LU Chapter 7

# Chapter Seven - "The Interluminati"

Akira

    Even though everyone else had left the room to head to the set or stretch their legs, Caterina and Nana were staying put right at the end of the table, going through stacks of folders and envelopes and keeping at it even once the four of us got back. You know how people who're used to getting their way are. This is a power move I've seen dad use bunches of times. Sit at one end of a big long table, make the people you're trying to impress sit at the other end so they have to strain to hear you and speak up, and make a big show of making them wait a bit before the meeting starts. Nobody needs twenty whole minutes between meetings, and there's no way they needed the extra ten they've kept us sitting here in complete silence. It's meant to exert your dominance over the other party. Which is fine in the boardroom, but feels pretty silly when you're like a hundred and sharing the table with a bunch of teenage girls.

    "Let's begin." A stern voice said with perfect diction from the other end of the table. Lots of times dad has done business with people who spoke Japanese fine, but it was all stiff and overly formal. Ms. Rossi isn't like that. It was obvious that she must have spent time in Japan before now, which meant that we could forget about any private conversations with each other, even without her Japanese assistant being in earshot. In fact, I don't think most of the other girls have sensed how much she's treated us all as though we're still in negotiations over a business deal, despite that all having been taken care of by the management. That's pretty weird, right? We're supposed to be idols, and this is supposed to be a done deal. This is exactly the sort of environment I was hoping to get away from by becoming an idol in the first place…

    "Good morning, Cat… Cata… Morning, Ms. R!" Rinko said loudly with a chuckle, tripping her tongue over the woman's flamboyantly European pronunciation of "Caterina", which was, for Rinko, apparently as difficult as the woman herself.

    "Yes, if we can dispense with pleasantries, we have a lot to cover today before you join your peers. I assume it's obvious why you're all here?"

    The four of us exchanged confused glances. What did we do? And in only one day!

   Besides the stuff Lina already yelled at us all for, I mean. Anette's the one who thought it'd be funny to tell Nana to make sure to let out Eimi's costume, and it's not like she actually *did it*…

    Nana, taking a sip of her newly opened bottle of electric green "energy drink", made a sound of amusement at our expressions. After Caterina mumbled something too low for us to hear, Nana sat up straighter and addressed us with the sort of loaned authority you often see in middle-management. You know the kind. Just in charge enough to think they're the boss, but in reality they're just around so the real boss can go play golf or sneak out to watch baseball.

    "Before we accepted this project, the Rossi Agency performed the standard array of background checks on each of your group's members. We mostly found the usual risks and trends, but the four of you were flagged as the linchpins of your ensemble, since each of you are clearly regarded by your peers as the heads of the group. What this means after yesterday, basically, is that we've decided that if we want the troops to fall in line we're going to need to have the support of the sergeants, hence this meeting. We're going to be asking a lot of you all, but we feel that you're up to the challenge. We just want to make sure we can all be on the same page."

    The speech sounded overly rehearsed. Nana is an awesome artist. Everything she's shown us has been super impressive, but this sort of thing clearly isn't her strong suit. She says she was chosen as the assistant on this project due to being Japanese and already needing to be here for the design aspects, but I guess it would be rude of us not to cooperate anyway. The only problem is that what she's saying is way off! Nobody looks up to me as a leader like they do these other girls. I've barely even had my debut! I mean, maybe Yume and Anette, but Yume's short so she looks up to almost everyone, and Anette is keen to go with whatever doesn't make her think too hard, so it's not like that's an accomplishment…

    "Hah! So you *can* see what a big deal some of us are. I knew that was just an act." Eimi leaned back in her chair as she swaggered her words, swinging her feet up on top of the table. They had barely touched the surface before that was proven to be a bad idea. "So what do you need, huh? And what's it worth to-"

    "Miss! Inagawa! This is not a barn! Did your mother never teach you how to behave in public?!" Caterina shouted with a force none of us would have expected given her slight frame and proper demeanor, but in retrospect it made sense. She needed us to fall in line one way or another, and that probably means tackling any of our rebellious instincts. If you can't schmooze 'em, intimidate 'em. Boardroom one-oh-one.

    She has her job cut out for her…

    Eimi would have fallen over backwards if not for grabbing onto my chair and nearly taking me with her if not for my cat-like reflexes. Her chest jiggled amusingly behind her workout clothes at the sudden lurch and even more sudden stop. She's lucky she didn't knock herself out! Rinko and Junko were both speechless, while a few errant laughs escaped from me at the sight.

    "Ms. Hoshino? Is something amusing to you?"

    "Ah, yeah, well…" Probably shouldn't say "*the look on Eimi's face when you yell at her…*"

    "I'm just kinda wonderin' why I'm here, ya know? Rinko's our leader, and Junko's like her Ms. Nanasawa, right? And Eimi's a megastar, so tons of the girls look up to her, yeah? But I've only even performed a couple times so far as an idol, and half of Lina's yelling this morning was pretty much directed at me, ya know? So what am I doing here? Shouldn't it be Dam-Bi or Megumi or one of the girls who've been doing this longer?"

    "I see." Caterina took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. Another play from dad's book. I wonder if she even actually needs them to see. Dad only needs them for reading, but will wear them at times anyway just so he can whip them off in disappointment. "Nana, can you deal with this? My headache is returning."

    *I have that effect on dad too…*

    With a nod, the perky noirette stood up and locked her arms behind her back self-consciously, becoming even more perky in the process.

    "Akira Hoshino. Age seventeen. Sole heir to the Hoshino fortune and anticipated future president of the Hoshino Corporation. Top marks on your exams since entering middle school, despite an extensive history of discipline from your teachers. You became an idol over your parents' objections despite being blacklisted from most agencies in Tokyo, and are currently estranged from them as a result. In summary, Miss Hoshino, your parents raised you to be exceptional, and you've managed to exceed even their own abilities to keep you compliant with their wishes, even with their substantial resources. On top of this, several of your peers show a distinct willingness to follow your lead. Are you implying that we shouldn't be similarly concerned about keeping you under control? It seems a much better use of your talents to steer your peers as an example than lead them in mischief. At least for these two weeks."

    Hearing my biography read off like that was a little embarrassing, but I guess at least that last part was a good point. I can be a bigger handful than Eimi sometimes.

    Get it?!

    You get it!

    "People seriously look up to me?!" I was beaming just a little bit. Who knew that despite being so cute and talented I'd also be a leader right away! I guess Eimi's right. I am kind of a big deal. Fufufu.

    "It looks like at least some of your group do, Ms. Hoshino, judging by the shenanigans you were able to lead them into yesterday. The only question is whether you'll put that talent to good use, or continue using it to start unscripted melees on the set." The way Ms. Rossi gave me those options, dry and full of disappointment, stung in the exact same way my own mom's lectures can.

    "Ah, yeah, when you put it that way, aha… I guess I can try to set a little better example… Sorry about yesterday…"

    "Eimi, your family…" The young woman at the head of the table looked a bit awkward, exchanging a glance with Ms. Rossi before continuing. "Your reputation as a performer precedes you, and as the de facto veteran in the group your opinion commands a certain level of respect from many of the other idols." *Or at least it would if it wasn't so fun watching her get all worked up over being ignored!* "And Junko, your family history is-"

    "Actually!" Junko shouted, loud enough to be heard unmistakably from anywhere in the room and likely a good deal of the hallway, cutting Nana off. "I don't disagree at all with anything you've said so far, so I'm sure whatever reasons you have for wanting me here are sound. However, they're irrelevant to me. I'm more than happy to support Rinko in setting a good example for our group in any way I can, and I'm sure Akira and Eimi feel the same way. I don't think we're going to need the hard sell."

    As for me, I agreed well enough. Eimi tried to give Junko the stink eye but I jabbed her in the side of the boob with two fingers, distracting and flustering her enough that her resistance was rendered moot. This leadership thing is easy!

    "Now, if you're all onboard, allow us to get down to business." Ms. Rossi said, as Nana once again took her seat at her right. "If this project is going to be successful, here is what we're going to need from each of you. First off, you need to set a perfect example for your peers. That means behaving like quintessential idols. That means no feet on the furniture, *Ms. Inagawa*, and no dressing like you've forgotten to change after getting out of bed. Surely your mother would be mortified right now were she here."

    Eimi's mouth dropped open and all three of us watched her nervously as she successfully bit her tongue, earning a sigh of relief from our end of the table. Personally I think her workout outfit is kinda cute with those big floofy socks over her leggings, but I guess it isn't very "quintessential idol".

    "Secondly, we ask that you pay careful attention to what's going on around you and try to shepherd your peers effectively. Step in and volunteer as an example when need be. You're all beautiful young idols, so act like no less than women worth idolizing. Shyness is for those less dazzling and has no place in a project like this."

    "That won't be a problem." Eimi said, with a bit of a bite. "We're all well aware of how great we are, and we'll act like it to set a good example."

    "Do try to be the least bit humble, though. There are exemplars and there are braggarts. Please start acting like the former."

    I bit my tongue trying to hold in my laugh. It's rare to see someone outmaneuver Eimi so effortlessly. Even Megumi's word games aren't this good, and I am so glad I'm here for it.

    "Now then… From now on each of you will be in charge of a number of your peers, both in preparing them for their roles and their behavior on set. You'll be expected to know their schedules in addition to your own, and you will aid in supervising any scene in which any of your charges play a part. Your input on the project will even be given the sort of consideration normally reserved for consultants, and you'll be credited and compensated appropriately. I'll be very clear though. This isn't a request, nor a command. It's an opportunity, one which most young ladies in our business will never be afforded. If all you're interested in is singing and dancing, you're free to prove my suspicions wrong and decline the added responsibilities. I'm sure someone will step up in your stead. However, if you want to test yourselves and see if you have what it takes to truly thrive in our industry, then by all means, please try to impress me. I promise doing so is difficult, but worth it."

    "So, uh, wait a sec. Are you saying you want us to actually, like, help out with the production, not just get our friends to behave? Like, for real?" I was shocked. Shocked! Well, not that shocked. I MY ME probably skimped on staff and it's easier to talk us into doing extra stuff than to go out and get some extra people to help out on no notice.

    "Ms. Nanasawa will go over that fully later today, but yes. Consider yourselves the beneficiaries of uncommon luck. It's been some time since I've spent any appreciable duration on this continent, and I can't recall ever having played a video game, even at your age. Combine that with Ms. Nanasawa's already expansive responsibilities on the project and the aggressive timetable set by your label and you've all become commodities with a very rare blend of promise, subject knowledge, and convenience. Seize this opportunity and there's no limit to where it may take you. A production credit with the Rossi Agency is worth more than gold in some circles, and there's no better motivation for success than becoming personally invested in a project."

    I was getting a bit annoyed at how big a deal she was making this out to be, and even more annoyed by the fact that based on how quiet Eimi was suddenly being that I'm pretty sure she's telling the truth. She led with all that flattery though, so we're all probably gonna end up doing it.

    "Ahhh! This is the best news ever! We won't let you down, Ms. R! I triple-dog promise!"

    Ms. Rossi made about one-fifth of a smirk at Rinko's enthusiasm. Just enough to make me think that perhaps she's only eighty percent as icy as she seems. Which is still more frigid than my bra this morning after Anette's prank, but not as bad as I had assumed.

    "Since you're all okay with accepting the role, we've broken down the group into three teams. Rinko, you're going to be managing Dam-Bi, Yume, and Kanon. Since everyone already recognizes you as the group's leader, we don't expect you'll have any problems with that." Nana left her place at Caterina's right hand and handed us each a large envelope as she talked. "Akira, you'll be overseeing Chiyo and Megumi. Eimi, that leaves you with Anette and Kazue. Inside the envelopes are all the relevant things to know about the preliminary shooting schedule. What footage is planned for what day, who needs to arrive where and at what time, what days we expect individual girls won't be needed. That kind of stuff. It will be your responsibility to make sure your assigned peers arrive on time ready to film, so make sure to go over this with each of them as soon as possible. You'll also meet with me at the end of each day to go over any last minute changes for the following day's schedule, so come to the costume shop when you're dismissed from your last appointment if I'm not on set with you. Got it?"

    "We'll go over it with them right away! Right, guys?!" Excitedly, Rinko waved her new envelope at us, hyping up the assignment.

    "Ayeah, totally! I'm already used to dragging around Yume and Anette, and Megumi and Chiyo are way less feisty than they are. This'll be a piece of cake!"

    "It can't be that hard if you think those two can do it, so why not."

    "Then it seems we understand each other. You're free to proceed to the set and join your teams. Do your best."

    Normally that last bit is meant as encouragement, but from her it sounded more like a command. As soon as we hit the door, she added one more commandment, which was sort of the elephant in the room. Four of us were asked to stay here, but only three of us were given a team to lead.

    "Miss… Junko, please remain behind for a moment. There's something more I wish to discuss with you privately."

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