[ES!! Era Year 2] Raika – Idol Story 3
This story happens shortly after the events of Final Ceremony. You can see Raika’s profile on the Wiki.
Season: ES 2nd Year, Summer (June)
Location: Outfit Room
2nd year since ES’s establishment. Inside the ES building, the outfit room…
Hmhmhmm~♪ Hmhmmhmm~♪ (Humming)
…………
Hyaaah! There’s soooo many outfits here!
There’s mature-lookin’ ones, kiddy-lookin’ ones! Uniforms for all occasions, even ones that I dunno what they’d be for! Heaps and loads and piles of outfits!
This means we should be able to find somethin’ formal for us to wear!
But I don’t really know fashion all too well, so I’d like to leave the decision-making to Yume-san!
Ehihi. Yume-san’s always dressed in such stylish outfits, so I’m certain you have that so-called “eye for beauty”! Please choose outfits that would suit us at your own discretion~♪
I heard there’s going to be a party to celebrate the formation of Esupuri soon… And there’s apparently a press conference too, so it seems to be a pretty dignified occasion.
So we had a talk that there might end up bein’ a problem if we just walked in with our usual casual clothes… ‘Specially for me, ‘cause I look so shabby and dirty!
That’s why we have to be quick and change into clothes fitting for the occasion—
…………
Raika-chan.
Aye? What is it, Yume-san?
You nuisance.
That’s so cruel!? Please say otherwise…! I admit that I’m hardly useful when it comes to choosing outfits, but…!
Even so, for the sake of Yume-san whom I love and cherish, I have been doin’ my utmost best…!
Sorry. Let Yume rephrase that, Raika-chan.
You eyesore.
It became even more cruel!?
Listen. It seems as though Yume is going to work under the same unit as you from now on, and so Yume would rather avoid causing discord in the unit…
But considering it doesn’t seem to have gotten through to you that Yume is giving off “don’t talk to me” vibes, Yume will tell it to you plain and clear.1
Even if you and Yume are in the same unit, Yume has no will nor communication skills to be involved with anyone outside of Esu.
So Yume would much prefer you don’t get involved as much as possible.
If you take your distance from your side, then there will be no interference from this side either.
That way, both sides can continue on in peace. Got it?
Ehh~… But, but, we’re going to work together from now on, so having no conversation whatsoever and not being able to get along is just lonely…
You and Yume are just coworkers, okay? There’s no need to get along.
But~… I’ve been such a big fan of Ohana-san since a long time back.
Such an annoyance. Since you know the stage name “Ohana”, you must be a pretty old fan…2
That’s why maybe Yume should treasure this more, but. Communicating with Yume’s fans is something Yume really, really, really—can’t stand.
It’s bothersome, uncomfortable, and unbearable.
In the past, Yume could avoid it a lot more often compared to when being an idol, but every time Yume was greeted by a fan before or after a photo shoot, Yume felt sick inside.
If you want to take photos, then go ahead. Take as many photos of adorable Yume to your heart’s content.
But. Having other people’s hands traced upon parts of Yume other than that adorable “surface”, or dipped further past it, is truly uncomfortable.
Since Yume will now work as an idol, those sorts of moments will likely increase, and Yume already feels so fed up with it.
But, well, in those moments, Yume will just retreat back to the far end while making Esu bear the brunt.
O-Of course, I’ll also protect you as best as I can if that ever happens, Yume-san! We’re goin’ to be companions of the same unit, after all!
If there’s anythin’ that makes Yume-san uncomfortable, I’ll do my utmost best to make sure it doesn’t ever get near you!
Oh, really? Then how about you vanish from sight for starters, hm?
Uu~… If that’s what Yume-san wishes, then—then I, I…
…And besides, Yume doesn’t even get it. Yume has zero interest in the fans, so Yume doesn’t ever remember faces, but—
Someone like you who’s distinctive—or more like, a weird kid, would at least be stuck somewhere in the corners of Yume’s memory.
And yet, Yume doesn’t recognize you. …Are you really a fan of Yume?
Of course! I love you ever so much!
…………
But, well, it’s only natural you have no memory of me. It was all one-sided; I became a fan of Ohana-san during the time I was at the ‘facility’.3
That’s all there is to it; we had never directly met.
Photos of you were in a magazine a long while back, right? Somethin’ like a collection of cosplays.
The moment I saw it—how do I put this… It was like love at first sight.
After that, I went through all the events you participated in, and grew to love you more and more, Ohana-san.
Say, doesn’t the world look so sparkly bright when there’s somethin’ you love?
There were many painful things at the ‘facility’, but—whenever I would keep up with what Ohana-san’s been doing, I could just forget ‘bout everything, even the unpleasant stuff.
I’m grateful to you, so, so very much.
…This may just be somethin’ you feel indifferent about, bein’ thought of in such a one-sided way—
But. I dearly love you, and there’s no hidden side to those feelings of mine—
At the very least, that is the one thing that I would love you to know.
…………
…Eh, sorry. What? Yume wasn’t listening.
At this point, being treated this cruelly feels refreshing! Ehihihi, it’s starting to feel pleasant somehow~♪
Weird kid.
Not that it really matters, but. Since there’s not much time left, Yume chose whatever seems fitting for the occasion, so hurry and change.
In the meantime, Yume will call over the other two—Esu and the uh, glasses kid.
Ah, understood! Since the other two were stalling for time…? I think? ‘Til we finally got ourselves prepared, right!
Mhm. It’s a must to quickly call the other two so that everyone wears a fitting costume for the ball—Ah, no, the party.
Here, this is the formal outfit for Raika-chan.
Ooh, you chose somethin’ for me, too!? That’s only to be expected, but ‘cause you were so curt with me, or well, rubbin’ salt to the wound all the time, it makes me so happy!
Don’t be so pleased over something so trivial… From here on out, you and Yume are going to be seen as part of the same group, no?
In other words. If you expose a disgraceful sight, Yume’s reputation will fall along with you.
Yume just doesn’t want that to happen, that’s all.
But it still made me so happy~! Thank ya so much, thank ya so much!
Ehihi. I’ll change into these clothes right away! Yume-san chose this, so I’m sure there’s no problems at all! ♪
We’re talkin’ about you, after all, Yume-san. You’re particular when it comes to formal clothing, so you make all the outfits that you wear.
Somethin’ like that was written in a magazine article from long ago, right?
You sure remember that well. You really are a fan of Yume, huh?
I would never lie about somethin’ like that, ya know~?
Yume thought it was nothing but lip service. That maybe you’re just trying to brighten the mood by saying flattering words, so that we’re on good terms for the future.
The people of this business world are basically all like that.
But—Guess you don’t have that sort of shrewdness in you, do you.
Aye! I’m simply sayin’ what’s on my mind!
And Yume as well. The same, huh? Not that it really matters either way.
But if we have shared topics to talk about, then we could go on for days about it!
While it may be rude of me to say this, that is exactly where I’d love to start from. Because, even if I’m a kid who’s a nuisance and an eyesore right now, I want to be a kid who’s loved by you one day.
That’s why… I hope to make your acquaintance from here on out too—Yume-san. ♪
Just go and change already. And hurry it up. You can prattle your gibberish after you’ve finished your duties.
Ehihi, such profound words! I expect nothing less from ya, Senpai~♪
Annoying. An irritance to both ears and eyes. Weird kid that’s just a nuisance to the very core.
But. ……It made Yume happy to hear “love” towards Yume.
Since Yume’s life was one without much love from others.
Huh? Did ya say somethin’, Yume-san?
This kid is sooo annoying. Yume was just wondering if you could die somehow.
Ehhh…?
Translation Notes
Comparisons between Raika Idol Story 3 and Fuyume Idol Story 2 (feat. Midori):
The two idol stories have interesting similarities and differences. This is purely my personal interpretation, but I found it interesting enough to share!
Similarities:
Both stories mention ‘“don’t talk to me” vibes’.
Both discuss Yume’s photo shoots and cosplaying skills.
Both have a moment when one of them realizes they’re “the same”. In Fuyume Idol Story 2, Midori thought that about Yume, and in this idol story, Yume thought that about Raika.
Both mention how one of them knows the other, and that it was through a magazine. Yume first saw Midori in a magazine and thought he looked like a prince, Raika first saw Yume in a magazine and grew infatuated.
Both end with the same dialogue and same expression from Raika and Midori (“Ehhh…?” and a worried expression).
Differences:
In Fuyume Idol Story 2, Midori and Yume were accidentally giving off ‘“don’t talk to me” vibes’ to each other and making each other feel nervous from having a conversation. In this idol story, Yume deliberately tries to ward off Raika with those vibes, but it didn’t work on him.
Yume wanted to get along with Midori, but was awkward about it because he didn’t know how to go about it, while Midori was confused about everything Yume’s doing. Yume is also the first to approach speaking to Midori. In this idol story, Raika wanted to get along with Yume, but Yume found him a nuisance from the get-go, and sees him as a weird kid.
During their photo shoot work together, Midori found out that Yume only “has confidence and nothing else”, and doesn’t seem to have professional experience in modeling. But Raika sees him as very capable in his skills (outfit styling and cosplay photo shoots) and someone to learn from.
Midori is confused by Yume’s “world”, while Raika is extremely entranced by it.
…And I could probably go on, but these are the most striking points! This isn't necessarily important to the stories, I just found the similarities and differences striking enough to write up a personal interpretation about it. If nothing else, I hope it was interesting!
- ↑ Interesting point to note: Yume mentions “don’t talk to me vibes” in his idol story with Midori, but in that story, he wanted to get along with Midori from the start. Please check the translation notes for more interesting points to note!
- ↑ Ohana (お花), lit. “flower”. It was mentioned in Final Ceremony that this was Yume’s stage name during his cosplay days. Yume’s last name, Hanamura (花群), shares the same kanji.
- ↑ Raika briefly talks about how he got to the facility and his time there in VS★GOURMET, Praise of Delicious Flavors Chapter 12.