The following contains spoilers for Episode 2 of Oshi no Ko, "Third Option," now streaming on HiDive.
The story of Oshi no Ko picks up over ten years after the end of episode 1, with Aqua and Ruby now old enough to start high school and living with their adoptive mother Miyako, who now runs Strawberry Productions. Ruby dreams of becoming an idol so that she can follow in her mother Ai's footsteps while Aqua remains hell-bent on revenge, a feeling that hasn't faded more than a decade after the cruel tragedy that befell his mother all those years ago.
Episode 2 is the start of the story of Oshi no Ko's main story, and it's already clear that Aqua and Ruby are both heading toward different paths with similar yet entirely different motivations behind them. Ruby is looking towards the future and trying to make the most of an opportunity she never had in her previous life, while Aqua lives only as an instrument of revenge, stuck in the past. How the two siblings will end up in the future is still a mystery, but it'll be intriguing to see how their stories play out.
The Thorny Path Of An Idol
Ruby has always wanted to be an idol, even back when she was living as Sarina. As Sarina, her body was weak and incapable of much physical activity, so now that she has a healthy body, Ruby desperately wants to make the most of what she's got. The episode begins with Ruby applying for a massive idol competition to join a major idol group. She does well enough despite the passing rate being incredibly competitive, but ultimately fails the audition in its later stages. Unbeknownst to her, her audition attempt was sabotaged by Aqua, who refuses to let her become an idol and put herself in the same danger that Ai did.
Ruby's determination is undaunted, however, and she soon gets scouted immediately after for an underground idol group. Aqua and Miyako are concerned, however, and Aqua disguises himself as a scout in order to get information about this company from one of their former idols. He quickly learns that they are subject to a number of unsavory rumors, and seem to not have very good management. Aqua is adamant about not letting Ruby become an idol, but Miyako, having raised Ruby as her own daughter, knows she has the drive and talent to make it. Ultimately, after making sure that Ruby actually has the proper drive and resolution to become an idol, Miyako tells her to sign up as a Strawberry Productions talent instead. Happy to finally become an idol, Ruby accepts the contract immediately.
Unrelenting Darkness
While Ruby has been working on becoming an idol, Aqua has been working secretly as an apprentice for the director he had befriended since his childhood. His main goal is to secure some kind of role in entertainment so that he can come into contact with various figures in the industry. With that role, he plans on finding his father, who he believes is not only in the entertainment industry, but also the man he holds responsible for Ai's death. It is for this reason alone that he has worked in the entertainment industry for so long.
Despite Aqua's insistence otherwise, the director believes there is more to Aqua's connection to the entertainment world than he lets on. Although Aqua works behind the scenes as an editor and overall assistant now, he used to take acting jobs when he was younger, but quit some time ago. While Aqua believes that he has no talent for acting, the director believes otherwise, and Aqua's skill in deceiving others and disguising himself is incredibly clear. The director thinks Aqua should dream more, but Aqua himself doesn't see the point in anything other than getting revenge.
A New School, And Reunion
In the background of all this, Aqua and Ruby are preparing to enter Youtou High, a school that happens to have a performing arts division for students working in the industry. Ruby, having become an idol under Strawberry Productions, enters the performing arts division, while Aqua enters general education. With Ruby's burgeoning idol career and Aqua's strong scores, the two believe that they will get into school relatively easily.
As the two talk in the halls, a student passing by happens to recognize Aqua's name. That student turns out to be Kana Arima, the child actress that Aqua and Ruby once met as children. Kana is excited to see Aqua again, but that excitement quickly deflates when he reveals that he has not joined the performing arts division in school. While this encounter was certainly a coincidence, it is clear that it will lead to more exciting developments for Aqua and Ruby as they delve into the entertainment industry.