Hundred (Chapter 8-14)
Chapter 8
Nyahaha~♪ The hotel’s crazy huuuge!
That’s Nassan’s arrangements alright~ This is some real American-style VIP treatment!
I’m taking this bed, so you can go use that one~♪
Thank you very much. The view is nice from the bed by the window.
But it’ll be harder for you to escape me over there~ And even if you make an escape out the window, you’ll just hit the ground head first! Careful, ‘kay~?
—That’s a dangerous thing to say. Are you always like this?
What? Did I put you off with what I said?
No, I’m just interested.
I thought perhaps you’re from a rough, wild 1 community or something, one that doesn’t hesitate to engage in violence.
After all, you threw a blow on me during the Twin Rooster Pagoda audition, too. And the blows on Buchou and I — It felt as though they were completely indiscriminate.
If you are the type to engage in violence no matter the time or place, then I need to correct that mistake of yours.
You see, when I first came to the city, I myself had common sense relentlessly drilled into me by Aira.
Hm~? Aren’t you misunderstanding something? Neither America or Okinawa are rural places~?
If you had to get common sense hammered into you when you came here, then that means you’re the hillbilly2 here, right, Amagi-san~?
Mmn… I can’t let you talk to me like that.
I don’t care if you insult me… But my friends and hometown bear no sins.
Compared to what you think, my hometown is far and away a more advanced society.
Ohh? Is it even more advanced than America?
I can’t tell what the actual truth is, but with the way your eyes are all serious, I’ll take your word for it~♪
… Hm. I thought for sure that you’d refuse it, but you're actually being honest, huh?
Nyahaha. There are so many worlds for each and every social etiquette and culture out there~ The absolute truth that you see isn’t necessarily the truth that I see.
I’m not someone who can read the room, so I'm glad Amagi-san told me his true feelings~♪
Could it be that you provoked me… to get me to speak?
O~hh? Amagi-san, you’re unexpectedly clever, huh?
That's right! Everyone seems to think I'm a violent, dangerous idol, but I wouldn't use violence on a helpless child, you know~?
Hiding your true feelings, only ever putting up a good face... Those kinds of people who waste time doing all that are the ones I hate the most!
That's why I take tough measures now and again~♪
A human’s true colors come out when they're on the brink of danger. Dontcha think~?
… I don't really agree with your views, but I’ve come to understand your reasoning well enough.
So that's why you didn't lay your hands on anyone other than me. There was no one else in the Twin Rooster Pagoda who was well-versed with martial arts.
You made an example out of me to get a reaction from everyone around you.
Nyahaha~♪ You get it reaaal well, dontcha~?
Thanks to that, I learned more about Hasumi-san, too~
Up ‘til now, I’ve only listened to AKATSUKI’s music, and I didn’t know anything about them as people at all! But he has an elegant feel that fits right in with a Japanese-style unit, huh~?
Mhm. He works as the dorm administrator for Seisoukan, so he’s the kind of person that’s strict with rules and regulations.
But you can get that with just a glance and a little conversation with him, can’t you?
I can’t help but question your methods of observing people after all.
Then, tell me! What kinda person is Amagi-san?
What?
I won't understand unless you teach me! You wanna correct all my mistakes, right? Then teach me~♪
It's hard to answer that so suddenly... On the contrary, what do you want to know about me?
Hmm, for example, that piece of cloth on your luggage! What the heck is that?
This is a good luck charm from Aira — My comrade.
Whenever I worry during the audition, I bundle up the charm in one hand and make the sign of the cross with the other–
Amen3
… You know about a major American religion? That’s not really the time to say “Amen”, y’know~?
Are you making fun of me? You’re a mean kinda guy, arentcha, Amagi-san~?
I’m not lying. A person called Tatsumi-senpai taught it to me, his home is a church.
Ah. Maybe the religion Tatsumi-senpai practices has drastically changed here in Japan...!
Hm~m? Kinda sounds like a load of bull to me?
But I’ve taken a liking to you~♪
You’ve got something in common with me, so tell me what you found interesting about Japan~♪
O-Okay. The culture of the city always astounds me too.
If you're okay with the extent of what I've become acquainted with, I'll tell you about it as much as you want.
We don't even need to use something like violence, because we have a wonderful tool called words.
Chapter 9
I never thought I’d end up rooming with Izumi-chin…
What? You don’t want to room with me or something?
Don’t pounce on me over everything I say~ I just assumed we’d be sharing rooms with our partners from the Twin Rooster Pagoda, that’s all.
Then again, if the pairs got to know each other better in the hotel, it'd confuse the viewers.
Yeah. It looks like they don't have cameras in the hotel, so maybe they’re pretty orderly when it comes to these sorts of things.
They protect the privacy of the participants, while making full use of a large production staff to film everything during the audition.
It’s an audition organized by that goody-looking NiceP, so they must be following global standards, yeah?
Ahaha. Meanwhile, Yumenosaki and ES always feel like the night before a school festival. Well, that’s fun too though…♪
But, I don’t know if NiceP’s a good guy.
? Is that distrust from the last SS?
Ah~... Yeah, all sorts of stuff happened, huh. I don’t feel any sorts of politics or schemes happening behind the scenes of 4piece, though.
If I had to say it, it’s NiceP himself I’m talking about.
I’d prefer for you to keep this between us, but… The truth is, NiceP is something of a Ra*bits fan. Look at the name written on this fan letter.
“Arneb”? This name’s…?
Yeah. Nice Arneb Thunder. NiceP’s stage name.
He came to a Ra*bits live performance and a handshake event, too.
At first I thought it might just be someone who looks like him — but when he was pretty well aware of my speech impediment during the audition, I became more convinced it really was him.
It seems that "Arneb" means "hare" in a foreign language, so maybe that's how he found out about us...
The person in charge of the show is a fan of Ra*bits!? That's not fair!
Calm down, Izumi-chin.
Even in the fan letter, he wrote, "Your recent live was Nice ☆ But I’ll be strict with my judging in the audition", so I don't think he plans to show favoritism.
There's no guarantee that NiceP won't act on selfish desires during the audition, though.
Yeah. So I’ll keep a careful eye out too.
But. Regardless of the audition, if he’s genuinely evaluating us, I couldn't be happier.
If I end up passing, I want you to judge it for yourself — Whether or not the evaluation criteria was wrong.
I want you to be a witness, Izumi-chin.
Hmm…?
There's no benefit to Nazunyan telling me about NiceP. That alone just shows you’re putting trust in me; am I right to think that?
Yeah. I wanna be seen without bias too. Izumi-chin and NiceP both.
Hah~... Finally, what a weight off my shoulders...!
It looked like I was the only one who knew about the other side of NiceP, so it was a bit of a burden~ I'm so glad I could tell Izumi-chin, y’know?
Ah~ What a relief! I'm in the same room as Izumi-chin~♪ It’s a blessing to have friends~♪
We’re former tennis club buddies, after all. Thank you~♪
I'm here to pass the audition, so don't complain if I end up needing to toss that camaraderie away for the sake of the evaluation, ‘kay?
Well, I'm glad I'm rooming with you too, Nazunyan. If I was rooming with Hibiki, I doubt I’d be able to relax nearly as much.
I wonder what Hibiki and Hasumi could possibly be talking about in their room.
Oh? So those two were sharing the same room...
That's true, I do wonder what Keito-chin and Wataru-chin could be talking about~ Although, I feel like there were plenty of times they became opponents when we were at Yumenosaki.
But maybe having to room together this time will bring them together closer than they expected~♪
I dunno about that... If it was that easy to get along with people, I don't think there’d be any wars in the world.
… A– Achoo!
Oh. Is that a cold I hear, Keito-kun?
How lamentable of my lifelong rival…! Where in the world is the Keito-kun who faced off against me!
You’re overexaggerating. I’m sure someone’s just talking about me behind my back.4
Hmm. Is that right? If so, I’m relieved.
I thought I’d make you something to warm you up if you had a cold, but that was a needless fear, hm?
Yes. … Actually, don't use your strands of hair to lift the pot. It's terrifying.
Eh~? Don't be so cold. One’s life needs to have wonder in it, doesn’t it?
We’re in the middle of an audition, but you’re as detached from the world as always.
I heard the second day is even more difficult. If you want to pass, you should rest early too.
Yes. I too am aiming to pass! I take pride in being the best entertainer after all ☆
So tonight I'll go to bed a little earlier than usual. I'll heed your advice, mm?
… I suppose it really is better to show that you’re taking it seriously when it comes to an audition~
I always intend to be serious, but it seems no one trusts that about me at all.
? What? That's odd. I wasn’t expecting you to be hesitant.
Attitudes aren’t something you should force, but for the showdown of Twin Rooster Pagoda, being seen as favorable means everything.
Whatever you believe, that alone is a fact, at least. If you're worried about it, do as you see fit, whether it be performance or other.
Make sure not to catch a cold, either. Hibiki.
Yes. I'll be sure to do that.
After all, if poor health forces me to withdraw from a grand event such as 4piece, Himegimi will be sad to see it.
Chapter 10
Tattsun-senpai! Hurry up, hurry uuup~!
The 4piece broadcast! It’s already startiiing!
It’s dangerous to rush over like that, you know, Aira-san?
The 4piece broadcast is available for recording and archived streaming, so let’s first set our things down and settle down.
Oh, the TV in the common room… It seems that people are already here, holding a watch party. Shall we join in?
ah. tatsumi~♪ are you here to watch the [audition] as well?
Indeed. Hiiro-san and Mayoi-san of our ALKALOID are participating, so we were hoping to support them.
If that’s the case, you’re a lil’ late. The second venue, the Gourmet District5, just ended.
Right now, it’s in the middle of broadcastin’ the third venue that Hiiro-kun’s appearin’ in, the Twin Rooster Pagoda.
No waayy~... I wanted to see Mayo-san’s gallant figure, too!
Mayoi-dono did his best, as well. He struggled and worked really hard within such a packed crowd~♪
Are we sure about that…? It looked like there was a huge problem going on for him, though - including for Morisawa-senpai…6
Eh? What’s that mean, I’m sooo curious…!
Shiratori, all of you. Could you be a little more quiet?
Hasumi-dono is appearing on the Twin Rooster Pagoda as well. If it gets too noisy, I won’t be able to concentrate.
Besides, Amagi is participating in the Twin Rooster Pagoda too. Isn’t it the duty of comrades to lend their support?
You think so too, don’t you, Kiryu-dono?
Yup. We all took the time t’get in front of the TV, so I think we’d better watch it properly.
But, watch parties are s’pposed t’get noisy.
I came along ‘cuz ya said ya had to watch it at the screening, Kanzaki. Give ‘em a lil’ break for the noise, will ya?
Hmn… Kiryu-dono is right, I may have been a little too on edge.
You should all see how everything is set up in the Twin Rooster Pagoda. It seems that some sort of “taggu”-team battle is taking place in it.
Tag-team battle…! Wow, I heard that 4piece was an individual competition, but there are special rules like that too, huh~? ♪
Indeed. Had I known it was a “taggu”-team battle, I would have loved to participate…!
I didn’t want to compete against Hasumi-dono, so I firmly refused to participate… but looking at how that so-called “Taki” has been behaving, I'm concerned about Hasumi-dono...!
Haha, even if ya joined in, it doesn’t mean y’woulda become Danna’s7 partner like Taki did.
Taki…? I’m not familiar with that name.
Yeah, so. Apparently, he’s an idol that got scouted by NiceP, ‘n is temporarily part of ES.
I think that kinda unconventional guy is interesting, but I wonder what Hasumi-no-danna thinks about it...♪
Kiryu-dono is such an incredibly open-minded man... I'm so worried about Hasumi-dono that I can't maintain my composure when I look at Taki!
Is he that dangerous of a participant? That Taki idol...?
Yeah, you could say that. Taki-kun showed up in front of me and Hiiro-kun outta nowhere and exchanged blows with us.
He made good use of surprise attacks and assault tactics, so I couldn't gauge his exact strength… But if we took him on in a proper fight, he’d have been a pretty tough force who could wear us down just as much as we could to him.
Assault!? I make a point to try not to think about it, but the karate club really does way more than just club activities, doesn’t it!?
Ahaha. It’s not that noteworthy, we’re more like an imitation of a karate master.
Compared to people who are actually serious and focused around martial arts, we still have a long way to go.
Eh...? It doesn't sound like that to me, though…?
Well, in the eyes of someone who’s got no experience in it, there's no difference between a black belt and a master, I bet.
Anyways, teamin’ up with a troublemaker ain’t always a bad thing. If anything, it looks to me that Danna’s charm really comes out when he’s bein’ put in front of Taki~♪
Reminds me of when we were students. It’s like I’m lookin’ at the Danna when the academy was in shambles, where he was actin’ all tough.
Mmm… It’s certainly true that Hasumi-dono seems to be getting a considerable amount of “su-ku-reen-taimu” because of that scoundrel, but…
I haven’t recognized Taki quite yet.
I will see what kind of fate the upcoming audition has in store for Hasumi-dono and Taki from here on out, until the very end!8
Chapter 11
“Nice morning, isn't it everyone!”
“It’s the second day of the Twin Rooster Pagoda, so let’s jump right back into the evaluation again. Did you all sleep well last night?”
… Hey, Keito-chin. I wonder why that guy puts “Nice” in front of stuff all the time. Is that his character trademark or something?
Don’t ask me.
“Oh? Are you getting tired of the word “Nice”?”
“If I said something ceremonious like 'today is an auspicious day,' I thought you’d all tense up, so I tried to lighten the mood with humor.”
“If you can’t concentrate on the competition, I’ll retract it ♪”
Ah, he heard that!? Sorry!
I wasn’t trying to pick on your comments, NiceP, I was just wondering.
“Fufufu. It’s alright, don’t be embarrassed.”
“Even if I didn’t say “nice”, this world is filled to the brink with “nice” things…☆”
“At any rate, it’s the second day of evaluations, so the composition of the audience will now be revealed.”
“Yesterday, the audience was composed of “a hundred idol enthusiasts”, so they were relatively favorable to you all. However, this might not be the case going forward—”
“The audience for the second day will be composed of… “music enthusiasts” !”
“You must all gain the favor of one hundred music enthusiasts!”
“The first theme you will attempt is “freedom” —”
“You can use any means necessary, so I expect a great fight from you all…♪”
Hmm. Seems we’ve got a bit of a challenge up ahead for us...♪
The tougher the opponent, the easier it’ll be for us to get a lead. It’s a good time to make bank on some competition points. Well, Hibiki?
Indeed. Leave it to me, Knight-san.
Before anything else, let's take a look at the instruments Twin Rooster Pagoda has to offer.
I can play all sorts of instruments, so— I’ll do my best to accomodate Knight-san’s performance ♪
(Hm. Hibiki and Sena don’t seem to be going for the appeal right away.)
(We’re lucky they went to check the selection of instruments first. If Hibiki, a versatile performer, had taken the lead, the rest of us who follow would come off as inferior, left in the dust.)
(So the second day’s audience is comprised of “ a hundred music enthusiasts”, huh—)
(In short, it means today’s evaluation is reliant on satisfying the audience through sound.)
(Of course, the matter at hand when it comes to the evaluations of Twin Rooster Pagoda is receiving hearts, so it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be particular about the type of music.)
(Just like you can’t let an audience who came to see your live performance go home without playing at least one song, we have to make sure these music enthusiasts get to hear something, too.)
(The question is how and what we’ll perform—)
(Seeing that this is a competition for pairs, it’d be better to have two people perform one song together rather than each of us perform our own individually.)
Taki. There’s a few things I’d like to ask you, but—9
Hasumi-san! I’m all set and ready to go~♪
I’ll be playing the guitar, so you follow my lead!
We’ll do an AKATSUKI song, of course...♪
♪! ♪! ♪!
Wha!? He’s already started performing…!
(The musical performance sounds free and unconventional, but somehow it lingers in my ears…)
It couldn’t be… you’re playing… “A Thousand Blossoms, the Night of Crimson Moon”, aren’t you?
It's a largely different take on the original song, so I didn't recognize it immediately, but there's no doubt about it. Why are you able to play this song?
I told you, didn’t I~ That I’m gonna play an AKATSUKI song, yeah?
None of the other pairs have started performing yet, y’know~? This is a golden opportunity, so why don't you play along with me, Hasumi-san? ♪
Look, look! That’s a shamisen13 over there, right? Jam sesh with me~♪
You…! Have you no consideration for where I stand…!
Fine. I’ll just play the shamisen, then…!
♪~♪~♪
(... Hmph. Taki’s proclivity to do things as he pleases is unmanageable.)
(He just starts appealing without thinking… Doesn’t he get that there’s “music enthusiasts” of all kinds out there?)
(Still… This is the first time I’ve heard “A Thousand Blossoms, the Night of Crimson Moon” sound like this.)
(The song does use the electric guitar, but the unique way Taki plays it makes it sound innovative.)
(The shamisen part completes the arrangement perfectly, so it must’ve taken some careful thought and practice by that Taki guy.)
(Taki, it’s just like Eichi predicted. You seem to be someone who’ll rock the boat of this competition...♪)
“… Oh ho. The blending of Western and Japanese influence in the Hasumi-kun-Taki-kun pair’s performance makes it quite interesting.”
“As it’s only the beginning of the second day, the judges seem like they’re being conservative with the hearts they’re giving out.”
"Still, even taking that into account, these two managed to gain a considerable number of hearts."
"Hasumi’s quick response to Taki's improvisation was a Nice counter!"
Fufufu. As expected of my eternal rival. He can handle anything unexpected purely off the experience he’s gained to adapt as needed.
That being said, I don’t intend to lose either...♪
Why are you gathering up so many instruments? Are you planning on monopolizing them and not letting other pairs use them?
Not at all. I’ll be helping myself and using all of these instruments.
Hah? What are you saying? What’s that supposed to mean?
I meant exactly what I said.
By the way, do you have experience playing musical instruments in instrumental performance, Knight-san?
Eh? Me? No, I only took the lessons they had at school...
Understood! Well, would you please play this melodica then?
Hah? Why do I have to play as well? Can't I just compete with my singing?
Fufu. There was a wonderful performance just a moment ago, so just singing will pale in comparison to it..
If we’re competing as a pair, I thought it would be best to show my versatility since I'm not as confident in my singing abilities as Knight-san is about his.
Naturally, I don’t intend on humiliating you. I'll cover for you by playing my instruments at the same time, so please play fully and thoroughly to your heart's content, Knight-san ♪
~......♪
Hey, you can’t just move on from conversations as you pleaaaase!!
~Tch! A melodica10 for me? What the hell am I supposed to do with this!
~.....♪ Now, let’s go together ♪
♪♪♪
Don’t reply between breaths!
Ugh, give me a break... You need me to just play this right-- FINE!
♪~!
“Hm. It seems the Hibiki-kun-Sena-kun pair are playing instruments as well.”
"And on top of that, Hibiki-kun’s playing several instruments at the same time."
"Bagpipe and accordion, harmonica and cymbals... It's like he's a cheerful one-man orchestra. Now that’s Nice!"
"In this case, it seems it’ll be a ruthless competition between the pairs to take the hundred music enthusiasts head on…...♪"
(Now, if I had to state just one concern... This is a pair competition as well—)
(If it continues on like this, Sena-kun may be overlooked while Hibiki-kun takes the entirety of the audience’s attention.)
Chapter 12
That was an incredible performance. That Wataru-chin…
Yeah. Playing so many instruments with ease. It was almost divine, beyond human skill.
On top of that, Wataru-senpai may have overshadowed it, but I feel like Hasumi-senpai’s pair’s performance seemed really good too.
I think we’ve fallen a bit behind those two pairs.
What should we do, Nazuna-senpai? What should we do to satisfy “music enthusiasts”?
Mn…~ I’m at a loss. I figured we could just get by singing each of our signature songs, but it doesn't look like it’s gonna be that easy.
Keito-chin’s pair and Wataru-chin’s pair both did two-man performances, so that set the standard.
Looks like we’ll have to put on a joint performance too.
What instruments can you play, Hiiro-chin?
If neither of us are that good with playing instruments, let’s just sing together.
Hm. I can’t really play modernistic11 instruments like Ibuki, but if something traditional is fine, I’ve got a little experience playing it.
Me playing an instrument, Nazuna-senpai singing along… How does that sound?
Way to go, Hiiro-chin! Well then, I’ll leave the instrumentation to you!
You said traditional instruments— something like a koto12 or a shamisen or a taiko drum, right?
I’ll sing in a way that matches the accompaniment, feel free to just focus on playing ♪
That’d be a big help. It’s hard to play and sing at the same time.
Now then, can you sing both the high and low parts at the same time?
Huh?
Waitwait, hitting high and low parts at the same time by myself… I’ve only got one set of vocal cords, y’know!?
It’s alright. I think Nazuna-senpai can get the hang of it right away ♪
I’m going to go grab the mazura daijouhari14 so please wait here!
Mazu… eh? What’s that? Is that an instrument?
To play the mazura daijouhari, you pluck the strings with a needle.
You might not know it, Nazuna-senpai, but it’s a traditional instrument of my hometown. Think of it like a stringed instrument.
What kinda instrument is that!? They’ve actually got one at the venue!?
Mhm. I see a mazura daijouhari over there.
If there wasn’t one, I was still planning to make use of one of the instruments here, but it looks like it's our lucky day, huh.
???
Uuu~! I don’t get it at awwwll! This whole thing is way out there!16
I-I’ll do my best for now, but if it’s no good, we’ll follow the original plan and sing together. Okay?
Thanks for letting me play an instrument from my hometown.
Well then, on my cue, please start singing. 3, 2, 1…
♪~♪~♪
♪.....!? ♪.....?
(It’s too hard! Or should I say, I’m not meshing with the sound of the instrument at all!)
(What on earth is that instrument? The fluctuations of the sound are way too sensitive, it doesn't mesh with the human voice!?)
(Ah~ That’s why you said I had to hit both low and high sounds. I should hum the low notes to stay in tune, while singing the main melody in a high voice, then!?)
(... Is it even possible for me to do that!? That’s way too unreasonable of a demand!)
Hiiro-chin, timeout! Stop playing for a sec!
It doesn’t feel like my singing and the sound of the instrument are matching up!
Right! That didn’t work at all, huh?
If it’s like this, I'll give up on playing an instrument and start singing along with Nazuna-senpai!
♪~♪~♪
♪~♪~♪
(... Hm. It seems like Amagi-kun and Nito-kun have quit their performance and switched to singing together.)
(They didn’t announce the end of the appeal and kept going, so it’s not like they’re overstepping the rules. I wonder what the audience thinks about this.)
(The answer solely lies on the decision the audience comes to together. That’ll remain to be seen—)
(Sigh) We didn’t get any hearts at all.
I’m sorry, Hiiro-chin. I should’ve taken charge and made the call on whether we went with it or not.
I made the mistake of thinking I could cover just about anything for the sake of making use of Hiiro-chin’s individuality.
It’s frustrating, but I’m not versatile like Wataru-chin.
No. I'm the one who should apologize. I panicked because everyone around us was playing instruments, and I made you overextend yourself.
Besides, you agreed with what I said I wanted to do.
I didn’t know what I was doing, but you didn’t shut me down. You just gave me the opportunity to use my customs for the appeal instead.
You’re the one taking initiative for us, and yet I took you for granted Nazuna-senpai...
I feel that it’s my fault.
Hiiro-chin…
… No, if we keep feeling down about it, we’ll end up stuck in a rut. Each of us have reflected on our actions, so let's switch gears!
The other pairs have finished their demonstrations, and it looks like the next theme will be announced too, right~?
… Right. Let’s let our failures motivate us and move forward.
I truly believe we’ll reach the audience next time— definitely. Nothing will ever start if we’re too afraid to try.
Chapter 13
♪~♪~♪
♪~♪~♪
Thank you very much for your kind and courteous attention.
And that was the joint appeal from the Sena-Hibiki pair!
So, that brings our total hearts for the day to… 86, huh?
If you consider that there’s not a single person who can please everyone, I’d say we did well.
The audience wasn’t giving hearts up easy this time, but we gradually won them over. What a relief, hm ♪
“Now then, thus concludes the appeals for today.”
“Let’s announce how many hearts were earned.”
“The top-scoring team of the second day is… the same as the first! The Hibiki-kun-Sena-kun pair!”
......
......
“To win over the favor of the music enthusiasts, not only did you show off your singing and performance skills...”
“You did all sorts of things to compliment the performance, like introducing the songs you like with personal anecdotes.”
“That was likely the reason for your victory.”
“Next is the Taki-kun-Hasumi-pair, hm? Congratulations.”
“Taki-kun was daring, but moreover, Hasumi-kun, who was caught up in his whirlwind…”
“The two of you seem to have become an interesting combination befitting a variety show. Together, you brought out each other’s strengths, hm?”
I see. Nassan keeps a keen eye on things, huh~?
Looks like me and Hasumi-san are unexpectedly good together~♪
Try being the one who has to cover for you. I felt like I was clinging on for dear life, hear me?
“Heheh. Looks like you’re gradually syncing up better. If you show that that virtue will serve you well in the coming days, I’ll be glad for it.”
“And finally, the Nito-kun-Amagi-kun pair, who narrowly avoided last place.”
......
......
"If you had showcased your individual strengths, you might’ve placed higher. Your individual abilities are more than enough to be idols."
"I’m sure you two are aware of the problem: you weren’t in sync. That’s what led to your low ranking as the booby-prize winners."
"Tomorrow, a new audience of a hundred will be judging you, things might change tomorrow."
“Everyone. I want you to take what you’ve gotten from today and put it to use while making your adjustments and show up tomorrow ready to face the evaluation ♪”
(Exhale) Feels like we were hanging by a thread there~ Honestly, I thought we’d get eliminated on the spot.
Yeah, I thought the same.
Our compatibility with the judges was a fatal blow at the evaluation today. I feel like everything we did backfired.
We failed to get off to a good start, they were pretty harsh on us...
I’m really, truly sorry, Nazuna-senpai.
No. I’m the one who should be sorry.
You didn’t do anything wrong Hiiro-chin, our rhythm was just a little mismatched from each other…
We kept spinning our wheels and holding back from each other.
But today’s today. Tomorrow’s tomorrow.
Let’s aim for a better ranking tomorrow. If it’s us, we can definitely do it…!
… That’s right. Hiiro-chin. I have a proposal. Could you listen for a sec?
A proposal?
Yeah. After we’re done here, why don’t we hang out at the hotel together?
We’re in different hotel rooms, right~? That means we don’t have much time to understand each other. I feel like there’s still a lot to talk about.
The Izumi-chin-Wataru-chin pair have been running away with the lead since yesterday. If things keep up like this, we won’t be able to beat them. I want to try everything we can.
Definitely. There’s no specific rules about how you spend your time at the hotel, so that might be a good idea.
I'd like to hang out with you more too, Nazuna-senpai. Evaluation or not, it's good to deepen your friendships with people.
I’ll let Ibuki know I’ll be getting back late— he’s who I’m rooming with.
Right. Me too… Well, that’s what I’d like to say, but I'm not sure if I should ‘cause Izumi-chin’s my roommate.
If he finds out and starts cooperating with Wataru-chin, it'll be a little out of our hands, right? It’s probably best to keep it a secret from them.
Oooh? A secret training session? Sounds fun
Mn… Ibuki-chin, you heard us?
Guess it saves me the trouble of explaining, then. Hiiro-chin’s gonna take a while to get back to the room to do stuff for the evaluation. Feel free to do whatever an Ibuki-chin does, Ibuki-chin.
So that’s how it is, hmmm? The two of you are just doing what you want, huh~? I wonder if I should lend a hand to the enemy?
… Kidding~ I don’t have the right to stop Amagi-san anyways~
I’ve got my sights set on taking down the top duo too, so I want in on that strategy meeting.
Me and Hasumi-san’ll join up too~♪
You too…?
Wait, no, you're a formidable opponent but we’re already too far in to go back.
Even if we keep fighting on our own, we can’t stop Izumi-chin and Wataru-chin's momentum. Let's work together, the four of us.
Right. I support what Nazuna-senpai thinks about it.
Let’s learn more about each other— what we can do and what we can’t— as we fight side by side.
Chapter 14
Hasumi-san, c’mere c’mere! Everyone's gathered on the sofa over there~♪
Don't be in such a hurry, Taki.
What you said is certainly true, communication is necessary to take down the Sena-Hibiki pair.
But running in the hotel will bother the other guests— and even if there were no one else around, you could slip on the floor.
Nyahaha. That’s so you, huh Hasumi-san~?
With your physical ability, you probably wouldn't get hurt running a bit, though.
What you can do and what others can do are different. You learned that in the Twin Rooster Pagoda too, didn’t you?
That’s right~ That’s why I find Hasumi-san real interesting too, y’know~?
He’s got things I don’t, so I enjoy just listening to him~
The same goes for you and your “Nazuna-senpai”, right Amagi-san?
Yeah. The evaluations for the Twin Rooster Pagoda venue — like the two roosters that decorate the pagoda show, you can discover a lot of different things by bringing two personalities together.
As someone who ordinarily works in a four-person unit, I’ve never really been cognizant of that.
Ahaha. It looks like Ibuki-chin and Hiiro-chin have opened up to each other before we knew it ♪
They stayed in the same room together yesterday, so maybe you were able to get to know each other?
I don’t know about that. I doubt we understand each other, but…
At the very least, I get that he’s someone I can communicate with. I’ve decided you don’t have to be too on-guard with him.
Naturally, you need to keep an eye out for surprise attacks though.
What a cruel thing to say, Amagi-san~? Don’t make it sound like I go around ambushing people at random~
Ahaha. You really have gotten used to each other! It’s just like I thought, communication outside the evaluation window seems important ♪
It might be as Nito said. During the evaluation, you get so caught up worrying about the theme or the audience that you don’t consider your partner.
Taki and I had both just met, so we were still feeling our way around each other.
Even so, I thought you and Ibuki played in perfect sync, though!
I heard that Ibuki had known about AKATSUKI before this, but he seemed to know quite a lot about it back there. Did you know of them while you were in America?
Ah. I was wondering about that too.
AKATSUKI is a Japanese-style unit, but how is it being received by foreign audiences?
Could it be that AKATSUKI has come into fashion overseas…?
Nyahaha~ It’s not like that at all~
It might be popular in places I don’t know of, but I haven’t heard much about it~?
I’m from Okinawa, so I just happened to hear AKATSUKI’s music~15
It's disappointing when you say it so directly like that…...
But if you think about it pragmatically, I suppose that makes sense. It’s wishful thinking to assume that idols who are mainly active in Japan would have equal valuation in America and the like, isn’t it?
Just like Japan and its idols, America has its own idols in America.
But every once in a while, idols who transcend borders will turn up, so you can’t generalize from that alone.
Though, it’s rare for Japanese idols who are already doing well at home to aim abroad~
Out of everyone participating in this round, Izumi-chin seems to be the one who’s like that. He conducts idol activities in both Florence and Japan, so he's actively working towards working internationally.
Even so, hasn’t MELLOW DEAR US been pretty popular recently?
MELLOW DEAR US…?
It’s an overseas unit that Nassan is producing! I feel like Nassan said that there was a Japanese member or something~
Now that you mention it, I feel like that’s something I've heard from Aira.
These days they’ve been coming to Japan and stuff, and it’s becoming a hot topic among a fraction of the fans… or something?
Yes. I heard from Sakuma that some idols had their work canceled because of that as well.
If anything, it’s an opportunity.
If you’re selected by NiceP, you’ll get more opportunities than you have now. You’ll be able to work abroad, and if you perform well, you’ll be able to get more work wherever you live.
Becoming a top idol overnight won’t just be a dream.
Right. For me, it seems like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to broaden the scope of your activities.
The problem is that it’s not like the relationship between the Taki-Hasumi pair can be built in a day.
The same goes for us, we see each other at the dorms every once in a while and work together, but — I'm not sure if I can say we understand each other on a deeper level.
Hmn~... How can I come to understand Hiiro-chin better?
Right… I don’t know yet either, but...
I think there was a hint in the conversation Hasumi-senpai and Ibuki were having.
For instance, what if I listened to a Ra*bits song and Nazuna-senpai listened to one from ALKALOID?
The songs of our units, in other words, represent our thoughts and feelings.
Just like how Ibuki learned about Hasumi-senpai through an AKATSUKI song, I feel like we can deepen our understanding of each other through each other’s songs.
Our phones and information devices have been confiscated, but I’m pretty sure there were some audio setups in the Twin Rooster Pagoda we could use for self-appeals.
How about it, Nazuna-senpai? If that’s wrong, please feel free to say so.
Try listening to each other’s… songs…?
Yeah, that might be a good way to make use of the time while the other pairs are doing their appeals.
Let’s give it a try, Hiiro-chin
Heheh. It looks like the two of you have started to understand how to communicate right away.
We’d like to keep talking too, but… it looks like dinner’s just about ready.
How about we continue our conversation at the restaurant? Sharing a meal should be the perfect way to open up and relax, after all.
That sounds great! I’m in~♪
This restaurant's buffet has dishes from my hometown too. I wanna eat all sortsa stuff while we talk~♪
Translation Notes
- ↑ Hiiro says 野性的な (yasei-tekina) here, which essentially means "wild" in the sense of to rely on ones wild or bare instincts.
- ↑ Ibuki uses 田舎者 (inaka-mono) here, which roughly means "someone from the country" or a "countryperson". It's often used in a derogatory manner, (often to describe someone unruly or unsophisticated), hence why Hiiro reacts indignantly. I translated this as "hillbilly" to get across that it's an insult.
- ↑ Said in English.
- ↑ It's a common Japanese superstition that when you sneeze, someone is talking about you or gossiping behind your back.
- ↑ The second part of 4piece, VS Gourmet, which Chiaki and Mayoi were a part of.
- ↑ The difficulties Mayoi and Chiaki ran into are from Praise of Delicious Flavors, Chapter 7
- ↑ Kuro often refers to Keito as 旦那 (danna, lit. master ), or "boss". He'll also use Hasumi-no-danna.
- ↑ To read the Keito & Ibuki cut of the rest of VS AUDIENCE, click here.
- ↑ There is an alternate version of this scene from Keito's perspective in The Legend of KAGETSU.
- ↑ A reed instrument that uses a keyboard. It sounds like this.
- ↑ Hiiro says 現代的な (gendai-tekina) here.
- ↑ The koto is a stringed zither. It's actually descended from the Chinese guzheng. It sounds like this.
- ↑ The shamisen is a three-stringed instrument and Keito's specialty. It's actually descended from the Chinese sanxian and the Okinawan sanshin. It sounds like this.
- ↑ This seems to be a made up instrument. The kanji of daijouhari is made up of 大条針 (big string needle). Out of traditional Ainu instrumentation, the mukkuri has the characteristics of alternating back and forth between high and low pitches, as will be mentioned. However, it's a mouth harp, and isn't plucked. The tonkori is a type of zither that is plucked with both hands. The strings of tonkori were traditionally made from deer tendon, which matches the kanji of 条 in 大条針. However, it's not plucked using a needle.
- ↑ This is likely referring to Submarine, where RYUSEITAI and AKATSUKI spend a month performing in Okinawa during the SS Preliminary Round.
- ↑ Nazuna says 特殊な世界観すぎる here, which can be translated as "This is too much of a unique worldview."