rubestie

Season: Winter

Writer: Akira

Characters: Tsukasa, Ibara

tsukasa

Tsukasa: In other words, you are rage-baiting.

…This is Crazy:B’s forte. Which is to say, this is a methodology known well not just by Mikejima-senpai, but Oukawa as well.

Personally, I would prefer if Oukawa was given more work which would shine light on his good traits.

Ibara: Sounds like you have some parental ego going on yourself.

Sometimes, shining light on oneself leads to even the ugly bits becoming exposed.

Oukawa-shi is well aware of this. He is well acquainted with the underbelly of the idol industry - he knows that there exists talented people who can only live in those dark alleys, away from the light. That is how things are, “Young Master”.

Tsukasa: …

Ibara: Having said that, this is merely a temporary measure.

Once the matter surrounding J-san has been resolved, please feel free to play with Oukawa-shi as your heart desires.

You may dress him up in the clothes of your choosing, and send him down whichever path you would like him to.

Tsukasa: Your choice of words is mean, senpai.

Ibara: Indeed. I may have gone too far. Haha, maybe I am just a little envious of Oukawa-shi.

Tsukasa: …?

Ibara: Anyways, the Double Face duo will appear as regulars on “[MaM]’s Chronicle of Parenting Struggles”, as will J-san, under the pretext of being their child.

Tsukasa: J-san is still only in first-grade of elementary, it’s so early for him to make his Debut.

Ibara: That’s actually a rather impressive achievement, for what it’s worth.

It seems the Maizuru House was also attempting to raise young idols, so he should already have undergone mental preparation for this sort of situation.

I am sure J-san also imagined himself becoming “a person on the other side of the screen”.

In that sense, having the opportunity to co-star with such impressive seniors at this point in his career might have a great influence on J-san’s future as an idol.

Of course, that is merely an afterthought, and I do not know whether or not J-san intends to continue working towards becoming a true idol.

What is more important right now is that J-san needs to covet the public’s attention.

As I am sure Suou-shi is well aware of as well, the public is surprisingly well attuned to every move of famous people such as ourselves.

Just as how assassinations and assaults become harder with mass surveillance, attracting attention onto J-san will directly lead to an increase in his personal security.

Tsukasa: In other words, it will be more difficult for any villains targeting J-san for his inheritance to reach him.

Ibara: Yes. Additionally, this TV station has a very tight security system in place to protect celebrities.

Suspicious-looking rogues would not even be able to approach this place.

By establishing J-san as an idol possessing a regular spot at “[MaM]’s Chronicle of Parenting Struggles”, it becomes possible for him to stay in a safe location, like at Starmony Dorm.

Since we wouldn’t want to cause trouble for any of the other idols, however, I will set him up in a fortified luxury hotel I have specially prepared for him.

Tsukasa: Right. That would help a lot, it is probably safer compared to my house.

Ibara: Please leave it to me. J-san’s safety is of utmost importance to myself as well, if a VIP like him was to get hurt while under my protection, my security company would likely suffer damage to its reputation.

I swear on our pride that I shall ensure that his stay at the hotel is perfectly safe - not to mention comfortable.

Tsukasa: Shouldn’t you just have protected him like a VIP from the beginning then… What is the reasoning behind going out of your way to make him appear on this fishy program with Oukawa?

Ibara: -By portraying J-san as the son of Mikejima-shi and Oukawa-shi through the program, we can make that connection into an established fact.

tsukasa+ibara

Tsukasa: …

Ibara: If the people watching the show are left with the impression that J-san and Double Face share that kind of strong bond, then that is all for the best.

If we weave such a narrative, then it will seem perfectly natural when J-san later on entrusts his inheritance from GFK to his “trusted guardians”.

As for me, I shall be satisfied as long as I receive a small portion of that inheritance from Mikejima-shi and Oukawa-shi as compensation for my current efforts.

Tsukasa: So even you are ultimately after J-san’s inheritance, is that it?

Ibara: Is there any other reason that could motivate me to act so cordially?

If you are to denounce capitalism as a sin, then why don’t you donate all the money you earn working as an idol to some orphanage?

You see, Suou-shi, things like love and kindness are merely fashion items to be worn by people with enough money that they can afford to look cool.

Only someone who rips out their own heart to give it to a child suffering from organ failure is given the right to truthfully claim adhesion to such ideals.

Tsukasa: Going so far would be nothing short of madness, though.

Ibara: Mutual understanding is but a pipe dream - this world is simply a sports day filled with madmen.

No matter who takes first place in which competition, even that winner is simply another lunatic undeserving of praise.

We have strayed too far from God. However, ah, that is exactly what makes it so interesting. Is it not meaningful that we, too, participate in those mad competitions, Suou-shi?

We have been lucky enough to be born, so if we don’t enjoy this while it lasts, wouldn’t that be a waste?

Tsukasa: To be honest, I can’t keep up with your monologuing.

The most important thing isn’t Oukawa, but J-san’s safety. If you say this is necessary for that purpose, then Oukawa is probably convinced by that, even if I am not.

No. That’s probably exactly why Oukawa went along with this plan in the first place.

(As for Mikejima-senpai, I’m not as familiar with him, so I cannot tell what is going on inside his head… Judging by his behavior, it appears he is enjoying this weird show to its fullest.)

(Perhaps it is exactly as Saegusa-senpai surmised, and this entire situation is like a dream come true to Mikejima-senpai.)

(To become a mother and raise a child. Is that senpai’s reasoning behind the name “MaM”-)