223: Yumemi Yumemite's Extreme Idol Dream
"DVDs are over here!" "The new CD is over here!" In the auditorium of Hyakkaou Private Academy, Yumemi Yumemite, a student council member and a popular idol, walked among the otaku crowd with a radiant and youthful smile. She finally stopped in front of a booth overflowing with merchandise featuring her image.
She waved her hands rhythmically, radiating the charm of an approachable idol.
"Thank you, everyone!"
With a sweet smile on her face, Yumemi extended her small, white, delicate hand adorned with a white wristband.
Instantly, it was tightly gripped by an otaku wearing thick round glasses standing in front of her.
"Today's live performance was amazing as always!" "Jinnouji-kun, you came again today~"
It's a must for low-tier school idols to remember their regular attendees and convert them into devoted fans.
"Of course, as the fan club president, I never miss a single event!" "But this time, during 'The Girl in the Gambling Game', the timing of the calls was still off. Next time, I'll make sure they fix it completely!"
So-called "calls" are a form of spontaneous audience participation during idol live performances, where fans shout, wave glow sticks, and follow a set rhythm in time with the music.
But for a low-tier school idol like Yumemi, having a large number of fans doing spontaneous calls is unrealistic.
A large-scale support effort could only be achieved under the leadership of this fan club president, Jinnouji.
Whether it's due to social favors or financial incentives, a false sense of popularity was manufactured.
The footage was shot from multiple angles and specially edited before being uploaded to her personal social media accounts, just to satisfy Yumemi's vanity.
"Ehehe, it's fine just as it is~ I'm not that great anyway." "No, no, as a fan of Yumemi-chan, who's about to debut, I have to properly educate them! It's my duty as the club president!" "Besides, those guys are slacking off, not even playing your videos 100 times a day on
YourTube! I'm not asking them to be like me and use five phones to play them, but if they can't even hit 100 plays a day, they don't deserve to call themselves Yumemi-chan's fans!"
Jinnouji grew more and more excited. Perhaps because of his obese body, sticky sweat oozed from his hands, soaking Yumemi's delicate fingers.
The foul breath he exhaled hit her face without mercy.
If one looked closely at that moment, they would notice goosebumps on Yumemi's upper arms, and her smile had begun to stiffen and twist.
She glanced discreetly to the side. A dozen or so core fans stood blushing, their nostrils flaring, eagerly awaiting their turn in the handshake session.
Backstage dressing room.
Yumemi frantically unscrewed the cap of a bottle of hand soap.
She tilted her head back and poured it into her mouth, swirling it wildly before spitting it out.
She scrubbed her hands red and raw before finally stopping.
"Disgusting! Those fat pigs! Damn otaku! Maggots who've never touched a woman!"
"How dare they touch me?! How dare they touch meeeee!"
Her rage escalating, Yumemi kicked over a table in fury and hurled a box of cosmetics at the mirror.
Her female assistant, looking a little frightened, spoke up with concern: "At the very least, shouldn't you cancel the handshake event after the live? If it's making you feel this awful…"
"No!" Yumemi, though furious, hadn't lost her reason. "It's not just about the live performance. Those guys only become die-hard fans through physical contact with me."
"Selling my body is all it is. Once I debut and become a real idol, I can dump those fat pigs. Then I'll have real high-quality fans. That's what I'm after."
"Everything I'm doing now is just enduring. As long as they still have value to me, even if they touch my hands, it's worth it!" "For my dream, this is nothing!" "If I can't get through even this, how can I achieve great things?"
Her assistant Saori hesitated, unsure how to persuade Yumemi to let go of her obsession.
They had been close friends since childhood. Yumemi dreamed of becoming a top idol adored by tens of thousands, and Saori would be her manager by her side.
But ever since high school began and idol activities became more serious, Saori realized that reality was far different from what they had imagined.
Selling one's body—even if it was only a handshake—wasn't this the same as courtesans from old times...?
And this was just the starting tier of school idols. If Yumemi wanted to rise higher...
The terrifying future flashed through Saori's mind.
Though it hadn't happened yet, seeing Yumemi's current state, Saori feared one day she might end up on the laps of filthy old men twice her father's age, doing "favors" to rise through the ranks.
Those disgusting men might even demand Yumemi do the work herself, saying things like: "If you want to rise to the top, show me how badly you want it."
Yumemi was already nearly hysterical just from having her hand touched—if she ever did those kinds of things to become a top idol, she would surely fall into depression, maybe even take her own life.
Saori saw everything and remembered it clearly, but as her best friend, she had no idea how to persuade Yumemi to abandon her obsession.
At the very least, from her simple perspective... it shouldn't cost this much to build a fanbase. If Yumemi just worked on her professionalism and made good content, wouldn't the fans naturally come?
And if you truly wanted to grow a fanbase, shouldn't it be heart to heart?
If you hate it this much, you can't go far...
Yumemi, who was already nearly panicking from just handshakes, was she really suited to be an idol...?
With these heavy and confused thoughts, Saori left the dressing room.
When she looked up again, a boy and a girl were already waiting by the hallway window.
Hikigaya Hachiman stood with his arms crossed. Seeing the look on Yumemi's assistant's face, his eyes flickered—he understood a lot in that moment.
Saori instinctively lowered her head, trying to avoid eye contact with Hachiman and Jabami Yumeko. She'd heard of these two, currently the talk of the school. If they were seeking her out, it probably wasn't for anything good.
But how could predators let prey get away so easily?
Yumeko and Hachiman exchanged a knowing glance and spoke with gentle voices: "Saori-san, we came to see you~"
Saori quickened her pace, not intending to stop.
"Saori-san, you don't want to see Yumemi suffer anymore, right?"
Hikigaya's Temptation and the Big Pitch
"Saori-san, you don't want Yumemi Yume to continue suffering in her dreams, do you?" The voice behind her—Hikigaya Hachiman—carried a strange power.
Saori truly stopped in her tracks, her face filled with confusion and nervousness as she looked back at him.
"What... What are you talking about?"
Her thoughts had been completely seen through.
"I have a way to make it happen."
"And just in time—none of us have eaten yet."
"Let's talk about this in one of the private rooms in the cafeteria."
Hikigaya had his hands in his pockets and watched as Yumeko grabbed Saori's hand and walked ahead.
The Hyakkaou Private Academy cafeteria was as lively as always, though it looked like the second floor had been fully reserved by Sumeragi Itsuki. Her personal gamble game continued to trap average students with poor gambling skills.
"Yay! I won again!" Sumeragi Itsuki turned instinctively toward the first floor and shouted, only to find Hikigaya Hachiman—whom she hadn't seen in a while—smiling and waving at her.
Her smile froze instantly.
She had just backstabbed him yesterday, transferring his debt to President Momobami.
Thinking Hikigaya had come for revenge, Sumeragi Itsuki walked down the stairs nervously, rubbing her hands in a businesslike manner.
"Uh... Hikigaya-san, what's the matter?" "Oh, nothing much. Just haven't eaten yet and need to discuss something with a classmate, so we came to the cafeteria."
Sumeragi instantly understood.
As long as he wasn't here to cause trouble, it was fine.
She sighed in relief. "You should've said so! I'll have the cafeteria send you the Emperor's Special Meal and prepare my private room for you."
She casually called over a second-year student who owed her money and gave some instructions in front of Hikigaya. Then, carefully looking up, she asked:
"Well then... I have to gamble, so I'll excuse myself?" "Sure, go ahead."
Getting a fancy meal for free improved Hikigaya's mood significantly.
Though he no longer lacked money, freeloading was coded into the human genome—it always felt good, regardless of wealth.
And so, Hikigaya led Yumeko and Assistant Saori into Sumeragi's private room.
The luxurious decor of the room stunned Hikigaya—it was his first time facing the corruption of capitalism so directly.
Everything was made from high-end materials, the chairs inlaid with gemstones and gold.
And Sumeragi's family was only Japan's top toy manufacturer.
Then what about Momobami? He had never seen Kirari reveal her wealth, aside from that modest Toyota Century Royal she arrived in on the day of the Great Bloom Festival.
Hikigaya took a deep breath, suppressing the ambition swelling inside him.
Soon after they sat down, dish after expensive dish was brought to the table.
Tuna sushi, black truffle beef, foie gras sesame tofu... all high-end dishes a commoner like Hikigaya had never tasted.
Living like an ascetic, this was his first real taste of capitalism's sugar-coated bullets.
"Being rich really is nice," he muttered sincerely.
He secretly resolved that next time he went back to Chiba, he'd bring his family to eat such luxury just once.
He had worked hard for a long time—it was time to relax and enjoy life a little.
"So, what exactly is your method to make it happen?"
Sitting beside Yumeko, Hikigaya faced Saori, who sat across from them, distracted by the luxurious meal.
"How? Through gambling, of course," Hikigaya said, casually picking up a piece of tuna sushi and placing it in Yumeko's bowl, then grabbed some beef for himself.
"Specifically?" "You want Yumemi Yumemi to give up being an idol, right? It's simple. Bet her future on a gamble and make her lose."
"No. That won't work," Saori's eyes showed disappointment. She had thought Hikigaya had some clever plan—but it was just this crude strategy.
Letting go of her idol dreams would be tantamount to death for Yumemi.
Besides... she would never gamble with her idol career on the line.
Unless Hikigaya became livestock and forced an official match to corner her into it.
But that would be hurting her, not helping her!
"If it's just that, I'll excuse myself." She didn't spare the delicious dishes a second glance and stood up to leave.
Hikigaya tapped his chopsticks. Based on Saori's reaction, Yumemi Yumemi's resolve to become an idol was very strong. That meant his test was complete.
The firmer Yumemi's determination, the more it aligned with Hikigaya's interests.
He would shape her into a true top-tier idol—a money tree and a mouthpiece for cultural promotion.
"What Yumemi hates... is dealing with her fans, right?" "I don't know what you're talking about!" Saori's face stiffened. How did he know?
If that ever got out, Yumemi's entire idol career would collapse. Her two-faced nature, the fall of her public image—such revelations were fatal for any idol.
Hikigaya nonchalantly placed another piece of food into Yumeko's bowl, set down his chopsticks, and said seriously:
"Human needs follow five levels—physiological, safety, belonging and love, esteem, and self-actualization. These needs build from bottom to top, step by step."
"I watched recordings of Yumemi's fan meet-and-greets closely..."
"Her expression control is good—but not perfect. If you observe carefully, every time someone holds her hand, her subconscious body reactions show resistance and disgust."
"She wants respect and self-actualization, right? She wants to be a top idol?"
"I can help her become one.
Help her escape from those disgusting fans at Hyakkaou Academy.
She can be a famous singer, actress, even go to Hollywood and mingle with the elite she dreams of. I can make that all happen."
Hikigaya painted a dazzling vision. For a moment, Saori found herself lost in the fantasy. But she quickly snapped out of it.
There's no such thing as a free lunch.
Even if Yumemi were signed under a top producer, reaching the top of the entertainment industry was far from guaranteed.
Hikigaya was famous in gambling, but still just a special student—a commoner. How could he possibly do all that?
Hikigaya noticed the distrust in her eyes but didn't get upset. He continued calmly:
"So, what's the price?" He answered his own question: "Yumemi has to gamble with me, and I must win. Of course, even if she doesn't cooperate, I'll win anyway."
"After she becomes a top star, she must work for me—for ten, twenty years, or even her whole life... From then on, everything she says and does in public will be under my control."
"In return, I will give her everything—resources, connections, works to perform—whatever she lacks, I'll provide, to help her reach the top of Japanese entertainment."
"Tokyo Dome, the Red & White Song Battle, Hollywood..."
Hikigaya's tone was light, as if it had nothing to do with him. But for a school idol still at the bottom of the ladder, these terms were mind-blowing.
Unbelievable. It was like someone who just got 16 heroes in a game being told to carry a Master-level ranked match and get MVP. Ridiculous.
Saori subconsciously held her breath. "Such a contract is practically a slave pact—Yumemi would never agree to this!"
"Even putting aside how absurd your offers are—if Yumemi somehow did succeed, she'd still be stuck as your slave and mouthpiece forever!"
"And what's wrong with that?"
Hikigaya's eyes were calm, like a still pool of dead water. It sent chills down Saori's spine, and she subconsciously backed away.
"You should know best, Saori. Without outside support, Yumemi's talent would never rise beyond the level of a standard idol."
"Yes, she's beautiful—her biggest asset. But if she entered the real entertainment world, the price she'd pay would be far higher than just working for me."
"You can't stop her ambition. So isn't it better to help her find a backer and pay the smallest price?"
Saori clenched her fists. Hikigaya had hit the mark completely.
Trying to get Yumemi to quit was no longer viable. And compared to other ways of 'climbing'... working for Hikigaya might actually be the lesser evil. At least she'd retain her own freedom.
Of course, as a veteran manager, Saori wasn't naïve.
"How can you guarantee it? What if she signs your contract, but you fail to make her a star? Then she's stuck working for you anyway..."
"What are you saying, Saori-san?"
Hikigaya looked confused. He opened his mouth to receive food from Yumeko, chewed, and swallowed.
"Why are you talking about things like contracts needing lawyers?
He tapped on the dining table. "This is Hyakkaou Academy. Our gambles here are more binding than legal contracts."
"If I fail to do what I promise, Yumemi owes nothing. But if I succeed and she breaks our deal, I don't need to spell out the consequences, do I?"
"Making a bet is the fairest solution for both sides."
Yes...
Saori seemed dazed. She had subconsciously reverted to negotiating like a normal adult—but here at Hyakkaou, they were students.
If a bet couldn't be enforced, the management committee would do it, and their rulings even outweighed legal contracts.
At Hyakkaou Academy—bets reign supreme.
"I... I understand." "I'll talk to Yumemi about it." After all, she was just a regular second-year girl. Despite her experience with Yumemi, she couldn't help but soften in this kind of negotiation.
Seeing his goal accomplished, Hikigaya nodded in satisfaction.
Before coming here, he had already learned that Yumemi was incredibly stubborn. Unless someone close to her persuaded her, even the most attractive bait wouldn't lure her in.
Now, he had her manager on board.
Lure set. Plan engaged.
Saori quickly stood up. All she wanted now was to deliver the message to Yumemi as fast as possible. She stopped suddenly and asked seriously: "One last question, Hikigaya—why did you choose Yumemi Yumemi?"
"Because she has ambition that far exceeds her actual talent."
Hikigaya gave his honest assessment without hesitation.
"I see." Saori didn't get angry—she even looked relieved as she hurried away.
Now, only Hikigaya and Yumeko remained in the private room.
Yumeko picked up a piece of hot beef and fed it to Hikigaya. "Hachiman, can you really make Yumemi a top idol?" "I don't know much about showbiz, but it sounds incredibly hard."
"I can."
Hikigaya was certain. He'd reviewed the memories in his mind—he had plenty related to songs and choreography, and none of them existed yet in this world.
As for quality—if even someone like him, with logic far outweighing emotion, felt they were amazing, there was no reason they wouldn't explode in popularity.
"Then sing for me~" As his girlfriend, Yumeko had never heard Hikigaya sing before.
"Sure."
Hikigaya's voice was warm—even though he honestly didn't know how to sing. But one song's lyrics were basically written from his past. He couldn't help but hum, his deep, gentle voice full of passion echoing through the small room:
"That was an ordinary event on a sunny afternoon It happened during art class while painting a landscape..."