“Ouch! Stop! Stop it! Don’t break my thumb off!”
She’d grabbed my thumb with incredible strength.
Where was she hiding all that power in such a puny body? Perhaps this was a result of all the vigorous dance training.
“And last up is me, hee-hee! See how cool I look in this villain suit! The girls will go wild!”
“All right, everyone, let’s get on with the filming.”
“You’re not going to comment on my costume?!”
“Nobody cares about your costume, you jerk. Wake up.”
“How mean! After I worked so hard to compose such a great track! I won’t stand for this shabby treatment!”
“The track’s awesome. Super cool. I’ve had it on repeat on my phone.”
“Oh. Er… Well, thanks, I guess?”
My praise for the song was genuine, and Komae’s scowl disappeared.
I hated having to compliment him… This jerk who kept sniffing around after my beloved sister, Shiika. But I was deeply impressed by Komae’s composition. And as the older brother of a genius like Shiika, I know what it means to be tolerant of those who have ability, despite their…quirks.
“No doubt about it, it’s a work of genius. No wonder they call you the Five-Staff Prince.”
“S-stop it. You’re embarrassing me. Don’t start suddenly complimenting me now.”
“I’ll acknowledge your talent, but nothing else. I won’t give you my sister, and just to be clear, I don’t like your face.”
And I wasn’t going to even mention his costume.
“Guh. You’re a tough one, Big Brother…”
“I’m not your bro… But never mind. Everyone, it seems preparations are complete.”
I looked everyone over and nodded in satisfaction.
“All right, then. Let’s get this show on the road.”
“Okay? Let’s go! Three, two, one…”
Shiika and the others got into position on Shibuya’s count. Their backs to the camera, their faces half-turned toward it. With their all-black outfits, it was a pretty stylish sort of intro.
Komae’s track began to play.
Monotonous drum and synthesizer sounds. A deep bass that travels through the eardrum. Multiple melodies mixing, making the internal organs tremble.
Beautifully arranged sounds, then suddenly, a distorted cacophony, like the molecular particles of ore bonding together.
The rapidly altering sounds began to trickle through to my brain, and I felt the good vibes beginning to percolate inside me. It was like having electrodes connected directly from my brain to my ear, then having electronic drugs injected straight to my brain cells.
It was a cool sound, a tough sound, a sound that brought to mind the harsh breathing of outlaws running through the city streets at night.
Shiika and everyone else in their black outfits were in perfect harmony.
And their dancing was…stunning.
Pliant fingers, flexible limbs, intense moves, and gracefulness. Each movement flowed in perfect elegance.
Matching the tempo of the track, they never slowed.
A bewitching performance by a bunch of bad girls. Fascinating the populace, boasting of their great evil.
As the song reached its final crescendo, they all spun around in tune with their steps, kicking their legs high with the momentum, so high you could see right up their skirts.
A little different, perhaps, from the crowd-pumping dance routines I’d witnessed at the club.
But their movements were designed to draw in the audience and work with them…demonstrating a deep understanding of the form.
All the while, projecting the image—the face, if you will—of true artistry.
A fusion of subcultures. A quality that spoke of an ability to ascend to even greater heights.
Shiika had been uneasy about this, but her movements were sharp—her current state of mental confusion was actually working in her favor. Just a little psychic manipulation, and she could move her feet like that. Who knew? I realized once again how important the psychology of the individual is.
Akiba was also dancing well. It may not be at the same level as a pro, but she was nimble.
As for Shibuya and Komae… No surprises there. They had good physiques to begin with, and the kind of coolness to attract admirers of either gender. Their well-honed bodies spoke of a robustness, a competence that showed in their dance.
“Amazing…”
The word spilled from my lips.
Honestly, I was a bit surprised by all this myself.
Up until now, I’d always thought I had a good grasp on Shiika’s talents as a singer. But that perspective was only one-sided, when actually she was probably more like a die with a hundred unseen sides.
I knew only one part of her.
There was so much more depth to Shiika.
So much untapped potential.
And finally, the Shibuya Gang’s dance video was done recording.
This time, our response was solid, and we could feel the satisfaction of a job well done.
“Nervous. Nervous. Nervous. NERVOUS!”
“Nokia, you worry too much. We gave the best performance we could possibly give. Get a grip on yourself.”
“Wh-what’s wrong with being nervous? Anyway, Erio, I see your hand shaking as you clutch that glass of cola.”
“Wh-what? No, this is the tremble of a true warrior!”
After school, Shiika and I returned to our apartment with Shibuya and Komae in tow.
I’d edited the dance video we shot at school on my PC and, with a quick prayer, uploaded it onto Impachi Live. Right now, the four of us were waiting for the initial reaction to the video, for our long-awaited results.
Akiba wasn’t present. She had left before this, saying she had something to do.
I wanted to reassure Shibuya and Komae, who both looked nervous.
“Don’t worry. With the video we shot, we should be fine.”
“I’m confident in the quality of our performance, but… Sengoku’s team has Azusa Harajuku working with them, right? We might lose out on pure hype alone…”
“Even the confident diva seems to be humble when it comes to dancing.”
“I’m not a confident diva. I’m just being honest, here. But it’s true that my songs are the best.”
“Well, don’t worry. The master plan will be set in motion soon.”
“What master plan?”
“Look, it’s starting.”
I launched the Impachi Live app on my phone and opened a live stream that just started five seconds ago.
“Welcome to ManaMana’s Channel for all things Ryouran High! I have big news for you today!”
“Mana?!”
“Live streaming right after shooting the dance… Wow, Mana’s intense.”
Shibuya and Komae were surprised by the familiar face on the screen.
But me? I was gloating inside.
Now, now, you two. It’s too soon for the real surprise.
“And today we have a collab between the Music Department and Azusa Harajuku, the top first-year student in the Fashion Department!”
“Hello, everyone. I’m Azusa Harajuku!”
“…HUH?”
Komae froze as another girl’s face popped into view from the side of the screen. A soft, smiling face.