What's Going On?

Shuya complained.

Those extras were supposed to dress like male otaku according to Aoki Shin's instructions, but who dresses like that nowadays? (Saori:?)

These are all prejudices... but this way of labeling people does allow you to instantly tell what kind of people they are, which is understandable for filming.

"Shu-chan, you guys are here, and you're with Haruno... Oh."

Hyakka realized the truth but didn't ask anything.

Motoko's expression turned strange as she looked back and forth between Shuya and Haruno.

If it weren't for Haruno toying with her sister, Motoko would definitely have been treated like a toy.

Shuya chatted with them for a while, and then Ayase arrived, followed by Kyousuke and Kirino who came with her.

Once everyone had arrived, the group entered the venue and successfully found Mai.

She was in the backstage dressing room, sitting obediently as the makeup artist did her makeup.

When everyone arrived, she was almost finished with her makeup done.

It was completely done in a few minutes, and the perfect beautiful idol appeared.

Mai turned around helplessly, looking at the grinning crowd.

Her expression was complicated:

"You guys... you really have a lot of free time."

She couldn't help but sigh.

Shuya and the others said one after another:

"Mai- chan looks so cute today."

"It's so beautiful."

"The clothes are really nice."

"... well."

Mai sighed, knowing full well that they were laughing at her.

Seeing her like this, Yukino asked curiously, "Miss Mai, you seem too down... Is there something going on?"

"Ask Shuya over there... I'll go check out the stage."

Mai didn't want to answer and quickly slipped away.

Shuya, facing everyone's gaze, smiled and said, "Don't ask, just watch the show later."

"Shu-chan's smile is so mischievous."

Haruno voiced his complaint, and the others nodded in agreement. But since he wouldn't say it, there was nothing they could do.

With some time before the official filming, Shuya took them on a tour of the film set, and time flew by.

The extras entered and filled the ground floor and the second floor, and the film crew was ready to shoot.

Shuya and the others did not enter the scene, but stood on the sidelines to watch the excitement; they would not be in the frame.

Mai hadn't appeared yet, and the extras were excitedly chatting, making a bit noisy.

She has many fans, and these people are all fans. They all actively signed up after learning that the production team was recruiting.

They held up lightsabers, ready to shout their encouragement.

Those present had been to many concerts and were very skilled at cheering, so they weren't intimidated at all.

Soon after, Mai, dressed as a Mai, and her backup dancers walked to the center of the stage, and the crowd below waved lightsabers and cheered, just like they were watching a real concert.

Section 673, page 626: What's going on?

Shuya watched the commotion, twirling his lightsaber with a delighted smile.

He glanced at the backup dancers, a thought flashing through his mind: Mai's sister really wasn't chosen.

The girls who were selected seem to be from a fairly famous girl group; Shuya remembered seeing them on TV.

"It's started! Yay!"

Haruno happily swung his lightsaber.

With her keen eye, she could easily see the awkward smile hidden beneath Mai's acting.

"..."

Yukino casually swung her lightsaber.

Yuigahama excitedly shouted, "Go for it! Oh oh oh! Yeah! Oh oh oh! Yeah!"

She, ever the social butterfly, expertly chimed in with a cheer.

Hyakka and the others also brandished their lightsabers, blending into the crowd's movements.

In this joyful atmosphere, the music started, Mai got into the zone, showing off the results of her workout with a sweet smile.

On stage, under the lights, she moved with light, graceful steps and sang steadily.

The backup dancers danced in unison, complementing her performance.

At this moment, Mai looks more like an idol than a real idol.

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!"

"Mai- chan!"

"Oh oh oh! Hey! Oh oh oh! Hey!"

The extras in the audience were putting on a show of playing the role of a shut-in cheering... but judging from their skill level, they might not be acting, but actually be real shut-ins.

Hey! Hey! Hey!

"Mai, Mai! Oh! Drink!"

Amidst the singing, many otaku started performing otaku art, having a great time.

"Hahaha! Hahaha! Otaku are disgusting!"

Hyakka pointed at them and laughed heartily.

"Ugh... Kirino, I can't take it anymore."

Ayase hugged Kirino tightly, her face contorted in pain.

Kirino also glanced at those people with disdain, feeling that these were the people who were affecting the reputation of all otaku.

She forgot that she was pretty much the same way when she was in a rage.

The photographer captured these scenes with his lens.

Then, finally, the interlude that Shuya had been most looking forward to arrived.

As the music played, Mai danced, forcibly maintaining her smile to prevent it from crumbling.

... even though her mental state was already beginning to crumble.

The moment of destiny had arrived.

Thousands of people took a deep breath and shouted out the succinctly memorized phrases:

"Words come true!"

"やっぱり Mai- chan はかわいいよ!"

"すきすきき! やっぱき!"

"The world is full of love!ア?イ?シ?テ?ル!!"

"Whoosh---! Oh---! Oh oh oh!"

The lightsabers were raised above their heads and swung in unison. The extras looked very satisfied and shouted with great joy.

As the interlude ended, Mai, who was no longer afraid of anything, continued performing in a self-destructive manner, but her eyes beneath her smile were vacant.

The atmosphere was incredibly lively, except for those around Shuya who were completely dumbfounded.

Yukino incredibly embarrassed. "What... what just happened?"

Yuigahama stood there dumbfounded, her mouth agape.

Hyakka hugged herself, trembling violently and screaming, "Kkkiiiimmmooo! I can't take it, I can't take it at all! If I were cheered for like this, I would want to die! Ah!!!"

Motoko murmured, "That's... that's terrifying."

"Kirino! Those people are terrifying!"

Seya crazy; she couldn't accept it physically, and goosebumps were all over her body.

Kirino's lips, however, were itching to try it; she found it quite appealing and was thinking of doing it next time.

Kyousuke shook his head and said to Shuya, "It's quite interesting."

After he started doing voice acting, his ability to handle pressure increased dramatically.

Haruno also burst out laughing, "Hahahaha! So stupid! So stupid! Mai- chan's expression is hilarious! Hahaha!"

She leaned on Shuya's shoulder, laughing uncontrollably.

They finally understood why Mai acted as if her parents had died when she mentioned this scene.

That explains why it was so awkward.

"Shu-chan, did you make this?"

Haruno and the others remembered what Mai had said and looked at him.

Shuya shifted the blame, saying, "I wrote it, but I was commissioned by Uncle Aoki and the others, so it has little to do with me."

But this tactic doesn't work well for those who know him well.

The group left Shuya a little.

If he were to write something like this for himself, who could stand it?

Even Kirino found it unbearable; it was fine for her to say it to others, but for others to say it to her was truly agonizing.

Yukino looked at Mai was still performing on stage, with sympathy.

"How pitiful..."

She also saw Mai's lifeless smile.

Yukino felt incredibly ashamed even after putting herself in Yukino's shoes for a moment.

Ayase said, trembling, "Mai- senpai, may you rest in peace."

She's not dead yet.

Shuya complained.

Haruno exclaimed, completely captivated, "Ah, I've never seen her make that expression before, so adorable."

"..."

Upon Yuigahama nudged Yukino and cautiously said, "Yukino, your older sister is usually very gentle, but she sometimes says strange things."

"Yuigahama- san, why don't you switch the positions of gentleness and weirdness?"

Yukino sighed, "I don't want to say it, but... you really have no taste in people."

Why am I being scolded?!

Yuigahama was greatly shocked.

Mai finished her performance while they were talking.

She performed flawlessly, requiring no retakes, and the shoot was a complete success.

The extras were cheering for her.

Mai forced herself to maintain her composure, bowed politely to the audience, and then quickly left.