Merry Xmas - réveil 1

TL Note: The chapter titles are all in French (despite the unit name being Branco which is Portuguese for "White"). This arc is named réveil which means "waking up" or "revival".

Location: Staff Canteen

- On a certain day at the end of November -

Hiiro: Hrm~m…

What a predicament. It may not be an overstatement to call this the crossroads of life itself.

Aira: Come ooon, Hiro-kun, are you still not done choosing? My empty stomach is killing me over here…

Besides, after all this ruminating you’re just gonna end up ordering omurice as always, right? There’s like, no reason to be so troubled about it.

Hiiro: Mph. You shouldn’t make light of me, Aira, for I’ve decided to order something different today! Which is exactly why I’m genuinely puzzling over this.

Aira: If ordering something besides omurice gives you that much grief, you could just, y’know, order omurice.

Hiiro: Umumu… Hm?

Aira, Aira. What is this “gapao rice”?

Judging from its name, it sounds like it might be a worthy rival to omurice.

Aira: Why do they have such an intricate relationship in your mind… You’re way off. Gapao rice is a Thai dish. It’s made of stir-fried ground meat and vegetables, mixed in with rice.

Hiiro: I see. I can’t really picture what that’s like, but it sounds like an intricate dish.

Aira: Not really. It’s pretty delicious, though. You gonna order it?

Hiiro: Will eating gapao rice make me as happy as eating omurice does?

Aira: Umm, I dunno? I think it’s a totally different dish than omurice, so I can’t tell if it’s gonna make you happy.

No, actually, what is up with your value system here? Like, you’re more concerned with happiness than taste?

Hiiro: Because look, omurice is incredible! It’s so fluffy and smooth and charming. Whenever I eat it, I truly feel happy!

Aira: If you like omurice that much then why don’t you just order it.

Hiiro: Hmm. But I already set my heart on ordering something other than omurice today…

What about this one, then? This dish by the name of “loco moco”?

The name makes me think of something plump and soft, something cute like Aira. Do you think eating that one will make me feel happy?

Aira: Did you just call me plump?! Are you saying I’ve gotten fat?!

You’re really so insensitive, Hiro-kun! And anyway, loco moco isn’t even soft, it’s more on the firm side!

Oh, but you might like loco moco. It’s a hamburger steak and salad with a fried egg on top of rice.

Hiiro: Hamburger steak! Yes, I do love that ♪ Then I’ll be having this one!

Aira: Phew~, finally… Alright, I’ll be placing our order now, okay?

Hiiro: Yes. Thank you, Aira.

Aira: Huh? I got a message from Anzu-san on HoldHands…? I wonder what it’s about.

Let’s see — Aah!

I was chosen?! Wait, am I on a hidden camera show or something?!

Hiiro: Aira, what’s the matter?

Aira: Hi-, Hiro-kun, look at this! This is an invitation to a Producer Association cross-agency project — in other words, a shuffle unit!

Those projects are like a dream to me, they’re idol collaborations that surpass agency affiliations! Hiro-kun, do you understand what a big deal this is?

Hiiro: Yes. I understand that you’re really excited, Aira.

Aira: You don’t get it at all! If you did, you couldn’t possibly stay this calm about it!

— Ah, wait, this isn’t the time to deal with this useless Hiro-kun!

Uwah~, I wonder who the other members are?

Just gonna take a quick peek…

Nopenopenopenope! It’s too scary, I don’t wanna look!

Hiiro: Aira, you’re scared?

Aira: Oh, I don’t mean it like, “I’m scared it’s gonna be people I hate” or anything like that.

I’d be over the moon no matter who it’s with, but the answer to it won’t be set in stone until I look, right?

So as long as I don’t look, I can hype myself up thinking about who it might be. It’s like, I wanna know… but it’d be a waste to find out.

Hiiro: Hrm~m. I don’t really get it…

Aira: Sheesh! It’s like that excitement before you open a booster pack of idol bromides, when you still don’t know who you’re gonna get!

It makes you feel so on edge you can hardly stand it, right? And that’s the same thing I’m feeling right now, got it?

Hiiro: Ooh. Got it! I know that feeling of yours well, Aira.

Aira: Right?! Finally I feel like you and I were able to relate to each other on an emotional level, Hiro-kun...♪

Hiiro: It’s like when you put up a hunting trap and you go see what got caught in it. Whether it’s gonna be a rabbit, or a fox… And you get excited, wondering if you may even have caught a deer or a boar ♪

Aira: I take it back! Hiro-kun and I are just completely incompatible after all! You’re talking about real life hunting here!

Don’t put that on the same level as stanning — Well, actually… Stanning is a kind of hunt too, in a way. Or maybe you could call it war? In any case! There’s just no romance to it in real life hunting!

Hiiro: You sure say some strange things sometimes, Aira. There’s tons of romance to hunting, you know? When we catch large prey like a deer, the whole village gets together to celebrate.

Aira: Please just shut up already, Hiro-kun.

Aargh… I wanna look! But I don’t wanna look~! What do I do, I’m so scared~!

Hiiro: Very well, Aira. If you’re too scared to look, then I’ll do it in your place.

Aira: Huh? W-wait—

Hiiro: Let’s see here. Aside from Aira, there’s — “Himemiya Tori”, “Shino Hajime” and “Harukawa Sora” listed here!

Aira: ~~~~~~! (Soundless shriek)