Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330665789841745/episodes/16817330668186817137
On Sunday, after getting a morning to evening job, I was on the train heading to my destination.
There were a good number of people on the train.
It is still cold in spring in May, and I think I will be able to spend a comfortable time until the rainy season starts.
I was lucky enough to be seated in a seat, so I closed my eyes and let the comfort of the sunlight wash over me.
It’s peaceful.
Today, I’ve been invited by Hakariya to go to something called a handover party.
Apparently, people who buy CDs from Koikoizaka, the group she belongs to, get to communicate with the idols a little bit by having them hand over the special prize directly to them.
I have never liked idols before, so this didn’t really appeal to me.
However, I had promised to go to this event to make up for the one time I had stood up for a date with Hakariya just the other day.
The reason why I couldn’t go on the date is a long story, so I’ll spare the details, but anyway, Hakariya seemed sad.
I look back at RINE message, which had come at midnight last night.
Hakariya [Please come tomorrow]
Hakariya [Look at my popularity]
Hakariya [And for shrugging off a date with me like that]
Hakariya [Please reflect on that]
It went on for a long time after that, but I just replied [Okay, I’m sorry].
After that, I received several messages, but I didn’t read them.
All I knew was that she was apologizing for something.
To be honest, I think it would be better to talk about these things in person.
I’m not doing that only to Hakariya, but I often don’t reply to messages.
I’m not good at conveying my feelings in writing.
So, if it’s with words, am I conveying my feelings well enough?
I can’t answer ‘yes’ to that question.
Anyway, I have a phone so that I can contact Yuki anytime, but I usually don’t open RINE very often.
But I know it’s not good.
Yuki often tells me that.
She says it’s not good to ignore people’s messages.
Yeah. I’m not busy right now, so I’ll try to open other people’s messages.
Eika [I’m sorry for getting emotional the other day. I want to be friends with you again.]
Kitazume Eika, huh. I remember the face of the junior who was angry at me on the rooftop.
……I’ll put it off until later. I’m scared. No reply.
Hinoriwa [Yukimi, have you ever done an MBTI diagnostic? What was it?]
……I don’t know. No reply.
Kyoko [Why are you messing with me, Yukimi kun?]
……I don’t know myself. I’ll continue to tease her. No reply.
Futaba [Information about a new sweets store in front of the station. Click here for URL.]
Oh ! I tap it immediately.
Wow, it looks delicious. Is it the fresh cream that is special? I’d love to try it.
Thank you, thank you, I reply.
I’ll invite someone next time. Yuki doesn’t like sweets that much.
When I was doing that, I had arrived at the destination.
I could only reply to Futaba, but it couldn’t be helped.
All right, let’s go see what Hakariya is trying to do.
ーーーーーー☆彡
The venue was already filled with enthusiasm.
The large temporary venue was divided into a number of booths, each with its own queue.
It seems that not only the handover party but also other events are being held.
This venue itself must be creating a huge demand for the overall content of Koikoizaka.
I was overwhelmed by the number of people, which must have numbered in the tens of thousands, if not thousands.
“So, where is Hakariya?
I walked and looked for her.
After a few minutes of walking, avoiding the crowds, I found a long line of people at the back of the hall.
It was more like a wall of people.
No way, I wouldn’t like it if it was like that……I thought to myself as I looked ahead of the line, and there she was.
Her name was written in large letters on a signboard.
In the next lane was AKamori Kyoko.
Kyoko also has a large number of people lined up, although not as many as Hakariya.
I mean, do you talk to all these people?
Idols are really amazing…….
This is what you call fan service?
You’ve achieved your goal, Hakariya. I’m starting to respect you, I thought so.
……Okay, let’s go home.
To begin with, I didn’t buy the CD.
I’ll just RINE Hakariya.
[You’re very popular. You’re doing a great job. I don’t think I’ll be seeing you for a while, so I’m going home.]
That’ll do.
It made sense.
Soon after I sent it, I received a call.
I wondered who it was.
“I’m sorry for calling on such short notice. This is Sasaki.”
“……Ah, the manager.”
“W-where are you now?”
She sounded very tense.
“Well, I was just at the handover event.”
“I know ! Tell me what you see !”
How do you know?
Let’s see, what do I see……
“Oh, Kaibashira Airi’s lane is the closest one.”
I naturally came to this place because there were no people in line at all.
“Please stay where you are ! Don’t move !
“……”
I had no choice but to wait.
ーーーーーー☆彡
Sasaki san, who was out of breath within a few dozen seconds, came running and joined me.
Now we are walking together.
“I’m sorry for being so out of character. I was the one who took care of Hakari’s phone during today’s handover. I’m really sorry that I saw Yukimi san’s message notification there.”
“No, it’s fine. So?”
“Today Hakari is playing the best idol ever.”
“……Huh?”
What a lot of pressure.
After this, she talked about how Hakariya is making an effort today, but I didn’t really get it.
This person goes crazy when it comes to Hakariya.
At first glance, she looks like a girl in a suit who gets her job done.
“Anyway, she is motivated by the thought that you are watching her. She smiles many times more than usual. This has become popular on social media, and the number of people lining up for the event is increasing. We’re getting a lot of repeat customers.”
“……I see.”
What do you mean by “repeat”? Is it a system where people can line up multiple times?
“I’m sure Yukimi san will line up as well. It wouldn’t be too cruel to not reward her for all her hard work, right?”
“No…….”
I think it’s great that you’re working so hard, but I wonder if I’ll have to wait in line for over an hour.
But, wouldn’t it be too bad if we didn’t meet here……
“You’ll do it, right?”
“……Yes.”
When I told Sasaki san, who was kind of high, that I hadn’t bought the CD in the first place, she silently handed me some tickets.
Then, I was asked why I was wearing clothes that had Kyoko’s color red in them, and I was made to put on a black T-shirt that was a merchandise item over the top.
And now I’m at the end of a long, long line.
……Well, let’s just think of this kind of thing as an experience.
I’ll think of it as something I can talk about with Yuki when I get home.
ーーーーーー☆彡
A while after I started to stand in line, I noticed that the time to talk with idols differed depending on the person.
It wasn’t that the fans were cutting themselves off, but that the staff was forcing them to finish.
I didn’t know how it worked, and I was getting tired of waiting in line, so out of curiosity, I approached the person in line one in front of me.
“Excuse me. Is there a specific number of seconds for each person?”
A large man carrying a large backpack on his stomach turned around.
After asking the question, I noticed that he was acting suspiciously.
His eyes were darting about and he was breathing heavily.
The fact that he was wearing a large mask covering his face added to the suspiciousness.
“Y-yes? How many seconds? Ah, ah. Ten seconds per person. Common sense, it’s common sense.
“I see. Thank you.”
……He’s kinda scary.
I think about it after the man turns to face forward.
He was always acting like he was protecting the inside of his backpack.
No way.
At that moment, I suddenly realized how scary it is for an idol to be directly in the presence of a member of the public.
Observing the booth.
There are security guards, but they are few in number.
There are about five staff members per idol, but I wonder if they can cope with sudden events.
The sight of idols lined up side by side in a row showed that there were no well thought-out evacuation routes.
Perhaps it is because my father is in that kind of business, but it made me feel a bit uneasy.
Well, if I start thinking about it, there is no end to it.
I had no choice but to trust that the management was a professional.
The line was about three-quarters of the way through, and I could see the expressions on the faces of the organizers and Kyoko.
The fans in the line were starting to shout their praises.
Indeed, both Hakariya and Kyoko were shining.
They looked great in their sparkling school uniform-like outfits.
The fans who were leaving the venue after the meeting were all excited.
The fans must be living every moment they can with these girls.
The idols responded to them with all their might.
It was something that seemed very precious to me.
But I didn’t understand that there are positive and negative emotions in the passion of the fans.
When it was my turn with two more people to go, Hakariya noticed me.
“～～～! ! !”
She kind of raised her voice and seemed to be thrilled.
Then, after staring at me for a while,
She started crying with a straight face.
The staff was looking at her to see what was going on.
I wondered what the reason was.
I don’t know, but everyone’s reaction was delayed when the suspicious man in front of me started to run.
—–Except me.
The man pulls out a saw-like object from his backpack and holds it up to the tester.
“Idiot.”
Just as he swung it, I drop-kicked the guy in the back.
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