One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four…

*Sigh* My movements are too slow in the second half. I need to work on my stamina.

Okay, one more time! I can do this!

Ayumu.

Whoa! Sh-Shioriko, you scared me.

You're still here?

Yes, the live show's coming up, after all.

I am well aware, but you do not want to worsen your condition by overworking yourself.

I observed you for a bit before I said anything. Your footwork was much sloppier than usual. That was not dancing. You were simply moving your feet.

If you keep practicing like that, you will only develop strange habits. It is pointless to continue.

Shioriko, you do know a lot about school idols, don't you?

The same as anyone else.

Really? Um, I always tell myself I have to work extra hard for the other members, but then that makes it hard for me to know when to stop practicing.

For the other members? Ayumu, do you feel guilty that you will be performing instead of them?

Huh? Well, yes, a little.

Then why couldn't you keep your feelings of wanting to do it to yourself?

I don't know. I thought I'd do the best job of showing all those students, young and ready to take on the world, how fun it is to do something for the first time.

Is that why you thought you should be the one on stage?

You know, I won't be standing up on stage alone, Shioriko.

The other club members have been supporting me and cheering me on so that the live show will be a huge hit.

They'll all be on stage with me, too. I'll be alone but not really alone. That's what it feels like to me.

Alone but not really alone?

That's right. And I feel like you'll be there, too.

Me? Why?

Because you came to talk to me today.

Well, that's because… I know you have a tendency to work too hard. As the student council president, I thought I should make sure you were okay.

*Giggle* That's fine. Maybe I'm just reading too much into things.

What about you, Shioriko? Did you realize anything after joining our school idol practices?

I… Just as before, I still believe being a school idol is a waste of time. However…

However?

I think I have a better understanding of why you were all so desperate to save your club.

I also understand why the other clubs want to do things that I find useless. Just a little, though.

I see. I'm glad you had some fun during our practices.

I wouldn't go that far. And I still do think it is a waste of time.

I still believe that your time could be better spent on something more valuable.

However, I may have been wrong to dismiss every part of your activities as worthless. That is all.

You're so nice, Shioriko.

Um, how in the world did you come to that conclusion?

It just came to me while we were talking.

I am not nice. I just do not want people to make the wrong choices.

*Giggle*

Why are you laughing?

Oh, it's nothing. There's just something reassuring about having you here.

Reassuring? Why is that?

Because you've been watching over us.

When we're unsure about what path we should take, you give us advice. When we get lost, you help us find our way again.

When we head down the wrong path, you call us back on track. Knowing all that just feels really reassuring.

I bet everyone else feels the same way, too.

I don't know. I think everyone else sees me as a nuisance.

Maybe sometimes, but I don't think that's the only thing that people think. Everyone can see how earnest you are.

I do think you could have a little more faith in everyone, though.

Have more faith?

Yes. You said this earlier…

Something may seem like a waste of time, but that doesn't mean everything about it is useless. I think a lot of things in life are like that.

So I think you can step back and watch over people from a distance a bit more.

I will think about it.