Volume 3 Chapter 8 The Idol’s Resolve and the Awkward Price of Beauty’s Gift
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
They say beauty starts with posture. A proper posture, they claim, can ease body strain, correct a hunched back, tighten the core, improve organ function, prevent headaches, and relieve tension in countless parts of the body… basically, it’s supposed to have all sorts of good effects.
”……’Posture Correction’.”
The new skill Takanashi Hirose had learned was ‘Posture Correction,’ the power to realign a crooked spine.
Its details were as follows:
[Posture Correction]
Method: Full Body Massage
Effect: Posture improvement, relief from neck/shoulder/lower back pain, skeletal alignment
Recoil: Body flushes and becomes highly sensitive for a set time
”What if, through this skill, I could do more than just fix her posture? What if it improved the fundamental bone structure, or even—” Hirose muttered to himself. “—What if I could save Guumin’s idol career, huh?”
Hirose and Hibiki left the home of the popular model Nikaidou Koi. On the way back, Hirose, having just learned the new skill, was explaining its effects to Hibiki. They had recently heard the news: Minami Nagumo, or Guumin, the leader of the three-person idol group ‘SPICE MIX,’ had to take a long-term break because her herniated disc had gotten severely worse.
Koi had asked Hirose if there was anything he could do, but at the time, he didn’t have any skill that could heal her. Now, though, with ‘Posture Correction,’ he might be able to offer a quick treatment for the slipped disc—and possibly even fix the root cause. If he could do that, there was a chance Minami Nagumo could return to her idol life and keep performing those intense dances.
”—I’ll call Koi-chan!” Hibiki announced with calm resolve.
”Please do,” Hirose urged.
Hibiki contacted Koi, and from there, the message was relayed to Minami—.
* * *
”—Koi-chan Senpai¹!? Long time no talk!”
Minami Nagumo, the leader of ‘SPICE MIX,’ answered the call in her room, where her groupmates Hondou Kiyou and Ogata Rui were also present.
“Guumin, it’s been a while. I saw the news. Sounds like you messed up your back,” Koi’s voice came through the phone.
”Yes, ma’am… But hearing your voice really cheered me up!Oh, wait, Senpai, aren’t you supposed to be on a long hiatus, though?”
Koi’s breast cancer hadn’t been made public yet, and even within the agency, only a handful of people knew. But now that her chest had been restored, Koi was moving to resume her activities. She couldn’t talk about how her chest was restored, however, because of Kairi’s Gift, ‘Pledge.’ The agency was baffled but simply decided to trust the fact that she had recovered.
“Ah, well, that’s actually related to what I’m calling about… I think I’ll be able to come back right away.”
”Oh, really? That’s wonderful!” Minami exclaimed.
“Great. So, here’s the main thing. I want you to meet someone. I can’t tell you the details over the phone, but… just trust me—.”
”—I’ll do it! If Koi-chan Senpai tells me to, I will!” Minami immediately decided.
“Wow, you decided fast,” Koi chuckled.
”Because you were always so kind to me at the agency!” Minami announced proudly.
“I’m so lucky to have a great junior like you, then,” Koi replied with warmth.
”The feeling is mutual!”
Minami laughed on the phone, acting as if her back wasn’t killing her. The truth was, it hurt terribly, but she didn’t want to bring down her favorite senior with sad feelings.
This call set up Minami’s meeting with Hirose, though at the time, Minami had no idea she was being called for her herniated disc treatment.
* * *
”—Hello,” Hirose greeted them.
”Oh, Guumin! And Kiyou and Ruirui, too! Sorry for taking up your time today,” Koi apologized, a warm smile on her face.
They were in a conference room in the company building that housed both Nikaidou Koi’s and ‘SPICE MIX’s agency. Koi, Hirose, Hibiki, and Kairi were already seated around the long table.
”Wow! Koi-chan Senpai!” Minami cried out.
”Whoa, that beautiful aura is intense!” Kiyou noted, impressed.
”Ooh, it’s been so long!” Rui added airily.
The three members of ‘SPICE MIX’ entered the conference room and immediately greeted Koi. Kiyou, with her blue hair, and Rui, with her blonde hair, were supporting red-haired Minami’s steps as she walked.
”You bet it is. Well, let’s keep the greetings short for now and take a seat,” Koi directed.
The ‘SPICE MIX’ members’ eyes then fell on Hirose and his friends sitting across the table. With confused expressions, they sat down.
”Koi-chan Senpai… these adorable young people… are they fans, maybe?” Minami wondered.
”No, today isn’t about that—” Hirose started to explain.
”—I’m a fan! A super big fan!! I’ve even covered your dances and posted them on social media! And of course, I’ve been to your concerts!” Ihara Kairi announced with a heavy, excited exhale.
While this wasn’t the main goal, she just couldn’t hold it in. Hibiki and Himari (not present) had some knowledge of idols but weren’t concertgoers. Kairi, however, was different. She loved idols enough to go to their live shows and was definitely a fan of ‘SPICE MIX.’
”Is that so?” Minami responded, surprised.
”Yes! So today is—ow! Hibiki, what was that for?!” Kairi complained.
”I just told you this wasn’t about that,” Hibiki murmured, chopping Kairi’s head to stop her sudden fan-girl frenzy.
After Kairi composed herself, Hirose began the self-introduction.
”—My name is Takanashi Hirose. And this is Rindou Hibiki and Ihara Kairi. We’re here today to talk about Minami Nagumo-san’s herniated disc.”
”Huh? My…disc?” Minami looked confused, as did Kiyou and Rui.
It made sense. The person in front of them was about their age. Naturally, they’d assume he was just a fan.
”That’s why I called you today, Guumin. I can’t talk about the specifics, but I actually had my right breast completely removed due to breast cancer.”
”—What?! No, that’s… that can’t be!” Minami stammered in shock.
”Calm down, Guumin. I said on the phone I can come back right away, didn’t I? …The one who saved my life as a woman was this Hirose-kun,” Koi stated, her voice full of conviction.
”I-is that so… that’s incredible… but my head’s going to explode with all this information,” Minami admitted.
”For now, just gloss over my part… Today is about you, Guumin,” Koi urged.
Minami couldn’t hide her shock at the bombshell about breast cancer and mastectomy, but she followed Koi’s advice and focused her attention on Hirose.
”Simply put, Hirose-kun might be able to fundamentally heal your—Guumin’s—herniated disc.”
”Ehh…” Minami gasped.
”I just told you how he saved me, right? So, he might be able to save you, too, Guumin.”
”R-really…?” Minami questioned, finding it hard to believe.
Still, her trusted senior, Koi, had taken the trouble to arrange this meeting. That alone was enough to make her want to believe the incredible story.
”Hibiki—” Hirose prompted.
”Yeah… it’s glowing. And it’s incredibly bright… stronger than ever before. I think Guumin’s desire is stronger than anyone else we’ve seen.” Hibiki observed, her tone soft and knowing.
There had always been variations in the brightness of the light, but the aura around Hirose, targeted at Minami, was immensely strong. It reflected Minami’s powerful will, screaming that giving up her idol career was absolutely not an option.
”If Guumin truly wants to be healed, that is…” Hibiki mused.
”I want it! I absolutely want it! I still want to be an idol! I won’t let it end like this! I’ve been through so many hard and frustrating times, but I haven’t repaid my fans, Kiyoh, or Ruisui yet!! —Tch…” Minami exclaimed loudly, following Hibiki’s statement.
”Don’t push yourself!” Kiyou chided, concerned.
”Yeah, no shouting, dear~” Rui murmured gently.
Minami’s passionate outburst, perhaps because of the intense effort, made the pain in her lower back worse.
”—Alright. Then, this is where Kairi-chan comes in. After you hear the next part, Guumin, we want you to decide whether you’ll go through with it or not.” Koi announced, taking control.
”…Understood,” Minami agreed.
Kairi then explained her Gift and, with a few words, established the ‘Pledge’ with the three members of ‘SPICE MIX’ to ensure they wouldn’t talk about Hirose’s Gift.
Once that was done, Hirose began explaining the ‘Posture Correction’ skill. As he spoke, Minami’s face changed rapidly. It seemed she had found hope, and her eyes appeared to be shimmering.
”—Please think about this carefully. The effects of the treatment and the Recoil… they aren’t things a woman can easily decide on—” Hirose began to warn her.
”—I’ll do it! I want you to do it! Please! If this herniated disc can be healed quickly and I can continue as an idol, I’ll give you my body completely!!” Minami cried out, slamming her hand on the table with a sharp bang, then wincing from the movement.
”That’s not what I meant by ‘easily decided’!” Hirose flinched back, exasperated.
”Huh? Even if it means… that… I’m prepared… Ugh, that’s so embarrassing…” Minami whispered, her face beet-red.
”Don’t worry. I’m prepared to do it for you, Guumin!” Kiyou assured her gently.
”Yeah, we’ll strip down for you, too~” Rui added, her tone light and spacey.
The conversation had taken a very strange turn, but given past events, the ‘Recoil’ almost always led to an embarrassing, intimate situation. However, ‘SPICE MIX’ was the first group to start by offering their bodies from the start.
”Um… I’m actually not looking for anything like that… so, no, really,” Hirose stammered.
”D-does that mean my body isn’t attractive enough?!” Minami demanded, hitting the table again, a grimace of pain crossing her face as her back protested.
”That’s not what I’m saying at all!” Hirose protested, thoroughly bewildered.
”Hirose… they’re offering. Ten people or a hundred, it’s all the same, you know?” Hibiki whispered, patting his shoulder with a soft, gentle smile that was eerily saint-like.
Hirose, who was quickly gaining experience in this, internally thought, ‘A hundred people is absolutely not the same thing!’ but he wisely kept that thought to himself.
”—Wait a minute… does that mean Koi-chan Senpai has already…?” Minami realized with a sudden, dawning horror.
She had just figured out that if taking Hirose’s skill meant having an intimate encounter, then Koi, who had already received the treatment, must have done that with him.
”……Well, yeah,” Koi admitted simply.
”Kyaaah!” the three idols squealed in unison.
”Trading your body for your life… it’s a total pact with the devil. Hehe!” Kairi cackled mischievously.
”Don’t you say that, Kairi!” Hibiki quickly snapped.
The three ‘SPICE MIX’ idols were in an uproar over the truth, with Kairi’s comment only adding to the confusion. Though, to be fair, even with Koi, it all started with her offering her chest and breastfeeding him, so it wasn’t like Hirose made the first move.
”H-hold on! I won’t make the first move, I promise! The treatment just requires direct skin contact, and the Recoil just makes your body hot and highly sensitive! I can even provide a blindfold if you want, so please relax!” Hirose blurted out, trying to correct the utterly wrong impression.
”…Thank you for the consideration. I’m still feeling a bit skeptical, but I choose to believe Takanashi-san’s story. So—please, help me,” Minami bowed deeply.
”We beg you,” the three ‘SPICE MIX’ members, lined up like a traffic light with their hair colors, chorused, bowing their heads deeply.
And so, Hirose agreed to give the treatment to Minami Nagumo, the leader of the popular idol group ‘SPICE MIX.’
”—Oh! Um! Could you shake my hand?!” Kairi suddenly burst out.
”You must be Kairi-san. Of course,” Minami replied, still earnest.
”Gyaaaah! Yes! I did it!”
Afterward, Kairi not only got a handshake but a hug from all three members of ‘SPICE MIX,’ causing her to float home with a beatific, euphoric grin on her face.
—
Summary:
In this chapter, Hirose learns his newest S-Rank Gift skill, ‘Posture Correction,’ which holds the key to curing Guumin, the idol leader of ‘SPICE MIX,’ from her crippling herniated disc. With the help of the grateful model Koi, Hirose meets Minami, Kiyou, and Rui in a corporate conference room. The urgency of Minami’s desire to keep her idol career shines bright, convincing Hibiki of their mission. However, the discussion quickly turns awkward and comedic as the idols, misunderstanding the ‘Recoil,’ immediately offer their bodies for the healing, leading to a hilarious moment of panic and embarrassment for the earnest Hirose.
—
Character Insight:
Minami’s character insight is her overwhelming loyalty and determination; she is willing to sacrifice everything, including her modesty, to continue being an idol for her fans and her group, demonstrating the massive professional stakes. Hirose is revealed to be increasingly anxious about the inevitable ‘Recoil’ but remains dedicated to helping, though he is bewildered by the escalating boldness of the women he treats.
—
Behind the Scene:
This chapter sets up the treatment of a high-profile idol, forcing Hirose’s hidden Gift further into the spotlight of the entertainment world. The group dynamic of ‘SPICE MIX’ is established as loyal and supportive, which will be a factor in the upcoming treatment. Kairi’s Gift, ‘Pledge,’ is crucial for maintaining plot secrecy, while Hibiki’s ‘read’ of Minami’s strong desire validates the high-risk endeavor.
—
T/L:
1 [Senpai] is a Japanese term used to refer to a senior colleague or mentor, common in professional and school settings. ↩
Notes:
• Hondou Kiyou – known as ‘Kii-yon,’ is a member of the idol group ‘SPICE MIX.’ She acts as the balanced, sensible one who keeps Minami’s ‘wild’ leader nature and Rui’s ‘natural airhead’ tendencies in check. Her primary emotion in this scene is concern for Minami’s health and the future of the group. Her appearance is not detailed. Blue haired.
• Ogata Rui – ‘Rui-rui,’ is the ‘natural airhead’ member of ‘SPICE MIX.’ She is supportive of Minami and worried about the group’s future, but often misses the nuance of the situation. Her voice is innocent and her thoughts are simple, making her a source of lightheartedness in a serious situation. Her appearance is not detailed. Blonde hair.
• Ihara Kairi – Short, pale blue hair and D-cup (F, 159cm), Kairi is Hibiki’s sharp-witted friend. She’s known for her cute smile but is frequently suspicious and inquisitive regarding her classmates’ secrets. Kairi’s interactions highlight Hirose’s growing circle and the effect of his skill.
• Rindou Hibiki – Hirose’s cheerful, bold classmate who is the first to request his Beauty skill. Hibiki (F, pink bob hair, 158cm, F-cup) is outgoing, expressive about her interests, and quickly becomes Hirose’s girlfriend after an explicitly intimate scene. Her reactions help set the adult tone of the story.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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