"What do you mean?"
Still digesting the swirl of feelings inside, Takahashi Mio lifted puzzled eyes when she heard Haruno Rika say that.
"You don't get it?"
Catching Mio's glance in the corner of her eye, Rika took a long drag, then her red lips pursed and a thin ribbon of smoke unraveled under the streetlight.
"I told you before, didn't I?
"If Hojo Shione really is his gir—ex-girlfriend, then it suggests he probably doesn't have bad intentions toward you. At the very least, the odds of a 'trap' are low."
Watching the neon-lit traffic flow by, Rika thought of what Mio had told her earlier and smiled.
"Maybe he really does want to cultivate you into a star."
"…"
At that, Mio folded her arms around her knees on the curb, confusion flickering in her eyes as she murmured:
"I know that too…"
"But… why?"
In her ears, Shiratori Kiyoya's words seemed to echo:
"You know, you're not like other people…"
"You just don't realize it yet."
"When you truly step onto the stage, everyone will cheer for you, drawn to your light."
"If you're willing to trust me, none of it will be a problem…"
I'm not like others?
An image rose unbidden in Mio's mind: a girl singing on stage, facing countless eyes yet smiling calmly—confident, gentle, shining all over.
Hojo Shione…
A wave of inferiority stirred in her chest.
Then a thought flashed:
Could I shine like her, too?
Startled by her own notion, her face went rigid.
A wry, self-mocking smile climbed onto her pretty features.
No way…
Mio, you're such a fool.
---
Thursday—two days since the "Hojo Shione's boyfriend caught on camera" rumor.
H University, in a quiet corner of an empty classroom.
Mio propped her chin in her hand, letting her gaze skim over Shiratori Kiyoya now and then, sizing him up without seeming to.
Her eyes traveled down from his brows, studying each feature.
After a moment she frowned.
He looked pleasant enough when he was focused, but not the kind of handsome that makes your heart skip a beat.
Why would Hojo Shione date him?
After a night and a day of processing, she'd finally forced herself to accept they really had dated.
"What are you thinking about?"
Kiyoya, having finished the course chart, looked up to see Mio frowning and nibbling her lip, all tangled up, and asked.
"Ah…"
His voice snapped her out of her grumbling. She flinched, then instantly switched to a gentle smile. "Nothing."
Their eyes met; she looked away, and her gaze fell on the schedule he was handing her.
She took it. Red circles ringed several of her courses. "What does this mean?"
"It means you guarantee an A or higher in these at the end of the term."
"Huh?"
Mio's lips parted. She stared at him, expression reading: You're kidding, right?
Kiyoya didn't seem to catch it. "What, is there a problem?"
There was—a huge one.
She tugged a corner of her mouth and looked more closely at what he'd circled. She'd only glanced earlier, but it was eight or nine classes.
Introduction to Cultural Studies, Cultural Psychology, Introduction to Aesthetics…
A jumble that made her eyes swim. She couldn't help griping, "That many?"
"It's not much. Hard?"
"…"
After a pause, she gritted out, "Hard."
Psychology, aesthetics… She got sleepy just reading the titles. Culture courses were her kryptonite.
"Then let's set a target. Like I said last time—hit it and I'll give you an extra ¥1,000,000."
"?!"
Her eyes lit up. She swallowed and asked, "Really?"
"I never lie."
He gave her a look that said believe me.
"Okay. Got it."
She tucked the schedule into her bag. Hard or not—if there was money in it, it suddenly felt doable.
Except…
She blinked, slowed as she closed her bag, and couldn't help asking, "You won't trick me, right?"
Kiyoya didn't answer—just shot her a look, shouldered his backpack, and moved to leave; he had two publishing contracts to sign that afternoon.
"Hey, wait."
As he was about to go, Mio reached out and grabbed his arm.
"What else?"
"Well, there's… something I wanted to ask you."
When he turned back, she let go, tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, sat up straight, and smiled softly.
"Um… can I, as your current girlfriend, gossip a little?"
Current girlfriend.
A week after making it "official," it was the first time he'd heard her say it out loud. If she truly felt like a girlfriend, she wouldn't be so polite.
As if afraid he'd refuse, she looked up at him with pleading eyes—like a wife put out on the street begging not to be cast off. All that mirror-practiced "soulful gaze" did nothing.
Kiyoya didn't hesitate and sat beside her.
"You've got a lot you want to ask, right? Just ask."
"Uh…"
How did this guy grow up? How does anyone put up with that personality? she griped inwardly—but she kept her face gentle and asked:
"The person who came looking for you the day before yesterday—was it really Hojo Shione?"
"Mm."
"Why did she come?"
"Don't know."
He answered honestly, but she bit her lip—she didn't buy it.
"When did you start dating?"
"High school."
He glanced at her. "You don't sound like a girlfriend gossiping—you sound like a TV reporter."
"Heh, I'm just curious…"
She gave a dry laugh, swallowed, and said, "Last question."
"Why did you date her? Was it… for the same reason as with me?"
Translated bluntly: Did she say yes because of money, like me?
She'd phrased it obliquely, but he knew what she meant.
After a beat, he said, "She didn't spend beyond her means or take out online loans."
"…"
Her smile froze. Normally she'd curse him out in her head a few dozen times; now a tide of inferiority rose.
So she really is better than me…
Before she could respond, he added, "What you really want to ask is why she liked me, right?"
Mio waved both hands, forcing a bright smile. "Heh, that's not what I meant…"
He didn't give her the chance to backpedal. His deep black eyes held hers.
"People get hung up on 'worthy' or 'unworthy' because, at bottom, they lack strength themselves."
He pointed at her blue cami dress.
Caught in his gaze, she flushed; even her collarbones felt hot.
It was a dress she'd bought on her own—not expensive like the ones he'd bought—and she'd been too shy to wear it out, just posing at home before hanging it to gather dust.
But today, thinking of Hojo Shione and determined not to be out-shone in looks by the "current girlfriend," she'd put it on—hoping he'd look twice. He hadn't even mentioned it until now; she'd been disappointed.
Now that he did, a flicker of secret delight rose.
So he's not blind.
Kiyoya said evenly:
"You're pretty—and you know it—so you can wear this with zero hesitation, ignore the chatter, even think they're ignorant about fashion.
"But if your own strength isn't solid, you don't need others to say it—you'll think, 'It doesn't suit me,' 'I don't deserve it.'"
"In reality, I never felt inferior about dating Hojo Shione."
"…"
Hearing what was really about her, Mio's smile faded. Emotions tangled.
She clenched her fist and blurted, "Then why… date me? When you tell me to be a star, are you comparing me to her?"
There was a prickly note in her voice—like she needed to vent two days' worth of inner churn.
He wasn't surprised by the glimpse of her real feelings. "Compare? Why would I compare?"
Under his gaze, her throat went dry; words caught.
He watched her a moment, then seemed to get it.
"Like I said—you don't know how much potential you have.
"So when I say 'be a star,' you default to I can't, and pin it on 'he just wants to compare me to Hojo Shione'—which is a dumb idea."
Called "dumb" to her face, she flushed, biting her lip, eyes full of wounded reproach.
"Forget it. If you don't believe it, saying it a hundred times won't matter.
"If you think you can't, then stop thinking altogether."
"?"
She blinked. "What do you mean, stop thinking?"
"When the goal looks out of reach, people lose confidence. So don't start with 'become a star.'"
He tapped a finger gently to her brow.
"Don't think about whether you can. Just do what I tell you to do—and give it everything."
"One day you'll look up and find the dream is a single step away."
"So just trust me—like I chose you without hesitation."
Meeting the light in his eyes, Mio felt a sudden warmth. Something nameless rose in her chest.
...
After driving Mio home, Kiyoya sat alone in the car, thinking about the road ahead.
From their talk, he'd seen more clearly where her problem lay. He'd thought she was just a show-off, a center-of-attention girl with no plan—a bit of a fool.
He hadn't expected a deep seam of inferiority.
When she'd spoken just now, it was practically spilling from her eyes.
By rights, a girl as pretty as her should draw attention wherever she goes—no rival, no reason to be inferior…
He frowned, trying to parse her mindset. After a moment, he sighed.
So it really is because of Hojo Shione?
That fuse had blown her underlying issue wide open.
Tricky. She'd probably keep flinching until her name matched Shione's.
But not insoluble; handled well, it could even fire up her drive.
First, she had to feel her own talent.
Time to move the acting classes up the schedule…
Bzz bzz.
His phone buzzed. He checked the screen.
Caller: Hojo Suzune
A bad feeling prickled. After a moment's hesitation, he answered.
"Hello? What is it, Suzune?"
"Heeello? Brother-in-law~"
The drawn-out, tooth-achingly sweet voice made him roll his neck to shake off the goosebumps. "What is it?"
"I have huge good news for you!"
"…"
A sense of doom. He half wanted to hang up.
When he didn't reply, she giggled and barreled on:
"Brother-in-law, Sis agreed to let me visit you for my birthday!"
"Huh?"
He jerked upright, frowning. "She agreed?"
"Yup! She said it's dangerous alone, so when she goes back to school in a couple days she'll bring me along…"
"But don't worry, brother-in-law—Sis said she knows you don't want to see her, so she'll just take me over."
"…"