Ichigo Productions, the agency representing Ai's group, B-Komachi, was still a small-scale venture just beginning to find its footing in the entertainment industry. No matter how decent a person the CEO, Saito Ichigo, was, the agency had to generate profit. As a result, the girls were currently being pushed through a grueling, relentless schedule.
For a minor agency, events like festivals are their primary source of income, and these are concentrated in the sweltering heat of summer. They had to earn enough in one season to survive the entire year. Such was the sorrow of small agencies and the groups signed to them.
"Sigh..."
"Lately, hasn't the schedule been just too much?"
The members of B-Komachi entered the cramped waiting room—a space barely large enough to fit a single sofa and a dining table—looking utterly exhausted. The meal waiting for them after their performance consisted of bento boxes from a nearby convenience store, already grown cold.
"...."
Ai was silent, a stark contrast to how she acted when she was with the members of Enfants Terribles. She merely stared at the cold bento, offered a bitter smile, and quietly began her belated meal.
'If only there was a microwave.'
It wouldn't have been quite this bad if she could have just heated it up. The waiting room was filled with a heavy silence, broken only by the sounds of people eating.
Even when occasional conversation drifted through the air, Ai remained isolated. To the other members, she was an object of jealousy and envy. Though they didn't actively bully her because they were part of the same group, they kept their distance, feeling increasingly insignificant the more they witnessed her undeniable talent.
"......."
Ai simply ate in silence, listening to the chatter that surrounded her but which she couldn't truly join.
She was lonely.
It was even more painful because she was at an age where she still needed to grow up surrounded by love. Any other girl her age would have vented their stress by complaining to their parents about their day or chatting with friends, but such things were impossible for Ai.
Ai suddenly found herself missing the blond-haired boy.
For Ai, B-Komachi was a jungle she had to endure to survive, not a "home" where she could find peace.
Vibrate—
In the midst of her thoughts, she felt her phone vibrate.
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●Hide●
- 4:0. We got the 4.
- Come out, I'll buy you something delicious.
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"Hehe."
A smile began to bloom on her face, which until a moment ago had been an expressionless mask.
The faded starlight in her eyes regained its natural brilliance, beginning to shine radiantly once more. Ai smiled as she began to type her reply.
She felt her heart growing lighter.
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●Hoshino Ai●
- Of course! Ai is a bigger eater than you think! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
- I'm even going to have Häagen-Dazs! ദ്디ˊᗜˋ)
────────────────
Whenever she was with him, Ai felt at peace. Though he could be eccentric at times, he always treated people with raw sincerity.
He was easy to read, someone whose emotions were plain on his face, and who would accept her no matter how much she pouted or complained. Because he was more honest than anyone else, he was a person she didn't need to use "lies" on to fit the situation. That was the kind of person Hide was.
"Hihi☆"
Vibrate—
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●Hide●
- I'm not buying you 13 tubs of Häagen-Dazs like last time. ( 乂˙-˙)
- You need to eat more protein than simple sugars to stay healthy. ദ്디ˊᗜˋ)
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"Uncle Yoki... just what on earth have you been teaching him... Σ('◉⌓◉')"
The man she called 'Yoki' was the muscular mixed-race drummer of Enfants Terribles.
Still, the smile never left Ai's lips. Just thinking about them was always fun. They were among the few people who genuinely welcomed her whenever she visited.
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●Hoshino Ai●
- Eeeh—? Is Hide going to end up all beefy too? Σ(・Д・)!?
- People are going to be scared of you just like they are of Uncle Yoki! ヽ( ຶ▮ ຶ)ﾉ!!!
────────────────
They continued to trade messages back and forth until the moment they finally met.
In that moment, the melancholy girl burdened by fatigue had vanished completely. In her place was only a young girl with a bright, mischievous smile fitting for someone her age.
.
.
.
.
.
"Ai, over here. Right here."
"Eh? How did you spot me? Wait—is it really okay for you to be out here without a disguise??! ヽ( ຶ▮ ຶ)ﾉ!!!"
Ai had purposefully pulled her hat down low and worn oversized, baggy clothes to hide her identity, but he appeared to have come to meet her exactly as he looked at the broadcasting station.
'A leather jacket and sunglasses... and he hasn't even taken off his stage makeup...'
A few passersby had already recognized him and were starting to ask for autographs. It was clear that if they stayed in this spot for even a moment longer, they would be swamped by a sea of people wanting to shake his hand.
"Let's get out of here! Run! (; ･`д･´)"
Ai grabbed his hand and began to sprint through the night streets. The blond boy in sunglasses merely scratched his cheek awkwardly and followed the girl's lead.
The sight of the two of them fleeing was so full of freedom and warmth that even the strangers watching them couldn't help but wear a soft, heartwarming smile.