Returning Transcendent Opens an Idol Agency

Chapter 195: Precious moments with Prototypes

The recording studio in Myth Inc. HQ... or in other words, Alphy's room.

While the new generation of Project MirAIs was hard at work sorting out the information for their debuts, the current generation of Project MirAIs were hard at work as well preparing for their first big concert.

Rin took off her headphones and let out a sigh. Looking towards the one-sided mirror on the side of the recording booth, she smiled and said, "How'd I do, Onee-chan? Aneue?"

A speaker crackled, and then Alphy's voice echoed in the booth. "That was amazing, Rin!"

The speaker crackled again and Asako's voice echoed. "Yeah. Sounding a lot better than me at least."

Rin set her headphones down on a stand next to the mic before leaving the booth. As she walked out, she said, "You give yourself too little credit, Aneue. Your voice is beautiful, you know?"

Asako shook her head. "I dunno about that..."

Alphy smiled. "Have confidence! Even if you sounded like a drowning rat in the beginning, you sound like a beautiful swan now, Asako!"

"Drowning rat?!"

Rin laughed and then grabbed a water bottle from a cooler near the entrance to the booth. Cracking it open, she took a sip and looked at her fellow genmates.

While she was recording, Asako and Alphy manned the mixing station.

...Well, it was mostly just using the headphones there to listen and give feedback, but it was still super important.

It was a bit surreal though considering the outfits they were wearing.

Rin shook her head and looked down at her own clothes.

A frilly white blouse with an orange ribbon and matching highlights. A pleated and lacy skirt that was also orange. White boots with black stockings and then a pair of white gloves.

In short, a real and authentic idol uniform.

Tugging at her ribbon, she said, "I still can't believe this is real."

Asako glanced at Rin and then nodded, adjusting her own ribbon. "Tell me about it... I've seen these sorts of outfits a lot in the past, but I never thought I'd be wearing one. And not as a real idol."

Unlike Rin's outfit, Asako's idol uniform had blue highlights instead of orange.

Alphy smiled and gave a light twirl, causing her skirt to swish. "I think it's beautiful!" She stopped and let the skirt settle down before saying, "I never had the chance to wear anything this cute, so it's really fun!"

Her uniform was also a different color, a light silver to match Alfi's color scheme. But because of Alphy's pristine white skin and her silky black hair, it also helped emphasize her beauty by contrasting with both.

Asako frowned and said, "Just what kind of life did you even live before now, Alphy?"

Alphy froze and then lowered her head. "A very harsh and cold one."

"A-Ah." Asako coughed. "Sorry."

Alphy raised her head and smiled. "It's okay." She placed her right hand over her heart and said, "I already have more than I could have ever wanted, so even if the past was harsh... I couldn't be any happier."

"Onee-chan!" Rin ran over and pulled Alphy into a hug. "I'll make sure you never cry again!"

Alphy laughed and hugged Rin back. "I'll make sure you won't either, Rin! I love you!"

"I love you too!"

Asako's eye twitched. "Oh, I see how it is. Ignore your real sister and hug Miss Perfectly Adorable over there. Got it."

Rin let go of Asako and then giggled. "What? Are you jealous, Aneue?"

"Pft. Who, me? Jealous? Of my Sis hugging another girl and saying she loved her? Never."

"Ah." Alphy stepped back and then said, "I'm sorry, Asako. I can't say I love you. Betty will get mad at me."

"I didn't ask you! And what the hell do you mean Betty will get mad at you?! There's nothing between us!"

Alphy nodded. "Right. Even if you were the last woman on Earth, I would never find you attractive."

Asako bristled and then crossed her arms, glaring at Alphy. "Oh? Why not? Still upset over that race?"

Rin frowned. "Aneue-"

Alphy shook her head. "No. I just don't like taking my sister's belongings."

Silence.

And then Rin gasped. She turned to Asako and said, "Aneue?!"

"Argh!" Asako stepped back, blushing. "I-I keep telling you guys! There's nothing between me and Betty!"

Alphy nodded. "That's what I heard from Betty."

Rin blushed. "N-Nothing? T-Then, Aneue and Eldest sister..." She glanced at her water bottle and then downed it, as if that would help her cool off.

Asako pointed at Alphy and said, "You're doing this on purpose! There's no way you're that innocent!"

Alphy smiled and said, "I don't know what you're talking about, Asako-chan."

"That! There, you're using Asako-chan again! You're definitely teasing me!"

Alphy giggled and held up her hands. "Fine, fine. I'll stop. But Asako, you're so cute when you're flustered. I really like that part of you."

Asako froze, suddenly turning a deep shade of red.

Alphy blinked and tilted her head. "Asako?"

"Aaaarrrrgh. Dammit!" Asako averted her gaze and said, "Why is everyone in John's family so damned pretty?! And why are his daughters natural flirts just like him?"

Alphy blushed and then shyly averted her gaze. "Y-You think I'm pretty?"

Rin's eyes flicked between Alphy and Asako before she jumped between them and stuck out her arms. "No! You can't, Aneue!"

Asako blinked and then she said, "I don't want her! Stop taking my words out of context!"

Alphy fanned her face with her left hand and then quickly walked over to the cooler to pull out a water bottle. Glancing at Rin and Asako, she shook her head and then cracked it open before taking large gulps.

Rin stared at Asako for a while and then nodded before lowering her arms. "Good. Things will get awkward if you start dating. Wait a few months first!"

Asako blushed and said, "I-I'm not interested! And even if I was, why should I listen to my little sister, huh? And why a few months?"

"Because it'll be bad! Mister John's working really hard to make this work, you know? If a scandal gets out then we won't be able to do this anymore!"

Alphy let out a sigh, finished with her water bottle. After that, she looked over and said, "I don't think that'll be an issue for Papa... but I agree that it's too soon to start dating." Alphy glanced at Asako and then averted her gaze, blushing. "I-I still barely even know you, Asako..."

"Stop it!" Asako stepped back and crossed her arms. "We are not doing this! I'm not doing this! I like guys, dammit! E-Even if girls are pretty!"

Rin paused and placed her hand on her chin, thoughtfully staring at Asako's face. "Come to think of it, Chi-chan said that you turned down her Sensei, Aneue. And you spent all that time with Betty... And now you got embarrassed over calling Onee-chan pretty. Are you sure that you-"

"So about the song list!" Asako walked over to the mixing station and picked up a sheet of paper lying there. She scanned through the list and said, "Do you guys think we're ready for the concert yet? Are there any other songs you want?"

Rin huffed. "Fine. I'll leave it this time, Aneue... But anyway... I think that's all the songs I want to sing. Onee-chan?" She turned back to look at Alphy and said, "Is there another song you want?"

Alphy shook her head. "No. I added all the songs I want to sing."

"Aneue?"

Asako shook her head too. "I don't really know any good songs to sing anyway, so I'll just sing whatever you guys think suits me."

"Mm... Okay." Rin nodded. "Then it's just me. Um..."

"Hm?" Asako looked at her and said, "What's wrong, Sis?"

Alphy frowned and said, "You don't need to be shy, Rin." She let out a soft smile and said, "If you have a song you want to sing, we'll be happy to add it!"

"...But it's a bit embarrassing. And I don't know if it's any good..." Rin fidgeted. "It's our first big concert, right? We can't afford to mess it up, so-"

Asako wrapped one arm around Rin's shoulders and pulled her close. "Hey now. This is *our* concert, right? We can do whatever we want. And if Sis really wants to sing a song, let's sing it."

"...Even if it's bad?"

Alphy let out a reassuring smile and said, "Of course!"

Rin nodded and then took a deep breath. "Alright. Then... Can we sing my song?"

Asako blinked. "You wrote a song, Sis?"

"Yes. It's an original song I've been working on for a long time... but I don't know if it's any good."

Alphy grabbed Rin's hand. "We'll be the judge of that!" She smiled and started leading Rin to the recording booth. "Come on! Sing it for us!"

Asako laughed and walked over with Rin, making sure she couldn't run away. "Yeah, show us what you got, Sis."

Rin huffed. "You two are so pushy... But fine. Y-You can't laugh, alright? No matter how bad it is!"

Asako let Rin go and said, "We would never! Right, Alphy?"

Alphy opened the door to the recording booth and then nodded. "Right!"

Rin looked at her genmates one more time before letting out a deep sigh. "Fine. Then... I'll go sing." She walked inside the booth, closing the door behind her.

Asako and Alphy quickly moved to the mixing station and picked up their headphones.

And then Rin started to sing.

*

It's a melody that we all understand...

It's a memory that we pray will not end!

It's a destiny that we're changing today so come... and take... our hands!

*

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