Substitute Toyokawa Shoko, you can become stronger by breathing

Everywhere you look, there are fans coming for Ave Mujica. This intuitive and overwhelming sense of presence is incomparable to any numbers.

Yutenji Wakamu took a deep breath, feeling the unquenchable excitement in her chest. She had never imagined that becoming an idol could bring such a strong sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

This feeling of being truly understood and appreciated was completely different from the superficial praise she received on the Internet. At that moment, an idea flashed through her mind - perhaps, becoming a member of Ave Mujica was more meaningful than the independent development she had once imagined?

.......

After the celebration banquet, the five people returned to their hotel rooms to rest.

For regular performances in Tokyo, they usually return to school that night, but considering the special nature of the tour, Seiichi Fukamachi specially arranged for them to stay in a local high-end hotel so that they could get enough rest.

Yutenji Wakamai lay on the soft bed, recalling every detail of tonight.

She picked up her phone and scrolled through social media reviews and photos of the performance. Reports from major music media outlets had already come out, and the almost unanimous praise made her even more elated.

Just as she was immersed in this wonderful afterglow, the phone in the room suddenly rang.

"Hello, Miss Yutenji."

A polite voice came from the front desk:

"There's a guest in the lobby who wants to see you. He claims to be Mr. Matsuda from Vortex. He says he has something important to discuss."

Yutenji Wakamugi was a little confused.

Vortex...seems to be an entertainment company?

Out of curiosity, she decided to meet him.

"Please tell him I'll be down in ten minutes."

.......

In a corner of the hotel lobby, a middle-aged man in a suit and tie sat upright, the coffee in front of him had already gone mostly cold.

Seeing Yutenji Wakami approaching, he immediately stood up and gave a professional yet friendly smile.

"Ms. Yutenji, I'm Kazuya Matsuda from Vortex, in charge of artist discovery and planning. It's an honor to meet you."

Yutenji Wakamugi nodded and sat down opposite him: "Mr. Matsuda, what do you want to see me so late at night?"

Matsuda Kazuya did not answer immediately, but took out an exquisite folder from his briefcase. The cover was printed with the eye-catching words "UTENDERA WAKAMAE Artist Independence Plan" in gold foil.

"Ms. Yutenji, I had the pleasure of watching Ave Mujica's performance tonight."

Big Cat's first reaction was alarm: "How do you know my identity?"

“This is not something that is difficult for our company to investigate.”

His voice was calm and confident:

"I'm impressed by your performance. In fact, our company has long noticed your influence online, and coupled with your stage performance tonight, we are convinced that you have the potential to become a top independent artist."

This explanation successfully dispelled Yutenji Wakami's doubts, and soon she was attracted by the key points in the other party's words.

"Independent artist..?"

"Yes."

Matsuda Kazuya opened the folder and pushed it in front of her:

“This is our development plan tailored just for you.”

Yutenji Wakamu lowered her head to read the plan. The content was so detailed and the conditions were so generous that she couldn't help but hold her breath.

The business plan lists in detail the various resources provided to her: a first-line management team, top stylists, well-known music producers, exposure opportunities on major media platforms, and up to 30 million yen in publicity funds. These terms are extremely generous and are almost unimaginable for ordinary new artists.

But when she turned to the last page, the core clauses made her heart beat faster:

"After signing the contract, Party B (Yutenji Wakamugi) must immediately announce his departure from the Ave Mujica band and re-debut as an independent artist."

Yutenji Wakamu's breathing became rapid, and his fingers unconsciously gripped the edge of the folder tightly.

She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, almost bursting through the confines of her ribs.

"Ms. Yutenji, such an opportunity may only come once in a lifetime. You have talent, charm, and more importantly, ambition."

This sentence completely touched Yutenji Wakamugi. She subconsciously looked up at Matsuda Kazuya. There was a glimmer of understanding in the other's eyes, as if he could see through her soul.

"I...I need time to think about it."

She finally found her voice, but it was filled with uncertainty.

Matsuda Kazuya nodded gracefully, pulled a business card from his suit pocket, and gently placed it on the proposal. "I completely understand. Such a major decision certainly requires careful consideration."

He stood up, straightened his suit, and said calmly and confidently:

"Please keep the proposal. We'll give you three days to consider it, and I'll contact you again after that."

Before turning away, he added:

"By the way, Ms. Yutenji, I suggest that you don't tell your teammates about this for the time being. After all, this concerns your personal future, and outside voices will only interfere with your judgment."

After saying that, he bowed slightly, turned around and left, leaving Yutenji Wakamu sitting alone in the corner of the cafe.

She looked down at the promised resources, the exposure, the numbers, each one gleaming with allure.

Thirty million yen in publicity funds, a top styling team, a professional agent... these were all things she had longed for in her dreams.

"Betrayal Ave mujica..." She whispered to herself, her fingertips gently stroking the line of lead type.

Memories flashed back of the performances in Yokohama and Tokyo—the cheers of the audience, the lights on the stage, the focused expressions of my teammates as they played, and... Toyokawa Shoko's amber eyes that seemed to see through everything.

Yutenji Wakamugi slammed the folder shut and held it tightly to his chest, as if it might be snatched away at any moment.

She stood up, her legs numb from prolonged tension, and staggered towards the elevator.

When the elevator door closed, isolating her from the outside world, she finally leaned against the cold metal wall, gasping for breath. The mirrored wall reflected her pale face and pupils dilated with excitement and fear.

......

PS: I feel dizzy.

This chapter is 13,000 words long, so I'm sorry it's a little late.

Chapter 66: Using Teammate Xingyu as Your Own Means (Five in One)

Yutenji Wakamugi looked at the gold-stamped plan in his hand, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the eye-catching large characters:

"UTENDERA WAKAMAE Artist Independence Plan".

The light from the hotel room shone on the paper, reflecting an almost dazzling light.

"30 million yen for publicity..."

She whispered the number and felt dizzy.

For her, who walked from the small town of Kumamoto to Tokyo, this number is almost unreal.

She thought of the small Japanese-style room in her home, her mother's hands roughened by years of hard work, and her father's tired yet encouraging eyes.

"You can definitely succeed, Maizi."

These were the last words her father said when he sent her to Tokyo. But in the past few years, the word "success" seemed like a dream that could never be realized for Yutenji Wakamu.

The small town of Kumamoto is too quiet, so quiet that even Yutenji Wakamu, who has a distinct personality, feels suffocated.

So she wanted to escape from there, and in order to achieve this "insignificant" dream, she gave up almost all her hobbies.

But what she encountered was rejection and failure again and again.

Acting classes, model training, even voice acting courses... Yutenji Wakamugi is like a stubborn calf, constantly ramming into the same wall until his head is broken and bleeding.

"Maizi, maybe not everyone is suitable to stand in the spotlight."

Her mother comforted her gently, handing her a warm towel to wipe the tears from her face.

But Yutenji Wakamu knew that the spotlight was exactly where she was born to be.

She began researching makeup techniques, learning video editing, and observing fashion trends.

Her first video only had 23 views, most of which she generated herself. But she was not discouraged.

One video per day, seven days a week.

Yutenji Wakamu's room had been transformed into a simple studio. She would attend school during the day and record and edit videos at night, often falling asleep at 2 a.m.

Finally, in her 78th video, a funny cat makeup tutorial unexpectedly became popular.

Overnight, her follower count jumped from a few hundred to 20,000.

Thinking about it now, that should have been the happiest day she had in all these years.

For the next year, Yutenji Wakami updated content almost frantically. There were no weekends or holidays, only the pressure of constant creation and the ever-increasing number of fans.

At her peak, she had 300,000 followers, received collaboration invitations from some small brands, and was even able to afford a better set of filming equipment.

“This is the beginning,” she told herself. “This is only the beginning.”

However, the cruelty of the Internet world became apparent in the following year.

Algorithms changed, new platforms emerged, and audiences shifted to more provocative content. The views of Yutenji Ruomai's videos plummeted from 100,000 to a few thousand, then to a few hundred.

Those once enthusiastic comment sections have become deserted, and the occasional messages are mostly full of doubts and dissatisfaction.

"Has the video quality deteriorated?"

"This look went out of style last year."

"If you can't keep up with the trend, don't do it."

She tried to adapt to new trends, but with little success.

During the live broadcast, facing the few viewers on the other side of the screen, her forced smile almost broke. When the number of views continued to decline and the income was almost zero, Yutenji Wakamu had to face a cruel reality: she had failed again.

Life in Tokyo was harder than she had imagined, and her part-time work and study routine often left her exhausted.

The once active social media accounts have become quiet, and fans have retreated like the tide.

Sometimes, returning to her small apartment late at night, she would look in the mirror and ask herself, "Is it worth it?"

And now, the sweat, tears and expectations of my parents.

Everything will be explained as long as she signs this contract.

Yutenji Wakamugi flipped through the gorgeous plan.

“Just need to leave Ave Mujica...”

She whispered to herself, her throat tight.

She remembered the nervousness when she first joined, the clumsiness during the first rehearsal, and Shoko Toyokawa... then the success of the Yokohama station, the enthusiasm of the audience at the Tokyo station, and the sight of her teammates fighting side by side on the stage.

"Is this considered betrayal?"

Yutenji Wakamu stood up and paced around the small hotel room.

Outside the window is the dazzling night view of Tokyo, and every light seems to be telling the dreams and struggles of countless people.

If she left, she would have the opportunity to develop independently, becoming a true "entertainer" rather than an anonymous member hiding behind a mask. The 30 million yen in promotional funds would be enough for her to gain a firm foothold in this cruel industry. She could have her own team, no longer subject to the plans and arrangements of others.

More importantly, it means she can prove to her family that her persistence was not in vain.

The girl who came out of the small town of Kumamoto finally stood in the spotlight.

——Dad, Mom, I succeeded.

She could almost imagine the scene when she said this.

But on the other hand, leaving Ave Mujica means betraying her teammates and betraying Shoko Toyokawa who gave her the opportunity.

This band gave her a real stage and allowed her to experience for the first time the feeling of being loved by thousands of people.

"What am I hesitating about?!"

Yutenji Wakamugi grabbed her short purple hair.

After a long time, he buried his face in the pillow.

At the same time, Ryuichi Yamamoto was also struggling.

It was late at night, but Yamamoto Ryuichi's office was still brightly lit.

He held a half-burned cigarette between his fingers, his eyes fixed on the news about Ave Mujica's Tokyo performance on the computer screen. His brow furrowed deeper and deeper as the smoke swirled around him.