"Alright, fine. I'll consider helping. She seems like a gem worth investing in, and besides, it’s been a while since someone came to me for a favor,” Rurika said, her tone light but decisive.
"Are you sure? I feel a little guilty asking," Raven replied, a hint of hesitation in his voice.
"I'm the boss. What’s there to worry about? Idol activities aren't something I do to make money anyway. Whatever I choose to do, it’s my decision," Rurika responded with a smirk, still catching her breath from laughing.
It seemed that Rurika had seen something in Aisha beyond her stunning looks—perhaps a glimpse of her latent talent or charisma. With this, the hardest obstacle was effectively cleared.
Rurika’s agency was one she had established herself to deal with troublesome matters directly. Having a well-known troubleshooter as the head of the agency made it an organization no one could mess with lightly.
Anyone foolish enough to try leveraging authority to crush them could find themselves facing physical retaliation, leaving them with no room to complain. While the agency was small in scale, Rurika’s popularity ensured it was far from insignificant.
For Aisha, this was nothing short of a heaven-sent opportunity. Who would have thought that hiring Raven for a relatively modest request would lead to grabbing such a golden lifeline? Life truly has a way of surprising you.
“But there’s a condition,” Rurika said, raising a finger.
"A condition?" Raven tilted his head, curious.
Rurika, as if it were no big deal, waved her hand casually.
“I’m planning to shoot a new music video for my latest song. It works out perfectly, so let me use your team for it.”
Her eyes flicked toward Alice, her expression mischievous.
“Especially the one with pink hair. She’ll make it more interesting.”
The group blinked in confusion at her sudden proposition, clearly caught off guard.
A music video? Did she mean one of those videos that play alongside songs? Alice, in particular, looked puzzled, tilting her head as if questioning whether something so trivial could really be the condition.
However, knowing Rurika's track record, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Alice. Rurika had clearly set her sights on her, and from what I knew, Alice was in for quite the ordeal.
Her road ahead was bound to be anything but easy.
*
Rurika’s proposal was a deal too good to refuse on our end.
Getting so much in return for merely shooting a few minutes of footage? It almost felt unfair. Naturally, thoughts like that came to mind.
However, the following day, when we arrived at the filming site early in the morning to shoot Rurika’s music video, we were confronted with the truth of what we’d agreed to.
“This... this can’t be real,” Alice muttered, wide-eyed.
“Is this actually happening?” David echoed in disbelief.
“Of course it’s real. What, none of you have ever been on a fighter jet before?” Rurika asked with a smirk.
“Of course not!” Alice shouted, jumping back in alarm.
Her outburst wasn’t without reason. In front of her stood a fighter jet—no replica, but an actual military aircraft.
Using a fighter jet in a music video? And it wasn’t even a prop? Alice, already overwhelmed by the situation, shot a pleading look at Raven.
Raven, unfazed, casually rubbed his chin and replied, “Didn’t you look up this girl’s music videos last night? She’s used tanks and aircraft carriers before. A fighter jet is tame.”
“What? I thought that was all CGI! How could anyone think it was real?”
Rurika’s music videos were infamous for their over-the-top absurdity, defying conventional idol norms.
From singing atop a moving tank to speeding across an aircraft carrier on a motorcycle, her stunts weren’t just bold—they were borderline reckless.
David, ever the encyclopedia of knowledge, cleared his throat and began an explanation.
“Ahem. Rurika is particularly famous for her power performances that no conventional idol could replicate. Flipping tanks, jumping off moving buses, leaping from skyscrapers... She pairs her cute looks with surreal, daring feats, and it’s precisely this contrast that draws in her fans.”
“Exactly. Some people still think it’s staged, but I don’t bother lying about these things. Fans love it when the stunts are real. Of course, since this is near a civilian airport, the jet’s been stripped of its weapons,” Rurika added with a shrug.
Her nonchalant attitude about these dangerous stunts made it clear she saw no reason to fake anything. For her, the idea of staging such acts seemed laughable.
However, Alice, now thrust into the role of the music video’s protagonist, was left pulling her hair in despair.
She looked ready to pound the ground in frustration. After all, being asked to climb onto a fighter jet in the middle of a chilly day wasn’t exactly what she’d signed up for.
Unmoved by Alice’s distress, Rurika tapped her on the shoulder with the rolled-up script in her hand.
“You’ve read the script, right? This music video has a bit of a story. I needed someone else to act alongside me, and Alice, I need you to give it your all.”
“This is ridiculous... Truly ridiculous...” Alice groaned.
“And for the rest of you, keep your timing in check. Yuria and Aisha, just make some appearances here and there—it’s too dangerous for you to do more than that,” Rurika instructed.
“Understood.”
“Sure thing.”
With the wind whipping through the open-air filming site, we split up to change into costumes.
When everyone returned, dressed for their respective roles, all eyes naturally fell on Alice. She stood there, hunched and awkward, visibly uncomfortable in her outfit.
“Uh... is this really okay? Isn’t this just... a swimsuit?”
Even though Alice often wore a revealing kimono that bared much of her thighs, her current attire was something else entirely.
A bikini top with thin straps, paired with a sheer jacket, and denim hot pants so short they barely covered anything—it was an outfit more suited for a beach than an airfield.
“You look great,” Raven said with a rare tone of admiration, nodding approvingly.
“Perfect,” David agreed.
“Well, of course you’d say that!” Alice snapped, her frustration boiling over.
Her figure, strikingly curvaceous and well-proportioned, only added to the overall impact of the outfit. Even Raven, who usually didn’t view her romantically, couldn’t help but be impressed.
I, on the other hand, simply watched with sympathy. If I’d been put in that position, I would have outright refused. Thankfully, my costume was far more modest.
Rurika’s gaze swept over the group until it landed squarely on me. Her eyes lit up like a child spotting an unexpected treasure in a toy store.
“Oh, a gothic lolita outfit with flowing silver hair and a delicate frame. So intriguing. I’m dying to know what’s behind that fox mask. Should I just rip it off?”
I froze as she leaned in so close that I could feel her breath. Her fingers lightly traced my shoulder, sending a shiver down my spine. I felt like a rabbit caught in a snake’s gaze.
“Cut it out. You’re scaring her. If you want to tease someone, stick to Alice,” Raven interjected, stepping between us.
Visit ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com for the 𝑏est n𝘰vel reading experience.
“Fine, fine. Hey, Yuria, if you’re interested in being an idol, let me know. Okay?” Rurika said with a grin before elbowing Raven in the ribs.
With that ordeal behind us, we finally began filming. The plot of the music video was simple: Alice, playing a heroine dreaming of freedom, stumbled her way through Night Haven before climbing onto the wings of a fighter jet and soaring through the skies, basking in her newfound liberty.
Confused by the storyline? Don’t overthink it. Music videos don’t need deep meaning. This one felt more like an excuse to show off the fighter jet. At least it would be visually stunning.
“That was perfect! In a music video, the actors, the direction, and the song are key, and this hits all the marks!” Rurika exclaimed, clearly satisfied.
“R-Really? That’s a relief...” Alice stammered.
“Now, let’s do two more takes! This time, I’ll be up there with you!”
“W-Wait, two more? No way! I’m done with climbing onto jets!”
Alice’s protests went unheeded, and she reluctantly endured the grueling shoots for Aisha’s sake.
By the end of the day, the filming wrapped up without any major issues. As payment for our help, Aisha officially joined Rurika’s agency—a milestone in her journey toward achieving her dream.
For Aisha, who had never even stood at a fair starting line before, this was her first real opportunity. Blushing slightly, she expressed her gratitude to each of us.
“Thank you, truly. I didn’t expect this much. I’ll never forget this kindness.”
“You don’t need to thank us. If you’re grateful, just promote our office when you make it big,” Raven replied with a smirk.
“You’re so shameless,” Aisha giggled.
After embracing each of us in turn, Aisha left with a radiant smile, as if freed from the chains that had once bound her. She was entirely different from the defeated girl we had first met.
With the job done, Raven suggested using the payment to treat ourselves to a feast. As I followed him to the restaurant, I couldn’t help but reflect.
Someday, when this temporary gig ends, I won’t get to see scenes like this anymore. While I won’t miss the chaos, I think I’ll miss the noise.