The Nonfiction That Only You Know

Chapter 27

Original Author: ひのはら (Hinohara)
Date Submitted to Kakuyomu: 2021/06/20

All the members of Love Mill except Rumi were gathered in the office.
With the manager at the lead, everyone's face looks pale and their eyes forlorn.

On the table they have gathered around lies a weekly magazine which will go on sale tomorrow. Inside it is an article about the incident.

Chiho hasn't checked yet, but social media is probably already full of slander.
Once this incident reaches TV news or a similar outlet, awareness will probably spread even faster.

"As you've all seen in the article... it seems Rumi slept with the producer to join Love Mill."
"...We all figured that out! She suddenly joined without even auditioning... you must have suspected it as well, didn't you, manager? The amount of favoritism she got was insane."

One of the members raised her voice, unable to take it anymore.

Being in an idol group means they share joint responsibility. If any member does something, it affects the reputation of the whole group.

For better or worse, the actions of one member can have a great effect on everyone else's career.

One after another, the members begin to raise their voices. All the things everyone had been enduring up until now overflowed.

"What's going to happen to tomorrow's live broadcast? Don't we have a lot of work lined up until the end of the year...?"
"All your appearances on any of the live broadcasts for the end of the year or the New Year will be canceled. The producer and Rumi will of course be dismissed. From now on, a new producer will take the lead..."
"Even if we do that... the public will think we're the same as Rumi. Love Mill is getting a lot of flak on social media right now."

Due to the joint responsibility they share, one member's blunder will put all the other members under fire as well.

Even if Yotsuya Rumi leaves, the topic won't die down.

Those who don't follow them will especially have a bad image of Love Mill for a long time to come.

Every time they appear on TV, they'll be seen as a group that slept their way to their positions. Getting rid of that image won't be an easy feat.

Canceling their work causes problems for a lot of people.
The companies that hired Love Mill as limited-time poster girls will probably never work with them again.

"...Love Mill will probably suspend all activities until around April next year."
"What...?"
"You all will continue to work individually, but don't mention the group's name. I've got orders from above that you are not to introduce yourselves as a member of Love Mill when doing solo work."

Everyone's breath is taken away.

Except for Chiho, all the other members joined Love Mill through general auditions, so they couldn't imagine themselves as anything else other than idols.

"...We will definitely not abandon Love Mill... so I want you all to put up with this for a little while."

After the manager bows his head, one by one, the members begin to cry.

All of them love Love Mill.

After many years of encouraging each other and improving together, everything they built up was destroyed in just a single instant.

They feel so frustrated and helpless.
Even so, they're still clinging to the faintest hope that Love Mill will continue to exist.

That's how attached they've all become to this group.

"...I'm going to break up with my boyfriend."

Even though they're right in front of the manager, Fuuka announces this clearly for everyone to hear.

Her powerful eyes convey her strong resolve.

"...I always thought things would be fine as long as no one found out. But if someone does find out... it will be over for Love Mill. I don't want that."
"Me too..."

One after another, the other members begin to express the same feelings as Fuuka.

It's naive to think that things will be fine as long as no one finds out. This scandal must have made that sink deeply into their minds.

"From now on, I'll do things properly so... please."

Some of the members are sobbing while bowing their heads.
Everyone's heart is surely beating as one.

"I don't want Love Mill to disappear."

These are the words everyone is thinking from the bottom of their heart.
They have been through a lot of tough times, but they worked together to climb as high as they did.

As idols, it is a matter of course that they shouldn't have anyone they like, let alone a lover.

Such a thing is an act of betrayal to the fans who support them. They should have known that the moment they debuted.

Chiho should have known this too, but her heart is in deep turmoil.

Although she and Mii love each other, Chiho needs to respond to Mii with a cruel answer. She ends up thinking such an inappropriate thing for this occasion.

"For now, be careful about your interactions with any males. Don't exchange your contact information with costars or staff members." After the manager had them make that promise, they were finally dismissed from that meeting.

Chiho once again returns to school in the car as her manager drives.

"It stopped..."

It's already nighttime and the snow seems to have stopped falling around evening.

In the end, she barely got to spend Christmas Eve with Mii.

She had no choice because of Love Mill's emergency, but she still finds herself wanting to be with Mii as Isuzu Chiho.

"Minami, you're the only one who is a full-time student so... just to be sure, you don't have a boyfriend at school or anything, do you?"
"No, but..."
"It seems that recently, reporters have been messaging students at Sakuragawa Academy and snooping around their social media trying to get a scoop. If they uncover something about even the popular member Minami, it really will be the end of Love Mill."

If Chiho was the same as before, she would have laughed it off and said she understands.
Such things were of no concern to her in the past. The highly professional Isuzu Minami would never do such a thing.

If Chiho was the same as back then, things might have been easier.

If she hadn't met Mii, she would have been able to continue living rationally and things would be easier.

However, she can no longer control her heart with logic. It feels like if she lets her guard down even a little, she'll get sentimental and make the worst decision.

Even though the girl she's in love with loves her back...

A single tear falls.

The manager is looking ahead while driving, so Chiho stifles her voice while she cries to avoid being noticed.

She was able to meet Mii because she lived her life as an idol.

It is because she met Mii that her heart hurts this much.