Top Idol Returns Home ~What My Childhood Friend Who Quit Being an Idol Wants to Do with Me~
Author: Sanako Koito
“Hey, wake up.”
Shaken gently, my consciousness drifted between dream and reality.
“I said, wake up!”
“Guh.”
A jolt to my stomach made me open my eyes.
“Wh, what……?!”
My eyes locked with an unbelievably beautiful girl.
“Finally awake. Happy New Year, Asahi.”
She was smiling at me like a sunflower in full bloom. And she was straddling me while I was wrapped in my futon……
“Happy… eh, eh…? Chiyo?”
Susobana Chiyo ── my childhood friend who left for Tokyo right after middle school started, saying she was going to become an idol.
“You… why……?”
She silenced my words with her index finger.
“That reaction. Haven’t you seen the news?”
I pulled the communication terminal by my bedside.
There are tons of notifications, but I ignore them for now.
“‘Azuki Choco Mint’ announces graduation. Choco and Mint retire from the entertainment industry──!”
The news list displayed on the terminal is completely filled with this.
“Wh, the hell is going on……”
“What do you mean… it’s exactly what it says.”
Chiyo tilted her head and looked at me.
No, no, no, wait a minute.
I whipped my sleepy brain into gear.
Okay, let’s sort this out.
The active middle school female idol group “Azuki Choco Mint”.
Their true faces are shrouded in mystery, but I know the identity of one of them.
The beautiful girl straddling my stomach right now is none other than ‘Choco’, the center of the mysterious idol group ‘Azuki Choco Mint’.
She’s my neighbor and childhood friend, the same age as me. We’ve known each other since before I could remember, but we haven’t seen each other since graduating from elementary school.
It’s the growth spurt phase, and not seeing each other for about three years means we’ve both changed quite a bit. During that time, my voice changed, and I grew taller. What about Chiyo?
Pale skin.
Big eyes framed by long eyelashes.
A straight nose bridge, small but glossy lips.
Her features were perfectly symmetrical.
Her straight black hair fell to just below her chest.
The wide-open neckline of her white knit top revealed a single mole on her collarbone.
I looked away, thinking it would be best not to look any lower.
“I quit being an idol.”
“Don’t go ‘hehehe~’ on me. You said you’d ‘become a top idol!’ and went to Tokyo, didn’t you?”
“Yes, that’s right. I definitely became a top idol.”
“Indeed, you won the Idol University Rookie Award and Best Idol Award, and you were center… But seriously, how long are you gonna keep sitting on me?”
I shooed Chiyo out of the room because I needed to change.
As I listened to her footsteps going down the stairs, I searched for “Azuki Choco Mint Graduation” on SNS.
“No way……”
“Azuki Choco Mint ” – The members are “Azuki”, “Choko”, and “Mint”, all of whom are currently middle school girls.
They were an enigmatic idol group, with the members wearing masks that hid the upper half of their faces and their personal information, such as their real names, hometowns, and birthdays, undisclosed.
The masks concealing their upper faces were designed with Venetian masks as inspiration, and their costumes were often elegant, setting them apart from other idols.
With overwhelming vocal talent and dance performances, they captivated many and broke through with their debut song. They won the Best Newcomer Award and Best Work Award at the Japan Idol Awards that year, and the Grand Prize and Special Award the following year.
However, since last summer, which marked the third year since their debut, all members were preparing for entrance exams, leading to a hiatus in activities.
And today, at the start of the new year, the members’ graduation—meaning the group’s disbandment—was announced on their official website.
Nearly nine hours after the announcement, the official website remains inaccessible.
With no other option, I searched news sites for articles publishing the full text of the ‘Important Announcement from the Three Members’.
“Regarding the future of the members… Azuki will pursue a solo career. Choco and Mint will retire. They will focus on their studies, and each pursue a different paths…….”
Retire? Different paths?
Chiyo, who worked so hard to become an idol?
◇
When I entered the living room downstairs, Chiyo and my family were leisurely sipping tea. They seemed too familiar.
After exchanging New Year’s greetings, ozoni soup was served at the table. In our house, we start eating osechi on New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve dinner is the year-end fish and osechi. It’s the most luxurious meal of the year. In exchange, New Year’s Day breakfast is kept simple.
Since we run a soba shop, we don’t eat soba on New Year’s Eve because we’ve already had it for staff meals during the day. I wonder how other soba restaurants do it?
“Chiyo-chan also brought us some oyaki.”
My mother brought over a plate of oyaki. They seem to have been reheated in a steamer because steam was rising from them.
“It’s a prototype. Please let me know what you think.”
“I heard Chiyo-chan came up with them.”
“Huh, what’s inside?”
“Nozawana and cream cheese.”
“Hmm.”
Chiyo’s family runs a wagashi shop. While there are specialty oyaki shops, around here it’s common for wagashi shops to make and sell oyaki too.
“Sounds good.”
“Wait till you try it before you say that.”
“Seems like it’d go well with sake.”
“Auntie, you sound just like my dad~.”
“It’s surprisingly delicious.”
“Thank you~.”
To be honest, my father probably wasn’t expecting much. He was savoring it with an interested look. Judging by that expression, he might actually like it quite a bit.
“Delicious!”
My younger brother, who was in elementary school, raised his hand and said, “I like this!”
“Wow, I’m so happy. Thank you~.”
“This might go over well with foreigners.”
“Do you think so? Would it work as a set with soba?”
When asked, my grandfather crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and furrowed his brow.
“How well it pairs with soba… I’m not sure. Young folks might find it novel, though.”
“After all, the classic, regular Nozawana is the best.”
“Come on, Asahi, try it before you judge.”
Chiyo broke the oyaki in half with her hand and thrust it out in front of my mouth. Her gaze left no room for argument. Reluctantly, I accepted it.
“Hmm…… Isn’t there too much cream cheese?”
“I mean, isn’t it nice to have lots of cream cheese??”
“I know you like cream cheese, Chiyo, but I think the balance of flavors is more important than personal preference.”
“Hmm. Fair point……”
Chiyo pursed her lips and wore a regretful expression.
“But I think Nozawana and cream cheese go well together. If you’re selling an improved version as an event special, it could work, right?”
I found myself backing her up.
I averted my gaze from Chiyo, who flashed a smile so bright it practically had a “paah!” sound effect. I feel somewhat restless. I pick up some chestnut kinton from the bento box in the middle of the table and place it on a small plate.
“Asahi, you like chestnut kinton, don’t you?”
As she spoke, Chiyo placed a small plate piled high with tazukuri rice and walnuts in front of her.
“Not as much as you like walnuts, Chiyo.”
“You like walnuts too!”
“Oh, really? We’re the same then.”
“I like chestnut kinton too!”
“So noisy, eat quietly.”
My younger brother’s high spirits irritate me. He’d always been close to Chiyo……
“Chiyo-chan, will you be coming back here for the third semester?”
While munching on the simmered dish, my mother asked Chiyo.
“No, I’ll finish middle school in Tokyo, and then I’ll come back here for high school.”
“Have you decided which high school you’re going to attend?”
Chiyo shook her head and then glanced at me.
“Where are you going, Asahi?”
I hoped she wasn’t going to say she wanted to go to the same high school as me.
As I hesitated to say my choice, Mom blurted it out.
“Well then, I’ll go there too.”
“Seriously? Are you sure? I mean, it’s one of the top high schools in the prefecture.”
“I study really hard.”
“I heard that you are in the top three of your grade. That’s amazing.”
“No…… I promised I’d quit being an idol if my grades dropped.”
Chiyo looks embarrassed, but she’s probably thinking, “Praise me more!” For some reason, that’s the feeling I get.
“Hey, how about going to Komagatake Komayumi Shrine to pray for success on your exams?”
I stopped my chopsticks at my father’s words.
“That place is known as the ‘Non-Slip Shrine’, you know.”
My mother added the finishing touch.
“It’s perfect for us.”
Saying that, Chiyo hugged me.
“Hey, Asahi, want to come with me?”
She delivered the final blow close to my ear.
Ah, I was tired from helping out at the store and cleaning up yesterday, so I had decided to relax until the evening!
Goodbye, my lazy New Year’s break……
◇
Jizukiyama, located northwest of the city center.
Komagatake Komayami Shrine is located halfway up the mountain.
We took a route that avoided the crowded area around Zenkoji Temple, even in the afternoon, which meant a considerable detour.
Snow lingered in shady spots and along the edges of the path. Winding up the slope through the residential area, the Unjoden, Zenkoji’s columbarium, came into view.
If you follow the roadway, you will find the entrance to Komagatatake Komayami Shrine. If you climb the short stairs there, you can see a torii gate and a komainu at the end of the road.
“Phew…… Finally made it.”
“No, there’s still a long way to go.”
“I know that.”
Once you pass through the torii gate, an endless flight of stairs awaits.
We slowly climb the long stairs. Snow that fell overnight and this morning remains, making it slippery.
“Hello.”
“Hello~.”
Exchanging greetings with people passing by is one of the etiquettes when climbing the mountain.
This exchange made me realize that I was in the mountains.
As expected of New Year’s Day, there were more visitors than usual. That said, you can count it on both hands.
“W, wait a sec…….”
Chiyo stopped, breathing heavily.
“You don’t have much stamina. Didn’t you say you needed that to become an idol~ and do all kinds of training?”
“It can’t be helped. I’ve cut back on lessons since last summer.”
“Seriously? You’ll get fat if you slack off. I still run even after quitting the track and field club.”
“You just like running, Asahi?”
Bon……
Bon……
Bon……
It is the sound of the bell of Zenkoji Temple at the foot of the mountain, which can be heard every hour on the hour during the day.
Bon……
Bon……
It rings three times, followed by the number of the hour. It’s exactly 2 p.m. now.
“Hmm!”
Chiyo stretches out her arm towards me.
“What?”
“Hold my hand.”
“Wh, why?”
“Because if we don’t hold hands, Asahi will just keep getting ahead of me.”
“Okay, I’ll go slowly.”
“Hmm.”
Chiyo puffed out her cheeks.
“It’s dangerous to hold hands here.”
“Mmhmm. You’re right!”
At the end of the long staircase, if you look to the right, you will find a short staircase. If you climb it, you will come to the place where the shrine office is located. Past the shrine office, there is a stone staircase next to the chozuya (water purification fountain) at the back. Climbing the stairs, you will be greeted by the main shrine and a large rock.
“We’ve finally arrived……”
Though small, it’s a relaxing space that gives the feeling of being cherished by the local community.
The main hall was built in the same shumoku-zukuri style as Zenkoji Temple. Its shrine crest was the swastika.
The shrine is also known as “Zenkoji Okunoin” and has a deep connection with Zenkoji Temple, as the Shinto ritual of burning the Zenkoji Temple’s sacred rope is held here.
It is known as the “Non-Slip Shrine” because it escaped damage when a landslide occurred on Mt. Jitsukiyama.
After paying my respects, I slowly descended the stairs.
Although there were many trees with fallen leaves, the scenery was not very visible.
Even if I descended directly to Zenkoji Temple now, it would likely still be crowded. I decided to walk a little further.
Leaving the approach to the shrine, we climbed the road that leads to Jidukiyama Park. At this time of year, Jidukiyama Park is closed for the winter, so there are not many cars passing by.
After walking a short distance, I reached a spot offering a panoramic view of Zenkoji Plain.
A bright blue sky.
Clear air.
Beyond the cityscape, the mountain ridgeline—a few clouds lingered near Shiga Highlands.
“Being an idol is just a stepping stone.”
Chiyo muttered, looking straight ahead as she spoke as if there was no one next to her.
“I thought that if I became an idol and became famous, our store would become famous too. But my mother was against it, saying that if I became an idol, I would lose my privacy…”
As it turns out, Chiyo’s mother was an idol when she was young.
She hadn’t made it big right away, but her fanbase had gradually grown. However, just when she was about to take off, she fell ill and collapsed — and having also suffered from stalkers, she retired from the industry……
“But I just couldn’t give up.”
Overcome by Chiyo’s passion, her mother finally agreed to let her become an idol.
But only under three conditions.
She will not give her real name.
She won’t show her face.
She must retire before she starts to decline.
“I thought there was no way I could be an idol without showing my face.”
Chiyo exhaled.
“‘Mint’ was similar to me, and ‘Azuki’ was reluctant to show her face. The circumstances of the three of us and the agency’s desire to promote a mysterious idol all coincided.”
And just as they’d aimed, it sold.
“My dad told me to try it while I was young and still had a chance to start over… He didn’t object, but he did give me some conditions.”
There were two conditions.
They only participated in the group for three years during middle school.
If her grades at school start to drop, quit being an idol immediately.
“── So, I never planned on doing it longer than three years.”
“I see……”
“So, I don’t have any regrets or anything like that.”
Chiyo looked up at the sky.
I didn’t feel it when I was walking, but the wind was cold.
Just as I was about to say that it was time to go home, Chiyo turned her gaze to me.
“And you know…”
I wondered why. Images of Chiyo as an elementary school student flashed through my mind. She would say, “I want to be an idol, but I heard you need stamina!” Then, she would spend every day doing calisthenics, exercising, and watching videos to practice dancing. Like a slideshow, I followed the images of elementary school–age Chiyo striving to become an idol.
“I went to Tokyo, became an idol, met various people, tried a lot of different foods, and that’s what I realized. They say you learn a lot when you’re away from others, and I guess that’s true…”
Chiyo pursed her lips once.
She stared straight at me as if to tell me something important.
“I want to make another dream come true.”
“Another dream?”
“Yeah. Remember the promise I made with you when we were little?”
Promise?
“Don’t you remember?”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, but I’d be happy if you could remember. That’s right, try to guess. A wrong answer means a penalty game!”
“Penalty game? What are you planning to make me do?”
“How about we start by shouting out an embarrassing story from Asahi’s middle school days?”
“That’d disturb the neighbors.”
Residential areas are spread out on the mountainside.
“Fine, then whisper it in my ear.”
“So the embarrassing story stays embarrassing?”
“Giving up is also a penalty game.”
“Don’t change the rules…… um, taking over the store?”
I think I heard that Chiyo’s brother was going to take over the store, but has he changed his mind? He’s been playing the guitar lately. Maybe he’s saying, “I’m going to live for music, I’m not going to become a Japanese confectioner.”
The store sells items that are on the set menu at our soba restaurant. It’s a long-established store, after all. I don’t want it to disappear.
“A little different, I guess.”
“So, how about a branch? Maybe you want to open a second store specializing in oyaki?”
“It’s close. Really, really close. But it’s a little different.”
“So what is it…?”
I buried my face in my hands.
At this rate, I’ll have to whisper an embarrassing story right into Chiyo’s ear.
This is bad. I can’t think of the right answer or an embarrassing story either.
“You don’t know? Shall I give you a hint?”
Chiyo is grinning.
“Whatever your dream is, Chiyo, I’ll support you.”
“Hmm. No. It’s something we’ll achieve together……”
“Eh…… With me?”
“Guess you give up then.”
“Don’t mess with me. Wait a moment. I’ll think about it….”
White flakes began falling softly.
I feel like the clouds are getting thicker.
Come to think of it, the weather forecast said it would snow from the evening onwards.
“I like the view from here.”
“Me too.”
Without either of us initiating it, we held hands.
Chiyo’s hands are smaller, softer, and colder than mine.
Even back then, we always held hands.
Perhaps we thought that holding hands meant becoming one, or maybe we just wanted to touch each other.
Now, I desperately search for the reason why I want to hold hands.
All of them were embarrassing, and I was flustered.
The clouds parted, and the sun shone through.
The snow continues to fall gently.
The sound of a car passing by can be heard from below, then fades away.
I try to call her name, but close my lips. I repeat this several times.
Letting go would be easy.
But I don’t want to do that.
Chiyo’s cold hands are now the same temperature as my palms.
Chiyo’s head is lower than mine. Her face, which was in the same position back then, now feels far away.
The height difference between men and women should not be a big problem. And yet, I feel distant.
Just because my line of sight is different now than it was back then doesn’t mean that what I see is different.
My thoughts are running aimlessly because there is no conversation.
I feel like I’ve missed the chance to go home. However, I still want to stay here and look at this view for a while longer. Why? Though I have doubts, I don’t think there’s any need to search for the answer now. I grip our joined hands tightly.
“I wonder if I can be a normal high school girl……”
Her voice is so quiet that it might not be heard if the wind were to blow.
While Chiyo was active as an idol, she hid her true identity and lived in the city. I don’t know the details of what happened during those three years.
However, I imagine that it wasn’t a normal middle school experience, and I understand why she’s anxious about her future.
“Welcome back, Chiyo.”
The moment I said it, I mentally berated myself.
I didn’t know what to say to cheer Chiyo up— This was the best I could come up with? Can’t I think of something more thoughtful, me!
“You had to say that now?”
Chiyo’s moist eyes sparkled as she smiled, reflecting the sunlight off the snow.
There’s a tingling sensation deep in my chest.
Something rose, and I felt a tingling sensation in the back of my nose.
Ah, I see.
I’ve been waiting for the day Chiyo would come back. All along ────
Sads Translates 