After school, we arrived at the Kichijoji studio about thirty minutes early and were sitting at a four-person table in the lobby.
Azuma was slumped over the desk taking a nap, Ichikawa was watching her sleeping face with a smile, and Sako was browsing the magazine shelf against the wall.
Jinno-san was standing at the front desk today as well, looking toward where Sako was for some reason, appearing restless.
As for me, I was blankly staring at Ichikawa, who sat across from me.
“Yuri, are you sleepy?”
“Sleepy...”
Azuma nodded while still slumped over.
“Hey, I wonder why? Why is that? Could it be that Konuma-kun didn’t let you sleep?”
“Yeah...”
“Mmm...!”
Ichikawa did something like a yandere would, and finally puffed out her cheeks as if sulking. Between this and this morning, why do you keep diving into these situations yourself...?
“Nn... what should I do... Demon King... scary...”
On the other hand, Azuma must have been thinking about what happened yesterday the whole time. She was moaning in her sleep in a half-conscious state.
“Yuri, I’m sorry. I did something weird even though you’re having a nightmare... Are you okay?”
The conversation wasn’t really making sense, but Ichikawa kept talking to her anyway while gently stroking her head. Then.
“Ah, amane-sama’s hand... I’m passing on to heaven...”
“Hey, you believer...”
You’re not supposed to resolve it that way...!
As I watched Azuma’s believer-status, which seemed stained even into her subconscious, with exasperated eyes, Sako came back with a magazine.
“Hey, Takuto, listen. The Banmaga that was released today was already there.”
“Heh.”
“Usually it takes two or three days after the release date. Amazing.”
“Heh.”
Sako nodded satisfyingly (though expressionless) at my response and looked down at the magazine she brought.
The magazine’s name was 『Band Magazine』, commonly known as Banmaga. As the name suggests, it’s a magazine filled with all sorts of band-related things. It’s also a magazine that Sakohasu-papa often contributes to. On this month’s cover, it said, 『Special Feature: Youth Rebellion - Held Again This Year!』.
Sakohasu-papa must be so happy that his daughter is interested in his work...
“By the way, I told Papa thank you for yesterday.”
“Thanks. I really learned a lot thanks to him.”
“Mm.”
Sako gave a curt reply while flipping through the pages.
“Hm, there’s a fold.”
*Clatter!*
“It’s true—I wonder who did it? I heard this is called a dog-ear.”
When I peeked in, there was indeed a page with the top right corner slightly folded.
When Sako opened that page—
『Youth Rebellion: The Mastermind Speaks on the Significance of High Schooler-Only Contests』
There was a large headline and a photo of a person.
“Eh!?”
The person pictured there was a woman with short blonde hair.
“It’s the person we met yesterday...!”
In a large photo, Daikoku Tsukiko-san was literally spinning a potter's wheel while being interviewed.
“Hey, Azuma.”
“What is it...”
I shook Azuma’s shoulder to wake her up.
“Oh, Konuma-kun, did you become able to touch her...?”
Awakened, Azuma rubbed her eyes and looked at the photo I was pointing at.
“This person. It’s Daikoku-san, who we met yesterday, right?”
*Clatter!!*
“Hoe? Ah, it really is.”
She looked at the page with blank eyes, and then her eyes snapped wide open with a “Haa...!?”
“No, she’s actually spinning a potter's wheel...!”
“What is up with this person?”
“I wonder...”
...That was it. What was published there was a photo of Daikoku-san not metaphorically, but literally spinning a potter's wheel.
The location looked like a very normal conference room, but she was smiling refreshingly while touching clay on top of a wheel.
“Ah... Tsukiko-san is apparently famous at Buddy Music?”
*Clatter clatter!*
“Why. Is she a potter?”
Sako asked with a face that looked 0.x millimeters suspicious. (Probably)
“No, no, it’s just because she’s always doing weird things. But why a potter’s wheel?”
It was probably a playful attempt (?) to actually spin a wheel in an interview photo, which is often mocked as ‘spinning the wheel’ for tech-bro posturing, but still...
“Is such an eccentric person really coming to our live show...?”
“Eh” “Really?” “Haaaaaaaaaa!!??”
Wait, I heard a very loud voice from a bit further away... Actually, there’s been a clattering sound coming from over there for a while now...
Looking that way, Jinno-san was trembling with shock, letting out a wordless voice like “Ah... ah...!!”
“W-What does this mean...!?”
“Ah, um. Yesterday... a lot happened and we met this person by chance, and she said she’d come to watch the Recording Rights Battle Live the week after next. Apparently, there’s something called a scout slot for Youth Rebellion...”
“Oi, are you serious...!? The live show you’re talking about is the one hosted by Octa, right!? You’re saying Daikoku Tsukiko is coming there!?”
“Y-Yes...”
Before I knew it, Jinno-san had come over and brought her face so close that our noses were almost touching.
“Wait, Maika-senpai, your face is too close to Konuma-kun’s...!”
Ichikawa spoke up from the side looking displeased, but it seemed Jinno-san didn’t hear her.
“If you’re recognized through that scout system, it means you can proceed to the Finals of this contest...!?”
“Y-Yes. That seems to be the case...!”
“Your understanding is surprisingly fast for Maika-buchou...”
Why is Azuma always slightly harsh toward this person?
“It’s a chance, isn’t it!”
Jinno-san accidentally sprayed some spit on me, then took out her smartphone with trembling hands and began making a call somewhere.
“Maika-buchou, aren’t you on duty...?”
Ignoring her junior’s comment, she waited for the call to connect while shaking her leg impatiently.
Eventually, the person on the other end seemed to pick up. She glanced at us and then moved a little further away.
I couldn’t hear the detailed contents, but after hearing ominous words like “Please!” and “Favor of a lifetime!” and “Impossible even if I die!” and “I’ll kill you!”, she eventually finished the call, made another similar call, and returned to us.
She declared with a broad grin, looking as refreshed as when she was playing at the after-festival party.
“Sorry, Yuribou and her merry friends!”
“Y-Yes...?”
“We... Butter... are definitely going to perform in that live show after all!”