[ES!!] Hinata Aoi – Idol Story 3
Season: Summer
Location: Staff Cafeteria
Time for a fun, fun lunch break~ hmhmhm~♪ (humming)
Huh? Oh! It’s Midori-kun! Yoohoo yoohoo, how’ve you been~?
I’ve been doing great! Swish!☆ (salutes)
Huh? Um, well… I haven’t been doing badly, I guess…?
Anyway, why did you salute me…? Were you ever the type to do that…?
Nope. Y’know how we’re in CosPro? I’m copying Vice Prez Saegusa, since he does it so often.
Hehehe~ ‘Cause it’s gonna look like I’m close to him if I do that, y’see~?
We might be able to get more jobs if a higher-up takes a liking to us~
Some people might not like feeling as though they’re being buttered up, buuut this is just another strategy to survive in the idol industry!
Huh… You didn’t look any different from your usual self, but you’ve actually been struggling with a bunch of things, huh…?
I thought CosPro was an enemy to Yumenosaki idols… Um, you’re not being bullied or anything, are you…?
Umm, if you’re alright with talking to me, I could lend an ear if you need to vent…?
Ahaha, thanks for the concern. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t struggling, but I’m not being bullied or anything like that.
CosPro heavily focuses on your biggest merits, y’see~ So thankfully, we get to do so much more than just idol work.
And we’re idols who can adapt to absolutely any job no matter the situation. The agency treasures idols like that, apparently.
Sure, they prioritize the special students from Reimei and Shuuetsu Academy way more, but we still get to play an active role in the agency.
I don’t regret being in CosPro — I’m actually pretty glad about it~♪
Huh… I would’ve totally regretted joining CosPro… I would’ve kept whining about how depressing it is, day in and out…
Ahaha, you have a habit of saying that, so I doubt joining CosPro would change anything?
True… It is pretty much becoming a thing I say all the time.
I don’t even actually wanna die or anything, nor am I that depressed… But every time I’m feeling even a little tired or drained, I’ll start saying that I’m depressed and wanna die…
I’m a hero though, so I gotta avoid saying depressing stuff like that.
Oh!? You called yourself a hero!?
You were always sooo against being called that when we were first years~ You really grew up, my friend! I genuinely feel happy for you~♪
Woah—! Don’t hug me out of nowhere, Hinata-kun…
Though I guess it’s alright since I’m not carrying any veggie boxes today, so I won’t have to worry about anything spilling out…
Sorry, sorry. Oh wait, would that mean that you bring veggies from your home to this cafeteria, too?
Yep… We deliver to ES as well. I’m glad they buy so much from us, but it’s kind of a pain to carry…
Then that means the vegetables at the salad bar were from you! They’re all so fresh and sweet and tasty~ I kept gobbling more and more~♪
Thank you… I’ll tell my parents you said that.
Mhm, tell ‘em I’ll come over to the shop next time~♪
Okay. I think they’ll give you a discount ‘cause they’ll consider you a friend of mine.
Ah, I appreciate that~! I do have a small patch of veggies in the school’s garden area, but y’know, you gotta actually buy seeds to plant different kinds.
Anyways… I’m guessing you’re here to eat lunch? How about we eat together while we’ve got the chance?
Ah, sure, why not…
Woah!? Seriously!?
Um, I know this is dumb of me to say right after asking you to join me, but I really thought you’d reject my offer with saying something like, “I’d rather take my time while eating on my own”.
I was even thinking up ways to convince you after you’d reject me, so I just got surprised that you accepted it so casually.
I would’ve refused the offer if it was from someone I didn’t know well, but I know you, so…
I see, I see! I’m so happy~ You also think of me as a friend~♪
Um, no, you’re just someone I know…
Tsk—Fiiine. We’re getting along way better than we did last year, so this is good enough for now.
Let’s talk about all kindsa things while we eat! Like our interests and hobbies~
I can only hope this makes us close enough for you to start calling me your friend~♪
A continuation of Hinata and Midori's development can be found in Making-100-Friends Project!