Tadokoro was planning to turn her sex appeal up 120 percent.
He’d even thought of a few new taglines for her: “The Neo Sexy,” “Naked Heart,” “Dainty Diva,” and so on, all of them refuting Mima’s innocent image.
Just the costume in and of itself was a far cry from that image of purity: a white tank-top blouse lay held in place by two mere suggestions of shoulder straps; the neckline dropped to emphasize the valley between her breasts, and the fabric would do little to restrict any bouncing that might occur when the singer danced. The white wrap-around miniskirt left an edge dangling, enough to tease already titillated TV viewers into wondering if it all might fall away. White knee-high socks—along with a large ribbon on the back of her head and the rear of her skirt—emphasized Mima’s cuteness, even while they brought a dissonant, kinky edge to the look.
As Tadokoro looked at the sketch for the costume, he nodded in satisfaction. If Mima gives this look the okay, her song will take number one for sure.
VI
A tense mood hung over the Moon Kids Talent Agency’s meeting room, where an all-hands meeting was being held for Kirigoe Mima’s new song. Mima herself was in attendance, and her nervousness colored her expression.
Tadokoro distributed copies of the costume sketch. When Mima saw it, she let out a startled laugh.
The husky-voiced manager of the production department spoke first. “Bon-chan, that’s pretty extreme, don’t you think?”
Tadokoro looked him in the eye and said, “If we’re going to change Mima’s image, we shouldn’t do it by half measures. It would be better to do nothing at all than to make just a minor change.”
The head of production had nothing to say against that. He nodded his head in silent agreement.
Tadokoro continued. “Until now, Mima has relied on her innocence. But some day soon, that path will reach a dead end. I’ve been Mima’s manager since her debut. I understand her untapped potential better than anyone.”
He glanced to Mima. “I believe Mima can become a much, much bigger star. This song can take her to that next level. Even the title, ‘Sexy Valley,’ might seem a bit aggressive, but I chose it for that very reason. As you can see, I went all out with the costume, and Mima’s photo book will be released simultaneously with the song, sharing the same title. I’ve already told the TV networks the direction we’re taking Mima in, and I’m counting on everyone here to come on board.”
Tadokoro’s impassioned speech seemed to overpower everyone present. Even Mima felt moved, in a way.
His deep voice resonant, the head of production announced, “I hear what you’re saying, Bon-chan, and I agree with you. But we still need to hear Mima’s opinion.”
The man looked to Mima, who sounded a bit sulky when she said, “If that’s the agency’s decision, I’ll go along with it.”
She was glad to see Tadokoro’s enthusiasm, but she didn’t like the sound of changing who she was to fit into this sensual image. Besides—no matter how extreme a makeover, she doubted anyone would see her as sexy.
On the other hand, a fire burned inside her, a deep desire to triumph over Ochiai Eri.
“If we’re going to do this,” she said, “I’d rather go with a bold plan than one that only goes halfway. It’s time to leave the innocent act behind and be a bombshell.” Mima grinned, and Tadokoro made a happy, victorious fist pump.
“If that’s what Mima says,” Tadakoro said, “then this song is practically a hit already! She just made a tough decision, so I want everyone to put in their best effort and not let her down. We’re getting the number one spot—not number two or three.” For emphasis, he wrote a giant number one on the meeting room blackboard. “For Mima’s new image to succeed, we need to own the top of the charts. We have to let the world know this is no passing phase or fad.” The manager looked to a young staffer. “Ken, how do you think Mima’s fans will react?”
The man called Ken scrambled to his feet and produced a small stack of survey responses. “Umm, we sent out a survey to members of her fan club and received a largely negative response. However, I want to emphasize that we only asked fan club members, which are primarily her most passionate fans. Still, nearly all of them were against her taking this new, sexier direction. Member number fifteen, a male from Yokohama wrote, ‘I want her to stay the Charming Rose forever,’ while number thirty, a male from Osaka said, ‘Please don’t betray us,’ and—well, you get the gist of it.”
Ken distributed copies of the report to everyone present. Tadokoro gave the report a glance and said, “Of course someone who’s already her fan won’t want her to change. But we have our own thinking. I believe we can move on without fans like these. If they’re so selfish that they’d force Mima to stay a child forever, we don’t want them anyway.”
Tadokoro looked to Mima. They could see it in each other’s faces: both were thinking of the man on the phone. For a second, a chill ran down the idol’s spine.
The head of production sniffed in gentle disapproval and said, “Bon-chan, you shouldn’t speak so harshly. We need her fans to come with her. We’re looking to add to them, not to replace them.”
“I’m sorry, but I have to disagree,” Tadokoro said. “Fans like these aren’t fans at all. True fans would want to see the idol grow; they ought to be willing to stomach a little image change if that’s what it takes. I refuse to allow any so-called fan to hold her down or drag her back!”
VII
After the meeting finished, Mima and Rumi went to a convenience store near the singer’s apartment. In her casual clothes, Mima could have been any normal woman. No one would guess she was Kirigoe Mima, the idol. If anything, Rumi was more likely to draw attention.
“Tomorrow’s the first day of your photoshoot, isn’t it?” her assistant asked.
“Yeah,” Mima said, picking out a cup of instant soup. “It’s going to be tough—not like the easy shoots I’m used to doing.”
“Please be careful. I’m still worried about that creeper…”
“I will be. But Bon-chan seems to have some plan, and I haven’t gotten one of those horrible calls for a while now.”
Rumi smiled. “I’m happy to hear that.”
The two purchased their cup soups and bread, along with some sanitary items and stockings, and then headed for Mima’s apartment.
The city outside had begun to grow dark, and the faces of the occasional passersby were ill-defined in the dim light. It was the perfect hour for a secret rendezvous.
With a small laugh, Mima said, “This is the most eerie time of day,” and Rumi bobbed her head in agreement.
At that very moment, a man stepped out from the convenience store. He had been watching them shop inside. He started after the two women, as if in pursuit, shoulders hunched over to make his presence less noticeable.
His long hair tumbled across his face, and in the dusky shadows, he appeared as a ghost. The man’s white T-shirt and blue jeans were ubiquitous, but the design on his T-shirt was most unusual, so garishly bright it stood out even in the twilight. The picture was that of an anime character—an adorable little girl, whose face covered his entire back.
Hunched over, the man followed Mima and Rumi.
His hair formed shadows that concealed his face, but his queerly glimmering eyes betrayed a tormented mind. He muttered to himself, the words spoken but unheard.
“I can’t wait any longer. There’s no more time…”