King of Idols C6 Self-reliance

Renji knew he could forge his own path in the music industry, without relying on his "new" father's connections.

However, he was also aware that such a route would be fraught with challenges. After all, the Japanese music scene wasn't all that different from its neighbor, South Korea.

In South Korea, breaking into the entertainment industry without the right connections was notoriously difficult.

The industry was tightly controlled by a few powerful agencies, who held sway over everything from artist management to music production and distribution. Unless you were a once-in-a-generation talent or had an inside track, the odds of making it were slim to none.

As Renji pondered his options, a sudden system notification chimed, accompanied by a transparent panel materializing before him.

[Mission: Pursue your own path and break through to the Japanese idol industry without relying on your father or his company. (Note: Your father can only assist you with minor aspects of your journey.)

- Success: Unlock the "On-Set Adaptability" skill, increasing your ability to adapt to directors' styles and handle impromptu changes during filming or live performances.

- Failure: Become overly dependent on your father, losing your independence.]

Renji paused, his brow furrowing as he read the mission details. A flicker of annoyance crossed his face as the implications sank in.

'Is this system reading my thoughts and deliberately trying to make things harder for me?' he wondered, his jaw clenching.

The idea of having to break into the industry without fully leveraging his father's resources and connections seemed like an unnecessary hurdle. But he knew he had little choice in the matter. It was either follow the mission or risk losing his freedom altogether.

With a heavy sigh, Renji shook his head. "Guess I'm doing this the hard way," he muttered under his breath.

At least the system allowed for his father to provide some minor assistance when needed. That was something, at least.

'Maybe this is the system's way of telling me that success won't mean as much if I rely too heavily on someone else to get there,' Renji mused, trying to find a silver lining. 'That I need to earn it on my own terms.'

"What are you mumbling about, weirdo?" Mai's voice cut through his thoughts as she descended the stairs. "Has all that terrible singing finally fried your brain?"

Renji turned to face his sister, taking in her appearance. Mai was undeniably beautiful, with long, silky black hair that framed her delicate features and large, expressive eyes. Despite her pretty face, there was a hint of haughtiness in her expression as she regarded him.

'Figures she'd get all the good genes,' Renji thought wryly, acutely aware of his own below-average looks.

Aloud, he retorted, "I was just reminiscing about that embarrassing phase when you were little. You know, the bed-wetting years—"

"Shut up!" Mai snapped, her cheeks flushing pink. "Don't bring up ancient history, you creep."

"Enough, you two," Takashi intervened, shaking his head as he and Yuki looked on. He fixed Mai with a stern gaze. "Mai, show some respect for your older brother."

Mai simply snorted, rolling her eyes.

Sensing the rising tension, Yuki quickly changed the subject. "Why don't we all head to the dining room? Dinner's almost ready."

As the Hoshikawa family settled into their seats at the dining table, Mai continued to shoot occasional glares in Renji's direction, her pout still firmly in place.

Yuki bustled about the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on their dinner—the house specialty, curry.

Which just so happened to be the original Renji's favorite.

"Curry again?" Mai groaned as the aroma wafted through the room. "I was really hoping for some tonkatsu tonight."

Renji shook his head, taking a deep breath to savor the sweet, spicy scent. "Don't be such a complainer. Curry is delicious. Only a tasteless witch would turn her nose up at it."

Mai's eyes narrowed, catching the thinly veiled insult. But with their father present, she knew better than to fire back directly.

Instead, she offered a saccharine smile. "Oh, curry is lovely. Too bad it can't do anything to fix a terrible singing voice."

Renji flinched, the jab hitting a little too close to home.

"Speaking of which," Mai continued, her tone dripping with false concern, "what happened to your voice, Renji-oniichan? You sound absolutely exhausted. Were you crying in your room or something?"

Of course, she knew full well that Renji had been practicing his singing mere moments ago. But watching him squirm was far too entertaining.

Takashi's brow furrowed, his attention now fully on his son. "Now that Mai mentions it, you do sound pretty rough, Renji. Is everything alright? You know you can always come to me if you're having problems."

Yuki, who had just set down a steaming plate of curry rice in front of her husband, chimed in, her face etched with worry. "That's right. If you're being bullied at school again, we'll march right down there and sort it out."

Renji's heart sank as he saw the genuine concern in his parents' eyes. Out of the corner of his vision, he could see Mai barely suppressing a smirk.

He couldn't fault his parents for their worries. The original Renji had been a frequent target for bullies throughout junior high. Even Aizawa Souta had joined in on the torment during their first year together.

Though Souta seemed to have largely forgotten about Renji in the subsequent years, as they were no longer in the same class and Renji went out of his way to avoid the popular boy.

It wasn't until now, in their first year of senior high, that their paths had crossed once more.

Renji took a deep breath, then explained, "My voice is tired because I've been practicing my singing in my room."

Takashi and Yuki exchanged a surprised glance. "You're practicing singing?" Takashi asked, a hint of disbelief coloring his tone.

Renji nodded, his expression serious. "I want to be an idol someday. And an idol with a terrible voice isn't going to make it very far. So I'm putting in the work to improve."

His parents shared another meaningful look, an unspoken understanding passing between them. They both knew that Renji's chances of becoming an idol were slim, and not just because of his lackluster vocal abilities.

There was also the matter of his below-average looks.

But neither had the heart to say it outright.

"Well, that's...very admirable," Takashi began, choosing his words carefully. "But you know, Renji, sometimes in life, we have to accept that certain paths just aren't meant for us. Don't be discouraged if the idol thing doesn't work out. Your mother and I will support you no matter what, and we'll help you find another passion."

He smiled encouragingly. "Who knows? Maybe you'll end up taking over the family business one day. You could have a really good life, son."

Yuki nodded along, her expression mirroring her husband's. "Absolutely. We just want you to be happy and successful, whatever that looks like for you."

Renji remained silent, torn between appreciation for their support and the sinking realization that even his own parents had little faith in his idol aspirations.

Mai, never one to mince words, piped up, "I think what they're trying to say, Oniichan, is that you don't have to force yourself to be an idol. You could just take the easy route and inherit everything Dad's worked so hard for."

"Mai!" Takashi admonished, his frown deepening.

But Mai simply shrugged, unfazed. "What? I'm just being honest."

Yuki shook her head, her tone gentle but firm. "Sweetheart, that's not quite the right way to put it. Your brother should absolutely chase his idol dreams if that's what he wants. The family business will always be there if he needs a fallback, but that doesn't mean—" She stopped short, catching Renji's crestfallen expression. "Oh, honey, I didn't mean it like that."

An awkward silence descended upon the room, each family member grappling with their own thoughts and emotions.

Renji forced a smile, his voice steady as he replied, "It's okay, Mom. I understand." He pushed back his chair and stood, adding, "I just remembered there's something I need to take care of."

Yuki's eyes widened, her hand outstretched as if to stop him. "Wait, Ren-chan! You haven't even touched your dinner—"

"Don't worry about it," Renji assured her, already making his way out of the room. "I'm not really hungry anyway."

As he left, his family could only stare after him, a mix of concern and confusion etched on their faces.

Mai felt a twinge of guilt as she watched her brother's retreating back. Perhaps she had gone a bit too far with her teasing this time.

"This isn't like Ren-chan at all," Yuki murmured, her brow furrowed with worry. "I can't help but feel like we said something to upset him."

Takashi met his wife's gaze, then turned to Mai, his expression stern. "Let's not get too worked up. Renji's a grown man. He'll sort through whatever's bothering him."

---

Outside, Renji walked aimlessly, his hands jammed into his pockets and his mind whirling with thoughts.

He had initially believed that, despite his mischievous sister, he'd been blessed with the "perfect family" in this new life—a stark contrast to the one he'd left behind.

But the recent conversation had served as a painful reminder that no matter the world, certain expectations and pressures remained the same.

In his previous life, his parents had been vehemently opposed to his dream of becoming a music artist, pushing him instead to abandon his passion and become another cog in the corporate machine.

While his new parents were undoubtedly more supportive, their lack of confidence in his ability to succeed as an idol cut deeply.

"So this is why the system gave me the mission to pursue my dream independently," Renji muttered, shaking his head as the realization dawned on him.

The events that had just transpired made one thing abundantly clear: in this world, as in any other, the only person he could truly rely on was himself.

Even if he were to leverage his father's hard-earned resources and connections, people would likely attribute any success to his family name rather than his own merits. The acclaim would feel hollow, undeserved.

The Idol System's mission was a pointed reminder that he needed to cultivate an unshakable sense of self-reliance. To prove to himself, and to everyone else, that he had what it took to make it on his own.