Osananajimi ga Zettai ni Makenai Love Comedy Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1

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The Four Shida Sisters and the Ultramarine Channel

Part 1

“It doesn’t look like you believe me, so I’ll say it once again. I think Big Sis Kuro’s lost her memory.”

The defining feature of the youngest daughter of the Shida family, Akane, was her intellect. She excelled especially in mathematics, having obtained Suken 1st-kyu¹ certification while a sixth-year student in elementary school. That was also good enough for her to appear in the local newspaper.

She was currently a first-year student in middle school. She and Aoi were twins, her being the younger.

Her physique roughly matched Aoi’s, but in comparison to Aoi’s relatively droopy eyes, hers were slanted marginally upwards.

People’s eyes were probably first drawn towards her glasses, and the gentle wavy hair that reached her hips.

She had what could be described as an intelligent look. Though twins, the frigidity and shrewdness one could sense in her features were polar opposites of the warmth and restraint exuded by Aoi. In practice the intonation in her voice was also limited, and she projected the air of a pragmatist.

Akane’s shortcoming was probably her aloofness. Her three elder sisters were all of the outgoing type, but Akane gave an image of solitude.

In elementary school she was always thought to be together with someone, but that person always turned out to be Aoi. She was not seen with anyone else. Perhaps because her intellect was so outstanding, it had been hard for her to hold a conversation with those around.

In reality amongst the four sisters I relied on Akane the most.

Her composure and rationality made her the perfect person to consult, and when I did she always gave me advice I could comprehend. Of course Kuroha too had the insight and ability suitable to be an advisor, but our proximity and shared circumstances made many matters hard to discuss. In that sense, the distance between Akane and I felt just right.

I counted on her despite her being four years my junior, while I sensed that Akane idolised me – though Akane being Akane – her indifferent attitude made her hard to read.

Aoi’s praiseworthiness made me want to dote on her, but Akane’s intermittent air of loneliness made me want to keep her company. Thus if ever Akane sent out an SOS, I planned to extend my hand towards her first. The two of them had differing personalities for sure, but to me they were both my cherished childhood friends.

Of the four Shida sisters–

–The eldest daughter, Kuroha. A helpful and sociable second-year model high school student. A short-statured loli elder sister.

–The second daughter, Midori. A third-year middle school student. Tomboyish and crude. Easy to talk to and possessing outstanding athletic ability. Has a great figure.

–The third daughter, Aoi. A first-year middle school student. A kind, innocent, comforting type who modestly puts others ahead of herself. The older of the twins.

–The youngest daughter, Akane. Also a first-year middle school student. A calm, rational, intellectual type. A relatively aloof glasses-wearing girl. The younger of the twins.

The second-eldest and youngest had presently barged into my house.

In response to those shocking words from the person I relied upon the most from the bottom of my heart – Akane – I could only reinquire thoughtlessly.

“Akane, I… you know. Are you seriously saying that… Kuro’s lost her memory?”

“You think I’m lying, Big Bro Haru?”

Akane pushed her glasses up with her index finger.

As one could tell from her cold expression and dispassionate tone, Akane wasn’t the type to joke around.

“That’s true. If you’re saying so, Akane, then it might be real, but…”

Even as I trusted Akane, with things as they were I could not carelessly accept her word without questioning it.

“I don’t think it’s amnesia, though. That’s definitely just her trying to bluff her way out of an inconvenient situation. Well, but I can’t deny that she’s acting strangely.”

It seemed that Midori belonged to the amnesia-denying faction.

“What do you mean, ‘inconvenient’?”

Midori plucked at her short hair as I tried asking.

“I mean, how am I supposed to believe it? She’s lost her memories up to around last summer vacation, you know?”

“…………Heh? You mean–”

“Everything from around the start of the summer holidays, up till around when that video was… around the cultural festival earlier’s completely gone!”

“……Huh? Eh, w… huh?”

Wait, wait, wait, how was this possible?! What was happening?! Did this mean that the entire revenge scandal from before had been completely undone?!

“Wait a minute, if you say ‘around the start of the summer holidays’, that means–”

“It’s around the time Big Sis Kuro confessed to and got rejected by you, Sueharu. But as to whether she remembers that or not, I was too scared to ask.”

“Huh?!”

Wait, wait, wait, wait, come on, that’s the most important thing, isn’t it?! God, my head hurts…

“–Wait, hold on a minute.”

That too was an issue, but what Midori had said in the first place was strange.

“Oi, Midori. Why do you know Kuro confessed to and got rejected by me?”

No one should have known about this outside of when Kuroha herself had revealed it within our class. I hadn’t heard about Midori being connected to someone from our school, and in that video there shouldn’t have been any mention of Kuroha confessing to me. That left the possibility of Kuroha telling her sisters, but as the dependable eldest I didn’t think she would show her failings to them.

Midori uttered “crap” and slapped her hand against her forehead, then turned her face away. Akane stayed expressionless and did the same.

“Was this leaked between you sisters?”

Midori and Akane turned to face each other, but it was the second daughter Midori who acted with seniority and opened her mouth.

“Well, Big Sis Kuro didn’t say anything. But, you know, you could tell looking at her behaviour and mood all the same.”

“Midori, for you to say something so sensitive…”

“What?! Well I’m a girl, so can I understand too!”

“You’re a girl? Then perhaps you should act a little more like one…”

“Ahh, that’s sexual discrimination, you horrible bastard!”

Hmmm, I’ve been accused of being a horrible bastard, have I? And of sexual discrimination at that… At times like these it was easy to return a clumsy rebuttal from various angles, due to the extremely sensitive nature of the issue.

I quickly gazed over Midori’s entire body.

She was in her usual unguarded form, wearing a T-shirt and hot pants. They were garments that accentuated, let alone concealed, in spite of the largeness of her chest and butt.

Unaware of the allur… punch her flesh held, and completely oblivious to the male gaze… she was indeed anything but sensitive.

“…What?”

“That’s right…”

Being the elder I had to show my magnanimity, so I honestly admitted my mistake.

“I was wrong for saying you should act like a girl. You’re already feminine enough.”

“Hmpf, good of you to know… wait– huh?!”

Midori’s face turned completely red.

Ah, about now she should have realised the meaning behind my words and gaze.

“Eh?!”

“You’re really slow, Midori. What are you hoping to achieve by hiding your body only now?”

In her extreme bashfulness Midori was dyed red down to her neck, and she made a fist.

“Sueharuuuu! You bastarddddd! You perverted son of a bitchhhhh!”

“Huh, so what if I am? I’ve long finished preserving that curvaceous form of yours inside my brain!”

“Then I’ll punch your head and erase your memories!”

Ahh, as expected of Midori, her methods of resolving issues were also sports-oriented.

“Do it if you can! I’m going to teach you to fear your elders!”

“You lazy slob, you think you can beat me?!”

Our hands engaged and locked together, and in this state it devolved into us pushing and shoving each other.

“Uuuuuugh!”

“Grrrr!”

Oh crap, that girl Midori was really strong. It seemed like I was about to lose to a girl younger than me.

“Akane, h- help me!”

“Ah, that’s cheating, Sueharu! Akane, you tell this idiot he sucks too!”

Akane gazed at us jostling while in deep reflection, then muttered.

“In the course of the current conversation I can’t confirm Big Bro Haru’s been an idiot, but it is true that the remarks he made to and the way he looked at Big Sis Dori were deviant-like and disgusting.”

“Nggggh…!”

The power balance collapsed and I was instantly forced back by Midori.

What the hell?! That really hurt!

I had become accustomed to scathing criticism from Midori and it didn’t bother me. But to be rejected by a younger sister-like existence I doted on was really quite depressing.

“You really are merciless, aren’t you, Akane?! Well I’m sorry for being disgusting!”

“Now’s the timeeeee!”

“Woah!”

Midori seized the opportunity to overcome me as my strength waned.

I fell onto the floor of the entrance, landing hard on my bum.

“Hahaha, take that, Sueharu! This is what you get for your usual rotten behaviour!”

“Crap, that damn Midori…”

She was getting ahead of herself. She better not underestimate her elders. I would not fail to teach her how scary I could be if and when the opportunity next arose.

As I thus vexed, Akane removed her shoes before extending her arm towards me.

“Certainly your words and gaze were awful, Big Bro Haru, but that doesn’t mean that I think that you are. I don’t think we should judge the character of a person based on a single act of theirs alone.”

“Akane…”

Did you hear those cute and sound words?

Akane only said what she thought without restraint, and at her core she was a kind girl.

“You’re a good girl, Akane! Come, I shall give you a pat on the head!”

“…Big Bro Haru, make another wrong move and it’ll be sexual harassment.”

“Oof!”

Akane’s guard was considerably stiff. It was my future objective for Akane to eventually allow me to embrace her as Aoi did.

“Hmpf! Serves you right, Sueharu! This is what happens when you’re always being favoured by Akane or Aoi!”

“Shut up, Midori!”

I stood up with help from Akane’s arm, and as I prepared to fight with Midori, as I always did–

“Seems like you’re having fun… Big Brother Sueharu.”

The figure of Maria, who had been eavesdropping onto the racket, appeared in the living room.

“?!”

The sisters’ eyes widened into circles at the sudden entrance of the beautiful girl.

“W- Momo?! You-?!”

“What’s wrong, Big Brother Sueharu? Aren’t these the girls who are like your younger sisters? I just remembered you saying so before. –Will you not introduce us?”

Shit, she had totally picked her own time to appear. Well, I suppose she wasn’t one to stay docile in the first place, huh.

Midori probably hadn’t counted on herself hitting the nail on the head when she had jokingly said “You better not have brought a woman or something back, alright?!” in character earlier. She spoke while alternately pointing her index finger between Maria and I.

“S- S- Sueharu! Y- You brought home another woman immediately after being rejected by Big Sis Kuro?!”

“Now hold up, Midori! I’ll kill you, you bastard! There’s a proper way to phrase things, you know!”

Come on, how am I going to carry on living if the neighbours hear that, huh?!

“…How sleazy. …I’ve made a miscalculation.”

“Et tu, Akane?!”

Ouch! Akane’s the cute little sister I’m trying to get to accept me… but alas! Look at her, looking at me like I’m garbage… it makes me wanna die!

“…Wait, what?”

The disdainful look Midori’s eyes were sending suddenly turned into blinking.

“Could this girl actually be… Momosaka Maria from ‘The Ideal Little Sister’?!”

“Heh?”

Ohh, I see. I had known Maria from the past and thus would have been nonplussed, but this was how one typically reacted to seeing her.

I sniggered through my nose, then introduced her boastfully.

“Yes, she is. She’s an acquaintance from when I was a child actor in the past, and she’s come to visit me for the first time in a while after seeing that video.”

“Hehh, seriouslyy?! Come to think of it, Sueharu, you were a celebrity in the past, huh. Woahh, but this really is amazing! What the hell!”

I was a fifth-year student in elementary school when I retired from the entertainment world. Midori had been a third-year elementary school student then.

A two year difference in elementary school was huge, especially when those children were around an age where they chose to start watching dramas or not. So while Midori knew I had been a former celebrity, her impression of me as the Big Brother from the house next door had probably been stronger, because she didn’t have much interest in dramas back then.

“You were the drama watching-type, Midori?”

“I don’t watch that much ‘cuz I’m busy with club practice, but I do tape down and check out the trending ones. I would hate to be left out of the conversation, after all.”

So there were areas where she paid quite a bit of attention to her surroundings, despite being so boorish. Perhaps due to her being self-conscious about her tomboyishness, it could be observed that she had a disproportionate inclination to fit in with her female friends. Midori being Midori already had strong points aplenty, so I didn’t really feel like she had to do so.

“Erm… would it be alright for me to ask what your name is?” Maria inquired of Midori.

The gracefulness of her approach, and the perfection of the smile she produced. Maria gave forth a celebrity’s aura so polished it couldn’t be compared to the one she had six years before, and it was enough to floor even me who had known her in the past.

“Oh, err… yes.”

Caught within that aura, a plebeian like Midori lost immediately. Her body fidgeted restlessly, while her gaze wandered all about. Her cheeks flushed red and she was in a state of disorder.

“Err, I’m Shida Midori… a third-year middle school student.”

“Could it be that you’re the little sister of that (thieving cat) girl in the video?”

…Hm? Had there been a weird pause in the space between “that” and “girl” just now…?

“Eh, err… yes.”

Shaking, Midori appeared to be completely unconcerned. If I asked though, I felt like something sinister would be divulged…

“I’m so happy you watched my drama. Thank you.”

“Oh, of course! Wow, wow!”

Seeing Maria’s outstretched arm, Midori’s shoulders sprung up as she shook Maria’s hand.

“I’m only a year older, so you don’t have to be so polite with me, you know?”

“Oh… really? I’m not great at that, to be honest, so this is much more appreciated… I think.”

“You’re a (simple,) good girl, and cute. It seems like you’ve got some kind of brother-sister relationship with Big Brother, so if you consider mine with him, it means that you and I are like older and younger sisters too, aren’t we?”

“Hm…?”

Midori had been led by the nose and now predictably appeared to have been caught in the trap.

Yes, there was something strange about that logic. There probably had been a huge leap somewhere.

“So, you can specially call me Big Sister Momo if you’d like.”

Yikes, Maria was projecting her aura even more strongly. Unlike earlier, perhaps it could now definitively be called that of an empress. That girl Maria had fixed her rating with Midori.

“Stop.”

“Ow!”

As I gave her a light chop, the terror coming from Maria dissipated.

“Come on, what are you trying to coerce Midori to do after just meeting her for the first time?”

“But Big Brother Sueharu∼, you’re supposed to be my big brother alone∼”

“I’ve been eating at the Shida house since forever, so if anything I’d say these girls should be my family. What’s strange is you calling me Big Brother instead.”

“Eh∼, you’re so mean, Big Brother…” Maria snuggled against me as she said so.

“I didn’t tell you not to call me that. Anyway, no more indiscriminately intimidating people. Your celebrity aura isn’t anything to sniff at, so it frightens normal humans.”

“…Well, if you say so, Big Brother.”

Phew, Maria had settled down at last. Managing her was truly challenging.

“Y’all get along pretty well, huh, Sueharu.”

It was Midori who thus instigated.

It seemed as if Midori too had grasped Maria’s true nature, the result of which was that she perceived her not as an ally but an enemy.

“Hmm, I mean, you were making a good show of it. I know about you being a former celebrity, but from this point on are you planning to abandon Big Sis Kuro and become one again?”

“This is why I told you to watch your phrasing! What am I going to do if the neighbours get the wrong idea?!”

Maria cut into the space in between us.

“Midori-chan… Big Sister Momo prefers girls who are a little more honest, you know?”

Ohh man, again Maria had fanned the flames!

Maria looked upwards with her aura fully activated, while Midori made full use of her height and stared down upon her intimidatingly from above. The amicability of their initial encounter had already become a thing of the past.

“Look, I know you’re a popular actress and I’ll admit that you’re really cute, but don’t you think you’re sticking to Sueharu a little too closely?”

“…Is that bad?”

“It’s not about whether it’s good or bad, it’s that we’ve known each other for over ten years, and with Big Sis Kuro this guy’s–”

“If I recall correctly, that person’s already rejected Big Brother Haru, has she not? If so, she’s out of the picture, isn’t she? Or do you personally have a problem with me sticking to Big Brother Haru?”

“Oo– no, I–”

Please, stop, Midori. If you disclose that it’ll hurt me more than it’ll hurt you.

Towards Midori, who was still searching for words, Maria swiftly lowered her head.

“Oh, I’m sorry… I wasn’t planning on looking for a fight. Whenever it comes to Big Brother Haru, I just… I’ll apologise, so can we make up…?”

She held out her hand – the one Midori had bashfully shaken earlier – but this time the latter swept it aside in rejection.

“Your condescending attitude really pisses me off!”

“…I see. I suppose you won’t be wanting a photo either then? Right now we can not only take a shot together, but I can even post it on social media, you know?”

“–Eh?”

Ah, the tides had shifted.

“Take it as my apology. You’ll definitely be able to boast to your friends, you know? No, not just that. I don’t sell myself cheaply, so there almost aren’t any couple photos with me in them going around. When I upload the photo on social media it’ll unmistakably be the centre of attention. So if there’s someone you’re interested in, Midori-chan, this could possibly be the opportunity for the two of you to get closer together. It takes the courage to make the first step and all of your strength to break open your future – or at least that’s how I think – but what will you do, Midori-chan?”

Wooow, was this the part where I was supposed to say “as I expected”? This is what I had been talking about. This was Maria’s true essence, her ability to cut open her own path without relying on luck. She never hesitated to use any abilities at her disposal, and always swayed things into a way that would be to her convenience.

Presented with an alluring fruit, the defiant Midori wavered.

In this by the time you wavered you had already lost.

“H- Hmpf! You won’t be able to entice me with something like that!”

“That wasn’t really my intention… or rather, it’s alright then if you don’t have a need for it. All I wanted was to get along with (so that I can manipulate her as I please) a(n eyesore of a) girl who’s close to Big Brother Sueharu like a little sister…”

As expected of an actress. While Maria acted meekly, Midori was assaulted by the guilt of having done something terribly wrong.

“Ah, it wasn’t like I rejected you because I had any particular reason to either…!”

Maria revealed a gentle smile.

“In that case I think we definitely can be friends (of convenience). After all, I only came here to visit Big Brother Sueharu for the first time in a while.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You (really) are a simple and good girl.

“…Oi, Momo. Your real opinions are leaking.”

“Ah–”

“Ah–”

Momo promptly placed her hand against her mouth, then tried to play it cool with a broad grin.

Obviously, that didn’t have a shot at working.

“So you really are playing me for a fool, aren’t you?!”

“Oh, I’m not playing you for a fool, you know? I just think you’re easy.”

“Aren’t those two things the sameeee?!”

“Calm down, Midori! This is just the kind of person Momo is!”

Getting caught in Maria’s tailwind before I realised it had been a fearsome habit of mine in the past.

She could have laid low while I was pacifying Midori, but in that time Maria had already begun talking to Akane.

“We could be friends too, if you’d like?”

“…I’m good. I neither use social media nor have any particular interest in you.”

“I do want to be on good terms with you too, you know?”

“Like I said, I’m fine.”

“…Alright, I understand (that you’re a stubborn one). (I’ll definitely make you kneel, so) shall we talk again some other time?”

“If the opportunity arises.”

Sigh, it was said that three girls were a crowd, but the aftermath of throwing an explosive known as Maria towards the sisters had been truly uncontrollable.

I brought the conversation forcibly to a close.

“Anyway, we’re going back to the earlier issue! I hear what you all are saying about Kuro, and I think I want to carefully work out some countermeasures. For the time being though, it looks like Momo has something to say to me, so I’ll hear her out first. I’ll come calling for you all again later, so Midori and Akane, you all please head home for now.”

“You sure?”

Midori looked at me as if she were scrutinising every inch of my body.

She doesn’t trust me.

“Of course. I’m giving Momo priority because her house is further away, and also because I’ve judged that for her to go home later might be dangerous.”

“Well, that’s…”

My logic was flawless. So much so that even Midori seemed to be lost for words.

As I felt my chest swell with the pride of having admirably gotten through this ordeal–

“But I don’t mind staying over like this, though–”

–Again Maria tossed another bomb.

“Sueharu! You…!”

“Calm down, Midori! And Momo! You premeditated this crime, didn’t you?! Because I can tell!”

“…Well, what might you be talking about?”

“Don’t you act dumb now!”

“Could it be that you’re going to punish me, Big Brother Sueharu? Are we going to play doctor again like you loved to six years ago?

“Sueharuuuu!”

“Big Bro Haru…”

Ooh, Midori’s aside, Akane’s gaze was painfulll!

“…My bad, Momo. I don’t think I can beat you, so could you let me off the hook for now? By the way, if you don’t, I’ll refuse to listen to what it was you wanted to discuss about.”

“Ooh, you’re so mean, Big Brother Sueharu! Also, to the sisters over there, I was joking, okay?”

Midori and Akane were totally creeped out.

To Midori in particular… you are overly so. Your face looks like a zombie’s.

“Well, Big Bro Haru. Later.”

On account of having achieved her objective, Akane turned around.

“Sure, I’ll contact you la–” I began, before Maria cut in.

“–That’s alright, I can say what I want to here as well.”

The sisters, who were taking their leave, stood still in their tracks.

Maria smiled thinly, then leisurely placed her eyes on me.

“Big Brother Sueharu… please come back to the entertainment world. And then – we should act together again. If I’m together with you, I feel like I can shine brighter than I ever have.”

Maria returned to the living room, then came back holding a pochette.

“Big Brother Sueharu, this is the name card of the agency’s current CEO.”

Current? Did this mean that the CEO had changed since I had retired?

On the name card the following was written:

「Hardy Pro / President and Chief Executive Officer / Hardy, Shun」

The CEO while I was there had been an old woman of mixed descent called Nina Hardy, the founder of the acting agency and a wizard of her generation. She was a strict yet kind person, to the extent that she was known by many belonging to the agency affectionately as “Grandma Nina”.

“Momo, what about Grandma Nina?”

I unearthed that nostalgic name and thus inquired.

“Last year her health deteriorated…”

“Eh, you mean…?!”

“…No, she got better immediately, but she lost the motivation to work after taking it easy for the first time in such a long time. So she’s handed everything over to her son Shun-san, and now she’s traveling the world with her husband.”

“Ahh, she was that kind of person…”

She was a powerful yet breezy woman of character, someone who would act immediately after hitting upon an idea. Well, it was very much like her to do so, and if she was healthy I could see her again…

“After he watched that video, Big Brother, I came because Shun-san requested me to persuade you to return. Well, I had the intention to do so anyway even if Shun-san hadn’t told me to.”

“Shun-san, huh… I’ve never even heard of him being mentioned before. Grandma Nina never talked about him either, after all.”

“Apparently the relationship between mother and son isn’t particularly close.”

“And your impression of him, Momo?”

“What is certain is that he has ability.”

“What else? His character?”

“I think it would be better for you to confirm anything else with your own eyes, Big Brother. In the meantime, what would you say about meeting him?”

“Hmm, I see…”

“Do you have no inclination of returning?”

“…I’m wavering a little, to be honest.”

I had hit it off in the past as a child actor, but along with a six-year hiatus, I had since only once stood upon a stage, and one at a cultural festival at that. Whether I could perform about as well as I used to was still very much an unknown variable, but in the first place the requirements were different from when I had been a child actor, now that I had become a high school student.

In addition, it was thanks to Kuroha that I was able to try so hard during the cultural festival. Because she had since fallen into a difficult situation, I was also painfully reluctant to put that aside and make my return.

Only I thought I had to make the best use of this opportunity. I was grateful alone for having been thus reached out to.

“Big Brother, would it be alright for you to tell me what time you’ll be free this Saturday? I’d like to arrange your interview with the CEO.”

“…Well, yeah… I guess I’ll try meeting him.”

It didn’t look like I would arrive at a conclusion agonising over it at this point in time. To not meet the CEO and listen to what he had to say seemed to mean not making progress on anything.

“That would be good.”

Maria turned her sight to the sisters.

“Erm, would you mind doing me a favour by handing this over to Kuroha-san?”

What Maria presented to them was a name card identical to the one she had handed to me.

“Oi, Momo. You mean the CEO’s also interested in…?”

“Yes, he appears to be interested, and if possible he’d like the two of you to come see him together – was what he said.”

So it was because of this that Maria hadn’t let the sisters go home, huh.

“Hey, weren’t you listening to what we were saying?!” Midori flared up. “Big Sis Kuro’s now gone crazy, but despite that you’re talking about the entertainment world…?!”

“Even I couldn’t have foreseen something like that happening. But having come this far, I’m just wondering if passing on the message alone would be the logical move. That said, I still intend to take care not to go and hand this to her directly. I’ll entrust you all with deciding whether to hand this to Kuroha-san or not.”

“…………Fine, got it.”

She had probably understood Maria’s reasoning. I felt reluctance on Midori’s part but she accepted the name card.

“Well, my work is done here, so I’ll be going home now.”

“I see. Do you want to hail a cab? I’ll pay since you deliberately came all the way.”

“Hehe, Big Brother, who do you think I am? Things have changed since six years ago, you know?”

Maria gave a cute wink.

“If I give my chauffeur one ring, he’ll be here within a minute.”

“Wow. That’s a huge difference from before.”

“Of course.”

Maria brushed the sisters aside, then slid her feet into her school-designated leather shoes.

“Oh, that’s right, Momo. I forgot something.”

“What’s that, Big Brother? Our goodbye kiss?”

“Are you dumb? This.”

I took out my handphone, putting my log on display.

Fifty-seven Hotline messages, fourteen missed calls. From the morning until now – so much as half a day – this had been the toll.

“Wow…”

“Is she a stalker…?”

Natural reactions, probably. This was the common sense.

“This is too much, even for you. I won’t ask you to stop contacting me, but please, restrain yourself a little.”

This was the reason I had angrily told Tetsuhiko “not to give out my address at his own convenience”. I had foreseen this happening if he told Maria, never mind someone else.

“…Oh, my ride has arrived. Goodbye then, everyone.”

“Come on! At least say you’re sorry or you’ll stop before leaving!”

In this respect she really resembled Tetsuhiko. Perhaps this was precisely the sort of tough mindset that was required to survive in the entertainment world.

If so, I wasn’t good enough. Could I truly reinstate myself to the entertainment world?

Those were some of the thoughts that I had.

*

¹A college/university-level math test and the hardest out of 14 administered by the Mathematics Certification Institute of Japan. In 2019 only 14.4% of candidates taking the 1st-kyu exam passed, one of whom was a 9 year old boy, so Akane ain’t that great. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯