Actor(Oshi no ko)

The Tough Idol World

(Third POV)

It's been a few months since Ai returned to work, and B-Komachi's popularity boost has yet to come.

In a dejected tone, Ai shared her disappointment, "My salary this month is barely 200,00 yen." Her usual energetic demeanor was nowhere to be found as she cast her gaze downwards with a glum expression.

With a deep sigh, she lifted her hands up in the air and leaned back onto the couch. "Ugh, our company's salary is so low..." she lamented, her sour mood was palpable. "I mean, c'mon! We placed third in Oricon with our last single! Aren't you guys taking too much?"

Miyako, who was typing away at her computer, responded without looking up. Her voice was nonchalant, "We're not like those big companies that can do everything from production to advertisement by themselves we're only a small one. You should know already that we don't get much out of it." She continued typing as she spoke, "Why does it bother you now?" 

Ai's face twisted into a serious expression as she settled her gaze on Miyako. "I've realized that the world revolves around money," she said with conviction.

Miyako let out an exclamation, sensing the weight of Ai's words. "Ah. That's not a good thing to realize," she replied.

As Ai reflected on her life as an idol, she couldn't help but acknowledge that there was a certain allure to the glitz and glamour of the industry. "Being an idol is certainly fun," she thought to herself. "If it was just about me, I could've managed." But as she looked down at her precious children, the weight of responsibility and the reality of her situation set in. The burden of providing for them had made her acutely aware of the harsh realities of life.

She lifted her middle child, Aikara, high into the air, eliciting a small smile from the child, which also caused her to smile "But you see, I want more for my kids. I want them to attend the best schools, participate in extracurricular activities, and have as many opportunities as possible." The smile faded from her lips, replaced by a serious expression.

"To make that a reality, I need to sell more and earn a lot of money." The weight of her words hung heavy in the air. "If things continue as they are now, I won't be able to provide for them as I wish and make them truly happy." A sad expression crept onto her face, and she held her children tightly as if seeking comfort from them in turn.

Aikara seemed to have picked up on Ai's sadness as he gave her a smile. His bright and comforting smile had a powerful effect on Ai, as she felt some of her sadness begin to fade away. 

In a grateful gesture, Ai reached out to pat Aka on the head, who responded with a heartwarming smile at the warmth of her touch.

"Thank you, Aka," Ai said, her own smile reflecting the warmth of the moment.

Suddenly, she felt a gentle tap on her leg. Looking down, she saw Ruby looking up at her, trying to offer some comfort. A small smile crossed Ai's lips as she noticed a hint of jealousy in Ruby's eyes. 

Was Ruby jealous of Aikara receiving my attention? The thought made Ai chuckle inwardly; it was kind of adorable.

"Thank you, Ruby," Ai said, returning the gesture by patting Ruby's head. The gesture made Ruby's face light up with a bright smile, and Ai couldn't help but feel her sadness fading away.

As she gently patted the two children, Ai's attention returned to Miyako, her face now visibly brighter as she began to vent her frustrations. "We're not getting commercial gigs, there's also no movie job offers..." She trailed off. 

"Plus, big companies tent to-" Before Ai was able to finish her sentence, Miyako cut her off with a deadpan tone, "You know, you should probably start by not eating expensive ice cream" she said, gesturing to the table. Everyone turned to see a small tub of ice cream slowly melting into a pool of creamy liquid.