Chapter 2

Ngaah… I never really been to the garden terrace before.

Are students actually usually allowed to come here during class? I’m kinda scared somebody’s gonna get mad, yanno?

Ufufu, no one’s going to praise you for it, but it’s not forbidden or anything.

They’re not very strict, huh~… At this school, the idols are gods.

I’m not that bad, though. I just do things like skip out on class to come eat some cake. Plenty of these idiots pull off way worse than that.

Some of the students you see here and there are just utterly revolting. They’re so full of themselves just because they’re idols, acting all high-and-mighty…

They barely have any appreciation for things~

Well, it’s whatever. As long as they’re not messing around with my freedom, I won’t stick my nose into their business either. That’d be too much trouble…

But our King can’t stand that kind of thing, so he’s always freaking out over it.

Your King?

Oh, you know how I have that one senpai who helps me out a bunch? That’s his boss. His name’s Tsukinaga Leo-san.

His fans are always calling out his name and stuff.

So I guess it’s like, if you mangle his last name a bit and shorten it, you can go from “Tsukinaga” to “king” or something? I don’t really know.¹

Huh… Feels like an exaggeration to be callin’ someone a king an’ whatnot. Who thought of somethin’ like that anyway?

‘S like how all these words like the “Five Oddballs” an’ “Sovereign” keep gettin’ thrown around about my Oshi-san.

Is he? That sounds kinda forced, if you ask me~ Like something out of a story.

Our leader hates it too; he gets so pissy when you call him King.

Sounds like he’s got one short fuse~ Everyone ya know’s so bloodthirsty.

They’re so scary I can’t go anywhere near ‘em. But you’re super nice, Naru-chan…

What was it called—Othello? Or didn’t ya change the name to Chess or somethin’?

Nghhh… I barely know myself; they’re always changing their name. They’re all a bit extreme—Or maybe I should say they’re passionate?

They’re just like the Shinsengumi, rampaging around and getting caught up in petty in-fighting and stuff. It’s suuuper dangerous. Feels like they’re lighting a fuse of some kind.

I don’t want to get caught up in that hot mess, so I haven’t officially joined or participated in any of their activities. Well, I do greet them to be polite.

But I haaate being tied down by other people. So I’ll watch from the sidelines until this annoying situation blows over.

So it’s more like I’m in this trial period with them? Or I’m only a member in name? Something like that.

I do have this sense of obligation to my senpai who helped me out in my modeling career…

I’m thinking of joining for realsies, but I don’t want to participate in any activities until they simmer down, you know?

Hmmm… Well if you’re ever in trouble, just lemme know, ‘kay? I dunno if I’d be able to do anythin’, but we’re friends, so ♪

Thanks. Ufufu, I feel so much better after talking with you, Mika-chan~… ♪

Oh, the cake you ordered’s here! You’ll get all your energy back if ya eat this~ ♪

Oh my, but there’s only enough for me? Didn’t you get anything, Mika-chan?

Ngh… My tummy gets to hurtin’ whenever I eat actual sweets.

But if it’s somethin’ that looks like a newbie destroyed the kitchen makin’, or if it’s half-burnt, I can munch on it.

And cheap candy too. Look, I’ll lick on this little candy here, so you can go ahead an’ dig in~ ♪

You’re kiiiinda a weird one, aren’t you…?

Oh, jeez. If you don’t eat properly, you’re not going to put any meat on your bones, you know? I’m worried you’re going to waste away! And what if you collapse?

If I eat too much I’ll get fat, or I’ll keep getting taller or something—So I’m on a diet.

But at the same time, I’m really craving some sweets~ I’m in a sticky situation, aren’t I?

Unngh… I didn’t eat a lot when I’s a kid, neither.

That’s why I never got real big or nothin’. But I have put on more weight than before.

Oshi-san’s started makin’ my meals for me recently~ ♪

So I can’t go fillin’ my belly with sweets—Oshi-san’ll get real mad if I eat more than I’m s’posed to.

Hmm, I guess you could call that love, too… So what, are you actually living with this “Oshi-san” of yours?

Oh gosh, that’s so naughty of you ♪

Nah, I’m just a freeloader there. I’m basically like a pet, or a flower pot or somethin’. You can prolly tell from my accent, but I got a family back home in Kansai~

I came a pretty long ways to go to Yumenosaki Academy—It ain’t easy goin’ back an’ forth between here an’ home, and it costs a buttload, too…

So I asked Oshi-san to let me stay with him.

I pay rent—Or well, it’s more like ‘cause I owe him so much…

So all the money I get doin’ idol stuff goes straight into Oshi-san’s house. And then I send some back home too.

Hmm, sounds like you have it rough… Well, if you’re ever in trouble, just let me know, okay?

Oh, wait. I feel like we just went off on a tangent, but we’re finally back where we started. So that’s why you’re broke?

Nghhh… Well, one of my senpai in Valkyrie, Nazuna-nii—

His birthday’s comin’ up real soon. So I’s thinkin’ ‘bout makin’ him some clothes as a present ♪

I’m workin’ mighty hard on it too, sewin’ it by hand an’ all.

I ain’t none too good at it—I’m just tryna copy what Oshi-san does. An’ with the cost of the material an’ stuff, I’m even more broke than usual.

But Nazuna-nii’s birthday’s just a stone’s throw away, so I gotta hurry up.

Ohh, so that’s why you were sewing earlier…

Oh, come on! If you’re in a situation like that, you should tell me! I feel like I’m always interrupting you when you’re working…

It’s fine. ‘S not like I’m sewin’ for a job or nothin’, it’s just somethin’ I like doin’.

And talkin’ to ya makes me feel all calm, Naru-chan~ I gotta take it easy every now and again, don’t I?

Valkyrie’s… Well, Oshi-san’s a perfectionist.

So I can’t relax when we’re doin’ work as idols. I gotta unwind somehow ♪

Riiight, right. Your performances are always incredible, but…

But for sooome reason, you’re always so tensed up, you know? I get nervous just watching you, but I guess that’s your selling point?

Yup. I’m kinda a dummy, so I’m always holdin’ ‘em back~

But Nazuna-nii is totally perfect there. He follows Oshi-san’s directions to a T, and he does everything right every single time.

I admire ‘im so much~ And I got a lotta respect for ‘im. That’s why I wanna make ‘im happy on his birthday. Nazuna-nii’s always got this gloomy-lookin’ face…

It’d be nice to see him smile ♪