"Star? Sir, with all due respect, sir, I'm fifteen."
Star. That was a hearty title, and it came with responsibilities I wasn't sure I could handle. But if it meant I could outshine All Might, I'd handle the weight of the world.
"Which means we have a little time to mold you into shape. If you're not Ongaku Carnival material, no issue. We won't reveal anything about you unless we choose to hire you on, and you can keep applying for those schools. But I think you have what we're looking for."
That was a pretty compelling argument, and I didn't have any reason to believe why he would lie. Why would he waste his time with me?
Nothing to lose, everything to gain. What choice did I have? I mean, I could go to an average high school and hope I become a musician later. But when would a chance like this happen again?
I must have not said anything for longer than I thought because he cleared his throat and spoke again.
"Well?" He questioned, and I knew the answer.
Deep breath. I hadn't called to lose this chance.
"Can I come by today?"
My first impression of Ongaku Carnivals' main lobby was that it was simple, plain even, without any signs of the musicians who may have been signed here before, like the boy bands KP2, Bee:Second, or C7, or their solo artist like Sawaya Amaya, Ozaki Tomio, or Ogura Yuu.
Even when I was taking a risk, I had to research and make sure I was taking a calculated risk. I even knew a few songs from some of them and enjoyed their music.
"How can I help you?" A snake lady with blue hair and greenish skin asked from behind a desk I hadn't noticed.
"Hello. I'm here to meet Mr.Kanon. I'm, uh, my name is Midoriya Izuku." I told her, awkwardly standing there for a moment as she checked her computer, he fingers clicking and clacking on the keyboard.
"Unfortunately, I'm not seeing anything in my records. Are you sure you've got the right date?" She questioned, a laugh coming from behind me.
"Don't worry about it, Sazama, he's here at my request." I heard, turning to find Mr.Kanon walking over, dressed in a very nice suit. Now that he wasn't sitting, I could see how tall he was.
"Should I reschedule your other appointments then, sir?" Sazama asked him, and he shook his head.
"No. Send them up to the studio when they arrive." He ordered, putting a gentle hand between my shoulders and guiding me to an elevator.
"Oh, uh, I can come back later when you aren't as busy." I offered Mr.Kanon, but he waved his hand and chuckled.
"Son, every day is a busy day in this business. If I couldn't handle it, I wouldn't make a very good producer." He joked, much more jovial than I thought a man with a job like his would be.
"Then, what exactly is it you want me to do today?"
Another laugh, and we got into the elevator, pushing the button to the twentieth floor.
"I want to test something, and if you fail, then you go home, apply to more schools, and there's no harm done." He told me, and the anxiety kicked in hard. Whatever he wanted, I could do, though. All I asked was for this chance. Now, it was my turn to prove that I deserved it.
Silence fell, and I didn't ask what my test was. All I knew was that I was prepared for it, no matter what he asked of me.
Mr.Kanon led me to a room with a big panel of switches and dials, a wall of glass separating us from a woman inside, who was singing a song so beautifully that it made me want to cry.
"Hold me
Whatever lies beyond this morning
Is a little later on
Regardless of warnings
the future doesn't scare me at all
Nohing's like before."
As the song came to a close, the woman inside finally acknowledged Mr.Kanon, a strange look on her face before she finally turned to me, almost sad.
"Great work, Miss Seo. I think you've nailed this cover. Why don't you rest up for a bit, and then we'll finish this album." The man at the controls spoke into a mic, the woman inside nodding.
"Seo!? As in Masumi Seo!?" I questioned, ashamed that one of the world's biggest musicians had escaped my research into the company.
"The very same. We bought her contract and are going to take her to levels of stardom beyond what she's already experienced." Mr.Kanon told me, my body stiffening up. That was a serious promise to make anyone, even her. Still, if I wanted to shine brighter than All Might, I'd have to go to even further heights.
"Then, I hope you're a man of your word, Mr.Kanon, because my goal, no, my dream, is to shine so brightly even All Might pales in comparison to my light." I told him as I lifted my eyes to meet his. If I was going to make it, I'd need my allies to know how high I wanted to fly.
"Excellent! You've passed this test with flying colors! Now, you can't do what you dream of with just a violin. Seo, would you come out here a moment? One more test for our young friend here." Mr.Kanon told me before turning his attention to her, and even without speaking into the mic, she seemed to understand.
My nerves calmed, and she walked out, i walked in. I knew exactly what he wanted from me, and it was my time to shine.
"If you're asking me to sing, then I need something from you. A strat guitar."
A lie. There were moments I sang without it, plenty of them, but never a moment I'd sang alone. Jiro had been there when I was first comfortable enough to sing around others, and every other time, I sang, it was because she was there. If she couldn't be here, I needed something else to forget what I was missing.
"Interesting. Tell me, can you play as you sing then?" Mr.Kanon asked into the mic, getting a determined nod. This was no time to assume I couldn't.
"Get the boy a guitar." I heard him say before the man in the booth ran to grab it for me, coming back with it and an amp.
"I'll show up everyone, even you, Miss Masumi." I told them, plugging in my equipment and thinking of what I should sing. There was any number of songs that would fit to show off my skills... but then I'd be lacking a song that meant something, and showed off my passion for this.
"I'm ready." I finally told them, making up my mind and strumming once, just to make sure my guitar was ready. It was a confession I'd never give. It was my first performance determining the rest of my life.
"I guess the time was right for us to say
We'd take our time and live our lives together day by day
We'll make a wish and send it on a prayer
We know our dreams can all come true with love that we can share!" I sang to them, my hands knowing the notes. I'd heard the song so many times, I knew the song like the back of my hand.
"With you I never wonder
Will you be there for me?
With you I never wonder
You're the right one for me
I finally found the love of a lifetime
A love to last my whole life through
I finally found the love of a lifetime!"
God, I'd never say it to her. I could never tell her just what she meant to me.
"Forever in my heart
I finally found the love of a lifetime
With every kiss, our love is like brand-new
And every star up in the sky was made for me and you
Still we both know that the road is long
We know that we will be together
Because our love is strong
I finally found the love of a lifetime
A love to last my whole life through
I finally found the love of a lifetime!"
The song was more than just a confession, it was part of our foundation. I'd never even like rock music if she hadn't shown me the beauty it held.
"Forever in my heart
I finally found the love of a lifetime
I finally found the love of a lifetime
A love to last my whole life through
I finally found the love of a lifetime
Forever in my heart
I finally found the love of a lifetime
Love of a lifetime (I finally found the love of a lifetime)
I finally found a love (I finally found the love of a lifetime)
Ooh, forever in my heart
I finally found the love of a lifetime
Ooh, ooh!"
And finish. I'd given the best performance I could, and now, it was time to learn if I had a future in this business.
Mr.Kanon lit a cigarette, taking a deep puff of his cigarette, and he spoke again.
"I want to sign you to Ongaku Carnival. But since you're a minor, I'll need your mothers permission."
Wait, he wanted to sign me? As in, I did it, I was going to be a musician? And all I needed was my mom to come sign.
Calmly, weirdly enough, i found the words to speak.
"I'll call my mom."
Stepping out into the hall, I called her, tears of joy falling down my cheeks. It was stupid. Calling Mr.Kanon had been stupid, coming here had been stupid, and performing in there had been stupid. But it paid off. The ultimate gamble, and I just hit the big time.
"Hello, dear." She answered, and I tried to say something, but I was crying so hard.
"Son? What's the matter?" My mother asked, worried now, and I wiped my eyes, explaining the situation.
"Ongaku Carnival wants to sign me. I'm going to be a star mom. I-I just need you to come sign, please." I begged her, listening to silence for a moment before she spoke, gently this time.
"Is this really what you want, son?" She asked me, and I knew why. What parent wanted anything but the best for their child? But still, didn't she know how important this was for me? That, for the first time, I loved something other than heroes?
"Yes. Yeah. it's all I want, because without music, there's nothing else for me in this world." I told her, and I heard her chuckle softly.
"Okay then. You, you just wait there, okay?" She told me, and I felt like jumping with joy, but what kind of impression would that make towards Mr.Kanon?
"Yes, ma'am." I told her, hanging up and taking a deep breath. This was it. I was gonna be signed by a major production company, make music, and one day, I'd outshine the greatest star in the world.
As soon as she got there, It clicked how real this was. All of the hard work and faith everyone had put in was being realized.
"Welcome, Mrs.Midoriya." Mr.Kanon told her, giving her a respectful bow.
"Thank you for having us." She replied, giving a small bow back.
"It's a pleasure, genuinely. There's not often the opportunity to support an artist as talented as your son. You must be very proud." He told her as she glanced at me.
"More than you could ever know." She informed him, my chest swelling up a little with pride at her words. As pride as she was of me, I was just as proud to be her son.
Mr.Kanon straightened his tie, and I noticed a skull ring on his middle finger, next to what looked like a wedding band.
"Why don't we head up to my office? You can take a look at a standard contract, make a few amendments, and we'll argue back and forth until we find an agreement that will suit both our parties." He told her, and I couldn't tell how serious he was being. It seemed playful, but I didn't know.
"Well, if that's the case, I'd still like to go to high school while i work with this company." I told him, unable to tell what the look in his eyes was.
My mom, on the other hand, I could see her look happy with that decision. Just imagine if I didn't make a career out of music and didn't have a backup career planned.
Up in his office, I was amazed by how nice it looked. Golden records and merchandise from the companies most famous artist hung up on the walls, and his desk was in front of a window with a beautiful view of the city.
"May I ask what you saw in my son originally? I've seen the video, and you were drunk when your associate gave him your card." My mother asked, taking a seat in an overstuffed chair in front of the desk.
"At the time? I'll admit, originally, I wanted to hear him play for my own amusement, and not a thing more. Buy when he played so skillfully after seeing the music sheet once, he revealed his talent, and while I was drunk, my assistant was not. Your son is here now because of her quick thinking and eye for scouting talent." Mr.Kanon told her, and it made sense. I got lucky then, nothing more. But there are plenty of better artists than me that started careers from less.
"I see. Well, I have several demands that if they aren't met, I simply can not let you have any control of my sons future." She told him, and he raised an eyebrow, leaning forward in his chair.
"First, as he's expressed, he'll be able to go to high school and get as normal experience he can there. Second, compliance with all labor laws and industry standards. Third, I want regular, detailed financial statements and access to financial records to make sure he's being paid fairly and receives a fair percentage of profits from sales, streaming, and other revenue. Fourth, and you listen to me now because I won't repeat this one twice." She told him, and I'd never seen my mother so fierce or bold, but it suited her, Mr.Kanon looking at her without blinking. Clearly, he didn't anticipate her knowing so much of the legal stuff. Neither did I.
"My approval will be required for any marketing materials or public appearances. You will not make my son into some oversexualised object. That also means you'll provide reasonable working hours and access to counseling if needed, and we'll have input and control over the music produced, including song selection, lyrics, and overall artistic direction."
She took a breath, and I could see a fire had been lit underneath her now.
"Finally, a five year contract renegotiated every five hundred and forty-eight days until it expires." She finished, moving a strain of hair that had fallen out of her eyes.
Mr.Kanon nodded, thinking about her demands for a moment before he smiled, laughing heartily.
"You've got an eye for business!" He praised her as he got up and walked to a mini-fridge, pulling out three cans of cola.
"I'll have our legal department draft up a contract and mail it to you. Right now, you and Izuku here should be celebrating. From myself and everyone at Ongaku Carnival, welcome to our family." He told us, setting the cans down in front of us.
"Thank you. I'll be looking for it." She replied with the smile I'd grown up with, the fierceness in her eyes now the same kindness I'd always known them to be,
"I'm afraid we can't stay any longer. Thank you for your hospitality, but we have to be leaving now." My mom told him, prompting the three of us up from our chairs.
"Of course. Allow me to walk you out. My other appointment should be here now, and I like to greet them at the door." Mr.Kanon told her, and true to his word, he led us down to the lobby.
"Come by tomorrow if you've got time, Mrs.Midoriya. I'm sure we can hammer out a better contract if you're here." Mr.Kanon smiled, and I decided that he was a pretty decent man now.
"We'll see." My mother replied, briskly walking out with me right behind her, waving goodbye to both Mr.Kanon and Sazama.
The way home, I had one question that was burning me up, and I just had to ask my mother.
"Where did you learn all the corporate legal stuff?" I questioned.
My mother turned her head, a mix of pride, humor, and something I didn't recognize in her eyes.
"Who on earth do you think does the negotiating for your father?"
(The songs used are "Simple and Clean" by Hikaru Utada and "Love of a lifetime" by Firehouse. Both songs are great, I recommend you listen to them.)