Episode 73 – Became Lost…..I

“Gy-Gyuee–…..”

Making a sound like a dying duck, I had arrived at the Makuhari Messe Arena, the venue of the Valentine’s Day live concert, with my fellow otaku Sawamura
The time is 4:00 in the afternoon. The start time is 5:00 p.m., so there is still more than an hour to go.

“Why are there so many people here ……?”
“No, of course that is a fact”

Sawamura, by the way, seemed surprisingly unconcerned.
As one would expect from a former good-looking guy. No, I don’t think it has anything to do with being good-looking.

“I might be down before the gig starts, ……”
“I hope you will be strong, that I do. As you can imagine, I don’t have enough time to fully enjoy this concert solo, that I don’t.”

Indeed, I looked around.

There was a group of high school girls in uniformed clothes, and a group of college-aged men spinning towels of the bands performing today.
In other words, we were a little less excited than those around us. This was not because of the heat of the crowd, but rather because we were not of the same caliber as the others.

What was perhaps surprising was that the male-female ratio was not that clear.
I thought there would be many male fans since it was a Valentine’s Day concert, but there were many female fans as well.
It was true that Mirei and Kotoha had many female fans.

“Huh?”

Overwhelmed by the crowd of people in the arena that had mobilized such a large number of people, I looked around and happened to spot someone I knew there.

“Kasugai…..san?”
“…..Ehh!?”

I found Kasugai san being swallowed and swept away by many people, and without thinking, I reached out and helped her out.
She was being swept away in an interesting way, “Donburako, donburako, donburako.”
(TL/N : an onomatopoeia representing that a heavy and large thing bobbing up and down in the stream of water.)

“N-Nagishiro kun, is it? Why are you here!?
“That’s my line. I didn’t expect Kasugai san to be here. ……”

Surprising, but not unexpected. This is because I had never had the impression that Kasugai san would participate in such an enthusiastic event.
If anything, she seems more like she would be at a museum or art museum.

“wait, what’s going on? What’s going on here?”

I thought it would be awkward for Sawamura to see me talking with a girl, but before I knew it, he was gone.
He was so friendly that it was almost disgusting.

“Ah, uh, …… I’m actually here with my younger sister”
“Heee, so you have a sister.”

I guess this is not another surprise ……. If Kasugai san has a brother or sister, it is probably an older brother or a younger sister. I don’t disagree with that.

“And this sister of yours is ……?”
“…… I’m lost. …… I”
“Kasugai san, lost !!!”

Don’t the older ones usually lead the younger ones?
the older sister is the lost one. ……

“No, no! I didn’t want to get lost.”
“There’s no one like that. ……”
“Ah, no! It’s not that. I just couldn’t read the map. …………”

Kasugai san slumped down on the spot after saying that.
Apparently, she is the type of person who cannot read a map. I guess it was good that she did not have a poor sense of direction.

Seeing Kasugai san about to start crying, I indeed took pity on her, so I held out my hand.

“Then let’s go together now to that rendezvous point.”

When I said this, Kasugai san looked at me strangely at first, but shortly thereafter, a flower blossomed on her face.

“Yes! Please !”

Maybe she was alone and anxious all the time.

–I know what you mean. I get lost a lot too.

I left the luggage and location with Sawamura, who had just returned, and we headed to Kasugai san’s sister’s place.

＊

30 minutes before the show. The atmosphere in the waiting room was a bit tense.

One of the many waiting rooms. It was mainly a place for the performers to relax.

（What’s with the air? Oh no, oh no, why is Mia san in the same waiting room?)

Haruka Kisaragi, who belonged to the group, was terribly flustered. She is in the same idol group as Azusa, “Shanponika!”
But that is not unreasonable.

Haruka is a timid girl who is even shy to the other members of the same idol group, Azusa.
Or rather, she thinks, without patronizing her, that it is thanks to Azusa that “Shanponika!” has come this far

All members knew that Azusa was the immovable center, and yet no one complained about it. In fact, they even welcomed her.
I think this is because of Azusa’s personality. In fact, Haruka also loves and respects Azusa and has no negative feelings toward her.

However, if anything, she feels a sense of guilt. She is aware that azusa alone bears the entire burden of this group.
In fact, when she was the victim of stalking about six months ago, it became difficult to continue our activities.

Well, to put it simply, she knows that she and Azusa are not on the same level.
She knows and is proud of the fact that she is a higher being, and that is exactly what she is competing with Shirakawa Kotoha and Harushita Suzune, who are here.

“Hey, Azusa….”
“Hnn, what is it?”

When her voice echoes in the room, it is as if it alone brings life back into this room.

It is a natural brightness.

Haruka asks her to drop the volume even more.

“Why is the atmosphere like this!? I don’t think it’s the atmosphere before a live show……”

It’s not the same as nervousness, it’s a swarthy air to say the least.　
Or rather, Haruka thinks that she is the only one who is so nervous among the members who seem to be here in the first place.

In response to Haruka’s question, Azusa answers with a troubled laugh.

“Maybe everyone can’t spare it……?”
“Spare…?”

So Haruka feels uncomfortable about Azusa saying this.
What exactly is it that they cannot spare?

“Well, the fact is I can’t spare it either. ……”

It is true that when she looks into Azusa’s eyes, she seems to have stayed up a little later than usual, and her eyes are a little dimmer than usual.
However, when she is on stage, she is strangely more lively than anyone else.

But, as said, Haruka does indeed look tired when looking at the other performers.

“Why can’t you spare it?”
“Hmmm, well, that’s the thing. ……”

So Azusa also drops the volume.

“You know that I sing at the end?”
“aah, yeah.”

I believe the schedule was for the representatives of each member to collaborate together at the end.
Haruka is not at all jealous that Azusa will be there, and is genuinely looking forward to it. It’s just that the members are the members.

“So I found out yesterday what song we’re going to sing”
“Yesterday!?”

Haruka was tempted to blame the management for not having decided on a song to perform on such an important stage.
But as if anticipating this, Azusa hastily adds, “We had to decide on a song.”

“No, no, no. Or should I say, “Yesterday made” to be more precise?
“Huh!?”

She almost had a stroke. How is it possible to sing such a song that was just created yesterday?
She still wanted to resent the management for failing to coordinate the schedule.

“So what’s wrong with that song?”

She asked if there was any story behind the song. If it was just that the song was written yesterday,She thought Azusa would understand it completely in a day. It doesn’t seem that exhausting.
Azusa’s ability to do so is outstanding.

“Well, that’s the thing.”

Azusa looks troubled, as if to say, “Oh dear”

“You wrote a hell of a song, didn’t you, …… Senpai?”
“Senpai?”

Haruka was a little unconvinced by Azusa’s blurred answer, but it was almost time for the show to begin.

“Shanponika! Stand by, please!”

The clear voice of the staff flies in.

So Haruka, and Azusa, too. Then the other three members of “Shanponika!” who had been as dejected as Haruka until then, changed their minds and hearts.

They were the first to take the lead among this impressive lineup.

Haruka and her team leapt onto the stage with renewed enthusiasm, determined not to let half-hearted enthusiasm get in the way.