"is that really important?" kana questions. "can't we just choose randomly?"

"it is important!" both ruby and mem-cho exclaimed.

"the lead girl is the star idol!"

"a cute girl who can sing and dance. she's practically the face of the group!"

"it is the most important position," they said at the same time.

"you two are getting along well, huh?" kana asked bluntly.

"well... are there any volunteers?" y/n spoke up softly, not really up for being the lead girl (again).

the two blondes started acting humble and sheepish.

"w-well, i don't need to be one, but... if you girls insist..."

"in the end, it's all about maturity, right? i don't wanna be a leader, but my life experience is what brings us together..."

"we can tell from your faces that you want to be one so badly," kana intervened.

"i'm good at dancing, so it should be me, right?" ruby claimed proudly.

"no way. i'm used to being the center of attention and i have tons of experiences, too!"

"in that case, senpai should probably do it," said ruby. "she was number one on the oricon chart for her bell pepper exercises song and she's been on a lot of music shows."

"omg! the bell pepper exercises! how nostalgic!" mem-cho exclaimed.

"stay away from my dark past, please!!"

the two blondes continued to talk about kana's song while kana was grimacing. y/n only watched with a small smile.

"come on, sing it a little!" y/n teased.

"no way in hell!" kana shouts. "i know i'm a bad singer!"

"the lead girl has to be able to sing, after all," ruby said.

"you're right. how can the lead girl shine if she doesn't hold a microphone?" mem-cho chimed in. "how about this, then? the person who gets the highest karaoke score will be the lead girl."

"okay! i'm in!" the pink eyed girl exclaims. she then turns towards y/n and kana. "you'll come with us too right?"

y/n stared at her for a moment.

"no, i'll pass," she said bluntly.

"me too," kana states.

"but-"

"are you stupid or what?" kana cuts her off. "the lead girl is the face of the group, right? if i'm your leader, you'll never be popular."

y/n frowned slightly at this, knowing how low kana's self esteem was.

"why not...?" ruby questions.

"there's more than enough evidence," she said. "i've been in this industry for over a decade... even after my era of being a one-hit wonder child actor was over. do you really think that all i did was acting?"

"i tried all kinds of stuff, you know? but none of them made me popular," she continued with an off-putting smile. "i mean, we're talking about someone who kept getting a job due to her popularity as a child actor, but failed to give profit to the company that hired her. and yet, she shrewdly made them pay her so she could pay her bill."

"in short, this girl named kana arima doesn't bring in fans!" kana continued to ramble. "i can see why people don't spend money on this sly girl with a foul mouth, though! come to think of it, that drama, sweet today, wasn't profitable either, was it?! mem-cho has a lot of subscribers, y/n is already well known enough, and you're cute and innocent. i'm sure you'll be popular.  besides..."

"people like honest and cute girls like you," she said sadly. "not a troublesome and twisted girl like me. if i can make the crowd cheerful, that's good enough for me. just decide who'll be the lead between you two with karaoke or whatever."

"you've been a debbie downey lately, don't you think?" ruby commented. "did something bad happen?"

"not really..."

"you'll be fine. aqua doesn't compliment people, but he said you were cute," said ruby. "you're neither troublesome nor twisted."

"but... he said the same thing to mem-cho."

"you are troublesome and twisted. when i say this, you say that. you'll give your future boyfriend a hard time..."

"well, entertainers are a bunch of troublesome people," mem-cho spoke softly, petting kana's head reassuringly.

-

"aah, why am i here?! i should be home!!"

"nope, you said yes already, no take-backsies!" mem-cho pushed y/n into the room.

somehow, mem-cho and ruby convinced y/n to come with them to karaoke.

-

57 points for mem-cho... 43 points for ruby. now it was y/n's turn.

"i'm not doing it!"

"yes, you are!!" ruby yelled, pushing the mic into her hand as mem-cho picked a song for her.

y/n sighs....

"98 points?!" ruby exclaimed after y/n was done.

"you're good!" mem-cho shouted.

y/n just covers her face in embarrassment.

"that said... y/n akiyama-chan will be our lead girl for the jif!" ruby spoke to the camera. she then turns to y/n, "so, how do you feel now that you've been chosen as one?"

"well--" y/n had a close eyed smile on her face. "first off, turn off that camera please."

"i've told you... i refuse to be the lead girl," y/n firmly stated.

"are you doing that trick?" she continued. "do you think a girl like me... won't be able to refuse if you make this fact known while filming nonchalantly?"

crap, she figured it out! the two blondes thought.

and after a lot of convincing from kana, ruby, and mem-cho...

"we're your idols! b is the sign! ♡︎"

y/n was the lead girl, of course.

"oh my, that was amazing!" ruby exclaimed.

"you really are fit for the job, y/n-chan!" mem-cho cheered. "at this rate, we're going to do well at the jif!"

"why me!?" y/n banged her head on the wall.

"hey, y/n! if you keep doing that, you won't be our lead girl," kana bluntly says.

"that was what i was trying to do."

A/N
boring and rushed chapter :p