Vol. 1 Chapter 10 – The High School Girl’s Face

“Yuuto~ Sorry to keep you waiting~!” (Akari)

In the morning, as I waited at the apartment entrance, Akari arrived, bringing Nagisa with her.

“Yay~ I’m so happy I get to walk to school with Nagisa! You haven’t been coming to school lately, so I thought maybe we’d never get to walk together like this~!” (Akari)
“Yes, yes, I’m happy too.” (Nagisa)

While brushing her off lightly like that, the color of joy seeping through her expression was that of a normal high school first-year, a stark contrast to last night.

“Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I saw Nagisa in her uniform.” (Yuuto)

Excluding the entrance ceremony, she had worn casual clothes both when she came over for greetings as a neighbor and last night.

“Was it? Well? Happy to see it after so long?” (Nagisa)
“It’s not like I’m happy or anything…” (Yuuto)
“Well, I look good in anything~ Just walking around in this uniform is probably enough to advertise the school.” (Nagisa)

Despite merely stating a fact, Nagisa puffed out her chest with a smug look, as if she’d been praised. She really was confident.

Beside that smug face stood my childhood friend, wearing a different kind of expression—suspicion.

“Yuuto, didn’t you used to call her Minase-chan?” (Akari)
“…So what if I did?” (Yuuto)

Even though I hadn’t done anything wrong, my heart inexplicably started beating faster.

“Oh, nothing? It’s just rare to hear Yuuto call a girl other than me by her first name, so I was wondering when you two got so close.” (Akari)

Apparently, she had no intention of interrogating me; she was simply voicing the question that popped into her head.

“Well, things happened… Anyway, when is the Entertainment Course test?” (Yuuto)

It was a somewhat… no, a very forced change of topic, but my dense childhood friend didn’t seem to notice, mentally reviewing her schedule.

“The singing one is the week after next, I think? The acting one is a bit later, right? Nagisa?” (Akari)
“Right, it’s in the beginning of July.” (Nagisa)
“When’s your test, Yuuto?” (Akari)
“Mine’s next week.” (Yuuto)
“Eh? Are you okay? I can’t detect any sign of panic from you.” (Nagisa)
“Yuuto’s always like this, you know? In middle school too, while I was crying over homework, Yuuto barely moved his pen.” (Akari)
“That’s because you were at a level where you couldn’t solve anything unless I taught you everything…” (Yuuto)

‘Well, this time there’s no one I have to teach, so I should be able to focus on the test…’

“Ahh~! That was exhausting!” (Souma)

My classmate Yamada Souma, showing absolutely no signs of fatigue, and I were having a study session—no, a session where I was forced to teach him unilaterally—in a private room in the school library.

Thinking that this time, for this exam, I could finally focus solely on my own grades, I was approached by Souma two seconds after arriving at school with a plea: “Please teach me.”

After spending several hours in the library, the time was already past 8 PM.

Souma, who commuted by train, parted ways with me right after leaving the school, and I headed home on my usual route.

After walking for a few minutes, a scene similar to yesterday’s jumped into view.

“You again…” (Yuuto)
“What? You’re not actually a stalker, are you?” (Nagisa)
“No, I’m on my way back from a study session with a friend.” (Yuuto)
“Are you sure?” (Nagisa)

Nagisa, who was slightly ahead, adjusted her pace to walk beside me.

“Isn’t it dangerous for a high school girl to be walking alone on a dark street at this hour?” (Yuuto)
“It’s fine. I’m not just any high school girl.” (Nagisa)
“Even more so if you’re an actress.” (Yuuto)
“Well, there has been a suspicious guy around lately. Following me from behind when I walk alone at night.” (Nagisa)
“…That’s me, isn’t it.” (Yuuto)
“Good guess. Glad to see you have some self-awareness.” (Nagisa)
“You just seem like the type to say things like that, Nagisa.” (Yuuto)

Perhaps annoyed by my knowing tone, she conveyed her dissatisfaction with her eyes.

And pretending not to notice, I changed the subject.

“So, why were you late today?” (Yuuto)
“School. Getting explanations about things I missed while I was away, the July test, stuff like that. Took longer than expected, though.” (Nagisa)
“I see… Is school fun?” (Yuuto)

At that, her expression, which had switched from dissatisfied to neutral, instantly became blank.

Is this how actresses are? Her expressions change constantly, making it hard to know which one is real.

“Why do you ask that?” (Nagisa)

The incomprehensible expression I thought I glimpsed for a moment was hidden behind an instantly crafted actress’s smile.

“Because you looked unhappy and dissatisfied, Nagisa.” (Yuuto)
“…Was it that obvious on my face?” (Nagisa)
“No, it wasn’t.” (Yuuto)

The acting of my own blood-related father, seen thousands of times, and along with it, the acting of various other actresses, actors, and idols. The movement of their eyes, the slackening of their cheeks, the use of their bodies—all the things I had watched closely had become ingredients allowing me to deduce what the other person was thinking.

“…You really are a weirdo.” (Nagisa)

The girl who muttered this seemed to be smiling not as an actress, but as a high school girl.

Without either of us suggesting it, we naturally entered the park near the apartment building.

She sat down on a bench and gestured with her eyes for me to sit next to her. I sat down, leaving a little space between us.

“You know, I’m thinking maybe I should quit school.” (Nagisa)
“Well, you don’t seem to attend much anyway.” (Yuuto)
“Yeah. Other people my age in the industry seem to be studying high school material through correspondence courses while working hard.” (Nagisa)
“So there’s a reason you came here, right?” (Yuuto)
“I haven’t said anything yet… Yes, there is!” (Nagisa)

Apparently, predicting the conversation is disliked. She lightly tapped my left leg with her gently clenched left fist.

“See, there’s someone I admire, and they told me. That if I went to Ichiyou, I’d meet someone my age with incredible talent. Honestly, I didn’t think… no, I don’t think there’s anyone who can beat me in acting, even if you expand the age range to twenty-five or so.” (Nagisa)

Just hearing her words might make her seem incredibly arrogant, but considering her current position at the top of the entertainment world and the track record following her, it’s clear it’s not just talk.

“So I got curious… No, I think I was jealous of that person. How enviable must someone be to receive such praise from the person I believe I could never surpass, even if I spent my whole life trying.” (Nagisa)
“So, did you find them?” (Yuuto)
“…I don’t think they exist. I’ve only attended class a few times, but I think I’ve seen the acting of everyone active in agencies and such. But no one really struck me.” (Nagisa)
“So there’s no point in being at school, is that it?” (Yuuto)
“That’s right.” (Nagisa)

I might be told off for asking, but there was nothing I could do after hearing it.

It probably wasn’t all bad.

Seeing her with Akari, she looked genuinely happy.

Maybe school was a good place for Nagisa too, a place to draw the line between the entertainment world and everyday life.

Even if I thought so, I couldn’t say it out loud. I had no right.

My words alone shouldn’t change her decision.

The silence that continued for a while was broken by Nagisa’s words, “Shall we head back soon?”

Somehow, her expression looked like she had made up her mind about something.

As the light spilling from the apartment building came into view, I asked casually.

“By the way, who is the person you admire?” (Yuuto)
“Eh? You probably know them too, Yuuto.” (Nagisa)

“Hokujou Yuuya. You know him, right?” (Nagisa)
“Well… of course.” (Yuuto)

I meant to say that, but I wasn’t sure if the words came out properly. I never expected the name of my own blood-related father to come up as the person my friend admired.

“Hey~? Yuuto?” (Nagisa)

Finding it strange that I had stopped walking, she turned back and called my name.

I probably replied with something absentminded again and boarded the elevator, more shaken than I had ever been before.