Two years ago, the city didn't look much different from now.
Shichen had already checked the relevant info, so as soon as he arrived at this point in time, he flew straight toward a certain building — the headquarters of a TV station.
"Yoimachi-san, don't you want to become even more famous?"
"What do you mean?"
Inside an office, there were only three people. A middle-aged man in a suit sat behind a desk, leaning back in his chair with arrogant ease, a smug smile on his face.
Standing in front of the desk was a very beautiful girl in a flashy outfit that looked like a stage costume. Her features were extremely delicate and youthful; she looked like she had just started high school. Long hair the color of silver-violet flowed down her back, and her eyes were the same striking shade — hypnotic to look at.
Behind her, a man in a suit stood slightly to the left, but his aura was worlds apart from the man behind the desk.
"Yoimachi-san, is just singing enough for you?" the man asked again, eyes raking over the girl in front of him.
Young, pretty, and with a great figure — she was making his hands itch.
"I can only sing. Being able to sing is enough," the girl answered, calm and even.
Clearly, she hadn't understood what he was really implying.
"Being able to sing is enough? Don't you want to get more famous? Don't you want better songs? Don't you want more people to love you?"
"…Is that possible?"
"Of course it is. We have the power to do that for you — easily, at that."
"Really?" A spark of interest flickered in the girl's eyes.
Even if all she really wanted was to sing, being famous, having fans — of course that sounded appealing.
"Of course it's real. Yoimachi Tsukino-san, you've got the potential," the man said, straightening up and lacing his fingers together on the desk.
"That's wonderful!" Yoimachi Tsukino broke into a bright smile.
"Don't get too excited yet. We're not going to pour resources into you for nothing."
"Don't worry, I'll work really hard at singing. I definitely won't let you down!"
"No, no, no. It's not about working hard. You only have to do one little thing."
"What… little thing?"
"Sigh, Yoimachi-san really doesn't understand anything, does she? But that's not necessarily a bad thing."
"What do you mean?" Yoimachi's brows knitted together. She suddenly felt the man's gaze growing more sinister.
Her agent had brought her here to "discuss work." She'd already been enduring that man's unrestrained stare for the sake of getting the meeting over with.
"Your agency really let you stay that pure?" The man looked past her at the agent standing behind.
"That's right. Our Yoimachi really hasn't experienced anything like this before," the agent said calmly.
"Oh? Never had a boyfriend?" The man raised his brows.
"No, she hasn't."
"That's fantastic," the man laughed.
"Um… you still haven't told me what I have to do," Yoimachi couldn't help pressing.
"Heh, in that case, I guess I won't beat around the bush. You should've at least heard how this industry works, right?"
"The industry?"
"It's simple. How about becoming my woman?"
"Eh?" Yoimachi froze.
"You don't know? I guess that figures — you just entered the business. What I mean is: as long as you sleep with me, I'll make you famous," he said bluntly, dropping all pretense.
"Sleep… with you? What are you talking about?" Yoimachi stared blankly, like she'd misheard.
"Heh. Yoimachi-san, you're not really expecting good things to just fall into your lap for free, are you? The world isn't a fairy tale."
"You… I…" Yoimachi instinctively turned to look at her agent.
"Yoimachi, that's how it is. This gentleman has taken a liking to you — that's your good fortune. As long as you keep him company, you'll get top-tier resources and become a star fast," the agent said flatly.
"Agent, you…" Yoimachi looked at him in disbelief.
He hadn't been like this before. He'd promised her that once she joined their agency, she could just sing to her heart's content.
That was all she knew how to do — sing.
How did it become like this?
Why was this person's mind so filthy? How could he be this disgusting?
"Yoimachi-san, this is perfectly normal. You're… unwilling?" the man asked, full of confidence.
"I…"
"What?"
"I won't." Yoimachi raised her voice and glared coldly at him.
"What did you say?" The man's face darkened.
"Sleeping with you is impossible. I won't do something like that," Yoimachi said firmly.
"Is that so? Then have you thought about the price?"
"Price? I don't care. I won't betray myself for fame and wealth."
"Betray yourself? Heh. Yoimachi-san, you're still too young."
"Of course I'm young! Goodbye." Yoimachi turned on her heel and walked out without hesitation.
"Yoimachi, if you walk out now, you'll regret it," the agent warned.
"I won't regret it!" Yoimachi said, and strode out of the office.
"Sir…" The agent looked back at the man, embarrassed.
"It's fine. Making a little girl give in isn't hard. Make sure she regrets it tomorrow."
…
"Phew—"
Once she stepped out of the TV station building, Yoimachi Tsukino finally breathed out. She'd almost thought she wouldn't be allowed to leave.
Thank goodness.
But that man really was disgusting — actually telling her to sleep with him.
How could she ever do something like that?
It just meant she probably wouldn't be able to sing anymore.
Even someone as naive as Yoimachi understood the situation now.
All she had was this one skill — singing. She had no idea what she could do from here on.
For a moment, she was completely lost.
"Want me to help you vent a little?"
A voice suddenly sounded in her ear.
"Eh?" Yoimachi jumped, hurriedly looking left and right — but saw no one.
"…Was I imagining things?"
"You weren't."
As the words fell, a person appeared right in front of her.
Yoimachi stared at the man who had suddenly materialized before her. Her first reaction wasn't surprise, but dazedness.
This was the first time she'd ever seen a man this good-looking, like someone from the entertainment world… or a prince from a fairy tale.
"What's wrong?" Shichen lifted a hand and waved it in front of her eyes.
"N-nothing… Who are you?" Yoimachi shook her head quickly, then asked.
"I thought I scared you. My name's Shichen," he said, smiling as he introduced himself.
"Shichen… What did you just do? How did you suddenly appear in front of me?" Yoimachi asked curiously.
"You're asking that first? You've got some guts. Aren't you afraid of me at all?" Shichen replied.
"With how you look, it's really hard to be scared," Yoimachi said, shaking her head.
"Is that so?"
"So… can you tell me who you are first?"
"Well… let's talk as we walk. This doesn't seem like a great place to chat."
"True."
The two of them picked a random direction and walked together. The street was empty, the night quiet. Yoimachi didn't feel afraid at all that he might do something to her.
"Can you talk now?" After a while, she asked again.
"Yeah… I'm basically here to help you get even."
"Help me… get even?" Yoimachi looked at him, confused.
"Mm. You were just treated like crap, right?"
Shichen had watched the whole scene. If he hadn't been worried about scaring her by suddenly appearing, he would've stepped in right then and there.
But now he felt he'd overthought it. Yoimachi didn't seem easily scared at all.
"How do you know that? You're not with them, are you?"
"Give me a break, I've got nothing to do with those guys. I just know a lot, that's all."
"Are you an angel?" Yoimachi suddenly asked.
"An angel?"
"Yeah. You can just appear out of nowhere, and you look so… divine."
"Heh, thanks for the compliment. But I'm no angel — just a kind passerby."
"A kind passerby… You're human?"
"I'd say so."
"What does 'say so' mean? What did you just do? Is this world not a normal world?" Yoimachi pressed.
"Your mind really goes places… But is this really what you should be focusing on right now?" Shichen cut her off, gently steering the topic away.
"What do you mean?"
"You were almost forced into 'paying' for favors just now. You're not afraid of that?"
"I would never let that happen. I'll never do something like that!" Yoimachi answered seriously.
"Impressive. I respect that. But you might not understand the consequences," Shichen said, shaking his head.
"Consequences? Isn't it just that I can't sing?"
"Sigh. You really are too naive. Been reading too many fairy tales?"
This version of her was… quite different from the Yoimachi he knew.
Maybe she still had a heart full of idealism — she hadn't yet been smashed around by reality.
"N-not that many…" Yoimachi said, a little embarrassed.
"You'll see what those people are really like tomorrow."
"Their true ugliness?"
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 220+ Chapters Ahead of Others!