Aikatsu Crescent!

「Phase 16」 Fresh ♪ Offtime

I'm always by your side.

Don't stop now, we can keep DREAMING

You don't need a good reason

One day we'll outshine even the sparkliest star

We can make it through!

I know we'll make it through!

To finish off the performance, the three performed their group special appeal: Triple Stars.

La la la, keep on dreaming bright~

La la la, our future's in our sight~

With that, the performance ended, and the three gave their thanks to the audience. It had been a while since they had the chance to perform together, but it was still as fun as ever!

─── ｡ﾟ☽: * .♧. * :☾ ° . ───

"Off time?" Mai echoed, and Kaoru nodded.

"All three of you have been working hard recently, you deserve a break." He explained, and whilst Hinata and Tsubaki seemed excited, Mai cocked her head.

"Instead of a typical break," Tsubaki interceeded, "idols have something called off time." She then added quietly, "it's basically a fancy word for a break, though."

"Shimura-lovely's correct," Kaoru said, and Tsubaki gave a smug smile. Mai furrowed her brows for a second, then nodded.

"I think I get it."

After making the details clear to the three, Kaoru went on his way. Once he was out of sight, Hinata pumped her fist in the air.

"Finally, we get some time to ourselves!" She exclaimed, "We have to do something fun together."

"Right, right!" Mai agreed.

"It'll nice to spend more time relaxing with you two," Tsubaki said. "Will be nice to see my nan again, too. I'm sure she's been lonely."

"Lonely?"

"The rest of my family is in England for work. They wanted me to come too, but I already had my eyes on Celestial Academy."

Mai had a sympathetic expression. "Wasn't it hard, leaving them?"

"Of course. My twin sister and I have been nearly inseparable our entire lives, yet we haven't seen each other in half a year," she smiled, "I'm managing though. We still keep in contact and I have my nan to keep company. And I have you two."

Hinata tilted her head. "You've never mentioned a sister before." In response, Tsubaki played with a loose strand of hair.

"Never really had a reason to bring it up," she grinned, "You'd like her though, she looks even more like Silver Wing than me."

Hinata's mouth formed an 'o' shape. "Really?!" When Tsubaki nodded, she chuckled as Hinata's eyes lit up. Then, the latter deflated.

"I just remembered. Parents."

"What about them?" Mai asked, causing Hinata to let out a long, exasperated sigh.

"They're going to think I got suspended. There's no way they're going to believe that I've been so well behaved that they decided to give me time off. Even if they do, they'll still be all like," she stiffened up mockingly, putting on a typical posh voice, "Miss Hinata! A true lady does not conduct herself in such a way, no matter what the circumstance you have no excuse to be slacking. Resume your education this very instant, in order to go above and beyond all those peasants." Hinata's face crumpled up in disgust, "Bleh, I hate them. Made me read an entire dictionary multiple times yet think I don't know the meaning of overworking."