Chapter 1: Just an Idol
It was night, and I was outside a convenience store, licking an ice cream bar with my sister.
She’d finished her cram school session and begged me to pick her up from the station. Naturally, that "pick up" had turned into a detour to the nearest Lawson where I was currently being shook down for snacks.
“So cute~!” she squealed, pausing mid-lick. “Look, Onii-chan, isn’t she amazing?! She’s cute, but she’s totally cool, too!”
She thrust her smartphone into my face. On the screen, the latest "it" idol group was singing and dancing their hearts out.
“Not interested,” I said. “Idols are all about appearances. I prefer something with more... substance. I’m into the essential—”
“Ugh, my brother is so high-maintenance.”
My high-maintenance self preferred stoic, "voice-only" artists—the kind of singers who wore masks and let the music do the talking. But my sister wasn't having it.
“I bet the moment you actually meet an idol, you’ll be the first one to turn into a total puddle. You’ll see a cute face and—poof—there goes your 'substance.'”
“I doubt it,” I said, sticking to my guns. “I’m not some starstruck fanboy. I don’t judge people by their looks. I see the truth. I see through everything.”
Just as I said that, my sister let out a small “Oh.”
She was looking at a girl wearing a deep-set newsboy cap, her face hidden as she slipped into the convenience store.
“Isn’t that girl a resident at the share house?”
She did look like one of the five girls who had moved in recently.
“They always hide their faces, don’t they? I wonder if there’s a reason.”
A few moments later, the girl emerged from the store. Through the plastic bag in her hand, I could see manga volumes, bags of chips, and some convenience store sweets.
“Looks like someone’s planning to enjoy the end of her day...”
“Onii-chan, forget that,” my sister whispered. “Is that girl being followed?”
The store was on a main road with a wide sidewalk, and even at night, people were coming and going. But among the crowd, two men were clearly watching her. They’d been loitering when she went in, and they were still there now that she was out.
One was in a leather jacket; the other had long hair. They were acting like strangers, keeping their distance from each other, but they were positioning themselves to flank her no matter which way she turned.
“This is your specialty, right?” my sister joked. “Go knock ‘em out.”
“You’re such a brat,” I sighed. “Normal people don't just go around punching folks.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
I thought about it for a second. “Usually... people call the police, right?”
“You’re really obsessed with being 'normal,' aren't you?”
“It’s important. Being normal means not causing trouble for everyone else.”
“I guess,” my sister said, looking at me. “I mean, I love you and all, and I know you won’t lose, but if you confront a creep and get stabbed, I’m gonna cry.”
“I know. Oh, but...” I watched the girl as she walked away, the men trailing her. “If something happens to her while I’m waiting for the cops, all the residents might move out of the share house. If that happens, we lose the rent income. And then, the next time a certain little sister wants ice cream, I won't be able to buy it.”
“Onii-chan, I don't care if you die! Get in there!!”
Spurred on by my sister’s greed, I approached the man in the leather jacket first.
“Can I help you with that girl?”
For a split second, the man looked guilty. But as soon as he got a good look at my face, his confidence returned.
“Who the hell are you?”
“The landlord.”
“Landlord? What the hell are you talking about?”
I agree, I thought, it sounds ridiculous. But I kept pushing, muttering about how important rent was. The man, clearly losing his patience, reached out to grab the collar of my school uniform.
I caught his wrist before he could touch me.
“You’re a bad guy, aren’t you? I can tell. I’m good at spotting your type.”
The man stared at his trapped hand in shock. The veins on the back of his hand were bulging; he was shaking slightly. I might have been gripping him a little too hard.
The moment I let go, the man dropped into a fighting stance and threw a punch. One-two. I slipped both and drove my elbow into his face. His blood splattered onto the asphalt.
He reached into his inner pocket and, without a hint of hesitation, pulled a knife.
“So that’s why you’re wearing a leather jacket out of season.”
“Who hired you? Was it Meno?”
“Meno?”
The man lunged, trying to keep the knife low and discreet. I dodged, the air whistling as the blade narrowly missed me. Mindful of the eyes around us, I used a compact, understated motion to bury my fist in his ribs.
His eyes rolled back in his head. As he started to collapse, I caught him, kicking the dropped knife into a nearby gutter.
“Now, what to do with you...”
I looked around while holding the unconscious man. There was a utility pole right there. I propped him up between the pole and a wall, shoving his hands into his pockets. From a distance, he looked like a model posing for a catalog.
I stepped back to admire my handiwork.
“...Perfect. He looks totally normal!”
The girl, oblivious to the violence behind her, walked toward the taxi stand. A cab was idling, and she moved to get in, but a middle-aged woman with a suitcase cut her off. The taxi drove away.
The girl’s shoulders slumped. She looked like she was having a "total fail" moment.
Then, another taxi that had been waiting a short distance away pulled up to the stand with practiced ease. The door swung open. Just as the girl was about to step inside, I called out.
“I wouldn’t get in that cab if I were you.”
The girl spun around, her eyes widening behind her mask.
“Hananome-kun?!”
Now it was my turn to be surprised. “Do we know each other?”
She was wearing a cap and a mask, so I couldn't see her face. But—
“We aren't classmates, are we?” I pointed to my ear. “I have good hearing. I recognize voices. But I don't think we've ever actually spoken.”
“That’s, uh, well...” she stammered. “You’re the landlord of the share house we live in, right? The one that’s just an old house you forced into a share house shape?”
“......”
“I saw you painting the walls the other day. So I know your face. Plus, your house is right next door, so I see you around... a lot...”
“Well, I do have a nameplate on the gate.”
“Exactly! That’s it! I’m just the type of person who remembers names and faces!”
As we spoke, the taxi driver—an older man—interjected. “Are you getting in or not?” his voice was sharp. Just then, a salaryman in a hurry came running up, checking his watch. I gestured for him to take the cab.
“Go ahead.”
The driver glared at me, then threw a quick glance over my shoulder, signaling someone.
Standing there, of course, was the long-haired man.
The long-haired man looked around, confused, until he spotted the leather-jacket guy propped up against the utility pole. Realizing the situation had gone sideways, his expression darkened, and he began stomping toward us.
“I wonder what a normal person would do in this situation,” I mused. And then— “For now, let's run!”
I grabbed the girl’s wrist and bolted.
“Wh-Whaaa?!”
The long-haired man gave chase immediately. The look on his face and the power in his stride... yeah, this guy wasn't some random citizen.
Curiously, the girl didn't seem scared.
“Hananome-kun, are you being chased?”
It took me a second to process that. “Wait. You think that guy with the 'I’m definitely targeting a girl' face is chasing me? What do I have that's worth stealing?”
We wove through the crowd as we argued. The long-haired man was shoving people aside to keep up. I pulled her toward a pedestrian bridge over the main road and sprinted up the stairs. But as we reached the middle of the bridge, I stopped.
Another man was running up the stairs from the opposite side. He had a massive camera hanging from his neck.
“Oh no,” the girl gasped, sounding panicked. “It’ll be bad if I’m caught on camera with a boy!”
We were pinned. Long-hair behind us, the photographer in front.
I looked over the railing of the bridge. Below us, six lanes of traffic were moving fast—cars, trucks, and motorcycles blurred into a river of headlights. I turned to the girl.
“Are you the brave type?”
“Huh? I mean, I think so...?” She followed my gaze down to the road and let out a tiny, terrified squeak. “Hananome-kun, you don’t mean...”
I nodded.
“No way!”
I had no logical reason to believe this would work. But for some reason, I felt like I could do it.
“It’ll be fine,” I said, trying to sound reassuring. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
The girl seemed to make up her mind instantly. She gripped my hand tight. “O-okay. If it’s you, I’ll believe it.”
“I really don't think we know each other well enough for that kind of trust.”
“Just do it already!!”
As the men closed in, I swept her up into a bridal carry.
“Eep!”
She clung to me as I stepped up onto the railing.
“Uuuugh...”
The long-haired man reached out for us. Just before his fingers brushed my jacket—
Under the city sky, I leaped toward the moon.
“Fwa-meeeeee!”
The girl let out a bizarre noise as we plummeted. A split second later, we slammed onto the roof of a shipping container on a moving truck.
“You... you actually did it.”
“I’m as surprised as you are.”
“......”
I thought we were in the clear, but then a heavy jolt shook the truck. I looked over to see a taxi ramming into the side of the truck. It was the same driver from before.
“That driver is really mad I didn't get in his cab...”
I jumped from the container with the girl still in my arms, landing on the sidewalk and ducking into a narrow alleyway. I could hear the roar of an engine and the screech of tires. He was trying to cut us off.
“What now?”
“I guess my sister is walking home.”
I pulled her toward a municipal parking lot where a black racing bike was parked.
My sister hadn’t asked for a ride because she loved me. I’d gotten my motorcycle license in my first year of high school, and this summer marked exactly one year—meaning I was finally allowed to carry passengers. My sister had immediately begun treating me like her personal chauffeur.
I straddled the bike, slid my sister’s spare helmet onto the girl’s head, and had her hop on the back.
As I kicked the engine over and twisted the throttle, the taxi came sliding into the alley, sending a trash can flying. I gunned it, clicking through the gears as I burst out onto the main boulevard.
I wove through traffic with the taxi hot on my heels. I pushed the bike to top speed, screaming through an intersection just as the light turned red. He followed. We were in a full-blown car chase.
I leaned the bike hard into the corners. We caught air over a steep hill. A tanker truck tried to squeeze us against the curb, nearly crushing us. The girl was screaming the whole time—“Whoa!” “Eek!” “Aaaaah!”
As we sped along, I spotted a set of stone stairs leading off the main road. I jerked the handlebars, bounced down the steps, and ducked into the narrow backstreets of the old district.
Surely he couldn't follow us here, I thought. But the taxi came barreling after us, scraping its sides against the walls.
Suddenly, the road hit a dead end. I locked the rear tire, spinning the bike around in a 180-degree brake turn. We were cornered. I faced the taxi head-on.
The driver revved his engine.
It was a showdown.
“Alright, let’s go!”
I was starting to get into it. I twisted my throttle, making the engine roar in response.
“Are you—are you really going to do this?!” the girl cried, clinging to me.
“Don’t worry,” I shouted back. “I officially took off my 'Student Driver' stickers. Just the other day!”
“The other day?!”
The next second, as if on cue, we both charged. I went full throttle toward the taxi; the taxi surged toward me.
“Wait, wait, waaaaait!!”
The girl screamed. Just before the head-on collision—
I yanked the front wheel up, riding the bike up onto the taxi’s hood and over the roof. I cleared the car entirely, landing with a high-pitched screech of rubber and a bone-jarring thud.
Behind us, the taxi plowed nose-first into a concrete block wall and came to a dead stop.
◇
A few minutes later, the girl and I were sitting on the roof of the (now stationary) taxi, looking up at the sky. It was just a sliver of blue framed by buildings, but the stars were shining bright.
She kicked her legs back and forth. “Being a landlord is tough work, huh?”
“Tell me about it.”
The elderly driver had been pinned by his airbag for a while, but he’d eventually crawled out and limped away into the night. I looked at the shattered concrete and the mangled wreck of the car.
This was... well...
“...I’d say this is still 'mostly normal.'”
As I said that, my sister came jogging up from a distance.
“That was amazing!” she beamed. “I knew this kind of thing suited you, Onii-chan!”
“Sister... my ice cream...”
“I dropped it while I was running.”
“You’ve got something on your cheek.”
My sister didn't answer. Her jaw simply dropped.
She was staring at the girl sitting next to me. Between the motorcycle ride, the jumping, and taking the helmet on and off, the girl’s cap and mask had disappeared.
“A-a-a-a...” my sister stammered. “It’s an idol!!”
And not just any idol.
“It’s Yoruno Maya!!”
Sitting right in front of us was the center of the very group my sister had been watching on her phone.
The share house I’d inherited from my old man... the one that had been empty for years until five girls moved in recently...
As it turned out, those five girls were the members of the most popular idol group in the country.
“Took you long enough!” Yoruno Maya puffed out her chest, flashing a proud peace sign.
But something even more shocking was about to happen.
A few days later, the president of their talent agency would visit me and ask if I wanted to be their manager.
◇
Capsule Planets.
An idol group that had debuted only a few months ago.
Their catchphrase: Dignified and Beautiful.
Five members, all seventeen-year-old high school students.
They had appeared like a comet, becoming an overnight sensation. No massive ad campaigns, no years of training in the public eye, no fan handshake events. They just sang, they danced, and they released music. That was enough.
Nowadays, you couldn't go a day without seeing them on station billboards, on TV, or all over social media.
The reason for their unprecedented success?
“It’s the faces!”
That was according to the female president of their agency, President Meno.
“Everyone loves them, right? Cute, beautiful girls.”
This conversation took place the day after I’d jumped off the pedestrian bridge with Yoruno. The doorbell rang, and when I opened it, a plump middle-aged woman in flashy clothes was standing there.
“I’m here to thank you!”
President Meno gave me a friendly grin and held up a gift bag full of expensive-looking sweets. My sister’s eyes lit up, and she practically dragged the woman into the parlor to serve tea.
And so, as my sister and I sat stiffly before the CEO of a talent agency, she explained the secret to Capsule Planets’ success.
“Can people really become that popular just based on looks?” I asked.
President Meno laughed boisterously. “Normally? Impossible. This industry is packed with people who brag about their visuals. But these girls actually pulled it off. That’s why they’re special.”
“She’s right!” my sister added, her excitement peaking. “The girls in Capsule Planets are the prettiest in the whole world!”
“By the way, the girl you saved is Yoruno Maya. The group's center,” Meno said, showing me her phone. “She’s special. She can captivate a crowd with a single look. Today, she just waved her hand and social media went into a frenzy.”
The screen showed footage of the five members attending a movie premiere. They were all dressed up, sitting in a row, with Yoruno in the middle.
With her sharp, almond-shaped eyes and pale, cool skin, she was the literal embodiment of their "Dignified and Beautiful" concept. In the video, Yoruno noticed the camera, pointed a slender white finger at herself as if to ask, “Me?”, then gave a small, elegant smile and a refined wave.
To the fans watching, it looked like a literal goddess—a flower on a high peak—had waved specifically at them. The internet was losing its mind. Her smiles weren't cheap; they were rare treasures.
“Capsule Planets blew up right after their debut, before they could really bridge the distance with their fans. Because of that, they developed this mysterious, beautiful, cool image. That’s their charm, but...” Meno frowned.
“But what?” I asked.
“We have a problem,” she said, her voice dropping for emphasis.
“The truth is... they’re all total train wrecks!”
The tea in my cup actually rattled from the volume of her voice.
“Train wrecks?”
“Yes!” Meno snapped. “They aren’t cool, and they certainly aren't mysterious!”
Apparently, there was a massive gap between their public image and their private reality.
“And since they got famous without any real experience, they don't know the first thing about idol etiquette or 'the rules.' Even though they're in the industry, they have zero hunger. They’re just... spacey. They’re full of openings!”
Meno leaned in closer. “And on top of that! They all have high-maintenance personalities. Their daily lives are a mess. I’m spending every waking hour following them around for things that have nothing to do with work!”
She huffed, her gaze shifting to the window, looking toward the share house next door.
“Is that why you’re asking me to be their manager?”
“Exactly.”
Meno had made the offer the moment we met at the door. It was a shocking proposal, but now I understood the desperation behind it.
“I’ll handle the scheduling and the business side,” Meno said. “I want you to take care of the girls. You live right next door, so you can look after the whole lot of them, right?”
“I mean, technically, yes, but...”
I was hesitating, but Meno wasn't finished. “Besides, there’s one more reason why it has to be you.”
“There is?”
“Yes.” Meno’s eyes went wide. “Our center, Yoruno Maya... she’s head-over-heels in love with you!”
“Whaaaaaaa?!” My sister was the one who screamed. “Maya-chan likes my Onii-chan? Is it because he saved her the other day?!”
“Actually, it seems she’s liked him for a long time.”
Apparently, a few weeks ago, Meno was on the Shinkansen with Yoruno.
“Maya was dozing off next to me, and she started talking in her sleep. She said, ‘Hananome-kun, hurry up and confess to me already.’”
“Wait, she’s just assuming I’m the one who’s going to confess?”
“And then the other day, I found this in the dressing room.” Meno pulled out a sheet of music and flipped through the pages. There, scribbled in the corner, was a classic "umbrella of love" doodle. Under the heart-topped umbrella were the names: Hananome-kun and Me.
The handwriting was shaky, as if she’d been blushing while she drew it.
“She’s a total kid!” my sister laughed. “That’s exactly what a kid in love does!”
“I asked the group if anyone had dropped their music. Maya’s ears turned beet-red, she curled into a ball on the floor, and refused to say a single word.”
It made sense now. That was why Yoruno had known my name.
“I’m sorry, but if that’s the case, shouldn't you keep me away from her?”
Idols are, by definition, forbidden from dating. If a member had a crush, the smart move was to separate them from the object of their affection.
“Normally, yes. But I’m thinking the opposite.”
“Opposite?”
“I say we keep you as close as possible.”
“Why on earth?!”
“Because as long as she’s in a love that can never be realized, we won't have to worry about a dating scandal.”
No matter how much you forbid it, teenage girls will fall in love. You can’t stop nature. So, Meno had a brainstorm.
“Maya falls for Hananome-kun. Hananome-kun stays by her side as her manager, but he never returns those feelings. Maya spends her days pining for you.”
And the result?
“The entertainment industry is full of handsome men and bad influences. Plenty of idol groups have disbanded because a member got caught with the wrong guy. But that won't happen to Yoruno Maya.”
Because her heart was already taken by someone she could never have.
“I’ve decided to call this the 'Idol Immortality Project.'”
My sister looked at Meno with utter shock, swallowing hard. “President Meno... are you... are you a genius?”
Sister, please, have some standards.
“The Nobel Prize should be mine,” Meno said with a look of pure intellectual arrogance. Then she looked back at me. “However, even this perfect plan has one weakness.”
And that was...
“If you fall for Maya’s charms and turn into a total puddle.”
If I actually started dating her, that would be the scandal. If we were caught holding hands, the group would be finished.
“Thinking about that possibility, there is a risk. I understand why you’re hesitant. Any guy would go weak in the knees for a girl that cute. A total puddle.”
“Hold on just a second,” I said, straightening my posture. “I’m not going to turn into a 'puddle' just because there’s an idol in front of me.”
“Oh? Really?”
“I don’t judge people by their looks. I’ve lived my life as a man of principle. While other guys are tripping over themselves for a cute face, I’ve stayed stoic. My classmates actually respect me for it. They really do.”
“Hmm.”
“Furthermore, when I listen to music, I don't care about the artist’s looks or their fame. I’ve spent months listening to obscure songs on the internet that literally only have my own views on them.”
In other words—
“I am a man who sees the essence of things. No matter how cute a girl is, I’m not going to lose my cool.”
“Then you’re the perfect candidate for an idol manager!”
“Wait, what?”
“Wonderful! I found exactly the right person. I was so worried. Ah, what a relief. A weight has been lifted from my shoulders!”
“That’s not what I—”
“Come on, then. Let’s go introduce you to the girls.”
“Wait, hold on! Did I just get played?!”
My sister patted my shoulder. “Look, if Capsule Planets stays successful, the rent money keeps coming in.”
She gave me a mischievous grin. “And it’s summer vacation. It’s totally normal to have a part-time job, right?”
◇
I stood in front of the share house door. It was time to greet the members of Capsule Planets.
“Show me some spirit,” Meno said. “The 'Idol Immortality Project' only works if you’re the pillar—the one man who won't go soft for them.”
I thought about my "essential" self, trying to find the words to express my resolve. A phrase came to mind, and I let it out.
“...They’re just idols.”
My sister’s eyes went wide. But Meno held her back, as if to say, That’s the spirit.
Exactly. Most people are blinded by the glitz and glamour, losing sight of what really matters. But not me. My favorite movie is The Godfather. My favorite actor is Liam Neeson. I like my curry spicy and my coffee with exactly one sugar.
I voiced my determination as a stoic man.
“They’re just idols. So what if they’re a little cute? I’m not going to be some spineless fanboy. As their manager, I’ll keep them in line!”
“Good! Say it three more times!”
“They’re just idols! They’re just idols! They’re just idols!”
After my three-fold chant, Meno peered into my eyes. “Yes. Those are the eyes of a man with no hesitation.”
She nodded firmly. “Usually, no man can look at Maya and stay calm. In person, she’s truly incredible. Even the most handsome guys in the industry—men who are used to beautiful women—are captivated in an instant. But not you.”
“She’s right,” my sister agreed. “Maya-chan in person was insane. I totally froze up.”
She was talking about when Yoruno was swinging her legs on the taxi roof.
“But Onii-chan, you looked at her and stayed totally normal.”
“Well, that’s just who I am.”
To be honest, the moon had been behind her at the time, and I couldn't really see her face that well. But whatever. It would be fine. People usually exaggerated these things anyway.
“Alright, let’s go in.”
“Right.”
Prompted by Meno, I opened the door to the share house. We took off our shoes and stepped into the living room. All five girls were there. Some were sitting on the sofa; others were standing. Unlike when they were out in public, their faces were completely uncovered.
There was a girl with a cool-looking short haircut.
Another with a sweet, girly look.
A girl with an ethereal, soft-spoken aura.
A tall girl who seemed a bit on the shy side.
And then—
The dignified, beautiful Yoruno Maya.
It was my first time seeing her face clearly in the light.
“Everyone, like I told you the other day, Hananome-kun here is going to be your new manager,” President Meno announced.
She’s cute.
“Hananome-kun, go ahead and introduce yourself.”
She’s super cute.
“—kun.”
Too cute.
“—kun? Hananome-kun?”
C-c-c-cute...
“Hananome-kun!” President Meno barked, slapping me on the back.
“Huh? What?”
“That was quite the introduction,” she said with a smirk.
“Wait, did I actually say something out loud?”
“Hmm?”
“Never mind. Forget it.”
As I tried to regain my composure, Yoruno Maya stepped forward. She was dressed casually in a T-shirt and short-shorts.
“So you took the job,” she said.
Her face is so tiny.
“Thank you.”
Her eyelashes are so long...
“Since we’re the same age, you don't have to be formal with me, okay?”
What an intense gaze.
“If you have any questions, just ask.”
Her skin is flawless.
“We’re idols, so even though you’re our manager, I don't think it’s a good idea for you to get too... cozy... with girls our age.”
The nape of her neck... it’s so white and elegant.
“The other members are all cute, right? To make sure there are no misunderstandings, I’ll act as your primary point of contact.”
Wait, is she actually stacked?!
“Hey! Don’t look at me like that! I—I’m not trying to monopolize Hananome-kun or anything! I’m just thinking about what’s best for the group—!”
Her panicked face is top-tier.
“I’m sorry, ignore them! They’re just acting weird because we have a boy our age as a manager,” she stammered, blushing furiously.
The blushing is the best part.
“Anyway... I’m looking forward to working with you!”
Me too!
“Alright, that’s enough for greetings,” President Meno cut in, wrapping things up. “Everyone, make sure you work together with Hananome-kun as a team. I’m counting on you. Bye!”
President Meno ushered us out, and we left the share house behind. The second we hit the sidewalk, my sister exploded.
“Maya-chan! She totally likes Onii-chan!” she shrieked. “And she’s already trying to isolate him from the others! She’s the possessive type!”
“I was surprised myself,” President Meno said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “But I have to hand it to you, Hananome-kun. You didn't even flinch in front of Yoruno Maya. You stood there like a Greek statue, your expression never wavering. You’re the real deal.”
“......”
“With Hananome-kun at the helm, we can create the ultimate scandal-free idol group. Something no one has ever achieved before. Capsule Planets will become a legend!”
“......”
“Hananome-kun? You okay? You look a bit pale.”
“I-I’m fine.”
“Then show me that spirit one more time! The future of Capsule Planets depends on a manager who won’t turn into a puddle!”
I clenched my fists, grit my teeth, and shouted with every ounce of "stoicism" I had left.
“They’re jush—hic—idols! Just because they’re a wittle bit cute, I won’t let them turn me into a p-p-puddle! I’ll be the manager-ish! I’ll keep ‘em in line for sure-sh!!”
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