Nino「ニノ, Nino?」 is the one-hundred thirty second chapter of Oshi no Ko manga series. It is written by Aka Akasaka and illustrated by Mengo Yokoyari.
Summary[]
Filming for The 15 Year Lie continues. In one scene, B-Komachi is performing a song with Nino in the lead. However, both she and Ai then notice that there are more fans supporting the latter than the former. Similarly, after the performance, Nino has fewer meet-and-greets than Ai. Finally, upon returning to the changing room, instead of getting the usual "tough love" from Takamine, Nino notices that Ai has now become the recipient such treatment. Being upstaged on all fronts, Nino quietly states to herself for Ai to "not take what's [hers]".
Following the scene's completion, Kana, Akane, and Mem-Cho meet with the real Nino and Takamine, who were invited backstage. Observing the interaction, Aqua asks Ruby if she is not going to join in, to which the latter bluntly states that she was never a fan of the two. Ruby then asks Aqua if he was aware of the complicated relationships between their mother and the other B-Komachi members.
Later, driven by her rivalry with Akane, Kana comes to Nino with questions to enhance her performance. In response, Nino states rivalries are good before revealing that the original B-Komachi never had such things, since no one could match Ai. Kana asks if Nino hated Ai and the latter responds to have understood that her co-star was trying her best as well, causing Kana to notice the similarities between Nino's relationship with Ai and her own friendship with Ruby. However, Nino then admits that she hated Ai after all, once even cursing at her, and begins sobbing.
Having overheard the conversation, Ruby confronts Nino and asks her if she regrets her actions, to which she affirms that she does. Still dressed as Ai, Ruby then pretends to be her mother and forgives Nino, before making a joke of the whole thing. However, this causes Nino to snap, stating that the real Ai would not even have remembered her, since she was the "invincible idol queen". Nino then leaves, calling Ruby a "total fake". Afterward, Kana is left terrified of the prospect of emulating Nino while Ruby just quietly watches the woman leave.
Some time later, Nino makes a phone call and claims to the other end of the line that Ruby is not like Ai at all, actually being happy at that since she believes that there can never be someone else like her. However, she also says that they cannot allow anyone to outshine Ai, not even her daughter, addressing the recipient as Hikaru Kamiki.
Characters[]
