Nothing's gonna stand in her way!
For her first big Love Me Section assignment outside the studios, Kyoko must protect the popular LME idol Ruriko Matsunai from the sun while escorting her to a film shoot. But what should be a simple mission quickly goes pear-shaped when their car breaks down and Ruri's true colors start to show. Can Kyoko get this spoiled super-star to cooperate? Or is her first big mission already doomed to fail?
This volume contains the chapters:
- Act 6. "The Labyrinth of Reunion" note
- Act 7. "That Name is Taboo" note
- Act 8. "The Danger Zone" note
- Act 9. "Princess Coup d'Etat - The Bullying Princess" note
- Act 10. "Princess Coup d'Etat - Invitation to the Ball" note
- Act 11. "Princess Coup d'Etat - Magic" note
Chapters in this volume provide examples of:
- Bad Job, Worse Uniform: The eye-searingly pink Love Me Section jumpsuits. Kyoko blanches at them at first, but eventually comes to take pride in the distinctive uniform.
- Break the Haughty: The director wants Ruri to learn some humility, so what does he do? He has her compete with Kyoko, a newcomer who hasn't even been in show business for a month and has never acted in front of a camera before. He never really intended to replace Ruri with Kyoko, but he wants Ruri to believe he'd be willing to do it if she didn't shape up and start acting like a professional.
- Bridal Carry: When Kyoko injures her ankle trying to carry Ruri up the hill, Ren finds her abandoned and baking in the sun. He takes pity on her and carries her up to the nearby film shoot, but Kyoko (remembering how offered to take Ms. Kamio's bag and caused her to get a low score on her first Love-Me Section job) protests and demands that he put her down.
- Fairy Tale Motifs: When Kyoko gets to put on a beautiful kimono and have professional makeup done for her costume in the acting competition against Ruri, one of the assistants mentions that she could become a real Cinderella story if she replaces Ruri. Kyoko, who loves fairy tales, immediately imagines herself as the poor overworked girl who finally gets a chance to dress up and go to the ball. The chapter 9 and 11 title pages also show her dressed up as Cinderella, the first in rags while imagining herself at the ball, and the second holding a glass slipper.
- Flower Motifs: It's a shoujo manga after all - the cover has Kyoko smiling against a backdrop of greenery and blossoms, and most chapters have a few instances of panel backgrounds filling with unexplained flowers. The kimonos that Ruri and Kyoko wear also have distinct floral patterns -
- Idol Singer: Ruriko Matsunai's official job at LME, even proclaiming herself as "Japan's last idol star." To top it off she's childish, spoiled, and prone to throwing tantrums and quitting when things don't go her way, but she wasn't always like that. It's revealed that Ruriko was once a dedicated musician who would keep working through injury and illness until she was happy with her output, but fame and popularity have made her selfish and demanding.
- Parasol of Prettiness: Played with. Ruri has a special "parasol" made for her to go on the outdoor shoot — it's the size of a beach umbrella and lined with a heavy black fabric that blocks out all sunlight. She delays production by a day because she won't leave town without it, and once she has it she forces Kyoko to carry it for her as they hike to the filming location. She's so adamant about the having parasol because she's worried that she'll get a sunburn and ruin her looks (and thus her brand image) if she's outside for too long.
- Princess for a Day: How Kyoko feels about getting to put on a beautiful kimono and have her makeup professionally done.
