LU Chapter 23

# Chapter Twenty-three - 'A Greedy Celebration"

    "Boss, we have to talk about this. Now." The tall, imposing idol did his best to look even taller and more imposing as he stood up and walked to his producer's desk with a threatening swagger, towering over the portly man seated there trying to ignore him.

"Yeah, yeah, gimme a minute. I've almost got Umechou, ya know. Just a few more spins… Dang it! Kireiko again…"

    Goro's elbows were propped up on his desk, his face pressed close to his phone as he excitedly jammed his thick thumb against the screen. The idol was on a mission, ignoring the shouts for order from the other people in the room with them, stopping directly in front of his producer's desk and slamming his palms down with significant force.

    "Did you hear what Yuu said?! Not in a *minute*. Now. We've gone too far, and I'm putting an end to it."

    The raucous room went quiet. Goro Matsubara straightened his back and set down his phone. The other idols in the room ceased chatting triumphantly around the couch, their attention having been roused by the conflict brewing at center stage.

    "Dinner will be here any minute. Why don't ya have a seat, get yerself a drink, and we can discuss whatever's bugging ya like gentlemen? I hate arguin' on an empty stomach. I like ya, so you can consider it a head start to think of what ya really want to say."

    "Boss, you were just eating a curry bun like ten minutes ago." Yuu volunteered, poking a bit of fun at his producer. "That's hardly an empty stomach."

    "Yeah well that's hardly a full stomach, and I went light at lunch, so it doesn't even count. Anyway, Natsuki, your sweetheart will be here any minute with dinner, so just chill out."

    "She is not my-"

    "D… Dinner is here… What's going on?"

    "Ah, thank you Asa sweetie. Bring it on over here, an' make sure to eat up. My rising star needs to keep up her energy! Let young Mister Tobe tell you how great a job you've done pullin' off my master plan." The brash blonde idol, newly returned from running errands for the demanding producer, looked happy to receive the praise but otherwise run down. She had been putting in a full day's work each day on the set of I MY ME's current flagship project, then returning each evening to see her beloved Natsuki and do the bidding of Mr. Matsubara to stay in his good graces. Setting the heavy bag weighed down with cartons of yakisoba on the producer's desk, Asa rose on her tiptoes toward her sweetheart to steal a kiss, only to be brushed aside with a cold forearm.

    "Not now, Asa. Go sit down."

    As sure as the young girl's face turned dour from the brush-off, the producer's eyes lit up as he opened the foam takeout container full of noodles, cabbage, and his requested additions of double pork and triple sauce, immediately scooping a large portion into his mouth with the cheap bamboo chopsticks the restaurant had included. He slurped down the noodles with a disgusting squelch, then resumed the argument that had been thrust upon him.

    "So, Natsuki, my boy, what exactly is your problem? According to Yuu our plan is going perfectly. Better'n perfectly. Eimi's scared, that's what we wanted. Half of 'em don't have a clue what to think and the rest are gettin' real antsy. And your little sweetheart! Ahaha! Yuu saw it himself. This is better'n we ever dreamed."

    "That's what we need to talk about."

    "Oh lighten up, *Natsu*. Lucky Akari and Miku needed that emergency consultation, or we'd have to wait for the gossip train to make its way allll around the building." Yuu had been celebrating their successful mischief with a couple cans of strong strawberry-pineapple chuhai, offering one to the quiet Asa as a sign of approval in a job well done. She took the offered can, well chilled from Goro's in-office refrigerator, and popped open the tab, spritzing a fine mist of the sweet, fruit-scented drink into the stale office air. She took her first sip of this sort of beverage, finding it mildly disappointing after all the hype. Sour tastes like her usual green apple and lime energy tonic had more bite on her taste buds than this, and as a result it felt like something a baby would drink, not an exotic, adult thing to do. She had tried whisky once - just a couple sips - and as disgusting as it was it tasted like a real grown up drink and burned on the way down. This tasted like fruit punch, but it did make her stomach and cheeks pleasantly warm, which she was fine with after Natsuki's icy reception.

    "How can you call making one of them pass out from some kind of… of *chemical attack* 'perfect'?!"

    "It was *perfume*. Nothin' but run of the mill, over the counter, good ole mild Japanese perfume. Not even the good stuff I get from overseas that'll let the whole room know I'm there. It's the same kind Miss Asakura found in the girl's locker, and she was completely star struck when they brought that old advertising model up during an interview. *Ohhh wowww Francesca Alagona, such a wonderful model!* If she's so wonderful, how come I've never heard of her before now? Anyways, how was I supposed to know that lil Junko's constitution is *sooo delicate* that a little rose oil and some pictures of her hero would knock 'er out cold?"

    "Junko is off limits from now on, do you hear me? I told you I have her under control, and you're messing it up! You have ten other girls to terrorize. If you insist on messing with her, then I'm out. I won't cooperate any more."

    "Is that so? Hmm…" Goro took another large mouthful of his dinner and grinned, sending a chunk of grilled cabbage onto the top of his desk. "You understand that all you've done so far beside' pinin' for her is use your delicate penmanship to take down what I tell you, right? You're basically my secretary. 'Sides, you're that hard up for that Junko girl that you'd let down your entire group just to land her? That's a bold position to take with your little girlfriend in the room, isn't it?"

    "What are you *talking about*, old man? Asa is *not* my girlfriend. I haven't had a girlfriend since I was fifteen. We're just havin' some fun, right babe?"

    "N… N-Natsu…?" The busty blonde's face stiffened into a look of disbelief, like a reflection in a shattered mirror. "I-I am your girlfriend though. We've gone on dates! We've even… I let you… N-Natsu! Tell everyone that you're joking! *Please…*"

    "Asa, the only joke here is you, traipsing around like you seriously think you're as good as Eimi-fricking-Inagawa. Look at yourself. You're what you'd get if you ordered bootleg Eimi merch. Goro is never going to take on a weak talent like yourself, let alone your entire third string group, and honestly you're starting to annoy me. You're so frickin' clingy. Go back to whatever motel you usually hang around, okay? You're more trouble than you're worth at this point."

    "N-Natsu, you're seriously breaking up with me?!"

    "My name is ***Natsuki***, and I can't break up with you because we're not dating. We were ***never***. ***Dating***. You're just one of the countless girls who throw themselves at me. Like I'd ever actually date a girl like you."

    Asa's face twisted into an image of grief, followed by a sneer of fiery rage. In at least one talent, she was even more skilled than her former idol.

    "**You're a jerk!** You know that?! I can't believe you… I let you… AAGH!!! **I HATE YOU!!!**" Everyone in the office was stunned at the speed with which Asa propelled herself across the room and into Natsuki, and sat speechless as her palm impacted on the idol's cheek. More than one mouth stood agape as the echo of the slap faded away into the carpeting and furniture. Even Goro, who normally wouldn't care less about this kind of drama among his idols, stopped eating and watched the scene play out.

    The blonde girl's fury melted away and her eyes welled up with tears. For weeks she had been under the assumption that she was in a genuine, caring relationship. After all, they'd done the sorts of things that a girl normally only does with her beloved boyfriend. They'd spent time together, cuddling and holding hands. Natsuki had always been there to tell her she was doing a good job fetching errands and cleaning the office. When they were alone he had always been so sweet, teaching her how to dance and even giving her some beginner piano lessons, as well as teaching her so many other things. He serenaded her with poetry, impressed her with the fancy Latin names of the many plants he cared for, and even sang to her as he played his beloved piano. In her mind she had planned out their entire life together. First as idols, then as models or actors, and finally as a married couple in his home, just the two of them and hundreds of plants which they'd lovingly tend together. No tiny trailer, no parents to yell or lash out at her for no reason, no one to call her dumb or worthless, just absolute domestic bliss.

    All of that collapsed in on itself in a fraction of a second as Natsuki's indifferent gaze communicated to Asa that he was done toying with her, and she took a final gulp of the sweet drink before throwing the half empty can straight at his perfect brown hair, splashing his face with a few impotent drops as she ran out of the room.

    For a full minute, nobody said anything. Not even Goro. Eventually Natsuki's peers were the ones to break the awkward silence.

    "What the hell? Could you be a bigger jerk?" The blond, Hayate, finally commented on his group mate's bluster. Normally he would just ride out his friend's bad moods, and he had witnessed more than a few instances of questionable behavior from the young man in the past. This was the first time however that he had seen Natsuki exhibit such a blatant disregard for one of his conquests, and the young man found it upsetting. Even if Asa was kind of annoying, and even if she had pursued Natsuki relentlessly by her own choice, she was still a coworker and, more importantly to Hayate, she was clearly a romantic at heart. That sort of rejection after showing such frequent and vocal affection didn't sit well with Hayate, who knew what it felt like to be spurned by someone you had convinced yourself liked you in return.

     "That was cold, even for you…" added Yuu. "She really didn't deserve that."

    "It's what she gets for being so naive." Natsuki responded, heaving his chest. "Nobody takes a girl like that seriously. Come on, Hayate. Would you be half as interested in Eimi if she gave in that readily? No, you wouldn't, because a man has to have standards. Asa is fine as a distraction, but she's not the kind of girl you marry, and that's the entire point of dating. A real man wants to chase after a girl and catch her, not have one hurl themselves into your lap."

    "Bro, don't take this the wrong way, but you're kind of a pig. How could you use her like that with no intentions toward her?"

    "How is that any different from when Goro sent me out to meet that producer? Asa shouldn't even have been here in the first place. Goro's the one who went too far, mixing his business with my pleasure, and he's doing it again. Seriously, leave Junko alone. You've made your point, but you don't need to terrify anyone that badly. I have it under control! Junko is as good as mine."

    Goro sighed, weary of this argument. "Fine. We won't do anythin' to mess with your sweet wittle Junko, okay? In return though, you need to stop being useless since you chased off what's'ername. And stop ruinin' my dinner with your teenager problems. I don't care who you get your jollies with, got it? But that one was a damn good gopher, so now you boys are gonna have to run errands for me in her place."

    "Well good job everyone. Way to screw up a good plan and piss off the one person who helped me do any actual work, not to mention knows everything we've been up to and happens to now be super angry at us. Great plan! There's absolutely no way that could possibly backfire. I'm going to go after her." Yuu stood up from the couch he had been sharing with Hayate, placing his empty can on the desk with a tinny thunk.

    "Why? Who cares? She can't rat us out without telling on herself. She's too much of a tryhard to implode her career for revenge." Natsuki pushed his limits, grabbing Goro's glass from out of his hand and draining it completely. "All these idols are a bunch of idiots. Only a couple are worth even giving the time of day."

    "Sometimes I can't believe we're friends." The lone remaining blond chastised his best friend, who merely rolled his eyes at the accusation.

    "Asa did everything we asked her to do. Frankly, you're a jerk. It really makes it clear how little you'd do for us if it came down to it." Yuu voiced his disappointment before leaving with a slam of the office door. Natsuki felt the need to shout to get in the last word.

    "Seriously?! Man, bros before… stupid clingy idols! You want her, you're welcome to her!" He turned to address Hayate, the only one he could still try to make his case to. "Besides, Goro's the one who messed up."

    "That's rich. I tried ta brush it off, but you keep pushin' my buttons. You've been all for going all out on all of those girls, but suddenly when it's the one *you're* sweet on that's a step too far. Figure out where your loyalty is, little *Natsu*. You're no better than Asa, but at least she used her brain and got results, so I guess I take that back. You're less useful than she was. An' don't forget who made you a star, and who could unmake you just as fast. You're a tool. Start trying ta be useful for somethin'."

    "I could unravel your scheme in a second, you stupid old-"

    "Hey! Natsuki, I love you bro, but stop being like this. We get it, okay? You wanted to break up with your current girl to go after someone else, and you did that. There's no need to make our jobs harder just so you look macho." Hayate, behind his overt meaning, pleaded with his friend to give in. Natsuki had come out raging against his producer's methods, but the hypocrisy was clear: he wasn't himself any better. None of them were. They had all compromised their integrity in the pursuit of fame or love. All of Kerberos deserved each other. That much was clear.

    "Take your boy's advice, *Natsu*. Let's make a deal since I'm so magnanimous and forgiving. You do whatever you think you need to do, but when we tell ya our plans you're gonna hop to it an' you'd better deliver. If this whole plan falls apart because you caught a bad case of the feelings, you're done. You get what'll happen? Keep your eyes on being number one. Everythin' beyond that is pointless. This business don't care if you find *true love*. You don't got what it takes? Go work with One-N-Done Kumasawa or that bleeding heart Hasegawa. There's plenty of idols who'd love to step into Kerberos if you decide *truuue looove* is worth more than fame and fortune, ya get it? You're talented, but Hayate and Yuu could make any prettyboy idol look good."

    The producer didn't pull any punches, stabbing his chopsticks straight through the foam packaging of his dinner.

    "Do we understand each other?"

    Natsuki stared down his boss, before finally giving in and agreeing to his terms.

    "Fine! What do you want me to do?"

    "Whatever I tell ya to do. That's how this works. And when the time comes you'd better fall in line or you're done with this business. You can go back to trolling for girls at the malls. I'm sure you'd be heartbroken. So let's not kid ourselves. We've both got talents that the other can make use of. It's better that we get along, right? That way I get what I want, and you get what you want? And if not this Junko broad, I'm sure you'll find another precious little idol to take her place." Despite his preoccupation with his dinner, Goro showed his shrewdness, leading his idol to the only sensible conclusion to be reached from their starting positions. Namely, that in any group it's the producer who has the power, and unless you're a superstar you only have enough rope to hang yourself. And Natsuki, despite his opinion of himself, is not yet a superstar.

    "I've never known you to be so particular." Hayate got a rare barb in at his group mate and friend. "Normally you wouldn't care who a girl is as long as she's cute. What's so special about this one?"

    "She's just different, okay? You're obsessed with Eimi. Why can't I have a girl I think is better than the rest for once?"

    Hayate craned his neck and tugged at his chin as he thought, but he couldn't find any way in which he could fault his friend. "I get it. Then I'll agree. Goro, let's lay off this Junko girl and give Natsuki a chance. We can still get our point across with the rest of them."

    "Fine, if you're both gonna be like that about it. But you'd better convince Yuu to fall in line too. He's gotten all soft now that he's out there, runnin' around like one of the girls, following Asa out of here like that. Idols. I swear. You can't trust 'em to do what's necessary to save your life…"

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