They are really too low!

"Don't add any settings to yourself." Hoshino withdrew her finger. To be honest, the girl's face was soft and it was fun to poke it.

Junda Mana rolled her eyes at him, then looked at Toyokawa Shoko beside her and immediately gave her a sincere and gentle smile.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Mana!" Junta Mana warmly shook Toyokawa Shoko's small hand, startling the latter.

"Hello, nice to meet you. I'm Toyokawa Shoko..."

As they talked, Toyokawa Shoko looked puzzled. She felt that the other person looked familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before.

"Wait, are you Junta from the idol group SUMIMI?!" Toyokawa Shoko suddenly realized and her eyes widened.

Her reaction was so exaggerated that Junda Mana, who had been emphasizing her five-time champion status, suddenly became a little embarrassed.

"Even though it's Mana, this makes Mana a little shy."

Toyokawa Shoko looked at Hoshino Mi beside her incredulously. "The friend you're talking about is the hottest idol right now?"

"How...how did you two meet?" Toyokawa Shoko still couldn't believe that the stranger she had just met could know a popular idol.

"Didn't I just say that?" Hoshino knew he was exaggerating a bit, so he cut to the chase, "Mana and I were junior high school classmates. I would occasionally see her at school, so that's how we met."

Toyokawa Shoko was speechless for a moment. This guy was making it sound too easy!

She is one of the most popular idols right now. Not only is she cute, but she also has top-notch singing skills. She is the most promising young idol in the industry today.

As a result, Hoshino not only knew Junda Mana, but was also able to openly go to her house, which is enough to make one's scalp tingle just by thinking about it.

Considering their interaction just now, could this guy have a girlfriend who's a little idol?

However, Toyokawa Shoko didn't care about any of that, because she quickly thought of another figure.

"Do you know Chu Hua too?" Toyokawa Shoko blurted out almost immediately.

“Hatsuka?” Hoshino paused for a moment, then thought for a while, “If you mean Mana’s partner, I have indeed met her a few times, but I’m not very familiar with her.”

Toyokawa Shoko's expression was priceless. She had always thought that Hoshino Mi was just a stranger, but she never expected that the other party would know her childhood friend. What a coincidence!

In other words, will she be able to see Mitsumi Hatsuka soon?

I'll repay them properly after Chapter Thirteen.

Junda Mana won the national singing competition five times in a row. Although Hoshino Mi sometimes questions the value of her achievement, she is extremely proud of it.

Last year, she formed a duo idol group with a girl named Mitsumi Hatsuka, named SUMIMI, and officially began her career in the entertainment industry as an idol.

With her superb singing skills and professional business attitude, SUMIMI was warmly welcomed by the market as soon as she debuted, and can be said to have become an instant hit.

At the time, the media often touted Mana Junta as a national idol of the new century, and SUMIMI was expected to become the next phenomenal idol group in Japan.

Whether it's the Budokan or the Tokyo Dome, SUMIMI, the organization of Mana Junda, has almost never missed a single one.

With these accolades, Mana Junda is indeed one of the most popular idols today, with her songs playing everywhere. No wonder Shoko Toyokawa was so surprised.

However, the reason why Hoshino Mi was able to know Junda Mana was not complicated at all.

The two were students at the same junior high school. Junda Mana's enrollment caused quite a stir, and even Hoshino Mi, a senior student, had heard about the story of the five-time champion.

As a five-time champion, Hoshino was bound to be curious and go over to take a look, and that's how he got scouted.

To be precise, it was the manager of the five-time champion who took a liking to Hoshino Mi. She thought Hoshino Mi had good looks and that even if she didn't become an idol, she would be a good actress.

Hoshino, of course, cautiously declined.

With the system at his disposal, he prefers to be a ruthless boss rather than work for someone else, and ideally, he'd be able to ruthlessly exploit and harvest the intimacy of his idols.

Getting back to the point, Hoshino got to know Junda Mana not because he initiated the conversation, but because Junda Mana took the initiative to approach him.

Because she's also very outgoing, when she learned that the agent had taken a liking to a guy, she immediately ran over to join in the fun.

As they chatted, their relationship gradually improved. Later, Hoshino would often visit her at her company or rehearsal, while Junda Mana would often talk to him about her recent experiences at school, and sometimes she would even sneak a bite of Hoshino's lunch.

After a while, Hoshino realized that the two of them should now be considered good friends.

That's why Toyokawa Shoko felt that Hoshino Mi and Junda Mana's interaction was a bit intimate.

……

As the piano music gradually stopped, Toyokawa Shoko lowered her hands and took a deep breath.

She just improvised a piece from Schubert's Piano Fantasy in F minor, and her performance was even better than usual.

"Wow, you play so well! You sound just as good as my old teacher!" Junda Mana clenched her two little fists and placed them on her chest, her eyes shining as she looked at Toyokawa Shoko. "Shoko, how long have you been learning piano?"

Toyokawa Shoko was a little unaccustomed to Junda Mana's overly familiar manner, recalling, "I've been learning for a long time, probably seven or eight years."

As she spoke, a hint of sadness flashed in her eyes; the person who used to praise her was no longer there.

"Hey, Xiaoxiang, you started learning piano when you were very young?" As if she had found a common topic, Junda Mana chuckled. "Mana used to learn piano too, but hehehe... I don't think I have any talent for the piano, so I went to participate in a singing competition instead."

Actually, the piano in my house has been gathering dust for a long time. If I hadn't suddenly remembered it recently, I probably would have continued to use it as a decoration in the living room.

Of course, it wasn't a spur-of-the-moment thing for Junda Mana to remember that she had a piano at home; it was because her new song needed piano accompaniment.

According to her plan, she secretly learned to play the piano and then used it as a secret weapon to give her good partner a little surprise.

During the actual performance, she played the piano and sang at the same time, and she could also look at her partner affectionately, showing elegance and tacit understanding, which ignited the whole audience.

It was because of this idea that Hoshino Mi described her as someone who only had a three-minute attention span.

Shoko Toyokawa, unaware of the inside story, felt both confident and hesitant after finishing her piano playing. It wasn't until she saw Mi Hoshino next to her that she finally made up her mind.

"What do you think, Ms. Junta?" Toyokawa Shoko took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, and turned to look at Junta Mana.

Toyokawa Shoko knew she had no way out, and this was the best opportunity.

"Xiao Xiang, you're too kind. Just call me Mana!" Junta Mana initially expressed her dissatisfaction, but then felt embarrassed. "However, Mana needs to discuss this for a while, but don't worry, I'll give you an answer soon!"

Toyokawa Shoko thought she was going to discuss it with her family, but instead she saw her pull on Hoshino Mi's sleeve and lead her to the balcony.

"Ken, how long have you known her?" Junta Mana whispered to Hoshino Mi.

"We just met yesterday. I saw she was looking for a job, and then I thought of you." Hoshino whispered as well, but he had to lower his head slightly so he wouldn't hear Junta Mana's voice.

"I don't want to think like that." Junda Mana pouted, but quickly recovered. "She does play the piano very well; she should be at a professional level."

Perhaps wanting to whisper something so that Toyokawa Shoko wouldn't hear, the girl stood very close. Hoshino could smell the virgin fragrance emanating from her, and his gaze easily fell on her fair collarbone. Her full, soft breasts were noticeably more developed than those of girls her age.

Such laxity in defense was truly appalling, Hoshino reluctantly looked away.

Junda Mana was completely unaware; she was still deep in thought with Hoshino Mi.

"Hmm, Mana is a good candidate, but as you know, Mana is only enthusiastic for a short time. She might give up learning piano next month, and she's usually busy with work, so she doesn't have much time to practice piano."

So you do have some self-awareness!

However, this is also true. Junda Mana's desire to learn piano now is just a passing fancy, and she will eventually be disappointed. Besides, she also has various troublesome idol work, and sometimes she can't even go to school.

If she weren't resting today, Hoshino wouldn't have seen her here. Many people need to make an appointment to see her; the idol's schedule is always packed.

She wants to learn piano, but I estimate she'll only have enthusiasm for it for a month or two.

Hoshino glanced back and saw that Toyokawa Shoko had already stood next to the grand piano, her hands in front of her, her fingers unconsciously twirling, her eyes lowered, waiting quietly and somewhat reservedly for him and Junda Mana to discuss things.

"How about I owe you a favor today?" Hoshino said softly as he looked away.

"I'm a little hesitant about favors," Junda Mana sighed. "Do you really have to help her?"

"She plays the piano quite well," Hoshino said softly.

"Mana sings well and is cute too." Junta Mana smiled as she stared at Hoshino Mi.

“I mean her skill level perfectly meets your requirements.” Hoshino suddenly felt a lot of pressure. “Anyway, you only want to learn for a short while. You might not have the time to find a proper piano teacher, so why not choose someone else…”

“That won’t work. Don’t try to fool Mana.” Junta Mana stretched out her index finger and gently poked Hoshino Mi’s cheek. “Tell Mana the truth. Even if you say you’re interested in her, Mana won’t mind.”

Hoshino was somewhat tempted, but then he felt the girl's pressure on him increase.

"At first, I saw her getting soaked in the rain on the street and felt sorry for her, so I thought I might as well help her." Hoshino finally told the truth, "If possible, I would also like to be friends with her."

Junda Mana withdrew her index finger and revealed a bright smile: "So you're making friends. In that case, Mana won't hold it against you. After all, you've always been like this, always going up to greet everyone you see. It's really worrying."

Hoshino was speechless. What's wrong with greeting people? If he greets strangers, he might just run into the system's target and get free rewards. It's a very meaningful thing, isn't it?

However, she didn't ask any further questions, and Hoshino didn't hold it against her.

"However, I'll accept this favor, but I'll have to find a way to repay it in the future, okay?"

Junda Mana smiled somewhat reservedly, winking at Hoshino Mi, while revealing two adorable dimples.

Chapter Fourteen: Being Helpful

Mana Junda returned to the living room and sat on the sofa with Shoko Toyokawa.

"Xiao Xiang, Mana has something to ask you!" Junda Mana put on a very serious expression, "Are you short of money?"

Toyokawa Shoko suddenly felt embarrassed and awkward. If she weren't in someone else's house, she probably would have gotten up and left immediately.

This situation of needing someone's help was too awkward for Toyokawa Shoko to bring herself to say it.

Upon seeing this, Junda Mana immediately realized what was happening and quickly waved her hand, saying, "Stop, stop! Mana didn't mean that, Xiaoxiang, don't overthink it!"

Just like Hoshino Mi's previous reaction, Junda Mana also felt that she had asked a question she shouldn't have.

"What Mana wants to say is that since Mana doesn't necessarily have to learn piano, and will probably only learn for a period of time, even if she hires Xiaoxiang, she won't hire him for a long time. So she wants to ask Xiaoxiang if he can accept this."

Toyokawa Shoko understood. What she meant was that this job was temporary and couldn't become her permanent job, which was why she asked if she needed money.

In truth, at this point, she had no other choice.

“Yes, I can accept that. I should be thanking Ms. Mana.” Toyokawa Shoko stood up and bowed slightly to Junta Mana. “Thank you so much for choosing me. I will do my best to fulfill this job.”

Junda Mana blinked; this girl inexplicably gave her the feeling of a fallen rich girl.

Because of Toyokawa Shoko's personality and behavior so far, and even the tone of her voice, there is a sense that she is trying her best to adapt to her current life, but at the same time, she still gives off the feeling of being a rich young lady.

Junda Mana glanced at Hoshino Mi, then said to Toyokawa Shoko, "How about five thousand yen an hour?"

Shoko Toyokawa was taken aback. She didn't know what the salary and benefits were like in the industry, but this salary was much better than the job she had found.

"Isn't that too much?" Toyokawa Shoko said somewhat uncomfortably.

In the past, she certainly wouldn't have had such questions, but since running away from home, life has taught the girl many things.

A temporary job paying 5,000 yen an hour is definitely considered a high-paying job.

“It’s alright. Learning piano is just a passing fancy for Mana. It might cause trouble for Shoko in the future.” Mana Junda smiled. She had originally planned to offer Shoko a salary of eight thousand yen or more than ten thousand yen, but after carefully looking at Shoko Toyokawa, she realized that the other party probably wouldn’t accept that salary.

Toyokawa Shoko must have a good background, which can be seen from her actions and expressions. However, from the moment she entered, she would occasionally show a cautious demeanor, as if she was trying her best to remain calm, but she was also overly concerned about the gazes of Hoshino Mi and Junda Mana.

This girl is too sensitive; if the salary offered is too high, she will be the first to refuse.

"If I want to hire a professional piano teacher, this amount of money isn't enough, and I can't let everyone know." Junda Mana looked slightly troubled. Actually, if she wanted to find a piano teacher, she could ask the company to help her, and she wouldn't need to pay for it herself.

As expected, Toyokawa Shoko visibly breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that the professional price was even higher.

"This... can't I tell your family?" Toyokawa Shoko asked, puzzled.

“Mom won’t mind something like this. Just tell her we’re friends.” Junta Mana blinked. “I just want to keep it a secret from my partner.”

Toyokawa Shoko was even more confused, but she really had no reason to refuse such a job.

“Alright, I won’t let you down, Ms. Mana.” Even though it’s just a temporary job, Toyokawa Shoko is determined to give it her all.

Mana Junda was very happy. Just thinking about playing the beautiful piano on stage made her feel that her good partner would be very surprised.

Seeing that the discussion was almost over, Hoshino said, "You can exchange contact information now. It's time to go back."

"Are you leaving so soon?" Junta Mana was shocked. Was she just a tool?

"I need to go back and prepare dinner. It's inconvenient for Sora to be home alone." Hoshino had a perfectly good reason.

"Hmm, there's nothing we can do about it. By the way, does Kasugano Sora still have no plans to go to school?" Junda Mana knew about Kasugano Sora's situation and looked very concerned.

"She has already enrolled in Toyonosaki High School, so she probably won't be going to school."

"Hey, that's the school Mana wants to go to too!"

"Didn't you already register for Horikoshi High School?"

"This was the manager's and mother's idea, not Mana's original intention!"

"Forget it, you'll cause a sensation no matter which high school you go to now. You might as well stay in Horikoshi."

Horikoshi High School is a school that specializes in training performing arts talents. Many famous idols, models, actors and singers have studied here.