Christmas Live – Star Chart
Chapter Index
Ch 1 - Ch 2 - Ch 3 - Ch 4 - Translation Notes
Chapter 1
Season: Winter
Location: Park’s Live Stage
To everyone passing by! Merry Christmas! ☆
It’s almost time for the opening celebration of the StarFes performed by Yumenosaki Academy’s idols! Our performance, known as the “Eve’s Eve Live”, is about to begin!
Our performance is completely free to watch, so stop by whenever you like, no matter who you may be! We welcome you with open arms! ☆
We’re handing out warm drinks and other refreshments, too! Even gear to keep you warm from the cold! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask the Santa-sans at the venue!
By the way, I’m Morisawa Chiaki, from Ryuseitai! I’m the red-colored Santa-san… The typical Red Santa-san!
I’ll give a present full of warmth to everyone shivering from the cold, by singing with my burning hot red voice! Fuhahahahaha…! ☆
Come on, Sengoku! You introduce yourself too! You can use mine as an example to work off of!
You’re always hiding yourself behind our backs, but you should put more effort into standing out in the crowd, as well!
Wha—Eeep! No—You lose if you stand out as a ninja, like, erm…!?
It’s the same with Santa-san! If he’s caught by an occupant in their home while delivering presents, he’ll be mistaken for a robber, so…!
Don’t run away! You’ve got this! Recall all your experience up until now! Haven’t you grown stronger since then!?
If anyone can do it, it’s you, Sengoku! I believe in you! ☆
U-Uuu~…? I-I am Sengoku Shinobu! I’m the yellow-colored Santa-san—Known as Yellow Santa-san~! Ermm, ermm…?
That’s perfect as is! Well fought! You’re such a good kid, Sengoku! Theeere, there, there~♪ (pat, pat, pat)
Yellow Santa will spread brilliance just like the illumination that paints the streets during the holy night! You can rest assured that each of you will get a whooole lot of sparkly radiance as a present from him! ☆
We appreciate your cheers! Thank you for the applause…☆
ufufu. the [illuminations] are so [pretty], aren’t they~♪
it is like the [very bottom] of the [sea]~ the [deep-sea fish] are twinkling~♪ the [marine snow] is so fluffy~♪
Mm? It’s starting to snow! This isn’t good!
While it’s wonderful to have a white Christmas… There’s no roof over this stage, so we could slip if enough snow piles up.
Mm~ Judging by how the clouds are moving… We’ll be done with our live show by the time it starts to snow that heavily, I think…?
I’m way more worried about our guests; they look like they could catch a cold anytime now… Can’t we cancel the performance, or at least end it early…?
You’ve really got no enthusiasm, Takamine! Show some energy! You’ll feel warmer if you sing and dance as much as possible!
Ignite your engine! Our Christmas has only just begun!
Christmas hasn’t even started, though… You’re always, always in a rush with everything…
And you’re especially prone to getting sick right now, Shinkai-senpai, so please don’t push yourself, okay…?
i will be okay~ i will simply [hold] shinobu in my arms. shinobu’s [body temperature] is high, after all~
he is like a [water-heating pad]~ warming up, warming up…♪
Wai—I cannot move like this! Please spare me, Shinkai-dono~!?
You’re free to mess about, but don’t get too rowdy now. The Eve’s Eve Live wasn’t originally a job for us…
So the stage is too narrow for five people to comfortably perform on.
Yeah, it is pretty cramped… I’m huge as it is, so I’m probably just getting in the way…?
Mm~… Nagumo isn’t here right now, as he said he had something to do, so there’s a bit of leeway at the moment.
But for performing on stage, three or four people is likely as far as we can go.
It’s because the unit that was scheduled to perform the Eve’s Eve Live at first was a duo, so the stage wasn’t set up to be too spacious.
a duo… could it be, that person…? he takes the [day off] when the weather is [bad], so~
he is someone who loves [perfection], after all.1
Mm. That’s why I thought 2wink would be just the right people for this stage, but are those two doing alright?
If they’re in good enough shape to perform, I’d love to ask them to join the live show too, but…
They looked to be in the middle of an argument when we showed up, so maybe that won’t be possible. I’m from an entirely different unit, so while I’m aware it isn’t my place to be speaking on their behalf…
A Christmas that has kids with gloomy faces is the same as a Christmas tree without a star at the very top, y’know!
It just doesn’t feel complete at all…! They can shine so much brighter, I just know it!
Chapter 2
In any case… Sengoku, Takamine, could you two go and check on how 2wink’s doing for now?
For the live show, we’ll rotate between two people performing at a time, and then three later!
If 2wink are doing well enough to perform, then we’ll ask them to rotate between us.
The optimal scenario is making it look as though it’s a joint live between Ryuseitai and 2wink.
I’m in favor of that, since I’d be able to take it easy by performing less, but… Are you sure it’s alright for us to split the achievements with another unit…?
Yuuta-kun might be against that…
It’ll look as though we’re inviting them out of pity, so he may reject it entirely… Or to be more specific, it appears he wants to make 2wink famous through the two’s strengths alone.
It’s true that it’d be help they never asked for… But they’re students from the same school as us; we may compete sometimes, but we can never allow ourselves to crush one another.
…I’m fed up with the idea of beating each other down.
2wink is a unit made up of first years only, right? They have no choice but to rely on other units’ help at the start.
That’s nothing to be ashamed of—Please let them know that.
Be sure to look out for Hinata-kun especially. Based on my own judgement… He’s bearing a much heavier, complicated burden than Yuuta-kun.
He’s only a first year, yet he’s acting as a unit leader, y’know? He must be going through abnormal hardships in order to protect his castle.
And yet… That kid’s always got a smile on his face. Unlike me, who was always crying when I had just become a leader.
I have to protect that smile. How could I call myself an ally of justice if I fail to do that?
Isn’t that right, you guys!? So go on now! Leave this place to Kanata and I for now, and head over to 2wink!
Go make a miracle happen! The kind you’d see on Christmas…☆
This guy really talks with energy alone and nothing else… I really don’t wanna do it, though… Being near anyone feeling down just makes me feel depressed along with them…
I-It will be alright! I shall also do my utmost best together with you, Midori-kun!
We must make haste while the opportunity allows! Now, let’s depart! Yuuta-kuuun, we’re on our way~!
Woah, woah—Don’t drag me with you~… Jeez, when did you get so aggressive too, Sengoku-kun…
And here I thought you and I were in this together, as people-shy companions… But instead you went ahead without me and made friends…
Huh— Um…? Was that not okay…!? “Friends” and “companions” are two different things… Or to be more precise, Midori-kun’s also a precious fated companion of mine! ☆2
It’s fine, really… Friends are just troublesome to have anyway… Uu, why does this kinda feel like when a sibling brings home their lover…?
Mhm, go on now! I’m expecting lots from you, my comrades…☆
are you sure it is okay, chiaki~? leaving it to the [children] alone…?
wouldn’t it be [faster] if you were to go there [yourself]…?
That may be so. But the ones who make up the next generation will always be the kids.
I can’t seem to stop myself from spoiling them a little too much… And if they end up getting into the habit of relying on their seniors every time there’s trouble, they won’t be able to sustain themselves on their own in the next school year.
Anyway, you’ll need to get fired up, Kanata. If you stay listless as usual, the audience will grow bored and leave, y’know?
It’d be awful there wasn’t a single audience member left by the time Nagumo and the others come back.
Let’s solidify our foundation and maintain things as they are now—All so that we give a present to our juniors: a stage where they can shine as bright as possible.
yes, yes, i understand~ ‘senpais’ have it so rough, don’t you think~… i cannot move my [body] much when it is cold.
but i have to at least [pretend] to be a [good kid]… or [santa-san] will not come visit me.
i suppose i have no choice~… let me show you all my [serious] side~♪3
Yeah! If possible, show that serious side always! You’re far too capricious most of the time!
Well, it’s alright, though… It’s time! Let’s start the Eve’s Eve Live!
okaaay~ everyone~ merry christmaaas~♪
it has been a while since the last time we [sang] as just the two of us, hasn’t it~… chiaki~♪
Mhm! The passionate bloodstream of my younger self is flowing back into me! Let’s sing with everything we’ve got, Kanata! It’s time to wish upon a star! Merry Christmas…☆
Chapter 3
The following chapter contains references to suicide.
Location: Downtown
(Ohh…?)
(I can still hear singing all the way from the park, even though I’m so far away.)
(Ryuseitai sure is amazing. They’re on a completely different level from us 2wink, for sure…)
(There’d been so many people in the area, too; I could barely walk around until just now… The crowd has thinned out a lot, though, from the looks of it.)
(Seems like everyone heard the singing and wondered, “What’s going on?”, so they went over to the park to check it out.)
(At this rate, Eve’s Eve Live will end up being a huge success, huh?)
(Well, not that it has anything to do with me. Ugh~… How did things turn out like this?)
(Everything I do backfires on me… Like, I just end up getting nowhere.)
(Why, I wonder… Back then, I was in perfect unison with Yuuta-kun in everything we did. It was like we were one another.)
(Hey, Yuuta-kun… Since when did we start going separate ways?)
(…It must be my fault, after all.)
(Back then, we didn’t have a need to distinguish ourselves from one another. The same way you don’t distinguish each of your hands and feet with names.)
(Even still, we’d gotten separate names attached to us, so…)
(That’s why there were times we didn’t mesh well with those around us. Even with our father, who is related to us by blood.)
(He’d say that we were indistinguishable, that we were creepy, that it was like looking at monsters…)
(So, I tried to change. I was the first to break away, so this is my fault.)
(I became the “onii-chan”, and changed the colors and foods I liked.)
(But, that was fine with me. It all should have been fine, as long as I was the only one who changed…)
(Yuuta-kun wouldn’t have to. He wouldn’t have to get dirty, and wouldn’t have to bear any unnecessary burdens.)
(He would stay as one, and remain as “us”… He would grow, continue his life, and become loved. I was content with just watching that.)
(Yuuta-kun would remain beautiful as he was, growing up as the same “us” from those days.)
(And it would have been alright if I were cast off as an unnecessary thing… As a dirty, damaged shell.)
(Yet, Yuuta-kun kept following me everywhere… Onto the streets, into Yumenosaki Academy, everywhere.)
(Even though we could never remain as “two-as-one” forever…)
(By separating from him on my own accord, it threw Yuuta-kun’s center of gravity off, and made him unstable. If Yuuta-kun gets destroyed too, then all of it would’ve been meaningless.)
(For what reason would everything I’ve done been for, then…?)
(That’s why when Yuuta-kun said he didn’t want to emphasize being twins, that he wanted to work solo, I felt… relief.)
(It was lonely, of course, but… I love Yuuta-kun.)
(Because Yuuta-kun is the precious “self” I raised with all my love and care, much more than myself.)
(But, in the end, Yuuta-kun made me his foundation.)
(Using my changed self as a reference point, all he’s been doing is moving back and forth like a pendulum. Bound to me, he’s distorting as he grows.)
(And that’s not good. I have to properly sever the thread that connects Yuuta-kun and I…)
(By being dragged along by me, he’s gradually getting further and further away from “us”.)
(At this rate he’ll become lost, and won’t be able to find his way.)
(Even though I wanted at least Yuuta-kun to make it to the place we should have reached when we were still two-as-one, still “us”… Even if alone.)
(Even though just that would have been enough of a reward… Even though I did everything I could for that purpose…)
(Ahh, it’s so cold out… My breath’s pure white. It’s nostalgic; it takes me back to when we would do street performances. Back then, too, it was only supposed to have been me who strayed away…)
(I felt that if only Yuuta-kun remained, then our father wouldn’t say that we were creepy for not being able to tell us apart.)
(And so I ran away from home, even leaving something like a suicide note behind.)
(But Yuuta-kun still came looking for me, didn’t he?)
Aniki~!
(Right, right, his cute face had become bright red from anger~…♪)
Merry Christmas! You asshole…!
(It was around Christmas that time too, so he went and flung a cheap convenience store-bought Christmas cake at me with all his heart~…♪)
…Oufgh!?
All right, a direct hit! Now even Aniki should stop moving thanks to all that cake cream in his eyes! This is your chance—grab him, Tetora-kun!
O-Ossu. Cakes aren’t meant to be thrown, though. I don’t think that’s a good idea.
Huh, wha? It happened so suddenly that I couldn’t react, but you had some great control there, Yuuta-kun! You hit me right square in the face!
Way back then, the cake ended up splatting all over the street, remember~? You’ve grown up, Yuuta-ku~n…☆
Shut it! I take my eyes off of you for one moment, and you’re gone! I’ve been looking for you for ages! Don’t just act on your own, at least say something to me before you move!
U-Uhh…? But, there was nothing for me to do over there even if I did hang around, right? I just thought to head back home and make a Christmas cake, y’know~?
This isn’t the time to be making cakes Aniki, you idiot!
Seriously, we have a live show with some people we know starting!
We’ve got things to do too—like, you know, promoting ourselves if we’re ever gonna make it big!
Alright now, no need to fight in the middle of the street. The stars will just laugh at you, y’know~?
Chapter 4
Sorry, Hinata-kun. I know you begged me not to tell him, but it really didn’t feel right staying silent ‘bout it.
I told Yuuta-kun basically everything.
I mean, it’s not like you weren’t being serious ‘bout your idol activities, right, Hinata-kun?
You were taking on part-time work that had nothing to do with idols, but even that’s ‘cuz you were planning on using what you’d earned to build up unit funds…
And you were taking the steps needed to get idol-related jobs eventually by forming more connections, right?
The “saving up money to buy ingredients for a Christmas cake” was just an excuse to cover your real intentions up.
‘Cuz there’s no way a unit of only first years could suddenly get tasked with a huge job… not when the unit’s still got no fame or achievements to it.
You had to first build a business from the bottom to catch the clients’ interests, yeah?
But since you wanted to give Yuuta-kun only the idol-related jobs…
You were trying to do all the muddy, boring work all by yourself. That’s what this was all ‘bout, right, Hinata-kun?
…………
Yuuta-kun had no idea ‘bout everything that was going on in the background…
Well, it’s also ‘cuz you threw any random excuse at him, but it made him think you weren’t trying at all with idol activities.
So out of agitation, he went looking for jobs by himself. And honestly, I think that’s also a problem of its own.
There’s nothing praiseworthy ‘bout doing whatever you like without the leader’s permission, y’know.
…………
This situation could’ve been avoided altogether if you two had just talked it out with each other and came to a mutual understanding.
I don’t really wanna lecture you guys as an outsider, and sound like I’m talking down to you two—
But you gotta have faith in each other… No, not just that—You should say what’s on your mind to one another.
Even if you’re twins, even if you’re family—Your feelings won’t reach the other if you don’t confront and be properly honest with each other.
…And so, with that said—I’ll be the referee, so you two should go ahead and punch each other with everythin’ you’ve got~♪
What?! There’s no way I can hit Yuuta-kun; he’s my treasure!
Well, I got a message from Shinobu-kun…
It seems like we’ll be able to join the live late, so I’d rather we not get hurt before the performance…
Then I’ll do the punchin’ instead. Aight you two, line up over there~♪
What do you mean by that, Tetsu-kun?! I’m against violence!
Don’t worry, I won’t put much force into my punch. Well, just consider that both parties are to blame here~♪
I’m a sportsy type of guy, so I value teamwork a lot.4 That’s why seeing people hesitate over everythin’ like sissies just makes me wanna knock ‘em down.
You can’t expect your thoughts to be heard if you don’t put your whole weight into it!
Also, ‘cuz of you two, I’ll also be joining the Eve’s Eve Live late.
The time I get to be on stage is decreasing by the minute, y’know~ So this is me giving you your just deserts. C’mon now, grit your teeth~♪
Eek!? Don’t look so eager over this, you barbarian! Yuuta-kun, hurry, get behind me!
U-Umm…? You need to choose your friends better, Aniki…
…Our height’s still the same, huh, so I can just barely hide behind you, Aniki. But that still doesn’t mean you have to force yourself to protect me, you know.
Even if we can’t actually do supernatural telepathy, I can still kinda tell what you’re thinking.
I know you’ve always been doing things for my sake, Aniki.
No, rather, for the “us” from back then, back when we considered each other as ourselves without hesitation.
But you know, you’re forgetting something important, Aniki.
You see me growing up as how “we” were back then, Aniki… So maybe you’re satisfied with that, but…
But I have to keep always watching you get dirty and damaged, Aniki.
Isn’t that terribly cruel of you to do? You’re doing something horrible for your own self-satisfaction, Aniki.
Don’t forget that. Think about how I feel, being left behind all the time!
I love the “us” of those days as much as — if not more than — you do, Aniki.
And I love you, but the you I love is distorting and changing for my sake.
With a smile and a look of satisfaction on your face, too. You keep taking away something important to me, then turn around and tell me not to change.
It’s pretty unreasonable to demand that of me, but I’ll try to do my best anyway.
It’s also hard to maintain your self-image when all you’ve got at home is a cracked mirror. But if that’s what you want, Aniki, I’ll do what I can to keep my appearance in order.
And if there’s something strange or distorted somewhere, then just tell me! ‘Cause I can’t tell on my own. I’ll even go “mirror, mirror, on the wall” every day, okay?
We may still be at the bottom of the barrel in Yumenosaki Academy…
But that’s why I’ll do the best I can to become the most beautiful “me” in the world for you, Aniki.5
Translation Notes
- ↑ This is referring to Shu.
- ↑ Shinobu says “soulmate” (sourumeito) here when specifying the kind of companion (nakama) Midori is. In Japanese, soulmate is literally soul (tamashii) + companion/comrade (nakama), used to refer to someone who walks down the same path of fate/goals as you, or to someone you have deep connections with from a previous life. As an interesting note, Ryuseitai sings lyrics similar to this concept in one of their songs, Bokura no Stella (set 1 year and a half after this story).
- ↑ He’s referencing a classic Kaoru line, seen in Melody in the Dark.
- ↑ “Taiikukai-kei” is a word used to describe those who are part of a sports club. Taiikukai-kei is also used to refer to a trope of that demographic; they are typically associated with the following characteristics: 1) “when there is a will, there is a way” belief, 2) highly values a hierarchical system (ex. respecting/obeying superiors), 3) highly values teamwork and proper etiquette when greeting others. There are also more characteristics that are very fitting for Tetora’s character. Read more here (JP wiki).
- ↑ The chapter names of Yuuta’s Scout Story, MIRAGE, reference this line nearly seven years later; “The Most Beautiful Mirror in the World”.