be dead.
- "When I was young~ I had little to call my own~ Much like a newborn foal or a seedling~ It took a while for me to realize~ that I was important too~"
Satoshi almost stumbled when he accelerated. "Hello?" He called quietly. His upbringing forbid him to be too loud in a work environement, even though he wanted to scream.
- "Dreaming on~ Struggling on~ They are both the same~ No matter where they're from~"
"That can't be." Satoshi though. Reality said the opposite.
- "Chronicles of hope~ that's what they are~ that's what we are~ Chronicles of hope~ A small token~ Yet worth so much~ Chronicles of hope~"
A small break, making Satoshi fearing that the person who spoke was gone again.
- "A wilting flower having seen its year~ A solemn whisper lonely as the wind~ When tears flow in abundance~ And the pain doesn't disappear~ They are still~ Chronicles of love~"
The voice almost seemed sad, but it still sounded so different and strange that Satoshi couldn't describe it - no matter how much he wanted.
- "When I become an adult~ I will be successful and I'll be famous~ Yet even then when I'm grown~ I will still continue viewing the world through the eyes of a child~"
Stopping for a moment to listen to what the person actually said, Satoshi stopped.
- "Falling and tripping~ And getting up again~ That's the rollercoaster of life~ We all have to take~"
"That's... impossible." Satoshi whispered. "You're dead, aren't you? That's what mum and dad said. That's what everyone said."
- "Chronicles of love~ They will always be~ We will always be~ Chronicles of lofe~ The biggest aspiration or the smallest of hopes~ Chronicles of love~"
Satoshi stepped outside, still not beliving what he said. Previous words repeated themselves, before the voice faded in tears.
- "... Chronicles of hope~" Akarin finished.
She stood on the rooftop of the WOTA HQ looking at the city of Akibastar - a place that had given birth to her own hope; a place that had taught her true love. Akarin cried. Not only because she was sad, but also because she was happy. Her family was safe, even though they didn't want to be on Akibastar, their life wasn't in danger. But on the other hand, how high was the chance that they would change like she did? She knew why her mother despised entertainment. Why her father did. Satoshi might had a chance, but it was small.
"... Oneesan...?'" Satoshi called; the brunette turned around abruptly. "You... you're alive!" He rushed towards her and hugged her. "You really are alive!"
Akarin froze. Her brother's reaction confused her. Didn't he know that she had joined 0048? Didn't he know that she now stood up for what he hated most? "... Satoshi..." She whispered before hugging her little brother as well.
"Mum and dad said that you're most likely dead..." Satoshi cried. "What.. What are you doing here?" He asked. "Did those plaguebearers kidnap you too?"
It took her a moment to answer. "No, they didn't."
"But why are you here?"
"They saved me."
"Saved?"
"Satoshi... Entertainment isn't a disease. Not at all. It's a miracle."
"But-"
"I want you to watch something - completly without an opinion beforehand, okay?"
"Of course... But sis?"
"Hm?"
"Are you... sure that you're OK?"
Akarin smiled. "More than ever."
Akarin was the last of Team K to arrive at 0048's theater. It hadn't taken her much time - luckily - to arrange a seat for Satoshi, and now (again, disguised - Satoshi didn't understand why) stood with him in the lobby. "Alright... Let's see..." She looked around until she found a group of WOTA.
"Excuse me?" She spoke to them. "My little brother has ... won a ticket for today's show, but he has never been here. I have to take care of something, but I'll pick him up after the show. Could you maybe help him with finding his place and so on?"
The fans quickly agreed and Akarin left before Satoshi could introduce himself as "Masuda Satoshi. I'm from Aleenstar." and thus cause almost a heart attack for some of them (who, of course, were Akarin's fans).
The performance of K1 was over soon, and Satoshi (not really being told that much that this was entertainment), waited for his sister in the lobby afterwards. She quickly picked him up and they left through the staff exit before anyone could notice them.
"Hey, Akari? What was that?" Satoshi asked - holding a penligh in his hand. "That was awesome! I wanna do that again!"
Akarin simply laughed. "That was Team K - my team."
"Your team?"
A nod. "My team in 0048."
"... 0048? As in AKB0048? What?!"
"That, my dear brother, was music." Akarin explained. "And I'm an idol."
On their way to the WOTA HQ, Akarin had quite a lot to explain to her younger brother, but once they arrived, he was quite convinced by her. They arrived at the room where Miyoko's and Akarin's families still were. Sakura, worried to death, hugged her son quickly before being about to thank the one who had "found him".
"No worries." Akarin replied, taking down her head and sunglasses. "Honoka-chan must have scared him a bit. She surely didn't mean it in that way."
What happened next were lots of surprised people and a familz reunion with a slight, bitter taste. Eventually, Akarin had explained her parents that nothing would change her mind back; Satoshi (thanks to the concert) and her father (likely because he had seen entertainment beforehand and understood the basic behind the philosophz of it being distracting but not fatal) understanding it (or something similar) surprisingly well. Her mother was against it, but Akarin made it clear that she wouldn't change her mind.