"Hello, Director Asagumo. It's a pleasure to meet you for the first time."
"Hm?"
The music director from the record company, Asagumo, looked up at the young woman who had just spoken to him.
"...And you are?"
"I am the composer for this live show's [Idol] and [Galaxy Lightway]. You can call me [Oblivionis]."
"Ho, that's quite the unique stage name."
The director was not surprised by the girl's use of a stage name. After all, in his more than ten years in the industry, he had seen far too many musicians with eccentric personalities.
He was more interested in the first half of her introduction than her slightly hard-to-pronounce name.
"[Watanabe Productions] is as resourceful as ever. To think the arranger for the final song would be such a young girl..."
Director Asagumo stroked his chin, studying Miss Oblivionis for a moment before speaking.
"You look to be the same age as those two little idols. And you look... a little familiar, too."
"It's just your imagination. People often tell me I don't look like an adult."
Oblivionis... that is, Togawa Sakiko, handed the other glass in her hand to Director Asagumo, her expression unchanged.
"In fact, I'm already twenty years old this year."
"...Is that so?"
Director Asagumo raised an eyebrow in surprise, then took the glass from her hand.
"How rude of me. Please forgive me."
With that, the two lightly clinked their glasses and then drank the cocktail within—
(Ugh... so this is what alcohol tastes like?)
Although she could taste the fruity and sour flavor of lemon when it first entered her mouth, it was immediately followed by a familiar yet foreign taste that instantly took over her senses.
Spicy, bitter, pungent, burning.
Sakiko, who had thought she was used to the smell of alcohol from the apartment, was startled by the complex flavor that spread from her mouth to her nasal cavity. Fortunately, her control over her expression was impeccable, and none of her shock showed.
Meanwhile, after seeing Sakiko put down her glass without a change in expression, the doubt on Director Asagumo's face dissipated.
The girl he had been thinking of was nowhere near old enough to drink, let alone the strong and spicy Screwdriver they had just had.
Even he couldn't help but let out a long exhale after drinking it, yet this young musician showed no reaction at all.
It seemed he really had mistaken her for someone else.
"That said, you didn't seek me out just to introduce yourself, did you, Miss Oblivionis?"
"...No."
Sakiko forcefully ignored the heat that was beginning to spread from her stomach and spoke in a nonchalant, level tone.
"I came here today to introduce you to my future band project—[Ave Mujica]."
...
"Phew... I can't believe it actually worked."
Looking at the business card in her hand, which bore Director Asagumo's name, Sakiko wiped the fine sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief and muttered in a voice filled with irrepressible joy.
"As I thought, using a 'stage name' and 'proposing a toast' as a disguise was effective!"
This was the tactic she had just devised. It could both conceal her identity and allow her to more naturally engage in conversation as a musician.
However, the price was also obvious...
"It tastes so bad, and my stomach is so hot. Why do adults like to drink this stuff?"
Although she could still rely on her willpower to control her expression at first, after simmering for over ten minutes, the "flame" burning in her stomach had begun to spread throughout her body.
She reached up and touched her cheek. As expected, it was burning hot.
And besides the physical reaction, her consciousness and thoughts were also beginning to be affected—
"This is bad, my head is starting to feel light..."
The worries and anxieties that had been swirling in her mind just moments ago, which she couldn't shake no matter what, could no longer squeeze into her increasingly narrow thinking space. Sakiko, who was used to thinking about multiple things at once, was experiencing this feeling of "forced focus" for the first time.
Her mind was now completely filled with how to get the attention and support of the next famous musician she met, and how she should answer his questions. She had no capacity to think about anything else.
"...This is bad. I have to make this quick."
Realizing her mental state was rapidly deteriorating, Sakiko quickly picked up a glass of water and chugged it down. She then took several deep breaths before walking with slightly unsteady steps towards the arranger who had previously worked with [Summer Zodiac] and was also one of the directors of this live show, Aoshika.
Again, she first got two cocktails from a waiter. Again, she introduced herself with the stage name [Oblivionis].
This time, however, the negotiation was completely different—
"I was so scared when the power went out! But thankfully, the timing was perfect, right in the gap before the rap part. Otherwise, I don't know what I would have done!"
The good news was that this director, Mr. Aoshika, was far more enthusiastic towards Sakiko, the arranger, than Director Asagumo had been.
The bad news was that his attitude was a bit too enthusiastic. So much so that after they finished the drinks Sakiko had brought, he called a waiter over for a second round.
"I have to thank you, Miss 'Oblivionis.' Both the finale and the encore were brilliant. If your band holds a live show, I'd be more than happy to come and support it! Come, cheers."
"...Cheers."
Her mind already feeling a bit numb, Sakiko still feigned composure and raised her glass.
She had been talking with Director Aoshika for so long that the effects of the alcohol had spread to an unbearable degree.
Even though his attitude was so warm and positive, she couldn't bring herself to make any further requests. At this point, just maintaining clear speech and a stable expression was taking all of her effort.
Fortunately, she had already achieved a goal far beyond her expectations: not only did she get his business card, but she also inexplicably earned his gratitude.
If she could leverage this subtle personal connection in the future, it would surely be of great help to [Ave Mujica]'s live shows.
However... she couldn't be bothered with that right now.
In order to end the conversation as quickly as possible and escape the effects of the alcohol, she raised her glass, preparing to down it in one gulp.
And this was clearly the worst possible response.
Drinking an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time while already intoxicated would only further aggravate her stomach, leading to hiccups or even vomiting. Especially for a first-time drinker like Sakiko, this rapid consumption could even induce acute alcohol poisoning.
Just as Sakiko was about to drink the "poison" that would have rendered all her efforts moot, a voice suddenly came from beside them.
"Sorry, sorry, I'm a little late! Ah, have you two already started chatting?"
With a slightly apologetic smile on his face, Chihaya Tetsuya arrived between them with hurried steps, holding a glass of juice as if he had been unexpectedly delayed. He spoke to Sakiko in a slightly reproachful tone.
"Jeez, I told you to wait for me, didn't I? Doesn't this make me look rude? Uika, Ai, you two come and say hello to Mr. Aoshika as well."
At this, he suddenly waved at someone behind Director Aoshika. Misumi Uika and Hoshino Ai walked over from that direction. The moment Director Aoshika turned his head, Tetsuya snatched the glass from Sakiko's hand and shoved his own glass into hers.
"..."
At that moment, even though Sakiko's consciousness had become sluggish and confused, she could still see the clear worry and anger in his eyes.
(Ah, I'm saved...)
The thought emerged with absolute clarity from her chaotic mind. Then, as Hoshino Ai and Misumi Uika also stood in front of her, the nerve that had been stretched taut finally snapped. As for what happened after that, Sakiko couldn't remember anything at all.
She only knew that when she regained consciousness and opened her eyes, she was in an incredibly unfamiliar hotel room. Not only that, but there was another person sleeping beside her—
"Tetsuya-kun!?"
Gazing at the face sleeping soundly beside her, and at the loose-fitting bathrobe she was wearing, Sakiko was stunned for a full minute before she finally managed to squeeze a short, bewildered sound from her dry throat.
"...Eh?"