アンコール | "I got roped into... becoming an idol." Finn sighed in defeat.
Rayne blinked once, twice, and even thrice. He tilted his head to the side, eyebrows furrowing in confusion, "You're going to be a what now?"
After graduating from Easton Magic A...
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CHAPTER XVI < Himeakira and Brotherhood > 《Shifting into the Critic's Shadows Arc》
HIMEAKIRA had been practicing for weeks, perfecting every note and every step. Along with the time-consuming amount of practice, they were not short of online presence. With the power of YouTube, InstaMage, and other social media sites, Wirth and the rest of Himeakira have tried their best to promote their new idol.
While there were less and less backlash and more positive comments toward Finn, the hate did not completely dissipate. It's almost like one person is hiding behind a dozen faces, whispering the same venom through every crack.
"Ames-kun," Wirth cleared his throat and leaned against a wall, "You doing good?"
Finn was pacing back and forth, his heart racing in his chest, hands trembling as he fiddled with the hem of his jacket. "I—I'm fine, just—uh, you know, normal pre-concert jitters," He stammered, though it was painfully obvious to anyone who looked at him that he was far from 'fine.'
Wirth raised an eyebrow, "You sure, lil' bro? Because, uh, I've seen people with the jitters, and you look more like you're about to pass out."
Finn stopped mid-pace, "I know! It's just—I can't mess this up! All of them are original songs, and—" He panicked, "And one of them is something I wrote! What if they didn't like it? What if it's boring? What if it's cringe?!"
"Hey, hey, hey," The latter immediately grabbed his shoulders, "Breathe." He gently placed a hand on Finn's shoulder, reassuringly squeezing it. "You're going to be fine."
"...How do you know that?"
"Because I've seen you practice, like, a million times," He said, playfully rolling his eyes, "You've nailed it every time, this thing will just be a piece of cake."
Finn blinked, his heart still racing, but Wirth's steady hand on his shoulder felt grounding. He didn't pull away. "But what if—"
"Oh my god, you're such a worrywart!" Wirth's hand slid from the idol's shoulder to lightly bop him on the nose, which earned him a startled stare from Finn. "If you keep this up, I won't be surprised if you fall unconscious right now."
"I... It's just that..."
"You're basically a ball of nerves right now, dude." Wirth smirked, tilting his head, "But you're also Finn Ames. You're talented. You're dedicated. And honestly? You're going to crush this performance."
"M-Madl-san..."
"Trust me, it'll be fine." He winked, "I'm proud of 'ya, lil' bro."
"S-Stop that! I can't have two big brothers!"
"Nope, not stopping." He teased, "You need to hear it. You're going to be amazing tonight, and Rayne-san's going to be just as proud as I am."
"Nii-chan..." Finn pondered over his big brother. "I hope I don't disappoint him."
