Girl idols are meant to be exploited!

Seeing Xingchuan Taku coming out, she almost subconsciously straightened her upper body and asked impatiently: "How is it? What did Sister Xingge say? Did she explain it clearly?"

"She was already drunk. Hong Xia answered the phone and said we'd find a time to meet her tomorrow after she wakes up."

Taku Hoshikawa walked over to Hiroi and sat down, picked up the bottle of beer, tilted his head back and drank it down in one gulp.

Hiroi glanced at the beer in Xingchuan's hand secretly, his throat rolled subconsciously, but he still silently withdrew his gaze, and did not dare to say that he wanted to drink it too.

After drinking half the bottle in one breath, Taku Hoshikawa let out a long breath, turned his head, and looked at the uneasy Kikuri Hiroi in front of him with a playful look.

"You've caused me so much trouble, and you still dare to come see me..."

After escaping with Pochi, Hiroi Kikuri hesitated for a long time, but finally decided to take the blame and personally meet Hoshikawa Taku to explain the situation.

When Hoshikawa Taku heard what happened from her, he was very surprised.

He and Hiroi Kikuri signed a confidentiality agreement, which clearly stated that if Hiroi revealed Pochi's true identity, he would have to pay a high penalty.

When signing the contract two months ago, Taku Hoshikawa was still very confident that with Hiroi's personality of getting carried away and talking nonsense when drunk, the news would probably be leaked out soon.

Then, he could use this as a threat and naturally get Hiroi to join the firm.

However, unexpectedly, she kept her mouth shut so tightly that she didn't utter a single word for two whole months.

Hoshikawa Taku originally thought that this confidentiality agreement would be useless and was ready to give up on signing Hiroi Kikuri, but she suddenly let the cat out of the bag without any warning...

Hiroi Kikuri is like this. When you have expectations of her, she will always disappoint you. When you no longer have expectations of her, she will suddenly give you something big.

Hoshikawa Taku looked at Hiroi with scrutiny and said in a deep voice, "Hiroi, since you dare to come here, it means you are ready, right?"

"The confidentiality agreement you signed with me states that if you reveal Guitar Hero's true identity, you'll need to pay me three million yen in liquidated damages."

"Three...three million! Nuo? Is that so much!?"

Hiroi's eyes widened and he jumped up from the sofa in fright.

When Hiroi signed the contract, she was drunk by Hoshikawa Taku. Although she knew there was such a thing as liquidated damages, she didn't pay much attention to the specific number. She didn't expect it to be so high!

Although three million yen may not sound like a lot, the system guarantees this amount of money every time Taku Hoshikawa signs an artist, but for Kikuri Hiroi, it is an astronomical sum of money.

She had never saved even 500,000 yen, let alone 3 million, which was a figure that was deliberately suffocating her.

Xingchuan held his chin and nodded with a half-smile: "Well, no more, no less, three million. You signed the contract yourself, don't you want to go back on your word?"

Guangjing bit his lip, his face full of reluctance and helplessness.

"Since I've come to you, I intend to take this responsibility... But, three million yen is too much, isn't it? Even if you sell me, I'm not worth that much!"

Hiroi Kikuri also hesitated for a long time before making up her mind to take responsibility.

She thought that the penalty she would have to pay would be at most 500,000 yen, and she could repay it with a little effort.

But three million yen... her total income in the year when her band was at its peak was not that much!

Hoshikawa looked her up and down and said teasingly, "That's not necessarily true. I think your value is quite high. If you repay me with your body... it's worth at least 5 million yen, right?"

"You're really planning to sell me out!"

"No, I was just kidding."

The smile on Hoshikawa Taku's face gradually faded. "But if you really don't have money, there are solutions."

Guangjing blinked and asked cautiously: "...What method?"

Taku Hoshikawa leaned lazily on the sofa, smiling like a fox.

"If you're willing to join my firm, I'll let you use your salary to slowly repay the three million. In installments, zero interest. How's that? Sounds humane, doesn't it?"

Chapter 231: If you are being “kept”, don’t talk about independent personality.

"As expected... you still want me to join your firm."

Hearing the conditions proposed by Hoshikawa Taku, Hiroi Kikuri smiled bitterly and lowered her head.

She had expected Hoshikawa Taku to say this.

"I'd like to ask, why are you so resistant?"

Taku Hoshikawa tilted his head slightly, sitting lazily, but his eyes were fixed on her intently.

"Now your friends Shima and Eliza have signed, and you're the only one left. If you're willing to join, you can re-form SickHack and continue to perform on stage."

"With my connections, your band can get more business orders. Even a monthly income of 400,000 or 500,000 yen is not a dream."

"Even if you drink, you still need money to live, right? Are you really planning to work in Xingge's livehouse for the rest of your life? Be a receptionist who doesn't earn much to live on? Or..."

Xingchuan Taku changed his tone and said with a hint of joking, "Do you hate me so much?"

He sighed, pretending to be disappointed.

"Yeah, you're supposed to hate me. After all, not only did I break you up from your bandmates, I also left you with a massive debt of 300 million yen. You do have reason to hate me..."

Hiroi Kikuri didn't want to be misunderstood, so she raised her head and explained quickly:

"I don't hate you! You signed contracts with Shima, Eliza, and the others to help them. I also hope that they will have better development. As for the liquidated damages I owe, I let it slip. I deserve it. I don't blame you!"

If Hiroi really hated Taku Hoshikawa, she wouldn't have come today. She would have run away like a deadbeat.

The fact that she was willing to come to Taku Hoshikawa's residence late at night proved that she had a very high degree of affection for Taku Hoshikawa.

"Then why?"

Hoshikawa Taku asked again.

Hiroi Kikuri hesitated for a long time before blushing and whispering, "I just, just... I don't want to treat you as my boss. I don't want to have that kind of distant superior-subordinate relationship with you."

She paused for a moment, clenched her fists, and said as if she had made up her mind: "Xingchuan, you said that as long as I quit drinking, you would let me be your girlfriend."

"I think... even if I really want to go to your office, I should at least quit drinking first..."

"Is that what you had in mind?"

Hoshikawa Taku couldn't help laughing, he was really cute.

However, he didn't offer Guangjing any comfort. Instead, he said mercilessly, "Then let me tell you, you will never be able to quit drinking on your own. You will never achieve this wish in your lifetime."

"Why do you say that!"

Hiroi frowned and retorted dissatisfiedly.

She thought about it for a long time before coming up with this plan, but Hoshikawa Taku rejected her idea with just one sentence!

She asked herself, she has changed a lot in the past few days, maybe in time, she can really quit drinking successfully!

Hoshikawa Taku shook his head helplessly.

"To stop drinking, you either need extreme self-discipline or someone who can control you - someone who can forcibly take the bottle from your hand when you lose your patience."

"You're working in a livehouse now, and you're exposed to alcohol every day. It's like putting candy in front of a child. Can you resist?"

"As for letting someone else control you... come on, Xingge is an alcoholic herself, do you think she can help you?"

Guangjing opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word of rebuttal.

She had to admit that what Hoshikawa Taku said made sense.

Although she vowed to quit drinking, she has been controlling herself these days and has greatly reduced the amount of alcohol she drinks. She only drinks a few glasses at most every day.

However, only she herself knew that she was not satisfied and that "addiction" could not be suppressed at all.

Every time she served beer to customers, she felt her throat itching.

Maybe she could endure it for a few days, but sooner or later she would not be able to bear the uncomfortable withdrawal reaction and would drink heavily.

"Then what should I do……"

Guangjing clenched his hands, lowered his head and said aggrievedly, "I have tried my best, but this is all I can do..."

"I'm not blaming you. You've done a great job. But it's not enough to do it alone. You need help from others, like... me."

As he spoke, Hoshikawa Taku suddenly stood up and took off his coat without warning.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing?"

Guangjing screamed immediately and quickly raised his hands to cover his eyes, but his fingers were spread wide apart and he was still secretly glancing out of the corner of his eyes.

"Don't be nervous yet. I just want you to see the results of self-discipline."

As Hoshikawa Taku said this, he calmly lifted up his shirt, allowing Hiroi Kikuri to see his "well-trained" body.

With broad shoulders, a firm chest, smooth and powerful muscle lines, and a sculptural beauty, Hiroi Kikuri swallowed unconsciously.

"This figure... is it really something you achieved through exercise?"

"Yes."

Hoshikawa Taku admitted it without batting an eyelid, "I exercise every day and have a regular sleep schedule every week. It's all thanks to my 'sweat and hard work' that I have the body I have today."

Hiroi couldn't help but touch Hoshikawa Taku's abdominal muscles.

Compared to the vague outline he had seen in the infirmary last time, his figure now seemed to be even stronger and more sturdy. Hiroi even felt that perhaps Hoshikawa Taku could hold her up with one hand...

Hiroi couldn't help but think of some bad things, and the blush on his cheeks gradually spread to his ears.

She quickly withdrew her hand and said with a blushing face: "I know, put your clothes down!"

For Hiroi, who was awake, the impact of this body was quite great.

Xingchuan Taku listened to her and put down his clothes, then said:

"Hiroi, if you're willing to join the agency, I'll force you to be self-disciplined and quit drinking, just like I forced myself to be. By then, you'll be able to confidently stand on stage and sing even without drinking."

"Don't you want to change? This is your best opportunity. You know, if you want to hire a professional personal trainer, it will cost at least one or two million yen a year, but I can teach you for free."

Hoshikawa Taku paused, then said in a bewitching tone, "As long as you are determined to train with me, I will also provide you with food and accommodation. You will no longer need to live in that low-rent housing without even a bathroom. You can have a good meal every day without spending any money..."

"So, do you want to join the firm now?"

What Taku Hoshikawa said is very tempting to any normal woman, not to mention Kikuri Hiroi, who has no money now and relies on free meals and work meals for food.

Just as Hoshikawa Taku said, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her. Not only could she quit drinking, but she also didn't have to worry about her three meals a day. It was like being "kept"...

Wait, support?

Hiroi Kikuri suddenly had an idea and couldn't help asking, "Xingchuan, you said accommodation is included, where will you let me stay? In the guest room of your house?"

"I'll rent you a single apartment nearby with a separate shower..."

Before Hoshikawa Taku finished speaking, he saw the disappointment in Hiroi Kikuri's eyes and changed the subject, "Of course, if you'd like to stay in the guest room, I don't mind. I can also keep a close eye on you to prevent you from drinking secretly."

I can actually live with Hoshikawa Taku!

Hiroi Kikuri's breathing became rapid when she heard this.

When she first came to Taku Hoshikawa's house, she fell in love with the unoccupied guest room, but unfortunately Taku Hoshikawa only let her stay for one night and not for a permanent stay.

Unexpectedly, now Taku Hoshikawa actually said that as long as she joined the agency, he would be willing to give the room to her!

This means that as long as she nods, she can eat, live and use the same bathroom with Hoshikawa Taku...

Although once she nodded, she would lose her usual free and casual life. She would no longer be able to drink at will or stay up late every day.

But there are gains and losses, and Hiroi Kikuri also knows that if you are being kept by someone, you shouldn't talk about "independent personality".

Hiroi Kikuri was already moved at this moment and could not find any reason to refuse.

However, she still did not agree on the spot.

"...Can I think about it for another day? I'll give you an answer tomorrow."

She said hesitantly.

"of course can."

Hoshikawa Taku smiled, picked up the beer bottle on the coffee table, took another sip, and then the tone of his next words suddenly became cold.

"But remember, Hiroi, I'm serious. If you don't want to join the firm, I'll make you pay every penny of that 3 million yen penalty."

"You could say I'm forcing you to choose this path—you have no other choice."

Hiroi Kikuri stared at Hoshikawa Taku in a daze.

He seemed to be threatening and forcing, but Guangjing knew that everything he did was to find a way to save himself, to stop himself from falling into depravity and become a normal person.

"Xingchuan...why are you doing this to me?"