NOVEL WEB Chapter 363
What lay beyond the window was a vast runway.
“Long time no see in Korea, huh?”
“I was here last year, though…”
Right. Here I am, suddenly on a trip to Korea with Suzuha.
“You said we’re meeting tomorrow, right…?”
“That’s right. So today, we’re just sightseeing together.”
“So it’s a date just for us…”
Kayanoh casually drops that, huh…
“Yeah…? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing at all.”
If it’s nothing, then why are you looking at me like that?
I might just cry out of sadness.
What did I even do wrong?
“…Well, anyway, so Kayanoh has to lead today, right?”
“I’m not really that good at it either…”
It’s been too long since my previous life to rely on those memories, and I hardly ever went out for fun back then…
Even when I stayed with Aunt Shia in Korea, I almost never left the house.
What a joke! I should be the one getting guided!
“Correct… Let’s book a place to stay and sleep by tomorrow…”
“What am I, some cat… no, not Hagiwara! Enough with the jokes, let’s hurry up.”
…It really wasn’t a joke.
What on earth happened?
★
[If I don’t come to Korea… I’ll call Seona and cry…!]
“Please, just give that a rest…”
It was February of this year.
Finally, the moment I’d been waiting for—my second solo live concert was about to happen.
I still hadn’t fully put aside the excitement from last year’s first concert, but here we are, already having the second one.
Time really flies.
Sure, there were birthdays and anniversary lives over the year, but it’s just not the same as a solo live concert.
A birthday or anniversary live where I, as the Protagonist, am celebrated.
Versus a solo live concert presented as Izumi Kainoh, both as a singer and an idol.
The focus of the excitement in these two scenarios is completely different.
‘What should I do?’ versus ‘How do I do this?’
Well, either way, it’s a solo live.
And unlike last year’s, this year’s show had an added element—the live viewing in Korea.
I wanted to do it last year too, but something with the distributor’s schedule meant it got canceled.
But this time, a live viewing will actually be held in Korea.
[You’re coming, right?!]
So naturally, Aunt Shia started telling me to visit Korea.
“What does the live viewing in Korea have to do with me getting to visit Korea…?”
[Since the live viewing will be happening in Korea, wouldn’t it be nice to get to experience the atmosphere?]
“I’m not even performing live in Korea…”
It’s literally just broadcasting my solo live; there’s no need to check out the vibe in Korea at all.
Long story short, it’s all Aunt Shia’s excuse.
[…Well, actually, I just want to hang out with Mina after so long!]
“If you say that, it becomes kinda hard to refuse…”
[So just come visit!]
In the end, I couldn’t refuse Aunt Shia’s insistence, and suddenly I decided to travel to Korea.
“Still, going alone could be dangerous, right? It would be great if Zia could join, but she’s busy… So since it’s solo live that’s the reason you’re going, how about asking one of the Star’s Flow members?”
Mom’s rule was that I couldn’t go anywhere without someone accompanying me.
[Well, if that’s the case, let’s go together. I want to see Toka Mama too.]
By chance, Suzuha’s schedule was free, and we planned this sudden trip to Korea.
Can you really do something this sudden for an overseas trip?
I have no idea…
★
[Izumi Kainoh☆Star’s Flow @KainoIzumi · 1 minute]
Starting a 3-day, 4-night vacation today!
It’s really sudden, but I’m thinking of going to Korea with Suzuha!
Wait for me Toka Mama…!
★
In the end, after wandering around here and there on the first day, we collapsed onto the bed as soon as we returned to our accommodation, drifting off to sleep.
Although we called it a vacation, I promised to at least turn on the Broadcast.
I’m sorry Izutomo…
“It can’t be helped, right? …Well, if Izumi hadn’t gotten lost on the way, it wouldn’t be a problem.”
“Even if it’s true, there are things that don’t need to be said, right…?”
It’s basic communication to be considerate of each other…
“Is it really okay for a communication-impaired Izumi to say that?”
Can I cry now…?
I wish Suzuha would be a tiny bit more gentle…
“No… I’m not Izumi’s mom, you know?”
Please don’t read my mind naturally.
“…You get what I want to say, right?”
“Nope… No matter how much I think about it, that level of insight from Suzuha sounds like superpowers…”
As we bantered about meaningless topics, we left the accommodation.
We were supposed to stay at Aunt Shia’s house starting today.
“What time did you say to be there?”
“By 12:30 at the train station…”
“Still plenty of time left.”
It was still 8:30.
With Suzuha’s words, we had quite a bit of time remaining.
What should we do with this time?
Looking at the schedule that Aunt Shia prepared, it didn’t seem like exhausting ourselves now would be a good choice.
“So let’s head over there first and think about it then.”
“Okay…”
With that conclusion, we took a taxi and upon arrival, the first thing we did was head to the karaoke.
Of course, the main reason was to kill time, but there was an even bigger reason…
[With You in This World]
[Sung by – Suzuha Koga]
[Lyrics by – Suzuha Koga]
[Music by – Suzuha Koga]
It was because Suzuha’s song was available in the Korean karaoke.
“Wow, it really exists…”
“I was surprised too…”
Well, maybe it wasn’t that weird.
Suzuha was so serious about her music activities, almost like Natsune from Star’s Flow.
And thus began Suzuha’s performance.
“…Hmm, how was it?”
“Awesome…!”
As expected, it was the best.
★
After spending quite a long time in the karaoke, we wandered the area and decided to stop by a cafe.
Time had already crept up to 12:15.
After a brief stop at the cafe, we’d make it just in time for our meeting.
“…Are you really going to do it?”
When Suzuha asked that, I solemnly nodded.
Somehow, today felt like it was the day I could do it.
No, not like I might— I definitely can…!
“Yes, I’ll take your order! What would you like?”
Once we arrived at the cafe, we headed to the battlefield known as the counter, where a cheerful staff member greeted us.
“I’ll take a hot chocolate, please.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Suzuha placed her order.
Next, the staff naturally turned to me, waiting for my order.
The tension felt like it was surging to the tips of my hair.
But it’s okay.
I’ve practiced over and over for this day, so I trust myself.
“U-um, that…“
“Yes!”
“Uhh, Java Chip Frappuccino…”
“So, that would be a Java Chip Frappuccino?”
“A-and please add 3 pumps of hazelnut syrup…”
“So that’s a Java Chip Frappuccino with 3 pumps of hazelnut syrup. Anything else?”
Of course, there’s more!
I’ve got plenty more that I’m going to order.
“Th-then, please add 5 pumps of mocha syrup and 4 shots of Frappuccino roast…”
“Whoa…”
As I successfully placed my order, Suzuha looked at me with surprise.
After all the effort I put in for today, there’s no reason to be surprised.
“Okay, let me summarize your order: one hot chocolate, a Java Chip Frappuccino with 3 pumps of hazelnut syrup, 5 pumps of mocha syrup, and 4 shots of Frappuccino roast, right?”
“…Huh?”
But suddenly, the information came flooding in, and my mind went blank.
D-did I really just order that?
“I-I mean, um…”
“Oh, is there a part that’s incorrect?”
“Uuuhhh…”
“Just to make sure, your order is one hot chocolate, a Java Chip Frappuccino with 3 pumps of hazelnut syrup, 5 pumps of mocha syrup, and 4 shots of Frappuccino roast. Am I correct?”
Yup, it was definitely too much for someone like me, a born introvert…
“Good job trying, Kayanoh. It’s okay.”
And with Suzuha gently smiling and holding my hand, my mind finally cleared.
“…Y-yes! Java Chip Frappuccino with 3 pumps of hazelnut syrup, 5 pumps of mocha syrup, and 4 shots of Frappuccino roast!”
“Okay…”
“Got it. Please wait a moment!”
“Whew…”
I felt like all the strength was draining from my body.
What are Suzuha and Tateyama like, being able to do things like this…?
“No, didn’t I say I couldn’t do it before?”
“Suzuha, you can definitely do it…”
Because Suzuha is absolutely the social butterfly…
As we chatted like this, the staff member brought out our orders, and we left the cafe to meet Aunt Shia.
“Well, in the end… you succeeded with that.”
“I-I practiced a lot for this…”
“Was it necessary to go that far?”
“It was kind of a dream for me… Tastes good. Hehe…”
“Glad to hear that. They said they’d be waiting at that station, right?”
“Yeah.”
The time was now 12:28.
Our appointment was at 12:30.
Considering the meeting place was in front of the station, we were likely going to be late.
“Yeah, we might be late, should we run…?”
“If it weren’t for someone fumbling while ordering, we wouldn’t have been late~.”
“That’s unfair to say…!”
Suzuha playfully teased and started to run ahead lightly.
I followed after her…
“Wait a second…!”
“Hmm? What’s up?”
“I just picked up a signal on my Cute Girl Radar of an amazing level of cute girl…!”
As I said this, I immediately turned back, spotting a woman standing at the entrance of the cafe we had just exited.
She was definitely taller than Suzuha.
“What?”
She was probably even taller than me…
Her silvery-white hair was similar in hue to mine… or actually much longer.
Even from a distance, it was clear her hair was glossy and smooth, revealing that it wasn’t dyed.
“Could she be a foreigner…?”
“…Aren’t we foreigners here too?”
…True enough.
Even so, all I could see was her back, but my Cute Girl Radar was going haywire!
No matter how low the standards, she was basically the strongest cute girl on the planet…!
Of course, she couldn’t hold a candle to me, the universe’s greatest cute girl.
…Well, seeing her face might change my mind, but still.
For my radar to react this strongly is basically unheard of!
“Should we go over and at least say hi?”
“Of course not…”
“Then let’s get going. Toka Mama has contacted us.”
On Suzuha’s phone was the contact from Aunt Shia, just as she had mentioned.
It was now 12:33.
We were late.
“…Let’s run.”
“I was going to run, but Kayanoh suddenly stopped.”
“Well, I think sometimes brutal honesty could hurt…”
We spoke like this and began to run toward the station once more.
…I hope I get a chance to meet her again someday.