bakemonoremy

TL Note: The chapter title “étoile” is French for “star”.

Location: Hanging Garden

Aira: Umm. Himemiya-senpai, I…

Tori: — I’m sorry.

Aira: Huh? You have nothing to apologize for, Himemiya-senpai…

Tori: I tested you without even letting you know how I felt, and said such horrible things to you — And for that, I’m sorry, Shiratori.

Aira: No, those… Those things were all my fault.

Tori: I really want to make this job a success.

I felt that I wanted us to become the kind of idols that people see and aspire to be like.

But there’s no point to it if I do it by myself… I felt like I could grant my wish with these members, so I got all frantic.

But you know, there was no way we were going to become a true unit just by seeing each other and talking for such a brief time.

I didn’t even realize that much. And for that, I’m sorry too.

Aira: I was the one who held everyone back yesterday… and caused so much trouble—

Tori: You can cause trouble for us.

Aira: Huh?

Tori: Saying you’re sorry is important, but more than that, I wanted you to say “thank you”!

We’re a unit, aren’t we? We’re not solo artists, not on our own. Shouldn’t we shoulder all our failures and successes together?

And that’s why it’s okay for you to cause trouble for us! That’s what we’re here for!

You were always holding back, always staying one step behind us, weren’t you, Shiratori? I hated that!

Aira: Himemiya-senpai…

Tori: You idolized us unconditionally… And that’s why I got the wrong idea about having become someone’s object of admiration.

Aira: ……....

(Himemiya-senpai… The Himemiya-senpai, of fine, the strongest unit of all…)

(He’s just the same as me…)

(Just like me, he’s struggling so much, and reaching his hand out to the stars in the night sky…)

I was under the impression that you were like a god who has everything, Himemiya-senpai.

Tori: I’m really not. I’m always frantic, you know. And the same goes for Harukawa and Hajime, too.

On the surface we’re keeping up appearances and might even make it look easy, but underneath that surface, we’re all paddling desperately to stay afloat.

What do you think? Are you disappointed to see this side of us?

Aira: Ehehe. Not even a little.

In fact, I suddenly feel closer to you guys. So we’re all the same, huh? And yet I deliberately put all that distance between us and single-handedly forced my expectations of what you should be like on you.

Tori: Well, now you know how uncool we really are. So none of that from now on, okay?

Let’s become a real unit this time, Shiratori.

Aira: I still admire Himemiya-senpai, Shino-senpai, and Harukawa-senpai for being idols, who I love so much… Even now, that won’t change.