I, Aki Tomoya, will not be a simp.

This reminded Aki Tomoya of the time when Kamigo Yoshihiko stood him up.

So, it's best not to look for that guy.

……

That evening, after returning to her dorm, Michiru Hyodo crawled into bed and took out her phone to contact her cousin, Tomoya Aki.

Her cousin, Michiru Himo, said she recently appeared on a television program and shared the news with everyone she knows.

Whether she's an idol or a singer, Michiru Hyodo isn't shy about being afraid of people who know her or caring about how they perceive her.

"Now is a great opportunity to ask me for an autograph, because I'll be getting busier and busier in the future!"

Michiru Hyodo was joking.

"..."

She's already a debuted artist, and she's a little proud of herself.

But how tough it is to be a newcomer is something that others can't understand.

At this moment, Michiru Hyodo had just managed to steal a little free time.

"By the way, has anyone asked you for an autograph?"

Aki Tomoya's question is a bit heartbreaking.

Upon seeing this reply, Michiru Hyodo stuck out her tongue.

"If Alan wants to be the first, I'll reluctantly sign an autograph for you. This is the first autograph, so keep it safe, and you'll be rich in the future!"

Can you offer free shipping?

If you can send the autographed photo free of charge, I might consider accepting it.

"Get out (ノ｀Д)ノ!"

Looking at her phone, Michiru Hyodo couldn't help but laugh and curse.

There's simply no way to have a friendly conversation with them!

You'll regret this in the future!

"I really hope so!"

"..."

So be it if he regrets it. If that day ever comes, it will prove that his relative has truly become a super popular celebrity.

Aki Tomoya's reply left Hyodo Michiru speechless.

When was the show you participated in?

"Ten o'clock tonight!"

The program was recorded a long time ago, and it was scheduled to be released today.

Immediately afterwards, Michiru Hyodo told him what variety shows the TV station had.

Although I haven't watched it yet, it has made Aki Tomoya look forward to it.

Having a relative who is an entertainer seems to make this a pretty good experience.

"It's better than having no resources at all..."

They've only been in the industry for a short time, so everything needs to be done gradually.

After that, as far as he knew, besides this TV program, they participated more in radio programs with very limited popularity.

The reason it's described as having "subtle" popularity is because it's not bad, but...

It's a long story.

Their debut single barely passed the mark, not to the point where their agency would abandon them, but given the current situation, their dream of becoming an overnight sensation is probably just a pipe dream.

My cousin, Michiru Hyodo, has had a career that's neither particularly good nor bad, which is a bit worrying.

Having gigs means having opportunities, but it's still very difficult to make a name for yourself solely through singing.

The agency's assessment of them was that they had talent, but they had all taken unorthodox approaches in the past, and systematic training was still necessary.

There is already an online fan club for icetail, but the number of members is pitifully small. As a way of supporting his relative, he became a zombie fan.

Therefore, whenever he chats with Michiru Hyodo, Tomo Aki never asks her how popular she is right now.

There are examples of people becoming famous overnight, but unfortunately, Michiru Hyodo and others are not such lucky ones. They can only take it slow, gradually build up their popularity, and eventually make a breakthrough.

Moreover, it's not so dire that nobody cares. At least the agency hasn't given up on them. On the bright side, their prospects are still pretty good.

Michiru Hyodo herself is quite optimistic about this. She has dreams, but she can't have too high expectations at this stage. Having the opportunity to sing is already very good.

"Everything is great, except the agency is really strict!"

"If your firm is like this, we don't need to worry about what kind of shady place you signed with."

"That's the truth..."

When she first signed the contract, the people who were most worried were her parents, and then her relatives.

What if I get scammed?

If you run into a shady agency, you'll be in big trouble if you get sold out.

Fortunately, the firm they worked for was a respectable place.

But precisely because of this, the competition is fierce, and not many resources will be allocated to these newcomers.

They have potential, but newcomers have no say; they have to wait in line, work harder than others, and be luckier.

The firm's rules must be followed; mistakes and problems cannot be tolerated.

Michiru Hyodo only has a very short time each day to secretly contact people outside the band and the agency.

Especially her relationships with men; her agency has consistently emphasized and strictly forbade her from dating.

"What I'm afraid of now is the agency finding out I was chatting with you. Even though we're relatives, you know what? In the eyes of our menopausal manager, only our dads don't count as women!"

The firm's strictness left Aki Tomoya speechless.

However, he could understand that making it in Japan was not an easy thing, especially for newcomers without any connections.

The firm is also known for its strict management.

"Then you should contact me less often in the future, otherwise it will affect you two."

Aki Tomoya replied earnestly.

Although he knew that she would chat with him in her spare time to have someone to confide in and to relieve stress, he was still a little worried that her agency would find out and she would be reprimanded.

"Just be careful and nothing will happen. I only have time to chat with others when I go back to the dormitory arranged by the firm to rest."

"Okay, you should get some rest. It's your first time on a show, I'll watch it."

"What you said makes me a little sleepy. Goodnight..."

Even though she was exhausted, she still watched the TV program she was participating in for the first time with the other members of the band before resting.

"Good night."

After that, Aki Tomoya waited until that time and then transferred to the TV station that Hyodo Michiru was talking about.

However, he waited for a long time but did not see Michiru Hyodo.

It was probably halfway through when Michiru Hyodo and her band members finally appeared.

They've been there for quite a while now, considering they're newcomers.

But it's also true that she has no presence.

On a TV show, presence is linked to popularity and variety show appeal.

Hyodo Michi left them there, which was only slightly better than being a passerby.

For their first appearance on a TV program, Aki Tomo couldn't say whether the result was good or bad; she could only say they had tried their best.

It wasn't too awkward.

Chapter 235 Are you going to stand me up too? (2/2)

The outlook is good, that's all Aki Tomoya could say about his cousin, Hyodo Michiru.

To kill time, Aki Tomoya waited for someone in a park in Shinjuku while listening to the only single the artist had released since his debut.

"Senior, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting!"

While listening to music with only one earphone, Aki Tomoya heard a familiar voice calling him from behind.

He turned around in surprise and saw a pretty girl with pigtails standing behind him.

She is a junior student at Toyonosaki Academy who is going out to sea from Hashima.

"Out to sea... Where's your brother?"

Today, she didn't come out to sea with Hashima, but rather she made a promise to meet with her brother, Hashima Iori.

"Is it not that I'm incapable?"