mandytl | love comedy - ( epilogue 3 )

Location: StarFes Stage (Second Half - UNDEAD)

< Afterwards, as each show finishes in sequence, it became UNDEAD's turn as a runner-up of the first half to take the stage. >

Rei: "♪~ ♪~ ♪~"

"Hoh hoh hoh! 'Tis I, the Father of Christmas, Santa Claus~. ♪"

"Flying over houses with his enslaved beasts, illegally intruding on others time and time again; Santa-san is an exemplary member of monsterkind!"

"Tonight, we monsters of the darkest night, UNDEAD... will become the very legend that's been delivered since ancient times!"

"We'll refrain from borrowing the signature phrases of our great forebearer out of respect!"

"Come, all you lovely young ladies in the audience. Merry Christmas... ☆"

"Santa has come to this live performance! May you indulge in your wholesome dreams in peace now that we've shown ourselves!"

"If you have faith and sleep, good tidings are surely waiting for you tomorrow and the day after!"

"Merry Christmas & Happy New Year... ♪"

Kaoru: "♪~ ♪~ ♪~"

( Wowww... same as always. He's so perfect it's irritating. )

( Utilizing the experience of that "grandpa" character of his that confused so many longtime fans in order to resemble Santa himself... )

( A real man of his word, huh. He fussed about how he'd try not to perish where the audience can see, but on stage there isn't even a single hint of weakness... )

( I better watch and learn. Well, that part of him at least. )

( Better that than the way he gazes at people with a look that says "I'll save you" when they're wrapped around his little finger. )

( Wonder if I've been taking after him lately in that department. There's been times where I've done something similar... I've got to be more careful. )

( I wanted to do whatever I could to help Hajime-kun and the rest because I was worried about them. That's just the arrogance of old age, I guess~. But right now I need to concentrate on the performance in front of me. )

( ... are Dad and the others watching? )

Rei: Who're you looking for, Kaoru-kun?

Today's performance is quite the marathon. Losing your focus for a moment is well-nigh unavoidable.

StarFes is of S1 rank, after all, so the ladies tend to flock in from the outside.

And who better to lavish them with a shining, eternal love than our very own idol Hakaze Kaoru at his very best?

Kaoru: You really think you get me, huh. ... but it's true that I can't go all out while I'm distracted. I'll push myself more.

Rei: Indeed. ... there's no need for you to worry about Ra*bits anymore, I believe. You witnessed them in the first half, yes?

They overcame the insurmountable with Valkyrie and carried themselves forward well.

Kaoru: ... you don't understand how those kids feel at all, do you?

Even when you're telling everyone they're one of your "beloved children". You're totally the type to choose an encyclopedia for a Christmas present.

Rei: Eh? They're rather handy... Still, I suppose I can't get a sense for them after having wanted to grow up so badly as a child.

I was quite the arrogant brat in my childhood if I may say so.

Kaoru: Uh, yeah. That's not hard to imagine. Good thing we never met back then, seriously.

... the fact is, those kids were probably having some real mixed feelings over Valkyrie getting more votes than they expected.

It all worked out and everyone's smiling and saying Merry Christmas~... — like, nothing ever gets settled that easily.

Rei: It's as you say. However, Nito-kun isn't the type of child to stick to Valkyrie despite being valued so highly.

Rather, he must have realized that either unit doesn't truly need him...

Though still a high schooler, he engages in the thoughtless deed of acting like an adult to mask the worry of whether or not they'll leave him.

Kaoru: You're the same way in that regard.

Hey, Sakuma-san. This time... you made me think about a lot of things after you tried to shed light on my problems with that stupid prank.

You probably wanted me to grow up a little. To get stronger, overcome my own problems, and mature as an idol, right?

It felt like, waaay more gross than helpful... and I started questioning why it was necessary for me to get stronger all of a sudden.

... are you planning to quit being an idol after graduation, maybe?

Rei: ......

... I can't decide. I have an obligation to my family to become the next head.

I did as I pleased and enjoyed myself to the fullest during high school. Any more than this would spread far too many rumors.

Kaoru: Hmm~. Guess I should say do what you want rather than I could care less.

Ahh, there we go. My head's a little clearer now. But, seriously... you're going to train me from now on so I can overcome pretty much anything?

Which means I better practice how to confront and deal with my problems whenever we're close?

Ahahah. Now there's a Christmas present worth crying over~. ♪

Rei: Certainly. I wanted to give you all the means necessary with which to be proactive if you were going to carry on with being an idol.

I'm a huge fan of yours after all, Kaoru-kun.

No matter when, no matter where; I want you to remain full of that human-like brilliance, to always be showering your surroundings in a love that a beast could never hold.

If only I'd also been born with the air of a dreamlike garden of flowers like you.

Kaoru: Who're you calling happy-go-lucky?

... just kidding, though. I'm honored. I think there's more people in this world who'd rather be someone like you.

Since, you know, there's so many who admire you just like Doggie, and so many who were saved by you just like Adonis-kun. Then there's me, who —

Rei: ... people like you, who... ?

Kaoru: — were told they were one of the two main attractions and were forced to stand next to you.

Do you know how unlike me it was to work hard enough to reflect that image you desired?

Everything I did's pretty much worthless if you disappear.

Rei: ... that it would be. I'm terribly sorry, but that is my fate.

Kaoru: Hahah. So you're going to do exactly what the adults or god's decided on without fighting back?

It's not like you to behave~. Santa-san's going to have to give a good boy like that a present. ♪

Rei: ... what do you mean?

Kaoru: Figure it out yourself. You're pretty smart, right, Sakuma-san?

Well, it'll be something worth waiting for. It'll take time to reach a conclusion and I might not make it in time for today, but...

I'll have an answer to the question you asked real soon.

I swear I will before we graduate. Until then I'll give you a shock that might stop your heart, so you better watch yourself~. ♪

Rei: Ah... ? But I'm an undying immortal, hence my stalled heart will always beat again.

Kaoru: Yep. That's right. Don't forget that, okay? ... we're UNDEAD.

"♪~ ♪~ ♪~"