My Stepsister Is the Idol Everyone Wants to See novel · Chapter 17 of 24

Chapter 17: Misaki's Email

The stockroom smelled of cardboard and cold air.

Misaki stood between the shelves of instant noodles with her arms wrapped around herself.

She looked ten years older than she had on the night she arrived with a sleeping idol and a tablet.

"I'm no longer employed by Kitamura Entertainment," she said.

"Since when?" Kokone asked.

"Since four o'clock yesterday afternoon. I told him I wouldn't read his statement on the television."

"He said he'd find someone who would."

"And then he put me on leave."

She took a flat black drive out of her jacket pocket.

"I carried out a lot of orders for him without asking why. I hid you here because he told me to. I told myself it was kindness."

"It was," said Kokone.

"It was a lever. I'm very sorry."

Kokone said nothing for a moment.

Then she stepped forward and put her arms around her manager's waist.

Misaki stiffened, and then bent in the middle and hugged back with a short, awkward, desperate grip.

"Thank you for telling me," Kokone said into her suit.

"I haven't told you anything yet."

"Tell me."

Misaki let go and cleared her throat.

She pulled a folded printout from the same pocket and smoothed it out on a carton of canned tea.

"This is an email from the president's private address to a junior staffer. It's dated twelve days before the photo."

Emi leaned in and read it.

The subject line said: Tuesday.

The body had four lines.

Car park behind the east station, 10:40. Yellow jacket, white stripe, so the editor can't mistake it. Use the girl from the extras agency, hair to match, face turned away. Photos go to the friend at the magazine on Wednesday.

"The girl from the extras agency," Emi said.

"The woman in the photo," Misaki said. "She was hired for an afternoon. Her face never shows."

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