"I-I'm sorry..."

"Why apologize?"

"Because... I look nothing like my photos now. It feels like I'm deceiving people."

Though hesitant, Airi carefully voiced her thoughts.

Kaoru suddenly studied her delicate face—oversized glasses with thick lenses perched on her petite nose, two braids draped over her shoulders.

She kept her head bowed slightly, hunching as if trying to hide the ample curves of her chest to avoid drawing attention.

Her outfit was frumpy, but glimpses of her skin revealed a soft, porcelain glow.

Behind those glasses were strikingly beautiful eyes.

If she just swept aside her bangs and undid those braids, the idol in her photos would step right into reality.

Most people feared being exposed for looking worse than their filtered photos—stripped of digital enhancements, left with only flaws.

But Airi Sakura was afraid someone might discover she actually looked like her photos—hence her deliberate efforts to appear plain.

"Talking like this would invite sarcasm from others. You clearly have the potential to skyrocket to fame."

Even from a professional standpoint, Kaoru couldn't find a single flaw in her.

These days, idol competition was fierce, with voice actors even crossing over to snatch opportunities.

To outshine rivals, idols who once only needed to act cute now had to master multiple skills—singing and dancing were basics, sometimes even acting and variety talent were required.

But—

An idol's most crucial asset remained their looks.

Fortunately, Airi Sakura's beauty was in no way inferior to the top idols of the previous era.

"F-fame is way beyond me." Airi quickly dismissed Kaoru's words, her expression turned awkward.

"Sakura-san, I know these things must feel unfamiliar to you. When you were shooting for the photo book, you must have met some seniors, right?"

During her middle school years, Airi Sakura had debuted as a gravure idol, appearing in magazines, which was how she had gained a small fanbase.

"I met a few seniors, but I wasn't good at interacting with others, and I was really scared of men's gazes…" Airi Sakura murmured. "So back then, the female seniors helped me with makeup, outfits, and photoshoots."

The 'female seniors' she mentioned were likely makeup artists, photographers, and managers.

After a pause, Airi added one more thing.

"...One senior even taught me how to pose to look cuter."

"That sounds really kind."

"B-But in the end, I still couldn't keep going. I was too timid."

Given her personality, the photoshoots back then must have been exhausting, both mentally and physically.

Kaoru suddenly asked, "Why did you choose this path?"

Airi blinked in surprise.

She had answered this question many times before—no matter who asked, or even now, the answer should have been the same.

"I… I wanted to try being a different version of myself."

Yet, under his slightly gentle gaze, her answer felt different somehow.

"A different version of yourself?" Kaoru seemed to understand and couldn't help but smile.

"If that's the case, Sakura-san now is completely different from the girl in those photos."

Airi lowered her head.

Though she knew Kaoru wasn't mocking her, her chest felt strangely tight, an indescribable emotion swelling inside.

"The biggest difference is that the girl in the photos smiled—and she looked really cute doing it." Kaoru remarked casually.

Airi's face flushed bright red.

This guy… He's teasing me with a straight face!

"T-That was fake! The senior said it would make me look extra cute!"

"Which means Sakura-san is cute."

"Guh… P-Please stop saying that! The real me isn't like that, uuu…"

"You mean the you right now?" Kaoru looked at her beet-red face. "Actually, when you're not smiling, it's a different kind of cute."

"P-Please stop messing with me, Mitoma-kun." Airi puffed her cheeks in frustration.

This guy is awful! He keep teasing me!

"I'm not joking. Some idols can glare at their fans, and the fans still go crazy for them." Kaoru had personally witnessed obsessive fans getting scolded, only to cheer even louder in excitement.

Back then, he had concluded that those otaku were beyond saving.

Airi thought he was lying and pouted.

"Don't think I don't know that idols get backlash if they glare at fans."

"That's why you need to build a good persona. Think about it—if your normally sweet, well-behaved girlfriend suddenly blushes and calls you a pervert, wouldn't that feel refreshing? Wouldn't that make you happy?"

The moment he finished speaking, Airi instinctively took a step back from Kaoru.

Realizing this might be too rude, she quickly changed the subject.

"U-Um, what was it you wanted to ask me for earlier?"

"Sorry, that was just an excuse." Kaoru ignored the tiny sting of her retreat.

"...Oh." Airi didn't know how to respond.

She was never good at keeping conversations going, so she simply lowered her head and quietly followed behind him.

However, she would occasionally steal glances at Kaoru Mitoma's back.

He was currently the only classmate she could really talk to, and they even shared common interests.

When it came to topics like idols, he seemed even more knowledgeable than her.

During their previous conversations, Kaoru had shared many insights about the entertainment industry with her, even correctly guessing her former agency and magazine affiliations.

He could even discuss photography techniques with her, showing some understanding of posing, lighting, and makeup.

It was truly incredible!

More importantly, Airi Sakura had never imagined she would meet someone who matched her wavelength so perfectly.

Despite being male, he never tried to sneak glances at her like the other boys in class.

"By the way, Sakura-san," Kaoru Mitoma suddenly said, "I might need to trouble you for more help from now on."

"Eh, why?" Airi Sakura was startled.

Could this be the prelude to a confession?

"Because Class A and Class D are collaborating, so we'll probably see each other often before the official competition, right?" Kaoru looked at her in confusion.

Oh, that's what he meant!

That's all he was talking about!

Airi's face burned with embarrassment.

She wanted to escape his gaze immediately.

What had she been thinking?

It must have been because she'd just heard Haruki Yamauchi talking about confessions, which had influenced her thoughts.

"Your face is really red. Did I say something wrong?"

"N-no, it's just too hot today!" Airi replied a bit too loudly, fanning her cheeks to cool them down.

"I-I should go now. I have things to do later..."

"You're not still thinking about updating your tweets, are you?" Kaoru asked with concern.

Updating her tweets meant he would see her photos again.

Airi's face turned even redder—it was practically scorching.

"N-no... not at all... that's not it... I won't update anymore... it's over..."

Kaoru watched her flustered state, feeling puzzled.

Had he accidentally stepped on a landmine?

"Mitoma-kun... do you really want to see it?" Airi suddenly spoke in a small voice.

"Do you want to see that different side of me? Is that it?"

"Do you want the truth or a lie?" Kaoru couldn't help his reflexive response.

"P-please don't lie," Airi protested softly.

"The truth is, I think Shizuku-chan online is really cute and the Sakura-san in front of me is also adorable. I like seeing both." Kaoru paused.

"As for the lie... the first time I saw that different side of Sakura-san, I thought she was amazing. The step she took was something many people wouldn't even dare to consider."

Before she could even process her embarrassment, Airi stared at him blankly, his last words echoing in her mind.

-----------------------------

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