Season: Summer
Location: Rooftop
Characters: Chiaki, Jin, Tori
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Chiaki: …Precisely because that dark age is still ongoing, Sagami-sensei’s existence must’ve felt like a miracle. You were able to become an afterglow and light up the idol industry again, even if just for a moment.
Jin: Yeah. It feels weird to say this about myself, but that might really have been a miracle. But miracles don’t happen twice.
I worked my ass off and was able to prolong its life, but the idol industry has been fatally injured already.
There’s nothing to be done about it. As soon as I retired, things reverted to the way they used to be.
I’m making myself cringe by saying this, but I was the last super idol.
After that, there was no one left to inherit the title of super idol. So the industry became rampant with mobs of people without enough talent to achieve the necessary results.
As Himemiya mentioned earlier, this has become like an era of populist politics.
And that original super idol has passed away. The throne is empty, and the big names of the industry who used to support us are all gone.
With no one left to rule over the chaotic ruins of the industry, everyone is just scavenging around for relics and treasures left from the past. That’s the kind of tragic era we’re living in.
You could say we’re living in the post-apocalypse.
I once went to see a movie with that kind of setting, and found myself thinking “Ah, this reminds me of the idol industry nowadays”, y’know.
Chiaki: A world where everything has ended… is the current situation really bad enough to be called post-apocalyptic? Personally, I don’t really want to see it that way.
Jin: Well, I probably did exaggerate quite a bit just now. Think of it more as a rough summary of the current era.
Let’s take our conversation back to the beginning. Kunugi-sensei was born into that dark age…
Plus, he entered the industry a while after the super idol Sagami-jin had appeared to light up the industry.
When you compare our situations, it just wasn’t fair.
He was very passionate, and I’m sure he was just as talented as I was. But because the times were bad, his flower didn’t sprout.
The industry was like a wasteland where every living thing had died out, the earth was too dry for flowers to bloom.
Some people tried to utilize the temporary economic boost I created for the industry to work hard and revitalize the industry.
But their efforts fell through and the systems and atmosphere of the industry ended up worsening.
In an environment like that, it’s impossible for anyone to make use of their true potential. Furthermore, Kunugi-sensei looked up to me and tried to do everything by following the old rules.
He was unable to keep up with the ever-changing industry of the time, and was only ever able to achieve mediocre results before he retired.
And now here we are. He is a hard worker, much more so than I ever was.
Plus, he’s a diligent student, so he knows a lot about the golden age of idols.
He’s a living witness who has experienced that gloomy era where the industry was like a witch’s pot being stirred endlessly…
He knows about both the good things and the bad. And he’s a person who put in a tremendous amount of hard work without ever producing any results. He’s experienced an unusual amount of setbacks and unfairness.
That’s exactly why he’s so well-suited to being a teacher.
I’m sure no one wants to hear me bragging about myself, and none of my experiences hold any value in today’s era.
But Kunugi-sensei’s failures and hardships are still normal tragedies that can inflict anyone even in modern times.
He wants to help you children avoid making the same mistakes he did.
Or at least I think so. So when he tells you to stop what you’re doing, you really should heed his advice.
There are things only Kunugi-sensei can teach you, as someone who wasn’t able to become a super idol.
So, all of you should try to pay more attention to Kunugi-sensei when he talks from now on. Well, both me and Kunugi-sensei are merely relics of the past at this point, we’re almost like ghosts.
When all is said and done, you guys who are actually living today should think for yourselves and choose the path you want to take on your own.
Chiaki: Hm. I’ll keep that advice with me deep inside my heart. However, haven’t we gone somewhat off-topic?
We asked about Kunugi-sensei’s abilities, and before I knew it, I was listening to some grand history lecture.
Jin: Ahaha. I thought it would be best to explain his position in idol history, or rather, what the industry was like in his era.
His achievements are kinda mediocre, and I often tease him about that, but…
I wanted you all to understand that the reason why he didn’t achieve results was because of the industry at that time, and definitely not because he is lacking in ability.
Rather, because he is a person from a time when the idol industry was desperately struggling to survive…
He’s lived through all kinds of experiences, way more than I have.
And unlike me, he’s also formed an idol unit before, and he also tried doing comedic jobs and stuff like that.
He achieved decent results in every field, except for in modeling and singing, where he really made a name for himself.
Meaning he is able to do almost everything with some level of quality.
He’s a true all-rounder. If you underestimate him and think that he’s only good at singing, you’ll be in for a world of hurt.
Chiaki: Does that mean there’s nothing we can do to counter him? Then what was the reason for all that explaining up until now…
Well, there were a lot of things I had never heard about before, so I learned a lot.
Jin: Yup. That’s why I told you all at the beginning that I was going to hold a lecture. If you learned anything then all is good.
I’m sure it’s annoying to hear old men talk about the past like this, but someone has to pass on this history.
Though it’s not a pretty tale, nor is it one I’m proud of enough to call it a heroic legend.
But it’s still the history of the world I dedicated my youth to, the world you’re all trying to live in today.
There’s no loss to knowing about it. And I have to mention, everything I told you just now was the true story, though I did exaggerate a little… I’m a teacher, I would never tell you lies.
Tori: …
Jin: N? What's wrong Himemiya, you look displeased. I guess all this talk must be boring for children, after all.
Tori: N~n… I had no idea about any of this before hearing you talk about it just now. I mean, I never had any interest in idols in the past. So I feel like I’ve gained something from listening.
(...I see. So that’s the kind of era we’re in right now. That’s why Eichi-sama is called “Emperor” and “top idol”...)
(Does that mean his goal is to someday become an even more powerful “super idol”, so he can reign over the entire industry and bring back that bright golden age?)
(Or am I overthinking things? It doesn’t seem as if Eichi-sama likes being called “Emperor” very much, after all…?)
(That’s right. We’re going to close the curtain on the old era and create a brand new world… that’s why we’re “fine”.)
(Eichi-sama is sure to be able to reach even greater heights than the super idols of the past.)
(He will grow to become as great, or even greater, than the “original super idol”, who was said to be a godlike being.)
(No. He’s probably working hard even now to accomplish that, I’m sure…)
(Sagami-sensei only explained the big changes in idol history, so I still don’t really understand the current circumstances.)
(It’s as if I sat in on a lecture concerning ancient history, but modern history is still vague to me. But, Eichi-sama is spearheading that history, and even now he’s fighting on the front lines.)
(I’m still inexperienced, but I want to keep growing more and more and support him.)
(That’s why I went against my parents’ wishes to enter Yumenosaki academy.)
(Well… Right now I’ve been forced into this unnecessary detour and have been given the name “Rain-bows”, though.)
Chiaki: Hm? What’s wrong Himemiya, you look tired!
Your head must’ve started hurting after being told so many difficult things in one go. To tell you the truth, I’m the same way! That means we’re together in this, that makes me happy ♪
Tori: You’re so loud… Rather than all that, the bell will ring any moment now.
Shouldn’t we clean up after ourselves and begin heading back already? Being late for class would create scars for my resume.
Chiaki: What, don’t worry about that! Scars are like honor badges for men! Hahahaha!
…Or I guess I shouldn’t say that. Since we can only meet up once a week during lunch break, we never have enough time together.
There’s no end to the things I want to talk about, and we’ve had nowhere near enough lessons together, it’s making me feel frustrated.
Aah, if only there were 48 hours in a day! If only the days lasted as long as we wanted them to!
But I’m not a god, so I can’t change the speed of the sun rising and setting!
Tori: …Stop saying weird things like that, and let’s get going to class already, okay~?
Really. I want to return to Eichi-sama’s side right this second and support him, so why should I have to waste my time on something like this…♪
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