you were doing your work and finally was leaving the office for home until you walked passed the training room and heard someone’s voice. You opened the door and saw Natsume practicing his dance.
“What? It’s you huh? The lesson is over already. That’s right, I’m gonna practice abit more…what’s that look? Me staying back to practice, is it that strange? You work hard? Isn’t that obvious? I’m only good in my dance and singing. unlike kouki who have drama and variety schedules or Kogoro who have movies and model works, i only can work hard in the things I’m good in. Beside, saying this myself, but i’m pretty good in dance and singing…”
He then continue to complain that people are treating him as idol and not as his real ability which is why he wanted to work harder to let everyone acknowledge him. you praise him but embarrassed, he scolded you stupid and said isn’t it obvious?
He then order you to buy yoghurt and cakes again but this time, he will eat it without complaints.
“I heard from the president, you had a bad impression of me at first right? After doing that why…? Are you a Do-M? Eh~ it’s because of work, you’re so serious…why did you become a idol manager?”
He continued saying that there are all kinds of jobs which is better and you didn’t had to be a idol manager. You tell him that you like his singing and is a fan of his. He laughed and said you didnt like him as himself which was kind of disappointing. But again, the president wouldn’t have put a fan as a manager since it’s going to be troublesome…you then tell him the president recently praise him on his work which made Natsume happy.
He then puts the blame of him not able to continue his practice on you and prepares to go home. you apologized and he said “if you feel sorry, then come with me for awhile. today, i brought my car. After saying all that, you still don’t understand? I’m inviting you to a drive! if you’re coming, wait for me. I’ll go change…”
You’re in the car until it slowed down and eventually stopped.
“We have arrived. Here, is (my) secret place. Just joking! It isn’t such a place…Kouki is the one who told me about this place that he comes here to be alone and it calms him down. Wanna go out and see?”
The both of you got out of the car and looked at the sea.
“It’s a little cold…The sea…it’s so dark (now) that we can’t see anything. You know I…am quite a pitiful kid….”
He then starts talking about his family where his father have been on long term hospitalization when he was in elementary school while his mother left the family. He was sent around to relatives to take care of him. But the relatives aren’t really friendly saying that he’s a burden and he’s been passed around every 6 months and finally joined the company. He thought it was a chance from the torture he had when the president scouted him. The president then also taught him singing, dancing to become a top idol and he was thankful towards the president.
You listened and looked troubled. He noticed and asked but you couldn’t answer… He then talked about his bad character was actually a test to the president to see if the president still cared for him. You wondered if he was serious about it and he said half was serious, the other half was joking…
after becoming an idol, he got frightened despite there are many people supporting him but they might discard him one day which made him scared. So before he’s discarded, he wanted to keep a good image to them. he wondered if he started to be selfish, would the president start to discard him too? but the president like him alot which he compared to you that the president might be a Do-M too since whatever he do, the president never got angry. He wondered why is that so….
“I wonder why though…. eh? because if the press found out, Kouki, Kogoro and the agency would be troubled and that’s not good isn’t it? but the president also don’t get angry at all, like what you said, manager should handle themselves…in the end, i’m just half-hearted person…”
he then continue that everytime he’s with his relatives, outside or jobs, he always had to think on how to be in the good books of others which made him started to act as a good kid. it’s a bad habit but he didn’t have a choice. you then tell him that being a good kid is then the real him.
“Huh? What do you mean that being a good kid is the real me? what do you know? you don’t even care about me. ah~ah~ why did we even have this chat? within the agency, even the president doesn’t know about it. because you are the same kind as the president so i had my guard down. this chat, you can’t tell anyone or you’ll not be my manager anymore…all right?…why do you look so happy? it’s disgusting…more importantly, tomorrow’s (schedule) is a variety right? come to my place and wake me up properly…here, the keys…don’t lose it or else i won’t forgive you. that’s why can you stop (looking at me) with that face? it’s disgusting me!…”