Chapter 9

…No, that’s not a good way to put it. That’d be like saying Hajime was the short end of the stick. But becoming friends with him was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me.

But… sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I never met him. I might’ve not even become an idol.

It’s all thanks to his support that my normal-ass self was able to apply to an idol training school—Yumenosaki.

I’ve wanted to be an idol for forever—I’ve always admired the celebrities on TV. I wanted to be just as glittering and spectacular as them.

But if I told people that, they’d just laugh at me. The world on TV was so far away; it had nothing to do with us average folk.

You say some dreamy crap like, “I wanna go to another world!” and people just think you’re cracking a joke.

……

Hajime was the only one who understood why I put so much weight into it. He was the only one who leaned in close to me and showed me that world was within arm’s reach.

He was the only one who took me seriously, always nodding along as I talked. It’s just like him, honestly.

And so. He was poor and had a hard time with the entrance exam, and he never really seemed interested in being an idol, but…

He went with me to Yumenosaki.

It was back when we were still in middle school, right when we were about to take our entrance exams.

I wanted to take a break from all the studying we were doing, so I grabbed Hajime’s hand and took him to Yumenosaki to have a look around and maybe see something exciting.

And what we saw was… incredible. I mean, that was the goal, but there was also this beautiful goddess performing in a play.

Ohoho, a goddess…?

And then, from far off in the distance, we heard a beautiful wail that sounded like it was about to shatter—a desperate, keening cry.

It was Nii~chan. If I’d been living a normal life, I probably would’ve never heard a voice like that.

I wanted to hear more and more of those unusual, rare, beautiful things. No, I wanted to make them my own, and share them with the world.

With all the normal people out there, the ones just like who I used to be—bored, with absolutely nothing special in their lives.

I thought that if I could do that, I could make my own boring, ordinary life just a little more special.

… ♪

Oh, sorry. I went on a tangent again. It feels like I’m in a revolving lantern or something; I just keep seeing images from the past.

No no, I’m very interested. From what you’ve told me, it seems like you and I have very different backgrounds—

It’s a miracle that we’re standing here together right now, isn’t it? Even though we started from completely different places.

Nah… From my perspective, you’re still leagues above me.

But still, I’m working hard with everyone in Ra*bits day after day after day… Is it okay for me to think I’m getting even just a little bit closer to where you stand? Is it too conceited of me?

I don’t think so. You may think you’re doing the same thing over and over, but there’s something that builds up inside of us over time.

The more you exercise, the more you build up muscle, the more you hone your art. It’s impossible for you to be the same person today as you were yesterday.

Ahaha, we’ve been over this before, haven’t we? You said that if we don’t keep running with all we’ve got, we won’t be able to stay in the same place—

We put in so much effort, almost killing ourselves for it, but we just appear to be marching in place. And then you asked me—”Don’t you think that’s dreadful?”¹

I feel like I can finally understand what you meant when you said that.

I feel like I’ve finally gotten to the place you were back then.

Fufufu. I don’t know for sure because I’ve lost my memories, but I’m sure that if I really did speak those words, I would have enjoyed talking with you now—as my equal.

But just when I thought I finally reached you, you went off in some incomprehensible direction again.

If you’re as genius as everyone says you are, you won’t just march in place—you’ll be able to move forward and keep going.

I’m jealous of you, Hibiki Wataru.

Are you now? ♪

What do you look so happy about?

I’m happy that you’re jealous of me. I was so advanced for my age that I couldn’t even be compared to my peers.

No mother or father in any family would ask their child to be like Hibiki Wataru.

I was too different, too peculiar, to be a role model for anyone—even though I wanted to be a fine, upstanding person, someone who could set an example.

But everyone just looked on from afar, as if I were something inhuman, and applauded my performances.

That was, well, it was lonely… And that’s why I’m grateful that you can speak with me up close, and with so much sympathy.

Thank you, Tomoya-onii-chan.

Who’re you callin’ onii-chan?! Eugh, that’s so gross, my sister’s just a normal girl, a normal student, and a normal person y’know!

But I’m only five right now, remember? I’m younger than you~ So please spoil me, onii-chaaaan ♪

Shut the hell up! You’re so grooooss! C’mon, I’m freezing my ass off here, so shut up and let’s find somewhere safe!

Huh? You’re the one who started rambling on first, Tomoya-kun.

I said shut up!!! Come on, let’s go! We’re not getting any younger here!

Okay, okay. Fufufu—I’m very sorry, “Hajime-kun.”

But right now, I’ll be keeping your reliable prince all to myself.