Partial translation.
It’s probably my favorite scene from the event, so I felt like translating it just for personal satisfaction.
Prisoner’s Love / 3
Written by: Akira
Timeline: Summer
Hokuto: “Yuuki. I want you to answer honestly.
I am — we are your friends, aren’t we?”
Makoto: “Eh? Yeah. Of course. Hidaka-kun and everyone in Trickstar are my precious friends.
You’re my comrades; we share a common destiny… We share an indissoluble connection. I love you guys.”
Hokuto: “Thank you. I’m happy. But that’s why, please don’t hold things in.
Be more assertive. Say whatever you want.
You don’t need to endure. Say it’s painful if you’re in pain… Tell us if you’re suffering.
I’m dense, so I can’t guess your feelings for you.”
Makoto: “No, no, that’s not true! Hidaka-kun, you’ve been caring for all of us as Trickstar’s leader, especially recently!
And you used to be such mood killer!
How about you, Hidaka-kun? Aren’t you the one enduring things? Are you okay?
We were the one who forcefully pushed the leader role to you, so don’t be so harsh on yourself.
Me, I’m all right. Look, I’m so energetic, aren’t I?
I can’t keep whining too. I’m incompetent compared to the rest of Trickstar! So I need to work hard, even if I vomit blood!”
Hokuto: “Yuuki, don’t misunderstand. Do you think… we’ll ever say you’re unneeded in Trickstar because you’re incompetent?
Do you think we’ll ever cast you away heartlessly, in a purely business-like manner?”
Makoto: “…”
Hokuto: “Maybe I don’t have the right to say this. Tempted by the Student Council President’s sweet words, I’ve once separated from you guys.
At that time, having been told the idol side of me would benefit from it in the future…
I complied. Through an unfeeling calculation, I decided on the optimal solution, like a machine.
But I was wrong.
Even if the calculation had been correct, it was the worst answer I could’ve gone with as a human being.
I’ve been regretting it since. I might have returned to you guys, but I’m not so shameless to think I was forgiven or redeemed.”
Makoto: “Hidaka-kun… No one cares about that anymore.
There was nothing you could’ve done in that situation. No one blamed you. There’s a kind of current you can’t overcome, no matter how hard you plant your feet on the ground.
And even if you were to go against it, normally, you’ll just be washed away and pulverized without trace.
And yet Trickstar resurrected like a phoenix, created a miracle and won DDD.
Normally, that’s something impossible. Trickstar’s so amazing…
That’s why I want to treasure you; I don’t want to lose you all. Thinking that way, I’ve been clinging desperately onto you. Was it unsightly?
If that’s so, you could’ve told me. I’ll be lonely, but…
If you think I’m not of any use, of any help to Trickstar, you can throw me away. I’ll keep supporting you from afar.”
Hokuto: “None of us have said anything of that sort. Have we ever called you useless… said we didn’t need you, even once, Yuuki?
You’re an important part of us. There’s nothing that you lack.
No, even if you do lack something, we can cover that for you.”
Makoto: “I’d feel sorry to be your burden like that.”
Hokuto: “Even I, Akehoshi and Isara — each of us all has something we lack, even if the degree varies.
Haven’t we been filling for and supporting each other, advancing forward that way, until now?
If you think you’re just leaning on us one-sidedly, just being nothing but a burden…
That’s conceited, Yuuki. Don’t make fool of us. We all love you too.
Yuuki. At least I, we, hadn’t wanted to become like the people who hurt you… The last thing we wanted was to force you to endure.
We don’t want to push you to your limits. We don’t want to hurt you.
So please, seriously… Don’t think about being a burden or whatever and just say what you want.”
Makoto: “I’m okay, you know… Hidaka-kun?”
Hokuto: “…Enough. Sorry for talking weird before the stage.
When everyone’s back, let’s rehearse the stage with them.
We still have mountains of problems; let’s perfect our performance before the real deal. I’m counting on you, Yuuki.”
Makoto: “Y-Yeah. I don’t know if someone like me can be of any use, but I’ll be giving my all.”
Hokuto: “Yuuki. Once Starmine’s over, maybe at a later date…
Let’s all enjoy the summer festival together. Wear yukata, drop by food stands to stuff our cheeks full and just relax.
I’ll adjust our schedules somehow. It’ll cause no problems. I’m good at calculation.
That’s why. I’ll say this as your leader: focus and give the performance your best shot.
You’ve been wearing a fake smile the whole day.
Honestly, don’t go showing the audience that kind of forced smile.”
Makoto: “…I’ve been smiling properly, haven’t I?”
Hokuto: “If that’s what you think, then your illness is grave. I’m going to sound like Akehoshi here, but you’re not sparkling at all.
We or Sena-senpai would notice with just a glance.
If that’s what you call a smile… you may as well say I’m a clown who’s always laughing like an idiot.”
Makoto: “…”
Another one; this time just a snippet of conversation. I like this conversation between Akiomi and Anzu.
Epilogue 1 (Snippet)
Akiomi: “Anzu-san, you’re still a child, as well. And until half a year ago, you’ve been just one of the common people… So maybe it’s cruel of me to say this, but you’ll have to get used to it:
You’ll have to get used to being hated. To forcing unreasonable things and getting despised for it. After all, you’re a “producer”.
Just like a teacher like myself, you are in a different position from them. If you think what you will do will end up being for the idols’ sake…. then you must unhesitatingly realize that thinking.
Just like what you’ve done this time. What is your job? Is it to be friends with the idols? Is it to be loved and pampered by them? That’s not it, is it? “Producer”-san, you mustn’t make having them like you your goal.
Support them, protect them from all the malice in the world, and make them shine the brightest. And for that sake, you mustn’t fear of having them despise you. I know it’s not such an easy thing to do. But even if they may hate you now… I’m sure, in the distant future, they’ll be grateful to you.
With that hope in mind, turn yourself into a demon and play the part of a villain. That, too, is a way of loving someone.
Well, I know it must be difficult. Just like how they’re idols and high school boys at the same time, you too are a producer…
And a high school girl in her adolescence all the same.”
(from A Midsummer Night’s Dream / Epilogue 1)