Volume 13 Chapter 30 Morikawa Kaede, Date At Dusk!?
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”It’s just 1 minute until showtime!!”
I stand in front of the camera and gather my determination.
I remember back when I slapped my cheeks to gather my determination, they turned red, and viewers on social media laughed at me. On top of that, Onidzuka-senpai got really mad at me, haha…
I avert my eyes from that embarrassing memory and focus on the camera in front of me.
”Good evening, everyone! I’m Morikawa Kaede, the intelligence announcer for the national broadcaster!!”
Some of the staff in front of me tilt their heads.
I ignore them and continue on.
”So, today I’ve come to Hokkaido”
I shiver as I say this.
”Everyone, just because it’s spring doesn’t mean we should underestimate Hokkaido. Trying to be stylish and jump ahead to summer, this is what happens when you wear sleeveless dresses and almost freeze to death. It was quite warm during the day though…”
The staff in front of me grin and show their gums.
No, seriously, it’s not a joke, it’s really cold.
”Huh? Why am I in Hokkaido? Thanks for asking!!”
I deliberately spread my arms wide with an exaggerated reaction.
”Because there’s a BERYL concert. And here in Sapporo’s shopping district, various events are being held to coincide with that BERYL concert!”
As the camera captures the scene of the shopping district, it returns to me.
”I’m going to explore this shopping district now, but before that, let me introduce someone who will accompany us on today’s exploration. It’s BERYL’s Shirogane Aqua-san.”
”Hello. I’m Shirogane Aqua from BERYL.”
Aqua-kun and I glance at each other for a moment.
The staff see this and grin.
Ugh, why do they have to be like that!
I’m trying to hold back my own grin, so everyone else should too. Jeez!
”Are we going with that vibe today?”
”Huh?”
I’m taken aback by Aqua-kun’s private-like smile.
”The script says to go with a more private vibe.”
I glance at the script Aqua-kun is holding.
There’s no way I could have missed that, even with my vision being beyond 12.0!
”Huh!? Oh… you’re right. It wasn’t written in mine!”
Gotcha!
I puff my cheeks out towards the staff.
”What should we do, Announcer Morikawa?”
”We’ll just do it normally!!”
As I say that, I hear a surprised “Ehh!?” from the staff.
Enough with that already!
”Alright, let’s go ahead and check out this BERYL-themed convenience store.”
”Got it.”
Aqua-kun and I ignored the staff and quickly entered the convenience store.
”Welcome!”
Inside, there were some cheerful employees. When I looked closer, I realized I knew one of them.
”Oh, what are you doing here, Emily?”
”Senpai…you can’t tell by looking at this uniform? I work at Saint Mart (セイジョーマート).”
Oh, right. We’re in Hokkaido.
Huh? Saint Mart? Was that the name of this place?
I was puzzled.
Oh, I remember now. Recently, they were bought out because their name sounded similar…oh well, details don’t matter.
”Right now at Saint Mart, we’re selling BERYL collaboration goods throughout Hokkaido to celebrate BERYL’s national tour and Hokkaido performance. The campaign continues even after the live show, so everyone watching at home, be sure to visit Saint Mart when you come to Hokkaido!”
This guy, even though she just debuted, she’s already as skilled at variety shows as veteran comedians.
I feel a sense of crisis as a rival in the same intellectual category. Emily is in the same school Mary as me, and since she has a similar character to me as an intelligent big sister, I have to make sure I don’t lose out on variety show opportunities!
”Oh, this looks good.”
Aqua-kun says as he picks up the familiar individually wrapped square chocolate.
”Oh, the wrapper says BERYL!”
”Yes, it does. By the way, mine has biscuits in it. Actually, this is my favorite.”
Oh, really?
So Toa-chan likes milk flavor, Tenga-senpai likes coffee flavor, and Mayuzumi-kun likes cookie and vanilla flavor.
Maybe I should buy some souvenirs for Onidzuka-paisen.
I put the chocolates into the basket.
”By the way, there’s also a collaboration in the bento boxes, look, it’s the Shirogane Aqua rice ball bento!! This one is recommended!”
It’s a dokamori bento box (gigantic bento) with mainly onigiri and brown side dishes lined up!
And it’s only 721 yen including tax. Huh? 721 yen? That number seems familiar from somewhere. Oh well, I forgot! Nevermind.
Looking at the package, it says they used the Shirogane family’s recipe. Everyone was encouraged to try the Shirogane family’s food.
I browse through various collaboration products introduced by Aqua-kun.
”Oh, excuse me…”
Oh, sorry. Wait, Emily is just stocking shelves normally, she’s so skilled, huh? Wait, is she seriously working here!? When I looked closely, it said “Saint Mart Honorary Store Manager” on her name tag. No way.
”By the way, we’re also collaborating with magazines.”
”Oh, really?”
Wait, Toa-chan and Aqua-kun are on the cover!
They’re releasing a magazine that’s sure to cause a stir online!!
I’m definitely buying this.
”Also, this has nothing to do with the collaboration, but I recommend Sejoma’s (セジョマ) soft-serve ice cream. I’ve already had three.”
”Three of them!?”
Well then, I’ll get this too.
I toss the items into the basket and head to the checkout.
”Here, I’m back!”
Tch! Just when I lined up where Emily wasn’t, I felt a push on my back and was forcefully taken to the counter.
”Oh…”
Emily, holding the magazine, looks around anxiously.
What’s wrong?
Emily discreetly talks to me, as if checking the camera.
”Is it okay to buy adult magazines during live broadcasts?”
”Huh? Is this an adult magazine!?”
I stare intently at the cover.
”I haven’t looked inside yet, but the cover has Toa-chan and Aqua-sama. It’s definitely a naughty one.”
”Phew~”
Aqua-kun, who couldn’t hear our conversation, tilts his head.
”Just to be sure, can I verify your age?”
”Yes.”
I press the age verification button as discreetly as possible so it won’t be obvious that I’m buying an adult magazine.
”Oh? Are there items that require age verification?”
”Well, uh… haha.”
Emily and I exchange glances and then smile as if we had planned it, smoothly diverting attention.
”Do you want this warmed up?”
”Oh, no… uh, you don’t warm up magazines and ice cream!”
Tch, did he figure it out? No way!!
Ugh! Emily always throws in such silly jokes.
”Customer, anything else you’d like?”
”Huh?”
”Please buy a lot more until we run out of store items!”
”No way, that’s clearly disrupting business!”
Aqua-kun laughs as he watches Emily and me interact.
Ugh, why does just checking out at the register make me so tired?
I quickly leave the store after paying.
”Let’s go to the next place.”
”Yes.”
Guided by Aqua-kun, we head to the next store.
Wow, they’re doing BERYL collaboration campaigns in various places.
That’s amazing.
On the bulletin board, Inko-chan said that Beryl and Tatejimars even move Japan’s economy, and I totally agree.
Aqua-kun and I snack while heading towards our destination building.
”This must be it.”
”Oh, it’s the BERYL EXPO 2023 in Hokkaido exhibition!!”
Upon entering the building, costumes worn by everyone from BERYL, items used in filming, and personal belongings were on display.
That’s amazing – my microphone is displayed too!
This microphone, I was asked to sign it on the handle, but I was tired and accidentally wrote “Chinposuki” instead of Morikawa. Thanks to the messy signature, no one has noticed yet, but if they find out, I’ll definitely be made fun of, so I have to make sure no one finds out!
”Hey? Doesn’t this look like a different name when you look closely? I can’t tell what it says, but it looks like it says ‘Chi’ instead of Morikawa… Is this some kind of knockoff?”
”Hey! Aqua-kun, shhh! I just made a mistake in writing the name!”
”Huh? Is it possible to make a mistake with your own name?”
”Uh…”
I hang my head in regret for the terrible mistake. It would be too much to spill everything myself.
I push Aqua-kun towards the next exhibition area as if nothing had happened.
””Hellooooo!””
Oh, look, it’s Toa-chan and Subaru-chan!
They’re wearing matching cyberpunk outfits, and they look really cute.
“Now, we have a problem for you!”
”Which one is the real Nekoyama Toa?”
Huh?
I’m frozen as I look at both of their faces.
Huh? Ah? Huh?
Wait, wait, I stare at them closely without blinking.
Hmm, I can’t tell! They both look like twins because their makeup makes them look similar.
Oh! One of them is wearing a skirt, and the other is wearing shorts… that means the one in shorts is Toa-chan!
I point to the one in shorts and say,
”This is Toa-chan!”
When I answer, both of them smile.
”Aqua”
”Do you know which one?”
”It’s this one.”
Huh? Aqua takes the hand of Subaru, who is wearing a skirt.
Tsk, tsk, tsk, Aqua-kun is so naive. I have to check his whole body thoroughly! I still find it cute that he’s not good at checking. Haha, Shumi is still a child, Emily is out of the question, and Nee-san looks innocent but I have to be a smart and mature big sister from now on!
I confidently strike a pose in front of the camera even before hearing the correct answer.
”Oh, why do you know that? That’s no fun!”
What?! I widen my eyes and open my mouth in surprise.
”Haha, well, I see your face almost every day, so of course I know. And there’s no way I could mistake you for anyone else.”
”Mmm.”
A staff member about to fall silently is quickly supported by a nearby staff.
Nice catch!
It’s normal for people to fall during BERYL’s photoshoots. So we’re used to these situations.
But unexpected incidents like what just happened are inevitable.
I silently salute the scattered staff in my heart.
”By the way, what are Toa-chan and Subaru-chan doing here?”
”Oh, well, you see, here at BERYL EXPO, when there are extra staff, they come out to the stores like this. If you’re lucky like the ones out today, you might even meet BERYL members, so if you have the chance, come meet us before tomorrow, which is the deadline.”
Is Subaru-chan still in middle school?
Somehow, she seems more mature than me, but I’ll just chalk it up to my imagination.
Toa-chan pops in from the side during my conversation with Subaru-chan.
”Oh, by the way, the expo itself will be going on a little longer, and besides the student group, others might show up after tomorrow too! Check on social media for updates!”
Toa-chan and Subaru-chan wave at the camera.
I really want to keep looking around, but due to time constraints, we have to end the broadcast here.
Ugh, Saint mart’s time, it should have been much shorter, right!
Aqua-kun and I leave the exhibition hall and head to the next destination.
”Hey, welcome!”
Huh? Our group reacted to a familiar voice.
”Ramen Takako, Hokkaido branch here!”
Oh, it’s Emily. Let’s just ignore her. Ramen Takeko wasn’t on today’s schedule anyway.
I grab Aqua-kun’s arm as he starts walking towards Ramen Takeko.
”We’re offering extra chashu right now. Hey, Kaede…oh, they ran away!”
I was convinced we would spend at least thirty minutes there, so I ignore Emily and head to the next place.
”The next spot is here.”
”Oh, Beryl Cafe! But wasn’t the Hokkaido branch not open yet?”
”Yes. So, actually, as a temporary measure, we’ve opened a pop-up store here in advance!”
I enter the cafe with Aqua-kun.
”Welcome.”
”Oh, Tenga-senpai.”
Tenga-kun waves his index finger from side to side.
”Call me ‘Master’ here.”
”Oh, sure.”
I signal to the manager and have them take a picture of Tenga-kun with my phone.
Since Tenga-kun might not send the picture, I’ll send it to Haruka-san later.
Also, when Tenga-kun posts pictures on social media, they often have a lot of blurriness.
I remember how happy Haruka-san was when I sent her a picture of Aqua-kun and Tenga-kun that we took before.
Thanks to Kanon, the wives have good communication between them.
I think Kanon is really amazing for managing that.
”Master, what coffee do you recommend?”
”Black.”
Isn’t it normal to ask about what kind of beans they use instead?
Actually, I’m not a fan of black coffee…
”Then, two Hokkaido Milk Coffees, the Beryl Café’s Hokkaido exclusive.”
”Got it.”
Asking for recommendations and ordering black coffee!
And you don’t even have to get it black!
I can hear Inko-chan’s retort in my head.
Aqua-kun and I drink the milk coffee that’s brought to us.
”Ah… feels nice.”
While keeping the flavor of coffee, the strong milk mellows out the bitterness, making it really delicious!
I think it might not be for people who like bitter stuff, but I prefer this smoother taste.
”Oh, this is really good. Actually, it might be my favorite on the Beryl Café’s drink menu. But, it’s only in Hokkaido… I’ll have to come back again before leaving.”
With this, it seems like tomorrow, people will flock to the store trying to casually bump into Aqua-kun…
”Tenga-kun… I mean, Master, thank you.”
”Umu!”
Huh? Aqua-kun, what’s wrong?
When Aqua-kun looked around nervously, he quietly spoke to Tenga-kun.
”Senpai, it’s really hard to say, but…”
”What’s wrong, junior? There’s nothing you can’t say between us. Come on, tell me everything.”
Oh!? Is this some kind of exciting event with BERYL!?
Both the staff and I looked at the two of them with anticipation.
”Senpai… it’s the opposite.”
”The opposite?”
”Yes, you’re wearing the apron backwards.”
”Oh…”
Tenga-kun’s gaze fell, looking at the tag that was now clearly visible.
Phew… I and the rest of the staff pretended not to see anything.
”Senpai, no one is looking right now.”
”Ohhhhh!”
Tenga-kun quickly took off the apron and put it back on.
Oh no, now the strings are twisted and it looks weird…
”…Announcer Morikawa, let’s go.”
”Oh, yeah.”
”Thank you, Master!!”
”Thank you!”
Aqua-kun and I leave the store as if nothing happened.
Now then, was the last one at the next store?
”Oh, you two over there, would you like to buy souvenirs?”
Again… seriously?
I turn my gaze towards the direction where Emily’s voice is coming from.
Shirogane’s mistress?
They made it imagining the platinum-like snow of Hokkaido!?
It’s definitely some kind of knockoff.
Plus, I might get scolded, so ignore, ignore!
I push Aqua-kun’s back and head towards the last store.
”Okay, then this is the last one.”
”Thanks.”
As soon as we enter the store, Mayuzumi-kun welcomes us.
Um, what’s this? Is this a gallery? Huh, Shirogane Aqua exhibition!?
”Yes, actually, this gallery is currently holding the Shirogane Aqua exhibition! I’m sorry, Shintaro, but today I asked for help with explaining the artworks.”
No way… right? I showed a sorry expression to Mayuzumi-kun.
Since Kanon couldn’t apologize, I thought I would apologize to Mayuzumi-kun instead.
I looked at the nearby painting.
I couldn’t understand what it was depicting, as an ordinary person.
”Shintaro, I need you to explain.”
”Um… this is a squid, no, was it an octopus? Aqua was so moved by the octopus served at the inn in Hokkaido that he drew a picture of an octopus on a nearby napkin.”
Wait, then what? Are those elongated legs supposed to be the octopus? Oh, right, there are indeed eight of them. Squids have ten, right?
”No, this is from the ramen shop, the octopus is over there.”
”Oh…”
Mayuzumi, sorryyyyyyyyyy!
By the way, was my interpretation of Nobita Ramen correct?
Maybe as I approach marriage, my understanding of Aqua-kun is increasing and my wife skills are improving!?
”Oh, this is a picture of Hokkaido beef!”
”No, that’s the pork from Tokachi. Or rather, it’s char siu.”
Huh!? This pattern isn’t of a cow!? Huh? Char siu’s fatty part!?
I have no way of knowing that….
I thought my wife skills were getting better, but it seems like it was a misunderstanding.
I feel hopeless and turn pale.
”Oh, it’s almost time. Shintaro, please recommend a piece from the Shirogane Aqua exhibition!!”
”Huh? Uh… then, it’s the Great Kaiju Yukari-gon stomping on the land of Hokkaido.”
”Too bad! That’s Koguma-senpai shivering in the cold on a day-trip Ramen tour! Well then, everyone, see you later!!”
Oh no, the program ended. In the middle of all this, the show ended.
Huh? Complaint calls are already coming to the main office? And they want us to come to Shirogane’s mistress and Ramen Takeko?
No way, if we go there, we’ll definitely cross over to the next day.
I decide to act like I didn’t hear anything and leave the scene. Later, I will apologize Mayuzumi-kun by giving a souvernir from Shirogane’s mistress.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.