After the girl announced she had a suggestion, she didn't immediately say what it was—instead, she began scrutinizing Uika.
That's right, scrutinizing. Compared to earlier, when a casual glance at Uika's walk and posture had yielded detailed insights, the girl was now observing her with meticulous seriousness, scanning every inch from head to toe as if she were a machine carefully gathering data. Just what was she trying to find this time?
At first, Uika didn't think anything was amiss. She waited expectantly, eager to hear the girl's advice, but after several long seconds passed without any words, she began to feel awkward standing there, clueless about the girl's intentions.
The girl began by examining Uika's face. Being shorter by a full head, she had no choice but to tilt her chin slightly upward, observing Uika from a slightly upward angle.
To get an even clearer look, the girl suddenly closed the polite social distance between them, stepping so close that one more small move forward would have them practically pressed together.
At such proximity, Uika inevitably saw clearly the girl's face—a face that still held traces of childish innocence but also projected a mature intensity impossible to ignore.
Imagine it: the boundless sea, endlessly vast, capable of containing countless contradictory images. Now, in passionate summer, sunlight brimming with youthful energy conjured the most stereotypical impressions: sunshine and sand. Good heavens, these two words alone evoked visions of ice cubes clinking in refreshing drinks, carefree swimsuits flaunting figures, and exuberant runs along beaches beneath fiery sunsets, accompanied by rhythmic waves.
Standing in such a scene, two girls of similar age, both beginning to grow curious about romance, stood facing each other upon soft sand dotted with scattered shells forming an awkwardly heart-shaped pattern. Sunlight flowed between them, adding shimmering layers to an atmosphere charged with inexplicable emotion… Isn't this something only lovers do?
Even in her past summer meetings with Sakiko, Uika had never experienced such intimacy. Simply gazing closely into another's eyes was profoundly ambiguous. Even younger children could sense this either meant unintended trespass or a sweetness they could sense but not yet fully understand.
Most crucially, the girl's beauty didn't pale in comparison to Sakiko's. Her eyes, oceanic blue, seemed perfect for the seaside. Her hair—seemingly pure white but revealing subtle shades of gray when closely examined—fluttered in the sea breeze. Her lips were slightly thin, pale enough to lack a vivid flush of color, provoking an inexplicable desire to tint them with another shade.
Feeling heat rising in her cheeks, Uika lowered her gaze, searching the girl's face for any trace of similar discomfort—but found none. The girl's expression was utterly devoid of embarrassment, not even slightly flushed. It felt like only Uika harbored any impure thoughts.
"Um…"
Unable to endure it anymore, Uika began speaking, intending to ask what the girl was doing—but before more than a word could leave her mouth, the girl reached up and pressed a finger directly against Uika's lips, physically stopping her from speaking further.
"Don't move."
The finger on Uika's lips tapped lightly twice, emphasizing that she should obediently remain still.
Even if Uika wanted to speak, the finger offered no gentleness—if she opened her lips even slightly, she risked accidentally enveloping the finger pressing firmly against her mouth. She didn't dare even breathe through her mouth now.
Because the finger had landed as Uika was about to speak, she hadn't fully closed her lips in time, and now the girl's fingertip carried a faint dampness from briefly touching Uika's tongue, moist between parted teeth.
Despite telling Uika not to move, the girl herself had no intention of remaining still. After confirming Uika would remain quiet, the girl removed her finger from her lips and smoothly slid her palm downward to cup Uika's chin. Opening her fingers, she began gently moving Uika's head around, slightly upward here, downward there, positioning herself as needed to thoroughly observe every detail of Uika's face.
The entire process was actually very brief—consistent with the girl's efficient, decisive manner—but to Uika, it felt unbearably long.
Eventually, the girl nodded, apparently satisfied. Although Uika had no idea what she found so pleasing, at least the somewhat torturous process had ended.
"Smile."
Wait, it's not over yet?!
If Uika had barely kept her composure before, this shamelessly flirtatious-sounding request—uttered by the girl with complete seriousness—made Uika panic, stumbling backward a few steps with an utterly flustered expression.
"W-what exactly are you doing? This is just too weird!"
Unfazed, the girl immediately followed her forward. Since Uika wouldn't smile, she'd just check something else instead. Now she began circling Uika slowly, shifting her attention from Uika's face to carefully examine her figure instead.
Thankfully, the girl had no intention of hiding her thoughts. As she continued her assessment, she explained calmly:
"Your appearance is very attractive, so I think you could consider starting out in Tokyo as an idol."
Uika, whose embarrassment and awkwardness had been steadily building to near-explosion, momentarily forgot her discomfort upon hearing this.
"An idol?"
"Yes. For some people, becoming an idol is a shortcut—those people mainly being attractive individuals." The girl nodded, having already precisely gauged Uika's arm, torso, and leg proportions. She grew more convinced by the moment that this path suited Uika well.
Yet, upon hearing this suggestion, Uika felt instinctively reluctant. "It sounds like…just a decorative vase for others to admire."
It clearly contradicted her original desire: improving herself until she could stand proudly beside Sakiko on equal footing.
"Idols prioritize appearances, but that doesn't mean appearance alone," the girl corrected Uika's misunderstanding. "You want to form a band without depending heavily on your wealthy friend's resources. Trying to climb upward in a place like Tokyo without any connections or resources is extremely difficult. You need a foothold first.
"As I said, becoming an idol is a shortcut for attractive people. Your looks alone can make you stand out easily. If you choose the right spot and put on a street performance that showcases your talent, it's only a matter of time before talent scouts—who prowl around like hyenas every day—approach you."
Having finished inspecting every aspect of Uika's appearance, the girl nodded in satisfaction. "Middle-school idols aren't exactly uncommon nowadays. If you successfully become an idol and earn your agency's recognition, you'll gain access to resources to further improve yourself.
"That's my suggestion. What you choose from here is up to you. All I can say is: your conditions are better than any young idol I've encountered.
"You can keep asking me questions about anything you're still curious about. It's always good to learn more before making a formal decision."
With that, the girl had clearly pointed out one feasible path for Uika among the many tangled possibilities of pursuing music. For her, this was merely repaying a small favor after Uika caught her earlier.
But since the girl had invited questions freely, the first one popping into Uika's mind wasn't about the practicalities of becoming an idol. Instead, she shyly asked:
"Am I…really that pretty?"
It was the first time she'd ever been complimented so directly by a stranger.