Useless Idol

* gulp gulp gulp gulp* "Haaah! nothing is better than a glass of beer after an exhausting day." Said Olivia after chugging a glass of beer like a madman.

I pick a slice of meat from the grill, I think it's beef? I dip it in the sauce and eat it, it's pretty good, I'd rather eat something like gyudon though, I don't think just grilled meat and stuff will fill my stomach.

Meanwhile, Akari just devouring the meats while Hanako is grilling them elegantly, I don't know why and how I can explain it, but the vibe coming from her is just elegant I guess.

I stand up, "I'm going to the toilet."

I wash my face and stare at the mirror.

Why no one cares about us there? Is the small internet fame misleading me into thinking that we're a big deal? Or our music is not worthy of attention or reaction from anyone? All of this reminds me of my days back in college.

The people in my college were either snobby jerks or basic idiots who kept looking down at my work, and now one of those snobby jerks is an idol who doesn't even write her own music and constantly has to suck her producer to keep her career.

I wonder what Lisa wants to talk about with me, her eyes looked very dead when she said that, very unusual for an idol, well what do I know, my knowledge of idols is from the internet so I thought they're always happy.

*buzz*

I check my phone, it's a call from an unknown number, I pick up the call, "Who is this?"

"This is Lisa, can we meet now?"

"Where did you get my number?"

"I'll explain it later, let's meet at a ramen shop near the campus, I'll send the location after this."

I don't want to leave early and potentially ruin the mood of everyone, but I just want to hear what she wants to talk about because she sounds very serious which makes me think that it's important.

I walk back to the room, "I have some things to do, thank you for the food." I say to them, they just say farewell and take care, I think I was overthinking it, old habits die hard I guess.

I arrive at the ramen shop, it's a dingy little ramen shop but holy hell I can smell the ramen from the outside, and when I enter the building, I immediately get assaulted by the smell of delicious broth that makes me feel a little bit dizzy, well not that much, that's terrifying.

I walk to the corner of the room where Lisa sits and sit in front of her.

"Sorry for calling you here." She says as I sit down in my seat.

"No problem."

"I think you're the only one that can understand my current situation." Hmm? What does she mean? "You know, first of all, I want to apologize for everything that I did."

"Okay?" I honestly don't know what to say, it's not often that I am on the receiving end of an apology, it's weird.

"After we met 3 years ago when you puked at the sight of me being lovey-dovey with my producer, I started listening to a bit of your music. Honestly, I don't like your music at all back then, because it sounds so rough and stupid."

Um, sure?

"I also saw your band's street performance that summer, as rough as everything is, I can feel that everyone there is having fun and I almost got swept by the whole vibe too. That is something that I never felt in my entire career. Sure the fans might be very hyped, but they only care about my stage persona and not me, you know? And not to mention I have to deal with that disgusting producer if I want to keep my career."

"I thought you actually liked the producer," I say half-jokingly.

She stares into my eyes for a few seconds, I think she's about to punch me in the face but she manages to stop herself from doing so, "Anyway, ever since then, I have been getting the feeling that this idol career is just a job, not my passion anymore because there is very little of me in it. I don't write the song, I don't choose what I wear, I don't choose where I play, nothing. We're like the opposite of each other, I would never thought to play songs like yours right now, because I can't."

"I thought you hated my songs?"

"I learned to appreciate them if I don't like them then it's probably not me. I appreciate music made with passion. Unfortunately, not everyone thought the same, I can feel your frustration at the festival earlier, those people don't deserve you."

She's, right. It's not my fault, it's their fault.

"I'm leaving my current agency, to a place where they see me as an artist, not an employee."

"Congrats, I still don't see why you would want to speak with me."

"I just feel like you're the perfect one to talk about it, and also for the first single I want your band to do a song with me."

"WHAT?!" I shout and jump out of my seat and people look at me. I look around and bow down to them while saying sorry quietly. "Just why us?"

"Because I want to set the expectation that the new Oomori Touko is different than the old one, the new Oomori Touko now writes her own song from her personal place, and you're the perfect person to help me write something like that."

"Did you hear what our new songs are like? They're barely listenable."

"There's me to make it listenable, and I think this is also kind of a form of apology to you because my audience is way bigger than yours so it can help your band grow, and maybe you can get in touch with some agency too while at it."

"I-I'll think about it first, and with my bandmates as well."

"My manager will contact you in a week's time for further discussion, you're okay?"

I'll just say yes, and then Hanako and others can talk with the manager as well later. "I guess.." Then my stomach growls loudly, I only ate one slice of meat earlier.

She giggles, "Go order something, I'll pay."

That's embarrassing.