#but sou. what is this guy hiding. why is he so slimy. so slimy. so bug like.

[aroacewxs]

i can slowly feel the yttd brainworms eating up my mind

[tigerintokyo]

IDOLiSH7 Part 3, Ch 10.3

A Spirit Undamaged

(other parts in the directory)

Translation under the cut.

-

Iori: The new idol group that just debuted with Tsukumo Prod., ZOOL…

Iori: This is the timing they were hoping for… After Trigger started to sink, the idol boom was revived.

Iori: It appears that ZOOL has replaced Trigger.

Yamato: ...Minami debuted as an idol? He was famous as a child, so his face could be recognized by a wide audience…

Mitsuki: What kind of guy is he? You shot that movie together, right?

Yamato: He’s kind of… slimy, a really annoying guy.

Mitsuki: Slimy?

Tamaki: Sou-chan, do you know him? That Mido Torao guy.

Sogo: He’s kind of… overbearing, a really arrogant person.

Tamaki: Overbearing…

Iori: Isumi-san transferred to my and Tamaki’s class. He had said that he hates IDOLiSH7.

Riku: Touma-san said the same thing…

Iori: Touma-san? Inumaru Touma from NO_MAD?

Riku: I met him a few times. He’s a good person, but…

Riku: He said that he can’t sing seriously anymore.

Mitsuki: What’s up with that? That’s so irritating! I don’t want those kind of guys to be called “idols.”

Sogo: ...but, I do like the song, ZOOL’s “Poisonous Gangster.”

Nagi: I like it too. It’s a wonderful song, but why did they say they would not sing seriously?

Yamato: Ah… Hey, Nagi. Up until last year, Natsume Minami was studying abroad in Northmare.

Nagi: OH… In Northmare? It is not a popular place to study abroad in Japan. How unusual.

Tsumugi: Everyone, I have something to tell you! Uhm…. It’s good news.

Sogo: You seem to be acting different than usual if it’s good news. What is it about?

Tsumugi: The audience ranking for “Kimi to Ai na Night!” beat Trigger’s program.

Mitsuki: Really?! Hmm… It would’ve been nice if we beat them when we could be more proud of ourselves.

Mitsuki: Beating your rival when they are weak doesn’t really make you feel good.

Tsumugi: That’s true…

Sogo: ...Isn’t there something that we can do?

Tamaki: Sou-chan…

Sogo: Trigger always helped us.

Sogo: We owe them our lives, and now those same people are having a hard time. It’s really difficult not being able to do anything… And now all they’re getting is criticized…

Sogo: ...And we can’t do anything about it…

Tsumugi: On the other hand, standing up for them too much could be a bigger burden to them.

Tsumugi: Let’s act normal and keep treating them as our respected rival.

Sogo: Alright… I understand.

-

Tamaki: ...It’s unusual that you said what you really wanted to say.

Sogo: Did I say too much…?

Tamaki: No, but… it’s because your a fan of Trigger, after all.

Sogo: … When my uncle was being criticized by my family, I couldn’t do anything then either…

Sogo: He was kind to me, and I loved him, but I didn’t say “Don’t say things like that.” I didn’t have the courage. I was a coward…

Sogo: So, I wanted to do something.

Tamaki: Trigger already gets it. They aren’t the type to get discouraged by things like that. You’re more discouraged than them.

Sogo: That’s true… I was too worried. Because of that, I even told you to shut up…

Tamaki: ...Do you not like when people talk bad about me?

Sogo: Of course not. ...I really dislike it. You are bad sometimes, but Tamaki-kun is always trying his very best…

Sogo: When they tell Tamaki-kun something like that, you always lose your smile and get shaky.

Tamaki: Shaky?

Sogo: ...When they say something mean to you, you go off somewhere, and it seems like you don’t want to come back…

Tamaki: ...really…

Sogo: Yeah… I’m sorry for being selfish. If you don’t want to come back, you don’t have to push yourself. I don’t mean to restrain your freedom…

Tamaki: Ahaha. Why are you taking it back now? Chop!

Sogo: Ow…

Tamaki: It’s okay. I’m here. No matter what they say about me. I’ll be okay through anything.

Sogo: Tamaki-kun…

Tamaki: But it’s really annoying how you seem to prefer all those guys who outrank us over me, who is actually close to you…

Tamaki: It’s simple. You want everyone to praise me.

Tamaki: Like how you wanted your uncle to be praised, you just wanted me to be praised.

Sogo: …….

Tamaki: What is it? You have a weird look on your face…

Sogo: … I got caught up in... your words...

Tamaki: What words?

Sogo: ...It’s the first time I realized it.

Sogo: This whole time, I wanted the people I like to be praised.

Sogo: That’s what it’s been this whole time…

Tamaki: ...Sou-chan…

Tamaki: …

Tamaki: It’s enough now, right?

Sogo: Eh?

Tamaki: You’ve endured enough. It’s enough now. No matter how great of a guy you are, the thing that you like is when a guy that is smiling can keep smiling.

Sogo: Tamaki-kun…

Tamaki: Don’t hold back. You should say you like the things you like with a louder voice.

Tamaki: Haha, with a seriously loud voice. Because, even when I’m next to you I don’t even notice, so there’s no way guys who are further away will be able to tell.

Tamaki: Not about what’s good or bad, or right or wrong. When you like something, you should say you like it.

Sogo: ………..

-

Anesagi: President! There’s a problem!

Yaotome Sosuke: ...What is it this time?

Anesagi: Hanamaki Sumire called and says she wants to talk with you in private. She said that she’s reflected and that she’s in a panic.

Yaotome Sosuke: Tell her to come to the office.

Anesagi: In order to hide from the media, she’s staying at a hotel. She said that she’s too scared about the media, so she wants you to go to her room…

Yaotome Sosuke: Is she stupid?! It’s obviously a trap! Like I’d fall for that!

Anesagi: But… She said that she wants to die…

Yaotome Sosuke: Yeah, I want to die too! It can’t be helped. Bring in a female employee…

Anesagi: Today is a holiday, so all the employees are on break. Shall I head over there?

Yaotome Sosuke: No… You can’t.

Anesagi: Why is that?

Yaotome Sosuke: They can’t tell if you’re a man or a woman.

Anesagi: How rude! That’s sexual harassment!! My prince would never say something like that…!

Yaotome Sosuke: Okay! I’m sorry! But, I can’t go alone… Persuade her to come into the office.

Anesagi: I tried to persuade her enough already. It’s like I just said. She said that if the president doesn’t come alone, she’s good as dead…

Yaotome Sosuke: She’s not saying that seriously, right?

Anesagi: I’m not sure… But, it is true that she was being chased by the media…

Yaotome Sosuke: ……….

Yaotome Sosuke: ...Musubi…

Anesagi: ………

Yaotome Sosuke: ...Prepare a car.

Anesagi: Are you going to go?

Yaotome Sosuke: You can’t replace a human life.

Anesagi: President...

Yaotome Sosuke: Should I change out of my suit? I should wear clothes that would be good for pictures.

Anesagi: We will place personnel on the hotel floor. I will not allow anyone to take dishonorable photos of you, sir.

Yaotome Sosuke: I’m counting on you.

-

Banri: President! Come and look at the news…

Takanashi Otoharu: Eh….? ... Yaotome-kun and Hanamaki-san are meeting secretly at a hotel...?

Banri: This news is already everywhere. Additionally, all the talent under Yaotome Prod. are having their reputations sullied.

Banri: How everyone is just accepting it is strange! It’s a solid fact that Hanamaki-san wanted to quit Tsukumo Prod.

Banri: They’re all talking like she had her transfer mediated by Tsunashi-kun or that she had an intimate relationship with President Yaotome!

Banri: This might as well be brainwashing by the mass media!

Takanashi Otoharu: ...Yaotome-kun…

-

TV station staff: Yaotome Production’s President secretly met with Hanamaki Sumire at a hotel... They caught them leaving the hotel together in photos.

TV station staff: So the one pulling the strings wasn’t Tsunashi-san. It was the President? Wow…

TV station staff: No, but, isn’t it a little suspicious? Taking down Yaotome Prod… Do you think it was done under the table…?

TV station staff: Ah… Good morn…

Anesagi: Good morning. We’re in your care.

Anesagi: You three, you don’t have to say anything beyond greetings.

Tenn: … Understood.

Gaku: ...Yeah.

Tsunashi: ……….

Anesagi: Pick up those faces! Ah… Shimooka-san. Good morning. Today, we’ll be in your care.

Mr. Shimooka: ……. Yeah…

Mr. Shimooka: Morning. Looking forward to it.

Gaku: ...You seem down, Shimooka-san. I heard you were not feeling well. Are you alright?

-

Tenn: ….…..

Gaku: ………

Tsunashi: ……….

Tsunashi: ...Hanamaki-san said that she decided to go back to her parent’s home. I got an email from her. She said that she is sorry for the trouble.

Gaku: … She has some nerve, to contact you like that.

Tsunashi: … It seems like she didn’t even know about everything that was going to happen... She said that she is tired and needs a break.

Tsunashi: She wants to make things right, but she’s too scared to do anything until the uproar settles and cools off…

Gaku: You’re too nice to people! Even my father ended up getting involved! Because you’re like this you end up being used!

Tsunashi: ...This email can also be used as evidence. But, if we condemn her now, then aren’t we just the same as them?!

Gaku: ……..

Tenn: Don’t yell so loudly. They can hear you outside.

Tenn: We’ll prove our own innocence on the stage.

Tenn: Right now, the most anxious ones are the fans. They are confused if it is okay to trust us.

Tenn: We need to respond to them firmly, looking forward.

(door opens)

Riku: Good morning!

Tenn: Riku…

Mitsuki: Are you guys okay? Today we’re going to be on the same program, so we came to see you!

Tamaki: Here, a present! It’s King Pudding! Can I take one too?

Sogo: Tamaki-kun! It’s a present, so let them open it first…

Tsunashi: Ahaha. It’s okay. Right?

Gaku: Yeah… Thank you.

Iori: Sugar is really efficient rewarding stimulus for the brain. In other words, this will help relieve stress.

Tenn: Thank you.

Riku: A lot of the audience came for Trigger. Some of Trigger’s fans told me just now to come and cheer you up.

Riku: They said that they believe in you.

Tsunashi: …… I see.. Thanks….

Gaku: Idiot… You’re not supposed to start crying.

Sogo: I understand your hardship[1], Tsunashi-san...

Nagi: We know that you all are fine gentlemen. Those who are watching you also know.

Nagi: The spirit of Trigger who loves singing, the stage, and their fans will never be damaged.

Tenn: That’s right… The things that we want to express will never disappear.

Tenn: That’s the work that we came to do. Lift your shoulders and raise your faces.

Tenn: The only thing we have to do now is make sure that we won’t be laughing at ourselves in the future.

Gaku: Yeah.

Tsunashi: That’s right.

Sogo: Please do your best… If there is anything I can do, I’ll do anything.

Riku: Me too, Tenn-ni!

Tenn: Yeah, thanks for coming to see me, Riku.

Riku: Eh…?

Tenn: I’m feeling better.

Riku: ……….

Riku: (At that moment, I don’t know why, but I almost cried.)

Next episode

T/N

1. ご心労、お察しします。 This phrase is a very polite way to express compassion and understanding when someone is having a difficult time and suffering mentally and/or emotionally. The speaker uses it when they understand the situation completely and want to offer relief through understanding.

(Please don’t use my translations without permission.)