Itaru Chigasaki/Wishing for His Heart's Desire

A Melancholic New Year's Party

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Superior	Good work~.
Itaru	Good work.
Superior	This weekend we're having the company New Year's party, right? Of course, you'll participate too, right, Chigasaki?
Itaru	Yes, I'm planning on joining in.
Superior	Our New Year's parties allow people to bring their families, right? I remember you saying that you have a sister.
Itaru	Um? Well, I do have one, but...
Superior	If she's the sister of a handsome guy like you, I'm sure she's a beauty! Hey, Chigasaki, bring her along~.
Itaru	Umm, that's...
Superior	You know, I'm sure the guys in the department want to say hi to her, too. It's fine, isn't it?
Itaru	... You're right. I'll at least try to ask her.
Superior	There we go! I'm looking forward to it~!
Itaru	*sigh*...
Chikage	Good work.
Itaru	Ah, Senpai. Good work.
Chikage	That smile's more artificial than usual.
Itaru	Haha, you're saying that after all this time? Are you going to the New Year's party this weekend, Senpai?
Chikage	No. I received an invitation from one of our client companies on that day, so I'm not going to our company's party.
Itaru	... Is that so.
Chikage	You seem pretty gloomy. Did something happen?
Itaru	The truth is——.
Chikage	Huh. So that means that you have to contact your sister.
Itaru	Yes. If I bring my older sister, it's definitely going to turn into something problematic. So I was wondering what I could say as an excuse. *sigh*... I'm getting depressed.
Chikage	... Sorry, but I don't think I can help you this time around.
Itaru	I wonder if this is all just unavoidable. Even if I can make an excuse this time, it feels like he'll tell me to bring her along at least once until the end of time.
Chikage	... What about asking Director-san? Or, no, I guess they'd figure that one out.
Itaru	——!
	I see. So I can do that, too. If I get Director-san to come, I'm sure it'll be fine!
Chikage	Are you serious?
Itaru	Before, when some people invited me to a second drinking party I definitely didn't want to go to——.
	I happened to meet Director-san in front of the station and introduced her as my younger sister.
	And then, I told them that I was going to walk my sister home, so I got to escape from joining them. I just remembered that happened.
Chikage	Is that what happened? On the spur of the moment, I've also introduced Director-san as my younger sister to my colleagues.
Itaru	Seriously. To think we'd use the same method. You think they'll figure it out?
	... Or so I thought, but I guess it'll be fine. After the party, I'm sure everyone will be drunk...
	Once we get home, I'll ask Director-san right away.
Chikage	We're home.
Itaru	We're home~.
Izumi	Welcome home.
Itaru	Ah, Director-san. Perfect timing. There's a favor I'd like to ask——.
Izumi	...?
	Whaa!? Back then, I was able to make it work somehow, but there's no way I can put up an act for an entire New Year's party...
Itaru	Please, have mercy on me, Director-san. Please save me from this pinch...!
Izumi	Whaaa...
	(In the end, I couldn't say no and ended up coming...)
	(That being said, they must be working at a pretty amazing place if their company's able to reserve an entire assembly hall at a famous hotel...)
Itaru	Director-san, are you ready? I talked about it a bit before, but from now on, you won't be "Director" anymore but my "younger sister."
	Please be mindful of what you call me.
Izumi	I-I understand.
Itaru	And no formality.
Izumi	I'll make sure to be careful...
Itaru	You just said that, but you're already being formal.
Izumi	Ah...
Itaru	Okay, then before everyone starts to gather, let's practice. What's your sister-version answer?
Izumi	(S-Sister version!?)
	O-Okay... Big Brother?
Itaru	Alright, good job.
Superior	Oh, there he is. Chigasaki~!
Itaru	Good work.
Izumi	Ah, n-nice to meet you. I'm Chigasaki Itaru's... younger sister.
Superior	So you're Chigasaki's little sister! I knew a handsome guy's little sister would meet my expectations!
Female Company Worker A	You're right~! What a cute little sister. I'm so jealous that you're Chigasaki-san's sister~.
Female Company Worker B	Same~! I wish I had a handsome older brother~.
Superior	Since you're so beautiful, I'm sure you have a boyfriend, right?
Izumi	Huh!? Ummm. I-I'm really not that pretty...
	(A-A boyfriend... What should I say here!?)
Itaru	You can't ask her that, Senpai. She's my precious younger sister, after all.
Izumi	(He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer——!?)
Superior	Hahaha, I see, I see, sorry!
Female Company Worker A	Eee~! How nice!
Female Company Worker B	He treasures his sister so much!
Chairman	Sorry for the wait, everyone! The New Year's party will be starting soon!
Superior	Oh, it's starting soon... Okay, then, see you later, Chigasaki.
Female Company Worker A	We should go, too.
Female Company Worker B	Yeah. Little sister, you have fun, too!
Izumi	O-Okay. Thank you...!
Itaru	Phew, I guess we broke through the first obstacle for now.
Izumi	(I think this is going to take a lot of energy...)

Chairman	Next is number 3! Number 3!
Izumi	(This is finally the last bingo game...)
	Hmm, I'm not getting any numbers... I can't even get close to a bingo.
Itaru	...
Izumi	(It's weird that Itaru-san doesn't seem interested even though this is a game. It seems like he's been keeping track of his numbers, though...)
Chairman	Next is number 78. Number 78!
Izumi	H~mm, that's a miss, too...
	(Itaru-san is... Ah, that number just made a bingo!)
Itaru	...
Izumi	Itaru-sa——... I mean. B-Big Brother, you've got a bingo!
Itaru	Ugh. Even though I was trying to make sure no one found out.
Izumi	Huh?
Colleague A	She's right. Chigasaki, you've got a bingo!
Colleague B	Good for you!
Itaru	*sigh*...
Izumi	(I wonder if I said something unnecessary...?)
Superior	Since you got a bingo, come on, raise your hand! Go get your prize.
Itaru	You're right. Well, then, I'll be back.
Chairman	Okay, come over here! Now, now, go ahead and move up a bit! Okay, then draw this lottery over here, please.
Itaru	Understood.
Chairman	Let's see, let's see, please give it here. ——! That was quick!
	Can you believe it? You'll be receiving the first place prize!
Izumi	(First place prize!? Itaru-san, wow...!)
Chairman	Here are you USG pair tickets! Congratulations!
Itaru	Thank you so much.
Chairman	By the way, about USG, should we ask!? Everyone, you're curious, right!?
Female Company Worker C	I'm curious!
Female Company Worker D	I'm curious too~!
Chairman	Chigasaki-san, who will you be going with to USG?
	Do you perhaps have a person that you would like to go with?
Itaru	Errr——Let's see.
	...
Izumi	(...? Itaru-san is looking at me?)
Itaru	I'll be going with my dear little sister.
Izumi	Huh!?
	("Dear"... My heart skipped a beat in spite of myself...)
Female Company Worker C	How nice~.
Female Company Worker D	I'm jealous of his little sister...
Izumi	(The girls are all staring at me pretty intensely... Itaru-san, are you sure you should have said something like that...)
Chairman	I envy his little sister for being so loved by her handsome older brother~! Alright then, let's keep going. Time for the next number!
Izumi	It's amazing that your company could reserve an entire assembly hall. I kept looking around the entire party.
Itaru	Ahaha. The company likes to go all-out for stuff like that.
	More importantly, thanks for today, Director-san. You really helped me out.
Izumi	You're welcome.
	But you know, Itaru-san, don't you think you said too much when you said that "dear sister" line?
Itaru	Huh? Why?
Izumi	All of the girls around me were staring at me *really* intensely...
Itaru	Ahh, is that what happened? Sorry, sorry, but you probably won't see them again, so you don't need to worry.
Izumi	I won't pretend to be siblings with you again, okay...
Itaru	I'm sorry, okay. Don't be so angry.
Izumi	I'm not angry, but... By the way, Itaru-san, who are you going to USG with?
Itaru	Huh? Of course, I'll be going with you, Director-san.
Izumi	There you go saying that stuff again. A director can't leave her company behind, you know.
Itaru	Is that so? If you said that you were helping out at a friend's theater, and if I said that I was going on a business trip, then I'm pretty sure it would be surprisingly easy to leave?
CHOICE 1: "I'm telling your sister about this" [+] Izumi I'll tell your older sister that you made me pretend to be your little sister, you know? Itaru Ahaha, there's no way you would do that, Director-san. Izumi Okay, then. I'm going to message Chikage-san right now and have him look up what her contact is. Itaru Wha-, that's actually scary. But you know, opportunities like this don't come often. Wouldn't it be good as a way to take a breather?
CHOICE 2: "No, no, there's practice, too" [+] Izumi No, no, there's practice, too. Itaru Ah, now that I think about it, I heard that inside of USG there's a curry restaurant that was named after an Indian movie. Izumi What!? ... Wait, I'm not falling for that!
Itaru	Ah, I just looked it up, but it looks like they're also doing a limited-time collaboration with a game I like.
	... I actually really want to go now.
	Hey, you really won't go? With me.
Izumi	I already said I'm not going! Jeez! Even if you say it like that, I'm not going.

Kou