?The next day, the early morning light was just beginning to filter through the window as I was roused from my sleep. Despite the hour, Kimura was wide awake, standing at the foot of my bed with an expectant look on his face.


    Still groggy and disoriented, I reached for my phone to check the time, confirming that it was indeed a mere 5 am. I slowly rose from thefort of my bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and trying to shake off the lingering haze of slumber.


    "Wake up."


    "What''s the rush?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.


    "We have to go, now."


    "Go where?"


    "It''s a surprise," Kimura said, a hint of excitement in his voice.


    I slowly got out of bed, still not fully awake. "I hope this surprise is worth getting up this early."


    I rose from my bed and performed my morning routine of grooming and freshening up. As I dressed, I noticed Kimura already waiting impatiently at the door. I followed him out with a sense of detachment, feeling little excitement or curiosity about the surprise he had nned.


    As we walked through the dormitory halls, Kimura suddenly turned to me.


    "I have something nned for us to help prepare for the uing midterms," he said, a hint of excitement in his voice.


    I simply nodded in response, my expression remaining unruffled as I continued to focus on the path ahead.


    As we stepped out of the dormitory, Kimura strode ahead of me, leading the way. I followed in silence. My gaze fixed forward as we made our way through the school grounds.


    After a short while, we arrived at our destination. My eyes were met with a group of familiar faces, all gathered together in one ce.


    The familiar faces of Fujiharu and Kinoshita came into view, standing in front of arge building, chatting animatedly amongst themselves.


    As we got closer, I saw the LED lights disying the word ''Open'' above the entrance. It was then that Kimura turned to me with a grin on his face.


    "We''re going to be the first ones to check out the karaoke!" Kimura announced excitedly.


    "Yay!" Fujihara enliven.


    I simply nodded in agreement as Kimura and Fujiharu spoke.


    "Fujiharu, you didn''t tell me that Mizuhara would join!" Kinoshita spoke, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.


    "Haha~ I must have forgotten," Fujiharu chuckled, "Anyways, Kinoshita, is there a problem with Mizuharu''s presence?"


    "N-no, that''s not it..." Kinoshita stammered, her face obscured by her hands.


    "Now, let''s just get in," Kimura said, gesturing towards the entrance.


    Without further ado, Kimura led us inside the building. From the little interaction, it was clear that Kimura had orchestrated this surprise and had called upon Fujiharu and asked Fujiharu to invite Kinoshita, too, to join us.


    Upon entering the establishment, it was immediately clear that we were the first patrons of the day. The only souls in sight were those of the staff, diligently readying the establishment for the day ahead. The emptiness of the karaoke lounge was not unexpected, given the early hour of our arrival.


    As we entered the karaoke establishment, the first thing that caught my eye was the sleek, modern reception desk. The walls were adorned with vibrant posters of popr songs and bands, while the floor was made of polished hardwood. The staff at the desk greeted us with a warm smile, and I couldn''t help but notice the state-of-the-artputer system they were using to keep track of the private rooms and point system.


    Upon arriving at the reception desk, Kimura approached the staff member and greeted them.


    "Good morning, We''d like to rent a private room, please."


    The staff member, who seemed a bit surprised to see customers at such an early hour, quickly pulled out a brochure and presented it to us.


    "Sure, Would you like to take a look at our avable options?"


    Kimura nodded eagerly, and they scanned through the brochure, taking note of the different room sizes and features. After a few minutes of discussion, they decided on a medium-sized room with a private karaoke system and afortable seating area.


    "Alright, that''ll be 300 points for the hour. How will you be paying?" the staff member asked.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I''ve got it covered," Kimura said, pulling out his phone and tried hand over the necessary points.


    Fujihara, however, interjected, "-Ah, let''s share the cost. I wouldn''t feelfortable if we didn''t."


    Kimura hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement, "Alright, 75 points per person it is then."


    "Sounds good."


    Fujiharu and Kinoshita replied in unison, each pulling out their own phone and handing over their share to Kimura.


    I also pulled out my phone and swiftly transferred the necessary 75 points to Kimura.


    The staff member processed the payment and handed us a key card to ess the room.


    With the formalities out of the way, the four of us made our way towards the designated room, passing by several closed doors along the way. Once inside, we were greeted with a sleek and modern space, equipped with state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems, as well asfortable seating and arge screen for lyrics. We settled in, and Kimura began browsing through the extensive song selection.


    Kimura suddenly rose from his seat, tapping the tablet in front of him to make his selection.


    "I''ll sing first," he dered, turning to face us with a confident grin.


    He walked towards the screen, taking the microphone in hand as the lyrics and song title flickered to life. "A Gentle Devil''s Antithesis," from the anime "Dim Dissolution Apolytrosis", Fujihara recognized the title with a nod.


    "It''s a popr choice," Kimura exined, "But I think it''s fitting for the asion."


    As Kimura began to sing, Fujihara and Kinoshita watched with interest while I simply observed, my expression unchanging.


    After around five minutes of singing, the song came to an end, and Kimura made his way back to his seat. His voice was average, nothing extraordinary, but still decent enough to carry the tune.


    "It''s my turn, then."


    Fujiharu dered as she stood up from her seat.


    "Here."


    Kimura handed the microphone to her, and she took hold of the tablet, deftly navigating through the selection before returning it to the table.


    Fujiharu made her way to the front of the screen, microphone in hand. The screen flicked to life, disying the lyrics and title of her chosen song. ''Red Fish'' from the anime ''Nagare''


    As Fujiharu began to sing, her voice, while clear, did not particrly stand out to me. However, Kinoshita and Kimura seemed enraptured by her performance, cheering and praising her as if she were some sort of idol. I couldn''t quite grasp the appeal.


    I cast my gaze upon the tablet resting on the table, noticing a few icons disyed on its screen. I reached out and imed it as my own. Upon closer examination, I discovered a list of food options and a list of drink options.


    "Mizuhara, can''t wait for your turn, huh?"


    Came a voice from beside me. I turned to find Kimura, a hint of amusement in his tone. I shook my head and presented the tablet to him, allowing him a glimpse at my true intent.


    "Oh."


    I pulled the tablet back and began to peruse the menu, taking note of the various options avable. My eyes scanned the various options disyed before me. The menu was extensive, offering a wide array of delectable dishes such as sulent steaks, hearty pasta dishes, and a variety of sushi and sashimi.


    I lowered the tablet in my hand, allowing it to rest on my thighs. The device''s sleek surface reflected the bright lighting of the room, and I couldn''t help but ponder,


    with so many private rooms, the logistics of ensuring that each student receives their food and drink orders in a timely manner.


    The thought of waiting long periods for a simple beverage or snack in a crowded karaoke seemed like a potential inconvenience.


    "You finished ordering? My turn then!"


    Kimura eximed, quickly noticing myck of engagement. Without hesitation, he snatched up the tablet and began scrolling through the options with renewed enthusiasm.