Chapter 10 Part 2: Withdrawal

After sticking the resignation letter in the president’s face, I stood blankly in front of the dorm entrance.

“….I have to go in.”

It was something I had definitely resolved to do, but trying to tell the kids, my body wouldn’t move properly.

I wasn’t even this nervous when I first auditioned here.

“If it’s too hard even now, just tell me. I’ll tell them instead.”

“…No, this is something I have to do.”

Just before entering the dorm, I answered Sion who asked beside me.

No matter how much pressure there was from the agency, ultimately, it was my decision.

If the kids blame me for this, it would be sad, but I was willing to accept it completely.

‘Honestly, even I would probably resent it to some extent.’

In desperate situations, people’s hearts don’t always act as intended.

Even older adults get angry in such situations, let alone kids who have just become adults.

“…Ren, are you really going to be okay with that?”

Sion, his face now beyond worry and half-tearful, asked me.

In Japan, it was common for the manager who handles an artist’s schedule and the producer not to be separately distinguished.

Having been with me from Cornelia’s birth until now, the bond between us was inevitably deep.

If either Nana or Sion hadn’t been there, the Cornelia of today wouldn’t exist at all.

While I was thinking about the future, Sion asked me once again.

“…Well then, everyone will overcome it.”

Members changing groups is something other idols frequently experience anyway.

Even in my past life, there were cases where the leader of a famous idol group retired from the entertainment industry, but the group itself usually remained intact.

“…That’s not it. Are you really going to be okay?”

“……”

Avoiding his eyes as he asked me with a serious expression, I slightly turned my head.

Of course, I’m close with our members too, but if I had to choose the person I’ve been with the longest among my acquaintances, it would be Sion.

Having met him since first entering the entertainment industry and joining this company, we knew each other very well.

The person he was asking if they were okay right now wasn’t the members, but me.

“….Of course, I’m not okay.”

Because of that girl Hikari, I have to retire as if being chased out, abandoning everything I’ve built so far; how could I be okay?

If I could be perfectly fine without any emotions in this situation, I should become a Buddha, not an idol.

“…Yeah, I thought so.”

Seeing Ren like that, Sion let out a sigh.

Will the situation really improve if she retires from being an idol like this?

With the stigma of being a controversy-ridden idol bound to follow her, it was doubtful whether she, lacking good academic credentials, could even find proper employment.

‘Of course, things won’t get better just because I hold her back.’

Although he was just a newcomer to society, he could guess that the future of an artist who had properly antagonized their agency like her would be bleak.

Ultimately, all Sion could do for Ren was wish her well for the future.

“….Don’t go thinking weird things. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

No matter how much he was the producer managing the group, ultimately, Sion was just an employee.

An employee who could be replaced anytime at the president’s word.

No matter how hard he tried, it was unlikely to have any real effect.

“Ah, Unnie! Producer is coming with you?”

“…Ah, yeah.”

As we entered the dorm, Airi, who happened to be near the entrance, greeted us.

Passing her and heading inside the dorm, the members who were resting at that moment came into view.

“Ren unnie, are you two on a date?”

“Uh, Unnie, no! If you really date, then! It violates that! Contract clause…!”

“Our contract doesn’t have that clause, Hina.”

Yui, trying to playfully tease me without hesitation today as well, Hina flustered seeing her, and Natsume calming Hina down.

Thinking that I could no longer see this sight, which had become a part of daily life, a corner of my heart kept aching.

“Unnie? Is something wrong…?”

Perhaps worried by my lack of response, Airi cautiously asked me.

Right, might as well pull the ox’s horn out at once. It’s better to just say it quickly.

“Ah, yes…”

At my words, Airi called the other members who were in their rooms into the living room.

Gathered like that were the five original members, excluding me.

Hikari? That girl seemed to have disappeared somewhere again, not even a trace of her was visible.

‘Right, it’s better if she’s not here.’

What else would I do but get angry seeing that face right now? For various reasons, I wanted to avoid getting involved with her as much as possible.

“Um… Unnie?”

At her words, I came to my senses and looked around; all the members seemed curious about what I was going to say.

Right, it’s better if I say it rather than them hearing it from Sion.

“What’s going on…”

Perhaps sensing the seriousness in my atmosphere, Hina and Natsume, who had been bantering amongst themselves.

Even Yui, who had been joking just moments ago, quietly waited for my answer.

After taking a slow, deep breath, I announced calmly.

“I’ve decided to retire from being an idol.”

Perhaps shocked by the sudden retirement announcement.

A suffocating silence instantly filled the room.

“Yes…?”

How much time passed like that? Airi asked me in a trembling voice, seemingly in shock.

“Uh, Unnie… you’re joking.. right?”

“….Sorry, I wish it were a joke too.”

I answered her words bitterly.

If I knew it would turn out like this, I should have just ignored the original story and everything and joined a better agency. If I had done that, maybe I wouldn’t have had to part ways because of a president who only cares about his niece.

‘No, maybe that would have been impossible due to the ‘restraining force’ anyway.’

Considering that the major events eventually happened after Hikari joined, perhaps I would have gotten entangled somehow once the original story’s timeline began, no matter what.

“Did, did we do something wrong?”

Hina asked me in a trembling voice.

Perhaps due to her personality, which was particularly sensitive among us, tears began to well up in her eyes.

“No, you guys did nothing wrong. It’s just… a problem between me and the company.”

Naturally, there was no way these kids were at fault.

The company is the bad one; the artists who were quietly doing their jobs were not at fault.

“….Ren unnie, don’t go.”

Simultaneously, Yui hugged me.

Perhaps because she was the shortest among our members, she fit snugly in my arms when she hugged me.

“I won’t tease Unnie ever again…”

“….Don’t cry, Yui.”

I slowly stroked Yui’s head.

Normally, I would have pushed her away for clinging like this, but I didn’t want to right now.

“Just because I’m gone, don’t bother other people, and especially leave Sion alone.”

Although no answer came back from Yui, I felt her nod slightly.

The air in the dorm was heavier than ever before.

“….Unnie, is this perhaps because of Hikari?”

Natsume, having recovered somewhat from the shock, asked me with a dark face.

“…No, it’s not like that.”

After hesitating for a moment, I denied Natsume’s words.

Since she was practically in cahoots with the company, it was fair to assume her influence was involved in my sexual favor case too.

Nevertheless, the reason I didn’t point fingers at Hikari was singular.

I couldn’t let friction arise between them because of me, who was leaving this group.

‘Who knows what else that kid might do.’

No matter how sad things are, the living must go on living.

If, by chance, my problem causes the other kids to fall out of favor too, they might become the targets then.

“….Okay.”

Fortunately, Natsume seemed to understand my intention and didn’t probe further.

Relieved inwardly by her reaction, my moment of peace was short-lived as I turned my head at the sound of crying from the side.

“….Nano.”

“Huaaaang! Unnie!”

At that single word, Nano burst into the tears she had barely been holding back and rushed towards me.

Wham!

“Don’t go! I, I was wrong…!! I just gave up the center position, and now even Unnie…!”

“….Nano.”

“I’ll just say I don’t like things I don’t like from now on…!”

I gently hugged Nano, who had instantly taken Yui’s place beside me.

Seeing her crying so heartbrokenly, I felt like I might cry too.

Starting with her, the other members also approached me.

“Unnie, then maybe we should also together…”

“…No, you guys stay here.”

Honestly, if I had my way, I wouldn’t want to leave these kids in a company like this.

‘But, everyone still has time left until their contracts end.’

Unlike me, who only had to take responsibility for myself even with a penalty fee, those kids had families they had to be responsible for together.

Even if the penalty fee issue could be resolved, there was no guarantee another agency would accept them. I couldn’t recklessly let them follow me out.

“Unnie….”

“Don’t worry, the company won’t treat you carelessly either.”

Losing me, even that bastard president will feel some sense of crisis.

If nothing else, he’s meticulous about money-related matters.

Once they realize that other members might also leave because of me, the company won’t be able to treat these kids carelessly.

“Unnie, you’ll still keep in touch often, right?”

“….Yeah.”

Honestly, I couldn’t give a definite answer to that question.

In this world, they were the good guys, and I was the villain.

Whatever happened outside, in the story, it was a relationship where ties could never form.

‘But, I don’t want to see the kids sadder than this.’

Well, occasionally exchanging survival updates should be enough.

Ignoring the slight pang in a corner of my heart, I quietly stroked Nano’s head.