91: Thundering

Tsukasa: ...You two seem to be having fun speaking ill of others.

I would not call that very elegant of you, senpais.

Tsumugi: I–I wasn’t speaking badly of anyone! Or, well, I guess it could have sounded that way, depending on what you heard? I’m sorry! I’ll be more careful next time!

Tsukasa: ...There is no need to be so obsequious with someone younger than you such as myself, Aoba-senpai.

Is it not precisely because of that deplorable attitude that the other agencies disdain NewDi?

Tsumugi: Are you scolding me?! Augh, this new generation is so scary!

Yuzuru: Fufu. Good morning, young master Suou ♪ How wonderful, that both the representative and his adjunct of NewDi have arrived.

Tsukasa: Indeed. Our position here is relatively weak, so we must be on our best behavior.

Tsukasa: Though, have I not asked you to stop calling me “young master” many times before, Fushimi-senpai?

I am already looked down on for being the youngest among those attending the Summit.

Well, that’s no matter... Thank you for all the work you did at last night’s Bon Festival, Aoba-senpai.

Leo-san kept me updated moment by moment even though I didn’t ask for it, so I am quite aware as to what happened.

He even sent me a photograph of Harukawa-kun with the caption, “Lookie lookie! Your buddy’s on stage, Suoh!”

Tsumugi: Ah, right. Now that you mention it, Tsukinaga-kun was in the VIP seating. Apparently he came to cheer on ALKALOID personally.

Tsukasa: ALKALOID... I’m curious about them. I haven’t heard their name nearly as much as I have Crazy:B, but I have caught wind of them on occasion recently.

Tsumugi: I’m not sure... From what I’ve seen, they look like good kids who are working hard to climb up from rock bottom.

If you’re curious though, why not bring them up at the Summit?

Tsukasa: I shall. Even if I don’t, ES has been alight with rumors.

Well, it is of little consequence. If they interfere with Knights, we will crush them underfoot.

Tsumugi: Yikes. As extreme as ever, or maybe I should say warlike...? Why can’t we just aim to all hold hands and work together in harmony?

If this turns into some great war between the Big Four, I’m sure NewDi would be the first to get killed off, since we’re the smallest and weakest.

Tsukasa: I’m sure. But even if NewDi were eradicated, Knights would endure.

Tsumugi: You are one of the Big Three at ES... Honestly, it’s a mystery to me why a powerhouse unit like you guys would ally yourselves with a tiny agency with no backing.

Tsukasa: Fufu. I have my own ambitions, Aoba-senpai.

I firmly believe that this was the correct decision. The only real demerit is that I have to conduct investigations into Oukawa, since he is in a different agency.

Yuzuru: Oukawa... ah, yes, the one in Crazy:B.

Tsukasa: He is. You probably know this already, Fushimi-senpai, but he is a blight on our family.

Keito: Eichi! Saegusa! Where the hell are you?!

Tsukasa: Whoa? Wh–what is the meaning of this, Hasumi-senpai?

Yuzuru: Fufu. This parlor is technically soundproof, but there are limits to it. I would ask you not to be so loud, Keito-sama.

Keito: ...Excuse me. Is it just Fushimi, Suou, and Aoba here? There’s no point yelling at you three, so I’m sorry.

Yuzuru: Not at all, please don’t worry about it. Fufu, all of us gathered here remind me of our days in the archery club.

Isara-sama made arrangements to classify the archery range as an extraterritorial zone so as to preserve the atmosphere of those days. I would love for you to visit sometime.

Keito: Sure, someday... though I doubt I’ll have time for that any time soon.

How incorrigible. Just when I thought I could leave that self-important act to Sakuma and focus on my idol career, something like this happens.

What am I supposed to do here? My blood’s been boiling since yesterday.

Tsumugi: Oh... I heard about that. Crazy:B picked a fight with Akatsuki yesterday, right?

We were performing at the Bon Festival around that time, so I couldn’t go check on things...

Were you all right, though? Those kids in Crazy:B can get pretty reckless, can’t they?

Keito: Hmph. Just who do you think you’re talking to, Aoba? They’re no match for Akatsuki; we pulled the rug right out from under those brats.

But of course, we didn’t come out completely unscathed.

They’re the type of bugbears who get more cocky and troublesome the more you entertain them. They remind me of Trickstar in that way—incorrigible, in every possible way.

I’ve been leaving this Summit business to Sakuma, but it’s because I have that firsthand experience with them and saw for myself how bad they really are that I had to attend today.