"...I had no idea you'd also opened a VIP one-on-one coaching session as part of the WorkShop."
It was finally lunchtime, and Kitagawa Ryo leaned against the wall of the break room, feeling like his voice was about to give out from overuse.
"Let me clarify—that was all Kitagawa Susumu's doing."
Toshirou Kindaichi handed Ryo a bottle of water and patted his shoulder in explanation.
"He didn't even warn me beforehand. Does he not realize how risky this is? Tsk…"
Ryo gulped down a few mouthfuls of water and wiped the droplets from his lips. He had initially thought it would just be a couple of group classes, but to his surprise, Kitagawa Susumu had gone all out, adding VIP one-on-one coaching sessions under Ryo's name. Each thirty-minute session was being sold for a staggering 50,000 yen.
It was one of the worst cash grabs imaginable. If not handled properly, it could seriously damage Ryo's reputation and popularity.
"But everyone who came out of those sessions seemed pretty satisfied. Did you teach them some kind of secret technique to become the king of the stage or the next big star?"
Ryo just smirked coldly:
"They're smiling because they weren't there to learn acting in the first place. Most of them just want to use theater as a stepping stone to break into the film industry."
At its core, the theater world is part of the entertainment industry. Many famous actors started out as theater performers, which is why so many aspiring actors choose to join theater troupes for foundational training.
As one of the oldest and most audience-engaged art forms, theater performance is far more refined than film and TV acting, which only gained popularity after the widespread adoption of television. Making a name for yourself in theater is, in a way, proof that your stage presence, physicality, delivery, and mental fortitude have reached a certain level.
"Honestly, this batch of WorkShop participants doesn't seem to have much potential."
"Compared to them, I'd even say that girl, Hoshino Ai, is decent. At least she was a complete novice two months ago."
Ryo propped his head on his hand, lightly tapping the table with a tired expression:
"I remember you mentioned she's also from an orphanage."
"Yes, but her situation is different from yours."
Kindaichi stroked the uneven stubble on his chin and explained:
"Hoshino was from a single-parent family. Her mother was imprisoned for theft when she was young, so she was temporarily placed in an orphanage. But after her mother was released, she never came back for her. She just disappeared."
"No wonder…"
Ryo muttered to himself, then turned to Kindaichi:
"Hey, old man, have you noticed something?"
"That girl, Hoshino Ai—she has a self-destructive streak."
"I always thought she seemed pretty cheerful…"
Ryo shook his head. He interlaced his fingers and rested his chin on them as he spoke:
"Acting is the art of radiating yourself outward."
"How should I put it? I watched her performance this morning. While her external delivery was fine, it felt hollow."
"Hoshino Ai seems to have realized this too. She's been trying to fill that void with something."
Ryo recalled the scene from earlier that morning.
To gauge the newcomers' current skill levels, he had randomly assigned a passage from Shakespeare's The Tempest as an impromptu performance piece.
It was the scene where the heroine, Miranda, passionately confesses her love:
"If you will marry me, I'll be your wife."
"If not, I'll die your maid. You may deny me as your partner, but whether you will or not, I'll be your servant."
For girls of this age, even saying "I like you" can make their hearts race. Lines about love and romance, especially when performed in front of Kitagawa Ryo and others, are even more daunting.
Many of the girls who usually had solid fundamentals stumbled through their lines, let alone conveying the fiery passion of love.
But Hoshino Ai pulled it off effortlessly.
There wasn't a trace of shyness on her face. She spoke as if she were reciting something she'd said a thousand times before, confidently delivering the entire passage.
That wasn't Miranda from The Tempest—it was Hoshino Ai on stage.
As a theater performance, it was undeniably a failure.
But as an idol? Not so much.
Because in that moment, Hoshino Ai had captured the attention of everyone in the practice room.
Ryo looked up. Though it was embarrassing to admit, when Ai said to him, "If you will marry me, I'll be your wife," his heart had genuinely skipped a beat.
"B-Komachi from Ichigo Pro… when's their debut live performance?"
Ryo asked Kindaichi, hesitating slightly:
"Get me a ticket."
"You met Kitagawa Ryo? Did you get a photo with him?"
Unlike the relaxed Hoshino Ai, who was happily sipping her matcha Frappuccino, Ichigo Saitou was visibly excited, leaning so far forward he was almost on the table.
"Of course I met him. He even gave me a private coaching session for half an hour."
"As for the photo, here, take a look."
Ai pulled up a photo on her phone and waved it in front of Saitou.
"A private coaching session?"
Saitou gulped audibly, his ever-present sunglasses sliding down his nose in shock:
"I heard those sessions cost 50,000 yen each."
"Oh? So I basically hit the jackpot?"
Ai cheerfully flashed a "V" sign and stuck out her tongue playfully.
"This is perfect for promotion… especially with your debut live coming up… No, I need to go back and revise the plan immediately."
As if struck by inspiration, Saitou shot up from his seat and began heading for the door, calling back to Ai:
"I've already paid the bill. Make sure to head back soon—no wandering around."
"Yes—"
Ai deliberately drew out the word, waving as Saitou left.
Over the past two months, Hoshino Ai had grown quickly. She had learned to use lies to disguise and embellish herself, including tricks to make herself appear cuter.
When accidentally bumping into someone, even if it didn't hurt, she would clutch the affected area and softly complain, "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…" She learned to use repetitions or draw out her words in conversations. A well-timed wink or sticking out her tongue could also work wonders…
But the most effective tip from the article How to Make Yourself Cuter was something Ai couldn't bring herself to do.
"Fall in love. Girls become cuter when they're in love. They start paying more attention to their makeup and outfits. The affection that radiates from within makes them shine and draws people to them."
But for the Hoshino Ai of the past, this was a complete paradox.
Because back then, she had never loved anyone, nor had she been loved by anyone.
Two months ago, Ai had dismissed this idea without a second thought.
But now, she had realized the power of lies.
By convincing herself that she could love, Ai had reached a point where she could say words like "I love you" or "I like you" without hesitation.
She genuinely looked forward to the day she would debut as an idol, saying these lines she had practiced countless times to her fans and receiving their love in return—until her lies became reality.
But if that were the case, then "falling in love to make yourself cuter" was no longer a paradox.
She just had to deceive herself into liking someone.
However, Saitou had repeatedly emphasized one rule:
Idols cannot date.
Ai gulped down the last of her drink, tilting the cup to get every last drop.
At that moment, a conversation she'd had with Saitou two months ago flashed through her mind.
"Child stars have it easy. They can say they like someone without any issues."
"After all, they're just kids."