Girl idols are meant to be exploited!

Hoshikawa Taku is using the results to work backwards to figure out the process, but Pochi doesn't know that.

Pochi was so frightened that he almost dropped the fork in his hand.

"The guitar I'm using is worth over a million dollars!? That's my father's guitar. I had no idea it was so expensive when I used it...!"

Although Boqi has been playing guitar for a long time, she knows nothing about guitar brands. Whether it is Yamaha or Gibson, they are unfamiliar brands to her and there is no difference.

My father actually let me use such an expensive guitar without worrying about me breaking it...

The more Boqi thought about it, the more scared she became. She had never taken good care of her guitar when she was using it, and she never cared about those minor bumps.

She now wants to rush home and put her guitar aside!

"Senior Liang, Hong Xia, and the others should all know the price of the guitar I'm using. They wouldn't think I'm some kind of girl who likes to show off..."

Pochi was immediately lost in his imagination, thinking that Hongxia and the others were smiling at him on the surface, but were actually secretly playing tricks on him. She had no money but was trying to pretend to be rich by buying such an expensive guitar...

Hoshikawa Taku saw what Pochi was thinking and said with a smile, "Don't worry about that. They won't laugh at you. Whether it's Kita's guitar or Yamada Ryo's bass, each one is worth hundreds of thousands of yen. They're not cheap."

"Kita's guitar was traded with Ryo-senpai. She bought a bass by mistake." Pochi explained and said with emotion, "Ryo-senpai is really rich. I heard that she has a collection of many basses. She is so rich, but she actually asked me to borrow money..."

"Did she ask you to borrow money?"

"It's not just Ryo-senpai, it's Hiroi-senpai too. Do all bassists like to borrow money from others?"

“That’s what bass players do.”

In fact, Hoshikawa Taku knew that Yamada Ryo had borrowed money, and he also knew that she was a rich woman and had bought many basses.

He said these topics just to make Pochi relax.

Next, let’s get to the point.

Hoshikawa Taku pretended to be casual and asked, "Pochi, yesterday when I said I wanted to sign you guys, your expression was very rich, and you looked at me expectantly."

"Could it be that... you want to sign a contract with me?"

Chapter 36: "Bewitching" Pochi to Sign a Contract

During the dinner yesterday, Hoshikawa Taku noticed that Pochi wanted to speak but stopped himself several times.

He guessed that Pochi wanted to sign a contract with him, but since no one else spoke up, she didn't dare to express her feelings.

Now that I've asked Pochi out and used these conversations to narrow the distance between them, this socially anxious girl should start speaking, right?

Finally, after hesitating for a moment, Pochi lowered his head and slowly raised it.

"Well... I do want to sign a contract with Mr. Hoshikawa, but Hongxia and the others haven't signed yet, and I can't sign a contract alone..."

Having said that, Pochi suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Hoshikawa Taku. His voice was slightly trembling, but very firm.

"I'm grateful that Mr. Xingchuan thinks highly of me, but I'm sorry, I can't abandon my current band!"

Pochi wanted to sign a contract with Taku Hoshikawa, but she wanted to end the band and sign a contract with all four of them so that they could still form a band together after becoming idol artists.

But if she is the only one signed now, she would rather give up this opportunity to "go solo".

Taku Hoshikawa was not surprised by Pochi's decision.

What Pochi said, in the final analysis, was not "can't", but "dare not". She didn't have the courage to act alone, and didn't have the guts to take the first step.

For her now, "End Band" is a treasure as valuable as her life.

To put it nicely, she is loyal to her friends like Rainbow Dash, but to put it bluntly, she is a coward.

Hoshikawa Taku smiled slightly, his eyes were somewhat calculating, but his tone was as gentle as that of a considerate elder.

"Pochi, you're loyal to your teammates, which is a good thing. I think Hongxia and the others must be happy to have a teammate like you.

But have you ever considered that maybe it’s because of you that they didn’t sign the contract?”

"Eh...me?"

Pochi was stunned, with disbelief written all over his face.

How could it be my fault?

"Nijiga, Kita, and Ryo, they're all incredibly independent and adaptable girls. They easily blend in and find their place wherever they go. But you're different, right?"

Taku Hoshikawa tapped the table rhythmically with his fingers, his tone slow and patient, as if he was helping a lost child untie the knot in his heart.

"You're socially anxious. You're afraid of showing up and interacting with strangers. You're used to hiding in your own little world and don't want to face the complex environment outside. There's nothing to be ashamed of; it's just a personality issue."

“But have you ever thought that after signing as a professional band, you will have to stand on a bigger stage and interact with strangers.

Do you think Hongxia and the others might be worried about you, worried about whether you can adapt to this new life, so they are hesitant to sign the contract?"

Pochi lowered his head, hooked his fingers together and pinched his fingertips, obviously beginning to doubt himself.

"Could it be that I'm holding everyone back..." Pochi muttered to himself with his head down in frustration.

Normally, Pochi is well taken care of by everyone, and Pochi has no doubt that the hypothesis put forward by Hoshikawa Taku is the truth.

The corner of Xingchuan Tuo's mouth raised slightly.

In fact, Hoshikawa Taku was not completely lying. Among the four of them, Pochi was the one they were most worried about. No matter what they did, they would give priority to Pochi's feelings.

However, this is only a small part of the reason.

Nijiya, Yamada Ryo and Kita Ikuyo, they all have their own independent consciousness and have their own reasons for choosing not to sign the contract, not just for Pochi.

Hoshikawa Taku deliberately put all the "partial responsibility" on Pochi, making her think that she took "full responsibility".

With Pochi's personality that likes to fantasize and "consume internal energy" every day, she must feel guilty.

As Hoshikawa Taku expected, Pochi looked shaken.

Taking this opportunity, Xingchuan Taku continued to seduce in a soft voice:

"Pochi, the four of you all want to form a band together, but someone has to take the first step. If you keep holding back and choose not to sign a contract, then after you graduate from high school, your band will have to end and you'll all go your separate ways."

"However, once you sign with the agency, your future will be secure. You will be able to be professional idols, enjoying the cheers of the audience and performing music on stage..."

"Pochi, isn't this what you wanted?"

Every word that Taku Hoshikawa said was like the "devil's whisper", accurately hitting Pochi's heart.

As long as I signed a contract, I could continue to form a band with everyone; I would escape the darkness and become popular; I could make a lot of money without having to interact with society, and happily play music for the rest of my life...

Pochi was already very tempted and almost agreed, but her loyalty to her companions still made her hold on tight before losing her mind.

She hesitated and whispered, "No one else has signed yet, but I signed first. Am I being too selfish?

Can I go back and discuss this with everyone? If possible, I would like to sign a contract with everyone..."

Hoshikawa Taku chuckled, having expected Pochi to ask this.

He deliberately sighed deeply and said with regret:

"I also want to sign you all right now, but as you can see, Hongxia's sister, Ichichi Xingge, doesn't want me to sign Hongxia right now.

She thinks Hongxia is too young and needs more training. If you follow her high standards, it will probably take another year or two before you can sign the contract."

“One or two years… Bochi, do you know how precious time is? More and more underage idol girls are debuting now.

The most popular group right now, 'Sumimi', is the same age as you all, but they've been in the industry for a long time."

"Two years from now, I'm afraid everyone else will be performing at the Tokyo Dome, which seats over 50,000 people, while you'll just be starting out as a newcomer, performing in a livehouse with only 100 or 200 people."

Having said that, Hoshikawa Taku's tone deliberately became anxious.

“Pochi, actually, I’m going to spend a huge amount of money to sign multiple bands this year, and I want them all to debut in the mainstream.

If you really want to practice for another two years before deciding to sign, to be honest, I'm afraid I won't sign you by then."

After hearing this, Pochi became anxious all of a sudden.

"Two years? That's too long!"

Bochi also knows that the girl idol industry is changing rapidly, and whoever debuts first will be able to seize the initiative.

Two years have passed, the opportunity has gone cold, and my sister Erli has grown up!

"Really? Pochi, you can't wait that long, right?"

Taku Hoshikawa knew that Pochi had taken the bait, so he leaned forward and looked at Pochi with burning eyes.

"Pochi, I don't want to put pressure on you, but opportunities are often fleeting."

"I can promise you that if you sign today, within six months, I will have your teammates sign as well, so that you can form a 'lifelong band'."

Chapter 37 Mr. Xingchuan, please sign me!

That's right, signing the contract isn't a betrayal, it's a way out for everyone, a way to give everyone a brighter future...

When he thought about the fact that he signed the contract in order to prevent the band from "ending", most of the hesitation in Bochi's heart disappeared.

However, Pochi had one last concern.

"I can sign the contract first, but...if I sign the contract, will I have to form a band with someone else and won't be able to perform on stage with them anymore after they end their band?"

When Xingchuan Taku heard this, the corners of his mouth rose slightly and a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

He knew that he had basically "conquered" Pochi.

Hoshikawa Taku replied with a smile, "Don't worry about that. I won't let you make any public appearances until the rest of the band signs contracts. Until then, you can continue your activities as 'Guitar Hero'.

No one except me will know that you are Pochi until you are willing to reveal your identity or until the other members of the band have signed contracts."

"Guitar Hero?" Pochi was stunned. "Can I debut as a Guitar Hero?"

"of course can."

Hoshikawa Taku smiled and nodded.

"Pochi, you've been using the 'Guitar Hero' account to share your music, showcase your talent, and attract a lot of loyal listeners."

"Don't you think it's a pity? There are so many listeners who like you. They want to listen to your guitar and see your true appearance, but you hide behind this account, only showing them a cold screen and a blank profile picture."

"It's not that I don't want to show my face, it's just, it's just...!" Pochi wanted to explain, but didn't know how to say it.

Hoshikawa Taku seemed to see through her. His eyes were sharp, but his tone was as soft as a feather:

"You're afraid to face them, right? Afraid of failure? Afraid they'll be disappointed in you if they find out who you are? So that's why you're deliberately pretending to be a social butterfly online?"

Pochi bit his lower lip, obviously a sore spot had been touched.

After a moment of silence, her eyes reddened and her voice choked with sobs: "Yes, in the eyes of many people, Guitar Hero is a sunny and cheerful girl, a warm and gentle, very popular Yangjiao, just like Kita."

"I'm afraid that if I show my face, it will disappoint my fans and make them disillusioned with me..."

I have to say, Pochi is really cute when he cries, and Hoshikawa Taku was hit hard in the strike zone.

Would Pochi be unwelcome if he showed his face?

What a joke!

A beautiful otaku girl who can play guitar, is socially anxious, and has a great appearance. This cute contrast is simply the top traffic code in the idol world!

If Pochi shows up, Hoshikawa Taku can guarantee that the fans will go crazy.

Even if she uses her "certain advantages" to shoot some short videos that touch the line, her attention can increase a hundredfold overnight.

But at that time, her comment section was no longer filled with music enthusiasts, but rather with perverts who were attracted to it.

Such popularity would destroy Pochi's current purity, and Hoshikawa Takuya didn't want Pochi to do that.

Hoshikawa Taku pulled out a tissue and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of Pochi's eyes, his tone even gentler than before.

“Pochi, I know you don’t want to disillusion your fans, but are you really willing to hide behind the screen forever?

Don't you want everyone to know that the 'guitar hero' they've always loved is actually such an outstanding girl with so much potential?"

Hoshikawa Taku continued to seduce her, "As long as you agree to sign the contract, our agency will tailor a training plan for you to help you overcome your fear of the stage and find the confidence to interact with your fans."

"Then you can stand in the spotlight and become that dazzling 'guitar hero'..."

Every word of Hoshikawa Taku touched Pochi's heart. As Pochi listened, a picture seemed to appear in his mind:

She stood in the center of the stage, holding a guitar in her hands, and the lights surrounded her like a dazzling focus.