"..." Faced with Yukino, whose face practically radiated integrity, Shizuka Hiratsuka felt a headache coming on. She had suggested a girls' get-together to help them bond precisely because she knew Yukino's personality wasn't the most likable. But with Yukino being this blunt, and Mai Sakurajima having no scandalous rumors surrounding her to begin with—not to mention that she was Utaha Kasumigaoka's favorite idol—Shizuka really wanted to ask, "Yukino, do you have to take this so seriously?" Unfortunately, she couldn't, so she could only come up with all sorts of excuses. "Well, the entertainment industry always has rumors popping up from time to time. Take your beloved Mr. Pan, for example..." Yukino Yukinoshita: "???" What about Mr. Pan?
"Surely Mr. Pan has had some strange rumors about him, too?" Shizuka said.
"Rumors about Mr. Pan?" Yukino was stunned. Even Utaha Kasumigaoka looked baffled. "Mr. Pan has always had a great reputation, hasn't he?"
"Tsk, tsk..." Shizuka chuckled and shook her head. "Thinking that way just shows how young you are. How could anyone in the entertainment industry avoid bad rumors?"
"Wait a minute!" Yukino seemed to realize something, and Utaha did too. Their expressions turned strange. "In the entertainment industry?"
"Is something wrong?" Shizuka asked, bewildered.
"Ms. Hiratsuka, do you really like Mr. Pan?" Yukino asked with a frosty expression.
"Of course..." Shizuka lied through her teeth. "He's such a cute and powerful idol..."
"Mr. Pan isn't an idol..." Utaha rolled her eyes.
"Ah..." Shizuka was embarrassed. Wasn't Mr. Pan the celebrity Yukino liked? How could he not be an idol?
"Ms. Hiratsuka, do you know what Mr. Pan is?" Yukino couldn't help asking.
"Huh?"
"Mr. Pan is a panda..." Utaha sighed. "Or rather, he's a celebrity in the animal kingdom..." Shizuka: "..." So Mr. Pan was a panda?
A panda!?