Kaoruko! Kaoruko!
Miss Kaoruko!
Isurugi-han, did you find her?
No, she's nowhere to be found.
That girl must have run away again!
Fantastic kimono girl!
How cute. She's almost like a doll!
So pretty!
She's so lovely.
Much obliged.
Don't you "much obliged" me.
Futaba-han.
I'm tired of all this.
Day in and day out,
it's nothing but practice, practice.
Flowers are the same, you know.
If they don't take in a bunch of sunlight,
and drink lots of delicious water,
they won't bloom beautifully.
You're the heir, so it's only natural.
I've decided.
I'll get a new family that will praise me more.
What about the train fare?
What?
I-I have about 50 yen.
Do you know how to ride the train?
Wh-Who do you take me for?
You'll be fine then.
I'll let the master and auntie know.
What?
Wai—
Man, too bad I won't get to see your dancing anymore.
Well, I guess you won't be coming home anymore.
Oh, how unfortunate.
W-Well if you insist, I guess I could do you the favor of coming home.
So you better praise me, cheer me on,
and buy me lots of candy.
You're my number one fan after all.
Huh?
In return, you'll be the first to see me shine the brightest in the world.
That'll be 50 yen for the taxi.
Wh-What a ripoff!
Ow, ow, ow!
You're hurting me!
Ow, ow!
I guess I don't have a choice.
When it comes to Kaoruko, I'll have to...
I'll have to...
beat some sense into you!
Are you listening, Hikari-chan?
Make sure to fold your shirts and towels
and put them in the drawer.
But I'll use it again soon.
No way! You have to tidy up!
Hikari-chan of all people!
Mahiru-chan, you're almost like a big sister.
Well, I am one.
Come on, we're here. Get up.
Good morning,
Futaba-chan and Kaoruko-chan!
Yeah, good morning.
Here we go.
You scratched my eyebrows!
Why can't you wake me up more gently?
It's your fault for not getting up on your own.
Good morning, guys.
You've been coming in pretty early lately.
I would have preferred to sleep in.
We can't lose to a certain sleepyhead.
Yeah, definitely not!
She's talking about you, Karen-chan.
All right, that's enough.
Don't forget to check your partner's steps.
When did Futaba-han learn that?
Fated to be chased for eternity.
The two of us better stay focused.
Pardon?
Futaba-han, about your tap dancing just now...
Okay, listen up.
Hello, I'm the B class' director, Masai.
I'm the playwright, Amamiya.
I'm the playwright trainee, Daiba.
So, the production for the 100th Seisho Festival is about to begin in earnest.
For us in the 99th generation, this will be our second Starlight.
However, we will be holding auditions for the eight main roles again.
It wouldn't be any fun putting on the exact same play,
so we want to experiment a bit.
We will be holding multiple auditions.
Don't get too worked up about the results of a single audition.
You can act without worrying.
My... name...
Banana said not to get worked up about the results of a single audition, remember?
So...
Hey, Kaoruko!
I've never been excluded from an important role for any recital in my life.
And you say I'm not even part of the main cast?
Are your eyes working properly?
Well, you see...
I'll be blunt with you.
There's no place for your acting in our next Starlight.
There's no passion, and it isn't moving.
You may be some Japanese dance heir or whatever,
but to be perfectly frank, you're not up to par for our play.
I don't want to be in your stupid play anyway!
I say, honestly, they really get on my nerves!
Who do they think they are, honestly?
If I end up not getting a role in the end,
just let me have yours, okay?
That was a great bath.
Futaba-han, will you massage my fee—
That's it for today.
Thank you so very much.
You've improved quite a bit, Futaba.
I sure hope so.
Oh, practicing in secret without telling me, are we?
Kaoruko.
So Claud-han is teaching you?
No wonder you're suddenly so much better.
I wanted to become way better than I was.
And then you stole the goddess role from me!
Hold on, Kaoruko.
You know, you don't understand a thing.
Just like the B class was saying,
you're not up to par!
Wh-What was that?!
I got this role.
And I'm not letting it go.
Y-You traitor!
If you like Claud-han that much,
why don't you just move in with her?
Yeah, that's just what I'll do!
I'll be living here from now on!
Fine by me!
I can't go on.
Kaoruko-chan...
You barely left the door.
Ow, ow, ow...
Jeez, I can barely walk.
It's all Futaba-han's fault.
Just you wait, I'll show you!
Oh right,
the giraffe's auditions.
The stage of destiny, with me as the lead!
I'll beat the others, become the top star,
and be the best in the world!
Mahiru-chan, s-stop!
Hey, you two!
You're wide open!
Oh, too bad.
I can't even take a single breath around you.
On the stage, we fight fair and square!
Th-This isn't looking good.
I've lost quite a bit.
Futaba-han!
I know.
Kaoruko-chan!
What's going on? It's not true that you're leaving, is it?
I realized that there's nothing more for me to learn at this school.
I've decided to go back to Kyoto and take over the Senka Society.
Why? Why?
You can still inherit the society after you graduate, can't you?
We've worked so hard together.
I don't want you to quit!
What did Futaba-chan say?
Wh-Who cares what Futaba-han thinks?
I decided this all on my own.
Are you serious?
There's no use trying to stop me.
Just because you failed a single audition...
Huh?
What kind of nonsense is that?
You stay behind and do the best that you can.
Together with Claud-han.
Do you have the train fare to get back?
No need to worry.
Do you know how to ride the Shinkansen?
Indeed. No need to see me off.
All right, you'll be fine then.
O-Oh?
So Kaoruko was serious about it.
Well, this might be for the best.
Huh?
She doesn't get it.
You can't get into this academy by just clinging to someone else.
Besides, you have real talent,
and you were even chosen for one of the eight main roles.
You'll be fine by yourself.
Seisho Music Academy?
It's a theater school where you can study not only Japanese dance,
but all kinds of dancing.
I'm going to master dancing there and become the best in the world.
Really?
And you're coming too, Futaba-han.
Huh?
That'll be 500 yen for the taxi.
You raised the fare?
Kaoruko-chan!
Don't go!
I'm so sorry, but I already bought my train ticket.
The Shinkansen departs just after 12.
When noon comes, I'll be saying my farewells to Tokyo.
Since it's my last day here, maybe I'll go see some of the sights in Tokyo.
Or something like that...
Tendo-han?
I'll miss you.
I felt the same sense of duty from you that I hold, Hanayagi-san.
Huh?
For the sake of those chasing from behind,
for the sake of those cheering on,
you have a sense of duty to always be the very best you can.
Please take care in Kyoto.
Thank you.
Well then, I'll be leaving.
Kaoruko-chan!
I hope you regret it once I'm gone.
But...
For the sake of those chasing from behind,
for the sake of those cheering on,
you have a sense of duty to always be the very best you can.
Those chasing from behind...
Is that Futaba-han?
But she's not chasing after me at all.
Thank you for riding the Shinkansen.
The train on platform 19 will depart at 12:13.
It's the Nozomi 1341, bound for Shin-Osaka.
Why?
Are you really fine with me leaving?
Why aren't you chasing after me?
You're the one who said you're quitting.
Wh-What did you come here for?
I figured I'd find you crying about it being too late to go back right about now.
What? Are you stupid?
I know, you must have been scared about not being able to do anything without me.
Who's the one who can't do anything on her own?
It's not like you were ever planning on going home for real.
I know you took your sweet time to get here.
Th-Then how come you're out of breath chasing after me?
It's obvious you came to stop me!
You're being stubborn!
Well you're a traitor!
You're heartless! And stupid!
Going down the path of song and dance.
We traversed this path together.
But I found something of my own.
A straight path that soars across the night sky.
99th generation, Isurugi Futaba.
I'll run forward with all I have!
99th generation, Hanayagi Kaoruko.
I'm not letting you off until the end!
Today is the fifth day of auditions.
The Revue of Promises is starting.
Aim to become the top star,
sing, dance, and fight to win.
When I win, it'll be your turn to take care of me.
You'll buy me candy, massage my feet,
and take me to school on a motorbike.
Huh? Why would I have to do that?
Because that's what you make me do!
Fine, but if I win, you're coming with me back to Kyoto.
Well go ahead and beat me if you can!
Appropriating the audition?
I understand.
Kaoruko, with that personality of yours,
I'll have to beat some sense into you!
Kaoruko, do you remember where I placed in the entrance exam?
Huh?
Among the 30 people who passed,
I placed 30th.
Dead last!
S-So what?
I trained like never before to get accepted into this school.
I got a motorbike license because you said walking was too tiresome.
I always had to look for you, since you'd run away all the time.
You promised me.
You said I'd be the first to see you shine the brightest in the world.
That's why I've been chasing after you all this time!
Futaba-han...
Remember what Karen was saying?
Stage girls evolve by the day.
That's why Tendo and Claud continue to work hard, even after being leads.
Everyone is working to shine even more.
And I want to become more than just your fan.
I want to find the glimmer right by your side!
Kaoruko!
Futaba-han...
So you made your own flower bloom.
A large, beautiful flower.
And on the other hand, I...
Hey!
I didn't realize what Tendo-han meant until it was too late.
Futaba-han, you really are more worthy of being in the main cast.
Stop!
My, was it too shallow?
You finally came to stop me.
Much obliged, Futaba.
For the sake of those chasing after me,
for the sake of those cheering me on,
I've always got to be the very best I can.
Kaoruko...
This marks the end of the fifth day of auditions.
See, you can do it if you try.
Just you watch.
I'm a stage girl too, you know.
I'll make another flower bloom
and show you up.
Futaba-han, we've got to become the best in the world together, yeah?
I'll pay the taxi fare once I've made it in the world!
I guess I don't have a choice!
What's going wrong with the performances this time around?
They're all full of new things.
It really is best to stick to the script.
I understand.