【OSHI NO KO】 (【推しの子】)

A recap of last episode:

When we applied for a high school offering performing arts, we were reunited with the genius child actor.

You're joining up? You'll be in our performing arts department?

No... I applied for general education.

But why?!

My sister is trying for performing arts and I'm worried about her, so I applied here too.

What?!

My brother's got quite a sister complex.

Gross!

You know, I never did like this girl.

You'll be her junior if you're accepted, though.

Yeah, true...

Hey, I can hear you!

Aww... No point fighting it. Let's be friends, Loli-senpai.

Keep that up and I'll bully you!

Well, I'm gonna stop by the director's place.

Okay, see ya.

Wait!

Hey, listen to me!

Where're you going?

Who is this director?

Hey! Where're you living these days?

Are you even listening?! Hey, I'm talking to you!

What middle school you from?!

You a delinquent or something?

How long are you gonna follow me for?

Until you answer all of my questions!

You still do acting, right?

No, not anymore.

Oh...

I see.

So, that being the case...

Huh?!

Come on, let's catch up a bit!

Hey! Wanna go to a karaoke place with me?

Nope.

Oh?

Then, maybe my place or something?

That's an extreme way to try getting closer to someone.

I don't have much choice, okay?! I'm still a celebrity, you know!

I can't just head to a coffee shop for a chat!

And places with private rooms haven't opened for the day yet.

Oh, I get it now.

In that case...

Gotanda Studio

Gotanda

Oh, Kana Arima!

I haven't seen you in so long - my, how you've grown!

Um...

I haven't seen you in so long

I'm still acting, you know.

I guess it doesn't compare to my child actor days, though.

Well, make yourself at home.

Wow...

Hey, Aqua. If you're not an actor anymore, why're you always visiting the director?

Isn't the truth that he's teaching you acting skills?

Well, he trained me in the basics, but now I want to work behind the scenes, and I'm kind of like his assistant.

Oh, I see.

Still, I'm glad...

It's good to hear you're still in the industry.

Anyone want a second helping?!

Oh, I'm fine, thank you. I'm cutting carbs.

You've gotta eat if you want to grow!

Eat up, Taishi.

Good grief...

It's a bit of a shock, though.

Hm?

Never figured you'd be sponging off your parents like a parasite...

I see you still have no respect for your elders, little brat.

Actually, that sounds nice...

My parents retired to the countryside.

So I'm living on my own in a dorm.

Plus, I'm always relying on Uber for meals.

Oh, that must be pretty expensive.

It's okay!

I've got loads of savings from the money I made as a child actor!

You annoying little rascal...

Hey, Director, do you have any videos of Aqua's acting?

I mean, I do, but...

Don't show her.

I wasn't thinking straight and would like to forget I ever did that.

I was under the false impression I had talent, and the films paid dearly for it.

So he says.

If you want to see his acting, you'll have to talk him into acting again.

Oh? So that's how it is?

Not happening.

Actually, there's this project I play the female lead in, and not all the roles are filled yet.

Want me to talk to a higher-up and see what I can do?

I won't do it.

What?!

What's the project called?

"I'll Go With Sweet Today" - it's a TV drama based on a shoujo manga.

Oh?

"Sweet Today"?

Yeah, you know it?

Well, anyone who's dabbled in directing and doesn't know it is a fraud. It's a highly renowned work.

You interested?

Like I said, I'm through with acting.

If I put in a word, the part might be as good as yours.

The producer, Kaburagi-san, has a soft spot for me, you see.

"Kaburagi"?

Hm?

Is the producer's full name Masaya Kaburagi?

Uh, yeah?

There are three mobile phones Ai left behind when she died.

Among them was a work phone and personal phone,

and those only had communication logs with fellow group members and agency staff.

Though Ai seemed ditzy,

I learned she was more careful than I'd imagined and spared no effort in protecting our secret.

The issue was the third phone.

It's one that Ai used before she ever became pregnant.

It's a model from several generations ago,

so finding the proper battery to replace the one that had died was no easy task.

However, that couldn't even begin to compare with the effort needed to break the passcode.

Please input a passcode.

When input incorrectly, the phone locks for 30 seconds. I didn't even know how many digits long it was.

Incorrect passcode.

Please wait and try again later.

It took half a day just to try 100 passcodes.

Please input a passcode.

It took a month to try 1,000.

Incorrect passcode.

Please wait and try again later.

Day after day.

Day after day.

Day after day.

The 45,510th attempt...

Please input a passcode.

It took four long years to arrive at that passcode.

The phone still had email and phone number details for a dozen some people with connections to show business.

Tarou Ayukawa

Iida-san

Shirou Ikeda

Ishikawa-san

Gorou Itou

Endou-san

Producer Oota

Okudera-san

Yuuko Okajima

Tomoya Okada

Masaya Kaburagi

And among them was...

Masaya Kaburagi.

Come on, join me! Besides, the cast is basically all people our age!

The male lead has a girlish face - he's really cute!

I'm in.

Huh?

Reach out to the producer for me.

What's with the sudden change of heart?

Wait, no way...

The male lead has a girlish face - he's really cute!

Are you...?!

Let's do this thing.

I'm looking forward to seeing you act.

That said, the situation on set can be a bit problematic, so be prepared for that, okay?

Hm?

Strawberry Productions

Aqua

Birthplace: Tokyo

The guy's been acting since he was a child?

Yes!

Hmm...

He's got a handsome face.

Well, if an extremely fine actor like yourself recommends him so strongly... then, sure, call him up.

Okay, take care.

So the role's decided, then?

Hm? Yeah.

Well, I'd be fine with most anyone, anyway.

Internet TV Station "Dot TV!" -

affiliated producer of the TV drama

"I'll Go With Sweet Today"

Masaya

Kaburagi

What?! You're gonna be in a TV drama, Aqua?!

Why'd you tell her?

I mean, you weren't gonna tell her yourself, were you?

Doing publicity for our entertainers is the agency's job.

Well, Mom did say... that one day maybe I'd be an idol and you'd be an actor.

I see you haven't forgotten.

It's not about that.

I just want to get close to that producer Ai interacted with

back when she was alive and collect even a single hair root of his.

Fulfilling Ai's wish? Yearning to be an actor? I have no such lofty ambitions.

So, what's the show called?

"I'll Go With Sweet Today." It's based on a shoujo manga.

Oh, I know that one! "Sweet Today"!

I'll Go With Sweet Today

TV Drama

A girl who can only consume canned food and supplements... She has shut her

heart to the world and harbors a sad past. One day, she meets a handsome yet

slightly mean-spirited boy who has transferred to her school. The two quickly

become close, and the flavor of their love is...?! The live-action adaptation of

the hit manga from Yoriko Kichijouji that caused readers throughout Japan to

shed "sweat tears" is finally here! Featuring the next generation of handsome

young stars, a very sweet love story is about to unfold!

It's that manga Aqua's got in his room! That was a fun read!

Don't read my stuff without asking.

It's a drama produced by a recently established internet TV station

that will have six episodes total, three of which have already been released.

Even the main cast is mostly made up of new actors, and it seems the production is a bit on the smaller side.