During the interview process with the producer prior to joining Impatiens, Julia was told—like all the other “normie” recruits, she suspected—that no pop idol group was ever truly complete. Sometimes members dropped out, new members were added, or the project’s entire scope changed without warning. If a natural disaster or pandemic altered the status quo, they would alter their marketing tactics to match, or possibly abandon the framework of the current group altogether in favor of a new ship to sail. Once they had their major debut, there would be no option to coast along without bringing in numbers. The management team’s goal was to advance the group through constant iteration.
Naturally, the fear of stagnation weighed heavily on the group’s members. To Julia, it was more or less a gun to her head. Management would cut you loose if the situation called for it. If you tried to say no to something, you were off the project.
Of course, it was obvious they’d told her this both to measure her commitment and as a precaution in order to cover their asses later, but that wasn’t all.
“That’s why we want each member to have their own ambition,” the producer had explained—a passionate dream that existed independently, outside the overarching goal of the group. “What will you strive for, Gotou-san?”
Looking back, it had been like making a deal with the devil. She was by no means bewitched, nor was she actually selling her soul, but she answered sincerely nonetheless.
“I want to use this group to stand in front of massive crowds I’d never get to see otherwise. I want to have fun, and I want the fans to have fun with me. To that end, I’ll strive to be the ultimate performer.”
If these adults could make it happen, then she was willing to dedicate herself to a world she never cared about.
How had the other members answered that question?
Julia found herself reminiscing as she sat in the studio and watched the pre-recorded Impatiens introduction video. Onscreen, the footage transitioned to the final performance of their national tour from earlier this year; after the hook from their biggest hit played, the camera cut to a sobbing Mei as she announced the last song on the setlist. The frame was overlaid with a closeup of Ao’s hysterical reaction in one corner: God, she’s bawling!
“It’s Impatiens, the idol group everybody’s talking about! And today, we’ve invited three of their members to join us!”
As the host introduced them, the camera centered on Julia. They took turns giving their names in order, followed by a chorused “Thank you for having us!” The order was determined by the numbers they were assigned when they joined the group; in this case, Julia went first, followed by Ao, then Mei. This was the order they defaulted to if it was left unspecified by the program director.
Incidentally, they had previously met the host of this show on a different music program. This was briefly referenced as the conversation shifted to the main topic: life before stardom. Because this was being streamed live, and there were other guests scheduled after them, they couldn’t veer too far off-track.
“Hashimoto Ao was originally a big-name YouTuber?!”
With a dramatic flair, the focus turned to Ao. After some banter, they played a video of hers from a few years prior.
Before she joined Impatiens, Ao used to regularly upload covers of popular songs under the name Bluuu. Her fanbase steadily grew, until eventually, she was noticed by the production team in charge of Impatiens. Enticed by the prospect of singing original songs penned by famous musicians, she agreed to join the group, and now she was one of its strongest vocalists. That said, Ao hadn’t stopped making new videos—she just posted them to the Impatiens account instead, which made for great promo material in the age of social media. She was by far the most well-known member of the group.
“You say you posted your first video in junior high. What inspired you?” asked the female cohost, exactly as it was written on the cue card.
“Well, I already knew I was a good singer,” Ao answered proudly. “Plus I wanted the attention. That’s pretty much why I became an idol, too.”
In response to her brimming confidence, the host donned a look of surprise. “Well, at least you’re honest!” he laughed. He seemed to think this was her stage persona talking, but he was mistaken. Anyone who actually knew her would recognize that she was being entirely serious.
The way Julia interpreted it, after striking it big on YouTube and climbing the ranks among the members of Impatiens, the validation had gone straight to Ao’s head.
This was not the same haughtiness with which Towako complained about work conditions and demanded better. This self-importance sprang from Ao’s emotions of its own accord. They could try to lecture her all they wanted, but it would always exist within her in some shape or form, leaving its mark on everything she said and did.
As mentioned previously, however, Julia wouldn’t admonish her for it unless she crossed a line. Partly this was out of respect for the narrative, but there was one other reason: Julia knew this little princess had gotten a lot better at self-control these days.
Once upon a time, Ao had no respect for what it meant to be a pop idol. Worse, she didn’t try to hide it. This would frequently anger Mei, the youngest, and Sakuna had to step in as the leader and say, “We’re allowed to pursue this however we want, in my opinion. They’re not forcing us to do this.” With her desire for freedom explicitly encouraged, Ao then changed her stance. As far as Julia could tell, after that meeting, she seemed to start valuing her status as an idol on equal terms with her artistry.
Outside of the cockiness that was bound to draw ire from a portion of their haters, Ao’s interview segment ended without any hiccups—much to the relief of their manager, surely. Next, the focus shifted to Mei.
Onscreen, they played a video that revisited the past few years of Mei’s blood, sweat, and passion, starting in junior high with the moment she pledged to become a pop idol. During playback, the girl in question burst out laughing with embarrassment several times, and Ao snarked, “What is this, a shonen manga?”
For once, Julia was inclined to agree.