All the third-years were so nice.

Right? Kanan is always casual and helpful, Dia has her stuff together, and Mari always brings us together with a smile.

They're like the big sisters of Aqours. We count on them a lot!

That reminds me of all the other girls.

The other girls from Nijigasaki?

Yeah. There are third-year students in our idol club, too. Everyone has their own quirks, but they're all dependable.

*Giggle* You don't say! I'd love to meet your idol club sometime.

As for the rest of Aqours, there's just the first-year students, right?

Yeah. They should be in the club room. Oh, here we are.

Hanamaru, Yoshiko, Ruby–

Black is the only option! Blend into the night and slip through the crowd of revelers! It should be designed to completely cover the upper body, with a hood, too!

That's a cape, not a happi coat, zura!

We're going to wander around the festival in black capes and hoods? That's so scary! We'll be like spirits!

No one'll notice if an extra existence or two appears in their group.

Denied, zura! We don't want to summon any weird beings in the festival.

Why not? Even otherworldly beings enjoy festive summer nights!

You're all the otherworldly being we can handle, Yoshiko. Huh? Chika?

Hey, Chika. When did you get here?

You should have said something.

Looks like everyone in Aqours is unique, too.

Ahaha…

Hm? Who's that?

It's the fan from Tokyo I texted you about yesterday.

Nice to meet you.

Oh ho! Applying to become a little demon of your own accord. Impressive! I admire your will and shall allow you to serve me!

I think she's saying let's be friends, zura.

Don't translate it like that! I, Yohane, will not have my majesty sullied!

Yohane? Um, aren't you Yoshiko Tsushima?

It's like her nickname.

Oh, I see.

At least sound more surprised or something!

What are you guys doing? Wait, were you planning the stage outfits?

Nope. We were debating the design of the happi coats we're going to wear at the festival. That's our job as first-years.

We've split all the work between the nine of us. The menu we're going to serve at the food cart, the choreography for the Bon dance, stuff like that.

And prep for our live show, too. We're performing on the second day of the festival. We practice between prep work, zura.

What does “zura” mean?

Oh! Er, I just, uh, say it. It's like a bad habit. Don't worry about it, zura!

Right.

That's pretty cute!

[Fade in/out.]

My heart's been racing ever since we decided to do this live show!

You say that before every live show.

Y-Yeah, but I just can't help worrying about if our audience will have fun, or if I'll make mistakes and stuff.

I get it. When I hear about a live show, my heart pounds. I wonder how many people we'll send to hell!

Enough of that hell talk. I just want to give our audience the time of their lives, zura.

Are you three trying to find your own way to shine through this festival?

…

*Giggle* Looks like Chika's given you her initiation.

Sorry?

My initiation? Have I done something weird?

No. I've been searching for Aqours' special way to shine, too, zura.

I thought our seductive smiles tingling with hellfire was what made Aqours, though.

Definitely not, zura.

Don't shut me down so quickly!

Putting the seductive smile talk aside…I want to find our own way to shine and put on a special show only we can do.

Thanks for talking with me. Sorry I interrupted your work.

Don't worry about it. It was fun talking with you, zura.

Hold on. Are you guys at a roadblock with the happi design? It seemed like that when we first got here.

No, we're fine! We're nearly at a conclusion, zura.

At least we've avoided the completely black and ghostly design.

Black is no good? Okay, fine. How about a purple cape?

Let's move away from capes altogether, zura.