"AT LAST, WE CAN MEET, MY COMRADES!"

A familiar, boisterous voice echoes through the relatively quiet neighborhood, startling everyone except for Hachiman and Saika.

"...Who the hell are you?" Hachiman asked, half-joking.

"That's not funny," the bespectacled young man told Hachiman. "How could you not recognize your master, my loyal retainer?!"

"That is Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, Hachiman," Saika laughed. "I'm honestly kind of worried about his drastic weight loss, though."

Well, Hachiman could tell he still had some bulk under that ridiculous coat, but the weight loss must have been significant for him to no longer appear round. Had it really been two weeks since they last saw each other?

"How much weight did you lose, anyway?"

"You shall be surprised, but my current weight is no more than 84 kg!" Zaimokuza proudly declared, pointing to himself.

So, he had lost five kilograms in thirteen days. That had to be the result of some hardcore dieting. Or maybe Zaimokuza's metabolism was just that fast?

"I achieved it by eating no more than 1,500 calories a day while doing light training every single day! If my body is lighter, that means fewer hurdles for my majestic brain to focus on thinking and writing."

Lol. Figures. As far as Hachiman remembered, Zaimokuza was a big eater. Cutting excess calories alone would have shed most of his fat. Adding exercise to smooth the process was even better. For people with a fast metabolism, a simple, non-hardcore diet could lead to drastic weight loss.

As for the latter point, multiple studies had found links between cognitive function impairment and obesity. It didn't necessarily mean Zaimokuza could write better if he weren't overweight, but it did mean he might learn to write better at a faster pace.

Whether Zaimokuza actually knew this or just happened to do the right thing based on his insane logic, only God knew. All that mattered was that Zaimokuza was putting a lot of effort into his pursuit of story-writing.

"I see, so you're Zaimokuza!" Ryou waved at him. "Nice to meet you!"

"NICE TO MEET YOU! MY NAME IS ZAIMOKUZA YOSHITERU, AND—"

"Tone it down, or I'll put tape over your mouth," Hachiman threatened. "Look at the time, asshole!"

Zaimokuza immediately lowered his voice but kept his fake haughty tone.

"I am an aspiring author and student from the same school in Chiba. I fancy myself as the reincarnation of the mighty samurai, Ashikaga Yoshiteru! If I may ask, who else am I speaking with?"

Zaimokuza unashamedly introduced himself to the rest of the boys, his aggressive demeanor making poor Rei visibly uncomfortable.

"Akizuki Ryou, an idol from 315 PRO."

"Takagi Yuutarou, Deputy President of 765 PRO."

"Kagura Rei, violinist."

Hopefully, they'd understand that Zaimokuza was harmless.

"What, there's another one?" Sachie asked when she arrived at the training site. "I wasn't informed of this."

"Ah, I'm just here to drop off Saika. Please don't mind me," Zaimokuza told Sachie.

"Hmm..." Sachie pulled Zaimokuza's cheek and stretched it. "You used to be fat, didn't you?"

"Umm, yes."

"You have a naturally good body base, but your muscles are degrading along with your fat, and your skin is loose. You know what? You might as well join us," Sachie said with a smile.

"YES!" Zaimokuza jumped happily.

"Pump the brakes on that excitement. I have something else for you to do," Sachie grinned.

Oh no. Everyone else cringed. It had to be the training DVD.

"Tomorrow, watch this at home until you puke," Sachie said, handing the training DVD to Zaimokuza. "I want you to remember the music so well that you can recall the beat offhand."

I knew it. Everyone groaned.

"R-right," Zaimokuza stammered, already regretting his enthusiasm.

RIP Zaimokuza.

"Since Totsuka-kun is doing the same routine anyway, you can follow his example. Don't forget to stretch for ten minutes before exercising. You can go home now and get some good sleep. Or you can join us."

"YES, MASTER!" Zaimokuza bowed formally, like a member of a baseball team.

As everyone stretched in preparation for the day's practice, Hachiman spoke with Saika.

"I'm surprised you two are friends, considering how different your personalities are," Saika said with a merry laugh. "Yoshiteru-kun can be a little loud and awkward, but I like that he's honest and spirited in everything he does."

"We're not exactly two birds of a feather, either," Hachiman sighed.

It seemed Zaimokuza Yoshiteru had been covering for Saika ever since the incident last week. Hachiman felt slightly dismayed that neither Zaimokuza nor Saika had mentioned it, but he understood their reasoning.

They couldn't always rely on Hachiman for everything. And that was Saika's word-for-word statement when he explained it to Hachiman.

"Well, Zaimokuza doesn't have many friends, so it's a good thing you two get along," Hachiman scoffed.

"Haha, he said the same thing about you."

Today's training menu was a repeat of dance sequences while vocalizing vowels. It sounded simple on paper but was grueling in practice. Due to the types of muscles used, it was a full-body workout for all the boys.

Hachiman and Saika were sitting on the floor, while Yuutarou was half-conscious. Ryou was the only one still standing after three hours of nonstop dancing and vocal training.

Rei was on his knees, panting.

Zaimokuza was sprawled on the floor, looking like he was on the verge of death.

It didn't take long for Hachiman to regain his footing, but Saika and Rei were in worse shape.

"Does Anya train like this every day?" Saika asked, grasping the hand Hachiman offered. Together, they helped Zaimokuza to his feet.

"Of course not," Hachiman said, handing out warmed-up sports drinks to everyone. "It's even more intense than this."

"ARE YOU INSANE?" Yuutarou screamed. "You're going to ruin your idols that way!"

Hachiman didn't even bother with a response, simply rolling a bottle across the floor and hitting Yuutarou in the face with it.

"You're lucky my mother isn't a company insider, then," Hachiman said, poking Yuutarou's chest. "She'd wring everyone dry."

"But I can see why," Saika said, chugging his drink. "When you start with a huge disadvantage, you have to work harder to catch up with the rest."

Ryou helped Rei to his feet once the poor violinist stopped panting.

"Anya's relationship status is a handicap, but everyone's confident she can still make a good start with the right opportunity and timing," Hachiman nodded. "As long as she doesn't lose faith in herself or others."

"Going this far to salvage both her career and love life is commendable," Rei said thoughtfully. "I wish I had that much drive."

"The line between stupidity and courage is as thin as a thread," Sachie said with a smile, pointing at the ceiling. "But if there's anything infinite on this planet, it's the abundance of stupidity. We can harness that as power and drive Anya to the moon."

Yuutarou slammed the floor and forced himself to stand, guzzling the sports drink. He couldn't possibly bear the burden of being Deputy President if he gave up this soon.

He lifted the now-empty bottle, fully refreshed. "TO THE MOON!"

"That's the spirit."

Oh no, Takagi's been brainwashed!

Today's training wasn't held at 346 but at an old production house near 765. During the worst of the financial crisis, this place had been a refuge for the idols—a place where they could live and train on a budget without being disturbed by the press.

Now, only Yuutarou lived here, as the idols had moved back to the dorm.

"But really, I think I understand now," Yuutarou said gravely, looking around. "The feelings of the 765 PRO idols when they trained here."

"The place is old but clean. Sure, it's not as fancy as the studio at 346 PRO, but it's not bad," Hachiman said, rubbing his chin. "Not bad at all."

"And since it's quiet and secluded, we can focus more on training," Saika pointed out.

"Dispensing with needless luxury and returning to the roots," Rei sighed in relief. "I think I prefer it here."

"How did you even find this place?" Hachiman asked his mother.

"Hmm? It was the old bastard Takagi who told me about it," Sachie answered casually. "It's also less of a hassle without a plague of cooties around."

Oh, so it was Yuutarou's grandfather. And "plague of cooties"? Really?

"It's fine! We can train here whenever we want!" Yuutarou's nose seemed to grow longer from his inflated ego. "I'll even welcome you all for a sleepover!"

"Pfft, you're just lonely, aren't you?" Hachiman teased. "What about you, Saika?"

"Actually... I'm supposed to check into a hotel near 346," Saika blushed. "I have a date with Anya tomorrow, so I'll spend the night in Tokyo."

"Right then, you should stay. Bachelor party tonight!" Yuutarou declared.

"This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen," Ryou said, twitching as if he could already sense the chaos brewing. "What about you, Hachiman?"

"I'd like to, but Komachi..."

"If you're not at the dorm, your father will probably bring her home too," Sachie told Hachiman.

"Hmmm."

As Hachiman understood it, Komachi had planned a girls' outing for tomorrow. Hachiman wasn't invited, of course. It irked him a little, but what could he do? Complain?

"What about you, Saika?"

"I'd stay if Hachiman stays too," Saika answered innocently.

Well, THAT carried a lot of baggage, didn't it?

"I'll just call my mother and my Producer," Ryou said, giving a thumbs-up. "No problem here."

"If it's not too much trouble, I'll ask for permission from home as well," Rei confirmed.

"Alright, I'm staying." Hachiman loosened up. "Mother, what about the rest of our week?"

"You'll practice this every day except tomorrow, no less than half an hour at a time. If it's difficult, split it into two 15-minute sessions." Sachie pulled a bunch of thermoses from her bag. "Anyway, you guys should relax. Tomorrow morning will be painful, and there's no avoiding it. But we can mitigate it."

"What is this?"

"Aphrodisiac."

Hachiman squeezed his eyes shut in disbelief, while the boys froze in shock.

"...That was a joke. It's just turmeric and ginger ale with the alcohol removed, so drink to your heart's content." Sachie scoffed. "It tastes pretty strong, though. Don't forget to drink it with food."

"If it were still afternoon, I'd recommend an ice bath." Sachie shook her head. "But it's evening, and you'll get cold. So, soak in hot water instead. It'll make things a little more painful, but you'll recover faster."

"Hot water, huh? Should we go to a public bath?"

"No need; we have a huge bath facility here too!" Yuutarou said proudly. "I haven't used it in a while because it's too wasteful, but I clean it often."

This building is an all-purpose idol training camp, huh?

"I've already prepared the hot water, so take care." Sachie excused herself. "I'll kick that old bastard in the crotch after he's out of the hospital."

Hachiman looked at Yuutarou, pondering the relationship between Sachie and his grandfather, Takagi Juunichirou.

"My mother doesn't usually talk badly about an elderly person like that, you know. So there MUST be some history between them."

"I've been thinking for a while, but who is Master Sachie?" Yuutarou asked Hachiman. "She CAN'T just be a laid-back career woman with her extensive knowledge of the idol world. Not even with a national top producer for a husband."

"My mother was one of the surviving Dark Age Idols."

"Dark Age Idol?"

"This will be a long story, so let's bring it to the bath as we speak." Hachiman cracked his joints.

As the boys stripped, the differences in their physiques became apparent. Everyone was looking at Hachiman too hard for his comfort.

"...It's not my fault you guys are so damn weedy."

That said, Ryou might look unnaturally thin, but it's more to do with his muscles being dense despite his lean build.

Compared to the childish Yuutarou or the plain thin Saika and Rei, the contrast between Ryou's face and jacked body was jarring.

"And your 8-inch magnum?" Yuutarou pointed out. "No wonder the idols keep throwing themselves at you."

"There's no way it's eight inches. Are you insane?"

This bath session is off to a great start, damn it! Hachiman already knew this sleepover would be a wild ride, especially with no girls around, and the boys would be as loose as feral hogs.

Saika could only laugh. Maybe this was the first time he had gotten involved in boys' talks like this. It wasn't technically Hachiman's first time, thanks to his experience in middle school.

青春 の輝かしいステージ ひどく明るい感じ

The Shining Stage of Youth feels awfully bright

(Oregairu/Idolmaster - Cinderella Girls)

Original Story by: Watari Wataru/Bandai-Namco

Written by: ZeroXSEED

Chapter 17 - A small steps of growth

"Anyway, it all begins with the decline of the idol world during the Lost Decade."

"Lost Decade?" Yuutarou blinked. "Ah! The economic decline of the '90s?"

"I've heard about it from my parents," Rei also grimaced. "It was a terrible time for Japan, even though it was peaceful."

The Lost Decade refers to a period of economic stagnation in Japan during the 1990s, following the collapse of the country's asset price bubble in the late 1980s. During the bubble, real estate and stock market prices soared to unsustainable levels, fueled by excessive speculation and easy credit. When the bubble burst, asset prices plummeted, leading to a severe banking crisis as many loans turned bad.

The Japanese government and central bank initially responded slowly and inadequately, exacerbating the economic downturn. This period was marked by sluggish growth, deflation, and a series of corporate and financial failures, which left a lasting impact on Japan's economy and society.

"The time when Japan suffered economic stagnation and the bubble burst. In the '90s, it was downright apocalyptic for the Idol world," Hachiman confirmed. "From the '90s to the turn of the millennium, the Idol world was in constant decline."

"Only the strongest could survive such an onslaught, as you might have heard with groups like Burning Musume. Either you pushed through with heavy capital support, or you switched to niche subgenres. Some even turned to pornography."

"At the time, it seemed as if there was no future for the Idol world. However, my mother was one of the survivors. In the early 2000s, she foresaw that the idol world would rise again. And her foresight turned out to be correct. Along with steadily recovering economy, the Idol world experienced a boom like never before."

After he finished scrubbing the sweat and dirt off, Hachiman poured a bucket of hot water over himself to rinse the foam.

Then it was time for the grand event of sitting in a pool of hot water!

"However, by that point, my mother was already tired and withered—a shadow of herself," Hachiman finished the story. "She met a young, washed-up former Producer around her age. So they settled down together in shared misery, and I'm the result."

Hardly the worst love story in the world. Nevertheless, it seemed they had found a good match.

"So, to put it shortly, it would be weirder if an old guard in the Idol world didn't know my mother," Hachiman grinned. "But she's relatively unknown to current members of the industry."

"765 PRO has been active since 1979. I guess my grandfather met her at some point!" Yuutarou concluded. "It might explain why she's so harsh on him and why she's nice to me."

Well, six of one, half a dozen of the other.

"Professor Sachie truly is formidable, if that's the case," Rei expressed his amazement. "Many classical musicians, legendary or not, earned their fame through hardship. Compared to these people, I am truly fortunate."

"Nevertheless, her past fame means nothing to her, and it means nothing to us either," Hachiman pointed out. "What matters is her vast knowledge and experience. She even spent ten days in South Korea and China last winter to study idol training methods there."

It was all for the sake of Komachi and Hachiman.

"Does that mean we're training to become idols?" Saika asked him. "What about it, Ryou-san?"

"Hmm, well... she seems to be focused on the core basics, yet it's more intense compared to personalized training at the studio. But yes, that's correct," Ryou answered. "It's helpful to me since I'm learning everything from scratch. I built my career as a female idol before."

"The training itself is supposed to do that," Hachiman nodded. "But the real purpose is to instill the confidence of an idol in you. No matter what your goal, you should carry your conviction with pride."

Or at least not bend under pressure. There was no way Hachiman could have survived 346 PRO's dorm and Otomejoshi High without his prior training.

"So, about dinner—does anyone have preferences?" Yuutarou asked. "I was thinking about ordering delivery."

"Eh? Food order?"

"I mean, I'm not that confident in my cooking."

"Haha, what?" Hachiman laughed. "You're living alone with no parents; how bad could it be?"

"How good of a cook are you, Hachiman?"

"I taught my sister to cook!"

"While we're at it, let's just cook together and see how much of a disaster it'll be," Rei proposed. "We're all men here, after all."

"Ah, if you don't mind, can we record it?" Saika asked. "Director Mishiro told me to record our date as a vlog."

"She did?"

"Yes."

"And Anya-chan agreed? Wow," Ryou twitched. "I'm not sure I have that much guts."

"This isn't the first time. Pretty sure Anya made a family vlog in Chiba last week," Hachiman noted. "The response was heated, but what's most surprising is that the comments weren't completely negative."

"I'm legit surprised about it, too," Saika winced. "A lot of people call her names, but many also express support and enjoyment. Especially on the topic of stargazing."

Anya announcing her relationship before her debut made a lot of difference. Some fans left, feeling betrayed, while others hounded her with hate mail and comments. But many people also expressed admiration for her courage and honesty.

"Maybe we should post this on OurTube," Hachiman grinned.

The other four contemplated it, much to Hachiman's horror. "No, I'm just joking."

After finishing the bath, the boys dressed in their respective pajamas of choice. Hachiman wore his favorite light blue tracksuit, ready to cook dinner.

And, shockingly enough, they all could cook. Nothing grand, but the fact that none of the boys were uselessly tagging along was surprising!

"Boy, I'm so glad Saika is recording," Yuutarou held up a perfectly peeled potato. "This could be good promotional material."

"I'd question more how the hell you managed to find three extra cameras, but never mind!" Hachiman gave up questioning. This place really had everything! "Make sure the dinner itself is off the record."

"Are these sliced enough?" Rei showed a cutting board full of sliced herbs and onions.

"That looks perfect, thank you!" Ryou nodded.

"ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA!" Zaimokuza minced the meat with gusto.

The boys cooked a mixture of Japanese and Western dishes. Many looked simple yet delicious. In particular, the stir-fried potato chicken with tons of greens looked the most striking of all.

"Okay, I'm sending pictures of Anya-chan. What about you, Hachiman?" Saika asked.

"I'm not, thank you!" Hachiman said.

However, not even minutes into eating, Hachiman's phone buzzed constantly with incoming messages. There was a 100% chance that Saika's picture had already made it to the idol chat group.

Mika: You guys cooked all that? So envious!
Kanade: Not invited to such a feast. I'm sad.
Frederica: Gib. Gib. Gib.
Shuuko: Gib. Gib. Gib.
Shiki: I can send you more herbal drinks. Just give me coordinates.

"They want to come? No estrogen allowed here!" Hachiman posed dramatically. He was thankful his mother had disabled everyone's locator for this reason.

No girls allowed!

"You're shockingly popular, huh?" Yuutarou teased him.

"Do you not have the slightest bit of self-awareness?" Hachiman scrunched his face in anguish. "Who WAS living here with dozens of his company's Idols, almost unsupervised?"

"This and that are different. No one would see me as boyfriend material!" Yuutarou shouted, clearly embarrassed.

"Bullshit. The fact that you not only took Hoshii back but also picked Shijou and Gahana should count for something," Hachiman shot back. "Hoshii keeps shamelessly clinging to you at school. Everyone can see it already."

"Miki-chan's just a little grateful, that's all," Yuutarou kept dodging. "Besides, I still haven't moved on from Haruka-san, so..."

"Interesting, so we're dealing with a love triangle here!" Zaimokuza concluded. "No wait, was it a quadrangle?"

"That's how it is," Ryou nodded. "It's an open secret that Amami Haruka-senpai, who Yuutarou-kun likes, had a thing with Amagase Touma-senpai, though the media haven't caught up just yet."

"Because they kept a platonic yet close relationship at school, so it's hard to prove even if there are leaks," Rei also nodded. "And many suspect Hoshii Miki is interested in Yuutarou-kun romantically."

"Tabloids would pay millions for this kind of story, but don't worry. I will take this story to my grave," Zaimokuza assured them. "I'm more than well aware of the difficulties you already face."

"Thanks for taking care of Saika, Zaimokuza," Hachiman honestly expressed his gratitude. "Even though I'm the one putting him in a difficult position, I can't do anything to protect him outside the internet."

"A comrade of my retainer is my comrade too!"

"Retainer?" Rei raised one eyebrow. Zaimokuza is indeed a peculiar person.

"The way he's talking is a bit weird, but he's a nice guy and can be trusted," Saika assured him. "It's like, samurai speak or something."

"Enough about me; what about you, then?" Yuutarou pointed at Rei. "Do you have anyone you like?"

"I can't say if it's a blessing or a curse, but I have yet to meet such a person in my sixteen years of life," Rei answered truthfully. "Perhaps I'm too obsessed with the violin."

Rei isn't good with people in general, having zero social skills. It was a miracle that he could find agreeable personalities in this group of colorful boys.

"What about you, Ryou?"

"Umm, me?" Ryou panicked and flailed around. "I, well, ah!"

"So there is one! Spill it!"

"Nooo!"

"Spill it!"

In the end, Ryou could only give the vaguest story about a person who motivated him during his stint as a cross-dressing idol. No one could really tell who it was. Nevertheless, the other boys understood how important the person's very existence is for the current Ryou.

"Once we step on the same stage again, then perhaps I will have the courage. But for now, I can only watch that person from afar."

"Maybe I should write a romance novel after all," Zaimokuza concluded.

"Oh no, what have we done?" Hachiman muttered in horror.

"Oh, come on, it can't be that bad," Yuutarou guffawed.

"I'm sending you a copy of his damn script next time, and you better read it."

"Sure, send it!"

In truth, Zaimokuza's writing has gotten a lot better recently. It might take just a few more weeks for Zaimokuza to write a decent short story worth reading.

He needs to focus before he can write anything worth publishing, though.

It was the most lively dinner Hachiman had attended in his life, beating even dinners with grandparents and relatives, Hachiman would say.

Fortunately, everyone was too exhausted to stay up late, so they decided to call it off and cancel the slumber party. We could see Yuutarou's porn stash next time, perhaps. Not that anyone here is especially curious or eager.

Rei was the only one awake, trying to finish his concert arrangement.