Chapter 3

In any case, I’m interested. What’s this proposal you speak of?

I’ll do whatever I can to fulfill your wishes, since you’re the school’s representatives in SS.

As your student council president… and as an idol who shares your dream.

I’m relieved to hear that.

Then let me make our proposal.

Trickstar earned the right to represent Yumenosaki Academy and go to SS when we won the DDD… We’re temporarily relinquishing that right.

…Pardon?

Forgive me, I think I misheard you… What did you say?

I said, we’re relinquishing the right to represent Yumenosaki at SS.

This was the consensus of everyone in Trickstar after we discussed it together with Anzu.

……

…Well, that’s surprising.

I’m shocked, Hokuto. I always knew you were stupid, but I never realized the extent to which that was true.

Do you even understand what you’ve just said?

I’m disappointed in you. So what—This is where we’re at?

Anzu-chan was hospitalized just the other day… Did you get so scared that you lost the will to risk your own lives on the grand stage of SS?

You don’t want to see any of your precious friends take a fall again…? You just want to sit back and let the brewing storm pass over you? Is that what you mean to say?

The one thing that every idol wants so desperately, that both you and Subaru-kun’s father longed for…

Are you earnestly saying you’re throwing away your chance to achieve glory as the champions of SS?

You’re going to run away? Is this some kind of joke? You, who are miracles incarnate…?

You—! Are you fucking with me?! Trickstar…!

So even you can lay your emotions bare and raise your voice like that.

…Don’t misunderstand though. We’re not giving up the right completely. This is only temporary.

It’s just like what you did during the DDD.

……

We’re asking for the first half of Star Fes—The winning unit at the end of that cutthroat battle for survival will earn the right to go to SS.

We want that as a rule.

A rule, huh… Easy for you to say. Sorry, as you would expect I’m a little confused.

This isn’t even just a little shock; I feel as if you’ve just thrown a whole bomb at me.

Yeah, sorry. It took us a while to reach a conclusion—And by the time we did, it was already the day of.

……

Wh—Hey, Rapunzel! You’re spilling the tea?!

…What’s wrong, Buchou? You look like a dear caught in the headlights. It’s not that surprising, is it? You’re the one who lit the spark, after all.¹

We are risking our lives. And we’ll continue to do so, even if one of us stumbles along the way—even if one of us dies.

If we can’t win SS any other way, then that’s what we’ll do. There’s no way we can just stop here.

Of course we aren’t running away. We’ve made our decision.

And this is how we’ll show our resolution.

Practically every single unit at Yumenosaki Academy will be performing at Star Fes.

If we can come out on top with those conditions, it’ll be proof that we’re the best.

That we have the strength to be worthy of representing Yumenosaki at SS.

We want to confirm that and actually feel like that’s true—And then we’ll face SS head-on.

This is our selfish proposal.

Our dear friend—Anzu—has already fallen once… I’m scared to continue forward without any kind of proof that we’ll make it.

This is the gamble of a lifetime, all so that we can get rid of our weakness. We’re taking drastic measures with this suicide attack.

I’m not asking you to understand completely, or even to agree with us. We’re doing it regardless.

That’s all I had to say. There’s nothing left, so I’ll be going now.

…Ahaha ♪

Amazing! Hokuto-kun, allow me to praise you for the first time ever!

I was surprised! Truly, from the bottom of my heart! Never again in my life will I be caught so splendidly off-guard!

So please! Allow me to shower you in the utmost love and admiration! Amazing… ☆

Amazing, Trickstar! And merry Christmas!

Thank you for such a delightful gift—Please, show us a miracle on this holy night, won’t you? Ahahahahahahaha… ☆