Chapter 1
Umeda knew her troubles have just started. She knew the multiple offers she has been getting from various modelling agencies would affect her train of thoughts during their dance practice. She knew that she was a bit clumsy when it comes to dancing and because of this, the girl would always ponder if she would fare better at being a model than an idol.
She glanced at Yajima, who was looking curiously at her.
"Is there something wrong?" She asked Umeda.
The taller girl gave out a small laugh. "Nah. I was just spacing out." Umeda smiled at her friend and reverted back to the dance position that they were learning.
They continued practicing, but Umeda couldn't prevent her stray thoughts interrupting her concentration.
After the grueling dance session, she grabbed her towel and wiped her face. She sighed, while retying her ponytail.
"There is something wrong."
Umeda turned around and saw Yajima looking worried. Umeda grinned, "There's no escaping you, is there?"
Yajima looked serious and the taller girl's smile faded. She shook her head, "Maimi, it's nothing. It's just the dance moves. They're confusing me, you know how it goes."
"Well, why not we practice a bit later? I'll teach you, Eri!" Yajima's eyes lit up.
Umeda swallowed and managed a smile, "Yeah, sure, why not?" She stuffed her towel in her duffel bag and zipped it closed. She slung the bag over her shoulder and motioned for her friend to follow her.
"So after we take a shower, I want to show you this great restaurant that I went with my family yesterday," said Yajima, carrying her own bag by her side.
Yajima expected her friend to enthusiastically respond, but Umeda was a beat too late.
"I'd love to, but..." Umeda scratched her head. She shrugged, looking slightly lost, "I've got something to take care of later."
She could see Yajima look a bit disappointed, but it was quickly replaced with a small smile. "Oh, that's OK, then. But you're still going to come over to practice the dance moves later, right?"
"Of course!" Umeda exclaimed. "I can't lose against the rest of them, right Chisa?"
Okai Chisato was in front of them, talking energetically to Hagiwara. "THAT'S RIGHT! Cheesecake tastes better WITHOUT the cheese."
Yajima and Umeda chuckled. They knew she wasn't listening to what Umeda just said. She felt bad turning down Yajima's lunch invitation, but she urgently needed to do something about these stray thoughts that have been clouding her mind since morning.
The members of C-ute showered in the changing rooms across the dance hallway and once Umeda was done drying and dressing herself, she bid goodbyes to her friends. Yajima was still in the middle of putting her clothes on and Umeda turned to her, "I'll be at your house later, I'll mail you."
"Why are you in a hurry? Where are you going?"
The questions made Umeda wince, however she uttered, "I just need to talk to the manager for a while, it's nothing important." She tried to give her a reassuring grin. A white lie. She just told a white lie to her best friend. Well, once in a while wouldn't hurt, Umeda thought.
"If it's about singing, we could also practice together," urged Yajima.
Umeda laughed, grabbing Yajima's hands. "It's fine, don't worry about me. I just need to ask her some question. I'm sure she'll clear any doubts from me after I talk to her."
Maybe it was her imagination, but she could have sworn Yajima turned pink in the face. Suddenly feeling awkward, Umeda released her hands and waved goodbye to her. She left the changing room and walked brusquely towards the stairs. She ascended them, then she took the lift up two more floors. The girl knocked on a door with a sign on it that read: 'Yamada Keiko - Acting manager of C-ute'.
"Come in," a voice called from within. Umeda hesitated, she wiped her hands on her jeans and a few seconds later, she turned the doorknob. She entered.
"Oh, Umeda-chan, what brings you here?" the manager asked. She was in her early 30s and she looked smart and prim, almost like a young mother. Yamada motioned the girl to sit down on the chair in front of her desk. The girl obliged, but she did it slowly, as though she was thinking of what to say when she properly sat down.
"I-I wanted to talk to you about something, Keiko-san." She stammered.
Yamada leaned forward on her chair, "What is it? Is it your dance lessons? Singing? Allowance?" She paused a bit and smiled steely, "A boyfriend?"
Umeda shook her head. She suddenly felt like leaving the room. She knew that this was a bad idea in the first place.
"Don't tell me it's the members? You got into a fight with one of them?"
Again, the girl shook her head. "It's this job," she blurted. Damn it! Umeda thought, too direct...
The manager suddenly looked wary. She knew this wasn't the everyday menial problems. When the kids, without warning, turned into teenagers, the problems started getting slightly serious one after another. She calmed herself, "You mean, about being in C-ute?"
"Yes." Umeda's mouth suddenly felt like it was clamped tightly, then she forced herself to speak. "Ah, but you know what? I guess... Nevermind, I guess it's nothing. I think I'll just go now."
"Hang on," Yamada urged. "You can tell me, I think the sooner you tell me, the better. I might be able to help. I am your manager after all." She gave the girl a sly smile.
Taking her cue to speak, Umeda opened her mouth and finally explained. "I've been getting job offers, a lot of them, in my mailbox."
"Uh-huh," her manager voiced. "But all the C-ute members have those, they're just spam mail."
"Yes, but I can't help but notice that mine... consisted a lot of modelling agencies."
Her manager finally understood where Umeda's getting at. Yamada also understood the modelling agencies' intentions; Umeda Erika was perfect for being a model. She was tall, she was beautiful and she was still young.
"I see," Yamada nodded once.
"Yeah, I see Airi's mailbox consists of golf scholarship offers because her dad's a professional golfer," Umeda continued, "Chisa and Mai have got mails from kids TV programs. So it got me thinking..."
"You'd think you'd do better as a model than an idol?"
Umeda gulped. That was the question that she feared the most. However, in her mind's eye, she saw wonders. She saw the catwalk and she was walking along it, gracefully with determination. Cameras flashed from every angle of the room and she saw herself... smiling. Umeda snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at her manager.
"I want to try," the girl said, but the manager shook her head.
"Trying is not good enough, if you want to change jobs that much, you need supportive arguments as to why you want to be a model and as to why leaving C-ute is necessary to achieve your yearning."
Umeda swiftly said, "My dancing skills suck and for 3 years, I've never had much lines to sing in C-ute songs." She regretted saying that immediately. Sometimes she wished she was more careful with her words. But to her surprise, Yamada began laughing.
"My, my, you really are a feisty one," she quipped, "I can understand why you want to do this."
"And I heard the pay's better as a model," Umeda added, but in a small voice. She wanted to facepalm herself right there and then.
But her manager seemed to understand, Yamada knew the background information of the members' family status. There were those that didn't have to struggle with money and there were those that had to look for money. She was sitting in front of a girl who needed them the most.
"Look, here's the deal. Why don't you give it a couple more days, say around 3, and if you still think you want to do this, come back to me and we'll arrange a meeting with Tsunku-san. Alright?"
"OK," the girl nodded, but she was disappointed that it still left room for more doubt. "Thank you, Keiko-san." Umeda rose from her seat. When she reached the exit door, Yamada spoke up.
"Have you thought about what would happen to your friends?"
Umeda froze. She never really thought about it that much. The tall girl turned back to her manager. Yamada saw, in the girl's eyes, sadness and conflict.
"I... haven't."
"Are you planning to tell them later?"
Umeda thought about Yajima, "No. Not just yet. Maybe when I really know what I want to do, then I'll tell them."
Yamada leaned back against her chair and nodded. There was nothing left to say and Umeda excused herself to leave.
Closing the door behind her, Yajima's face was imprinted in her mind more clearly than the rest of them. Damn it, Umeda cursed to herself.