Hey, Airi's here!

Oh, you're all here already. I thought I was gonna be the early bird.

Yeah, but since we're all here now, shall we start our dance practice?

Oh, before we do...

Minori, there's something I need to tell you. Actually, I'd like for you all to hear it.

There's something you'd like to tell us?

Yeah, it has to do with Minori switching to the credit-based course.

You knew, Airi?

Oh, I was the one who told her!

I decided to ask her about what you said, Haruka.

So, um... Airi...

What do you want to tell us?

So, Minori, after we spoke that time, all this doubt started welling up inside of me...

Because I didn't want you and your friends to start drifting apart after you made the decision to go credit-based...

Oh...

I asked KAITO and Shizuku about this, and even gave it some more thought on my own.

As overbearing as this is going to sound, I want you to hear what I felt...

Please, tell me...

Thanks.

I told myself early on that switching to the credit-based course meant some gaps would form between me and my friends...

But KAITO explained how the bonds people form with one another aren't so easily broken.

KAITO said that...?

Yes. And the next day, I happened to see one of my old friends... So I went to talk to her.

So, how'd that go...?

We were both nervous about talking at first, so there was some awkwardness...

But then, my friend said that she'd also been wanting to talk with me... That was when I realized that we both wanted to have a real friendship again.

And now, we're messaging each other and talking like old times...

That's wonderful, Airi.

Thanks!

After that, Minori, I realized what I said to you wasn't entirely correct.

I hold that you will need to make some sacrifices if you go credit-based, including spending less time with your friends. That's just unavoidable.

Some may end up drifting away...

But I don't believe that's a reason to give up on them.

So, Minori...

Y-Yes...?!

I'd like to answer your question again. But in a different way this time...

The bonds you've forged with your friends won't easily break. The connections you've established with them will endure...

It may not seem that way at times moving forward...

But I don't want you to give up on them. You can always reset things by telling each other exactly how you feel.

Airi...

That's all I wanted to tell you.

I see...

Thanks, Airi.

I appreciate you telling us this story.

The truth is, I've been thinking a lot about what you and Haruka told me.

I even asked the teachers about it and did a little research on my own about how I should proceed...

And I think I've found my answer...

Your story only reinforced my decision, Airi.

What...?

I've made up my mind...

I'm going credit-based...

Minori...

I see. We ended up making the same decision...

The same decision...? Does that mean...?

I'm also switching back to the credit-based course.

Because it's the best way for us to spread hope to as many people as we can.

Haruka...!

Yeah, absolutely!

Let's spread lots and lots of hope together!

(That's it. We're all going to be credit-based...)

(Which means we'll be able to do even more as idols moving forward.)

(Juggling school and work each day won't be easy, and the relationships we have with our friends will also start changing.)

(I'm sure we'll have our share of problems to deal with...)

(But I'm confident that we'll do just fine.)

Is something wrong, Airi?

Hehe. No, nothing's wrong.

But Minori, you seem much more confident now compared to the other day.

Yup! That's because I gave this decision a lot of thought.

A lot of thought...

Um, Minori?

Would you mind telling me more about what you did during that time?

Huh?

Yeah, I wanna hear too...

It'll be good for us to understand what your thought process was.

Yeah, sure...!

After I spoke to you and Haruka, Airi, I...