Sprinkle Glitter

This is just like working part time at a convenience store… Hard work, dealing with customers, and more hard work…

(Sigh)… I’m beat. It’s lunch time… Should I ask Chihiro to come with me?

It’s Chiiiii, Miraculous No. 14! I’ve been rooting for you for a long tiiiime!

Chii, you were No. 13 to us! You were just one away, it was so close!

…Haha, thaaanks~☆

(It looks like Chihiro’s kinda… forcing a smile? Miraculous No. 14… I think Fuefuki-san called him that earlier too.)

Daaayum~ Hell-steamed grub is crazy good!¹

Apparently this one is called Bungo chicken ♪² Chicken is Chii’s favorite protein~♪

Oh, I’m glad to see you’re feeling better.

…Wait, you noticed I was feelin’ sizzled out?

Sizzled out…? Well…

Oh right, I bought you some hell-steamed pudding. You do like pudding, right? I think you mentioned it when you chose to work in the Sea Hell.

…You actually remembered something like that.

Teehee. Taotao, you’re such a nice guy. You knew how I felt yesterday too.

(Hums)~♪

…! That song brings back memories. I used to really like it.

I think it goes… (Hums)～♪ Right?

…! Taotao, you’re a crazy good singer!

Huh? A-am I…?

Were you too nervous to sing like that yesterday or something? You should sing like that starting today~ Being good at singing is a plus for sure.

BTW, how come you know such an obscure song from the 90s? Does that mean you can sing songs from the 2000s!?

Huh… From the 2000s…? Um… That was just a coincidence… How did you know about it?

I’ve always been a fan of the 90s, and I danced to this song~♪

You danced to it?

Yeah, for an audition… Chii was on an idol survival show called “13choose!” a while back.

But I came in 14th. I just barely lost my chance to debut.

(Oh… So that’s why they called him Miraculous No. 14?)

So that’s why you’re a really good dancer…

Just being good at dancing isn’t enough. You gotta have a lot more skills than that to be an idol.

Really? If you can’t do it, then I’m definitely hopeless… You really look capable, though…

…I’m only gonna tell you this because it’s you, Taotao, but I found out that I was actually in 13th place.

What…?

The production team changed the ranking and put me in 14th place. I don’t really know if it’s true or not, I just asked the director once the show was out.

Wait, if that’s true… then wouldn’t that make it unfair?

Beats me. They might’ve just said it to hurt me.

Back then… people hated me and picked on me a lot.

What? Why…?

I think it could’ve been because I stood out for the wrong reasons? From the show’s perspective, I guess I was the perfect villain. I liked everyone there and had a lot of fun, though…

They edited things I said to make me look bad, which got me more antis when I was exposed online~ The show’s ratings went up because of it, though.

……

I’m good at dancing, but not singing. There’s a lot about me to pick on.

I got bullied so much, I made a character called ‘Chii’. That way, I wouldn’t get hurt… and I could still act like I was having fun.

Fun…

It pisses me off when people I don’t like think they’re bothering me. So, I always make sure to look like I’m having fun.

So that’s why you wanted us to get in character…

(Was he… doing it so that we wouldn’t get hurt…?)

People are definitely gonna have a lot to say about idols who were ex-convicts.

Even if the crimes weren’t done on purpose… nobody really cares about that, do they?

I… had no idea you worked so hard. Even if things didn’t turn out the way you expected, the fact that you’re an idol now is incredible.

…I don’t really feel like I’ve made it as an idol.

Originally, I started dancing because it made my family happy. I started to think that I, fresh out of middle school, would be able to provide money for my younger sisters.

My mom wasn’t really… around much, but she left me comments while I was on the survival show. That honestly made me a little happy~

My sisters were really thrilled for me, so I was set on staying in the competition. But then I got eliminated.

After the survival show, I became an influencer… and since I had fans, things were vibing! My fan count was going down, though.

Then, I got an offer from this shady company. While I was handling the PR, I found out I’d aaaccidentally become an accomplice to fraud.

So I ended up getting caught… and here I am now. Sucks, doesn’t it? I don’t even think my mom bothers with me anymore.

But… if Ev3ns makes it…

Siiiike. That’s silly of Chii to say, isn’t it~?

I don’t think that at all.

Well, that’s ‘cuz you’re nice, Taotao. You’re normal, unlike me.

Not exactly. I’ve… been on TV for my family too.

Really?

Just because you’re blood related doesn’t mean you have to forgive or understand everything they do. You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself.

…Are there things your family did that even you can’t forgive, Taotao?

……

Wanna take the rest of the day off and hit the hot springs?

…! Hell yeah! I’m excited~!

What were you two thinking? I would get it if Natsuyaki-kun skipped work, but for Kinouchi-kun to do it too…

S-Sorry.

I… did let you know beforehand though…

You’re soooo mean, Nayuuki~ What do you mean you’d get it if it was Chii?

Oh, but… I’m going to take practice seriously today. I want… Ev3ns to become idols. So I’ll do my best not to hold us all back.

…!

Chihiro, could you teach me how to dance?

…Yeah! Totally! Could you teach me how to sing too, Taotao?

(A bond formed between Tao-kun and Chihiro-kun before I even knew it! Thank Goooood~ We’re finally getting somewhere…)

Those two were… charged with fraud and theft.

Compared to the others, those are minor crimes. If this keeps up, it could actually help with restoring the group’s reputation.

…! Fraud and theft…

Neither of them intended to hurt anyone. So, don’t worry. It’s fine.

…What were the charges against the other three? Kafka wasn’t really clear about it.

……

Wouldn’t it be better if you asked them directly?

Though, I think there are some things… that are better left unknown.

(Is… Nayuki-kun hiding something?)

(He’s always been so calm, but he’s been tense since we started this job…)