Mogami Shizuka and Kitazawa Shiho.
Idols, but also worthy rivals.

Chapter 17: Between Today and Tomorrow

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Here's the demo track and dance DVD for our new song.
Producer-san gave me your part to hand over.

Thank you, Shiho. Hope we work well together during this.
This new song...

If it goes well, we'll perform it at the fest, apparently.
At that large stage.

I'm certain that I'll pass the audition, so I'll just say this one thing:
Come at me with all you've got.


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Shizuka?

It's time for children to sleep, right? Turn off the air conditioner and go to bed.
Okay, mother.

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"Come at me with all you've got."
Of course.
I want to be in the fest just as much.

I'm...going to be a top idol, after all!

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Good morning, Shizuka-chan!
Mirai, good morning.

Hey, look at this! These are my signatures?
Which one do you think is good?

Let's see...
I think it's the heart one. But the music note one matches with yours, and that's pretty good, too!

And you know what? I'm going to be on a radio show with Arisa-chan, and...
(Listen to this!)
Ah, sorry, Mirai.

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I have to go do unit training now.
Huh? But you just came back?
Yeah, but I'll call you tonight.

(Do your best!)

Tsubasa! Good m-...
(Look at this!)
Mirai~!

Help me!

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Tsubasaa!

Alright, time for unit training.
Aww, don't wanna, it's tough~ Juliano, you meanie~

My stomach hurts~
(Can't I?)
Liar!

Your stomach...?

[Dark Sailor Intensifies]

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Understood, Tsubasa-chan! Let's go to the hospital! It would be bad if it were some odd sickness!
T-the hospital!?
Don't worry!  I'll attend to you for everything even at home!
(Would it be over if I stayed over!?)
It's no problem if you double...no, triple your practice after you get better to make up for time resting!
Three times!?

Ah, I think I'm better now.
(Not good)
Really!?
That's good to know, Tsubasa-chan!

Then let's go to unit training! We were delayed by an hour, so let's extend it by two hours!
(Sayo's amazing)
Tsubasa lost...!

(I'll buy you some ice cream afterwards, so let's do our best? Okay?

Ah! I was so overwhelmed that I forgot to greet them!
Me too...

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Tsubasa and Shizuka seem to be busy with their unit lessons, it's an important audition, after all.

And I'm...

Looking at everyone like this, I feel a bit envious.
Becoming everyone's strength is what I believe to be the true Japanese beauty.
With that said, I would like be in a uni-...small musical group as well.

Cooperation, and harmony.

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Those are the aesthetics of Japan!
I'll become even more dilligent!

(One, two, three four)

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Wah!
Serika!?

Are you alright?
I'm sorry, Shizuka-san.
It's okay, don't worry.

It's not okay, you know?
Shiho?

Like with yesterday,
Once you become tired, you immediately become sloppy and your feet stagger.
Are you sure you're not lacking in fundamental training?

I-I'm sorry, Shiho-san.
It's not like I wanted you to apologize.

Okay, eyes over here!

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And here she is~!

The team's mood maker, everyone's idol, Akane-chan, bursts on the scene!

Uh...so in regards to Akane-chan...it looks like the current subject is raising the entire team's stamina.

(Sneeze)

Ah, sorry about that, please continue.
Were we talking about if it was alright that Shiho-chan and Shizuka-chan's movements were small compared to mine?
Hold the phone, Reika-chan just broke full throttle into the Akane-chan zone~!

Reika-san's dance has the largest moves out of all of us.
In comparison, Nonohara-san has speed and crispness of her moves.
And there's the three of us who can't match up with them...

We can't pass the audition like this...

Excuse me, Reika-san.

Could you make your movements a bit more compact? To match up with everyone's...

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Hold it, Shizuka!
Do you think that would work on the fest's stage!?

Well...but we don't have a choice.
We have to synchronize as a unit first.
Ah...
Sh, Shizuka-san!

Serika?
Don't worry, it's not your fault.

That's not it. I...
I...

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I, want to...
Work even harder.

Serika...
So it's practice, then. We have to keep doing it until then.
Well~ Mogamin has a point about getting a proper foundation first, too~

Our opinions are also scattered.
And to start with, despite it being a small unit, our singing voices, endurance, and physiques are too different.
Not that I'm going to say anything about Producer-san's selection skills.
Shiho...

---

I don't know why,
It's with these five.

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Shiizuka-chan!

Mirai.
Good work today! Did you finish unit training?
Yes, I was just about to leave.

Is that a thermos? That's rare to see.
Yeah, you know, I...

You seemed busy preparing for the fest recently, so...

I was wonder what I could do as support. So I made a special drink to give you energy!
Ehehe, will you drink it?

---

Thank you for the drink.

Don't hold back, down it in one go! It has lots of garlic, so it's bound to give you energy!
(Gar...)

(Swallow)
How was it? Do you feel any energy? How about now?

---

Mirai...did you taste this?
Ah...! I forgot...

I'm sorry, Shizuka-chan!
I was so focused on the ingredients that I forgot about the flavor! It didn't taste that good!?
It would be good to not let others drink it in the meantime...

But...

Thank you for worrying about me.

Next time I'll make sure to sample it, and I'll have Minako-chan teach me!
So there's a next time...

---

(I want to work even harder.)

---

Match up with everyone a bit more...

Do you think that would work on the fest's stage!?

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Shiho?

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Shiho!

Shizuka.
So it was you, after all.
What a coincidence.

You're running, right? Since we're in the same unit and all, how about doing it together?
I'll pass. I want to run at my own pace.
See you.

---

Ah, such nice weather!
The sun's blessing Akane-chan too, I see~

What's this?

That's...Mogamin and...
Shihorin?

Hey, you two! How lucky are you that you get to meet Akane-chan this early in the morn...
-ing...

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This is the first time Akane-chan's been ignored with such force...

J-just stop already...
H,how long do you plan to follow me!?

Until you...stop...

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I, I'm going to say it outright!
You're in the way!

Fine by me!

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[Running]

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Mountain climbing? With Serika?

Yes, it was over the weekend with Reika-san.
This is a picture at the summit.

We at curry at the summit, right~?
It was in a bag, like magic!
I see.

I didn't know your hobby was climbing mountains.

Serika-chan was pretty impressve to climb up until the end.
Ehehe,
It was actually really tough along the way.

---

Looking at Reika-san's straight figure from behind...
I thought about having to keep up myself.

Hello, over here~!
Akane-chan's got the answer!

Reika-san's endurance and lung capacity are a result of mountain climbing, right?
I think I was born with it?
What!?

Sorry to keep you waiting.

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Let's start today's lesson.

Finished! Special Mirai Drink No.2!

---

This time it actually tastes good, so I hope Shizuka-chan likes it.

Is this the new song?
It's Shizuka-chan's voice, but...

It feels...
Different from before...?

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Shizuka, your movements are too slow!
The center shouldn't be looking around! How disgraceful!

Serika-chan, jump higher!
Follow it in movement and don't mind the height!

Okay!

What...is this?

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Are they fighting?
Everyone's yelling at each other.

Bodies and bodies,

Voices and voices, hitting each other...

Being played.

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So this is what Shizuka-chan's song is like...

It's not that beautiful. The sound is a bit off, but...

But...

I'm getting...really excited!

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So you CAN do it!

Of course!

...Still in darkness for now, to make a bright light.