"Ai, you don't really like it here, do you?" Hiko walked with Ai for a while, and when he saw no one around, he asked her.
"This is where I grew up, how could I not like it?" Ai responded with a standard smile.
That was a lie.
Hiko immediately concluded that the girl's answer contained no trace of happiness. Even if she was lying, there was no need to expose her; it was better to change the subject.
So he said, "Speaking of which, have you signed a contract with the President yet?"
"Not yet… The President said we need to sort out a legal guardian first." Ai walked aimlessly around the yard; the children passing by didn't greet her.
It seemed he really wanted to develop Ai.
Even without signing a contract, he intended to become her guardian and mentor her.
From the looks of it, Ai was unaware of Ichigo's intentions.
Or perhaps, after inquiring and learning that Ai was an orphan, he decided to become her guardian because she was too beautiful? A doting father?
From her answer, Hiko felt he had deduced Ichigo's true nature.
However, in the anime, Ai complained that when she ranked third on the Oricon charts, her salary was only 208,000 yen.[1]
She also complained that even though the song was a hit, she still didn't earn much money. [2]
So Hiko reasoned that if Ichigo truly treated Ai as his daughter, she, being only sixteen, would definitely receive pocket money.
Ichigo's wife even complained that Ai's favorite ice cream was expensive.
So Ichigo probably didn't give her extra pocket money, truly raising her as his daughter?
Hiko didn't know if this conclusion was correct, but then he suddenly remembered Ichigo drowning his sorrows in alcohol after Ai's death.
Clearly, he also had a certain level of affection.
Never mind, he'd definitely find out later.
"Even if you've decided to pursue the Idol path, it's still better to learn more," Hiko said, feeling inspired when Ai didn't speak proactively. "If someone knocks or rings the doorbell, always look through the peephole first. If it's a stranger, even if you open the door to talk, make sure to keep the chain on and don't expose your body near the gap, in case someone tries to stab you from outside."
"In the future, after you become an Idol, you might encounter stalkers, so you must be careful about everything."
"Okay~" Ai responded, placing her hands behind her back, one palm gripping the other, and turned to face Hiko, walking backward as she watched him. "Are you worried about me?"
"I just don't want you to end up in the newspapers because of a stalker." Hiko instinctively wanted to hide the fact that he was concerned, but remembering Ai's upbringing, he added with certainty, "Yes, I am worried about you."
"So the peace talisman was also just an excuse you made up to give me?" Ai suddenly asked.
Was that excuse too clumsy? Should he try to gloss over it and stick to the story?
Never mind, since she noticed, he might as well reveal everything.
"Yes," Hiko replied.
"You're so concerned about me the first time we meet, and you even gave me a peace talisman. It seems you really like me~" Ai continued to walk forward, backward.
Hiko didn't know what she was thinking or why she asked. He worried that if he spoke his mind, their distance might grow, and they might not even remain friends.
He took a deep breath, adjusted his tone, and said, "That's right! I am a captive of 'love'!"
Hiko felt uneasy. He emphasized the word 'love,' which could be interpreted as being a captive of love or a confession of love for Ai.
He left himself some wiggle room.
Ai didn't respond immediately. She stared at Hiko's face for a while before slowly saying, "Ever since I can remember, I grew up in a single-parent family, and when I was home, my mother would always hit and abuse me for no reason."
"I don't remember how long it was, but my mother was arrested for theft, and I was sent to this orphanage because of it."
"Not long after being sent to the facility, I learned of my mother's release date, but a long time has passed since then, and she has never appeared again."
Even if she was abused at home, did she still wish for her mother to come and take her back?
Hiko didn't understand why she was talking about her past, but he could sense the disappointment in her tone as she spoke.
"So, thank you."
Ai seemed to sense Hiko's emotions, but she no longer looked at him, turning back to walk normally. "I don't understand what love is, or what actions are called love. It feels good to have someone who cares about you, so I can't meet your expectations. Perhaps I'll fall in love with you in the future, but at least not now."
What unnecessary cleverness.
Hiko was initially a bit embarrassed that his little scheme was exposed, but hearing the girl say that, his emotions became complicated.
The girl had just opened up to him about her past, but then immediately said that.
Saying she might fall in love in the future, hearing that now, it felt like a lie.
Hiko didn't feel much sadness at being rejected in this way; instead, he became even more expectant.
Scenes of Ai speaking in the anime flashed through his mind.
"Do you know what an Idol is?"
"They are beings who shine brightly with the magic called lies."
"Lies are also a different kind of love."
"Piling lies upon lies, no matter how painful or sad it is."
"As soon as I step onto the stage, I can sing happily."
"What a joyful job this is."
Ai was transforming into that dazzling Idol.
How could such a change not fill him with joy?
But before that, he must find that scumbag!
[1] Comparing Japanese salaries across different industries and ages: Among all ages, the industry with the highest average salary is electricity, gas, heat supply, and water, at 417,500 yen. Next are academic research at 383,600 yen, education and learning support at 381,500 yen, information and communication at 377,500 yen, and finance and insurance at 371,200 yen. The average salary for accommodation and food services is relatively low at 245,300 yen. The difference in average salaries across different industries is almost 150,000 yen. Overall, the average salary for regular employees is 323,900 yen, while the average salary for temporary or part-time employees is 209,400 yen. The difference in average salaries between the two is 114,500 yen. (Data from 2020)
[2] Therefore, even though she made it onto the charts as the center of an Idol group, her final share of income was only 208,000 yen, similar to a temporary worker, which is indeed too little.