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

“Yoshi yoshi! Kazu-kun! Yoshi yoshi!”

Mitsuki’s warmth was transmitted through the knees of her fluffy pajamas.

It’s comfortably warm and somehow soothingly drowsy, perhaps due to Mitsuki’s gentle voice.

It’s the complete opposite pattern from the first time she came to my house.

Because it felt a little embarrassing to look up at Mitsuki from here, I chose to spread a blanket on the spot where I’d direct my gaze. However, it goes without saying that the warmth was coordinated from above the blanket and I started feeling even more embarrassed.

Mitsuki’s hand that came to stroke my head from above the blanket is strangely soft.

The sound of gently stirring a slightly tipsy can is the only thing that can be heard quietly.

It’s a peculiar space, to say the least.

“I never thought Mitsuki would get tipsy so quickly…”

“Eh~? I’m not tipsy though… Hehehe~?”

Tipsy… or rather, pleasantly tipsy Mitsuki had activated her usual double dosage of selfishness.

“Kazu-kun, come here~”

“Don’t be silly. Once I finish eating this hamburger and empty all the alcohol, I’m heading home.”

Pointing at her knees, Mitsuki had made her request, and I had initially declined — but…

“Sorry. Whenever I ask you to come, you always reject me.”

Mitsuki pouted, her cheeks flushed with a mixture of alcohol and bath warmth, she squeezed the sleeve of my clothes and looked at me with teary eyes.

“Oops… This is bad.”

I had also downed alcohol pretty quickly a while ago, and as I suddenly stood up, dizziness struck.

As a result, I tumbled next to Mitsuki with a thud…

“Fufu~, welcome~”

I found myself laid on her lap just like that.

The result of being completely defeated by both alcohol and Mitsuki’s persuasion.

“Yoshi yoshi~”

Unaware of my thoughts, Mitsuki absentmindedly stroked my head.

Even though I had tried to refuse, being subjected to this treatment felt so embarrassingly blissful.

In this sweet and relaxed atmosphere that made me want to melt into existence itself, I wanted to stay immersed forever.

If only we could freely go on dates like a regular couple, I thought, we could do all those things we missed out on during high school, and how happy that would make us.

But…

“Hey, Mitsuki.”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“Let’s aim to become number one in Japan, this time seriously.”

At this rate, the idea of becoming the best in Japan was just a distant dream.

There’s no way I can beat Sasaoka Michiru-san, who embodies a professional level of dedication.

Mitsuki and I haven’t properly discussed things yet.

I had become Mitsuki’s manager for a reason.

If I continue like this, I’ll just become a person who indulges in luxury with Mitsuki.

And that would ultimately harm Mitsuki herself.

“Kazu-kun?”

Mitsuki stopped her hand from stroking me.

She removed the blanket that was on top of my head and sat directly in front of me.

Seeing her gestures, firstly, I apologized to Mitsuki.

“I’m sorry for causing trouble all this time. Thanks to you, I no longer hate playing the piano. Because of that mini live event, I was reminded of the joy of playing the piano. Thank you.”

“…I see. I’m glad!”

Even with surprise in her eyes, Mitsuki accepted my gratitude without saying a word.

Her actions helped me set things right.

“There’s one more thing I want to ask.”

“Sure, I’ll answer anything.”

“Why did you become an idol, Mitsuki?”

That was the first question I had asked Mitsuki when she first came to my house.

Back then, she had evaded the question, but now, after a month and a half since she moved here, the origin of Mitsuki’s hard work is finally becoming clear to me.

It’s a pitiful and embarrassing story in a way, but I had to face it.

All along, Mitsuki had been striving, working hard, while I selfishly pushed forward without even thinking about why she became an idol. And then I fled from the piano in a fit of frustration.

During all that time, Mitsuki had kept persevering.

“Playing and singing to your piano, dancing along in middle school – those times were the happiest. It was just the two of us back then, but I thought, if everyone could see this, it would be great…”

Mitsuki had the same feelings as me.

But from there, I had crumbled on my own.

I thoughtlessly pushed forward, believing in my own path, and ended up escaping from the piano along with it, my dream.

All this while, Mitsuki had been working tirelessly while I tried to escape reality.

“I was sad when I found out you were moving away from the piano. But you know, when it came to the possibility of you playing the piano again, I didn’t want anyone else to be by your side.”

Even though I had no guarantee that I could stand up again, that I could even make it stand up.

Still, Mitsuki believed in me.

“I thought it would be okay if you didn’t play the piano anymore. You worked so hard in high school. I thought, maybe it’s okay for us to just stay as we are, rather than you going through something painful again. If it’s just making music to get through a situation, I could endure it too.”

“You could endure it?”

“Kazu-kun, you’ve always been mine, from before and now. I don’t want to see you playing the piano happily with someone else. I don’t like that though.”

Her statement was so clear that I couldn’t help but laugh.

Why had I deluded myself so much when someone so close to me valued my music, valued me so highly?

“For now, there’s no plan for that. After all, I enjoyed making music with you the most. That’s why I want to show everyone in Japan. I want everyone to recognize that Mitsuki is number one in popularity and skill.”

My childhood friend, who was undeniably cute and incredibly cool, I wanted to prove her excellence.

And for that, there was someone I absolutely needed to beat.

“It might get tough again. I’d rather not see you struggle, Kazu-kun. Michiru-san is really strong. Even this time, I couldn’t beat her.”

A month had passed since the release, and the 6th single “TRUE MIRAGE,” titled “Slash with a Thousand Swords,” had sold 270,000 copies.

However, Michiru-san’s solo single “Pierce of the Rapier of Short Sword” had sold 500,000 copies, roughly doubling the sales.

Although the battle had been neck-and-neck so far, Michiru-san had suddenly surged ahead in terms of sales and popularity. The power balance in the idol world was undergoing a drastic shift.

“I will make you win. You and TRUE MIRAGE.”

That’s why I couldn’t let her pull further ahead.

“It’s not about forcing you to win. I want to win. So, Mitsuki, please cheer me on for your number one. I want to create a song that matches your number one status and play it with all my might.”

Mitsuki has the potential to become number one.

Mitsuki isn’t the kind of person who should stop for my sake.

If there’s anything she can use, I want her to use it without hesitation, and I’ll provide her with any means to achieve that.

“…I’d really like to sing your songs wholeheartedly in a packed Budokan.”

[T/N : Budokan is an indoor arena where live events and idol events takes place]

That was the moment Mitsuki expressed her deep-seated desire for the first time.

“I promise. I’ll definitely make it happen.”

“Do you think you might start hating playing the piano again?”

Mitsuki’s eyes were slightly moist when she said those words.

Because I had kept her holding back until now, I spoke firmly.

“No, if I’m playing music for you, there’s nothing I could hate about it.”

Mitsuki leaned her head against my chest.