Chapter 1

—The Sparkling Prince of the modeling world has arrived!

I’m happy to be here…! I’ll do my best today, too!

Oh, you’re in the middle of a photoshoot! I was being too loud, wasn’t I? I’ll be quiet!

Huh? It’s good that kids are so energetic? Yes, they are! I think it’s super important, too!

Hmm? Kids don’t have as much energy these days, so it’s rare to see a sparkling face like mine?

Haha, I’m the Sparkling Prince, aren’t I? Of course I’m going to sparkle and shine!

…Sparkling prince?

Hm? What is it, little guy? Are you a fan? Fu fu fu, even a little kid like you knows my name!

Shut up. You’re so lame. The worst ever.

…?!

Hey, you! Th–th–that’s rude?! I’ve been desperately trying to get over my embarrassment and be the Sparkling Prince, you know!

……

(—He’s ignoring me?! What’s up with this little brat?! Was he raised in a barn?!)

(He’s the same way as Narukami-kun from my agency, but that’s exactly why everyone older than us is always complaining about “kids these days” and everything…!)

(Okay, fine! Since I’m a little bit older, I’ll just have to set him straight!)

(You have to know how to talk to the people above you if you wanna get anywhere in life, after all!)

Um! Hey you, the little guy!

…My name is not “Hey You.”

Gh?! Umm, uh. That’s right, I think I’ve seen you in magazines and stuff recently—You’re a kid from another agency. Izumi-kun, right?

……

I remember: Izumi Sena. It’s got a kind of Western feel to it. And come to think of it, your looks are really—

It’s Sena Izumi.

Huh?

My name. It isn’t Izumi Sena. It’s Sena Izumi.

Sena is my family name, and Izumi’s my given name. Don’t you know how rude it is to get people’s names mixed up?

It’s all ‘cause you don’t have any manners that all the old guys keep complaining about “kids these days” and whatever.

How about you get a clue, Sparkling Square?¹

It’s Sparkling Prince!

…Shut up. You’re way too loud, it’s pissing me off.

Huh?! I’m the one getting pissed off here!

DIdn’t I tell you to shut up? I’m trying to concentrate.

I’m watching Yuu-kun.

Yuu-kun…?

☆☆☆☆☆

(Oh… That kid having a photoshoot must be Yuuki Makoto-kun. The one Izumi Se—I mean, Sena Izumi-kun is looking at is him, after all.)

(I know him. He’s been all the rage in the modeling industry; people are even calling him a wonder kid.)

(Well, I was called a wonder kid and even a genius when I was little, too, so it’s not like I’m losing to him. Right?!)

(But that kid is so beautiful he deserves to hear that kind of praise, honestly.)

☆☆☆☆☆

Oh, crap.

…? What’s wrong?

I’m not talking to you. But, uh, you. The uhh—the Sparkling Square.

Sparkling Prince. And I’m Kunugi Akiomi, your senpai in the modeling industry.

Pleased to meet you. Here, you can have my business card.

Like I care. I can’t even read all those difficult kanji.

Oh yeah, you’ve gotta be, what? Five, six? You’re probably just starting school, huh—

So what? That’s not important, anyway. Yuu-kun’s at his limit.

Go get a towel and some water. And find me a place where he can rest without being seen.

I’m sure you know someplace like that, right senpai?

(Th–this kid couldn’t be more of a brat…! I thought I’d try to get along with him ‘cause we’re both models, but I’m seriously reconsidering that!)

(But he did seem pretty serious… He was almost scary, honestly.)

(I don’t really get what he was saying, but well, I am the adult here. I’ll go ahead and listen to him.)

(He has no respect whatsoever, and he doesn’t seem to rely on grown-ups for most things.)

(And now he’s trying to boss me around like he owns the place, even though I’ve literally just met him.)

(I wonder if it’s some kind of emergency… I feel like it’d be really crappy of me to ignore him on this one.)

Hurry up.

Ow ow ow?! Why’d you pinch my thigh?! If you leave any marks, it’s gonna mess up my swimsuit photo op!

☆☆☆☆☆

(—Oh, it’s Onii-chan.)

(Looks like Onii-chan’s having a little fun today? Ehehe~ ♪)