I owe Reiji everything for saving me. That's when I realized I love him. I know Fubuki, Sora, and others feel the same, and the competition's fierce. But I won't lose—I'm Haachama, the ultimate idol! I'll be worthy of Darling someday!
Flashback: Two Years Ago, a Park
Flop… flop…
"…Ugh… I-I can't… go on…" Collapse.
Back then, I, Tsunomaki Watame, had defied my parents to become a bard. I loved singing and wanted to share it with the world.
But my parents didn't get it. They wanted me, the eldest Tsunomaki daughter, to take over their ranch. I hated that—having my dream denied for a job I didn't want.
So, I ran away, half-homeless, to chase my dream as a bard. But it was reckless. I slept in parks and riverbeds, earning money from street performances. It couldn't last—my funds ran dry, I barely ate, and I collapsed from exhaustion.
As my consciousness faded, I thought, Should I have just taken over the ranch? Was my dream pointless?
"Hey, you okay?! Hang in there!" a voice called.
Someone's worried about me? I passed out, touched that anyone cared about a mess like me.
"…Ugh… where am I?" I groaned, waking up.
"Hey, you're awake!" a man said.
I wasn't in the park anymore but in a house, wearing oversized pajamas instead of my tattered clothes. A stranger stood before me.
"Uh, where's this…?" I asked.
"Sorry for the shock. This is my sister's place. I found you collapsed in the park and brought you here since it was close," he explained.
He'd saved me. His sister changed my clothes, and they fed me, saving my life. Then…
"I knew you from your street performances, but I didn't know the backstory," he said.
"You… knew me?" I asked.
"Yeah. I was actually heading to the park to make you an offer, but I didn't expect you to be starving and passed out," he said.
So embarrassing… /// Collapsing from hunger isn't normal. /// What offer?
"Anyway, straight to the point: interested in being an idol?" he asked.
"An idol?" I blinked.
"Yup. I'm a staff member at Hololive, an idol agency. We're scouting for the fourth gen," he said.
Hololive?! The world-famous agency for singers and dancers? This guy's a staff member?!
"Me, a Hololive idol?!" I gasped.
"I saw your street performance. Your voice and joyful smile? You've got what it takes to be a top idol. Wanna try?" he said.
At first, I thought he was a scammer, but he'd saved me, praised my singing, and offered me a chance. My efforts weren't meaningless. Tears welled up.
"Hey, what's wrong?!" he asked, startled.
"I… I thought my singing was pointless… but someone saw me…" I sobbed, diving into his chest.
He didn't say anything, just patted my head to calm me. It felt so comforting.
After that, I worked to become an idol. He convinced my parents to support my dream, though they said not to return until I was a world-class idol. They cheered me on when I left, all thanks to Sasaki Reiji.
That's why I love him. I call him "Boss" because his name's a bit embarrassing, but someday, I'll say "Reiji" without blushing.
Back to the Present
After my shower, I calmed down and got ready for bed. Today was exhausting…
"Darling, sleeping already?" Haachama asked.
"Yeah, I'm beat. You two lay out your futons and sleep," I said, then felt arms wrap around me. "Haachama?"
What's with the sudden hug? She's always unpredictable, but today's on another level.
"Darling, I have a request," she said.
"What's that?" I asked.
"…Hold me and Watame," she said.
?! "What the hell are you saying?! I can't do that!" I yelped. Messing with idols?!
"You did it with Mel and Choco, didn't you?" she countered.
"How do you—?!" I stammered.
"They were glowing the other day, so we grilled them. They said you 'loved' them," she explained.
Those two blabbed?! And for the record, they jumped me!
"I know you didn't start it," Haachama said. "But when a girl hears the guy she loves was with someone else, she gets anxious. So please, just for tonight, love us."
"Even if you're okay with it, Watame—" "I'm fine with it too," Watame interrupted, blushing as she approached… also naked.
"I wanna be with you too, Boss… my love. We're serious, so take the hint~///" Watame said.
"Heehee~♪ Darling, we're ready. Gonna make us look bad?" Haachama teased.
"Uh, I-I…" I stammered. What do I do?!
"It's okay, Darling. We want this," Haachama said.
"Fall with us, Haachama and Watame~♪"
"Sorry, but what happens next can't be written in this novel. No way, no how!! —Kagura"
The Next Day
…I messed up. I got swept up and did it again with Hololive idols. If this gets out, I'm dead meat.
"Hey, Haachama! I'm picking this one!" Watame said, rummaging through my Gunpla stash.
"Nice choice~♪ I'll go with this~♪" Haachama replied.
They're acting like nothing happened, casually digging through my kits. How do they switch gears so fast? I'm the only one freaking out!
"What's wrong, Darling? Still hung up on last night?" Haachama asked.
"Of course! I messed with my agency's idols!" I said.
"Boss, stop it. We wanted you—it's not your fault," Watame said. "Right, Haachama?"
"Yup~♪ We just wanted you to know how we feel. Now let's build Gunpla to chill, okay?" Haachama said.
Chill? I'm a wreck, but she's right—I need to calm down. Gotta figure out how to tell the boss… Sigh.
Haachama picked the RG Sinanju, and Watame chose the RG Unicorn Gundam, both popular kits from Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn.
RG Unicorn Gundam
RG Sinanju
From Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. The Unicorn has two modes: Unicorn Mode, which doesn't look like a Gundam, and Destroy Mode, where its psycho-frame glows, unleashing immense power but taxing the pilot. Sinanju, dubbed the "Red Comet's successor," resembles Sazabi's heir, but I don't know much about it yet. I'm catching up on Unicorn via streaming.
The parts are cleaned in the ultrasonic cleaner, so it's time to paint. What's their plan?
"I saw this 'candy coating' thing and wanna try it~♪" Haachama said.
"Me too!" Watame added.
Candy coating? That's time-intensive. I know the process but haven't tried it on Gunpla. We've got time, so let's do it.
"Start with the base—black primer," I said.
"Why black, Boss? Isn't white primer fine?" Watame asked.
"White works, but black makes metallics pop and adds depth. Different primers suit different purposes for better results," I explained.
They applied black primer, let it dry, and moved to painting.
"Next, layer silver gradually. Don't slather it on—the clear coat later can overpower it and dull the color," I said.
"Got it~♪" they replied.
They layered silver carefully. I remember thinking that's a lot of layers watching tutorials, but it's key for that glossy candy finish.
The Next Day
After drying the silver, they moved to clear coats—Haachama with clear red, Watame with clear yellow and orange layers.
"Apply the clear coat lightly, just enough to see color. Repeat three or four times. That's the trick for a clean finish," I said.
"Ugh, candy coating's such a hassle~," Watame groaned.
"But it makes it special! Let's do this~♪" Haachama cheered.
Watame's grumbling, but Haachama's all in. She's weirdly good at meticulous tasks, but her cooking's a nightmare…
"Finally, add an even clear coat, dry it, and finish with gloss coat," I said.
""Got it~♪"" they replied.
Almost there—keep it up, you two.
Completion
"Done! Fully dried and finished," I said.
"Yay! Haachama's custom Sinanju, kyahaha~♪" Haachama cheered.
"My Unicorn Gundam came out great~♪" Watame added.
They're thrilled with their first candy coating. Looking at their Sinanju and Unicorn, I'm tempted to try it on my Earthree next.
"Thanks for hanging with us, Darling~♪" Haachama said.
"Had a blast with you, Boss. Thanks~♪" Watame added.
Despite… that, their innocent smiles ease my guilt a bit. But I still messed up. Gotta report this to the boss—hope I just get fired.
Later, I confessed to the boss about the four Holomems. She just told me to respect their feelings—no punishment. Is our company okay with this?!
Bonus: After Summer Break
"Morning! Let's check today's schedule…" I said.
"Hey, Rei-kun, can we talk?" Shirakami Fubuki asked.
"Fubuki? Don't you have dance lessons—?" I started, then froze. "Uh…"
"Doesn't matter. Come here, now," she said, her voice icy, a menacing aura radiating. Rumble rumble…
She's pissed. And most of the Holomems here look furious too. This can't be good…