Oh, no! It'd be much better to bloom in a big garden where everyone can admire me! Though I do see what you're getting at...
[He trails off there. Perhaps his response drew some attention away Aqua's reaction to the full name being used; perhaps not. (Information easily obtained when your producer specializes on digging up dirt on people, though that was all he happened to dig.) The crew wants to hear them chat back and forth, surely, but now it's time to turn the floor over to his partner and hear what he has to say. Which is, surprisingly (?), a lot!
It's pretty in-depth. Aqua takes the question seriously, touching on his life philosophy before arriving at the same conclusion Hiyori did initially. Though he utters almost the same exact line, it comes off different when he says it: all cool confidence, rather than sparkling egotism.
This person underwent some image changes, didn't he? Hiyori didn't watch much from the early episodes of LoveNow, as the central love triangle wasn't neither spectacularly interesting nor relevant to his research. But he did watch the introductions, and he remembers Aqua appearing onscreen with a smile on his face, tucking a strand of hair behind one ear and bashfully calling one of the girls "cute." Different jobs call for different behaviors, and he's taken on other work since then, so it's not a huge shock.]
... well, there you have it. Looks like you can put us both down for "no one but ourselves." It's good to have things in common. Right, Aquamarine-kun? ♪
[...
This should, probably, be the moment when they move onto the next question. This is speed dating (er, "Speed Questions") after all. But it looks like the camera crew has paused, waiting for Aqua to respond to the banter, presumably.]
[ In a big garden where he's totally accessible for anyone and everyone to unroot him if they so desire, that sounds perfect, actually, bravo. Of course, not everyone thinks so cynically and Aqua naturally keeps the unhinged thought to himself, but it's clear that Hiyori had thrown the first thought that came to mind whereas Aqua had an entire spiritual journey with his… how embarrassing. ]
Not quite the brilliant, blooming flower you mentioned or had in mind— but for a more specific answer, have you considered dandelions? They're rather resilient [ read: annoying ] and carefree, [ also read: disrespectful!! ] something I think would resonate with you well.
[ Aaand it gets everywhere that isn't its business. Seeing as they're hardly going for subtlety at this point, Hiyori can enjoy the weed comparison. But Aqua seemingly reels back after that, expression smoothing out into his usual easy smile. Following 'The Beginning of My Love With An Idol', the amount of knowledge he's accrued on fanservice and the importance of building the foundation for it feels forbidden, almost. ]
I wonder… [ Trailing for effect, ] What is it going to take beyond asking you on public television to stop calling me that? If we're already close enough to call each other exclusive names, should I start calling you dandelion-kun? It'll let us share even more ground, if that's what you want.
Ah, another interesting idea! You put a lot of thought into things, huh? Guess we've found your charm point... ♪
[A reference to Aqua's "spiritual journey" as well as his thoughts on flowers. But the dandelion discussion doesn't end there, as Aqua proceeds to suggest it... as a nickname.
What's with this vibe? It feels as though the nickname is being held over his head like a threat, all while Aqua wears a composed and camera-ready smile. And, well, how vulgar! That sort of tactic reminds him of a couple of people he knows, and neither comparison is flattering.
But what about the people behind the cameras, still filming away? What about the audience who will be watching? From their perspective, this must be a win-win. Whether viewers take Aqua's friendly veneer at face value (yay, he wants to get closer to Tomoe-senpai!) or see through to the obvious distaste lying underneath (a clash of personalities, how exciting!), they're bound to be entertained either way. And as long as fans are happy, Hiyori should be happy.
All the same, though, he'd really prefer to avoid being nicknamed after a weed, so it's time to push back! Something he can get away with, since having sky-high self-esteem and being picky about how other people treat him is all part of his image. That's what fans like about him, among his many other wonderful traits.]
It would be nice to share something special, wouldn't it? We'll be living together, if only for one night at a time, so it'd be wonderful if we could become as close as family! But I just don't know if dandelions suit me well enough! And I'm also not sure what ground we'd be sharing, since that nickname has no connection to my real name. My real name has such a lovely ring to it! Yours does too, of course, so I'm not sure why you don't like being called by it... hmm?
[He glances towards the cameras, or rather towards the cameramen, who are doing some sort of motioning gesture. One that seems to say That's enough, time to get a move on. No doubt this momentary pause will be edited out later, but his recovery is smooth.]
Looks like it's already time for the next question. Go ahead, let's hear it! Me and Aqua-kun can have a heart-to-heart chat about this name business some other time.
[No doubt the fans would love that.
The cameras stay rolling, trained on their faces as the next question is delivered. "If you could go back in time and change one thing about the past, what would you change?" Hiyori's smile doesn't falter, but his brows do raise a fraction. What's with this heavy line of questioning? It's the sort of inquiry that calls to mind past regrets and past tragedies, which is sure to put a bad taste in anyone's mouth. But it's his job, as always, to keep the mood light and buoyant.]
Hmm, that one's tough!
[He jumps to answer without having thought through his response—partly because he answered first last time, and also partly because it's only fair. He's the senpai here. His dear speed date surely has even less experience being asked these questions than he does. So he strives to come up with a proper response, voice becoming a little more subdued.]
... I wouldn't want to use it on something like SS. We all would've liked to win, but I wouldn't want to snatch victory away from our opponents. Tasting the bitterness of defeat was necessary for growth. And we've all become stronger, to the point where we'll definitely win this time around, so there's no point.
[He's referring to last year's SS competition—the one that went south when some higher-ups at the agency chose to launch a smear campaign against their rivals in the last round. Bringing that up might reflect poorly on CosPro, but mentioning the competition at all and reminding fans that he'll be in it is good advertising.]
Going back in time to prevent some disaster or another would be good, but I'm not sure how you'd pick just one. And even I don't have the ability to perform miracles. So, assuming you're just asking about our pasts, and not all human history, there's nothing I'd change. Everything worked out to produce the dazzling idol that stands before you now. So! I'll just circle back to summer, and make sure to pick up that one seasonal cake before they all sold out! Or, I'll send Jun-kun to pick it up for me, since I prefer having him run all the errands!
[Cue imagined laughter from their audience. He ends it there, having given a response that covers all the basics: promoting himself and his group, touching on serious topics and then quickly veering away from them towards something frivolous and safe. It's what fans expect from him. But he's not sure what, if anything, they expect from Aqua-kun, who's expected to answer next.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[He trails off there. Perhaps his response drew some attention away Aqua's reaction to the full name being used; perhaps not. (Information easily obtained when your producer specializes on digging up dirt on people, though that was all he happened to dig.) The crew wants to hear them chat back and forth, surely, but now it's time to turn the floor over to his partner and hear what he has to say. Which is, surprisingly (?), a lot!
It's pretty in-depth. Aqua takes the question seriously, touching on his life philosophy before arriving at the same conclusion Hiyori did initially. Though he utters almost the same exact line, it comes off different when he says it: all cool confidence, rather than sparkling egotism.
This person underwent some image changes, didn't he? Hiyori didn't watch much from the early episodes of LoveNow, as the central love triangle wasn't neither spectacularly interesting nor relevant to his research. But he did watch the introductions, and he remembers Aqua appearing onscreen with a smile on his face, tucking a strand of hair behind one ear and bashfully calling one of the girls "cute." Different jobs call for different behaviors, and he's taken on other work since then, so it's not a huge shock.]
... well, there you have it. Looks like you can put us both down for "no one but ourselves." It's good to have things in common. Right, Aquamarine-kun? ♪
[...
This should, probably, be the moment when they move onto the next question. This is speed dating (er, "Speed Questions") after all. But it looks like the camera crew has paused, waiting for Aqua to respond to the banter, presumably.]
no subject
Not quite the brilliant, blooming flower you mentioned or had in mind— but for a more specific answer, have you considered dandelions? They're rather resilient [ read: annoying ] and carefree, [ also read: disrespectful!! ] something I think would resonate with you well.
[ Aaand it gets everywhere that isn't its business. Seeing as they're hardly going for subtlety at this point, Hiyori can enjoy the weed comparison. But Aqua seemingly reels back after that, expression smoothing out into his usual easy smile. Following 'The Beginning of My Love With An Idol', the amount of knowledge he's accrued on fanservice and the importance of building the foundation for it feels forbidden, almost. ]
I wonder… [ Trailing for effect, ] What is it going to take beyond asking you on public television to stop calling me that? If we're already close enough to call each other exclusive names, should I start calling you dandelion-kun? It'll let us share even more ground, if that's what you want.
[ This is where the smile turns up to eleven. ]
no subject
[A reference to Aqua's "spiritual journey" as well as his thoughts on flowers. But the dandelion discussion doesn't end there, as Aqua proceeds to suggest it... as a nickname.
What's with this vibe? It feels as though the nickname is being held over his head like a threat, all while Aqua wears a composed and camera-ready smile. And, well, how vulgar! That sort of tactic reminds him of a couple of people he knows, and neither comparison is flattering.
But what about the people behind the cameras, still filming away? What about the audience who will be watching? From their perspective, this must be a win-win. Whether viewers take Aqua's friendly veneer at face value (yay, he wants to get closer to Tomoe-senpai!) or see through to the obvious distaste lying underneath (a clash of personalities, how exciting!), they're bound to be entertained either way. And as long as fans are happy, Hiyori should be happy.
All the same, though, he'd really prefer to avoid being nicknamed after a weed, so it's time to push back! Something he can get away with, since having sky-high self-esteem and being picky about how other people treat him is all part of his image. That's what fans like about him, among his many other wonderful traits.]
It would be nice to share something special, wouldn't it? We'll be living together, if only for one night at a time, so it'd be wonderful if we could become as close as family! But I just don't know if dandelions suit me well enough! And I'm also not sure what ground we'd be sharing, since that nickname has no connection to my real name. My real name has such a lovely ring to it! Yours does too, of course, so I'm not sure why you don't like being called by it... hmm?
[He glances towards the cameras, or rather towards the cameramen, who are doing some sort of motioning gesture. One that seems to say That's enough, time to get a move on. No doubt this momentary pause will be edited out later, but his recovery is smooth.]
Looks like it's already time for the next question. Go ahead, let's hear it! Me and Aqua-kun can have a heart-to-heart chat about this name business some other time.
[No doubt the fans would love that.
The cameras stay rolling, trained on their faces as the next question is delivered. "If you could go back in time and change one thing about the past, what would you change?" Hiyori's smile doesn't falter, but his brows do raise a fraction. What's with this heavy line of questioning? It's the sort of inquiry that calls to mind past regrets and past tragedies, which is sure to put a bad taste in anyone's mouth. But it's his job, as always, to keep the mood light and buoyant.]
Hmm, that one's tough!
[He jumps to answer without having thought through his response—partly because he answered first last time, and also partly because it's only fair. He's the senpai here. His dear speed date surely has even less experience being asked these questions than he does. So he strives to come up with a proper response, voice becoming a little more subdued.]
... I wouldn't want to use it on something like SS. We all would've liked to win, but I wouldn't want to snatch victory away from our opponents. Tasting the bitterness of defeat was necessary for growth. And we've all become stronger, to the point where we'll definitely win this time around, so there's no point.
[He's referring to last year's SS competition—the one that went south when some higher-ups at the agency chose to launch a smear campaign against their rivals in the last round. Bringing that up might reflect poorly on CosPro, but mentioning the competition at all and reminding fans that he'll be in it is good advertising.]
Going back in time to prevent some disaster or another would be good, but I'm not sure how you'd pick just one. And even I don't have the ability to perform miracles. So, assuming you're just asking about our pasts, and not all human history, there's nothing I'd change. Everything worked out to produce the dazzling idol that stands before you now. So! I'll just circle back to summer, and make sure to pick up that one seasonal cake before they all sold out! Or, I'll send Jun-kun to pick it up for me, since I prefer having him run all the errands!
[Cue imagined laughter from their audience. He ends it there, having given a response that covers all the basics: promoting himself and his group, touching on serious topics and then quickly veering away from them towards something frivolous and safe. It's what fans expect from him. But he's not sure what, if anything, they expect from Aqua-kun, who's expected to answer next.]