3☆ HiMERU: "An obvious chase sketch" (from 『Feature Scout: Yuuta』gacha)

Rinne: Good job today~ Looking forward to working with youuu~☆

Rinne: ーAnd that’s it for today! What d’ya think, Merumeru? Your Rinne-kun deserves more than a perfect score ☆

HiMERU: Passable score, though HiMERU is glad no quarrel occurred.

HiMERU: Your language was as vulgar as ever. Isn't it time you learn some manners?

Rinne: That's outta question! If I play the good little kiddo, I’d overshadow ya, Merumeru.

Rinne: If half the unit showcases the same stereotype, that'd be fatal for our long-term appeal.

HiMERU: Don't worry, Amagi, you could never become HiMERUー

HiMERU: Only HiMERU can be “HiMERU”.

Rinne: Uh-huh… Well, if ya say so, I guess there's gotta be some truth to it.

Rinne: So what’s the plan now? Wanna hit the pachinko or somethin’?

HiMERU: ーIf you want to go, then suit yourself. HiMERU is an idol, he doesn’t gamble.

Rinne: Idols are humans too. Gamblin' tests yer luck an' courage, but sometimes you can only follow the odds.

Rinne: Oh, the elevator was already there. Heh, Rinne-kun ‘s in luck today!

Rinne: Aight—Buh-bye, Merumeru~ Dun' be jealous when I’ll hit the jackpot! Kyahaha ☆

HiMERU: Do not fret, for HiMERU has never envied youー

HiMERU: (Now... I still have an interview for a magazine scheduled in two hours at the office, followed by a recording…)

HiMERU: (I should eat something while I’m here. The resting area should be close from there.)

HiMERU: (...Hm? I hear footsteps behind me…)

Mika: …

HiMERU: (Valkyrie’s Kagehira Mika… The one who called “me” by “that” nameー)

HiMERU: (Why are you following me? What are your intentions?)

HiMERU: (ーNo, I should calm down, surely I'm overthinking. He had plenty of openings to call out to me if he had something to say.)

HiMERU: (We just happen to walk down the same hallway. Yes, that must be it. I shouldn't pay him mind and move along with my day.)

HiMERU: (ーI accepted the yakisoba bread as per recommended by the staff, as it was fresh from the oven, but...)

HiMERU: (HiMERU would have preferred a sandwich, that would have been far easier to eat…)

HiMERU: (Well, it’s fine. No matter the shape, it will provide the necessary calories.)

HiMERU: (ー!)

Mika: …

HiMERU: (Why would he be there…)

HiMERU: (ーNo, it’s a mere coincidence. It's noon after all, he can only be there to eat.)

HiMERU: (Our tables are far apart, greeting him would probably be unnecessary. I'll just check my schedule and try to ignore his presence…)

HiMERU: (...)

HiMERU: (...He keeps glancing this way. I can't concentrate with his eyes on me.)

HiMERU: (I'll finish my meal, and immediately head to the office.)

Mika: …

HiMERU: (As tempting as trying to deduce his objective is, I have other plans to attend to…)

 

 

Mika: …Shoot, I lost him. I'm sure he turned this way though~

Mika: If I knew, I would talked to him sooner. I'm sucha dummy~!

HiMERU: (ーHiMERU knew he was being chased. It's not as crowded here, so…)

HiMERU: Good day, Kagehira-san.

Mika: Ngah!? Y-you spooked me…

Mika: I, um, I didn't know ya were here, HiMERU-san! What a coincidence~♪

HiMERU: Is it, really?

Mika: ...Hm?

HiMERU: HiMERU knows that you were heading to the rest room as well. You were staring at him while HiMERU was eating.

HiMERU: As a matter of fact, you have been following him ever since you saw HiMERU in the hallway earlier.

Mika: T-That’s…

HiMERU: (He looked away... As expected, he was plotting somethingー)

Mika: 'Tis frayed...

HiMERU: ーPardon?

Mika: Your sleeve, HiMERU-san! 'Tis frayed…!

Mika: When I saw ya in the hallway earlier, I noticed a thread hangin’ loose. But since you’re in a different unit, 'tis kinda hard to strike up a conversation with ya...

Mika: I woulda been so embarrassed if the same thin' happened to me, that’s why I felt the need to tell ya.

Mika: I thought it woulda been a bother to point it out in a room full of people... I know, I know, I was bein’ weird, I’m real sorry!

HiMERU: ...You’re right, it is indeed loose. HiMERU understands the predicament.

Mika: Ah, wait! I'll fix it for ya.

Mika: I have my sewing kit with me. This kinda thing is child’s play to me~♪

HiMERU: I see, thank you for your helpー

HiMERU: (...I heard that Vice President Saegusa informed Valkyrie of “my” true nature, however...)

HiMERU: (Could they be aiming to dig out more from me, despite the sensitive information they already hold...? I shouldn't pry, there’s no use waking up a sleeping lion—)

Mika: ...Aaand done. HiMERU-san, you can move now~♪

HiMERU: (“HiMERU-san”… Right, he only ever used “my” name that one time. Asking him further information now would risk giving him a wrong impression.)

HiMERU: (There’s no sign that he’s spreading rumours about “me” either. I suppose I can rest my suspicions for nowー)

HiMERU: ーThat was rather quick. This is impressive work.

Mika: Eheh, come on, yer gonna make me blush~ HiMERU-san ‘s good at praisin’ others.

HiMERU: HiMERU sincerely appreciates your help. Despite our different unit affiliation, we are still idols from Cospro, therefore...

HiMERU: Feel free to come to HiMERU any time you find yourself in need.

Mika: Ya sure? I'll remember it~

Mika: HiMERU-san, y' share a room with Naru-chan, right? I hope we can become friends too then~

HiMERU: Indeed. HiMERU hopes so tooー

"Behind the scenes of BLAST"

Scenario writer: Ryoko Seki

Posted on June 24th, 2020 (original post)

Reading recommended after listening to DIG-ROCK ―DUEL FES― Vol.1 (track 5)

 

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Suddenly, the weight that was binding me tightly disappeared, and the adrenaline slowly unraveled. From my guts, heart, to my throat, the heat traveled all the way through my face up to the roof of my skull, where it had nowhere to escape. From head to toe I felt warm—too warm—and crazily giddy. Ah, just like when you faint from heat stroke in the bath.

I hurried myself up; to my surprise, I couldn't even walk straight. I had no other choice but to hold my body using the wall next to the sound equipment, pressing my back on a corner. I didn’t want to get in the way. I could tell that the people passing by would get startled—I looked up, blurting out a small apology.

ー The stage.

Too bright, the darkness over here making it impossible to see a thing. Blinding, distant. Yet…

(Why was he aiming directly at us.)

His devious, calculating voice played fool behind haughty pretenses, and fiercely pierced me right through my heart.

Say, what do you eat, what's your routine—how do you live with a voice like that?

What kind of face do you make, what do you think about when singing with that obscene mouth?

(...It's useless to try 'n make sense of it.)

I don’t get it, like, at all.

(It won’t do, far from it.)

My heart aches. His voice reverberates throughout my body, raging. Painful. Even so… I must listen to him.

Ain’t that unfair.

"Hey, Tsugu."

Before I knew it, Toki was beside me. I burst out laughing.

“What are you laughing at?”

“Fo’real, you’re squatting like a real delinquent in those movies.” (1)

“Oh shut up.”

After that, his lips sealed shut, yet a voice still lingered—"We did it, we made it here." I couldn’t clearly hear it, but I’m persuaded it was there. Ah, I'm being real dumb now, aren't I...

“You look annoyed.” Toki said, looking at me with eyes that didn’t smile, not even for a second. I gazed deep back into hisーah, so that’s what it is, that's what it means to lock eyes, to connect with someone.

A sudden thought came to me:

“Hey, Toki, tell me.”

“Hm?”

“Have you ever felt like you’d almost die from adrenaline?”

Same as ever, heavy bass was overwhelmingly crushing the stage.

My eardrums were palpitating from the relentless drumming; the songs, the melodies and the cheers pierced right through me. Lost between the borders of reality, my head was boiling with the noise, unable to know what was going on anymore. Still, in spite of everything:

“I did.” Toki answered quietly.

Everything around us was absurdly loud, I couldn’t have possibly heard that—yet, it was clear as day to me. There's clearly something wrong with me right now.

“Come on, get up. We're going back after their encore, so get ready.”

“Got it. ...Ah.”

I looked up at Toki. I was surprised to find his fingers were cold as ice when I took them.

”What now?”

”You too...”

”Me?”

“You’re over the moon, ain'tcha.”

His face was bright red. His fingers, freezing cold, may be due to all the blood flowing back from the neck up, just like I was.

“We’re in the same boat here!”

“No we’re not.”

Toki spun on his heels, looking all grumpy.

“You’re lying.”

“Just shut up.”

“Come ooon, embrace it!”

The back of his ears were obviously bright red.

”Oh well, ‘s fine.”

My ears and heart were still painfully convulsing, but our fingers gradually got their warmth back again.

It felt good.

So I decided to forgive his little lie, just this once.

 

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(1) The sentence here originally says 「なんか横でウンコ座りしてんし」which would literally translate to “squat (or sit) like you’re taking a dump”, which is why Tsugumi is laughing in the first place. The closest image would be the typical yankee squat mentioned, sitting on your heels.