Chapter 133: A Reunion One Hundred and Twenty-Nine Chapters in the Making

"You seem to have put on a little weight since we first met."

With their manager from Stardust Promotion having stepped out of the conference room to take a sudden phone call, leaving the two of them alone, Akio folded his hands into fists and held them up to his cheeks. "Right now, you look just like a hamster."

"Even if you think I'm cute like this... it’s really quite rude to say that," Yuko Takeuchi replied, resting her chin on her palms as she leaned over the table. "Out of basic politeness, shouldn't you at least start with a 'long time no see' or some small talk?"

"But if I recall correctly," Akio said, squinting with a smile, "when you walked in just now, you said, 'Nice to meet you, I'm Yuko Takeuchi, I look forward to working with you.'"

...

Akio and Yuko Takeuchi’s reunion, occurring nearly a year and a half later, was taking place in a conference room at Stardust Promotion to finalize the details and timing for the cover shoot of his single, *A Singer's Love Song*.

Back then, Akio had received a packet of official photos of new talent from Stardust. Among dozens of girls with varying looks and temperaments, he had spotted Yuko. Compared to how she looked eighteen months ago, her hair was about twenty centimeters shorter, and her cheeks held a touch of baby fat. She was smiling naively at the camera, giving off the impression of a high-spirited little puppy.

With that somewhat childish face and those innocent eyes, she was someone Akio couldn't overlook, even though he knew nothing about her. He had decided on the spot to invite her to be the lead in his single's cover art.

"I never imagined what you said back then would actually come true," Yuko recalled. "I had never even thought about becoming an actress or a singer. When you said that, I just took it as a joke. But shortly after, I actually saw your name on television. If I told anyone about how we met, they’d be completely shocked, wouldn't they?"

"And what’s even more incredible is that you’ve signed with the agency yourself and we’re meeting again like this."

"Oh, as for me..." Yuko sighed slightly. "I was just out in Harajuku hanging out with friends when I happened to run into a Stardust scout. They told me that joining the agency was like an extracurricular activity—lots of fun—so I went home and talked to my parents about it."

Harajuku was the go-to spot for teenagers, and Takeshita Street was a magnet for scouts from virtually every agency in Japan. For countless stars, their first step into the entertainment world began with being scouted on the streets of Harajuku.

As she spoke, a trace of concern flickered across her face. "Even though I had plenty of anxieties before signing—like whether I was being scammed or if I’d never actually make it—the only thing I'm worried about now isn't being scammed or failing to become famous. It's how my classmates will treat me once summer break ends and I go back to school."

Students in Japan could be a bit strange. If a classmate suddenly became an entertainer, instead of curiosity or admiration, the more likely reaction was bullying or isolation, simply because that student had become "different."

This was one of the reasons so many young entertainers scrambled to enroll in schools like Horikoshi High School, Hinode Girls' Academy, or other private institutions. In schools with many entertainers—some even offering specialized performance tracks—that kind of situation, while not necessarily eliminated, was significantly reduced.

However, the high school Yuko was about to attend wasn't a prestigious or private institution; it was just an ordinary school with a modest academic standing. It was no surprise she had these concerns.

"Maybe you'll attract students from the neighboring classes, or even from the floors above and below, all coming to gawk at you," Akio joked. "By then, every time you open your locker, love letters will come pouring out."

Yuko burst into laughter. "Akio-san, are you living in a teen drama or a shoujo manga?"

"I just saw that sort of thing in manga," Akio shrugged. "Actually, if it were a teen drama, what would pour out of the locker would likely be thumb tacks. The poor, defenseless heroine would just put her foot into her shoe, only to fall 'thump' onto the floor. When she tipped the shoe over, seven or eight large tacks would come clattering out."

"Just hearing you say that makes my future high school life feel bleak," Yuko sighed.

"I'm just teasing. Please don't let this give you an aversion to school."

"If I don't want to go to class later, I'll just blame it on being intimidated by Akio-san."

Akio didn't mind at all. "No one would believe that."

"Why?"

"Because you're not a 'poor, defenseless heroine' at all. If anything, you're more like a puppy, all excited and running wild on the grass when its owner takes it for a walk. You’re so full of energy that the word 'defenseless' just doesn't fit you."

"Akio-san," Yuko wrinkled her nose. "First you said hamster, and now you're calling me a puppy. Why do you keep comparing me to animals?"

Because you have the face of a small animal... Akio’s lips twitched, but he managed to hold back the comment.

At that moment, Toru Takashima returned from his call and said apologetically, "Sorry to have kept you waiting, Akio-san. Let’s continue discussing the details of the shoot."

Takashima was an agent at Stardust responsible for new talent contracts, not Yuko's personal manager. Having just signed with the agency, Yuko wasn't even considered a trainee yet and wasn't eligible for individual management.

Since it was just a single cover shoot, there wasn't much to negotiate—mostly just confirming the time, location, and whether Akio had any special requirements for Yuko.

"If you don't mind, Takashima-san, I’ll take care of the wardrobe and styling for Takeuchi-san on my end."

Takashima had no objections and immediately agreed.

As for compensation, unfortunately, there was none. For a newcomer with a blank resume, a simple shoot like this was merely an opportunity to be seen, plus a meager travel stipend.

When Akio mentioned he planned to hold the shoot at the Saitama Prefectural Omiya Chuo High School, where the film crew was based, Takashima remarked, "What a coincidence. Yuko’s home is in Tokorozawa, Saitama. It’s actually more convenient for her to get to Saitama City from there than it is from Tokyo."

"Is that so? That's great," Akio said with a smile.