Arc-3 SS-04
31
Side Story
Rina Takechi 5
2026
“Ah, thank you very much. Please continue to support me from now on as well♪”
“O-Of course!! I will vote a ton!!”
“Yes!! Rina is really happy!!♪”
“…Yes. That is the end.”
Since this was the one hundred twelfth and final person, it felt as though I had been given slightly more time than with the others.
At the staff member’s words, the otaku-like guy reluctantly released the right hand he had been shaking, then carefully cradled it as he left the booth.
“Phew…”
“…Good work.”
“Ah, yes. Good work.”
“Please remain seated and wait a little longer. Until the fans have finished exiting the audience seats.”
“Yes. I understand that, of course.”
A little over a year ago, we used to hold mini-lives and handshake sessions right here.
Naturally, I am thoroughly familiar with the rules and system of handshake events.
Even after returning backstage from this booth, I stayed quietly in the waiting room and rest for a while.
Since today only involved two songs, there is probably no need to shower, but if I cannot leave early anyway, taking a shower to wash off the sweat is still an option.
I shift from the standing posture I had maintained during the handshakes to sitting in a chair, then relax and wait leisurely for the staff’s signal.
It should not take that long to wait.
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“…Takechi-san. It is all right to go now.”
“Understood.”
“Thank you for your hard work today.”
I stand up to head back to the waiting room, give a light bow of acknowledgment to the staff member who came to inform me, and leave the booth.
From the other booths as well, I can see Schus Sola members steadily emerging one after another to head toward the waiting room.
“Good work~♪”
“Good work.”
“Good work.”
“Good work.”
The nine of us form something close to a single group as we proceed down the familiar corridor.
Among them, my attention was drawn to one beautiful girl walking ahead.
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“Phew…”
“Fufu♪ Good work, Rina-chan.”
“…Good work.”
“Yes. Good work to both of you as well.”
This live house has multiple waiting rooms.
Back when we were rookies, all of the fifth generation used just one of them together, but today we were divided into groups of three, using three separate rooms as waiting areas.
Sharing the same room as me are Sumi-san and Tatsumura-san.
I have a normal relationship with Tatsumura-san where we can talk about things unrelated to work, but with Sumi-san, our conversations are limited to the bare minimum necessary.
Even so, it is far better than being in the fifth-generation group. In that group, there were more members with whom I did not even speak at all.
“By the way… what kind of change in mindset led Rina-chan to start taking on acting work?”
Tatsumura-san asks me this with clear curiosity as I sink into a chair.
Recently this has been a topic circulating within Schus Sola, and although Sumi-san is facing a different direction, her ears are clearly tilted toward us.
“Well… I suppose Rina felt it was about time to take a new step forward.”
“Is that so. With Mikuri-chan around too, it seems like roles in that area could pretty much be monopolized by Schus Sola. Right, Junko-san?”
“Eh? Y-Yes, that is true.”
In reality, that is not the case.
It was purely by chance that I overheard a conversation among Fortissimo staff members discussing the ticket application numbers for this new song announcement event.
“I never would have guessed that the name with the most votes was Kayanuma-san.”
“Was it really that unexpected? Her handshake reputation is the best, isn’t it?”
“True, people say she goes way overboard at handshake events, though.”
“Fans must be thrilled. Looks like Takechi-san cannot afford to relax anymore.”
“I am looking forward to next year’s Reitaisai. The number of popularity poll votes is probably going to increase too.”
“That would mean sales go up as well.”
“Haha. As long as the ones with bonus entry tickets sell well enough to bump up our bonuses, I will be happy.”
“Yes. My son is getting older, and education costs…”
It was a conversation I happened to overhear.
They probably never imagined I was listening.
What they were discussing only heightened my sense of crisis.
There was also what my manager, Gondou-san, had said, and after thinking about what would come after my idol career, I ultimately made the decision.
Honestly, I still feel anxious.
Whether I can actually perform proper acting.
The thought of failing and being looked at coldly by staff and co-stars terrifies me.
Even so, the prospect of steadily losing popularity within Schus Sola scares me far more.
I have no choice but to steel myself and accept that the time has come for me to move forward as well.
~~~End~~~