Link! Like!: Episode 9 ~ Part 5
A new club member from California!? Rurino starts activities in the School Idol Club immediately after joining, but it seems like she’s hiding something…?
I’m sorry for giving you guys the runaround. I really meant it when I said it was fun, though! Seriously!
Rurino-chan, wait! This is all too sudden!
But… look, you know what they say about nipping buds. I figured I’d do it now before I… you know, make things worse…
B-But!
If that’s the case, then why join the School Idol Club in the first place!? Didn’t you have something you wanted to do!?
That’s... I wanted to... with Megu-chan...
Huh?
…No, it’s nothing. …Sorry. I should’ve known this wouldn’t…
Hey, Rurino-chan. I understand you enjoy being alone.
When I was really young, I was really frail, so I would spend every day reading in my room. And I still like reading, even now. But…
I didn’t want to just keep living like that, because I wanted to blossom!
I... I think I’d rather not cause trouble for others...
…
You all had to interrupt practice because of me. I’m really sorry.
Ah, but well, we’re still in the same class, so…
If we could… um… stay friends… I think I’d really appreciate that.
…Rurino-chan!
Wait, please! Please, just give it another chance!
Another chance…?
One more time! Come to the club room, just one more time! Please! Wouldn’t you hate it if things ended this way!?
I…
Consider it a request from me as well, Rurino-san. It might just be me, but…
I think there’s a difference between enjoying being alone and becoming isolated. So…
Please!
I’m sorry you have to keep worrying about me.
N-No, that’s not what…
But… Alright, I understand.
Just… don’t force yourself to do anything for me, okay? You don’t have to worry about me being alone.
…
Come now, Kaho-san.
Huh? Oh, Kozue-senpai.
I was very surprised to hear you suddenly left school on a bus. I managed to smooth things over with the dorm mother, but…
What on earth happened?
Kozue-senpai… Kozue-senpai…!
Huh? Wait, what’s… going on?
Here.
Oh, thank you… it’s nice and warm.
It’s hard to fathom that Rurino-san harbored such a side of her… From looking at her, I fully believed she was a cheerful, positive girl…
You truly can’t judge a book by its cover.
But to think she’d had that application of resignation on her this whole time.
I suppose that means that somewhere inside her, she’s always felt that doing this would be impossible for her…
…
Kaho-san, could you come over here?
Huh?
The sky is clear tonight, so the stars are quite visible. Please, take a look through this telescope.
Um… okay.
Whoa… Amazing… I didn’t think there were this many stars I couldn’t normally see…!
Hmhm, fascinating, isn’t it?
We will soon be on summer vacation, won’t we?
Since I’d received a self-research assignment, I thought I’d start on it right away.
Oof… Summer… homework…
Hmhm. That’s why I had this telescope taken out and sent here from home.
Oh, so this isn’t school property? It’s yours?
Correct. I can’t explain why, but I’ve always liked stargazing.
There are very few stars visible to the naked eye. Regardless, the sky is always full of stars.
I believe that school idols are similar.
My goal is, naturally, to shine as brightly as the brightest first-magnitude star, though. Hmhm…
Kaho-san… I wonder what star you want to be like?
I…
Um, Kozue-senpai… Could I ask you something…?
Of course. This… isn’t enough to properly thank you for before, but... I’ve felt you’ve had something to say for a while.
I don’t understand how Rurino feels at all. But I realized something when I had time to think about it by myself.
I figured… I probably didn’t even try to understand.
I was only focused on how much I wanted new members for the club. So much so that I only saw Rurino-chan as just a possible new member.
But each school idol is different… Just like the stars.
There’s no one out there that exists just to be a new member!
You’re right.
Next time, I’ll definitely talk to Rurino-chan properly!
And… thank you, Kozue-senpai, for always looking after me and always spoiling me!
W-What’s with the sudden thanks…? And for the last time, I do not spoil you.
So, um… If you can, there’s something I could use your help with, Kozue-senpai!
Of course I can, but… This isn’t me spoiling you, okay?
I simply have a responsibility as club president to hear out any request from my club members.
Ehehe, thanks, Kozue-senpai! And!
I might not know what kind of star I want to be like yet, but!
I want to make up a big constellation in the sky together with everyone!
And to do that, we need Rurino-chan to be with us!