Arc-3 Ep-14

“Everyone. Good evening~!”

“Good evening.”

“Good evening!!”

“““…We are ‘Sistema Solare’!!”””

To the customary greeting of our internal group “Sistema Solare,” the cheers from the packed fans echo throughout the venue.

“““Good evening~~~!!!”””

“Rina-chaaan!!!”

“Mikuriiiii!!!”

“Tomomin~~~!!!”

September’s final auspicious day, which also happens to be a Wednesday, is the release date for the CD single that includes our new song “Bock Globule.”

The night before that, Tuesday evening, I had come to the live house where mini-lives are scheduled for the weekend.

Aside from those connected to Schus Sola, the people gathered here are members of the press and one thousand fan club members who managed to slip through the extremely narrow ticket lottery sales.

Yes, today is both a pre-release announcement event for the new song and a handshake session.

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First comes the new song announcement directed at the press. After finishing the standard questions, we perform the two recorded tracks in front of them, and that concludes the first half.

Afterward, the one thousand fans are let in and made to wait behind the press members occupying the front.

“Thank you very much for coming to today’s new song announcement event for us, ‘Sistema Solare’”

“Thank you very much!”

“Thank youuu!”

“““Uoooohhh!!!”””

“Erika~~~!!!”

“Yuka-chuwaaan!!!”

We respond to the huge cheers poured upon us as we stand lined up on stage by waving with smiles. Seeing that, the fans’ excitement heats up even further.

“Wowww. Such amazing cheers.”

“Yeah. I’m getting excited too.”

“It’s been a while since we’ve been at this venue, after all~”

Although this is an occasion to unveil the new songs, MC segments are naturally included as well. Cameras from the press capture footage of us in those moments.

“…Now then, today is the event where we will perform the two songs included on tomorrow’s CD single release, ahead of the actual sale.”

“You all are truly fortunate to be able to see them live.”

“I heard the odds of getting a ticket for this were less than one percent?”

That is how outrageous the competition ratio became, according to what we were told by management. The fans here today are the fierce warriors who broke through those impossible odds.

“So happy~~~!!!”

“Thank youuu!!!”

“I could die happy right now!!!”

“Don’t die!?”

“Ahaha♪”

“All right then, let’s go with the first song! Starting with ‘Bock Globule’!”

In response to the declaration from Mutsumi-san, the leader of the internal group Schus Sola, we move to our starting positions.

As the intro begins to play, I perform the choreography while bringing the microphone close to my mouth.

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“““Uwaaaa!!!”””

“Rinarin~~~!!!”

“Mikuri-chaaan!!!”

“Ukyaaa!!!”

When our body movements stop and the flowing song comes to an end, an explosive wave of cheers crashes down from the audience that had been listening quietly.

In the dim lighting, penlights of every color wave and dance throughout the seats.

“Fuuu… Thank you very much!! The song you just heard was our new track ‘Bock Globule’!!”

“How was it? Personally, I really like both the lyrics and the dance.”

“I especially love the lyrics!!”

Following statements from Mutsumi-san and Rina-san, I also join in the MC. Of course, this part is not ad-libbed; these are scripted lines.

“So goodddd!!!”

“The best~~~!!!”

“I love it toooo!!!”

“Rioooo!!!”

Deep, booming cheers fill the venue. The fans’ excitement has reached maximum level.

“Really? That makes me happy~”

“Thank you!!”

“…Well then, while the heat is still on, shall we go straight into the second song?”

“Iku iku~~~!!!”

“I wanna hear it!!!”

“All right, here we go~! The second song is ‘Herbig-Haro’!!”

“““Uoooohhh!!!”””

The intro for the next song begins to play; it is a bit calmer and more subdued than the first one.

Even so, the fervor of the fans in the audience shows no sign of cooling down.

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“And now, the handshake session begins!!”

“““Ooooohhh!!!”””

Accompanied by cheers that sound almost like roars and the resounding clap of hands, the handshake event that closes out the new song announcement begins.

This time, when applying for the ticket lottery sales, participants were required to specify one member of the internal group Schus Sola they wanted to handshake with, and the drawing was conducted per member.

There were one hundred eleven applicants per member, and with nine members that totals nine hundred ninety-nine people.

With one extra slot added for Rina-san, who took first place in the popularity poll, the total came to one thousand tickets sold.

In other words, today I have to handshake with one hundred eleven people.

Compared to the handshake sessions held during mini-lives, this is honestly a smaller number and feels much easier.

Because of that, I feel inclined to provide a little extra service today.

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“Mikuri-chan! I’m cheering for you, keep doing your best!!”

“Thank you very much. I’ll keep working hard♪”

No matter who the other person is, even if they are an overweight, creepy shut-in, I make a delighted expression.

[T/N- I feel attacked.]

Back in high school I had a friend like that, and we often hung out together, so I feel no aversion to simply enveloping one of their hands with both of mine.

“Yes. That’s the end.”

The university-aged-looking guy reluctantly does a fist-pump with the hand that had just been released from my cute pair of hands, then is urged by staff to leave the booth.

“…I’ll vote for Mikuri-chan again in next year’s popularity poll too!!”

“Thank you very much. Please do♪”

I gently wrap both hands around the extended right hand of a man in his thirties who appears to have come straight from work, still in his suit.

This style has proven very popular among Schus Sola fans and is one of the factors that increases the number of people who support me.

While the other members do ordinary handshakes, the impact of having a transcendentally beautiful girl gaze at you while enveloping one hand with both of hers is apparently quite significant.

Some idols have tried to imitate it, but it seems it is not something anyone can pull off with just anybody, so my advantage at handshake events remains unchanged.

This can be called a unique selling point that only I, with my male past life and lingering male consciousness, possess.

Today as well, against all one hundred eleven people, no matter how unattractive or introverted they may be, I will wear a smile on my proud beautiful face and envelop their dominant hand with both of mine.

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Authors Note

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I have posted the second limited close-status note.

This time it is the story “Mikuri and the other sixth-generation candidates go to observe the mini-live and handshake event for the first time” (a little over 5,300 characters).

[T/N: These chapters are intended for supporters. You can access them here: https://kakuyomu.jp/users/nine3.

I considered translating them; however, I ultimately decided against it. After reading them, I found that they are primarily slice-of-life content, and the characters do not develop any significant new dynamics beyond those already established. As such, you are not missing any major plot developments.

That said, if you have the means and would like to support the author, I strongly encourage you to do so.

If you are interested in the author's other series, each novel's homepage contains a link to its original source. Once again, if you are able, please consider supporting the respective authors..]