“You want to meet Ariga-san?”
『Yeah...!』
After returning from today's practice, I was relaxing on the sofa with Yuzu as usual when the smartphone sitting on the table vibrated rhythmically, as it often did.
“Tak-kun, a call. Wait, is this a new character...!?”
The name displayed on the screen was 『Yuri』.
“Why Azuma...?”
“Azuma Yuri. Memorized.”
“You don’t need to memorize it...”
I brushed off Yuzu, who had been listening intently to my muttering. Well, it wasn't even listening intently; if you're this close, you can obviously hear everything.
“Who is Azuma Yuri-san?”
“What do you mean 'who'... anyway, move your legs.”
“Okay~”
Having learned from the time she was scolded for not moving her legs during a call from Ichikawa, Yuzu obediently released me. I returned to my room to answer the call, and of course, Azuma's voice came from the other side.
『Hello, Konuma...? Is now okay? I have something to consult you about...』
“Yeah, what’s up...?”
When I asked the reason for her unusually meek voice, the content was—
『I want to meet Ariga-san...』
It was a consultation I hadn't expected at all.
“Ariga-san... you mean the Ariga-san who was the former manager of amane?”
『Yeah...』
“Why Ariga-san all of a sudden...?”
『Looking at the photos Osada-chan took today, I just... felt like I couldn't sit still anymore...』
“Ah, those were great photos...!”
After the shoot, while the three of us in the performance unit were practicing, Azuma had been sitting on a chair in the studio the whole time, blankly staring at the artist photos of the four 'amane' members that Osada-san had sent to her phone.
I remembered that too, and for a moment, I felt a warm sensation.
“...No, wait. I get that they were good photos, but what do you mean by 'couldn't sit still'?”
『Ah, right. Looking at that photo, I reaffirmed my resolve to somehow make amane debut, or rather, I reconfirmed what I really want to do... But I realized I don't actually know how to do it at all, and I don't even know how to start moving.』
“I think you’re thinking about it plenty though...”
『No matter how much you think in your head, if you don't move, it's the same as not thinking at all, right? The results are zero. Zero.』
“I guess so...”
I felt like that way of thinking was already a result in itself, but saying that might just show my own lack of awareness, so I gave a vague response to brush it off.
『And the person who knows the shortest path is Ariga-san, right? At least among the people we directly know.』
“Maybe.”
『That's why, I don't know if she'll tell me... or rather, I don't think she'll tell me, but I still want to try talking to her once.』
“I see.”
...Well, actually, I felt like the method for amane to debut as a band had already been clearly shown.
In other words, I should just do the opposite of the reason why I failed the 'test' Ariga-san gave me, but Azuma seemingly had no intention of choosing that path.
『Just so you know, bending Konuma's true feelings or... having you two break up, isn't what I want to do.』
“Stop reading my mind...”
『I’m not reading it. How could I do that when I can't even see your face? I just thought that since it's you, you were probably considering such a pathetic possibility even though you can't actually do it.』
Isn't that exactly what reading someone's mind is...? Also, usually, you can't do it even if you *can* see the face, right...?
“Well... even so, it's amazing that you'd want to suddenly meet an adult like her, Azuma.”
『Since the destination and goals are set, there's nothing to do but move forward. Not advancing when you know which way is forward just means you have no ambition. Even a single day is a waste. I'll try everything I can do, and it's fine as long as I hit the mark once.』
“Whoa...”
Where does this grand life philosophy come from? Does writing three sets of lyrics every day make her think about all sorts of things...?
『So, Konuma, do you happen to have her contact information?』
Faced with the question, I could only shake my head.
“Sorry. I really respect that side of you, Azuma, and I want to do something since it's for the band, but I didn't exchange contact info with her... Actually, I haven't exchanged contact info with anyone besides my family, the amane members, and Erina-san.”
『Ah, sorry...』
“Don't apologize... Anyway, thinking normally, wouldn't it be fastest to just ask Ichikawa?”
I even thought that was the only way, let alone the fastest.
『I can't ask Amane.』
Azuma whispered softly.
“Why?”
『Hmm... For example, let's say you want to give Amane a birthday present, but since you just started dating, you don't know her preferences, right?』
“Huh? Me?”
She couldn't see me through the phone, but I frowned deeply and tilted my head.
『But since it's the first present, you want to give her something she'll definitely love, and you get desperate... So, you come up with an idea: 'Ah, I'll contact Ichikawa's ex-boyfriend and ask what he gave her before or what she liked.'』
“I wouldn't think of that though?”
『So, at that time, would you ask Amane, 'Give me your ex-boyfriend's contact info'? You wouldn't, right?』
Azuma-neesan continued her story, ignoring my interruption.
“Wait a minute. I really don't understand what you're saying, but does Ichikawa have an ex-boyfriend?”
『She's that cute and has a good personality, so she's obviously in high demand. She was in a co-ed middle school, so it's not impossible, right?』
“For real...?”
It’s true, why didn't I consider that possibility...? No, but she said things like 'I was a loner'...?
『Hey, don't get so depressed... She doesn't have one. I know because I thoroughly researched it at the time. It was just a hypothetical. Okay?』
“O-Okay...”
I felt like some slightly scary information had been casually slipped in, but for now, I regained my composure.
『If that were the case, Amane wouldn't be happy the moment she found out you were in contact with her ex. Right?』
“I guess so, but even so, I don't really get what you're saying... Isn't the analogy a bit hard to follow for you, Azuma? Is it just my lack of comprehension?”
『Hmm, well, I guess I used a complicated metaphor to dodge the subject a bit.』
“Why...”
『Tehe-he.』
She’s trying to laugh it off...!
『But well, there's no way Konuma would have her contact info... hmm, what should I do?』
“True...”
Since Azuma is working so hard for amane, I wish I could do something too...
I crossed one arm and thought deeply, and then a thought suddenly occurred to me.
“...Actually, there is one way.”