A few days later
Stage SEKAI
1
Airi
(Focus your energy on your fingertips...)
2
Airi
(Look straight at the audience and stop on a dime...!)
3
Miku
Wow... That was perfect!
4
Luka
Yes, the way you turned and shifted your eyes was probably the best you'd ever done so far.
5
Airi
Really? Thank goodness!
6
Airi
Then, since that just about covers everything for the chorus, I'd like for you guys to dissect how I do from the middle of the song.
7
Airi
I know the festival's right around the corner, but I feel that I still have some room left for improvement...
8
Luka
I understand why you feel so anxious, but you've been practicing for a while now. Why don't we take a quick break here?
9
Airi
Huh?
But I can still—
10
Airi
I've been at it for two hours already?
I completely lost track of the time.
11
Rin
Yeah, you did!
So, you should take a break and stay hydrated!
12
Miku
Hehe. It's like you and Rin are wearing each others' shoes today, Airi.
13
Airi
Yeah, but Rin's right.
So, I'll take a quick break now.
14
Rin
Okay, good!
In the meantime, I'm gonna keep practicing doing my poses.
15
Airi
You've been practicing doing poses?
16
Rin
Yup! Seeing you work so hard also made me want to practice. I've been having Miku and Luka teach me what to do!
17
Rin
So, as for the last pose for this song I've been practicing...
18
Rin
How does this look?
19
Rin
It's meant to show the crowd that I want to fill them with lots of energy because I love them all so much!
20
Airi
I like it!
It's super cute and suits you really well, Rin!
21
Airi
Actually, wait...
You could magnify that effect a little more by spreading your arms—
22
Rin
Airi, no!
You're supposed to be taking a break right now!
23
Airi
Oh... R-Right.
24
Luka
Hehe.
I don't think I've ever seen Rin scold you before, Airi.
25
Airi
Well, this is embarrassing...
But I couldn't just stay silent knowing that I had a chance to help you improve.
26
Miku
That makes sense since you love idols so much, Airi.
27
Miku
That is also why I think you're going above and beyond this time around.
28
Airi
I guess so...
29
Rin
Your goal is to become an idol who can do it all, right? Someone who can sing, dance and is great at speaking. A super idol.
30
Luka
Yes. As far as becoming this “ideal idol” is concerned, you've raised the bar quite high...
31
Luka
But you're doing everything you can to overcome that hurdle.
32
Airi
I am.
33
Airi
I remember discussing with Len the other day about how I'd convinced myself somewhere along the way that I had a certain role to play...
34
Airi
Which is why I thought I could break free of that confinement and become a super idol who can do it all...
35
Airi
But that ended up being harder than I expected. As it turns out, my habit of drawing lines for myself ran really deep.
36
Rin
That deep?
37
Airi
Yeah. As an idol, I'd really only ever thought about my role and how to maximize my potential while trying to fulfill it.
38
Airi
For example, I avoided trying to perform like Haruka and Shizuku because I thought it'd be too difficult... As a result, I neglected acquiring those skills.
39
Rin
*Gasp*
40
Miku
I see. So that's why you asked Haruka and Shizuku to teach you this time around.
41
Airi
That's right. I realized that I'd never be able to become that ideal super idol I've envisioned if I sat back and did nothing to improve those areas.
42
Airi
But... It really hasn't been easy.
Shizuku and Haruka have been running me ragged every day!
43
Rin
Airi...
44
Luka
But you're having fun, yes?
45
Rin
Huh...?
46
Airi
Yup!
I have been having fun!
47
Airi
I know this is eating up a lot of Shizuku and Haruka's time, so I probably shouldn't be saying this out loud...
48
Airi
But I wish they'd keep training me even after the festival's over!
49
Miku
W-Wow...!
50
Rin
Yeah, I mean...
There have been a few days lately where you've been so sore that you couldn't really move...
51
Airi
That doesn't make it any less fun.
It's been a gradual process, but I've definitely been improving. I feel like I'm getting closer to becoming that ideal idol.
52
Airi
Also...
53
Airi
I realized that I'd been wasting so much time by avoiding things that I felt didn't suit me.
54
Miku
Huh...?
55
Airi
Everything those two have been teaching me has been extremely hard for me to learn.
56
Airi
But acquiring these new skills and abilities has required me to make use of the ones I've cultivated so far.
57
Airi
Which means nothing is ultimately going to waste. So...
58
Airi
I'm done drawing lines in the sand. I'm done believing how this or that doesn't suit me because I'm a certain way.
59
Airi
So, all of you...
Please tell me if you see me doing that again without realizing it.
60
Rin
Okay!
We'll be sure to tell you if that happens!
61
Miku
And we promise to keep giving you all the support we can so that you can become that ideal idol!
62
Airi
Hehe. Thanks!
63
Airi
Anyway, I've rested long enough...
Let's get back to what we were doing, shall we?
64
Airi
The festival's just a few days away, so we need to make use of every second that we have left!
65
Luka
Right.
I'll also help in any way I can.
66
Rin
You can do it, Airi!
Next Chapter: To the Stage!