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Black stockings. High heels. Curves in all the right places.
So this was Rosen's type, huh?
Miko kept that little thought to herself, but mentally filed away a note: maybe she should dip her toes into ACG culture, buy a bunny girl costume, and see what kind of reaction she got.
"You can see her now?"
"Yeah."
With black stockings and legs like that, if she still couldn't see her, she might as well book an appointment at the eye clinic for a VIP checkup.
But the longer she stared, the more the bunny girl looked… familiar.
"Wait… aren't you… uh… you know, that one…"
She trailed off, stuck in that annoying state where you almost remember something but can't quite bring it to mind.
"Mai Sakurajima," the bunny girl said flatly.
Inwardly, she sighed. If you don't know, just admit you don't know—don't pretend.
"Mai Sakurajima! Right! You were a really famous actress on TV for a while, but then you suddenly retired. That was such a shame."
Now Miko remembered—clearly.
She even felt a little giddy. Not that she was about to admit she still had Mai's movie posters in her room.
Mai had been a nationwide sensation back in the day, starring in all kinds of youthful school dramas. She'd never taken on racy photo shoots, always keeping up a pure, sweet image that drew tons of fans—especially girls her own age.
When news of her retirement broke, Miko had been genuinely upset for weeks.
"Why'd you quit?"
"For personal reasons."
Mai didn't want to elaborate. What was she supposed to say? That she'd been in her rebellious phase? And now she was still paying for her younger self's choices?
"That's a shame. I grew up watching your movies and dramas."
Mai's brow twitched. Grew up? She didn't look much younger than her!
But she let it slide.
"Anyway… what's going on here? Mai Sakurajima… why are you with him? And why are you dressed… like that?"
If it were anyone else, Miko would've covered her eyes and pretended she'd seen nothing.
But Rosen was different.
She wasn't trying to claim him as hers or anything, but she definitely wanted to know what this bunny girl was doing here.
"I'll let her explain." Rosen shrugged.
Mai gave a quick rundown of her situation.
By the end of it, Miko's eyes were wide with shock. "There's really something like that? So your retirement wasn't because of the whole 'no one can see you' thing?"
"No." Mai shook her head.
At the time, she'd been at the peak of her career. The real reason she'd wanted to quit? Mai put that one squarely on her mother.
She'd been a child actress, which meant more money and opportunities than other kids her age. Her mother had quit her own job to become her full-time manager.
And when your mom is also your manager… it can feel suffocating.
Although her mother never treated her purely as a money-making tool, Mai Sakurajima could always feel her mother forcing her own ideals onto her.
She wasn't just a star—she was molded into her mother's idea of the perfect star.
In that kind of suffocating, high-pressure environment, Mai eventually got tired of it all… and decided to act out for once.
"Ohhh."
Miko Yotsuya, sensing there was more to the story than Mai was saying, chose not to press the issue.
Instead, she turned to Rosen.
"So the reason Mai Sakurajima is here… is because she's hoping you can help her, right? Do you have any ideas yet?"
"I do."
Rosen recalled the method from the original storyline that had allowed Mai Sakurajima to become visible again.
"First, you have to change the mindset of 'I don't want to be noticed.' Then you need to actively draw attention to yourself—shift from being forgotten by the world to being remembered by it."
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
Mai, of course, had no intention of going back to that mindset—otherwise she really would disappear.
"It's simple. While everyone's in class, you grab a megaphone, stand in the school courtyard, and yell, 'Everyone, eyes on me! I have an announcement!'"
"Mhm, and then?"
The girl was listening closely.
"Then I'd say, 'I, uh… publicly declare that Mai Sakurajima is my girlfriend.' That way, everyone's curiosity would be instantly piqued—'Who's Mai Sakurajima?'—and if you're right there in person, they'd remember you fast."
"…"
Mai and Miko both fell silent at that.
"..."
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