Waking Dream 2

Keito: Anyway, I see you’re selling flowers and other merchandise to the guests.

So you’re taking care of the business side of things; thank you for putting in that effort. It looks like you’re doing a good job of it, and I can tell you’re working hard even if you’re still a novice at it.

From what I hear, you haven’t reached your full fighting potential yet... but keep it up, and you’ll get there.

Here, I’ll buy something from you. It’s thanks for waking me up.

...Hey, don’t shrink away so noticeably. All I did was reach out my hand.

Compared to Kiryuu and some others, I’m hardly what you could consider intimidating. You must be pretty cautious of me.

Just having power and influence can be enough to make you the subject of fear to the average student, I suppose.

Especially at our school... Well, I’m not going to eat you, so don’t be so scared.

I’m not actually your enemy. Of course, if you openly defy the student council, I’ll have no choice but to retaliate. But we are fellow students at Yumenosaki Academy.

I’d prefer to be on good terms with you, Producer.

Good, come closer. There’s no need to be scared.

Keito: Here. It’s not a symbol of our newfound friendship or anything... but this bouquet is for you.

Well, you can use them for decoration here or give them to someone else. I should get going, though, and meet up with my unit; we have to rehearse for the show.

I can’t carry around a bouquet while I’m performing.

So I’m giving it to you.

Yeah. It was supposed to be a gift for Eichi... for an old friend. You don’t know him.

He’s had health conditions since he was born, and he’s currently in the hospital.

I had some things to report to him, so I paid him a little visit.

I’d been hoping he would be able to help out with Flower Fest.

But if he doesn’t try anything reckless, he should get out of the hospital soon...

So I decided to just let him rest, so that he can take care of himself. Of course he wanted to participate, though.

I swore he was going to try and make some mad escape from the hospital, so I was forced to restrain him to his bed.

In all this commotion, I lost my chance to give him the bouquet...

There’s no point keeping it on me, so here you go.

Incorrigible. How is it that every time I see Eichi, we end up in an argument?

We’ve known each other for a long time now; it’s a miracle we haven’t gotten fed up with each other yet.

I just wanted to give him some damn flowers without everything upending itself. I thought that if I decorated his room with something nice, it might feel less gloomy and miserable...

It was my own way of showing sympathy.

...What’s so funny? Don’t laugh at me.

Hm? Well yes, of course I’m human. I get worried and irritated over things just like everyone else; is that so surprising?

I may be an idol in Akatsuki and a strict vice president in the student council—

But that’s not all that I am. Human beings are multifaceted, like cut gems. We all have various faces.

And this doesn’t just go for me: all of the idols at Yumenosaki are the same way.

You should keep that in mind. It’s important.

If you only ever see them as idols and treat everything else like it’s trivial...

The precious humanity that you were supposed to have polished will begin to rot away. The end result of that is complete necrosis.

...Ah. I’ve been rambling on for too long. It’s a bad habit of mine. You get going now, transfer student. I’m sorry I distracted you from your work.

Thank you again for waking me.

I’ll see you around. Keep up the good work.