A few days later
Production Office

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Shizuku

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Good morning!
2

Shizuku

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I'm Shizuku Hinomori from MORE MORE JUMP! Thank you for having me here today.
3

Staff Member

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Yes, thank you for coming.
We're almost ready to begin fitting you, so please have a seat and wait here.
4

Shizuku

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Understood.
5

Shizuku

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(All we're doing today is trying on our outfits for the shoot.)
6

Shizuku

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(But everybody involved is here, so I have to stay focused.)

Sound Effect: Play

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Hinomori.
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Shizuku

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Oh, Hagiyama...!
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Once again, I look forward to working with you on this commercial.
10

Shizuku

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Yes, I'm also looking forward to working with you.
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Shizuku

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You were so incredible during that audition. I promise to do everything I can in order to keep up with you.
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Thank you...
I really appreciate you saying that, Hinomori.
13

Shizuku

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So, Hagiyama...
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Shizuku

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Can you tell me what was going through your mind during the audition?
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What was going through my mind...?
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Shizuku

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Yes.
I know it's a very open-ended question...
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Shizuku

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But I'd like to have a better understanding of your thought process, since we're going to be working together.
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Shizuku

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I want to know how you were able to shine so brilliantly that time.
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...
I just...
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My thought was...
To pose in a way which exceeded everyone's expectations.

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21

Shizuku

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Their expectations...?
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Yes.
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I have to keep going above and beyond.
My presence has to be powerful enough to blow others away.
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I was sure that was the answer, so I decided to pose accordingly.
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After all, the theme of this commercial demands that from us...
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And more importantly, I think that's how a top idol ought to be, at all times.
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But I'm still nowhere near that level.
I have to keep finding ways to improve.
28

Shizuku

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Hagiyama...
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Shizuku

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(But she's already so dazzling.
Despite that, she still feels...)
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Shizuku

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(No, her resolve is precisely why her technical acuity is so high.)
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Shizuku

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(But I...)
One hour later
Fitting Area
32

Stylists

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Okay!
I'm seeing no issues with your outfit!
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Stylists

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Actually, I'm sorry...
I need to quickly go ask about which accessories we'll be using, so would you mind waiting here for a bit? Call it a short break.
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Shizuku

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Yes, that's fine.
35

Shizuku

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(It seems like they'll be done fitting me very soon...)
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Shizuku

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(Which means I need to begin strengthening my resolve in preparation for our shoot...)
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Shizuku

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(No...
I can think that all I want, but I don't actually know how to do that...)
38

Shizuku

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I'm sorry, but...
I'd like to go for a bit of fresh air.

Sound Effect: Play

39

Shizuku

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Phew...
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Shizuku

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(Keep it together...
I can't let this chance slip.)
41

Oikawa's Voice

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Yikes, what do we do now?
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Shizuku

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(Huh? Mr. Oikawa...?
And that looks like the director, Mr. Saeki, next to him...)
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Director

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I don't know...
Our client has every right to make this request, but as things stand, the balance just isn't there...

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Oikawa

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Right. Hinomori isn't bad for this...
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Oikawa

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But she sort of pales in comparison to Hagiyama's brilliant aura.
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Shizuku

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(Oh...)
47

Shizuku

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(It's just as I suspected...)
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Shizuku

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(But I don't blame them for feeling that way. It's true, compared to her, I leave a lot to be desired in skill and in mindset...)
49

Shizuku

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(I have to accept that, and keep finding ways to improve.)
50

Oikawa

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Maybe asking Hinomori to audition was a mistake...
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Director

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Oh, were you the one who said to get her in to audition for this?
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Oikawa

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Yeah, it was me.
We didn't stand to gain much since she doesn't belong to an agency, but I wanted to see that aura again.
53

Shizuku

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(What...?)
54

Oikawa

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You wouldn't believe how dazzling she was back then. She was just like Hagiyama. No, even more brilliant...
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Shizuku

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...!
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Shizuku

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(Mr. Oikawa...
He thought that highly of me...?)
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Shizuku

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(But to say I possessed an aura that was more brilliant than Hagiyama's seems...)
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Oikawa

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She told me herself.
When I asked her why a fifteen-year-old girl like her had such a driven look about her.
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Oikawa

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She said...

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Oikawa

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“Because I'm the lead of Cheerful * Days.”
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Director

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Really...? Well, I guess anyone would feel that way if they were the lead of a group like Cheerful * Days.
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Oikawa

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*Nod*
It just goes to show that people change when they have something to lose.
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Director

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True...
That being said, if we don't see some improvement, then things aren't going to go well.
64

Oikawa

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Right...
If things don't immediately go well, then we'll have to redo the storyboards with Hagiyama as the sole focus.
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Oikawa

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It's a real shame, thinking about that brilliance. But at the end of the day, business is business.
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Shizuku

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...!
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Shizuku

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(Mr. Oikawa asked me to audition because he was so impressed by the way I was back then...)

Sound Effect: Play

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Shizuku

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(But I'm falling short of his expectations...!)
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Shizuku

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(I don't want to disappoint him any further...!)
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Shizuku

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(Because if I fail here, then he and the others will likely never ask me to work with them ever again.)
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Shizuku

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(Not only will that affect my future, it may even jeopardize the future of MORE MORE JUMP!)
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Shizuku

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(I accepted this audition looking to lift everyone up. If I were to drag them down instead... No, I won't let that happen.)
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Shizuku

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I have to get myself together...!!
Next Chapter: Me Back Then