Chapter 3
Leo-kuuuuun! I’m not mad, so come on out and I’ll forgive youuuu! By beating you half to death right here and now!
(whispering) That’s not forgiveness…!
Oh come on, he’s getting all caught up in his own delusions!
That’s what it looks like for you, too. …I know we were just talkin’ like normal, but what’s goin’ on with y’all?
Why’re ya runnin’ away from that umm, Sena Izumi-han guy?
Y’all’re both in Knights, right? Did ya get in a fight?
We fight a bunch! Actually, I wouldn’t be able to keep myself together if we didn’t! We’ve always had a hard time getting along!
If that’s the case, why’re y’all in a unit together?
Huh? Why? It just happened, I guess? And I never know what’s going on and we don’t get along at all, so he’s super funny to me! And it’s why I love him! Wahaha ☆
Ngh~ I can’t tell if I get it or not.
When I think about it, I’m always workin’ with people like that, too. One man’s fault is another man’s lesson—I can’t go actin’ all high-an’-mighty now.
If I wanted to just have fun and get along with other idols, I’d go an’ form a duo with Love-han.
I dunno why, but I can’t seem to keep away from those annoyin’ guys.
But if that’s my fate, well, that’d just be my just desserts… God’s always watchin’ over ya, after all.
Wahaha! You look just like Suo~ when you’re all worried and sighing like that! You’re like Suo~ Number Two!
I mean, we are blood related, so we ’ve gotta have some genetic similarities, right?
Right! It’s soooo awesome! I get infinitely happier when Ruka-tan looks or acts like me!
Ruka-tan?
My little sister! Wanna see a pic?
Wait, where ’s my phone? Did I drop it again?!
Well, I guess because of that, there’s no GPS or anything he can use to pinpoint my location.
Why are you runnin’ about like a madman, anyway? What happened to Knights while I was gone—I mean, while I wasn’t lookin’?
Huh? You don’t know? Then is that thing not Crazy:B’s fault…?
That thing…?
I knew it~! I knew that had to be it! I was hoping and praying it was true!
‘Cause if you guys were the ones who did that… We’d have to destroy each other.
…? …?
Good, that’s good. I mean it doesn’t solve anything, but it sure does make me feel a bit better!
Crazy:B was that group of bad guys who really shook things up at ES over the summer, so I thought it’d be real annoying to have to fight you.
But it looks like I was wrong! Seriously, good thing too! We’re pretty battle-hardened ourselves, so it’s not every day we come across idols who can hold a candle to us!
If there’s a difference in skill, we should be able to take ‘em down without hurting them. And it’s better that way—I hate having to drench ourselves in each other’s blood.
So that’s why I thought it’d be better if we didn’t fight each other head-on if we’re up against someone at the same skill level. Everything would end without a hitch~
What’re you talkin’ about…?
Wait, you really don’t know? I can’t tell if you’re well-informed or not, wahaha ♪
…But it looks like the thing we were scared of finally happened.
And this timing is the worst too—Or more like, we’re out of time. We’re just about to fly off to Europe.
But I can’t just walk away when Knights is in huge trouble! I dunno how I can even help them, but…!
But at least, when something awful happens, I wanna be there with them, to grieve and suffer with them.
That’s probably exactly what I needed when I was a shut-in a looong time ago.
I’ve been able to come this far because little by little, everyone else in Knights took everything I was holding and carried it for me.
So this time I thought: Now it’s my turn.
…?
(What? I don’t really get it, but it looks like this guy’s got a lot on his shoulders, even though he looks so carefree.)
(I guess all the idols at ES—well, maybe even every person on Earth are all like that. …I shouldn’t get so full of myself thinkin’ I’m the only one sufferin’.)
I foooound youuu… ♪
Gyaaaaah!
Gwah—Don’t shriek like some cat I just stepped on…?
What? Are you saying you’ve stepped on a cat before, Sena? I’ve misjudged you! I didn’t think you were that kinda guy!
“Oops, I Stepped on a Cat!” is a great song and all, but you can’t really step on a cat!1
Shut up! C’mon, let’s go. We’re gonna miss our flight!
Nooooo!! I’m staying with Kniiiiiiiiiights!
Huh?! No, you’re staying with me—No ifs, ands, or buts about it! Do you even live in reality?!
Don’t you get it? The worst thing we can do right now is half-ass things falling between two stools!
Two stools? What kinda language are you even speaking?
Chasing two rabbits is just gonna leave you empty-handed, is what it means!
What are you, Tenshouin? Stop that!
Hey~ Y’know, I’m always thinking like, we should stop using Tenshi’s name like a cuss word, don’t you think?
He pretends like he doesn’t care, but he’s definitely holding a grudge against us for it! That’s the kinda guy he is!
And I just don’t like when people make fun of my friends, either.
You still think that guy’s your friend? How can you seriously be that optimistic? Are you stupid?
Anyway! You can’t help it if you’re an idiot, but at least don’t reject me, a smart person, when I think of things?!
Idiots are idiots, sure, that much is obvious. But at least don’t be dead weight for us smart people!
Boohoohoo, Sena just called me an idiot~! But it takes one to know one, yanno~! Right, Kohaku?
Huh? Why’re ya draggin’ me into this…?
And what’s up with you? Why are you here?
Uh, um, I just—Nngh, I really don’t know what’s goin’ on here, so I can’t think of a good excuse.
As if I care. I’m not exactly raving to make Crazy:B out to be the culprits, but if you are the ones who set us up—
Keep this in mind. …But I don’t want to say too much. I’ll feel like I’m just whining like a sore loser.
…? …?