Jerky McJerface, aka Ori, actually manages to goad Utage into taking a bet: if he becomes the new center of F/ACE, she has to switch her loyalties and become his housekeeper. After all, if she’s so confident in Tamon, then why not accept the bet? Surely, Tamon’s biggest fan would never doubt his success. But why even entertain this asshole? Just kick him out. I don’t understand why people always give an inch to jerks like Ori, in real life or in fiction. Utage apologizes to Tamon afterwards, claiming that she literally couldn’t say otherwise. Bullshit. She didn’t have to say anything! Literally grey rock Ori. Let him talk. Oh, he’s saying shit about your oshi? It. Doesn’t. Make. A. Difference. But now there’s added pressure on Tamon to succeed.

Utage is now caught between wanting to keep her beloved Tamon pure versus acknowledging the fact that she has an indelible amount of influence over him. She can pick and choose what he wears (like that necklace). She can even influence how he acts onstage and on TV. I wish she was more of a corruptor even if she only does it inadvertently. That would make this show a lot more interesting. But instead, she just wants to be one of the countless, faceless fans he already has. On that note, do fans ever contemplate what the end would look like? Like you can’t keep stanning the guy forever, right? Idols retire and get replaced all the time. Idols get married all the time. At some point, your fandom has to face its mortality. But maybe it’s one of those things where you just don’t think about it until you have to.

Tamon has a meet-and-greet coming up, and he’s naturally freaking out about it. It sounds like he isn’t confident that he can maintain his cool, sexy persona for the entire duration of the event, so here comes Utage with the assist. She shows him the absolute heap of material she has collected and collated over the entirety of her fandom. By studying all the notes she has taken on the character he plays, he can hopefully keep up the facade through the meet-and-greet. In other words, Utage’s helping Tamon reinforce the fabricated side of himself, which she has paid top bucks to enjoy. Isn’t that a bit odd?