Th-That was so much fun!

I feel great now that we managed to finish handing out the flyers.

That huge pile of flyers is all gone now! My arms feel so light.

And the school idols we met at the school we just went to are super popular! They can't even fit all the fans who come for their live shows into their venues!

Yup. Everyone has a different approach, like uploading videos for their fans every day or choosing not to dance to focus solely on singing.

I was surprised to hear about rotating the songwriting duty among group members!

I think they said it was to prevent their songs from all sounding the same. I was shocked, too. But it might be helpful in a pinch if all the members have songwriting skills.

And it seemed like all the school idols had concerns about juggling both their school life and school idol activities.

Right. The time it takes to create songs, dances, and costumes definitely puts pressure on school life, especially if you're also a member of another club.

School idols tend to be more under the microscope when it comes to studies and school events than other students since they perform with the school's reputation on the line.

There's a possibility that their image will end up as the school's image. I suppose it's only natural for school idols to be highly tuned into this aspect.

Yeah… And I was a little surprised at how they felt their concerns and stress increase as they got more popular.

Because I always thought popularity was something that you'd want more and more of.

I don't think you're wrong in that respect. The more popular you are, the more people you leave an impression on. You can never be too popular.

But as your popularity rises and you become famous, you face more pressure from both inside and outside of the school.

By that, you mean more people will scrutinize you. The more popular you are, the higher the quality of performances expected, and the more people who demand it from you.

Talking to all the different school idols reminded me that you really need to be mentally prepared to be one.

*Giggle* You have such a stern look on your face. Your brow is all furrowed.

Gahhh! Stop rubbing my forehead. Th-That hurts!

Whoops, sorry!

[Fade in/out.]

It's true, though. I don't think you can be a school idol half-heartedly, especially if you're going into it for the long haul. There'll be tough and sad times…

But there'll always be a glimmer to grasp when you get through those tough times. We try our very best every day as we chase our dreams of grasping that glimmer.

Which is why I'll do anything I can to achieve my goal.

Mari… You didn't come here to fulfill your chairwoman duties after all, huh?

It's been on my mind this whole time. You came last time and today as a part of Aqours to research school idols and different schools, didn't you?

I knew you were a sleuth! You're half right. I really did come to research for our school as the chairwoman.

Mari…

But I was also conducting research as Mari Ohara of Aqours, just like you said… Because I want to make Aqours shine even brighter.