Chapter 3

Okie doke, last on the list is to go over our schedule for next week! We’ll be on site to record the weekly radio show we’re on…

And then there’s the variety show special we’re supposed to appear on, and then of course our usual recording sessions and magazine shoots. I can’t even believe we’ve got all this work!

After we film that special, we’ve got an interview too, right? They said it’s about our thoughts post-recording. It’s gonna be in a TV magazine or something.

Really? I don’t think I saw it in the schedule… I’ll check later to see if it’s lumped together with the recording itself.

Speaking of, I wonder if everything we filmed last year has been aired yet.

Like that show that changed its air time? It came on last weekend, and I think that was the last of them.

I saw us on the screen shouting out “Happy New Year!” with all that New Year’s spirit.

It’s kinda weird to see us celebrating the New Year when that season’s already passed, huh~

That’s just how showbiz works. The world’s ready to get a move on, and now they’re moving full speed ahead towards Valentine’s.

…And obviously, we are too.

…Yep, we sure are.

The things we’ve decided on for Chocolat Fes are…

That we’ll perform at both Yumenosaki and ES.

And that we’ll ask Anzu-san to make our costumes for the performances.

We’ve only figured out two things… Just two things. What do you think, Aniki?

We’re no strangers to setting up lives on a time crunch, but this is kinda starting to look a little bad, isn’t it?

I can’t say I’m too optimistic about it either. We haven’t made any progress on things since the fall.

…We’ve been running all over the place for SS and stuff. But now that we’re in a new year, we can’t use SS as an excuse anymore.

SS… right. We really fought hard, but it just felt like so many things piled up on us.

……

But anyway! Chocolat Fes is set to go off without a hitch just like usual now!

So we’ll just have to gather up all the ideas we’ve given each other and give them another look-see. And we can come up with some new ideas while we’re at it.

(We have talked about it a lot based on what we said back at the garden space…)

(But each time we got together, we ended up going off about this or that… And in the end, we really haven’t come up with much of anything.)

(The fact that Chocolat Fes itself is barreling on ahead just serves to highlight how stuck in place we are.)

(Even though we got the news about everything back in the *fall—*and they considered us a powerful unit, too.)

I pulled together all the ideas we’ve had up to now in a memo on HoldHands, so you can take a look at—

…Yuuta-kun? You okay there?

Huh? What?

You were just staring off into space. You wanna take a little break maybe? I can get you something to drink.

Oh… No, I’m fine. I was just thinking about how we couldn’t come up with any new ideas.

Mhm, well I’m glad it’s not something like you being sleep deprived.

Anyway, you’re talking about new ideas, but… it’d be such a waste to toss out all the ideas we’ve had up to now, don’tcha think?

Which is why I went ahead and checked with the relevant parties to see what we could realistically pull off.

Oh, by relevant parties, I pretty much mean the VP ♪

You’re doing things behind my back again, Aniki…

Sorry, sorry. But for the record, it does look like we can count on the VP helping us out. Which means that big fancy stage you wanted is totally on the table!

We’re gonna be using the same set for both lives, so I was thinking we could change up the performances and set list to shake things up.

I’m sure if we put our minds together, we can come up with a really cute and larger-than-life set that just screams Valentine’s D—

Hang on. Are you working under the assumption that this stage is gonna be all about what I want? What about your ideas, huh?

You told me you wanted something that stuck to the core theme of Chocolat Fes.

I thought we could work my ideas into other parts of the show.

Like maybe we could make some sweets… After all, you’re talking to 2wink’s master patissier ♪

Wh–what’s with that… I know you had all our fans in mind when you thought of your idea, so why’d you chicken out?

I didn’t chicken out. I just thought your ideas would look better on the stage if we got a nice big budget and the helper from the agency.

How is your plan so different from mine that you’d have to pull out and prioritize my ideas? Just admit you chickened out.

Ngh, you’re so prickly today…

…We can save Chocolat Fes for later. Maybe we should talk about something else?

Something else? Like what?

Something you have to use words to say… and stuff. We may be twins, but it’s not like we can use telepathy.

…Right now we need to be talking about Chocolat Fes. There is no “something else.” C’mon, let me hear your thoughts, Aniki.

I’ve already told you what I think. We should put together something only we can do, all based around the big set you wanted.

No, that’s not it…! I feel like you’re not saying what you actually think!

Why won’t you tell me what you want, Aniki? Is it ‘cause I’m so “prickly?”

Why don’t you understand what I want? Am I not allowed to prioritize your ideas?

The fact that you’re “prioritizing my plan” is just proof that you’ve given up…!

It’s the whole reason the atmosphere is like this, and why you can’t say what you really want to say. And you can’t even put the blame on me for this one, Hinata-kun.

… Gh…

This is the part where you’re supposed to get angry back, you know…

……

…Sorry, I need to go cool off a bit.

…Yeah, sure. Then I’ll talk to you later.