Chapter 4

In any case, thank you for accepting my invitation, Anzu-chan. There is something we do sincerely need to discuss with you, which is why I’ve asked you to meet us like this.

To make a long story short… Tori is having a hard time with his assignment to create an original dance. Any advice you might have would be appreciated.

This is, of course, from your perspective as a producer.

Oh, there’s no need to burn yourself out over this. I’d like if you just play around with us, and then speak up if you think of anything.

We aren’t looking for expertise or intensive coaching on your part.

If that were needed, we would have called in a professional with those qualifications. We only ask that you do what you’re able.

This is a very philosophical dialogue. Anzu-san might be less confused if you were to speak more concretely.¹

Fufu, you must be parched after running all the way over here, Anzu-san.

We’ve kept a sports drink cool in this thermos, so you may have a sip if you’d like.

And here is a towel for you as well, to wipe away the sweat ♪

You really are just like a wife spending the day with her children.

Well, when fine has three troublesome kids to take care of…

One cannot help taking up the mantle.

He sticks the landing! This is fun, Princess! Let’s play with the tire buried in the ground over there next!

Why me?! C’mon, I don’t think you’re supposed to pull that tire out and play with it!

This is a lesson, remember? We gotta do that before we can play!

That doesn’t matter; our priority today is to cut loose and have fun.

We in fine are discordant in both stature and ability; we might even put Ryuseitai to shame in that regard.

So at the very least, we need to get along with each other and form a sense of solidarity.

Now that you mention it, you’re right! We are a bit all over the place, you could say!

Before I joined, fine seemed to be rather cohesive, though, would you agree?

It was designed that way. But our current fine was formed by circumstance, without any calculation behind it.

It is a product of pure chance, so it’s only natural that it would be somewhat awkward.

Urgh… Sorry, I’m just so small and inexperienced, it throws the whole unit off balance.

I’m doing everything I can, but I feel like I’m not growing at all.

You are still going through your growth spurt, my cute Tori; it’s okay to take things slowly. Don’t make that face…

I can assure you that you have a brilliant future ahead of you.

E–Eichi-sama… ♪

As you can see, the President is quick to spoil my Master.

As a result, I am forced to be more strict with him, which causes a buildup of resentment. It’s a terrible situation to be in.

There is no point to strife within the family. Anzu-san, if you have any opinion on that matter as a producer, I’d be glad to hear it.

And now it all comes together! So Anzu-san was brought here to criticize all of our shortcomings, yet?

That, too. We aren’t kings revising history, but when you stand at the top, criticism rarely reaches so high.²

As the strongest unit here, we tend to be followed by people who uphold our views and conduct as righteous.

But in the event that our path is taking us in the wrong direction…

We will lead astray everyone who comes after us. I don’t want that to happen.

We ought to embody a perfect, noble pathway.

We must be a unit other students can model themselves after—kings in every sense of the word.

You always use such exaggerated phrasing, President-sama.

You are thrusting a great deal of burden onto Anzu-san’s shoulders—you can see on her face she’s already stressing about what she can do to help.

You read her expressions well, Yuzuru. I have some trouble discerning her thoughts, myself.

Ah… We share some similarities, both of us having transferred here this year, so perhaps I can sympathize with her in many ways.

Fufufu. It is impossible to perfectly understand someone else’s heart, not least Anzu-san’s! That’s what makes it so interesting!

Not the depths of the ocean or the farthest reaches of space, man’s final frontier is the very soul within us!

It would be helpful, however, if you made an attempt to empathize with others instead of simply giving up.

Sir, don’t you agree?

Huh? Yeah. It’d be great to know what everyone else is thinking, even if just a little.

Everyone is always freaking me out, so I tend to stay away.

But I do want to understand everyone better and really be part of a group that sticks together.

Yes. So for that purpose, please lend us your strength… Anzu-chan.

Fufu. Well, perhaps I instigated you just a bit too much at the Summer Live the other day, since you’ve been working doggedly since then.³

But now I’d like you to take it easy with us and finally allow yourself to breathe.

Just for today, let’s play around. We’ll have a good time, just like we’re little kids again.

Our lives have become all work and no play. We’re lacking in this department, and so this will be the medicine to cure us.

We can become ever more the image of perfection if we continue to fill in our gaps.

So that we may become wonderful idols, and so that we may evolve into the complete, ideal form of fine.