8 1.7

"Host! Today's the day! Today's the day! Are you ready?!"

"Huh- wha-?!"

"Ow!"

Angelo groaned, grabbing his head in pain as Kori rocketed backwards, giving a loud 'eep!'

"Ow," Angelo mumbled. "Kori-chan, what the fuck?"

"I- uh, sorry Host! I was just... really excited!"

"...for what?" Angelo asked and Kori gave a small whine. It rolled around in the air, flashing several different colours at once and making pitiful little sounds.

"Hooost," Kori whined, "today's the day the Female Lead comes for a job! And today's one of your work days! Come on! Come on! Tell me, tell me, how are you going to face-slap her?"

The little ball sounds way too excited for this, Angelo notes dimly inside his head. Outwardly though, he sighed, swinging his feet off his bed and stretching leisurely.

"Well," he said dryly, "the first step is to actually get to the cafe and meet the Female Lead. I mean, who knows, she might be an okay person just wanting to live and not one of those bitches you keep talking about."

Kori deflated, making a little humming noise. "Oh... okay Host..."

"But if she is like those green tea bitches your coworkers keep running into, then we'll just have to knock her and her boyfriend off a few pegs, won't we?"

Kori brightened, and Angelo couldn't help but think he was babysitting a child. Albeit, a very sadistic and ready-to-kill child. He laughed airily at his thoughts and began to get ready for the day.

-[the stars incline us, they do not bind us]-

When Angelo arrived, there were already a hoard of people waiting outside the cafe and people crammed inside. He stared in disbelief. He'd only been working for a month, and already people were clamouring to get to one of his 'shows'. Kori obviously thought so too.

{"...Host... I have a question. Your job is to 'become the world's best' and not 'become locally the best' so... I see that your plan to 'spread the joy of music' is working but maybe you should..."}

{"Find an agency to work for?"} Angelo guessed.

{"I'm only looking out for you, Host! At this rate, if you don't work for an agency, get a few bodyguards and an agent, you're going to be killed by your fans!"} Kori yelped.

{"Haha, I'll be fine. Did you know in my previous life, I was so loved that women used to throw their undergarments at me? It was embarrassing, but kind of funny at the same time. They used to be all 'please marry me!' 'I want your babies!' And a few men said they wanted to fuck me into their mattresses. Then I learnt self defence from the best, acquired a boyfriend who could shoot the wing off a bee with his eyes closed, and the rest was history."}

{"That... but your mission..."}

{"Hmm? Chill, I've got it all figured out. See, some people get scouted early and they can't break out of the agencies hold, even if that agency is trash. But some people, me, are smarter. See, Kori-chan, if some people notice, more people notice. More people notice, and bigger people, people with famous channels or newspapers notice. If they notice, smaller agencies notice and try to scout someone, but the someone refuses, they drink and complain. If they drink and complain, someone from a bigger agency will 7 out of 10 times overhear. They send someone to investigate, boom. Bigger companies notice you. Understand my line of thought?"}

Kori was in awe with its Host's abilities to look ten steps ahead, and bobbed up and down numbly. Angelo hummed, looking at the crowd from the back.

"But for now," he said out loud, "the real problem is how to get through."

It took some effort, some tears, bloodshed and yelling, but in the end, Angelo got through and made his way to Lara and Patty. The poor ladies looked haggard and annoyed as they talked to someone Angelo couldn't see. Then Kori beeped and shook a little inside Angelo's mind.

{"Host! Female Lead five meters from your spot!"}

{"Hm, I know,. I apologise for this, but I need to mute you for the time being, okay?"}

{"Eh? Why- Ho-!"}

"Hello Patty, Lara," Angelo said as he neared the two. He then eyed the third woman curiously. "And who's this? A friend?"

"No," Lara said, annoyed. "She's here for a job. As a musician."

"Lulu Kerrin," the girl said, her green eyes flashing with pride that quickly muffled. "You're the musician they hired?"

"Indeed, Miss Kerrin. Angelo di Inverno, pleasure to meet you," Angelo said pleasantly. "I hear you're here for position as a musician? What instrument do you play?"

"Violin," Lulu said immediately. "I've been told I'm okay at it, and seeing as I needed some cash to store up, I decided to try out here."

"Oh... is that so?"

"Angelo," Lara said, "you're supposed to be up on the stage, look at the people watching you like wolves. Get up there and play."

Indeed, at some point, the cafe had turned silent and everyone was watching the four of them expectantly. Angelo laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. Addressing the crowd he said, "Please wait a moment while we sort this out. This will only take a few minutes, thank you."

Lara frowned, opening her mouth to speak, but Angelo shook his head imploringly. "Shall we take this to the back?"

"Miss, we're sorry but we don't need another musician," Lara said once they were in private.

Angelo blinked. "You don't? But I only work two days out of seven days. Surely you need someone to fill in the remaining."

Lara shook her head. "You're more than enough."

"Please!" Lulu suddenly cut in, her eyes growing big and teary, startling Angelo. "Please, I'm begging you, please give me a chance! I'm certain that I can match up to Mr. di Inverno's playing, if just a little worse! So I'm begging you... please! Give me a chance!"

Patty and Lara opened their mouths to refuse again, but Angelo placed a hand on each of their shoulders and smiled friendlily.

"Just giving her a chance won't hurt, Lara, Patty. Besides, I have an idea, if you'd all be willing to listen to it," he said. There was a moment of hesitation, but then Lara nodded. Angelo smiled gently. "Allow Miss Kerrin and I to have a little... ah, show off. A battle, if you will call it so. We will play the same piece of music and instrument. Miss Kerrin can choose the instrument, and which piece we will play. We will play together, and should her skill be up to par, you hire her, Lara. Should it be worse than she says, then she leaves and seeks a job elsewhere. If you can't decide, we simply ask the audience. What do you think of these terms, Lara, Patty, Miss Kerrin?"

"Sounds good to me," Patty said at once, and a moment later, Lara nodded reluctantly as well. All eyes turned to Lulu who bit her lower lip, and then agreed as well.

"Excellent," Angelo said happily. His violet eyes flashed with something too quick to figure out. "Shall we get to it?"