*MEANWHILE*
GIRL: "It looks fun, so I'm happy to cheer you on, but I don't think I can commit to actually volunteering... But I'll show up as an audience member, and I wish you all the best."
AKI: "...You signed up."
GIRL: "I did, but I changed my mind.'
AKI: "Changed your mind..."
GIRL: "I want to go to the festival as a fan."
AKI: "There's no festival..."
GIRL: "Huh? Why?"
AKI: "You're all fickle..."
GIRL: "That's pretty rude of you to say."
AKI: "I don't care..."
GIRL: "I'm not even going to the festival anyway, because of you."
AKI: "You're not invited..."
GIRL: "Goodbye you creep!"
AKI: "..."
What a waste of time.
No... I can't complain, we're all done for if I don't do my very best.
Complaining wastes time.
Time wasted is volunteers wasted.
Volunteers wasted means no festival.
No festival means no dreams.
No dreams means sad idols and fans.
Sad idols means suffering.
If I complain, everyone will suffer. Everyone's dreams will die because of my carelessness.
The greater good must prevail.
Onto the next person...all the way in Roppongi? *Sigh*
I must do it. I will go. I will save everyone. No pain, no suffering.
HONOKA: "Hmm? Oh! Aki! It really is you!"
AKI: "...Honoka? ...Chika? Hey..."
CHIKA: "What a coincidence, running into you here! Although you seem a little tired. What's wrong?"
AKI: "Nothing..."
HONOKA: "It must be fate that we ran into each other. Do yoy want to go somewhere and talk?"
CHIKA: "Yeah! I wanna eat something sweet!"
AKI: "Phone calls... No."
HONOKA: "Aw, c'mon."
CHIKA: "Don't worry about that!"
AKI: "No."
HONOKA: "Drag him."
CHIKA: "Got it!"
...
AKI: "Unnecessary..."
HONOKA: "Are you having a hard time with something? Wait... Of course you are. Setsuna told me all about what's going on with the volunteers."
AKI: "Oh..."
CHIKA: "Are you sure we can't do anything to help? You seem really exhausted. You look awful..."
AKI: "I'm fine... The turnout... I'm sorry..."
HONOKA: "Oh, don't be like that. That wasn't your fault at all. And we want to help."
AKI: "You're doing enough. You posted on...social media, after the info session. It helped."
HONOKA: "Well, that's good, but... You look so down, and I'm pretty worried."
AKI: "Heh...I'm sorry you have to see me like this."
HONOKA: "If you're having trouble, reach out anytime, okay? Maybe it's something you can't really talk to the Nijigasaki girls about?"
AKI: "..."
CHIKA: "Wait, Honoka, are there really things you can't talk to the µ's members about?"
HONOKA: "Sure there are. The truth is, I've gained a little weight and my costumes are a bit tight.
Kotori brings the most delicious snacks, and I end up eating way too many of them. I really don't want Umi to find out!"
CHIKA: "That's true, you'll be in for a serious scolding."
HONOKA: "That's if I get off easy!
Anyway, we're not here to talk about that. Actually, we has something we wanted to discuss with you."
AKI: "Time..."
CHIKA: "Sorry, we just told you that you could come to us with anything and here we are with a request."
AKI: "Request? I'll do it. Nobody else will if I don't."
HONOKA: "Um... We told you about how school idols all over the country have contacted us to say they want to perform too, right?"
CHIKA: "Well, we've been thinking a little about the main stage performances."
HONOKA: "Traditionally, the School Idol Festival opens with a joint performance of all three main stage participants."
CHIKA: "However, only one of those three groups can be the center of that opening performance."
AKI: "µ's."
HONOKA: "Actually, Chika and I think that the Nijigasaki school idols should."
AKI: "Wh-What?"
HONOKA: "I mean, the School Idol Festival's slogan is 'Come Together, Dream Together!' And you guys at Nijigasaki are the ones who've put forth the most effort to make it all happen."
CHIKA: "Plus, we saw that song your club sang together before, and it'd be just perfect for the School Idol Festival!"
HONOKA: "Which is why, as long as it's all right with you guys, we want to perform 'Tokimeki RUNNERS' with you!"
CHIKA: "So will you teach us the choreography?"
AKI: "The song I wrote?"
CHIKA: "Yes!"
AKI: "Everyone will be so happy... It's their dream to perform alongside µ's and Aqours."
HONOKA: "We feel the same way! We wanted to perform alongside Nijigasaki too. Right, Chika?"
CHIKA: "Yup! This'll definitely get everyone really pumped!"
AKI: "Okay. When I'm home, I'll send you the choreography info."
HONOKA: "We'll be waiting!"
CHIKA: "I hope it's not too hard."
HONOKA: "Ahaha, let's do our best!"
Wait, over there, is that...?
AKI: "..."
Of course it is, it's Ayu and her fan club... She's smiling like nothing had ever happened.
I leave to sacrifice my time for the greater good, and she immediately replaces me.
I'm not going over there, I have a job to do.
...
HONOKA: "See you later, then!"
CHIKA: "We'll message you later too!"
AKI: "Okay, see you."
Finally, my Nijigasaki school idols will perform alongside µ's and Aqours... Their dreams will become a reality.
But they need to be ready for then. When I saw them practice alongside µ's and Aqours, the difference was like Heaven and Earth.
They're talented, very. But our track record says µ's and Aqours are on a whole other level.
I want them to perform on the same level. They need to practice for that.
All along, I was right to do this. They don't have to waste their time on recruiting volunteers, leave that to me. This is my job.
I may be exhausted, but this is the cross I must bear. If I deteriorate, it is only a necessary sacrifice for the greater good.
The greater good of making the dreams of everyone at Nijigasaki, µ's, Aqours, Liella!, Saint Snow, A-RISE, Shinonome, Touou, and school idols nationwide.
I will get 1000 people.
I will make everyone's dreams come true.
No... I must.
I won't let them suffer.