Kaburagi:
"The theatrical company of LaLa Lai. After attending the workshop there, she began to take care of her appearance...and as I said before, she started asking for a good place to eat. Obviously, I don't know exactly who the guy was, but I remember seeing her girly face turn into a woman's at once."
Aqua's eyes widened, wondering who that person could be.
Kaburagi continued:
"If you're interested, I can introduce you to the troupe leader. That will bring you closer to the answer you're looking for."
Silence
Aqua looks down on the table, ashamed.
"Why would you go that far for me? I'm just a has-been actor with no track record or anything, you know."
"Because I see the potential in you." Kaburagi replied.
Kaburagi turns his head to Aqua, smiling.
"This industry is all about give and take."
Kaburagi takes a bite in his sushi.
"As you know, in the japanese entertainment world, the give and take between the agencies and production side is greatly related to casting...and this casting will affect your revenue by hundreds of millions yen* that makes this 40,000 yen* sushi feel like a small change, doesn't it?
By making you owe me one here. I can get a big advantage in the casting war... That's what a producer's work is. I'm not just doing this for you."
Aqua's eyes widened.
Kaburagi takes his phone out, looking at the new B-Komachi
"I see the potential in Kana Arima-kun and Mem-cho-kun, too. It seems that you guys are up to something interesting.
Like the revival of that B-Komachi group."
He smirks, putting a hand on his chin.
"I think...all of you are a very promising investment, indeed."
Aqua squints his eyes
"No way..."
Kaburagi smirks, sending Mem-cho a message of invitation.
Silence
"Anyways, there has been something bothering me lately." Aqua said.
Kaburagi turns his head to Aqua, raising his eyebrows with a confused face
"Hmph?"
Aqua replies
"13 years ago...there is this scandal about Ai exchanging numbers with a guy during the handshake event."
Kaburagi's eyes widened
"Yeah, I have heard about that scandal before. What about it? Tell me plainly."
Aqua's stares unto Kaburagi with serious intent, saying
"And I found out that the guy's name.
Akira Kiyoshi, he seem to be a cyber security worker. It could be possible he was behind everything of Ai's death, considering his background and might be our father.
Have you...ever heard about him before in LaLa Lai?" Aqua shows a photo of Akira from Miyako
Kaburagi stares at the photo — sighing in relief.
"Honestly, I don't find any resemblance between you and that Akira."
Aqua scratches his cheek, looking away.
"Well, yeah, I suppose you're right..."
Kaburagi turns his head to Aqua, chuckling.
"But the gloomy aura you two emit seem to connect (sarcastically said)"
Aqua's eyes widened.
Kaburagi continues:
"It could indeed possible that he is your father or someone we all never knew. And yes, I think I have heard and seen of him.
It was that day when I was taking a break on the counter of the canteen when suddenly that same Akira guy showed up there, taking a drink. I wonder what brings him there in LaLa Lai. But one thing for sure, he is very tall, and that shadow figure behind the curtains can't certainly be him because the guy behind it was too small to be Akira."
Silence
"Why bring that up?" Kaburagi said.
Aqua looks down on the table, gritting his teeth before calming down.
"It was that...they're being considered to be the second mentor for the new B-Komachi."
Kaburagi breath hitched.
A few minutes later — at the Ichigou Productions dorm
"JAPAN IDOL FESTIVAL?!"
Ruby and Kana shouted
Mem-cho continues to scroll on her phone. Reading the message Mr. Kaburagi just sent.
"Yep. The producer of My Love has a connection. He said that he could help us perform there if we were interested."
Kana counts on her hands, nervously replying.
"The JIF is next month, right? That's impossible! We're not ready at all..."
She rolls her eyes away, sweating.
"How can newcomer like us stand on such a big stage all of a sudden...?"
Ruby leans in closer to Kana, grinning.Trying to convince Kana.
"Let's do it!
I mean, we're talking about the JIF here! The new B-Komachi will have their first live performance on such a big stage. Isn't it amazing?"
Kana puts a hand on her cheek, considering Ruby's words.
"But we'll just make a bad impression."
Mem-cho smiles. Replying to Kana
"There's no reason not to take advantage of it though. Ordinary groups have to work desperately for years before they can stand on this stage. If we don't take this opportunity, what are we even doing here?"
Kana turns her head away.
"Well, you've got a point." Kana said softly.
She then sighed, turning her head back to Ruby and Mem-cho.
"Haah, if you say so, I'll do it. This is part of my job, after all."
Ruby and Mem-cho jumps excitingly.
Mem-cho:
"All right, it's settled then."
Mem-cho continues, turning away, pointing at their B-Komachi poster
"Now, all we've got to do is make that decision. I'm talking about that!"
Ruby smiles it off, but confused.
"What's that?"
Mem-cho spins around, facing them (hands on the hips)
"Who'll be the lead girl of B-Komachi?"
Silence
Kana raises an eyebrow, asking
"Is that really important? Can't we just choose randomly?"
Ruby and Mem-cho's face turns sour
"It is important!"
Mem-cho:
"The lead girl is the star idol!"
Ruby:
"A cute girl who can sing and dance. She's practically the face of the group!"
Mem-cho and Ruby clasps each other's hand, Grinning.
"It'e the most important position." said the both of them.
Kana's eyelids dropped.
"You two are getting along well, huh?"
Her face turns back to normal
"So...? Any volunteers?"
Ruby puts both hands on her cheeks, blushing.
"W-well, I don't need to be the one, but...if your girls insist..."
Meanwhile, Mem-cho scratches her head, embarrassed
"In the end, it's all about maturity, right? I don't wanna be a leader, but my life experience is what brings us together..."
Kana's face turn sour.
"I can tell from your faces that you want to be one so badly."
Ruby shouts, introducing her skills
"I'm good at dancing, so it should be me, right?"
Mem-cho shakes her head.
"No way. I'm used to being the center of attention, and I have tons of experiences, too!"
Ruby's smile fades, realizing.
"In that case, senpai should probably do it. She was number one on the oricon chart for her bell pepper exercises song, and she's been on a lot of music shows."
Mem-cho grins wider, agreeing with Ruby.
"OMG! The bell pepper exercises! How nostalgic!"
Kana's face darkens. Looking away, ashamed.
"STAY AWAY FROM MY DARK PAST, PLEASE!!"
Ruby and Mem-cho ignores Kana, continuing to share their nostalgia between each other.
Mem-cho to Ruby:
"It was subtle, but she always hit the wrong note."
Ruby smiles, replying to Mem-cho
"Right? She was childish and cute♥."
Kana turns her head to them, annoyed.
"Ugh!"
Meanwhile
Ruby smiles, sharing to Mem-cho.
"They made us dance to that song in kindergarten."
Ruby giggles, turning her head to Kana, teasing.
"Sing it a little!"
Kana looks away, clutching her fists.
"NO WAY IN HELL! I KNOW I'M A BAD SINGER!"
Ruby and Mem-cho continues to tease Kana.
Ruby:
"The lead girl has to be able to sing, after all."
Mem-cho:
"You're right. How can the lead girl shine if she doesn't hold a microphone?"
Mem-cho turns her head to Ruby, challenging her.
"How about this, then? The person who gets the highest karaoke score will be the lead girl."
Ruby clutches chest, smiling in excitement.
"Okay! I'm in!"
Ruby turns her head to Kana.
"You'll come with us, too. Right senpai?!"
Kana waves her hand, looking away.
"No, I'll pass."
Ruby became worried, her voice, softer.
"But–"
"Are you stupid or what? The lead girl is the face of the group, right?" Kana said, sharply.
"If I'm your lead, you'll never be popular." Kana said, closing her eyes confidently.
"Why not...?" Ruby replied
Kana walks away from them.
"There's more than enough evidence. I've been in this industry over a decade...even after my era of being a one-hit wonder child actor was over. Do you really think that all I did was acting?" She said, glancing back at Ruby.
She clasps her hand, putting on a warm smile.
"I tries all kinds of stuff, you know? But none of them made me popular. I mean, we're talking about someone who kept getting a job due to her popularity as a child actor but failed to profit to the company that hired her, and yet, she shrewdly made them pay her so she could pay her bill.
In short, this girl named Kana Arima doesn't bring in fans! I can see why people don't want to spend money on this sly girl with a foul mouth, though!" she said, proudly, but there was this mix of sadness in her voice.
"Coen to think of it, that drama, sweet today, wasn't profitable either, was it?!" Kana continued.
Kana wraps herself in her arms, sitting down on the floor.
"Mem-cho has a lot of subscribers, and you're cute and innocent. I'm sure you'll be popular."
Kana remembers the scene of Akane in the show My Love with Aqua.
Kana continues:
"Besides...people...like honest and cute girls like you, not a troublesome and twisted girl like me."
Kana stood up, waving her hands
"If I can make the crowd make the crowd cheerful, that's good enough for me. Just decide who'll be the lead between you two with karaoke or whatever."
Ruby's eyes softened, worried.
"You've been a bit of a Debbie Downey lately, don't you think? Did something bad happen?"
Kana's voice became gentler.
"Not really..." frowning. Rolling her eyes away
Ruby holds Kana's shoulder, giving her a lift of emotion.
"You'll be fine. Aqua doesn't compliment people, but he said you were cute. You're neither troublesome not twisted."
Kana blushes, looking away. Eyebrows furrowed.
"But...he said the same thing to Mem-cho." she said, rememberering the introduction scene of My Love casts.
Ruby's face turned sour.
"You are troublesome and twisted.
When I say this, you say that. You'll give your future boyfriend a hard time..."
Mem-cho approaches Kana, patting Kana.
"Well, entertainers are a bunch of troublesome people."
Ruby's face became even more sour.
Ruby's thoughts:
Come to think of it, both of them joined this group because of Aqua. I feel like I can gradually see what kind of girl my brother likes and I don't like it...
Mem-cho to Kana:
"Come and join us later."
" 'kay." Kana replied.
Miyako enters the room.
"No need for that. Your second mentors are coming."
The three of them were shocked, eyes widened.
Kana replied, cautious.
"Second mentors....?"
Miyako steps away from the door as the door opens. Airi and Akira enters the room.
Airi waves her hand.
"Hello, New B-Komachi, nice to meet you all!"
Ruby and Mem-cho gasped in awe.
Meanwhile, Kana's eyes widened.
"I feel like... I've seen those two before."