A few weeks later
Joint Rehearsal Venue
1
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Minori

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

2
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Haruka

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

3
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Shizuku

So many in one place. This is incredible.

I'm even seeing some faces that I recognize from TV.

4
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Minori

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

5
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Saito

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

6
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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
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Haruka

Yeah.

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

8
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Haruka

Oh...

9
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Airi

What's up?

10
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Haruka

Mr. Hiiragi's over there...

I think I'll go say hi to him.

11
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Saito

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

12
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Minori

What?!

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

13
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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
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Airi

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

15
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Haruka

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

16
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Haruka

Hello, Mr. Hiiragi.

It's been quite a while.

17
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Hiiragi

Kiritani? It has been a while...

I'm glad to see that you're doing well.

18
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Hiiragi

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

19
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Haruka

Me neither.

This wasn't quite how I expected us to meet again.

20
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Haruka

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

21
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Minori

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

22
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Shizuku

Haruka's told us all about you, Mr. Hiiragi.

We're looking forward to working with you very much.

23
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Hiiragi

Thank you for taking the time to do this.

I also look forward to working with all of you.

24
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Haruka

Also, Mr. Hiiragi...

There's something I've been meaning to tell you.

25
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Minori

Haruka?

26
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Haruka

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

27
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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
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Haruka

I really can't thank you enough.

29
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Airi

Haruka...

30
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Hiiragi

I see you're still as polite as ever.

31
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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
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Haruka

Right.

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

33
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Saito

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

34
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Hiiragi

Oh, in that case...

35
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???

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

36
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???

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
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Shizuku

Y-You're...!

38
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???

Slow down, Akari.

You haven't even introduced yourself yet.

39
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Chiharu

Sorry about that.

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

40
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Yu

Nice to meet you.

41
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Chiharu

And Miss Sunshine here is...

42
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Akari

Oh, I'm Akari Enosaki!

43
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Akari

Sorry if I startled you guys.

I just got so excited after seeing that you're really here...

44
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Minori

I-It's them...

It's really ReLight...!

45
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Chiharu

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

46
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Staff Member

Excuse me, Mr. Hiiragi?

We have that meeting soon and...

47
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Hiiragi

Oh, is it that time already?

48
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Hiiragi

Sorry, but you'll have to excuse me here.

Be on your best behavior, Enosaki.

49
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Akari

Oh... Sir, yessir...!

Take care, Mr. Producer!

50
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Airi

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

51
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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
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Haruka

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

53
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Akari

Of course we recognize you!

54
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Akari

Also, please stop being so formal!

You're our seniors when it comes to being idols!

55
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Minori

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

56
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Airi

We'd like to keep things friendly as well.

57
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Airi

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

58
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Minori

You're all so good at singing and dancing...!

I get so excited every time I see you on TV!

59
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Yu

Our performances get you that excited...?

60
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Chiharu

Thank you for saying that!

That's actually what we're going for as idols!

61
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Airi

Huh...?

62
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Akari

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

63
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Akari

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

64
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Haruka

All across Japan...?

65
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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
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Akari

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

67
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Shizuku

Yes, likewise.

68
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Airi

(Through their singing and dancing...)

69
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Airi

(That sounds like us...)

70
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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
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Yu

Oh, that's us.

72
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Chiharu

Right, we're up first.

Let's go.

73
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Akari

Please watch if you have time!

We promise to do everything we can to make our joint performance the best show ever!

74
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Airi

Yeah, we will.

Break a leg!

75
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Haruka

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

76
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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
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Minori

Me too!

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

78
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Shizuku

Oh, they're starting.

79
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Minori

Huh...?

80
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Haruka

Their expressions...

81
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Akari

Let's go.

82
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Airi

...!

83
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Chiharu

♪——————!!!

84
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Yu

♪——~~!!

85
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Shizuku

W-Wow...

86
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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
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Haruka

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

88
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Minori

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

89
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Minori

But this is unreal.

I can't take my eyes off them.

90
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Airi

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

91
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Idols

...

92
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Airi

(Everyone's totally awestruck.

The way they're making eye contact with the audience and using their fingers...)

93
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Airi

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

94
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Akari

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

95
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Airi

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

96
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Airi

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

97
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Airi

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

Next Chapter: A Lit Flame