Chase My Ideal Idol! - 2: A New Encounter

A few weeks later

Joint Rehearsal Venue

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1

Minori

Th-This is where we're having our joint rehearsal?!

2

Haruka

I guess these are all the idols who are going to be performing at Idol Lovers...

3

Shizuku

So many in one place. This is incredible.
I'm even seeing some faces that I recognize from TV.

4

Minori

S-So many famous idols in one spot... I-Is it really okay for someone like me to be here...?!

5

Saito

But you're a famous idol in your own right now, too, Minori.

6

Airi

Still, I think I'm in the same boat as her this time around. Seeing all these established groups in one place is pretty overwhelming.

7

Haruka

Yeah.
They each have a distinct aura to them, you know?

8

Haruka

Oh...

9

Airi

What's up?

10

Haruka

Mr. Hiiragi's over there...
I think I'll go say hi to him.

11

Saito

In that case, why don't we all take this opportunity to go over and greet him?

12

Minori

What?!
Greet him?! But he's the producer that made ASRUN!

13

Minori

Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-What am I supposed to say...?! Should I start by thanking him for turning Haruka Kiritani into a super idol...?!

14

Airi

I wouldn't based on why you're here right now. You'd probably really confuse him if you did.

15

Haruka

Hehe. I want to introduce all of you to him, so let's go over.

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16

Haruka

Hello, Mr. Hiiragi.
It's been quite a while.

17

Hiiragi

Kiritani? It has been a while...
I'm glad to see that you're doing well.

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18

Hiiragi

I never thought that my group would end up performing with your new group like this.

19

Haruka

Me neither.
This wasn't quite how I expected us to meet again.

20

Haruka

Anyway, I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to everyone in MORE MORE JUMP!

21

Minori

N-N-Nice to meet you...!

22

Shizuku

Haruka's told us all about you, Mr. Hiiragi.
We're looking forward to working with you very much.

23

Hiiragi

Thank you for taking the time to do this.
I also look forward to working with all of you.

24

Haruka

Also, Mr. Hiiragi...
There's something I've been meaning to tell you.

25

Minori

Haruka?

26

Haruka

I know I ended up causing you a lot of trouble after I made my decision to leave ASRUN.

27

Haruka

But everything you taught me when I was still a member has had a big impact on my life. Even now, your knowledge serves as a guide for my work.

28

Haruka

I really can't thank you enough.

29

Airi

Haruka...

30

Hiiragi

I see you're still as polite as ever.

31

Hiiragi

But you don't need to thank me.
After all, you're no longer a member of ASRUN. Now, you're Haruka Kiritani from MORE MORE JUMP!

32

Haruka

Right.
But we really are looking forward to working with you on this performance.

33

Saito

So, if it's possible, we'd like to greet everyone from ReLight as well...

34

Hiiragi

Oh, in that case...

35

???

Wow, it really is MORE MORE JUMP! Nice to meet you!

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36

???

I watch your streams all the time!
Also, I was so moved by the way you made those bookmarks for everyone on “The Town Revitalization Team!”

37

Shizuku

Y-You're...!

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38

???

Slow down, Akari.
You haven't even introduced yourself yet.

39

Chiharu

Sorry about that.
I'm Chiharu Tsubaki from ReLight. This is Yu Hagiyama.

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40

Yu

Nice to meet you.

41

Chiharu

And Miss Sunshine here is...

42

Akari

Oh, I'm Akari Enosaki!

43

Akari

Sorry if I startled you guys.
I just got so excited after seeing that you're really here...

44

Minori

I-It's them...
It's really ReLight...!

45

Chiharu

So, there's actually four more of us, but they're all getting ready somewhere else.

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46

Staff Member

Excuse me, Mr. Hiiragi?
We have that meeting soon and...

47

Hiiragi

Oh, is it that time already?

48

Hiiragi

Sorry, but you'll have to excuse me here.
Be on your best behavior, Enosaki.

49

Akari

Oh... Sir, yessir...!
Take care, Mr. Producer!

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50

Airi

(They seem pretty nice as far as I can tell.)

51

Airi

(I guess those rumors about their agency doing all the heavy lifting and them not having the best personalities were just that. Rumors.)

52

Haruka

Thank you for coming over to introduce yourselves. Also, we weren't sure you'd recognize us...

53

Akari

Of course we recognize you!

54

Akari

Also, please stop being so formal!
You're our seniors when it comes to being idols!

55

Minori

S-Seniors?! No, but...!

56

Airi

We'd like to keep things friendly as well.

57

Airi

Incidentally, we were just talking about how we stand to learn a lot from such a famous group.

58

Minori

You're all so good at singing and dancing...!
I get so excited every time I see you on TV!

59

Yu

Our performances get you that excited...?

60

Chiharu

Thank you for saying that!
That's actually what we're going for as idols!

61

Airi

Huh...?

62

Akari

Everyone, including our producer, has been saying how we still need a lot of work...

63

Akari

But we want to become idols who can make people all across Japan smile through our singing and dancing!

64

Haruka

All across Japan...?

65

Akari

We've been putting a ton of effort into our singing and dancing, so we couldn't be happier to hear MORE MORE JUMP! praise us like this since you're basically our heroes!

66

Akari

We believe that we have a lot to learn from you as well. We're really looking forward to performing with you!

67

Shizuku

Yes, likewise.

68

Airi

(Through their singing and dancing...)

69

Airi

(That sounds like us...)

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70

Staff Member

Thank you for your patience!
Would everyone from ReLight please join us on the stage? We'd like to do a quick run from the top!

71

Yu

Oh, that's us.

72

Chiharu

Right, we're up first.
Let's go.

73

Akari

Please watch if you have time!
We promise to do everything we can to make our joint performance the best show ever!

74

Airi

Yeah, we will.
Break a leg!

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75

Haruka

I didn't know ReLight would be taking the stage first.

76

Shizuku

Me neither. I know this is just a rehearsal and not the real thing, but I'd be so nervous if I were them!

77

Minori

Me too!
My heart would probably explode if I were in their shoes...

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78

Shizuku

Oh, they're starting.

79

Minori

Huh...?

80

Haruka

Their expressions...

81

Akari

Let's go.

82

Airi

...!

83

Chiharu

♪——————!!!

84

Yu

♪——~~!!

85

Shizuku

W-Wow...

86

Haruka

Yeah, the expressions on their faces when they started... It's hard to believe that they're the same people we just talked to.

87

Haruka

It's like they were able to pull everyone into their world the second they took the stage...

88

Minori

I've seen them perform on TV many times before...

89

Minori

But this is unreal.
I can't take my eyes off them.

90

Airi

(I can't believe they're able to do this live...)

91

Idols

...

92

Airi

(Everyone's totally awestruck.
The way they're making eye contact with the audience and using their fingers...)

93

Airi

(The expressions they're making match the lyrics so well. No, it's not just that... Everything they're doing is perfect.)

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94

Akari

Everyone, including our producer, has been saying how we still need a lot of work...

95

Airi

(Who can say that they still need a lot of work...?)

96

Airi

(They're idols through and through...)

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97

Airi

(Exactly like the ones I looked up to since I was little.)

Next Chapter: A Lit Flame