I became a girl group idol for my sister.

Of course, the final ranking is uncertain, since sometimes the preliminary results are not good, so some fans frantically vote for their idols before the deadline.

"Thirty-eighth place, with a final vote count of 5020, SKR Team K, Matsui Sakiko!"

"Thirty-seventh place, with a final vote count of 5220, SKR Team S..."

"Thirty-sixth place..."

"Thirty-fifth place, with a final vote count of 5411, SKR Team 4, Mimi Okawa!"

Finally, her usual training and performance partners reappeared, and just as Ichikawa Orihime had predicted, Ookawa Mimi also made it into the finals.

And it's ranked thirty-fifth!

This girl, who usually enjoys appearing on variety shows and is very good at creating funny moments, also looked like she was about to cry.

However, they are not the main characters today; it is others.

……

"The top ten are now announced!"

"Tenth place, with 36929 final votes, SKG Team S II, Rena Matsuda!"

"Ninth place, with 45227 final votes, SKR Team S, Tsukikawa Ayaka!"

"Eighth place, with a final vote count of 50403, SKR Team K, Tomomi Ito!"

Hearing the rankings and seeing Ito Tomomi crying, Miyamoto Sei was at a loss for words.

He recalled that in the second general election, Tomomi Ito ranked fourth with 13474 votes, but today, although her votes increased several times, her ranking dropped to eighth.

But no matter what, what people are really afraid of is not being selected, or even falling out of the selection group.

"Seventh place, with a final vote count of 52790, SKR Team S, Minami Sakagami!"

Miyamoto looked at Sakagami Minami and saw that although there were tear stains on her face, she still stood up with a smile. She happily bowed to the fans, waved, and skipped onto the stage.

Seeing this, Miyamoto was certain that he didn't need to worry too much about his senior, Sakagami Minami.

"This year, I want to add another dream. I said this at this event last year as well: my love for SKR is second to none. As I think about what I can do for SKR, I hope that I can realize my dream within SKR, and that my teammates will continue to grow with me in the future..."

Tears began to well up again. Sakagami Minami couldn't control her tear ducts, and tears dripped down her cheeks.

"Or perhaps they are companions who will leave in the future."

"I want to stay in this position called companion, in this closest position, and always protect everyone!"

"Then, hard work will definitely pay off, and I, Minami Sakagami, will spend my whole life proving that!"

"Please continue to support me, Sakagami Minami, and this family. Thank you all!"

"This is the seventh one, Minami Sakagami. It was an excellent thank-you speech. For the members, you are the Southern Cross that guides them!" the host said, quoting Risa Amagai's comment.

Upon hearing this, Sakagami Minami, who was talking to her companion in the seat in front of her, immediately put on a serious expression and slowly raised her right hand, a gesture that made the whole room burst into laughter again.

"Sixth place, with a final vote count of 52920, SKR Team S, Rina Asuka!"

Asuka Rina, sobbing, appeared very frail. She gently grasped the microphone, her voice still nasal.

“I am truly grateful to everyone who voted for me. This year’s election was filled with anxiety, but I received a lot of encouragement from my fans, which calmed me down. How should I put it… Although everyone told me to relax, I was also preparing for my tenth-place speech, so my mind is completely blank right now, and I don’t know what to say.”

Hearing this, Miyamoto couldn't help but laugh. Asuka Rina's preliminary results were tenth, and given that she usually seemed rather laid-back and didn't really know how to motivate fans to vote, that's why she was so nervous.

The comments about Rina Asuka were surprisingly poetic.

"The sky during the plum rain season tells unfinished stories and conveys the message of spring."

Hearing this comment, Miyamoto couldn't help but admire Risa Amagai. Not only was she good at writing lyrics, but she also had an unexpected talent for writing something like "Mogami River".

"Fifth place, with a final vote count of 59118, SKR Team R, Watanabe Hikaru!"

Watanabe Hikaru stood up with a smile, looking as if she wasn't under much pressure. She turned around and bowed to her fans, then carefully opened her arms as if spreading her wings and walked onto the stage.

"Hi everyone, good evening. I'm Watanabe Hikaru from SKR Team R. Thank you so much for supporting me in this general election!"

She said these words with a smile, and she seemed very relaxed, not relaxed after pressure, but rather relaxed as if she had always been.

"I am truly grateful for the voices of my fans who have supported me all along. However, this ranking is just a number, and it cannot affect me. I will continue to believe in myself and in everyone, and continue on the path I have chosen."

"I believe in everyone, and I ask you to believe in me too! Please continue to support Watanabe Hikaru. I am truly grateful to everyone this time!"

"Return to the pupa, and soon you will be reborn as a butterfly."

As Risa Amagai commented, Hikaru Watanabe walked towards her seat, making a peace sign and saying "V" as she passed Miyamoto Sei.

"Fourth place, with a final vote count of 60539, SKR Team S, Kato Asahi!"

"Third place, with 74252 votes, SKR Team R, Mai Yasunaga!"

With the third place finisher's runner-up also gone, the most crucial moment has finally arrived.

"So once again, I would like to ask all the fans to help us out. This general election has become a social phenomenon and has even made it into the newspapers. It is indeed shaped by everyone and has become the focus of the times! Now only the second and first place are left. Please be sure to show your deep concern for the two members who have been selected. This is the basic etiquette of being an SKR fan!"

Below the stage, Higashi Hisako Ogiko had her head down, looking extremely uneasy. Even Naoki Sakurako, who was usually carefree, raised her head, but you could still see the worry on her face.

As the host spoke, applause broke out from the audience. Compared to the shouts from Higashi Hisa during the first general election, no one shouted such things this time.

"Let's begin the announcement, second place!"

"The second-place winner in this year's general election is [name omitted], whose final vote count is four times that of last year, 122843!" This caused a gasp from the audience. This number was indeed astonishing, and it had already created a huge gap between [name omitted] and the next few.

"SKR Team K, Naoki Sakurako!"

Perhaps finally knowing her ranking, Naoki Sakurako smiled, stood up, and bowed to her fans. At that moment, Higashi Hisako Ogiko also bent over and cried. The result had been revealed at this moment, even though her name had not yet been called out.

"Please look at these final votes. They are four times more than last year's. Congratulations to everyone who follows Naoki-san for spreading love!"

"Congratulations! Please greet everyone with confidence and pride!"

As the host spoke, Naoki Sakurako stood calmly on the stage and began to speak.

"Observers have also made various comments about this election. Some people bought multiple tickets to increase their vote count. Is this really a general election? Isn't an election supposed to be one person, one vote? There are many such comments surrounding SKR. However, for us, the vote count represents everyone's love for us!"

By the end, her voice was trembling with emotion, though she tried hard not to shed a tear. The moment she finished speaking, the entire audience erupted in cheers and enthusiastic applause.

"Although we did not win again in this selection, we received a lot of love votes from everyone. It is because we are loved by everyone that we can hold this event on this big stage and in this big martial arts hall."

"Last year, I was number one and sang 'Endless Replay' as the center, which is a very precious song to me."

Tears streamed down her face.

"Even though my next single came in second place, I won't be satisfied. I will work even harder to sing and dance!"

With a smile, he uttered those last words.

Thank you everyone for your love!

As Amagai Risa commented on Naoki Sakurako, Miyamoto Seto couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Even knowing the ending, one can't help but feel tense in this atmosphere.

"Oji-chan sauce!"

"Oji-chan sauce!"

The fans started chanting, it was still Higashi Hisa's call, but unlike last time, this was a real Higashi Hisa's call, a shout of support for her.

Amidst the fans' enthusiastic shouts, the host continued speaking.

"Now, let us solemnly announce that the first place in the SKR 22nd Single Selection General Election is..."

Higashi Hisako took a few deep breaths, and the host announced the name that everyone was eagerly anticipating.

"Final votes: 139892, SKR Team S, Higashi Hisako Ogiko!"

She stood up amidst her tears, bowed to the left and right, and then walked towards the stage.

"Higashikuze Ogiko has returned in the general election. She regrettably lost first place last year, but on the bright side, she has been thinking about what she can do this year. The symbol of SKR, Higashikuze Ogiko, is completely resurrected!"

Still weeping, she bowed deeply to everyone once more before standing in front of the microphone.

"Now let's present the trophy symbolizing Top selection to the beautiful Higashi Hisayo-san who won first place!"

"So, regarding this unimaginable total number of votes, which exceeds 13 and is close to 14, please be sure to express your feelings at this moment."

After several deep breaths, even though several minutes had passed, Higashikuse Ogiko was still having some difficulty breathing.

The pressure that had been building up over the past few days was finally released at this moment.

"Everyone, thank you so much. I've thought about a lot of things this year. As the days go by, even though so many people support me, I still struggle with loneliness and live a life of my own. But now I feel deeply once again that so many people are supporting and encouraging me!"

"Of course, I know there are people who hate me, but I have only one request: even if you hate me, please don't hate SKR!"

Miyamoto looked at Higashikuze Ogiko with some surprise. He had never expected her to say such a thing. As if sensing something, he turned around and saw Naoki Sakurako standing in a high position behind him, smiling and looking at Higashikuze Ogiko as well.

"In order to gain everyone's recognition, I will work hard in my own way from now on!"

"I am truly grateful to everyone who has always cared for me so warmly, and to everyone who has supported me so much! Thank you!"

After listening to what Higashikuze Ogiko said, Miyamoto Sei finally understood.

So, in reality, I've been constantly doubting myself, wondering if I still have the ability and the right to stand in the number one position. It's precisely because of this constant self-doubt that I feel lonely and under so much pressure.

But at this moment, listening to the shouts of those fans should make it clear, right? The fans' answer is, yes, they have the right!