Slice of Night Pt. 2

"It sure is lively, ain't it?" Manager asked.

"Yeah," I replied.

"Wonder how many of them are only here to see Sunayomi at the festival."

"I'm sure a lot of them are here for the festival, but saying that all of them are showing up just because of Sunayomi is delusional."

"Haha. Maybe."

Left and right, people were passing us by, just having a good time. We passed up a claw machine store, and next to it was a populated arcade. Across the river, there was a fancy outdoor area with a roof over it.

"Is that a bar?" I asked, pointing across the river.

"Yeah. Pretty popular spot. Ever been...? Oho, right. I forgot you've never set foot outside of Tokyo before. Wanna check it out?"

"Don't you need to go somewhere first?" I asked.

"Oh, that? Nah. I gotta do that tomorrow, but not today."

"What? Then how come you said you—"

The moment I turned around, I knew exactly what was going down. He was already wearing his signature sunglasses while a starry flash shined from his teeth.

"You lied," I sighed.

"Had to. Ain't every day that a guy can get out and experience a whole city and everything it has to offer. No phone calls to take, no upper management yapping at me, just me and myself. And I guess you for tonight."

"I wonder how the girls will feel about this when they find out that their own Manager lied to get rid of them."

"Eh?! I would never do that to my girls!"

"And yet, here you stand."

"Wha... T-this is different."

"Mhm. Sure. Anyway, the bar it is."

We crossed a bridge and made a U-turn for the bar. It was packed as it was, but we managed to find a seat that overlooked the waters below.

"Ain't this a sight to behold," Manager Na chuckled. "I always liked the idea of just walking around a city by myself with nothing stopping me. But, I can't ever do that."

"How come?"

"Because I'm Sunayomi's manager. The only time I get a vacation is when they get a vacation, which rarely ever happens. It's not like I dislike that, so don't misunderstand."

"Yeah. I get it."

I wonder how much he makes as the manager of Sunayomi. It's a delicate question, so I decided not to ask. Though, I'm gonna assume it's no small amount. In a way, it's liberating to know that someone as successful as him would have normal thoughts like those. It doesn't come as a surprise to me. That's just the kind of person he is.

"I'm gonna grab a drink," Manager Na said as he stood up. "You want anything?"

"Any fruity vodka is fine."

"Damn, vodka? You sure, kid?"

"Yep."

"Alright. Wait... How old are you again?"

"Old enough."

"Hm... Alright then..."

Manager Na walked off, leaving me alone for a bit. I can't blame him for asking—I'm right at the legal age to drink. That doesn't mean I indulge often. There have only been a couple of times when I slapped myself across the face and said, 'screw it.'

"Here we are," Manager Na said as he sat back down, sliding my drink over to me.

"Thanks."

"Yup."

The vibrant scene before us was almost surreal. Small cruises glided down the river, their passengers waving joyfully at the onlookers. Behind us, the air was thick with laughter and music, as people danced and drank, caught up in the joy of the night.

Normally, a scene like this would have me on edge. Too many people, too much noise—the kind of stuff that usually makes me want to rip out my ears. But tonight... I just couldn't care enough to be bothered.

What’s different? Have I finally outgrown my antisocial tendencies? Or is it because of the girls? Whatever the reason, I can’t deny it. The noise, the crowd... Everything feels strangely peaceful right now.

"You know, kid... Your contract is almost over," Manager said.

"I know."

"So? What did you think? Not the shabbiest gig in the world, eh?"

"I guess."

"...Can you give me a more proper response?"

"What else is there to say?"

Manager Na let out a sigh, as if he were dealing with a child. From a different perspective, that could totally be true.

"I'll be straight with you then," he said. "Yozora. I want you to continue working as Sunayomi assistant."

"What?"

"You heard me right. After your contract is over, I'm requesting that you renew it with us. With Sunayomi."

I couldn't help but notice how sincere he was being. This might be the first time that someone actually wanted me to stay.

"...Why?" I scoffed. "It's not like I'm even doing this job correctly, and you can't tell me otherwise. I'm more like a servant than an assistant."

"Well, that's just a part of the job, ain't it? An assistant is someone who shoulders some of the burdens of whoever they're assisting. What does Sunayomi need? A clean rehearsal room, some coffee in the morning, and just... someone who can be honest with them."

"How do you know that my actions are genuine? What if I really do have an ulterior motive? Like..."

I was about to mention Assistant Tanaka, but after hearing what he did to Natsume, I couldn't even utter his name.

"Heh. I know you, kid," Manager Na smiled. "I've seen how you treat the girls, and trust me—that's exactly what they need."

"What, someone to tell them off, or joke around with insults and waste their time?"

"That is not even close to the case, and you know it."

To be honest, I do know that. I may try to paint it in a way that me and the girls are always butting heads, but it has never once ended with anything bad. We mess around, we laugh, maybe not all the time, but we move on.

"Still. It might be time for them to find someone who can actually help them," I sighed.

"Is that because you don't want to be their assistant anymore? Or is that what you really think they need?"

"Both. They deserve someone better—someone who's not an incompetent kid like me."

"You say that, but do you really believe it?"

"What are you talking about? Of course I..."

Of course I believe it. Why wouldn't I? They're smart, kind, and they each have their own story that makes them special. That's why they need someone who can actually do the job as a proper assistant. Manager Na said it best. A famous idol group like them only deserves the best. That's what I really think... but why can't I say it?

"Let me tell you something, kid," Manager Na said, taking a thoughtful sip from his glass. "A couple of months ago, the girls were struggling. They couldn't focus during rehearsals, and they seemed distant, distracted at every media event. It was obvious that something was off. But then... a certain black-haired kid comes along, and suddenly, all of their attention shifts to him."

"Is that supposed to be a good thing?" I muttered, not really wanting to see this through.

"Just hear me out," he continued, ignoring my tone. "They started showing up to my office, pestering me about who this kid was, why he acted the way he did. Imagine my surprise when I realized they were talking about you, Yozora. Fast forward to today, and it's like night and day. Their moods are up, they're way more focused, more energetic. Now, what could possibly be the cause of that? Any ideas?"

Even though I knew the answer, I wasn’t in the mood to play along, especially with that snarky smirk on his face.

"That's right, Yozora," he said, his voice softening a bit. "It was you. You listened to them, and you treated them with respect and kindness. For the first time, they had someone around who wasn't out to take advantage of them, someone who saw them for who they really are. You were different, and maybe that's why they feel so connected to you. But whatever the reason, there's no denying it—you changed them... just like I thought you would."

I don't know why he's telling me this as if it's supposed to change my answer. If anything, hearing it made me not want to stay even more. Because I know that the longer I stay...

"Don't you see an issue with this?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"The girls are paying more attention to me, sure. Wouldn't that be a problem going forward? What if another scandal erupts? How are you planning to handle that?"

"Kid... You and I both know that your name and the word, scandal, don't belong in the same in sentence."

"What the... What's that supposed to mean?"

"Whatever you think it means."

While it's true that I steer clear of shady business, the idea of a scandal does kind of scare me. Maybe it's because the more time I spend with them... the more difficult it will be to bury these feelings.

I wasn't always a fan of Sunayomi, so I never really had a bias. I always thought it was a good thing, seeing them all as equal in their own ways. But now... I'm starting to wonder if that's just making everything a bit more complicated.

And so, after what felt like a flash, I was finally on the last month of my contract.