After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

"By the way, Ms. Junda Mana, what brings you here this morning?"

After eating just one donut, Hachiman Kairin couldn't help but let out a voice.

She was now completely certain that Junda Mana had not come to visit simply this morning.

The fact that she always mentions Mitsuka Hatsuka, whether intentionally or unintentionally, is enough to prove that the popular idol sitting across from her at the coffee table is hiding something.

Yawata Kairin did not believe that Toyokawa Yuu could not see this.

However, as Ave Mujica's manager, it was he who negotiated the specifics of lending Sumimi Mikami to Ave Mujica.

In Hachiman Kairin's opinion, even if the other party was hinting at this intentionally or unintentionally, Toyokawa Yuu was not in a good position to respond.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have fallen silent after a few simple pleasantries, only responding twice when Junda Mana spoke.

Since that's the case, rather than letting Yuu Toyokawa be caught in the middle and intentionally or unintentionally squeezed out, it's better to bring up the topic herself.

"Doloris should be in class right now. If you need to talk to her about anything, I can tell her when I go to the school later."

"No need, no need. Although Xiao Chu has been focusing her work on Ave Mujica lately, I can still contact her by phone if I need anything."

Upon hearing Hachiman Kairin's question, Junda Mana immediately shook her head, her expression somewhat innocent, yet also conveying a sense of sudden realization that she had finally remembered the important matter.

And, the surprise of learning that the bassist of Ave Mujica actually went to the same school as her partner.

"Oh, so you and Hatsumi go to the same school. Could you please give this box of donuts to Hatsumi for me?"

Taking a small cardboard box out of her handbag, Junda Mana looked at Hachiman Kairin with pure surprise and a plea in her eyes.

There was also a slight worry about his partner.

"Xiao Chu must be exhausted lately. After attending the Sumimi event, she didn't talk much and sat alone in her seat looking preoccupied. She left work in a hurry as soon as it was time to go home... I secretly bought this box of donuts behind Lena's back. I want Xiao Chu to eat them to rejuvenate."

"...Ms. Junda Mana and Dolores are really close. Leave it to me."

When asked to do this by such a lively and popular idol in such a sincere and serious tone, even Hachiman Kairin didn't know how to respond for a moment, and she never expected that the other party would actually take such a simple polite request seriously.

In the end, she had no choice but to accept the small box containing the donuts and nodded gently.

This also means that her original plan to spend the whole day at the agency with Yuu Toyokawa has fallen through.

"After all, Sumimi is two people in one, and also..."

After confirming that Yawata Kairin had accepted the box of donuts, Junda Mana's smile became even brighter before she turned her gaze to Toyokawa Yuu beside her.

This time, however, her eyes were much more serious, no longer as if she were sneaking over under the guise of a visit.

“Mr. Yuyu, Lena wants to talk to you about something at work. She originally planned to come by herself, but since Ave Mujica and Sumimi have been working together for so long, I also wanted to get to know you, so I came on Lena’s behalf.”

Although strictly speaking, today is the first time that Yuu Toyokawa and Mana Junda have met, Yuu Toyokawa is no stranger to Lena-nee, whom she refers to.

That was Sumimi's agent, a woman who was quite skilled in business, and had been in frequent contact with Yuu Toyokawa regarding the collaboration between Ave Mujica and Sumimi.

Moreover, it is quite obvious that the other party is actually quite unhappy with Ave Mujica's act of "borrowing" Hatsune Miku from Sumimi.

After all, although Sumimi is currently the most popular idol group, to be blunt, the golden age of idols is only a few years. The fact that they are still on the rise despite their current success is all the more precious.

Yuu Toyokawa could even imagine how high the manager's blood pressure must have been when Shoko Toyokawa borrowed Hatsune Miku from Sumimi.

However, out of respect for the opinions of the two parties involved in Sumimi, and for some reasons that are not for the girls to know, they did not have a direct conflict with him.

Even so, the relationship between the two teams' agents was far from harmonious.

Yuu Toyokawa probably already had a guess about what would happen if they suddenly came knocking on her door today.

"Oh, so that's what it is. Ms. Lena had spoken to me about it before. After all, the collaboration between the two bands will be a long-term project, and there are still many things to negotiate. Originally, I was planning to find a time nearby to hold another meeting. Thank you for coming all the way to inform me, Ms. Junda Mana."

Although I and Sumimi's manager have had many disagreements over the allocation of Hatsune Miku's time over the past period, it was ultimately just a matter between the managers. Everyone tacitly kept those clashes confined to the meeting room, so as not to affect the members' mentality.

Ultimately, isn't this what managers do? If band members and idols underperform on stage because of such trivial matters, then that's an unforgivable dereliction of duty for the manager.

"I'll head over now. I imagine Miss Lena has already prepared tea and is waiting for me. Miss Junda Mana, please enjoy this men's breakfast treat."

“Wait, Mr. Youyu, I’ll go with you.”

Although Yuu Toyokawa never brought the disputes between his managers into the office, as his deputy, Kairin Hachiman was still able to detect some clues through some of the work she handled.

Now that Sumimi's manager is going to meet with Yuu Toyokawa, she doesn't even need to look into it to know what will happen.

In the past, Hachiman Kairin would certainly not have worried about Toyokawa Yuu's abilities, since he had always handled the affairs of the band very well.

But things are different now. With Mutsumi Wakaba absent, maintaining the band's normal operation requires more effort, and Yuu Toyokawa is gradually reaching her limit under the pressure.

If something goes wrong at Mitsuba Chuka at this time...

Hachiman Kairin didn't want to find out that her nightmare had come true the very next day, when she had just worried last night about the risk of the band collapsing due to the overwhelming pressure on Toyokawa Yuu.

Moreover, Toyokawa Yuu hadn't even had breakfast, so how could we let him go through a fight in that state?

However, Hachiman Kairin also understood that Toyokawa Yuu, who was always responsible in her work, would not normally allow members like herself to get involved in negotiations between managers.

So... she needs to find someone to go with her to sit in on the proceedings.

With the involvement of members from both sides, the two agents will likely exercise some restraint even if they have a disagreement.

"Miss Junda Mana, would you like to come along too?"

Hachiman Kairin turned her gaze to Junda Mana beside her, her emerald eyes filled with a certain plea... and confidence.

After all, I just agreed to help her out, so I figured I should reciprocate and Ms. Junda Mana wouldn't refuse.

However, to Hachiman Kairin's surprise, Junda Mana refused her request without even thinking.

"No, you can't, Hailin-chan. Interfering in the managers' work without permission will only cause them trouble."

Junta Mana, who had just peeled the onsen egg from her lunchbox and was about to put it in her mouth, was startled by Hachiman Kairin's words and almost dropped the peeled egg on the table.

She quickly crossed her arms in front of her to show her determination to refuse. For the first time, a hint of surprise, even fear, appeared in Junda Mana's lively and innocent eyes.

Xiao Chu never told me that the atmosphere inside Ave Mujica is so lax.

If it gets out that members are interfering in their manager's work, the company will hold them accountable, as this falls outside their respective areas of authority.

If a member is someone who brings their own investment to the group or has a high enough profile—like her, or even Ms. Toyokawa Shoko from Ave Mujica—they might be able to influence or sway the manager's decisions to some extent.

But that would mess up the work atmosphere, and Junda Mana generally wouldn't want to do that.

But Miss Hachiman Kairin doesn't fit either of those criteria.

Junda Mana cast a surprised glance at Toyokawa Yuu, her confusion evident in her eyes.

Are you just going to spoil your team members like this?

Junda Mana seemed to understand why her partner kept thinking about Ave Mujica every day.

"But......"

Surprise and shock were felt not only by Junda Mana, but also by Hachiman Kairin, who had extended the invitation.

Her gaze darted back and forth between Junda Mana, whose face was filled with disbelief, and Toyokawa Yuu, who sighed slightly as if something could no longer be hidden. Hachiman Kairin's emerald eyes widened slightly, as if something beyond her comprehension had just happened.

If you help someone in one way, then in return, the other person should make certain concessions to you in another way. Isn't that a matter of course?

At least in Ave Mujica, that's how I and Yuu Toyokawa have always gotten along.

Why did this seem to Junda Mana like something incredibly unbelievable, something that should absolutely not be crossed under normal circumstances?

Looking at Hachiman Kairin, who seemed to be on her first day at work, Junda Mana seemed to realize something, and her originally lively gaze couldn't help but carry a hint of sympathy when she looked at Toyokawa Yuu.

Is this how you interact with the members of Ave Mujica as their manager...? You must be exhausted.

In response to Junda Mana's sympathy, Toyokawa Yuu returned a slightly grateful look.

Well done, Miss Donut.

"No need to say anything more, Hailing. Go to school after you finish breakfast. The weather is quite hot now, and the donuts will spoil if left for too long. Get them to Dolores as soon as possible."

Standing up from the sofa, Toyokawa Yuu took a folder from her desk drawer, seemingly having no intention of taking Hachiman Kairin with her.

Just before opening the office door, Yuu Toyokawa paused, her gaze passing over Utsugi Hachiman, who sat on the sofa looking somewhat dazed, before settling on Mana Junda.

"Also, Ms. Junda Mana, I hope you enjoy this extra breakfast."

“Mana seems to be enjoying her meal. But Mr. Yuu, you don’t need to address me so formally. Just call me Mana.”

Yuu Toyokawa waved his hand, and Mana Junda's eyes narrowed into slits.

......................................................

In a conference room inside the agency, when Yuu Toyokawa pushed open the door with a folder, she found that, as expected, someone was already waiting.

There was no tea on the table, only a folder, and a composed professional woman sat quietly at the table.

She wore a gray-white women's work suit with her name tag pinned to her chest; the words "Sumimi's Agent" immediately caught the eye.

"Good morning, Ms. Lena. It seems I'm not late."

Sitting down opposite the female agent Lena, Toyokawa Yuu put down the folder she had brought and looked at her across the table.

Judging from their familiar tone, this wasn't the first time the two had interacted.

"Good morning, Mr. Yu Yu. I was supposed to be the one to inform you that there was a meeting, but Mana seemed very interested in Ave Mujica and took the initiative to do it. I was the one who agreed, so there was no problem with being late for this meeting."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the woman named Lena got straight to the point, without any beating around the bush.

Her concise and efficient demeanor exudes the competence of a professional, making even Hachiman Kairin feel inferior.

“Mr. Yu Yu, I’ll be frank. We request that Triangle Chuhua shift its main focus back to Sumimi for the foreseeable future. The time allocation between the Sumimi and Ave Mujica teams needs to be switched.”

She didn't open the folder in her hand. For Ms. Lena, the contents were already familiar to her, and she didn't need the papers tucked inside as prompts.

Taking the documents was simply out of respect for the other party's agent and for the purpose of handing over work later.

"In the past period of time, Hatsuka's activity time in Sumimi has been seriously insufficient. Although Mana has also started to accept some solo activities, Sumimi is, after all, a duo idol group."

Ms. Lena slightly raised her head, placed her hands on the table, rested her elbows on the tabletop, and supported her chin with her palms.

Half of the square-framed glasses he wore on his head were covered with blurry spots of light, while the other half allowed one to easily perceive the sharp gaze emanating from the translucent lenses.

Ms. Lena's tone was not aggressive, nor even smug; her businesslike coldness made it sound like a simple notification.

The only warm moment came when she initiated the conversation, proactively stating that she had allowed Junta Mana to go to Ave Mujica's office and that she hadn't been late for the meeting.

"Hatsuka's long absence will not only affect Sumimi's activity schedule, but will also generate some bad rumors... [Sumimi may disband] Such rumors have already begun to spread without us realizing it, and Mana is very sad about this."

After saying this, Toyokawa Yuu could keenly sense that Ms. Lena's words carried a hint of relief.

For some time now, due to Hatsune Miku's own wishes, Junda Mana's leniency, and some reasons from higher authorities, Ms. Lena has been in a weak position in her negotiations with Toyokawa Yuu.

After all, when Hatsune Miku joined Ave Mujica, Yuu Toyokawa had not yet become the band's manager.

The person who negotiated with Ms. Lena at that time was Toyokawa Shoko.

As for who was standing behind Toyokawa Shoko, she could deduce a thing or two just from their surnames, not to mention that someone had specifically greeted her.

In contrast, Toyokawa Yuu in front of me doesn't put that much pressure on me.

Now, although there was no hint of pride in her words or attitude, Ms. Lena couldn't help but feel a sense of triumph, along with a slight feeling of relief.

Although it's unclear why those big shots suddenly changed their stance, this should allow Hatsuka and Mana's idol careers to get back on track.

Idols are different from singers or actors with solid acting skills; their golden age only lasts a few years.

Although both children are quite talented, it wouldn't be difficult for them to transition to other roles after their idol careers have ended. However, they should take advantage of this golden period to accumulate experience and build a solid foundation, making it easier for them to succeed in their transition later.

Instead of being half-hearted and wasting one's precious youth.

In contrast to Ms. Lena's relieved mood, Yuu Toyokawa found it difficult to feel at ease.

So that's exactly what they came for.

The moment Ms. Lena spoke, Toyokawa Yuu already understood her purpose.

This brokerage firm also has close ties with the Toyokawa Group, and Toyokawa Sadaharu himself may very well be one of the shareholders.

With Toyokawa Shoko refusing to return to the Toyokawa family, and Toyokawa Sadaharu choosing to refuse to carry out orders to bring her back, it's foreseeable that he would resort to such methods to completely dismantle Ave Mujica.

Rather, it's more accurate to say that simply using this method is, in a sense, already a mild approach.

The worst-case scenario that Yuu Toyokawa envisioned was that the old man would directly order the company to blacklist Ave Mujica.

"We sincerely apologize for the trouble that Dolores' poor coordination between the two teams has caused Ms. Junda Mana. It is a reasonable request to shift Dolores' focus back to Sumimi for the sake of Sumimi's development, but this should not be Dolores' own wish."

Although the other party's idea was not unexpected, the simultaneous absence of the two guitarists in the band was definitely an unbearable burden for Ave Mujica.

"According to the company's rules, neither the band members nor the idols themselves have the right to interfere with the manager's work or disrupt the team's operations. I believe Chuhua understands this... Of course, we are also willing to make some exchanges."

Yuu Toyokawa's resistance was not unexpected. No agent would want to sacrifice their own team's development to support another team, and Ms. Lena had already prepared the terms for the exchange.