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The next day...
Glossy hair that is well cared for.
A baby face that hasn't lost its innocence.
A personality reminiscent of an airhead.
Ruby retreated her head back around the corner she was peeking out from. "I must admit..." she started to say. "based on my experience of following idols for many years, she's the kinda girl who'd be crazy popular with hardcore otaku!"
"I don't much like your perspective or analysis," said Aqua, who was standing behind her with Luna. "If it seems she'll be popular, it's all good. Why not at least try asking her?"
"Well, I get your point..." Ruby mumbled. "But, you know, Loli-senpai and I have a rather unusual relationship, right?"
"You do?"
"I mean, isn't she kinda obnoxious toward me?!" Ruby yelled, exasperated.
Aqua took out his phone as he spoke, "Probably 'cause you always say 'baking soda' around her."
"And you keep calling her Loli-senpai," Luna added. "Why don't you just use her name?"
Without waiting for an answer, Aqua continued, "Anyway, I'll call her over, so at least try talking to her. Then, if you still feel there's no hope of getting along, you can forget the whole thing."
Ruby made a small noise of agreement. Then she realized something.
"Wait... onee-chan," she called. "Mom did say that you could become an idol, too. Why don't you join me in the new idol group?"
"Ah, about that..." Luna trailed off, fidgeting nervously. "I did think of that before, but I have something big coming up soon, so I don't know if I'll be ready to join an idol group yet."
"Something big?" Ruby questioned. "What is it?"
Luna and Aqua shared a look before Luna continued, "Well... I'll tell you later."
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Somewhere on the campus, Kana sat in her classroom, reading the comments on "Sweet Today."
Watching it again, you can tell Kana Arima's performance is head and shoulders above the others.
The performance of that guy who played the stalker was super creepy and repulsive, but if you look closely he's handsome, so I don't know how to feel...
Kana stared at that comment and put her hand on her cheek, feeling a blush rising on her face. Suddenly, she heard a ping from her cell phone. Looking down, she saw a text message from Aqua.
Aqua
There's something important to discuss,
so would you be able to meet up
for a bit after school?
"Ehh?!" Kana squeaked, jolting upward.
As she walked out of her classroom, she twirled her hair, deep in thought.
What could it be?
What's this all about?
"Something important"... He sounds so serious.
She stopped by the girl's bathroom and started brushing her hair absentmindedly.
What?
Is he going to...?
Oh boy...
...Ehh?
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Later...
Kana approached the appointed meeting place, still twirling her hair in thought. "Sorry to keep-"
"We've been waiting," an annoyed voice cut in. Kana looked up to see Ruby with her arms across her chest and Aqua and Luna standing behind her.
"You're late," Ruby said matter-of-factly.
"Huh?" Kana muttered. "Go wait till hell freezes over."
Stepping a bit closer to the three, she asked Aqua, "Why are you sisters here too?"
"I'm just tagging along," explained Luna. "It's actually Ruby who wants to talk to you."
Kana sighed. "I got psyched up for nothing," she mumbled dejectedly, sitting down on a bench. "Well, what is it? I'm busy myself, so you've got 20 seconds."
"Talk about being blunt..." Ruby drawled out. Then she whipped around to face her siblings. "Onii-chan! Right now, if I ask her to be an idol with me, isn't that basically telling her I think she's cute enough to be one?! That really irritates me!"
"What's with that sense of pride?" Aqua questioned her.
"Yeah," Luna agreed. "I thought you wanted to be an idol as soon as possible. Why're you being so stubborn now?"
Ruby dropped her head, looking defeated. "Yeah, true... Good point," she concluded as she spun around and walked up to Kana again, who was tapping away on her phone.
"Kana Arima-san, would you be an idol together with me?"
Kana looked up from her phone in surprise. "'Idol'?" she asked. "Where's this coming from?"
"Strawberry Productions is working on putting together an idol group," Ruby informed her. "And we're looking for members..."
Tilting her gaze to the side, Ruby said, "I heard you're a freelancer, so...Well, to be frank, I guess I'm scouting you."
Kana's eyes wavered. "Are you being serious?" she asked quietly.
"I'm serious, and this is important," Ruby confirmed.
Kana tilted her head to the side, her eyes watching the ground in consideration. "Give me some time to think about it..." she started silently.
...
Nah, it's a no for me.
If I become an idol, I'll lose out on jobs reserved for young actors, and my main work will be idol gigs where the old is constantly giving way to the new.
And if I don't find success as an idol, I'll be out of work on both fronts.
As someone responsible for crafting her own image, the risk is too great.
That said...
...this is Ruby Hoshino.
There's something about her that reminds me of the genius idol, Ai.
I only worked with Ai that one time, but she's the real deal - it was natural she became a big success.
My keen nose as an entertainer...
senses the potential in this girl.
But even so...
Strawberry Productions isn't a major agency, and they don't have a track record in launching new projects.
Above all, it's questionable if I'm cute enough to find success as an idol...
I'm not so foolish as to take on a reckless gamble.
"I'm sorry, but-"
"I beg you, Kana Arima," Aqua pleaded as he knelt down on one knee in front of her. "Please be an idol with my sister."
Kana looked a little taken aback. "But, I'm not all that cute in-"
"No, you are cute," Aqua insisted again. A heavier blush was starting to become visible on Kana's face. "I wouldn't just ask you to be an idol on a whim. You're far cuter than the run-of-the-mill idols out there."
Big words, onii-chan... Luna thought.
"I feel that my precious sister would be safe in your hands," continued Aqua.
"Oh? But..."
"I beg you, please become an idol," Aqua tried once again.
"Th-there's no way!"
"Please."
"I said no!"
"I'm placing my trust in you and requesting you to do this."
"Jeez! No matter how many times you ask, it's not happening! I'll never do it!"
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Kana looked like her soul had flown away after she signed and stamped her seal on the papers.
"Welcome to Strawberry Productions," Miyako welcomed her as she took the documents. "We'll give you a warm reception."
"Intellectually, I know this is a bad decision!" Kana groaned loudly. "Why am I always like this?!"
Ruby, who was standing beside the table, said, "Let's give this our all, Senpai."
"I never imagined you'd actually get her to join..." Miyako said in awe as she brushed past Aqua. "How'd you pull it off?"
"Nothing special," Aqua replied. "I just read her like a book. Kana Arima can be very empathetic, and she's susceptible to pushiness."
"Basically," Luna jumped in. "He just begged. A lot. It has to be one of the funniest things I've seen onii-chan pull off."
"Oh, guys like you..." Miyako chided. "If you keep pulling that stuff, one of these days it's gonna come back to bite you. Be careful when you walk alone at night."
"Yeah, otherwise someone else who has fallen for your rotten charms will swoop in and pick you off the street, just like in those yandere girl webtoons," Luna said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow.
...
I don't feel I've done anything wrong.
Besides, it's not like I lied.
Meanwhile, Kana had sat back down on the green couch. "Well, a former genius child actor - a title that no longer means anything - has simply become a former-genius-child-actor idol," Kana murmured. "In any case, I needed a shot in the arm of some type."
"You're desperate to convince yourself, huh?" Ruby wondered.
"Plus, by being with the same agency as him, we'll have more chances to work together," Kana continued as Aqua and Luna silently left the room. "and I feel like he's got some techniques I can steal."
"You think so?" Ruby questioned, a bit skeptical.
"Hey, does Aqua have his next job lined up?" Kana asked her.
"Hmm... Well, he and my sister got a job together, but..." Ruby started, trying to find a way to word her sentence.
"What's with the sour face?"
Ruby grabbed a laptop and tapped around on it for a bit. Then she set it down in front of Kana. "Here," she practically whispered.
Kana took one look and exclaimed, "What?!"
"They're in a dating show...?!"
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My Love with a Star Begins Now
The curtain rises on a new season
A new season of love will soon bloom
The eight people who will be on this season are...
In a classroom, six desks were gathered in the middle. Of the six, five of them were already occupied by people.
"Konnichiwa!"
A girl with wavy, blackish-gray hair walked up to the group that was already gathered.
"Uh, I'm Yuki Sumi. I'm a 1st-year in high school," she introduced herself.
Yuki Sumi
Fashion Model
1st year in high school
"She has an amazing figure!" Ruby exclaimed.
"She's well put together from head to toe," complimented Kana.
"I'm Nobuyuki Komano! Dancing is my specialty," introduced a boy with light black hair.
Nobuyuki Komano
Dancer
2nd year in high school
"I'm Akane Kurokawa, a 2nd year high school student and actor," said a girl with short dark blue hair and sea-green eyes.
Akane Kurokawa
Actress
2nd year in high school
"Whoa, it's that girl," Kana muttered, sounding disgusted.
"Oh? You know her?" Ruby asked.
"Well, I guess so..."
"I'm MEM-cho, 3rd year high schooler!" said a girl with wide teal eyes and a cat-like face. "I stream on YouTube! Nice to meet you!"
MEM-cho
YouTuber
3rd year in high school
"They have those types on the show too, huh?" Kana asked.
"She sure is cute!" Ruby gushed.
"I'm Kengo Morimoto," a boy with silvery hair introduced himself. "I'm in a band. Nice to meet ya!"
Kengo Morimoto
Band member
3rd year in high school
"I'm Kakeru Kusaka," said a boy with blackish-gray hair and sunset-like eyes. "I'm a model. It's nice to meet you all."
Kakeru Kusaka
Model
1st year in high school
The group started chatting enthusiastically about their grades and other introductory details.
"Ah, I get it," Kana said. "It's a show where high schoolers who're all entertainers get to know each other better through various events on the weekends, and in the end they either couple up or don't. I wonder who the last two people will be?"
Leaning her face onto her hand, Kana continued, "Given it's one of Producer Kaburagi's shows, it's no surprise everyone's good-looking."
Finally, the classroom door slid open again and two new people joined the group, chatting among themselves.
"Konnichiwa!" the group in the classroom greeted them.
"Oh, it's my siblings!" Ruby exclaimed.
Crossing the room in confident, long strides, she introduced herself. "Hi! I'm Luna!" she said, smiling brightly as she leaned against one of the desks. "I dabble in many different entertainment professions, but my most prominent one currently is voice acting. It's very nice to meet everyone!"
Luna
Voice Actor
1st year in high school
"I'm Aqua!" the other introduced himself. "Whew, I'm feeling really nervous. It's nice to meet you all!"
Aqua
Actor
1st year in high school
"Uh, who's that?!" both Kana and Ruby yelled in shock.
"Isn't my brother a sulky guy who gives off a gloomy aura?!" Ruby practically shrieked.
"He's taking putting on a character too far!" Kana agreed.
"Aw, you're so handsome!" MEM-cho cooed, rocking from side to side. "I really admire actors."
"Aww, my brother is critical of these cutesy girl types," Ruby observed. "She doesn't have a chance with him."
"You're cute yourself, MEM-cho," Aqua complimented. "I'm feeling all bashful now."
"What? Drop dead."
"What's his deal?!" Kana complained. "He only ever called me cute when he was trying to get me to join you!"
"Must be in a good mood surrounded by all those girls," Ruby muttered. "I'll give him a talking-to when he gets home. In the end, he's just another male."
"Look how he acts the second he finds a female who's an easy target," Kana berated.
"Girls, this is a show for public consumption, so just calm down," Miyako said, trying to make them simmer down. "If he doesn't act like that, the show won't work. I can understand how seeing a guy you're close with flirt with girls would tick you off, though."
Ruby and Kana listened to Miyako as she said, "Aqua's an actor, too. Perhaps he thinks he should be portraying that kind of character?'
"Acting..." Ruby repeated.
"I know, but still!" Kana protested. "This is a show where they really profess their feelings and become a couple at the end, right?"
"Yeah, true," Miyako responded. "Even if it's for form's sake, they'll probably stick to that storyline."
"If the profession of love works out, they kiss and stuff, right?" Kana mumbled.
"Well, that's normally how it goes," Miyako confirmed.
Kana pressed her legs close to her body. "Why'd he ever agree to be on the show?" Kana asked dejectedly.
Miyako watched her for a moment before saying, "If you keep on acting, eventually you'll be asked to do a kissing scene yourself. Being businesslike about it is part of the job. In this industry, if you cling to strict views on chastity, you're asking to get hurt in the future."
I know, but...
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On a bench outside the school, Kakeru Kusaka was flipping through the newest issue of a magazine he recently modeled for, when someone approached him from behind.
"Hey... Kakeru-san, is it?" a light female voice asked. Kakeru looked to his right to see Luna slide up beside him. Then she leaned closer and whispered, "There's a camera over there pointing in this direction, by the way."
"Ah, I see," he whispered quietly as Luna caught a glimpse of the magazine he was holding.
"Hey, you do modeling right?" she asked him in her normal voice. "Is that you on this magazine cover?"
"Yeah, that was my latest modeling session," Kakeru responded, smiling. "You said you did other entertainment jobs other than voice acting, right? Have you ever done modeling before?"
"Yeah! A few weeks ago by now, I think," Luna said as she pulled out her light purple phone. "I don't have the magazine on me, but I can search it up."
In a few minutes, she had pulled up the cover of the magazine she had modeled for and showed it to Kakeru.
"Wow, you look great in that outfit!" Kakeru complimented her. "Your eyes look like the night sky, they're really pretty."
"Oh... arigato," Luna thanked him, smiling modestly. "Your eyes are fascinating, too. They look like the sunset."
"Everyone says that," Kakeru said, letting out a chuckle. "You weren't the first one."
"That's 'cause it's true!"
"Alright! I understand-"
Ruby watched that exchange, deep in thought.
Now that I think about it, onee-chan... kinda acts like Mama.
That confident and charismatic personality she's putting on really gives it away.
I've never really realized just how similar Mama and onee-chan were...
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"And, here's my dog..."
"Uh-huh."
"See, pretty cute, right?" MEM-cho asked Aqua. "Take a good look!"
"Yeah, what a cutie!" Aqua agreed on the outside. But on the inside...
What a pain...
This standard teen chat where we agree with each other about everything is getting to me.
How'd I end up doing this?
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—FLASHBACK—
"If the two of you agree to the show, I'll give you the inside scoop on Ai, including stuff even her agency didn't know," Kaburagi told them.
"For example, details of her relationships with guys."
—FLASHBACK ENDS—
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In any case, I've got to follow through... for the sake of getting info on Ai out of Producer Kaburagi, Aqua thought to himself, his eyes dark. That should provide some clues in the search for our father.
Aqua's gaze trailed over to the opposite end of the courtyard, where his sister was chatting with Kakeru.
C'mon, Aqua, be more like your sister, he thought, trying to give himself a pep talk. As he watched Luna's eyes sparkle under the sunlight, he thought, At least she looks like she's genuinely happy.
This is a rare emotion I hardly ever see on her face.
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new oc introduction let's goooo :DDDD
Ruby is picking up on the signs here...