Cards — Heading Somewhere with No Answers 1

[gyaxa]

(The next day)

Hiiro: (Well then. Perhaps I should drop by the office before having lunch.)
 

(Most correspondence can be taken care of with HoldHands, but meeting with the staff face-to-face lets me have any questions I may have answered on the spot.)
 

(They might have something for me to collect, even. Like that script I was supposed to pick up.)

? This sensation is…

(It seems like someone's in the ceiling over there.)

(I already have a pretty good idea of who might be traveling in the ceilings, but let's get closer and check just to make sure…)

(Yes, this presence is without a doubt—)

I'm right here, Mayoi-senpai!

Mayoi: Hyah?! Is that your voice, Hiiro-san?

I'm heading down now, so please wait a little…

Hiiro: Alright! I'll stay right here!
 

Mayoi: Heave… ho. Apologies for keeping you waiting.

Technically, I could exit from just about anywhere, but I prefer to use the inspection holes when I can. It's more convenient that way.

Hiiro: Wouldn't just using the hallways be even more convenient?

Mayoi: Argh, pleeease don't offer up something so logical; it's impossible for me to not use the ceiling in these conditions!

Hiiro: These conditions, meaning?

Mayoi: Well you see… It seems a lot of press cameras have been installed in the ES building, so a lot of strangers have been out and about here…

Just the thought of accidentally running into one of them or being caught on camera is positively horrifying…!

Hiiro: That's a silly thing to say. Aren't you fine with being in front of the TV cameras, Mayoi-senpai?

Mayoi: Uuu, at this rate, I'll get addicted to Hiiro-san innocently smiling at me while barraging me with logic…!

Hiiro: ?

Mayoi: …Ahem.

By the way, where are you headed, Hiiro-san?

Hiiro: I'm going to the offices. I was planning on having lunch after that, but what about you? Have you had lunch yet?

Mayoi: Not yet…

Hiiro: Oh, thank goodness ♪︎ I'd like to have lunch with you, if that's okay?

Mayoi: Fufu, thank you for inviting me. Since you were heading towards the office, I'll accompany you there as well…♪︎
 

───
  

Hiiro: Hmm… I feel like I've grown accustomed to visiting the office.

Mayoi: I feel the same… Even though it's only been a few months, this time has felt so much longer than that.

It's only natural, considering ALKALOID has been spending this hectic time working as one of Starpro's units.

As the seasons changed from summer to fall, perhaps this place has grown all the more familiar and comforting to us.

Hiiro: I've been a member of this agency since before our unit was even formed.

But, how should I put it… ever since I’ve started working as a part of ALKALOID, I've grown much more attached to it.

Even just visiting the office and being able to greet the staff is a delightful experience, with all these people recognizing us and reaching out to chat.

Mayoi: I completely agree. I'm grateful that the staff always reach out so kindly, even to someone like me…♪︎

Speaking of which, what business did you have to take care of here, Hiiro-san?

Hiiro: Nothing in particular; I just wanted to stop by and say hello. Well, I was also going to check if there were any messages or packages for us, I suppose…

Ah, a staff member! Good afternoon, thank you for your hard work!

Hm? Reactions to the magazine interview we partook in have started coming out?

Mayoi: Are you referring to the one where all of ALKALOID got to be interviewed?

They even prepared such lovely outfits for us. I was quite nervous at first, but the shoot turned out to be rather enjoyable…♪︎

Hiiro: Since we get to hear this from the staff directly, I suppose coming to the office paid off in the end. It's a relief that the fans enjoyed it!

You've received fan letters as well, you say? Is it okay if we take them off your hands now?

… I see. So you’ve collected all the letters for ALKALOID, but you haven't sorted them by member yet.

Mayoi: We wouldn't mind sorting them out ourselves. Thank you for always going above and beyond for our sake. 

We'll be participating in an interview next week, in any case. It'd be nice we could pull a good reaction from that interview as well.

Hiiro: Yes, let's both do our best, Mayoi-senpai! Along with Aira and Tatsumi-senpai as well, of course ♪︎

I'll drop by again some time to pick up the letters. Fufu, I'm looking forward to reading what everyone wrote.

Huh, is there any work I want to do with the rest of ALKALOID? Where's this coming from, all of a sudden?

Since we started talking about the interview anyway, you wanted to take the opportunity to ask? Hm~m…

Mayoi: I-I wonder… Do you have any ideas, Hiiro-san?

Hiiro: Not yet, it's pretty difficult to point out work I want to do on command. I'm sure Aira or Tatsumi-senpai would know just the right thing to say, though…

I'm new to this idol business, and I'm still trying to figure out what an idol is for myself.

I don't think I have any hopes for the future in particular that I can name right now.

Mayoi: Same for me… Right now, I think the most we can do is take on each job we receive as best we can.

There's no way I can offer any hopes for the future…

"You don't have to apologize?" … Phew. That's a relief.

Our plans for after we leave? Well, we were planning on heading to the canteen and having lunch…

Hiiro: "Won't it start getting crowded soon?"…? Ah, you're right. If we don't get there soon, all the seats will be taken.

Thank you for reminding us! Alright, let's start heading down, Mayoi-senpai!

Mayoi: Aahh, please wait a moment, Hiiro-saaan…!

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