CH 77

Act 3 - The School Festival

19-6 

As I look at him in a state of confusion, not knowing what has happened, the scout man forcefully shakes off the arm that had grabbed him, looking more irritated than ever.

"Ah, geez, it's always these wannabe heroes. Seriously, they really get on my nerves every time. They think they can mess with my work just because I can't hit back...... Enough with this, it's too much pain in the a*s. Hey, a*shole, come over here for a second."

"You're a pretty lady! Hey, hey, are you interested in a job that pays well?"

"...Huh?" (Mia)

I'm sorry to say this to someone I just met, but I don't have a good impression of this person.

He's wearing a sloppy suit, with flashy dyed hair that is stiffly styled with wax on his head.

His attitude seems to say, "This is cool, right?" and it's somewhat irritating, as he doesn't seem to understand fashion that suited him at all, which is somewhat comical.

"I'm introducing night jobs and such. I've been going around and talking to girls like you who seem like they could earn some money. But no one listens to me at all... I'm in a pinch with my quota this month, you know? Can you understand? I'll introduce you to a job where you can quickly make a lot of money by entertaining men, so can you come with me to the office for a bit?"

"..." (Mia)

From the bits and pieces of what I heard, it's likely that this man is a scout.

However, no matter how I look at or listen to him, he's only doing things that would damage the reputation of people who work seriously as scouts.

His remarks seemed to be contemptuous of the women who were supposed to be the targets of his scouting, and he emphasized only the money aspect.

Money itself is not a bad thing, but the way he talked about it was too foul.

It is best to ignore people like him.

"Hey, wait a minute."

"Huh...?" (Mia)

Usually, people like this would give up if you ignored them, but this person grabs my arm with an irritated tone.

It hurts a little because he suddenly squeezes my arm tightly.

"I told you I'm in trouble, didn't I? Isn't it strange to ignore me?"

"....I'm in a hurry." (Mia)

"That-is-why, I'm really troubled that you won't listen to me. Can't you help me out a bit?"

――――It's no use, this person won't listen.

The people around us seem to comprehend this situation, but they just walk away, avoiding us.

I can't blame them for that, but my weak side is screaming for help if possible.

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"Just by listening to me at the office, I'll be really grateful. Please, won't you help me out? I'll make sure you earn some money."

"I-I'm a minor, so I can't do that kind of work." (Mia)

"Oh, come on. You can't be a minor with such a mature appearance, right? Can you not lie to me?"

His hand, which is holding onto my arm, tightened even more.

If I show my student ID here, I can prove that I'm a minor.

However, it's also a double-edged sword that will reveal that I'm MIA of MilleSta.

If this man finds out that I am MIA, I don't know what he'll do.

"I~'ll be in much trouble...... Can't you just give in soon? Look, our office is in that building over there!" 

"――――" (Mia)

"Silence means it's okay, right? Let's get going then!"

It's not.

Even though I try to scream, my voice won't come out.

I can't hide my agitation about my current situation.

For some reason, tears wells up in the corners of my eyes and my body stiffened. 

"Don't be so scared. I won't do anything bad." 

Am I――――scared?

The man pulls Rintaro-kun into the alleyway, grabbing him by the collar.

Whether he had been a troublemaker or not, there was something about his actions flowing naturally and a peculiar sense of intimidation.

If Rintaro-kun were taken into the alleyway, he will undoubtedly be beaten until that man is satisfied.

Even if it means getting involved with the police due to his violent behavior, the man in front of me, consumed by anger, doesn't seem to have the capacity to think that far.

"Rintaro-kun! ――――" (Mia)

In an attempt to prevent Rintaro-kun from being beaten, I try to intervene and remove the man's arm.

However, I'm stopped by no one other than Rintaro-kun himself.

――――Why?

Those words slipped out of my mouth.

Rintaro-kun stops me with his hand, silently pleading with his eyes not to move.

In response to his calm gaze, I obediently obey his unspoken request.

"Your hand, I guess it's fine to say this is a form of violence, right?" (Rintaro)

"HUH?"

Rintaro-kun grabs the man's hand that had been gripping his collar and twisted it, almost effortlessly.

"O-OOOOOOUCH!"

The man, unable to bear the pain, let go of Rintaro-kun's collar, only to be controlled by Rintaro-kun's hand, swiftly taken on his back

With his arm twisted and restrained behind his back, the man can only struggle and groan in agony. It's a familiar technique often seen in detective dramas, and witnessing it in person almost made me want to exclaim in awe.

"If you resist, your shoulder joint will be in serious trouble, so it's better to behave." (Rintaro)

"...... You F***CK."

Rintaro-kun lets out a sigh as he looks into the infuriated eyes of the man.

Then, he shifts his gaze towards me and kicks the man's back, propelling him forward.

"Let's run away!" (Rintaro)

"Huh, o...... okay!" (Mia)

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While the man is stumbling forward, Rintaro-kun reaches out his hand toward me.

As I grab his hand, he immediately pulls me out and sprints away from the scene with all his might.

"Wa...... wait, hey a*sholes!" 

"Who will wait when told to wait......!"

I was pulled by the arm and run.

In front of me is Rintaro-kun's back.

Perhaps because more people are around, the distance between us and the scout man keeps widening.

The game of tag, which should have been dangerous, somehow becomes fun when I'm with him.

"I still remember when I was little and read Cinderella and Snow White picture books, I wanted to wear such cute dresses myself. But my mother told me, 'You don't have the look of a princess, you know"." (Mia)

"......" (Rintaro)

"I love my mother, but at that one time, I was really angry. I couldn't understand why she would say something like that....... But now, I realize that what my mother said was right." (Mia)

The reason I aimed to become an idol was because I saw other idols on TV wearing adorable outfits and dancing.

I wanted to try dressing up the same way.

With that wish, I jumped into the entertainment industry from the path of being an idol.

"In the end, the costumes I received as an idol, as you know, were all cool prince-like ones. They never expected cuteness from me from the beginning." (Mia)

That's why I accepted being a prince character to meet everyone's expectations.

I rationalized it as something necessary to work as an idol――――.

"So cuteness wasn't expected, huh? Well, I guess that's true from the public's perspective." (Rintaro)

"Yeah...... So I gave up on it a long time ago." (Mia)

"But today, you were more princess-like than anyone else." (Rintaro)

Rintaro says that in a somewhat teasing tone.

At that moment, the events of today flash through my mind.

When I drank his water and choked at the ramen shop.

When I was flustered as I was held like a princess in a photo box.

When I was being pestered by a dangerous person and he came to my rescue.

Looking back, all of them are embarrassing.

"Haha, if you can laugh that much, it seems like you don't need any aftercare." (Rintaro)

"Huh?" (Mia)

Rintaro-kun gradually slows down, turning back looking at me, and says so.

Before I knew it, I was running and laughing.

Even though I had been so scared just a moment ago, it's like they say, "Out of sight, out of mind." I think I'm quite a moral hazard person.

"For now, let's head back to the station. We can walk slowly from here." (Rintaro)

"...... Yes." (Mia)

I walk alongside him, with him still holding my hand.

There's no sign of the man chasing us anymore.

We have successfully shaken him off, and finally, my mind is starting to calm down.

"Ah......" (Mia)

"Hmm? What's wrong?" (Rintaro)

"――――No, it's nothing." (Mia)

As soon as I regained my composure, I realized something and quickly shut my mouth.

If I didn't, Rintaro-kun would probably "let go" of "my hand".

As long as he holds my hand, I can let myself take advantage of him like this――――that's what I thought.

"I tried calling you multiple times, but you didn't answer, so I rushed looking for you, thinking something might have happened... I was surprised to see you being hit on." (Rintaro)

"Huh, calling me?" (Mia)

When I check my smartphone, just as Rintaro-kun said, there are several missed call notifications on the lock screen.

Come to think of it, I had put my phone on silent mode since entering the cinema.

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice." (Mia)

"I see... Geez. From now on, really be careful, okay? I managed to make it in time this time, but I'm not always by your side." (Rintaro)

"I'm not always by your side", huh?

What Rintaro-kun is saying is true.

We attend different schools. I have my schedule as an idol. No matter how you look at it, I can't rely on him for time-related matters.

"Ahh. It would be great if you could become my personal manager." (Mia)

"Ahaha, then I'd end up working. So sorry, I can't do that." (Rintaro)

Ah, it's reassuring to see his uncool side like this.

Rintaro-kun being Rintaro-kun is my support.

If he were only all cool, I don't think my heart could handle it.

"By the way, Rintaro-kun, you can do Aikido, huh?" (Mia)

"Aikido? Oh, that thing from earlier... Was that Aikido――――I wonder?" (Rintaro)

"Huh? What do you mean?" (Mia)

"It's because of my family circumstances. When I was in elementary school, I was made to do various lessons. Among them were martial arts like karate, judo, and kendo. So I tried a few bites, but honestly, I don't remember which techniques belong to which anymore. Today, my body just remembered and it really saved me......" (Rintaro)

As Rintaro-kun says that, his face changes to a slightly pained expression.

But before I can point it out, he returns to his usual expression.

"Well, you never know what will be useful in life. If it ended up helping you, then that's a good thing." (Rintaro)

"...You're right. Thank you so much." (Mia)

"It's awkward to hear you thank me so sincerely." (Rintaro)

"How rude. I also value manners."

Finally, I'm back to my usual self.

We face each other and laugh together.

"...I want you to hear this now that we're here." (Mia)

"Hmm?" (Rintaro)

"I, actually didn't want to be a prince...... I wanted to be a princess." (Mia)

When I confess that, Rintaro-kun looked somewhat surprised.

"You're a pretty lady! Hey, hey, are you interested in a job that pays well?"

"...Huh?" (Mia)

I'm sorry to say this to someone I just met, but I don't have a good impression of this person.

He's wearing a sloppy suit, with flashy dyed hair that is stiffly styled with wax on his head.

His attitude seems to say, "This is cool, right?" and it's somewhat irritating, as he doesn't seem to understand fashion that suited him at all, which is somewhat comical.

"I'm introducing night jobs and such. I've been going around and talking to girls like you who seem like they could earn some money. But no one listens to me at all... I'm in a pinch with my quota this month, you know? Can you understand? I'll introduce you to a job where you can quickly make a lot of money by entertaining men, so can you come with me to the office for a bit?"

"..." (Mia)

From the bits and pieces of what I heard, it's likely that this man is a scout.

However, no matter how I look at or listen to him, he's only doing things that would damage the reputation of people who work seriously as scouts.

His remarks seemed to be contemptuous of the women who were supposed to be the targets of his scouting, and he emphasized only the money aspect.

Money itself is not a bad thing, but the way he talked about it was too foul.

It is best to ignore people like him.

"Hey, wait a minute."

"Huh...?" (Mia)

Usually, people like this would give up if you ignored them, but this person grabs my arm with an irritated tone.

It hurts a little because he suddenly squeezes my arm tightly.

"I told you I'm in trouble, didn't I? Isn't it strange to ignore me?"

"....I'm in a hurry." (Mia)

"That-is-why, I'm really troubled that you won't listen to me. Can't you help me out a bit?"

――――It's no use, this person won't listen.

The people around us seem to comprehend this situation, but they just walk away, avoiding us.

I can't blame them for that, but my weak side is screaming for help if possible.

"Just by listening to me at the office, I'll be really grateful. Please, won't you help me out? I'll make sure you earn some money."

"I-I'm a minor, so I can't do that kind of work." (Mia)

"Oh, come on. You can't be a minor with such a mature appearance, right? Can you not lie to me?"

His hand, which is holding onto my arm, tightened even more.

If I show my student ID here, I can prove that I'm a minor.

However, it's also a double-edged sword that will reveal that I'm MIA of MilleSta.

If this man finds out that I am MIA, I don't know what he'll do.

"I~'ll be in much trouble...... Can't you just give in soon? Look, our office is in that building over there!" 

"――――" (Mia)

"Silence means it's okay, right? Let's get going then!"

It's not.

Even though I try to scream, my voice won't come out.

I can't hide my agitation about my current situation.

For some reason, tears wells up in the corners of my eyes and my body stiffened. 

"Don't be so scared. I won't do anything bad." 

Am I――――scared?

"I still remember when I was little and read Cinderella and Snow White picture books, I wanted to wear such cute dresses myself. But my mother told me, 'You don't have the look of a princess, you know"." (Mia)

"......" (Rintaro)

"I love my mother, but at that one time, I was really angry. I couldn't understand why she would say something like that....... But now, I realize that what my mother said was right." (Mia)

The reason I aimed to become an idol was because I saw other idols on TV wearing adorable outfits and dancing.

I wanted to try dressing up the same way.

With that wish, I jumped into the entertainment industry from the path of being an idol.

"In the end, the costumes I received as an idol, as you know, were all cool prince-like ones. They never expected cuteness from me from the beginning." (Mia)

That's why I accepted being a prince character to meet everyone's expectations.

I rationalized it as something necessary to work as an idol――――.

"So cuteness wasn't expected, huh? Well, I guess that's true from the public's perspective." (Rintaro)

"Yeah...... So I gave up on it a long time ago." (Mia)

"But today, you were more princess-like than anyone else." (Rintaro)

Rintaro-kun says that in a somewhat teasing tone.

At that moment, the events of today flash through my mind.

When I drank his water and choked at the ramen shop.

When I was flustered as I was held like a princess in a photo box.

When I was being pestered by a dangerous person and he came to my rescue.

Looking back, all of them are embarrassing.

"As I said earlier, I was happy to see a different side of you today. Mia, when you get excited, you look your age." (Rintaro)

"That is――――" (Mia)

"That is?" (Rintaro)

"......No, it's nothing." (Mia)

By my silence, he tilts his head in confusion.

But the words that are about to slip out of my mouth are too embarrassing to say.

(No, it's not true, Rintaro-kun.)

I was able to be a princess because of you.

Because you always treated me like a girl, I was able to stop being a prince.

――――I want to say that, but I can no longer be "MIA" in front of him. I am overwhelmed by embarrassment.

"Thank you today, Rintaro-kun. Thanks to you, I might have learned a thing or two about acting." (Mia)

"I see." (Rintaro)

I shouldn't forget the things that made me happy with Rintaro-kun.

If I don't forget, things will surely go well.

(If I don't forget, huh...... There's no way I can forget.)

Maybe I'm a more simpleton than I think I am.

Because, he could easily crumble the image I had built up until now.

"Hey, 'Rintaro-kun'." (Mia)

"Hmm...?" (Rintaro)

"......Fufu, it's nothing." (Mia)

"What's that? You're such a weirdo." (Rintaro)

Sorry, Rintaro-kun.

Because I still get embarrassed, I'll keep these words in my heart for now.

――――Thank you for making my heart race.