Black Bunny in Underland - Chapter 10

[nazunyan427]

 

Chapter: Black Bunny - Mitsuru to Escape 4

Writer: 西岡麻衣子 Nishioka Maiko

Season: Fall

Location: Yumenosaki auditorium

Mitsuru:

At first, when you guys were tellin’ me I was an idol, I was like, but how come? But after hearin’ that, I’m kinda startin’ to understand. Like, I kinda get how the me from back then must have felt.

I mean, if that’s how things were then I musta been so frustrated that I’d wanna do whatever it takes from then on!

Hajime:

Hehe...♪ Yes, you always put your heart into what you do. Both then and now.

Mitsuru:

Hey, Hajime-chan. I’ve been thinkin’ about that song Arashi-chan sang this whole time. And I think I managed to remember a little somethin’. Not everything though.

Hajime:

Huh? Did you remember why you were drawn to that song?

Mitsuru:

Yeah. I joined the track team ‘cause I love to run but... I got kinda tired.

Hajime:

Tired...? Tired from running too much?

Mitsuru:

Mmm. Yeah, maybe. I guess it’s from running too much.

The faster I ran, the further I pulled ahead from everyone runnin’ alongside me.

And in the end, I ended up all alone. ‘Cause I’ve gotta reach the goal first, before anyone else.

It feels great to be the first to cross the finish line, but it’s a lonely place ‘cause there’s no one else there beside me.

I... I wanted to run faster than anyone else I spent every day runnin’ alongside friends who felt the same as me.

But one day, one of the guys who used to run with me said that he didn’t have any talent. And that he was gonna quit the team.

I love competition. And on top of competing, I can’t help wanting to win - those feelings are never gonna go away.

But... I realized that the more I run ‘cause I like doin’ it, the more likely it is I’ll end up stealin’ someone’s dream from them.

Even though it’s not like I wanna kick anyone down! I just love runnin’ and bein’ the first to reach the goal.

Hajime:

Mitsuru-kun...

Mitsuru:

That’s the world of competition. Only one person can become number one and there’s nothin’ anyone can do about it.

But I... I got kinda tired of all that.

And after that it became harder to run... I even lost a race...

Even though if someone has to lose ‘cause of me, then I’ve GOT to win... That’s the responsibility of a winner for sure!

And so... On the day I lost that race, an idol came to hold a concert to cheer us on.

Hajime:

An idol...?

Mitsuru:

Yeah. That idol sang the same song Arashi-chan-senpai was singing earlier.

It cheered me right up! Everyone around me got completely absorbed in listenin’ to them sing, and by the time they finished everyone had a smile on their face!

That’s when it hit me that idols are really amazing! They can make a whole crowd of people smile way faster than I can run, even when I’m givin’ it everything I’ve got!

...So I guess that’s why I started thinkin’ I wanted to become an idol.

Hajime:

...Mitsuru-kun, I’m so sorry!

Mitsuru: 

Ungh?! Wh-What’s wrong all of a sudden?

Hajime:

We weren’t looking at you at all... We were all just looking right through you to find the old Mitsuru-kun...

But you’re still you. Nothing’s changed that.

Mitsuru:

Hajime-chan...

Hajime:

So asking you to “stand-in” as a “temporary helper” was going about it all wrong. Please let us have a do over... From the very start...

It’s not about whether you remember anything or not. If you don’t, then we’ll just make new memories from now on.

I... We all want to be idols together with you, Mitsuru-kun. We want to laugh together and cry together, by each other’s side.

Remember when I said “All four of us make up Ra*bits” a little while ago? I mean it. Still... I don’t want you to force yourself either. Then there’d be no meaning to it.

So, let me ask you, Mitsuru-kun. Will you be an idol together with us? That’s my wish.

I want you to be the one to decide whether you’ll be an idol or not, but only if that’s what you want.

Mitsuru:

...What I want?

Hajime:

Yes.

Mitsuru:

...Yeah.

Yeah! I’ll be an idol! I mean it—this time for real!

I wanna sing with you guys! I wanna make everyone who watches us smile!

I’ll become an idol superstar~! Along with the rest of you guys, of course!

Hajime:

Yes...!

Mitsuru:

...Wait, uh. By the way, why’d you come here, Hajime-chan? Did ya come lookin’ for me?

Hajime:

...Oh no! Aaaagh! I found you but I completely forgot to let Tomoya-kun and Nii~chan know...!

What should I do now?! Oh nooo, I’ve got a ton of messages from them! I must have made them worry so much...

Mitsuru:

Are those two lookin’ for me too...?

...Ahaha! That’ll be all right, Hajime-chan! The two of us’ll just dash, dash, dash back over to wherever they are right now and apologize!

And then they’ll forgive us for sure♪

Hajime:

...Hehe. You’re right. We’ve got to get back quickly so we can let them know we’re okay.

Mitsuru:

All righty~! Then let’s dash, dash, daaaash back over to them~!

Hajime:

Huh? Whoa?! W-Wait, Mitsuru-kun! I can’t keep up with you when you run that fast~!