Tokyo, B-Komachi's private practice room.
"Wacchan, you're eating that plain salad again for lunch? You might as well be a rabbit."
"You get used to it after a while."
Takamine Waka opened her bento box, splitting disposable chopsticks to mechanically shovel greens into her mouth.
When no further response came, the girl shrugged and turned to another member lounging on the sofa scrolling through her phone:
"Hey, Seiko, wanna grab lunch?"
"Not hungry yet. You go ahead."
Rejected again, the girl muttered something under her breath as she left.
Nearly four years had passed since B-Komachi's formation. Of the original quartet, Nino had already left. Takamine Waka frowned through another bite of salad, catching her reflection in the mirror—suddenly recalling that fast-food restaurant afternoon from years ago.
Four years was long enough for cute twelve-year-olds to grow into ordinary-looking sixteen-year-olds. The idol industry was fundamentally superficial—while attractive people received preferential treatment everywhere, here it was a matter of survival.
Nino's forced graduation had followed this logic—her features maturing into mediocrity deemed unfit for idolhood.
And Takamine Waka now teetered on that same edge.
Her initial appeal—fearless confidence, striking stage presence, and the cherubic round face that charmed middle schoolers—had eroded with time. What were once assets now drew fan complaints: "Did she gain weight?" "So immature." "Zero sophistication."
Hence the rabbit food.
After Nino's departure, a new member joined—only to be fired recently for spreading rumors about Hoshino Ai and stealing her makeup. CEO Saitou had swiftly ejected the troublemaker, immediately recruiting two replacements. The girl who'd just left was one of them.
As founding members, Takamine Waka and Watanabe Seiko naturally formed their own clique. The newcomers—one aloof and solitary, the other overly eager to join them—only emphasized the divide.
Yet after all this, both women understood their true role: backup dancers for Hoshino Ai—expendable props in Saitou's eyes. Even united, the four couldn't outweigh Ai's singular value.
That didn't mean they'd resigned themselves to being scenery. Jealousy still simmered—they just wouldn't act on it like their ousted predecessor.
As Waka waged war with her salad, Watanabe Seiko broke the silence:
"Don't you think our new single's going too far? The style's completely different."
Seiko's idol aspirations had been simple: wear cute outfits, bask in stage spotlights, meet celebrities.
These goals had been steadily achievable—until Hoshino Ai quit LALALAI Theater Troupe to refocus on B-Komachi.
The Ai who'd once passively accepted company decisions now held lengthy strategy sessions with Saitou. The first result was this radical new single.
Typical idol songs brimmed with "love," "dreams," and "hard work." This Ai-commissioned track oozed rebellion.
"Does she think two years of acting makes her an aato (artist)? She came crawling back to idol work."
(Aato: Japanese phonetic rendering of "artist," often used sarcastically in idol circles)
Seiko's complaints kept coming:
"If Saitou hadn't forced it, you should've been center from the start, Wacchan. Not Ai."
"That's not true."
Waka set down her chopsticks with unusual gravity.
"Maybe at first. But after Ai joined LALALAI... B-Komachi's center could only ever be her."
"Seiko, do you find idol work exhausting?"
"Of course! Rehearsals every day, touring nonstop without sightseeing, missing so much school that classmates forget me..."
Seiko's grievances spilled out unchecked.
"Yet Ai balanced both careers—excelling at each."
Waka rested her chin on a hand, continuing softly:
"Truthfully, we're just cowards."
"If you were made center for this single, would you accept?"
"...No way. Ai's fans would tear me apart."
Seiko recoiled at the thought.
"Exactly. You don't want the center position, yet resent Ai for keeping it. Isn't that miserable? So why stay?"
Seiko had no rebuttal.
"Because we're unwilling to let go."
"As long as Ai's center, we ride her coattails—even as package deals."
"As long as Ai's center, we bask in reflected glory—praised for mediocrity, ignored for failures, while she bears all scrutiny."
Waka met Seiko's stunned silence with lowered eyes:
"Ai has changed."
"But maybe some things never did—we just lacked the courage to face them."
"...I've seen it."
"Her phone passcode is still 45510."
Meanwhile, at the MV shoot location, Kitagawa Ryo listened to the demo track through headphones. Regrettably, manager Mr. Izaki had vetoed his cameo—not even a single shot.
"Fumimura Ken's composition? Ai's got great taste."
Removing the headphones, Ryo looked up at Ai in surprise.
As a relatively new musician, Fumimura Ken wasn't top-tier in popularity—but his versatility as a singer-songwriter was rare. Every single from his band bore his exclusive credit.
"You always say 'find cheap but good quality.'"
Ai preened, chin lifted proudly:
"And those years at LALALAI weren't wasted. With their reputation, I met plenty of industry people."
Her expression reminded Ryo uncannily of Ruby post-dance competition—though he played along:
"As expected of the reigning top idol."
Ai basked in the praise before sighing:
"Too bad director Goda's never shot an MV. Would've hired him otherwise."
"Different specialties. He manages short films, but MVs are another beast."
Ryo gestured toward the wardrobe:
"Though these might be the most conservative idol costumes I've seen—barely qualify as idol wear."
"That's the point."
Ai held up a dark navy outfit—long sleeves, skirt hem well past the knees—resembling strict school uniforms more than flashy stage costumes.
"How'd you convince Saitou? Any other group proposing this would get rejected eight times over."
"He trusts me completely."
"Of course. I'm Hoshino Ai."
Her declaration rang with conviction:
"I will lead B-Komachi to Tokyo Dome."
"This single is step one."
Her eyes burned with unwavering certainty:
"If idols are manufactured personas, why not make mine extraordinary?"
"Might feel refreshing for audiences too."
Taking a steadying breath, she continued:
"Besides... I've always been the dissonance in this idol world."
"Before I even knew the term 'method acting,' I'd been using it to become—no, to perform as an idol."
"Back then, I thought if I became an idol... maybe I'd learn how to... love."
"I did learn eventually—just not through idol work."
Ai pressed her palm to Ryo's cheek, their foreheads touching:
"It was acting alongside you."
Just as Ryo sought clarification, the other B-Komachi members arrived with the filming crew, laughing together.
[Not yet.]
Ai withdrew, her gaze lingering on Ryo—who'd just turned twelve—before schooling her features into a bright smile:
"Don't worry about B-Komachi's dynamics. I'll fix it today."
With seamless ease, she joined the group, their harmonious chatter continuing into the dressing room as they prepared for filming.
Disguised in a corner, Ryo went unnoticed—just another staff member.
He watched the costumed B-Komachi take their positions—Ai radiant at the center as always.
Though he didn't fully grasp her "dissonance" metaphor, one thing was clear: within B-Komachi, Hoshino Ai was the dissonant note.
Despite surface-level camaraderie, an invisible barrier separated her from the others.
The Dissonance MV contained no narrative—just stylized choreography against abstract backdrops. Well-rehearsed, they wrapped in half a day before heading to the recording studio.
In the car, Ai deliberately sat with Takamine Waka and Watanabe Seiko—then abruptly brought up the past.
"Remember that blog account we made together?"
The two exchanged startled glances.
"After Nino left, I wrote something there—never posted it. Hoped you might see it someday."
Ai smiled nostalgically:
"Like this single... it's my real feelings."
Seiko blinked, fingers tightening around lyric sheets. Though an idol group song, Ai dominated the vocals—the others merely harmonizing. Disliking the style, Seiko hadn't even properly read the lyrics.
Beside her, Waka opened her phone with trepidation.
She hadn't logged into that shared blog since that day—certain the others hadn't either.
Yet in Waka's memory, Ai had seemed the most detached back then.
Keying in 45510, she found a draft titled "To Takamine, Nino-chan, Watanabe:"
"This interface brings back memories—of when we actually got along."
"I still remember Ueno Zoo. Though Xiang Xiang the panda returned to China, I remember us four going together."
"Now B-Komachi feels so strained."
"It's my fault. I'm truly sorry."
"Hard to believe, but I've always wanted us to be close."
"Maybe everyone hates me, but I don't hate any of you."
"If possible, talk to me like before—call me an idiot, get mad at me."
"Like when we first met and said 'Ai's so dumb.'"
"I want to reconcile. I want us to be friends."
"You know better than anyone—I was never some top idol or artist."
"After all... you were the ones who first showed me a real, living panda."
The entry ended there.
Meanwhile, Seiko finished reading Dissonance's full lyrics:
[I won't say YES anymore, nor stay silent—I hate this]
[If no one objects to anything, isn't that strange?]
[A life of just flattery—what's the point?]
And then...
Ichigo Saitou 's finger pressed hard against the next line:
[If you want to deceive people again, kill me first]
He felt Ai had swung from one extreme to another.
She once buried her truths under layers of lies.
Now she tore herself open to prove her sincerity.
As if afraid—
Afraid of becoming the boy who cried wolf.
...Afraid he wouldn't believe her.
To want love but not receive it is misfortune.
To want to love but not know how—
That too is misfortune.
[ Note: I change the name takamine kazu to waka. In manga since there is no name other than her surname so I change the name more fitting]
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Will be uploaded more just be patience.