The Bounty Hunter
Chapter 86: A Close Call

August 28th, 2089 Sᴇaʀᴄh the n0vᴇl(ꜰ)ire.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Terra’s POV

“Thank you so much for agreeing to join us, Miss Yamamoto!  Welcome to the Rising Sun Talk Show!”  I nodded silently in response to the talk show host who then proceeded to all but gush over my appearance.  Top Talents finally managed to convince me to do some publicity for my first concert on the 30th.  Honestly, I needn’t have bothered. 

Apparently, my reluctance to show up in public only increased my so called “mysterious allure”.  Then came that incident with the dumbass wannabe serial killer, which garnered quite a bit of media coverage.  But my manager was literally reduced to tears at my insistence of avoiding attention, which I guess is kind of the opposite of what being an idol is all about.  So, after having a moment of weakness due to seeing a 43-year old grown man bawling his eyes out, I find myself on the most popular talk show in Japan.    

The host, Airi, managed to finally finish her spiel about my looks and asked me a question “So Rin, I hear you are having your debut concert two days from now.  Are you excited?”  “Yes, it will be very fun to perform and show all of my hard work to the audience.”  I responded neutrally, with the intent of just getting through the show as quickly as possible.  “I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we are all looking forward to it!  But first we just have to ask about your recent heroic exploits.  How does it feel to have caught the Gruesome Killer?”  “Honestly, I didn’t really do anything.  The man attempted to attack me when I was walking home and accidently got hit by some falling cinder blocks from the nearby construction site.”

“You are so cute when you are being modest Rin!”  Airi then hopped over and gave my cheeks a quick pinch, making me flush in embarrassment.  The audience started cheering, which only made my embarrassment worse.  It’s that damn gap moe in effect again.  Airi started chatting away, interrogating me about my life, hobbies, and whether I had a boyfriend.  15 agonizing minutes later and the show was over.

I was backstage getting ready to do some mandatory meet and greets with some fans when something unexpected happened:  my holophone started ringing.  I pulled it out and answered “Hello?”  Strangely enough I heard a gasp at the other end that perfectly matched one that someone let out nearby.  I turned to look and saw 4 people who were wearing the most awful looking pink outfits with the words “The Official Rin Yamamoto Fan Club” emblazoned all over in big, obnoxious gold letters.  Aito, Kiyoshi, Koji, and Reiji apparently were in attendance today, courtesy of Reiji’s TV producer father no doubt.  Other than their hideous apparel, Reiji was holding a holophone in his hand.  Then I had a horrible realization as I looked at my own holophone. 

It wasn’t the one I use for my Rin persona.  SHIT! I must have forgotten to switch it out when I left the apartment.  I ended the call and heard the beep from Reiji’s phone down the hall.  SHIT!  Reiji’s looking at me in disbelief and presses the redial button on the holophone, causing my phone to ring the same ringtone I’ve used for years. 

My face is as blank as a mask, but inside I am panicking.  I can remain calm under the threat of death as that is nothing new to me, but the fear of absolute humiliation is something else entirely.  I can’t just magick them right now, there are cameras and witnesses everywhere, but if I don’t do it soon the memories will be too embedded for me to do anything about without risking severe harm to them.  SHIT!!!! 

“Um, Miss Yamamoto… may I ask about your holophone?”  Reiji’s words slowly filtered their way into my brain and in my distress, I ended up blurting out an approximation of the truth without thinking.  “The holophone isn’t mine, I must have accidentally grabbed the wrong one on my way out this morning.”  ….The silence between me and my supposed fan club lasted at most 10 seconds, but it felt much closer to an eternity.  Damnit!!! 

Reiji is a genius and I just gave him a huge hint about my identity!!!  With my looks and the fact I have Minato’s phone, he must have put it together!  His otakuness also means he might consider magic as a possible explanation.  Reiji spoke once more “Eto, do you know a Minato Cross?”  ….What?  “That must be it, why else would you have his phone?”  But before Reiji could ask any further he was rudely interrupted as Aito seemed to have a horrifying epiphany.  “This is what Minato was talking about.  THAT ASS!!!” 

The Otaku 3 and Reiji turned to look at him as he continued “Remember when he started laughing randomly during our first fan club meeting!?  He also tried to leave at the start!  It must have been because he was already Rin’s lover!  Why else would she have taken his phone as she left in the morning?”  Realization dawned on everyone’s face as I turned a lovely shade of scarlet.  Of course, the pervert jumps to such a conclusion.  I can’t even deny it because there really is no other reasonable explanation. 

“That can’t be it Aito!  Minato is already dating someone else!”  Reiji argued, completely forgetting I was there.  “Face it Reiji!  He must be a heartless scum who’s stringing poor Rin along!”  Aito responded with absolute conviction.  “I agree!  My familiars have warned me that Minato may in fact be an incubus in disguise.  It makes sense that Rin and him are together since she’s a succubus!”  Koji interjected, warranting a cuff upside the head from Kiyoshi as he typed into his voice projector “Everyone shut up.  Let’s just ask Rin and solve the issue.” 

The 4 of them all refocused their attention back to me expectantly.  Okay, I am in hot water right now.  My only option is to deflect Reiji and co. by acknowledging that I am in a sexual relationship with myself, which will then lead to Reiji confronting me and telling the girls about it.  My “harem” won’t get mad at me for getting involved with another woman (supposedly, but I have my doubts despite their assurances), but they will most certainly insist on meeting her. 

I can’t be in two places at once and illusion magic would only allow me to stall for so long.  My secret would inevitably come out and I shudder to imagine what would happen then.  I would never live it down.  NEVER.  But I could break up with myself before I ever got to the point of having to meet the girls.  And I think I know just how to do it.

“Yes, I am dating Minato.”  The totally dumbfounded expressions on their faces would most certainly have made me laugh in just about any other situation.  Before any of them could say anything I continued on “But I never knew anything about him seeing someone else.  I’m going to have to talk to him about this.”  Ignoring Aito’s triumphant look, I continued “Do you four mind keeping this to yourselves until I talk to him about this?  I want to confront him about this myself.”  I swallowed the remaining fragments of my pitiful pride and gave a charming smile, which caused all four of them to be in a daze as they nodded.  “Great!  I appreciate it!”  I then turned tail and scampered away before they could regain their bearings. 

*Sigh* That was too close.  Good thing Aito jumped to the wrong conclusion and gave me an opportunity to fix my mistake.  Now all I need to do is break up with myself under the pretense that I am not interested in sharing a man.  A little fast talking to Reiji and after that I am safe.  However, this near disaster has made me reconsider the merits of continuing with the idol persona.  It’s too risky even if the money is great.  I’ll finish out my year-long contract, but after that I’ll quit.  If I am successful enough I should have the money to pay for Kira and Veronica’s expenses and schooling by then.  I need to make sure this concert is a big hit and go from there.

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