Chapter 8 : Aren't Idols Rich?

Chapter Summary : Who knew, being a famous Idol doesn't pay well.

Miyako sat at the desk with Saitou's laptop open in front of her, diligently going over the accounting for their agency. The bright sun beamed through the wide windows, filling the room with warmth. The low hum of the TV filled the room as the children– Aqua and Ruby sat on the couch, watching their morning cartoons.

At two and a half years old, the twins were grown up enough for people not to raise an eyebrow everytime they heard them talking. But they were still careful enough to match the vocabulary of the kids their age. Well– at least one of them was.

"Where's Mama?" Ruby asked suddenly, turning her head to Miyako. "Isn't today her day off?"

Without looking up from the laptop, Miyako replied, "She just went to the store, Ruby. She'll be back soon." her fingers still tapping away at the keyboard.

Ruby pouted, crossing her arms. "I could've gone with her."

"That's a no." Miyako said firmly, though her tone remained gentle. "It's not good for Ai's image to be seen with kids, remember?"

Aqua sat quietly on the end of the couch closer to Miyako, though his eyes were glued to a different screen. With Ai's smartphone in his hand, he looked up for any news about the missing doctor in Miyazaki.

'Still nothing? It's been over 2 years, they should have found my body by now' he thought, his face frowning a little. 'I know I died off some lonely cliff, but you guys didn't send out a search party or something?'

The thoughts were quickly shaken off his mind by his enthusiastic sister, "Brother, brother! Look!" her tiny hand tugged at his shoulder, her eyes still locked on the TV. "You're missing it!"

Aqua blinked, putting the phone down. "What did I miss?"

Ruby pointed excitedly at the screen. "Nano found a cat! And Hakase made it a scarf that lets it talk!"

A few moments later, the front door clicked open, and Ai stepped inside, juggling grocery bags in both arms. "I'm back!" she called cheerfully.

"Welcome back!" the twins chorused, their eyes never leaving the TV screen.

Ai laughed softly and made her way to the kitchen, setting down the bags. She reappeared moments later, holding a small cup of vanilla ice cream. Sitting between the twins, she peeled off the lid with a smile. Ruby, quick as ever, scooted closer, her face lighting up. "Ice cream!"

Ai chuckled, letting Ruby lick the lid before offering her a spoonful. "Say aaah~."

Ruby obliged, her mouth opening wide and then savoring the sweet taste. "Mmm, so good!"

Turning to Aqua, Ai raised a spoonful towards him. "You want some too Aqua?"

A distracted Aqua, blinked, turning his head to her. "Huh? Oh, sure." He leaned forward, taking the spoonful. "Yum~"

Miyako glanced up from her work, raising an eyebrow. "You're going to give them both a sweet tooth, Ai."

Ai shrugged playfully. "It's just a little, they deserve a treat for being such good kids."

Just as she raised another spoonful of ice cream for Ruby, Miyako got up from the desk, holding out a white envelope. "Here, Saitou asked me to give this to you. Your pay for this month."

Ai reached up for it eagerly, putting the ice cream down on the table "I almost forgot it's payday", but as soon as she glanced at the check inside, her smile faded. She squinted at it, holding it with both hands and brought it closer to her face, her expression falling into disbelief.

"My salary this month is barely 200k" She said, her voice gloomy with a hint of frustration, grabbing the attention of both her kids, who peeked up at the check.

"Our Company's pay is so low…" Ai complained, slumping back into the couch "Come on, we placed third in Oricon with our single last time! Our pay should be way higher than this."

Miyako, unfazed, returned to the laptop. "You know how it works. We don't see much of the profit with all the production costs– studios, advertising, wardrobe." She looked up at her "You never complained before, why is it bothering you now?"

"Ah– you see, I've realized that the world is all about money." Ai said.

"Oh dear, that's not a good thing to realize," Miyako commented.

Ai sighed, pulling little Ruby on her lap, hugging her. "Before, I only had to take care of myself, but I'm a mother now" she lowered her head and gently rested it on her daughter's soft hair. "I want my kids to go to a good school, do extracurricular activities and give them as many opportunities as possible."

She pulled Aqua closer too, hugging both her children. "In order for that to happen, I need to make more money. I want my kids to grow up happy, and never have to worry about anything"

Miyako glanced at her, sensing the weight of Ai's words. Well, we're not exactly rolling in commercial deals or movie offers right now," she said matter-of-factly. "I'll talk to Saitou and see if we can get something lined up for you—"

Ai was already sulking, the ice cream spoon hanging from her lips.

"You know," Miyako added dryly, "you could start by cutting back on the expensive ice cream. Ever heard of budgeting?"

Ai pouted, pulling the spoon from her mouth. "Come on, ice cream can't be what's draining my savings."

"Every little bit adds up. You can't expect to raise a family on an idol's salary alone. You'll need to stick to a tighter budget," Miyako explained. "These kids are starting preschool next year. Since you've been staying with us, you should have a hefty savings by now."

Ai laughed nervously. "Ah-hah... about that. Turns out kids are more expensive than I thought."

"That's because you always buy the fancy stuff," Miyako pointed out.

"I'm not skimping on the care of my kids" Ai said, a little defensive. "And besides, we're one of the big names now, right? Our performances should be worth more than this."

Miyako sighed, "Well the numbers don't lie. We are a small company and we have to pay the partners for composing the music, choreographing, dress designers, makeup artists, producers, distributors, venue rent. and everything in between. That all is paid from the money you guys pull in."

"I know, I know..." Ai grumbled. "Maybe I should just join a bigger agency." She tossed a playful glance at Miyako.

"You are welcome to try your luck," Miyako said flatly.

Ai sighed, getting up. "Alright, I've got a few more errands to run. I'll be back soon." She patted both her kids on the head. "Be good while I'm gone, okay? I'll be back soon."

Miyako resumed her work, tapping away at the keyboard. Twins sat on the couch, having overheard the conversation between their mother and Miyako. Ruby frowned and turned to her brother, her head tilted in confusion. "Hey, don't Idols make like a million yen a month?"

Aqua glanced at her. "No, of course not. Only a few top idols ever see that kind of money. Most don't even come close."

Ruby blinked, furrowing her brows. "But Mama's the best idol in the world! How is she only making 200,000 yen?"

Aqua leaned back on the couch, "It's not that simple. Royalties and earnings get split evenly between all the members. Concerts usually run at a loss and rely on merch sales to make any real profit. And the idols have to pay for costumes and stuff out of their own pocket."

"What? Really?" Ruby's eyes widened, shocked. "Shouldn't the agencies cover those things?"

Aqua shook his head. "Maybe some of the big agencies do, but not most. Idols are the last people to get paid in the chain."

Ruby's mouth dropped open in disbelief. "That's so unfair! The world must be rotten if the money doesn't go to the people working the hardest!" she grumbled, crossing her arms angrily.

"That's just the way things are," Aqua said with a shrug. His voice was calm, but there was a hint of dejection in it.

"But still…" Ruby's voice trailed off as her frustration bubbled up. "She can sing, she can dance, and she's super pretty! She even takes voice lessons every single day. Mama works so hard, and B-komachi isn't an unpopular group either… So where's all the money going?" she wondered out loud.

Aqua paused, glancing over at Ruby. He could see the confusion and worry in her eyes. "There really isn't much money being an Idol unless you're at the very top. There's too much competition, Acrylic, Sweet Bullet, Stella.. their songs are always topping the charts. Ai is really popular, but B-komachi is still just an average Idol group"

Ruby's face scrunched up in frustration. "What about other jobs?"

Aqua raised an eyebrow. "Other jobs?"

"You know, like Acting or Modeling?" Ruby said.

Before he could say anything more, she scrambled to the other end of the couch, practically stepping over her brother. "Hey, Manager! Why isn't Mama getting more job offers? You should try harder! Call more people or something!"

Miyako barely looked up from her screen, her fingers flying over the keys. "We're doing our best to book more concerts and events, Ruby. But B-Komachi is a seven-member group, and they're competing against smaller groups or solo artists. Bigger groups just cost more. It's tough."

She continued typing, her eyes still locked on her work, but her voice dropped, almost as if she were talking to herself. "Ai's an incredible idol… but to really stand out in this industry, you need that something–, something that makes people remember you."

Miyako sighed quietly, her voice growing distant. "A lot of idols don't make enough. Some even take on part-time jobs, or worse, they end up working as hostesses in places like Minato just to survive."

Her words sounded as if she spoke from experience.

Just as she finished, her fingers paused and her eyes blinked, realizing who she was answering. Her head turned to little Ruby the next instant, who was lying on the armrest with her arms dangling down, staring up at her with her wide eyes. Aqua too, stared at her, sitting right behind his sister.

"Wait… Did you just ask me to get more jobs for Ai?" Miyako asked, a little surprised.

Ruby nodded eagerly. "I did!"

Miyako blinked, unsure if she was imagining this. "Did you understand what I just said?"

"Mmm~" Ruby tilted her head. "More or less."

Miyako shook her head in disbelief, and with a smile she said "You really are a smart kid, Ruby."

Ruby waved her hand dismissively. "That doesn't matter! Get Mama More Jobs!" She pounded her tiny fists on the armrest, punctuating each word with a determined thump.

Miyako couldn't help but smile at the sight of Ruby's fierce determination, "We're doing everything we can, Ruby," she said gently. "You don't need to worry about it, okay?"

- x -

The production team of a low-budget show gathered in a park. The cameras were set, actors ready, and the director was moving between crew members, giving last-minute instructions. In the center of the set, a small child actress, no more than four years old, stood alone. The cameras focused on her.

The clapperboard clicked. The camera rolled.

The little girl, though young, seemed to know her part well. As directed, she wandered around the park, her tiny head turning in every direction as if looking for someone. Tears began to form in her eyes, welling up naturally. Within seconds, she starts sobbing.

"What's the matter, little girl? Are you lost?" A woman stepped into frame, bending at the waist, her hands on her knees as she spoke with a soothing tone. The actress made her words sound concerned, though, her eyes seemed to glaze over with practiced indifference.

Tears trickled down the little girl's cheeks. She nodded, her small frame trembling as her sobbing grew louder.

The woman leaned in, gathering her into her arms. "I'm here now. Do you know where you live?"

The girl shook her head. Her crying intensified.

The woman patted the girl's head, "Do you know where your mother might be? Was she around here in this park?"

The girl nodded yes, still crying.

"Alright then," the actress smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Let's go find your Mama." She shifted the little girl in her arms and walked out of frame.

"CUT!" the director shouted from behind the camera.

The actress sighed deeply, setting the child down without much thought. "Someone take her away. Her voice hurts my ears."

A production assistant stepped in quickly, taking the little girl's hand. "Nice work, Miss Ayase. Crying girl here did a good job too," he added, though the child had stopped crying almost immediately after the scene ended.

"Yeah, yeah, lucky she didn't ruin the shot like she ruined my clothes." Ayase wrinkled her nose, brushing at her clothes with irritation. "Do we need her for anything else?"

"One more shot," the assistant replied.

Ayase sighed heavily and snapped her fingers at a nearby crew member. "Water, please."

The crew hurriedly handed her a bottle as they reset the scene. The next shot was simple– Ayase would return the lost child to her mother. No heavy dialogue.

The camera rolled again. She lowered the girl onto the grass, and the little girl immediately ran toward the actress playing her mother. She fell into her arms, tears running down her cheeks once more, as if they had never stopped.

The scene wrapped without a hitch.

"Kana!" a voice called from off-set as the camera crew began packing up. The little actress' real mother stood among the production team, waving her over. "Come here!"

Kana's face lit up. Her steps were quick and clumsy as she ran to her mother, her tiny hand catching her mother's fingers. "Did I do good, Mama?"

Her mother bent down, her voice gentle. "You did great, honey."

The director, passing by, overheard their conversation and paused mid-stride. He glanced at the little girl, then shrugged. "Eh… Some of the scenes lacked emotional depth, but she was passable. We don't need her for any more shots. You can talk to the agent about payment."

Kana's mother straightened, her face blank as she nodded. "Thank you for having us." She gave her daughter's hand a gentle squeeze and led her toward the agent's cabin.

Inside the small office, the agent sat at his desk, shuffling through paperwork. His head snapped up as the door creaked open.

"I was expecting you. How was the shoot?" he looked at the little girl, putting the stack of papers down "Did you enjoy acting young miss?"

Kana nodded, her shy smile poking through. Her mother interjected, "We are done here, so can we get paid?"

"Of Course. Great work, It was a pleasure working with you" he handed her an envelope , which she took gracefully. She opened the envelope and quickly counted the cash. Her brow furrowed. "This is only fifty thousand. We agreed on sixty."

The agent folded his hands over the desk, expression smooth. "Sixty thousand for six scenes. She only shot five."

"We agreed on sixty thousand for the job, not per scene," Kana's mother said, her voice harder now, though still restrained.

He leaned back in his chair, his smile thinning. "It's industry standard to pay per scene. I can't give you money for work that wasn't done. My hands are tied."

"It's unfair. We agreed—"

"Look, no need to get worked up." He raised his palms in mock surrender. "Tell you what– since she did so well, I'll talk to the director about a bonus. But anything beyond that is out of my control."

The agent gave a rehearsed, corporate smile, the kind that barely touched his eyes. His words felt rehearsed, delivered with the same cold efficiency he probably used on dozens of actors every day. The envelope crinkled in Kana's mother's hand as she stared at him, her frustration building in the small, suffocating room. She knew pushing harder wouldn't get her anywhere.

Not wanting to sour the relations and for the sake of professional courtesy, she nodded. "Alright, Thank you"

"Let's go, Kana," she said quietly, squeezing her daughter's hand a little tighter than before.

Author's Notes : I discovered Rascal does not dream series and that has taken over my free time for the past week. This chapter got delayed more than I thought it would.

It's a small chapter, smallest yet. Honestly I dont know what else I could have added that wouldn't have felt like a "Random Scene"
Hope you all enjoyed it.
Next one may also be delayed by a week as I want to properly edit chapter 1 and 2 to bring their quality up to the rest.

Up next - Chapter 9 : Spreading your Wings