star gazer 1

Subaru: Ahahaha! And just like that, it’s fall ☆

Here, look! I saw some fallen leaves off to the side so I picked ‘em up!

And there’s some leaves all over here, too! Hey, wait—you think that’s why it’s called fall?^[1]

Hokuto: Quiet down. Hey, stop moving, Akehoshi.

Subaru: Ehe—Hahaha ☆ Cut it out, that tickles!

Hokuto: I told you to stop moving. Calm down; you’re going to get your clothes all wrinkled.

Nghh...! It feels weird having someone else help me change! I’m not a little kid, so can’t I at least put my clothes on myself?

Hokuto: It’s not that big of a deal; just let me do it. It’s an elaborate costume and we don’t have a stylist, so you need someone else’s help.

If you do it yourself, you won’t be able to adjust places like your backside.

The dance calls for us to spin around, so you need to make sure you look good from all angles.

I’ve gotten used to this as a member of the drama club, since I keep getting relegated to the role of handmaid instead of a proper actor.

Here, I’ll even do some light makeup for you.

Do you have sensitive skin, or any allergies?

Subaru: Um, no, I’m good... You’re real thorough, though. Makes me feel like I’m someone important.

Hokuto: Mm. On stage, we are kings.

Subaru: Huhhh? You’re not a king, Hidaka-kun, you’re a prince ♪

Hokuto: ...I wish you’d forget about that. Looking back on it, that kind of acting should never have been seen by anyone. Oh, I’m so embarrassed...

Subaru: I’m never gonna forget it~ I haven’t really had that many good memories since I got to Yumenosaki...

But that day I was so happy to be there with you guys.

It made me think, like, these are the best years of my life. Fufufu ♪

Hokuto: Hm. If you were looking for an idealized high school life, you should have gone somewhere else.

You’re the one who took the path filled with thorns, so you don’t get to complain about it now.

Subaru: I wasn’t really complaining about it... It’s just, don’t you ever think about that kinda thing, Hidaka-kun?

Like, aren’t we wasting so much time?

Hokuto: I’m not like you, Akehoshi. I put effort into every single day of my life to accumulate skills and experience.

I believe that time will never be wasted.

Subaru: How admirable~ That’s not sarcasm, by the way. I really mean it.

But the time spring rolled around, it felt so stupid to work so hard.

Hokuto: Is that why you stopped coming to school so often? You know if you keep skipping class, you’ll have to repeat a year.

Subaru: I mean, it’s fine, right? The student council’s been experimenting with this DreamFest system thing...

Thanks to that, as long as I get good results working as an idol, it shows up in my grades.

So I’ve been looking for solo jobs more and more.

Must be why my grades don’t suck, even though class is way too boring to show up for.

Hokuto: I’m serious, go to class.

...I don’t know if I support this DreamFest system.

The students who put on a flashy performance every once in a while end up with better grades than the diligent students who take their classes seriously.

Subaru: That’s not what idols are supposed to be, though. It’s a meritocracy, all based on the results we get... You and me just take our efforts in totally different directions, Hidaka-kun.

Hokuto: I just don’t like when people change the rules from the ground up so suddenly.

It’s hard to wrap your head around when you wake up one morning to discover that everything you’ve been earnestly working toward has become completely meaningless.

I suppose I was foolish for being inflexible and unable to adapt to the new status quo...

In that regard, I think you have impressive talent.

Subaru: Nahhh, it just happened like that, really. I’ve always had good luck.

Hokuto: Luck is yet another skill. No, to be able to draw favorable outcomes for yourself is a talent that can’t be explained by science.

It’s the nature of a protagonist, you could say, one who makes an ally of destiny.

...Hmph. Well, that’s it. You can move now, Akehoshi.

Subaru: Cool. Thanks, Hidaka-kun.

Hokuto: No thanks necessary. We’re standing on this stage today as comrades, so it’s only natural to support each other.

Subaru: Yup ♪ Actually though, I don’t even know what this whole Venus Cup thing is about! Like, the name sounds more like a brand of sake...?

Hokuto: It’s the name of the DreamFest we’re part of right now. It’s a live for us pure, innocent first years who glisten like Venus in the night sky... or so I was told.

Subaru: Venus, the morning star! That’s what Akehoshi means, so I always felt a sort of affinity for it!^[2]

Wait, is that why they picked me for the Venus Cup? Because of my name?

Hokuto: No, it was because of your abilities. The two top-ranking first years from both Class A and Class B were chosen to perform.

At least, that’s what I heard.

Subaru: Huh? So I’m at the top of the class?

Hokuto: Yes. You tend to slack off on tests and other schoolwork, but you excel at the solo work you do.

Ridiculously unbalanced, but still one of the best first years.

I was selected, too, probably because of the superior grades I’ve gotten as a result of the effort I’ve put in.