Mishounen Produce Chapter 15

HI all Mishounen Produce fans,

We have waited long for Mishounen Produce. It was a about a 2 months' wait as the mangaka took a break. Chapter 15 continues from Chapter 14 which ended with a cliffhanger. Kousei and Kako were out on a date and they saw a huge poster of Kako with Tomoe at a shopping mall. Let's pick up from there.

Kako and Tomoe stared at the huge poster that was hanging from the walls of a shopping mall. Kako is shocked. She comments:"That poster.... Isn't that me?!"

Scene switches to Kako recollecting the past. She remembers about Kousei and herself as childhood friends. They were from a very remote village and they were the only children in that village. She remembers being emersed in her comics even then and Kousei would come around and ask her out to play.

She thinks to herself that she is so much in love with Kousei and she cannot stop her feelings. Their relationship has only recently progressed from childhood friends to being mutually in love with each other.

Scene switches to Kousei in assignment having his photo taken. The editor is swooning as he stares at Kousei. He expresses to Kako that Kousei is looking very good. Kako sighs, looking stressed...

The editor wonders why Kako seems worried and is sighing... Kako is surprised that she has expressed out her internal turmoil outwardly. She thinks to herself that since they found out about the poster, Kousei has been in a difficult mood. Kako tries to be as professional as possible and not to think about the incident. She follows Kousei after the photo-taking session and expresses to him that he has been working hard. Kousei ignores her... Kako is jusrt by Kousei's response, she thinks about the poster and wonders how did the photo taken during the interview turned out to like that.

Kousei breaks the silence and asks her:"When did you take that photo? I am surprised you have kept things from me. I thought you are mine."

(Kousei is possessive!!!)

Kako blushes hearing Kousei saying that she is his. At the same time, she tries to explain about the poster. They are interrupted by 2 ladies. The 2 ladies:"Isn't this a coincidence to meet you here!" Both Kako and Kousei stare at them and cannot recognise them. The 2 ladies are upset that they cannot recognise them. They explain that they are the popular idols and actresses. Moreover they are in the same class with Kako. Kako cannot help but comments that they are noisy as usual.

One of them walks up to Kako and says that she is the same as ever, looking like a country bumpkin. She further says that Kako and Kousei look like an odd and mismatched couple. Kako thinks to herself that she is a country bumpkin and Kousei is this star but she tells herself to ignore her comments as Kousei accepts her as such.

Suddenly her phone rings. Tomoe Senpai is on the other line. Kousei overhears Kako greeting him over the phone...

Tomoe asks Kako whether she has seen the poster. Kako exclaims that she has seen it and is about to ask Tomoe to explain what happened. Kousei takes the phone away and speaks to Tomoe. He asks Tomoe to explain what had happened and how did he force Kako to have her photo taken...

Scene switches to Bright Productions Co. Ltd. Tomoe, Kousei and Kako are sitting down and talking.

Tomoe says to Kousei:"You said that I've forced her and made her have her photo taken, didn't you know that Kako has joined our production company?"

Both Kousei and Kako are rendered speechless upon hearing that.

Kousei looks at Kako, apparently still in shock. Kako fumbles and tries to explain herself. "I have been wanting to find time to talk to you about this. I came over to Bright Productions with the intention to understudy to be a manager. Tomoe Senpai after asking Kousei to join, out of convenience asked me to join too."

Kousei comments that it seems like many things has happened without his knowledge.

Tomoe looks on at their interaction...

Kousei asks Kako:" As a manager, you need to have your photo taken and made it into a poster? You look forward to doing such a job?"

Kako turns to Tomoe and replies:" I understand what I should do." Kako tries to reject Tomoe's offer for her to join the company.

Kousei looks at Tomoe and says:" About joining Bright Productions, I reject and Kako rejects joining your company too."

Tomoe observes that they seemed to have a close relationship. However, Kako has already signed a contract and she cannot resign. Moreover, her contract with Bright Productions is not as a manager but an artist/performer.

Both Kako and Kousei look at the contract. Kako asks why is the word "manager" struck off and is replaced by the word "artist/performer"?

Tomoe smiles at them and tells Kako that she has told him she could do anything. He has taken it to mean that she is willing to do anything so he took the liberty to change manager to artist/performer.

Both Kako and Kousei are shock.

With his back turned to Kako, Kousei asks Kako whether she had said such things to Tomoe. Kako replies that she did but she didn't know things would turn out this way. Kousei says that he believes her as he doesn't think she would suit being an artist/performer...

Kousei looks at Kako and asks her:" Isn't it right? You are not suitable for such job, so you don't have to do such a job."

Kako agrees weakly...

Tomoe, hearing that comments that Kousei should not have stopped Kako. He should have supported a girl who wants to look beautiful to do so. If it were him, he would have done so. Tomoe turns to Kako and tells her that she has an assignment today.

With that, Kako is dragged away to prepare for her assignment.

With Tomoe and Kousei being left alone. Tomoe tells Kousei:" In general, when you see a girl who wants to be beautiful, you should encourage her. Generally speaking."

Kousei replies:"But when she is someone I love, I don't like her to be taken away by some strange man."

Tomoe:"Then join the company so that you can keep a look out for her." "You can no longer hide this secret princess."

Kako is thinking that Kousei has never once commented that she is beautiful.

In the make-up room, Kako remembers that as a young child she has approached Kousei when she put on a new dress and asked him whether she looked beautiful. He would replied that she is being childish and turned his head away promptly. The make-up artist encourages her to change her looks so that Kousei can see her differently and win his approval.

Kako thinks about having Kousei seeing her differently and saying that she is beautiful to her. Kako cannot imagine Kousei saying that she is beautiful. She has no confidence...

Meanwhile, Kousei cannot locate Kako...

Tomoe turns up at the make up room and encourages Kako. He tells her that because she has her head down, she does not realise her potential.

The 2 ladies, Kako and Kousei met earlier turn up at Bright Productions to catch a glimpse of Tomoe. They are surprised to see the transformed Kako.

Kako apologises to Kousei for keeping her meeting Tomoe and joining Bright Productions a secret from him. She tells him that as Kousei is working hard to be an accomplish star in Japan, she wants to work hard too so that she can be a suitable partner to him...

She asks him whether he thinks she is suitable. With a pained look, Kousei touches her face and tells her that she is not suitable...

Kousei goes on to tell her that she is being too naive (same word as childish but I believe the meaning Kousei is trying to get across is naive). This is the exact word Kousei said to her when they were younger when Kako asked about how she looked in her new dress.

With tears in her eyes, Kako turns and runs away.

She runs past Tomoe and tells him that she wants to be an artist/performer. In her mind, she tells herself that she wants to be closer to Kousei.

That ends chapter 15. I am a Kousei fan. Although he is not apt at expressing his feelings to Kako, I believe he loves her and is trying to protect her. He knows that she is not suitable to be in the limelight and has been trying to shelter her. I believe that he has been working hard to be an accomplished star/performer so that he can help fulfill her dreams. If only, he has expressed himself more clearly to her...

Tomoe, on the other hand, is milking the situation to his advantage. I am still not clear about his intent. To get Kousei to Bright Productions, or because he is interested in Kako...

What do you think?