Season: Winter

Location: Shopping Mall - First Floor

Chapter image 1

The next day, after school.

Mika

(Sigh... This ain't any good. 'M not gettin' anywhere...)

(I couldn't finish the new outfits in time, so we gotta settle with our usual ones fer tomorrow's live.)

(Even though it's gonna be Oshi-san's last performance as part of Valkyrie an' all...)

(But I reckon it's fine, though Oshi-san used to hate havin' to wear the same outfit over 'n over again.)

(We've been short on money for a lotta reasons, so this ain't nothin' new.)

(Those outfits're the first thing to come to mind when people think of Valkyrie... The fans'll probably be real happy to see 'em.)

(They're better than the crappy ones I made, anyways.)

(Valkyrie'll come to an end without mixin' in nothing unnecessary, maintainin' the essence of Oshi-san's style all the while.)

(And that's alright. It's a happy ending... We managed t'make it this far, despite havin' hit rock bottom before.)

Tomoya

Huh? Heeey, Kagehira-senpai! Were you just about to leave?

Mika

Ngah? We've been seein' each other a real lot lately, Tomoya-kun. Whatcha doin' here? This place's pretty far from school.

The apartment I'll be movin' into in spring's nearby, so I was just checkin' this place out.

I've been puttin' it off 'til now, but I figured it's 'bout time to start pickin' out furniture.

Tomoya

Ohh, is that so... I'm just a regular shopper~ My family comes to this mall every once in a while.

We just finished buying everything we need, so I'm carrying our stuff to the car.

Mika

I see... Ya sure have a lotta bags to carry there.

Tomoya

Yeah... Ah! Wait, I didn't buy this plush for myself, okay?! My little sister's just a big fan of President Hibiki...!

Mika

Ahaha, nobody's askin' 'bout that. Ain't it fine, though? Just buy whatever ya like.

Tomoya

Ugh... We tend to get too excited in places like this and end up buying lots of unnecessary things.

The word "sale" is my family's biggest weakness!

Mika

Ah, right. Ya did say yer with yer family. Where're they, anyways?

Tomoya

Ah, I think they're looking at the store over there. Can you see them?

Mika

Hm...? Sorry, I don't think I do.

Tomoya

Yep... We're all "normal," so we blend right into the crowd.

It's not the best trait to have as an idol... I envy you, Kagehira-senpai. People have been staring and whispering things about you for quite some time.

Mika

Eh? Oh, yer right. There're some kids pointin' 'n squealin' over there.

Tomoya

You just noticed that?

Mika

Yeah, I was real deep in thought. Agh, I don't like bein' stared at...

Tomoya

I heard Valkyrie's really popular lately, so you're becoming more famous day by day.

If you're not in disguise, you'll cause an uproar in places like this.

You already stand out quite a lot as is.

Mika

Err, ya think so? My mismatched eyes really are weird, huh?

Tomoya

No, that's not it. It's more like, your eyes are very attractive... Even though I'm a guy, I find you really good-looking! I get the chills every time I watch you perform!

If I were a girl, I'd fall in love with you the moment you start singing!

Mika

Whatcha mean by that...? Wait, ya watch our lives? Thank ya kindly~⁠♪

Tomoya

Yeah, I've been keeping an eye on you guys for quite a while now. Though, you two only ever pay attention to Nii~chan, I think.

But Valkyrie's still our number one enemy—a wall we absolutely have to climb over.

There's no way we'd let ourselves be defeated. No, not just that—I want to make sure that Ra*bits is better than Valkyrie before Nii~chan graduates.

Mika

...Ngah?

Tomoya

We have to! Otherwise, it'll seem like Nii~chan transferring from Valkyrie to Ra*bits was a mistake, right?

He's always been working so desperately. All the hardships he's gone through in the course of this year... I don't want him to think of it as a waste of time.

Sorry to keep talking on and on by myself. But ultimately, that's why...

In the end, we, Ra*bits, are going to beat Valkyrie one-on-one. At least once.

The Repayment Festival is our last chance we have left to do this...

I don't know if you guys are performing or not, but it would be great if we can have a showdown there.

If you are, please don't go easy on us.

Mika

...Ya think y'can beat us? Even though yer nothin' but cute lil' bunnies?

Tomoya

But we're the very bunnies Nii~chan trained for a whole year.

Oh shoot, my family finished shopping before I realized. They're leaving without me, so I have to go now!

Mika

Hey, wait! We ain't performin' in⁠—

(...Aaand there he goes. Reckon I'll bump into others if I chase him in this crowd.)

(He sure is quick as a bunny~)

(What was that anyways? Was he tryin' to pick a fight?)

("Ra*bits beating Valkyrie"? Now that's a first. There ain't no way that can happen, yeah? Not when Valkyrie—Oshi-san's the strongest! He's invincible!)

(That's how things should be, but... Honestly, I got a lil' bit scared there...)

TranslationRen
Translation Check310mc, Iridesenescence
Quality Checkhyenahunt