Volume 13 Chapter 170 Shirogane Aqua, The Legendary Show Returns
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I was at the TV station to shoot some footage for a promo, and on my way back, I spotted someone who looked incredibly familiar.
”G-gegege!”
”That’s not ‘gegege’! What, you got a problem or something?”
I froze as I was glared at by Kohina-senpai, who was munching on some snacks someone had brought.
Why, of all people, is the big actress Kohina-senpai sitting out in the open where everyone passes by instead of in a private dressing room…?.
”Wait, didn’t Kohina-senpai have some recording today or something?”
”What? Is there a rule that says you can’t come to the TV station unless you have business?”
Oh…
Realizing everything, I made a face that was hard to describe.
As expected of Kohina-senpai.
She really must have a lot of free time on her hands.
”But if Kohina-senpai is here, it’s going to intimidate everyone else.”
In fact, people passing by have been smiling at me, but as soon as they notice Kohina-senpai next to me, they flinch.
”Who cares? If they don’t come up to me, they won’t survive in this world, whether they’re celebrities or industry folks.”
Is that really how it is…?.
”So, did anyone come up to talk to you?”
”Fran over at Maron’s place. The moment she saw me, she asked, ‘Are you alone?’ I thought she was teasing me, so I glared at her.”
Kohina-senpai.
Fran-chan is still in elementary school.
Please don’t act childish with a kid.
”So I told her, ‘Of course I’m here alone because I’m bored.’”
What should I do?
My heart is really starting to hurt.
Even though it’s summer vacation, it’s not like I don’t have plans.
So while I’m working like this, everyone else is scheduling their plans too.
In other words, Kohina-senpai being here is partly my responsibility.
”Then that kid said, ‘If it’s Fran, do you want to be friends?’ She’s actually a pretty nice girl.”
Fran-chan, run awayyy~!
Kohina-senpai is the type of person who, as soon as she realizes she can be pampered, will suck you dry to the bone.
Before Fran-chan gets so fed up with Kohina-senpai that she blocks her, I have to do something about it…
”Also, Hisui-chan from your place. She came over, greeted me normally, and after a little chat, she gave me a souvenir. That girl is nice, right? I was just hungry, so it really helped.”
Ah, so the snacks Kohina-senpai has been munching on are the souvenirs from Hisui-chan.
I sit next to Kohina-senpai, grab one from the box, open the bag, and toss it into my mouth.
Oh, this is good.
The crunchy texture of the amber sugar is irresistible.
”Your place makes sure to greet people, huh?”
”We say it regularly. If you don’t greet, Great Kaiju Yukari-gon will eat you up.”
”I won’t eat you!!”
Wait, she won’t eat me? When I made a face like “Really?” she said, “If you’re serious, I’ll seriously knock you out.”
Well, I guess it can’t be helped.
It’s been a hundred years since we met.
Should I go collect Great Kaiju Yukari-gon?
”Kohina-senpai, I just finished work too, so how about we go somewhere?”
”Oh, that sounds nice. Where are we going?”
Hmm, let’s see.
While I’m thinking about where to go, I see a familiar producer bursting out of the elevator, looking panicked.
”Oh no, oh no!”
Wait, you were born and raised in Kanto, right?
But putting that aside, she keeps glancing over here, so I had no choice but to ask.
”Is something wrong?”
”Oh! Aqua-kun, and Kohina Yukari-san! You’re just the people I needed to see!!”
How dramatic.
But there’s something refreshing about how she doesn’t hide that drama.
Kohina-senpai and I exchange glances and let out a small sigh.
”Skip the small talk and just tell us what happened.”
”Actually, the guest who was supposed to be on the show got hit by a meteor while in their car.”
”There’s no way that’s true!!”
Inko-san’s voice echoes in my head from far away.
But when I see the serious look on the producer’s face, I immediately realize it’s for real.
”Was that person okay?”
”Yeah. Both the driver and the manager are safe.”
”Who was riding with them? Someone I know?”
”It was Kato Iria-san. She touched the meteorite with her bare hands, so she’s heading to the hospital just to be checked out.”
Iria-san!? Oh, wow, it’s true.
I show my smartphone to Kohina-senpai, playing the news footage.
”Well, as long as she’s okay. So, basically, since Iria can’t come as a guest, you’re looking for a replacement guest, right?”
”Yeah, that’s right!”
The producer grabs Kohina-senpai’s hands with both of her and makes a puppy-like face.
Kohina-senpai is fine with taking the initiative, but she’s not good at being pushed into things.
”So, what’s the show about? If it’s not some lame program, I might consider it.”
”It’s Morikawa Kaede’s Room.”
”Forget it!”
The producer clings to Kohina-senpai, who’s trying to leave.
”Come on, just this once!”
”I thought maybe I could help if it was a newbie or someone who isn’t great at talking, but Kaede can handle it alone! She can talk about nothing for 90 minutes, and her fans would be thrilled to see that.”
”No, no. That’s not the point! Look, Morikawa-san is pregnant, and it might be tough for her to do it alone.”
Hearing that, Kohina-senpai makes an indescribable face.
This producer really knows how to hit Kohina-senpai’s weak spots.
”Ugh. I guess there’s no helping it. If that’s the case, I’ll do it.”
”Thank you, thank you!!”
That’s a relief.
So, with that, I can…
”Hey, what do you think you’re doing, trying to leave like that?”
”Huh?”
Wait, that’s strange.
I can’t move a step forward because Kohina-senpai is holding my arm.
After looking back, I saw Producer-san clinging to Kohina-senpai, who was grabbing my arm, doing her best to hold on.
”Hey, you! You must be feeling relieved to get rid of that hassle. Now, I bet you’re thinking about going home and getting pampered by the maid, right!!”
”W-Why did you figure that out!?”
”It’s all written on your face!!”
Huh? That’s strange.
I thought I was hiding it well, but I guess I couldn’t hide my excitement after all.
”Of course, you’re going too, right?”
”I get it already.”
Well, I was planning on that from the start.
But I had to at least pretend a little.
”You’re not going to just leave that girl in trouble, especially Kaede, whom you married, right? You don’t need to pretend to be a hassle. You idiot.”
Looks like Kohina-senpai noticed too.
I can see someone over there in the corner filming us.
I figured that if it’s for that show, they’d probably use this silly exchange in the footage.
”Kohina-senpai, do you really think that highly of me? Wow, I’m so happy.”
”I only trust your ulterior motives and pervy thoughts when it comes to girls.”
That’s harsh! But I won’t deny it since it’s not wrong.
Once we arrived at the studio and met up with Kaede, we had a brief meeting.
Then, when we stepped into the studio, we all watched the video leading up to this moment.
Amazing.
They already edited the footage from earlier.
”Again… really?”
Kaede turned to us with a sad face, looking like a discarded puppy.
”No, no, we’re not trying to take over or anything, okay?”
I turned to Kohina-senpai, who was sitting next to me.
”Oh, I was thinking of taking over, you know.”
”Gah!”
Wait! My Kaede is pregnant!
Even if she’s thinking that way, could she at least be a bit more subtle about it?
”Well, I’m just joking, but what are you planning to do when it’s time for the delivery? Are you going to take a break from this show?”
”Onidzuka-senpai said to lay low right after giving birth.”
I nodded silently several times.
Thank you, Announcer Onidzuka, for stopping Kaede.
If I don’t know what I might do, then Kaede doesn’t know what might happen either.
What I’ve realized from living together is that even if Kaede doesn’t mean to, she often ends up going in unexpected directions.
When I think about it, the decision by Announcer Onidzuka to say “don’t appear on TV right after giving birth” was spot on.
Super spot on! It’s no wonder they call Kyoko-chan the Hogemon Meister.
”Huh, so while you’re resting, should I just take care of it?”
”Absolutely not! If I come back with a relaxed look on my face, that sign behind me will have changed to Kohina Yukari’s room, right!? And then you’ll throw my chair out the window of the national broadcaster and say, ‘Your chair is gone now!’?”
The producer, facing the camera, shakes her head.
Even if this show is terrible, I don’t think anyone would actually throw a chair.
But the sign will definitely change.
That’s a sure thing.
”So, who would be good then? Hey! Producer, don’t poke my cheek with that card! What’s up with that!?”
Kohina-senpai grumbles as she flips over the card handed to her by the staff.
[While Morikawa-san is away, please think of 3 alternatives.]
No way.
Can they really let the performers choose that? We glance at the producer.
”Of course, the final decision rests with Morikawa-san. If Morikawa-san has someone in mind that she can trust, we’ll negotiate properly!”
I see.
Hmm, who would be good?
”If I’m no good, then how about this guy?”
”Me? I have a nationwide live tour, you know!?”
I think I could manage, but if I take on work without permission, Ako-san and Komachi-chan might faint.
Plus, I don’t want to worry Kotono, who is pregnant like Kaede, and if I take on too much work, Shitori-oneechan might give me some inappropriate training.
Well, that part is fine, but I think the idea of me stepping in as a substitute is a no-go.
”I think Ayana would be good.”
””Ah””
Ayana is cute, she can handle things pretty well, she’s cute, surprisingly she can also be the host, she’s cute, I want to see her, she’s cute, I want to see her, isn’t this a perfect idea on my part?
”Then, how about Maron too?”
””Ah…””
Maron-oneechan’s room, huh…
Not bad.
No, actually, it’s great!
I can picture Maron-san in her cute pink room, hosting in her pajamas.
This is bad.
It’s so sexy that just imagining it makes my heart race.
”In that sense, Fran-chan seems like she could be a good MC too.”
”But she’s in elementary school, right? Isn’t it a bit much to have an elementary school MC for a late-night show?”
”Yeah, that would be pretty bad. This show has a lot of adult themes, and we could seriously get reported to the broadcasting ethics committee.”
The 3 of us look at each other and then turn our gazes back to the producer.
The good thing about this show is that it doesn’t just leave the responsibility to the talent; the staff also gets filmed and put in the spotlight.
”I’d definitely get fired for that. So please, spare me.”
Fran-chan is out.
I cross Fran-chan’s name off the list of candidates I had written on my flip board.
”You, who were trying to name your kid something like Legend or Providence, have such nice handwriting.”
”It’s Freedom, Justice, and Destiny.”
”Whatever. It’s not that different. Oh, and to everyone in the audience and watching on TV who were casually enjoying the show but suddenly turned serious, don’t worry! Inko, Victoria-san, and I made sure to stop that naming!”
Hearing that, the audience and staff let out a sigh of relief.
Huh? Was it really that bad?.
”When I told Kanon later, she went serious.”
”Wait, really?”
Kaede’s words make me go serious too.
Thank goodness.
I almost clouded Kanon’s smile.
”Anyway, putting my naming sense aside, let’s get back to the important topic of hosting!”
”Oh, then how about that one?”
”That one?”
”Mikuni, I think she’d be surprisingly funny!”
Ah, Mommy Mikuni, huh.
It seems like it could be interesting if the natural part fits well, but since she’s laid-back, it might drag on during the hosting.
”Maybe it’ll go well if we throw in someone who can host as a guest?”
”Oh, I see. So we adjust with the guest.”
”Exactly, just like you.”
Kaede turns serious at Kohina-senpai’s words.
Now that I think about it, in Morikawa Kaede’s room, we often invite guests who can host, like Ayana, Kohina-senpai, and me.
”I mean, I’m technically an announcer…”
”Self-proclaimed. The world and I still don’t recognize you.”
”Wait!? Even though I’m on news programs, the world still doesn’t recognize me!?”
Haha, I can’t help but laugh at the exchange between the two.
I feel a bit bad for Kaede, but I just couldn’t hold back at the idea of a self-proclaimed announcer not being recognized by the world.
”Maybe the national broadcaster’s announcer is also a fake?”
”Starting from there!?”
Kaede looks shocked and stares at me with teary eyes.
What’s going on!?
”Could it be that my marriage to Aqua-kun was just my misunderstanding?”
”That’s a possibility.”
Kaede looks completely devastated.
Sorry, Kaede.
But if you throw that out there, I can’t help but respond.
”Wait? Then whose child is this in my belly? Could it be that I’m imagining this pregnancy!?”
Kaede seems to be getting confused, her eyes spinning around.
I start to feel a bit sorry for her, so I hug her tightly from my seat next to her.
”It’s definitely our child, Kaede.”
”Aqua-kun!!”
Alright, alright.
There, there.
Warm applause comes from the audience and the staff for Kaede.
See, everyone is on your side, so don’t worry.
”Hey, do we really need this time?”
”Wasn’t it Kohina-senpai who brought up the topic first?!”
My tsukkomi makes everyone laugh again.
Seriously.
Don’t throw out a topic and then expect me to wrap it up!
”Honestly, Emily-chan and Kanon-san would probably do well, but both of them are pregnant now.”
”That’s true!!”
I nod along with Kaede’s words.
Kanon would probably handle it well, and I’d love to see Emily as an MC.
”Is it really not me!? I’m so bored!!”
”That’s why I said I don’t want to do it!!”
Hmm.
Are there any other good candidates?
Toa seems like he could handle it well, but Toa and the others from BERYL are on a nationwide tour with me.
How about the duo then?
”How about Maruo and Kujaku?”
”Ah, if it’s a set of 2, that could work.”
They might not have enough experience, but I feel like that could be managed as they go along.
However, if we’re bringing in guests, that might be tough.
”Hey. Both of them are busy with the new Driver, so it’s probably not possible, right?”
”Ah.”
I completely forgot.
It would have been nice if their filming was going smoothly like ours, but there are rumors in the industry that their progress is pretty tight.
Thinking about that, it’s probably a no-go.
”If Vtubers are okay, I think Inko would be the best choice.”
”I get that. I was thinking the same.”
Inko-san really does seem the most consistent.
From what I’ve seen in the streams, she’s good at MCing, and she can do both the jokes and the comebacks, which is a big plus.
”However, since it’s not live-action, if the guest is a live-action person, they might complain about the atmosphere.”
Ah, I see.
It’s really tough to mix live-action and V in offline events.
Unlike the interactions in a stream where they can exist in the same space, offline interactions are fine with AR, but if it’s just a static panel, it becomes really difficult.
I figured Morikawa Kaede’s show wouldn’t have the budget for AR.
”Why doesn’t she just reveal who she is? She doesn’t look that different anyway, so it should be fine.”
”Kohina-senpai, wait!!”
I hurriedly cover Kohina-senpai’s mouth.
”What!?”
”What do you mean, ‘what’? Kohina-senpai, Vtubers don’t have a ‘real person’ behind them!!”
This person…
Sometimes she says the most outrageous things, and it’s really troubling.
We were almost on the brink of a war here.
”So, what do we do?”
”Hmm.”
Who else is there?
The Summer King seems like she could MC, but she doesn’t really fit this show, and Reira-san doesn’t either.
Hisui-chan would be good, but she’s in an important phase right now with dance lessons and vocal training, so I want her to focus on that.
”Isn’t it Ayana-chan or Maron after all?”
”Hmm…”
Kaede is deep in thought.
”Going with the safe choice would be that, but it feels like we’re just playing it safe.”
”Isn’t that fine? Why are we trying to take risks?”
Kohina-senpai is right.
I don’t know how long the hiatus will last, but I think it’s better to have someone who can handle things smoothly.
”Hey, Aqua, is there anyone else?”
”Hmm, let me think…”
After a brief moment of contemplation, I suddenly think of someone named Toa.
”How about Kukuri-chan?”
”Kukuri-chan!?”
”Wait, are you serious!?”
Honestly, I think it could work.
It would be a different vibe from what Kaede brings, but I feel like it could be interesting.
In the Milk Dipper talk streams, she speaks her mind and can be quite sharp, plus she has the talk skills to handle being an MC.
”Hmm. Then I’ll stick with Maron and Ayana-chan! It’s good to have a variety of options, right? What about you, Kaede?”
”Hmm, then I’ll go with Onidzuka-senpai for now! But the national broadcaster’s public mode is off-limits!”
Yeah, it’s better to have more options.
They might decline, after all.
Plus, I think anyone we mentioned would be interesting, not just the last 4 names left.
”Hey, Producer. So, what do you think?”
All eyes and the camera turn to the Producer.
”Alright, I’ll hold a staff meeting to discuss this direction. Thank you!”
Phew, I don’t know who will be chosen from here, but at least we found a pinch hitter for Kaede.
The audience gives warm applause.
”Well, well, in the worst case, I’ll (Kohina) just take over, so don’t worry.”
”That’s exactly what makes me the most uneasy!!”
Haha! In the end, does it just come back around full circle?
I thought to myself.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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