Arc-2 Ep-49

“...Good work~”

“Good work.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Once the curtain fell and the Reiteisai concluded, we sixth-generation members returned to our assigned dressing room. Having spent most of the event standing, everyone appeared more fatigued than expected.

Of course I felt the same—my lower body especially was heavy with exhaustion.

“... Kayanuma-san, Nanazawa-san. First of all, congratulations.”

“Yes. Thank you very much.”

“Thank you very much, Owada-san.”

The first congratulations came from the sixth-generation leader, Shion-san. Our fellow-genaration members followed with their own words of celebration.

“Congratulations, Mikuri, Nozomi.”

“Congratulations to both of you.”

“Schus-Sola and DwPla, huh. Do your best.”

“We have to work hard too and aim for Seven Satellite first~”

“Thank you, everyone.”

“We’ll keep doing our best as sixth-generation members too.”

Nozomi-chan and I exchanged nods and thanked them together. Even though they probably felt frustrated themselves, they still celebrated us—such wonderful friends.

“Mikuri-saaan, congratulations~! Nanazawa-san too~”

“Oh, thanks, Chie-chan.”

“...Thank you very much.”

Chie-chan, who had been quiet until then, hugged me, her voice trembling as if she might cry.

Nozomi-chan looked slightly annoyed at the obviously forced congratulations, but she read the mood and responded politely.

“...Still, two nickname holders from the sixth generation, huh.”

“Well, the total number has grown, so this is probably about right.”

“With the seventh generation included we’re fifty-three now. Apparently the president said we’ve reached the ideal size.”

“That rumor? Is it true, Shion-san?”

While inhaling the lingering sweet scent of Chie-chan, I asked our well-informed leader for confirmation. The rumor went that the ideal number of Sistema Solare members was between fifty and sixty, preferably closer to the lower fifties.

“Who knows? I don’t know the truth either.”

“As a fact, depending on how many eighth-generation members there are next year, the number of retirements might increase.”

“Recently the first generation has eight, so having around that many retire wouldn’t be strange.”

“It doesn’t concern the sixth generation, right?”

As Yuna-san said, no one in the sixth generation was at risk of retiring yet. The risky ones were probably mini-live group members from the fourth generation or earlier.

Those who never once made the nickname ranks, or those who repeatedly dropped and lost their nickname, would be the candidates.

“If we grow any more, the mini-live will change too.”

“There’ll be twenty-four of us, so they’ll probably split us into three groups. Adding the seventh generation makes four groups?”

“So one more group than before~”

“The seventh generation won’t get many turns for a while, but later our turns might decrease too.”

Other assignments might increase, but having fewer turns in the main mini-live would be tough for the future. The battle for the top twenty-one nickname spots was going to become even fiercer.

“...Well, at least there wasn’t another Mikuri or Nozomi in the seventh generation.”

“Hey, Matsunobe-san.”

“I’m sure the leader thinks the same, right? Losing to a junior would be awful, even if it’s fine with Genaration-mates or seniors.”

Shion-san scolded Sayaka-san’s comment, but the rest of our Genaration-mates fell silent. We were both friends and rivals, so complicated feelings were natural.

Thinking that, I stroked Chie-chan’s head as she continued clinging to me. Just as Nozomi-chan’s eyes started to narrow while watching us, there was a knock at the door.

“...Good work, everyone.”

“Taneyama-san. Good work.”

The door clicked open, revealing Taneyama-san, our sixth-generation overall manager.

She looked us over and said,

“You still haven’t changed? Well, whatever. Change while you listen.”

“Understood.”

“Yes.”

“Okay~”

Still in our basic Sistema Solare costumes, we hurriedly began changing. While we did, the manager delivered the announcements.

“First, Kayanuma-san and Nanazawa-san, please come to the agency first thing tomorrow morning. There will be a meeting with the Sistema Solare and Dwarf Planet staff.”

“Understood.”

“Got it.”

That was the notice for Nozomi-chan and me, the first to graduate from the mini-live group. When I thought about it, that meant fewer chances to work with Taneyama-san from now on.

“The other six, please come at 1 p.m. We’ll be reassigning groups for the new mini-live.”

“Yes. Understood.”

“1 p.m., got it.”

All of the sixth generation would undergo major group changes, so the coming period would be challenging. We’d need to quickly learn new formations, adjust to changed singing parts, and so on, all in a short time. Since I was moving to the inner-group Sistema Solare, many changes awaited me.

First, the group size was increasing from eight to nine, meaning even small details would shift.

Also, in the sixth generation I had been treated as center from the start, but now I would be second position, which would subtly alter things as well.

I would need to practice diligently on these points before activities resumed.

“...So, what are you all doing after this? Going out for a celebration like last year?”

“A celebration...”

“What should we do?”

Last year, after the Reiteisai, we had a combined celebration and consolation dinner—just the sixth generation and the manager. This year, with the popularity poll, I assumed there would be nothing of the sort. Taneyama-san had said last year that only the fifth generation and below did it.

“...What about Kayanuma-san and Nanazawa-san?”

“Well, if we’re doing it, I’d like to go.”

“Same for me. Opportunities like this will probably become rarer from now on.”

“...True. The mini-live as just the sixth generation is over too, so let’s go as a consolation for that.”

“Got it~”

“It’s been a while since we all went together.”

“Of course the meal is on the agency, right?”

“Ahahaha!”

“Hehe.”

Everyone laughed at Sakiko-san’s little plea.

For a moment, the manager narrowed her eyes, but she immediately laughed too.

“...Fine, I get it. I’ll somehow expense it.”

“Thank you very much.”

“Thank you for the treat.”

“Then I’ll go talk with Matsuzono-san and decide on a place, so wait a little longer.”

“Understood.”

Just as Taneyama-san was about to leave the dressing room and reached for the door—

『Don’t screw with me!!!』

A loud, angry shout-like voice reverberated through the door.