AKI: "Finally, the big day has arrived!"
MAI: "Yeah! I've got the two of you to thank for being able to step up to my last live show in the best condition ever. Thank you so much!"
EMMA: "I should be the one thanking you. You've taught me a lot.
I'm sad you'll be retiring, but I'm grateful for all you've given me."
MAI: *Giggle* "You're so sincere and cute. *Sigh* If only I met you two sooner..."
AKI: "No time for regrets, this is your time now, Mai."
MAI: "All right, it's almost time. Enjoy my final live show!"
AKI: "For sure!"
...
MAI: "All of you out there! Thank you for coming today! I'm really happy so many people have come to see me!"
*CROWD CHEERS*
MAI: "I feel blessed as a school idol to have so many people watch over me as I give final performance.
While it pains me to say this, my next song will be my last. When the song ends, so will my career as a school idol.
Thank you so very much for all of your support up until now!"
*CROWD ROARS*
MAI: "...Before I draw the curtains to a close, I'd like to invite a special guest over.
Emma! Come up on stage!"
EMMA: "Huh? Me? Wh-What do I do?"
AKI: "Your only choice is to go up there, right?"
EMMA: "R-Right. Um, okay! Off I go!"
MAI: "Welcome, Emma! Sorry for calling you up here so suddenly."
EMMA: "No, don't be. Why did you invite me up, though?"
MAI: "Well, that's what I'm gonna explain to you now.
Everyone! This here is Emma Verde from the Nijigasaki High School Idol Club! I've become good friends with her recently!
Emma loves school idol songs, and that's the reason why she decided to become a school idol herself, just like me!
So this last song I'm about to sing is the very song that captivated her. It's also a very important song to me. An awesome song filled with sentimental memories for me.
Since I came to this decision after thinking long and hard, I have no regrets about quitting the school idol business. I've thoroughly enjoyed my time with everyone."
AKI: "..."
MAI: "But I did actually have one thing that's been bugging me. Is it really okay for me to close the book on this wonderful song I inherited from another school idol?"
EMMA: "..."
MAI: "However! I've also found a solution to that!
The school idol who sang this song before me believed I would love it as much as she did and entrusted me with it.
When it comes to this song, there is only one thing I can say with absolute confidence... I LOVE IT!
Now, Emma. You also love this song as much as me and the school idol before me as well, right?"
EMMA: "Right!"
MAI: "So... Could you please take this baton we're passing on to you?"
EMMA: "What?!"
MAI: "I want you to be the person who sings this song now. This song that my mentor before me and I both love."
EMMA: "Mai..."
MAI: "I mean, you love this song so much that you've been searching this whole time, right? So I'm sure you can sing it!"
EMMA: "Of course! I've sung it to myself so many times in Switzerland and Japan, after all!"
MAI: "Just as I thought! Then let's sing this song together. This song that we both love!"
EMMA: "Okay!"
MAI: "It's about time you learned this song's name... Everyone! This is 'Aion no Uta' also known as the 'Song of Sorrow'!"
This performance will be the first and last time the two of them sing together. I don't think I'll ever forget this sight.
The person entrusting their feelings, and the person accepting those feelings... The smiles on both of their faces shone brighter than the sun.
But it makes me realize that the careers of all school idols one day come to an end.
Not only Emma, but Kanata and Karin will graduate. The same applies to Nico, Nozomi and Eli in µ's, and Mari, Kanan and Dia in Aqours.
This year is the only year of the School Idol Festival where µ's, Aqours and Nijigasaki as well as countless other groups can perform in full force.
If the School Idol Festival doesn't go ahead, then I would have failed them all.
They can only perform together this year. IT HAS TO BE THIS YEAR.
I won't stop until everyone's dreams come true!