Episode Forty-Four
Without much to note, the year turned over into the new one.
I returned to my family home, while Ibara went back to ‘Sereno’.
Lately, it seems Ibara has been gradually learning to sleep alone.
The successful experiences of getting proper sleep must be accumulating and having a positive effect.
If Ibara keeps recovering like this, will there come a day when I’m no longer needed?
Even so, would that girl still sleep with me?
†
Right at the start of work, an assignment email flew in from Shindo-san.
Details to be discussed directly, he said, so we arranged a time and headed to the meeting space.
“I’ll bring up the screen.”
Shindo-san connected his laptop to the desktop monitor.
I quickly scanned the PowerPoint materials displayed.
“A limited-edition collaboration design for shampoo bottles, is it?”
“Yes. This manufacturer is announcing a new official ambassador soon, and this ties in with that.”
An official ambassador is someone contracted by a company to promote and publicise their products.
It used to be standard practice for celebrities or models to take on such roles, but recently companies recruit via social media, or influencers and YouTubers are appointed.
“So, you want to create a limited-edition bottle inspired by that ambassador?”
“Exactly.”
The slide changed, displaying the product overview.
It was a shampoo increasingly spotted in drugstores lately.
The design was simple, predominantly white, with a rectangular bottle shape. The product name was printed in modest-sized alphabet letters.
──Cendrillon. Cinderella.
“Do you know it?”
“I’ve seen the adverts. I believe the tagline was something like, ‘Even dry, ashen hair becomes Cinderella’s beautiful locks with a drop of magic’.”
“Correct. It seems the selling point is that it’s a magical shampoo, formulated with three types of ceramides and amino acids, effective on any kind of damaged hair.”
“Sounds good. I might give it a try.”
“I think I can get a sample, so I’ll give you one.”
“Thank you.”
After exchanging such light chit-chat, we moved on to the main topic.
“──So, about the crucial ambassador thing…”
That was the problem.
Since it’s a collaboration product, the design needs to instantly evoke the ambassador.
On the other hand, the term ‘ambassador’ covers a wide range these days.
If it’s a model boasting beautiful hair, a portrait illustration of them might suffice. But in some cases, the ambassador is a 2D character or a VTuber. When that happens, it becomes tricky to gauge how much of the character’s personality to emphasise.
“Ah, right. So the new ambassador is a female idol. I’m not terribly knowledgeable about them, but apparently she’s quite popular.”
“…An idol?”
The slide changed.
“Eh?”
Seeing the displayed photo and profile, I froze.
Shindo-san continued.
“This girl is Cendrillon’s new official ambassador. She’s the centre of the idol group ‘Charles’ and apparently still a high school student. You know her?”
“…Ah, yes. I know her.”
Of course I knew her.
Hime Haibara.
On the monitor, the left side of “Himeiba” flashed a perfect smile at me.
†
Lunchtime.
Our company’s proud idol otaku, Momono-chan, slid in front of me and prostrated herself.
It was a beautiful prostration.
“Momono-chan⁉︎”
“Ami-senpai! I, Momono Momoko, with all my heart, I beg you! Please let me take over as the person in charge of the Cendrillon limited edition bottle!”
“O-oh, calm down, Momono-chan. Er, everyone’s watching… Let’s just stand up first. Right?”
“Please! Please, I beg youuuuu!! The chance to design my favourite idol’s collaboration goods myself is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunityyyyy!!”
“Bawling your eyes out⁉︎”
I managed to calm down the sobbing Momono-chan and we moved to the break area lined with vending machines.
“Calmed down?”
When I handed her a hot milk tea, Momono-chan sniffed and said, “Hyah.”
“I’m terribly sorry, showing such an embarrassing side of myself…”
“Nah, it’s fine. That’s not the problem…”
It’s not fine at all, but let’s just say it is.
I lifted the lid off my hot green tea and took a sip.
“The project I was assigned to does involve ‘Charles’. But the one you were rooting for was Ibara-chan, right? The one who retired?”
“Yes, that’s right. That was her.”
“It’s not related to her, is it?”
“No, it’s not that…”
Momono-chan wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and took a sip of her milk tea.
It seemed she’d calmed down somewhat.
“I changed my favourite.”
Another unfamiliar term…
“Will you listen, Senpai?”
“I suppose…”
Is this going to be alright? Will I be able to eat lunch?
“Thank you,” Momono-chan said, then began speaking vehemently.
“Several months after Ibara-chan graduated, I was parched from my ‘idol withdrawal’. I craved moisture. I wouldn’t ask for an oasis. Just a scoop of spring water, no, even muddy water would have sufficed. That’s how desperate I’d become.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Starved and thirsty, I revisited every single piece of ‘Charles’-related content. DVDs and videos, of course, but I even branched out to SNS and fan creations, putting anything edible into my mouth. By sniffing out the lingering scent of Ibara-chan left in the corners of the internet, I managed to barely hold onto my sanity.”
“Oh… oh…”
If I told her Ibara-chan sleeps beside me every night, what would happen to this girl?
“And then I realised. Being a single-idol supporter for Ibara-chan is wonderful. But it isn’t everything in this world.”
Well, obviously.
“Before I knew it, I was completely immersed in the world of ‘Himeiba’.”
Oh no, here we go again.
“While digesting the content, thinking ‘Idol-on-idol yuri is the best, all the beauty on earth is packed into this’, I suddenly realised.”
“What?”
“The truth.”
Her eyes were fixed.
I think Momono-chan should broaden her worldview a bit.
“Ibara-chan may be gone, but Hime-sama still stands on stage. Perorist Momono Momoko isn’t dead yet. I can still support her. Support your favourite while you can.”
“Sorry, wait. Can I just ask one thing?”
“What is it?”
“What’s a Perorist?”
“It’s a fan name for ‘Charles’. It’s derived from Charles Perrault.”
There must have been a better name.
“So, that’s why I’m currently a Perorist, a remnant of the Himeiba faction, and Momoko Momono, who only supports Hime-sama.”
“Ah, right. (I don’t really get it, but) I understand Momono-chan is a fan of Himehara Hime.”
“Yes. Thank you for listening to me this far…”
Momono-chan bowed solemnly.
What on earth is this?
“So, you want me to hand over the collaboration bottle project? Hmm, shall I ask Shindo-san about it?”
“Ah, no. Sorry, please forget it.”
“Eh?”
“Earlier, I was so shocked I ended up being rude to you, Senpai… But thinking it over, it’s far too much for someone as inexperienced as me to design official merchandise for my favourite. I’ll just stick to buying the product boxes quietly.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes! Besides, I really like your designs, Senpai. I’m really looking forward to the official merchandise you design.”
“M-Momono-chan…!”
Well, strictly speaking, it’s not official merchandise, it’s a collaboration product.
But still, I felt a bit choked up. To be spoken to like that by a junior… it’s the ultimate reward for a senior.
“Alright. I’ll do my absolute best. I’ll make sure it’s a design worthy of being recognised by fans like you, Momono-chan.”
“Yes! Ah, but if you get the chance, I’d love it if you could get an autograph for me.”
“Hmm, I don’t think that’ll happen. Well, if the opportunity arises, I suppose.”
I’d probably get the reference materials, but any dealings with the talent agency would likely go through the manufacturer, so such an opportunity was highly unlikely.
That’s what I thought. At that time, anyway.