STAR ANIS

Wow,

I've never seen this many people in one place before.

Do we really have to wait in this line...?

Looks like we'd have to go way back to get in line.

So why are we all the way up here?

Oh, so you think Anis isn't popular?

Let's head to the back for now. The line's only getting longer.

C'mon, can't you pull some strings or something? It's not like we're strangers.

You've got a point.

Commander, can't you use your authority to do something about it?

Yeah, looks like it's going to be a long wait.

... It would've been nice to at least say hello to Anis.

Oh, you're all here.

Hey, Avistar!

Hi, Neon.

You're members of the Commando Unit, right?

It's a pleasure to meet you.

I'm Avistar from the inspection unit Overseer.

No way, could it be...?

This way, please. Guests with special invitations can go straight in.

Woohoo!

I made sure you guys have really good seats.

... Anis didn't tell you?

No, she didn't. Guess becoming a pop star made her arrogant.

Anis has been the busiest of us all. She probably just didn't have a chance to tell you.

Now, please follow me.

Ahhh...

Ugh... Oh man... Aaahhh!

... What's gotten into her?

Ohhh là là... The big-stage pressure is really hitting her hard, non?

Oh, for crying out loud, it's not like this is your first rodeo.

W-well, I'm such a total newbie...

Performing in a place this huge is something I've only ever dreamed of, so actually doing it feels completely unreal...

...

What about you, Mint?

Me?

I've been dreaming of this moment for as long as I can remember, so I can't wait to get on stage.

There's no way I'm going to let nerves ruin such a huge opportunity.

Good, you've got what it takes to be a star.

Of course, I've been a star since the day I was born.

Oooh, le magnifique sprinkler!

A born star, huh.

What, did you slap some super-vibrating parts on your arms or something?

...

Wh-wh-wh-what do I do...?

*Sigh...*

And you, Prika?

Hmm, she's ready for anything.

Ohoho! The inimitable cool beauty, oui oui!

...

... Are you serious? You're listening to Buddhist chants?

Mind. Calm.

... Huh?

Calm. Focus. Perform.

... She's a lost cause, ain't she?

...

Th-th-that thing... Wh-what's it called again?

Wh-what's that...?

Dance. Song. Essence.

Hey, snap out of it! What are we supposed to do if you lose your marbles?!

Get your act together!

This is Arkrian Hall, the biggest stage in the Ark.

Every seat is sold out. People came all this way and spent their money to see you.

Don't make a fool of yourselves. Being amateurs won't earn you a second of pity here.

This isn't just un simple comeback concert for T.T. STAR!

C'est beaucoup bigger than that, mes amis!

You know what distingué amateurs from pros?

An amateur can get away with making petites erreurs.

Pros? No such luck, mes étoiles!

...

It's time to become vrais professionnels,

mes twinkling stars!

...

...

...

Anis, I've brought them for you.

...!

Commander!

Finally! You took forever!

So, how do I look? Like a total pop star, right?

... Huh?

Wh-what, really? Do you always have to say things like that?

Ahahaha...

...

...

Rapi, Neon, you made it! Phew... I was so nervous, but seeing you two totally relaxes me.

Great, I'm still a bit nervous, though.

You? Nervous?

I know... I feel kind of nervous for some reason.

Same here. I'm strangely nervous.

Hey, c'mon, relax! I've got this.

Oh, and this is Mint and Prika.

Hello.

Hi.

We've heard so much about you too.

Thank you for coming.

Seeing the Counters in person is kinda surreal.

I figured you'd look like battle-hardened heroes, but I didn't expect this.

Maybe I should've put on some camo paint.

At least put on a scary face.

Hngh!

Hnngh...

Now that's what I call a battle-hardened hero.

Totally awesome!

All right, everyone, grab a seat. We've still got a bit before the concert starts.

Grab a seat? Don't make me laugh.

Showtime's in thirty, so get yourself together.

Um... I'd feel more at ease, if we stayed together.

You're all you need on stage. Don't tell me you're bringing them along.

Hmm... not really, but...

Good to see you. Now go show them what you've got.

Catch y'all later.

...

Later, you guys.

We're gonna put on one hell of a show.

...

...

...

... Phew,

let's do this!

All right.

Let's roll.

Let's light it up!

... All right.

Today was our very first stage performance.

The first time we finally got to show what we'd been working on to an audience of twenty.

We got on stage, sang, danced, and then it was over.

Well, it's done for now, anyway.

So, what's next?

Time to share our thoughts on the performance.

So, how was it?

Hard to get fired up with such a small crowd.

So that's your excuse for all those mistakes?

They probably just thought it was cute.

Messing up on your first performance isn't cute. It just makes you look like an idiot.

Hey, you're one to talk! You've messed up plenty yourself.

Nope, I was perfect.

Perfect, huh? Now, who was it that shouldered me?

You couldn't remember the formation and were just standing there like a deer in headlights, so I gave you a little nudge.

I wasn't just standing there! I was interacting with the fans!

Fans? What fans? This is our first performance. We don't have any yet.

Better get a head start.

Don't make it so obvious that you don't care about the performance. If you wanted all the fame for yourself, you should've become a comedian.

If you're going to obsess over every last move, why didn't you just become a trainer?

Hey, hey, chill out, you guys!

I know everyone was nervous since it's our first performance. But let's not go pointing fingers at each other.

Sure, we messed up a little, but that's nothing we can't fix next time.

We're a team, so cut it out with the bickering, okay?

Anis, have you even been practicing? Why was your singing so bad?

You were smiling so much it looked kind of creepy. I nearly jumped when I saw you next to me.

...

You were moving really stiffly, like a marionette.

You were saying hi earlier, right? You weren't flipping them off or anything, were you?

If you're going to call yourself a leader, act like one.

If you're unsure about your expression, just stay still. It'll at least show you're trying.

Y-you little...! I'm trying to be nice, and this is what I get?!

Get some practice in, will you?

And try slimming down a bit.

Hey! Give credit where it's due, and call out the mistakes if you have to.

But who told you to just trash everyone? Ever heard of a post-mortem?!

Are you all back at it again? You're always at each other's throats.

We're not! They started it first!

You're done with the talk?

... Yeah, all done.

So? What's the result?

...

Why don't we talk on the way back to the office?

There's not a single car out today. Feels like there have been fewer and fewer cars lately.

The Central Government has banned private car use.

Cars registered before the ban are fine, but registering a new one is practically impossible unless you're very high up.

So you're a big shot, huh?

No way, this car was registered a long time ago.

Since registration is tied to the vehicle itself, cars registered today are going for astronomical prices.

So, how much would this go for now?

Hmm, I've never really thought about selling it, but it's probably worth more than ten times what it originally sold for.

Oh my, then if we sold this, we could get a new office, right?

I don't think so. At best, it'd cover some renovations.

Then sell it.

No.

Then how about selling just one tire? That way, we'd at least be able to fix the showers.

Yeah, the water's dripping like pour-over coffee.

No, this belonged to my mother.

...

...

...

Well, that got awkward fast.

Um... sorry.

No, no, I didn't mean to make it awkward. That's on me.

But there's an even bigger reason I'm not selling this car.

When you all arrive at a venue and step out of a ride like this,

that's a picture-perfect moment.

Fair enough.

So... how do you feel about your first performance?

You saw it, didn't you?

I think it was good.

Good, my ass. It was full of mistakes, the audience hardly reacted...

and we ended up fighting afterward.

...

...

So... what'd they say?

Did we get a regular slot?

Hmm... No,

they turned us down.

... Can I ask why?

What do you mean "why"? 'Cause our performance sucked, duh.

...

No, I wouldn't say it's bad.

But you didn't say it's good, either.

It wasn't that bad.

Wow, thanks for the heartfelt pep talk...

They said you lack uniqueness.

Uniqueness...

Everything you've done is just covers of Pretty's songs.

And as you know, right now...

We're in a fiercely competitive era for pop stars

since almost all of them are just copying Pretty.

... That's right.

Pretty was a shock to the Ark in more ways than one.

A star like that doesn't come around often.

... After Pretty was gone, many people became Nikkes

under Tetra, dreaming of stardom,

dreaming of becoming the next Pretty.

Their songs, their dances, even their personas were modeled after Pretty.

That's what they mean when they say we're not unique.

So we're just another bunch of Pretty-wannabes?

Yeah.

...

There are just too many.

Tetra handled the Nikke conversions, but it can't manage all the Nikkes.

More precisely, it's risky for a single company to control so many Nikkes.

To keep this in check, any Nikke aiming to become a celebrity is placed under the Central Government's supervision.

They're free to act as they wish, but must follow orders if the government issues one.

Only the truly exceptional are directly managed by Tetra.

As a result, offices have sprung up everywhere, brimming with hopeful Nikkes chasing their dreams.

As much as I hate to admit it, we're just one of those countless small offices.

If we want to survive among all these Pretty-wannabes,

we've got no choice but to go all-in on originality.

Many pop stars have thought the same thing.

Naturally, the competition to recruit famous composers and songwriters is intense,

and we're not in any position to take part in it.

'Cause we're broke?

What are you talking about? It's not just money. We hardly have any name recognition either.

...

Um...

Maybe you should let us go?

No, not happening.

We've got no money, no connections.

Aren't you ashamed of letting talent like ours rot in this dump of an office?

Not at all. I'm completely fine.

Well, we're not!

Ah... so our first performance ended up being a complete flop.

Hopefully, that's the only time.

Let's hurry and grab something to eat. I'm starving.

Step on it.

All right, all right. Since that didn't work out, let's go get some food.

Ugh, it's so stuffy here...

Oh no, I forgot to leave the windows open before leaving.

The showers are going to be a sauna.

Where'd everyone go?

Out running errands for work.

There's food in the fridge. Help yourself.

I've got to head back out.

Huh? Where to?

Oh, just heading back to work.

...

Maybe we should come along too?

Exactly, putting ourselves out there a bit more could make a difference.

Yeah, I agree. We're not the world's greatest or anything.

Absolutely not.

Geez, you've always been way too protective of us...

I told you on the way here, didn't I? There are so many pop stars dreaming of becoming the next Pretty that we're in what you might call a fiercely competitive era.

To secure a regular gig, land an advertising deal, or even appear in a single scene of a TV show,

you can imagine how much maneuvering goes on behind the scenes.

There are countless ways to promote yourself,

but the kinds that sponsors actually prefer aren't that many.

I don't need to spell out which ones, do I?

...

That's why I protect you all.

Get famous, and then we'll be the ones calling the shots. Until then, just hang in there.

Now, eat and get some rest. I'll be back soon.

...

...

...

All right, let's eat first. Prika, you're gonna shower first, right?

Mint, you're going to change.

I'll heat up the food while you two do that.

...

...

I wish today had gone a little better since it was our first performance.

The sound was off, and the stage setup left a lot to be desired, but what disappointed me most was our performance.

Honestly, it was terrible.

Hey, don't be so harsh. We'll do better next time.

When's the next one, then?

Hmm... maybe as early as tonight? Who knows, Boss might have something for us?

... Like he said, pop stars are everywhere these days. Unless it's a total hole-in-the-wall, venues are giving regular gigs to them.

The place we went today? Honestly, it was just a tiny general store,

and we couldn't even land a regular gig there. Do you really think there's gonna be a next time for us?

... Fair enough.

Mint,

it's been nearly a year since our debut,

and look at where we are now.

Yeah...

Boss used to be a director at Tetra and was even Pretty's manager.

But honestly, it's not as impressive as it sounds.

There are fewer than ten people in the office,

and it's not like we're some kind of miracle workers who can save this place overnight.

If I'm being honest... the future doesn't exactly look bright.

So what do we do?

Hmm...

...

Prika,

I got scouted.

...

It's not a huge place, but it's definitely better than here.

They've got around five regular shows running at the moment.

The boss seems capable, well-connected and knows exactly how to develop pop stars.

If I joined, I'd be coming in as a new member. They even mentioned the center position, though I doubt they really mean it.

Are you going to accept it?

Hmm...

I mean... there's really no reason not to.

...

No reason not to...

She's the reason.

...

Look at her. She messed up her debut performance, drank a can of soda, and immediately holed herself up in the practice room.

Remember when we first met her?

She knew nothing. She was terrible.

And now, after all these years, just look at her.

She's got talent.

It's not just talent.

She works ridiculously hard. Like, stupidly hard.

And all the while, she plays the leader perfectly—looking out for us, pushing us when we're running on empty, and never, not once, missing a practice.

Haha, I really don't get it. Why does she put in so much effort? It's crazy.

Too crazy. I don't even know what to say...

You're rooting for her?

...

Yeah,

I want to see her shine.

...

So, Prika, why don't you just go somewhere else?

Honestly, you've got the best skills, even if your whole image is a bit all over the place.

... Sorry if it came out vague.

Anis and I both died at Pretty's comeback concert, so at least we're connected somehow.

But you? You were supposed to debut as a human from the start.

Mhm... but everything got canceled when I ended up dying in a traffic accident.

...

Honestly, what really drew me in was Boss since he used to be a Tetra director and Pretty's manager.

I figured I could make it with him since I was confident in my skills.

But... well, look where that got me.

Looks like you got scammed, huh?

... Yeah, kind of.

I was gonna quit anyway, but then I ran into you two.

One's clueless as hell, and the other just coasts on her looks.

Somehow, I ended up stuck practicing with both of you.

Man, Anis is seriously working hard. She just keeps improving.

What about me?

Same as always...

Aw, come on.

After spending all that time together...

Um...

I guess I got attached.

So yeah, that's why I can't leave.

Haha, you really walked right into the worst one, huh?

I know, right?

*Sigh...* She's doing it wrong again.

You going in?

Yeah,

all we can do is give it our all.

Wh-what?

You're trying to do a three-person routine on your own. Of course, it's not working.

Come on, let's do it together. I'll walk you through it.

... Oh, thanks.

I'll take a look too. If you want to improve, start working on your expressions during practice.

... Yeah, appreciate it.

I'm back.

...

Huh? Where'd everyone go?

...

Already?

Yeah, I managed to secure one.

Ooh, where?

It's called Meet & Meat. They sell Nutrium and serve dishes made with it.

...

A meat place?

Yeah, it is.

You know how all those Nutrium spots have been opening lately? This one just launched, and they don't have the budget for proper promotion, so the timing lined up perfectly.

Two shows a day starting tomorrow, and we'll be doing it for a week.

Uh... why a meat place, though...?

You'll see.

Before anything else, what's the pay like?

Pay? As in money?

Yes.

Don't be too surprised.

They'll be providing their signature Nutrium set meals twice a day.

... Oh, I'm surprised, all right. Just not for the reason you think.

Who said anything about wanting free food?

Yeah, but still...

You three have such great chemistry at times like this.

What we need right now is exposure,

so we can't afford to be picky.

Hey, it's not like we're asking for a feast, but we'd jump at the chance to eat meat and rice.

All right, all right, save your complaints until after you've given the performance your best.

The barbecue place owner—no, sorry, the Meet & Meat owner—might even offer you a regular gig if you impress her.

...

Is... something wrong? Do you not like it?

...

No way!

You went through all that trouble to get this for us.

We've got no right to complain.

... She really is something else.

See? That's exactly why I can't quit.

All right, then. Let's do this!

...

You should lose some weight.

... I don't think that's the problem here.

Hmm, they don't really strike me as fans.

Uh... feels like they just popped in while they were running errands.

...

...

...

*Takes a deep breath*

Hello, everyone! We're the three shining stars, T.T. STAR!

It stands for Twinkle Tri-Star! Bit of a mouthful, right? So just call us T.T. STAR!

First off, thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate Meet & Meat's grand opening today!

And a big thanks to everyone who came to hear us perform!

Our incredibly generous owner was kind enough to give us the chance to perform here today!

And if she's that generous, I'm sure she'll be loading your plates with plenty of meat too, right?

So give our song a listen and enjoy the food while you're at it!

All right, then! Let's get this started!

Great job, everyone!

Performing takes a lot out of you, so make sure you eat plenty.

Thanks! Can't wait to dig in!

Oh my, you're the leader? Quite the firecracker!

Want me to pile on some more meat?

Thank you!

Go on, eat up. I'll bring some more right over.

...

That was a great performance today.

Right? We totally nailed it.

We even got used to that floor, even though it felt like it might collapse any second.

We're doing this for a week, right?

Yes.

I think two people showed up during our second performance.

Who did?

Music fans.

... How'd you know?

They have a certain look in their eyes.

Since there are so many pop stars these days, the fans end up competing too.

Everyone wants to say they were there from the start.

...?

You know that feeling when you find a place that becomes your spot? Like you discovered it before anyone else.

Ah, I get it.

Fans like that usually help spread the word, so for rookies like us, they can make a big difference.

Hmm... We didn't get much of a reaction today, but at least we caught their attention.

If I had to guess, we'll probably start seeing a few more people from tomorrow.

Wait, what? Even after we performed right outside the meat place?

Tsk, tsk. You really don't pay attention, huh, Anis?

This place has an excellent location.

We're right in the middle of downtown, and there's tons of foot traffic.

Yeah, there's people everywhere.

Ohh! Then we'll get noticed without even trying, right?

That's right.

Oh, that reminds me, Boss...

How'd you manage to convince the owner?

If she can afford a place in a location like this, it's hard to believe she doesn't have the budget for advertising.

And... to be honest, she doesn't really strike me as someone who's into pop stars.

It's a secret.

Huh? Why?

My boy...

He's been working at Tetra for about seven years now.

When he first started, he drank so much at a company dinner that he was completely plastered. He would've ended up sleeping on the street if this gentleman here hadn't taken him home.

Bet you were sweating buckets hauling him all the way there, huh?

... That was a long time ago.

Turns out he was a director at Tetra, would you believe it? Honestly, my boy's probably the only new hire who's ever been carried home on a director's back.

And when he went in the next day, the director had even bought him some hangover medicine.

After that, my son started watching everything he did, saying he couldn't believe someone could be that good of a person.

From what I can tell, he still treats the director as a role model.

...

Look at you, getting all embarrassed.

Are you feeling shy?

Don't be shy.

You guys...

So you used that favor to pull some strings and get us this gig?

No, I didn't...

I saw this awkward guy wandering around with his head down and thought, "Haven't I seen that face somewhere before?"

So I took a closer look, and it turned out to be that director from back then.

I figured running into him like that must've been fate, so I asked if he'd help promote my shop.

But honestly, why'd you leave Tetra? If you were a director at one of the Big Three, you could've done just about anything you wanted.

...

Because... there was nothing I could do.

...

...

Well, everyone's got their own story, don't they?

Go on, dig in. And if you need more, just let me know, all right?

I-I mean, this is already a lot! But I'll let you know if we need more!

All right, all right.

Oh, right...

I don't know much about the music business,

but it's nice seeing young people work so hard. Keep it up.

...

Yes, thank you so much! We'll give it our all!

...

We'll... really give it our all.

Thank you for giving us this opportunity.

... Thanks to you, we got plenty of experience.

Seriously, thanks a million!

Um...

Any chance you could stick around for just one more month?

I can't offer much, but I'll make sure you're paid.

... Excuse me?

I don't know if it's thanks to you folks or not, but I've been getting a lot more customers lately.

These days, it's hard to find people who still work their tails off, you know?

Ever since that surface reclamation thing failed, everyone's been walking around looking dead inside.

Most of them are too busy laughing at people who try, so you hardly see anyone putting in real effort anymore.

But you? Watching you really fires me up.

It really does.

...

So think you could do me a favor?

Leave it to us!

... Huh?

!

!

Oh no!

What?! What does it say?!

Hold on, I'm reading it.

... Uh-huh, uh-huh.

So what's it say? What's it about?

Seriously, enough already!

Oh, here it is.

...

...

...

Eh, s-something's better than nothing, right?

...

...

... Hey, you guys okay?

I'm going to sleep.

Me too.

...

Good night.

Um... try not to let it get to you too much, okay?

... There are just too many people trying to become the next Pretty.

This seems like the only way...

...

Phew...

Have you heard of T.T. STAR?

What's that supposed to be?

Um... It's the pop group Hanson put together.

... Hanson.

So? Where are they on the charts?

They didn't even make the charts.

You mean the major charts?

No, the indie charts.

What the hell...?

Seems they're just covering Pretty's songs and parroting her choreography. Utterly unremarkable.

Heh.

So Hanson's cranking out those dime-a-dozen Pretty knockoffs now?

...

He left the company for something so worthless?

What a damn fool.

You're just going to let that slide? If it were me...

...

Yoyo.

... Yes?

Don't overstep. I'll be the judge of that.

You were nothing when I made you a Nikke and pushed you as Pretty's successor. And now you think that's because you're special?

... I've never thought of it that way.

Then shut it. I've already got enough crap to deal with.

... I'll keep that in mind.

Where do you sit on the charts?

Still firmly at number one,

all thanks to the great CEO. And someone like me is sitting in a spot I don't even deserve.

You're nowhere near Pretty.

Don't fool yourself. Either step it up or don't bother.

And how, exactly, am I supposed to try harder than this?

How'd you like...

a bullet through the head?

... What?

Heh... thinking about it now, the way Pretty died was a work of art.

Thanks to that, Tetra's stock shot through the roof.

All she did was get taken out by some whacko, and yet the media wrapped it up like some grand, noble sacrifice. Beautiful, really.

Even dead, she's still pulling weight for the company. Now that's what I call a devoted daughter.

...

Don't just stand there like an idiot and start using that puny brain of yours.

How do you plan to surpass Pretty?

... I'll give it some thought.

Yeah, yeah. Let me know if you come up with something worth my time.

What now?

Tch. I told them not to call at this hour.

Yeah, it's me.

This better be worth my time. Otherwise, don't bother showing up tomorrow.

...

What?

...

Send him in.

...

What's going on?

... Hello.

Well, well, if it isn't Hanson.

Hanson, Hanson, my darling Hanson.

Thank you for making the time to meet with me.

...

I've been enjoying your new song, Yoyo.

Congratulations on holding the top spot on the charts. I have much to learn from you.

You flatter me.

So, what brings you here?

I do hope it's exactly what I'm hoping for.

... I need your help.

Of course you do.

Miss being under Tetra's protection, huh? I bet leaving all that behind and struggling out there was a real pain.

Now... what was it again?

T.T. STAR.

Ah, right, T.T. STAR.

I heard you're the one managing them. From what I've seen, they don't seem all that impressive.

How's it feel, handling those half-baked ones after dealing with the perfectly groomed Nikkes at Tetra? Must be like night and day, huh?

So, you want us to take them on, then?

Fine, it's no big deal, really. We can do that.

I'll even give you your director position back. I've been keeping it open just for this reason.

Get them in here. Let's get the ink on paper.

...

I see you're still only saying what you want to say.

...

What?

I'm here to purchase a song

that's perfect for a three-member group.

...

That's it?

Yes, that's all.

Sure, twenty billion.

You're being unreasonable here.

!

You're the one being unreasonable!

You stormed out of the company like it was nothing, and now you're crawling back asking for a song!?

Do you and Mrs. Miss think I'm a damn joke?!

I've already shared the reason I left.

... Hah.

That damn Pretty.

She's already a corpse, and the Central Government wanted it, so I gave it to them. What's the issue?

I'm a victim here too, you know.

The leftovers from V.T.C. started going crazy, trying to make enhanced weapons or whatever with those scrap bodies.

After Pretty died, those rust buckets were recognized as living beings, and suddenly, everything they did was labeled as biological experimentation.

Missilis took that chance and wiped the whole damn V.T.C. off the map.

And guess who had to supply all the materials? Me. All the connections I'd built up, gone just like that.

So, tell me, who do you think took the biggest hit in all this, huh?

You're still incapable of thinking of anyone other than yourself.

That's how the entertainment world works, Hanson.

As long as I'm enjoying myself, that's all that matters.

And enjoyment? It only comes when someone else is suffering.

Look at you now, you're enjoying this, aren't you? Because I'm the one in pain.

I won't deny it.

... Ha. How nice.

So tell me, why should I give you a song?

If you help me this time, I'll be sure to return.

...!

But that's only if things don't go well.

And if it does?

Consider it an investment in the Ark's next star.

... Ha,

haha. You're insane,

but I like it.

... If you'd played your cards right earlier, this would've been way more fun. Don't you think?

I regret that too.

You've really changed, Hanson.

Yes, I felt that I'd be stuck in the same place if I didn't change.

And those girls you're managing now, you won't let them end up like Pretty?

No, I won't.

...

Yoyo.

Yes?

I'll be giving him the next song you were preparing.

As you like.

What's this? Why are you so compliant all of a sudden?

I happen to be interested in T.T. STAR myself.

A rivalry, huh? They're nowhere near your level.

It's personal. This has nothing to do with them as pop stars.

Hmph, looks like you've got too much time on your hands.

You got someone who can arrange the music?

Yes, we have someone who can take care of that.

Hah, lucky for you.

Give Yoyo's next song to the guy leaving my office.

Shut up and just do it. We're not using it.

That's enough. Get out.

Just remember, if you fail, you'll come back.

Understood.

...

Take good care of yourself.

...

That's all I get?

...

You can at least show some gratitude, you ungrateful bastard.

... Thank you for your help, Father.

Hmph, don't act like I made you do it.

No way, an original song?

Yes, that's right.

Where did you even get this...?

I managed to pull it off through some solid outreach.

What kind of outreach nets you a song?!

That's a trade secret.

Aren't we on the same team?

Well, the higher you go, the tighter the security gets.

Anyway, this is a solo track, so we'll need to arrange it for a trio.

Prika, think you can handle it?

Yes, I can.

Wait, you know how to do that?

It's literally what I majored in.

In that case, make sure I get the most lines.

Let me have a look.

So you're just going to ignore me?

S-so, how's it? Is it a good song?

Hmm...

What's wrong? Is it bad?

Guys... we haven't even heard it yet.

Boss.

What is it?

How much money do we have?

Why do you ask?

If we don't have the software for this, we can't even open it, let alone edit it.

It's a custom program made by Tetra Line...

... and it's priced at around 200 million.

...

What kind of program costs 200 million?!

That's the scary thing about monopolies.

All right, I'll figure something out.

How?

I know a place I can borrow from. It's called Wow Finance.

Sounds shady as hell!

There's something I've been curious about for a while.

If you were a director at Tetra, how is it that you don't seem to have much money?

They told me if I was leaving, I had to hand over everything—stocks and all—so I did.

Is that legal?

I was done talking to them, so I just did as I was told and left.

Why?

I'd rather not say.

... Now that I think about it, you've never told us this.

Boss, why'd you leave Tetra?

Honestly, Tetra's an amazing company, like a treasure trove of entertainment.

...

That's really not something for kids to worry about.

All right, cut the chatter. Let's figure this out.

What's there to worry about? I'll just borrow the money. One call and it's done.

No, don't even go near those loan sharks.

Do pardon me.

...

...

...

The door was open. Hope you don't mind.

... Who are you?

... It's Yoyo.

Yoyo?

The number-one singer on the charts.

Huh...?

Yoyo... what are you doing here?

If I may.

...?

Here's the program and manual.

They're all yours.

?

Hang on, we don't use pirated software.

Don't be ridiculous.

It's an unused company account I grabbed. Go ahead, use it.

Uh... Sweet, thanks?

Don't mention it.

Yoyo, why the sudden...?

...

?

Anis, mind if we talk for a moment?

Huh? Me?

Yes, you.

Uh... Sure.

Let's step outside, shall we?

...

What?

...

Wh-why are you staring at me like that?

...

...

Oh, I get it now.

So the charts are settled with fists, huh?

Fine, bring it on. Starting today, I'm number one.

What exactly are you talking about?

How the heck am I supposed to know? You don't say anything.

You don't remember me?

Huh? Remember you? Have we met?

...

...

Wait, hold up...

You're the class president?

... Yeah.

What...? Why are you—

I became a Nikke too, to become a pop star.

...

What, you weren't satisfied making my life hell when we were human? You wanna keep it up now that we're Nikkes too?

Look, I'm just trying to live my life here, all right? I'm doing the best I can, and even that's hard enough as it is.

If you pile one more thing on top of that, I swear I'm gonna lose it.

So do me a favor and stay the hell out of my life.

I'm sorry.

...

What?

... I'm sorry.

For the way I treated you back at school. I truly am.

I'm sorry for hurting you, for being cruel.

You were a thorn in my side.

You showed up out of nowhere, and it felt like you were taking everything from me. I hated you for it.

Because you had nothing, yet you were taking things from people who had everything.

Hey, that's going a bit too far.

... When you became a Nikke after your accident, I heard you were preparing to debut as a pop star.

I begged my father to let me become a Nikke too. I worked myself to the bone just so I could crush you.

... But somewhere along the way, I realized something.

Just how hard you'd been working all this time,

how desperately you wanted to be loved, and how much effort you put in to earn it.

...

When you were the cheer captain, I pretended not to see all those hours you spent practicing and preparing.

I convinced myself you were just taking what should've been mine.

But once I tried to earn recognition myself, I finally understood

how difficult it is to be acknowledged by others,

and how much you have to put on the line to make it happen.

I've done a lot of reflecting, and I still am.

The program and manual... consider them a small gesture from me.

I'll help however I can from here on out, if you'll let me...

... Will you forgive me?

...

Are you out of your damn mind?

...

If it were you, would you forgive me?

Huh?! Would you?!

You bastard, after everything you put me through...!

You made me want to die, and now you think one lousy apology makes it all go away?!

I still wake up in the middle of the night thinking about that day!

Oh, what? So you turned yourself into a Nikke just to step on me?

And now you're the chart-topping pop star?

Hah, turns out the Ark's entertainment scene isn't worth shit!

Anis, I get that you're angry, but don't drag the whole industry into it.

You're not better than me at a single thing.

...

You were the same when we were human. You really think becoming a Nikke suddenly changes that?

Number one? Ha. Seriously? If this is what passes for number one, it must be easy.

I'm going to crush you.

I'll grind you into the dirt and show you the difference between us.

I'll stomp you so hard you won't even dare look at me again.

Don't do this.

We're colleagues chasing the same dream. We should be supporting each other.

There's no need for us to fight. If we support each other and grow together...

Piss off.

...

Don't worry, I'm not about to air your dirty laundry, so relax and get lost.

That's what you're worried about, right? Your precious reputation taking a hit.

Sorry, but I don't play dirty like you.

I'll crush you with pure skill.

Anis... don't do this.

Aaaagh! I said get the hell out!

...

Fine, I'm leaving.

See you around.

...

Aaaah!

Agh! AAAAAGH!

Wait... you're serious?

Yeah, I'm serious.

My high school nightmare turns out to be a pop star? What is this, some trashy novel plot?

Damn it, how the hell am I supposed to take her down?

So what do we do about this program?

... What do you mean?

The program she brought. Are we using it or not?

...

Use it. She's the problem, not the program.

All right.

You won't tell anyone, will you?

Tell them what?

If word got out that Yoyo used to bully you, the entertainment reporters would have a field day.

Forget it, I don't need to play dirty.

I'll wipe the floor with her.

Hell, I can do it with my eyes closed!

Well, that was fast.

...

How long do you think it'll take to rearrange the piece?

We got the manual, so I'll pick it up quick.

One week, tops.

All right.

Then our goal is to perform this song

on our last day at Meet & Meat.

The schedule's tight, but can you make it?

...

Of course!

Our first song.

The very first one we can call our own.

Honestly, I can do this in my sleep.

Well, aren't you confident.

Nervousness won't get you anywhere.

Everyone, get ready.

!

Hello everyone! We're the three shining stars, T.T. STAR!

Thank you so much for coming!

Everyone, look right here!

We're about to shine!

All Eyes On Me!

We did it! We made the charts!

We're only 98th on the indie charts, though.

Hey! What's wrong with 98th place?

Let's see... if the major charts go up to 50, and the indie charts go to 100...

That means we're 148th out of all the pop stars out there!

...

Well, when you put it that way, we really are something, huh?

Hehe! Damn right we are!

Just wait, Yoyo... I'm coming for you!

Just don't kill anyone.

*Sigh*

Hey, what's with the sighing? It's way too nice a day for that!

No, that was a sigh of relief.

So, got any other good news for us?

Wait till you hear this.

We've already got five requests for regular gigs, and we're in talks with three more venues.

Whoa...

Seriously?

Oh wow, the original song's that good?

Tch...

I thought you'd be pleased to see your son coming along so nicely.

Getting a little too bold again, aren't you? Go on, call him my son one more time. I'm dying to see how that ends.

So, did your declaration of war go the way you hoped?

Yes, perfectly.

... Honestly, I wasn't sure she was even worth the visit.

But I'm glad I took your advice.

Seeing her still crawling around in the gutter... was even more satisfying than I imagined,

far more than worth the risk.

See? Nothing's more entertaining than someone else's misery.

Now then, what happened with that little matter from the past?

That's already been dealt with.

... Just as I expected. The slightest prod, and she reacted immediately.

She would never stoop to leaking anything to the press.

She said she'd crush me with skill alone. Bwhahaha! Ah, pardon me, she was quite adamant that she'd defeat me with just talent.

She's a simple fool, so she'll stick to that, which makes things perfectly safe.

You're awfully confident about that.

... Well, I have my reasons for believing that.

Judging by what she's been doing lately, she'll destroy herself soon enough.

She's plastering her face everywhere these days.

It's stupid. That kind of overexposure only ruins your image.

No, that was the right call.

People with nothing to their name need to get their faces out there as much as possible.

Putting on airs when you've got nothing behind you just makes the fall that much harder.

Unless you've got real power backing you, playing mysterious gets you nowhere.

Though in your case, mystique isn't a strategy. It's a necessity.

Imagine how troublesome it'd be if word got around that you were behind a school bullying scandal.

You made sure that little problem was taken care of, didn't you? Because if this blows up, I won't let it slide, even if it's you.

I've got it all recorded.

"The program and manual... consider them a small gesture from me."

"We're colleagues chasing the same dream. We should be supporting each other."

"You're not better than me at a single thing."

"Number one? Ha. Seriously? If this is what passes for number one, it must be easy."

"Hah, turns out the Ark's entertainment scene isn't worth shit!"

"Anis, I get that you're angry, but don't drag the whole industry into it."

"I'm going to crush you."

"I'll grind you into the dirt and show you the difference between us."

"I'll stomp you so hard you won't even dare look at me again."

"Don't do this."

"Piss off."

"Anis... don't do this."

"Aaaagh! I said get the hell out!"

The risk management team already took care of the edit.

If she tries to expose it, we'll say she acted out of jealousy toward the top pop star.

Excellent.

By the way, you're really planning to just leave T.T. STAR alone?

They're hardly capable of anything, but frankly, they're becoming a bit of a thorn in my side.

Of course not.

If there's something I want, I get it, no matter what it takes.

... Where did everyone go?

Wait, even the stuff's gone?

Uh... Boss, we're screwed, aren't we?

Wait a moment...

...

It's probably nothing. C'mon, guys, sit down.

I'll make some coffee. Go on, sit down. You must be wiped after that performance.

Huh...? Where's the kettle? Did they take that too?

Never mind, I'll go grab some coffee. Wait here.

...

Um... guys,

the only employees we have left are the four of us.

... Everyone else has moved to another company.

Wait, they jumped ship? Where to?

Tetra Line's entertainment planning department.

...

You... you can't let them leave.

Their salaries are nearly three times higher, and the benefits are far better too.

We simply can't match that.

...

B-but money isn't everything.

Th-they all worked their butts off. I know they didn't do it just for the money.

We're finally starting to get somewhere here. Just give us a little more time...

Anis...

Not everyone pursues the same thing.

I don't want to shatter your ideals, but that's the reality.

...

So what should we do now?

First, we should put up a job posting.

I'm sorry for worrying you. It finally felt like we were getting started, and now this happens. I don't even know what to say.

It might take some time, but I promise I'll make things right.

I'll get it.

Next! Where to next? The park?

Yes, the park! In 20 minutes!

Hurry! Get to the car!

Hold on! I just need to do this first!

Leave it, we can't take it all!

We can't go without the lighting panels!

Hey, I've got this! Get to the car! Pop stars shouldn't be doing this!

What are you talking about?! We're swamped here! And you can barely keep up as it is!

At least eat before you go!

Sorry, we'll eat when we get back!

... Oh crap,

I don't think this is the right place.

What?

Oh... I must've confused it with tomorrow's schedule.

How could you possibly get that wrong?

What, you didn't even think to double-check?

Look who's talking.

... So where are we supposed to be right now?

... It's just one block over, and we're already late.

Ah...

Argh! Seriously?!

I'm sorry.

Oh no, it's fine! I wasn't mad at you, Boss.

... We're very sorry. We have no excuses.

Yes, we'll transfer the full amount, including the penalty.

We're truly sorry. If you'd give us one more chance—

... They hung up.

...

I'm really sorry, everyone. I keep missing things when I check the schedule.

Um, Boss... You've been getting enough sleep, right?

Yeah, I'm getting enough sleep.

... Seriously, when do you even sleep? All you do is run to meetings, give us rides, and go over contracts.

Hmm...

Probably while driving?

Don't brush this off as a joke.

Don't worry, I can take care of myself.

Have any resumes come in yet?

Hmm... Not yet.

We're really going to be okay... right?

Yes, I'll keep a closer eye on the schedule.

FYI, tomorrow's schedule has two overlaps.

...

I'm really sorry, everyone.

...

I-it's okay.

You're doing all the scheduling by yourself, that's why.

Let us help. We can take calls, sort out the schedule, whatever you need.

...

All right, I'd appreciate it. Let's go over it together.

And I'm sorry.

...

That's rather petty. I expected you to be far more ruthless.

Petty? Don't be absurd. Let's just say it's all perfectly legal.

Legal? If you say so.

It would've been a shame to let good talent rot in some tiny agency, so I scouted them.

Then I spotted a promising group of pop stars and asked a few of my connections to give them a little push.

If that's not perfectly legal, then what is?

I hear the people you scouted are just doing menial work now?

They should be perfectly satisfied. The pay's great, the benefits are generous, and the work's easy. What more could they ask for?

... You're really enjoying this, aren't you?

Why, of course! I was getting bored out of my mind, and now I've got a new toy to play with.

...

Look at you. You're enjoying this just as much.

Not particularly.

I was hoping to see her tremble when she realized the difference between us.

Ha! See? I told you.

Nothing beats watching someone else suffer.

Now that's entertainment.

...

...

...

Ugh... the phones...

I wish they'd just stop ringing...

Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!

We're fully booked for the next four days.

Got two free spots five days from now... Where's the venue?

Uh... what was it again...? I'll have to check.

Hang on, let me check.

I-I'll get it!

Hello, this is the T.T. STAR office.

Oh, a performance request? Thank you very much.

The location is... okay, the entrance to Royal Road.

Would 3:00 PM five days from now work for you?

I'm sorry, but other times would be difficult. We already have prior commitments, and the schedule just wouldn't line up.

Oh, you've already transferred the deposit?

In that case, we can adjust to your preferred time, but it would have to be six days from now instead of five.

Yes, of course, we can make that work.

All right... 1:30 PM. Got it.

Thank you very much!

Phew...

... Who are you?

Anis,

d-do you remember me?

...

I-I finished recording everything.

You were amazing, Anis! I really think our class is going to win first place.

Oh, stop it...

I honestly think you'd make a great pop star.

I-I really mean it.

... A pop star, huh?

Yeah, i-if you ever become one, I'd want to be your manager.

It'd be so much fun, traveling around, performing everywhere...

No way... Riss?!

Y-yep, and I'm here to be your manager, like I promised.

Um... I'll be T.T. STAR's manager starting today.

I-it's nice to meet you all.

She reached out this morning and said she wanted to apply for the manager role.

So you were Anis's classmate?

Y-yes.

...

What did you even do back in school? Your supporters just keep showing up.

Her resume looks solid. She's worked at three places already, so she has plenty of experience.

Looks like she's quite capable.

I-I've waited so long for this day...

Uh... Um...

What's going on with Anis? She's been acting strange for a while now.

Right? What'd you do to her?

...

Anis.

Um... I'm looking forward to working with you.

O-oh, yeah! Same here!

Man, I'm seriously glad you're here! Haha!

And... I look forward to working with all of you.

Mhm, likewise.

No need to be all polite. We're the same age, aren't we?

Oh... Uh, sure? Hehe.

... Good.

Sorry to ask this right as soon as you arrive, but our schedule management is a bit of a mess right now.

I'd really appreciate it if you could take charge of sorting it out.

Y-yes. I actually saw people talking about it on the forums already.

I'll take care of it, so please don't worry.

That's good to hear.

All right, let's get going.

Phew... that's done.

What's next, Riss?

The department store plaza, in one hour.

Looks like we've got plenty of time.

The event manager there tends to hold a grudge if you don't arrive 20 minutes early to greet them...

So we should probably go say hello first.

I heard they like milk tea, so we should bring some.

Oh... okay.

Next is the general hospital entrance. Everyone's got their safety shorts, right?

Oh yes, you told me to bring it, so I did. But what's it for?

It's not like our choreography's ridiculously intense.

The wind between those buildings gets pretty bad.

Some fans even treat it like a prime waiting spot.

Let's change in the car on the way there.

You installed the privacy curtain, right?

Oh yeah, I did.

All right, let's go.

Wow... she's incredible.

Yeah, you can say that again.

...

That's when I realized what kind of manager Boss really is.

Yeah. Anyway, let's head to the next venue. That's all we can do for now.

Guys... I'm the boss, you know. Even if I was also doubling as manager and producer.

Pffft!

Seriously? I just got out of the shower.

S-sorry! Soda went down the wrong pipe.

W-wait, what did you just say?

We just landed an ad deal!

Pffft!

You're doing that on purpose, aren't you?

No, that's not it. It's just... I still can't wrap my head around it.

It's a soda commercial.

They just launched a new drink and reached out to ask if we could be the models for the ad.

And Anis seems to be the reason they came to us.

Pffft!

Cut it out.

Wait... don't tell me it's because I'm always drinking soda?

That's right.

Wow, don't tell me you've been drinking soda this whole time just for this?

...

Uh... Yeah, you could say it's viral marketing.

The pay's not bad. For us, it's actually quite a large sum.

But honestly, what's most important is the exposure.

There's just one condition.

For six months after the ad airs, you can only drink their sparkling water. Nothing too difficult, right?

Wh-whoa, that's perfect.

Does it have anything special?

I-it's not really a diet drink, but it's more for digestion.

So, um... if you drink it right before going on stage, you might end up burping into the mic.

J-just watch out for that and you should be fine.

Oh... Gotcha, thanks.

We're meeting them tomorrow to go over the details, set the schedule, and shoot. Sounds good?

Of course. Wow, I can't believe this is actually happening.

An ad, huh? Wonder what the concept's gonna be.

...

What's wrong, Anis? Something bothering you?

No, it's just...

This feels like a dream.

If this turned out to be a dream, that'd be pretty funny, wouldn't it?

... Yeah, real funny.

Refreshment that bursts with flavor!

Big Bang Soda!

...

Th-that piece of shit...!

... They changed the model to Yoyo? That's a bit much.

She's straight-up picking on you.

H-hey, isn't this illegal or something? What's it called again... some kind of fair trade violation?

L-legally, there's no issue since we never finalized the contract...

You've gotta be kidding me...

...

Here we go... again...

...

Tetra wouldn't take a loss just to satisfy Yoyo's personal vendetta.

A loss? What loss?

Yoyo's image. This isn't the kind of ad a chart-topping pop star like her would normally take.

Someone who's built her whole persona around mystique, promoting some obscure new product? That alone would hurt her image.

They wouldn't take that kind of loss just to mess with you.

Nah, that's exactly the kind of crap she'd pull. She's a nasty piece of work.

Yoyo can't force something like this on her own. She works for Tetra, after all.

Hmm... something about this feels off.

...

Didn't Boss say he used to be a director at Tetra?

What if he left on bad terms with Mustang?

So what, this is some big corporate revenge scheme?

Yeah, right. Why would Tetra even waste time on some tiny company like us?

The client just changed their mind, that's all.

... Good, then.

Anyway, where'd Boss disappear to?

Oh, yeah... he said he had to step out for a bit.

But he didn't say where...

...

...

...

Hey, guys! How 'bout we blow off some steam?

We already performed, so what's the point of warming up again?

Otherwise, we'll just sit here moping around.

...

C'mon, let's go dance our hearts out!

*Sigh...*

Up, up! Let's go!

Hey, don't pull so hard! You're way too strong.

Ugh, why are you so heavy?

Well, what do you expect when she's always stuffing her face with carbs?

Y-you all go on ahead. I'll prepare the drinks.

All right, thanks.

...

Boss said he's going to Tetra Line...

He wouldn't be going there just to start a fight, would he...?

I must say, that's remarkably petty of you.

... Wh-what?

I said that's petty of you.

Or perhaps you have so much time on your hands that you feel the need to trample a small company like ours?

It seems age has dulled your judgment.

Have you lost your mind?

You climb a little on some indie chart, and suddenly you're getting cocky?

Want me to crush you properly?

Poaching our staff, overloading our schedule, and using Yoyo to steal our ad deal... Did you really think I wouldn't notice?

Do you want me back that badly? After all, I'll have no choice but to return if T.T. STAR falls apart.

You're getting far too full of yourself. Know your place.

No, you're the type who always needs someone by your side.

Someone to absorb your emotions. Someone to amuse you when you get bored.

Someone who tolerates that dreadful temper of yours, yet pushes back just enough to keep things interesting.

And then, whenever it suits you, you crush them with your power and authority. That's what you call the joy of living, isn't it?

Mrs. Miss and I played those roles for you perfectly well.

But now that everyone's gone, you don't quite know what to do with yourself, do you?

Well, look at that. You've grown bold enough to spout that kind of nonsense to my face.

Please stop.

We're managing just fine on our own.

So please just leave us be.

Hearing you say that just makes me want to do it even more.

Now then... if I break you completely, will you finally behave?

You of all people know how good I am at breaking things.

So tell me, where should I start? Your body, or your mind?

Don't you dare lay a hand on my girls!

...!

You destroy everything in your path,

just for your sick amusement.

You little shit...!

Don't you dare lay a hand on my girls, you vile creature!

I won't stand by and let you get away with it!

... Heh.

Hah, hahahaha!

Oh, this is good. This is really good! I can't remember the last time someone came at me like this!

And it's my own son? Heh, I can't hold back anymore!

Go on! Don't just stand there! I'm dying to see how this plays out!

...

You've been warned.

Do not touch them.

Did you sleep with them?

I won't dignify that with a response.

I got curious what you could possibly see in those dime-a-dozen heaps of scrap you keep dragging around, so I looked into them.

Turns out there's nothing there.

No pedigree. No talent. Nothing unique. Just painfully average.

So what exactly are you counting on, keeping them around?

You wouldn't understand even if I told you.

...

...

You must be pleased with yourself, taking an ad that someone else worked so hard to secure.

I suppose big companies really do play by different rules.

... I'm sorry about the ad deal. I didn't know either.

I never meant to take anything from T.T. STAR. I truly didn't.

Of course you didn't.

...

*Sigh*

G-good job, Anis.

... Oh, thanks.

Mint's resting, and Prika went to take a shower.

Boss... hasn't come back yet either.

So it's just you and me here for now.

...

Ah, um... I've got something to take care of, so I'll head out first.

Anis.

Wh-what?

Why didn't you come find me?

We promised that if you became a pop star, I'd be your manager.

...

I forgot.

Liar.

...

Why didn't you come find me?

How could I...?

What do you mean?

...

I didn't want you to find out I'm nothing special.

You really thought that? I didn't expect it.

Yeah...

Honestly, I'm not even sure I'm cut out for being a pop star.

The more I do this, the more it hits me.

I'm not special.

I'm painfully ordinary.

For that kind of person, you sure work hard.

Because that's all I've got.

Someone like me can only get anywhere by working my ass off. I don't know any other way.

At first, I was going to just come straight to you,

all confident, like, "Hey, you should be our manager."

But then... I don't know...

I was terrified you'd just say,

"Why would I? You're not even that good."

Anis...

That's why I couldn't come.

The way you looked at me, the things you said...

I knew you liked me, and I was so grateful...

But I didn't want you to see what I really am. Just someone ordinary. Nothing special.

The star you thought you were looking at... wasn't a star at all. Just a cheap plastic toy pretending to be one.

I was afraid you'd be disappointed.

It wasn't because you were special that I liked you.

See? What'd I tell you?

Don't take this the wrong way.

When I first saw you... um...

Honestly, I remember thinking, "She's not even that good, so why is she always the one stepping up?"

I felt the same way when you were the cheer captain. It never really seemed like you were that amazing.

Wow... that's harsh.

But you just kept working hard.

There wasn't anything particularly special about you, but you never stopped trying.

And then one day, you suddenly pulled it off. It actually looked pretty convincing.

Seeing that... meant a lot to me.

Um... please don't take this the wrong way.

I just thought if someone that ordinary can make it by not giving up, then maybe I could too.

I'm ordinary too. No... actually, I'm probably worse than ordinary.

So maybe if I worked hard, I could do something worthwhile.

And maybe someday, I could become special.

I think that's what I was thinking back then.

After that, I kept watching you. I tried to be more like you.

That's how I became your fan.

...

That's why I wanted to do this with you.

I thought if you ever came looking for me, I should be ready. So I became a manager and worked hard to learn the job.

Because someday, I wanted us to become something special together.

You seriously...

Hehe, bet you're really grateful now.

...

Wow, I seriously can't thank you enough.

No, Anis, I should be the one thanking you.

Boss... you didn't go out there and stir up trouble, did you?

No... I mean...

Uh... that sounds like something happened...

W-we're getting almost three times as many performance requests.

...

T-to be honest, it's not impossible.

But even finding time to eat will be tight...

A-and we'd only get around four hours of sleep a night.

This won't do. It's great that there's so much demand, but this isn't realistic.

We'll have to turn some of them down.

All right...

Nah, let's do them all.

No, that would be pushing it.

The ad deal's already gone anyway. Might as well get our faces out there as much as possible.

Who knows? Another opportunity might come along.

This isn't something we can force. I'm sorry, but any new requests going forward—

I gave it some serious thought.

And then it hit me! We're Nikkes!

...

In theory, we don't even have to sleep or eat.

Isn't that exactly what we're built for?

Anis, that's—

We know you look out for us

and you've always tried to treat us like humans.

But we can't let an opportunity like this slip by.

Even if it means working ourselves to the bone, we should take it.

...

Mint, Prika, what do you think?

I think it's better to take things slowly. If we push too hard, something could go wrong.

I'm with Mint. We're doing just fine as we are. No need to push it.

Oh... o-okay... I get it.

Sorry for pushing it.

...

That said, if someone here wants to crush her sooner rather than later, that's a different story.

If that's the situation, we'll make it work. Winning matters, after all.

...

I...

I'm really... sorry.

But I want to win.

I've spent my whole life just getting pushed around...

Did you hear that, Boss?

One of your pop stars is getting pushed around, and you're just going to sit there and watch?

...

I-I'll work out the schedule then.

That's... okay, right, Boss?

... All right, let's try.

But the moment it becomes too much, we stop. Understood?

C'mon, we've got three Nikkes and the god of scheduling on our side. What could possibly go wrong?

Ugh...

Here, have some soda.

Nah, I'm good. These things make me burp.

Do we have any rice balls left?

Here, but take it easy on the food. Your stomach was jiggling earlier.

You need to eat if you want the energy to keep going.

Nah, a Nikke can move on core power alone.

Knock it off with the lame talk. Hey, pass me that milkshake.

You should be the one laying off the milkshakes. You drink those things all day.

At this rate, you're gonna start crapping them out.

Ahaha!

...?

...?

Oh, uh... I just suddenly remembered a funny video I saw yesterday.

...

Poop.

Ahaha! No, stop...!

...

Come now, you're pop stars. You shouldn't be saying things like that.

Huh? What's this?

R-road work... Looks like they're closing this road.

Th-the map hasn't updated yet, so I didn't notice... I-I'm sorry.

How long will the detour take?

I think we might be about... ten minutes late...

I'll go up and buy you some time. Get here as fast as you can.

Then I'm coming with you.

Nah, you guys just get some rest.

You two are a total vibe killer on stage, anyway.

...

Pull over, Boss. I'll get off here.

You're stretching yourself too thin, Anis.

I'm fine! I'm a Nikke, remember?

...

She's pushing herself too hard again.

Yeah, she probably thinks we'll get roped in too.

... Realistically, do you think we stand a chance?

Anis seems to think so.

...

Okay, let's follow her lead.

Boss, we're gonna head out too. See you later.

... All right, see you later. I'm sorry.

There you go again.

Honestly, that's getting a little old.

...

...

Hehe, d-doesn't this feel like something out of a coming-of-age show?

... My stomach's been killing me. I suppose that's what being an adult means.

It's fine! Nikkes don't get tired! If you think you're tired, it's just in your head!

It's fine! I'm a Nikke! Nikkes don't even need to eat!

Sleep? Nah, I'm totally fine. That's because I'm a Nikke!

Turn the pain sensor or whatever off, and you can't even feel sore! I saw it online and tried it, and it actually works!

This is awesome! It's like having unlimited time and stamina!

Ahh... I get it now. I finally figured out how to use this Nikke body.

At this rate, becoming the ultimate pop star might actually happen, heh.

Just you wait, Yoyo... The ultimate pop star, Anis, is coming for you.

All right! That's a wrap for today!

Let's get back to the dorm, check the monitoring, squeeze in some practice...

Hmm, then we can just jump straight into tomorrow's schedule.

Tomorrow starts at five, right?

Wow, you're incredible. I'm completely wiped and can't even move a finger.

Riss, can you give me a piggyback?

Uh... I'll try my best.

Don't joke about that. She'll actually do it.

Man... I'm beat.

... Maybe I'll just skip the shower today.

What? You practically live in the shower. What happened?

I'm just saying. It's been kinda rough lately.

I'm telling you, feeling tired is all in your head. A Nikke's body doesn't even get tired.

We've got unlimited power! Unlimited stamina!

It's like... we were practically made to be pop stars!

All right, let's head back. I'm tired too.

So, how are we doing on the charts lately? Did we go up much?

Hmm... we're still at 19th. No change.

Just keeping it going is impressive enough.

It's fine, we'll just work harder.

C'mon, guys, let's go.

...

Anis, wait.

Yeah?

Stay right there.

Wh-what's wrong?

...

Are you... even breathing?

Breathing? Yeah, obviously.

No, you're not.

Huh? Oh, you're right.

Wait, how do you breathe again?

Hoo... haa...? Nope, that's not it.

... Oh!

That's right, I'm a Nikke! I don't need to breathe!

So yeah, everything's totally fine!

!

I'm sorry...!

I-I think she's going through a Mind Switch! Hurry, we have to get her to the Repair Center!

Fortunately, it didn't escalate into a Mind Switch.

You forced a reboot just in time, so she'll be fine.

That was the right call. Knocking her out was the best option.

If you'd been any later, the damage would've been irreversible.

May I ask... the reason?

*Sigh*

In theory, a Nikke doesn't need to eat or sleep.

They run on an unlimited power source since everything except the brain is mechanical.

But you mustn't forget that the brain is still human.

When the brain reorganizes its stored information to survive extreme conditions, we call it a Mind Switch.

Most of the time, something goes wrong during that process, and the brain is permanently damaged.

The most common trigger is when a Nikke begins to strongly perceive herself as something other than human.

Physically, they're almost identical to humans. They're stronger, and they don't age, but otherwise their bodily sensations are no different from a human's.

But when someone becomes strongly aware that she's a Nikke rather than a human, the brain starts to malfunction.

"Huh? I'm fine even if I don't sleep? Isn't that supposed to be dangerous?"

"Oh right, that's because I'm a Nikke, not a human."

Thoughts like that might not matter if they only pass through your mind once or twice. But when they start piling up...

you become intensely aware that you're not human. And the brain begins to reject the information it has always believed to be true.

I am human. I am not human.

Those two pieces of information begin fighting inside the same brain.

Brain activity spikes to extreme levels. Far beyond what happens when it's simply trying to survive a crisis.

It affirms, then denies. Affirms again, then denies again.

And once the brain decides it can't handle it anymore, it runs a process that forcibly reorganizes the stored information.

... There's a reason the catalyst fluid was made blood-red, and why sensations like pain were recreated in the first place.

...

...

From the look of it, you're managing one of those Nikke groups that are everywhere lately.

What's wrong with you people?

Nikkes aren't machines. You can't just switch them on like computers and expect them to run forever.

... Jeez, I've already lost count of how many times I've seen this just this month...

You call yourselves pop stars, yet you don't even know the kind of things Pretty used to say...

...!

I'm... sorry.

...

She'll recover fully once she wakes up.

Please treat her better.

What... did the doctor say?

... She'll be fine after some rest. I'm sorry for worrying you all.

And thank you, Riss... If you hadn't been there, it could've been much worse.

N-no, it's just... I've been a little worried. Lately, Anis keeps saying she's a Nikke and that she's fine...

They said that can be an early sign of a Mind Switch...

...

And I didn't even realize... What's wrong with me?

Did the doctor say when she'll wake up?

I'm not sure... I was only told she'd wake up once she's had enough rest.

I'll wait.

No, it's all right. I'll wait here. You should all get some rest.

How can we?

I-I've canceled everything for tomorrow.

We might catch some flak for it, but this is more important right now.

I'll go grab some food and a blanket.

I'll go with you.

Um... I-I'll come too.

... Okay, I'll leave it to you.

... Anis,

why do you push yourself so much?

Because that's all I can do.

... You're up. Try to get some more rest.

Maybe later.

...

Relax, I'm not about to act tough just because I'm a Nikke. I don't want my head getting screwed up either.

...

Do you really want to beat Yoyo that badly?

Yeah.

Even if it means risking a Mind Switch?

... I keep having this dream.

I'm alone in a dark room, just sitting there... and at some point, I fall asleep.

Then I wake up, I'm still alone, but somehow, I'm somewhere high up...

And then I fall.

While I'm falling, I look up, and she's there, looking down at me,

smiling.

...

I want those dreams to stop.

... Boss,

I've always wondered

why did you tell me to become a pop star.

What did you even see in me?

Did I really look that hopeless?

Or was it just pity for the girl who died at Pretty's comeback concert?

No.

Then why?

I hate to admit it, but I'm just average.

There's nothing I've got going for me. No star quality, no talent.

I'm not special.

I... don't think I can win.

I-I've seen her videos,

and she's... incredible. Seriously, I don't even come close.

I-if it weren't for this job, I would've snapped and exposed her already, or gone straight to her place and beat the crap out of her.

But I am a pop star. Clawing my way up from the bottom, yeah, but I'm still one.

So I can't do that.

Because pop stars... don't get to lose it like that.

They're supposed to give people hope.

...

That explains it.

... Huh?

... All right, I'll be honest. At first, it was pity.

But...

...

Do you remember when we first met?

You said you wanted to become a star like Pretty, someone who could give people hope.

That hasn't changed.

Why do you want to do that?

...

For someone who's fallen into despair and given up on life,

I want to tell them... it's okay to keep living...

I want to stay by those who have no one,

and be there for the ones who are worn down.

And in the end...

I want them to feel like it was worth staying alive,

just like Pretty did for me.

...

That's exactly why you should become a pop star.

You're already special.

You just ended up working for the wrong person. That's the only reason you never got your chance to shine.

Huh, never thought of it that way.

...

I'll do whatever it takes

to make you shine.

All of you.

...

Okay, I believe you.

All right. Now, get some sleep.

... Okay.

Seriously, again?

Y-yeah...

I-it was a yogurt commercial this time...

They, um... suddenly decided to go with Yoyo instead...

...

What is that, the fifth time now?

I-if we count the soda ad too, that makes four...

... This is seriously pissing me off.

... I'm sure of it now. This goes beyond a personal grudge.

Yeah, Tetra's got it out for us.

If they're pushing Yoyo this hard, we're definitely on their radar.

Do you have any idea why?

... Beats me. Should we just ask Boss directly?

...

We're done for today, right?

Ah, yeah. We did have one more, but it got canceled because the place caught fire.

... Everyone made it out okay?

N-no one's hurt. It seems the ceiling's only slightly burnt, so I don't think the damage is too bad...

Phew, that's a relief.

... Wh-where are you going?

I'm gonna see Yoyo.

She's not someone you can just go see whenever you want. You know that, right?

I don't care. I'll stake it out if I have to.

I need to see what's really going on.

I'm heading out. Make sure Boss knows where I'll be.

...

What are you doing here...?

I'd like a word.

Great, I've got something to say too.

I'll keep this short. I didn't have anything to do with your ads being taken.

That was the company's decision, not mine.

And what the heck am I supposed to do with that?

Don't get the wrong idea.

I know you hate me, but I still consider us colleagues chasing the same dream.

I would never stoop to something so beneath me.

Drop the act. It's pathetic.

You really think we'd lose it and start exposing you over a couple of ads?

...

I already told you I'm not doing that.

You're almost out of time. So brace yourself. I'm about to crush you with actual skill, got it?

Heh...

Don't make assumptions.

I came here to clear up a misunderstanding.

You expect us to believe that?

...

So you're the new manager for T.T. STAR. I'm Yoyo. Nice to meet you.

...

You don't remember me?

...

I'm sorry, should I know you...?

Guys! Look at this!

If I understand what you're saying, Yoyo is number one on the major record charts,

and T.T. STAR is... where again on the indie charts?

19th.

Right. So you're saying Yoyo's been targeting T.T. STAR, currently 19th on the indie charts?

That's right, she's been snatching every ad that they land,

though calling them ads might be a stretch.

Wait, why would she? It's not like she needs to.

Let's take a look at this.

What are we looking at?

This is Anis's school desk from back when she was still human.

Whoa... that's pretty serious. Isn't that flower what you usually see at funerals?

This just looks like full-on group bullying...

Wait, don't tell me. The one who started this is...?

You guessed it: Yoyo, the chart-topping pop star.

So let me get this straight. Yoyo bullied Anis back in school,

and that's still going on now that they're Nikkes?

That's the most reasonable way to read it, yes.

And this is from a reliable source?

Of course, we've got verified statements from most of her former classmates.

See the QR code below? You can check out the interviews and related materials there.

Wow, that's pretty brutal... As if bullying her back in school wasn't enough, she still kept at it even after Anis became a Nikke.

I mean... with money and fame, messing up someone's life isn't exactly hard, right?

But seriously, what would Yoyo even get out of all that?

Who knows?

People don't always need a reason to be malicious.

Haha, yeah, fair enough. So what's Tetra Line's take on this?

Of course, they're denying it. But here's where things get interesting: we've come across some very telling evidence.

We've confirmed that large sums were deposited into the accounts of the top executives behind the ads Yoyo took from T.T. STAR.

Wait, don't tell me Tetra Line pulled some strings?

Seems that way.

So Tetra knew what Yoyo was up to and even helped her out?

And you've got credible evidence for that?

The data comes from Elysion and Missilis's finance teams.

Wait, why would they provide that?

Well, it's a competitive industry, after all.

Wow, guess nothing stays a secret these days, huh?

Folks, better behave yourselves. You never know what might come back to bite you.

Anyway, moving on.

Elysion's AZX has been delayed by 30 minutes. The cause is... Wow, looks like Nikkephobia's still a thing.

...

...

You...!

Wait, no...

I already told you... it was a misunderstanding!

I apologized!

What more do you want from me?!

No, seriously, hear me out. We have no idea what's going on...

Whatever happened to crushing me with your skills alone?

Is this what you call skill?

Hey,

stop playing the victim.

I really don't get why you think you can look at us like that and say those things.

None of what they said was wrong. You bullied Anis. You stole our ads.

...

Did you seriously think one apology would make it all better? You must live a pretty cushy life if so.

... Hah.

Fine, have it your way.

I had fun watching you writhe, so I played with you a little.

I even showed mercy and let you live your little dream, but you got cocky.

All right. I'll deal with you the way I used to. Looks like that's what you wanted, anyway.

... Heh, some things never change, huh?

Hello?

Where the hell are you?! Get your ass here, right now!

Why are you yelling?

I saw it too, but we can sort th—

Get over here...! Before I go and end you myself!

...

Understood.

...!

You useless piece of junk!

You said it was fine! You told me not to worry!

Wh-why are you making such a fuss?! If we just release the audio, it'll all be fine...

We submitted it, and they flagged it as tampered immediately!

You know why?! Because Elysion and Missilis had their top experts verify every second!

Elysion... and Missilis? Why would they...?

How would I know?!

You absolute moron! Why would you go out of your way to expose yourself like that?!

If you were gonna do something that stupid, you might as well have gone on air and said it outright!

"Oh, that new pop star? Yeah, she's just some poor girl I used to bully back in school, so be nice to her, everyone!"

A weakness is something you bury, not something you dig up yourself! What the hell is wrong with your head, huh?!

You were ugly as hell, chasing after some stupid fantasy, then you get turned into a heap of scrap, and they redid your entire face!

You got handed a clean slate on a silver platter! You could've started over! Instead, you go and show everyone the skeletons in your closet like a damn lunatic!

B-but... you told me to go over there and start something with them...

When did I ever do that?!

!

Go on, say it.

When did I say something like that, huh?

I'm... sorry.

Argh! Damn it! Damn it!

*Huff... huff...*

Is there... no other way?

Enough, cut it out.

... What?

I said stop. I don't know how, but now Elysion and Missilis are involved.

If this were just rumors, I could've buried it. But it's not, is it?

You did bully her. You did steal those ads.

So drop it, I'm not letting Tetra get dragged down with you.

But we were... in this together, weren't we...?

What are you even talking about?

Tetra Line, the top of the industry, getting involved in some star's petty grudge?

Did you really think that was gonna happen?

...

No... of course not.

Exactly. It's all on you, so you're the one taking the fall.

...

P-please... just give me one more chance...

Get out!

...!

Damn it!

*Huff... huff...*

Whew...

That rust bucket doesn't matter. I can cut her loose anytime.

The real problem is Elysion and Missilis.

Damn vultures, they actually brought in their finance team for something this trivial?

What are they after? Why come after me out of nowhere?

Why get involved in something this insignificant?

There's no reason for them to target me in the first place...

...

Unless...

...

We've taken a keen interest in why Tetra Line hasn't collapsed.

Mustang is... something of an anomaly.

Go on, say it. He's a total screw-up. No need to sugarcoat it.

Well, yes, there's no better way to put it.

He may be the CEO of one of the Big Three, with strong ties to the Central Government and V.T.C...

But I've always wondered how Tetra hasn't collapsed, considering he behaves like a rabid dog.

And he's got a pretty good public image, too.

So it was you behind all of this.

I assumed you were just there to fill a chair, but you've been quite skilled at working things from the shadows.

It's no exaggeration to say Tetra has you to thank for surviving this long.

You flatter me.

I don't make a habit of saying this, but I've always been curious about you.

So when you requested a secure line, we came...

And all you have is this? A complete waste of our time.

That's cute, you actually thought we'd stick our noses into that pop star nonsense?

I know you both dislike Mustang.

Yeah, we're not exactly fans.

He got lucky discovering a single pop star, Tetra's stock shot up, and now he's insufferably smug.

But that's a separate issue. Why should Missilis or Elysion bother digging up Tetra's dirty laundry?

No need to make a corporate drama out of this.

Besides, the data is insignificant. Any private investigator could have gotten it in a day.

So there's absolutely no reason for us to waste our time on it.

It'd carry much more weight coming from you than from some no-name detective agency.

Besides,

it could give the impression that you're targeting Tetra Line.

So why exactly are we going after Tetra?

Do you really think two companies of our scale would act on your personal feelings? You're still a child.

See if you can bribe Mustang's personal physician.

... His personal physician?

...

After that, you may each decide whether to assist me.

I'm confident you'll find it worthwhile.

Honestly, it's not exactly profitable for me, but think of it as an investment in what comes next.

... I've got a rough idea of what you're getting at.

Fine. If your information proves worthwhile, we'll assist.

After all, good intel comes at a price.

All right, we'll review it, then decide.

Understood, I'd appreciate your help.

...

...

Fine, I hate to admit it, but you were right.

I suppose there's a part of me that enjoys watching others suffer.

Heh... haha.

So it was you, Hanson.

No idea how you got those idiots wrapped around your finger, but this just got interesting.

Heh.

That's my boy.

... She's not picking up.

Yoyo?

Yeah...