nazunyan427

High 5

Prologue

Season: Summer

Writer: Akira

Location: MDM

-The second half of MDM—Ra*bits takes the stage-

Tomoya: 

Tomoya sings along to a lively melody.

(Alright! Everything seems to be going smoothly. Come to think of it, it feels like the first time in forever since we’ve felt so, well, us.)

(How many months has it been since we’ve all stood on stage together like this?)

(It sure feels great having Nii-chan back—even if he is only temporarily appearing as a surprise guest.)

Nazuna:

Nazuna belts out his lyrics; his voice sweet yet husky.

Tomoya:

(There’s no way we can go wrong with Nii-chan leading the way—just like he always did back at Yumenosaki.)

(Ahh, this really is how Ra*bits should be! It’s like the metaphorical hole in our hearts has finally been filled! I feel like I could float on air; I’m practically skybound!)

Mitsuru:

Mitsuru’s cheerful voice rings throughout the auditorium.

Tomoya:

(Mitsuru’s always so full of energy! He’s like the life of a party we’ve all been invited to.)

(He’s as bright and cheerful as a little kid—and his positive energy is contagious!)

(Our fans won’t ever lose their sense of childlike wonder so long as we’re around. No matter how old you get, you should never stop having fun.)

Hajime:

Hajime sings with a voice as pure as the driven snow.

Tomoya:

(But while dashing around all over the place with Mitsuru can be fun, not everyone has the energy to constantly keep up with him.)

(A short break never hurt anyone—and who better than Hajime to calm you right down?)

Hajime:

Hajime’s singing voice is sweet and gentle— Tomoya immediately feels all tension melt away.

Tomoya: 

(“How are you feeling? Do you need a little break? How about some freshly-brewed tea?” Talk about hospitality at its finest! Hajime really knows how to soothe the soul.)

(My heart feels at peace just by looking at him.)

(Then once all of your fatigue fades away, it’s time for Mitsuru to take you by the hand and lead you to a bright and shiny wonderland.)

(A perpetual motion machine of happiness—that’s what Ra*bits is all about.)

(I’ve had the time of my life with Mitsuru and Hajime; dashing around without a care in the world, leaping and bounding from one dream to the next, singing and dancing to my heart’s content.)

(We began our journey from the lowliest rank at Yumenosaki, and put everything we had into establishing who we are.)

(But things are different now—we’ve grown up and gotten a whole lot stronger.)

(The memories we’ve made together are as bright and sparkly as diamonds. I want to share the happiness we’ve found with the fans who’ve supported us all along.)

(Everything’s worked out well so far, but it's time to take it to the next level and show the world what we’re truly capable of!)

(I don’t want people to turn to us just because we’re the only male idols around who prioritize cuteness above all else… No.)

(I want our fans to choose us FOR us and fall head over heels! That’s the kind of fan base I wanna build! That’s not too much to ask, right?)

(There’s already so many people who love and support Ra*bits even now. It feels super validating!)

(We’ve definitely seen an increase in both fans and job offers. No one sees us as "helpless newbies" anymore.)

(In fact, if the industry kept treating us as newbies, our fans would probably start feeling uneasy too. I'm sick of being just "average" as well; we all are!)

(We’re gonna shoot for the moon, just like all of the other idols around us! And we’ll start with our specialty—cuteness! When it comes to cuteness, Ra*bits will never accept second best!)

(And who better to lead the way than—)

Nazuna:

Nazuna’s voice is as lively and cheerful as ever.

Tomoya: 

... Nii-chan, could I have a second?

Nazuna: 

Oh, what’s up? Did I skip a line? I swear I’m trying my best to keep up with you guys! Whenever my lectures get cancelled, I use the time to catch up on practice—

—but compared to you guys who’re practicing every day at ES, I feel like I could definitely be doing more.

Tomoya: 

Nah, you’re being way too modest. Seeing you on stage reminds me exactly why we all admire you so much—you haven’t missed a beat!

And I’m sure our fans feel the same!

Nazuna: 

You think? Then that’s okay, I guess!

But yeah… You guys are improving crazy fast! I’m worried that if I lose focus for even a second I’m gonna end up falling behind.

Tomoya: 

Ahaha. There’s really no need to worry so much, Nii-chan. I've been meaning to ask this for a while now, but why are you so hard on yourself, exactly?

Nobody said a word about you dragging us down? And nobody ever has any complaints about your performance...

Nazuna: 

Mmm. I guess it’s an after-effect of being part of Valkyrie. I’ve been infected with Itsuki’s absolute perfectionism.

I know a long time has passed since I left Valkyrie, but I just can’t shake it off. Maybe I just have to accept it as part of my personality now.

… But anyway. Let’s not talk about Valkyrie too much; it’s complicated.

What was it you wanted? Having a chat mid-concert is a terrible habit from our days at Yumenosaki.

Tomoya: 

Nah, I’m sure everyone’s used to it by now— they basically think of it as part of the performance. You could say it’s one of our… traditions.

Tomoya: 

The fans start to lean forward when they spot us talking to each other on stage and think, "Here we go again..."

Nazuna: 

I wonder about that... I feel like they don’t have a clue what we’re on about half of the time—if anything, we’re probably just distracting them from all the singing and dancing.

Though I guess people fall in love with idols for more than just their singing and dancing. Everything we do is all part of the package.

… I’m not used to this. I can’t say I feel like there’s anything special about most of the things I do.

Tomoya: 

Ahaha. I guess it’s only natural for you to feel that way after being part of Valkyrie for so long, where every part of the performance was art in itself.

Anyways... Since everyone was so focused on ALKALOID during the first half, it didn’t feel like the right time…

Things got a bit complicated, so we couldn’t really say anything. But what do you think about borrowing the spotlight for a bit to talk to our fans about when you’ll return to Ra*bits?

Nazuna: 

Ah. Yeah… Yeah, we should probably do that.

Tomoya: 

Huh? You don’t really seem super on board though? I had a feeling you’d like to enjoy college life a little longer.

But management did tell us that we should at least make an official announcement about how long it's gonna be until you come back. Otherwise our fans might start to pull away...

Nazuna: 

Yeah. It feels kinda refreshing in a way—for them to give us a warning, I mean. Back at Yumenosaki, it sometimes felt like we could do whatever the heck we liked.

Still… Once an official announcement is made, I won’t have a lot of leeway left. Say if something happens, and I end up changing my plans—I could end up being called a liar.

Right now, I’m not sure how much I trust future me.

I don’t really want a big deal made out of my return.

I just want it to happen naturally, unlike Valkyrie or Knights.

There’s no need to make a huge fuss about it. To be honest? I’m so done with any kind of drama.

I don’t think our fans are expecting me to make a big deal about coming back either, y’know?

Granted, I know it’s probably a big deal to you and the others.

But to the world? To society? In the grand scheme of things, it’s really not all that important.

Tomoya:

...

High 5

Prologue

Season: Summer

Writer: Akira

Location: MDM

-The second half of MDM—Ra*bits takes the stage-

Tomoya: 

Tomoya sings along to a lively melody.

(Alright! Everything seems to be going smoothly. Come to think of it, it feels like the first time in forever since we’ve felt so, well, us.)

(How many months has it been since we’ve all stood on stage together like this?)

(It sure feels great having Nii-chan back—even if he is only temporarily appearing as a surprise guest.)

Nazuna:

Nazuna belts out his lyrics; his voice sweet yet husky.

Tomoya:

(There’s no way we can go wrong with Nii-chan leading the way—just like he always did back at Yumenosaki.)

(Ahh, this really is how Ra*bits should be! It’s like the metaphorical hole in our hearts has finally been filled! I feel like I could float on air; I’m practically skybound!)

Mitsuru:

Mitsuru’s cheerful voice rings throughout the auditorium.

Tomoya:

(Mitsuru’s always so full of energy! He’s like the life of a party we’ve all been invited to.)

(He’s as bright and cheerful as a little kid—and his positive energy is contagious!)

(Our fans won’t ever lose their sense of childlike wonder so long as we’re around. No matter how old you get, you should never stop having fun.)

Hajime:

Hajime sings with a voice as pure as the driven snow.

Tomoya:

(But while dashing around all over the place with Mitsuru can be fun, not everyone has the energy to constantly keep up with him.)

(A short break never hurt anyone—and who better than Hajime to calm you right down?)

Hajime:

Hajime’s singing voice is sweet and gentle— Tomoya immediately feels all tension melt away.

Tomoya: 

(“How are you feeling? Do you need a little break? How about some freshly-brewed tea?” Talk about hospitality at its finest! Hajime really knows how to soothe the soul.)

(My heart feels at peace just by looking at him.)

(Then once all of your fatigue fades away, it’s time for Mitsuru to take you by the hand and lead you to a bright and shiny wonderland.)

(A perpetual motion machine of happiness—that’s what Ra*bits is all about.)

(I’ve had the time of my life with Mitsuru and Hajime; dashing around without a care in the world, leaping and bounding from one dream to the next, singing and dancing to my heart’s content.)

(We began our journey from the lowliest rank at Yumenosaki, and put everything we had into establishing who we are.)

(But things are different now—we’ve grown up and gotten a whole lot stronger.)

(The memories we’ve made together are as bright and sparkly as diamonds. I want to share the happiness we’ve found with the fans who’ve supported us all along.)

(Everything’s worked out well so far, but it's time to take it to the next level and show the world what we’re truly capable of!)

(I don’t want people to turn to us just because we’re the only male idols around who prioritize cuteness above all else… No.)

(I want our fans to choose us FOR us and fall head over heels! That’s the kind of fan base I wanna build! That’s not too much to ask, right?)

(There’s already so many people who love and support Ra*bits even now. It feels super validating!)

(We’ve definitely seen an increase in both fans and job offers. No one sees us as "helpless newbies" anymore.)

(In fact, if the industry kept treating us as newbies, our fans would probably start feeling uneasy too. I'm sick of being just "average" as well; we all are!)

(We’re gonna shoot for the moon, just like all of the other idols around us! And we’ll start with our specialty—cuteness! When it comes to cuteness, Ra*bits will never accept second best!)

(And who better to lead the way than—)

Nazuna:

Nazuna’s voice is as lively and cheerful as ever.

Tomoya: 

... Nii-chan, could I have a second?

Nazuna: 

Oh, what’s up? Did I skip a line? I swear I’m trying my best to keep up with you guys! Whenever my lectures get cancelled, I use the time to catch up on practice—

—but compared to you guys who’re practicing every day at ES, I feel like I could definitely be doing more.

Tomoya: 

Nah, you’re being way too modest. Seeing you on stage reminds me exactly why we all admire you so much—you haven’t missed a beat!

And I’m sure our fans feel the same!

Nazuna: 

You think? Then that’s okay, I guess!

But yeah… You guys are improving crazy fast! I’m worried that if I lose focus for even a second I’m gonna end up falling behind.

Tomoya: 

Ahaha. There’s really no need to worry so much, Nii-chan. I've been meaning to ask this for a while now, but why are you so hard on yourself, exactly?

Nobody said a word about you dragging us down? And nobody ever has any complaints about your performance...

Nazuna: 

Mmm. I guess it’s an after-effect of being part of Valkyrie. I’ve been infected with Itsuki’s absolute perfectionism.

I know a long time has passed since I left Valkyrie, but I just can’t shake it off. Maybe I just have to accept it as part of my personality now.

… But anyway. Let’s not talk about Valkyrie too much; it’s complicated.

What was it you wanted? Having a chat mid-concert is a terrible habit from our days at Yumenosaki.

Tomoya: 

Nah, I’m sure everyone’s used to it by now— they basically think of it as part of the performance. You could say it’s one of our… traditions.

Tomoya: 

The fans start to lean forward when they spot us talking to each other on stage and think, "Here we go again..."

Nazuna: 

I wonder about that... I feel like they don’t have a clue what we’re on about half of the time—if anything, we’re probably just distracting them from all the singing and dancing.

Though I guess people fall in love with idols for more than just their singing and dancing. Everything we do is all part of the package.

… I’m not used to this. I can’t say I feel like there’s anything special about most of the things I do.

Tomoya: 

Ahaha. I guess it’s only natural for you to feel that way after being part of Valkyrie for so long, where every part of the performance was art in itself.

Anyways... Since everyone was so focused on ALKALOID during the first half, it didn’t feel like the right time…

Things got a bit complicated, so we couldn’t really say anything. But what do you think about borrowing the spotlight for a bit to talk to our fans about when you’ll return to Ra*bits?

Nazuna: 

Ah. Yeah… Yeah, we should probably do that.

Tomoya: 

Huh? You don’t really seem super on board though? I had a feeling you’d like to enjoy college life a little longer.

But management did tell us that we should at least make an official announcement about how long it's gonna be until you come back. Otherwise our fans might start to pull away...

Nazuna: 

Yeah. It feels kinda refreshing in a way—for them to give us a warning, I mean. Back at Yumenosaki, it sometimes felt like we could do whatever the heck we liked.

Still… Once an official announcement is made, I won’t have a lot of leeway left. Say if something happens, and I end up changing my plans—I could end up being called a liar.

Right now, I’m not sure how much I trust future me.

I don’t really want a big deal made out of my return.

I just want it to happen naturally, unlike Valkyrie or Knights.

There’s no need to make a huge fuss about it. To be honest? I’m so done with any kind of drama.

I don’t think our fans are expecting me to make a big deal about coming back either, y’know?

Granted, I know it’s probably a big deal to you and the others.

But to the world? To society? In the grand scheme of things, it’s really not all that important.

Tomoya:

...

Chapter One

Hop, Step

Season: Summer

Writer: Akira

Location: Rhythm Link Main Office

-One week later, just after summer vacation—early September-

Tomoya: 

What do you mean!?

This isn’t what we talked about! Why would you—did we do something to upset you!? I don't understand this at all! Can someone please explain to me why you’re doing this to us!?

Mitsuru: 

… Woah, looks like Tomo-chan’s pretty wound up.

I wonder what’s wrong? Maybe he’s hungry…?

You’re never yourself when you’re hungry—good thing I bought a bunch of freshly-baked bread on the way over here. There’s nothing like bread to fill up an empty stomach!

Hajime: 

Ack! Mitsuru-kun, ssh! We shouldn’t be making such a racket when we’re at the office. Besides, it looks like Tomoya-kun is discussing something pretty serious.

Mitsuru: 

Mmm… Seems like Tomo-chan is havin’ a lotta ‘pretty serious’ discussions lately…

Being the Leader sure seems stressful. He’s always wrapped up in this and that... I really wish he’d let ME in on whatever the heck’s going on! I should be his number one priority at all times!

Hajime: 

I wish I had half as much confidence as you, Mitsuru-kun.

… Though I also find myself reminding Tomoya-kun that we should be talking things over as a group a lot more often.

And even then, by the time I arrived at the agency today, Tomoya-kun seemed to have already lost his temper with some important-looking higher-ups...

I wasn’t sure what to do, so I kinda held back. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Tomoya-kun lose his cool like that before. He really caught me off-guard!

Mitsuru: 

Yeah… Come to think of it, quick as he is to get on my back about it whenever I mess up, he’s never ever lost his temper with me. 

Do you think it’s all thanks to his Masked Pervert-senpai? Some people scream into pillows to release stress; maybe Tomo-chan does it by screaming at that guy.

Or like, maybe he’s just built up a tolerance for putting up with crazy.

Hajime: 

Haha. It seems like lately Hibiki-senpai isn’t able to pay as much attention to Tomoya-kun as he used to.

Perhaps he does have a lot of pent-up stress, and no outlet for it? I get it; I miss having Akehoshi-senpai around to pat me on the head or give me a tight squeeze every now and then—

Mitsuru: 

I feel you! They’ve got onto me before about runnin’ in the hallways at ES, so whenever somethin’s bothering me I’m just about ready to explode!

No matter how far I dash on the treadmill in the training room, it’s just not the same…

Mitsuru: 

Back at Yumenosaki, Nii-chan could always tell when we were feelin’ down. ‘What’s wrong?’ he’d ask, all concerned.

It’s been tough trynna to keep my emotions in check all by myself these days…

Hajime: 

Mmhm. I‘ve been carrying around even more lavender sachets than usual, so when I called home for the first time in a while, my little brother started complaining, “Aniki, you stink of lavender!”.

Seems like he’s been going through a bit of a rebellious phase lately...

I used to be his ‘Onii-chan’, but for some reason I’ve suddenly become his ‘Aniki’. I wonder what kind of shows he’s been watching to pick up that sort of slang?

I accidentally used his toothbrush once and he scolded me, his face bright red.

Mitsuru: 

Woah. I get away with pretty much anything back home. If anything, they praise me too much… I wish it was as lively as your place!

Hajime: 

Oh no, my home life is more or less very peaceful, and we all get along great. That’s why I was surprised at him being so angry—it’s really out of character for him. I was pretty shocked!

Mitsuru: 

Ahaha. It’s fun to live it up in a dorm with a bunch of other idols, but when you’ve got families as great as yours and mine, it can get a little lonely.

Hajime: 

Mmhm. It feels like… there’s a sort of distance between us now, and I hate it.

I get a lump in my throat every time my little brother or sister phones me up to ask how things are going.

Mitsuru: 

Ahaha, Nii-chan used to say the same thing! “Don’t call me so much, you guys! It’s depressing!” Though talking to Nii-chan is the opposite of depressing for me.

Since we can’t meet up in person all the time, at least let us keep in touch over the phone!

Hajime: 

I could say the same thing to you, Mitsuru-kun! I’m not sure if it’s my place to make a comment, but lately it seems like you’re involved with so many projects that I hardly get to see you!

I wish we could put aside some time, even just once a day, to have some sort of group chat over WholeHands or something; it doesn’t matter what, as long as we can just spend some time talking to each other… I suppose I’ve gotten a bit spoiled by all the attention Nii-chan used to give us in the past.

Mitsuru: 

Wahaha, we can’t help it! Rabbits are sociable creatures—they die if they get too lonely.

Tomoya: 

I’ve had it! Sorry for raising my voice; I'm gonna go cool off somewhere. We’ll talk about this again later!

Mitsuru: 

Oh?

Tomo-chan! You finished talkin’?

Tomoya:

Tomoya brushes past Mitsuru without so much as a second glance.

Hajime: 

Huh? I don’t think Tomoya-kun even noticed we were here, he was in that much of a hurry.

I’m worried. It looks like he’s not paying attention to anything around him.

Mitsuru: 

Yeah! L-Let’s follow him! I’m pretty worried too!

Story Name: Rainy Season at the Library

Season: Summer

Writer: Chitose Umeda

Location: Yumenosaki Library

Hajime:

There we go…

(...Phew. Organizing the bookshelves is far more physically toiling than I expected it would be.)

(There was worry about the older books growing moldy, thanks to all the rain and moisture in the air around this time of year. That’s why I’ve got to move the most important books to the underground archive and make sure they’re adequately protected.)

(But once I carry all those books down to the archive, I’ll need something to fill the empty spaces in the bookshelves.)

(I planned to switch them out with some of the books that have been hidden away in the archive until now. But maybe in order to drum up interest in those books, I should put up some sort of recommendation corner?)

(...Yes, that’s what I’ll do. I want those books to be read by loads of people—so as a member of the library committee, I’ve got to do what I can to make that happen.)

(After that, I’ll carry the books that need to be stored down to the archive and switch them out with what’s down there.)

Time passes.

I’ve finished switching out most of the books by now. All that’s left for today is reorganizing these bookshelves, then maybe I should leave it at that…

Ritsu:

Mm, sounds good to me...♪

Hajime:

Eek?! ...Ritsu onii-chan!

Ritsu:

Haa~kun, s’up~♪

Hajime:

You scared me! I almost dropped this book I was holding… Do you need something from the library?

Ritsu:

Nah. All I need is you. What do you say to holding Tea Club activities once in a while?

Hajime:

Oh! Did you come all the way over here just to get me? Sorry, I’ll finish tidying up right away and get ready!

Ritsu:

Don't worry about it. In fact—as the President of the Tea Club—I hereby declare that today's activities shall be cancelled~♪

Hajime:

What, how come?

Ritsu:

For one, you’re hard at work, Haa~kun. The only reason I decided to have club activities today is ‘cause I’m here after school anyway.

Hajime:

But…

Ritsu:

I’m telling you, it’s fine. Besides, now that I think about it, you never know when it might start pouring rain this time of year, right? It’d be hard to hold a tea party out on the Garden Terrace.

Hajime:

Oh, you’re right. Today’s been cloudy since morning, hasn’t it? According to the forecast, it’s going to start pouring around evening time.

Ritsu: 

Right. See, so cancelling today’s activities was the right choice to make.

Maa-kun’s been telling me I need to at least try to do something to make it seem like I’m putting effort into the Tea Club.

But I’ll wait until a bright and sunny day comes along—one that’s perfect for leisurely sipping tea outside! Then we can finally hold Tea Club activities. ♪

But as for today’s activities, I’m just gonna stay here and snuggle up next to you while you're doing your best at work, Haa-kun.

Hajime:

Haha. With you by my side, finishing off the task at hand will be a cinch, Ritsu onii-chan!  ♪

Ritsu:

But you weren’t a member of a Library Committee last year, Haa-kun. Why’d you decide to join this year?

Hajime:

Hmm. It’s because I do love reading and the library’s been a huge support for me over the past year...perhaps?

Through reading books here, I’ve been able to experience so many wonderful stories.

In the past, I’ve been allowed to use the archive to practice my dancing, and I have loads of memories of spending time here with my seniors and the others.

So this is my way of repaying all the favors that the library has done for me; I have this sense of wanting to protect it. 

When we were deciding each of the committee members for the year, I decided to raise my hand.

It seems as though there’s talk of the student council taking over library-related duties at some point this year. But the reason it’s managed to be as well-maintained as it is, is because there are some roles that only members of the library committee can fulfill.

Ritsu:

...Haa-kun, you sound kinda like Aoba onii-chan. That’s exactly how he goes about his library duties.

Hajime:

Really? It was a bit of a dream of mine to become a member of the library committee as capable as Aoba-senpai, so I’m thrilled to hear that.

He often lets me confide in him, you know. Both he and my roommate, Hasumi-senpai, are always giving me advice.

There's a bunch of things like budgets that I still don't understand, but Tori-kun from the student council is also patiently teaching me about everything he knows.

Since everyone’s lending me a hand, I’ve got to be the best member of the library committee that I can be.

Ritsu:

You look like you’re raring to go, Haa-kun. You really like this kind of work, huh.

Hajime:

I do! ♪

But I was so happy to get the chance to chat with someone that I ended up rambling a little too much. 

You tend to spend a lot of time by yourself when you’re at the library, so I kind of got carried away. But this is really the kind of place where you’re supposed to pass the time quietly.

Ritsu:

It’s just the two of us right now, though, so I don’t think you need to worry about it. I’m glad I got to hear you share your thoughts, Haa-kun.

Hahaha. If you’re gonna be here, then it looks like the library’s gonna be a peaceful place for me to nap this year too.

Hajime:

Oh! You shouldn’t lie down on the floor like that, Ritsu onii-chan! You’ll end up hurting all over.

Ritsu:

But the floor is the closest possible place to you, Haa-kun. I’m gonna lay down here and watch over you while you work.

Hajime:

Wahh? I’m flattered, but I’m still worried about your body aching afterward.

Since we’re both surrounded by books, why don’t you read one? Think about it—once you get captivated by the story, you'll be too engrossed to even notice your sleepiness.

Ritsu:

Once I lie down, I don’t plan to get back up again. Besides, instead of reading something by myself, I’d rather have you read it to me, Haa-kun.

...Huh? What’s that sound?

Hajime:

It must be the rain... 

Oh, it’s really starting to pour.

Ritsu:

Yeah, it sounds like a gentle melody. It’s the perfect background voice for how sweet and pretty your voice is, Haa-kun.

Hajime:

Come on~While I do like it when you make a fuss about me, please promise me that you'll wake up properly when it's time to go home, okay?

Ritsu:

…♪

Hajime:

...Once upon a time, on a hot summer’s day, beside a certain old manor...

Chapter: Black Bunny - Ra*bits in Underland

Writer: 西岡麻衣子 Nishioka Maiko

Season: Fall

Location: Wonderland stage

Mitsuru:

*whisper* Whoa! There’s so many people here...!

Hajime:

*whisper*

M-Mitsuru-kun...! If you keep craning your neck out of the trap room so much, people are going to see your head pop up on stage!

Tomoya:

*whisper* All right, everyone. Ra*bits are up next.

*whisper* Let’s bounce around on stage all in high spirits today too! Let’s gooo~!

Mitsuru:

“BAM~! ☆ It’s time for Ra*bits’ superstar, Tenma Mitsuru~!”

(Whoa... This is awesome...! My body’s pounding just like a taiko drum, boom boom boom! I’m drinkin’ in a whole ocean’s worth of fans screamin’ for us!)

(This is just like a track race - my heart’s beating so fast. It feels like all the excitement I’d been storin’ in my body has jumped outta me all at once!)

“♪~♪~♪~”

(Ahh... The glow of the pen lights is so pretty. I’m gonna go crazy thanks to this flood of light and sound.)

(But all of us worked so, so hard to see the sight before us today. We challenged ourselves over and over again and we cried tears of frustration - but kept standing’ back up again, even through our tears.)

(My song is sweepin’ over the crowd way faster than I can run—I wonder if it’s bringin’ joy to everyone? Just like the way that idol did for me back then.)

(I sure hope so.)

(But I’m not done yet! I wanna give it even more! Today’s performance—this moment in time—is only gonna happen once!)

“♪~!”

(I want the power of our songs, the light inside of us, all of our thoughts—I want all of those things to reach even further.)

(—That’s what I must have told myself on that day. The day that nobody would even take any notice of us. I know for sure, that’s the decision I made inside my heart.)

...Ah.

Hajime:

“♪~♪~♪~”

Nazuna:

“♪~♪~”

Tomoya:

“♪~♪~”

(When I look around me, I see everyone else right by my side... This isn’t a goal I have to reach on my own anymore.)

(This time I’m together with everyone. We’ll stand side by side and aim towards our goal together—)

Hajime-chan.

Hajime:

Huh?

Mitsuru:

Nii~chan.

Nazuna:

Hm?

Mitsuru:

Tomo-chan.

Tomoya:

Mitsuru?

Mitsuru:

Thanks for findin’ me!

Tomoya:

You... Do you remember who we are?

Mitsuru:

“And all of you guys too! Now matter how much I say it, it’ll never be enough! Thank you for everything! Thank for supportin’ us all this time! Thank you, thank you, thank you~!”

Chapter: Black Bunny - Ra*bits with Jumping 1

Writer: 西岡麻衣子 Nishioka Maiko

Season: Fall

Location: Resting Room

A few days later.

Mitsuru:

*munch munch*...*gulp*

Mmm~ An idol’s body and health is their wealth~! I gotta get all my nutrients! ♪

Kanata:

puka puka...♪

Kanata:

what’s this~? mitsuru. are you in the middle of a “break”?

Mitsuru:

Oh, the monster Onii~san! Hello, hello~! ☆ 

My body’s all drained from practice, so I’m gettin’ my sugar levels back up. What about you, Onii~san?

Kanata:

the “same” as you~ i was scolded for “bathing”, so i came over here to just drink some “water” instead. otherwise i will completely “dry up”.

Mitsuru:

Ahaha. You’re so weird, Onii~san~! You’re like dried seaweed!

Kanata:

mmph... how “rude”~?

but “seaweed” does smell like the “ocean”, which i like, so i’ll “forgive” you.

mn~? you look “happy”? your “eyes” are glistening like the “surface” of the ocean.

Mitsuru:

Yeah! That’s ‘cause I found what I wanna do! So I’m not gonna be lost anymore!

Kanata:

i see~ i’m happy to hear everyone “found” you~♪

Mitsuru:

Yeah. I don’t really understand why, but after you grabbed me, somethin’ really good happened, so I wanted to say thank you!

Kanata:

no, i didn’t do anything~

Mitsuru:

Oh, break time’s over! I’ve gotta leg it ‘else I’m scared Tomo-chin’ll get angry at me and make a face like THIS! Later, Onii~san! Bye-bye!

Kanata:

bye bye~♪

Location: ES Practice room

Mitsuru:

Huh? I hurried back over here, but where’s Tomo-chin~?

Nazuna:

He stepped outside to take some kind of urgent call from the organizers of Wonderland.

Hajime:

But quite some time has passed since then, so he should be heading back by now.

Tomoya:

......

Mitsuru:

...Ngyah?! You scared me! You came up behind me outta nowhere and just stood there lookin’ all lifeless...! You could at least me know you’re there, Tomo-chan~

Tomoya:

...Sorry.

Mitsuru:

Hm? What’s wrong? What’s with that gloomy look on your face, Tomo-chan?

Hajime:

Tomoya-kun, did something happen...? What was the urgent phone call about?

Tomoya:

...We might not be able to perform at Wonderland. Or rather, I’m not so sure if we should...

Hajime:

Huh?! Wh-What are you talking about?

Tomoya:

The organizers just called me up to confirm that the contents of Ra*bits’ performance they laid out was okay with us...

Listen, do you remember what you said back when I was first explaining about the plan? About the name of the concert being wrong?

Hajime:

Yes. Where they’d written “Underland” instead of “Wonderland” by accident, right?

Tomoya:

Well, “Underland” actually is the correct name. And the event is going to focus on the “Under” part of that—in other words, the theme is going to be dark.

Apparently the opening is going to be based on the cutesy world of Alice in Wonderland, but then it’s gonna do a 180 and completely transform into this dark, “underworld”.

Nazuna:

And that wasn’t all explained in the documents we got?

Tomoya:

That’s... These documents here...

Nazuna:

Lemme see...? Hmm... Looks like the normal description of an Alice in Wonderland themed concert to me—hm? Wait, isn’t this page a little thick?

Oh no, there’s something stuck to it and it’s clinging onto the other page...! That’s why you didn’t notice it...!

Tomoya:

Exactly. And it just so happens that the details about Underland were on those two pages that are stuck together, so I completely overlooked it.

Nazuna:

I see~ In that case, why don’t we just perform at the right version of the concert? If we start preparing now, we can still make enough adjustments for it to work out?

Tomoya:

But aren’t we Ra*bits still in the process of promoting ourselves?

Our “cuteness” is finally starting to be recognized and we’ve built a certain fan base attracted to that specifically. 

So if we completely change the color of our fur and put on a “dark” performance out of nowhere, I feel like we’ll just confuse our fans. I don’t think it’s a very wise tactic for Ra*bits.

Hajime:

But... We all worked so hard to prepare for this concert... Isn’t there anything we can do?

Chapter: Black Bunny - Mitsuru to Escape 3

Writer: 西岡麻衣子 Nishioka Maiko

Season: Fall

Location: Outside ES

Hajime:

Mmm... He’s not here either...

(I’ve checked more or less everywhere in ES... Where did you go, Mitsuru-kun...?)

(Hmm... No messages on my phone either.)

(We promised to contact each other as soon as we found him, so I guess neither Tomoya-kun or Nii~chan have seen him yet either...)

(Tomoya-kun’s looking inside the main ES building, Nii~chan is searching Seisou Dorm, and I’m checking all sorts of places.)

Where on earth could he have gone?

Perhaps he’s gone further than ES?

(But the current Mitsuru-kun doesn’t remember anything, so it’s hard to imagine that he’d go somewhere unfamiliar to him.)

Hajime:

Oh! I might have one idea... Could he possibly have gone there...?

Location: Yumenosaki

Hajime:
Somewhere the current Mitsuru-kun might go is here... I wonder if I’m right?

In any case, I’ll go have a look around.

Location: Outside Yumenosaki auditorium

Mitsuru:

......

Hajime:

(Oh, there he is...! I knew it, he came back to school.)

Mitsuru:

!

Hajime:

(Huh? He’s not headed for the sports grounds?)

(It looks like he noticed something and headed inside...)

Location: Yumenosaki auditorium

Mitsuru:

...?

Hajime:

Hehe. Did this place catch your attention? We often used to perform here.

Mitsuru:

Whoa! You scared me! Hajime-chan?

Hajime:

Oh! Ehehe... I startled you, huh. Sorry about that.

But why did this place catch your eye? You’ll probably get scolded if you try running in here.

Mitsuru:

Hey, Hajime-chan. Why don’t we perform here anymore?

Hajime:

Huh? Oh, we as in Ra*bits?

Mmm, thankfully now we have ES to perform at instead. Performances at school are when they hold big events and such.

Mitsuru:

Hmm...

There’s something about here... It definitely means somethin’ to me.

But it’s not a fun feeling at all - it makes me feel all disappointed and angry. It reminds me of that feelin’ I get when I haven’t had a good run; all pent-up and gloomy.

And...kinda scared. Even though I’m no coward!

Why does just being in here make me feel this way...?

Hajime:

Oh, I might know the reason for that.

This is the place we performed...even though we had no audience. Well, it’s more accurate to say that Anzu-san and Akehoshi-senpai were here watching us but...

Mitsuru:

Just two people...? How come? Isn’t that pointless?

Hajime:

The situation is a little complicated... But everything's changed now, so there’s no need to worry about it.

Oh but it wasn’t pointless at all, you know?

We’re idols. If even just one person is there to support us, then we’ve got to put our whole heart into our performance. We’ve got to thank them with the brightest smiles we can.

Isn’t it the same for you, Mitsuru-kun? If even just one person says they like watching you run, then you’ll run and run as fast as you can, right?

Mitsuru:

Yeah. If I can make whoever it is watchin’ me run smile, then I’m gonna dash, dash, dash with everythin’ I’ve got!

Hajime:

Yes! And we idols are the same.

Hajime:

That said... To be honest, rather than just one person, or two people, I’d much rather reach a whole crowd.

So to not even be given to the chance to do that was so painful that, as soon as our performance was over, I bawled my eyes out. Ehehe...

Mitsuru:

Was I there too?

Hajime:

Of course. You and me. And Tomoya-kun and Nii~chan too. All four of us make up Ra*bits after all.

Chapter: Black Bunny - Mitsuru to Escape 1

Writer: 西岡麻衣子 Nishioka Maiko

Season: Fall

Location: ES Practice room

The next day.

Tomoya:

♪~♪~...And that’s how it goes. Well, Mitsuru? Do you think you can remember?

Mitsuru:

Nooope! Not a single part!

Hajime:

I thought this might be the case, Tomoya-kun. It’s unreasonable to expect him to be able to learn all of our dances immediately after just watching us.

Nazuna:

Hm? What’s wrong, Mitsuru-chin? If you come this close to us, you won’t be able to see the dance as a whole?

Mitsuru:

I can’t learn this stuff just by watchin’, so I think it’d be better if I just forced myself to learn manually! My coach said that learnin’ by repetition is important for track stuff too, so yeah!

Tomoya:

Huh? You can just do it right away?

Mitsuru:

Can’t answer that until I try! And if I can’t, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it! So I’d rather just continue on this way!

Tomoya:

All right, we can try but...if it’s too much, you can stop us any time, okay?

Mitsuru:

—♪~♪~♪~

Hajime:

(Wow! Mitsuru-kun is amazing...! He hasn’t got the dance moves 100% correct, but he’s still able to keep up with us without much trouble!)

(This is Mitsuru-kun after all. Even without his memories he’s still got his natural reflexes, so he’s able to do it pretty easily. I envy him.)

(When Mitsuru-kun sings and dances, anyone watching him will cheer right up. For sure, no matter who you asked, there's no doubt that they’d tell you Mitsuru-kun is an idol, through and through.)

(He’s got to be the kind of person that people would call the ‘real deal”.)

(Find what’s “real”... Just what was Shinkai-senpai trying to say back then...?)

(I still can’t get what he said to me out of my mind.)

(Something’s been feeling off for a while now and it’s like he gave me a hint in relation to that... But I can’t put it into words myself. I just feel way too uncertain about this.)

Nazuna:

Hey, Hajime-chin. You’re repeating the same move over and over again y’know?

Hajime:

Eek?! I’m sorry...! I got lost in my thoughts-

Tomoya:

What’s wrong? Are you tired?

Hajime:

Oh-no, that’s not it.

Ehehe. I can’t be like this. Not when Mitsuru-kun is working so hard.

Nazuna:

Right? You’re doing great, Mitsuru-chin! You didn’t memorize anything, did you?

I can’t believe you came this far just by watching us and copying our moves.

Tomoya:

At this rate, it looks like we’ll have things in some sort of shape by the concert!

Mitsuru:

Ehen♪ Feel free to praise me even more~♪

Tomoya:

All right, let’s keep going like this until we’ve covered everything you’re able to do~

A few hours later.

Tomoya:

Okay, break time’s over! Let’s get back to practice~

Hajime:

Yes sir~☆

Nazuna:

Yeah. I’m just gonna go put this towel away.

Tomoya:

Next up is our new song—huh? Where’s Mitsuru?

Hajime:

Huh? I feel like he was just over there getting a drink of water a second ago? ...Huh?

Nazuna:

Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen him since a little earlier. Wonder if he went to the toilet?

Tomoya:

Wait...! I... I remember...!

Hajime:

Do you have an idea where Mitsuru-kun might have gone, Tomoya-kun?

Tomoya:

No, that’s not it.

Have you guys forgotten? Remember back when we’d just started at Yumenosaki and only just formed Ra*bits? That guy was constantly slipping away from practice to go run, wasn’t he?

Nazuna:

Now that you mention it, yeah, that did used to happen~ And then we’d often have to run all over the school looking for him. Ah, this sure takes me back~♪

Tomoya:

Nii~chan, this is nothing to smile about..

It looks like Mitsuru has reverted back to who he was back then, so I think he’s probably escaped in order to run...

Nazuna:

So that means... Now we’ve gotta search all over ES this time?

Tomoya:

Oh for god’s sake! ES is way more complicated than Yumenosaki - what are we gonna do if he gets lost?

Anyway, I’m gonna go look for him!

Nazuna:

Let’s split up, Tomo-chin.

Hajime:

I’ll help look for him too! Though Mitsuru-kun is so fast that I don’t know if I’ll be able to catch him.

The next day.

Tomoya:

Where the hell is Mitsuru?!

Hajime:

Huh? We only just stopped to take a break...

Tomoya:

He’s escaped again! The second I take my eyes off of him, he’s out of here!

Nazuna:

He hasn’t been missing for long, so he can’t have gone far. Let’s hurry after him!

Chapter: Black Bunny - Mitsuru in Wonderland 2

Writer: 西岡麻衣子 Nishioka Maiko

Season: Fall

Location: Rhythm Link Office

Tomoya:

—Well? What do you think, Mitsuru?

Mitsuru:

*munch munch* Mmph? About what?

Tomoya:

What do you mean “about what”?! Did you forget why we came here in this first place?

Mitsuru:

......

…’Cause the snacks are delicious and it’s a happy place?

Tomoya:

Mi—tsu—ru! Stop losing sight of our original goal! We’re going all over the place to try help you get your memory back!

Hajime:

Well... We’ve only tried one place so far. We’ve still got a lot to go.

Mitsuru:

Yeah, right! Ya don’t gotta be so grouchy, Tomo-chin—it’s not gonna solve anything! My memory’ll come back when it comes back!

Tomoya:

I don’t wanna hear that from you!

Nazuna:

Ahaha. This is a pretty serious situation, but they’ve got no sense of urgency about it at all~.

Arashi:

Oh my. I personally think that’s just a fine way to be. As they say: haste makes waste.

Nazuna:

That said, when you consider the situation with Ra*bits, we can’t really afford to be too laid back about things...

Tomoya:

Exactly. Even if we take things step by step, there’s still a limit on how much time we can spend.

Nazuna:

Yeah, you’re right. All right, shall we get going and try somewhere else?

Uhh... Where else did Mitsuru-chin like...?

Arashi:

Are you visiting the places that Mitsuru-chan would often spend time at?

In that case, how about the Sky Garden? I’d often run into him basking in the sun up there.

Mitsuru:

The Sky Garden? That place sounds super cool~!

Woohoo, I smell an adventure comin’ on! I wanna go! Let’s dash, dash, dash all the way there~!

Hajime:

Oh?! Wait, Mitsuru-kun! Don’t go running off by yourself!

And isn’t the Sky Garden in the other direction?!

Tomoya:

Oh, come on! Can’t he stay still for just a second?! I’m telling you to hold it!

Arashi:

My, my. All three of them have taken off.

Nazuna:

You don’t say! Ahaha, sorry about my kids causing so much of a fuss! I’m gonna go chase after them. Thanks, Arashi-chin!

Arashi:

Don't worry about it at all! The pleasure's all mine♪ I pray that Mitsuru-chan will get his memories back soon.

Location: Sky Garden

Mitsuru:

Mmhmm...! The breeze sure does feel good~!

Tomoya:

*pant, wheeze* ...We f-finally caught up to you...!

Hajime:

*huff, wheeze* ...N-Never mind catching up with Mitsuru-kun... I even lost sight of you on the way here, Tomoya-kun... You guys are so fast...

Nazuna:

*pant* ...Really wish you wouldn’t just take off like that... Think of the ones who’ve gotta chase after you, Mitsuru-chin...

Mitsuru:

You’re all slowpokes~!

Aww...? This Sky Garden’s nothing like I imagined it would be... This sucks...

There’s no ancient city in ruins hidden amongst a nest of dragons? This is just a regular garden! [1]

Tomoya:

Obviously not? What did you think the Sky Garden was?

Hajime:

Hehe. I guess I can kind of understand how Mitsuru-kun feels.

When you hear the name “Sky Garden”, you picture a peaceful garden floating high above the earth, forgotten by the people. I wonder if that could be the influence of an anime?

Nazuna:

Yeah, it does have a pretty dreamlike image. You could say it definitely brings out your sense of adventure.

Mitsuru:

Yeah...

Mn? There may not be any ruins guarded by robots or an old lady sky pirate, but there’s a kappa in that pond over there![1]

Nazuna:

A kappa?!** Where do you—[2]

Kanata:

i’m no “kappa”, you could at least call me a “mermaid” or a “merman”~[3]

Nazuna:

Oh, pfft. So the so-called kappa was just Kanata-chin.

Kanata:

yes~ it is i, “kanata shinkai”...♪

i don't really desire any “cucumbers”~[4]

Nazuna:

Mitsuru-chin, Kanata-chin here is a little weird, but he’s an idol just like us.

Kanata:

yes, that’s right~ i heard about what happened; so he really has lost his “memories”.

Mitsuru:

That’s what everyone tells me! I don’t really get it though!

Tomoya:

Urgh. You could have even a little more sense of danger! How can you be so calm? Isn’t it way more normal to panic or be worried about something like this?

Mitsuru:

Beats me! I’m still me, so why would I panic? That’d be weird!

Kanata:

by the way, why did you come up here?

oh, could it be that you want to “puka puka” with me? i’d be happy to see my “comrades” increase~

Tomoya:

Uhh, not exactly. I mean, now’s not really the best time of year to be swimming in cold water like that...

Kanata:

hmph. i see... that’s a shame.

chiaki has also “banned” me from “swimming in cold water”, so i can only stick a “part” of my body in at the moment...

this is definitely what they call “power harassment”.

Nazuna:

No, I get the feeling that Chiaki-chin is definitely in the right here...

Tomoya:

We really want Mitsuru to get his memory back, so we’re visiting all the places that he likes...

Hajime:

And we heard that he’s fond of the Sky Garden...

Kanata:

yes. that’s true, i see mitsuru “here” quite a lot. he often runs around the “pond” as fast as the “wind”~

Hajime:

What do you think, Mitsuru-kun? Does this place bring back anything to you?

Mitsuru:

Nope, not a thing! I don’t remember a thing.

Hajime:

I see...

Nazuna:

So this place doesn’t work either, huh... I’m getting worried...

Tomoya: 

The situation’s looking bleaker and bleaker... What should we do to get Mitsuru back...?

Kanata:

......

there...☆

Mitsuru:

Ungyah?! Why’re you grabbin’ me from behind like that?! Are you tryin’ to pull me into the water?!

So you are some kinda evil ‘monster‘ after all, Onii~san!

—Mn? Why’d I say monster instead of kappa...? That’s weird. It just slipped out...

Kanata:

hehehe~♪ that’s fine with me. then, i’ll become a “monster”~

Tomoya:

Huh?! What are you saying?!

Kanata:

hehehe ♪ “monsters” have to take the “prey” they catch and drag it back to their own “world”, don’t they?

Mitsuru:

Huh?! I’ve never heard about that before! Nooo, let go of me! 

Kanata:

let’s go to the “bottom” of the “pond”~. puka puka...♪

Hajime:

W-Wait a minute, Shinkai-senpai...! This is just a joke, right...?

Kanata:

mn? i am very “serious”. if i wasn’t “serious”, i wouldn’t go this far.

[1]Mitsuru and Hajime are most likely referring to the Ghibli movie “Laputa: Castle in the Sky”. The floating city of Laputa is surrounded by storm clouds known as the “Dragon’s Nest”. See here for the plot of the movie.

[2]A kappa is a river-dwelling creature from Japanese folklore. Read more here.

[3]Rather than just merman, Kanata refers specifically to the Japanese version of a merman, the amabie. “Amabie (アマビエ) is a legendary Japanese mermaid or merman with a bird-beak like mouth and three legs or tail-fins, who allegedly emerges from the sea, prophesies either an abundant harvest or an epidemic, and instructed people to make copies of its likeness to defend against illness.”

See more here.

[4]In the original Japanese, Kanata specifies he wants neither a cucumber (the favorite food of the kappa and commonly given as an offering) nor a shirigodama, which is a “mythical ball inside the anus that is sought after by the kappa”. Since this trivia is commonly known among Japanese, it would not have much of an effect on the audience reading it, so I decided to leave out of the translated version, so as not to confuse English-speaking readers. 

Translation: @nazunyan427 JP Proof: @noscomnia EN Proof: @ra_bits_daisuki

Chapter: Black Bunny - Mitsuru of Amnesia 3

Writer: 西岡麻衣子 Nishioka Maiko

Season: Fall

Location: Rhythm Link Office

Mitsuru:

*sneak sneak* ...♪

Tomoya:

Oh, come on! Why are you trying to sneak out of the room in the middle of an important conversation, Mitsuru?!

Mitsuru:

Wah, busted! Uh...Tomo-chan? Could ya not grab me by the scruff of my neck? I’m no cat!

Tomoya:

It’s because you’re trying to escape!

Mitsuru:

But but but! This is sooo boring! Everyone’s standin’ around with serious faces while havin’ a serious conversation. It’s so gloomy! At this rate, you’re gonna make me all gloomy too!

At times like this, it’s better to inhale some good ‘ol fresh air and dash as fast as ya can under blue skies~!

That always makes me feel refreshed! So that’s why I wanna go and run~!

Tomoya:

Well, you can’t. Or rather, we’re talking about YOU, so the least you can do is listen closely. Why is the person directly involved trying to get away?

Mitsuru:

Mn? You’re talkin’ about me? I wish you guys wouldn’t lie to me. Nothin’ you’re talkin’ about rings a bell.

I’ve been tellin’ ya this whole time! I’m not an idol! My thing is track and field~!

I’m not gonna be fooled by these lies! Hah~!☆

Nazuna:

Huh?!

Mitsuru:

I’m not an idol—I’m an athlete! Athletes don’t sing or dance—they run!

So that’s what I’m gonna do right now! Dash, dash~!

Tomoya:

Wagh?! Wh-Whoa?! C-Come on, Mitsuru! Stop flailing around~!

Ughhh...I’ll die before letting you go! Hnngh...!

Mitsuru:

Ugggghh...! Tomo-chan, will ya just let go of me already...?!

Hajime:

I think both of you should calm down, Tomoya-kun and Mitsuru-kun. At this rate, you’ll end up stretching and damaging Mitsuru-kun’s clothes.

Mitsuru:

...I don’t want my clothes to get damaged.

Hajime:

Exactly. So could you please try to be just a little bit more patient for now?

You can’t go running outside, but I can show you ES’ training room and the garden back at our dormitory in a little bit. I’m sure you’ll come to like them both.

Mitsuru:

Really, Hajime-chan?! Wahoo, I’m lookin’ forward to it~! I’ll behave myself quietly!

Nazuna:

Mitsuru-chin...

Tomoya:

*sigh* ... All of our problems just keep piling up, but this has to be the biggest one, Nii~chan...

He's not the Mitsuru who stands on stage as an idol—he's the Mitsuru who runs on the field instead from way back then.

Hajime:

Although we’ve already explained it to him quite a few times... Mitsuru-kun just won’t believe that he’s really an idol...

Tomoya:

Or rather, it feels like he has zero intentions of becoming an idol as he is now.

Mitsuru:

I’m tellin’ ya, none of this rings a bell! Why’d I become an idol? Why’d I quit track and field?

Tomoya:

Huh? Beats me...

Hajime:

Besides, you didn’t quit track and field, Mitsuru-kun. You’re still a member of the track team at Yumenosaki—you’re always running on the sports field, full of life.

In fact, the accident that caused this whole affair happened while you were in the middle of club activities.

Mitsuru:

Hmm. But runnin’ on its own is enough fun for me. Why’d I go through the trouble of becomin’ an idol?

Nazuna:

Uhh. Didn’t you say before that it’s ‘cause no matter how fast you run, you’ll never catch up to a car, but you can reach the whole world through a song in a second?

Hajime:

Yes. That’s why even when a scout approached you about running professionally, you turned them down.

Mitsuru:

A song...?

Agh, I don’t get any of this~! Why? Why’d I change my mind?

Nazuna:

Mmm... Not sure if we can answer that for you... Why did Mitsuru-chin become an idol?

Tomoya:

Who knows? We’ve only heard bits and pieces about the reason... Mitsuru’s never been super clear about telling us up until now.

I dunno if it’s ’cause he didn’t want to say why, or if he just doesn’t know how to put it into words well enough.

None of this seems to click with Mitsuru himself, so maybe it’s not even the original reason he wanted to become an idol.

Hajime:

...

Nazuna:

Mn? What’s wrong, Hajime-chin?

Hajime:

Oh, it’s nothing! It’s just...it just hit me that even though I spend so much time with Mitsuru-kun, I still don’t know aaanything about him...

… And I just think that’s really cold and terrible.

......

Tomoya:

There’s no need to get so depressed, Hajime. We’re all in the same boat here.

Nazuna:

Yeah. I’m just about to reflect on how little I know Mitsuru-chin, despite thinking I knew him well.

So, let’s go look for who he is.

Hajime:

Huh? Go look for him...?

Nazuna:

Yeah. Let’s visit places that share a connection between us and Mitsuru-chin together to look for fragments of his memories.

It won’t be too late to decide whether we’ll perform or not at Wonderland after we’ve done whatever we can to help him, right? Tomo-chin?

Tomoya:

Yeah, you’re right. We Ra*bits have grown step by step this whole time. We're used to walking down this kind of path.

Besides, it feels weird not having Mitsuru be the one all “Yahoo, idols!” or “Yahoo, a concert!”. He's the one who always gets the most excited among us!

Hajime:

Yes, you’re right... I want to see him like that again—Mitsuru-kun, the idol who’s full of joy.