Starmine ~Epilogue~ Chapter 3

[nebulancer]

Arashi: Ufufu. You seem in high spirits, Tsukasa-chan.

Tsukasa: If that is so, then Narukami-senpai as well; throughout this whole day you were not once putting your all into it.

At any time, moderately and reasonably, that is your credo, is it not?

Arashi: But well, all I want to do is show to my loved person myself when I'm shining the brightest...

Hey, listen, Tsukasa-chan, just a while back I got called "Arashi-kun" by Kunugi-sensei by name♪

I'm totally happy! I feel like I'm going to ascend to heaven, then burst just like the fireworks!

Tsukasa: I understand. Names are important. For they are that which one receives with every fiber of one's being, succeeding an ancestor, as well as carrying the love of one's parents.

I, too, was taught to honor my family name.

Arashi: Oh, is that so, but I don't really like my name... "Arashi" and "Narukami", too, they're such disastrous names, you know...

"Narukami", written differently, means thunder.

It doesn't sound cute at all and sounds strong instead, "Suou" and "Tsukasa" are lovely, so I'm envious♪

Tsukasa: You say Lovely... If I told you that there was dislike for it, would you even now love it?

Arashi: Yup. Feelings of anger disappear in six seconds, and neither disgust nor hatred can last long...

But love is eternal, so that's why only you can love yourself. For names, too, that's my part in it.

Me now, I love all of myself! I can puff out my chest and say it, thanks to everyone's help... I'm super thankful, you know!

Tsukasa: I do not fully understand, but... To have something to love is quite a splendid thing.

Arashi: Yup. Tsukasa-chan, you too should love yourself more. To be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the top-class like us, your inferiority complex is hurting you.

Because you're already a pretty big deal.

Tsukasa: Thank you very much, Narukami-senpai.

Izumi: Like~ I~ said~, can you not keep blabbering on top of the stage? Just concentrate, you two!

Arashi: Yeah, yeah. Seriously, you've completely gotten energetic again... I wasted my time worrying about you, it was cuter when you were all meek, you know?

Well, even though around [Duel], "Trickstar" began to improve, there's still a pretty big margin between us, so I'm telling you, it's fine.

We're pulling off this performance to perfection, so it's not a problem, right?

Our surroundings are all buddy-buddy, so if you're not talking and frowning instead, then in comparison you're going to look like you get on bad terms on us.

Us, too, even though we're already so cozy~♪¹

Izumi: What's outside is outside, and what's inside is inside. If you keep screwing around I'll knock you into the ocean, okay, Naru-kun?



Arashi: Ooh, scary... The one who's screwing around is you, talking so high-handedly.

If you act like such an Onii-chan, why don't you act just a bit cooler for your "little brothers", hm.

Izumi: Little brothers? The only little brother I have is Yuu-kun, though?

Arashi: Oh, I see. If that's the case... It's finally a dual live between us, so Izumi-chan should approach him just a bit more.

Not doing it intensely is too bad, because refraining yourself isn't like Izumi-chan.

Lemme give you some help. Here, there you go, there you go♪

Izumi: Uhyaa? Hey, don't push me! If I lose my balance, I'll seriously fall into the sea...!

Makoto: Wha... A-are you all right, Izumi-san? Is your physical condition still bad, and you're wobbling around?

Izumi: I-I'm all right. Thanks for supporting me, Yuu-kun♪

Fufufu. Without my noticing, you've grown bigger, huh... Yuu-kun♪

Makoto: Even I've been growing. Even if it's a bit slower than most people.

...Hey, Izumi-san. My smile, is it reeking of lies?

Izumi: I don't know what the meaning to your question is, but there's nothing wrong with it being a lie.

Even if it's a lie, just keep smiling, because putting price tags on and selling them is what makes an idol, right?

You've become an idol you know, Yuu-kun. As proof of that, show me your laugh that seems happy, even if it's a lie or if it's impossible.

Then, I'll pay even the highest prices you could ever imagine, to give to you.

Makoto: Thank you, is what I wonder I should be saying... After all, I don't really understand the heaviness of love and it makes me uncomfortable, but that makes me a bit relieved.

Having someone face me front on, telling me that they love me is kind of...

If feels like infinite power's surging out, recently I've been getting that understanding. Just a bit, I'm grateful to Izumi-san.

Sorry for that. Thank you. I've always been pampered by Onii-chan, huh.

Izumi: There, that smile! Keep it there! Just like that, sing and dance! You're really shining right now, Yuu-kun...♪

Makoto: Izumi-san too, when you're talking to me... Kind of, your smile's pretty cute.

Izumi: Whaaa...!?

Makoto: Oops. Talking too much is bad, we have to focus. Isn't that right, Izumi-san?

Izumi: T-that's right, but! What do you mean, Yuu-kun!

Complimenting me, and calling me Onii-chan so casually just now! A dream? It's fine even if it is a dream...♪

Makoto: Even so, don't cling onto me! I can't move much, and it makes me uncomfortable!

I'm going to be walking properly on my own from now on. Well, I don't really have the confidence to say that with my chest puffed out, but...

I'm doing my best. As a human... and as an idol, I'll do it the way only I can.

That's why, without interfering, just watch me. Because if you meddle too much, I might start to hate you.

Izumi: Eh, eh? Actually, you've never hated me!?



Makoto: "♪~♪~♪"

Izumi: (Ah, he's not listening anymore. Yuu-kun's surprisingly skilled at focusing, or instead, completely repressing [himself], huh.)

(He has strength when given a role, or when risking his life.)

(He removes the limiters set to protect himself, and puts all he has into it.)



(It's horrible, and it's distorted... But there's no one else who can live their lives so straightforwardly, and even twisted people have a right to breathe.)

(Use that breath to sing, let me hear it even more! Yuu-kun...!)

(Sing together with your Onii-chan, even if it's only a dream in just one night!)

"♪~♪~♪"

Subaru: (Ahaha... I don't understand the relationship between those two~. Whether they get along well or badly.)

(I wonder if I did something unnecessary added on in [DDD]...)²

(Ju~st kidding, a crime's a crime. Well, the two of them standing together shoulder-to-shoulder and laughing is good enough.)

(Keep laughing, keep laughing, everyone! Just like the fireworks...☆)

(We became the cherry blossoms in spring, and became the fireworks in the summer! In fall what'll we be, and in winter? I'm getting excited~, let's shine even more and more!)

(Let's let it ring throughout the world, our ensemble...♪)





¹-The word used here is, written in katakana, "At Home", but it has the same meaning as that of the gacha story "Kung Fu" in the wikia, where there's a more detailed explanation. Basically, the phrase isn't meant to be what it sounds like, and rather should be taken with a different meaning that's roughly like "cozy" or "comfortable"

²-Subaru references the action in DDD, where Izumi kidnaps Makoto and locks him up in the soundproof practice room. Subaru thinks that he added on to their troubles by rescuing Makoto, but then takes it back.