Requiem - Epilogue

[shivalries]

Season: Spring, the following year

T/N: And... that brings a close to the 46-chapter project that has been Requiem! This project carried me and my editor through a whole lot of changes and we put in a lot of hours and love into this, so I really, truly appreciate everyone who sits down to read this story and watch Knights' love story unfold. Let's keep on loving Knights in the new era of EnStars!! ☆

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[Overseas Town]

(Time has passed; the day of Knights' graduation trip)

Tsukasa: — *gasp* *wheeze*

I-I've gathered all the papers at last! Heh, I've done this countless times at Yumenosaki already!

I'm very used to this by now! Do you admit your defeat, Leo-san?!

Leo: Alright, you win~ You're pretty good at this, huh? Here, I'll show you my tummy in submission! ♪

Tsukasa: P-Please don't do such things in public! Have you gone and dropped your sense of shame somewhere?!

Leo: Actually, that makes me think, Suo~! You're twice as sensitive to shame as the average person, so that makes me even more shameless!

And so, the balance of the world is maintained! Get it?

Tsukasa: Not in the slightest! I had thought I'd finally managed to understand you at least a little during Requiem, but it appears I was mistaken!

I... fear that I will never completely understand you, so long as we live!

Leo: Wahaha! There's no way you could completely understand me! We're different people, so of course some things won't make sense!

I pretty much hang out with Sena twenty-four-seven here in Florence, but he keeps saying and doing all these random things, I'm always getting thrown for a loop!

Every time that happens, I'm amazed all over again at how interesting people are, and how vast this world is!

It's come, it's come, and it won't ever stop— inspiration...☆

Ritsu: Hey, I've been wondering about that. Why are you and Secchan living together, Tsukipi~? Have you finally gotten married?

Izumi: We haven't, and we don't plan on it either, alright?! We're not even living together!

This guy just suddenly rented a place in my neighborhood, and now he shows up uninvited almost every single day...

I'm the one getting thrown for a loop here!

As you know, he's been flying all around the world doing both idol and composing work.

Seems like he's got a pretty important gig coming up here in Europe, so he's using this city as his temporary base to prepare and do some work here and there, I guess?

Well, he can do whatever he wants.

But for some reason, he went and rented out a room in some cheap, shabby place, and now he keeps running over to mine ‘cause it's more comfortable or something.

I swear to God, it's sooo~ annoying!

Quit camping out at my place already! Your composing work's got you basically swimming in royalties, so why don't you just go build a mansion in some random-ass place and live there instead?!

Leo: Whaaat~? Come ooon~ Aren't we friends~? I went outta my way to help you ‘cause I knew you'd have a tough time starting model work from scratch in a foreign country, and you're gonna kick me out~?

Just how many gigs have I gotten you through my connections, huh? Tell me!

I'm preeeeetty sure I even asked for some of those gigs myself! Is that any way to talk to your investor? Hmmm~?

Izumi: Ngghh... I can't believe this! It's like our dynamic did a complete one-eighty after graduation! I mean, come on, Leo-kun of all people?! Leo-kun?!

Leo: Wahaha. So yeah, as you can see, we're gettin' along just fine~

I don't really plan on staying here that long either, so at first I just dropped by to see how he was doing.

But it really seemed like he was having a harder time than I thought.

...Sena usually prefers to be by himself, but I'm living proof that solitude just weighs on your heart until it crushes you.

I just couldn't leave him alone... So we've been keeping in touch by taking care of each other here and there.

So! Now that we've come this far, I'm pretty sure you're stuck with me for life, so why not give up already?

Your luck ran out the moment you met me, Izumi Sena-kun! Wahahahaha! ☆

Arashi: Ufufu. Aw, and here I thought it was gonna be something spicy... Oh well. Since my own path to love is still long and steep, I wanted to soothe myself with stories of other people's romances.

Leo: Oh? Are you still going after that teacher guy with the glasses, Naru? Why does everybody like glasses so much~? Should I wear ‘em too?

Ritsu: Hey, uh, fascinating conversation you've got going there, but shouldn't we get going soon?

If I recall, there's a pretty amazing venue waiting for us.

We sold out at this overseas location despite being Japanese idols, so if we're late, it'd be no laughing matter for anyone involved.

Tsukasa: Y-Yes, you're right! You've become much more reliable recently, Ritsu-senpai! It's been a great help! ♪

Ritsu: Ahaha~ We've gotta keep it together for our King, who's still young and inexperienced. ♪

Arashi: That's right. Our situation—Or rather, the entire idol industry's been turned on its head...

If we don't buckle down now, then even Knights is gonna get left behind, you know?

But either way, I'm looking forward to today's performance... for many reasons. ♪

It's been a while since we've performed all together, after all.

Some fans left us when Izumi-chan and Leo-kun stopped performing as often, so they might come back; plus, this is gonna be a huge event at the center of the world's attention.

If we do well here, it'll be a great wind in our sails.

It's not the best look if we're still relying on our seniors for everything, right?

Leo: Nah, it's cool! Count on us! No need to act all weird about it! We're comrades, after all~ If you keep that up, I'm gonna get all lonely and pouty and start up another Requiem!

Izumi: Yeah. Believe in us. We're all in the same boat here—bound together by bonds we couldn't break even if we tried. It's far too soon to be singing a requiem. ♪

Leo: Ohh, I haven't heard you speak poetically in so long, Sena! So pretty!

Now I wanna change the lyrics for today's song to Japanese... But it doesn't really go together with the melodies in this part. Hmmmm~

Heheh, this is so much fun! I'm glad I didn't quit! Composing's enough for me, but I can't help but wanna sing my own songs, too! ♪

Tsukasa: Yes. Today, you're free to sing until you drop.

For me, today's performance is an important opportunity to form connections here in Europe.

As I've been quite busy with such complicated affairs, I haven't been getting enough sleep lately, but...

Thanks to you, I'm now thoroughly tired out... Yaaawn... ♪

Ah, pardon me. It shames me that I cannot yet escape my inexperience.

Leo: Wahaha. So you were just sleepy, huh~ I was kinda worried ‘cause you seemed a little down. I guess it really is tough balancing both idol and family work, huh?

Tsukasa: Yes... I'm not handling it quite as well as Tenshouin Oniisama or Saegusa-senpai just yet.

All the same, I can't go on complaining about it. My father is still serving his role, but he isn't quite well enough to travel overseas just yet...

It falls on me to take the lead when it comes to our international business. I will protect the future of the Suou family.

Of course, I'd never neglect Knights either! Let's give it our all for the upcoming coronation performance!

Leo: Wait, we were gonna do a coronation? Oh, that's right, things kinda went sideways in Requiem...

I remember we talked about doing a bigger, fancier one once we had the chance.

Tsukasa: What did you think this performance was going to be? We're finally going to be able to carry out the ceremony Tenshouin Oniisama asked of us just before the last half of Requiem.

Ritsu: I know Ecchan was the one who asked, but Anzu seemed like she wanted us to do a coronation too.

She went out of her way to make plans for Requiem, so we should return that favor.

Izumi: ...How's Anzu doing?

Ritsu: Mm? You're not keeping in touch with her, Secchan?

Izumi: I mean... she's been following my work online, and sometimes she mails me letters of encouragement.

But she's not the type to say it when she's pushing herself or feeling down.

Well, at least the letters mean she's still alive... Though knowing her, I'm sure she wouldn't do anything that would make us idols cry.

I hope she's doing her best with a smile on her face... just like I am.

Leo: Vroom vroom! The engine's finally up and running~ I was gettin' nervous there 'cause it was acting up a little!

If you're all ready, then let's depart for battle! We march onward as we mow down the swarms of enemies! Wahahahaha! ☆

Tsukasa: P-Please don't get us into an accident, alright?

...Well, I'm glad to see you looking so happy. ♪

Fufu. Well then, let us embark in the highest spirits—to our final performance together!

Leo: Hey! Don't say “final”, or you're gonna jinx it! I know you're looking and sounding all gloomy just ‘cause you're tired, but still!

When you say it like that, it sounds like Knights is gonna break up, y'know~?

It's true that the coronation's the final live in our plans before graduation—in other words, for the time all five of us have spent together.

But not one of the units we know have broken up, and most of those guys haven't quit idol work, either!

Some of them are on temporary leave like Sena, but they're still idols when it suits their schedules!

Thanks to that mean ol' Tenshi going on about “growing pains” and keeping “that plan” a secret, everyone was in a panic just before graduation, but...

The history of idols and the future of Knights will continue on—to all places, for all eternity!

So smile, Tsukasa Suou! I'll smile too, ‘cause there's not a single thing to be sad about!

Even if, in the far off future, one of us should meet the end of their life...

In the memories and history of all the world's people, Knights' name shall shine on forever! Wahahahahaha... ☆

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