Chapter 8

«Let’s have a big round of applause for “Heavenly Melonpan”!»

«Now, coming up next is a duo that took the internet by storm with their viral dance video, “Chii and Ten-cham”!»

«And this time, they’re back with some brand-new additions to their team!»

«Give a warm welcome to “MATATABI”! And their song is….. drumroll, please——»

“Kink”….. Wait, this is an original by that masked artist unlove!? No way, that’s dope.

The crowd’s really into it. Their popularity is no joke.

But popularity isn’t gonna cut it. It’s all about the techniques. I’m gonna be extra strict with them——

(I always get kinda nervous before stepping onto the stage. But….)

(It’ll be okay. We’ll show them our way. We’ll bring out all the excitement, thrills, and joy——)

(I want everyone here to experience such emotions!)

Whoa...! They came out with masks on and then break out a full-out, crazy dance?

Talk about making a statement!

(Yes! Our high-impact opening plan worked! I can see the judges' surprised faces clearly!)

(….And now….)

(We’ll all stop with some cat poses ♪)

Cat masks and a cat-themed dance... How adorable!

They're in perfect harmony. This is very strategic.

Each member's movements match their personality, but it all comes together cohesively.

(Giving it my all….. and have fun….!)

That kid moves well. Still rough, but there's a lot of potential.

(And now, time to take off my mask—— This is Natsuyaki-san’s idea for fan-service…..!)

B-Bishounen! A bishounen has appeared!

(……My very own….. wave boogaloo….)

(Yep, this is amazing. Super amazing….! Munecchi and everyone are performing even better than during practice, and the crowd is absolutely lovin’ it!)

(Me….. too.)

Wow, look at that kid go!

Such graceful movements... And that style! I'm totally a fan!

(Muneuji-kun and Kiro-chan are popping off! I’ll do my best too….!)

HYAAAAAAHH!!!! Did you see that pose!? So insanely cute….!

That cat pose is so fresh and cute, it brings out my motherly instincts.....

(Everyone’s so toootally killing it!!! There’s no way Chii can fall behind now ♪)

A-Amazing!

How can anyone move that flexibly!? It’s like he’s completely embodying a cat spirit inside him….!

(Aaand the best part is yet to come~♪)

……

(Wow, look at that, everyone’s trying so hard.)

(Well, we do have masks on, I guess stealing the spotlight once in a while might not be so bad.)

……!

Hold on, what’s with that jump!? That’s insane!

Is that parkour mixed in with dance!? No way, how high can he jump? He’s like a ninja…!

And for the cherry on top, we finish with a backflip.

(Ten-cham is soooo cool! Pulling that off on the fly, you’re a super genius!!)

(And for the final touch….)

(Just like how we started, we end it with some cat poses ♪)

(Now…..)

——Aaaannd….. Pose ♪

…..Oh my gosh, that was like, insaaaaneely fun ♪ The vibes and energy were just poppin’, Chii’s feelin’ sooo alive right now!

And the audience and the judges really seemed to enjoy it too! So——

……。

Don’t be so down, gimme a smile ♪

…..But—

Also like, second place is still some big deal, yanno~? We were up against some pros. Not to mention…..

What's important isn’t the results, but whether we feel satisfied with our performance or not. In the end, having fun beats everything else ♪

And for one, Chii is toootally satisfied~!

…..You’re right. I gave it my all. There were no regrets.

Me too! It was so much fun, and I'm happy to have experienced this amazing world with you, Chihiro-kun and Ten-kun!

Me too…… I had…. a lot of…. fun.

And….. it was all….. thanks to…. Natsuyaki-san.

So…. thank you…. so much…. for everything…..

That’s right. We owe it to the both of you

……

I’m, like, so happy right now, I can feel the tears coming…… Ahaha!

Isn’t that nice.

But for real, Ten-cham, you helped out a bunch too. Those daring moves you did…. were super epic.

Haha, you flatter me.

Thanks so much, everyone, for everything up ‘til today.

‘Kay, before we bounce, let’s snap a group selfie. Gotta make sure we capture these vibes for keeps~♪