OUT SIDER 3

Sora: HeHe~? Speaking of that, why aren’t you with Yuu-chan today?

Hinata: Oh, Yuuta-kun’s having a meeting with UNDEAD~

We’ve been talking about how fun it’d be to share a stage with them, so he’s ironing out the kinks right now.^[1]

If you ask me though, I wish we could do everything together all the time~

But it’s not possible today; we’ve got to divide and conquer to get everything done. But we’ll meet up eventually, obviously.

Sora: Really~? That’s good~ It would be sad to be all alone ♪

Hinata: For sure. ...We still have some time before we have to get started, so do you want to go over things?

You wanna be able to nail the tricks and the treats, don’t you~? ♪

Sora: Yes, yes! Sora has been very busy with practice for the live that he hasn’t had enough practice for this~

Hinata: Then let’s hop to it! Okay, I’ll be the guest: Here you go! Take this lollipop ♪

Sora: Mmph?! Hina-chaaaan, you’re supposed to do that after Sora says “trick or treat,” right?

Hinata: Oh, right. If I give you candy with no pretense, it’s more like I’m bribing you. Mm, I guess I’m still a noob.

Sora: Hina-chan is amazing! The first years really admire you~ ♪

Mitsuru: You got that right. You work real hard considering you’re both just in your first year.

Most of us in Ra*bits are first years too, but compared to you guys it’s like we’re dragging our feet. It’s so annoying, yanno?

Hinata: Ahaha! I see now, I didn’t know everybody was watching us... That makes me happy ♪

Sora: Of course~? Idols are supposed to be watched, even if what each person sees is different!

Let’s keep painting even more with the color that makes everyone happy ♪

HoHo~ ♪ Take it from the top: Trick or treat ☆

Shu: Ah... the screaming and squealing is unbearable. I could hardly stand it during the preparatory phase; now, on the day of the event, such displeasure increases all the more.

Urgh, how I would love to rip out my eardrums.

Mademoiselle: “Now, now~ You mustn’t hurt yourself. Your body was a precious gift given to you by your parents.”

Shu: You’re right. Yes, I know that. In that vein, Ryuu-ku—Kiryu keeps putting holes in his ears; it’s difficult to comprehend.

You ought to give him a scolding, too, Mademoiselle.

Mademoiselle: “Mm, he wouldn’t listen to anything I have to say. He seems to dislike me.”

Shu: That can’t be true; he loved you.

I can be certain of it because I saw the proof from up close.

To be honest, I cannot express how much I envied the bond between the two of you.

That he wasn’t present at the time of your death... surely there is a reason for it.^[2]

I am no longer a child; I can understand this. Though I will absolutely never be able to forgive him for it, not in this lifetime.

Mademoiselle: “......”

Shu: Mademoiselle? Are you still not speaking to me...?

What’s the matter? If you won’t speak with me, then I’ll... well, I don’t know what I’d do. Respond to me, my precious.

Tsumugi: Well, no, a doll can’t exactly respond, you know? ♪

Shu: Aoba.

What the hell do you want? The mere sight of your face disgusts me; leave at once!

Tsumugi: Ahaha, so you still haven’t forgiven me then~ That’s only natural. But let me at least talk business with you, Shu-kun.

Shu: Hmph. What is it? You’re acting far too familiar with me, I’ll have you know.

That Valkyrie and Switch are performing together in a joint live does not entail that I have personally forgiven your transgressions.

Tsumugi: You sure do use some big words, Shu-kun. If you can’t meet your audience where they’re at, then they’ll just misunderstand you again.

I get worried about you, Shu-kun, since this happens quite a bit.

Shu: Don’t speak as if you know everything, you traitor! I had once thought you a precious friend with whom I could discuss our hobbies and passions!

But you—you are so—oh, you infuriate me!

Tsumugi: Ahaha. Well, I still think of us as friends.

Anyway, it looks like there’s going to be a performance on the roof soon... so maybe we should move somewhere else.

You wouldn’t want to get in the way.

We’ve rented a soundproof room for our rehearsal together; I think that would be a good place to sew, too.

That’s what I came to say.

Since it’s soundproof, you wouldn’t have to escape to an uncrowded place like the roof...

So I think you’d be able to focus on your work and your practice without building up stress, Shu-kun.

Shu: ......

Tsumugi: Oh, you’re ignoring me again~ You know, that kind of thing can hurt someone. You’ll have a difficult time out in the real world if you keep that up.

If you can’t learn to fake a smile, you’ll get fired from any company you work at.

Now that we’re third years, we’ll need to start thinking more seriously about our futures.

Shu: ......

Tsumugi: No, it’s because you’re thinking about it that you agreed to do this live with us, isn’t it?

Valkyrie is such an exclusive and solitary unit; this kind of thing is rare.

You must be considering Mika-kun’s future, so much so that you’re disregarding yourself.

I can understand that; this have come a bit too late, but I’d like to help you out wherever I can.

I’ll do whatever I can, even if I have to sacrifice my life...

We can’t pretend what I did to you all never happened; that sin will never go away. But still, I worry about you.

So let me help you even a little bit. Please, Shu-kun.

Shu: Hmph... Don’t bow your head to others so easily; it cheapens the worth of your apology.

Tsumugi: Okay. But at the same time, this is all I can do.

...Do you think it’s because you’ve grown up a bit that you stopped hearing Mademoiselle’s voice?

Adults don’t need those kinds of protectors or security blankets, after all.

Shu: I’ve already said this, but what could you possibly understand about me?

Tsumugi: I don’t understand, but I’m trying to. I want to become someone I can be proud of, a proper senpai and an adult.

So let’s grow up together. You may find that annoying, though.

But even so, we can’t keep playing around in a world of make-believe forever, can we?