Chapter 186 The Men’s Scheme
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
"Please, come in," the man said with a courteous bow.
"Excuse me," Sasahira responded quietly as she stepped inside.
Yuna remained silent, following closely behind.
They had arrived at their destination. Compared to the surrounding villas, the building before them stood out with an imposing aura. The man who had welcomed them looked refined in manner, but his expression carried the cold sharpness of someone more familiar with underground dealings.
"The president will be with you shortly. Please, have a seat and wait," he said, gesturing politely toward the interior.
"Thank you," Sasahira replied with a slight nod.
The man departed, and the two were left alone in the room.
It was bare—aside from a simple table and a modest sofa, the space felt strangely vacant.
"…What is this place supposed to be? Is this really an office?" Yuna muttered, her voice low but laced with suspicion.
"Hey, keep your voice down…" Sasahira whispered, glancing toward the door.
Once their guide was out of earshot, Yuna finally allowed her unease to show. Sasahira had hushed her, but inwardly, she couldn't help but agree. Something about this setup felt off.
A soft *click* echoed from the door.
"Apologies for the wait. I am Nakasu Hidemaro, the representative," a well-dressed man said as he entered.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Sasahira Sawa, Yuna's manager," she said, standing to bow respectfully.
"I'm sorry for calling you all the way out to such a rural place," Hidemaro said with a smile, taking a seat across from them.
"No, not at all. It's a beautiful area, surrounded by nature," Sasahira replied politely, though her tone lacked warmth.
In truth, both she and Yuna were eager to finish the meeting and return home. Yet, since this was an official matter brought through the agency, formality had to be maintained.
"I'm glad to hear that. Hearing you say so makes all the preparations feel worthwhile," Hidemaro said with a hint of satisfaction.
"Preparations…?" Sasahira asked, furrowing her brow slightly.
"Yes," he nodded. "This entire villa was acquired for the debut of the popular idol group's rising star, Nishira Yuna."
"……"
At those words, both Yuna and Sasahira stiffened. Their expressions paled instantly.
There was no formal contract signed yet. Even if Hidemaro had already poured considerable funds into this arrangement, there was no obligation on their end. They had come today to politely decline the offer—but now, the atmosphere was growing dangerously tense.
"Regarding that," Sasahira began cautiously, "you should have received contact from our President Wasekura, correct?"
"Yes, I did receive a message from President Wasekura," Hidemaro confirmed with a nod.
Hearing that, Sasahira finally relaxed her shoulders a little. If the higher-ups had already discussed matters, then all that remained was a courteous farewell and their exit.
"We're terribly sorry for the sudden situation, but we've managed to find a very good doctor—"
"That's wonderful!" Hidemaro interrupted with enthusiasm. "Since we planned to incorporate dance into the project, we truly appreciate such support."
"Ah… no, that's not what I meant," Sasahira said slowly, a chill creeping into her chest. "You should've received a message from Wasekura about this matter being canceled."
"What?" His smile didn't waver. "No such message came through."
"That can't be! I'm terribly sorry, but I need to confirm this right now," she said, quickly reaching for her smartphone.
She unlocked the device with her fingerprint, but just as she began to navigate the screen—
"Huh?! What do you think you're doing?!"
A man had suddenly appeared behind them and snatched the phone from her hand.
"Make sure not to lock it, and extract all the data," the man ordered calmly.
Another man, younger and quiet, took the phone. He deftly handled the screen to avoid it locking and connected it to a nearby computer with a cable.
"Return it! Please, give it back!" Sasahira shouted, standing in alarm—only to be grabbed roughly from behind.
"Kyaa—!"
"Now, now. Let's not make a scene," the man said smoothly as he restrained her.
She struggled, but resisted the urge to lash out. If she moved recklessly, Yuna could be hurt. Gritting her teeth, she stopped herself from acting.
"As I said earlier," Hidemaro continued, utterly composed, "we acquired this villa to guarantee Nishira Yuna's successful debut. There's no room for cancellation at this point."
"B-but President Wasekura should have informed you—!"
"I told you, no such message arrived."
"That's a lie! Please, let me confirm it myself!"
"Can you still say that," he said, pulling out a document from his folder, "after seeing this?"
He laid the paper on the table.
It was… a contract.
"W-what… How…?"
"We've already made arrangements behind the scenes with your agency," Hidemaro said with chilling confidence.
"Then why did you summon us here today? Wasn't it for the contract discussion?"
"I'm not sure what Manager Sasahira was told, but today was scheduled for the photo shoot, wasn't it?"
"What are you talking about? And Yuna is still only seventeen! This is absolutely unacceptable!"
"Unacceptable?" Hidemaro asked with an amused glint in his eyes. "By whom?"
At that moment, Sasahira realized the full weight of their situation.
It was just her and Yuna here.
They were alone, deep in the mountains.
And there was no way out.
Notes:
• Yuna – Female. A famous idol. She has well-defined features and is described as idol-like in appearance. She is a member of a popular idol group known for intense dance and singing performances. She is considering an AV job, which is unusual for a current popular idol. Her relationship with Haruto is that of a customer seeking assistance.
• Hidemaro – Male. The representative of the company planning Yuna’s debut. His appearance is polite but intimidating, with a face resembling that of a Yakuza. He is persistent and manipulative, pushing forward with the debut plans despite objections. His relationship with Yuna and Sasahira is adversarial.
• Sasahira Sawa – Female. Yuna’s manager. She wears a suit and appears professional. She is supportive of Yuna but seems to struggle with explaining the situation. Her relationship with Haruto is that of a representative for Yuna.
• Wasekura – Male. The president of Yuna’s agency. Mentioned but not present, he is supposed to have communicated the cancellation of the debut plans. His relationship with Sasahira is professional, though there seems to be a miscommunication between them.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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