Rise to Fame Ch.2

"Hi! Can we share your toys?" a young Hikari asks, smiling ear to ear. A young Shinji was sitting alone in the sandbox. He had recently moved to the neighborhood and knew no one. The fact that someone was talking to him made him slightly happy. He looked up at the young girl, around the same age as he.

"Um, Sure."

"Yay!" Hikari sat next to Shinji "I'm Hikari, you must be the new boy that just moved. My mommy talks to your big brother a lot!"

"Ah? Really?"

"Hmm! Since you just moved here, we should be friends! Ok?"

"Ok…"

*5 Years later *

"Shinji! Can we walk home together after school?" Hikari asked. During these 5 years, Shinji and Hikari have been friends. Best friends, Hikari would think.

"Hmm…Why not." Shinji said. Hikari noticed it for a while; Shinji has been acting differently around her. He doesn't smile as often as he did when he was younger.

"Yay! Ok, meet you at the shoebox ok?" Hikari left the classroom and began to head towards the shoe lockers. 'Ah! I forgot my bag!' As she reached her classroom, she heard voices. She chose not to open the door.

"Shinji, what's up with that girl who is always following you?"

"Yea! Is she your girlfriend?"

Hikari felt her cheeks warm up as the word 'girlfriend' was used to describe her. For some time now, she had been developing a crush on Shinji, so this simple word drove her insane.

"No, she isn't." Shinji finally spoke up. "Just…a friend."

"A creepy friend that is always following you."

'Creepy?! I'm definitely not creepy!'

"Haha Yea! She's like your stalker!"

"Aren't you annoyed by her? Truthfully."

Hikari felt her heart pound harder through her chest as Shinji remained silent. She'd known Shinji for 5 years, why should she be nervous over something like this. He's obviously going to say he isn't annoyed.

"Honestly I'm annoyed."

'What? He's annoyed by me?' Hikari rose from her crouching position and began walking away from the classroom. 'Annoyed huh? Not like I care'. Disregarding what she said, her eyes began to fill with tears. Hikari tried with all her might to restrain those tears from falling. Her efforts failed as a warm stream of tears flowed down her cheek.

"Damn it!"  

From that day, I vowed to become the most desired woman. I wanted Shinji to regret saying he found me annoying. So I auditioned to become an idol. I went through 4 years of training under my company. Those 4 years were hell, but the revenge I wanted on Shinji gave me the strength to continue on.

Some of you don't understand, but an idol's trainee days can be the worst. For me I don't believe it could have gotten any worse. For starters I had to leave my home and mother and live in an apartment near the company. I lived in the apartment, or dorm as the company calls it, with the other trainees at the time. Every morning we had to get to the company at 9 A.M and leave at 10 P.M(Since I was still in school, this only applied to me during breaks) .  During those hours, we practice dancing, learned basic vocal skills and practiced singing while dancing, for the possibility of becoming a dance singer, which I am. We weren't allowed outside after 11 P.M, so keeping friends outside of the company was hard, since I was only able to see them in school. I befriended both Kasumi and Haruka during this time. Kasumi was my roommate, so we quickly became friends. I met Haruka during one of the vocal lessons after we were the only ones in our group to hit high notes perfectly. Now that we are a group, we actually live in the same apartment together. My mother moved in the apartment next door, so that was nice for us, since she cooks for us.

…Wait…what was I talking about before this…

Ah! I hate Shinji. After I became a idol, I was watching a tv show about idol groups preparing to debut within the month and there I saw Shinji. Shinji as an idol! He said that he was scouted in the streets because of his looks. I couldn't believe my eyes. I wanted to become the most desired, but with Shinji as an idol too, he too would be desired. I then realized what I had to do. I had to bring my group higher than his. I have to be known as the better idol.

"Hikari?"

"Ah Hai!" I quickly snapped out of my Shinji-induced inner rage, and looked to who called me. It was my manager.

"Tetsuya-san and I are going to get the staff who you will be working with. So stay here ok?"

"Hai." I smiled while both Tetsuya-san and Manager-san left.

"So…Shinji nice to see you again." Yea right…

"And you are?"

Snap!

"Me? I'm Hikari, you know…your childhood friend." Ex-friend, more or less

"Ah…Don't remember you." He said with that smartass smirk on his face, causing my blood to boil to temperatures it shouldn't reach.

"Don't lie!"

"We got the staff!" Tetsuya-san happily said as he returned with my manager. Tsk! Shinji's lucky they came, I was about to unleash some un-idol like rage…

***

"So the title of this drama is "Rising Star"! It's all about the rise of an average teenage girl who's in love with the celebrity world and her idol, a top notch actor."

"That sounds really cute Tetsuya-san!" I reply. This storyline is the Best ever! I shouldn't expect anything less from Takuya-san. I must do my best!

"Thank you Hikari-chan! I believe that you'll depict the main protagonist just fine." Tetsuya-san said to me, with that award winning smile. Then he turned to Shinji, "Shinji I believe you will play Hikari's love interest especially well since you are the current hot topic amongst teenage girls."

Hikari's what? Wait a minute…Shinji is going to play as my "Love Interest"? I'm going to be sick.

"Jaa! Let's start with the promotional pictures!" Tetsuya-san said, rather happy.

"Eh?! Promotional pictures now? I just came from doing a photoshoot." I tried not to sound whiny, but I couldn't help it. Sure, usually I am busier on a daily basis, but today I only had 3 schedules. I was really ready to receive that well needed full night's rest.

"I understand Hikari-chan, but your manager told me it was best to do it today since the rest of the week you would be busy. And I would like to start filming in 2 weeks." Testuya-san told me in the most sincere face. He is really caring towards his cast.

"Hai…"

"Are you ready Shinji-kun?"

I look over at Shinji. I didn't notice it when he came in, but he was in costume, looks like he just came from a performance recording. He should be tired as well.

As Idols, when we are doing a performance recording we do not simply go in and record our song and leave. We have to do a dry rehearsal, or perform the song as if we were recording. This is usually used for mic checks and such. Then we do a dress rehearsal, where we put on our costumes and perform. In some cases we might have to do dress rehearsals twice. And then finally, we record the actual performance. After we finish performing, we go and watch the recording for any faults of any type. If we find any faults, we would have to record again. Live recordings are my favorite since we only do it once.

"Hm, I'm ready."

Eh? He's ready ? He should be exhausted. I'm more experienced than him and even I would be exhausted!

"Are you sure, I heard that your group had to record again due to camera problems."

"I'm fine, I'm stronger than most idols." He simply stated. He looked back at me and smirked.

He was referring to me?! He's such a jerk!!

"Hikari-chan, come this way, I'll be in charge of your make up and wardrobe." A female staff said to me. I quickly changed my angry face to my idol mode.

"Yes, Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu" I bowed. As I bowed, I snuck a look at Shinji. 'How does he induce so much anger in me…'


"Ow!!" I screeched as the makeup artist mistakenly pinched my skin with the eyelash curler.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry! Did it hurt a lot?"

"Ah, no, it's fine." I smiled. Sure that hurt, but I'm not the kind of idol who lashes out on others for petty mistakes.

"Ok, close your eyes please, time for some eye shadow."

I closed my eyes and allowed the lady to lightly and smoothly brush the eye shadow over my eyelids.

As I closed my eyes, my mind slowly drifted away in thought. I hated myself for this, but my mind instantly pictured Shinji.


"Hikari-chan is done with makeup!"

This is my favorite part in any photoshoot I have. Call me self centered, but I love the look on everyone's face when I appear in front of them. The many compliments and red faces are all fuel for me and I'm thankful for it.

Now let's see if I can get Shinji to blush. That would be awesome.

"Ah! Cute"

"Hikari you look adorable!"

"Eh? I'm not cute." I say, being modest is what an idol must do. I sneaked a glance to my right, where Shinji would be. Where is he?

"Hai! Shinji is done with his solo shots!" A photographer stated. Soon after, Shinji appeared from the backdrop.

Ba-Dump

Whoa…Was that my heart? I started to feel my face heat up as I stared at Shinji. He was wearing a buttoned shirt, with at least 3 buttons undone, a loosely tied tie and black pants. It was a simple outfit, but he looked so…

No!

I turned away and looked at the ceiling, hoping my blush would disappear before anyone came near me.

"Hey, you!"

'You'? Who is calling me in such a disrespectful term?! I turned around and faced the person.

Of course it's him.

"Hurry up and get your solo shots done. I don't have time to waste on you." Shinji said as he walked away.

He's the worst!! How dare he even say that? If he didn't want his "precious" time wasted he could have just rejected the role.

"Hikari-chan!"

"Hai! I'm coming!"

"Ok Hikari-chan! The protagonist of the drama is cute with a tint of sexy. Could you express that?" Testuya-san asked. He looked kind of worried, as if I wouldn't know what he was talking about. To be honest, what he was asking for was the easiest I've ever heard.

"I can do it. No need to worry!" I walked on the pure white floor towards the area in which I would take the pictures.

Ok, let's see. Cute and sexy huh?

I looked down at my current outfit. A white buttoned shirt with 3 buttons undone, showing some cleavage, and short black plaid skirt with suspenders. So this outfit has a sexy flare to it. I should probably work off of this. I sat on the floor and leaned back against the wall behind me.

"Whoa! Hikari good job" The photographer said. Though he said that, I wasn't feeling it yet. After scanning the room for props to help "sexify the picture", I got up and walked away from the photo area. Everyone's looking at me confused as I brought back a wooden stool to the backdrop area.

"Ahahaha…Um…I think this would be better if I used this." I sheepishly said while smiling.

"Um…ok then" said the photographer, obviously confused.

I sat down in my previous position and propped my legs on the stool. I allowed my suspenders to slip down my shoulder and leaned my head back slightly, allowing my hair to fall back. I instantly changed my facial expression to match this pose.

"As expected from Hikari!" The photographer said as he snapped away with his camera. Whenever I'm in front that camera, I feel as if I am another person. Give me any character I'll portray it perfectly.

Various poses later, the photographer stated I was done with my solo shots and I could take a small break.  My small break consisted of me changing my outfit to a simply white dress. I didn't really understand why I needed to change my clothes if I was done, but of course I'm going to listen to whatever I'm told to do.

When I returned to the photoshoot area, I saw Shinji waiting in front of the backdrop. He had a blank expression on his face, one that really looked serious. After staring at him longer, I felt my cheeks heat up. I really hate myself for even letting this cross my mind, but he is really handsome, you know when he isn't insulting a person.

Shaking that thought and its blush away, I walked towards Shinji. We are going to be starring together in a drama, so we should at least be friendly towards each other, right?

"Hey Shinji, why are you still here?"

"Waiting for you"