The news that I, Takeshi Kitamaki, had entered the Innovation Challenge spread through the university like a virus. The story had all the elements of a perfect campus drama: the mysterious 'Genius Brother,' the public rivalry with another idol group, and a secret project that promised a dramatic showdown. Our quiet corner of the engineering building was suddenly a tourist destination. Students from other faculties would make excuses to walk past our lab, trying to catch a glimpse of the Quantum Duo at work.
This buzz, of course, did not go unnoticed by our rival. In the sleek, modern headquarters of Starlight Cascade's agency, Reika Amasawa was scrolling through the student forums, a deep scowl on her face.
"He's making a move," she said to her bandmates, the hyper-aggressive Miki and the sweet but profoundly dim-witted Rina. "This isn't about winning some student award. This is a counter-attack. He's planning something, and I want to know what it is."
"So, what's the plan, Reika-chan?" Miki asked, cracking her knuckles. "Do you want me to go over there and 'persuade' him to drop out?"
"Don't be an idiot," Reika snapped. "Assaulting him would only make him a martyr. We need intelligence. You two are going on a reconnaissance mission. Go to his university, blend in, and find out what 'Project Chimera' is."
Thus began the most inept and conspicuous espionage operation in the history of academic warfare.
Miki and Rina's idea of "blending in" as students was to wear matching, bright pink tracksuits with the word "SWAG" written in rhinestones across the back. They paired this with oversized sunglasses and surgical masks, a combination that screamed "off-duty celebrity" to anyone with functioning eyes.
Their first attempt was a direct assault. They simply tried to walk into my lab. The door, of course, was locked, accessible only by keycards issued to engineering students. They stood there for a full five minutes, looking at the card reader with complete bafflement, before a passing professor asked them if they needed help.
"We're… new transfer students!" Rina chirped, her voice an octave too high. "We're looking for the… science… room?"
The professor gave them a long, pitying look and pointed them towards the freshman biology labs on the other side of campus.
Their second attempt involved trying to bribe another student for information. They cornered a nervous-looking first-year outside the building.
"We'll give you a signed photo of Reika-chan if you tell us what Takeshi Kitamaki is building," Miki said, her voice a low, intimidating growl.
The student's eyes went wide. "Oh my god, you're Miki-Miki from Starlight Cascade! Can I get a selfie? Wait, did you say Takeshi Kitamaki? Mikuyi's brother? Is he really building something cool? I heard it's a time machine! Can you get me his autograph?"
The mission was not going well.
Inside the lab, Nami and I were completely oblivious. We were deep in the zone, debating the finer points of algorithmic efficiency. The outside world, with its clumsy spies and campus gossip, simply didn't exist.
However, our guardian angel of cynicism was watching. Izuwa, from the comfort of our apartment, had been monitoring the online chatter. She saw the posts about two "weirdly dressed girls in pink" asking about my project. It didn't take a genius to figure out who they were. A slow, predatory smile spread across her face. Reika wanted to play games? Fine. Izuwa was a grandmaster.
She didn't call to warn me. That would be too simple, too boring. Instead, she logged into an anonymous account on the same student forum she knew Reika's team was watching. She crafted her post with surgical precision.
User: AnonymousEngineer23 Subject: Overheard in Lab 4B (Kitamaki's Project) Hey guys, total secret so don't spread this around, but I got a peek at Kitamaki's project when he went to the bathroom. It's called Project Chimera, and it's a new lighting controller app for your phone. You can use it to sync your smart lightbulbs at home to music. Kinda lame for the Innovation Challenge, tbh. I think it's all just hype because of his sisters. Don't tell anyone I told you!
It was a brilliant piece of disinformation. It was just plausible enough to be believable, and just lame enough to make Reika drop her guard completely.
Back at Starlight Cascade's headquarters, a triumphant Miki showed the forum post to Reika.
"A lighting app?" Reika read, her brow furrowed. She read it again, and then a slow, mocking laugh escaped her lips. "A glorified disco ball app. That's his secret weapon? That's his grand counter-attack?"
She leaned back in her chair, the tension draining from her face, replaced by an overwhelming sense of superiority. "So much for the 'Genius Brother.' He's just a kid playing with toys." She had taken the bait- hook, line, and sinker.
"So, we call off the mission?" Rina asked, looking confused.
"Yes, we call off the mission," Reika said, a cruel smile playing on her lips. "Let him play with his little app. We have a show to prepare for. And when the time comes, we're going to crush him and his sisters so completely they'll wish they'd never heard the word 'engineering'."
While Reika celebrated her imagined victory, Izuwa closed her laptop, a quiet, satisfied smirk on her face. The enemy was complacent. The trap was set. Now, all we had to do was build a better one.