"Eh? Really?!"
When Uika heard Sakiko's new plan, she covered her mouth in disbelief.
"Composing a song with you, Saki? I'd absolutely love that! But, don't you still have your apprentice work to do—"
"The workload is relatively small this time. I can handle it on my own."
Tetsuya said without looking up from the fabric he was cutting.
"In the end, Sakiko made this decision for the sake of our shared future, so of course, I support it one hundred percent. Besides, for her, returning to the embrace of music after so long is something to be happy about, right, Sakiko?"
"It's just a temporary return!"
Sakiko said hurriedly.
"After this live is over, I'll come back and continue working hard as a designer!"
"Uh... you don't have to declare it so urgently. I'm sure you'd do great in any field, Sakiko—"
"I will absolutely not give up on the path of a designer!"
Sakiko's expression and tone were incredibly serious and decisive.
"The position of 'Chihaya-nii's assistant' and 'first employee'... I will absolutely not give it up to anyone!"
"Oh, okay..."
Tetsuya, who had only wanted to put her at ease about composing, was a bit overwhelmed and flustered by her forceful words.
On the other side, looking at the determined Sakiko and the completely clueless Tetsuya, Uika turned her face away, trying to hold back a laugh.
Although Tetsuya's behavior could be frustrating at times, it was highly entertaining to watch from a bystander's perspective.
Of course, that was on the premise that the person he was dealing with was someone like Sakiko, who wasn't too aggressive. If it had been Ai, Uika figured she'd be trying to pacify the other's "offensive urge" right about now...
"Alright, alright, then it's settled."
Not wanting Tetsuya's dazed look to last too long, Uika said as she walked over to Sakiko's side.
"I'll be borrowing Sakiko for a while to prepare the arrangement for the live. We'll have to trouble you with the costume, Mr. Tetsuya."
"Mhm, leave it to me."
Tetsuya agreed readily.
"I'll be looking forward to your new song, too."
...
"I never thought Saki would suddenly suggest co-writing a song with me!"
After leaving the studio, Uika wore an excited expression.
"I wonder what kind of new song we'll be able to make... This is the first time I've been this happy and excited since my idol debut!"
"...Don't get too carried away, Uika."
However, Sakiko's expression showed no sign of relaxation.
"This live will decide not only your idol career, but also Chihaya-nii's career as a designer... possibly his entire future."
"Mhm, I know."
Sensing Sakiko's seriousness, Uika's smile gradually faded.
"So, why did you suddenly think of composing, Saki?"
"...I just wanted to do what I can."
Sakiko said.
"After all, the difficulty of making this costume is far beyond my current abilities. Rather than cause trouble over there, I thought I'd try to help you."
"That can't be the only reason, can it?"
After hearing her explanation, Uika smiled and looked at her profile.
"A creator's creative drive is closely linked to their desire for expression. Especially for someone like you, Saki, who has high standards for the quality of your work, simply 'doing what I can' isn't a strong enough reason for you to compose. So in my opinion, you must have some conviction you want to express through music."
"...I really can't hide anything from you."
After hearing Uika's analysis, Sakiko couldn't help but sigh.
"You're right. I do have a conviction I want to express. It's just that this conviction isn't my own, but Chihaya-nii's. I want to be like him... to try and believe in Hoshino Ai, and to make her believe in the possibility of achieving happiness without having to cast everything aside."
"Oh my..."
Hearing this, a flash of genuine surprise finally appeared in Uika's eyes.
In her view, Sakiko had always been a "creator" who was extremely individualistic and driven by her own strong convictions. It was only thanks to her poise and intelligence that this self-centeredness didn't turn into an assertiveness that would repel others.
And now, this highly individualistic person was taking someone else's conviction as her own creative motivation. This was probably enough to show just how much her feelings for Chihaya Tetsuya had grown.
"You've changed a lot since meeting Mr. Tetsuya, Saki."
Uika couldn't help but say.
"If it were the old you, you probably wouldn't have used such a gentle method... Something like using the media to pressure Ai, or just laying everything bare and forcing her to pick a side would be more in line with your previous swift and decisive style."
"..."
Sakiko couldn't help but look away.
In fact, she had considered both of those options and had almost put them into action. If Tetsuya hadn't appeared when he did, she really would have almost made the same mistake she had a year ago.
But when she saw the smile she had admired for so long, she immediately realized her own narrow-mindedness.
"You can't obtain true happiness by hurting others."
Sakiko shook her head.
"The reason Chihaya-nii took the initiative to meet with Hoshino Ai and tell her everything openly was because he understood that, compared to deceit and trickery, only true mutual understanding can bring them both a happiness that provides peace of mind. And the reason Hoshino Ai resorted to such self-destructive behavior was simply due to the anxiety and panic caused by long-term loneliness. She probably wants to believe in the 'possibility' Chihaya-nii spoke of, but lacking a sense of security, she desperately needs a minimum guarantee."
"My admiration for him isn't just about following him. If I can, I also want to become a strong, straightforward person like him, who can face any difficulty with integrity... And that is my conviction."
"...That's wonderful."
Hearing this, a genuine smile finally appeared on Uika's face.
"Well then, so that you can get closer to Mr. Tetsuya, and for the future of all of us, we absolutely have to make a song that can convince everyone. In fact, I just recently decided on the name for this new song."
"What is it?"
"It's simple. Its name is—"
"[Idol]"