BUBBLE GUM DANCE - Under the Spotlight (1)

—Sorry I’m late.

How unusual, Juis. Whatever could have happened? I searched the cafés and the staff cafeteria I thought you’d like, but you were not there.

You really do stalk Juis-san everywhere, don’t you, Nozomi-san? Whenever someone’s looking for Juis-san, they can usually find you first.

Huh? Sounds like “Where’s W*ldo” ¹, but creepy…

I didn’t go to a café today. I just happened to run into Trickstar and ended up watching one of their rehearsals. It was pretty interesting.

Trickstar’s? And just what did you expect to gain from watching something like that?

Don’t be like that. It was actually worthwhile.

Whatever. More importantly, let’s talk about our next job.

Anzu, what’s next for MELLOW DEAR US?

Hmm… “Simply put, a town tour program”?

“Town Tour”…? What is that?

“We are MELLOW DEAR US, and today we’ve arrived at Season avenue~!”

“To begin, we’ll be taking a stroll around and see what we find ♪”

“HappiMashu ♪ Hey, Season Avenue fammm一★”

“Huh?! Wait, wait, wait…! Why’re the shops here SO aesthetic?! I’m literally shaking, my hype levels are through the roof!”

“Anyway—Oh. My. Gosh! That looks soooo good!”

“OK! I’m gonna eat my way through this place ‘till I drop! #WalkinAroundTown #AestheticOTD #DefinitelyGonnaPassOut”

“Easy, Kuon. Today’s shoot is about wandering around and finding out what makes this town special. We’re not here on a food crawl, alright?”

“Huh? We’re not…? I’m starting to get hungry from all these tasty smelling foods, too…”

“I know right? Chitose © ², you really get me~♪ There’s no way I can say no to all this! #CheatDayItIs #TownTourMoreLikeFoodTour”

“Mashu. Chitose. Don’t gorge yourselves like gluttonous pigs. Eating until you faint shows a complete lack of dignity. Simply eat what catches your interest.”

“Boo~ I want to eat it all, though…”

“Ooh, I know! Let’s all share so we can try everything~★ #CaloriesDon’tAddUpIfYouShare #HappiShare”

“Good grief… Do as you please, but do not involve me in it.”

“Uwah… Look! There’s a handwriten menu over there, and there’s something on it that I’ve never seen before!”

“It’s… ‘oboritan’…? What’s that?”

“I think… I heard once that ‘boru’ ³ is a regional word for overcharging customers…”

“Do you think if we order it, we’ll be given an absurdly high bill…?”

“That’s… ‘naporitan’ ⁴, not ‘oboritan’, isn’t it? Since it’s handwritten, the letters are a bit uneven.” ⁵

“Oh! You’re right. It really does say ‘naporitan’.”

“Geez, Chitose © ! You’re such a goofball! Kyahaha~★!”

Hey… Is the way we’re doing this really okay?

Gramps’s a little confused… Isn’t this a bit too laid back? Are we even going to have enough footage? I’m kinda worried this isn’t gonna be very entertaining, y’know…?

Um… I don’t know, but if Anzu-san and Nice-san aren’t stopping us, then I think we’re doing it right…?

I’m still not entirely sure what the premise of this program is supposed to be. Are shows like this popular in Japan?

What do you think, Nozomi-san? Do you get it?

Excluding Juis, you all are nothing but nuisances. You should be on your knees apologizing for making me lift a finger, you fools.

We got absolutely roasted over one simple question…?!

Jokes aside. Our behavior matches what is expected of us.

Overseas, variety shows generally tend to have an educational goal, covering topics such as history and architecture.

Apparently, in Japan, simply walking around a town, talking to the people you meet, and visiting shops that catch your interest is considered mainstream.

Personally, I find that this sort of program is rather slow-paced.

Well, this is simply how it’s done here… In fact, it would seem that this leisurely pace is appreciated precisely because of the relaxed atmosphere it creates.

So that means we aren’t doing anything wrong.

Precisely. It may not seem as though much is happening, but by proceeding with this relaxed style, we are carrying out our work perfectly.

Really? I’ve been so on edge about messing up, but if that’s how it works, then Gramps’s got his motivation back~♪

I mean if the show is this relaxed, then even a few mistakes here and there will probably just be treated as part of the entertainment.

Oh, I get it. If you tell yourself it’s okay to make a few mistakes, I guess it really does make you feel more relaxed…♪

That doesn’t mean mistakes are suddenly acceptable. Don’t let yourselves get too relaxed.

Y…Yeah. Of course. We have to be perfect as MELLOW DEAR US. I know.

Oop! Looks like break time’s over and filming is starting back up again. Let’s keep doing our best as MELLOW DEAR US in the second half~