484 Hachiman: I Feel Like I'm at the Peak of the Popular Crowd

Especially the main characters, Aoki Shin and the others, had already signed contracts with those agencies.

Moreover, this is a drama Aoki Shin and his team, Shuya has reason to believe that they are using artists heavily promoted by major agencies.

In other words, if they wanted to terminate the contract... it's basically impossible.

Therefore, it can be inferred that they did not want Mai and Shuya to play the main roles.

Mai said, "I heard from Mr. Aoki that there were originally two versions of this play, but because they couldn't find suitable actors for a long time, they eventually chose the second version of the script."

"After hearing about my comeback, they hurriedly found the first version of the script, revised it again, and sent it to me to ask if I was interested... They were also secretly hoping I would ask you if you would be acting in it."

"Hmm, is that so?"

Shuya nodded, refraining from offering his opinion for the time being.

He could tell they were sincere, because doing so would greatly increase their workload.

Mai might not agree to appear, and it's also uncertain whether Shuya make a comeback. If they don't appear, it means that everything Aoki Shin and the others have done has been for nothing.

Shuya and the other two don't agree, the crew can't start filming, which will make the schedule very tight.

It's important to know that Japanese dramas usually film two or three episodes before they air, so the timeframe is very tight now.

Even so, Aoki Shin and his team did it anyway, which means they felt it was worthwhile.

Shuya began to get curious about the script's content, wondering why he and Mai were specifically chosen to star in it.

He looked at it carefully.

The name of this TV series is <Idol!>.

Is the title about idols?

Shuya continued watching.

The story is roughly about a male protagonist named Asakawa Jun who has a childhood friend who is a popular idol affiliated with a major agency.

He had liked her since childhood, but he felt extremely inferior in the face of his childhood sweetheart who was always very popular.

However, in high school, he finally made up his mind to take action.

In order to become someone who wouldn't bring shame to her if he were with her, he decided to become an idol as well.

He was then selected in an audition for a TV series and signed with a struggling agency to officially become an idol, thus beginning his passionate life as an idol and pursuing his childhood sweetheart, filled with laughter and tears...

The script's synopsis describes it as a work that combines romance, comedy, and exploration of the inner workings of the idol industry.

---Of course, the main characters' affairs have little to do with Shuya and Mai.

They played supporting roles.

The two supporting characters are:

The legendary child actor Sakurajima Shuya, who captivated the world with his outstanding acting skills and amazing singing ability as a child, suddenly retired during his middle school years.

Inoue Mai, who has been at the peak of her career since elementary school and has been unmatched for over a decade, is known as the "Queen of Idols" among Japan's younger generation. However, she was recently revealed to be suffering from depression.

These two supporting characters, with their rather chuunibyou (delusional) personalities, are the roles that Aoki Shin wanted Shuya and Mai to play.

By the way... there's something in the names of these two characters.

"These two names are such a blatant mockery of us."

Shuya tentatively asked, "Wouldn't this give people the impression of being appointed by imperial decree?"

"It doesn't matter, it's just for fun."

Mai didn't know the reference; she simply asked:

"Just tell me, are you going to act or not?"

Well...

Shuya thought for a moment, then finally said, "If you really want to act, I can go with you."

"Then it's decided, that's a pleasant decision."

Mai clapped her hands.

"It's because I've always found it hard to refuse your requests."

Shuya winked at her.

"Disgusting, don't do that."

"Vomit."

Mai and Yukino both felt uncomfortable.

Shuya scoffed.

Yuigahama exclaimed excitedly, "Hey, Shu-chan, are you making a comeback?"

"I feel like I've heard this question somewhere before?"

Shuya tilted his head slightly.

He replied, "No, it's just acting alongside Mai- chan. I haven't decided to announce my comeback yet."

If I had to put it that way, it would be... a sudden awakening from a deathbed?

That doesn't seem quite right either, whatever.

Yuigahama a little disappointed. "Really? I thought I'd see Shu-chan being active again."

Do you really enjoy watching me act that much?

Shuya.

"Certainly."

Yuigahama nodded in agreement and said no more.

She turned and leaned close to Mai: "Mai- chan, Mai- chan, I saw the commercial on TV! It's so cute!"

"Really? Thank you."

Mai replied with a smile.

Yukino also said to her, "I saw it too. It's very nice."

Her tone towards Mai was completely different from when she spoke to Shuya.

Shuya watched them chatting intimately, Hikigaya sat blankly to the side, his eyes occasionally glancing in their direction.

After a while, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the club, and the person opened the door without hesitation.

Wild Shizuka Hiratsuka has appeared.

She walked in and looked around, immediately spotting Mai: "She's really here."

"What's wrong, Teacher Hiratsuka?"

Mai Shizuka Hiratsuka, but they had met before.

"It's nothing, it's just that those students knew you were here, and they were acting suspiciously around here. I just chased a bunch of them away."

Shizuka Hiratsuka scratched her head. "I came here to warn you to be careful. Next time you come, don't let anyone see you."

Shuya said, "That's a bit difficult. Strange Arts don't work very well."

"Then that's not my problem, it's something you should resolve."

Shizuka Hiratsuka remained noncommittal. "Anyway, if you cause any more trouble, the school might ban Sakurajima from coming in again."

P. S. 1: As for the script for "idol," it won't be like "Hikari-chan." If I were to write it, I would try to make the length similar to that of the Art Academy."

If I get really into it, I might write a separate free chapter of less than a thousand words. If that happens, the main text that day will probably be less than two thousand words. But of course, I might not do that; it's just an idea.

P. S.: By the way, I saw in the backend that Shuke is adjusting its categories, changing "Youthful Daily Life" and "Surreal Urban" to "Urban Youth"...

So where did the surreal elements go? I painstakingly endured being criticized for not allowing any supernatural elements in my slice-of-life youth stories, and finally managed to escape to a surreal city for refuge, and now I have to go back?

Is it really a circle?

Am I going to get flamed again?

I'm so frustrated, this is too much for me.

Section 523, 484 Hikigaya: Feeling like I'm standing at the pinnacle of being a "normie" (a person who has achieved a certain level of popularity).

"Okay, I understand. Thank you so much."

Upon hearing Shizuka Hiratsuka's words, Mai smiled apologetically.

"Hmm, good boy. If that brat were even half as obedient as you, I wouldn't get so angry so often."

Shizuka Hiratsuka sighed and turned to leave.

Shuya chuckled, thinking to himself, "If you had even a little bit of a temper, would I have argued with you like that?"

Yukino called out to her before she left, "Teacher Hiratsuka, wait!"

"What's wrong."

"I've told you many times, remember to knock before you come in."

"Aww."

Shizuka Hiratsuka nodded casually, closed the door, and left.

Yukino frowned and said to the others:

She definitely wasn't listening.

"As if she'd heard it before."

Shuya calmly replied.

Yukino: "..."

Shuya ignored her, looked down at his phone, and instructed his subordinates to handle Mai's arrival.

The method is simple: send a Monster into the school, then use illusion magic to impersonate Mai and leave in front of everyone, creating the illusion that she has already left.

This method is simple, but very effective.

Soon the other students all assumed that Mai had already left.

They stopped staying at school; some went home, and others joined clubs.

After dealing with the commotion caused by Mai, everyone chatted for a while.

The three girls were mainly talking; Shuya and Hikigaya rarely spoke.

They chatted while snacking and drinking tea, giving off a rather HTT vibe.

When they reached the point where most of the other students had left, Shuya took Mai on a tour of the school.

Yukino and Yuigahama followed along, and even Hikigaya silently stood up.

It seems that Hikigaya Mai improved somewhat.

He still didn't say anything.

Shuya and his group then took Mai on a tour of Sobu High.

First, there's the Special Building; there aren't many people left, and it's very quiet there.

"This place is quite nice."

Mai nodded from time to time.

Shuya said, "Sobu High is considered a prestigious school, and its facilities are quite good."

"It's nothing special."

Yukino's tone was flat, and she didn't think there was anything to praise about it.

After walking through the Special Building, you will reach the teaching building via the connecting passage.

Our first stop was Shuya and his classmates' classroom.