01x02 - Third Option

[bunniefuu]

ANONYMOUS MAJOR IDOL GROUP

ADDITIONAL MEMBER AUDITION

Why don't you become an idol with me?

TOTAL APPLICANTS: 136,114

1ST SCREENING: APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

SELECT FILE

I LOVE IDOLS. THEY'RE LIKE FLOWERS

PASSED

(APPLICANTS: 1,288 PASS RATE: 1 IN 105,7)

2ND SCREENING: INTERVIEW

(AT 8 LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE)

IDOL GROUP MEMBER AUDITION

PENDING RESULTS

(PREVIOUS AUDITION PASS RATE: 1 IN 12,7)

MEGUROGAWA MIDDLE SCHOOL

To be honest, I'm pretty confident!

I wasn't qualified to apply last time,

so I waited two years for this audition!

Yeah! I bet you passed for sure!

Since you're cute

and good at dancing too, Ruby!

-Though your singing is, you know.

-"You know"?

But you're appealing enough

to cover up that flaw, Ruby!

"Flaw"?

Anyhow, I'm definitely gonna pass

this idol audition!

And one day,

I'll become a top idol like my mom.

My name is Ruby Hoshino.

I have two secrets

that I can't even tell my friends.

Over a decade ago, the legendary idol

who was m*rder*d by a cult fan stalker,

Ai, was my mother.

And one more.

The fact that I have memories

of my previous life.

My body was weak since birth, so

I spent most of that life in a hospital.

The only fun I could have

was with idol otaku activities.

And I was especially obsessed

with Ai from B Komachi.

Even in the last hours of my life,

Ai's singing voice

was echoing inside my head.

But the next time I woke up,

I was reborn as Ai's child.

Ai

Those couple of years until Mama died

are a treasure to me.

I will become like Mama!

It's okay to dream, but high school

entrance exams are around the corner.

You don't get it, Bro.

I'm gonna become an idol.

Schools with entertainment courses

prioritize interviews.

Academic skills are only for reference.

I don't have to study if I become an idol.

I can k*ll two birds with one stone!

Don't gamble your life away

with some tidbit you got somewhere.

You can dream of becoming an idol,

but being an idol is no glamorous dream.

Low pay is standard and

you'll have to retire before you're 30.

And your daily life will always

be under fan surveillance.

The industry survival rate's low

after idol graduation

and the majority shifts

to a different field in the end.

A job with the cost and benefit

being this mismatched is rare.

So what are you saying?

Life's about doing what you want!

If you worry about cost or benefit,

you can't do anything!

There are people who end their lives

not being able to do anything!

I don't want that!

Suit yourself.

I'm going to the director's place.

My brother has changed since Mama died.

He always has a glum face on

and never seems like he's having fun.

He's been up to something after

he began studying under the director,

but he won't tell me anything.

My brother isn't the only one who changed.

We lost contact with Mr. Ichigo

after that incident,

so Mrs. Miyako took over the business.

B Komachi, who lost their star Ai,

disbanded two years after.

The current Ichigo Production

has no idol division

so it extended its business to

managing internet personalities to get by.

Hey, aren't you ever going to make

another idol group?

It's not as easy as you say.

If I could, I would.

The dream Ai showed us was

an unforgettable experience.

1ST PLACE

YEARLY RANKING

But we need to think of that

as winning the lottery.

The longer I do this job,

the more I can tell.

That kind of miracle won't happen again.

Things usually don't go

that smoothly in real life.

Besides

Besides?

Uh.

Nothing. You should be getting your call

for your audition results soon.

If you pass, you've agreed

to join their agency, right?

They're a much proper agency than us.

Well, that is true, but

AUDITION

Speak of the devil.

Yes?

Am I speaking with Ms. Ruby Hoshino?

Yes, this is Hoshino!

Yes.

Yes.

Oh, I see.

Thank you.

Then we look forward

to your participation next time.

Ruby.

I didn't make it.

That's reality.

There are all kinds of business politics,

so you can't expect your talent

to be fairly evaluated.

Not everyone can be like Ai.

GOTANDA STUDIO

GOTANDA

Thanks, Director.

You can even fool your own twin sister,

so you're pretty good as an actor.

What if the real agency calls her?

I sent a text message from Ruby's phone

to the agency saying she'll withdraw,

and I blocked their phone number as well.

I know what I'm doing.

I don't understand you.

Why go that far

to crush your sister's dream?

That girl's a real beauty,

she may actually have a chance.

No need to tell me.

But I won't let Ruby become an idol.

I won't let her make

the same mistake that Ai made.

Ever.

You and your sister complex.

You're overprotective.

Just myself is enough.

I'll carry the plan out by myself.

You were scouted?!

Yup! But it's for those

so-called underground idols!

I think this must be destiny!

I've been eyeing underground idol

hiring ads for a while!

You know how Mama became an idol

from being scouted too?

So, don't you think

I'm being led down this path?

Are you sure that's really an idol group?

Not some shady job?

It's nothing like that.

Did you check what's in their contract?

He said he'll show me their concert soon

and that we'd go over the contract after.

Huh.

I'm so excited!

Jeez, what a pain.

I gotta find some way to stop her.

There you go again.

Because of Ai's case,

I can understand how you don't want your

beloved sister to follow in her footsteps.

Even I

still think about what it'd be like now

had I done something different back then.

I never want to feel like that again.

I raised Ruby

like she was my own daughter.

I swore I would protect her.

But because she's my daughter, I can't

stop Ruby from pursuing her dreams.

She's starting to look

more and more like AI.

And unfortunately,

she does have potential.

Either way,

she would've ended up this way.

Before we decide,

there's something I need to do.

I'm borrowing the agency's card.

What?

What are you going to do?

Hello!

Can I have a minute?

What is it?

I'm from here.

Oh, Ichigo Production?

You know us?

Yes, B Komachi's agency, right?

My mom was a fan!

Wow!

So this is Ichigo Production!

You're so young,

so I thought you were a recruiter

for a shady job.

This feels like a shady nightmare.

First off, I'm going to investigate

the group that Ruby was scouted to.

Since there's all sorts of

underground idols.

If they're a worthless management,

we won't even consider it.

We can talk about Ruby

becoming an idol or not after that.

Lala, you're currently working under

an agency called Yilibu, right?

Yes.

We'd like to offer you

a better set of conditions.

What kind of conditions

are you working under right now?

Um.

A small guaranteed minimum income

under the condition of doing all concerts.

And at the photo event after the concerts,

there's a commission based

on the number of photos taken.

That's our main income.

Then our outfit and various costs

are deducted from there.

Since transportation and makeup fees

are out of pocket too,

we don't make 100,000 yen

a month most of the time.

Hmm.

Any complaints about your current group?

Of course!

Management's pushing for this one girl,

but they over-favor her like crazy!

Why? Because apparently,

that girl's dating management.

Oh jeez.

It's not like she's good at singing.

Nor does she have a great face.

She steals other members' customers

by luring them to crush on her.

I'm doing this seriously,

but we can't become a hit

because of half-hearted management!

I feel nothing but bad vibes in the group,

and I sense some members quitting.

And I hear management

is scouting like crazy too.

If I can move to Ichigo Production

There are underground idol management

that have experience,

but there are many idol lovers who do it

as an extension of their hobby too.

Of course, we don't know

if that girl's story was even true.

Jealousy and conflicts between members

and complaints toward management

producing false rumors are common.

First of all, managing a group

of young girls is extremely difficult.

Even with B Komachi,

Ai was the most popular,

so favoritism was

Ugh, just the thought of it makes me sick.

Either way, we're not letting Ruby join

a group where rumors rise like that.

Then what are you going to do?

There's countless things. Like hire

a detective and expose them online

Don't make jokes like that.

It isn't a joke.

I don't intend on letting Ruby

become an idol.

At least not under a management

that isn't trustworthy.

By the way,

how about we really hire that girl?

You know we don't manage idols anymore.

Besides, I don't want to hire someone

who talks badly about her group members.

Please excuse me for the day.

Goodnight.

Ta-da! Hey, what do you think?

You look cute.

You gotta dress up on your important days!

-Ah, I'm so excited!

-She really does.

Ruby, you're serious, huh?

Yeah.

You do know that the world

you're about to enter is a tough place?

You may feel miserable

for not becoming a hit idol.

It's not just the salary,

your private life

I know! Aqua told me the same thing.

Even stalking is a common story

you'll hear about every day.

Despite that

Of course! I mean, I can become one.

I can finally become an idol too.

I swear I'll become just like Mama!

You're serious?

I'm serious!

Then do not join that group.

What? Why?

I want to seriously become an idol

If you're serious, then join our agency.

Ichigo Production will launch a new idol

group for the first time in over a decade.

Stamp your seal here on the binding.

Seal on the binding?

I don't really understand,

but I just stamp here?

EXCLUSIVE CONTRAC

HOSHINO

Okay, now you are an artist

belonging to Ichigo Production, Ruby.

If you do anything bad, I'll sue you.

That's super scary.

It's not a joke, okay?

This is also a necessary step

to enter the entertainment course,

so don't get mad, Aqua.

I'm not exactly against it.

GOTANDA STUDIO

GOTANDA

Aqua, welcome!

Is the director awake?

He's sleeping, but you can go ahead

and slap him awake.

Do you want to eat with us again?

No, don't mind me.

Oh, you're here.

Good morning.

Edit this, so it looks good.

Roger.

I'm still a middle school student.

I'm not old enough for a job,

so I can't gain experience on set.

That's why I'm working

under the director as his pupil,

helping him with film production.

I see.

So your sister's gonna go down

the path of an idol after all.

You're okay with it? As her brother?

Rather than having her become an idol

in some group from who-knows-where,

she'll be in safe hands

if her management is family.

Brother and sister both choose

the path of entertainment, huh?

Not both.

My goal is to work backstage now.

Weren't you gonna become an actor again?

You're applying to

your sister's school, right?

Only Ruby's taking the entertainment

course. I'm taking the general.

When you came to study under me,

you looked like

you definitely wanted to become an actor.

For me, becoming an actor

is just a stepping stone.

To find the guy who put Ai to death.

To find my father to give him

a taste of the pain Ai went through.

Oddly enough,

the key to finding him is myself.

I should be able to identify him

through DNA testing his hair or saliva.

But in order to do that,

I need to get to a position where

I can interact with those in showbiz.

Becoming an actor

is the fastest way for that,

but if I just need to be in showbiz,

I can just work as an AD or backstage.

Although they were minor roles, I can tell

after performing in a few of your works.

I don't have a talent for acting.

I was just one of the many

struggling actors out there

who try hard but can't get anywhere.

I don't have

a special skill of my own like Ai did.

I shouldn't aim for a goal

that's beyond my abilities.

If a kid doesn't dream, who will?

Even as a college student, it'd still be

too early to give up on your dreams.

Listen,

here's some advice from a middle-aged guy

chasing his dream for 20 years.

I'm only gonna say it once, so listen up.

Everyone has a right to dream.

Same with the lottery, you'll n

Taishi! The food's ready!

M-Mom! I was giving a really nice talk,

so don't interrupt us!

How was I supposed to know that?!

If I waited,

the miso soup would've gotten cold!

I'll come over once we finish talking!

There was a time

when I was struggling just like you.

-Oh, my!

-But

Look at all this mess here! Gosh!

Will you just hurry and go?!

Honestly, this child!

Hey, you're already in your mid-forties,

why don't you leave the nest soon?

There's no benefit to leaving

your parent's house if it's in the city!

There's actually a ton of guys like me!

It's typical in the creative field!

Anyway, you'll never win the lottery

if you don't buy a ticket. You need

The words of a man living in

his childhood room doesn't sink in.

There was a time

when I believed I had talent like Ai.

But I couldn't become like Ai

Ai this, Ai that!

Shut up, you sound like a pirate.

It's true Ai was incredible.

Maybe she really was a special person.

But you can never become Ai,

and Ai can never become you.

Did Ai ever have the filmmaking skills

like you have right now?

Did she have a brain like you?

Don't chicken out just from

being defeated one or two times.

Say that type of thing after you use

all the resources you have first.

It's way too early for you

to be acting like an average person.

You wanna be an actor, right?

It's written on your face.

And maybe Aqua might be an actor?

Hey, Director.

Hm?

I

Aqua, you'll eat here, right?

I'll go and serve your rice already!

Mature Baby was just about to

say something good right now!

Don't come in!

How could I have known?!

This is Youtou High School.

It's a six-year secondary school

with a rare entertainment course.

But not everybody can take this course.

A certificate proving you belong

to a talent agency is required.

I'm Ruby Hoshino from Ichigo Production!

GENERAL COURSE INTERVIEW HALL

I'm Aquamarine Hoshino

That's some name you have

A standardized score of 70?!

Our school is recommended for

those who score around 40

I was drawn to your spirit.

You were drawn

to our school spirit that much?!

MEDICAL SCHOOL GRADUATE

How was it?

Probably okay. And you?

No problems.

If by some chance I don't get in,

it'd be because of my name.

That's true, your real name is

Aquamarine Hoshino after all.

Though everybody just shortens it

and calls you Aqua.

Aqua?

Hm?

Aqua Hoshino?!

Aqua! Aqua?

You're Aqua Hoshino?!

Who were you again?

Oh, isn't she that kid?

The genius child actress

who licks baking soda.

The genius child actress

who can cry in ten seconds!

We were cast in a film together!

I'm Kana Arima!

Ah, long time no see.

You were in the entertainment course here?

I'm so glad.

I thought you quit for the longest time.

I finally got to see you.

Are you taking

our entertainment course?! Are you?!

No, I applied for the general course.

Why?!