ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ʙᴇʟʟ ᴘᴇᴘᴘᴇʀꜱ [𝓐𝓺𝓾𝓪 𝔁 𝓚𝓪𝓷𝓪] {𝒪𝓈𝒽𝒾 𝓃𝑜 𝒦𝑜}

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟠 ~ 𝔹 𝕂𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕚

MEM-cho POV:

I gasped, out of breath. 

Miyako had appointed Aqua, Ruby's older brother, as B Komachi's new director, since there was no-one available for them. 

And honestly, I hated it.

Aqua was a horrible coach, no better than that chick-mask youtuber. He made us do drills just like the chick guy, but he went easy on Ruby! The nerve of him!

"Again!" Aqua commanded, replaying the music for their new song. B Komachi was now a long way off, with over 2 million youtube subcribers and four original songs. We were getting more and more attention. But that also meant more work.

"No, Kana!" Aqua shouted as we went over the footwork for the chorus. "Your left foot, not your right! How many times do I have to tell you?!"

Did anyone also realise that Aqua guy has, like, a real temper problem when it comes to coaching young idols?!!!

Kana stepped with her left foot and did the steps again, this time earning a satisfied grunt from Aqua.

Finally, the timer went off buzzing and we were allowed to have a five-minute break. 

"I know I repeat this everyday, Ruby, but Aqua is really a tough coach," I gasped as I gulped down water. 

"Yeah," Ruby sighed, drying her sweaty face with a towel. "And after this I have private training!"

"For your solo, right?" I asked. Kana, as the center, had been the first to release a solo. Ruby was just about to post one too. 

"Mhm." Ruby replied. "I've been working on my singing for it. I won't have Kana to back me up anymore!"

I laughed, but it sounded empty. I was bitter that I was the only one who hadn't gotten a solo yet. Even though I knew it took time, I was still the last one, and I didn't like it.

"Break's over!" Aqua called. 

"Excuse me, sensei." I jogged over to him. We were ordered to call him sensei during training. "May I ask, when am I getting a solo?"

"Hmm." Aqua looked thoughtful. "Probably never."

What?

"I mean, we've only just about to release Ruby's, and after Kana and Ruby's popularity skyrocketing, we'd probably only just be wasting money shooting a music video just for you." Aqua nodded. "Right now, as expected, Kana's got the most fans, and Ruby's close behind. So're you, but right now, your solo isn't being considered in our music plans."

"But I am getting a solo, right?" My voice sounded desperate even to me. "At some point?"

"It depends how much your popularity rises." Suddenly, Aqua's tone turned bitter and harsh and mean. "If it stays like it is now, then your solo won't be till the majority of the public requests it."

His words were like a knife, finding my heart and digging deep. 

I shot a glance at Ruby and Kana to back me up. But they were busy going over the dance together and hadn't overheard our conversation.

"Really, Aqua?" I shouted, just loud enough to make Ruby and Kana turn and stare. "Your first step as a director for an idol group is to ban one member from releasing a solo? Ruby and Kana already have solos! How come I don't get one? I have a lot of fans, and you know it!"

Aqua's face remained impassive. Ruby and Kana gasped and Ruby stepped up to Aqua. "What? Aqua, you're not letting MEM have a solo?"

Aqua shrugged her off. "Yeah, nope."

"I've always known there was something wrong about you," I seethed. "I guess it just shows how much of a jerk you really are now!" I stomped off back to my room. 

It hurt. I wish it didn't, but it did. 

It felt like I didn't matter. I was just there to complete the number of idols in B Komachi. Otherwise, Kana and Ruby wouldn't even need me. I was only there to drag in fans with my subscribers.

I wasn't a good dancer like Ruby, or a great singer like Kana. I didn't even have the looks Ruby had. I didn't have Kana's experience.

Tears dripped onto the floor, like raindrops. They wet the carpet and sunk into the soft fabric. I collapsed onto the floor, my sore knees thumping onto the ground. 

And for once,  I understood the pain Kana and Akane had experienced because of the entertainment industry. 

It's a cruel world, but we live in it anyway.