> Decision
> >1 - You want to start an idol group that'll perform in the Tokyo Dome
> >2 - Your dream is to manage a world-class performer. A star idol.
> >3 - You aspire to start your own business someday.
> >4 - Create and produce an original production.
> >5 - Find love on your own terms.
> >6 - Write-in
>
> These are not hard votes, but overarching goals I can keep in mind when creating events.
>
> Goals in order of priority
> >5 - Find love on your own terms. (x7)
> >1 - You want to start an idol group that'll perform in the Tokyo Dome (x5)
> >2 - Your dream is to manage a world-class performer. A star idol. (x5)
> >4 - Create and produce an original production. (x2)
> >3 - You aspire to start your own business someday. (x)
> >6 - Become the one that manages managers (x1)
> >6 - You want to be rich and influential (x1)
> >6 - You want to marry (x1)
"I want to leave a mark of my own. Help idols realize their dreams, start a fantastic group and have them perform on Tokyo Dome -- for all to see," you say, "I don't want to be nothing more than some man's wife."
Aki scoffs, "So, you're going to risk lifelong happiness, a family of your own, so a bunch of girls can spend a weekend singing some songs during a concert?" he says, "Really?"
If it doesn't align with his goals, then it's not worth doing.
That's the kind of person your brother is.
Anything you'll say, he'll just trivialize.
"Yes," you say flatly, "Sing songs. Exactly."
"That's a dumb answer," replies Aki.
"Well, I did get a concussion," you reply, "Suppose I'm just a dumb person."
Aki rolls his eyes, "Since you're healthy enough to give me attitude, I'll just tell mother you're fine," he says, looking towards his watch as it beeps, "Do whatever you want, but don't say I didn't warn you. I have to go."
"Thanks for visiting," you say, staring him down.
Aki manages a half-smile, then turns and walks out the door, "Try not to get beat-up again," he says as he leaves.
You let yourself drop back into your hospital bed, cross your arms, and pout.
Perhaps when you were born you took all the empathy for yourself, leaving nothing for him.
Ah, why couldn't you just have a cute younger sister or something!
You sigh and look around your room. Nobody here, nothing to do.
Having just woken up, you're not sleepy either.
They did say you should be resting and Kitabayashi didn't want to bring your laptop, but you can at least use your phone.
So, you decide to send a quick message to your assistant, Matsui Tomo.
@NagataMiho: Hello Matsui-san, as you might've heard I'm in the hospital at the moment.
@MatsuiTomo: I know. Don't worry, I'll handle Chigusa Iki's debut. I have experience with these matters.
@NagataMiho: Yui has banned me from work, so I can't help, but please keep me involved!
@MatsuiTomo: With pleasure. Kitabayashi told me she'd share some kind of picture with the entire company if you tried to go behind her back like this and I'm very curious to see what it is.
Geh.
@NagataMiho: Maybe just handle it yourself then... haha...
@MatsuiTomo: Don't worry. Everything's under control.
That photo of you begging for forgiveness after spying on Kaiba has come to haunt you again.
Come to think of it, you still haven't fessed up about that.
Seems like Kitabayashi hasn't forgotten.
Suppose you can at least check out the reactions to Enatsu Mari's debut stream.
@ch0kem3: I mean, Maeda Rei isn’t ….bad. No?
@slavegirl444: Her attitude at the start kinda got me…
@sparkl3s698: she got put in her place by Watase-sama tho
@ch0kem3: i know, but who wouldn’t?
@ch0kem3: I could see myself do the same to Maeda-chan tho~
@slavegirl444: pfff, please
@slavegirl444: i’ve met you at the event remember? never seen a harder M than you
@strawb3rrri3sx3: username “choke me” acting up lol – delusional
@ch0kem3: h-hey!
@YaBoiGhoulman3: find god, all of you
@yuukioniisan: Enatsu-chan is so cute~ Hope we see more of her!
@Rowboats1293: I dunno, she didn’t have much of a presence imo
@Rowboats1293: the other idols are more interesting
@BlueOcean123: Good luck, Mari-chan!
@SkullsSkullsSkulls95: She was impressive in the match, but not the kind of girl I’d support
@strawb3rrri3sx3: look its a Kuro Hina stan ewww
@SkullsSkullsSkulls95: what? I just support her…
@slavegirl444: what a creep
@YaBoiGhoulman3: said the girls rubbing their clit whenever Watase had a second of screentime
@slavegirl444: fuck off virgin
@strawb3rrri3sx3: pathetic loser~
@ch0kem3: why dont you go jerk it to your oshi and piss off <3
@YaBoiGhoulman3: I will, maybe ill wank to Watase instead
@slavegirl444: just spam report him
@strawb3rrri3sx3: yep
@ch0kem3: yeah
@moderator-bot:
@slavegirl444: haha
@ch0kem3: cleaning up
Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
@BlueOcean123: I wonder what happened, they seemed so scared
@Rowboats1293: Ending was so fake. Something definitely happened.
You grumble a bit.
There's probably going to be a fair number of rumours about what happened.
But they shouldn't have much to go on, so hopefully it'll just be a bunch of speculation.
Hopefully none of the idols present let anything slip to the press.
The last thing you need is another scandal.
----------------------------------------
"And? What'd she say?" says a stocky man in a suit, sweat beading on his forehead.
He's standing in the middle of Nagata's office, arms folded.
"None of your concern," replies Matsui Tomo coldly, putting her phone down on Nagata's desk, "You really think I'm going to bother her with your knee-jerk reaction?"
The man frowns, "These are serious concerns!" he shouts, anger showing on his face, "Your stupid event has stressed out my talent! I've already had two companies call me up about poor job performance! My idols are freaking out!"
"This was nothing compared to what other idols had to go through," replies Matsui, "If they can't stomach something like this, then they never had a place in this industry to begin with."
The man looks taken aback, then scoffs, "Once again, it's obvious who your mentor was. You're just lik--"
[https://assets.legendkeeper.com/1a8b76df-414c-4108-a3e8-6a64beb28812.jpg]
"Finish that sentence," says Matsui, eyes set on a notepad as she scribbles something down with a pen, "I dare you."
She looks up, staring into the man's eyes.
The man's brow twitches, holding Matsui's gaze, then looks away, "...Kuh!" he says, taking a breath, "Point is! How are you gonna pay for this, huh? Not just me, either! Other managers are pissed off, too! We're prepared to take this all the way to the top!"
"I'll handle it," says Matsui, then points towards the door with her pen, "I'm busy. Don't let me keep you."
"Geh!?" cries the man, "You can't jus--"
"Don't let me keep you," repeats Matsui.
The man clicks his tongue, then stomps out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Matsui sighs, then cocks her head back and stares at the ceiling, "I bet she never has to repeat herself..."
She picks up the phone, hesitates for only a moment, and dials a number.
The dial tone pulses twice before the other party answers.
"Ara~ If it isn't Tomo-chan..." says the voice on the other end, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Don't play dumb," says Matsui, "You know exactly what's going on."
"I suppose," says the voice, "Certain people have been making an awful lot of noise. Tons of complaints~"
Matsui swallows, then grips the phone tight, "...Make it go away," she says.
There's a pause.
"Ara~ Tomo-chan. Do you know what you're asking?" says the voice.
"I do," replies Matsui.
"You sure are soft-hearted," says the voice, "Then again, that's always been your problem. Even back then."
"I didn't call for a lecture," says Matsui, "Make it go before Nagata gets back to work on Monday."
"You understand the cost?" asks the voice.
"Make it go!" shouts Matsui, slamming a hand down on the desk.
"As you wish~"
----------------------------------------
8 PM rolls by and visiting hours are over.
You entertain yourself with bland hospital TV and send a quick message to Enatsu Mari about what happened today, but you don't receive any response.
Furthermore, you message Chigusa Iki that, much to your regret, you're hospitalized and aren't able to attend her idol debut.
Chigusa replies with a short: "Ok. Get well soon."
Every few hours or so a nurse comes by and asks how you are.
You reply that you're feeling great and ask if you can go home yet.
They laugh and leave.
Repeating this exact conversation until you eventually fall asleep again well past midnight.
The next morning you awake to the sound of the door to your room sliding open.
As you rub the sleep from your eyes, your visitor gradually comes into view, "...Yui?"
"...Yaho~ Miho, morning," says Kitabayashi somewhat sheepishly.
She holds up a bag, "I wanted to bring you some overnight stuff yesterday, but I forgot that only family is allowed after visiting hours..."
"It's fine, thank you," you say, "I'm happy that I at least get to brush my teeth now."
Kitabayashi stares at you for a long moment, then exhales sharply through her noise, looking disappointed.
"...What?" you say, tilting your head in confusion.
"First time I get to watch you wake-up and it had to be like this..." says Kitabayashi.
You give Kitabayashi a look, "Well, I'm sorry," you reply, "I'll try not to get beat up again."
"Hmpf," replies Kitabayashi, placing her hands in her side, "That's a start. Guess you'll have to get well soon and join me for a sleepover to make it up to me."
You roll your eyes, then remember something.
"Ah," you say, "Talking about sleepovers... How's Kaiba?"
"Pff, how about your worry about yourself for a change," says Kitabayashi, walking over and placing the bag of overnight items on the guest chair, "I asked her to come, but I think she's still kinda weirded out about what happened at the birthday. Or she's mad, I'm not sure."
"Oh," you reply, a blush creeping on your face as you recall that day's events, "As long as she's okay."
"Mostly, yeah," says Kitabayashi, "She's been chatting with some friends and meeting up later today."
"...Mostly? Eh, wait, friends?" you reply, eyes wide in surprise.
"Uwa... Miho, that's cruel," says Kitabayashi, then smiles, "But, yeah, I know, right? They met on a job, apparently."
"Oh. Good for her," you say, relaxing a bit, "What'd you mean by 'mostly' okay?"
"Still figuring herself out," says Kitabayashi, reaching into the overnight bag and taking out some of the items, "I'm no expert, but I think it's also why she tried to set us up."
"Ah..." you say.
With everything that happened, you almost forgot about Kaiba's weird insistence to get you and Yui together and her strange convictions that you're playing for the other team.
Convictions based around something that happened during the hot spring trip with Watase Yoko.
Oh. You missed that meeting with Watase.
"Kaiba kinda looks up to you like a mentor, did you know?" says Kitabayashi.
"Eh?" you say, "Really?"
That's somewhat embarrassing and flattering at the same time.
"You're alike in a lot of ways, so I guess she sees herself in you," continues Kitabayashi.
Herself!? In you?!
You're a self-made, confident woman are you not?
Kaiba on the other hand is this shy, docile, submissive girl!
You're not like that at all!
"...Why are you glaring like that..." says Kitabayashi, smirking.
"It's just that... Well, it's funny how you can be so wrong. That's all." you say, looking away, "Hmpf."
"...Sure," says Kitabayashi, "Anyway, I think she saw a little bit too much of herself in you. Like, more than there was."
"Exactly," you say, strangely satisfied, then blink, "Hold on. What do you mean? As in she's projecting?"
" I don't know about any of that," says Kitabayashi, confusion clear on her face, "I just mean that she's using you as a model of herself, I guess. Even the bits she's not aware of."
"Can't you help her?" you reply, "She seems to trust you. You did say she's asking you questions about this stuff."
"No, this is something she has to figure out for herself," replies Kitabayashi, "She'll be all too eager to accept any answer I give her, but if this isn't something she decides on her own then she'll be doubting herself forever."
"This is all getting complicated," you say, slowly blinking, "It's... tiring."
Kitabayashi smiles, "Well, you are in the hospital with a concussion, so don't worry your pretty little head over it," she says, closing in and gently lowering you into the bed, then tucking you in under the cover, "Just take it easy today. Enjoy your weekend and call me when you feel better."
"I guess," you say, "Thanks, Yui-chan..."
"You're welcome," says Kitabayashi, then glances at the clock, "I should probably head to work."
You nod, "Thanks for coming."
Kitabayashi waves, but then idles at the door, "And... I'm sorry for yesterday, I was kinda mean..."
"Yeah," you say, looking sad, "It broke my heart. I must've cried for hours..."
Kitabayashi's face pales, her mouth drops open.
"...And now we're even," you say, smirking, "Have fun at work!"
"You're terrible!" shouts Kitabayashi with a big smile on her face, then sticks her tongue out, "Bleh!"
She shuts the door and is off to work.
You sit in your hospital room with a smile of your own, "I wonder how Chigusa's debut will go..."