Arc-2 Ep-18
38
“Hmm~ Yeah, that level’s on another plane~”
“Feels… unbalanced, doesn’t it?”
Everyone was right—Rina-san’s singing and dancing completely towered over the rest of the fifth-gen. Even the crowd knew it; every cheer zeroed in on the Sistema Solare ace. Her cuteness outshone everyone—effortless, natural.
“Rina-chan… incredible…”
“Yeah… really…”
Shion-san and Mami-san were glued to the stage spectacle. As for me, my eyes stayed locked on Rina-san’s rare beauty—so cute.
“…Song ending.”
“After this, the talk segment.”
The fifth-gen froze mid-pose, holding formation as the song ended. They lined up horizontally; the woman standing beside Rina-san at center took the mic.
“Evening~~!! Fifth-gen leader, Triton—Arisa Shigekura!!”
“Arisa-chan~~!!”
“Rina-rin!!!”
As a Seven Satellite member—some cheers went to the leader, but Rina-san still dominated the noise. Another Seven Satellite in fifth-gen. That popularity skew was honestly concerning.
“Thanks for coming tonight! Let me introduce my fifth-gen pals♪”
“Ooooo!!”
“First up—our vice-leader—”
“…Next, not just fifth-gen’s, but Sistema Solare’s ace! Sol—Rinaaaa Takechi !!”
“Yes, good evening. Rina Takechi. Thanks for the cheers♪”
“Kyaaaa!!!”
“Rina-chan!!!”
“Love you~~!!!”
By her sixth self-introduction, the crowd’s roar hit a new peak. Even from where we peeked behind the wings, the pressure felt tangible.
“Wow, insane cheers. Okay, next up~ Fifth-gen’s little sis—”
The remaining two members gave their intros, but the atmosphere had dipped. Following after Rina-san—yeah, no chance.
“Second year—they’ve got some composure now.”
“Last year, her voice was shaking.”
“Yeah, true.”
The fifth-gen’s talk continued. They couldn’t really show their internal relationships—Rina-san still got most of the lines. Even so, they didn’t look like the most troubled generation.
“Whoops. Staff says we’re out of time.”
“Aww. Wanted more chat, right everyone?”
“Moreee!!!”
“Extend it~~!!”
“Can’t. Rules, sorry.”
“Then it’s baton pass time?”
“Yes! Next up—it’s their first full-group concert! Let’s welcome sixth-gen!”
“Cheer them on! See you later!”
“Byee♪”
Waving and smiling amid cheers and applause, the fifth-gen exited stage.
“Our turn!”
“““Yes!”””
“Roger~”
“Got it!”
Shion-san’s voice lit the spark, and we all responded in sync.
“Go get ’em!”
“We’re rooting for you!”
“““Yes!”””
“Showtime!”
With a push from Taneyama-san and sub-manager Matsuzono-san, we leaped out onto the brilliantly lit stage.
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“Waaaa!!!”
“Mikuri~~!!!”
“Young Lady Nozomi!!!”
A wall of cheers crashed over us. We formed an inverted V—minus the apex. All those mini-live drills paid off; the lineup was flawless, our freeze perfectly synchronized.
“Oooo…”
As the audience’s volume dipped, the intro for our sixth-gen exclusive Hexagram × Octagon began to flow.
I moved in time with it. First verse: a duet with Nozomi-chan. Mic up, light eye contact—our voices intertwined. I held back intentionally—not standing out, keeping the balance. Song and dance both adjusted to my baseline.
“Uhooo!!!”
“Gyaaaa!!!”
When the song and dance ended, screams—not cheers—echoed through the arena. We shifted from V formation to a horizontal line and stepped forward.
“Evening, everyone!”
“Eveninggg!!!”
“Oooo!!!”
“First time performing—Sistema Solare sixth-gen~~!!”
Shion-san’s bright voice triggered another wave of cheers and applause. After waiting for it to settle, she smiled and began her self-introduction.
“Um, I’m sixth-gen leader, Shion Owada. Pleasure to be here.”
“Shion~~!!”
“Thanks… Next, sixth-gen intros! Vice-leader, Sayaka Matsunobe!”
“Good evening. Vice-leader, Sayaka Matsunobe ♪”
“Sayaka-chan~~!!”
“Thanks for the cheers—”
Every introduction flowed smoothly. From Mami-san to Yuna-san, to Sakiko-san—each delivery was polished, far smoother than at the Reiteisai.
“…Next, our sixth-gen Young Lady— Nozomi Nanazawa!”
“Honored by your introduction— Nozomi Nanazawa. Pleasure to be here.”
“Nozomi-chan~~!!!”
“Nozomi-samaaaa!!!”
The sixth in line—Nozomi-chan’s turn—ignited a surge of cheers. Her popularity really was on another level.
“Graceful as always… Next up—sixth-gen ace candidate, Mikuri Kayanuma!”
“Kyaaaa!!!”
“Uoooo!!!”
The moment my name left Shion-san’s mouth, the cheers peaked. A roar so loud it pierced my ears. Holding the mic, I stepped forward—and began my self-introduction.