I Drink Every Night With a Lookalike of a Popular Idol on the Riverbank
A long, long day comes to an end.
The heat of the spotlight, countless eyes, and cameras. All of that now feels like events from a distant world.
“…Good job.”
In the empty dressing room, as I sank my heavy body onto the sofa, a flat voice came from nearby.
Asagiri Hiori. My most trusted comrade within the group.
“Hiori is flat as usual today…”
“…Are you teasing me?”
After glancing at both of our chests, Hiori glared at me.
“No, I meant your voice.”
She said, “I see,” and never took her eyes off her smartphone screen. Only her fingertips were moving at an incredible speed, as if fighting something.
“…Today’s encounter rate was high, wasn’t it?”
“Encounter rate?”
“…Yeah. I kept getting hassled by annoying NPCs like producers and sponsors.”
Her unique gaming terminology.
I already understand the meaning all too well.
“Well, it can’t be helped since it’s before the tour.”
“…My MP is depleted. It’s written all over my face.”
“…That much?”
“Yeah. The red gauge is flashing.”
She said that and finally looked up from her smartphone. Her usually sleepy eyes stared straight at me.
“Why don’t you go home and drink a potion? You’ll miss out on today’s login bonus.”
“…It’s okay. I’m going to drink a more effective potion later.”
“An energy drink?”
“No, a potion~”
When I said that and smiled a little, she snorted and returned to the game world.
That’s her way of being kind, I guess.
I slowly stand up and shed today’s “me” in the corner of the dressing room.
I hang the sparkling costume on a hanger.
I wipe off the perfect stage makeup with a cleansing sheet.
Then I change into my usual, ordinary hoodie and shorts hidden in the back of the closet.
I pulled my cap down low and put on my non-prescription sunglasses.
The reflection in the mirror was no longer “Yunagi Nagi, the national idol.” It was just “Nanase,” an ordinary girl you might find anywhere. Well, only one person calls me Nanase.
“Well, good job.”
“…Bye. Be careful.”
I waved my hand slightly in response to Hiori’s encouragement and left the dressing room.
I quietly exited through the back door. The security guard mechanically greeted me, so I replied with a casual “Good evening” in my “public persona.”
The night air cooled my heated body.
I couldn’t just hail a taxi right away.
First, caution.
There was a black van parked around the corner. That was definitely a weekly magazine’s car.
I sighed deeply and deliberately started walking in the opposite direction of the station.
I entered an office building and went into a convenience store with multiple entrances and exits. I bought some tea I had no intention of drinking and left the store through a different entrance than the one I had entered.
I walked from building to building, passing through several winding alleys.
I kept looking back over my shoulder, over and over.
It’s okay.
No one is following me.
Finally, I stepped out onto the main street and hailed a taxi.
“Excuse me. To ●● Station, please.”
The usual code phrase.
I never say “riverbank.”
So that it won’t stay in the driver’s memory, just in case. I sink deeply into the back seat of the taxi.
The city lights outside the window pass by at an incredible speed.
(…What am I doing?)
I think to myself.
I’m exhausted from work.
Why am I going to such trouble, like in a spy movie, to go to that place?
Yousuke’s face comes to mind.
His clumsy, straightforward words.
His kind, gentle smile.
That place was the only sanctuary in the world where I could be just “Nanase” instead of “Yunagi.”
(…But maybe it’s okay now.)
My tired face is reflected in the taxi window.
(Maybe I could tell that person the truth…)
“I’m really Yunagi Nagi.”
If I confessed that,
what kind of face would he make?
Would he be surprised?
Would he be angry?
Or would he be disappointed and never want to see me again?
I don’t know.
I’m scared, I don’t know.
But continuing to lie to that kind person is even scarier.
As I kept thinking about the same thing over and over, the taxi arrived near my destination.
I got out in front of a convenience store and bought a can of chuhai. Seven percent lemon. Today, I splurged and bought a flavored egg too.
After shopping, I walked along the usual dark path leading to the riverbank.
My feet felt a little heavy.
And there he was, in his usual spot on the riverbank. He was drinking canned chu-hi slowly by himself.
He was just staring blankly at the small lights on the other side of the river.
His profile looked a little lonely.
As I approached, he noticed my footsteps.
He slowly turned to look at me.
The moment he recognized me, his face lit up like a flower blooming.
“Nanase-san!”
That childlike, joyful smile.
It was such an innocent and pure smile that it blew away all my calculations, plans, worries, and revelations.
(… Oh, no.)
Something inside me crumbled with a loud crack.
(I can’t say it.)
The truth might cloud this smile.
(I can’t say it… not with this face…)
I pushed the guilt deep into the back of my heart, deep into the back of my smile.
And as the usual “Nanase,” I smiled at him.
“Hmm. Yosuke, sorry to keep you waiting. Aren’t you early today? Did you skip work?”
“I just left on time!”
“Hehe… Good job.”
Maiasa