From Paparazzi to Press Conferences

Countless camera flashes go off in front of the long table where Yoshida, Kubo, Kubo’s manager, my newly assigned manager, and I sit. Yoshida decided that holding a press conference was the best way to handle the fallout of the scandal once I accepted his proposal. For the time being, I’ve been taken off managing Mia and am now preparing for my own work as a talent.

Yoshida begins the event with a carefully scripted speech. Kubo goes first, apologizing and promising to reflect on his actions and do better for his fans moving forward. I follow, beginning my own apology with a deep bow.

“I am deeply sorry for causing trouble and concern to everyone involved. This is not how I intended to debut, and I will reflect on how my actions have betrayed those who placed their trust in me. I will discipline myself and work hard to earn that trust back.”

I sit back down with the others and brace myself for the brutal Q&A I know is coming. Many of the questions are about who I even am, which Yoshida handles for me explaining that I’m a new model he felt compelled to scout the moment he discovered me. Not exactly untrue. The next set of questions is harder—various versions of “why did this even happen?”

“Truthfully, my only intent was to help Fujino-san feel more comfortable during the photoshoot. She told me she felt nervous about being so close and… well, it was a poor decision on my part to suggest we practice.” Kubo takes the lead on this response, using my new name, and I can’t tell if his words are helping or hurting. The way he phrased that… even I feel it sounds a little too suggestive.

The media must feel the same way, because their line of questioning shifts dramatically. “How long have you two known each other?”, “When did you first meet?”, and “What can we expect from the mentorship moving forward?” are the most notable of the follow-ups. But this is what I rehearsed for.

“I’d seen Kubo-senpai around when I was officially scouted, but we formally met during my first big photoshoot. Yes, I was very nervous. I was worried I wouldn’t do well next to someone I respect so much,” I say.

Yoshida takes over for the remainder of the conference, explaining that Kubo will personally oversee my training at the agency and that he has high hopes for my future success. At the end, we thank the media for taking the time to attend and then each go our separate ways.

My new manager, Mori, drops me off at my apartment. She tells me to take care of myself tonight and that we’ll review my new schedule tomorrow. Since my situation is a little unusual, I’m sharing a manager with another small-time commercial actress. Until the scandal dies down, I’m to suspend all personal-assistant duties and undergo intensive talent training. Kubo personally arranged for Kamegawa to take over my work for Mia, and now I’m deeply indebted to both of them.

I’m not quite sure what to do with myself and all the free time I suddenly have. Do I even have hobbies outside of work? I take the opportunity to meal-prep for the week, put on an old drama, and then just sit, scrolling through my phone.

Mia comes over later while I’m scrolling through the comments on today’s press conference. The video has blown up. Kubo’s dedicated fans flood the comments, trying to make sense of why their favorite celebrity caused such a stir.

“Geh, the comment section is brutal,” I groan, indulging my morbid curiosity as I read through them:

[Classic PR stunt. Hartlock just wants to promote their new model as soon as possible. But using Kubo-kun’s good name for fame?]

[Noooooo, Ren-samaaaa]

[She's not even that pretty? Of course Kubo-chan wouldn't be dating her. Can someone like that even model?]

[This might be the beginning of the end for Hartlock...]

[Leave Fujino-chan alone, this situation must be so stressful!]

[Kubo-san will always be our Kubo-san! He’d never betray us!]

[I’m excited to see what Hartlock has planned. They obviously did this on purpose, so they must have some big plans for Fujino-san. Maybe she and Kubo-san are set to be costars soon? Just speculation…]

[Eh, I prefer the more mature vibe of someone like Mia Watanabe. She has such natural elegance. Maybe they’re going for a different direction with this cute, delicate image of Mira Fujino?]

[Can’t wait till she officially debuts—you already have fans, Mi-chan!!]

[Still begs the question: Are they actually dating, and this is just the cover-up? What is Hartlock thinking?]

Mia takes my phone, sets it face-down on the floor. Then she sits beside me on the couch and lets me rest my head in her lap, gently running her fingers through my hair.

“Screen time is over,” she says softly. “It gets better. The first bit’s always the roughest.”

I sigh loudly and nudge the armrest with my foot.

“I don’t think I’m built for this. Should I just quit? Find another job?” I ask.

Mia pokes my cheek.

“After everything you’ve sacrificed to get here? What would you even do?”

I try to picture it. What would I even do? Mia and I made a promise as little girls: she’d be the star, and I’d support her every step of the way. That way, we’d always be together and never forget each other even after she became famous. So I spent my whole life chasing after her—choosing an agency, practicing, sharing the sting of failed auditions, celebrating every small victory. I don’t know how to live as anything other than Mia Watanabe’s personal assistant. And maybe that’s why this whole situation feels so terrifying. Things are changing.

“Maybe I’ll go back to Nara and open a candy shop. My parents would like having me close,” I say.

Mia laughs and pushes me upright.

"You? You hate candy!" she says.

"I do not!" I protest. "Chocolate is nice!"

She rolls her eyes.

"Then open a chocolate shop!" she says.

"Maybe I will!"

I won’t. I’ve never been good at giving up on things. Not even when the easier path is right there. Since I’m already in this mess, all I can do now is my best. Even if my best leads me down a career path I never planned for myself.

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“You realize you’ll most likely have to quit being a personal assistant, right?” Kubo asks.

“Don’t dodge the question. Why are you here?” I ask.

I have Renji Kubo sitting in my living room as if that’s the most perfectly normal thing in the world. It’s technically my first day of “talent training,” and I expected to go into the office but instead, I had the pleasure of greeting Kubo and Ito at my front door first thing in the morning. The excuse is that filming for his drama is on hold while Kubo takes a break from all activities to “reflect” on the scandal.

"There’s paparazzi swarming around the office and my place. Ito-san and I thought it best to meet you here. Thankfully, no one knows where you live. Though you should take some care to keep it that way from now. I’m serious about mentoring you. You know the industry well, which will help you, but your skills as a talent are lacking…"

Ouch.

"Well, thank you, Senpai, for coming all the way over here to mentor me personally," I say.

"Here." He hands me a script of an old drama I recognize very well. It was his first leading role, and I used to watch it on repeat with Mia.

"What's this?" I ask, flipping open the booklet.

"Even models are actors to some extent. You were lucky with Diome at the end, but you struggled at the start, remember? That can’t happen in the future. You’ll only embarrass yourself and Hartlock for signing you"

For someone who usually speaks so formally, he sure doesn’t mince words.

"And we’re going to fix that through script reading?" I ask.

"Well, we're going to try."