Chapter 5

.........

Huff, huff……. How was that…..?

Huff, huff….. Yeah! I think that’s a lot better! I really need to improve my stamina though…….

Me…… too…..

Kiro-chan, you’re making more eye contact with the audience this time too!

It was very encouraging to receive feedback from Toi-san.

Is it alright if we run through the routine one more time?

Of course! You good with that, Kiro-chan?

Y-Yeah…..

Wow, those 3 are still at it this late?

……

(They all have school and work tomorrow…… Yet they’re still pushing themselves to keep practicing.)

(They’re all drenched in sweat, it doesn't take a genius to figure out how tired they must be…..)

There's no way I can just sit here and watch like this…..!

HEY, ALL OF YOU!!!

Why did none of you say anything to me?!?!

…..! Natsuyaki……san…..!

This is surprising. I didn’t expect Murakumo-san to be here as well.

Yeah, just so happens~

You’re all big dummies, idiots, stuuupidd!!!

If you’d told Chii, Chii would’ve gladly helped you guys for hours on end!

Why’d you all keep it a secret!?!?

W-We have a reason for doing this…..!

A reason?

We…. weren’t improving….. much….

So we thought….. we needed to figure out…. the answer…... ourselves.

Huh….?

Murakumo-san shed some light for us. If we’re unsure about our performance, it’s because deep down, we already know what the issue is.

(I just made up a random reason to get you off my back though.)

When we heard about it from Muneuji-kun, Kiro-chan and I realized we still have things we need to work on, so we really reflected on it……

Y-Yeah……

We decided that we couldn’t just rely solely on you and Murakumo-san, and that we needed to practice until we can be satisfied with our own progress.

……

(Maybe Chii was wrong all along…..)

(Munecchi, Kirokkuma, and Tounya have been working so hard. They’re very motivated and are putting in all their efforts.)

(And yet, Chii was just here thinking we’d be fine as long as we made good memories…..)

Sorry. Chii really didn’t understand how you all felt at all.

……

You see, Chii didn’t really think about winning at all when we formed this team. Chii only wanted us to enjoy dancing together….. That’s all.

So, I avoided nitpicking. Criticisms can sometimes end up making people feel bad.

I didn’t want to suck the fun out of dancing for everyone…..

So…. that’s how…. you felt…..

……We really appreciate your consideration, Natsuyaki-san. We want to enjoy ourselves too.

However, we also want to contribute to the team that you have chosen us to be a part of. We would be really happy if we could do that for you.

And, you and Murakumo-san were invited to the competition because of your dancing skills.

That is why we want to avoid having our lower skill levels hold the both of you back as much as possible.

…….Chii’s really sorry for making you feel that way. It just never occurred to me….

But! That’s not all!

In Chii-sama’s dance video, you and Ten-kun looked like you two were having so much fun.

We want to see the world that Chii-sama and Ten-kun saw back then when you danced!

Isn’t that right, Muneuji-kun, Kiro-chan!?

Yes, that’s right.

T…..Toi-kun showed us…..the video…..

You two were….. so cool. It makes me…. want to…. work harder…..

(I’m not good at dancing or being the center of attention….. but if it’s with everyone….)

You guys…..

So please, point out our mistakes. We’d really appreciate it.

We’ll work even harder, that’s a promise.

(Everyone’s taking this so seriously)

(I don’t want to trample on their feelings…..)

……

(Uh oh. I feel like Chihiro’s expression changed. I don’t like where this is going.)

……Ah, but y’know, putting in more effort doesn’t always mean you’ll do well.

Chihiro’s idea of participating to make memories is valid, so we can just take it easy and have fun with it instead….

……Chii thought so too. Up until just a lil while ago.

But seeing how hard the 3 of you are working, Chii realized he might’ve been wrong.

……, You think so~?

And Tounya, didn’t you say that you wanted to see the world that we see when we’re dancing?

Y-Yeah……!

I want to show you guys that world too.

The thrill of being on stage, how deep dancing can take you…. Chii wants you guys to experience that twinkling, dazzling world. So——

……So……?

Leaf everything to Chii from here!!