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I’ve begun to think that, if you’re only an audience member, this might be the best concert environment ever. Since the audience are people affiliated with Sherry’s agency, they’re also song artists. Whenever she leaves the stage, the others take the initiative to sing. This does make it easy to spiral out of control.

“Professionals really are amazing.”
“While they all sing for a living, right now, they’re just having fun. Anyone would prefer their first song of the year to be for non-work merry-making.”
“Though I reckon you indulge in merry-making every day, Aya.”
“I’m serious about singing. But for today, I want to try singing with a variety of people.”
“Even though you were so stubbornly self-assertive earlier?”
“That was just me being competitive, Kotone. Actually, I still haven’t sung with you, have I?”

I consider Sherry to be a beast with her vocal cords and Aya is probably the same. After singing for so much, her voice hasn’t faltered at all. I don’t want to sing for a while, so why invite me?

“I’m no professional, you know?”
“Being professional or amateur doesn’t matter today. We’re just here to sing and have fun. Weren’t you having the time of your life earlier?”

Well, I can’t deny that. But I was just matching everyone else’s excitement. My hype levels are back to normal now, so I don’t want to sing. I’ve been singing a lot these days, so I’m a bit anxious about my future.

“I feel like I’m just paving the way to becoming a singer if I continue on at this rate.”
“It’s already too late, if you ask me. If mom seriously wants you, she’ll likely have you join her agency.”
“I mean, I already decided on the agency. The contract itself will come after a discussion with the Kisaragi family.”
“Excuse me?”

It’s rare to see Aya be stunned in surprise. For the family discussion, I, mom, the twins, and dad will be present. As well as my grandparents. I have a hunch that a majority of them will agree to me debuting as a singer. Mom and the twins are on board, I can already tell. My grandparents will probably respect my decision. So the only ones against it are me and dad, but I’d loathe to have the same opinion as him, meaning I’ll inevitably be on the agreeing side.

“Still, even if I’m affiliated with the agency, I don’t plan on doing anything. It’s just for security.”
“I mean, thinking about it normally, you’ll definitely be made to publicly debut. I don’t know much regarding the agency, but I’m sure mom will do anything to make it happen.”
“For example?”
“Even I don’t know. Still, I’m sure she’ll make an opportunity even if it has to be by force.”

There is a chance that she’ll team up with Yui regarding that. Besides, if Isami and the gang get involved, I’ll have no escape. Fortunately, Sherry and the gang aren’t close with each other. Yui might get them together indirectly, but I’ll probably hear about it when it happens.

“You find it that weird?”
“Of course I do. If you don’t want to be a singer, then it’s a line you absolutely mustn’t cross. I thought you should have known that much.”
“They tricked me.”

Now that I think about it, I don’t normally cause problems that would necessitate a mediating agency. It’s not like problems of that magnitude frequently happen and relying on my family to mediate would be actually more secure. I’m aware that I wasn’t thinking calmly back then.

“For you to be deceived. Was the situation that overwhelming?”
“My mother was next to me, while Sherry and an agency representative were on the other side of the table. The two of them were weirdly insistent, and my mother was on board with it.”
“Was there anyone that assertive in mom’s agency again?”
“It wasn’t someone from Sherry’s agency. The agency I’m set to join is one I’ve had interactions with in the past.”

Yui was extremely insistent. Did she really want to escape from those guys so badly? She seemed relatively close with the mediator, Hajime, but that seems to be a misunderstanding. The information came from Shinpachi, so it’s best to doubt it.

“I see. Then that would definitely make Kotone and me rivals.”
“Why does that happen?”
“We’ll be in different agencies, so the rivalry is inevitable. While you might have the lead for now, I’ll absolutely catch up to you!”

Why do we have to be in some manga-esque situation? In the first place, you say I’m leading but “I might join an agency” is barely any difference. You’ll definitely catch up in no time. Besides, having me as a rival is a mistake.

“There are other people you can be in a rivalry with, you know.”
“You’re the only one I have a lot in common with. We have similar backstories too.”
“Don’t call it that.”

Things we have in common, huh. We’re a year apart in age. Aya loves singing, but I’m not enthusiastic about it. Her mother is a major singer, while mine is a mother who only recently became more proactive with her daughter. After enumerating that much, I’ve only found one commonality between us.

“I can’t think of anything we share in common outside of being from the twelve families.”
“There are other things. Like gender.”
“There’s many others for that.”

There are so many people who share that commonality. You can treat them as rivals and all, but you first need to stand on the same stage. In Aya’s case, it’ll be difficult to gain Sherry’s permission. She definitely won’t allow it until Aya graduates.

“Like you said before, you probably wouldn’t be allowed until after you graduate from the academy anyway.”
“Student singers aren’t even rare in this day and age. See that girl over there, she’s still in middle school, you know.”

She’s standing out. She clearly feels out of place with how she’s cowering by herself. I don’t see anyone who could be a friend nearby, so she must have come here under the impression that it’s a work event. The prospect of her mistaking this ruckus for work is crazy, so she might not have been fully informed about the event.