.........

Tomoya-kun?!

Tomo-chan, Tomo-chan, Tomo-chaaan⁠☆

Watch it! Don't just launch yourself on me! I can't catch you because of how dead tired I am! Isn't this against your Order too?

Well, it's fine. Thanks for trying to find me.

And sorry...for making you all worry.

Ahaha! A normal response from our normal Tomo-chan!

Did you really have to say that it was "normal"? But, ugh, I guess it's fine if it's from you guys!

Ahaha. I don't know what happened, but it looks like you've been through a lot.

The outfit you're wearing right now looks brand new, but surely your hair and skin are dirty. You must be feeling absolutely exhausted... Tomoya-kun?

You're paying more attention to me than I am.

Of course I am! Because I love Tomoya-kun! More than anyone! And much more than Hibiki-senpai!

Why did you say his name?

Amazing! Bravo!

You were able to come back alive from the world's embodiment of hell, the Dark Side! That's what one would expect from Yumenosaki Drama Club's rising star!

I'm proud of you, Tomoya-kun!

.........

Uwagh! Please don't kick me off the stage! That's one of the worst things you could do to me!

Oh, sorry. It was because you still looked so happy despite knowing all the shit I went through.

But...it's fine. You always have a big smile on your face no matter what's going on.

I'm reeeeally sorry! But I also wanted to have fun playing around with you until the very end, if possible⁠♪

Though, I was a bit worried about my stomach and thought I should get it checked beforehand.

That's right... You got hurt. A-Are you alright? Was the wound I treated really that deep...?

Yes⁠♪ But the top doctors in the country, who are always on Eichi's side, took care of me. So I'm all better now!

Look, even the scar is completely gone⁠♪

You really don't need to show it to me... Rather than it being a medical miracle, it's more like you're a monster that can heal injuries at an insane rate.

By the time we were wandering around the alley, your wounds had already closed up. Are you really human...?

No, I am SUPERhuman!

...But I don't mean this in a patronizing way. I got hurt back there because the monsters scared me.

I only had the memories of a five-year-old, so naturally I tried to run away from those terrifying monsters...and fell down in the process. How embarrassing⁠♪

I was trying to look good in front of you and not let you realize I was scared.

Really? Thank God I wasn't the only one that was panicking after being thrown into a weird-ass situation like that.

Nah, I'm glad that you were with me regardless of the reason. I would've gone crazy if I was by myself.

Tehehe. You would've be fine. After all, you managed to remain sane despite meeting all the eccentrics in Wonderland.1

What are you talking about...?

Still, I have no idea what's the deal with that place. It's called the Dark Side, right?

Yes. This amusement park, SANCTUARY, specializes in showing the good side of idols.

But if that isn't enough for a guest, then the Dark Side exists for that.

There, the dark parts of being an idol are endlessly emphasized.

Yeah, it sure felt like it...

Monsters and other impossibilities were roaming around, plus everything just felt wrong. So I already knew all of it was fake early on.

What was it for? Why was I just thrown there?

While trying to run out of the monsters' sight and looking around the place, I saw everyone in Ra*bits on the monitors.

They seemed to be looking for me, so I mustered up the courage to talk to one of the monsters.

Since it moved like a human, I assumed that it was just someone in a costume.

Turns out that it was one of the park staff and they kindly showed me the way out.

I really should've done that in the first place... All that wandering around was just for nothing.

Hehehe. When I tried to talk to one, they didn't seem to take me seriously. That wouldn't be good for a story or experiment, hm?

What do you mean...?