BUBBLE GUM DANCE - Prologue

(…)

(Where am I…?)

(Oh… right. In order to become an idol, I have training again today. I love idols, after all.)

Fufu, there you go putting yourself down again.

What? I said I love idols.

You’re an open book, Juis-kun. The look on your face doesn’t really scream “love”.

When you’re talking about love, you gotta smile like you can’t even contain how happy you are. If you don’t, then you’re not fooling anyone.

I think it’s nice how everything shows so honestly in your demeanor, Juis-kun, but sooner or later the higher-ups at ZK are going to give you an earful.

Even if that’s the case, Yoshihide, the training they put together is easy, childish and boring. So boring.

Oh, really? It looked to me like you were having fun.

Well, you are a genius after all. I guess it can’t be helped if you don’t find their training challenging.

If it looked like I was having fun, then it was just a happy accident. Doesn’t mean I actually enjoyed it.

You’re not being too chipper with your answers here, are you? What was fun for you, then?

……

That doesn’t maa~atter. If anything, you’re the one that should be called a genius, Yoshihide.

Even though we’re in the same situation, you always look like you’re having fun during training. Why are you and I so different?

That’s obvious.

It’s because I love idols.

The path to the top as an idol is just so fun, I can’t help it.

Hey, Juis-kun. What kind of view will be in store at the top?

(That’s why you’ll happily keep soaring.)

(You’ll ride the wind and keep rising… even if you flap your wings to the point of breaking…)

(With that look on your face… so happy you can’t contain it…)

(I’m sure you’ll laugh from the bottom of your heart.)

(When I watch you from your side, I kinda feel like I’m being saved.)

(I wonder if there’ll ever be a day that I might have fun being here with you.)

(…)

(That day will never come.)

(Because…)

(I killed you.)

…? What’s wrong? You’re staring at me pretty hard, Juis-kun. Although, I don’t think you’ll find anything too interesting here.

(…Oh.)

(This is just a dream.)

(It’s just a fragment of my memories… something my head conveniently resurfaced.)

Hello? Seriously, Juis-kun, what’s wrong? You’re acting pretty strange…

(If this is a dream… then would it be okay if I say it…?)

(Even though I know you’ll never hear me…)

Juis-kun…?

Yoshihide… If you’d stayed an idol, then that would’ve been enough for me.