In the end Setsuna won 7th place and Shizuku won 8th place. Both reaching the quarter-finals. A fantastic result for our first club event.
AKI: "I'm so happy for you both, 7th and 8th in our first club event! Incredible."
EMMA: "Yeah, you have completely different wavelengths showing off your charms, but I was captivated by both of you!"
KANATA: "Shizuku, your theater training really paid off. I had no idea you put so much production into your show."
RINA: "Rina-chan Board says, 'Moved...'."
KARIN: "Well, I must admit that I'm frustrated that I didn't win a prize. But maybe there is something to this idol business after all..."
KASUMI: "GRRR. Next time, I'll definitely rank high, too! And if anyone dares try to get in my way, then I'll show them...er....just what I can do!"
SHIZUKU: "Thank you very much, everyone. Even though the prizes were awarded to the two of us, I think we achieved this victory together."
SETSUNA: "Agreed, we also owe you our thanks for restarting the club."
AKI: "What? All I ever do is lock and unlock the door. As for restarting the club, that's really all thanks to Kasumi. She's the one who dilligently guarded the club room for us!"
KASUMI: "Senpai..."
AKI: "Kasumi, what did you think of your first performance as a school idol? This was your dream, right?"
KASUMI: "Um... I-It was amazing, of course! I've been waiting for this moment for so long!"
AYUMU: "Your voice just cracked... Are you sick? Do you need a cough drop?"
KASUMI: "No. I mean, yes!"
-----------------------------------------
That was the end of it. We all took our separate ways of travelling home.
Me and Ayu took the subway from the Shibuya Underground. I swear some of these people don't know constraint during rush hour, where are they supposed to be going?! I could even swear that someone in a black uniform was carrying a cat around in his bag.
But even so, the train began to become less crowded the closer we got to Odaiba. We got to sit down and relax.
AKI: "Hmmm..."
AYUMU: "What are you thinking so hard about?"
AKI: "Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought, reflecting on how everyone did today."
AYUMU: "Umm... What's your honest opinion?"
AKI: "Honestly, don't get me wrong. I was extremely moved by all of your performances! And I loved seeing you on stage for the first, Ayu. It's just... Everyone seemed kinda nervous."
AYUMU: "Well, of course we were. It was the first performance for most of us."
AKI: "And something about Kasumi seemed off at the end. Her lifelong wish of performing as a school idol finally came true. You'd think that she would be hyper, but it's like she just wasn't...Kasumi."
AYUMU: "Really?"
AKI: "Yeah, most of the individuality was lost through song. For most of you, rather than the words coming from you... It felt like they were coming from me."
AYUMU: "Isn't it because you helped us write our songs? I'm sorry I wasn't able to do so great with it..."
AKI: "No, it's fine. You did great, just... Maybe everyone could write their own songs for the next live show?"
AYUMU: "You know I'm not good with creative writing."
AKI: "That's your opinion, but look at how far you've come with telling jokes."
AYUMU: "Aki, I'm not sure if everyone feels the same way I do, but a solo performance means being onstage all alone, right? It's pretty intimidating, standing alone on a stage that big."
AKI: "I see, I guess I was quick to jump the barricade and force you all into such a big platform so quickly. We should have just held a live show first in the auditorium... I'm sorry for that."
AYUMU: "No, you don't need to apologize. I'm sure that this is the only way to put Nijigasaki on the school idol map."
AKI: "Maybe that is the case. But you make a good point. Being in a big group like μ's or Aqours is much more reassuring, because all your friends are right by your side."
AYUMU: "Yeah, the joint performance we saw together gave me that impression."
AKI: "Is that so? How do you feel about idol groups Ayu?"
AYUMU: "Hmm... I'm not sure. I still don't have very much experience, so it's hard to say."
I guess that I didn't think about the possibilities of a group performance. Maybe everyone would be more comfortable with the merits it provides.
If only there was a way for the Nijigasaki idols to charm everybody the same way μ's and Aqours did...