Normal Days Pt. 1

The Osaka trip ended with all of us in high spirits. Sunayomi's performance at the festival effectively put them back in the public spotlight. It proved that they're just as capable as they were in their prime, delivering a stellar show that garnered them a lot of attention.

New outlets that once spouted nonsensical claims that Yoshino Yoko was getting too old for the industry were now shamelessly singing her praises.

Classic media. It's laughable, the way they can make a complete one-eighty as long as it boosts their ratings.

Yoko wasn't the only one, though. All of their names were being plastered on headlines everywhere. For a while, they were the talk of social media, and it was showing no signs of stopping.

As for me, I've been doing pretty much all the things I've been doing. Grabbing coffee in the morning for the girls, sitting in during their rehearsals, and other menial chores to make their day go by easier.

They said that the job would get harder when I signed my new contract, but I'm not noticing much of a difference. Here's to hoping it stays that way, but... I guess a little more work won't kill me. Not yet, at least.

Today is my break day, one of few I get to have after suffering from social overstimulation every other day. Of course, it was never gonna be that simple. Almost every time I'm on break, I get called in for something completely random.

Either Yoko wants to talk, Mira needs a punching bag, Suzu wants to hang out, or Nabi needs advice. I never have anything going on, so I always say yes.

This time, though, it wasn't any of them. Manager Na called me to meet him at a coffee shop for a meeting. Every now and then, we sit down and talk about anything relating to Sunayomi, mostly news from the upper echelon of the agency.

I guess today is one of those days.

With a deep breath, I pulled open the door to a fancy coffee shop. Immediately, I was greeted by a warm, vibrant atmosphere, a nice contrast to the cold, dreary weather outside.

"Oi, Yozora!"

I turned to see Manager Na sitting at a booth, waving for me to join him. I made my way over, and it didn't take long for him to notice a few things different about me.

"Well, well," he smirked. "Look at you, wearing business-casual for once. Don't think I've ever seen you in a buttoned shirt before."

"Thought I'd change it up since this is supposed to be a professional meeting," I replied.

"Hm... Hold on. It is just me, or are the bags under your eyes disappearing a little?"

"It's just you."

"Hah! Yeah, sure. Anyway, Yozora. I didn't just call you here for a one-on-one meeting."

He hovered it hand across the round table, and it was only then that I realized someone else was sitting right there.

If elegance and beauty had a human form, this woman would be it—and then some. Her long, wavy hair, a deep shade of wine red, flowed down her back, with two strands framing her sharp face like crescent moons. Her hazel-brown eyes practically glowed with confidence, and for some reason, just looking at them made me feel like I should kneel or something.

And to top it off, she wore this fancy-looking white coat lined with fur. One glance was enough to tell that she was someone important. Really important.

"A-ah... Hello, ma'am," I said after realizing I had been staring blankly at her.

"Hello," she said with a welcoming smile. "Yozora Noa, right? Sunayomi's most recent hire. Their assistant, no less. You're quite young, aren't you? Must've made quite the impeccable first impression for those stubborn girls to choose you."

"I... wouldn't necessarily say that."

"Hehe~ Well, I suppose I'll finally have the chance to see you for who you really are. Have a seat, Yozora."

Reluctantly, I sat down next to Manager Na and faced the woman.

"By the way, kid. No talking to her the way you talk to Sunayomi, alright?" Manager Na said.

"Sure, but... Who is she?"

The woman scoffed. "Ah, that's right. I completely forgot to introduce myself. My name is Taiyori Ayaka, the current CEO of Yori Corp. You can think of me as Mister Na's boss' boss. Hm... Or maybe there are more bosses in between? Couldn't tell you, to be honest. A lot of people report to me."

Yori Corp? That's the parent company of Yori Agency, who manages Sunayomi.

Wait, wait... This isn't even the top dog of the agency. She's the head of the entire company, and the agency is just one of many of Yori Corp's properties. But if that's the case, then...

"Am I... in trouble?" I gulped.

Manager Na broke into a subtle snicker. "Jesus, kid."

"You needn't worry, dear," Miss Taiyori smiled. "I didn't come hear to reprimand you for anything. I just wanted to say how great of a job you were doing. Ever since Sunayomi's comeback stage, they haven't really been performing all too well. From what Mister Na has been telling me, their success as of late falls entirely on you."

"M-me?" I turned to look at him.

"Remember what we talked about at the bar in Osaka?" he grinned. "The moment you became their assistant, I noticed some immediate changes. Been managing them for over five years, and let me tell ya—they hadn't been that passionate since their debut."

"You're overexaggerating."

"The hell I am. Quit selling yourself short, kid. You know as well as I that Sunayomi hadn't been this successful in a while, and there's one underlying factor. I don't know why you keep denying it when it's so damn obvious."

Miss Taiyori let out a subtle chuckle. "I can sort of guess what kind of person you are now, Yozora. For a fiery young man, you're quite humble. Even though you have the opportunity to show off, you claim that it wasn't your doing. But, as Mister Na has said, there's a common denominator here: you. It's not bad to take credit when credit due."

"With all due respect, ma'am, I'm just a guy," I said. "Even now, I'm not entirely sure what being an assistant really means, but I'm positive that it's not what I've been doing."

"Well, whatever it is you have been doing, it's clearly working, as shown by Sunayomi's most recent earnings. Which brings me to my reason for being here."

She reached into her purse and pulled out a folder. Like some kind of interrogator, she set it on the table and slid it over to me.

"And... this is...?" I asked.

"A bonus, courtesy of Sunayomi," she replied. "You see, I've been a fan of theirs since their debut, so I'm quite fond of them. However, that made it all the more difficult for me to decide what to do with them when they were stuck in the mud. But then, a young vigilante swoops in and sets them straight. Now, they're doing better than ever, so this is to show my gratitude."

I took a peek inside the folder and immediately shut it. The amount I saw just on the surface was nothing to scoff at. If people knew what was in here, I'd probably get mugged the moment I step outside.

"I... can't accept this, ma'am," I mumbled. "This belongs to Sunayomi. Not me."

"Hah," she scoffed. "You might be just as stubborn as those girls. They're rubbing off on you, aren't they?"

"Um..."

"Relax, dear. I'm only joking. Let me just say that, as a company, we're always looking to make profit. That's just the way it goes in most cases. But, I'd be remiss if I didn't share some of that profit with the one who was responsible for making it happen. If that's not enough for you, then consider it a late signing bonus for your continued employment with Sunayomi."

I took a moment longer to stare at the folder before looking back at Miss Taiyori.

"Thank you, ma'am," I said. "I... really appreciate it."

"Of course. Now..." She grabbed her purse and stood. "I've finished what I came here to do. It was certainly a pleasure to meet you, Yozora. And please, continue taking care of Sunayomi to the best of your ability."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Then, see you later."

The moment she took a step forward, about ten people across the coffee shop stood up and followed behind her.

Were they all undercover bodyguards? Dang, she really is important. Makes sense since Yori Corp is one of the top corporations across the nation. And she wanted to meet me...

I'm gonna need a bit more time to let this all sink in.