KARIN: "Oh? You're having lunch in the clubroom, too?"
AKI: "Yup. I've got to catch up on a lot of stuff, like updating our website. Besides, that search for Hanpen made me hungry."
KARIN: "Sounds rough. Is there anything I can help you with?"
AKI: "No, that's okay. Thanks for the offer, though."
KARIN: "Okay, but don't be shy if you need anything."
AKI: "Thanks. Hang on, that's all you're having for lunch?! Is that enough?"
KARIN: "Yes, I've got a shoot coming up. This isn't an extreme diet meal, though. I'm getting all of the nutrients I need from this.
And I'm used to it. I don't feel deprived at all."
AKI: "Wow, you put in so much effort every day."
KARIN: "My current diet is way more relaxed than before, so this is actually a breeze right now."
AKI: "Hm? Did something cause you to change it?"
KARIN: *Chuckle* "Becoming a school idol did. You're the one who gave me a reason to change. Your tough practice regimen burns fat whether I like it or not."
AKI: "Ohhh, right. So is it safe for me to assume that your school idol activities are helping with your modelling work, too?"
KARIN: "They're a huge help! That's why I'm really grateful to you."
AKI: "I'm glad I could help."
KARIN: "You invited me to become a school idol, so I'm counting on you to stick around with me."
AKI: "Likewise, I don't know what I'd do without you, Karin.
Ah, another one's come in..."
KARIN: "What is it?"
AKI: "We've actually been getting a lot of messages these days asking for you to create a fan club."
KARIN: "My own fan club?"
AKI: "Yup. Everyone wants to learn more about you.
So, what do you think about starting your own fan club?"
KARIN: "Huh? Uhh... Could I have some time to think about it?"
AKI: "Are you maybe not into that sort of thing?"
KARIN: "Not exactly, it's just that...I dunno, I'm not really good at that kind of stuff.
I'll tell you now, since I trust you... I actually had a fan club once before and, well...
I'm not quite sure how to put it, but I got a bit too passionate about it and... Anyway, a lot went down."
The cool and collected Karin getting passionate? I wonder what happened?
KARIN: "When I was just beginning to work as an amateur model, I was so excited. I was just full of vim and vigor, y'know?
But that soon turned into piss and vinegar when there were some people who told me that amateur models were just girls who stood out a bit whose only talent was smiling for the cameras.
When I heard that, I worked harder so I could really stick it to them.
All in all, that's what got me to do better at my photo shoots. And that led me to more opportunities to appear in magazines, so it wasn't entirely bad."
AKI: "You've always been a real hard worker, huh?"
KARIN: "I think it's more that I hate the thought of being wrong.
So naturally, the more I got recognized, the more often I got featured in the magazine, right? Eventually, my popularity went up and I became one of their top models."
AKI: "So your efforts paid off. You must've gone through some really tough times to get to that point."
KARIN: *Chuckle* "I'll leave that all up to your imagination.
Then one day, the magazine started a new project. They wanted to gather a bunch of popular models together, make a fan club for them, and then feature it in the magazine."
AKI: "Wow, I didn't know fashion magazines did that sort of thing."
KARIN: "Me neither, and it was my first time taking on a project with a group of people too, so I got super excited about it.
I kept telling myself, go big or go home. I remember it clearly even now.
I wanted to become a professional model, a platinum star who could bathe in the starlight and even walk on the runways overseas for fashion week, not just for me, but for all my fans too."
AKI: "You're definitely the type who works harder the more difficult the goal is, huh?"
KARIN: "I mean, not to toot my own horn or anything, but yes. That goal was what made me so harsh on myself too.
I assumed everyone had the same mindset. Maybe they weren't trying to reach the top of the top, but I thought for sure they were working hard enough to get up there, y'know?"
AKI: "But that wasn't the case, was it?"
KARIN: "Like I said, I got too fired up over it.
Either way, everyone did their jobs, so on the surface, we didn't have any problems.
Still, we didn't share the same ideals. Now that I look back on it, I think I was just spinning my wheels and getting nowhere."
AKI: "Karin..."
KARIN: "I'm not saying nobody else had any aspirations. Just that it wasn't the case for most of them.
So things started feeling really weird between us.
At the time, I thought it shouldn't be that way and I couldn't let it go. We'd constantly get into arguments, and in the end, I was taken off the team.
I was convinced that I'd just squandered a huge opportunity for myself.
That experience taught me the importance of moderation. It's no use getting too passionate about something. That's why I try to stay composed all the time."
AKI: "I had no idea, Karin... I didn't know that happened to you.
You say you learned self-restraint from that experience, but you don't seem like you're out of control to me at all. You even follow those strict diets for you photo shoots.
And when you're a school idol, you seem to take things seriously and always do your best."
KARIN: "Well, I owe that to you and the other club members. Everyone's all-in on this."
AKI: "So maybe you're not the same person as you were when you experienced those things. You're a different person now, Karin.
Maybe you don't have to hang onto your past anymore?"
KARIN: "What are you saying?"
AKI: "Let's do it after all. Let's make you a fan club. I want everyone to see how passionate you are!"
KARIN: "But..."
AKI: "I'll match your passion, Karin! If you give it your all, so will I.
Let's aim for the top together!"
KARIN: "Give it my all... And aim for the top together..."
AKI: "You said it yourself. Everyone's all-in. I might even be more passionate than you!"
KARIN: "I forgot about that. You've always given 100% ever since the day we met. You've never slacked off, not even once.
I'm basically here now thanks to you. *Giggle* You're really fun to be around."
AKI: "If we can use all of our passion to get your fan club excited, it'll be even more fun! I guarantee it."
KARIN: "Guarantee, huh? Can I hold you accountable if we get less-than-stellar results?"
AKI: "If that happens, you can do what you want with me, Karin."
Wait...WHAT?!
KARIN: "Oho, that sounds like fun."
Oh shit, why do I always have to land myself in situations like this?!
KARIN: "If you want it that badly, then...okay. I'll be the person you think I am."
AKI: "R-Really?"
KARIN: "Absolutely. But you've got me really motivated, so watch out. I'm gonna ignore any whining about this later. Got it?"
AKI: "No problem!"
KARIN: "Now that we've decided, let's get started right away. Don't plan on going home until we're kicked out of the school grounds tonight."
AKI: "Whoa, we're really hitting the ground running...but that's what I wanted!
So tell me, Karin, what kind of fan club do you want to make?"
KARIN: "I have so many ideas. I'll list them off, so will you please take notes?
Once we have our ideas down, we'll sort them out and fine-tune them after practice. We'll have to list them by priority, too."
AKI: "I can feel your passion, Karin! I'm excited!"