"Idol Ai officially graduates today."
When Hoshino Ai uttered these words, even Kitagawa Ryo—who was watching the livestream via paid online broadcast—was caught off guard. But after a brief moment of stunned silence, he seemed to understand something, shaking his head with a faint, knowing smile.
Beside him, Kitagawa Ruby, who had been swept up in the electric atmosphere of the concert and daydreaming about one day performing on a stage as grand as the Tokyo Dome herself, was equally shocked. Her rose-red eyes widened slightly, disbelief flickering in their depths.
To be honest, Ruby had already imagined a future where Hoshino Ai, riding high on the success of her Tokyo Dome concert, would soar to even greater popularity—constantly touring nationwide, even globally, growing increasingly distant from her brother due to their rare meetings.
Who would willingly step down at the peak of their career?
But soon enough, just like Ryo, Ruby understood.
By shedding her identity as an idol, Hoshino Ai would finally have the right to openly pursue love.
"Onii-chan—"
Tears welling up in her eyes, Ruby immediately clung to Ryo's arm, as if afraid he might vanish the next second to spend time with someone else. She practically wrapped herself around him like a koala, refusing to let go.
"Don't leave Ruby all alone."
"...What kind of nonsense is going through that little head of yours?"
Ryo sighed, ruffling his sister's hair. It had grown even longer lately—though he or Saitou Miyako still helped tie it up every morning, in a couple of years, she'd have to learn to manage it herself.
At that moment, Ruby suddenly realized something.
Hoshino Ai might be twenty, an adult—but her brother was only sixteen. He was still two years away from the legal marriage age.
Safe for now.
"Ai kept this surprisingly tight-lipped. Even the other members of B-Komachi seemed just as shocked."
Leaning back in his chair, Ryo stretched lazily as the livestream ended.
"But she's probably got her hands full with reporters right now. A top idol announcing her graduation after a Tokyo Dome concert? That's today's biggest headline. I'll hold off on calling her for now."
"'Current top idol'—we've joked about that title for years. Never thought it'd become a thing of the past."
"One day, I'll be the current top idol—even more popular than Ai-nee!"
Ruby puffed out her cheeks indignantly.
"Yeah, yeah. Then you'll be the 'future top idol.'"
Bopping her lightly on the nose, Ryo granted her the new title—though it wasn't entirely a joke. Ruby wasn't his biological sister, but she'd inherited the same striking looks, easily holding her own against other child stars in the entertainment industry.
Just as Ruby was preening over her new title, Ryo's work phone buzzed.
The caller? Takiguchi Katsuya.
"Katsuya-san, what's up?"
Having known each other for years—and with Takiguchi being a former member of LALALAI Theatre and a junior to Kindaichi Toshiro—Ryo's tone was casual.
Though their interactions had lessened lately, with Takiguchi focusing on variety shows while Ryo stuck to dramas and films.
"About Ai—you saw the news, right?"
"If you mean her graduation, yeah, I know."
Ryo's mind raced.
"Did you hear something behind the scenes?"
"Not sure about 'behind the scenes,' but Ichigo-san from Strawberry Pro's been asking me since last night to recommend some… well, interesting jobs."
Takiguchi exhaled a slow drag of smoke.
"You know I've helped Ai land guest spots on variety shows before—always ones I produce, though. Safe, lighthearted stuff, mostly comedy Q&A segments where she could just vibe."
"But this time, Ichigo-san's been inquiring about dating shows. With Ai graduating today… felt a bit odd, so I figured I'd give you a heads-up."
"I see. Thanks, Katsuya-san."
Ryo's expression turned thoughtful. Takiguchi had simply called to inform him, and after confirming Ryo understood, he ended the call with a quiet hum.
Saitou Ichigo's move was so transparent—it was like a father covertly probing his daughter's crush. Ryo could practically picture him grinning behind sunglasses, arms crossed, watching for his reaction.
Still, he's rushing it.
While Ryo understood the sentiment, he felt Ichigo was being too hasty. Neither he nor Ai—freshly retired from idol life—were suited to immediately appear on a dating show.
But the idea itself wasn't bad.
Scrolling through his contacts, Ryo found a number, hesitated, then sent a text.
The reply came instantly—delighted.
As expected, Hoshino Ai's graduation dominated headlines. But since she wasn't leaving the industry entirely—merely transitioning from idol to actress—most fans, while wistful, offered their blessings.
The melancholy was short-lived.
The very next day, Ryo's sixteenth birthday celebrations eclipsed all other news.
In space, fans organized asteroid-naming and rocket launches carrying his portrait. On land, they booked thousands of screens in theaters and shopping districts nationwide, plastering them with birthday tributes. At sea, endangered species conservation projects bearing his name flourished.
For tabloid journalists, it was a day of mixed agony and ecstasy. Unlike bewildered passersby asking "Who is this?", they understood the sheer magnitude of Ryo's influence.
Amid the frenzy, one reporter—Tanaka—bucked the trend. His article, "Romantic but Irrational: The Dark Side of Fan Culture in Kitagawa Ryo's Birthday Celebrations", critiqued the excesses: underage spending, public disturbances. His arguments were sharp, data-backed, morally upright.
But in the midst of fan euphoria, the response was vitriolic. "We spend our own money—shut up!" flooded the comments.
Tanaka didn't care.
Ever since his exposé on Ishiki Rina—the obsessive fan—his editors had hinted at pressure from her powerful family.
A polite warning, considering his seniority. But the writing was on the wall.
He'd prepared for this.
For years, Tanaka had been pivoting—never intending to remain a tabloid hack. With his writing and media savvy, his options were open.
As he walked home, weighing job offers—variety show scriptwriter? Social media influencer?—a screech tore through the night.
Tires skidding.
He turned.
Headlights blinded him.
A woman's face behind the wheel.
Pain—brief—then darkness.
On a nearby skyscraper, a birthday light display flickered:
[Happy 16th Birthday, Ryo.]
Ishiki Rina stepped into the spreading blood, her heels clicking against the pavement.
"This," she murmured, "is my gift."
------------------------------------------------------
Do support me in my patreon: patreon.com/Fanfable
So that I can buy a ps5 for gta 6 ( just kidding:)
Here you guys can get access the early 80+ chapters of epub and pdf file.
Just download it and enjoy the story.