An Idol Game

Chapter 5 - VirtuoLies

When I saw Sora again after our call, I was convinced it was merely an act, a front to grab my attention. I couldn't believe it at first that the Sora Tokino, who was known for being kind, honest and gentle would easily change to a harsher personality.

But it seems as though I underestimated her greatly.

Not only did she manage to pull one over my eyes throughout my short time in Hololive, but she also managed to con her way into getting pictures of a Virtuo talent simply by interacting with some fans in a forum.

It was envious to be topped like that, but I had to admit, it was impressive.

However, as she said, she was willing to talk and collate the information together. Her choice of a meeting spot was a cafe during a time when most people were either stuck at work or were heading to work, making our meeting void of any potential eavesdroppers or journalists. It did help that the dainty place was wedged in a quiet shopping street, giving it a sense of privacy both in and out of the establishment.

I was the first to arrive at the cafe, so I sat in the corner of the room, gazing out into the tight yet homey interior. Displays of cakes and jars of coffee beans could be clearly seen behind the counter. What customers the place had were casually chatting with the barista, while a small group of friends were on the other side giggling as they shared plates of cakes.

For the sake of our privacy, I decided to choose a booth as my location, a perfect place to discuss our materials without fearing anyone gazing down our necks or listening in on our conversations. Once I got comfy, I quickly sent a text to Sora before sifting through the menu and ordering a cup of nice, hot coffee from a waitress who had come to check up on me.

A couple of minutes later, the sounds of heels clicking against the wooden floor rang through the air.

"Enjoying the coffee?"

"It is. Aromatic too, you should grab yourself a cup Sora."

"Hmm? Maybe I will."

Sitting herself down, Sora called for the waitress and ordered herself the same cup as me on top of a slice of cheesecake, claiming it was a nice pairing to have.

She then began to break the ice, talking about her morning and how much trouble she went through to prepare herself for the day. She said something about her outfit, but I didn't really care since my focus was on her expression.

Though nothing had changed on the outside, her usual bright smile hid something, her words though cheerful felt empty, and her very being, while animated seemed so fake and puppeteered.

It seemed as though she wasn't just going to come out and say it, but instead waiting for me to tear off her mask myself.

So wishing to move on, I cut her off.

"Did you invite me here to prattle on about your morning?"

"Aren't you a bit harsh? Can't a girl just share a quick tale? It's been a long time since it's been just the two of us."

"Flattering, but I have no time for this."

Sora sighed before her expression grew cold, her smile now replaced with a straight face.

"Very well, since you're so impatient, I'll go ahead and tell you everything."

What followed after was a long conversation where Sora would relay to me everything she had been doing up to that point.

To keep a long story short, she always knew the risk of rejecting Takamura and knew that he would do everything in his power to try and get her by his side. However, unlike sis who was left vulnerable by that wave of hatred, Sora instead chose to fight back by also aiming to take down his own idol group and proving that she didn't need him to succeed. Unfortunately, as she was the one to provoke Takamura into taking action, she thought it would be best that she pressed on by herself and not drag the other members and staff into her battle.