"Found it!"
Without waiting long, Sora came running downstairs with something like a photo album in her arms, then ran over to Exusiai and Texas.
"When I first saw Mizuki, I thought he looked familiar. These are some photos and newspapers I collected when I was bored, all of famous idols and stars from back then. And this... yes, it's probably from five or six years ago. Look at this!"
Sora pointed at a slightly yellowed photograph. It showed a group of children who looked no older than fourteen or fifteen, with some not even ten. They were all good-looking and carried themselves well, but Mizuki stood out the most among them because he was holding a trophy. The smile on his face made people feel especially warm.
"Child Star Contest?"
"Mm. In that competition, Mizuki won with a perfect score and a ninety percent approval rating. After that, he appeared in several more performances and was called one of the twin stars of the entertainment industry. Do you know who the other one was?"
"No."
"D.D.D. The one who can stand alongside the boss and schedule performances all the way into next year."
Exusiai blinked blankly. She knew Mizuki had a beautiful singing voice and the talent to become a singer in every respect, but she had never imagined he had reached such a level.
"Then why didn't he continue?"
"You'll know if you look at the newspaper below."
Following Sora's hand, Exusiai looked at the old newspaper clipping. Its headline read: "Shocking! The Darkness Behind Idol Performances: Famous Child Star Earns Only Thirty Thousand a Month!"
"The agency Mizuki belonged to manipulated things behind the scenes and never gave him any of the commissions or compensation he deserved. They only treated him as a tool to make money.