“Uh, too good…you say!? Not too bad?”

“No, no matter how you hear it, it can’t be considered bad… That’s why no one wanted to form a group with you.”

“Why can’t you get a group if you’re too good!? I don’t quite understand…”

“Ah, it’s okay. I’ll explain it now.”

As Rain tilted her head like a small animal, I continued talking with a bitter expression on my face.

“There is no problem with you performing as an idol, neither now nor in the past. If you’re that good, you’d easily pass an audition… oh, by the way, did you perform your song at the audition where you failed?”

“No, since I couldn’t gather three people, I was kicked out of the venue before I could even participate…”

Seeing Rain’s downcast expression, I nodded.

“Figures. If they had heard you, they would have forcefully paired you up with two random people to form an idol group. Your singing is that good, and for you personally, there’s no problem. The problem is… the other idols.”

“The other idols, you say?”

“Right. It wasn’t until this year that they started requiring groups of three, so until last year, it was okay to be a solo idol, right? If it was that time, it would have been fine. Even if you became a super popular idol, the others could still compete in areas like dancing or comedy that don’t overlap with you, or they could just go somewhere far away where you aren’t active. There would still be scenarios where they could see themselves succeeding as idols. But it’s different when it comes to forming a group of three. They’ll always have to act with you, and when you sing, they will have to sing too. Even if they’re not singing, they might have to dance in the background, but either way, the outcome is the same.”

“So, they’re completely relegated to the sidelines.”

At Tia’s troubled remark, I gave a wry smile and nod.

“That’s right. When you’re this good at singing, if you act together, the remaining two members of the group will inevitably become side characters. Everyone coming in hoping to shine and wanting to be an idol, wouldn’t want to join a group where they’re destined to be a side character.”

“But… I didn’t intend to…”

“Well, it doesn’t matter what you intend.”

Rain looked dejected, her shoulders dropping in shock, but there’s nothing that can be done about this fact.

“So, do I have to deliberately sing poorly to become an idol…?”

“No, not at all. As a matter of fact, you’re quite lucky.”

But even for inescapable facts, there are loopholes. Knowing this, I smirk.

“All you need are two aspiring idols who are okay with being side characters. And those two… are right in front of you now, Rain.”

“Eh…!?”

“Hey, Tia. Do you want to become the world’s number one idol?”

“Me? Hmm, being an idol seems fun, so I wouldn’t mind trying it out, and I don’t intend to slack off if I do, but I don’t have that kind of passion. I have other things to do.”

“That’s right. And although I once aspired to be an idol myself… There are other things I need to prioritize. So for me, being an idol is a “serious hobby. So, Rain. If you want to seriously, seriously be an idol… won’t you take our hands? Until someone who is seriously, seriously striving to become an idol with you appears, we’ll help you out.”

With that, I extended my hand to Rain. Immediately next to me, Tia came over and extended her hand just like me. Rain looked at us with a worried expression, her gaze alternating between the two of us.

“Um, why are you being so nice to me? We just met yesterday, and we hardly know each other…”

“Haha, time doesn’t matter. After all, Rain, you were trying to form a group with strangers you met at the audition venue, weren’t you?”

“We’ll get to know each other as we go along. I also plan to get to know what kind of girl Rain-chan really is, bit by bit.

“So, this is the first step. Or would you rather not with me and Ed…no, Eda?”

“That’s not it! But, I…”

Rain’s small hand hesitated, reaching out and retracting. As she said, it’s natural to hesitate and think when suddenly being asked to make a life-changing decision by two people she just met yesterday, who are considerably older than her.

And if we were really serious about walking down the path to being idols with Rain, we should probably wait for her decision here.

But that’s not it. Before she reaches the top, Tia and I will likely disappear from this world. That’s why I forcibly grabbed Rain’s hand as she began to withdraw.

“Hehe, got you! Nice to meet you, Rain.”

“Oh, then me too! Nice to meet you, Rain-chan!”

""

“Eh!? You two are cheating! I was still hesitating…”

“It’s okay. This is a decision we pushed onto you. So, you don’t have to feel responsible for anything, and if you find someone better, feel free to cut us off without feeling guilty.

“So, let’s just take it easy for now. After all, we can’t even start the conversation if we don’t form a group of three.”

“That’s right. Even if you’re aiming to be the best, it’s important to start having fun and get the feel of it, don’t you think?”

“Uhm, I feel like I’m pushing all the unpleasant things onto the two of you… But you’re right, if I miss this opportunity, I feel like my idol life will never start. So, Nice to meet you!”

Somewhat forced by us, Rain tightened her grip on our hands. Her decisiveness was one of her good points.

“Ah, but can I at least see your potential as idols, like your singing and dancing skills?”

“Sure. So, shall I start first? Is that okay, Eda?”

“Go ahead, go ahead.”

“Okay then, Number two Lunaritia will sing now!”

Being considerate, Tia started to sing before me. Her fun, bouncing singing voice was enjoyable to listen to, and I can’t help but sway to it. After finishing her song, Tia bowed slightly, and Rain and I greeted her with applause.

“Wow, that’s amazing, Tia-san! It was a very fun song!”

“I know, right? You can really sing.”

“Fufu, well, I can do it to some extent. Now it’s Eda’s turn but…”

The gaze Tia directed at me clearly showed her concern. And her worries were valid. I don’t sing unless I’m drunk.

But, I have the banishment skill. If I can utilize this…

“Ah, that’s right, Eda. For the first time… just sing normally, okay?”

“…Huh, why?”

“Because if we don’t know how well you can sing normally, we can’t decide on the future training strategy.”

“? I don’t quite understand, but if you have a special way of singing, can you sing it separately for me? The reason is the same as Tia-san’s.”

“Oh, I see…”

Faced with the most reasonable argument, I am cornered in an instant. Singing. Normal singing… what’s normal singing? In the first place, the songs I can sing…

“Erm… well, I’ll sing…”

Having made up my mind, I sing a song that a drunkard would sing at a bar while sober. Well, it’s not suitable for children, or rather, it’s not a song suitable to be sung in public, but this was the only one that came to my mind on the spot.

After finishing the song…

“Erm… well, that’s it! The lyrics were a bit questionable, but the song itself was normal, wasn’t it? Right, Rain-chan?”

“Eh!? Ah, yes. That’s right. It was just like the song my grandfather sings when he’s drunk!”

“Hahaha, I see…”

Faced with the desperate praise of the two kind people, I too desperately force a smile on my face.

(T/N: For july I’ll mass upload chapters at the end of each week. I will resume the usual schedule after end sems)