A guide to survival in a heavy girl's world

"what's up?"

"No matter how you choose to pursue your relationship, at least until your idol graduates, we'll still be members of the same group. Your activeness isn't a bad thing to me; it's actually something I've been hoping for."

Sanjiao Chuhua said:

"So, in order to respond to your efforts, I have to put in some corresponding enthusiasm. That way, the industry will remember not just [Hoshino Ai], but the entire [Summer Zodiac]."

"...It's truly a sunny method that leaves no room for criticism."

Finally, a hint of displeasure appeared on Hoshino Ai's face.

"So that's why your schedule has suddenly been so full these past few days? So that I can't get the attention I was expecting?"

"No, my activeness won't affect you. Rather... our competitive activeness will attract more media attention and increase our popularity and influence."

Sanjiao Chuhua said:

"Like I just said, I really didn't mean to hinder your plans."

"……What did you say?"

After hearing this answer, Hoshino Ai looked at Sankaku Hatsuka with a look of confusion and puzzlement in her eyes.

"You obviously don't agree with my plan, so why are you doing this unnecessary thing?"

"It's not unnecessary, but rather than forcibly stopping you, I want to use another method... to make you change your mind."

Recalling what he had talked about with Chihaya Tetsuya that day, Sankaku Hatsuka said:

"Since you are ready to give up everything, then I will just let you have so much love that you won't be able to give it all up."

"…………what?"

Hoshino Ai's expression suddenly became even more baffling:

"Didn't I tell you that? I'm not interested in anything other than Zhe."

"I did say that, so you can just treat me as a useless effort."

Sanjiao Chuhua spread his hands and put on an innocent look.

"To use your original words... your goal is just to get Mr. Tetsuya, so what does anything else matter to you?"

"…………"

Hoshino Ai's expression changed from initial unhappiness to complete confusion.

She really couldn't understand the purpose of Sanjiao Chuhua's actions, and she really couldn't figure out whether she intended to support herself or stop herself.

But no matter what, since she didn't intend to get in the way, there was no need to make things difficult for her.

Compared to this, she now wanted to give Chihaya Aine a warning, to let her clearly realize who she was competing with -

"For tomorrow's encore, we can just follow our usual routine, right?"

Sanjiao Chuhua asked.

"Or should we be more serious in order to 'intimidate' Mr. Tetsuya's sister?"

"...Just be in your usual state."

Hoshino Ai replied:

"If the temperature difference between us and the other bands on the same day is too great, it will actually affect our performance."

"I really feel like I'm becoming more and more of a popular idol, love."

After hearing this, Sanjiao Chuhua couldn't help but laugh and said:

"In that case, I'll contact the band for the day."

"Hmph...you seem quite motivated too?"

Hoshino Ai narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Could it be that this encore has some special meaning to you?"

"You could say that."

Sanjiao Chuhua remained noncommittal about this.

"After all, I've received encouragement from Mr. Tetsuya before. In order to meet his expectations, I must also show a corresponding attitude and produce corresponding results."

"…………"

Although it was not clear what happened exactly, it seemed that Sanjiao Chuhua had secretly met with Zheye without her knowledge, and they talked about a lot of "redundant" things.

As for the name "Mr. Tetsuya", it was probably born from this reason.

……

"You're right. At least until my idol graduates, we'll still be in the same group."

Hoshino Ai swallowed the unhappiness and vigilance that surged in her heart, and said in an extremely cold tone:

"Although I don't know what you are planning, at least our goals are the same for now—"

"Tomorrow's Live, we want to grab everyone's applause and attention."

"I see."

Sanjiao Chuhua had no objection to this.

"Both for ourselves."

"It's also for Zhe."

——There is still 1 day left until the guest appearance of [Summer Zodiac].

Chapter 56: A Confrontation with a Decided Outcome

The next day, when Chihaya Tetsuya and Toyokawa Shoko arrived at the door of [RiNG], they were both shocked by the scene in front of them and stopped in their tracks.

“…Why are there so many people?”

Shoko Toyokawa stared blankly at the livehouse in front of her, which was even more crowded than a shopping mall on holidays.

"In my memory, [RiNG] has never been as popular as it is today."

"really……"

Chihaya Tetsuya was also very surprised by this.

"Have you invited any famous bands to perform at today's live show?"

"I've never heard of it..."

Toyokawa Shoko couldn't help but tilt her head in confusion.

"If there were, [RiNG] should have prepared a dedicated live show for them instead of just a cameo like today."

“…That’s why.”

Just when the two were still surprised by the exaggerated number of customers in front of them, Ruo Yemu's voice suddenly came from behind them.

When the two turned around at the same time, the content of the flyer in Ruoye Mu's hand attracted their attention at the same time -

"[Summer Zodiac] will make a surprise appearance and perform their super popular new song [Planet Loupe]... Eh?"

Shoko Toyokawa was stunned at first, then immediately took the flyer from Wakaba Mutsu and repeatedly confirmed the content on it.

"Wait, when was this decided? Why have I never heard of this before?!"

"Because this is a temporary interlude that was decided today."

As Ruoye Mu spoke, he opened the social platform on his mobile phone.

On the official account of [Summer Zodiac], the news of a surprise guest appearance in [RiNG] was suddenly released this morning.

"...a last-minute interlude?"

Toyokawa Shoko picked up the flyer again and carefully looked at the program list on the back.

"Chihaya-nii."

Toyokawa Shoko showed Chihaya Tetsuya the program list on the back of the flyer.

"Although it was a temporary decision, it seems that there were other plans."

"…………"

After hearing this, Chihaya Tetsuya looked at the program list with some curiosity. However, when he found the name "Summer Zodiac" on it, his brows subconsciously frowned.

“She’s not the last one to appear…but she’s the one who appears before Aine and the others?”

"Although it's just my feeling, I don't think this arrangement is a mere coincidence."

Toyokawa Shoko said:

"Judging from today's crowd, the majority of those who came to the Livehouse today are here for Summer Zodiac. Furthermore... with Hoshino Ai and Hatsuka's abilities, their performance is bound to be the most lively of the day. However, after their performance, those uninterested in the subsequent shows will likely leave en masse, and the remaining audience will likely experience a cooling-off period. For this new band with no fan base to begin with, this is arguably the worst possible environment."

“…Maybe, everyone will use us as a comparison.”

If Ye Muru said:

"This band right now... there's no way they can compare to Summer Zodiac."

"…………"

Although these words were very cruel and absolute, both Chihaya Tetsuya and Toyokawa Shoko knew very well that the facts were just as Wakaba Mutsu said.

Although Summer Zodiac is also a new idol group that debuted not long ago, compared to this band that has not even gone through the running-in period, they still have an unshakable advantage because they have received professional training, released super popular singles, and have had several performance experiences.

……

"Chihaya-san... have you agreed on a specific meeting time with Hoshino Ai?"

"Well, I asked Chuhua to tell her to meet at the coffee shop after the live."

(………………Chuhua?)

This name, which she had never heard before, surprised Toyokawa Shoko for a moment, but she soon returned to the business at hand.

"If that's the case, then this impromptu guest appearance and the order of the performance... must have been intentional."

Shoko Toyokawa expressed her own judgment.

"Using the immense popularity of [Summer Zodiac] to suppress Suyo and her band, they then approach the next meeting as the 'victor.' This order of appearance is probably for this reason."

"……suppress?"

Chihaya Tetsuya couldn't help but reveal a somewhat confused expression after hearing this.

"But why would Aiyin do this? Would suppressing Aine and her band do anything good for her?"

“About this… I don’t really understand it either.”

According to Ai Hoshino's plan, she should have chosen a closing performance that would attract both attention and a good performance. However, instead of giving that spot away, she deliberately chose to suppress a newly formed new band...

"It's almost as if there's a 'rival' in this band that she really cares about."

"..."

Although they don't know what Ai's plan is, since the schedule has been confirmed, Aiyin and the others can only have a head-on confrontation with Summer Zodiac which is doomed to fail.

“I don’t know if this will affect Aine and the others’ condition after they find out.”

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

"...The response seems to be quite enthusiastic."

Sanjiao Chuhua walked into the special lounge and took off his mask and said.

"Even though this guest appearance was just announced this morning, a lot of fans still showed up."

Having said that, she immediately raised her head and looked at her companion who was adjusting her clothes in front of the mirror.

"So, you're really planning on wearing this on stage?"

“…Isn’t it possible?”

"Isn't that a bit unfair to that new band?"

Sanjiao Chuhua shook his head helplessly.

"You'd be more than enough to outshine them just by wearing this dress and walking around on the stage."