Prologue 1

Jin: Well, if it isn’t the new girl—come on in. You’re pretty late, what held you up?

Oh, right, you had day duty today...

Y’know, if you put a hundred percent into everything you do, you’re gonna crash and burn, even if you had all the time in the world. You should ask your classmates for help when you need it.

If a girl just bats her eyes at them and hits ‘em with an “oh, please help me ♪” well, any teenaged boy would be down for the count. I’m sure they’d be scrambling to give you a hand.

You drink tea? Ah, shit, it’s out of hot water...

Akiyaaan, I’m gonna go get me some coffee from the vending machine. You can start without me.

Akiomi: Please stop calling me Akiyan, Sagami-sensei.

Honestly. If your students see their homeroom teacher acting like this, they’re just going to take advantage of you.

We are adults now; we need to set an example for them. Otherwise, all of our lecturing about respecting one’s superiors will be met with indifference.

Well, anyway. Make yourself comfortable, miss transfer student.

I’ll make sure to write up a summary of what we discussed today... Ah, if you’ll excuse me for a moment.

Your friends have already arrived, by the way... those boys in Trickstar.

Makoto: Transfer student-chaaan, come on over ♪

Hokuto: The seat next to me is free.

...Akehoshi, don’t lie down on the couch. Your bad manners speak volumes about you.

Mao: Well, Subaru’s just tired, right? Also, I’m pretty sure “lie down” is an understatement—that guy is out of it.

Subaru: Zz, zzz... ♪

Hokuto: Yeah, he looks so happy when he’s sleeping... Get up, Akehoshi. Quit being so lazy; it’s embarrassing.

Or rather, if we don’t make ourselves more or less presentable, it’s going to affect how Kunugi-sensei sees us.

I’d rather not have to listen to another endless lecture. I want to review our work from yesterday while I’ve still got it pumping in my veins.

What we do on the day of is important, but it’s also crucial not to get lazy after the fact.

Makoto: H–hey, Hidaka-kun... Why is Akehoshi-kun trying to eat my hand?

Subaru: Mm, munch... ♪

Hokuto: Is he an infant? Honestly, how is he even able to sleep so soundly in the staff room, anyway? The audacity of this guy.

Mao: Yooou’re kinda grouchy today, Hokuto. No need to get worked up, okay? Deep breaths.

...Because the new girl looks confused as hell. Did anyone even explain things to her?

You guys have a bad habit of just barrelling forward.

She’s our producer. And she’s an important friend to have on our side. So we have to share things with her.

I’m in a different class, so I can’t be there to take care of every little detail for you.

You guys need to support her, too... We owe her big time, after all.

Hokuto: Right. I have nothing to say to that; you said it all, Isara.

Makoto: Umm, but I actually have no idea why we were called here, either.

Hokuto: We did tell you about it, Yuuki.

Makoto: Sorry, sorry... I guess I’m just super worn out from yesterday, then. I’ve been out of it since I woke up.

Everything in class today just went in one ear then right out the other, too.

Could I copy your notes later, Hidaka-kun?

My grades are plummeting... I mean, it’s not like the grades we get in class are worth that much to begin with, but still.

Hokuto: I remember you had good grades last year. Just hang in there; school is all basically rote memorization, anyway, so it’ll be fine.

We came out the winners at the DDD yesterday. We toppled countless strong opponents and claimed victory against that Emperor, too.

We pulled off a miracle, and now we have the right to perform at SS at the end of the year.

It was a Yumenosaki live—DreamFest, so the results of it will be reflected in your grades.

With this achievement under our belts, we won’t have to work so hard studying in school.

And I would rather be performing than studying. I want to sing and dance with all of you.

Mao: Yeah, well no, actually. The DDD was ranked as a B1, so it’s being treated as an unofficial and unauthorized live. It won’t affect our grades at all, I don’t think.

For better or for worse. That said... just because that’s the case doesn’t mean what we accomplished at the DDD magically vanishes, either.

We’ll keep gaining fans and experience, and we’ll use that to grow bigger and bigger... There’s a bright future in store for us, or at least I want to believe there is.

Makoto: You’re such an optimist, Isara-kun. I respect that about you. To be honest, I’m only ever able to imagine things going wrong for us.

Like why the teachers called us to the staff room today, and stuff...

I’m so worried they’re going to lecture us about what happened yesterday.

Or maybe they’ll find a reason to say our victory at the DDD doesn’t count...

But it doesn’t actually feel like I’m really involved in all of this.

It’s more like it’s all a dream.

Mao: Ahaha. If it were all some big cosmic joke, I’d probably die on the spot.

Hokuto: Don’t jinx it, you two. ...It’s fine; this is our reality. But I do feel a little anxious, too, like I’m only half-awake.