Okay, good!
We're all set for our dance routine.
Thank goodness! I'm glad we finally figured it out...!
Thank you for coming up with this, Haruka. I'm sure the students will really enjoy this since they should be able to learn it and dance with us.
That means our show is good to go and so are all our props... Which just leaves our little sneak preview for the event!
We haven't done anything like this yet, so I'm sure our viewers will get a kick out it too!
Right. Let's keep doing our best.
But it's getting pretty late, so shall we call it a day?
Okay!
Oh, that reminds me.
How about we all visit a cafe after this? I feel like we deserve a little reward for all our hard work.
Then why don't we stop by where I work? We're doing a special dessert menu right now for a limited time!
Oh, that does sound nice.
Yes, we should go!
What do you think, Airi?
Sorry, can I get a raincheck today?
There's something I need to do after this...
Have fun, you guys!
See you later!
A-Airi...!
What's going on with her? She didn't mention anything about having to go somewhere before...
That message must really be eating away at her...
I think so too...
Huh? What are you talking about? What message?
Remember when we read all those student messages? We think Airi saw one that really bothered her.
Here... This one.
<My favorite part was when you dressed up as The Masked Variety Idol, Happy Everyday.>
<The way you fought against really strong people and fell into all those mud traps was the best! I can't believe I get to meet the real Happy Everyday!>
Yeah, I remember Happy Everyday! Airi played her on that variety show, right?!
This is what's bothering her? I don't understand...
When I was part of QT, the only job offers I would get were for variety shows.
The Airi Momoi that appeared on variety shows always wore a confident smile and never missed the opportunity for a clever quip no matter what anyone said to her.
After a while, the public started seeing me as nothing more than that girl from those shows...
Eventually, random people started saying things to me when I was just going about my own business, expecting me to have a good comeback or laugh it off...
Oh, I see...
A person's image can be a powerful thing.
Well, in my case, the hardest part was having the agency and my fans are expecting me to be Variety Show Airi Momoi...
It was pretty tough being told nobody wanted to see Airi Momoi the idol...
...
Airi hardly ever talks about her own past, so it's easy for us to believe that she isn't bothered by it anymore. But I guess it still does in some small ways...
When she was on all those variety shows, losing her identity as a proper idol just kept weighing down on her.
Right...
It'd be hard not to forget something like that...
It's true that people didn't necessarily want to see Airi as an idol...
But some time ago, when she was about to change agencies...
She told me that she feels like she hasn't been able to deliver anything to anyone as an idol.
I tried to cheer her up by saying that's not true, but it didn't help much in the end...
I see...
This also happened a while ago, but we were on a show together this one time...
Huh? Really?
Yes. It was just during a short segment for this one show where Airi briefly appeared in a video. We weren't actually on set together but...
Please continue, Haruka.
Sure. It was a thirty-second slot where Airi and her group would introduce some new songs by other idols.
They weren't necessarily well-known idols either, but they did a great job describing them to everyone while throwing in a few laughs.
I didn't really know Airi then...
But her work ethic and dedication really left an impression on me.
That's so true. She's always been such a hard worker and so passionate about being an idol.
Because she's takes being an idol so seriously and loves it so much, she even made me want to work a little harder.
Right...
And it's so sad that others don't get to see that side of her.
Airi...
Isn't there anything we can do for her?
I don't know. How can we cheer her up...?
Oh...
Did you think of something, Haruka?
Yeah, what if we tried this...?
Why...?
Why did you say that, you knucklehead...? Now they're gonna be really worried about me...
That event happens less than a week from now too. I need to get myself together, fast...
<Airi!>
Huh? Who's there?
Where's that voice coming from...?
<It's me, Airi.>
Len?!
What are you doing here?!
<I'm having trouble coming up with what to talk about during our show.>
<Everyone says that you're the best at coming up with this kind of stuff, so I was hoping to pick your brain a little.>
Oh...
<I also know that you're busy planning your own event, so you don't have to if you don't have time!>
No, it's okay. I'll help...
I could really use a distraction right now.
<Huh?>
Never mind that!
Let's go, Len!
Hi, Airi!
Thanks for coming!
I heard that you're having trouble coming up with what to talk about while you're MCing, so I'm here to help.
What specifically are you having trouble with...?
Len wants to be all cool and suave, but I think it's super lame!
Oh, okay?
I'm not trying to. It's just how it sort of came out.
You're pretty much trying to get a whole standup routing in there, Rin. Can't we just talk like normal?
We're idols, so we should try to show everyone how we are just naturally...
Yeah, we're idols, so I want everyone to have as much fun as possible!
Okay, you two, time out!
Neither of you are wrong, per se.
But you need to strike a balance.
You two have amazing chemistry, so you should use that and think about how you want to say what you want to talk about when...
Got it! Thanks, Airi!