CH 33

Soon, after one encore, the concert came to an end.

In the end, most of the audience didn't seem to care about Rei's little mistake (they might have thought it was staged or something, though), and they left the venue with a satisfied look on their faces.

I watched the scene with a bit of a blank stare.

A kind of escapism. No matter how satisfied the audience was, it didn't change the fact that she had made a mistake.

It was escapism because I would rather not think about how it looked in Rei's father's eyes.

――――But I couldn't stay that way forever.

"......Otosaki-san, how was Rei's performance?" (Rintaro)

I asked Otosaki-san, who had already started preparing to go home.

He then stopped and gave me a glance.

"My own daughter made thousands of people happy. I was honestly proud of her."

"Then――――" (Rintaro)

"But there was a blatant failure that even I could see. If she gets distracted under pressure, I hope she quits before she makes some irreversible mistake."

It's no use, huh?

As not a parent, I couldn't understand even half of what Otosaki-san was feeling.

That's why I couldn't deny his opinion to his face.

But that didn't mean I didn't have something to say.

"This is a Translation Content of pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id. so, read only on there, okay guys~"

At a certain time, there are creatures that walk by two feet. These creatures can be divided into two by gender. These creatures are surprisingly able to pick something using things called hands.

And on a certain day, two of these creatures meet.

"Halloo~ I am Furujakka, ndesu! Nice to meet you!"

"Y, yes. Nice to meet you too, I am Fuurawan."

"Fuurawan-chan ka? Ii no namae."

"S, sangkyu."

The two greet each other due of their faces are facing each other.

They speak, breathe, blink, sweat, and so.

And after a long time passes,

"!?"

"Kyaa~ Furujakka-kyun."

"Daijoubu ka? Fuurawan-chan."

"D, daijoubu... desu."

"Mmm."

"Doushita no?"

"Fuurawan-chan no kaori, suuuuggoku WANGY, hmmmmmppppsshhh ahhhh wangyyyy."

"Mou~ Furujakka-kyun no eeccchi~."

On a certain day, these two meet and have lunch because they are hungry.

The boy orders fried rice while the girl orders a serve of seasoned rice being processed by frying.

For the drinks, the boy orders hot chocolate while the girl orders a cup of chocolate that has not been cold yet.

They eat their food.

They also feed some spoons with each other.

They then having a leisure exchange.

"Ikehh, yaru?"

"Damee~"

"IkehhHH!"

"..."

"Ikeh, tanoshii, kimochii, ore, ganbarimasu!!!"

"Mouu~"

"Dame ka?"

"..."

"Dame nanoka."

"Ee, haayaakuuu~"

The two of them are having exercise, training, and workout, then.

When they finished, then they restarted.

And when they finished, the boy pleaded for the second.

Then when they finished, this time is the girl who asked the third.

And when they finished, the boy once again pleaded for the fourth.

Then when they finished, the girl also once again asked for the fifth.

And so on.

◆◆◆

On the other occasion,

On a day that is not a night.

That day the sun is shining brightly because it's a day and 12:00 o'clock.

The day is bright and the sun has not been set yet.

The breeze can be felt due to the air is flowing.

As he is breathing, a certain boy is approaching a girl.

"Yaa, kitten-chan, can I have your namae?"

"S, su, suteki~. Ah, hai. Fuurawan desu."

"Fuurawan-chan, huh. What a kirei no namae. By the way, watashi no namae is Badz Zheengan. Watashi wa Son of a Beach. Watashi came from The Pangea Selatan. Diligent in setsuyaku. Ketsueki type is I, I for Ikkehmen. Watashi no hobby wa breathing. Yoroshiku."

"Yoroshiku, Badz Zheengan-san."

"Fuurawan-chan, watashi no yubi to kimi no chawan, let's have made karera meet and greet."

"Hai."

"Watashi-tachi will have much tanoshi."

They have a wik wok awok koakoawaok akoawoakakwa kawkaowaoaok.

When they have done of their a wik wok awok koakoawaok akoawoakakwa kawkaowaoaok, then they re-doing again.

When they finished again, the girl pleaded for the second.

Then when they finished, this time is the boy who asked the third.

And when they finished, the girl once again pleaded for the fourth.

Then when they finished, the boy also once again asked for the fifth.

And so on.

◆◆◆

"Fuurawan-chaaannn!!! Ikanaide!!!!."

"Gomen ne, Furujakka-kun."

"Dameee, Fuurawan-chaannnn!!!"

"Sayonara, Furujakka-kun."

"Ima, ore wa, Furujakka wa, pemuda tuna asmara dearimasu."

Who can stand to endure this situation

Who doesn't feel the loss

You leave me when I'm so in love

When I'm crazily in love

you choose another guy

Who can stand being dumped

Whose heart not hurt

The memories that have been passed

I keep it deep inside my heart

We are not one anymore

It's alright, I'll get through the days strong-heartedly

My wish is only one, be safe and sound

I can only be able to harbor this, from day to night

Because I know I'm just nobody

It's alright, I'll harbor this feeling inside my heart

I'll keep wish you live well

All I can do is hope you won't regret

Goodbye and thank you

"AWOKWOKAOWKOKAOKWKAOWKOAKOK!!!"

How should I explain this to my parents

We had gone through this long

But ended up breaking up

You are tempted by another guy's love

You yourself had been declared it

Living our love until our old days

Won't two-timing, I'm the only one for you

But now there's another guy inside your heart

It's as if the morning is cloudy

Then the day is rainy

In the afternoon you hurt me

And in the night I cry for you

I can only imagine

All of those had been just memories now

I rode you back, went through the way

Hugging under the rain

But now you are choosing

To be hugged by another guy

Do you not sense

How heavy-heartedly I am

Have to lost my loved one

Don't wanna leave my house

I have no appetite

If I'm not fed

"......Otosaki-san, as for your earlier offer to pay for my living expenses." (Rintaro)

"Mm, Aah...... If you can persuade Rei to do that, I will pay you enough to cover your living expenses."

"Thank you very much. But I shall decline it." (Rintaro)

His eyebrows twitched.

Maybe he didn't even think that I would turn down such a good offer.

"I'm not with Rei because of the money." (Rintaro)

Well, at first I was, though. I'll keep my mouth shut about it here.

"Rei-san is a person who can make such tremendous dreams come true on her own, like the ones I had when I didn't even know if I could remember. I can't let go of...... my blessed position of being the closest person to support her." (Rintaro)

"Then......, can you take responsibility for her life when she ends up ruined due to some kind of failure?"

"No, I can't. Or rather, "I won't". It's disrespectful to her who had fought with her own strength to date to have me take responsibility for her." (Rintaro)

"Hmm......."

I'm only there to support her. It's all Rei's decision to continue her fight as an idol.

I'm certain that she doesn't want me to be responsible for her either. I've never seen a person with as much pride in life as Otosaki Rei.

"...... but if she were to fall――――then I'd be prepared to fall with her."

With a bitter smile on my face, I told him so.

To be honest, I regretted it a little bit, imagining what it would be like if that happened along the way, but after saying all this, I can't back down now.

I really don't want to fall together with you......, but that's enough. A man does not go back on what he's said.

"It would only be a problem for us if you were to fall together......." 

"A-ahaha, I'm sure you're right." (Rintaro)

"But let me express my honest gratitude to you for putting aside your shame and outward appearance for raising your voice for that girl."

Gratitude――――

As he said this, Otosaki-san bowed his head toward me.

Next to him, Lilia-san bowed her head as well.

"I really appreciate it, Shidou-kun. Thanks to you, that girl looks like she's back on her feet~....... You've been supporting her all this time. If you haven't, she wouldn't have been able to hear you like that." (Lilia)

"I, wonder if that's right......." (Rintaro)

"I'm Rei's mother, so I know right what I'm talking about....... I think she might need you." (Lilia)

"You're buying too much into myself. I'm just a regular high school kid......" (Rintaro)

"Hello~ I am Bujangga from pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id, Yoroshiku!"

At a certain time, there are creatures that walk by two feet. These creatures can be divided into two by gender. These creatures are surprisingly able to pick something using things called hands.

And on a certain day, two of these creatures meet.

"Halloo~ I am Furujakka, ndesu! Nice to meet you!"

"Y, yes. Nice to meet you too, I am Fuurawan."

"Fuurawan-chan ka? Ii no namae."

"S, sangkyu."

The two greet each other due of their faces are facing each other.

They speak, breathe, blink, sweat, and so.

And after a long time passes,

"!?"

"Kyaa~ Furujakka-kyun."

"Daijoubu ka? Fuurawan-chan."

"D, daijoubu... desu."

"Mmm."

"Doushita no?"

"Fuurawan-chan no kaori, suuuuggoku WANGY, hmmmmmppppsshhh ahhhh wangyyyy."

"Mou~ Furujakka-kyun no eeccchi~."

On a certain day, these two meet and have lunch because they are hungry.

The boy orders fried rice while the girl orders a serve of seasoned rice being processed by frying.

For the drinks, the boy orders hot chocolate while the girl orders a cup of chocolate that has not been cold yet.

They eat their food.

They also feed some spoons with each other.

They then having a leisure exchange.

"Ikehh, yaru?"

"Damee~"

"IkehhHH!"

"..."

"Ikeh, tanoshii, kimochii, ore, ganbarimasu!!!"

"Mouu~"

"Dame ka?"

"..."

"Dame nanoka."

"Ee, haayaakuuu~"

The two of them are having exercise, training, and workout, then.

When they finished, then they restarted.

And when they finished, the boy pleaded for the second.

Then when they finished, this time is the girl who asked the third.

And when they finished, the boy once again pleaded for the fourth.

Then when they finished, the girl also once again asked for the fifth.

And so on.

◆◆◆

On the other occasion,

On a day that is not a night.

That day the sun is shining brightly because it's a day and 12:00 o'clock.

The day is bright and the sun has not been set yet.

The breeze can be felt due to the air is flowing.

As he is breathing, a certain boy is approaching a girl.

"Yaa, kitten-chan, can I have your namae?"

"S, su, suteki~. Ah, hai. Fuurawan desu."

"Fuurawan-chan, huh. What a kirei no namae. By the way, watashi no namae is Badz Zheengan. Watashi wa Son of a Beach. Watashi came from The Pangea Selatan. Diligent in setsuyaku. Ketsueki type is I, I for Ikkehmen. Watashi no hobby wa breathing. Yoroshiku."

"Yoroshiku, Badz Zheengan-san."

"Fuurawan-chan, watashi no yubi to kimi no chawan, let's have made karera meet and greet."

"Hai."

"Watashi-tachi will have much tanoshi."

They have a wik wok awok koakoawaok akoawoakakwa kawkaowaoaok.

When they have done of their a wik wok awok koakoawaok akoawoakakwa kawkaowaoaok, then they re-doing again.

When they finished again, the girl pleaded for the second.

Then when they finished, this time is the boy who asked the third.

And when they finished, the girl once again pleaded for the fourth.

Then when they finished, the boy also once again asked for the fifth.

And so on.

◆◆◆

"Fuurawan-chaaannn!!! Ikanaide!!!!."

"Gomen ne, Furujakka-kun."

"Dameee, Fuurawan-chaannnn!!!"

"Sayonara, Furujakka-kun."

"Ima, ore wa, Furujakka wa, pemuda tuna asmara dearimasu."

Who can stand to endure this situation

Who doesn't feel the loss

You leave me when I'm so in love

When I'm crazily in love

you choose another guy

Who can stand being dumped

Whose heart not hurt

The memories that have been passed

I keep it deep inside my heart

We are not one anymore

It's alright, I'll get through the days strong-heartedly

My wish is only one, be safe and sound

I can only be able to harbor this, from day to night

Because I know I'm just nobody

It's alright, I'll harbor this feeling inside my heart

I'll keep wish you live well

All I can do is hope you won't regret

Goodbye and thank you

"AWOKWOKAOWKOKAOKWKAOWKOAKOK!!!"

How should I explain this to my parents

We had gone through this long

But ended up breaking up

You are tempted by another guy's love

You yourself had been declared it

Living our love until our old days

Won't two-timing, I'm the only one for you

But now there's another guy inside your heart

It's as if the morning is cloudy

Then the day is rainy

In the afternoon you hurt me

And in the night I cry for you

I can only imagine

All of those had been just memories now

I rode you back, went through the way

Hugging under the rain

But now you are choosing

To be hugged by another guy

Do you not sense

How heavy-heartedly I am

Have to lost my loved one

Don't wanna leave my house

I have no appetite

If I'm not fed

Yes, I'm nothing more than just a regular high schooler.

I'm just a high school student, a worthless brat who shouldn't even be around Rei.

There's really not much I can do.

Yes―――――This is the only thing I can do.

"......What is the meaning of this?" 

"I'm sincerely asking you." (Rintaro)

I bowed deeply and profoundly to Otosaki-san.

This is the first time in my life that I have ever bowed to someone to this extent.

"Please, let Rei continue to be an idol." (Rintaro)

"...... What makes you go this far? It can't be, are you in love with her?"

"It's not like that....... The other day she told me about her new dream." (Rintaro)

Live concert at the Nippon Budokan.

With the current momentum of MilleSta, that dream will surely come true in the not too distant future.

"Mille-Feuille Stars can climb even higher....... Don't you think it would be a shame to let them quit here?" (Rintaro)

"I understand your sincerity, ....... But I can not hold such ideals. Back to the topic at hand, what if those kids make an irreversible mistake down the road? What if they get involved in some kind of danger? Isn't it the role of parents to stop them before that happens?"

What Otosaki-san was saying was not wrong.

Rei's family is wealthy, needless to say. No matter how much money she earned, her parents earned even more.

From my point of view, Rei was a spectacularly successful woman who had achieved her dreams, but from her parents' point of view, the risks were all the more glaring.

But all of this was within the realm of "possibility".

"You parents have a duty to protect Rei, that's for sure. But that's not a good reason to deprive her of her dreams. If you're afraid that she will fail, then why don't you just support her so that she won't end up that way?" (Rintaro)

"Mmm......" 

"I'm going to support her. I'll be right there to support her before she almost fell like she did today so that she can keep looking forward." (Rintaro)

I don't know which way Rei will go.

But even so, I'm sure I can at least make her "lean to one side".

"I am begging you......! Please don't let her dream come to an end." (Rintaro)

I bowed my head deeply again.

"originally translated by bujangga - pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id"

I tried to persuade him with words that sounded right, but in the end, it was all the ravings of a stranger. It was a flimsy excuse that would only end if I was told not to interfere in family affairs.

This attitude was no longer a good idea. If this doesn't work, I'm just going to give up.

"――――Raise your head, Shidou-kun."

"But......" (Rintaro)

"It's my loss."

Otosaki-san let out a sigh, looking somewhat resigned.

"There's no way I can resist when someone tells me not to end my own daughter's dream. At the very least, I promise that I won't do anything to make Rei retire from the entertainment industry in the near future."

"Really?" (Rintaro)

"However, I don't know what the future holds. If I find that there is an inevitable danger to Rei in the future, then as her father, I will force her to quit...... In the meantime, she can do as she please."

"!! Thank you, very much!" (Rintaro)

He told me to raise my head, but instead, I lowered my head even more.

My voice had reached the person in front of me.

You can do it if you try, right, ME.

"We're going to take our leave. I actually wanted to have dinner with Rei, but I have to go back to the headquarter. I'd appreciate it if you could tell her what I just told you." 

"Understood." (Rintaro)

I patted my chest.

For now, the matter was settled.

I wiped my forehead, which had somehow become soaked with sweat, and exhaled.

"Nevertheless, I found your presentation quite moving. You are indeed the son of the "Shidou Group"."

At that moment, I felt the sweat drain from my body.

"How did you......know?" (Rintaro)

"I remembered it after we passed each other at school the other day. You may have forgotten, but I met you a few years ago. Don't you remember? You were the kid that Shidou-san had with him at a social gathering of all the big corporations, weren't you?"

At a corporate social gathering.......

My head hurt so badly that I couldn't help but look down.

What came to my mind was the scene I had seen in my dream.

I was in elementary school when my father took me to a party. In front of me was a man in a suit and a little girl.

"originally translated by bujangga - pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id"

She was――――That girl was――――

"Shidou-kun, are you alright? You look a little pale."

"I-I'm alright...... I was a little nervous, so it might be a reaction to that." (Rintaro)

My palpitations were intense, but the pain in my head quickly subsided.

I wondered what the pain was all about.

I could only be puzzled by the strange changes in my body.

"......Ah, I'm sorry to have taken up so much of your time. I'll be going to take my leave soon." (Rintaro)

"Yea...... you know, this is probably not the right thing for an adult to ask such a thing, but――――"

――Please, take care of Rei.

He told me so clumsily, there is no such dignity as the head of several projects could be sensed from him.

The man here now is simply just a father.

He was just a father, struggling with how to deal with his adolescent daughter.

(PTW/N: Her father may be a tsundere type... XD.)