My Childhood Friend, who became a National Idol, moved next door to my Run-down Apartment [Dropped]

“—Wait… Matsuyama-san, where are the kindergarten visitors!?”

While I was giving some miscellaneous tasks to Suzuki from the accounting department, the group of visitors had suddenly disappeared from our sight.

As I called out to Matsuyama-san, who was walking cheerfully from the other side of the hallway, he pointed to a room and said, “Oh, they went into Studio 3. Mitsuki-chan said she wanted to practice, and the kid with her had a music sheet too. You don’t get to see the practice scenes of active idols every day, you know. It should be a good memory… Oh, what happened, Shirai-san?!”

Before Matsuyama-san finished talking, I had already rushed down the hallway.

This was bad.

This had turned into a very bad situation.

The relationship between Mitsuki-san and Kazuki-kun was supposed to be a top-secret that no one else should know about. Whenever they were together in the same space, Mitsuki-san’s expression would either brighten up or become carelessly relaxed. She would likely become completely useless in such a situation.

There was no way Mitsuki-san could just overlook the fact that the person she had been yearning for so desperately in the screen was now right in front of her. And no matter how talented Kazuki-kun was as a Teito Music University student, a sudden session with a top idol wouldn’t go so smoothly.

“I have to stop this as soon as possible…!”

Ignoring my crooked glasses, I hurriedly placed my hand on the door and rushed into the room.

And then, I noticed something which I had not expected in my wildest dreams.

The music coming from the back of the room was slightly faster and more upbeat than the original song, smoothly and magnificently arranged with a focus on Mitsuki-san’s part, which preserved the song’s beauty without any waste. It was combined with the powerful sword dance and a splendid singing voice, perfectly matched to the slightly raised pitch.

Mitsuki-san’s inherent bright and radiant smile shone brighter than any other song she had performed before.

I unconsciously adjusted my glasses to clear my vision.

“Wow…!”

“That’s awesome… She is so cool and… even cuter’s in real life…!”

“Hmph! Hmph!”

The expressions of the kindergarten children were brightly lit up.

Some of them listened intently to the heavenly sound of Kazuki-kun’s playing, others gazed at Mitsuki-san on the stage, singing along entranced, and some even began imitating Mitsuki-san’s sword dance using a microphone stand.

Mitsuki-san’s brilliance captivated all their gazes, emitting a unique charm.

As a cool beauty idol group, ‘TRUE MIRAGE,’ were known for their cool image, reflected even in their music and dance, mainly targeting male audiences in their late teens to twenties. Looking at their CD sales and live audience demographics, it seemed challenging for them to appeal to younger age groups, including toddlers.

On the other hand, “Misty Eyes,” currently leading the idol industry, had Sasaoka Michiru-san as their representative, attracting support from a wide range of age groups, including young audiences. Their songs were pop and universally appealing idol songs, enabling them to continuously gain both young and purchasing audiences.

Because of this, they were chosen as the theme song for an anime opening and had consistently ranked as the top idol group in the current industry, creating an impregnable barrier for ‘TRUE MIRAGE,’ causing them to face numerous obstacles.

However…

Now, it seems as if Kazuki-kun intentionally adjusted the speed of “Slash with a Thousand Swords” he was playing, solely for the sake of Mitsuki-san.

Transposing the melody to make Mitsuki-san’s singing sound even more beautiful and sparkling, slowing down the tempo to make Mitsuki-san’s dance more gracefully exquisite, and synchronizing the harmony with Mitsuki-san’s most adorable expressions.

Mastering ‘TRUE MIRAGE,’ an idol group, and understanding the individual known as Mitsuki Toujou, it seems like an extraordinary feat.

Mitsuki-san was also responding with all her might to Kazuki-kun’s music and expectations.

It was truly a perfect match, a session meant only for the two of them.

That’s what I earnestly thought…

I had imagined that Kazuki-kun could be a dangerous presence for Mitsuki-san’s future as an idol.

But that’s not the case at all.

Perhaps, Kazuki-kun’s presence is triggering an incredible chemical reaction within her.

If that’s the case, this is an opportunity.

A gamble that is worth staking the company’s future on.

“Kazuki-san… Perhaps you are the final piece that can make ‘TRUE MIRAGE’ reach the one step it couldn’t.”

If we lend him the equipment, I believe the best way to get results is during the practical exam’s final concert.

My words have now lost all meaning.