Chapter 15: Future Possibilities
"Eh?! What do you mean by crossing it out!"
Ai became a bit urgent, leaning in close to press him for an answer. She had been sitting by Hikaru Hoshino's side, but as she tilted her body, she pressed directly against him, their shoulders and arms squeezing together.
"You're too close, Ai-chan."
Hikaru first reminded her to maintain a sense of distance, then gave her a flat, "dead-fish" stare.
"You're already one of Japan's leading idols, with an annual income of over 200 million yen, the ability to sell out the Dome, and over two million followers on Instagram."
"Then look at me. Kamiki was at least a well-known actor in the industry, but what am I? A newcomer to showbiz? Instead of cultivating you, I should focus more on myself."
"Well, what you're saying is true," Ai said, shyly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "But I feel like I still have room to grow! Wouldn't it be great if we all worked hard together?"
"True."
Hikaru thought for a moment, tore out the page, and wrote *Ai Hoshino's Cultivation Plan* again. Then, he wrote four large characters at the top:
"DE-IDOLIZATION"
As they were talking, a tall waiter dressed in a kimono suddenly knocked. After receiving permission, he pushed the door open.
"Are you sure you want to order all of this, guests? You might not be able to finish it."
Hikaru, eager to continue the discussion with Ai, waved a hand and dismissed the waiter.
"After yesterday's concert, do you know what nickname the media has given you now, Ai?"
Hikaru leaned back against the seat and crossed his arms.
"I know, I know!" Ruby, who spent a lot of time surfing the web, answered happily.
"Mama is now the 'Once-in-four-millennia Genius Idol'!"
"Eh~?" Ai looked surprised, her lips parting slightly.
Hikaru opened a news page on his phone and tossed the device onto the table.
"And if the media finds out you've had children for a long time, what will that title become?"
He flashed a devilish smile, though a hint of self-deprecation was visible in it.
"I'm afraid it would become the 'Once-in-four-millennia Disqualified Idol.' The more brilliant your achievements, the more people will latch onto your flaws. If Aqua and Ruby are exposed, Ai..."
Hikaru stared intently into Ai's eyes until the stars within them began to turn dark.
"You'll be nailed to the pillar of shame in the Japanese entertainment industry, and people will curse you back and forth for decades."
"I don't want that kind of thing."
Ai gradually showed signs of "darkening," but was promptly pulled back by Hikaru.
"I'm only reminding you that the consequences of exposure are extremely severe. Although your current achievements are high, they are like a castle in the water—one poke and they crumble. We must take countermeasures before an accident happens."
Hikaru rubbed his chin.
"Actually, I have a preliminary plan."
"The Japanese entertainment industry isn't this strict with everyone. Movie stars? Singers? Composers? Voice actors? At the end of the day, there is only one profession whose private life is scrutinized so deathly by the public."
"And that is the 'Idol'."
"This peculiar 'Idol' culture is only really popular in Japan. In other Asian countries or the West, the concept of an 'Idol' doesn't really exist in the same way. The concept is almost too '2D'—compared to the girl groups launched by agencies, I'm afraid VTubers actually fit the mold better..."
Hikaru's thoughts drifted further and he began to mutter to himself until Ai waved a hand in front of him to snap him out of it. "So, we just need to strip away your 'Idol' cloak. That way, you'll be able to have your own life, right?"
He said it nonchalantly.
"Then how many fans will Mama have left?" Ruby raised her hand and asked.
"Out of two million fans, maybe 200,000 will stay?"
"That's as bad as it gets!" Ruby immediately retorted loudly.
Aqua looked up. "I think it's better for Ai to keep the secret hidden. The cost of transitioning is too high, and the success rate is uncertain. Rather than putting so much effort into a career shift, it's better to just hide the secret until death."
"It can't be hidden, Aqua. Not if you two enter the industry as well," Hikaru said, staring at the blue stars in Aqua's eyes.
"So, are Aqua and Ruby going to live under assumed names and stay as ordinary people forever?"
Aqua flicked his hair, trying to look cool. "I don't care, as long as Ai can have a better life."
"Wuu~ actually, I want to be an idol like Mama." Ruby seemed a bit troubled.
Ai gently pulled them both into her arms. "Don't worry about anything; just do what you want to do. No matter what kind of future you want, Mama will always support you!"
"What about Aqua? Do you really not want to enter the industry? You performed so well in that movie, your acting almost overshadowed that genius child star, Kana Arima," Hikaru asked with a smile.
Aqua knew very well that his shining performance in that movie wasn't due to talent, but simply because he was overly precocious. That being said, the feeling of acting was unexpectedly pleasant. When the camera turned toward him, he instinctively wanted to perform his best.
Perhaps, deep in his heart, a dream of being an actor was buried there too.
"You're both still young; don't be in a hurry to define your futures," Hikaru said, not waiting for Aqua to answer. "Aqua can be an actor, a director, or even go to medical school to be a doctor. Ruby also has infinite possibilities. Right now, you are both just children."
"And the meaning of our existence as adults is precisely to let you pursue those infinite possibilities without any worries."
Hikaru spoke with a warm smile. For a split second, Aqua was actually a bit moved, but he immediately snapped out of it and instinctively began to weigh the truth of Hikaru's words.
These were actually Hikaru's sincere thoughts. Having grown up as an orphan in his past life, he had fought his way through society alone. Without the help of others, he might have become food for stray dogs long ago. After growing up, he often donated to the orphanages in his hometown as a way of giving back. Though he was cold to most people, he was surprisingly lenient toward children.
When he volunteered at orphanages, he was often surrounded by kids in circles. Every time he heard them call him "Ah-Guang-gege" in their innocent voices, he felt a sense of being healed.
"In short, Ai's transition is a necessity. Even if it's just to pave the way for Aqua and Ruby's entry into the industry, Ai must break free from being an 'Idol'."
"You probably aren't clinging to the idol identity anymore either, right?"
"Of course not!" Ai said with high spirits. "My goal for being an idol has already been perfectly achieved!"
That afternoon long ago, the President had enticed Ai onto the path of an idol with the phrase, "Actually, you really want to love someone too."
And now, Ai had used a sincere "I love you all" as the conclusion to her "Idol" career.