[A few hours later, latter half of the Repayment Festival]
Nazuna: “♪ ~ ♪ ~ ♪”
(We’re in splendid condition. My body feels light~…♪)
(I’ve truly been reborn as a rabbit; it’s like being a child again.)
(Hehe, as expected, Ra*bits has made it to the latter half of Repayment Festival. With this, we’ve become a proper veteran unit.)
(I can rest easy. There might still be things that don’t sit well with me about Valkyrie... But even Kagehira repeatedly told me it was all fine.)
(So they’re probably doing alright.)
(He didn’t seem like he was putting up a front, or was just saying it so I wouldn’t worry either…)
(The way he’s acting makes me think that they really are okay now.)
(He was so brazen and unapologetic, it was almost frustrating.)
(You’ve really grown to be like Itsuki, Kagehira).
(Mika-chin… Right now I don’t— no, even from the start, I didn’t know you that well.)
(You aren’t some stiff doll, unbreakable and incapable of growth. You aren’t living that kind of sad existence…)
(You’ve been brought up with strength and grace— you grew into a fine man.)
(If I told you that, would you get offended and say “I’m a doll!”?)
(Though for me, I really wouldn’t take being called a ‘doll’ a compliment.)
Hajime: …Nii~chan?
It seems like you aren’t concentrating very well~ Are you alright?
Nazuna: Ah, sorry. I was fussing a bit over something trivial just now; seems like I haven’t shaken it off yet.
But I’m okay~ I’ll be able to perform just fine.
Hajime: Hehe, I’ve no doubt about that but… Please don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s sad to think that this is really the end, isn’t it?
If I don’t watch myself, I think I’ll start crying like a baby, too.
But… Back then during our very first live, from that S2 last spring…
On a stage where hardly anyone came to watch and all our efforts were trampled on…
Nii~chan said, “If you’re going to cry then do it after our performance!” with a scary face.
And that, even if there were only a few people in the audience, we should present ourselves as proper and perfect idols.
That shocked me at the time and honestly for a bit I thought, “What a cold person.”
Nazuna: … Yeah, I’m a surprisingly aloof person, but usually I play all cute.
Hajime: Not at all. You’re always a kind person… You taught us a lot of things that we needed to know for ourselves and for our futures.
Each and every day, when you didn’t even need to.
You gave your all writing up proposals, thinking of what to include during practices, and guiding us on what to do. You even handled all the difficult things like paperwork and negotiations.
And when I’d start looking tired due to my low stamina, you’d take care of me and give me hot towels or rub my shoulders right away…
You’d call out to me gently and kindly help me out.
It wasn’t as if anything special happened. It’s just that, as those ordinary days happened again and again, bit by bit they gathered together to shine as bright as the sun.
Or rather, for us who would’ve gone and faded away just like that… It's thanks to you that we were able to spend our everyday life so peacefully.
Since you held the urge until the very end and didn’t cry on stage that day… And after the performance ended, you hugged us all and cheered us up even while you were in tears.
Because there were days we had to work hard to bear our pain and sadness together...
We, Ra*bits, have grown thiiiis much ♪
Thank you, Nii~chan. I really, really love you a lot…
……Ngh, hnng--
Mitsuru: Oh no! You started crying right after you said all that, Hajime-chan!
I’ll do a flashy dance over here and make the audience look over at me, so they don’t notice you~☆
“And turn! And jump! How’s that? Once Nii~chan graduates, I’ll be the only one in Ra*bits that can do tough dances like these!”
“Nii~chan told me I could do it, so he taught me specially!”
“One day I’m gonna coach Hajime-chan and Tomo-chan on all the skills, moves, and stage etiquette that Nii~chan taught me!”
“I don’t get all that difficult logic, so you guys can teach me about that, okay?”
“All the know-how to being an idol’s already filled every part of me! It’s ‘cuz this rabbit is made of the parts that Nii~chan trained!”
“The nicest, strongest, and most precious rabbit in the whole world!”
“So, make sure all of you keep watching us!”
“Like everyone knows, we’re Ra*bits, the unbeatable rabbits that’ll keep hop-hopping to the ends of the universe~☆”
“We won’t be beaten by any kind of huge beast! Not even God!”
“But even if we do lose, we won’t just cry like babies about it! Because Nii~chan drilled that into us!”
“That’s why! It’ll be a waste if you can’t see through your tears. You’ll really regret it forever!”
“Look at me, no— all of us...! We’ve grown up so well!”
“♪ ~ ♪ ~ ♪”
Tomoya: … Yikes, I don’t have anything to say.
Nazuna: You’re fine, talking on and on during a performance is a bad Yumenosaki Academy trademark anyway. Just concentrate on singing and dancing~ You won’t hear anything from me about that.
Tomoya: That’s right… Yes, that must be the most expressive way to repay you.
gummygunk
dailybridgerton
stormborns
annaxmalina
turnnoffyourmind
