Just as Michiya Gōshin and Asakura Toru were starting to chat, the light sound of footsteps came from the entryway.
A girl with a "pudding-top" hairstyle bounced in. Her short golden hair transitioned naturally into a warm brown at the roots, the ends curling slightly inward. She wore a pair of small black devil horn hair clips, and silver star earrings dangled from her earlobes, jingling with her movements.
"Wow, there are two people here already?"
The girl opened her large, sapphire-blue eyes, and the corners of her cat-like mouth curved upward into a mischievous smile. "I'm MEM-cho~ You can call me MEM-cho-chan!"
Her gaze scanned between the two of them like a scanner before finally landing on Michiya Gōshin.
"Hello, I'm Michiya Gōshin."
"Hello, Michiya-sensei~" MEM-cho then turned to Asakura Toru, her eyes sparkling. "And Asakura-san, you're so pretty!"
"I've seen your group's performance. When you're standing in the center, it's impossible to look away~"
Asakura Toru just nodded lightly, pointing a finger at the devil horns on MEM-cho's head. "Those are very cute."
"Hehehe, they're my trademark."
Michiya Gōshin watched the two girls before him with a faint smile. This YouTuber named MEM-cho had managed to attract hundreds of thousands of fans; she definitely had some extraordinary qualities.
The first thing he noticed today was that she was skilled at interpersonal communication and good at reading people.
Someone like that would probably be popular in a group setting.
The three chatted for a bit before the footsteps at the entrance soon grew heavy.
Before long, a tall boy in a black tracksuit walked in. His wheat-colored skin had a healthy glow under the lights, and the muscles in his arms were well-defined.
"Hello, everyone! I'm Kumano Nobuyuki."
He grinned cheerfully, revealing small canine teeth. His Osaka accent came with a natural enthusiasm buff. "I can't believe I'm the fourth one here. I thought I might be first!"
Just as the boy walked into the main room with his suitcase, the sound of an engine cutting out came from outside.
A boy in a black jacket pushed the door open and entered. His short, silver-gray hair was a bit messy, and his eyes held a sharp glint.
"Morimoto Kengo."
His self-introduction was brief and to the point. The boy's voice had the characteristic rasp of a band member.
After he finished his greeting, Kumano Nobuyuki immediately looked at him enthusiastically. "Morimoto-san! I've been to your band's live show! That song, Tokyo's Lost Night, was totally awesome!"
Morimoto Kengo gave a faint "hmph" in response, then walked over to a single armchair and sat down. Although his gaze seemed to casually sweep across the room, he was, in fact, sizing everyone up.
"So that's five of us now. Analyzing by gender, we should be missing one last girl, right?"
"Yes."
Michiya Gōshin glanced at the main door, guessing this might be a deliberate arrangement by Director Aoyama.
The materials sent beforehand were missing one person, and now they were making that person arrive last. Was this to see how he, the 'wolf,' would adapt to the unexpected?
"Um, I have a suggestion."
At that moment, a smile played on the corners of MEM-cho's lips.
"What is it?"
Kumano Nobuyuki glanced at the girl with devil horns on her head. He had actually been thinking about how to take control of the situation himself but was beaten to the punch.
"Let's wait for the last person to arrive, and then we can all do a group introduction together."
"Even though everyone on this show has a certain level of fame, I think doing proper introductions that include our identities and professions will help everyone get to know each other faster."
"Okay."
Asakura Toru nodded, her cyan eyes glancing at Michiya Gōshin sitting beside her.
"I have no objection either."
"Let's do that then."
Morimoto Kengo and Kumano Nobuyuki, who was next to him, exchanged a look and both agreed to the suggestion.
After everyone sat down, the seating arrangement on the white L-shaped sofa was as follows: Michiya Gōshin was the first to sit, but he had proactively chosen the corner on the far left of the 'L.' To his right were Asakura Toru and MEM-cho in order. Morimoto Kengo and Kumano Nobuyuki sat in the single armchairs.
Logically, with the cameras rolling the whole time, the director should have given instructions through the microphones to get everyone talking about a certain topic to prevent the atmosphere from getting too awkward.
But even after all five were seated, there were still no instructions from Director Aoyama.
It was as if he had simply gathered everyone in this villa and was letting them improvise freely.
Interesting...
Michiya Gōshin's gaze slowly swept over the others present. Bolstered by the information advantage from having seen their profiles in advance, and after meeting them in person today, he knew he needed to quickly figure out how to build relationships with this group.
After all, as the 'wolf,' he wasn't here to play house and fall in love.
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Since the last person still hadn't arrived, the extroverted YouTuber MEM-cho took the initiative to start a conversation, chatting about some recent hot topics online.
Asakura Toru, sitting beside her, would occasionally chime in with a few words, while Kumano Nobuyuki would cheerfully join the conversation.
Morimoto Kengo, sitting on the end, maintained his cool and distant demeanor, seemingly unwilling to say much. Each person's personality was distinct, likely a deliberate choice by the director during casting.
After another ten minutes or so, footsteps finally sounded from the entryway again.
Everyone turned their heads in unison, only to see a figure in a camel-colored cashmere coat standing in the warm light.
The fluffy collar of her coat accentuated her fair, cool-toned skin. Underneath, she wore a black turtleneck sweater that outlined the sharp line of her neck. The girl's thin lips were pressed into a shallow curve, and her blue hair hung freely behind her.
Before Kurokawa Akane pushed open the door, she was actually very nervous. Not only had the director made her arrive last, but she also hadn't told Michiya Gōshin that she would be participating in this variety show.
What kind of expression will Michiya-kun make when he sees me?
"Um, sorry, I'm the last one to arrive."
The girl apologized, but when she saw Michiya Gōshin sitting in the corner of the sofa, she couldn't help but break into a smile.
"I'm Kurokawa Akane. It's nice to meet you all."
"Hello, Kurokawa-san. I'm MEM-cho."
MEM-cho, with her little black devil horns, greeted her with a smile, and the other three also exchanged polite greetings.
The only one who reacted differently was Michiya Gōshin in the corner. When he saw the familiar girl, his pupils contracted sharply, and he was completely startled.
Wait.
So Kurokawa was the last member of this dating show?
Why?
In the next moment, countless thoughts flashed through the young man's mind.
With Nenshi's influence, did they deliberately withhold her profile from him just to create this surprise?
As the 'wolf' meant to stir up trouble on a dating show, they suddenly drop in an acquaintance. Is this the kind of dramatic effect Director Aoyama was looking for?
Kurokawa Akane, on the other hand, was of course oblivious to the complex thoughts racing through the young man's mind. She simply smiled and nodded at everyone before walking straight to the empty spot beside Michiya Gōshin and sitting down.
They were very close, just like when they'd huddle together to watch variety shows in Michiya Gōshin's apartment.
"Michiya-kun, are you a little surprised to see me?"
This familiar use of 'Michiya-kun' immediately caused everyone else in the living room to turn and look.
The corners of MEM-cho's cat-like mouth immediately curled up, and her gaze toward Michiya Gōshin and Kurokawa Akane was filled with intense interest.
Ho ho ho, looks like this show won't be boring after all~
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