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loveswanBeyond the Imaginary 1
Story is recommended to be read with the chapters open in-game for maximum enjoyment ♪[Next day. In the Hanging Garden of ES.]
Hiiro: …
Tatsumi: Is the weather not splendid today, Hiiro-san? However, the way you are looking up at the sky… Could the unusual listlessness be due to homesickness?
Tatsumi: Even at Seisou Halls, there are individuals who have found time in their schedules to return home. Has it not been half a year since Hiiro-san visited home?
Hiiro: …Yes. But I had remotely exchanged greetings with my hometown along with Nii-san. If I were to think of a reason, I’d say that it is absentmindedness since SS is over.
Tatsumi: Hmm. Could it be burnout syndrome due to SS? Now that I think about it, I have also been feeling a bit languid since the beginning of the new year.
Tatsumi: I cannot say for sure whether it is the fatigue from SS or the sluggishness after New Year’s but… It is indeed quite peaceful now that we have run past the year-end busyness.
Hiiro: Fufu. Sluggishness after New Year’s? Tatsumi-senpai also experiences such things?
Hiiro: But the last two months were definitely dense with work even though it was a short period. Because of that, it feels like the neighbourhood’s scenery has completely changed as a result of SS.
Hiiro: It was like looking straight at a dazzling ray of light… That kind of feeling—Like realising that the pinnacle of idols is still very far away.
Hiiro: And the joint appearance of the supreme commanders—fine and Eden, seemed like it had swallowed the entire SS venue into a whirlpool of excitement and emotions. I could really feel the magnificence and beauty.
Tatsumi: Yes, I understand.
Tatsumi: If I am to be honest, I still wonder whether the scene I saw that day was a dream after all.
Tatsumi: Since I had once given up hope on my idol life due to injury, I could not have even imagined standing under the spotlight like that again.
Tatsumi: Performing together with Crazy:B was also very enjoyable. Now let us rest a bit and go back to that stage after we level up more than last time.
Hiiro: Yes, Tatsumi-senpai is right. We are still seen as a new unit but I want to work hard in order to be able to take greater strides this year.
Aira: Argh, I’m super late~!
Aira: Did I make it?! I did not?! …Exactly one o’clock—Barely made it!
Hiiro: Aira does not change even with the new year. Since this is not for work, I don’t think anyone will reproach you even if you are a few seconds late?
Tatsumi: Hiiro-san, I am sure Aira-san could not allow himself to be late because he was the one pushing himself to keep strictly to the time we decided on.
Tatsumi: Since today is ALKALOID’s first meeting of the year, after all.
Aira: Yeah! Since we’re newbies, ALKALOID wasn’t invited to many New Year’s programmes but…
Aira: On the other hand, this might be our last chance to enjoy the new year in a private way.
Aira: We need to increase our activities so that next year, our schedule book is filled with jobs ♪
Hiiro: Umu[1]. If you are talking about starting the new year privately, did we not visit the shrine together after SS? Did Aira see that as work?
Aira: I’m saying that it doesn’t… NVM[2]. Stop finding faults this early in the year.
Hiiro: Umu. I wonder what “NVM” means. I would like you to explain in detail.
Aira: Oh, c’mon. I don’t wanna be put in a bad mood at the very beginning of the year because of Hiro-kun… I’ll explain later so just shut up for a while!
Aira: More importantly, I can’t see Mayo-san anywhere… Did he get the meeting place wrong?
Aira: It’s rare to be contacted by Mayo-san asking for all four of us—ALKALOID—to gather. Since he’s not used to HoldHands, maybe he got it wrong or something?
Tatsumi: It had never crossed my mind that Mayoi-san would be late since he just set up the meeting but… We do not know whether some kind of unforeseen circumstances might have happened on his way here.
Tatsumi: …Oh? What is this…sound…?
Tatsumi: Is that…a radio controlled…?
Aira: Nope, that’s a drone!
Hiiro: Radio controlled? Drone…?
Aira: Um… Drones are toys that can be controlled using a program but if a person nearby is controlling it, then it’s radio controlled… Kinda like that…?
Hiiro: Umu. Both are words unfamiliar to my ears. Are they like small airplanes?
Aira: Yeah, that’s why it’s not the time for explaining every single thing to Hiro-kun! Why is a drone flying around…?
Aira: Ah, maybe it’s gonna start shooting something?
Aira: Woah! Aerial photography from a drone is gonna be super cool, right?♪ If you’re fine with me, I’ll show you whatever you want!
Tatsumi: Hmm. Aerial photography? For that matter, the camera is moving in a way that its aim is only on us.
Tatsumi: In any case, communication is most crucial. Shall we face the drone and try to hold a conversation?
Tatsumi: Hello, dear pilot of the drone! What on earth could this be?
Tatsumi: If there is any business you have with us, please let us meet face-to-face and talk!
Sora: HaHa~♪ Did you call Sora?
Aira: Huh… HUH?! Did Harukawa-senpai just come out of the drone—NO, he’s floating?!
Aira: Can you all see him too? No, wait! I’m too scared to hear the answer so just wait a sec!
Aira: Maybe I’m seeing things since I’ve been working with Harukawa-senpai a lot lately…
Hiiro: Don’t get so upset, Aira. I can see him as well.
Hiiro: I do not understand the mechanism behind it but I cannot feel his presence. I can understand that the person himself is not there.
Sora: HiHi~♪ Excellent reasoning! Actually, the Sora here is a hologram and he was watching the situation from afar!
Sora: Hello! Good afternoon, everyone from ALKALOID! Sora is here to request a job from you!
Hiiro: Umu. We are always accepting work but…
Hiiro: Before that, please tell us. Why is Sora-kun here?
Tatsumi: Indeed, we could have taken it as a coincidence, but your appearance was carefully planned, was it not?
Tatsumi: We were summoned here by Mayoi-san’s message on HoldHands. Then why is it that instead of Mayoi-san, Sora-san has appeared—
Sora: HuHu~♪ That is because Shisho~…
Sora: Oops, since Sora is the project's host, he can’t talk about the things that have been decided.
Sora: Murky Onii~san is in a different place! If you cooperate with our work, Sora will tell you the place~♪
Aira: Um. This “work”—What kind of work is it? We were called in such an oddly elaborate way… I’m getting bad vibes…
Aira: There’s no way that Harukawa-senpai can request us to do something dangerous, right?
Sora: That is for you all to accept and see!—If Sora were to say that, you’d be put on guard so maybe Sora shall reveal just a little information~?
Sora: This is a special job that only ALKALOID can complete!
Sora: We shall make you the passengers of the Phantom Airship~☆
Aira: Phantom Airship…?
[1]Hiiro sometimes uses ウム (Umu), a super cute way of agreeing/noticing/remembering something depending on context.
[2]In the original text, Aira uses ノーカン (noukan) here which is slang for “it does not count”. Hiiro is obviously unfamiliar with it and asks for an explanation. I tried to mimic the situation in English with NVM standing for “never mind”.
