Intersection of Pranks 3

A few hours later

Yuuta: Hmm...

(Usually I have no problem coming up with a good prank, but now I just can’t seem to settle on anything...)

(I mean, there’s plenty of quick and easy things that come to mind, but boring stuff gets cut.)

(This kind of opportunity doesn’t come around every day. I can’t let my footage get shelved, like Rinne-senpai said!)

(But what should I even do to prevent that...? Sigh.)

Nagisa: ...Is something worrying you?

Yuuta: Whoa?! Ran-senpai, when did you get back?

Kaoru: Ahaha, we’ve been back for a while now. Actually, Ran-kun and I got here at the same time...

Yuuta: S–sorry. I didn’t even say hi...

Kaoru: Nah, don’t even worry about it. You look like you’re really going through it right now.

Nagisa: ...If there’s something troubling you, would you like to talk about it?

Yuuta: Mm, well I guess it’s fine if it’s you two. So here’s the deal—

Nagisa: ...You need to film a prank? And you are having trouble deciding on one.

Kaoru: Wow, I didn’t know you’d be on the show. Did you know they asked me to be on it, too?

Yuuta: Huh? So you’re thinking about a prank too, Hakaze-senpai?

Kaoru: Oh, no way. I’m gonna be one of the hosts watching all the pranks from the studio. I guess I’ll be more like a commentator?

So it’s not like we’re rivals here or anything; you can relax.

Nagisa: ...I’d like to try pranking someone, too. It’s unfair if everyone else is on the show and I am excluded.

Yuuta: That’d because Eden doesn’t really do the whole variety thing that often though, do they?

They really laid into Aniki the other day ‘cause he let you participate in 2x2, y’know.^[1]

Nagisa: ...I’m not convinced, but it may be beneficial to me to behave for the time being.

Kaoru: Ahaha, it’s not often we get to see you look so disappointed, Ran-kun.

But anyway, you’re trying to figure out a good prank? It’s pretty hard getting something really funny on camera, that’s for sure.

Yuuta: You got that right. I thought pranking someone would be a piece of cake, since I’ve done it a million times...

But now that I’m thinking about it, nothing sounds funny enough. I can’t stop second-guessing myself...

Kaoru: I getcha. Well, I’m not exactly what you’d call “well-versed” in pranks, though.

Nagisa: ...Who is it that you want to prank, Yuuta-kun?

Kaoru: Oh, that’s a good starting point. It makes sense to tailor the prank to the prankee, right?

Yuuta: Umm, to be honest I haven’t decided on anyone yet...

Originally I was going with Rinne-senpai, but apparently he’s on the show, too.

And besides, he got a whiff of my plans anyway, so I can’t exactly go with that anymore.

Seriously, if that hadn’t happened, I’d have already had everything figured out from the get-go!

Kaoru: Ahaha, do I detect a little grudge in your voice~?

Nagisa: ...Do you have any other targets in mind?

Yuuta: I guess Shinobu-kun, maybe? I think someone like Oogami-senpai would also be easy to prank.

Kaoru: Shinobu-kun or Koga-kun, huh...

Yuuta: ...Okay, what’s with that expression, Hakaze-senpai? Do you have a problem with me picking on them?

Kaoru: Nope, not a problem, per se. It’s just that when you post about your pranks on social media, those two show up again and again.

Nagisa: ...It might lack an element of surprise, then.

Kaoru: Exactly. And it’s probably not the prank itself that’s the most important part, but the surprise and reaction you get out of the person being pranked.

Yuuta: ...You’re right. It’s more fun to watch someone go crazy, and someone who isn’t used to getting pranked would be expecting it the least.

Kaoru: Right? So taking that into account, those guys probably aren’t the most shocking choice.

Yuuta: So who are you suggesting, then?

Nagisa: ...What about Ibara?

Yuuta: Huh?! Play a prank on the VP? ...Could I do that?

Nagisa: ...I don’t mind. As the leader of Eden, I give you my permission.

Yuuta: Huh... I feel like he’d be pissed after everything’s said and done, though...

Nagisa: ...Fufu. If anything happens, I will tell him that you were following my orders.

...Eden doesn’t appear in many variety shows. Ibara especially goes out of his way to avoid them.

...Perhaps he has an aversion to it. However, that will not help him broaden his range as an idol.

Yuuta: Uh-huh... but it may not be impossible to pull this off.

Kaoru: I think it’s definitely possible. Saegusa-kun never shares details about his private life, so you’d have the element of surprise squarely in your court.

Yuuta: Hehe. Thanks for your advice, guys.

Now that that’s decided, I just have to get an idea ♪

The next day

Ibara: ...What? You want me to participate in a taste-testing at Café Cinnamon?

......

Oh, no. I was just put on guard when you asked me to come to the office so suddenly.

But it ended up not being as serious a matter as I expected. It feels a bit anticlimactic...

No, I shouldn’t judge something before I’ve heard the details. Might I see the proposal, please?

Thank you. Let me take a look.

(...Hm. It appears to be a collaboration between all four major agencies here, planned by Café Cinnamon.)

(Idols will sample drinks themed after their agencies, then answer questions in an interview...)

I think I understand the gist of it. I have no issues with accepting the work, but there is one thing that still bothers me.

Why was I chosen for this event instead of any other idol? Certainly there are more suitable candidates for it, such as Shiina-shi...

...I see. You’re the one who wants me to do it, then.

(...Which is odd. I find it hard to believe that Anzu-san would bring such a sloppy proposal forward.)

(In extreme cases like a taste testing and interview, anyone should be fine for the job. So why would she go out of her way to offer it to me?)

(If Anzu-san is bringing it directly to me, there ought to be a good reason for it. But I just can’t find one.)

(On top of that, Anzu-san has been rather roundabout and evasive. She’s acting more distant with me, for some reason...)

—Ah, so that’s it. It must be.

No, it’s nothing. I agree... it’s fine. I’ll accept the job.

I don’t mind at all. I’ll fit it into my schedule myself.

(...She also looks as if she didn’t expect me to accept the proposal.)

(If you wish to deceive me, you’ll have to try harder than that. Well, I suppose her role here is as a mere mediator.)

(This is a special case. I’ll just have to discipline the one who made the mistake of snapping at the wrong person.)

(He ought to be grateful, even. I’ll make him know firsthand how terrifying a viper’s venomous education can be... ♪)