“Thank you everyone for coming tonight!” I look out into the screaming audience. Natsu! Natsu! The crowd chants my name over and over. I can’t help but feel ecstatic and I feel bad for ending things now. “Even though I want to stay here and be with all of you, we have to wrap things up.”

The crowd screams though I can’t tell if they are screaming because they refuse to believe that the performance is over or because their excitement of their performance lingers on.

“But before we say goodbye, let’s have Aya take over! Aya!”

Aya walks forward and smiles and now some members of the audience is chanting her name. She looks out into the audience and smiles. “I have exciting news!” she says. The crowd quiets down a bit. “Everyone here knows that I’ve always wanted to go to university.” I nod and I take a quick glance around the stage to see the other members nodding and smiling. “Well…I got accepted into Tokyo University!”

The crowd goes wild at her announcement and I start jumping up and down while applauding. Good for you, Aya-chan! I knew your hard work would eventually pay off. After all, the first General Manager Takamina of AKB48 always said that hard work will definitely be rewarded or something to that effect.

“That’s all I wanted to say.” Aya takes a bow and steps back.

I step forward to the stage and look into the crowd. I raise my hands to my mouth and shout “Thank you for coming!”

Just then, Akimoto-Sensei steps onto the stage with a microphone in hand. What is he doing here? It must be something important if the producer himself is here.

“Thank you all for coming tonight and for your support for AKB48.” He says. “Even though AKB48 is enjoying immense popularity not just here in Japan and Asia but the rest of the world, we realized that after all this time, AKB48 has to end."

I hear whispers of concern from the audience. I’m not sure if it’s me or the audience but I can clearly hear the word what. I look around the stage and all the members stand still and silent from the shock.

"This year's Senbatsu Sousenkyo will be the final one before the members graduate on December 8th of this year. All members: current and former may participate." Akimoto-Sensei says. "Thank you.”

Akimoto-Sensei leaves the stage which is now filled with gloom. I say to the audience thank you and we all leave the stage.

The gloom that filled the stage is now present in the dressing room. All of us just stand there unsure what to think of this situation. Minako breaks down crying.

“Why…? We’re doing well right? We’re selling about two-million copies of our singles so why is it ending?” Minako says and she kneels down. She buries her head in her arms as she sheds her tears.

I kneel down next to her. “I don’t know. But we can make the best of this situation can’t we? Let’s work hard until the very end.”

“That’s easy for you to say!” Minako stands up. “You’ll be ranked in the Sousenkyo no matter what! You might even get first again!” Minako tries to hold back her tears. “But for people like me who have never been ranked once and never been acknowledged for Senbatsu…it’s devastating. It feels hopeless.”

“Minako…don’t give up. I’ve seen you stay late at night to practice and you practice songs on your way to practice. I know you work hard. Remember what Takamina always says?”

“Hard work will always be rewarded…but…it doesn’t seem like I will-“

“You will. Aya just got accepted into university, Tokyo University no less. She studied while still being a Senbatsu member for AKB. So don’t feel hopeless. I know your chance to shine will come one day. It may not be with AKB. It may be with another group or maybe even solo. Please for your sake. Don’t give up.”

Minako looks away. “Is it easy for you to say that? Because I still don't believe you...”

I look at her. In fact, it actually is very easy. I don’t know why it is. Is it because I’ve been in that same situation a few years ago or is it simply because I’m already at the top to the point where I don’t have to worry about these things?

Minako goes to her locker and starts changing out of her costume and into her clothes. All of the other members do the same. One by one, they all disappear until it is just me.

I can’t bring myself to leave. I can’t help but think about what Minako said. What if I am wrong? What if Takamina is wrong? What if hard work isn’t rewarded?

What if I just got lucky?