*KARIN'S ROOM - NIJIGASAKI DORMS - ODAIBA - TOKYO*
A rare call has been made, resulting in a rare visit.
AKI: "Mind if I come in?"
KARIN: "Not at all. Sorry for calling you over on your day off. Sit wherever you'd like."
Uh... There aren't many places to sit.
AKI: "Can I have a quick word first? You said you had a favor to ask me, but I'm not sure I'm the right person."
KARIN: "Of course you are. I want to ask you because of who you are."
AKI: "Yeah, but I'm not a third-year. So you'd probably want Emma or Kanata to help you with that level of studies.
Or better yet call your pal Daichi."
KARIN: "Huh? What are you talking about?"
AKI: "You called me over to help you study, didn't you?"
KARIN: "No, no. That's not it at all!"
AKI: "It's not?"
KARIN: "If anything, I'd completely forgotten that I even have a test coming up until you said that."
AKI: *Sigh* "Let me guess, you're confident going into it?"
KARIN: "You're funny. Do you think I'm confident in my study skills?"
AKI: "No."
KARIN: "I've made a rule just now. While we're in this room, talk of studying is forbidden, okay?"
AKI: "Sure. But what did you want to ask me?"
KARIN: "Actually, I've been asked to do a photoshoot feature for a magazine I model for."
AKI: "WHAT?! A feature all for yourself?! That's incredible!"
KARIN: "Oh, you flatter me. But I've never gotten this much of a push before."
AKI: "That just shows how much attention you're garnering."
KARIN: "This is also thanks to the promo video. Readers of the magazine who saw it apparently wrote emails to the editorial department."
Is that even thanks to the promo video? I mean, Karin didn't get much screentime in that.
In fact, I don't think any of the School Idol Club members got enough screentime.
AKI: "Rather than the video, I think it's just the cumulative effect of your hard work, Karin."
KARIN: "You always say such nice things."
AKI: "Do I?"
KARIN: "So about the feature, the editorial staff had asked me to decide what I want to do.
But I can't decide what will make the readers happy by myself...
So I gave President Daichi a call to see if he could share any of his critical advice. Apparently modeling advice doesn't translate into filming advice."
AKI: "You called...him first?"
KARIN: "Yeah, because he's a critic. And critics usually know what the people want.
That's when you popped into my head-"
AKI: *Sigh* "The people who wrote into the magazine only know one facet of your charm, so what you need to do is show them all of your charms. Done."
KARIN: "That was quick."
AKI: "It's because I know you more than anyone else does."
KARIN: "It would be great to show them all of me, but I'm not sure how I can show them who I am as an amateur model and not a school idol..."
AKI: "Well, you're clearly getting more exposure as a school idol than a model. Why else would they email you?"
KARIN: "...That's putting it rather bluntly. But it's true."
AKI: "Go with a concept that starts with you as a school idol and progressively becomes the real you."
KARIN: "School idol me to real me...
*Giggle* Yeah, I think that sounds interesting."
AKI: "When I think of you, I think of passion. That's the kind of thing you want to incorporate into your costumes."
KARIN: "Hey, don't you think 'Sexy' when you think of me?"
AKI: "You're not all sex appeal, Karin. Anyone can look good if they really tried, but it's your passion that makes you appealing.
That's something that no amount of cosmetics can put into a person.
Because in a world of fake models, you're the real deal. You never hide the fact that you hate to lose, and you go all in."
KARIN: "S-Stop it. It's too embarrassed... I just want to be calm and collected."
AKI: "Yeah, right. I'll believe that when I see it. Nobody thinks of you as calm and collected."
KARIN: "What?! Th-That's so embarrassing!"
AKI: "Why the hell would you want to act all calm and collected when you can show off all your confidence instead?"
KARIN: "You're kind of cheeky, you know that?!"
...
*ONE EMAIL LATER*
KARIN: "All right. I've sent an email outlining the plan to the editorial staff. Let's hope it goes through."
AKI: "I'm sure it will."
KARIN: *Giggle* "Yeah, you're right. We did think of it together, after all."
AKI: "You've always been like this..."
KARIN: "Huh? Like what? What do you mean?"
AKI: "Setting your sights higher than anyone. Whether it's being a school idol or an amateur model."
KARIN: "It's not really something I do consciously.
But it might be just as you pointed out. Above all else, I do seem to be the passionate type."
AKI: "Admitting it is half the battle. Tell me, Karin, are you aiming to become a professional model in the future?"
KARIN: "I'm still not sure what I want for the future.
But yeah, I suppose I am. I do have a desire to stand before people and do work that people can see. And I'm continuing to work hard for that.
Maybe that only became clear to me after becoming a school idol."
AKI: "I see... I think it's really great that you're improving yourself while keeping an eye on the future.
Way ahead of me in that regard...
Anyway, I'd better head out. I hope the email goes through."
KARIN: "Thanks, Boss."
AKI: "Goodbye."
KARIN: "...More than just sex appeal? It's my passion that makes me appealing?
No man has ever told me that before..."