Chapter 2

“♪ ~ ♪ ~ ♪”

“…~ ♪”

Bravo! You’ve improved so much when I wasn’t paying attention, Hakaze. Here, sensei’ll give you a round of applause.

Oh? Have you finally woken up, sensei? It’s pretty depressing—not to mention impossible—trying to have a conversation with someone who’s drunk, so I thought I’d let you get some sleep and warm up~

You might wanna get some liquid in you. Cold water can make you sick to your stomach in this season, so I warmed it up for you.

And here, you can have some of the turmeric pills I always keep on me.¹

Thanks. Looks like you’re used to this kinda thing, Hakaze. You’re more like a host than an idol.

I get that a lot~ ♪

But, what happened, Sensei?

It’s a good thing I found you. If you’d stayed asleep on the streets, you might have frozen to death. And even if you hadn’t, you might’ve been robbed or something, you know?

Be more careful. If a teacher from our school dies in a freak accident out on the streets, it’s gonna cause all sorts of trouble for the students…

It’s not really my place to say, but can’t you pull yourself together?

Yeah… Seriously, my bad, Hakaze. Sorry to be such a handful. You really saved my ass. If I were your homeroom teacher, I’d add a little something extra to your report card.

Ahaha. It’d be nice to get a reward like that, huh~ You’ll have to tell my homeroom teacher aaaaall about what happened. Don’t forget to add plenty of flair.

It’s my fault for slacking off so much until my third year. It’s because my grades are so bad that my career options are so limited.

‘S that right? You always seemed like you’re pretty good at going with the flow, though.

There’s a limit to that, you know~ I didn’t have much motivation to do anything at all until recently.

I didn’t care about my grades at all, since I was planning on quitting idol work altogether after graduation.

I was just enough of a good kid not to get expelled, but I didn’t actually do anything with my time.

Looking back on it now makes me wanna put my head in my hands and ask myself… why’d I even waste so much time?

Haha. I don’t think all that time was wasted. Every experience has its value, after all. Actually, I’m pretty jealous of you. Back when I was in school… I couldn’t play around at all.

I was a super idol, so I was in high demand, and I was forced to work all the time.

That was a time when idols were idealized even more than they are now, and you couldn’t even go on dates with cute girls.

Huh, then I’m super glad I wasn’t an idol way back when. I wouldn’t have been able to handle that—I’d definitely have quit halfway… if it’d been me.

You think? From where I’m standing, you seem to have it a lot harder because you’ve learned the appeal of playing around, and the sweet temptation of love…

When you cut it off cold-turkey, the withdrawal hits you harder.

At best, I can just chalk it up to the grapes being sour and get on with my life.²

Ahaha, but in reality, they’re so sweet it’s like they’ll melt in your mouth.

Yup yup. It’s better you get familiar with that sweetness now.

If you suddenly taste something sweet without realizing it, you’ll get addicted and drown yourself in it. And at that point, there’s no turning back.

Well, that’s my experience at least. You should just have fun while you’re young, really.

Nngh hrrrgk… Ah~ Looks like I still got some alcohol left in my system. My head’s pounding like crazy, and it’s like I’m gonna implode.

Umm. I could call someone from home or a worker here to drive you home if you want?

Y’don’t gotta go that far for me. Right now it’s juuuust embarrassing enough for me to bring up in another drinking party as a funny story.

Ahaha, it’s fine though~ The world needs some useless adults, right?

I have a pretty good upbringing. So when I was a kid, I thought all adults were respectable and remarkable.

Ignorantly so. But the sooner you realize that isn’t the reality of things, the less shocked you’ll be, I guess.

Oh, you connected the dots. You’re a smooth talker; I bet you’d really go far as an idol…

I dunno what career path you’re gonna choose, but I’m rooting for you.

Not just you, but all the kids at the school too. At the very least, I’ll consider it a passing grade if you just don’t end up like me.

Ahaha. I can’t respect you at all as a person~ But when it comes to your achievements as an idol, I’d be hard-pressed to find your equal.

…Maybe I should take a page out of Hajime-kun’s book and just steal all your good points, huh?

Yeah, just do that. No one knows what the right answer is, anyway.

Maybe It’s supposed to be the teacher’s job to, y’know, teach you the right answer, but I haven’t lived my life in a way where I can puff out my chest and say, “Grow up and follow in my footsteps.” so…

Whoa?

Hey now, I don’t think you should try moving around yet~? You’re still staggering around. Maybe you should sober up a bit more?

Yeah, I’ll do that… Ngh~ I won’t drink this recklessly again. I’m dead serious this time—I swear on my adorable students.

But seriously, what were you doing getting that drunk? Don’t go around drinking so much you get sick~ Don’t they say alcohol should be enjoyed in moderation?

Ngh… Guess you could say I was drinking away my sorrows.

I dunno if you know this, but I’ve been working on this Saga Project thing.

Oh yeah, I heard about it from Moricchi. You trying to make a comeback, sensei?

I’m not qualified for that. This is the last big bang for the idol Sagami Jin. Or well, it’s more of a pop I guess~ Once I’m done with this, I’ll be in the clear for good ♪

Anyway. Somehow, Saga Project’s been expanding rapidly in scale—I’ve lost count of all the people involved now.

But it looks like someone on the staff used to be a fan of mine…

We were all drinking together at the final closing party of the year, and she came up and confessed to me, even though she’s already got a husband.

Oh, so an affair. How bad can you be, sensei~

Nah, she was probably drunk, too. And of course I politely turned her down.

She was getting more and more excited as we talked, going on about all sorts of glorified memories of who I used to be.

I got fed up with everyone watching and making fun of me, so…

So I made up some excuse and got outta there. I ended up bar-hopping around town and drank so much I just collapsed.

Ahaha well, you can’t do much else than say no in that kinda situation, but you could’ve done some fanservice for an old fan at least.

I couldn’t afford to do that. She was more than just a fan—There was that look of true love in her eyes…

I felt like she was eyeing me up like I was her prey. If I hadn’t been careful, I think my future would’ve gone down the drain.

I capitalized on making my fans fall in love with me so… well, I’m just reaping what I sowed, really.

If I’d actually responded to her feelings, it’d have been too easy for things to get out of control.

And then never mind me, she’d be the one totally screwed over.

I got scared thinking I could ruin someone’s life like that, and my past self started looking like this horrible monster—

I just felt so sick and guilty, with so many different emotions welling up, so I turned to the bottle for an escape.

I was trying to put that all behind me, too, but it’s as if that me from the past still has me in a chokehold…

I was so scared.

Hakaze. It looks like you’re selling yourself like how I used to, so make sure you’re careful out there.

I’m really not much by way of a teacher, so let me at least set a bad example for you.

Being an idol may just be another job, but it’s a job that cuts deep into other people’s lives and stirs up a lot of emotions.

Money’s one thing, but you can’t calculate emotions. So be careful, and straighten out your liabilities little by little.

Once you’ve figured that out, you guys’ll finally be able to surpass me and move forward into the future.

……

Oops. Here I am going off on some drunken sermon to a kid. I really am a no-good adult… I should probably head home before I I embarrass myself even more.

Thanks for taking care of me, Hakaze. I’ll see you at school when the new term starts.

Oh—yeah… If I have any other questions about my career or something, can I come to you again for advice?

Yeah, no problem. I can talk your ear off about all the mistakes I’ve made.

See ya. …Back then, when you were singing without a care, you really were shining.

I’m praying that you’ll be able to sing just like that forever.