Chapter Fifty-Five: A Private Meeting

“Hmm, why hasn’t anyone come to find me? Could it be they’ve given up on the one-on-one meeting?” The theater manager looked puzzled as he observed the audience slowly dispersing; no one seemed to be approaching him to ‘check in.’

“Sir, excuse me, do you still have business here?” As only a few people remained in the hall, the staff organizing the exit noticed Kurohane Yiyi still sitting there, unshaken like a mountain. They stepped forward to remind him to leave. Their job tonight was to organize the audience’s entry, seating, exit, and then clean the hall—finishing early meant finishing better.

“Oh, um, just a moment.”

Kurohane Yiyi was about to explain that he was the lucky fan holding a one-on-one meeting ticket when he suddenly noticed a glowing sign labeled “mint” under a chair. Thinking that as a ‘fan’ watching his idol’s performance, it was a bit lacking to not have even a single support prop—not even a light stick—he planted his feet and lightly hopped over one wooden chair after another until he reached that particular seat, where he reached down and picked up the glowing sign.

What was this? Blood?

As he bent down to pick up the sign, his peripheral vision caught sight of a chair partially covered by a large coat. The coat’s hem revealed a small patch of dark red, resembling dried blood.

“Hey, sir! What are you doing?”

Seeing Kurohane Yiyi’s agile movements and his clear intention not to leave, several staff exchanged glances, suspecting he might be some crazed fan about to do something strange, and hurried over together.

“Don’t misunderstand, don’t misunderstand. I’m just picking up something.” Kurohane Yiyi stood up, shaking the glowing sign in his hand. It was somewhat heavy; there seemed to be something inside. But since this was his first time encountering such an item, he didn’t think much of it.

“Sir, we need to start cleaning now.” A staff member approached from the aisle, maintaining polite language but with a tone and expression that carried a hint of compulsion.

“Uh, I’m a lucky fan.” Kurohane Yiyi pulled out the two one-on-one meeting tickets from his pocket and waved them.

“Ah, so it’s you! Please come this way.” The theater manager waved him over.

Seeing the tickets, the staff realized he was indeed the lucky fan and not causing trouble, so they withdrew to their duties.

“Thank you.” Holding the tickets and clutching the glowing sign, Kurohane Yiyi hurried to the theater manager and handed over the two one-on-one meeting tickets for verification.

“You have both tickets?” The manager seemed surprised when accepting them but only for a moment. Usually, fans who are lucky enough to get one-on-one tickets keep their own to meet their favorite idol. However, some wealthy fans pay high prices to buy others’ tickets. Although Mint isn’t extremely popular yet, they have many fans, including affluent second-generation individuals. So, it’s rare for one person to hold two tickets, especially when Kurohane Yiyi’s simple attire gave no hint of being wealthy.

“What’s the matter? Is there a problem?” Kurohane Yiyi felt a bit guilty under the manager’s gaze. Could these tickets be registered under someone’s name? After all, neither belonged to him.

“No problem. May I ask which two Mint members you wish to meet?” The manager, unaware that Kurohane Yiyi had ‘snatched’ these tickets, smiled professionally and asked politely.

“Reimu Watanabe.” Without hesitation, Kurohane Yiyi answered.

“Both tickets for her?” the manager confirmed. As the issuer of the one-on-one tickets, they knew two tickets could be combined for double the time with one person.

“Yes.” Kurohane Yiyi nodded excitedly.

“Please follow me.” The manager gestured courteously.

Kurohane Yiyi followed the theater manager backstage to a door.

A simple white wooden door, yet it bore a cute pink heart with “One-on-One Meeting Room” written inside. The pink heart made Kurohane Yiyi’s heart pound as if he were about to go on a date with Reimu Watanabe herself.

Pushing open the door, the room was modest in size: a small white round table flanked by two single sofas, one red and one white. The background wall was adorned with colorful strips of fabric arranged into a rainbow with balloon clouds.

Two cameras were set up in opposite corners, aimed at the sofas.

“Please have a seat on the red sofa. I’ll call Reimu over now,” the theater manager said politely.

“Thank you.” Kurohane Yiyi’s steps were light and slightly trembling with excitement as he walked to the red sofa and sat down.

Perhaps because of the cameras or the anticipation of meeting Reimu Watanabe, he sat upright, back straight.

In Mint’s dressing room, Jinan Xin gently wiped sweat from her forehead and hairline with a white towel, summarizing, “The choreography for the last song wasn’t very synchronized.”

“Haruka, did you miss a note just now? Haha,” Riko Kashiwagi lay on the dressing table, texting while teasing Haruka Kitagawa through the mirror.

“Where did I go off-key?” Haruka Kitagawa sipped her drink lazily, casting a shy glance at Riko’s teasing.

“Reimu did great as always today. I wish I could be like you,” Ro Kaoru Miyawaki sat backward on her chair, arms wrapped around the backrest, looking innocently at Reimu Watanabe, who was reading fan letters while leaning against a chair.

“You’re great too,” Reimu stood and gently patted Kaoru’s adorable head.

*Knock, knock.*

“May I come in?”

The manager’s voice came from outside the dressing room.

“Please come in.” Kaoru jumped up and hurried to open the door.

“Thanks, Kaoru,” the manager said, affectionately patting her shoulder.

“Mr. Kimura, who got called up today?” Riko lifted her head from the makeup table, put down her phone, and playfully asked.

“The first one was Reimu.”

“I guessed it would be Reimu. She’s almost always picked,” Kaoru said happily, shaking Reimu’s arm as if she herself had been chosen.

“And the second? The second?” Riko blinked, asking eagerly. Though they were tired after the performance and the one-on-one was just company work, and the fans were strangers in appearance and personality, even if they were unpleasant or ugly, they still had to spend five or ten minutes with them. Yet, she couldn’t help but hope it was her, as it was a sign of popularity and an opportunity to secure a loyal fan.

“Also Reimu,” Mr. Kimura said, looking at Reimu.

“Tch—” Riko put down her makeup box and picked up her phone again.

“Yay!” Kaoru was especially happy, gazing at Reimu with admiration.

Jinan Xin smiled gently at Reimu, happy for her.

Haruka Kitagawa, with a straw still in her mouth, leaned comfortably back in her chair, eyes closed, breathing steadily—apparently asleep.

“Is it the same person as last time?” Reimu seemed to have guessed who it was upon hearing both tickets were for her.

“No, not Mr. Matsutani, someone else. I haven’t seen them before,” Mr. Kimura, Mint’s manager who had worked with them for years, recognized a few active fans who had supported them since debut.

“Oh, then I’ll get back to work.” Reimu’s expression remained unchanged. After greeting the other members, she followed the manager toward the one-on-one meeting room.