Arc-3 Ep-17

 After finishing the concert at the northernmost dome stadium venue, the following weekend brought concerts at the westernmost dome stadium.

Those too were a huge success and concluded without any problems. These two weeks had given me firm confidence that I could truly make it as a top idol.

With the first half of the concert tour now complete and one week free until the second half, I headed to the production company after school on a weekday. There, I was caught by Niikura-san, the sub-manager for the internal group “Sistema Solare.”

She led me into one of the meeting rooms, where Suzuka-san was already seated, fiddling with her smartphone.

“Good morning, Suzuka-san.”

“Good morning, Mikuri.”

“Sorry, Kiyota-san. This time I will definitely bring Uchikawa-san along.”

“Ah, yes. That's fine.”

“Right. Kayanuma-san, please wait a little too.”

“Understood.”

After waiting for Niikura-san to leave the meeting room, I spoke to Suzuka-san.

“I wonder what this is about.”

“Probably talk about the new album. If it follows the usual pattern, this is about the time we would normally hear details.”

“…Come to think of it, last year the discussion happened in October.”

Even though the month had just changed, it was already November. Assuming the same release timing as last year, almost no time remained.

“If it is delayed, they might be planning something new.”

“Something new? …I cannot even imagine.”

“We did a nationwide signing session last year, but this year it might be tough schedule-wise.”

We both tilted our heads together as she set her smartphone on the table. What could possibly be a fresh new direction for an idol group?

Knock knock knock, click.

After the knock came the sound of the knob turning, and the door opened.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, both of you.”

“Good morning~”

“Good morning, Tomomi-san.”

“Good morning, Tomomi.”

Niikura-san and Tomomi-san, who had entered, also took seats, and it finally seemed we could hear what this was about. Perhaps it really was the new album discussion, just as Suzuka-san had predicted.

“Good work, everyone. This year it got delayed, but the specifications for the new album CD have finally been decided.”

“So it really was that.”

“Finally here~”

“Suzuka-san, you were right.”

“I can tell from experience.”

At my praise, she showed a smile mixed with a wry expression. Seeing that, the sub-manager gave a small bow.

“Sorry about that. There were various new elements involved, which delayed the final decision.”

“New elements~?”

“Yes, Uchikawa-san. First, please hear the part that concerns all nine of us in Schus Sola.”

“Yes. Go ahead.”

“For this album, all nine members will each get a solo song.”

“Eh!?”

“So, solo!？”

“For real!？

The three of us reacted with shock at those words. No one in Schus Sola had ever released a solo track while still in the group. A few had done so after graduation, but they were rare.

“Yes. In addition, two new songs performed by all nine together. The remixes of the recently released ‘Bock Globule’ and ‘Herbig-Haro’ will also be included, for a planned total of thirteen tracks.”

“So Schus Sola alone is getting an album?”

“That is correct. There are also plans for one each from Dwarf Planet downward, all releasing on the same day.”

“…So if it is five songs per person, that works~?”

“Well, in simple arithmetic, yes.”

“With ‘Bock Globule’ and ‘Herbig-Haro’ already there, it feels a bit easier than five new ones.”

Since the lyrics probably would not change, essentially we just needed to master our solo tracks and the two new group songs.

As for the other members’ solo songs, there would be no need to learn them for the time being.

“Are the songs already completed?”

“The two new group songs are both finished. The solo tracks should be ready within this week.”

“And recording?”

“Scheduled right after the nationwide tour ends. Sorry for the burden it will place on you all.”

Since weekends were taken up by concerts, the only option was to practice and complete everything on weekdays.

Quite an aggressive schedule.

“Will there be MVs?”

“We would like to make them, but it depends on whether there is time.”

“True~”

“Probably difficult to do one for everyone, right?”

“Yes. By the way, the release date is planned for early December next month. Apparently a release this month would be too difficult.”

That timing would put it right before the overall concert. The schedule looked like it would become extremely hectic, but I supposed it would be manageable.

“The week of the overall concert?”

“Yes. Since it releases on Wednesday, the tour starts three days later on Saturday. Because of that, this time the signing session will be kept very small-scale.”

“So in the end, there is still a signing session~”

At most, it would probably be held in a few major cities representing the country on the evening of release day. As a middle school student, my assignment would surely be in the nearby area.

“…With that said, I will now distribute the data for the two completed songs. Please do not let them leak.”

“We understand.”

“Of course~”

“Naturally.”

When Niikura-san took a laptop out of her bag, I also prepared my smartphone.

After she finished connecting Tomomi-san’s smartphone to the laptop with a cable, she also handed out two sheets of paper with the lyrics and other details written on them.

“I am sorry for the rush, but please practice on your own as well.”

“Got it~”

“Yes. For the solo songs too, please start as soon as possible.”

“Ah. Right, those too.”

“Of course. I will hand them over immediately once they are completed. …Well then, those who have finished transferring the data to their smartphones are done for now. However, Kayanuma-san, please stay behind. There is another matter to discuss.”

“Ah, yes. Understood.”

Just when I thought it was over, I alone was held back for overtime. Probably some personal job offer that would be hard to refuse.