Now this… This is the difficult part.
Kazami-san drove towards our home and now, she sat before the three of us, including Rise and Sera, who occupied the large couch. Even if the air-conditioning was on low, I still felt a slight chill through my skin. My arms and legs crossed, I quickly glanced at and away from her who showed us a strong sitting posture, quite intimidating.
Mom noticed my unease. She prepared tea for her visitor, came towards me, and whispered, "Do you need my help, Kou-chan?"
I paused for a moment, shook my head with eyes closed, and replied with a smirk, "Trust me. I can handle this." I felt that she left with a radiant glow in her head like Buddha.
Kazami-san elegantly drank half of the cup of tea and slowly placed it onto the saucer, her gesture emitting the vibe of a royalty. Silently shaking, we gulped, then she spoke, "I appreciate the taste of the coffee prepared by Mrs. Sugiyama. This is such heartwarming hospitality. Now, I would like to be direct with our intentions–"
"Your intentions were clear. We've heard the news," I inserted.
With a smile accompanied by a loud exhale, she focused her gaze at me and said, "I adore your observation, Kou Sugiyama. Your talent in detail far surpasses our practical designers. I believe you have the potential to surpass–"
Leaning back, my fingertips tapped together, forming a steeple. A playful grin appeared on my face, saying, "Thanks, but… Not that I'm interested in royalties and contracts. We've all witnessed what happened to Hina. It's been pushed on the top of the feed, like an overflowing water bucket. Your point of going here is that… we have the switch to stop the faucet from supplying water." I guess I might've gotten the upper hand here.
Giggling, Kazami-san pinched her chin and replied with a softened voice, "You're interesting. You might also have predicted that I'll come here. But I would request that you stop halting my speech. We can lighten the mood. We're not playing chess here."
"And what are we playing? Total War? You wouldn't have known that Rise was here. But now, your goal changed, isn't it, Kazami-san? You can negotiate both your requests, and you'll gain two answers, two birds on one big stone."
"You're testing my patience, Sugiyama-kun," Kazami-san said, her glare turning to Rise. "Your sister will be at rest for two weeks from overfatigue. She won't be able to judge at the OtakuMania finals, and her viewer count might fade out. Her career might vanish like a bubble pop, and this will affect your family, including your mother's recovery. I will be direct. We will need you to be a substitute for Hina Satou."
Sweating, Rise lowered her gaze, her chin dipping down her chest. She bit her lip, her breathing became shaky. When I touched her back, I felt the vibrations from her trembling back. When she looked at me, I smiled at her, and she calmed down.
Giggling, I responded, "It's ironic to see that you care about your employees. Her sickness and mental state decline were caused by overworking, a flaw your management should've looked into. Did you even consider her thoughts about her job? You might think that being a shining star was her dream, but it was only a necessity. Trading her freedom for responsibility, I admire her… But for the efforts she gave into your agency, rest might've been her only wish."
Kazami-san remained silent, her gaze wandering. For me, this was an opportunity to defend our claims. I leaned forward, extending my arm before Sera, and argued, "Also, only the second question was asked. You haven't even stated your first question yet. Here's your answer. I won't hand over Sera to you. Handing her to your discretion will not only spark danger, but may be the cause of a disaster."
Though I felt like I won, she loosened her limbs and smirked, saying, "Sharp instincts as ever, Sugiyama-kun. With your instincts and wisdom, you might reach up to the top with Sera alone. But what you're doing isn't enough. What she needs is exposure to the public."
"Exposure, you say?" I mocked. "We've witnessed what the Regent of the Glamour cosplayers are capable of, and we consider the talents of those who haven't discovered yet," I said, looking at Rise. Soon, my glare went back to Kazami-san. "Bad news for you, we're not rushing things."
Showing no care for what I said, Kazami-san shifted to Rise and asked, "What about you, Miss Amamiya? I've known your passion for cosplaying far surpasses your sister's. Seeing you perform, I know you have potential to reach higher heights, far greater than what your sister could do."
An internal glow suddenly appeared in Rise's eyes. After holding her breath, she asked, "D–Did Hina-nee tell you that?"
"Why not? There's no one else she could talk to but me. All the stories she told me include you in it, and telling it to me made her happy."
I tilted my head, raised my eyebrows, and asked, "So you're dissing your own employee? Is this how you recruit newbies?"
"I know talent runs in blood, but the motivation to do things drives people to success. With Rise being a temporary Hina Satou, we might be able to scout her talent and give her an individual career."
For the whole time, Sera's lips pressed together in a slight grimace. She unsurely opened and closed her mouth, struggling to find the right words to win the conversation… until she asked, "Is… Is there something in exchange?"
Kazami-san rubbed her chin and smiled at Sera. "Curious now, aren't we?"
Sera deeply inhaled, but soon, her steady breaths became noisy. The eye contact she was avoiding from the start now became a protruding gaze. I noticed her anger as soon as the atmosphere around her became hot.
Her voice shaking, she argued, "You don't know what Rise's even through, and Hina… I know how hard she worked to give the life she wanted for Rise, even if sacrificing her own wants. You're Hina's leader, or is it called a manager… Never mind that! But please know that Hina is a human being too! And all that she wants… What she wants is to be free–"
Sera tried to stand up, but I pulled her down from the seat. I said, "Calm down, Sera. This is a professional conversation. You shouldn't butt in with emotions." Her shoulders drooping, tears already flooded her face. I rubbed her back while hearing the quick cycles of her forced and shortened breathing… I heard another silent cry.
When I turned to Rise, she was already covering her eyes with her arm, her mouth mimicking continuous hiccups. Narrowing my eyes, I asked in a high-pitched tone, "And you're crying too?"
Ten seconds might have passed for this moment. After a hastened burst of exhales like a starting motor, Rise wiped her tears with a napkin I gave her. "I'm… I'm thankful for Sera."
Sighing, Kazami-san tapped her restless foot on the floor and asked Rise without any care in the room. "Rise Amamiya, I will ask one more time. For the sake of your sister, will you become Hina Satou temporarily?"
After gulping, Rise held her head high, a rare phenomenon only seen when she was cosplaying. What's different? Now, she was not in any character.
"I–I will save her… But not in your way." Rise stood up, chin up, chest out, looking strongly on Kazami-san with an alerting gaze. Putting her hand on her chest, she announced with an articulate tone. "I am not Hina Amamiya, and I will never hide behind my sister's shadow ever again." Though her arm was shaking, Rise pointed at Kazami-san in a wide stance.
"I will break that inhumane contract and I will take her away from you! I am Rise, and I will save her my way!"
A response from a winner… Kazami-san laughed softly and rested her head on her hand resting on her knee. Her sharp eyes sparkled and gleamed with her wide grin, uttering, "Then try me."