"I an, I can... but why the sudden urge for an extra performance?"
Uika was a little curious.
"Did you see sothing that caught your attention?"
"...It's just to remind certain people to know their place."
There wasn't the slightest hint of a smile on Ai's face as she said this.
"It would have been fine if she had just obediently played the role of 'little sister'... but now it seems she's getting a little carried away."
"Hah..."
She must be talking about Tetsuya-san's sister, right? Since her mood soured right after looking at her phone, it's safe to assu she saw so kind of intimate post or sothing...
"I don't think you need to remind you of this, but compared to you, a long-lost childhood companion, she is the legally recognized 'sister'."
Uika shrugged.
"Even if you do get together with Tetsuya-san as you wish, the relationship between those two will not change."
"...Tetsuya-san?"
Hearing this form of address, Ai turned to look at Uika, a flicker of almost imperceptible wariness in her eyes. "That's quite a fresh way to address him..."
"Is that so? But for you, this way of addressing him should be easier to accept, right?"
Facing Ai's gaze, Uika replied without batting an eye.
"After all, you seem very unwilling to accept his current identity and his new family... If that's the case, then 'Tetsuya-san', without the surna, should be more to your liking."
"I see..."
Seeing the other girl's unyielding stance, Ai, who still had so lingering doubts, finally confird Uika's attitude and choice.
"It seems you've officially decided to get in my way... Uika."
"How could that be? If I really intended to get in your way, I definitely wouldn't have agreed to tomorrow's encore."
Uika smiled and shook her head.
"I've simply co to understand a few things."
"Whatever way you want to pursue your romance, until you graduate from being an idol, we are still partners in the sa group. Your success is not a bad thing for ; in fact, it's sothing I couldn't hope for more."
Uika said.
"So, to respond to your efforts, I have to show so drive myself. That way, it won't just be 'Hoshino Ai' that the industry rembers, but the entirety of [Sumr Zodiac]."
"...What an unimpeachably righteous thod."
A trace of displeasure finally appeared on Ai's face.
"So that's why your schedule has suddenly been packed these last few days? To prevent from getting the attention I expect?"
"No. My activities won't affect you. In fact... our competitive activities will occupy more of the dia's attention, increasing both of our popularity and influence."
Uika stated.
"Like I just said, I really don't intend to obstruct your plan."
"...What did you say?"
Hearing this answer, Ai's gaze towards Uika was filled with confusion and bewildernt.
"You don't approve of my plan, so why are you doing sothing so unnecessary?"
"It's not unnecessary. It's just that, instead of forcefully stopping you, I want to use another thod... to make you change your own mind."
Recalling her conversation with Tetsuya that day, Uika said:
"Since you're prepared to give up everything, then all I have to do is give you so much 'love' that you won't be able to abandon it all."
"...Huh?"
Ai's expression beca even more baffled.
"I told you, didn't I? I'm not interested in anything other than Tetsu."
"You did. So you can just assu I'm doing sothing useless."
Uika spread her hands, putting on an innocent look.
"To use your own words... since your only goal is to get Tetsuya-san, what does anything else matter to you?"
"..."
Ai's expression finally shifted from initial displeasure to complete confusion.
She truly couldn't understand the purpose of Uika's actions, nor could she figure out if Uika intended to support her or stop her.
But in any case, since she wasn't planning to get in her way, there was no need for Ai to make things difficult for her.
More than that, she now wanted to give Chihaya Anon a show of force, to make her clearly understand who she was competing against—
"For tomorrow's encore, our usual level should be fine, right?"
Uika asked.
"Or should we be more serious in order to 'intimidate' Tetsuya-san's little sister?"
"...Our usual level will be fine."
Ai replied.
"If the difference in temperature between us and the other bands that day is too great, it will actually affect our performance."
"You're sounding more and more like a popular idol, Ai."
Uika couldn't help but say with a smile.
"In that case, I'll contact the other bands we'll be performing with."
"Hmph... you seem pretty fired up yourself?"
Ai narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Could it be that this encore has so special aning for you too?"
"You could say that."
Uika was noncommittal.
"After all, I also received encouragent from Tetsuya-san before. In order to live up to his expectations, I naturally have to show a corresponding attitude and results."
"..."
Although she didn't know the specifics, it seed that sowhere she wasn't aware of, Uika had secretly t with Tetsu and they had talked about a lot of "unnecessary" things.
The "Tetsuya-san" address was likely born from that eting.
...
"You're right. At least until I graduate from being an idol, we are still partners in the sa group."
Ai swallowed the displeasure and wariness that rose in her heart and said in an incredibly cold tone:
"I don't know what you're planning, but for now, at least, our goals are aligned—"
"At tomorrow's live, we will capture everyone's applause and attention."
"Mhm, I understand."
Uika had no objection to this.
"For ourselves."
"And for Tetsu."
—1 day until the [Sumr Zodiac] guest encore.
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