star gazer 8

Makoto: “♪ ~ ♪ ~ ♪”

Subaru: “♪ ~ ♪ ~ ♪”

Mao: (Ahaha, those guys are being so buddy-buddy you’d think they’ve been singing together for a decade.)

(It’s kinda weird, isn’t it? It’s the first time we’ve ever performed together as the four of us...)

(But we’re so in-sync, I can hardly believe it myself.)

(It’s kinda irritating that there’s no one in the audience, so only a few people get to see this.)

(Maaan, I should have tried asking the higher-ups in the student council to spend even some money on publicity.)

(I’m an idol, too, so I really wanted more people to see me.)

(Then again, I had thought it was a lame gig no one else wanted to do.)

(The only purpose of this DreamFest was to put on paper that first years also get a chance to do things.)

(It’s just one of those “has meaning ‘cause you did it” things where they didn’t care about budgeting or content.)

(The student council only set up this live so they could establish that they’re the on the side of the public.)

(It doesn’t even have anything to do with the current swirling around Yumenosaki recently... It’s supposed to be a totally “whatever” show.)

(But I feel like this stage will make a big impact on my life.)

(I’m always stepping back to let someone else have their chance to show off. I don’t want to be too assertive and end up getting hated for it...)

(I figured I’d spend the rest of my life doing thankless work.)

Mao: (But now I’m thinking, who cares if I get so hyped up I forget about everyone else, or if people hate me or get upset over it...)

(I’m just having so much fun right now ♪)

(Ahaha! I’ve been doing nothing but paperwork lately.)

(And when it wasn’t that, it was other menial labor. It’s been so long since I’ve sung or danced around; that must be why I’m so excited ♪)

“♪ ~ ♪ ~ ♪”

Hokuto: ......

Mao: Huh? What’s up, Hidaka? You’re kinda spacing out... You forget the lyrics or something?

I know you’re putting on a play after this, but don’t worry about that right now. Focus on the performance in front of you.

...Is it stupid to put so much effort into a show when there’s hardly anyone watching?

You seem like the sorta guy who’d operate in terms of profit and loss~ ♪

Hokuto: That’s true. The more logical part of my brain understands that.

Rather than using up all my energy here, I should save it up for the play after this.

But still... it’s weird. Maybe I broke somewhere. My hands and legs keep moving on their own.

My voice keeps pouring out from my throat. My soul is burning hot inside of my body.

I have no control over myself.

It’s weird, right? There’s no logic here. And what’s most incomprehensible is that I enjoy it.

It’s a pathetic stage with next to no audience... I wish it would go on forever.

If only I could stop time for eternity.

It’s funny. Realistically speaking, if this performance drags on, it’ll cause problems for the play after this.

That role was given to me, and I worked so hard to get to this day.

I thought this Venus Cup would just be a warm-up for that... but it looks like I’m going to expend all of my energy here.

I’m still just a novice who can’t manage himself, it looks like.

Subaru: Come ooooon guys, put your backs into it! All together now... ☆

This is the best day ever! Hey, let’s hold hands while we dance... Prince Charming ♪

Hokuto: I told you not to call me a prince.

Subaru: Yeahhh, but you don’t like being called your name, either.

Hokuto: ......

Subaru: I’m the same way. It’s like we’ll burn up in the spotlight our parents put on us...^[1]

So I get you, and I feel like we could get along.

Hokuto: ...What’s the point of that? Idols don’t need friends. Our fathers were superidols who reached the top in solitude.

So I lived my whole life thinking it was better to be alone.

Subaru: I did, too... but well, what if we weren’t alone?

What if we didn’t have to sing all by ourselves? What if we had friends who would stand beside us and aim for the same dream? I would be happy, y’know? I’d be so, so happy!

That’s what I think at least. What about you?

Hokuto: ...I don’t know. But it’s something worth thinking about.

If we only follow in our parents’ footsteps, we’ll never find out what we were born for.

Oh, well. Let’s just focus on today. When it’s all over, our perspectives will have changed.

And the future may unfurl in ways we never could have predicted.

That’s what I’m hoping for... Let’s continue on this path, step by step.

All of us, together.

I feel like I’ve always been lost in a forest, like Hansel and Gretel. But I remember that story had a happy ending.

They weren’t alone, so they were able to overcome the obstacles in their way. That was the lesson of the story... I wonder why I’ve only just remembered it.

My mother and father were always busy, but sometimes they would bother to read me a bedtime story.

I wonder if I fell asleep listening to them and I’ve just been dreaming this whole time.

Hokuto: Even if that’s the case, though, I finally feel like I’m waking up.

Subaru: Ahaha. But you’re supposed to be the one waking up the sleeping princess... right, Prince Charming? ♪

Hokuto: That’s my role in the play after this. Right now, I just want to focus on this stage in front of us.

I’ll put everything I have into this. Everything else doesn’t matter—we can put it off until later... ♪

“♪ ~ ♪ ~ ♪”