rubestie | Entries tagged with kaoru

Season: Winter

Writer: Suika

Characters: Kaoru, Anzu

<The day of the meeting>

kaoru

Kaoru: Sigh…

(Ever since Rei-kun said that thing, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this meeting.)

(I thought about sending Anzu-chan a message about it, but I didn’t want to sabotage our plans to watch movies together.)

(As I told him from the beginning, I still think Rei-kun is just overthinking things~)

Woah, Anzu-chan!?

So you were here already? Don’t tell me I made you wait?

You haven’t been waiting that long? That’s good then…!

Nope, nothing’s the matter~!

(...Let’s calm down. I don’t want to act uncool in front of Anzu-chan.)

(Look, Anzu-chan is acting just as usual. As far as I can tell, there really wasn’t any deeper meaning behind today’s meeting.)

(Me and Anzu-chan are going to have a work meeting to prepare for my feature live. That’s all there is to it.)

N, did you finish preparing already?

If I remember correctly, Anzu-chan had a meeting scheduled this morning, right? I had the entire morning off, so if you had let me known, I would’ve helped you prepare at least.

This is all part of your duties as a producer, you say?

I see. Thank you for everything as usual ♪︎

Huh. I’ve been to this room several times before, but closing the blinds like this really changes the atmosphere.

Looks like the projector is ready. …Ah, are these the movies you’ve picked out?

A refreshing summer romance, a love escape story, and this is an action-packed love story.

All of these look really interesting ♪︎ It’s making it hard to decide which one to watch first.

Anzu-chan, which one would you like to start with?

…Wait, what? Anzu-chan?

Ah, you’re back. Where did you disappear to?

Is that popcorn in your hand? So you went to get this prepared by the clerk.

It’s true that popcorn is a must for movies.

…And this is a blanket? You prepared this for me?

Thank you… I appreciate the feelings behind all this, but it’s okay if you take it more easy you know?

You want to know if there’s anything else I need? Uhm… I can’t think of anything right now.

(Anzu-chan went out of her way to prepare all of this for me.)

(I can’t help but feel like she’s being strangely attentive though… I might be overthinking things though.)

…Eh, sorry. I was lost in my thoughts just now.

Seat…? Aah, you want me to sit over here, right?

Wait, what!? Anzu-chan, are you going to sit there!?

No, it’s not a problem at all! I don’t mind, but…

(That’s like directly next to me, right? Even if this is for work, why does she want to sit this close and watch a movie?)

(...There really is something weird about Anzu-chan today.)

(It’s definitely not just me overthinking things, it feels like she’s putting way too much effort into this day.)

(Why? I can’t imagine any reason for her to do all this.)

(...Could it be, was Rei-kun right when he said Anzu-chan must have some other motive behind this meeting?)

(For example, maybe there’s something she’s worried about?)

(If that’s the case, I need to figure out what she’s worried about…)

(I’m sorry. I can’t understand what’s going through Anzu-chan’s head at all.)

(Since I can’t read her mind, there’s nothing else to do but to ask her outright… If I tried to watch the movie with all of these feelings inside of me, there’s no way I’d be able to focus at all.)

…I’m sorry, Anzu-chan. I’m not a good enough person, so I didn’t notice you were feeling this way…

So, could you please spell it out for me? I’ll do my best to respond to your feelings.

“What are you talking about?”, you say?

No, it’s just that I felt like Anzu-chan was too excited today for this to just be a regular meeting…

You didn’t even tell me the name of the movie. And we’re sitting weirdly close together, and I couldn’t calm down at all.

Which is what got me thinking that there might be some different purpose behind this situation outside of just a work meeting.

…You want to take pictures for the pamphlet?

I heard we would be making a pamphlet to go with the feature live.

You were trying to create a comfortable atmosphere for me to relax in so we could take some off-shots?

So that’s what the blanket and popcorn were for… Then why did Anzu-chan sit so close to me?

√AtoZ was so well-received, so you wanted to take the pictures from a perspective as if we were watching movies together…

So then the reason why you didn’t tell me the name of the movie was…

You just forgot about it… I see~

“I’m sorry if I confused you”? Don’t be. This is all my fault for overthinking things.

Off-shots, huh~. I knew we were supposed to take pictures, but I had completely forgotten about it until now.

(Sigh… Rei-kun made me weirdly self-conscious.)

Now I feel somehow relieved, though. Anzu-chan was just being herself after all.

So you’ll be taking some pictures while we’re watching the movie. Yup, that’s okay. Go off.

But since we’re going to watch the movie together, I’d like it if Anzu-chan was able to enjoy herself as well ♪︎

Huh… That’s an interesting camera angle.

I wonder if they’re deliberately omitting the actor’s face from view to leave room for the viewer’s imagination…?

Anzu-chan thought the same thing? That’s a relief ♪︎

Ah, the lighting effects in this scene are nice. We might be able to emulate those onstage.

“This is educational”, you say? No way, I’m just saying out loud whatever goes through my head.

Rather than that, look at that, Anzu-chan! It looks like the escape scene is gonna start now ♪︎

That was a fun movie~. Those last scenes were so exciting I completely forgot to think about the technicalities.

I really liked the image of the town during night. It might be interesting to try and to a live using that kind of atmosphere… What did you think, Anzu-chan?

You felt it was really interesting and that you learned a lot?

Fufu. That’s good then. I also had fun watching the movie with Anzu-chan ♪︎

You were able to take some photos too, right? It would make me happy if you were able to take some photos you feel satisfied with.

…Anzu-chan, do you have time after this?

There are still a couple movies left out of the ones you prepared for today, so it would be sad to end things after just one movie.

If it’s okay with Anzu-chan, why don’t we stay and watch some more?

“I was planning to”, huh? Well then, which movie do you want to watch next?

…Anzu-chan, did you just get a message from someone?

You invited Tomoya-kun and Hidaka-kun over here as helpers to prepare for my feature live?

And they just contacted you to let you know they’ll be here soon…

No, nothing’s wrong.

(Honestly speaking, I wish we could have spent a little longer just the two of us…)

(However, I was able to see Anzu-chan’s happy expression… I guess that’s enough for today ♪︎)

Season: Winter

Writer: Suika

Characters: Kaoru, Anzu, Rei

Kaoru: ~♪︎

(Anzu-chan finally came to ask me about my feature live ♪︎)

(It seemed like everyone except me were getting to do their feature lives one by one, so I was getting nervous that she hadn't reached out to me yet…)

(But once I got that message from her, it felt like all my worries had been blown away…♪︎)

(I made sure to watch through a bunch of the previous feature lives in preparation for today, and each one sure was unique~)

(It must be because everyone's making use of their strong points~. It's finally my turn to hold a solo live, I want to make it something special.)

…Ah, thanks for coming, Anzu-chan.

No, I only just arrived myself. C'mere, sit down, sit down ♪︎

I look like I'm pretty happy, you say?

Well of course I am. I've really been looking forward to today, you know?

Y, you feel the same way, Anzu-chan? “I'll work hard to make it a good live”?

Ahaha, I'll leave it to you then~

Hm? You want to jump straight into discussing my feature live?

Okay. I've done a bunch of research myself, but… First I want to hear your thoughts, Anzu-chan ♪︎

I see. Your idea was super easy to understand, Anzu-chan.

I'll leave a gap in my schedule open so we can take the photos for the pamphlet.

…Then, now it's my turn. Let's talk about what I want my feature live to look like.

Having said that, it's not like I have anything specific in mind for what I want the stage to be like.

But since it's my own solo live, I want it to be something special so everyone who comes to see me will feel happy.

I guess I want it to feel like a special live unlike anything I've ever been part of before, something that can only be possible because it is Hakaze Kaoru's feature live.

This solo live is important to me, I think my fans would like it if we included some surprises.

However, I've been contemplating how exactly to create this special feeling… I managed to come up with a couple ideas, but.

…Hm? You're curious about this memo pad? I've been noting down some of my ideas for the feature live, you see~

Y, you want me to show you my notes!?

No, it's not a problem at all! It's just, I've been noting down whatever I could think of, so there's no coherence at all and it might be difficult to read…

You don't mind? …Well then, okay. Here ya go.

(What an oversight. If I had known Anzu-chan would want to look at my notes, I would have used much prettier handwriting…)

(I wonder if she's even able to understand what I've written?)

Eh, what? Is something wrong?

You're curious about the page that says "doing a skit"?

Well, you know how I've been starring in a bunch of dramas this year, right?

I thought it might be interesting to make use of that experience and put on some skits in between the songs during the live.

But if I'm going to include skits like that, I thought it would be better if I managed to create a story narrative for the whole live to follow…

My acting skills aren't anything to write home about yet though, so I got worried about whether that would be taking on more than I could manage.

I wrote it down as soon as I thought of it, but later on I started wondering if it was even doable in the first place…

Eh? You like that idea, Anzu-chan?

You thought my acting was really good in “Love and Beast”, so you don't think there's anything to worry about?

…I see. If Anzu-chan says so, I guess I'd better muster up some courage and go for it.

Okay. Then my feature live will be a fusion of theatrical skits and live performances to create that special feeling I wanted.

Now that that's decided, we need to get a more concrete image for what the live should look like.

I guess the best place to start might really be to find something to use as material for inspiration?

“I'll look for material on my end as well”, you say?

Ahaha, that's a huge help. Thank you as always, Anzu-chan.

Kaoru: Funfufu~n ♪︎

kaoru+rei

Rei: What’s that, Kaoru-kun? You must be in quite the great mood to start humming like that.

Kaoru: Eh!? Was I humming?

Wow~, I didn’t notice at all. That was completely unintentional.

Rei: I think it’s nice, though. I highly prefer it to you feeling down.

Are you that excited for today’s recording? I guess that’s to be expected since all of us in UNDEAD are going to be appearing on this music program together.

Kaoru: Well, that’s part of it. Koga-kun was really hyped for this recording too, after all.

Rei: It’s part of it, which means… There’s something else you’re looking forward to as well?

Kaoru: That’s right. You see, I made plans to go watch movies with Anzu-chan tomorrow~♪︎

Having said that, we’ll just be looking through video materials that might come in handy for preparing my feature live.

Rei: Now that you mention it, you did get all giddy the other day about finally being contacted for your feature live.

Kaoru: Now, now, Rei-kun. Saying I was giddy is a bit of an exaggeration, no?

Rei: Nope, I think that wording is apt. It’s not something to be embarrassed about.

For the special outfits as well, I remember you getting increasingly nervous because your turn came so late.

Kaoru: You only think it’s funny because you didn’t have to go through it. I was pretty seriously worried about that.

Rei: Kukuku, I am well aware.

If I recall correctly, Kaoru-kun’s feature live is supposed to feature small skits between the songs, right?

It sounds as if it will offer something rather different from other live shows, so I am looking forward to it as well.

Kaoru: Thanks. …But I still haven’t quite decided what kind of live I want to create~

Which is why we decided to have a meeting tomorrow to look through some materials for inspiration.

Rei: Hm. If you feel worried, I will lend you my strength too.

Would you like for me to participate in tomorrow’s meeting with you?

Kaoru: Eh!?

(It’s true that Rei-kun is really knowledgeable, and he could provide valuable opinions to help us make the live a success.)

(But this is finally my chance to spend some alone time with Anzu-chan…)

Rei: Kaoru-kun. I was just joking, please don’t get so seriously agonized about it.

Kaoru: Ah, I see!

Rei: However, to think you’ll be watching movies alone with the Young lady… That makes me a little curious.

Kaoru-kun. Have you asked her the title of the movie you will be watching tomorrow?

Kaoru: …No, now that you mention it I haven’t.

Anzu-chan messaged me to say she had found some materials that matched the vibe we discussed during our last meeting. She didn’t mention any names.

Rei: Hm… I wonder why the Young lady would make plans to watch a movie with you, but neglect to inform you of the title?

Wouldn’t the meeting be more efficient if you both watched the movie before meeting up?

Kaoru: I guess that’s true…

She might just want to talk through any ideas we get while watching the movie?

I bet she just forgot to tell me the title, I don’t think there’s any deeper meaning behind it.

Rei: Hm. I do think there’s a good chance you’re right about that.

However, I was just considering the possibility of there being some other meaning behind Kaoru-kun and the Young lady watching a movie together.

kaoru+rei

Kaoru: (Anzu-chan might have an ulterior motive behind watching a movie with me…?)

Rei: Whatever it is, this is the Young lady we’re talking about. I’m certain she has been thinking a lot about Kaoru-kun.

I will be cheering you on from behind the scenes ♪︎

Kaoru: Uh, yeah… Thank you.

…

Season: Winter

Writer: Haruka Kanata

Characters: Adonis, Nagisa, Anzu, Kaoru

<A few days later. Inside a meeting room in ES.>

Adonis: Thank you, Anzu. To think we’d get this many letters sent in.

nagisa+adonis

Nagisa: …Thank you for going out of your way to print them all for us. It must’ve been tough to carry them all this way.

…So we just need to choose which problems we will discuss during the show from these, then?

Adonis: I’m having trouble deciding where to start reading. Either way, let’s try to get through everything today.

N? Ah, we will be fine. We scheduled today for reading through these letters, after all.

So you don’t have to worry, Anzu, you can go on to your next job. Thank you for coming all this way to see us.

Nagisa: …Anzu-san seems to be very busy lately.

Adonis: It still hasn’t even been a month since the new year started. I’m sure she’s busy planning new programs.

Nagisa: …That’s true. We should work hard to avoid adding more to Anzu’s burdens.

…Since we will be creating a script in preparation for the recording, we should pick our topics as soon as possible.

Adonis: Yes. I’m glad we were able to find that solution thanks to Sakasaki’s advice.

Or rather, I wonder why we thought we had to come up with advice on the spot while recording.

When you think about it carefully, it would be more unnatural for us to record the show without having gone over the topics we would be discussing beforehand.

Nagisa: …Right. It seems we were both getting somewhat ahead of ourselves. Having to improvise answers seemed so scary.

…But if we prepare our answers in advance, we can both feel at ease during the recording.

Adonis: I have to say, there really are a lot of letters. Are all the listeners carrying around this many worries?

Did you find anything that caught your eye yet, Ran-senpai?

Nagisa: …I found one that says “I always end up eating too many sweets. Do you know of any good ways to avoid gaining weight?”

Adonis: …? Isn’t it enough to just exercise?

Nagisa: …I think so too. The solution should be obvious. I’m curious as to why they wouldn’t just do that.

…There may be a special reason as to why they aren’t able to exercise.

Adonis: …If that is the case, then it would be hard for me to come up with any other advice.

Moving your body is accessible to everyone. If someone isn’t capable of moving at all, then I can only assume there must be extraordinary circumstances in play.

Nagisa: …Did you find any good questions, Adonis-kun?

Adonis: Yes. This one interested me, “English is too difficult and I ended up scoring badly on a test. Do you know of any good study methods?”

I can relate to having trouble learning a new language. I still often worry about whether or not I understand Japanese correctly.

Nagisa: …You speak Japanese very well though. It’s obvious you’ve studied a lot.

Adonis: I’ve been travelling back and forth between Japan and my home country since I was young, so I picked a lot of it up naturally.

Even then, I still had to work hard to study Japanese. I can’t say much except that regular studying will lead to results.

Maybe we could bring this problem up on the show?

Nagisa: …I wonder. It might be lacking in excitement. After all, we were only able to come up with the most obvious advice in response.

Adonis: That’s true. I’m not very confident that we would be able to find a concrete solution for that problem.

Nagisa: …Let’s look over the other letters. There are still many to pick from, after all.

…Let’s take it slowly and find some problems we feel confident in solving.

<Several hours later.>

Adonis: …Well, Ran-senpai. Were you able to find a problem we could solve?

Nagisa: …I’m not sure. Even “picking” becomes difficult when you don’t know what the correct answer is.

Adonis: I see. I also can’t seem to find any problems I feel like I would be able to solve.

Rather, I’m beginning to wonder if there really are any problems in here we can solve…?

Nagisa: …Maybe we are being arrogant in thinking that we will be able to find a concrete solution.

Adonis: What do you mean?

Nagisa: …I gave it some thought. All of these letters contain something the writer considers to be a serious problem they’re worrying about.

…And we are in a position where we want to pick and choose the ones we feel we can solve from among all these serious problems.

…It is an act of arrogance, as if we are picking and choosing which people to save. Are we really of enough importance that we are qualified to make that choice?

Adonis: Indeed, it is as you say. We really ought to seriously consider each of these letters and come up with a proper response…

N? I think someone knocked on the door… Did Anzu come back?

kaoru

Kaoru: Nice, looks like I had the right room. Hiya, Adonis-kun, Ran-kun. Is your meeting going well?

Adonis: Hakaze-senpai!? What are you doing here…?

Kaoru: I was with Anzu-chan up until just now, you see. We worked at the same location today.

My work finished early, so she asked me to check in on you two if I had the time.

Plus, I was the one who recommended Adonis-kun to take my place for this job. And Ran-kun told me in our room that you two were having trouble, so I figured there might be something I could do to help.

Nagisa: …Thank you. I would appreciate your help, Kaoru-kun. To tell you the truth, we are currently-

<A couple minutes later.>

Kaoru: Ahaha. You’re both so diligent. You're way overthinking this job...

If you’re going to spend so much time worrying about every little thing, you’ll never be able to finish, you know?

Nagisa: …That’s true, we don’t have forever. Besides, it would be truly arrogant to think that we would even be able to find answers to every single problem.

Adonis: …That’s right. Which is why we should choose something we can responsibly find a solution for.

Kaoru: You’re so uptight! Well, that seriousness and dedication of yours is one of your charm points, though.

Alright. First things first, let’s get rid of that feeling that says you have to find a proper solution to everything.

Nagisa: …Why would we do that? If we are going to be listening to people’s problems, I think it is important that we manage to find solutions as well.

Kaoru: Sure, but in the end, the only thing we can actually do in the show is give out advice. There’s no telling whether that advice is enough to solve the problem, right?

Adonis: …You’ve got a point there.

Kaoru: So what’s most important is for the two of you to find some problems you feel like you would like to help out with.

Adonis: Problems we want to help out with…

Kaoru: For example, for me it would be… something like this. “There is a person I like, how should I approach them?”. A problem concerning romance.

When I look at this, it makes me want to support this person. Well, it might be bad to choose only based on that feeling, though.

The most important thing in all of this is that you two need to be able to maintain a conversation together, after all.

Nagisa: …In other words, we should just pick something we would feel comfortable talking about?

Kaoru: Shortly put, yeah. Did you have something good in mind?

Nagisa: …Yeah. I think this one would work well. I think Adonis-kun would find this easy to talk about as well.

Adonis: Hm. You’re right, I should be able to come up with something to say about this.

Thank you. Thanks to Hakaze-senpai’s advice, I feel like we’ve just made a breakthrough.

Nagisa: …Kaoru-kun is good at giving people advice, isn’t he?

Kaoru: I didn’t mean to do that this time though. Either way, if I was able to help you two out then I’m glad.

-

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Season: Winter

Writer: Haruka Kanata

Characters: Adonis, Kaoru, Nagisa, Ibara

Adonis: I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Hakaze-senpai.

adonis+kaoru

Kaoru: Don’t be. I only just arrived myself, so don’t worry about it. And I was the one who asked you to come here all of a sudden, Adonis-kun.

Ah, would you like a cup of tea? If you’re thirsty, I can whip you up some coffee or whatever you want.

Adonis: No, I’m fine. Rather than that, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?

It must be of great importance since Hakaze-senpai went out of your way to ask me here. I won’t be able to calm down until I hear what it is.

Kaoru: Ahaha. You don’t have to get so nervous about it. Here, relax, relax ♪

But well, if you’re that curious then I’ll get straight to the point.

Adonis-kun, do you want to try being an MC on a talk show?

Adonis: …Me, as the MC of a talk show? Are you sure you have the right person?

Kaoru: Well, I kinda foresaw that reaction. Let me fill you in on the detailed information first.

I received an offer to participate in this program; it’s a talk show where two idols get together to have a conversation.

Adonis: If you were given the offer, then I feel it would be best if you were the one to accept it, though…

Kaoru: Yeah, normally I would’ve done just that, but the recording date for this show overlaps with another job I have scheduled.

I obviously can’t change the details for that job at this point, and it seems like the talk show would prefer not to change their recording date either.

So I contacted them to decline their offer, but then they asked me to please tell them if I had any ideas for a replacement.

Adonis: I see. So Hakaze-senpai nominated me as his replacement…

But, Hakaze-senpai, you’re well aware I’m not very good at talking. I can’t imagine I’ll be a very good replacement.

Kaoru: I know you don’t feel confident about talking. So I’m not planning on forcing you to participate.

However, now that Adonis-kun has appeared on lots of shows with all of us, I think you’ve gotten well used to that environment.

I think it’s worth trying this out, and maybe it’ll help you gain some confidence in your talking.

Why not consider this as an opportunity to grow and give it a try?

Adonis: I’m happy to be given an opportunity to grow, but… should I really take on a job with that kind of mindset?

Kaoru: It’s fine. I asked them beforehand if the job was suited even for kids who aren’t good at talking, and they said it was okay.

So, the rest depends on what you want to do, Adonis-kun. If you really don’t want to, then I’ll turn them down. How about it?

Adonis: …

…I always felt like it would be a problem for me to feel insecure about talking forever.

So now that I’ve been given a chance to overcome that, I’d like to challenge it.

Kaoru: Okie, I got it. Well then, I’ll let the staff know it’s official.

Please do your best, okay, Adonis-kun ♪

<Meanwhile, in the CosPro office>

nagisa

Nagisa: …I see. So Ibara needs to find a replacement for that talk show.

Ibara: Yes. Eve are currently preoccupied with another job they cannot step away from, so I had no choice but to decline the offer when it came for His Highness Hiyori.

I also had the option of providing a replacement, so the choice came down to either one of us in Adam. I would have preferred to take this on myself, but…

I’m busy with various producing jobs as of right now, so it would be difficult for me to manage everything on my own. Which means…

Nagisa: …Which means I’m the only candidate remaining.

Ibara: However, I must admit I am worried about whether or not it would be fine to send your Excellency on your own to a job that requires as much flexibility as a talk show.

Nagisa: …I guess Ibara can’t help but worry when I’m alone.

Ibara: No, no, I have absolute confidence in your Excellency’s abilities.

As long as we prepare ourselves fully beforehand, we are sure to be able to achieve a complete victory on any battlefield. Ahaha ♪

Nagisa: …In other words, this is a special case where we won’t be able to prepare ourselves sufficiently?

Ibara: …My oh my, I must admire your Excellency’s keen insight. You are absolutely correct.

There are many elements involved this time that are difficult to predict. For example, your partner.

As of right now, I’ve heard that Hakaze-shi from RhyLin has been invited to participate. However, it seems like there might be some scheduling issues on their part as well.

There is the chance that they will need to find a replacement for him, just as we have. And in that case, it is a mystery who your partner will be.

Personally, I believe your Excellency will be able to control the situation sufficiently even without relying on a script…

However, depending on who the other MC ends up being, there is a chance that they will attack us if we let our guards down. I would feel more at ease if we took certain precautions this time around.

Having said all that, as long as we don’t know who our enemy is, it’s impossible to come up with a precise plan of action…

Nagisa: …Does that mean you’re planning on declining the offer, Ibara?

Ibara: I would certainly prefer to accept if at all possible…

Our current strategy is one of persistent promotion of Eden’s existence through various media channels.

Which is why I want to accept as many offers as possible that will allow us to inform the world about Eden’s existence.

Nagisa: …By which you mean that this show is a part of your strategy.

…If that’s so, then I’ll take it.

Ibara: You will? But your Excellency. Are you sure you will be okay on your own?

Nagisa: …I just have to do the things I would normally do with Ibara on my own. If that’s all then I think I will be fine alone.

Ibara: Admittedly, that is a correct assessment of the situation. This time, it would be difficult for me to even show up at the recording site, you know?

Nagisa: …I know. Even then, you’ve judged this to be a job worth taking.

…That’s why you said you wanted to accept this job if at all possible. Or am I wrong?

Ibara: No, your Excellency is absolutely right.

Nagisa: …If that is so, then Ibara just needs to ask me once. Do that, and I’ll work hard for Ibara’s sake.

Ibara: …I understand. Well then, I will leave this case to you, your Excellency.

Now, thanks to your Excellency’s confident words, I was able to make this decision. Well then, I am counting on you.

nagisa+ibara

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Scout! Your Yorishiro:
"Nagisa is given a job as the MC of a talk show. Alongside his co-host Adonis, he will be receiving viewers' worries and giving out advice. The two decide to practice before recording the show, but..."

Writer: Haruka Kanata
Season: Winter
Characters: Nagisa, Adonis, Kaoru, Natsume, Ibara, Tsumugi, Sora, Hiyori

Chapters:

Trouble talking 1

Trouble talking 2

Trouble talking 3

Trouble talking 4

Trouble talking 5

Trouble talking 6

Season: Winter

Writer: yuumasu

Characters: Kaoru, Tomoya, Hiiro, Chiaki

<A couple days later. The day of the hero show>

Tomoya: “I’ve found you, Phantom Scorpio!”

Kaoru: “Ahaha ♪ I see you’re as stupid as ever, Rabiranger.”

“You didn’t “find” me. I let myself get caught on purpose. Here ya go, little soldier…♪”

Tomoya: “Uwaa!? He blocked my line of vision with a deck of cards…”

Hiiro: “ I’m Spade - Hiiro Amagi! Who was it who summoned me?”

Kaoru: “Here, he~re. It was me, Spade-chan♪. This card is my proof.”

“Sorry to ask this of you right off the bat, but could you beat up that boy over there?”

Hiiro: “Of course! I’ll follow your orders!”

“Ha!”

Tomoya: …Oops. I almost got hit there.

Hiiro: It’s okay. I’ve gotten used to the way you move.

No matter what kinds of improvisation you come up with, I promise I won’t hurt you.

Tomoya: You were saying stuff like that during rehearsal as well… Is it okay if I try coming at you as if I was seriously trying to punch you?

Flashy battles are one of the main selling points for hero shows after all.

Hiiro: Yup! Place your trust in me and come at me with all your might!

Tomoya: “Taaaaaah!”

Kaoru: (Woah, Hiiro-kun fell to his knees after getting punched.)

(Or so I thought, but he got up and is running at Tomoya-kun!?)

(That just now wasn’t in the script. The two of them are good at ad-libbing.)

Hiiro: “That won’t work on me!”

Kaoru: (Their fight is evenly matched. The children can’t take their eyes off the thrilling battle.)

(It was the right call to ask Hiiro-kun to help us out… N?)

kaoru+chiaki

Chiaki: …! (Sending Kaoru a mysterious signal)

Kaoru: (What on earth is he doing… He’s moving his hands around like crazy, but I have no idea what he’s trying to say.)

(Anyhow. Since Moricchi made it on time it means we’re moving on to “Plan C”.)

(I’ll need to send the signal to Tomoya-kun and Hiiro-kun, let’s see-)

“Ahahah! Ca~ught you~✰”

Tomoya: “Hokuto-senpai!? That’s playing dirty, Phantom Scorpio!”

Kaoru: “Fufun. Playing dirty is what us villains are all about. Thank you for the compliment ♪”

“Your power… or was it strength? Your heroic energy comes from this penguin, doesn’t it? If I take him away, it’s over for you~”

“Fare well, Rabiranger…♪”

Tomoya: “Darn, I can’t let things end here. I don’t want it to end…!”

Chiaki: “Ah, this doesn’t have to be the end! Your story is only beginning! -Hah!”

“The red flames are the mark of justice! Burning bright red like the sun of life!”

“Heroes always show up late! Ryusei Red, Morisawa Chiaki…✰”

Kaoru: “Tch, so he showed up… I’m counting on you, Soldier-san!”

Hiiro: “Hm? Which one should I target? If you don’t give me proper orders, I can’t fulfill them.”

Kaoru: “Just play that by ear-”

Chiaki: “Do it now”

Kaoru: “What!?”

Chiaki: “Fuhaha! I’ve rescued Hokuto-senpai ✰”

“Hokuto-senpai! Assist me in sending Rabiranger hero energy!”

“All you little ones too, please help us cheer on Rabiranger! One~, two!”

“Do your best~! Rabiranger~!”

Tomoya: “Woooooooah! My strength is returning! Take this, my ultimate attack: Rabbits Shot!”

Kaoru: “Kgh… Retreat! Remember this, I’ll definitely return for payback one day!”

Hiiro: “Please wait, Phantom Scorpio! Please give me your orders before leaving!”

Chiaki: “It’s a victory for justice! All you little ones, thank you for the support!”

Tomoya: “It seems you’ve enjoyed yourselves, which makes me happy! Thank you so much for today!”

<Evening that day>

Kaoru: It’s already evening, huh. I wonder if it’s because I’ve done something out of character, but I’m super tired.

Hiiro: Are you okay? Should I carry you back to the dormitory?

Kaoru: Thank you for the offer, but no thank you.

Thank you for today as well, Hokuto-senpai-chan. The show was even more hype thanks to you.

Apparently, some of the children had never seen a penguin before, it was a good decision for you to come along.

Hiiro: Hm. Hokuto-senpai just bowed his head, I wonder what that means?

Tomoya: Isn’t he saying “You’re welcome”? Though it might be “Today was tiring”...

Either way, you sure worked hard today~, good boy good boy…♪

Kaoru: That reminds me, the two of you sure went above and beyond today. When you started doing stunts that weren’t in the script you really surprised me.

I could tell how much you wanted the kids to have fun, it was exhilarating.

Tomoya: Ahaha… sorry for going off script like that. I was inspired by Amagi and ended up getting carried away.

Kaoru: Not at all. It turned into a great lesson in ad-libbing for me.

Why, Tomoya-kun just keeps on teaching me more and more~. Maybe I should start calling you Tomoya-sensei from now on ♪

Tomoya: Oh stop it with that. I’m still nowhere near…

Oh, a boy in a wheelchair is coming over here with a nurse. I wonder if he has anything to ask of us?

Chiaki: You are… As I thought, you’re the one who sent me that letter.

Umu! We came to cheer you on as you fight against your illness ✰. Did you watch the hero show?

Kaoru: (Ahaha. That boy looks so excited. I guess that’s to be expected since he finally met the hero he looked up to.)

Chiaki: …Nn? You want to talk to Phantom Scorpio?

Gotcha. Hakaze, you’re up!

Kaoru: Hey now. Would you mind not revealing my true identity like that?

Just ki~dding♪

Good evening. What did you want to talk about?

“I’ve never seen such a cool enemy” you say? You’ve always admired heroes, but you wouldn’t mind becoming a villain if you could become like me?

Ahaha. Looks like I’ve managed to steal your heart.

I heard you have surgery tomorrow. Stay strong, okay?

…Yeah. Once you feel better, let’s cause some mischief that won’t make anyone mad at you.

Pinky promise, it’s a promise just between the two of us…♪

Tomoya: …Wow, woah.

Kaoru: Was that so pretentious that you couldn’t bear watching?

Tomoya: Nope, it’s the opposite! You were speaking from the heart just now, weren’t you? Amazing.

That’s impossible for me. I couldn’t come up with words like that in the spur of the moment. I’ve learned something new~ Ahaha.

Kaoru: Ah, that was fun. Hero shows aren’t like me at all.

But every now and then, doing stuff like this isn’t too bad… ♪

-end-

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Season: Winter

Writer: yuumasu

Characters: Kaoru, Chiaki, Tomoya

<5 minutes later, in the Starmony Common Room>

Kaoru: -Eh, work?

Chiaki: Yes. All of a sudden I got a job on the day we were going to the hospital.

I’m sorry, Hakaze.

Kaoru: Don’t apologize to me… I’ll ask just to be sure, but is there no way to reschedule that job?

Chiaki: There isn’t. If the job finishes early I might be able to make it to the hospital in time, but there’s no guarantee.

Kaoru: I see. That’s harsh…

…

I have an idea, though it might end up going against the wishes of the little kid who sent Moricchi the letter.

How about casting Tomoya-kun in your role?

Tomoya: Me?

Kaoru: Yup. Since you’re coming along as Hokuto-senpai-chan’s caretaker either way, how about performing as well?

Though saying “as well” might be understating how much work it will be.

Tomoya: I don’t mind. A hero show with just the two of us, huh.

By the way, who is playing the villain?

Kaoru+Chiaki: Moricchi / Hakaze! (Respectively)

….Eh?

Kaoru: I’m supposed to be the hero, right? You said I could wear Midori-kun’s outfit after all.

Chiaki: I did. However, I am Ryusei Red. The children would just be confused if I played the villain, don’t you think?

Kaoru: Then we’re both the hero… I guess that wouldn’t work. You can’t have a hero show without a villain.

Tomoya: Uuhm… if that’s the case, should I play the villain?

Kaoru: Tomoya-kun? H~m…

…No, I’ll be the villain. UNDEAD’s outfits should fit a villain perfectly, after all.

Ra*bits' outfits have lots of white in their design, so they are great for a hero of justice. It also matches well with our mascot character (?) penguin.

Chiaki: That argument is good, but are you okay with that?

Kaoru: Of course. It’s my suggestion, after all.

UNDEAD are immoral and vicious demons of the dark night - it’s easier for me to play a villain than a hero of justice ♪

Chiaki: I see. Thank you, Hakaze.

Kaoru: Ahaha. We just decided on the casting, isn’t it too early for gratitude?

Tomoya-kun will play the main hero, while Moricchi might appear as a fashionably late hero towards the end. And I’ll play the villain.

The three of us plus Hokuto-senpai-chan have to create a show that will have the children at the edge of their seats. What kind of plot should we go with?

kaoru+tomoya

Tomoya: Let’s see… Before we decide on the plot, why don’t we pick a name for our villain?

Kaoru: A name?

Tomoya: Villains in hero shows usually have cool-sounding nicknames and stuff, right? Something like the UNDEAD mutant.

Kaoru: UNDEAD mutant sounds a little…

Tomoya: I-it was just as an example, okay. Anyways, first off we should pick a suitable villain name for Hakaze-senpai, and then we can decide on the plot for the story from there. That’s what I think!

Chiaki: You sound used to this. Do you have any experience with creating hero shows like this?

Tomoya: This is my first time doing a hero show, but I have experience with improv theater from drama club rehearsals.

When doing improv, it’s important to create a role for yourself and to understand your own position and purpose within the play.

Villains in hero shows often have names that reflect their evil deeds or powers. So we should start by deciding on a name for him.

Kaoru: Evil deeds, huh… What evil deeds would fit me the most? Should my name be “Playboy”?

Chiaki: H~m. That doesn’t quite make for a memorable villain…

What about a thief? The “Supervillain Hakaze” who steals people’s hearts, makes his brilliant appearance… ✰

Kaoru: I don’t mind the concept, but the naming is a bit cringe~. I’d prefer a stage name with no correlation to my real name.

Tomoya: …It’s a bit of a cop-out, but what about going with your star sign?

Kaoru: I’m a Scorpio, so, “Phantom Scorpion”-

Ah, what about “Phantom Scorpio”? Doesn’t that sound like a villain?

Chiaki: Ooh, that sounds great! It’s perfect for Hakaze!

Tomoya: Yeah. I think it sounds good too ♪

Let’s build on Morisawa-senpai’s idea about “stealing people’s hearts” and create a brilliant story around “Phantom Scorpio”!

tomoya

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Season: winter

Writer: yuumasu

Characters: Kaoru, Tomoya, Kanata

-

<The day after>

Kaoru: ♪~♪~♪

…Oops. I’m humming without realizing it again.

The theme song from one of those hero shows is stuck in my head. I need to be careful so I don’t go around humming in front of people.

…I did get more knowledgeable about heroes thanks to the viewing party, and now I feel like I understand how the battles and narratives go.

I’m not sure how well that’ll translate into my acting though. Like this, my acting will just be a downgraded copy of the real thing.

Anyhow, the show won't be anything like in the dramas either way. We can't do expensive stuff like blowing up buildings or cutting explosive wires.

It's not for work, so it’s not like I have to worry that much about it. But even knowing that, I can’t seem to relax, huh.

I’m not as invested as Moricchi, but since I’m involved at all I wanna do my best to make the children happy.

…I wonder what Tomoya-kun would do in a situation like this?

I feel bad for always relying on him. He often gives me advice on my acting, so maybe I should try and ask him again.

tomoya

Tomoya: O~I, where are you~?

Kaoru: Oh, what nice timing…

Tomoya: Where did you go, Hokuto-senpai~?

Kaoru: Hey, Tomoya-kun. Are you looking for Hidaka-kun?

Tomoya: No. I’m looking for Hokuto-senpai.

Kaoru: Nn? Hokuto is Hidaka-kun’s first name, isn’t it?

Kaoru+Tomoya: …?

Tomoya: …Ah, sorry! It’s the name of the penguin I’ve been looking after.

Kaoru: Ah, that Hokuto. Tomoya-kun often talks about Hidaka-kun, so I thought you were looking for the human one ♪

Tomoya: It really is confusing, isn’t it? I’m sorry. Back when I first took him in he wouldn’t react to me at all unless I acted respectfully towards him, so I ended up lending him Hokuto-senpai’s name.

By now he would probably respond even to a different name, but I’ve gotten completely used to calling him Hokuto-senpai already…

Kaoru: Ahaha, so that’s how it happened.

I think you should keep the name as is. It’s amusing for us onlookers.

(I wanna ask him for advice, but now seems like a bad time.)

I’ll help you look for Hokuto-senpai-chan. When did you see him last?

Tomoya: Just now. He disappeared while I was preparing food in the kitchen.

He can't get upstairs unless I carry him, so he should be somewhere on this floor. I’ve been looking everywhere, but I can't seem to find him.

Really, just where did he go…

Kaoru: That’s worrying. Penguins are quick underwater, but on land, they’re slow walkers. He shouldn’t be able to disappear just because you looked away for a second.

That is, unless someone came and took him… nn?

…I think I know where Hokuto-senpai-chan might be. Follow me, Tomoya-kun.

<Starmony Hall Garden>

Kanata: puka, puka... ♪ please eat a lot and grow big, okay.

Kaoru: Hey, Kanata-kun. Happy as always today, huh~

Kanata: yes~. i am Happy. but, this child is even more Happy ♪

please look. the Penguin is happily eating the Fish.

Kaoru: Ahaha, it’s true. Tomoya-kun, this is Hokuto-senpai-chan, isn’t it?

Tomoya: It is! Thank God, we managed to find him…

Hokuto-senpai~ I was worried about you you know? There, there.

Kaoru: Now, Kanata-kun. I get you want to take care of all sea creatures, but you shouldn’t just go around kidnapping them like this, okay?

Kanata: n~? i didn’t bring him here.

the Kitchen was taken, so i came over here to cut up my Fish and then all of a sudden this child was Next to me.

look, look. this child is saying “That’s right, that’s right” and agreeing with me, see?

Kaoru: Hokuto-senpai-chan can understand human language, can he? How impressive.

Tomoya: I was probably the one occupying the kitchen. If you had called out to me I would’ve given you space, so why did you come out here?

Kanata: my Fish are big, so cutting them up takes a lot of Space. Disassembling them also takes time.

truthfully, i am still only about Halfway done.

Tomoya: Uwa!? He suddenly pulled out a fish!

kaoru+kanata

Kaoru: That’s a mackerel, huh~. Kanata-kun, where do you keep them hidden usually?

Kanata: ufufu. i found it while walking along the Shore

Kaoru: I wasn’t asking where you found it, and this type of fish shouldn’t even be living around here.

Well, no matter. You’ve always been somewhat mysterious.

Either way, I’m glad we found him. With this, it’s case closed-

Hmm… maybe I can use this situation somehow.

Tomoya: This situation?

Kaoru: Actually, I’m gonna be doing a freelance hero show with Moricchi- with Morizawa Chiaki-kun for some children in the hospital.

I’m struggling ‘cause I have no idea what kind of hero to play, or what kind of story to make. For example…

We could make it a story about “a hero who came to rescue the penguin who got lost in the hospital”.

Then I could bring this one with me to the hospital, and that might make the children happy.

Tomoya: Wow, that’s a good idea. Thanks to everyone in Animals, he’s gotten used to being around people after all.

If he can be of any help to you, I think Hokuto-senpai would be happy to help.

As his caretaker, do you think I could come along as well?

Kaoru: Yes, it would be a huge help if you could.

Fufu. This might be a pretty good idea. Let’s give Moricchi a call right away-

…Hello, Moricchi? Where are you right now? I wanna talk about the hero show.

You’re at the dorms right now? Then let’s meet up in the common room… Okay, I’ll be there.

…

Tomoya: …? Hakaze-senpai, what's wrong?

Kaoru: H~mm… hopefully it’s just my imagination.

I feel like Moricchi was acting somewhat strange…

kaoru+tomoya

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Season: winter

Writer: yuumasu

Characters: Kaoru, Chiaki, Hiiro

-

<Afternoon of the day after>

Kaoru: (…Yesterday’s radio broadcast was a big hit.)

(People were so surprised to see an idol who still felt so passionately about “Vampire Shogun” that we ended up trending on the internet.)

(In spite of the late airing time, the listener numbers apparently went way higher than usual.)

(Thanks to that, I became even more familiar with the plot of “Vampire Shogun” than I was during Succession Match, however.)

(It is a period drama, after all, it could become a good reference for the hero show.)

Sigh, what to do…

kaoru+chiaki

Chiaki: Hakaze! What could possibly be the matter, letting out a sigh like that!

Kaoru: Moricchi…

Chiaki: What are you worrying about? If you’re fine with me, I’d like to hear you out!

Kaoru: What am I worried about, huh… Oh, that’s right. I can just ask Moricchi directly.

Since I’ll be participating in the hero show I’d like to play the part properly. But I’m still struggling to learn how to play a hero.

Is there any quick way to become more familiar with heroes?

Chiaki: Hmm… The path of a hero starts with the first step, after all. There are no shortcuts, but-

To learn more about heroes, watching hero shows or sentai dramas is the best method.

For your sake, I can try to find some shows that are suited to your tastes. Which type of hero is your favorite?

Kaoru: Which type of hero, you say… I’m asking you because I have no idea about any of that…

hiiro

Hiiro: Did you say my name?

Kaoru: Woah? Hiiro-kun.

No, we didn’t call for you… or I guess we kinda did. “Hero” and “Hiiro”-kun sound almost indistinguishable.

Chiaki: That’s why I call him “Hero-kun” with both affection and envy…☆

Kaoru: I don’t know if you should be doing that. Right, Hiiro-kun?

Hiiro: I don’t mind at all. It felt kinda weird at first though, I’ll admit. I didn’t know what a hero was until Chiaki-senpai taught me, after all.

By the way, when is the Tokusatsu viewing party? I’ve been looking forward to it ever since you told me about it.

Chiaki: Tokusatsu viewing party…!?

S, sorry. There are so many shows recommended for beginners, so I was going through them one by one looking for some suited for Hero-kun specifically…

I got totally absorbed in the task and ended up forgetting about the viewing party in my euphoria.

Kaoru: Ahaha. Don't worry, Moricchi.

Tokusatsu viewing party, huh… Would it be difficult to pull off today?

It seems like it’ll be beginner-friendly, so it might come in handy. I’d like to participate too if possible.

Chiaki: If we do it at night it should be fine. I’m pretty much done selecting shows after all. How about Hero-kun?

Hiiro: I don’t mind. I didn’t know a Tokusatsu viewing party could be planned like this. Thank you, Kaoru-senpai.

Kaoru: I’m the one who should thank you. Well then, see you tonight.

<Night of that day, Theater Room in Starmony Dorm>

Kaoru: Sorry to keep the two of you waiting.

Hiiro: Kunkun… I smell a sweet scent, as if someone was roasting plant seeds.

Kaoru: That’s a weird way of putting it. It’s popcorn, have you never had it before?

It’s an absolute must for this kind of thing. The movies you watch while eating popcorn are the best♪

Chiaki: Ooh, Hakaze is so considerate.

Kaoru: Fufun. Since I ended up invading the viewing party you’ve been planning, this is the least I can do.

So then, what’s the lineup like?

Chiaki: Ah, since all three of us are here, let’s go over them.

Look! This is the “Tokusatsu DVD collection” we’ll be watching today…☆

Kaoru: …Eh, isn’t that a lot? It’s like a small mountain, did you limit it down at all?

Chiaki: Of course! I had a hard time choosing which to pick and which to leave out!

Well then, let’s start the Tokusatsu viewing party! First up is the ancestor of all hero shows, Moon*ight Mask*…☆

<A little while later>

Hiiro: Chiaki-senpai, the heroes are in a huge pinch!

hiiro+chiaki

Chiaki: Did you forget, Hero-kun? I’m sure I told you what you should do in a situation like this!

Hiiro: Oh right, we should cheer them on!

Chiaki: That’s right!

Kaoru: No, no. This isn’t a hero show, let’s watch in silence.

Chiaki: Weren’t you going to use this as a reference for the hero show? Cheering them on will help you understand the children who want to cheer us on, Hakaze!

Kaoru: Eeh…

Hiiro: Don’t give in, hero! …Come on, Kaoru-senpai too!

Kaoru: D, don’t give in~….

Chiaki: What’s wrong, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about? This theatre room is completely soundproof, after all.

Now, now, don’t hesitate! Shout out from the bottom of your heart ☆

Kaoru: Moricchi and Hiro-kun’s eyes are so filled with expectations, it hurts… Ugh, I’ve got it already.

Do your best, hero….!

kaoru+chiaki

-

TL note:
* - Here, Chiaki is reference the Moonlight Mask tokusatsu TV show which first aired in 1958, marking the beginning of tokusatsu TV shows in Japan.

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Season: Winter

Writer: yuumasu

Characters: Kaoru, Chiaki, Anzu, Rei

chiaki

Chiaki: Maybe he can’t hear me? O~I, Hakaze!

Kaoru: It’s fine, I can hear you just fine~ Could you not shout my name like that?

Yahho, Moricchi. Good morning to you as well, Anzu-chan.

Chiaki: Yahho! What a coincidence to run into you here ☆

Kaoru: Ahaha, really…

Uhm. What were you two talking about? I thought about calling out to you, but you seemed so serious…

Chiaki: So that’s why you tried to leave. I’m your friend, there’s no need to act so distant.

I was actually asking Anzu for some personal advice.

Kaoru: Personal advice?

Chiaki: I’m planning to visit the hospital that took care of me when I was younger soon. I was thinking about holding a hero show inside the hospital to cheer up the kids.

Of course, there’s no budget. We would have to use some old costumes, so I wanted to ask Ryuseitai for help.

Turns out, everyone already has work lined up for the day I wanted to do the show on.

Which is why I was asking Anzu if there was any way she could adjust the members’ schedules for that day…

Kaoru: Judging by Anzu’s expression, it seems that might not be possible after all.

If it’s not possible, then it’s not possible. Why don’t you choose a different day? You’re all in the same unit, so there must be some day that would work for all of you?

Chiaki: Right. Anzu said that as well, but if possible I’d like to keep the day I planned.

…The reason I decided to visit was that I got a letter from one of the children in the hospital.

Apparently, this kid really likes heroes. They found out I used to be in the same hospital, so they sent me a letter.

Heroes are persistent. They never give up no matter the crisis.

The letter was filled with strong words about overcoming illness and growing up to become a real hero, but-

It seems this kid is about to undergo a major surgery, I could feel their anxiety through the letter.

That’s why I want to make the visit before the surgery, so I can cheer them up and show them how heroes can overcome any hardships. I want to tell them I’m cheering them on, and that I want them to stay strong.

I was lucky enough to be able to book the show for the day before the surgery, but…

Kaoru: But your unit members couldn’t make it, huh.

And it’s not like you can put on a hero show on your own. And with those circumstances, you can’t really change the date of the visit either.

…What’s that, Anzu-chan? You have a suggestion?

Chiaki: You think we should ask Hakaze to join the hero show?

kaoru+chiaki

Kaoru: Me!? No way, no way, I’ve never even played a hero before.

…You think I will be able to do it even if it’s my first time? My acting in the tennis drama was even better than expected, you say?

Chiaki: Hakaze, huh…

Kaoru: Moricchi? What are you staring at me like that for?

Chiaki: …Yes. You could probably fit into Takamine’s costume!

To think I could rely on other units. I didn’t think to ask anyone outside of my unit, what an oversight.

Nice idea, Anzu…☆

Kaoru: Uuhm. I still haven’t said yes though…? I’ll need to check my schedule and make sure I don’t have anything planned that day.

You’ll check right away? Thank you, Anzu-chan.

<The evening of that day, in the radio recording booth>
rei

Rei: And after all of that, you were coerced into accepting the offer~♪

Kaoru: Don’t say that with such a happy face~?

Rei: *crying* You were coerced into accepting the offer…

Kaoru: And don’t just change your expression while repeating the same sentence.

Rei: Hmph, you sure are hard to please, Kaoru-kun. What exactly do you wish of me?

Kaoru: I just want you to shut up and listen to my complaining.

Rei: That sounds boring. There would be no need for me to even pay attention then.

Either way. To think you’d accept the task of doing a hero show, Kaoru-kun sure is a kind person.

Kaoru: That’s not it. I just couldn’t refuse in front of Anzu-chan. I was just irresponsibly acting cool.

When acting in a drama, you can retake the scene as many times as necessary. But hero shows are done in one go, right?

I have no experience, I can’t help but feel like I’m gonna fail.

Rei: What are you saying? Live performances are also done in one go, are they not?

Kaoru: But I’m used to lives, you see…

Rei: Then, what about when you are asking someone out on a date? Or the live broadcast we’re doing in a couple of minutes? Both of those also have to be done in one go, do they not?

Anyhow, this is not the kind of show done on a stage, is it? Why not just relax and have some fun with it?

Kaoru: Even if you tell me to have fun with it, I have no interest in heroes from the get-go.

I didn’t even know Japan and America had different kinds of heroes until just recently.

When I got the role as a hot-blooded man I used Moricchi as a reference, but I don’t have anything to go on for heroes.

Rei: Kukuku. If that’s the case, you should use the “Vampire Shogun”.

Kaoru: Ah, here it comes, “Vampire Shogun”.

Rei: What do you mean, “here it comes”? “Vampire Shogun” is a well-made historical drama which took the world by storm, he is a hero we should be proud of.

Why, this is a perfect chance. Let’s talk about him on the radio while doing your presentation, Kaoru-kun. ♪

We’ll be starting any minute now. Are you ready, Kaoru-kun?

Kaoru: Yeah. Since only sound can be heard through a radio, our tone of voice is enough to convey our feelings. I’ll get my head in the game.

Rei: That’s my Kaoru-kun.

Do your best to keep that attitude for the hero show as well…☆

Kaoru: C’mon, I’m trying not to think about that right now, don’t tease me~?

kaoru+rei

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Season: Winter

Writer: yuumasu

Characters: Tomoya, Kaoru, Chiaki, Anzu

-

Tomoya: Good morning, Hakaze-senpai. Do you mind if I sit next to you?

Kaoru: Ah, Tomoya-kun. Feel free~

kaoru+tomoya

I don’t see any of the other kids from Ra*bits, are you on your own today?

Tomoya: Yes. I was recording for a drama until just now.

Kaoru: You’re gonna star in another drama? As expected of a best-selling actor~♪

Tomoya: No, no, I’m not selling that well. A kid from my agency got sick, so I’m just working as his substitute.

The role is a nameless background character, and there are only a couple lines to learn.

Kaoru: H~m… Then why did you end up taking the offer?

Even a beginner could play that kind of role, no? I don’t see why you would have to go out of your way for a job like that.

Tomoya: I asked for the role myself. The agency staff were in a pinch since the original actor got sick right before recording started, and I thought it would be a good learning experience.

Kaoru: Learning experience?

Tomoya: Like how to move my eyes, or how I should blend into my surroundings. There are certain skills that can only be practiced when you have few lines.

It’s also a good opportunity to have the drama creators learn my face. You shouldn’t underestimate even the smallest of roles.

Or something~. I’m sorry for speaking so arrogantly.

Kaoru: No, I don’t mind.

kaoru+tomoya

…I see, so that’s one way to think about things.

I never realized that since I haven’t had the chance to play any minor roles yet.

I feel like I’ve learned something new. Thank you, Tomoya-kun.

Tomoya: Don’t mention it… Rather, aren't you as much of an actor as I am?

Even just recently, you starred in that youth drama about tennis, didn’t you?

Kaoru: Ahaha, did you see that? How embarrassing.

Tomoya: Why is that? I thought it was good. I thought the role of a hot-blooded club captain fit you very well!

Kaoru: Really? Koga-kun told me I seemed like a different person and laughed at me though?

Tomoya: You should take that as a compliment. To be able to become like a different person is what it means to act, after all.

Kaoru: Is it really… Tomoya-kun is so kind, huh.

You sometimes give me tips on how I can improve, but more often than not you just compliment me. It makes me feel spoiled.

Tomoya: I’m not the only one, you know? Lots of other people compliment your acting as well, like Anzu-san.

kaoru+tomoya

Kaoru: Eh… Anzu-chan, you say?

Tomoya: Yup. Actually, I watched that tennis drama with Anzu-san in the dressing room while on break.

It seems it was Anzu-san who recommended Hakaze-senpai for that role when the offer came. Apparently some people were worried it would be a miscasting, but-

Anzu-san said she believed you could pull it off, and that she was happy to have recommended you.

Kaoru: H, huh. I see…

(I had no idea… Even I myself suspected they might have cast the wrong person. To think that Anzu-chan did that…)

(I wonder if Tomoya-kun knows why she recommended me. I want to ask for more details but.)

(...Let’s not. He might think I’m weird if I keep asking about this.)

Tomoya: Is something wrong, Hakaze-senpai?

Kaoru: Nope, it’s nothing.

Uuuhm. While we’re talking, mind if I ask you for advice related to acting?

There’s something I kept struggling with until the end while playing that hot-blooded character, you see.

Tomoya: Ah, of course. If you’re fine with me I’d love to.

<A while later>

kaoru

Kaoru: (...I’m glad I was able to ask Tomoya-kun about acting. As expected, just imitating people I know doesn’t quite cut it as an actor.)

(I was too focused on emulating Moricchi that my character ended up becoming too hot-blooded, I should have left more of my own personality in there to mellow it out.)

(The people on set liked it, and Tomoya-kun also said that my acting didn’t feel off…)

(But if all I do is copy others, then there would be no reason for me to get cast as an actor. Even though Anzu-chan recommended me herself…)

…

(...I wonder why Anzu-chan chose me. What did she think when she saw my acting?)

(I didn’t ask Tomoya-kun, but… I’m curious, maybe I should ask her directly.)

(It’s merely a question about work. I’m only asking her opinion of me as an actor. I should be able to talk to her without getting self-conscious.)

(N? That voice I hear is Anzu-chan---)

(...And Moricchi?)

Chiaki: -H~m, so that day would be difficult. Even Anzu can’t do anything about it…

Don’t make that face. Sadness doesn’t suit you.

…Haha. Yeah, I tried quoting a line from my favorite hero.

But those are also my true feelings. I don’t want to cause trouble for you.

I’m happy that you sincerely tried your best for me. Thank you, Anzu.

Kaoru: (Eeh, what’s with that atmosphere? Aren’t they getting a little too friendly?)

(I’m curious about what they’re talking about, but it’s too awkward to insert myself…)

(I’ll pretend I didn’t notice them just now, and postpone my talk with Anzu-chan until later-)

Chiaki: …N?

Oh, Hakaze! If it isn’t Hakaze!

Kaoru: Ggeh…

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Scout! Scorpio's Venom:
"Kaoru is invited by Chiaki to put on a Hero Show for some children. However, it's then found out that Chiaki might not be able to participate..."

Writer: yuumasu
Season: Winter
Characters: Kaoru, Tomoya, Chiaki, Rei, Hiiro, Kanata

Chapters:

Capture your heart 1

Capture your heart 2

Capture your heart 3

Capture your heart 4

Capture your heart 5

Capture your heart 6

Season: Winter

Writer: Haruka Kanata

Characters: Ritsu, Kaoru, Rei

ritsu sleepy

Ritsu: Yaaaawn, fu... I'm sleepy.

(The only time where everyone in Knights had time to hold a meeting today was in the early morning, so I worked hard to wake up early but…)

(After that everyone had work or some other business to attend to so they all left me here alone. They're so heartless.)

(I wanna go back to sleep but then I might oversleep for my own work in the afternoon...)

But I really am sleepy. A~h… rescue me, Ma~kun~

I sent him a message on "Hallhands" but he hasn't replied…? When I think about it, he mentioned he would be busy all day with photoshoots, didn't he.

Even though I'm in the need of some real pampering right now, Ma~kun, you cheater~

…Maybe it's time to give up and go back to sleep.

Kaoru: I was wondering who was mumbling over here, what are you up to, Ritsu-kun?

Ritsu: Ah, Kaoru-san. Finally someone who can pay attention to me has appeared~♪︎

kaoru+ritsu

Kaoru: Someone who can pay attention to me he says… I'm sorry, but I don't have that much free time today.

I have somewhere to be right after this, so I'm gone once I've had my coffee.

Ritsu: Eh~? Don't say stuff like that and pay more attention to me~, Kaoru-san.

Spoil me more. Spoil me absolutely rotten~...

Kaoru: You've somehow stepped up your "please spoil me" appeal even more than usual. Did something happen?

Ritsu: It's because even though I worked hard and got up early this morning, no one is praising me for it.

Even now I’m working hard not to fall back asleep, it’s as if everyone has betrayed me. I demand better treatment immediately.

Kaoru: That’s an awfully cute reasoning you’ve got there~

Alright, then it’s up to me to properly praise Ritsu-kun. You’re so great for getting up early~♪︎

Ritsu: N~, satisfaction ♪︎ You actually praised me when I said I wanted praise. As I thought, life would be better if Kaoru-san was my big brother.

Kaoru: Rei-kun would probably praise you for working hard too, I think.

ritsu+kaoru

Ritsu: Eh, who is Rei again? I don’t know anyone by that name. My big brother is named Kaoru.

Kaoru: No, no, please keep those jokes to a minimum, okay? If Rei-kun overheard you he would probably start crying.

Ritsu: I’m aware. But if I try to complain like earlier to Anija on Hallhands, things just get more troublesome.

He would start spamming me with messages faster than comments in a popular twitch stream chat…

Kaoru: You’re right. Well, since it’s Rei-kun we’re talking about, calling him might be better.

Ritsu: If I tried calling him I would hang up immediately. Talking on the phone is scary even when it’s not anija I’m dealing with.

Kaoru: Haha… You’re as cold as ever with Rei-kun, huh. After Operetta was over it finally seemed as if you would try to get along too.

Ritsu: After that I learned that if I let anija get carried away like that he just ends up embarrassing me.

Plus, you’ve all already gotten used to expecting this kind of attitude from me, right?

Kaoru: Well, I guess that’s true, but sometimes you should give Rei-kun some support as well.

Even Rei-kun is actually working pretty hard, so it should be fine for him to be rewarded for that, right?

Ritsu: …

Kaoru: I’ve got it. This is perfect timing, could I ask you to deliver a message to Rei-kun for me?

Ritsu: Eh~. Can’t you just send that to him over Hallhands?

Kaoru: Now now. I feel like Rei-kun would be happier to be told directly from his beloved younger brother ♪︎

Ritsu: Are you trying to use me to get anija in a better mood? How annoying~...

Kaoru: Please? If you’ve got the time to be sleeping here, why not do me a favor?

Ritsu: …

Sigh, I’ve got it. If I stay here I’ll just end up falling asleep anyways…

Kaoru: Thank you, Ritsu-kun♪︎. You’re a huge help.

Oops, it’s about time I was on my way as well.

I didn’t see Rei-kun around the office earlier, so I think he’s probably still asleep in his dorm room. It’s still early in the morning, after all.

Ritsu: Got it. Then what is it you want me to tell him?

Rei: To think that the very first thing I would see when I woke up this morning would be my beloved Ritsu ♪︎. Even if the day ended here I think I would be satisfied with just this.

Now, come in, my pretty cute angel Ritsu~! Feel free to fall asleep on my lap~♪︎

Ritsu: Never mind that anija. More importantly, are Ecchan and the other one not here today?

Rei: It appears they’re out. Neither Tenshouin-kun or Shiratori-kun have been back to the dorm since last night. So right now you have me all to yourself, I can spoil you as much as you want~

Ritsu: I see.

Rei: At least say something more! It feels as if you honestly couldn’t care less and it’s hurtful!

Ritsu: You’re as annoying as ever, anija. By the way, I’m not planning on staying very long.

I only came over to give you a message from Kaoru-san.

Rei: From Kaoru-kun? Were there changes made to our schedule?

Ritsu: You have a meeting about a show planned for tonight, right? Seems they changed the place for that meeting all of a sudden. Kaoru-san will send you the location later, he said.

Rei: Oh, so that’s how it is. You have my thanks, Ritsu. Now then, come over here.

I have to pat you on the head for being such a good boy and working hard for my sake♪︎

Ritsu: How many times do I have to tell you that I don’t want that. Did acting like an old man make your ears go bad?

Seriously, Kaoru-san totally took advantage of me by making me go all the way over here for this small of a message.

Rei: Hm. Indeed, I can’t see why Kaoru-kun would send you over here just for that.

Are you sure there isn’t anything else you need my help with? If not, then I can’t imagine Ritsu would bother coming all the way to see me in the first place.

Ritsu: …

Rei: If it’s from my dear Ritsu, I will always welcome anything you wish to talk about. Now don’t hesitate and talk to your big brother ♪︎

Ritsu: …Hmph. It’s not that deep, I really only came to deliver the message Kaoru-san asked me to.

Rei: It does not seem like that’s all, though. I can’t imagine Ritsu taking on such a troublesome task with so little importance.

Ritsu: You really are a helpless old man. Do you have to be suspicious of ulterior motives behind every action before you’re satisfied?

Rei: Hmm. If Ritsu says that much, then maybe this is just my misunderstanding after all.

Ritsu: …Well, if there hypothetically was another reason for me to come here.

The answer might be exactly the fact that I did bother coming all the way over here this early in the morning just to deliver a message which could have fit into a single message on Hallhands.

Rei: Eh…? Hm…? And that means, what exactly?

Ritsu: My service for my obtuse older brother ends here~

Yaawn, fu… It’s no good, I can’t stop yawning since earlier. I’ll go back to my own room and sleep. Bye bye~

Rei: …Service?

Could it be, did Ritsu truly come here just to see me…!?

P-please wait up, my beloved Ritsu. If you’re planning to sleep, at least let us sleep together in my bed!

Please! Let me show my love for you with my entire body~!

-End.

Season: Summer

Location: Starmony Dorm Common Room

Characters: Tsukasa, Kaoru, Kohaku

<Some days later. Starmony Dorm Common Room>
tsukasa kaoru

Kaoru: …? Oh, it’s Tsukasa-kun.

Tsukasa: …

Kaoru: He seems under the weather, I wonder if anything happened…

Tsukasa-kun, good evening.

Tsukasa: Hakaze-senpai…

Kaoru: Hey, I got some chocolate from some of the staff earlier, why don’t we eat it together?

Tsukasa: Chocolate… It’s almost dinner time, so thank you for the consideration, but I’ll have to pass.

Kaoru: It should be fine if you eat just one bite. This is a brand you can’t usually get in Japan.

Besides, eating sweets will make you feel better. C’mon.

Tsukasa: If you insist, then I’ll have just one…

…Fufu. It’s delicious ♪

Kaoru: I’m glad~. Did it make you feel a little better?

You seemed sad just now, what’s up? Did something bad happen?

Tsukasa: I don’t know if I could call it bad… Could you look at this.

Kaoru: A screenshot from your Hallhands messages… I see, the message is from Senacchi.

“You’re the one who wrote that story, aren’t you, ‘Scarlet Cherry’-sensei?”

--Oopsie, he caught you.

Tsukasa: It appears so. I used a fake name and changed my tone of speaking, but he still ended up finding out it was me.

I already deleted the story but… Sigh, what should I do?

Kaoru: Hm~. Is this the only message you got from Senacchi? He didn’t say anything else?

Tsukasa: I don’t think so. I don’t know. I got so scared when he found out it was me that I didn’t dare reply.

Kaoru: I see~. Well, it’s hard to say for sure what Senacchi thinks based on just one message, but you might have been wrong to post that story without asking him for permission first.

Depending on the person, some people might not want stories based on them to be published, after all.

But then again, he only realized because he noticed things only he would know about, and you posted the story as a work of fiction, right?

It should be fine if you just do some reflection, get in a new mindset, and try writing something new in a different genre.

If you want to avoid people commenting and asking why you deleted your story, you can always just pick a new username and start over.

Tsukasa: …No. I think I will be taking a break from writing for a while.

Kaoru: Eh, you’re taking a break?

Tsukasa: Yes. And it’s not Sena-senpai’s fault. I had fun posting my story online, but-

It was starting to affect my private and work life; I was worrying about how my ratings were doing while at work, and I was constantly rushing to continue writing to see the readers’ reactions

Inside the story, I could make myself as strong as I wanted, but I should be living in reality. The real stage for me to fight on, as a Leader, is here.

Kaoru: I see… I think using a story-posting site as a fun and easy-going way to share your hobby with others is fine.

But Tsukasa-kun is diligent with everything he does, so I guess that wouldn’t work for you.

…Nn? Someone’s here.

Kohaku: …

Kaoru: Woah, he looks just as under the weather as Tsukasa-kun did just now…

Kohaku-kun. Why don’t you come over here and have some chocolate?

kohaku kaoru

Kohaku: Hakaze-han…

…Oh, Bon’s here as well.

Tsukasa: What’s wrong, Oukawa? Your face looks all wrinkly like a salted plum.

Kohaku: My face has never looked like that. Didn’t ya hear, Bon?

Tsukasa: What exactly?

Kohaku: About ScaCherry-han. All of a sudden all their stories’ve been deleted, and the author page is also gone.

It’s like they never existed in ta first place, everythin’s gone.

Tsukasa: S, so that’s how it is.

Kohaku: Sigh, I’d been lookin’ forward to readin’ their new updates too…

Tsukasa: (...I immediately deleted everything as soon as I saw the Message from Sena-senpai.)

(I didn’t consider the feelings of the people who were enjoying my story.)

(For the readers’ sakes… For Oukawa’s sake, maybe I should repost the story after all.)

………

(...No, now that I’ve decided to put down my pen I should persevere.)

(Scarlet Cherry was a temporary name. My true identity is Knights’ Leader, Suou Tsukasa, after all.)

…It is a shame that Scarlet Cherry disappeared, but surely they had their own circumstances to consider. It can’t be helped.

The Website has many other stories you could read, and if nothing catches your eye, why not try writing something of your own?

Kohaku: Who, me? Even if I did write somethin’, I doubt anyone’d want ta read it?

Tsukasa: Fufun. If you end up writing something, I will be the first person to read it. Whether or not I’ll like it is a different story, though.

I won’t show you any favoritism, so prepare yourself.

Kohaku: That’s just what I’d want. I’ll blow ya away with my skill.

Kaoru: I’m glad to see the two of you in better spirits. I can relax now.

Ran-kun was saying he was enjoying writing as well. Maybe one day one of us will become a famous author…♪

kaoru

-

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Season: Summer

Location: Yumenosaki library

Characters: Tsukasa, Hajime, Kohaku, Nagisa, Kaoru

<One week later, in the Yumenosaki Library>
tsukasa hajime

Hajime: Ah, Suou-kun. Good afternoon~

Tsukasa: Hajime-kun. Are you on library duty today?

Hajime: Yup. It feels kinda weird to meet up here now that we’ve gotten used to meeting in the book room, right? Fufu.

Do you need anything today? Are you here to study? If you wanted to look at books then Starmony would probably be a better option.

Tsukasa: No, I’m here to read. I could’ve gone to Starmony instead, but I didn’t want to waste time traveling, so I’ll look for materials here…

Hajime: Materials?

Hajime: -Eh. Are you writing a novel?!

Tsukasa: Shhh. Please don’t raise your voice, I don’t want anyone to know about it.

I’d like to prove myself using my own ability, without relying on previous fame. I don’t want the world to think that my success is due to favoritism.

Hajime: Aah, so that’s why you’re posting under the name “Scarlet Cherry”.

Understood. I definitely won’t tell anyone.

Tsukasa: Thank you for your cooperation.

The first day after posting, I felt truly happy. After all, there was a chance my work would go entirely unnoticed.

But then I started getting greedy. I was wondering why the view counts weren’t rising, and I started worrying that I had done something wrong.

I want to write stories that will reach many more people, so I ended up coming here.

Hajime: …*sob*

Tsukasa: Eh? Why are you crying.

I’ll lend you a Towel, so please dry your face.
hajime crying www

Hajime: Th, thank you… Sorry for crying. I just remembered how I felt back when we first debuted as Ra*bits.

We once stood on stage in front of an empty auditorium, and it made me worry that maybe no one would ever come watch us…

I worried a lot about how to make more people pay attention to Ra*bits back then.

Tsukasa: So that’s how it was. I joined Knights, a Unit with an already established popularity, so I never experienced that kind of hardship…

Hajime: Ehehe. It’s not like we only went through hardship back then either. Both the sweet memories and the bitter ones have turned into good memories for me now ♪

Uhm. Because of that, I’d like to cheer you on in your writing, Suou-kun. If it’s okay with you, could I read your story?

Tsukasa: I don’t mind. I’ll send you the URL on Hallhands.

Hajime: Thank you very much ♪

……

…Ah, this could be changed to this… I’m sorry, could I make a suggestion?

Tsukasa: Yes. Please tell me anything you can think of!

Hajime: Uhm. How about trying to changing the title?

I get the feeling behind it, but “New Generation * Story of the Holy Knight” does give off a somewhat awkward feeling.

Reading through the comments, it seems the plot is praiseworthy. What about finding a title with more connection to the content?

Tsukasa: Hm. Looking through the top Rankings, that certainly seems to be the trend among them.

I also got a Comment earlier saying that my story was “more interesting than expected from the title”. Maybe more people would like it if the content was easier to guess based on the title.

I understand. I’ll go for the name change.

<Middle of September, after Kaori activities>
tsukasa kohaku

Tsukasa: …♪

(The story I posted just this morning has already entered the top Rankings.)

(Like Hajime-kun predicted, just changing the title had this much of an effect on the ratings. I’ve learned something new.)

(I was selected as a “Notable Rookie”, and ever since then I’ve been getting frequent responses from my readers.)

(Let’s keep this momentum and aim for the top…♪)

Kohaku: What’re ya grinnin’ about on yer phone?

Tsukasa: Oukawa. It is bad Manners to peep at other people’s Smartphones.

Kohaku: Nn? Are ya also a fan of ScaCherry, Bon?

Tsukasa: Sca, Cherry…?

Kohaku: “Scarlet Cherry”, abbreviated as ScaCherry. Love-han told me there’s a web novel goin’ around inspired by popular idols.

The author’s balancin’ of realism and unrealism is real good, so I also got super into it.

Tsukasa: I see, you’re super into it huh.

(Fufu. I wonder what kind of face he would make if he knew that the true identity of Scarlet Cherry was me ♪)

Kohaku: Yer makin’ a real bad face there. What’s up?

Tsukasa: Nothing? I’ve got Biblion activities now, so please excuse me.

<Some hours later>
nagisa kaoru

Nagisa: …Kaoru-kun, Tsukasa-kun is here.

Kaoru: You’re right. Yaho, is your writing going well?

Tsukasa: Yes. Thanks to you.

Nagisa: …Writing?

Tsukasa: Oh, excuse me. I haven’t mentioned it to you yet, Ran-senpai, but I have been posting my writing to a Website using the author name Scarlet Cherry for a while now-

Here is my story ♪

Nagisa: …”The story of how I became the greatest idol hero after being bossed around by my seniors and gaining the ability to control time.”

…Is this the title? Sounds interesting.

Kaoru: “Being bossed around by my seniors”, huh. Seems like you’ve taken some inspiration from your own experiences there ♪

Nagisa: …Novels are usually written more or less based on experiences of the author. Writing can be a great tool to express your feelings and experiences, after all.

…Maybe I should try writing something too.

Tsukasa: Please do give it a try. Let’s apply ourselves and learn from each other…♪

-

Navigate:
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Season: Summer

Location: Tsukasa, Souma and Shinobu's dorm room

Characters: Tsukasa, Shinobu, Kaoru, Tsumugi, Souma

<Later that day, before bedtime>
tsukasa

Tsukasa: (...This really is as easy to read as Aoba-senpai said. There's not a lot of text, so I should be able to finish reading within the day.)

(The plot is full of action-packed scenes. I'm beginning to see why Tori-kun got so immersed in this.)

...♪

Shinobu: Mumu!? Suou-kun, that LN is...!

Tsukasa: "LN"... That must be an abbreviation of Light Novel. Are you familiar with this work as well, Shinobu-kun?

Shinobu: Umu! Well, I haven't actually read the book version, however.

That novel is serialized online at a popular site for posting stories. It's always on top of the rankings, and whenever an update comes out it goes trending on SNS.

Tsukasa: You're very knowledgeable about this I see.

Shinobu: Fufun. I used to post there myself in order to get more people to realize the charm of ninjas.

But it was difficult to convey that charm in words, so I gave up pretty quickly.

Tsukasa: Hm. What kind of place is this "story posting Site" exactly?

Shinobu: Oh, how rude of me. I should have explained that part properly.

It's a website where anyone can easily publish stories they've written themselves.

Plus, the site is connected to a publishing company, so if a story gets very popular, it can get published physically. I can send you the URL on Hallhands.

Tsukasa: Thank you very much. I'll give it a look as soon as I'm done reading.

-

<A few days later, in August. In the book room>
kaoru and tsukasa

Tsukasa: Hakaze-senpai, Aoba-senpai, good afternoon.

Kaoru: Tsukasa-kun, yahoo ♪

Aoba-kun just told me that you've officially joined Biblion? As fellow circle mates, I hope we can get along nicely.

Tsukasa: I'm looking forward to it as well.

Tsumugi: We don't have any official activities planned for today, did you come to pick out a book for yourself?

Tsukasa: No, I'm here to return the Light Novel I borrowed the other day. It was very interesting, so I ended up finishing it later that same day.

Kaoru: Ahaha, you liked it that much, huh ♪ I was just talking with Aoba-kun about increasing the amount of light novels we have here.

Tsukasa: Is acquiring new books also one of the duties of Biblion?

Tsumugi: It's not really a duty, more like we submit requests asking for what kinds of books we'd like to have available.

But as a book lover, I'd like it if as many people as possible were interested in using this book room. So I'm making steady efforts to improve it for everyone.

Kaoru: Also, I don't know if it's because no one else ever makes request or because the budget is huge, but the books we request mostly end up getting purchased~

Tsukasa-kun, make sure to tell Aoba-kun if there's ever a book you'd like to order. Maybe the author of the light novel you liked has more works, for example?

Tsukasa: Oh that won't be necessary. Shinobu-kun showed me a story writing Site where I could read everything that author has published thus far.

Tsumugi: To think that you can enjoy novels on the internet, kids these days are impressive~. I can never get used to reading from a screen, my eyes start to itch right away.

Kaoru: "Kids these days", he says.

A website for writing stories, huh. I've never used something like that before~

Tsukasa: It's pretty interesting. You do need to have a certain awareness of what it means for a story to be published online, though.

Kaoru: Awareness?

Tsukasa: I skimmed through many of the stories posted there, and too many of them had stopped updating just as they got to a good place.

And though many of the stories had good concepts, some of them just kept repeating the same plot points without any development, while others suddenly changed the entire setting out of nowhere...

For many of the stories I just kept thinking how I would have written it differently as I read.

Tsumugi: Well, most of the authors are probably posting there as a hobby...

If you're this intrigued by it, why don't you try posting something for yourself, Suou-kun?

Tsukasa: Me?

Kaoru: Sounds good~. You were just saying how you felt you could've written something different, so why not try and write your ideal novel for yourself?

You never know, you could end up catching the eye of a publisher and they could media-mix your story ♪

Tsukasa: Media Mix... My story could get a novelization or be made into a manga or an Anime...!

If I were to become a successful novelist, that would mean my value in the eyes of society would rise. Then I could make Tori-kun eat his words!

Thank you very much for the advice, now excuse me!

Kaoru: No, I was just saying there's a chance of that happening... Aah, he ran off.

There are many rivals aiming for the same goal, so there's no way becoming a successful novelist will go that smoothly. I hope Tsukasa-kun can keep his spirits this high.

Tsumugi: Fufu, I'm sure he'll be fine. He's a strong child, after all. We should just quietly watch over him.

-

<Early september, in Tsukasa's dorm room>
tsukasa

Tsukasa: (Hm~... It's been around half a day since I posted my story. I wonder how it's doing?)

(Has anyone seen the masterpiece I spent an entire month conceptualizing?)

(Reading others' stories is so easy, but when it's your own work it's actually rather scary...)

(At this rate I won't be able to fall asleep... I should take a quick peek just to calm my nerves.)

*looks nervously at his phone screen*

(...Woah, it has gotten 10 reads already! And some of them even added it to their favorites-!)
tsukasa

Souma: Umu? Why are you giggling and kicking your feet all of a sudden? Did something happen?

Tsukasa: Wha!?

I'm sorry if I startled you. It's just, something a little bit good happened.

Souma: I see. You seem happy, Suou, which makes me happy as well.

It's nearly time for bed. I hope you sleep well and have good dreams.

Tsukasa: Fufu. I'm sure I will...♪

(My story even got a comment! "This was much more interesting than I expected from the title, feels like a masterpiece in the making"... I'm so happy...!)

(I actually got a response. For the sakes of the readers as well, I need to be diligent and continue writing!)

-

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Season: Summer

Location: Book Room

Characters: Tsukasa, Kaoru, Nagisa, Tsumugi, Hajime

Tsukasa: ? What's wrong, you two?

Kaoru: Uuuuhm. That was a joke just now, right...?

Tsukasa: No. I love reading textbooks. They are interesting to read, and it helps with my studies. It's like killing two birds with one stone ♪

Kaoru: Huh. Does that even count as leisurely reading?

Tsukasa: Does it not?

Kaoru: Hmm~... What do you think, Ran-kun?

Nagisa: ...Textbooks and fictional books are similar in that they both contain letters and words to be read.

...But if you are defining leisurely reading as reading literature for enjoyment or reading books about your interests, then I don't think school textbooks count.

...However. If you find reading textbooks to be fun, then it could count as leisurely reading, I think.

Kaoru: I see. So to Tsukasa-kun, textbooks count as leisurely reading.

Even then. Since he's joining Biblion I'd like for him to get to know books other than just textbooks too.

Tsukasa: That was my intention as well. If possible, could the two of you have any Genres to recommend?

Nagisa: ...If you enjoy textbooks, then how about trying history books?

...History is the accumulation of knowledge. We learn from the failures and wisdoms of the past in order to better the present and future.

Tsukasa: I see. History books likely contain some of the same things I've learned from my textbooks, so they should be a good place to start expanding my reading.

Kaoru: Well, it is a little closer to my definition of reading, but we're still a ways off~

What about Aoba-kun? What books would you recommend to Tsukasa-kun?

Tsumugi: Me? Let's see...

Keeping with the history theme, what about a historical novel?

Tsukasa: A historical novel... How exactly is that different from history books?

Tsumugi: Mostly the intention behind them and their contents. History books contain an objective description of past events and people - they're often based on research and analysis of historical facts.

Historical novels, on the other hand, are fictional stories based on historical settings.

Some are based on historical figures or events, but the story itself is made up by the author.

It should be noted that not all historical novels are based on true facts. But there is a certain charm to learning about history while enjoying a story.

Hajime--kun, what type of book would you recommend?

hajime and tsumugi

Hajime: Hmm... What about picture books? This book room has a lot of picture books as well.

Many of them contain themes that are relatable even to people our age, so they can feel rather refreshing to read...

Looking at the illustrations always gives me this gentle feeling like I'm being healed ♪

Kaoru: Picture books, huh. Everyone are recommending some unique genres~

Tsumugi: What about you, then, Kaoru-kun?

Kaoru: Ahaha. Even though I was the one who said I wanted him to get to know some new genres, I can't actually think of anything.

...That's right. Why don't we go over to the bestseller corner and look at some of the books there, and then you can read whichever catches your attention? In Biblion we regularly change what kinds of books we read, so the themes we can recommend are always changing-

Meanwhile, in the bestseller corner, the recently popular books are displayed regardless of genre. Surely one or two of them will be of interest?

Tsukasa: That does sound interesting. I will go have a look straight away.

...It should be on this shelf. The "Best Seller" Corner...

Here it is. The books are displayed according to their Ranking, it seems pretty thorough.

...Nn? This book is...

.........

Tsumugi: Oh, seems you already found a book you're interested in. A novel, huh.

Tsukasa: It's not that I'm particularly interested in this book, but the Title is the same as the comic book Tori-kun was reading yesterday, which caught my eye. I wonder if the two are related somehow.

Tsumugi: Let's see... That novel is probably the source material for the comic book Himemiya-kun was reading.

Tsukasa: Source material?

Tsumugi: The book you've picked up is a style of novel known as light novels.

Light novels are usually pretty short and easy to read, and come with themes like fantasy or adventures.

If a light novel is particularly popular, it will often get made into a manga or an anime. You could call it a "media mix".

Manga and anime are visually appealing and easy to consume, so the story can reach new audiences and age groups.

Tsukasa: And because of that, the sale numbers of the original Light Novel receive a boost, huh...

This is interesting. I would like to borrow this book this time!

tsukasa and tsumugi

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Season: Summer, end of July

Location: Book Room

Characters: Tsukasa, Kaoru, Hajime, Tsumugi, Nagisa

tsukasa

Tsukasa: (I was told to come to the Book Room at this time, but I always get so nervous before knocking on the door…)

(I know I’m just a temporary member for now, but is it really okay to show up empty-handed?)

Kaoru: Yahoo, Tsukasa-kun ♪

Tsukasa: Wahii!?

Ha, Hakaze-senpai… I’m sorry you had to hear that embarrassing sound.

Kaoru: Ahaha, I’m the one who should apologize. Anyone’d be surprised if someone suddenly calls their name from behind like that~

What are you doing in front of the door to the book room anyways? Don’t tell me it’s locked?

Tsukasa: It’s not. I was just lost in thought about my temporary membership.

You’re doing me a favor, after all, so maybe it would have been better if I had prepared some snacks at the very least.

Kaoru: You’re as diligent as ever, huh~. It’s fine, it’s fine. This is just a reading circle, after all, and not some important work meeting.

Now let’s get inside. Everyone, Tsukasa-kun is here~

Hajime: Ah, Suou-kun. Good afternoon~♪

Tsumugi: We were waiting for you. Welcome to “Biblion”.

Tsukasa: Good afternoon. I will be in your care for today.

(I’m already familiar with Hajime-kun and Aoba-senpai, so they’re easy to talk to. And I have worked with Hakaze-senpai before.)

(The problem is Ran-senpai. We’re in different agencies, and we haven’t had many chances to talk privately. How should I approach him…)

Kaoru: Hmm, Ran-senpai mentioned this, but the two of you haven’t really had the chance to talk much, have you?

We all live in the same dorm, so it’s not like this is your first meeting, but let’s do some introductions anyhow. This is Ran Nagisa-kun from Eden.

Nagisa: …Glad to meet you, Tsukasa-kun.

Tsukasa: Y, yes. Let’s get along.

…I have seen you perform on Stage a couple times, and yet. How do I say this, your atmosphere is somewhat different from then…?

Kaoru: Ahaha, you think so too, Tsukasa-kun? Actually, until I was able to speak properly with him I felt like he looked threatening somehow.

Nagisa: …Should I act threatening?

Kaoru: If that’s what you want to do then I won’t stop you, but I think you’re fine as you are.

That’s the kind of place “Biblion” is, isn’t it? The kind of place where you can escape from your everyday life for a bit to relax while surrounded by books.

Tsumugi: Yes, that’s right. I imagine you’re pretty busy with Knights’ activities, Suou-kun, so feel free to read the books you like as much as you’d like until you feel healed.

Tsukasa: Yes, I’d like that very much… ♪

Tsumugi: Well then, let’s have a tea party right away. Hajime-kun, could I bother you to prepare some tea?

hajime and tsukasa

Hajime: Leave it to me ♪ I’ll brew the tea we’ve been developing in “Flavor”.

Tsukasa: A tea party… Um, excuse me, but isn’t “Biblion” a Circle for reading…?

Nagisa: …It is. But it’s not only for reading.

…We want to spend quality time reading books with our fellow book lovers.

…That is Biblion’s methodology.

Kaoru: Yup, yup. If we just wanted to read books we could’ve done so alone, after all.

I was the one who prepared snacks for this tea party, by the way.

You’re in “Kaori”, right? I asked Adonis-kun about how you were doing in that circle and he told me you have a sweet tooth.

I hesitated a bit, but ended up buying an entire Baumkuchen*.

Tsukasa: An entire cake…

Kaoru: It has quite an impact, wouldn’t you say? It’s the kind of luxury you can only eat when everyone gathers like this, after all~

Tsukasa: Y, yes. You’re right.

Nagisa: …We’ll need plates. Let’s get some.

Kaoru: And cutlery too. I’ll help.

Tsukasa: I, I should help out as well-

Kaoru: It’s fine, just stay where you are. Us two are enough, and you’re somewhat a guest right now.

Tsukasa: Ah, right. I’m deeply grateful for your consideration.

(A tea party… Baumkuchen… Even though I tried picking a Circle with no connection to food whatsoever…)

(But then again. That Baumkuchen looks so appetizing I can’t stop staring at it…!)

(...That’s right! The Tea Party is just a kind of bonus. The main focus of the Circle is still reading.)

(So this shouldn’t count as indulging. I’m just eating it due to the circumstances, after all.)

Hajime: …Sorry to keep you waiting. Now then, we can begin the tea party♪

Suou-kun, just tell me whenever you want a refill, okay?

Tsukasa: Thank you very much, Hajime-kun.

Tsukasa: (...Ah.)

(What have I done. I keep talking only to Hajime-kun and Aoba-senpai, since I know them well already.)

(It could be seen as disrespectful of me if I don’t talk to the others as well. But what exactly should I say…)

Kaoru: …Hm?

You’re looking over here, Tsukasa-kun? How is the Baumkuchen? Did you like it?

Tsukasa: Yes, it is very delicious.

Kaoru: That’s good. I’m glad to see you’re enjoying the atmosphere of “Biblion”. Even if we’ve done exactly zero reading this far~

Nagisa: …Reading, is it.

…What kinds of books do you typically like reading, Tsukasa-kun?

Tsukasa: That would be textbooks, I think.

Nagisa/Kaoru: …Textbooks?
nagisa kaoru

TL notes:
* Baumkuchen is a type of German cake which is a popular dessert in Japan!

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Scout! Biblion:
"Tsukasa decides to temporarily join Biblion. After finding an interesting book in the 'Best Seller' corner, he becomes immersed in the world of the book..."

Writer: yuumasu
Season: Summer, late July
Characters: Tsukasa, Kaoru, Kohaku, Hajime, Nagisa, Tsumugi, Tori, Shinobu, Souma.

Chapters:

Author name: Scarlet Cherry 1

Author name: Scarlet Cherry 2

Author name: Scarlet Cherry 3

Author name: Scarlet Cherry 4

Author name: Scarlet Cherry 5

Author name: Scarlet Cherry 6