Oshi no Ko: The Maestro

Chapter 20: Stellar Intrigues: Echoes of Enigma

A few days ago...
Alone in his room, Sekito clenched his fists, seething with anger. His meticulously crafted plans lay in ruins, shattered by the cunning manoeuvre of Hiroshi. He paced back and forth, his mind racing with frustration and confusion. The room felt suffocating as the weight of his defeat bore down upon him.

"Damn it!" he muttered under his breath, his voice laced with bitterness. "How did he outsmart me? I thought I had everything under control!"

He slammed his hand against a nearby table, causing a few objects to tremble. The sound echoed in the room, mirroring the turbulence within him. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he struggled to regain composure.

"I can't believe Hiroshi impersonated me, pretending I couldn't make it for the final day and sabotaged my role as Takumi," Sekito exclaimed with a mix of disbelief and frustration. "He even blocked the door to the preparation room to ensure no one would witness see me. I should have realized something was off when I didn't see anyone else there.
He distracted them all."

Sekito's anger simmered as he paced the room, realizing the depth of the consequences Hiroshi's cunning move had brought upon him. The weight of defeat was almost suffocating, and he could feel the advantage slipping from his grasp.

"Why did I get involved in all of this? What was I hoping to achieve?" he questioned himself, his frustration mixing with a sense of regret. "I allowed myself to be manipulated into this destructive path, and now everything I worked for is shattered."

He couldn't shake the feeling of who was this mysterious puppeteer behind the scenes, a person toying with his life and career. As he pondered, he remembered the ominous threat he received a few days ago, compelling him to take down Hiroshi to save his own future.

"I don't even know who that person is, but I fell right into their trap," Sekito muttered, clenching his fists tighter. "I let myself become a pawn in their sick game, and now Hiroshi has the upper hand."

His thoughts were a chaotic mess, trying to piece together the motivations of this enigmatic foe. But in his current state of anger and confusion, he struggled to find clarity.

"What do I do now? How can I turn this around?" Sekito asked, his voice tinged with desperation. "I need to find a way to regain control of the situation and salvage my reputation. But first, I need to confront this mysterious person and put an end to their manipulations."

As Sekito paced back and forth, his mind racing with frustration and confusion, he suddenly heard the faint sound of his phone ringing. The ringtone echoed in the suffocating room, momentarily cutting through the turmoil in his thoughts. He looked over at his phone, and to his surprise, the caller ID displayed an unknown number.

A mix of emotions surged through him as curiosity and apprehension battled within. Who could be calling him now, in the midst of this chaotic situation? Could it be someone related to the mysterious puppeteer behind the scenes, or perhaps Hiroshi trying to gloat over his victory?

With a deep breath, Sekito steeled himself and decided to answer the call. He hesitated for a moment, then finally swiped the screen, bringing the phone to his ear. "Hello?" he said, trying to sound as composed as possible despite the inner turmoil.

Sekito's heart raced as he heard the cold and serious voice on the other end of the line. The mysterious person wasted no time and immediately addressed his emotions.

"Feeling defeated, are we?" the voice taunted, its chilling tone sending shivers down Sekito's spine. "You should be ashamed of yourself. This outcome was to be expected from someone as incompetent as you."

Sekito's grip on the phone tightened, his frustration surging once again. He couldn't see the face of the person on the other end, but their words cut deep. The person seemed to relish in his vulnerability, further fueling his anger.