What really gets to me about the MV is that, even though Layla was Megu’s family, perhaps the only thing really around, is the fact that Layla gave hope and fun to Dai as well.
Megu and Layla were what gave Dai hope away from his parents and the school bullies. They made him smile and the three all played together throughout their childhood.
For Dai, he definitely lost another friend...but then this frame here...
It really shows Dai pushing aside his own feelings so he, as well as the rest of Ft4, can be there for Megu, who’s the one suffering the most, having lost the companion who taught him love.
Kono Sekai no Tanoshimikata LipxLip Novel Chapter 3B
Disclaimer: I’m not in any way shape or form a professional translator so please keep that in mind as you read.
Note: This is the second half of chapter 3 that I personally divided up. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Masterlist here
Aizou headed to the address that he was given, and was stunned to see a huge mansion along with a large gate.
“He...does he live in such a big house?!”
Well, there was no doubt he did. The nameplate on the gatepost read Someya.
(This is...the house of a national living treasure!)
Aizou looked around in awe.
(If I just entered, I’d be caught...right?)
He approached the gate, but he couldn’t find it in himself to ring the little chime. Someone would undoubtedly ask “who are you?”. It would be too strange to say, “I’m Aizou, and me and your son are going to be idols together!”
(I should have just asked for his contact information!)
Aizou covered his eyes with his hand. The only thing his manager had told him was the home address.
Before he knew it, it started raining. He looked up at the dark sky. He should probably just give up.
The gate opened suddenly, so Aizou ran to hide behind it. A car came out slowly, with the headlights on.
(The owner..?)
“Please, wait!”
Aizou, who was watching, was surprised when he heard a familiar voice. He peeked out from behind the gate, and saw Yujiro running out, chasing after the car.
“Dad, please! Listen to me!” He stopped near the car as the rain got heavier.
The car stopped, and the window rolled down halfway.
“No matter how many times you ask, my answer will be the same. I’m not going to talk to you about this anymore.” A man in a kimono in the back seat told him harshly. It had to be Yujiro’s father.
Not caring if he got soaked, Yujiro got down on his knees.
“Please sign the consent form!” He bowed deep enough for his head to touch the ground.
Aizou stared in shock.
(That guy....)
“I’m sorry...I forgot.”
Aizou recalled Yujiro’s distressed face, and stared down at his wet sneakers.
(His parents...)
“I told you that my answer will not change, no matter what. Now stop talking.” The man then told the driver to go.
“Father!” Yujiro looked up, clutching the consent form.
The window closed, and the car drove off.
Yujiro, who was still kneeling, got splashed with mud and water. He stared down at the consent form.
Yujiro had stood on the stage at the second audition screening, and he had been absolutely shining in the spotlight as he sang.
When the president asked him about his family circumstances during the interview, he had said his younger brother was chosen to be the Someya successor. He had a desire to stand on stage, but his dreams had been destroyed. He had auditioned with the desire to be on stage with his own hands.
(Yeah...with that...he’s pretty desperate.)
Aizou clenched his fists.
Just like me.
_
When Yujiro went to the office after school, Aizou was already there. He put his lesson clothes on before heading in. After confirming the schedule, the manager stopped him and asked him about the consent form. The deadline for submission had already passed.
“I’m sorry, I’ll definitely bring the consent form next time...” Yujiro bowed his head.
As long as he was a minor, he was not going to be able to make his debut without his parents consent. If they didn’t agree, then this story would disappear.
Yujiro, who felt really depressed, then felt like he was being watched. He raised his head and noticed Aizou staring at him with a frown, like he wanted to say something.
He had heard the interaction with the manager.
Yujiro expected him to say something sarcastic again today, but Aizou just looked away with an uncertain expression.
As soon as the two headed to the lesson room, the lessons began.
Megu and Dai of FT4 taught them today as well. Asuka and Kanata had only joined them on that first day, but now it was just Aizou and Yujiro.
As usual, Yujiro remembered the dance that Megu and Dai had showed them.
“1, 2, 3, 4, and turn!” Megu raised his voice to the rhythm.
Yujiro was the one who was a little late, even though he had spun at the same time.
“Aizou, you did fine. Yujiro, you were late.” Megu told him.
“Ah...” Yujiro sighed, placing his hands on his knees. “Excuse me...”
(Tch...)
When it came to the long lessons, his body couldn’t keep up. Aizou, on the other hand, was sweating but keeping up well.
“Let’s take a quick break.” Dai suggested, and left the lesson room with Megu.
Yujiro sat down and took deep breaths. Sweat dripped down his forehead. Just before he could wipe it with his sleeve, a plastic bottle gently tapped his head. He looked up and saw Aizou offering him a water bottle.
Yujiro drank the water and took a deep breath, wiping his mouth with his hands.
_
After the break, when Megu and Dai returned, the lessons resumed. After continuing for a while longer, Megu stopped.
“Alright, that’s all for today.”
“Please let me do a little more!” Yujiro bowed, sweat dripping onto the floor.
“Can’t. Junior high school students have a 7pm curfew.”
Looking at the clock, it was 7:05pm. He had no idea so much time had passed. He had thought it was barely the evening, but he’d been so focused he lost track of time.
“Get home quickly.” Dai said, and the all left the lesson room.
Yujiro still wanted to continue, but Megu and Dai had work and studying. They were busy with their own schedules. So he couldn’t overdo it.
Yujiro got ready to leave, and stepped out of the building, feeling the cool night breeze cooling him down.
Everyone around him was being careful due to him being a junior high school student. There were many restrictions, after all. But that was unavoidable.
When would he be free?
He sighed, his face growing more depressed. When he gets home, he’ll need to talk to his dad again.
“...Hey.”
When Yujiro started leaving, he was called out to. He turned.
“Follow me.”
“...Why? Where are we going?”
“Just come on!” Aizou insisted, and started urging Yujiro to start walking.
_
They ended up at a large park on a hill. Streetlights illuminated the wisteria trees and the benches. There was no one else there but the two of them.
“Here. People rarely ever come here, but because it’s bright, we can practice as much as we want.”
Yujiro stared at the city lights from the hill. He felt more comforted by the breeze from here, so he murmured. “It’s a nice place...”
It was quiet, and the city life bustle didn’t reach there.
“Don’t tell anyone. It’s my favorite place.”
“...So, why did you bring me?” Yujiro asked, glancing at Aizou. If it was his favorite place, he needed to keep it his own secret.
“I decided I’m going to survive this. I’m not going to just disappear..!”
“I’m not gong to disappear either.” Yujiro said seriously, and looked back at the shining city from the hill.
If they couldn’t match, then it was the end. There would be no way for them to debut as a unit. He definitely didn’t want to let go of this chance.
This was their common wish, and their reason for unity.
Their destination was the same-
_
Recalling what Megu and Dai pointed out, Yujiro made his turn from the beginning. They shot a video of themselves doing the movements and checked them, then tried again.
The steps that didn’t match slowly became better and better as they repeated them.
(Just a little more...)
Yujiro thought, but then he staggered over.
He would have fallen, if Aizou hadn’t reflexively reached over and grabbed his arm.
The two moved to the grass, and Yujiro laid on his back. He was out of breath and couldn’t move.
“You really don’t have much physical strength.”
“How noisy. I’m normal. You’re just too physically fit- that’s what’s strange!”
“Yeah, yeah. Just shut up and rest.” Aizou tossed a hand towel onto his face. Yujiro pressed it to his face.
Did Aizou usually practice independently, even after the lessons were over? He was able to keep up with the lessons without being easily exhausted, and that was probably the result of his daily efforts.
“So, when did you start doing kabuki?” Aizou sat down next to him.
“...Why?”
“Did you do it since you were a kid?”
“...Everyday, even before I entered elementary school. I never played or hung out with my classmates. I never watched TV or played games...all day...everyday...” As soon as he’d get home from school, he’d go to the rehearsal hall and received his father’s lessons on the kabuki basics.
There were many times where he had to remember typical things like behaviors, dialogue, dances, and so on.
His father had been merciless, and forced him to do it over and over many times until he was perfect. So he’d believed if he continued making the effort, he would one day be on the same stage as his father.
“...You have no beauty.”
“It was all a waste of time...” Yujiro whispered, not meaning to have said it out loud.
He was never allowed to stand on the stage.
It was as if nothing had happened, not all his patience, nor his efforts.
He felt nothing but distress, and he couldn’t even express that much with words.
“It wasn’t a waste of time.”
Yujiro felt stunned when Aizou spoke in a light tone.
“You may not have lots of physical strength, but your posture and movements are good. Your voice also sounds amazing and has a wide range. Isn’t all this because you practiced kabuki?” Aizou asked, facing forward.
“...Don’t say something when you don’t understand!” Yujiro’s eyes started tearing up, his voice starting to tremble.
(Why...why is he...)
No matter how hard he tried, he was never going to be recognized. It was useless, and it was overwhelming.
Even so, the one person who said what he wanted to hear the most was who he disliked the most. The person he didn’t want. They fought and always turned away.
But he was still watching over him properly.
His heart started pounding, and his bit his lips roughly and hid his face with his towel. If he didn’t, then he’d just be overwhelmed with emotion.
“Hm? What’s wrong?”
When Yujiro didn’t reply, Aizou suddenly climbed on top of him, his hands on either side of his face on the ground as he stared down at him. A small, teasing smile crossed his face.
“Are you crying? Are you impressed with me?”
Yujiro turned away. “Be quiet, stupid.”
“Are you sure~? Hey, turn around and look at me. Come on.”
Feeling irritated that Aizou was trying to peek at his face, Yujiro suddenly sat up quickly, head butting Aizou as hard as he could. Aizou rolled off of him, gripping his chin.
“Ow!!”
Yujiro had accidentally bit his tongue. But that was only his business.
“How persistently annoying!” Yujiro returned to his usual tone, and stood up. “Let’s resume the lesson!”
“You’re really not cute!” Aizou glared at him, rubbing his chin.
This time, they were not doing it for their house or for anyone else, but for their own future.
Everything they’ve done must have meaning.
_
It was two hours later that they finished their voluntary practice.
“Practice your flexibility more.” Aizou said, pushing his hands in his pockets.
“I know. And make sure you review your lyrics too.”
“Shut up!”
The two argued, and walked away from each other.
“That guy...how annoying...” Yujiro gripped his arm as he walked down the hill and to the city.
Suddenly, he noticed he still had Aizou’s towel around his neck and stopped.
“Oh, his towel...” He had forgotten to return it while borrowing it. He could still catch up to him. So, he turned back and started hurrying after him. “Wait!”
He started looking for him.
He eventually found him on a brightly lit street. Yujiro was about to call out to him, but then a different voice called out first.
“Aizou~!”
A woman in flashy clothes hugged him.
Yujiro quickly hid.
“Mom, come on!” Aizou looked embarrassed, trying to pull away from the clingy woman.
“What’s a child doing out at this time~?”
“What...I had lessons.” Aizou started walking with her, lending his staggering mother his shoulders.
“Lessons? For what~?”
“Are you drunk again? You’re drinking too much. Come on, let’s get home.” Aizou pulled on his mother’s arm, trying to take her with him.
“No! Let go! Let go!” She suddenly screamed.
“Mom! Stop that! It hurts! It hurts!”
The mother, who was hitting Aizou while he held his arms out to defend himself, suddenly clung to him and burst into tears.
“Let’s go home. Come on, mom.” Aizou tried to soothe her, letting her lean on his shoulders, and started walking with her again.
The whole time, his mother wailed and screamed like a child.
Yujiro watched the entire interaction and stared after their backs as they left.
When he was asked about his family at the interview, Aizou had been reluctant to talk about living with his mother and brother.
He had things he didn’t want to tell people. Yujiro was the same.
When President Tamura asked him what he thought, he’d said he wasn’t interested at all, because everyone had their own circumstances.
However, the longer they spent together, the more they got to know each other.
He wasn’t sure what President Tamura meant by them having a “deep relationship”, but in order to move forward, they would need to be indispensable. They shared one fate together.
Yujiro turned and walked away with a determined expression.
✨
Upon returning home, Yujiro walked down the corridor with the consent form, walking to the cold place.
He’d never set foot in the kabuki lesson rooms since the day his father told him he couldn’t take over. It was a place he was no longer allowed to enter.
“Once again.”
“Yes.”
“You fumbled. Again!”
Yujiro could hear his father’s harsh voice. Everytime he scolded him, Koichiro replied with a sharp “yes!”. He could remember the merciless lessons from when he was a kid.
“Okay. That’s all for today.”
“Thank you very much.”
Yujiro kneeled in the hallway and waited. His father was right. Those who were not prepared would never succeed, no matter what they did. But he was prepared to stand on his own and walk down the path he chose.
When his father had asked if he was prepared for it, he couldn’t immediately answer, as he had been shaking and uncertain.
But now he had a feeling that there was something new.
In this world...
His father stepped out of the rehearsal hall, and Yujiro placed his hands on the floor and bowed deeply.
“Dad, please. Please sign this consent form.”
“...You are not someone who can stand on the stage. Anyone who is not prepared is useless.”
“I am prepared.” Yujiro looked up at him and spoke clearly.
His father glared down at him, his stern look not fading.
“And this isn’t just my dream anymore. I have a partner.”
(Yes...it’s not just the dream for one person anymore!)
He remembered his lesson with Aizou. The two of them had one dream. He decided to give it his all for the future of their dream.
“I want to challenge how far I can go with him!” Yujiro put a lot of effort into his voice.
“You can’t do it alone. But maybe with someone else, you can?”
Yujiro felt surprised when he heard Koichiro’s mocking voice.
“The way of the stage is not that sweet, don’t take the stage so lightly, stupid!” Koichiro glared down at Yujiro with angry eyes.
“I wasn’t trying to.”
“You can’t do anything by yourself. And your partner’s the same way.”
Listening to his younger brother’s voice, Yujiro clenched his fists tightly.
(Even though you don’t know anything..!!)
Yujiro stood up quickly and stomped forward, grabbing the front of his brother’s shirt.
“Don’t make a fool out of him when you haven’t seen what he can do!” Yujiro shouted at him, glaring at him strongly.
He wasn’t going to let Koichiro trample on his- or his partner’s, efforts. They accumulated their determination and their dreams. He was never going to let him do it again.
Koichiro’s legs shook and he stared at him with a stunned expression.
Yujiro then noticed his father’s gaze, staring at them silently. Yujiro let go slowly.
“Excuse me...” Yujiro sat back down and bowed.
“...Yujiro. The stage you’re wanting is different, but standing on the stage is the same as kabuki. The road is tough.”
“I’m prepared.” Yujiro raised his head and stared at his father, his voice unwavering.
No matter what happened, he was going to follow this path. Even if he had to abandon the Someya name.
His father knelt down in front of Yujiro and picked up the consent form from the floor.
“Tae. Get me a pen.”
“Yes!” His mother, who had been anxiously watching from behind the door, hurried off to go get a pen.
“Father...”
“If you really insist, then try it.” When he received a pen from his mother, he signed his name on the consent form “My views, or your views. Prove which one is correct.”
Yujiro looked at the consent form when it was returned to him.
“Yes!”
_
The next day, Yujiro went to the office and presented the consent form to Manager Uchida at her desk in the office.
“Here’s my parental consent form. Sorry to have kept you waiting.”
“Yes, it’s fine.” Manager Uchida grabbed it and looked it over.
“...You got it signed.” A voice said softly.
Yujiro glanced at Aizou in confusion. “What?”
“No, it’s nothing.” Aizou turned away.
“The two of you, come over here when you’re done.” President Tamura called out to them. It was rare for her to be in the office.
Kono Sekai no Tanoshimikata LipxLip Novel Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I’m not a professional translator in any way, so please be mindful when you read!
Masterlist here
In the waiting room at the audition venue, the participants all waited for the starting time. Aizou sat in a chair in the corner and casually watched everyone else.
(So...this is the second part of the audition?)
There were so many people waiting that there wasn’t enough places to sit for everyone.
The number bade that had been distributed to Aizou at the reception was number 560.
How many people were at the second screening?
After the second screening was the final selection, and the number of people will be narrowed down drastically.
After all, only one of them could make their debut after being selected to be an idol.
(Man...I’m really sweaty)
Aizou felt nervous and gripped his hands together tightly.
Of course, this was the first time he’s auditioned to be an idol. Although he understood the details of the examination, as it was written in the documents, the skill level of the participants were also judged, and he had no idea what the standards were.
There were surely other people who’ve auditioned before among them.
(Ugh, this is bad...everyone looks really confident.)
Aizou took his headphones out and put them on to keep himself calm. He couldn’t let himself care about other people. He had to concentrate on the production.
(It’s alright. I’ve prepared for today)
Preparations had been underway since the day he got the notification that he passed the first screening. He ran and did muscle training, and he practiced singing and dancing repeatedly in the park on a hill that he often went to.
He also thought about his answers for the interviews.
He did this all on his own without a teacher to guide him. Though, those who were serious probably needed to get a teacher.
(I wonder how good it’ll be based on my ability...)
He looked at the other participants while listening to music. The age range for participation was stated on the application guidelines was from 13 to 18 years old.
It seemed there was mostly high school students, though like Aizou, there were also junior high school students.
There was a boy with a badge that read 410 leaning against a wall in a distance. He wasn’t very tall, and he had a slim physique. He was probably a junior high school student. He had long hair and was reading a book silently.
The History of Idol Culture.
It looked like a very difficult book.
(Is he that serious....is it for the interview?)
Perhaps the boy realized he was being watched and spun around, glaring at him with an expression that clearly said “stop staring”, before hiding his face behind his book.
Aizou felt annoyed by that attitude.
(No one’s watching him, though...is he self-conscious?)
He turned away and continued to play his music.
(He looks dark and thin...is he okay? This guy...)
It looked like he was also aiming to be an idol, though he didn’t seem used to auditions.
(Well, this guy won’t be a rival. He doesn’t seem to have a very good personality...)
Aizou didn’t want to get involved with any opponents before the audition. He closed his eyes, his music still playing.
“Wow! There’s so many people here! Everyone looks so cool!” A loud voice suddenly shouted. Aizou turned his gaze to the doorway.
There was a boy who came in, looking around the room with big, wide eyes. Other participants started whispering, asking “what?” “who’s he?”
(And now this weird guy is here...)
Aizou frowned.
“I’m Ichigoya Kanata! Nice to meet you!” The boy greeted everyone cheerfully, without any worries.
“Kanata, don’t get too friendly. We didn’t come here to play. This is an audition.” Another boy came in, his eyes narrowing.
Even though the waiting room was overcrowded, the boy had a strikingly pretty and organized appearance.
(Are they also junior high school students..? High school students, maybe?)
Well, age didn’t matter.
“Aww, but I want to get along with everyone I meet! Oh, this is Kaido Asuka! He’s my best friend! It’s nice to meet you~!”
The boy who had been introduced bowed awkwardly. “Thank you...”
(This is a solo audition. They’re here together.)
Both of them had Kansai dialects. The audition probably collected people from all over the country.
“...Hey, stop, Kanata, let’s go!”
“This is my favorite candy! It’s delicious, so eat up!” The boy who called himself Ichigoya Kanata started distributing candy to all the participants.
Most of the participants who were nervous were probably feeling worse.
(What are you, a grandmother?)
Aizou avoided making eye contact, but Kanata was getting closer and closer while handing out candies.
“Let’s all do our best!”
When he stopped in front of Aizou, he smiled, showing off his white teeth, and offered him a candy.
Aizou decided to ignore him, turning away from him with his eyebrows furrowing. Kanata’s whine of “I’m talking to you~!” had no effect on him.
“Hey, are you listening~? Hello~?” Kanata poked his face with the stick of candy.
The boy named Kaido Asuka wrapped an arm around Kanata’s neck and pulled him away.
“Kanata, some people are concentrating, so don’t get in their way.”
While they spoke, he approached the boy who’d been leaning on the wall. He seemed to have an undisciplined personality. Kanata presented a candy to the boy with a smile, but the boy 410 refused with a quiet “no thank you”.
As expected, Kanata looked disappointed as he withdrew the candy.
“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.” A voice said from the doorway. Aizou, the boy who had been reading, Asuka and Kanata all spun around, and all the participants went quiet. A tense air was spread in the room.
“Alright, the second screening for the idol audition will now start!” A woman wearing a suit and glasses guided the participants who were gathered in the waiting room. Aizou removed his headphones, and the boy reading closed his book.
✨
The idol examination had started, but Aizou was in the second half. It would take a while for his turn.
The boy with the badge 410 had resumed reading in the meantime.
Looking at the clock on the wall, it’d been about two hours since the audition started.
“The judges are Full Throttle4!”
“FT4?! Really?! Yes!”
(FT4..!)
Aizou felt shocked and turned his gaze to the crowded participants. They were a popular vocal and dance unit.
(I didn’t know they’d be here?)
It wasn’t mentioned in the recruitment guidelines. Aizou studied their songs and dances by watching live DVDs of them. To think that he was going to perform in front of them, it made his heart pound louder with nerves.
(This is bad...I’m going up soon...)
He didn’t want to show any bad songs or dances. He didn’t want to seem laughable.
“Are you going to be okay alone? Should mama follow you?”
“I’ll be okay. I’ll contact you when I’m done, so wait outside for me!” A boy, who could have been mistaken for an elementary kid, was talking to his mother.
“Do your best, Takkun! You’ll definitely pass!” The mother held up her fist in encouragement.
“...Gross.”
“...Gag.”
Aizou turned around when he heard the voice of someone next to him who’d muttered at the same time as him. It was the boy 410, who was now staring at him.
“...What do you want?”
“What?” The boy asked.
“You said something just now.”
“That’s my line.”
Aizou’s brows raised. “What? I don’t know you.”
“And I don’t know you. I don’t understand why you’d say you don’t know me when you’re the one who talked to me first.”
“You looked at me and said something annoying!” Aizou’s voice grew louder. The boy sighed, as though he was tired of the conversation.
Aizou hated it. He hated his face and his attitude.
(He does have a bad personality after all, this guy..!)
“What was that sigh for?”
“I’m sighing because I feel sick. I have a very important audition and I’m getting involved with such an idiot. It feels terrible to be caught.”
Aizou roughly grabbed the collar of the boy’s shirt with both of his hands and yanked him up, glaring down at him.
“You...are you trying to start a fight?”
He felt the worst now too. He had been trying to concentrate, but now that focus was ruined.
“As soon as you get angry, you resort to violence? That’s the trait of stupidity.” The other laughed mockingly at Aizou.
“You..!”
(I’ll show you who’s stupid!)
“Hey, you guys!” The woman in the suit from earlier quickly stopped them. “No fighting! If you two have an issue, you’ll be disqualified immediately!”
Aizou, who was glaring at the other boy, gritted his teeth and let go of him.
(You can’t be an idol with such a bad personality!)
Angrily, Aizou turned away from him. The other boy seemed annoyed, and muttered, “I never want to see your face again.”
✨
Maybe it was because of the argument, but Aizou had forgotten his tension. He opened his hand and noticed he was sweating. He clasped his hand tightly closed, muttering “okay!”.
When their group was called, they moved down the hall. The boy 410 was with him. Apparently, he was in the same group. He didn’t like it, but he couldn’t complain.
If they fought again, they would be sent off.
It would be pretty stupid to get disqualified because he was fighting someone he just barely met.
(If we get involved next time, I’ll just ignore him..!)
He decided this and waited on the stage. He looked at the judges seats. The members of FT4 were all sitting side by side.
(They’re really here...)
He’d only seen them on TV and DVD.
They seemed bored of watching the participants step forward and perform their songs and dances. Sometimes, a couple of them yawned.
Due to the amount of participants, the examination was long.
The boy who came in with his mom was dancing and singing in the center of the stage. He was probably nervous, as he sounded off-key. The judges laughed a bit.
Others were just plain, and no one seemed to be standing out.
However, he didn’t know about the first group, as he hadn’t seen them.
“Number 410.”
“Yes.” The boy who was involved with Aizou earlier turned to the front and walked to the center of the stage. He probably caught their eye due to good posture.
(This guy...he was so cocky, I’ll laugh at him if he sucks at this.)
At first glance, he didn’t seem nervous.
“I’m Someya Yujiro. Thank you for having me.” The boy bowed before looking up at the ceiling lights that were lined up and taking a breath.
Light started shining in his eyes, and he smiled dazzlingly. He turned to the front and started singing. His relaxed voice spread throughout the hall, and the judges of FT4 raised their heads in interest and listened carefully.
His pitch was good, his emotions were good, and his vocal range seemed wide.
(That annoying guy...)
It was completely different from the other participants. His voice, as he sang the chorus to his song, drew everyone in, including himself.
Did he have voice training classes? He wasn’t singing a beginners song.
Aizou gripped his hands tightly.
(I’m confident in my dancing, at least...)
He couldn’t lose. Only one person was going to be chosen.
Yujiro moved away from the stage after he finished and stared at the palm of his hand. Aizou gripped his own.
(He was able to sing properly...and there was a response...okay.)
The judges reactions weren’t bad either.
When he remembered that look on his face while standing in the lights, Aizou’s mouth loosened.
He wasn’t going to give this up, if he had a chance, he had to seize it with his own hands.
“Number 560.”
He looked back at the voice of the staff and saw the boy heading back. Yujiro’s eyebrows raised sharply.
_
(That annoying guy...)
In the waiting room, the guy had his headphones in and was listening to his music.
(And to suddenly get entangled because he said something like that...)
Yujiro could have mistaken what he had muttered, though he remembered the glare on his face while gripping his shirt.
(He’s a sloppy guy with unkempt bed hair like he just woke up, he has a bad taste in clothes, he looks stupid, but I guess he might be able to sing...)
If he couldn’t, then he should just go home because there was no saving him.
Yujiro crossed his arms and looked towards the stage.
The guy who advanced to the center of the stage shouted out. “Shibasaki Aizou! Thanks for having me!”
He sang a fast paced rhythmic song with a dance performance. His voice was sharp and he had a rigorous dance, and it captivated the judges.
The members of FT4 laughed happily.
While dancing freely, he easily did difficult looking dance moves, and had an incredible sense of balance. He also included acrobatic movements like a one handed handstand.
His eyes were bright and his expression was lively.
He looked completely different from when he was scowling with his headphones on.
Watching him dance, he noted that he wasn’t even short on breath, so he definitely had some physical strength.
His voice echoed throughout the hall, and his voice extended beautifully.
(Hey...what did he say his name was....)
He didn’t like him, but he was very eye catching, especially compared to the other participants.
He didn’t know how many people would be in the final selection, but he was sure he’d be among them.
But only one person could win the idol audition.
(I won’t lose...)
Yujiro watched the dancing boy with a genuine expression.
When the song was over, he bowed to the judges with a satisfied smile.
✨
After the song and dance screening, it was time for the interview screening.
Participants sat in chairs lined up on the stage and answered in nominal format.
“Please tell us your motivation for becoming an idol.” The person who picked up the microphone was the president of the agency called Mobius, and was also a judge. It seemed she was also the organizer of the audition.
“I like entertaining people, so I want to be an idol and make my fans smile!”
“Being an idol has always been my dream.”
“I have an impure motivation, to be honest. I just want to be popular with the girls, ahaha...”
Participants answered one after another. It was an expected question, and everyone probably prepared their answer in advance. Everyone prepared a formal answer.
“I want to be the best idol in the universe and make everyone in the universe happy!” Ichigoya Kanata answered energetically, his voice cheerful and face full of confidence.
“Well, you have to start with the earth first!” Asuka, who was sitting beside him, smiled a slightly bitter smile.
“No, the bigger the goal, the more rewarding it is. What’s Asuka’s goal?”
“Eh? I’m...a partition!”
“Asuka is the same as me.”
“I haven’t said anything yet!”
They probably forgot they were on stage, as they went at their own pace.
There was laughter from the judges seats.
(After all that...how annoying.)
Yujiro gave them a side glare. He didn’t like the fact they were getting so much attention. He also had watched their songs and dances. The singing of Kanata was by the far best, even rivalling Yujiro, who was confident in his singing.
The members of FT4 were also amazed by Asuka’s dance.
Yujiro didn’t think anyone would rival him, but it didn’t seem to be the case. But as expected, people came from all over the country.
(They’ll be judged well...)
His fighting spirit ignited.
When he looked sideways, the boy of 560 was looking at those two with similar eyes. When they noticed they were staring at each other, Yujiro turned away with a grimace.
The next question was for the boy of 560.
“I don’t know what exactly an idol does...” The boy suddenly looked at the judges. “But I want to sing!” He had the same bright smile as when he was dancing on stage.
_
The next person was Yujiro.
“Honestly, I don’t have to be an idol, I just...” Yujiro looked directly at the judges seats after a moment of hesitance. “I want to be on the stage.”
Yujiro’s face as he answered shined.
Aizou couldn’t lose.
✨
“And this concludes the end of the second audition screening. Thank you for your hard work.” The woman in the suit entered the waiting room and told everyone this. The participants all stood up and started leaving. Everyone’s voices grew lively, probably due to the tension being released.
Upon leaving the venue, Yujiro sighed.
The sky was already dark, and the store and street lights shined brightly on the sidewalk.
(It’s finally over...)
He did everything he could. All he had to do now was wait for the results.
“Hm, it’s over.”
“It was really fun! Asuka, I want to eat some pudding! Pudding, pudding, pudding!”
Asuka and Kanata came out talking happily.
“Don’t say pudding so much, you’re not a child. So where do you want to eat pudding?”
“Eh? Over there, over there, over there!”
“That’s too much...”
They were two people who went at their own pace the whole time, from beginning to end.
Did they believe they could pass the second screening easily? They might believe that no one rivalled them. Yujiro watched their retreating backs with a look of disinterest.
“Gross.”
“Gag.”
He heard a voice speaking at the same time as himself. He looked next to himself and saw the boy with the badge 560. He was getting real sick of this guy.
“...What?”
“What do you want?”
“You said something to me just now.”
“What? I didn’t say anything. Do you think everyone’s watching you all the time? You’re too self conscious, you know?” The other replied in a rude tone.
Yujiro took a deep breath.
“Because I want to sing!” He imitated the voice of the other from the interview, and his face dropped to annoyance. “Are you a child or something? Even kids have better answers. If you want to sing, go do karaoke.” He waved his hand with a dumb expression.
If he came to the audition with only that feeling, then taking him on seriously would be a nuisance.
The other turned away from him.
“I want to stand on the stage~!” He was getting revenge, as he imitated Yujiro’s voice. “Didn’t you stand on the stage earlier? You got your wish.” The boy 560 shrugged.
Yujiro glared at him, and he glared back.
(After all...this guy’s the worst!)
“Please return home immediately!” The woman in the suit raised her voice, “oh, it’s you two again!”
The boy made a disgusted face. “Well, I hope I never see you again!”
Yujiro glared at him. “Oh yeah?! I’ll make sure I never meet you again no matter what! And if we do, then don’t call out to me!”
“Who would call out to you!?”
The two turned away from each other aggressively with loud “hmph!’s”, and started stomping off in different directions.
(I can’t believe I had to see such a stupid face!)
✨
President Tamura and Manager Uchida remained at the large venue where the screening was conducted. The boys of FT4 were with them.
“Ah...fighting like that in public...how problematic...” The manager, Uchida Mayu, sighed and felt a headache coming on.
Before and after the audition, 410 and 560 kept arguing.
“It was fun to watch. It’s stupid to have a fight at an audition, though.” Megu of FT4 laughed while sitting on an audience chair. He was the smallest among the group.
Yui, who was sitting beside him, agreed.
“But those two aren’t bad at all, huh? Not as good as I am, though.” Dai answered, holding his fedora back with his finger.
“If they trained well, they could be really good.” Rio said with a serious expression.
The members of FT4 were impressed with them. Certainly, compared to the other participants, the two were shining more brightly when they sang and danced. They were outstanding.
“No matter how talented you are, you can’t make it if you don’t have cooperation!”
It wasn’t just annoying if there were scandals or problems, it was also a big pain for the office. Those two were people they had to watch out for.
“Hey, president...” Manager Uchida looked at her.
President Tamura was talking to a boy with glasses at the doorway.
“Thanks to you, the audition was exciting. Thank you very much.”
“They had a good experience here, thank you too, President Tamura.”
President Tamura and a boy with glasses shook hands with a smile.
Manager Uchida walked up to the two of them. “President, who’s this?” He was a boy about the same age as the participants. Maybe a high school student. He had been watching the audition from the audience chairs.
“Maeda-kun. He helped liven up this audition.”
Manager Uchida tilted her head to the side. “Helped liven..?”
The boy named Maeda noticed his phone ringing. “Excuse me,” he murmured and answered the phone. “Yes, Asuka, are you and Kanata together....eh? Pudding? Oh...good.” As he nodded, Maeda left the venue while talking.
Mayu wasn’t sure who he was, but he knew the president. He seemed like a calm and mature child.
“Tamura-san.” Iv of FT4 called out to President Tamura, walking over. “Did anyone make your heart flutter?”
When asked, President Tamura grinned in satisfaction. “Yes, I found it.”
Manager Uchida handed over some documents with their photos and profiles.
