nazunyan427

Title: “To The Flowers That Have Begun to Bloom”

Writer: Chitose Umeda

Season: Autumn

Location: Common Room

Notes:

 The title of Nazuna’s 5* feature scout featuring his personalized outfit is “Flowers Will One Day Bloom”, so the title of this story feels like one big love letter to that story!

Nazuna: I’m hooome~

(Whoa, for a second I thought I was back at my place, so I ended up announcing that I’m home outta habit.

I guess that’s just proof of how well I’ve adjusted to life at Starmony Dorm~ Well, my life is pretty much based around here at the moment.)

Makoto: Welcome home, Nito-senpai!

Nazuna: Mako-chin? Oh, hey. Yeah, I just got back~

Mao: Did you have college today?

Nazuna: Oh, you’re here too, Mao-chin.

Yeah, I did. The content of today’s lecture really got my attention, and I ended up exchanging views with the guy in the seat next to me, which is why I’m late back.

Makoto: Whoa, now there’s something only a college student would say!

Nazuna: Nah. Back at Yumenosaki, when you don’t understand something in class, you turn to ask your friend, right? It’s the same sorta thing.

What are you two up to? Since you’re together, can I assume you guys are revising over stuff from class together, like the way I said just now? ♪

Mao: Sorry to burst your bubble, but I can’t say we’re really the type to do that sorta thing. Although I suppose you could say we’ve been studying, in a way.

Makoto: Look! We’ve got a bunch of fliers for open campuses spread out across the table.

Nazuna: Whoa, you really do. You sure gathered a lot!

…Hm? I recognize this brochure. Wait, is this…

Makoto: That’s right! ♪ Right on the front of that flier is the university you attend, Nito-senpai!

Nazuna: I thought so… Yup, this is my uni. Now that you mention it, I have a feeling I’ve seen this before on one of the notice boards on campus.

…Oh! And I just remembered something else. Now that I think about it, one of my friends said they were gonna help out.

But why do you guys have so many fliers to begin with? Are you planning to take part in an open day?

Makoto: We didn’t exactly have any plans… But just looking at all these brochures does pique my curiosity a little for sure, I guess!

Mao: Right, I feel the same. For most high schoolers, they’d be getting pretty serious about exams and looking into higher education right about this time period. 

It’d probably be a good experience to get a taste of university life too. So if I had the chance, I’d like to go and check it out.

Nazuna: Oh, you guys are real forward thinking! I for one think it’d be a great opportunity! I mean, you did go through the trouble of collecting all these fliers…

Hm? Wait, so you didn’t collect these fliers out of interest to attend an open day? Based on what you guys just said, it sounds like the other way around.

Makoto: Right. All of these fliers were handed out at Yumenosaki.

So to be honest, we kinda just took what was given to us…

Nazuna: You got these at Yumenosaki? Hmm, I feel like they never did anything like this up until last year.

I mean, in my case, I had to do my own research into higher education all by myself. Then I’d go consult with my teachers god knows how many times.

Mao: Ahaha, yup, it’s just like you said, senpai.

Apparently up until last year, Yumenosaki did get a bunch of fliers, but apparently not many of them were handed out.

So recently a bunch of students started clamoring about wanting more information, some sorta guidance… All because of the lecture you gave this summer, Nito-senpai.

Nazuna: …What?

Makoto: Neither Isara-kun nor I were at the auditorium on the day itself, but we caught a recording of it afterwards.

“Hold everything you learn at Yumenosaki dear to your heart. And if you can take a step forward in a direction that you yourself are happy with—well, that’s all I ask for.” Those words you said at the end were really powerful…

I feel a lot of people were spurred on thanks to what you had to say, Nito-senpai.

Mao: There’s more than just idols at Yumenosaki—there are other divisions too. And your speech would’ve made an impact on anyone, no matter where they belonged to.

Even after graduating from Yumenosaki, you’re still active as an idol. And you’re making use of everything you learn at college, giving yourself a great skill set…

So for anyone who wasn’t really sure about what they should do after high school, you planted the idea of college being an option in their head, I guess you could say?

Makoto: That’s what it felt like! Your lecture made it so everyone realized that it was time for them to think about what sort of path they wanna walk down, huh?

Nazuna: No way… You guys are exaggerating way too much.

Makoto: It’s not an exaggeration at all. Your words were the push forward so many students needed, senpai. Right, Isara-kun?

Mao: Right. And the fact that the two of us brought home all these college brochures, and are thinking about going to an open campus, is all thanks to the lecture you gave this summer making it so that this information is available in the first place.

Nazuna: …Yeah? So my words really have reached the students of Yumenosaki?

(...If that was the case, that’d feel pretty amazing.

I’m pretty tiny, so I didn’t know if I’d be able to make any big waves or anything.

I worried that I might’ve just gotten lost, and just gone bouncing down a different path… That thought has definitely crossed my mind before.

But the path I chose… The path I’m walking down right now has, just like these two said, encouraged others too and given them the push they need.)

Mako-chin, Mao-chin. Thanks for telling me this.

I feel kinda proud of myself. I’ll make sure to put everything I’ve got into both my studies and my work as an idol from now on too! ♪

Location: Nazuna’s college

(Several days later.)

Nazuna: Mako-chi~n! Mao-chi~n! Over here!

Makoto: Whoa… Just stepping foot on campus is making me all jittery.

Mao: There’s not even that much of an age difference between us, but it’s like, everyone already seems so grown-up just from spending time on campus…

Nazuna: Ahaha. Don’t worry about it! You’ll get used to it right away.

Welcome to college! I’ll be your guide to show you guys around and make sure that you enjoy your campus experience!

First of all, I know. We’ll go through the lounge and I’ll take you along to the library. Just follow your Nii~chan! ♪

—

Translation by nazunyan