She's running as fast as she can hopefully she won't be too late. She got lost on her way to the tv studio it might cost her place in the contest. When she finally arrives she's breathless and has difficulty speaking to the receptionist.
'I'm here for the contest.' she says in Japanese.
'I'll call someone to pick you up.' says the receptionist.
A few minutes later a young man in his twenties shows up coming from the elevator.
'You're Brenda, right?'
'Yes, I am.'
'Let's go. We're running late the show has already began. Why were you late?'
'I got lost on my way here.'
'Hmmm.'
They went up to the 9th floor. When the doors of the elevator opened Brenda was expecting to see a lot of people running around but the hallway looked deserted.
'This way.' said the young man. 'You need to have make up done before you join the others.' He stops by an open door and leads Brenda inside the room with large mirrors where a make up artist is sitting in one of the chairs. 'Brenda-san is late. Please work fast.'
'Will do. Please sit here Brenda-san.' said the make up artist.
Brenda sat and the woman began working right away in silence.
'There, you're all done.'
'Thank you.'
'Come with me.' said the young man.
Leaving the room they walked fast through a series of hallways until he stopped in front of a door.
'This is where you'll stay until they call your name.'
'Alright.'
He opens the door and she enters into a packed room. These must be the rest of the contestants. Brenda quickly finds the girl that she met on the day of the trials.
'Hello, Rika-chan.'
'Hello, Brenda-chan.'
'How are you? Have they called anyone, yet?'
'I'm fine and yes they've called three people so far.'
'So I'm not too late, they didn't call me yet?'
'No.'
'Thank goodness.'
At that moment a man opens the door and calls out a name. A young girl, probably in her teens, leaves a large group of people and disappears through the door. A large commotion begins to spread across the large room. Excitement spreads like wildfire through those that are left behind. Even Brenda can't help but feel her stomach summersault. Brenda and Rika talk merrily together oblivious to the stares that others are giving them. To Brenda, a foreigner, it's to be expected but Rika is simply put: very fat. But Brenda heard Rika's voice and as no doubt that Rika can win the contest. All she needs is a diet and good songs. The man comes back a dozen more times until finally he calls Brenda.
'Wish me luck.'
'Good luck.'
She leaves the room and follows the man through the hallways until the man opens a double door. There she hears a large crowd scream and clap on the other side of a wooden wall.
'This way.'
They finally stop behind a double wooden door.
'You can't take your bag with you. Leave it with me, I'll give it to you later.'
'Alright.'
From the other side of the wall Brenda listens to her name being called out. And then the doors open revealing a large crowd sitting on stands. On both sides of the center stage she notices that celebrities are sitting calmly on chairs. Some of them have by their side the same people that had left the room before. In the center of the stage are the presenters and in front of them is a table with a large white box on top.
'Welcome Brenda.' says one of the presenters. Brenda recognizes the presenters, they are extremely famous, just being next to them is a gift.
'Thank you, Hamada-san.'
'Oh, you know us?'
'Of course, you're Downtown.'
'Where do you come from, Brenda?'
'I come from a small town called Póvoa de Varzim in Portugal.'
'Wow that's far.'
'Once we're done with her she won't know her way back.' says the other presenter, Matsumoto-san.'
Brenda laughs together with everyone.
'So are you ready to choose your sempai?'
'I am.'
'Well then, put your hand in the box and pull out a ball. The name on the ball will be your sempai.'
'I see.'
'Well, go on then.'
Brenda puts her hand inside the box and chooses the first ball that she touches.
'And your sempai is... Gackt!'
'Do you know Gackt, Brenda?'
'Yes I do.'
'Go and sit by his side then.'
Brenda did as she was told. Gackt is dressed in black clothes and is wearing black boots.
'Hello, sempai.' she says as she sits on a chair by his side.
'Hello, Brenda.' he says.
The show continues and more contestants find their sempai. Finally, it's Rika's turn. Her sempai became the famous boy band ARASHI. Brenda waves at Rika as she takes her seat and Rika waves back. ARASHI looks rather taken aback by being given such a kouhai but Brenda feels that if Rika can show them what she's capable of everything will be alright.
The show finally ends with the presenters explaining the rules to the public:
1. Every 2 weeks one contestant will be eliminated.
2. The contestant to be eliminated is the one with less points to his name.
3. Every contestant must introduce a song to the public, in the form of live performance or a video.
4. The number of sales by each song will be reverted to points.
The contest is in fact very simple to understand but rather difficult to win. If the songs aren't good enough, the sales will be low and you'll be ever closer to losing the game.
'And we're done! See you in 2 weeks! Sayonara!'
The public claps and screams and the show ends.
