Chapter 2

You sure we can’t, Hasumi-danna?

Absolutely. There’s no way I can recognize a Dragon King Competition as an official Dream Fes. I see you even managed to get Anzu’s help, and that you’ve been tweaking the proposal over and over.

But after looking at the contents of it, my answer is still no. Sorry, but that’s that.

I’m sure you probably already get it, but I can’t go easy on you just because we’re close.

Yeah, I get it. But why the hell not… Danna. We’re even upping the safety—we’re not gonna let anything bad happen.

You say you won’t, but do you have any proof of that? I need you to show that to me, Kiryu. Because as of right now, what you’re saying is just wishful thinking.

The very concept of the Dragon King Competition is that violence is acceptable—idols attack each other onstage. I’m not going to allow this to pass.

It’ll be too late to regret an accident once it happens, Kiryu.

Honestly, the real question here is why you’re so adamant about this anyway, after all this time.

It’s part of Yumenosaki’s dark history. If you go dragging it back up so carelessly, you’re going to end up sticking your hand in a fire.

I’m not saying we need to bury the past and forget it; that won’t solve anything. But you don’t have to carry your own cross.

…I just don’t want to see you get hurt, Kiryu.

I get it already. That’s why you cut us off back in the spring.

At the time I thought you shoulda stayed outta my business, but now I get why you didn’t. And I’m grateful for it.

If I go stirrin’ up shit when I’m about to graduate… It’d just cause problems for you and Akatsuki. But I’m tellin’ ya, that’s not gonna happen.

So just trust me on this one. A man never goes back on his word. C’mon, Hasumi.

Tetsu’s the one who set up the Dragon King Competition last spring.

Back then, he was all bummed out ‘cause he couldn’t pass the review to join Akatsuki…

Looks like he’d never failed something so hard before, so he musta been in shock or somethin’.

But in spite of all that, his eyes were still shinin’—first time in a long time.

He got all excited like a dumbass, like “Why didn’t you tell me about the Dragon King Competition before, Taishou~!”

I figured if we managed to pull it off, he’d have gotten the guts needed to get outta that slump.

I thought he woulda been able to walk with his head up high if he got a taste of success.

Thanks to Morisawa and all the other guys, he’s walkin’ on the straight and narrow now.

But he tripped over that first step and couldn’t get back up. I think I just made him take a detour for no good reason.

I’ve always felt guilty about that.

So before I graduate, I wanna make up for that failure with somethin’ a little brighter. I get it’s selfish, but I guess I just can’t let it go.

The Dragon King Competition is our dark history. It’s a sin we gotta live with. But I think it’s about time to air my dirty laundry to him.

I think he’ll be able to take it in stride the way he is now.

…I can’t. There’s no point in badgering me about it. This conversation is over, Kiryu. Actually, Repayment Festival is coming up, so I want to talk to you about that instead.

You do know I can’t think about two things at the same time, right? I’m too dumb for that.

If you really were nothing more than some rough-and-tough idiot, I never would have pulled you in to begin with.

…Maybe if we were mindless idiots, though, we could have lived a more peaceful life together.

I assume you’re going to ignore what I said and hold the Dragon King Competition as a B1 anyway…

But I’m in a position where I can’t ignore that, and I will stop you using whatever means necessary. Even if you hold it against me.

Can’t say I’ve never held a grudge.

But if you were just some stubborn four-eyes who couldn’t roll with the punches, I wouldn’t’ve stuck around so long.

Hey, you shitty glasses! You here? I got somethin’ I wanna ask you!

Oogami… What is so urgent that you need to barge in here making all that noise?

Hah? Oh, I’m sooo sorry! You’re still as much a goody-two-shoes as ever, huh Vice President-san!

There somethin’ wrong with bein’ loud? Rock n’ roll is all about turnin’ it up to ten and makin’ the whole world shake…!

The weaker the dog, the louder his bark.

I’ve resigned myself to the fact that it’s probably impossible to try and redress that terrible mouth of yours, but I refuse to turn a blind eye to your use of the phrase “shitty glasses.”

“Shitty” and “glasses” should never, ever be used next to each other. Any idiot who speaks badly of glasses has just made an enemy out of half the human race.

Glasses this, glasses that, just shut up already~! If you like glasses so much, why don’t you marry ‘em?!

I’ve thought of them as my life partner for quite some time now, actually.

Umm~…? I heard Taishou was in here?

Tetsu. Um, you need somethin’?

Yeah… You didn’t show up for club, so I asked Oogami-senpai to follow your scent.

It’s not like it has nothing to do with him, so he agreed to help.

…Does it have something to do with the Dragon King Competition?

Ossu. Yesterday, I saw Oogami-senpai at the arcade… And he told me there was another Dragon King Competition in the works.

But I’ve got no idea what’s going on… I’m kinda confused. Why wouldn’t you tell me about something like this, Taishou?

If you don’t even explain it to me, I’m not gonna understand.

…Right. Yeah, sure.

Then let’s find another place to talk first.

Looks like I’mma be talkin’ about stuff I don’t want anyone to overhear, and I’d hate to keep interrupting our Vice President-san’s work.