rubestie

Season: Autumn

Writer: Nishioka (feat. Akira)

Characters: Tori, Yuzuru, Hajime, Ritsu, Mao, Mika, Arashi, Anzu, Young inn owner and old inn owner

Tori: Hah, hah. We finally arrived. We've been walking for so long that my legs feel like jelly~. Ugh. My legs are so stiff… I can’t take another step.

Yuzuru: Fufu. You did do well to make it this far. Allow me to carry your luggage the rest of the way to the room.

Tori: Eh, is that okay? Thank you, Yuzuru.

Yuzuru: Would you like me to carry your luggage while I’m at it, Anzu-san?

Oh? I don’t mind. Please don’t hold back on my part. I will be carrying Bocchama’s luggage over there anyhow.

Ritsu: N? Is something wrong, Ha~kun? You’re zoning out.

Hajime: Ah, no. I was just admiring this courtyard.

I like the garden terrace in Yumenosaki as well, but this kind of Japanese-style garden has an entirely different flavor from that type of Western-style garden. It’s somehow refreshing.

I bet it would be fun to hold a tea party in this gorgeous courtyard ♪

Ritsu: I agree. We haven’t been able to hold our regular activitiesin FLAVOR lately, either…

It would probably be impossible for us to hold a tea party in the middle of this courtyard, but…

Once we’ve gotten settled in our rooms and things have calmed down, why don’t we go to the veranda and have a cup of tea together while admiring the view? Ha~kun?

Hajime: Uwaa, how lovely ♪ I would love that, Ritsu-senpai. I actually brought some tea leaves as well.

mika+hajime

Mika: Nn? I can see two men wearin’ Japanese clothing over there comin’ towards us… Could it be the people workin’ at this inn?

Mao: N~? Aah, that seems to be the case. We should say hi.

(One is a smiling middle-aged guy, and the other is an older man… So these people must be the young and old master who're the main characters of this argument.)

Hello, good morning. We will be in your care starting today. Uuhm, we are-

Young master: You must be the idols who were sent here from ES. We have received your messages.

Everyone, allow me to welcome you here. I am in charge of this inn, and my name is Kiriyama Masato. And this is my father, Kiriyama Tadao.

Mao: Oh, thank you. Nice to meet you.

Old master: …Indeed.

Mao: (Woah, how intense. The old master seems like he’s kinda strict.)

(Actually. Why would this kind of person even agree to participate in a project like this? He doesn’t seem like the type to watch variety shows at all. And even the inn feels like it takes itself very seriously somehow.)

(I feel kinda nervous all of a sudden… Did they really understand the point of this program when they consented…?)

Young master: ? Oh? Is something the matter?

Mao: Eh, ah, no, uhm~… It might be impolite for us to ask this of you, but. Are you really okay with making your decision in this manner?

Did they really explain the purpose of this project to you properly…?

Young master: Ah, so that’s what you were thinking about.

We were told that the idols gathered here now would “compete over the fate of the inn, and the winner will get the right to decide”. Is that not it?

Arashi: It seems like you’ve been properly informed then. But I can’t help but wonder what made you agree to this plan? We would all like to know…

Young master: It is as I've told the TV station staff.

Me and my father couldn’t agree on what direction to take this inn. No matter how many times we discussed it, we could never come to a conclusion.

At this rate, we will never be able to see eye to eye.

As embarrassing as it is, I doubt we would ever be able to decide anything unless we went with something like this. I expected this was the push we needed to be able to accept whatever outcome.

Mao: Huh…

Young master: Which means that we are asking this of you in full understanding of what it entails, please do not worry.

Rather, I would like to extend our apologies for any inconvenience we might have caused you because of our situation. And thank you very much for your cooperation.

Mao: Ah… No, the pleasure is all on our side, thank you very much!

Young master: Well then, everyone. There’s no point in standing around and talking in this place, so please allow me to show you all to your rooms.

mao+arashi