Book 3: Chapter 3

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“No wait, interested in the entertainment world, you said…”

I can only be left dumbfounded by Kurosawa-san’s too sudden words. Why me in the first place? I know I got carried away earlier, but if they knew my name, then they must have been looking for me from the beginning… I didn’t know how the people at the entertainment agency knew who I was.

Then, as if sensing my feelings, Kurosawa-san continued with a blank expression on his face.

“As a matter of fact, the agency I work for has Miu, who did a photoshoot with Yuuya-san in the past, and also the photographer, Hikari. And when the director heard about Yuuya-san from them, she said she wanted you to join us… Ah, the one behind me is the director.”

“H-huh…”

To my surprise, it seems that the conversation came about because of the connection between me, Miu-san, and Hikari-san. This was a big surprise to me because I thought I would no longer have anything to do with modeling sessions.

I almost let it slide, but the person behind Kurosawa-san is the director of the company? She hasn’t said a word to me since a while ago, but the boss herself came to me? But sure, she’s got her arms crossed the whole time, and she looks like a big shot with some sense of comfort. Maybe it’s just a prejudice.

“I-isn’t that amazing, Yuuya! It’s the entertainment world, you know?”

“T-that’s right, Yuuya-kun! You were really cool in that picture!”

Ryo and the others, who were just as surprised as I was, came back to their senses and said so with excitement.

“Well, Yuuya has a different aura, you know. I thought you would definitely enter the entertainment world one day, but…”

“I-it’s rather amazing that you’ve made it this far in obscurity…”

“Oh, indeed. I’ve never heard of a guy like Yuuya before. Even though the high school and junior high school that Yuuya went to before was in a neighborhood close to my junior high school.”

I didn’t get the kind of story Ryo was talking about because I only recently got this look in the first place, and it’s not like it can’t be helped or anything… More than that, I didn’t know there was a fresh and cool boy like Ryo either, so I guess there’s not as much talk of such people in the area as people think.

As I was convinced by myself, Kurosawa-san, still expressionless as ever, asked me nonchalantly.

“So, Yuuya-san. What do you think? Are you interested in the entertainment industry?”

“Uhm… well… I’m sorry. I’m happy to hear about it, but it was too sudden… I can’t decide so easily. I’m sorry…”

When I said that and bowed my head, Kurosawa-san’s eyebrows moved for a moment, and Ryo and the others widened their eyes. When I looked closely, I could see that the director, who was standing behind Kurosawa-san with her arms crossed, was also surprised.

“Yu-Yuuya! Are you sure? It’s the entertainment industry, you know?”

“Y-you might even get to know some of the idols and voice actors on TV, you know? If that happens, please introduce them to me!”

“Aren’t you being too hasty, Shingo-kun?”

I don’t know much about idols and voice acting, but it’s rare to see Shingo-kun getting excited like that. Ryo is also slightly surprised. Then the director, who had been silent until now, looked a little impatient and opened her mouth for the first time.

“H-hey! Are you really going to turn this down? The entertainment industry that everyone dreams about. Moreover, our agency has been doing great business lately, and it’s got a lot of potential…!”

“It’s true that as Ryo, Shingo-kun, and you said, the entertainment industry may be everyone’s dream, but I haven’t found what I want to do in the future yet. I at least think that I want to do something that I can say, “This is it!” from the bottom of my heart. And I’m here now with my friends. I’m happy to be able to spend time in high school in a normal way. I’m hoping to enjoy these times more. Well, most importantly, I don’t think I’m going to do better if I go into the entertainment industry…”

I’ve been able to level up in another world and enjoy my life now.

Maybe you might say that I should challenge myself because I haven’t decided what I want to do yet, but I don’t think I can say I’m going to quit irresponsibly once I’ve started. I don’t know how I’ll be spending my time in the future, but I just want to think about it a little bit more… now that I’ve got the time to do it this way, I need to carefully think about it.

Receiving my words, Ryo and the others gave a bitter smile.

“Huh… I think Yuuya will succeed for sure but… well, it’s true that once you’re in the entertainment industry, you won’t be able to go back to the carefree Yuuya like this, and we will miss you as well, and above all, I think it’s best for you to do what you want to do.”

“I-it seems like a waste, but if that’s what you think, Yuuya-kun, then we’ll respect that.”

It was really nice to hear what Ryo and the others had to say because all my life has been in denial until now.

“Uhm… I was delighted to hear your story. But I can’t think about being in the entertainment industry right now or anything like that. I’m sorry.”

Then I bowed to Kurosawa-san and the director. The director then looked dismayed and pulled Kurosawa-san a little further away and began to consult with him.

“Hey, wait, Kurosawa! This is so wrong!”

“Director. What’s wrong? Isn’t this scouting thing the director started saying?”

“S-shut up! Just do something about it!”

“Yes.”

Having decided enough with the consultation, Kurosawa-san came to me again and told me nonchalantly with a blank expression.

“Then, I’ll give up on scouting.”

“Eh?”

“Hey, Kurosawa!”

The director is appalled behind Kurosawa-san, but Kurosawa-san doesn’t seem to be paying any attention to her.

“What is it?”

“Oh, no, I mean… I was admitted so quickly, too…”

Maybe Kurosawa-san and the others aren’t looking for me as much as Ryo and the others are making a fuss about, after all. If it’s the kind of person they really want, they’re likely to try to do more to get the job done… but the director-san has been saying something to Kurosawa-san all the time, but is it okay?

Anyway, Kurosawa-san’s reaction made me feel embarrassed that I was thinking so seriously… I’m so self-conscious, aren’t I? While I was blushing involuntarily, Kurosawa-san told me without hesitation.

“There’s nothing assertive about it; I was told by the director to “make contact” with you, not about bringing you into the entertainment industry without fail. But I belong to an entertainment agency myself, so I just scouted you out.”

“Don’t be such a sophism! If I told you to make contact, it’s just normal for you to scout him as well!”

The words of Kurosawa-san that I didn’t expect were appalling to me. No, I mean… I think the words of the director of the company are normal. Still, Kurosawa-san is amazing to say something like that.

“Director. Please think about it carefully. If you were forcing him to enter the entertainment industry, and people found out about it, they would blame you. Every agency is trying to kick other agencies out after all. I don’t think it’s a good idea to give them an opening like that here.”

“B-but, it’s the entertainment industry, you know? What kind of a young boy wouldn’t jump at that?”

“Isn’t it because he’s not like a normal boy that we just got rejected?”

Eh? Did he just say I’m not normal? Appalled by Kurosawa-san’s nonchalant words, the director’s face twisted in frustration as if she couldn’t give up.

Then a woman approached from behind the director-san and Kurosawa-san.

“Director, please don’t force Yuuya-san to do too much.”

“Mi-Miu-san?”

To my surprise, the person who interceded with Kurosawa-san and the others was Miu-san, who belongs to the director’s agency.

“H-hey, even Miu, too! You are the one who asked for Yuuya-kun to be scouted, aren’t you?”

“That may be so, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to force Yuuya-san to join us now that he’s clearly refused us.”

“Gununu.”

Kurosawa-san nodded at Miu-san’s opinion, and the director groaned.

“A-amazing… even the popular model Miu-san is here for Yuuya…”

“Y-yeah, I know they were together in the previous photoshoot, but I can’t believe I got to see the real one…”

Apart from the director, Ryo and the others were impressed with Miu-san. It seems that Miu-san is a very famous model, so she’s not someone who would normally have had her picture taken with someone like me… I’m really lucky to work with someone like that.

As I was silently feeling that way, the director showed me that she had come up with something.

“T-that’s right! How about a magazine feature project then?”

“What?”

“F-feature?”

What made me wonder how such an alternative came about? Ryo and Shingo-kun looked at each other and tilted their heads, just as I did. Despite our bewilderment, the director continued with a proud face.

“You had your picture taken with my Miu before, and it was published in a magazine. You may not be a member of any agency, but you’ve already stepped into the entertainment industry.”

“H-huh…”

“However, you’re still a civilian. So I’m going to change the concept a bit.”

“U-um… I do not understand your story at all…?”

What does it all mean exactly? How does this go hand in hand with the idea of a feature?

“You’re students of the Ousei Gakuen, right?”

“Y-yes.”

“Speaking of Ousei Gakuen, the school puts a lot of effort into school festivals, athletic festivals, and various other events. Isn’t there going to be a ball game tournament soon?”

“Yes… but how did you know that?”

“It’s only natural to look into things when you’re scouting, right?”

Eh, is that how it was? What about my privacy?

“This is a bit of a digression, but since it’s a special feature on the Ousei Gakuen, I thought I’d do a big feature on that ball game for the magazine.  [A big sneak into the ball game of the super prestigious school, Ousei Gakuen!]. What do you think of the article?”

“Eehh!?”

I-I kind of understand the theory, but…

“Um… excuse me, but you’re from the entertainment agency, right? Can you do a feature on a magazine like that?”

Then Ryo, who had been listening to us, said one question. S-surely.

“Ara, don’t make fun of us. These days, idols, voice actors, video games, and almost anything else in the industry can be turned into magazines. Besides, my office has a messenger to publishers, of course. I can use that to get as many features as I want.”

“We’re going to have to negotiate for that, though…”

“It’s your job.”

Kurosawa-san said that with a somewhat puzzled look on his face, but the director didn’t seem to be bothered at all.

“So, what do you think? This way, we can take you on regardless of the entertainment industry or anything like that, right?”

“Uhm…”

I don’t know if it’s fair to say that I was scouted in the first place… I wonder if I can just say no to that and then just feature it. Maybe it’s not something I can properly decide, though. And I’m sorry that they came all this way for me and ended up with me refusing. I mean…. no, I can’t. I’m so indecisive…

Nevertheless, I honestly told the director how I felt right now.

“Well… about the feature, if it has nothing to do with the entertainment industry, I’ll do my best to cooperate with you. It’s just that it’s a school matter, and I’m not the one who can decide…”

I don’t know how far she got the message, but when I told her how I felt, the director’s eyes lit up.

“That’s all I need to hear! Kurosawa!”

“Yes.”

“Make an appointment with the Ousei Gakuen director right now!”

“It’s too much trouble for me, why can’t the president do it herself?”

“Isn’t it about time you had to get to work? I’m your boss, after all! Anyway, the director of that school is a very understanding person, so if you tell him that Yuuya-kun is cooperating with us, he will probably give his permission!”

“Okay… I understand.”

Kurosawa-san walks towards the school with a really uncomfortable expression on his face. Ah… the appointment isn’t with a phone call, they’re instead heading to the school directly…

“Yuuya-kun.”

“Y-yes.”

“Now, if the school director allows it, you’ll cooperate, right?”

“Yes, but, as I said before, I’m not going into the entertainment industry. I’m an amateur at being photographed, so I don’t know anything about that, is it okay with you?”

“You don’t need to worry about that. As a matter of fact, we’re going to make it a special feature on the Ousei Gakuen; it’s not a good idea to take a strangely conscious picture. …Well, but once we get it in our place, we can do whatever we want with it later on.”

“Eh?”

“No? This is just our story. In the meantime, I’m waiting for the director’s approval, so I’ll withdraw this time.”

The director said that much and turned her back on us…

“Well, I’ll see you later.”

She left just like that. Then Miu-san gave me an apologetic look.

“Yuuya-san, I’m sorry for getting you into trouble. The director really wanted to know about Yuuya-san…”

“N-no, don’t worry about it. Besides, maybe this will change some of my own feelings about things again…”

I said that sincerely, and Miu-san smiled as if she was relieved.

“I’m grateful to hear you say that. ”

Miu-san said and left in the same direction as the director. Looking after that figure, Ryo, Shingo-kun, and I looked at each other.

“…Well, it’s kind of a big talk, huh.”

“T-that’s right. For starters, it goes from just Yuuya-kun to the entire school…”

“I-I’m sorry about that, okay?”

“No need to apologize! I’m rather excited to see how they’re going to take my picture.”

“Yeah. I’m looking forward to it.”

It’s gotten a lot bigger for me personally, but Ryo and the others laughed and even said they were looking forward to it.

What remains to be decided is what the school director will do…

──The rest is up to the board director, Tsukasa-san, if he wants to cooperate with them, and Kurosawa-san’s agency will officially come to take pictures at the ball game tournament.