There's something I want you to hear. I…really don't want to give up on the School Idol Festival!

Huh? What's gotten into you?!

When I saw the live show in the auditorium and watched you perform with μ's and Aqours, I just…really wanted more people to see you.

You're right. I don't want to give up, either. There's still the problem of the venue, though.

Yeah, I know it's a tough problem, but we still haven't done anything. So let's do what we can!

Hmm. True, we haven't actually taken any action.

Yeah. All I did was get disappointed. But, like, I have no idea what we should do, you know?

I don't know, either, so I'm thinking of asking. The team behind the School Idol Festival had their contact information written on the website.

Oh, good idea! It'd be best to ask the people involved.

And I mean, we'd get to learn more about why the festival got canceled in the first place, too.

But won't they get mad at you for asking about something that's already been decided? Rina-chan Board says, “Nervous.”

Well, if they get mad, then they get mad! Let's just ask!

*Giggle* That's you, all right. Well, I think you should do what you think you should. I feel like it'll go well, too.

I think so, too! I'm sure there's a way to do this!

Good luck!

Thanks!

[Fade in/out.]

Er, so…why are you making the call in my room? On speakerphone, no less?

W-Well, I'd be too nervous to do it alone! And having you by my side would make me feel a lot better!

You want me by your side? U-Uh, sure. I don't know if I can actually help, but I'll do my best!

Thank you! All right, I'm g-going to call them now.

Hello, you've reached the School Idol Festival Planning Committee general information line.

U-Um! I'm calling on behalf of the Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, and I'd like to ask about why the event was canceled.

Can I speak to the person in charge of that?

Nijigasaki High School? Oh, you were the girls who were supposed to sing on the main stage.

Huh? U-Um…

Oh, I'm sorry to surprise you like that. I'm the head of the Festival Committee.

Huh?!

[Fade in/out.]

Hey everyone! We found out why the event was canceled!

It turns out that the members who'd been on the Festival Committee for all of the other festivals are all going to graduate.

And that would make running the festival at the usual size a bit too hard, so they decided to just cancel.

Ohh, I get it. Now we finally know why the Festival Committee decided to just cancel the event instead.

I'm sure they put a ton of thought into it, too.

I think there had to have been people who opposed it as well, though!

The committee head must have been upset about it, too. I could hear the pain in her voice, too.

I'd thought the venue was the sole problem, but I'm glad we found out that wasn't everything.

Wonder how it would feel to lose everyone you'd been working with for years?

I can't imagine it, but it must be very discouraging.

It probably can't be helped that all of the main committee members are graduating, but it's still a big problem.

Yeah, they're taking all of their know-how with them.

Apparently, they can make the event half its size and manage to have it as a regular live show instead of a school idol culture festival.

But they said it wouldn't be the School Idol Festival anymore at that point.

If they can't preserve the size and ideals that their upperclassmen had maintained, they should just stop and go out with dignity. That's what they all decided, she said.

I think the committee head negotiated a lot and tried her best, too. She sounded exhausted, so I couldn't really criticize her.

Ahhh! Then you mean all we can do is give up?! But that's just no fair!

The committee did their best, but this is how things ended up. We can't pressure them any further.

I really wanted to be in the School Idol Festival.

Me, too. I wanted to perform on the main stage.

Is there seriously nothing we can do?

It would be pretty tough with just us, right?

Oh, Honoka! What's up?

[Taking out phone.]

Good evening! Sorry to show up all of a sudden.

So, I was chatting with Chika a bit, and, well… There's something I want to talk to you and the Nijigasaki gang about. Can we get together this Saturday?

Huh? Oh, uh, sure. I'll let everyone know.

Good to hear it! Well, see you on Saturday. Take care!

[Putting phone away.]

I wonder what she wants to talk about?

[Fade in/out.]

The school's average final exam scores have fallen below last year's as a whole.

There are also seven clubs with poorer results than last year.

Only the softball and fencing clubs had better results. Yet no one feels that this is urgent.

The clubs are selecting their regulars based on seniority.

Two of the current regulars would be far better in support roles instead of being players. Why doesn't anyone point that out?

The soccer club would make better use of its members if it made first-years regulars, too.

No one in the club can actually realize how talented she is.

There are too many missteps, and efficiency is poor. And high school is supposed to be the time in your life where you prepare yourself for the future.

At this rate, all of the effort that Nijigasaki students put into their extra-curriculars will be for nothing. I can't just watch that happen.