Then Madame gestured for everyone to introduce themselves one by one.
The first to step forward was a teenage boy with a medium skin tone and neatly combed brown hair that matched his eyes.
"Hello everyone, I am Azul Alejandro Vargas. I am from Raptors Agency." He bowed slightly, his voice calm and composed.
Next, the boy beside him stood up. His black hair framed his face neatly, and his green eyes carried an approachable warmth.
"Hi, my name is Vlad Jery Bureo. I'm also from Raptors Agency. I hope we all get along." He smiled warmly before bowing with respect.
The turn shifted to the Trex Agency talents.
"Yoho~," a playful voice rang out.
The boy who spoke had long violet hair styled in a tousled, unkempt side-part that brushed past his ears, giving him a carefree aura. His baby-blue eyes glittered with mischief.
"I am Maddox Theodore Wells~," he introduced himself with a grin, his tone brimming with playfulness.
Beside him, another Trex talent stood up. His short orange hair was styled into a textured crop, a sharp shaved line etched cleanly on the side. Brown eyes glanced lazily at the group.
"Lance Kren Yurei," he said nonchalantly before sitting down again.
Rai pursed her lips.
'Each agency sent two talents… what about Roskow? They only sent me?'
The introductions continued.
"Hello, everyoneee!" A bubbly, cheerful voice echoed.
A girl with bouncing short brown hair and boundless energy waved at the group.
"I am Sheena Rein, from Kenson Agency!"
Next to Rai, Himeko gracefully stood, her demeanor completely opposite.
"I am Himeko Lan, from Kenson Agency," she said formally, bowing with elegance.
Rai straightened in her seat, preparing to rise.
'Oh? Am I next?'
But before she could stand, the screech of a chair sliding back echoed behind her. A voice spoke—gentle, almost fragile. Rai turned, and her eyes landed on the figure.
It was the boy who had walked in earlier with Yeira.
His presence was haunting. His eyes, a soft rose-quartz hue, glimmered faintly as though illuminated from within. They were beautiful, yet unhealthy—delicate and faraway, like a dream teetering on the edge of vanishing. His hair was snowy white, curls framing his porcelain skin, pale to the point of fragility.
"My name is Éryan Thibault Delacroix. I am from Mediaset TXP Agency. I'll be in your care." His voice was as soft as his appearance, bowing lightly before sitting back down.
Rai's brows knit faintly.
'Éryan…? Of course. I know of him. Not just an actor, but a singer too. A prodigy. What a talent…'
'But why does it feel like every talents from Mediaset are all drop dead gorgeous?'
Then, Yeira rose.
Rai's breath caught.
"I am Yeira Inès Lefevre Monteval, from the Mediaset TXP Agency," she introduced simply, her presence commanding the entire room without effort.
For the briefest moment, her heterochromatic eyes—fell on Rai. Rai, still staring, nearly jolted when Yeira's gaze met hers. But just as quickly, Yeira sat back down as though nothing had happened.
'H-huh? Did our eyes just… meet?' Rai blinked rapidly, her heart thumping like a drum.
Finally, Rai stood, straightening her posture. Despite her nerves, she offered a warm smile to the group.
"I am Raiquèn Xy Ignazio-Kanazora, from the Roskow Agency." She bowed lightly, her golden eyes shimmering with quiet determination.
Then the Madam Director spoke.
"We'll be giving you the script now. Make sure to read it once you're home. That's all for today."
She gave a small nod, then gestured for the staff to begin distributing the scripts. With that, Madame Aurelia swept out of the room, her presence lingering even after she was gone.
'Oh? That's it for today?'
Raiquèn thought, tilting her head slightly as she watched the director leave so abruptly.
"Rai-san!" Himeko's cheerful voice pulled her back.
"Yes?" Rai turned just in time to accept the script handed to her by a staff member, flashing them a polite smile of thanks.
"Are you free today?" Himeko asked, her blue eyes sparkling.
"Yes, I am."
"Then let's hang outtt!" Himeko sang, suddenly playful, her earlier formal introduction nowhere to be found.
'What a carefree girl.'
"Sure, I'll tell Hachi right away." Rai answered with a smile.
Before she could even take a breath, Himeko threw her arms around her neck in excitement.
"Yay! I want to see Hachi-niisan too~," she mumbled near Rai's ear.
But Raiquèn stiffened slightly. She could feel it—a pair of eyes on her.
"Hm?" Slowly, she lifted her gaze, scanning the room until her golden eyes met hers.
Yeira.
Still seated, framed in quiet elegance. Éryan had risen to retrieve their scripts, leaving her momentarily alone. And yet, her amethyst-and-silver gaze was locked onto Rai, unblinking.
'Eh? Why is Yeira looking at me…?'
The moment stretched—longer than it should have—until Raiquèn, feeling strangely exposed, blinked nervously.
And just like that, Yeira turned away, her expression unreadable. She accepted the script Éryan handed her without a word, her eyes never straying back to Raiquèn.
Rai's shoulders slumped as warmth rushed to her cheeks. She tried to laugh it off inside her own head.
'Ah… so I was just imagining things, wasn't I? Gosh, Rai, don't be ridiculous. You really thought the Genius Young Actress was… looking at you? Pfft. As if!'
She scratched the back of her neck, her lips twitching awkwardly between a pout and a sheepish grin, while a nervous sweat drop practically hung over her head.
'I seriously need to calm down… or I'll die of embarrassment before rehearsals even start.'
They left the theater, and outside by the van stood Hachiro, hands in his pockets, waiting.
"Hachi! You never told me you had a sister this cute!" Rai exclaimed, cupping Himeko's face dramatically.
Hachiro gave her a deadpan stare. "You never asked."
"At least!? Be open sometimes!" Rai huffed.
He sighed, ignoring her dramatics, and opened the van door. The two girls climbed in first, and then Hachiro slid into the driver's seat, starting the engine.
"So? What happened in there?" he asked casually.
"HACHIIII! YOU MADE A HUGE MISTAKE!" Rai exploded, throwing her arms up.
Hachiro flinched at the sheer volume, groaning under his breath, while Himeko blinked at Rai, dumbfounded—before breaking into a laugh even though she had no clue what was going on.
"What mistake did I do now?" Hachiro muttered, unfazed.
"The Mediaset TXP sent Yeira! Yeira! The Genius Young Actress herself!" Rai cried out as if the sky had just fallen.
For a moment, Hachiro's eyes flicked wide, then narrowed as he glanced at her reflection in the rearview mirror.
"That's impossible. I checked their list multiple times. Her name wasn't there," he countered firmly.
"But she was there! I saw her with my own eyes—she walked in with Éryan!"
Rai shot back, arms crossed, cheeks puffed in indignation.
Himeko looked between them, blinking innocently.
"Uhm… is it a problem that Yeira will be acting in the play?" she asked, genuinely curious.
Silence filled the van.
Rai slumped against the window with a pout. "Not really…" she mumbled under her breath.
"Eh? Then what's the problem?" Himeko tilted her head in confusion.
Hachiro exhaled through his nose. "Rai… she's a fan of Yeira."
"Ohhh," Himeko said, her eyes sparkling as she turned to Rai, who was desperately trying to shrink into her seat.
Then Himeko burst out laughing.
"Bwahahahaha! That's it!? Rai-san's idol showed up and now she's flustered?!"
"Aaaahhh! Stop ittt!" Rai squealed, hiding her face behind her hands as her ears turned bright red.
Hachiro smirked faintly while keeping his eyes on the road.
"Not just a little fan, Hime. She's been obsessed with Yeira since she was a kid."
"Ahhh, I get it now! So Rai-san's childhood dream just walked in front of her, and now the great Rising Star doesn't know what to do~"
Himeko teased, leaning close to Rai with a mischievous grin.
"Himekoooo! Quit it already!"
Rai cried, flailing her arms in embarrassment.
"Bwahahaha! I never thought the Rising Star of Italy could be this adorable!"
Himeko teased even harder, laughing until her shoulders shook.