Chapter 26: Nozomi Awakening

The chill in his voice stopped Hojo in her tracks. Her rose-tinted lips parted, eyes shimmering with shock.

After a breath, she seemed to steady herself, disappointment flickering briefly across her gaze.

“I know you’re worried about Honne,” she said softly. “I’ll make sure she stays out of your way.”

Even so, Hojo didn’t leave.

She turned toward Nozomi Sakura, hesitation in her eyes.

“Um… would you like to exchange contacts?” she asked. “Having a fan as pretty as you would be an honor. Maybe we could… get to know each other?”

Her voice softened into something almost disarming, refusing felt strangely cruel.

Alan frowned, but before he could say anything, Nozomi spoke first.

“May I?”

“Of course!” Hojo smiled. “Fans like you are the reason I’m still here. Though… I left my phone at home. Could you add me instead?”

Nozomi met her earnest gaze and felt something stir inside her. After a moment, she handed over her phone.

“Thanks~” Hojo chimed.

Her fingers moved swiftly. Barely ten seconds later, she returned it.

Then, before Alan could question her, she spoke quickly.

“Sorry Honne caused trouble. We’ll be going.”

She caught her sister by the wrist and gently pulled her away, glancing sideways.

“Honestly, insisting on seeing Alan when you’re sick. I told you he’d be upset.”

Nozomi’s ring finger twitched.

She bit down on the tip of her tongue and waited until the sisters disappeared around the corner.

Then she turned back to Alan.

“Aren’t you supposed to chase after them?” she said lightly. “That’s how every drama ends.”

Alan shot her a flat look.

“This is real life, not TV. Why would I chase them? And what are you doing here, anyway?”

Nozomi blinked, meeting his gaze without flinching.

“Like I said, total coincidence. Hojo thinks so too.”

Alan studied her, suspicion still etched between his brows.

“What did Honne say to you?”

Nozomi tilted her head, watching his reaction.

“What do you think she said?”

Knowing Honne, it couldn’t have been anything pleasant.

Before Alan could answer, Nozomi’s expression darkened.

“First she asked if I was really your girlfriend. Then she wanted to know what kind of witchcraft I used to make you dump her sister…”

She laughed softly, hollow and self-mocking, eyes flashing with reproach.

“So Akari Hojo really was your girlfriend? I thought you were joking. And now her little sister likes you too?”

Jealousy bled into every word, tears glinting at the corners of her eyes.

“What does it feel like, being adored by both sisters?” she pressed. “She clung to you right in front of your current girlfriend. That’s every guy’s dream, right?”

Alan frowned at the sudden storm and took a slow breath.

“Keep talking like that and I’ll dock fifty percent of your bonus.”

Nozomi froze.

“…Eh?!”

“Please don’t!”

The tension shattered instantly. Alan rolled his eyes.

“Finished performing?”

Nozomi clasped her hands together, eyes pleading.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Alan met her gaze, voice calm and firm.

“Hojo and I broke up. I’m not involved with her sister either. If you need a label, we’re barely friends. Clear?”

He paused.

“And about you adding Hojo—”

Nozomi cut in.

“Am I not allowed?”

“For an idol, a fan adding you is a good thing, right? Docking my pay for that would be cruel.”

Alan said nothing.

An ex-girlfriend exchanging contact info with his current contract partner was strange… but possibly useful.

Seeing his silence, Nozomi pouted.

“Besides, I was just acting. No need to threaten my paycheck. That’s scary.”

“Acting has its limits.”

“Fine. I thought you liked that kind of thing.”

“No one enjoys a love triangle,” Alan said flatly, “especially when one corner is an ex.”

“So how was my acting?” she asked. “I’ve been studying scripts.”

“Passable. Barely.”

“Eh? I thought it was good. How did you see through it?”

Alan shook his head.

“Too forced. It didn’t add up.”

He’d personally picked Nozomi.

She’d never dated before. Two weeks together wouldn’t make her fall for him, he wasn’t that charming.

Still, her skill impressed him. If he hadn’t known better, it might have rattled him.

S-class Acting Talent, indeed. At this pace, she’d reach Level Three within six months.

Satisfied, he said, “In a few days, I’ll take you to train with a professional coach. You’ll improve faster.”

“Mmm…” Nozomi nodded, then glanced at the two tickets in his hand.

“Akari Hojo’s concert is next month, right? Will training overlap?”

“You want to go that badly?” Alan slipped the tickets into his pocket.

“More important than two million yen?”

She raised an eyebrow.

“Not a chance.”

Then, hesitating, she added, “Could you give me the tickets anyway?”

“What for?”

“If I can’t go, I’ll sell them. Maximize the value.”

Alan had no answer.

Her single-minded devotion to money was oddly reassuring.

***

“What exactly do you think you’re doing?”

In the passenger seat, Akari Honne fought back the dizziness churning in her head as she grabbed her older sister’s arm.

Her eyes were bloodshot, burning with anger.

Akari Hojo calmly removed her mask and cap, her expression unruffled.

“Calm down first.”

Honne’s grip tightened instead.

“Why did you have to tell Alan?!”

Hojo’s delicate brows knit together. She let out a quiet sigh.

“You’re too impatient, Honne.”

“Do you even understand what kind of person Nozomi is?” Hojo snapped. “If she shows those messages to Alan later, what do you think he’ll think of you?”

“He used to be my boyfriend, and I’m your older sister. Back then, you could act cute and brush everything aside.” Hojo’s tone sharpened slightly. “But do you still have that privilege now?”

“You can’t celebrate your birthday every day,” she continued calmly. “And Alan won’t indulge you forever. If you want to stay by his side in the future, at least don’t make him dislike you.”

There was tenderness in Hojo’s eyes now, almost pity.

“You’re my little sister. If you like Alan, of course I’ll help you.”

Honne’s fingers finally loosened.

She collapsed against the seat, eyes squeezed shut as tears slipped down her cheeks.

Drawing a long breath, she tried to expel the resentment clogging her chest.

After a moment, her voice steadied.

She stared out the window and asked quietly, “But after what i did today… can you really promise she won’t tell Alan?”

“Do you honestly think a few words from you would stop her?” Hojo replied coolly. “That’s naive—”

A memory flashed through Honne’s mind.

Nozomi handing over her phone.

Her eyes snapped open.

“Don’t tell me you—”

A soft laugh cut her off.

Hojo shifted the gear, pressed the accelerator, and fixed her gaze on the intersection ahead.

Cleaning up after her sister was only a small part of the plan.

More important was meeting Nozomi Sakura face to face, finding out what made that girl special enough to attend her concert.

Everything else—the pressure, Alan, the confrontation—was just a bonus.

Still, Alan’s attitude today had caught her off guard.

Hojo’s gaze cooled as she stepped on the gas.

I don’t believe you can be that heartless.

***

Late night, Nozomi’s apartment.

“You’re telling me Akari Hojo and her sister set you up on purpose?”

Akane Mia stared in disbelief as Nozomi Sakura finished recounting the day.

Nozomi let out a dazed giggle.

Sitting on the tatami, she downed the sake in her cup in one gulp.

She was clearly drunk. Her oval face was flushed pink as she lazily pointed at Mia.

“Mia, you know what? Today was my first real two-person scene…”

Hiccup.

She set the empty cup down and picked at some food, sloshing sake onto the table. Her gaze drifted to the blurred reflection shimmering in the puddle.

“For a second… I thought maybe she’s more suited to acting than I am…”

Her voice stretched, dreamy and unfocused.

“She’s a singer, right? So how can she act that well… pretend not to care, pretend none of it matters…”

“…when she’s actually crazy about him…”

Mia frowned and quietly slid the sake bottle out of reach.

“You’re drunk.”

Nozomi glanced at her, words slurring.

“Wish I were. Wish none of today had happened.”

Mia rubbed her temple, patient but tired.

“I still don’t get it. You’re saying Hojo still likes Alan?”

“Mmm.”

Nozomi swayed like a wobble doll.

“Then why’d they break up?”

Nozomi’s watery eyes lifted.

With a foolish grin, she replied, “Yeah… why did they? I don’t get it either.”

“You know what her little sister told me?” she continued, not waiting for an answer.

“She said I’m not good enough for Alan.”

Her smile twisted.

“I was furious… Okay, still am. What’s so great about that jerk anyway, besides money?”

Mia exhaled smoke from a freshly lit cigarette.

“So now you like Alan? That fast? You sure it’s not just his money you like?”

She couldn’t believe Nozomi could fall for anyone in just two weeks, Alan included.

It seemed far more likely that the Akari sisters were deliberately messing with her.

Nozomi tilted her head.

“Like him? No way…”

She pinched her fingers together, leaving the tiniest gap.

“Well… maybe this much. Nothing compared to them.”

“They hate me so much, love him so much, yet they can act like they don’t care, turn around, and walk away just like that.”

Mia took another drag.

“So you want payback because they pissed you off?”

“Payback?” Nozomi repeated, then suddenly brightened, jabbing a finger toward Mia.

“Yes! Payback. That’s the perfect word.”

“When she asked for my phone, I knew exactly what she was after.”

Nozomi laughed weakly.

“Knew it… and still couldn’t say no.”

“I really am outclassed.”

Mia studied her friend’s manic smile, then blew out smoke and said coolly, “Get a grip. Remember why you started. They embarrassed you, that’s all. They didn’t ruin you.”

“Think of it like some boss’s nephew being a jerk at your old convenience store job,” she continued.

“You earn way more now. Don’t wreck your life over a tantrum.”

“Wreck my life?” Nozomi burst out laughing.

“Come on, Mia. You think I’ll go full anime heroine? Grab a knife, and stab someone? This is real life.”

Mia relaxed slightly, though she still couldn’t read her.

“So what are you going to do?”

Nozomi didn’t answer.

She leaned back on her hands, staring at the blank wall where Akari Hojo’s poster used to hang.

Closing her eyes, she let the memories wash over her.

"I see potential in you. Want to be a star?"

"Honestly, that actress’s style isn’t as good as yours. You’d suit the role better."

"You have no idea how bright you could shine. "