Chapter 64: I Want to Progress So Badly
With the Ishigami issue resolved, Hikaru Hoshino felt a wave of total relief wash over him.
This was a society ruled by law, after all, and he wasn't some polarizing political leader; he was just a singer. As long as he didn't run into another lunatic like Ishigami, his safety was more or less guaranteed.
Ai, however, was still in a precarious position. The idol profession was a magnet for "sasaeng" fans. Once a fanbase grows large enough, it inevitably becomes a mixed bag; no matter how small the percentage, there will always be delusional, fanatical stalkers. In fact, every danger Ai had encountered so far was linked to that specific demographic.
Hikaru had always disapproved of fanatical celebrity worship. Rational fans like Goro Amamiya or Sarina were one thing, but people who discarded their brains were terrifying—they were capable of absolutely anything.
Ai really needed a permanent bodyguard. It was a pity Rin Futamichi belonged to Xini Production. Directing her to do some freelance "side gigs" for extra cash was fine, but asking her to jump ship entirely was pushing it. Ai's safety should have been Ichigo Saito's responsibility, and Hikaru couldn't fathom why the man hadn't taken it seriously over all these years.
Perhaps from Saito's perspective, Ai was still safe—because Hikaru Hoshino had resolved every threat before it could touch her.
But danger requires prevention; waiting for a problem to occur is far too late.
Ai had returned to the film set, taking Aqua and Akane with her, leaving only Hikaru and Ruby at the hotel.
"Hey, hey... Ruby-chan."
Hikaru was sitting at his computer, fingers flying across the keyboard, when he suddenly spun around and looked at Ruby with a beaming smile.
Ruby shifted her bottom further back on the bed and crossed her arms.
"What? You're being creepy."
"Ahem." Hikaru cleared his throat. "I wanted to ask: Hoshino Ruby, what are your current thoughts?"
"As a guardian, I'm a bit concerned about your mental state, so I've come specifically for a consultation."
"What are you talking about? I don't follow." Ruby looked a bit sullen. "Also, I haven't acknowledged you as my dad, so stop acting like one on your own."
"Aqua, Akane, and Kana—the three of them are at the set right now, likely doing everything in their power to meet Gotanda's demands. This movie is special; few works give child actors this much screen time. Once it hits theaters, their fame will likely soar to the next level."
"Kana and Akane had already debuted before this, and Aqua has filmed with Gotanda before, so he has a little bit of recognition."
"They're about the same age as you, and your dream is also to enter the entertainment industry and become an idol like Ai."
Hikaru stared into Ruby's eyes until she guiltily averted her gaze.
"I'll just be blunt."
"Ruby, I'm afraid you're feeling a bit unbalanced inside."
"I'm not that petty..." Ruby insisted stubbornly. "Aqua is making fast progress, which is a good thing! I'm happy for him, so why would I feel un—"
As she spoke, her voice trailed off and she slumped dejectedly.
"Okay, maybe a little. I don't want to be left too far behind by Aqua and the others."
"We all agreed to go to school and study hard together, so why is everyone suddenly 'speedrunning' their careers?!"
The more Ruby thought about it, the angrier she got, rolling back and forth on the bed like a frustrated caterpillar.
"So, do you want to enter the industry?"
Hikaru's sudden question cut through Ruby's grumbling instantly, making her swallow all her complaints.
"Can I enter the industry too?" Ruby's voice was stammering.
"It's a bit too early to start acting, but you can participate in other activities. Japan has children's folk song competitions every year; I think you should give those a try. There are also various dance and talent competitions—piano, calligraphy, painting, you can try them all."
"Debuting as a child star too early isn't always the best choice. High popularity as a child doesn't guarantee a smooth sailing career when you grow up. From a long-term perspective, it's better to have skills to fall back on."
"These talents will come in handy once you become an idol. Plus, now is the perfect time—many of these require starting from a young age; it'll be too late if you wait until you're older."
Hikaru shrugged, laying out his plan for Ruby.
"So... I still have to study?" Ruby looked at him in disbelief.
How did they talk for so long only to end up right back at this topic?!
Meanwhile, Hikaru had already opened his notebook and started arranging a curriculum for her. "Dance is a mandatory course for idols. We can start with basic vocal training, and then you can pick one specific talent. What do you want to learn?"
"Violin? It seems cool and elegant... but piano is good too. If you learn guitar, I feel like you'll just end up getting dragged into a band..."
"Great." Hikaru nodded. "Let's put a pin in those for a second. Someone's looking for me, so I have to head out."
Takashi Kadomori had just messaged him on Line, saying the band had arrived and he needed to go rehearse with them.
Hikaru gathered his things and ducked into the bathroom. He flattened a stray tuft of hair on his head, tidied his appearance, and scrutinized himself in the mirror for half a minute before finally nodding and turning to leave with satisfaction.
The moment Hikaru stepped out, Ruby began rolling frantically from one end of the bed to the other.
"Aaahhh! I don't want to study!"
Hikaru suddenly popped back in, and Ruby froze instantly.
"What if the teacher is Ai?" he asked with interest, looking at the bundled-up Ruby.
"That... might be acceptable," Ruby answered instinctively. "Wait, why are you back?"
"To tell you that you can't neglect your schoolwork either."
"If your grades improve by the next exam, I'll write you a children's song and pull some strings to get you the 'Center' position in a choir. You'll be a hit instantly."
Ruby looked at Hikaru as if she were seeing a strange creature.
"Listen, do you have some kind of misunderstanding about Japanese kindergartens? Aqua and I are only four years old! Our kindergarten is just drawing, singing, and doing crafts. Most we do is learn simple numbers and Hiragana. Even though we're in a private one, it's only two extra English classes—we haven't even finished the ABCs! The 'exam progress' you're talking about literally doesn't exist!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Hikaru hadn't actually considered that. "Anyway, I'll write a song for you. Um, probably."
"This doesn't feel very reliable..."
Hikaru rubbed his nose and started to boast: "You don't think I'm going to write something like the 'Bell Pepper Exercise' for you, do you? You're underestimating me."
Ruby buried her head in the covers, her voice sounding muffled. "Then... I'll believe you just this once."
Hikaru walked over and ruffled Ruby's golden hair.
"You should keep believing me in the future."
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