The next day, in a corner of the university cafeteria.
"…and that's why I probably can't take you up on it, Shiratori-kun—I'm not going to chase some celebrity dream."
When Takahashi Mio finished, a serene, sincere smile bloomed on her face.
Compared to yesterday, her look was a complete makeover. Her long hair had been carefully dyed back to pure black, softening her whole vibe. She wore the pale yellow maxi dress and silk short jacket Shiratori Kiyoya bought her yesterday, with white heels below—her fair ankles were almost hypnotic.
Today she was going for "sweet, wholesome girlfriend."
"It suits you. You look pretty."
That was all Kiyoya offered, dry as dust the moment they met, which left Mio very dissatisfied. Sure, she'd heard enough flattery from clerks yesterday—but that was yesterday. Approval should reset daily. And she wanted it from this clueless blockhead in particular; it would feel especially satisfying.
But Kiyoya was busy picking the chopped scallions and bits of green pepper out of his dish. He disliked a lot of foods, especially scallions and green peppers. Cooked scallions felt mushy and made him queasy. His stomach had always been weak, so he couldn't handle things that were too spicy or tough. Maybe because the things he hated were conveniently green, he'd developed a special aversion to that color—he even tended to avoid taking ¥2,000 bills.
His long silence sent Mio's thoughts into a spin. Had she turned him down too bluntly? Yes, it was mostly because of her father—she wasn't lying—but who knew if he'd suspect she was making excuses?
She couldn't read him. In the few days she'd known him, he'd shown almost no obvious emotion. Watching his unhurried movements now, she felt like the oppressive atmosphere might crush her. Part of her wanted to blurt, Say something already—anything.
As for people noticing she and Kiyoya were eating together, she didn't care anymore. Maybe it was all the shocks of the past two days, or maybe Rika's pep talks; she'd already accepted the "Shiratori Kiyoya's girlfriend" label. So what if people knew? Next week her friends would meet him anyway. Nothing to hide. What's wrong with dating in college? And it's not like Kiyoya's a bad catch.
Her gaze slid to the ring of scallions and green pepper he'd pushed to the rim, and she mentally noted it down: he didn't like those. Picky—bet he fought with his mom a lot as a kid.
Her appraising eyes moved back to him. As always he wore a long-sleeved shirt. A flicker of doubt crossed her eyes and she asked, "Um, Shiratori-kun, aren't you ho—"
"It won't be as fast as you think."
He cut her off before she could finish.
Mio blinked, not following.
After confirming he'd removed all the "junk" from his bowl, Kiyoya set his chopsticks down, looked at her calmly, and explained:
"I only suggested acting. I didn't say you'd be onstage right away. In reality, aside from your excellent looks, you don't yet have what it takes to appear on screen."
"Heh."
Mio managed a polite smile, but under the table her hands clenched tight. If she could, she'd strangle him. Am I supposed to thank you for calling me pretty? Would it kill you not to say something that sharp? Didn't school teach you to be tactful? He was probably the type everyone froze out.
She decided he'd had no friends in high school. No—he definitely didn't have any now. Even if Hojo Shione was his girlfriend, she must have dumped him for exactly this. Only she herself was willing to be his girlfriend. Jerk.
"So don't overthink it. Just follow the study plan I give you and build yourself up."
"Wait, what…?"
Her smile finally cracked. She stared at him blankly. Study plan? Did you not understand a word I just said? I'm not planning to become an actress…
"As for your family…" Kiyoya paused, fixing his black eyes on her. "You know, you're not like other people. I saw your potential at a glance—you just don't realize it yet.
"When you truly step onto the stage, everyone will cheer for you, drawn to your light…
"But before that, it's more important to shut out distractions that haven't even happened yet—the ones that only slow you down.
"I don't like making promises up front, but if you're willing to trust me, none of that will be a problem…"
He hadn't accounted for the wall her family would be. Maybe the age of VTubers and internet celebs had made him forget, or maybe his last two "projects" had started too smoothly. How are there still stubborn old guys clinging to Shōwa-era values?
Either way, anything that blocked his ability to make money had to go. Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents; my parents are already gone—block my money and you're basically killing me. Stubborn thinking had to be handled seriously.
Mio was stunned by the torrent of words. Her heart kicked hard—not with the earlier nerves and fear of the unknown, but because Kiyoya had made it flutter again. Her throat felt dry; if her clenched hands weren't hurting her palms, she might have blurted out: What's the training plan? What do I do next? Can you really talk my father around?
Her eyes flickered, then dropped to the table as she took a sip of tea. In almost four days, she'd finally found a virtue in Kiyoya beyond "rich." The way he talked was… special. It had a way of getting under your skin, making you want to believe—especially with how firm his eyes and tone were, as if what he said was the future.
(Of course, the "Hojo Shione is my ex" thing was another matter. That was so far from reality she'd never admit it.)
"I—"
She opened her mouth, but only a single syllable came out.
Kiyoya shook his head, picked up his chopsticks, and said evenly:
"I don't need you to promise me anything. You may still think this is unrealistic.
"Then let's make it concrete. Do what I say, and for every small milestone you hit, I'll give you one million yen. How about it?"
"?!"
Mio's eyes shot wide. In an instant, the stern image of her father was tossed into the Mariana Trench. She almost blurted, What do you need? Assign the mission, sir!
A harsh buzz cut through her impulse, saving her a shred of ladylike composure.
Bzz, bzz, bzz.
Kiyoya had just lifted a bite of food when the screen beside them lit up.
Caller: Aunt
A bad feeling rose in his chest. He set the chopsticks down, eyes narrowing. After two seconds of hesitation, he picked up the phone and stepped aside.
"Give me a second."
"O-okay."
Mio instantly pulled her gaze off the screen, nodded obediently, and took a sip of tea, curiosity glinting in her eyes.
He walked to the window. Just as he was about to ask what was wrong, a thunderous voice blasted his ear:
"Kiyoya, did you break up with Shione?!"