Season: Winter
Location: Kanto Qualifiers Stage
Eichi! Mister Rabbit! Please stop talking about such deary things on stage and smile!
It's etiquette even newcomer idols should at least know!
Oh, what shall we perform today?
Thanks to plenty of rest and play, I'm overflowing with energy! I feel like I could make it around the world in a single bound!
Just what exactly are you...?
Damn. The more happier and energetic you are, the more unhappy and tired I become.
Ahaha. You've been wandering around for so long, so I think it's alright for you to rest.
Huuuh? But it's so lonely without Tomo-chan and Nii~chan! Not sayin' that you're not good enough or anythin'—
I understand, Mitsuru-kun...♪
Ahaha, it's fine. I have enough stamina to keep going. All that training from hell you-know-who put me through wasn't for naught!
So true! You should be grateful, Tomoya-kun! All of that rigorous training I put you through stems from love!
Actually, I'm afraid it may have not been enough!
I am always changing and growing! You'll never catch up to me at this rate!
Alas, you are too far away! I can't even see a single speck of you, Little Rabbit!
Weren't you the one who said you were going to pull at the very ends of my hair? Oh, I have been waiting so long for that joyous moment!
...Yeah, you can quote me on that.
Because next time won't be an accident. Next time I won't "just happen" to be near you.
I will definitely reach you someday using my own two feet.
Step by step, together with everyone, marching forward.
<♪ ~ ♪ ~ ♪>
(.........)
(Tomoya Mashiro sure is amazing. That guy went through so much this time, yet he hasn't broke down in the slightest.)
(He's singing and dancing as if nothing happened. He cast his own feelings aside—no, he converted all of his pain and misery into energy.)
(He was able to put on a smile and sing to entertain everyone.)
(I expect nothing less from Hibiki-senpai's apprentice.)
(Hmm, I wonder if Mashiro will really be his successor. He might even stand on the same level as Hibiki-senpai at this rate.)
(He still just seems like some ordinary dude to me.)
(But then again, even I complain about how Hibiki-senpai treats me. Mashiro's stayed by his side for so much longer without a peep.)
(Maybe SANCTUARY's artificial hell was just too weak for him.)
(But if I were to enter the Dark Side, I'd probably give up right away and cry.)
(Hajime and Mitsuru would do the same, but at least they're growing up like the rest of our peers—and I'm not. It's so humiliating.)
(It feels like I'm only running in place.)
(But I can't move forward because I don't want the happiness I feel right now to fall apart.)
.........
Young Master.
Fwah?! What?! I know, I know! I'm fine! If I have the time to be depressed, then I have the time to work hard and grow!
I'm still a growing young boy! I can still be strong!
Of course you can♪ And this Yuzuru intends to support you for the rest of his life!
Why do you always gotta be so overbearing?! Listen, you can live your life however you want! I'll be alright!
You didn't look alright, so I was worried. Well, if you insist, then I shall.
That aside, may I ask for your advice? This predicament seems to be something outside of my capabilities.
Huh? What? There's more stuff to deal with? We all had a good time at the concert! Can't we just call it a day?!
I'd like to as well. However, we have some troublesome visitors that ruined our plans.
Huh...?
Oh! There's people backstage! Is that...Hidaka-senpai? Yuuki-senpai? The new stuco president too?!
Trickstar?! W-Why are they all here...?!
I'm not the one you should be asking. First off, they were Seeded, so they can go anywhere they please.
Consequently, they can appear and disappear from anywhere in the country. But for why they are here this time, however, I am not sure.
W-What do I do? Are they gonna ransack us again?! Even though Eichi-sama's grinning from ear to ear? I thought we'd finally have a happy ending!
Hey.
Eh? W-What do you need? Ughh, I have to talk to the guy I know the least in Trickstar!
Yeah. Sorry 'bout that, but there's really no one else I can trust this with.
......?
We came because Ukki's been in contact with Nazuna and might've figured something out...
He said that maybe Anzu could be around here.
So I came here as fast as I could and ended up in an amusement park! Wasn't expecting that! I already had my share of bizarre experiences thanks to being stranded in a jungle, ahaha☆
(Huh? Just what's with this dude? He's smiling so much that I can't calm down! It's creepy... I know Eichi-sama's like this too, but—)
It's whatever. Lemme ask you a question while I'm here.
Dunno if I should asking you this, but...
......?
Is it true? Is it really true that my dad's alive?
- ↑ Alluding to what Tomoya told Wataru in Phantom Thieves vs. Detectives:
Whenever it looks like you're about to fly off into space and beyond, I'll reach out and pull at the very ends of your hair...
- ↑ As the finalists of the pervious SS, Trickstar and Eden were Seeded, meaning that they were allowed to be in the main SS Competition without having to compete in qualifying rounds beforehand.
- ↑ Due to Hokuto not complying to his Secret Order ("Must not go against the Administration"), all of Trickstar were sent to a jungle as seen in Satellite.
- ↑ Revealed in the !-era story SS, Subaru's father passed away in prison.