*LATER THAT DAY*
*SCHOOL IDOL CLUBROOM - NIJIGASAKI HIGH SCHOOL - ODAIBA - TOKYO*
Ugh...
EMMA: "Welcome back, Master! Have you been working hard?"
AKI: "Yeah..."
AYUMU: "You don't look so good... But I guess it's Shioriko's absence that's bothering you, right?"
AKI: "Sure... But I don't think I'm the only one it's hitting hard."
MIA, LANZHU: "..."
KASUMI: "Shioko's a tough cookie, I know she'll pull through."
SETSUNA: "And then everything will be back to normal!"
AI: "How about some good news? Have you heard of the School Idol Department, Prez?
The news is spreading like wildfire."
AKI: "I'm the one who had to approve it."
SHIZUKU: "You approved it Senpai, that's amazing!"
AYUMU: "Yeah, now all of the school idols in Nijigasaki will be promoted for all the hard work they do!"
AI: "And it's all thanks to our Prez!"
AKI: "Yeah... No... It's thanks to you..."
KANATA: "Aww, you don't have to be so modest. We owe you a lot!"
AKI: "...What are you all gathered around watching?"
KASUMI: "Huh? Just the Liella! P.V from the School Idol Showcase."
AKI: "Oh yeah... I haven't watched that yet. It must be pretty good for it to finish in second place."
RINA: "It's incredible."
KARIN: "It really makes you feel determined to accomplish anything."
EMMA: "Expanding to nine members has really helped them shine. Just like how we expanded to 12 members!"
AKI: "Guess I'm not doing anything right now. Let me see."
AKI: "Whoa!"
AYUMU: "Impressive, right?" *Giggle*
AKI: "This level of production quality seems a little excessive for a school idol promotional video."
RINA: "Yeah, it's probably thanks to some high-tech gadgets that Shiki invented.
Kinda like how I can make stuff like that."
AKI: "Even so, this kind of quality would cost millions of yen to create.
Wait... WAIT."
KASUMI: "Huh? Something wrong, Senpai?"
AKI: "Rewind the video."
KASUMI: "Huh?"
AKI: "Just do it!"
KASUMI: "Okay, okay, I know you love it that much but you don't have to yell."
AKI: "Pause it! PAUSE IT!"
KASUMI: "Here?"
AKI: "Right there! Don't you see that, what they're filming in front of?!"
KARIN: "Looks like just a normal skyscraper to me."
AKI: "I know that building..."
KANATA: "Huh? What building is it?"
AKI: "...It's Golden Calf Headquarters."