Chapter 2

Ngh… But if we don’t participate in the Dream Fes we applied for, we’ll be charged a fine.

We should be able to add or revise the members we have performing on-sight.

But I don’t think it’s a good idea to let a girl—or really, anyone who isn’t enrolled in the idol department, perform with us.

Nghhh, these rules are too hard for me to get! I thought we were making a new friend here~!

And besides, the costume looks so good on her~ We had an extra one, remember?

Oh wait, I got a good idea! Like sure, we could keep the costume as a spare, but what if we sold it for some extra cash?

You can help us sell it, Nee~chan ♪

That’s true. Sorry, but would you mind helping us with that, Nito-senpai? Please, we’ll do anything! We could really use your help!

I mean, I’m really sorry… I just came at you with such unreasonable demands.

“Stand on stage with us!” Hah, yeah. But you’re a girl~ So obviously that won’t work ♪

……

… ‘m…

Hm? What’s up? Sorry, I can’t hear you very well…?

I’m a guy…!

……

…What? Uh, huh?

If you guys’d just shaddup’n liss’n…! Grabbin’ onta a full-grown man n’ call’n ‘im a girl over’n over…! If y’juss open yer eyes you’d see I’m a guy!

…Huh? Wait, uh? Um, huh?

Wh–why’re you so surprised! No matter how y’slice it I’m a guy, y’know?!

Ev’n b’fore I changed cloves I’s wearin’ the boy’s uniform!

I can barely understand you, calm down…! Umm, but? Uh, so you weren’t crossdressing?

When we came here to Yumenosaki a while back, we saw someone who was dressed in men’s clothes, and…?

Oh right, that really beautiful person~? That was so long ago, but I do vaguely remember it.

I was so overcome with how many beautiful people there were—But what else would you expect from an idol training school? ♪

Yeah, so that’s why we figured some of them would dress up like guys. Like it was to be expected here at Yomenosaki.

Could it really be that… that person was Nito-senpai? No way, that was a guy?!

Huh~? Lemme see!

W–wait! Mitsuru! You can’t just grab Nito-senpai’s boobs! That’s assault?!

Nn… But they don’t feel like boobs? They’re more like a guy’s chest…?

Huhh? No way, can I touch them too…?

Hey, cut that out! That’s so rude! Uhh, so you really are a guy… All I can say to that is Amazing!

Um, uhh, I’m really, really sorry!

It’s fine… But am I really that girly??? I mean, a guy did hit on me at the entrance ceremony, but…?

Oh, I’ve had a lot of guys hit on me recently too. That kind of thing has never happened to me before, so I wonder what changed all of a sudden… Maybe because my hair’s so long?

You’re always so quick to cut your hair short. Just let it grow out, it’s more convenient that way.

But yeah~ I’m used to having you around, so you don’t look like a girl to me.

Well anyway, are we done talking about this? We don’t have time to stand around and talk about dumb stuff, right?

It’s just about time for the show to start. The audience is already seated, so we’ll have to go straight on without a rehearsal…

Now let’s give ‘em a performance we won’t be ashamed of, at least as idols. C’mon, I’ll help you out.

I get what you’re going through. I don’t know what I can do, but I can’t just stand here and watch you die…

So I’m helping you. It’s not like I’m busy, anyway.

Are you sure? Uwah, this is great! You’re really, really saving us… ♪

No problem. But honestly, don’t expect too much… I’m just a doll who can’t do anything on its own.

You’re still so much better than us!

Besides, when we first met you… we decided to stay behind and listen to you sing from outside the auditorium.

Since Hajime didn’t like us sneaking into the auditorium for free by wearing the school’s uniforms…

We decided against it. But we figured it’d be okay if we just listened to the song as it trickled outside.

The person singing back then was you, right?

Urgh, probably… But that’s so embarrassing, it must’ve sounded awful.

I’m just glad you only heard us, ‘cause it was an even bigger disaster on stage.

No, we were really moved by it. Maybe it’s ‘cause we’re not used to listening to music, but—

When you guys sang, Nito-senpai, it was filled with so much grief and heartbreak. We couldn’t stop crying.

Ahaha, on that day… we cried so much, we couldn’t even figure out why.

When I got home, my little brother and sister were so worried about me.

But it really, truly touched my heart.

Up until that point, I’d been in such a light-hearted mood.

But you made me seriously want to become an idol. So thank you for giving me those feelings… Nito-senpai ♪

Yeah. If someone who can sing like that can help us, then I know we’ve got nothing to worry about ♪

I see… If I could make just one single person feel that way, then that’s enough of a reward for me. So thank you, too—for everything.

(This time, I was actually able to say thank you. I’ll start from here, then.)

(I don’t know what I can even do, but I still have one whole year left of high school.)

(I’ll keep changing little by little, and I’ll keep on living—here at Yumenosaki Academy.)

(At the very least, I’ll smile. Even if it’s painful, I’ll keep smiling. If I do that, will Oshi-san and Mika-chin see it? Will they be able to smile, too…?)