"The new B-Komachi...is looking for more members." Aqua said, inviting Mem to join the rebirth of B-Komachi
Memcho chuckles, pointing a finger to herself, laughing nervously.
"A member of B-Komachi...? Me? Ha ha ha. You're kidding, right?"
Aqua stares unto her with a straight face. Mem-cho realized Aqua's seriousness. Her eyes widened, clasping her hands. Blushing
Few minutes later — Ichigou Productions Dorm
Miyako puts a hand on her head, staring unto the new member. Mem-cho.
She then stared to Aqua.
"I should've hired you as a scout, huh?
The famous YouTuber and Influencer, 'Mem.'
I didn't know you were interested in becoming an idol. What a suprise."
Miyako takes her tablet, looking further into Mem-cho's social accounts
"You have 370,000 subscribers on YouTube channel...and 638,000 followers on TikTok.
You seem to be very popular online."
Miyako raised her head to Mem-cho, smiling, keeping a warm atmosphere
"My first question is, who is your agent?"
"I'm self employed, I do all the streaming myself. At the moment an agency called farm is supporting me, but I'm not affiliated to them. We're just business partners." Mem-cho replied.
Mem raises her head unto Miyako.
"The contract says that I'm free to take any jobs I want. There's no problem."
Miyako smiles gratefully.
"I see, in that case, strawberry productions can request for some idol work, right?" Miyako replied, asking Mem for her permission.
Miyako stares unto a banner of Piyeon on their wall
"We've employed a lot of internet talent ourselves. There shouldn't be a problem with the contract. If anything, this feels like a timely offer, but..."
Miyako takes a better look into Mem-cho's face, analyzing her.
"That face of yours. Is there anything you must tell me?"
Mem-cho sweats nervously.
Miyako sighed closing her eyes.
"Oh, well. I think I can guess."
Miyako stares into Mem-cho, lowering her arm
"You're...faking your age, aren't you?"
Mem-cho gave up, nodding
"You can tell?"
Miyako leans in closer, chuckling.
"Yeah. You physique makes you look younger. But you can't fool me."
Miyako looks down into the ground. Keeping a warm smile.
"Don't be afraid. It's common for an individual talent to lie about their age. I don't mind."
Mem-cho clutches her shirt, chuckling back, nervously
"Really...? I'm glad to hear that."
"So? How old are you, really?" Miyako replied.
Mem-cho fidgets her finger, chuckling nervously back.
"Um...well..."
Memcho approaches closer to Miyako, whispering.
Miyako's eyes widened, shouting.
"That's a big gap!!"
Mem-cho covers her ears. Crying.
"I'n sorry!"
Miyako turns around — counting with her fingers.
"The world knows you as an 18 year old. You've sure got guts, huh?"
Mem-cho's whimpers, trying to stop Miyako.
"Stop counting, please!!"
Aqua approaches the two, raising an eyebrow unto Mem-cho.
"How big is the gap? Three years?"
Mem-cho fidgets her fingers, smirking naughtily.
"Double that number." she said, scratching her head.
Aqua breaks character, eyes widened.
"That's huge! So you're 24?"
Mem-cho counts with her finger.
"I...was. Until around spring."
"So you're 25. Stop resisting already. It's too late.
I mean, you're 25, but you claimed to be a high schooler and appeared in TV shows. Is something wrong with you?"
"There's a reason for that!!" Mem-cho cried.
"Being an idol...has always been my dream. But my mom is a single parent, and I have two little brothers. I thought it'd be better if I just went straight back to work.
But my Mom..."
Mem-cho's memory echoed
"Don't worry about us. Just follow your dream! I'll do my best, too!."
Memcho:
"After that, I started to apply for auditions. I even made it to the last round of a major company's audition. However, when I was in my third year of highschool...my mother...was hospitalized due to overwork.
I wanted my two brothers to go to college, so I needed money. I turned down the audition, took a temporary absence from school, and started to work.
I worked part-time money, I also worked at a girl's bar." her voice, soft.
"Thanks to that, my brothers were able to go to college, and my mom also recovered. But...I was 23 then." Mem-cho smiled.
"In this world, girls over 20 are considered old ladies. Every audition had 'Girl up to 20 years old' as their requirement."
Memcho's eyes softened.
"The moment I was ready to pursue my dream, I was too old for that already."
Memcho scratches her head, laughing it off.
"
Having nowhere to go, I turned my passion into streaming. At that time, I was still on leave from high school.
I was acting like a high schooler, Ha Ha. Unexpectedly, people loved that idea. I got more and more subscribers! Before I knew it, I had gone too far to retreat, you know?" she chuckled.
She rests her arms on her legs, sweating nervously.
"It's been two years since then...and here I am now.
It's hopeless after all, huh? I'm faking my age by seven years. If people find out, we'll all be in trouble. How can a 25 year old be an idol...?" she said. Looking down in the ground, Ashamed.
Then, someone suddenly holds Mem-cho's shoulder. It was Ruby.
"That's not true." Ruby claimed.
She then takes her hand. Gripping unto it tightly.
"You're Memcho! in the flesh! So cute...!!"
Kana enters the room, wiping her tears away.
"We heard everything."
Aqua turns his head to Kana, turning a concerned face.
"Arima."
Kana continues to whine, sobbing.
"People were about my age before, so I understand her feelings a little."
Memcho laughs it off. Shaking a hand.
"Um, it's not a just a little."
Kana continues to wipe her tears, overflowing on her cheeks.
"When I was a child actor, my agency fired me the moment I entered high school. It was so frustrating."
"Thay's why I'm not against it." Miyako replied.
Miyako glares unto Ruby, raising an eyebrow.
"What about you, Ruby?"
Ruby's eyes widened, shouting.
"Obviously not!"
Ruby then turns her head to Mem-cho.
"Being an idol has nothing to do with your age. You can't stop longing, can you?" Ruby said, her eyes glimmering in hope for Mem-cho.
Ruby offered a hand to Mem-cho, putting on a warm welcoming smile
"Welcome to B-Komachi!"
Memcho takes Ruby's hand, standing up.
Aqua smiled, sighing in relief.
"There we have it. My sister and her fine speech again."
Aqua then turned to Kana.
"Arima, please take good care of Ruby and Mem."
Kana's face went dark, staring unto Aqua with a mad face, her eyebrows furrowed.
"Shut the hell up. Don't talk to me so friendly like that."
Kana puts on a tounge, putting on a disgusted face.
"Why don't you ask Akane Kurokawa instead? You lady-killer.
Anyway, you don't need to tell me that. I'll take care of this group no matter what."
Kana joins the group.
Ruby smiles
"Hey, let's go eat dinner together."
"Yeah, let's go!" Kana replied.
Memcho cried, clutching her chest.
"What's with you guys? Why are you so welcoming?"
Aqua:
And thus, Mem-cho has joined our group.
The new B-Komachi...is officially starting now.
Hours later.
While Aqua stares at the girls, whom are practicing. Miyako called Aqua, seeking his attention.
"Aqua, come here for a sec."
Aqua walks over, staring unto Miyako.
"What is it?"
Miyako crosses an arm.
"Starting tomorrow, we'll be having a new mentors for them. Though, it's not like they'll be replacing Piyeon. Piyeon is still the very main trainer." she said, clutching her nape.
"The name is Akira Kiyoshi and Airi-chan."
Aqua's eyes widened, recognizing Akira's name. He looks down on the ground for a moment before looking up to Miyako.
"Akira Kiyoshi... I recognize his name. Isn't he the one who's somehow connected to Ai?"
Miyako's shoulders lowered. Eyelids dropped.
"You know much, it's scary to think you know almost everything about your mother."
Aqua asks for the tablet. Miyako then gave it. Showing the photo of Akira and Airi (Ai's public identity. On the photo, she's in sunglasses and a hat to avoid recognition from Miyako)
Aqua's eyes widened before smiling eeriely.
"So this...is Akira Kiyoshi."
He might give me some answers on who our father... Or perhaps... He's our father.
It seems the fish had bitten the bait willingly.