Chapter 6: A Idol Life Begin

I admit it's partly my fault for not asking where the performance would take place. Doing it in the largest stadium, where Kanade and Tsubasa previously performed, feels a bit overwhelming, don’t you think?

On top of that, I’m still a newbie, so hearing "do your best" adds to the pressure.

"Mei, don’t be nervous."

"Tsubasa, that's like asking for the impossible! This is the biggest stadium here, and I’m basically a beginner when it comes to this idol stuff! Besides, are you sure the first song we’re singing is that one?"

Tsubasa nods slowly in response. She opens the pendant of her necklace, closes her eyes, and then looks at me with fierce determination.

"Yes, this is my best way to say goodbye to Kanade."

With her saying it like that, I can’t respond. It feels like she’s playing the pity card, but I can’t deny that I should have paid more attention to the performance details instead of getting anxious. I just hope there won't be a Noise attack; every time Tsubasa performs on a big stage in the anime, there's always a Noise attack, and it feels like she's cursed.

At least I've practiced all the songs Kanade and Tsubasa have sung in the past month, so I know when to sing and dance. Still, today marks my official start as an idol.

While I’m doing this because of Shinji's promise to train me in advanced techniques, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being pushed into it as a form of payback. But what can I do? I've trained, and if I fail, we'll deal with that when the time comes.

So now, I’ll rely on my instincts, do my best, and replicate everything I've learned from idol shows in my past life.

As the show begins, Tsubasa steps on stage to start our first performance, "Gyakkou no Flügel." I sing Tsubasa's parts while she takes on Kanade's, essentially reenacting that concert while wearing the same outfits.

This is tough, as I need to engage the audience and handle the part where the music stopped due to a Noise attack two years ago. But let’s just say it’s going well; the dance moves for this song aren’t too difficult. However, I’m anxious about the next song Tsubasa plans to perform, "Souyoku no Wing Beat."

I even wink at some audience members who are a bit out of sync with the music. Seriously, Fine’s enchantment during this transformation is a bit much; I can see the audience clearly as if I’ve transformed into my Symphogear form.

After taking a deep breath, Tsubasa starts to wave to the audience.

"Thank you all for being here. This place is very special to me, as it is where I last sang my song with my partner. Now, I need to face the future alongside my junior, who is joining us today."

She became cheerful, as expected from an idol, but I could see some confused faces in the audience, so I just smiled.

"Well, for now, let's introduce my cute junior, shall we?"

"Ah, hey everyone—"

"Oh, it looks like our cute junior just bit her tongue. Let's try that again."

Thanks for the save, Tsubasa, but I really need to calm myself down, so I slowly looked at the audience.

"Hello everyone, my name is Mei. Starting today, I will be an idol under Tsubasa. Honestly, she has always been my idol, so when she invited me, I just nodded. Then they told us we would perform here."

"That's your fault for not paying attention."

After exchanging nods with the staff, we decided to

continue the show.

The music started, and we began our next song, "Souyoku no Wing Beat." The dance for this song is quite challenging, but the opening wasn't too bad. I was surprised to see Kanade dance so gracefully in the training videos.

They even added some costume transformations during the chorus, but the solo part always makes my heart race. I realized that this would be our last duet before we sing solo for a while, followed by some talk before the show ends.

There's also a chance for the audience to ask for an encore. Tsubasa told me to prepare to sing an extra song, which makes me even more nervous—like the solo performances weren't enough pressure already.

Somehow, the audience started to get more hyped as the song came to a close. Tsubasa and I waved at the crowd, but honestly, I never watched idol performances before; is it really this tiring?

Surprisingly, when I received a list of duet songs, I was thrilled to find a song from the game on it. I had only heard the game music since I haven't played the game myself, but it gave me a strange feeling to see that even Serena's song was included.

In the end, I chose "Gyakkou no Flügel - Souyoku no Sirius version" to conclude the performance. Now that we are finally done, we're preparing for the next song after a brief discussion. But seriously, I wonder why we were the ones talking instead of the host.

After our small talk, Tsubasa proceeded to introduce the next song, "Orbital Beat," which is the hardest dance for me. By the end of it, I was completely exhausted from singing, struggling to finish the song.

I could feel my legs and arms screaming at me, and my throat felt dry as if I hadn’t had a drink in a while. Yet, despite the transformation I was undergoing, I didn’t feel it affected my singing. I was grateful for Tsubasa's solo performance, which allowed me to take a much-needed rest.

This prompted me to drink some water, and I was amazed once again by how a true idol can keep performing for so long. I was particularly impressed by Tsubasa, who not only sang solo but also hosted the event. Seriously, how strong is her voice?

I learned from the staff that today marked the anniversary of Kanade's death, and Tsubasa was doing her best in honor of her memory, which made me feel guilty. However, after one song, it was my turn to sing solo, and I decided on "Synchrogazer." I glanced at Tsubasa, who looked surprised because this was her song.

After I finished, Tsubasa stepped onto the stage with a grin and began teasing me, which made the audience laugh. I could feel my face burning. Then Tsubasa smiled and said, "Listen, this is how you sing it," before casually demonstrating, highlighting the difference in our vocal tones—mine was a lower pitch compared to hers.

Next, Tsubasa sang my favorite song, "Exterminate." I was nearly brought to tears since it had been a while since I heard it. Then it was my turn again, and I had already decided on the song I wanted to perform.

I was initially puzzled over which Kanade song to choose: "Kimi to Iu Oto, Kanade Tsukiru Made," or "Gyakkou no Resolve." In the end, I chose "Kimi to Iu Oto, Kanade Tsukiru Made," as it was the last song Kanade sang during her final battle before she died.

I poured all my emotions into the performance, hoping to convey Kanade's fight for this world. I noticed the audience fell silent, but I kept singing until I finished. Suddenly, applause erupted, and when I looked behind me, I saw Tsubasa with tears in her eyes, indicating that she had been moved.

The entire stadium burst into applause, and Tsubasa began to speak about Kanade. I noticed some members of the audience were crying as well. Tsubasa took a deep breath before the music started for the final song I had chosen: "Gyakkou no Flügel - Souyoku no Sirius version."

As the stadium opened up to reveal the night sky, we began to sing our last song of the show.

Finally, the song ended, and I felt exhausted as I lay on the couch in the changing room.

"Mei, that's not how idols sit."

"Let her be, Shinji. She's worked hard, and her legs are probably in pain."

After saying that, Tsubasa grinned widely and started poking the spots that hurt. Shinji let out a sigh before deciding to massage my legs and arms.

"Seriously, if Shinji hadn't promised to teach me his ninja skills, I wouldn't be an idol. This is basically torture."

"But it was fun, right?"

Is Tsubasa really this kind of person? For a moment, she reminded me of Kanade, and then she started giggling as she sat in her chair.

"Thanks, Mei."

"What?"

"That last solo song you sang—you picked that for me, didn't you?"

"Well, since you were ready to move on, I thought singing that song would help you. But it seems to have had the opposite effect, huh?"

"No, because of you, I remembered what she said in the end."

"I see."

"You're not going to ask?"

"No, that's your memory with her, and I'm not qualified to hear it. But at least the show is over."

As I said this, Shinji and Tsubasa exchanged glances before looking back at me, grinning.

"What? It should be over, right?"

"Mei, you're being naive. There's still one last thing to do: a handshake event."

"But I don't think anyone will come to see me."

"Don't worry; I'm sure many will visit you, especially after that last solo song."

"NOOOOO."

I slowly dropped to my hands and knees, feeling like another test was about to begin.

I was waiting in a booth that concealed the inside from the outside and vice versa, which meant I couldn't see how many people had come to see Tsubasa. I imagined that many more people were there for her since she was so famous.

As expected, no one initially approached me, but then someone did.

"Hello."

"Oh, hi! This is my first time attending an idol concert, and I'm amazed. From today on, I will be your fan."

"Ahaha, thanks! This is my first time as well, so I really appreciate your support."

After that, I underestimated my own fame as more people began to arrive, each with their own opinions. One person even mentioned being a former fan of Kanade, whom she had rescued during an event. He was crying and expressing his gratitude before the staff guided him out when his time was up.

Of course, there were some who didn't enjoy my rendition of Kanade's songs, but those were few compared to the many who supported me and were eager for my debut. I felt it was a bit overwhelming, but I had already performed solo during my fight, even if it was something I had only experienced in my previous life.

The day went on, and finally, the event concluded. As I made my way back to the changing room, I found Tsubasa sitting there with a smile.

"How was it?"

"Tiring."

"But it warmed your heart, right?"

I couldn't deny that, so I scratched my cheek as she opened her pendant again, recalling something. She called me over and took a selfie of the two of us before sending it to the group chat.

I slowly took out my phone and saw that Hibiki and Chris had sent their support, along with Miku. Chris even joked about when my next performance would be, which felt a bit like teasing.

"Maybe I should do some solo training with Chris after this. She should be happy. Hehehe."

"Don't overdo it, okay?"

"She started it! But are you sure about using that idol name?"

"Because we're shining the future so that Kanade can see us, which is why we chose the name Scheinen Wings."

But seriously, that’s German, now that I think about it. Kanade and Tsubasa's group, Zwei Wings, is also a German name. Did Tsubasa come up with the name, or did she take it from Kanade and name it the same?

I wouldn't be surprised if I walked into her room and found it full of Kanade merchandise.

In the end, we returned to the dorm in a car, with Shinji driving.

"Thank you for your hard work! How was it, Mei?"

"Too tiring. Next time, please let me know if you plan to do that again."

"Well, there are plans to perform outside of Japan as well, so be prepared. The news is already covering you."

"Gehh..."

"Fufufufu, welcome to the idol industry, Mei."

"Thanks, I guess, Tsubasa."

I laid back in my seat, wondering if the clone technique was really worth everything I had done, and I glanced outside.

After we arrived at the dorm, there was a huge banner that said, "Congrats on your first concert, Mei!"

"Congrats, Mei."

"Oh, thank you, I guess."

"But still, it was amazing that you could sing in front of so many people! If it were me, I don't think I could do it."

"You said that, Hibiki, but remember, when you fight using Symphogear, you're still singing in front of an audience, right?"

"Arghhh, you're right."

"What is it, Chris? Not going to say anything?"

"Well, it was good."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Like I said, it was good. Now shut up."

Chris started to blush, which made me want to tease her, but then Hibiki spoke up.

"You see, Chris was crying a bit when you were singing that last solo."

"Hee, I see."

"You idiot! I told you not to say that to her! And why are you grinning? You look disgusting."

"Well, of course I was grinning! After the torture of the last month, if it didn't look good, I would take the rest of you down with me and then kill myself."

"What’s with that scary talk? You're not scaring me."

"I was kidding! But I would just disappear and never show up again if it was that bad."

"Well, at least you're done. Oh, here are some snacks."

"Oh, finally! Some snacks! Thank you, Miku. It was torture for a month without sweets."

After that, we had a small party before ending the night, as we still needed to go to school the next day. Apparently, I still had to attend even though I had just finished the concert. Finally, we were done.

Thinking about it, I slowly transformed back to my male self after so long and proceeded to go to bed, where I gradually fell asleep.