Dawn had barely begun.
The speakers were live.
Microphones were distributed.
Campus peace lasted approximately eleven seconds.
Takeru stepped to the center microphone.
Tapped it twice.
The sound echoed through every speaker on school grounds.
"…Testing."
"…Testing."
Then he smiled.
Dangerously.
"…This one is for UTAHIME!"
Across campus, a window slammed open.
"…NO."
Too late.
Takeru inhaled deeply.
Then in the most mockingly elegant, theatrical voice possible—
"Utahime….."
A pause.
"The snowman….."
The moment the words began—
young Gojo ran to the mic on the left.
Older Gojo grabbed one on the right.
Young Geto calmly took another.
Older Geto sighed once…
then took the fourth.
And together—
with full harmony—
they sang.
"…is a fairytale they say…"
"She was made of snow but the children know that she came alive one dayyy!"
Utahime's scream could already be heard in the distance.
"Utahime the snowman!"
"There must have been some magic in that old silk hat they found!"
"For when they placed it on her head…"
"She began to dance around!"
Young Gojo was dancing.
Older Gojo was spinning a mic stand.
Young Geto was somehow singing perfectly straight-faced.
Older Geto looked like a man making one terrible choice on purpose.
Takeru was giving it everything he had.
Then the backup vocals began.
Yuji.
Panda.
Hakari.
Kirara (against their will somehow).
Yuta.
Todo.
Takaba.
Ryu.
Choso.
Megumi, visibly refusing while still somehow audible.
Kashimo humming aggressively.
And then—
even Higuruma stepped to a mic.
"…I do not know why I'm participating."
Then joined the harmony anyway.
Young Nanami stared at the chaos.
Tried to resist.
Failed.
Quietly entered on rhythm.
"Thumpety-thump-thump!"
"Thumpety-thump-thump!"
"Look at Utahime go!"
"Thumpety-thump-thump!"
"Thumpety-thump-thump!"
"Over the hills of snow!"
Doors flew open across campus.
Everyone woke up.
Shoko stood in a robe holding coffee.
"…I hate that this is catchy."
Maki came outside already angry.
"…Who dies first?"
Shoko was laughing so hard she couldn't stand straight.
"…They did it AGAIN!?"
Miwa looked horrified.
"…What kind of school is this!?"
Inumaki simply whispered:
"…Salmon…"
Which, in context, meant incredible.
Second verse hit harder.
"Ooh Utahime the snowman…"
"Knew the sun was hot that day…"
"So she said let's run and we'll have some fun now before I melt away!"
Utahime finally arrived in the courtyard.
Hair wild.
Shoes half on.
Pure wrath.
"…YOU SANG THIS TWO DAYS AGO!"
No one stopped.
:musical_note: "Down to the village…"
:musical_note: "With a broomstick in her hand!"
Gojo pointed at her dramatically mid-song.
Both Gojos did.
:musical_note: "Running here and there all around the square saying CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!"
Utahime lunged.
Missed.
Takaba accidentally handed her a spare microphone.
She screamed into it.
The feedback became part of the chorus.
:musical_note: "OH UTAHIME THE SNOWMAN!"
:musical_note: "Had to hurry on her way!"
:musical_note: "But she waved goodbye saying don't you cry I'll be back again someday!"
Everyone now joined in.
Even the people who didn't want to.
Even the people who hated it.
Even the people who had just woken up.
:musical_note: "THUMPETY-THUMP-THUMP!"
:musical_note: "THUMPETY-THUMP-THUMP!"
:musical_note: "LOOK AT UTAHIME GO!"
:musical_note: "THUMPETY-THUMP-THUMP!"
:musical_note: "THUMPETY-THUMP-THUMP!"
:musical_note: "OVER THE HILLS OF SNOW!"
Silence followed.
Birds fled trees.
Windows shook.
Campus morale rose and fell simultaneously.
Utahime stood trembling.
Microphone in hand.
Breathing hard.
"…I am going to destroy every speaker."
Takeru bowed politely.
"…Encore tomorrow?"
She threw the microphone at him.
Direct hit.
Gojo hit the floor laughing.
Nanami immediately walked away.
Higuruma adjusted his tie in shame.
Geto covered his face.
Shoko applauded once.
And thus—
day two of peace was ruined by music.