Take the Best Shot! - 5: A Rival Appears!

One hour later

Nonogi Park

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1

Kohane

Oh wow...!
The photo we just took is in tenth place now...!

2

Kohane

And everyone's commenting on how cool you look, Aoyagi!

3

Toya

I'm a little embarrassed, but this wouldn't have been possible without either of you.

4

Haruka

Hehe. I'd like to think it's the result of our great teamwork.

5

Kohane

Still, I wasn't expecting it to do this well...

6

Haruka

This ability to share your thoughts about the entries you like with others online may be having a bigger effect than we realized.

7

Haruka

We might actually win that prize if this keeps up...

8

Toya

But the rankings are changing really fast because of all the last-minute entries. If possible, I'd like to see ours rise a little higher.

9

Haruka

Me too.
Why don't we post a second photo if we think it can do better?

10

Kohane

Yeah! There's a lot of nice spots around here, maybe we can change up—

11

???

Hey, I dunno if I hold this pose.
My legs are really starting to wobble.

12

???

You are basically doing a wall sit...

13

???

Just a little bit longer, Ena!
The light's coming through the trees and leaves is hitting your face just right!

14

???

O-Okay, but you need to hurry...!

15

???

Alright, smile...!

16

Haruka

Hm? That voice...

17

Haruka

Airi! Shizuku!

18

Airi & Shizuku

Huh?

19

Toya

Ena?

20

Ena

T-Toya?!
What are you...? Wah!

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21

Airi

Oh no! Ena, are you okay?!

22

Ena

Y-Yeah...
I got so startled that I lost my balance...

23

Ena

More importantly, Toya, what are you doing here? Wait, Azusawa, Kiritani, you're here too...?

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24

Ena

Wait a second...! Those clothes, that camera...! Were you guys taking photos for that contest?!

25

Haruka, Kohane & Toya

What?

26

Kohane

Wait, how do you know about the photo contest...?

27

Shizuku

Because she's in it.

28

Haruka

She is?

29

Airi

I was wondering why Toya's picture turned out so well. I didn't realize you were helping him, Haruka.

30

Shizuku

Did you take this photo, Kohane?
We were all surprised by how good it looked.

31

Kohane

Th-Thank you very much...!

32

Ena

But our next one is gonna be better!

33

Kohane

What?

34

Ena

So, the pic I took got leapfrogged by the one of Toya you guys took.

35

Toya

Oh, I'm sorry...
I didn't know you also entered...

36

Ena

You don't have to apologize...
But I'm taking back my place in the rankings!

37

Airi

We're helping her with a new entry, so don't think this is over yet!

38

Haruka

Sounds like we've got a heated rivalry on our hands.

39

Kohane

Y-Yeah...!

40

Kohane

(But...)

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41

Kohane

I'm not going to back down either...!

42

Ena

Let's all do our best.

43

Kohane

Yes, let's...!

44

Ena

Hey, what if we tried taking one with these flowers?

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45

Shizuku

Oh, they're so pretty.
Just like you, Ena.

46

Airi

But they're a little too low to the ground. Getting them in the same frame won't be easy...

47

Shizuku

Right. Even if you sat next to them, I'm not sure how that would look overall.

48

Ena

Then, why don't I try lying down...?

49

Airi

Yeah, good call!
Taking the photo is gonna look a little funny, but that won't matter if we can get it to work! Let's give it a try...!

50

Airi

Wait, what if we had some petals fall towards you while you're on the ground? Imagine how wondrous that would look!

51

Ena

Whoa, that's a great idea!

52

Shizuku

Then, let's start gathering up some of these petals.

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53

Toya

Oh...

54

Toya

Sorry, I blinked... The sun's just so bright...

55

Haruka

I agree that it might be a little too bright here.

56

Kohane

Then, we can try taking it the other way around.

57

Toya

The other way around? So, the sun would be behind me? That'd certainly help me, but the backlight might be...

58

Kohane

You can take really pretty photos if you know how to use it.

59

Kohane

If you lower the shutter speed just right...

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60

Haruka

Wow, that's incredible...
The way his hair and clothes are being bathed in sunlight is so beautiful.

61

Haruka

Plus, the contrast between light and dark gives it depth. It really helps pull in the viewer.

62

Kohane

Yeah, but the shadow over his face looks a little too dark. I'll try taking the next one from a slightly different angle.

A few hours later

63

Kohane

Our second one isn't getting many likes...

64

Haruka

Yeah...
I thought it was just as good as our first one, but our luck and timing may not have been...

65

Toya

Not to mention all the other entries coming in at the last minute. Our second one may've been swept away by that tide.

66

Toya

And our first one's lost its spot...
That means we'll need to turn things around with our third one.

67

Kohane

Right...!

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68

Ena

How are things going, Azusawa?

69

Kohane

Oh, hi! What are you all doing back...?

70

Ena

We came to see how you guys were doing after uploading our second pic.

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71

Airi

But it looks like you're kinda stuck.

72

Haruka

Yeah, it just isn't that easy.

73

Toya

If only there were a way for me to pose better...

74

Shizuku

Hm...?
If you're going with that pose, Aoyagi, you may want to lower your chin a little bit.

75

Toya

Thank you.
Like this...?

76

Shizuku

Yes, that's perfect.

77

Airi

Wait, Shizuku, why are you helping them?!

78

Shizuku

Oh, right...!
I'm so sorry.

79

Toya

If anything, I should be the one apologizing.

80

Toya

I'm sorry, Momoi.
I didn't mean to place Hinomori in a position where she felt compelled to give me advice...

81

Airi

Hey, wait...!
Now I'm starting to feel bad about what I just said!

82

Ena

Geez, you two are way too polite...

83

Kohane

B-By the way, Ena, can I see your latest photo...?

84

Ena

Yeah, sure. Just gimme a sec to bring it up.

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85

Ena

Here, check it out.

86

Kohane

Wow... You look so pretty...!

87

Kohane

And all these flower petals! They're beautiful!

88

Ena

Hehe. Thanks.
We worked hard for this one.

89

Airi

We gathered up as many petals as we could and used a fan to blow them around. You wouldn't believe how hard it was to take this picture while doing all that...

90

Toya

I see...
You all put quite a lot of effort for this one photo.

91

Haruka

Yeah, I'm impressed...

92

Ena

B-But I'm guessing it's easy for professional idols like you to strike a pose and smile at the camera...

93

Haruka

No, that's not true.

94

Ena

What?

95

Haruka

The way your eyes glisten and how delicate your fingers look... This is the sort of cuteness that I'd want to enshrine somewhere forever.

96

Haruka

You seem to know exactly what you want the person on the other side to see.

97

Haruka

I heard from Airi that you're very good at taking selfies, but this goes beyond that. Again, I'm impressed.

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98

Ena

M-My eyes...!

99

Ena

W-What just happened...?!
I thought my heart was gonna explode...

Airi

And this is what Haruka can do in default mode. Just some food for thought.

Ena

Y-Yeah...

Ena

(I think I'm starting to get why Minori's such a huge fan...)

Kohane

Oh...

Kohane

(The photo Ena and the other's just took is skyrocketing...)

Kohane

(And it should be getting a lot of likes.
I mean, it's just so gorgeous.)

Kohane

(Wait, it's already ahead of our second one. At this rate, our first one's also going to be...)

Kohane

(Don't worry...
We still have a chance. We're allowed to take one more.)

Kohane

(And we're going to get into the top ten no matter what!)

Kohane

(Because I want An and Shinonome to have those chocolates...!)

Kohane

(Which means I have to take something better than what Ena and the other's just did...)

Haruka

We're not giving up just yet...

Kohane

Right...!

Kohane

Uhh... Our next photo is going to be even better than the one you all just took! Just you wait...!

Airi

Hehe. That's the spirit!

Ena

Which means we also need to keep doing our best, Airi, Shizuku.

Shizuku & Airi

Right!

Next Chapter: The Photos From That Day