“...My classmates from middle school are standing in line.”
That means...
“The ones who were the reason you couldn’t tell people you write lyrics...?”
“...Yeah, those exact people. Maejima-san and... Ota-san.”
“No way...”
Hazama, don't go summoning unnecessary things... No, it's not Hazama's fault, but still...
“Ah, but you know, it’ll be dark once we enter the gym, and since they’re standing way at the front of the line, they probably won’t leave their spot. I think we can pass by without bumping into them, so it’s okay.”
Azuma continued, as if trying to convince herself.
“It’s the result of all the hard work Sakosh, Erina, and Hazama have put in until now, so I want to see it through.”
“...I see.”
I felt so pathetic that I could only nod like that.
As I bit my lip,
“So Konuma,”
Azuma smiled troubledly and looked up at me.
“Don’t make a face like that, okay?”
The doors opened, and everyone began entering the gymnasium in the order they had lined up.
The gym, which was also used for school-wide assemblies, had a considerable number of folding chairs lined up, yet the venue felt like it was on the verge of being packed to capacity.
“I wonder if the Instrumental Music Club will draw this many people...”
“We definitely, definitely will!”
Perhaps Azuma’s mood had recovered once we got inside. She was conversing normally with her disciple.
A short while after we sat down, a single spotlight hit the stage.
“Hello, everyone! Thank you so much for coming today! Please enjoy the Dance Club’s performance!”
A certain devil-san announced the start of the performance with a cloying voice and a full-faced smile.
“Isn’t she too cute?” “Isn’t she a bit too sexy?” “Doesn’t she look incredibly like a doll?” “Isn’t her smile too angelic?” “Right?” “Totally.” “I know, right?” “For real.”
The boys sitting behind us, likely from another school, were praising Erina-san one after another. (Isn’t their way of speaking a bit too synchronized?)
I took another look at Erina-san standing on stage. Having changed into her costume and with her makeup done perfectly, she looked like a completely different person from her usual self.
Seeing her like that filled me with a strange sense of pride and a strange sense of loneliness. What is this, parental feelings?
“Now then, first up is the Men’s Division!”
At those words, some cool music began to play at high volume.
Three boys came out from the wings of the stage and began to dance precisely yet intensely.
I don't really know the names of the different types of dance, but seeing the three of them dancing in perfect synchronization was a masterpiece in person.
“Whoa...”
Usually, when I see dancers through a TV screen, I just think, 'Ah, they’re a different breed of human from me. If someone like that was in my class, we’d definitely never get along—well, I don’t get along with anyone anyway...' and I’d even harbor arbitrary images that they might be committing petty crimes (I’m really sorry). But seeing it live,
“That’s cool...”
Such a thought came to me honestly.
The one dancing exceptionally sharply in the center was Hazama.
If he’s putting this much into dance, then yeah, he wouldn’t have time to practice anything other than Cherry... In fact, it’s amazing he got Cherry to that level of perfection...
Other members came out in various combinations, and the male dance performance continued for several dozen minutes.
When the Men’s Division ended, the stage dimmed again, and a spotlight hit a single person.
“Everyone, how was our Men’s Dance Club?!”
““““Gyaaaaaaa!!!!””””
High-pitched screams made the walls of the gymnasium vibrate.
Receiving that cheer, Hazama smiled refreshingly with a satisfied look.
“Well then, next is the Women’s Dance Club! Let’s keep this excitement going! Nice to meet yaaaa!!”
““““Gyaaaaaaa!!””””
The venue’s voltage rose again. (That’s the first time I’ve ever used the word 'voltage'.)
Whether it was Cherry at the last Rock-On or the 'I'm a member of the small-chest faction' incident at the training camp's open-air bath, Hazama is really good at livening things up...
It’s not like he’s saying anything particularly clever, but his way of speaking and his timing must give him an incredible power to involve those around him.
A little while ago, I would have dismissed it as 'RIP Normies,' but I’m impressed by how truly great an ability this is.
“Wha-wha-what is this normie space...!”
While I was thinking that, it seemed Taira-chan, sitting one seat over, was still having a physical rejection reaction. Looking at my junior like that, I found myself feeling somewhat comforted.
While I was distracted by those thoughts, the stage suddenly brightened, and two girls danced out onto the stage. (In two senses.)
It was Erina-san and Sako.
Erina-san moved with an agility that was unthinkable given her usual sweet way of talking, and Sako danced with her blonde hair fluttering and a perfect sense of rhythm.
“Amazing...”
As I was being overwhelmed by this side too,
“Sako-saaaaaaaaaaaaannn! Erina-chaaaaaaaaannn!”
““!?””
A piercing scream erupted from my left. To my right, I felt Azuma snap her head toward the sound too.
“Wait, Ichikawa, your voice! You have to sing later, so save it!”
“Ah, right...! Sorry, I just couldn't help it...!”
Ichikawa scratched her head with an 'ehehe' grin. That movement was quite cute, but I wonder why this person, despite being a former professional, has such low awareness about things like that...
Returning my gaze to the stage, there were the two of them, still dancing brilliantly and looking cool.
“It’s youth, isn't it...”
Azuma whispered softly on my right.
Just as Azuma pours herself into the Greeting Club and Ichikawa pours herself into music, the Dance Club has its own passion and its own youth.
That is, naturally, the same for all other clubs too.
Whether it’s something done in front of people or not, every single person has their daily life, their joys and sorrows, running around, shouting, and doing things like this.
It’s not like this is the Dance Club’s retirement performance, but somehow, I felt strangely emotional thinking about that.
It’s probably because this was the first time I witnessed Sako and Erina-san, whom I usually only see in the classroom or studio, devoting themselves so intensely to dance.
Thump!! With a final beat, the song ended, and the dance stopped perfectly.
While they were slightly out of breath, after a break of 0.something seconds,
“Oooooohhhhhh!!!!!!”
The venue was enveloped in cheers and applause.
After the Dance Club's presentation ended and we left the gym exit, we saw the members of the Dance Club—who must have come out of a different exit—lined up.
“Thank you very much!”
They were greeting the guests who had come and taking photos with their friends.
Among them, Hazama, Sako, and Erina-san were standing together as usual, but a small crowd had gathered in front of them. Most of them seemed to be girls wearing uniforms from other schools.
“Whoa, it feels a bit awkward for us to go say hi...”
“True, true. Or rather, this space is suffocating, so I want to get out of here as soon as possible...!”
Ichikawa and Taira-chan said that as they started walking a bit faster, and Azuma and I followed them.
And at that moment, I.
For the first time in my life, I would come to regret my plain appearance and my small stature.
“Wait, isn’t that Ice-chan?”