For Misumi Uika, a girl from a small island, Togawa Sakiko had once been an unattainable flower on a high peak.
Her talent and intelligence, which far surpassed others of her age, her natural grace in every movement, and her outstanding musical ability—Uika admired every aspect of her.
And it was this yearning from her childhood that became the starting point of her musical journey.
After that, she left the small island and came to a much wider world. As she encountered more and more new things, that simple childhood admiration grew with her, gradually becoming a tangible reality—
Until the day she debuted as a partner with Hoshino Ai.
Hoshino Ai's appearance, while bringing her to a bigger stage, also made her realize that a naturally gifted, heaven-sent idol like her truly existed in this world.
Chihaya Tetsuya's appearance made her realize she still lacked the awareness and persistence a creator should have.
And this reunion and collaboration with Togawa Sakiko made her once again feel that sense of looking up to someone she had felt in her childhood.
In the eyes of outsiders, Uika was indeed an idol so exceptional she could be called perfect. But to herself, she had always been in a state of "chasing."
She had never seen herself as the protagonist, nor had she ever shown any overly strong desires or ambitions. But it was precisely this low-key nature that earned her a series of evaluations she had never sought:
Calm, mature, conservative.
Everyone had grown accustomed to seeing this side of Uika, and her gentle nature made her willing to continue "playing" this role to satisfy others' image of her.
For her, who was always the chaser, this was enough.
So, even if she wasn't the protagonist, there was no problem at all—
"After all, I also want an exclusive outfit like Ai's~"
Why had she felt envious of the outfit Tetsuya made for Hoshino Ai?
"The only thing a star can do from the beginning is to shine its own light."
Why, on that day, had she so easily accepted Tetsuya's encouragement?
"As long as I'm given a reason to wear them, and someone who is willing to appreciate and acknowledge them, then I will be very happy to put them on."
What exactly was the reason she needed?
"The way you look right now is the perfect state I envisioned when I designed this dress."
The way she looked right now...
Uika looked at herself in the mirror again.
The dress, which had not yet completely faded, was still emitting a gentle glow.
No matter what others thought, the person Tetsuya was looking at had always been her most authentic self.
It was he who had glimpsed her desire for expression from her ideals. It was he who had captured her sincere wish to become part of that starry sky from her few words. And it was he who had personally crafted this magnificent scene, one that even she herself had never witnessed before.
It had nothing to do with the opinions of others, nothing to do with the role she had always played. He simply wanted to let her bloom with a light that even she had never imagined.
In a daze, she seemed to see in the mirror once again that smile of hers, one that could only be revealed in the darkness.
If that was the case...
Then her answer was already self-evident.
...
"That's so unfair, Tetsuya-san."
Faced with Tetsuya's repeated "interrogation," Uika couldn't help but complain.
"If you hadn't suddenly turned off the lights without any warning, I wouldn't have let you see me like that."
"Even if not now, you would have realized it sooner or later."
Hearing her complaint, Tetsuya just replied calmly:
"Your excellence and strength will eventually break through the 'backdrop' persona you're playing now. You are destined to become a star that others can only look up to in the future. I just let you experience that a little earlier."
At this, he couldn't help but ask with a smile:
"So, could I trouble you to state your thoughts on this outfit one more time?"
"Perfect."
This time, Uika didn't feign modesty. She answered without hesitation, her voice filled with confidence.
"As long as I wear this, I'm confident I won't lose to Ai on stage. And... thanks to the effect when you turned off the lights, I have some new ideas for our new song."
"That's good."
Hearing her reply, Tetsuya nodded.
With this, he had achieved the effect he had hoped for.
"Now then, I need to adjust some details. Uika, please follow my instructions and make a few poses."
"...Mhm."
Uika first nodded, then a question she was incredibly curious about suddenly came to mind.
"Tetsuya-san."
"Hm?"
"Is the reason you made this dress for me really just what you said earlier? That thing about how you... 'hope that every child who wears the clothes I design can become the protagonist on stage'..."
"That's right."
Tetsuya admitted without a moment's hesitation.
"In a sense, this is my 'ambition' for entering the world of fashion."
To establish a personal brand, one needs a philosophy strong enough to support the brand's entire future.
To gain a foothold in the fashion world, one needs an ambition strong enough to keep them moving forward.
Tetsuya's personal philosophy had been decided the moment he chose to become a designer: warmth and comfort.
So what about his ambition?
For this young man who was about to have his own brand, what kind of ambition did he have for his designs?
"Just as people are always seeking their own desired beliefs and dreams in idols, I hope my clothes can do the same. Whether it's providing companionship to dispel loneliness and anxiety with comfort and warmth, or giving encouragement to express oneself with splendor and style... In short, I hope my clothes are not just simple 'attire,' but can also give others the 'strength' they need at that moment."
Tetsuya said.
"It's the same this time. I hope my clothes can become a source of strength for you, Uika. I know you never asked me to do this, but... what can I say? I'm a designer. Please try to understand this level of presumptuousness."
"..."
Honestly, the identity of a "fashion designer" is just a little too cunning.
No matter how embarrassing the praise or encouragement, he could just lightly explain it away with ambiguous things like "a designer's conviction" or "ambition."
Or rather, that was probably the reason he could say these things without batting an eye, right? Masking his kindness as a matter of work, describing his gentleness as being presumptuous...
But in reality, if this were truly just him being presumptuous, it would be impossible for him to create clothes that fit a person's heart so perfectly.
Whether it was Ai's exclusive performance outfit, the team uniforms that gave guidance and encouragement to those band girls, or this magnificent gauze skirt that was now letting her own charm and confidence fully bloom—they were all proof of just how much complex and careful observation and thought he had put in before making them.
"So... you're not actually as frank as everyone thinks you are."
"Hm? What are you talking about?"
"Nothing."
Uika quietly averted her gaze.
"I was just thinking, you really didn't take my previous warning to heart at all."
If this keeps up, won't I also end up like Ai, wearing this gauze skirt for only one specific person?
With a complaint woven from both joy and exasperation, Uika sighed deeply in her heart.