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

The music sheet spread out across the entire desk contained the complete scores of all the single songs TRUE MIRAGE had released up until now.

The 1st single, “Mirage of Truth.” This was TRUE MIRAGE’s debut song, positioning them as a cool and beautiful image, and it was their well-known representative song. The use of minor chords throughout the song, set against the backdrop of Japan’s then-bright idol music scene, made it stand out like a wedge.

“…Senpai.”

The 2nd single, “Wherever in the World,” and the 3rd single, “Hedonist,” continued the musical style of the 1st single while emphasizing dynamic and stylish dances, along with the enchanting expressions of all the members. As all the members became adults, they transitioned from being “cool even though young” to “mature coolness,” highlighting their growth.

“…Senpai.”

The 4th single, “Crimson Lion,” the 5th single, “Unbreakable,” and the 6th single, “Eternal Unchanging,” diverged from the previous style and adopted a passionate tone, becoming tracks that showcased the newly appointed center, Mizuki, who had gained popularity and elevated TRUE MIRAGE’s recognition to the point where Mizuki herself was referred to as a “national idol”.

“Aren’t you going to have lunch?”

Then, the 7th single, “Slashing with a Thousand Swords”—

“It’s going to get cold!!”

“What the…?”

Suddenly, a loud voice reached my ears as I was absorbed in TRUE MIRAGE’s music records.

My mind swayed like a seesaw.

Only when I finally noticed the faint aroma of butter did I realize that the adorable kouhai was peering at me with her fixated gaze.

“Th-thank you, Sena.”

“It’s good to focus on the music sheet, but you haven’t eaten anything since morning, have you? If you ruin your health, there will be nothing left. Put away the music sheet during mealtime. Eat your food properly!”

Wearing an orange apron that she had brought along, Sena placed two plates on the desk.

The golden rice, generously sized shrimp, and the subtly fragrant scent of fresh white pepper rekindled my appetite, which had been absent since morning.

My stomach made a pitiful sound, conveying my current situation quite clearly.

“Itadakimasu…”

“…Itadakimasu.”

The springy texture of the shrimp, the lingering sweetness of the carrot, and the flavors of the other vegetables soaked into the rice, seasoned just right with a hint of saltiness, all had a magical effect that made me scoop them up faster and faster with my spoon.

“This is incredibly delicious. The flavors and everything, it’s too good.”

“There’s more if you want, so take your time eating.”

“Are you my mom or something?”

“Senpai is too lacking in self-care, you know!? During mealtime, put aside the music sheet at the side. Make sure to eat your meal!”

For some reason, I was scolded.

It felt stronger than when Mitsuki, who is now living in the neighboring room, scolded me.

…Well, considering I’ve been getting by on instant meals and cup noodles, I can’t really criticize others about their lifestyle choices.

As I shoveled in the dishes while contemplating my own life, Sena murmured suddenly.

“Senpai, you’ve changed a lot in the past month.”

Sena’s gaze was directed at the electronic piano that was now in full use.

Speakers, headphones, software synthesizers, mic, and other cheap equipment necessary for composition were scattered around the room.

The space that used to be nothing but a storage shelf was now covered with numerous music sheets, notes, and chord progression charts.

It had been a month since I became Mitsuki’s manager. During this time, I started touching the piano every day, despite having never touched it before.

“Could it be that Senpai is so enthusiastic because TRUE MIRAGE is coming to the Teito Music Festival?”

“…Well, you could say that.”

“The way that you changed gears of your life is so unique! Even though you haven’t moved a muscle for the past three years… Is that how much you like TRUE MIRAGE? Is that how much you want to see them? Was Kagari not enough for you Senpai~?”

“Why are you so worked up about it?”

“Baka, bakaa… Senpai,” Sena lightly punched my shoulder, seemingly with a bit more force than usual.

“It’s not just about the festival, alright? Michiru-san from Misty Eyes is coming too. Didn’t you apply for that? What happened to that?” I hand chopped her head.

“Ugh!? Y-you’re hitting where it hurts…? W-well, as for that… I’m still… not quite… sure…”

Sena’s response seemed strangely evasive.

It appeared that she still cherished the business card she received from Michiru-san at the ramen shop that day, and she hadn’t responded to their offer yet.

The fact that Michiru-san herself came to scout her after listening to Sena’s performance must have been quite something.

“…I want to think about it a little longer.”

Sena swallowed her words along with a mouthful of shrimp.

“To make an impression in front of everyone, you have to participate in the festival, right?”

The Teito Music Festival.

Held every year in late June, it was a major event at Teito University, where students meeting specific conditions could perform music in various spaces around the campus.

On that day, the university opened its doors to the public, and the audience would wander to different locations to listen to the performances they wanted to hear.

The stages were divided into five rounds of 30-minute performances.

If the audience turnout was high for the previous performance, the next stage would be in a larger space, thus increasing the stage size. In the end, the student who could monopolize the university’s largest venue, the Main Hall, for 30 minutes would gain the greatest honor among Teito Music University students.

In essence, the more popular you were as a performer and the higher the audience turnout, the larger the venue for your performance. On the other hand, if you lacked recognition or skill, you would be relegated to a small stage with few listeners.

I recall that last year’s smallest space, the J stage, was a room in the corner of a less-visited building. Only three people came to listen.

It was a hellish experience for a performer.

On the other hand, the festival was like a carnival, featuring guest performances by relatively well-known artists each year. This year, the two major idol groups, TRUE MIRAGE and Misty Eyes, were among them.

Being the two biggest idol groups in the country, they attracted more attention than usual.

“But then, can Senpai meet the university’s criteria? I mean, don’t they say that if your usual grades are terrible, you won’t get through? Kagari also applied, but she got rejected this time.”

Teito Music University had around 1,200 students. Among them, roughly 100 groups would apply for the festival, aiming to perform in the four 30-minute slots available, making the competition fierce.

From there, based on their grades and the results of their performance tasks, around 10 groups would be selected by the university committee, considering which performances would be well-received by the general public. Even getting selected from these applicants was a considerable challenge due to the high competition.

“But I already got accepted.”

As I showed Sena the festival participation approval notice sent by the university, she clung to the paper with excitement.

“What the—…? Why? Even though Senpai’s grades are terrible!”

“Well, the performance task I submitted recently happened to be quite good. Hahaha.”

“W-where’s the venue? Where and when are you going to perform!?”

Excitedly, Sena dropped the paper with the first stage’s number written on it.

A Stage represented the best option: Teito Music University’s Main Hall, which could hold about 1,500 people.

J-stage was the worst: a small room in the club building, with space for about 15 people.

Among these options, the stage I was assigned to perform on was the worst possible option—

Sena and I looked alternately at the paper with the stage’s number I was assigned to.

Her eyes seemed to be pleading for something.

When I gave a slight nod, Sena finally spoke.