Takeda leaned around Hikaru and said calmly, "If you want an interview with Mirage's Hikaru, you need to schedule it with me."

"Hikaru?" replied the reporter with a shocked expression. "The daughter!?"

Hikaru recovered a little and asked in return, "Why are you asking about if I plan to follow in my father's footsteps if you have no idea who I am?"

Takeda frowned at her and Ryuske looked back and saw them stopped and started rapidly back in Hikaru's direction.

Hikaru held up her hand to Takeda and said calmly, "His answer will be what I decide whether or not he can have you schedule an interview with me on."

The reporter opened his mouth, and then shut it. After a moment he answered Hikaru, "I went to Night Dreams concert and saw you sing Akira's song. I'm here to cover an interview with Shinichiro Arai, and I saw you come out. I asked because I was Akira's fan."

Hikaru looked around and confirmed that Shinichiro hadn't come out of the hotel and could possibly be waiting on an interview inside.

Ryuske reached her and asked, "What's going on?"

Takeda replied, "This reporter asked Hikaru-kun if she's following in Akira's footsteps."

Ryuske looked at Hikaru and asked, "What did you tell him?"

She shrugged and said, "I haven't answered yet. He says he asked because he's Akira's fan, but he apparently didn't look into Mirage at all."

The reporter started to protest, but Takeda interrupted and told him, "Here is my card. I'm Mirage's manager. If you decide you're interested in Mirage, you may contact me. If you're just asking because you're Akira's fan, have some respect and don't bother his children."

Takeda and Ryuske led her away in synch as though they'd planned it.

Belatedly Rin and Hatsuharu followed after them.

After they'd walked a ways Hikaru asked, "Where are we going?"

Takeda replied promptly, "Anywhere we can speak privately. Who's Akira? Besides, I gather your father, and associated with Night Dreams?"

Hikaru and Ryuske stopped walking and he stopped and turned to look at them.

"I guess it hasn't come up?" Hikaru said hesitantly.

Ryuske had a thoughtful look on his face when he replied, "I'm positive it was mentioned when Night Dreams was here." He looked at Takeda and said, "When you set up dinner for us, to throw off whoever called out for Hitoshi Yuki at the concert."

Rin and Hatsuharu caught up with them.

Takeda grimaced and said, "It sounds like I may have missed something that was obvious to both of you, so I won't accuse you of not telling me, but please inform me?"

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Hikaru replied, "My father created the band Night Dreams with Taka-ji."

Takeda stared at her with a horrified expression and then turned to Ryuske, "And you never thought to bring this up when we were talking about using your name and marketing tactics?"

Ryuske shrugged and replied, "I don't want to use Hikaru's father's name for marketing."

Rin said from behind them, "I wondered what was going on. I never thought to ask if we were trying to hide the association?"

Hikaru said practically, "I don't see how we can hide it when I look just like him."

Takeda looked at her in surprise and asked, "What?"

Hikaru fished out her phone and brought up the photo that Chisaki had taken of her with her father's poster. She held it out to Takeda who stared at it for a few moments and then said, "You had a pretty father."

Hatsuharu chuckled and offered, "I bet he and Miri-chan made an adorable couple."

Ryuske replied, "They did, although I only saw them together once, when Edge and Night Dreams were on the same program."

"Can we use this photo?" Takeda asked.

Hikaru replied dubiously, "I don't know, my future niece took it, and that's her poster."

Ryuske repeated, "We don't want to use Hikaru's father's name."

Takeda grimaced at him and said, "It's such an amazing resemblance, it just screams publicity, sorry." He looked around and said, "Let's not just stand on the street."

--

They went out to dinner. Hikaru messaged Kiri and he met them at the restaurant.

When he heard what was going on Kiri laughed and told Takeda, "It was so obvious, but I didn't realize it either."

Takeda sighed and said, "The problem is what to do about it?"

"Why do we need to do anything about it?" Hikaru asked.

Takeda looked at her helplessly.

Kiri pursed his lips and hugged her closer before answering, "Because more and more people are going to notice, as you become more famous. And it can either work for you, or against you. Some people fight against their parents fame and never escape their shadow, always X's child. Others outshine their parents, and it's the parent who gains the label parent of X."

Ryuske, Rin, and Hatsuharu replied almost in chorus, "Hikaru shines."

She blushed and opened her mouth to reply, but Ryuske spoke first. "Don't repeat that you're not as good a musician as your father Hikaru. You're only barely as old as he was when he got started. If you keep growing and improving, you're going to surpass him really soon. You have no idea."

Takeda looked thoughtful, and Rin, Hatsuharu and Kiri nodded in agreement.

Hikaru couldn't think of anything to say so she went back to eating.

Ryuske looked at her and laughed. He reached over and stole one of her fries and teased, "And if you eat like this you'll also outweigh him."

Hikaru just stuck out her tongue and replied, "Not when I'm always walking an extra nine miles a week."

Rin stared at her and asked, "You're still doing that?"

Hatsuharu spoke up, "I am. We've only been busier and on film more, not less."

Kiri laughed and asked her, "When did you do that last?"

Hikaru replied, "I've been walking an extra mile and a half or so before getting on the bus after school."

He blinked and replied, "Oh."

"It only takes an extra fifteen or twenty minutes," she added.

Takeda drew the conversation back around to the subject of Hikaru's father by asking, "Ryuske said he didn't want you doing interviews until after you're out of school, what do you all want to do if that reporter does apply for an interview?"

Hikaru replied tightly, "If he can show you he's researched Mirage properly, I'll talk to him."

Ryuske objected, "Not alone."

Takeda asked, "How are you defining properly?"

Hatsuharu suggested, "Ask him his fan number."

Everyone agreed.

Kiri asked, "Can't you put him off for the other six weeks even if he does?"

Takeda replied uncertainly, "That might do more harm than good."

Hikaru said, "As long as it's during the last month, I don't think it will matter as far as school goes."

Everyone looked at her in surprise and she explained, "It would be just as embarrassing for the school to kick me out right before graduation as it would for them to have it known that a member of Mirage is attending. Pointing that out is how my uncle arranged for Yuki-ni and I to change schools quietly at the end of the year when reporters kept coming to our grade school."

After that they talked a little about their schedule for the next week, and then went home.

--

A couple of weeks later, the reporter did apply for an interview with Hikaru, and Mirage. Takeda discussed it with them and then set it up for the following week.

Kiri complained to Hikaru, "Did you have to agree to do it while I'm gone?"

Hikaru walked into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around him from behind and settled her chin on his shoulder. Quietly she asked, "And what would you do from home that you can't do while you're away working? Mirage's manager will be there."

Kiri went still for a moment. "I know," he replied finally. "And I know that there's nothing I could do, because I refused to be that for you, but…"

Hikaru interrupted him, "You're being here for me in ways that Takeda and Mirage can't Kiri."

He turned in her arms and hugged her tightly. She kissed him. After a moment he murmured, "Our dinner will burn."

Hikaru suggested, "You could turn it off."