Chapter 10: The Curtain Rises
Ai could master the preceding lyrics with ease, but a problem cropped up at the very end. Plans truly can't keep pace with changes; Hikaru Hoshino felt quite helpless.
In his memory, Ai's professional standards were sky-high; such an accident shouldn't have happened.
"Try one more time?"
Ai complied obediently.
"These words are absolutely not a lie."
"A-i-shi-te-ru (I love you)."
Despite being the pinnacle of idol perfection, the lyrics she sang sounded like a hollow, mechanical recitation.
"Why is it like this?" Hikaru Hoshino murmured to himself.
"I feel like I'm lying," Ai said, her mood sinking. "I simply can't manage to love others."
"But aren't you long used to lying?" Hikaru found it baffling.
Lying was as natural as breathing or drinking water for Ai. The words "I love you" had appeared countless times in her previous lyrics, yet now she claimed she couldn't lie?
"The previous line is 'These words are absolutely not a lie'... and when I realize that what follows is still a lie, it makes me feel inexplicably sad."
*What a lovely thought.*
Hikaru Hoshino understood. Ai was too immersed in the role. Because *Idol* was written entirely for her, the resonance with the earlier lyrics was so high that she had poured her genuine heart into the performance. There was nothing wrong with that sincerity—if anything, it would make the song perfect. But she couldn't empathize with the final two lines. Her built-up emotions shattered abruptly, leading to this failure.
*Did changing Ai's ending result in a new regret?*
In the original story, Ai was stabbed to death. Naturally, in her final moments, she found the meaning of life she had always sought—she learned how to love. From a character-writing perspective, this meant she achieved spiritual fulfillment at the very last second, thereby sublimating her character arc.
Hikaru's interference had kept Ai's physical body alive, but her spirit remained in its former state—still trapped in the tragic plight of desperately seeking love yet never being able to touch it.
However, he didn't believe changing the plot was a mistake. Spiritual fulfillment can be achieved in many ways, but if Ai were dead, that would truly be the end.
In fact, Hikaru believed Ai had already learned how to love others; her love for the twins was absolutely not a lie. Even without Ryosuke's assassination, Ai would have discovered this fact sooner or later. Death isn't the only thing that causes an awakening; it's merely a trigger. What truly makes a person grow is the accumulation of daily life. A sudden event is just the fuse that ignites what has already been gathered.
In the future, Ai would surely realize that she had found where "love" resided back at the beginning of the story—on that afternoon when she arrived in Miyazaki with a heavy belly.
But there was no time to wait now; the Dome show was imminent. A few short hours could change almost nothing.
Hikaru Hoshino decided to use a more direct method to change the performance itself.
"If you can't sing it, then don't."
He began a bold, sweeping adaptation.
"Use a sobbing tone for the penultimate line, and then just mouth the final line without sound. The camera will capture you lip-syncing and broadcast it to the big screens, giving the audience the illusion that you've lost your voice from emotion."
"It's also a very effective way to perform."
Changing Ai's core philosophy in a few hours was nearly impossible, so Hikaru didn't count on that slim possibility. Changing the performance format was far more reliable.
"I understand..." Ai walked out, looking somewhat lost. Although she understood the logic, she couldn't let it go. This method didn't solve the problem; it merely bypassed it.
Time flew by during the rehearsals. The members of B-Komachi practiced in the dance studio until the very last moment. To achieve the best results, they didn't even eat dinner, consuming only a few energy bars to sustain their stamina for the night.
Hikaru Hoshino wasn't idle either. He was currently in a room with the twins, solemnly learning the "Wotagei" (support dance) from them.
Aqua didn't make things difficult for him, sharing all his expertise.
"While today only requires two glow sticks, the limits of this dance go far beyond that," Aqua said confidently the moment they talked about supporting idols, as if he were back at the hospital "proselytizing" to his patients. "If the situation demands it, you can actually hold four glow sticks in two hands, and your body can swing violently with them, like gymnastics."
As he spoke, Aqua grew frustrated. "This body is just too small; I can't achieve the effect I want at all."
"This body is just too small?"
Hikaru Hoshino repeated, staring into Aqua's eyes.
Aqua broke into a cold sweat, realizing too late his slip of the tongue. That way of speaking made it sound like he had once possessed a mature body.
"Uh, I mean, I really want to grow up faster."
Ruby snickered on the side, but after noticing Hikaru's gaze shifting toward her, she began to chime in mechanically.
"Ah, I really want to grow up faster too."
Hikaru Hoshino chuckled and accepted their explanation, then began thinking about the support gymnastics.
"Now that you mention it, I seem to recall a viral video from a few years ago of a baby waving glow sticks. Tsk tsk, the more I look at you, the more you look like that kid."
He spoke while sizing up the twins.
Reminded of their "dark history," Aqua and Ruby couldn't sit still.
"You've got the wrong person," Aqua said with a dark face.
"Come on, let's continue practicing the support gymnastics. One, two, three, four..."
Everyone was preparing in their own way.
Finally, under the gaze of tens of thousands, the Tokyo Dome performance began.
As a rare idol group capable of taking the Dome stage, TV reporters were providing real-time coverage of the grand occasion.
"Hello to all our viewers! After countless days and nights of waiting, we have finally arrived at the scene of the Tokyo Dome performance. As you can see, the venue is packed to capacity. The Tokyo Dome is one of Japan's five major domes, and as a massive venue capable of holding 50,000 people, it is—along with the Budokan—a landmark of the Japanese music industry. This year, the Dome has mostly been used for sporting events; this is the first time an entertainment group has performed here this year."
"Now, to the protagonists of tonight's show—B-Komachi! Surprisingly, this is an idol group! In my memory, the opportunity for an idol group to take the Dome stage is extremely rare. It really makes one look forward to their performance tonight."
"When mentioning B-Komachi, one cannot ignore that natural-born idol—Ai. Ai's rise to fame began four years ago when she returned to the spotlight. Since her return, she has revealed her radiance at a staggering speed. Dramas, variety shows, movies—Ai's activities aren't limited to idol work. Today, she is undoubtedly the representative of Japanese idols and the object of countless young girls' aspirations."
"The clock continues to tick, and the time has officially reached 8:00 PM Tokyo time."
"Amidst the deafening cheers, let us welcome them with our loudest voices!"
"B-Komachi, take the stage!"