A giant mass of glass and steel towers stood before me- its imposing stature gleaming boldly under the afternoon sun, looking as if it's poised to devour me in one fell swoop. Well, it'll do just that soon enough, if I intend to see this business through to the very end. I've come too far to give up now.
KR Entertainment, the heart and soul of countless idol groups that have taken the country by storm. Sixty seven stories－ I can't see the top even after stretching my body backwards.
"Okay, no problem," I mutter, forcing myself to take deep breaths. And still, my guts refuse to stop tearing at itself from anxiety. You've gone through all that training, all those interviews, all that nonsense to get here. This is the last and easiest step, so stop being such a whiner.
With that, I switch my brain off and set my body on auto-pilot, forcing myself to walk straight into the belly of the beast. The glass doors slide open, and a blast of chilling air whips my features as I enter the building. A spacious, high-ceilinged lobby with marble tiles welcomes me, the air filled with low murmurs, soft jazz music and the constant clatters of office heels echoing. So far so good, the scene is well within my expectations.
With a hand on my briefcase and the other on my phone (it makes me look like a busy person and helps me feel less awkward), I make my way towards the receptionist. The woman, beautiful and smartly dressed, takes her eyes away from the computer glances up at me.
"Yes, how may I help you?"
"I'm the new producer assigned to take part in the latest project. My application was confirmed a week ago, name's Tanaka. Here's my identification card," I say, my left hand already switching the phone out for my ID from my blazer's breast pocket. This is how I'm like when I'm stressed－ my mouth shooting bursts of fluid, controlled speeches brimming with professionalism and my limbs always a step ahead as if my body is a machine programmed to do all this beforehand.
"Tanaka-san, was it?" The receptionist nods, her stern expression unchanging. Her fingers clatter over her keyboard for a brief moment. "Yes, the Project Manager is waiting for you. Please head up to the tenth floor and make your way past the glass doors on the left." She then hands me a lanyard with my pre-made identification badge. I don't remember looking this old when I first took that picture.
"Right. Thanks."
So far so good, everything is still within my expectations. If all goes well, we should be able to get our introductions over and done with and be on our way to the studio by four in the afternoon. I've planned the itinerary out already even though it's supposed to be a short day for the both of us. The objective is simple: get her acquainted with our new workplace, work out how she's going to travel to said workplace in the coming days, and we should be done for the day.
The elevator lobby has a much shorter ceiling than the reception area, and the floor is covered by a massive white carpet with a design consisting of thick brush strokes from Chinese calligraphy. As the first set of elevator doors part, feminine giggles explode from within. A man dressed in an immaculate black suit emerges, flanked by two young women dressed in fashionable designer clothes. The girls' features are unmistakeable－ Kirary and Asami from Overtime, two members from the famous four-member unit that topped the Sapphire Charts two seasons ago. While I don't recognise the man with them, I can only guess that he's the producer of the unit.
"Man… must be nice to manage a world-class idol group like that." I sigh, stepping into the elevator.
As the lift ascends, my thoughts drift back to the trio I saw at the lobby. While part of me is envious of that particular producer's success, I'm also extremely excited about the prospect of this job. If things work out, we'll be signing record labels, star in live shows, promotional adverts… maybe she'll even find a spot in a movie down the road of her career. Imagine the amount of money I'll be making! And the connections I'll have by then!
By the time I arrive at the tenth floor, my mind is already giddy from all that fantasy of bling and glory, all the tension I previously had sedated by this false sense of bliss. I mean, even if it's all just a dream, they're still within my grasp. After all, even though I'm just a rookie, I am still a signed producer of KR Entertainment, literally the most successful music entertainment company of the country.
That said though… I don't exactly have that much experience with girls or women. I've been told that I'll be starting with just one idol to manage rather than an entire unit, so that's a bit of a relief. But still, people of different age groups have different lifestyles, requirements and motivation in order for them to function at the their peak capacity. How old is she going to be then? A high school student? A young adult looking for a job? Priorities will be extremely different then, as will their stamina be. Damn it… why is this project so secretive? I wish they told me more about the details in the briefing, but apparently they 'have their own reasons' for keeping things hush-hush.
"Only one way to find out," I mutter.
I make my way past the glass doors the receptionist told me about and find myself in lounge, much to my surprise. I was expecting an office or something, a studio possibly, not this dimly lit café with wooden flooring, contemporary lighting designs, short and flat circular tables with creaking leather couches… and of course, more jazzy music. Despite the weak lighting, the place is fairly bright thanks to the afternoon rays shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows on the other side.
"What the hell…"
This is not within my expectations, and when things don't fall within my expectations, I get a little unnerved… like how I am right now.
"Hello there!" calls a jovial-sounding person, startling me. I whip to the side to see a bartender behind the counter. Looks like he's the only living soul in this place. His body is a little on the plus side and he's got a neat, curly moustache, but otherwise he seems pretty friendly. "You must be the new producer. Welcome, welcome!" Then he leans forward with a cheeky smile. "And yes, you are in the right place. Don't worry about it."
"How'd you know that?" I ask, strolling towards him.
"About you being the new producer? Well, I've worked in these parts for about twenty seven years now. I know a lost sheep when I see one, and when this lost sheep I find happens to be in a very nice suit?" He shrugs before letting out a hearty laugh. "You seem like a nice young man. Itoh-san will like you."
"It's been a pleasure meeting you," I say, sensing my formal side surface again as the stress begins to build up within me. "But I have to see the Project Manager as soon as possible. Would you mind pointing out for me where he might be?"
The plump man jabs his thumb behind. "On the back side of this lounge, there's a door, and it leads to his office. Good luck, young man."
An office right next to a lounge like this? This place is weird as hell…
I give him a short bow and push my glasses up. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
Just like what the bartender said, on the far side of the café is a wall with a stretch of windows, all of which are blocked off by shutters so I can't really make out what's going on at the other side. I rasp my knuckles against the only door I see, which is promptly answered by a buzzing noise.
Upon making my way inside the office, I'm greeted by the sight of a besuited man with neatly waxed side-swept hair standing by the window, overlooking the streets below. It's lit in the same, cosy romantic manner as the café.
I'm not sure if he heard me enter, but he's not responding to my presence at all.
"Uhm, sir?" I call out to him, making sure to hold my voice down. "Mr. Project Manager, sir?"
It takes another moment for the man to react, and when he does, he lets out a long, heavy sigh.
Shit, not a good sign. Is he upset or something?
"Yeah, I heard you," he says, his pitch low, crackly and bored, like he's tired. Or maybe even frustrated. The man leisurely turns to face me, revealing his clean-shaven features. He's got to be in his forties at least, and there's this aura of seniority that he exudes which makes me a hell lot more nervous than I first was, even from this distance. To be fair, he does look pretty fed up with… something. "The new producer, right?"
"That's right, sir." I nod. "Tanaka."
"Good, good," he says, not sounding even the least bit interested with me. "Come with me. We've got a lot to go through, but very little time. I'd appreciate it if you can keep up with me."
"Of course, sir."
He leads me across his office, which really looks more like a living room the longer I soak in my surroundings. A plasma-screen TV sits on a wall section separating the 'living room' from the entrance, with a low glass table, fluffy rugs and leather couches in front of it. Several Renaissance-style paintings hang on the walls, and at the sides of the room, more luxurious home furnishings like drawers and such can be seen. The only thing remotely office-like to me would be a single bookshelf in the corner stacked with bulky ring folders.
I know this company has had it good for a really long time now, but this workplace is on a completely different level of luxury than I thought was possible for a supposedly important member of the agency.
All right… definitely not within expectations. These guys are something else…
"As stated in the email we sent you, you'll be in charge of the Iris Project. From your resume, I understand you're a rather calculating person, so I apologise for the lack of details provided in regards to this. It's just really important for this project to remain a secret."
"I understand, sir," I say, only to hesitate immediately after. "Actually, pardon me, but I don't get it at all. I understand keeping it a secret from the public and competition, but why me as well, someone who's supposed to be working closely with the project?"
"Because we can't trust you yet," he answers in a matter-of-fact tone. "Do you know who rakes in the biggest profits from the market at this age and time? The kinds of people, I mean."
"Hmm…" I ponder for a moment. "The opportunistic ones?"
"Absolutely correct!" he exclaims suddenly, giving me a shock. The man stops in his tracks, turning to face me with vigour I never thought he had since I first met him one minute ago. "My god… you're young, and yet so bright. You'll go far, that's for sure."
"It really wasn't that special of an answer, sir…"
"It was a little actually, but more importantly, you answered it with such ease and elegance few people would have when faced with the pressure. The pressure of meeting their boss for the first time, that is." A grin slowly forms on his features. "Yes, the opportunistic ones. The first one to make a revolutionary idea in the industry, something nobody has ever capitalised on before, will make the biggest profits. If you're some kind of spy from another company trying to get hold of this new secret project we have before we've even started, then that could be a problem."
I wish I could tell this guy he's being a little overly-dramatic about this whole business, but I'll probably be fired on the spot if I do. Better to keep my mouth shut, I guess.
"All right," I say cautiously. "So… can I at least get a hint?"
"Yes. In fact, you'll know everything now."
The Project Manager beckons me to the final section of his so-called office, and beyond the next divider, a girl is seated on a leather couch in what appears to be a private study room.
If someone right now told me I was dreaming, I'd have believed it and pinched myself for good measure. Her appearances immediately takes my breath away. Surrealistically beautiful, her short, cerulean blue hair looks smooth as silk, and with each subtle movement she makes, they flow gently with her, almost like water. Her green eyes, clear and bright as jade, radiate an aura of serenity and are almost hypnotic to look at. She dons a frilly blue off-shoulder dress that matches her hair while at the same time, contrasting greatly with that flawless fair skin of hers.
You know, this wasn't within my expectations when I thought I'd be managing an attractive girl, but I'm okay with this. I've gotta say, this ain't so bad.
The girl notices us entering the room and gets up from her seat.
"Yami?" the Project Manager calls.
"Yes, Itoh-san?" The girl named Yami performs an elegant curtsy before us. Her voice has a rather low pitch, a lot lower than I was expecting judging by how soft her appearances are. And somehow, it's soothing to listen to, like deep, thick honey.
"This will be your new producer. From today onwards, you'll be working together for well…" the Project Manager, or should I say 'Itoh-san', says, clearing his throat. "As long as you bring in sales."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Yami. You can call me Yukio." I extend my hand out for a handshake. No surprise that my formal tone came back. This girl isn't just beautiful－ she's absolutely stunning. And on top of that, so elegant too! It's like she popped straight out of a fairy tale book. That definitely adds several ticks to my stress meter.
"Hmm…" She places a finger pensively by her lips, studying me from top to bottom. "If you don't mind, may I call you Producer-san for now?"
"Huh? Uhm… sure, I suppose if that's more to your liking…" I answer, my hand still awkwardly hanging in the air.
Yami then glances at my hand before giving a tiny amused giggle. "All right then, Producer-san." She takes my hand and gently shakes it. "I'll be in your care now."
I can feel my heart skip a beat as she says that. Ah… so is this what it means to be a idol producer? With a girl this charming, I'm sure it'll be a cinch for her to steal the hearts of her followers in due time. All the record labels, live shows, movie deals and all that good stuff… I can almost see the fast cars, the fancy hotels, and golden coins showering into my bathtub in an isolated penthouse somewhere in the outskirts of this city. I can already feel these hallucinations polluting my mind like a drug.
"Here are the documents for the project, Tanaka-san," my boss says, snapping me back to reality. He passes me a thin, black folder from his desk in the study room. "It has all the basic details of what we want to see from you, as well as the information from Yami's audition. How you're supposed to achieve those results though, well…" He snorts. "We'll see if you're what your resume made you out to be."
I accept the black folder from his hands. With the way he speaks and all, it almost feels like I'm a hitman accepting a dossier for the next job. This guy must star in his own movies or something. He really knows how to make everything sound dramatic.
"Thank you, sir." I give him a short bow before placing the documents into my briefcase. "If that's all, I'll be taking my leave and start on my work."
"You do that, kid."
Yami's lips quiver, looking as if she's trying to suppress a smile at the exchange. Yeah, like I said, this guy makes everything look so dramatic. Can't blame her for wanting to laugh at the scene.
And with that, the both of us begin to make our way out of the office.
"Oh and one last thing, Tanaka-san", the Project Manager says.
"Yes sir?"
"Yami is a boy."
My lips were already about to give him an automatic reply, something along the lines of 'you got it, sir' or 'you can count on me', until my brain processed what he just said.
And just like that, my blood freezes.
"Huh?"