Chapter 3: Performing Arts Exams
The morning before classes started.
Gazing at the slightly cloudy sky, I recalled yesterday’s events.
Nagisa Minase came over and had dinner with us.
She seemed a bit thrown off by Mom’s approach—not quite like a fan but with a unique kind of closeness—but when Mom said, “Come back anytime if you’re in trouble!” as she left, Nagisa-san showed a hint of a pleased expression.
“Yo, Aoi Yuto, you ready for the test?”
Soma’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts, pulling my gaze from the gloomy sky.
“Look, Soma, I believe there are two types of people in this world.”
“Oh? And those are?”
“Those who study consistently and don’t need to cram for tests, and those who don’t study at all and have to scramble at the last minute. I’m the former, by the way.”
“You’re that type, huh~?”
Over the past two weeks, I’d gotten surprisingly close with Yamada Soma, who was now talking to me as casually as ever.
Judging by the way he slumped onto his desk, dejected, Soma was clearly the latter type.
“Well, at least it’s just a written test. Ever heard about the Entertainment Department’s exams?”
“What’s up with them?”
At my question, Soma’s face twisted as if he’d bitten into something sour, probably imagining the scene.
“They have to act, apparently. On stage in the event hall.”
“In front of people?”
“Yup. It’s a yearly thing for first-years. General students can watch, but usually, it’s just friends or family of the performers, so the seats are like ten percent full at most.”
“Well, not many people would go out of their way to watch strangers act.”
“Right? But this year’s different. You know why? Minase-san’s in it. Even my friends in the General Department say a ton of people are going to watch.”
“Huh… She’s really that popular, isn’t she?”
Until recently, I hadn’t paid much attention to her, but now that I knew we went to the same school, I couldn’t help noticing her everywhere.
TV commercials, dramas, variety shows—she was all over.
It wasn’t surprising that people would flock to see her perform live.
“I don’t mind standing out, but you’d hate it, right, Yuto? Being up in front of everyone?”
“…Yeah, I’d hate it.”
“Lucky you’re not in the Entertainment Department, then.”
“I wouldn’t be there no matter what…”
The sound of our homeroom teacher entering the classroom made Soma scramble back to his seat.
I half-listened to the teacher going over today’s schedule, which wasn’t much different from usual, as the patter of rain began outside.
◆
Lunch break in the afternoon.
The light drizzle from the morning had turned into a full-on downpour.
Students eating in the courtyard were probably in trouble, but for the three of us eating in the cafeteria as usual, it didn’t matter.
“So, what’s the plan? Gaming at Yuto’s place again this weekend?”
“Sounds good! I’ve been practicing with my little brother, so I won’t lose this time!”
The homeowner—me—hadn’t even agreed, but they were already making plans.
“Just so you know, I’ve got a test coming up.”
“Ehh? So it’s a no-go?”
“…Well, it’s fine. But I heard the Entertainment Department has an acting exam or something.”
“Heard from who?”
“A friend.”
“Yuto… You have friends?”
I shot a cold glare at my ridiculously rude childhood friend while eating.
I do have friends besides Murai-san. …Like Soma, at least.
“It’s just a short play on stage, right? I’m doing acting, but Akari-chan’s doing singing, aren’t you?”
“Yup. Acting classes don’t start for me until second year, so~… I’m jealous~! I wanna do something in front of everyone too! I wanna stand out!”
Akari dramatically collapsed onto Murai-san’s lap, fake-crying.
Murai-san, used to Akari’s casual skinship by now, didn’t seem fazed and gently patted her head, which was resting on her stomach.
Post-lunch Akari let out a blissful “Ah… I could fall asleep…”
“But I heard there’ll be a lot of people watching because Minase-san’s in it.”
“Yeah~… Probably a ton. But if we’re gonna make it as actors, performing in front of crowds is normal, right? I think our generation’s lucky to get that experience early. At least, I do.”
“Wow… That’s impressive.”
I couldn’t help but be impressed by her positive—almost pragmatic—perspective, looking toward the future.
“But that’s not the real issue. The problem is who gets paired with Minase-san.”
Murai-san’s expression turned serious as she continued, still patting Akari.
“There are plenty of people in the Entertainment Department who’ve been acting since they were kids. Some were child actors. But there’s still a huge gap compared to someone like Minase-san, who’s been popular since her child actor days and is still all over TV.”
“Yeah, I mean, I see her on TV more than at school.”
Apparently, it’s not uncommon for Entertainment Department students to start working in the industry by their second or third year, taking on a decent amount of jobs.
To accommodate that, the department has measures in place so students who miss school for work can still graduate.
Minase-san seems to use those measures, which is why she’s rarely at school.
“So it’s about how that gap in skill looks to the audience—especially to the examiners, who might be industry insiders.”
“So anyone paired with her looks inferior and leaves a bad impression?”
“Exactly. And apparently, in the past, some students got job offers from these exams. You definitely don’t want to stand out in a bad way.”
“Huh…”
“Minase-san’s probably struggling to find someone to pair with. Honestly, I’d be scared to work with her too.”
As students finished lunch and trickled back to their classrooms, the cafeteria grew quieter.
Murai-san’s words brought an image of Nagisa-san’s troubled face to my mind.
◆
“Phew~! I’m beat!”
“You don’t sound tired at all.”
“No, no, I’m exhausted! My body’s screaming for rest right now!”
“What’s with that phrasing?”
On the way home, I brushed off my childhood friend, who was spouting her usual nonsense.
“But I’m seriously tired, okay? Dance classes take a lot of energy, and I have to be careful not to wreck my throat or I can’t do singing lessons.”
“Yeah, sounds tough if you’re even a little under the weather.”
“Probably get forced to rest, though. The teachers seem to keep an eye on that stuff.”
As Akari said that, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
“Hey, Akari, can you get home alone?”
It was just past 6 p.m., and the sky was getting darker.
“Hm? I mean, we’re almost home, so yeah… Something up?”
“Mom asked me to grab some soy sauce.”
“Wanna go together?”
“Nah, I’m gonna run to the supermarket. You go ahead.”
“Okay. See ya~!”
I waved back as Akari waved and headed off, then made my way to the supermarket.
After buying the usual soy sauce we use at home, I stepped outside to find it already dark.
Retracing my steps and merging onto the school route, I spotted a familiar figure ahead.
I thought about passing by without saying anything, but since we were going the same way, and she clearly noticed me following her—looking like a creep—I hesitated but decided to call out before she reported me to the police.
“Uh… Hey.”
“…! …Oh, it’s just you, Yuto…”
Her body jolted, and she whipped around, gripping her bag like a weapon, clearly terrified. I felt a bit guilty.
“Sorry, I should’ve said something sooner.”
“Knowing you, you probably thought you could sneak by without being noticed, right?”
“…How’d you know?”
“You did the same thing yesterday.”
She let out a small sigh, turned forward, and started walking the same route again.
Her outfit, probably for work, gave her a more mature vibe than yesterday, making me think, She’s really a working actress, huh?—a pretty shallow observation.
“Work today?”
“Work again today.”
“Big shot, huh? Must be tough.”
“Super tough.”
Her habit of correcting my phrasing was kind of funny, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Minase-san, you going to school tomorrow?”
“Probably.”
“I’m heading in with Akari. Wanna join us?”
“Walking to school with me? You might get some weird jealousy, Yuto.”
“Nobody’s paying that much attention to me, so I’m fine.”
“So you’re saying you’re a loner with no friends?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Didn’t you?”
“Well… not exactly.”
Maybe it’s because she’s been in the industry since she was a kid, but her communication skills are top-notch.
Unlike the dazzling image you’d expect from a celebrity, talking to her felt comfortable, even pleasant.
“Well, if Akari’s cool with it, I’d like to walk together.”
“Akari wouldn’t say no.”
“By the way, I’m calling you Yuto, so why am I still Minase-san?”
“…Just feels right?”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Call me Nagisa. It’s weird if I’m the only one using your first name—it makes me look like some clingy girl who’s bad at reading the room.”
“Would anyone think that?”
“They might!”
I tried to call her by her first name as she wanted, but it felt embarrassingly awkward.
Noticing my hesitation, Nagisa peeked up at me from the lower left corner of my vision.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s just… I’ve never called a girl besides Akari by her first name, so it’s kinda embarrassing…”
“…Hah? You’ve never had any female friends besides Akari?”
“…Yeah.”
Scratching my cheek, which didn’t even itch, I admitted it, and Nagisa let out a huge, exasperated sigh.
“Yuto, you’ve never had a girlfriend either, have you?”
“…That a problem?”
“With that face and no girlfriend? How bad are you at talking to people?”
“I’ve never really wanted one, so it’s fine.”
My lack of experience with girls was laid bare, and I felt my cheeks heat up, but Nagisa seemed to find it amusing, her streetlight-lit face shifting into a teasing grin.
“Huh? High school model guys swap girls like it’s nothing, but you’re really not interested?”
“What about you, Nagisa? Ever had a boyfriend?”
Her incessant, smug grin froze instantly.
“…Alright! Let’s drop this topic!”
“What’s with you, seriously…”
Our silly conversation faded as we reached the apartment building.
“By the way, I heard there’s some kind of test in the Entertainment Department.”
The hum of the rising elevator filled the silence as I brought it up casually.
“Yeah, there is.”
“You’re in it, right?”
“I could skip it, technically. But since you’re bringing it up, it must be a big deal, huh? Guess I can’t just sit it out~…”
Her tone was detached, almost like it wasn’t her problem, but her expression seemed a bit dark.
“Well, I don’t even have a partner yet, so I might not be able to participate anyway.”
The elevator dinged as we reached our floor, and her face switched to a bright, joking smile.
“See you tomorrow morning! Oh, and make sure to tell Akari, okay? I’d be embarrassed if she’s caught off guard!”
“Got it. Later.”
“Bye-bye.”
Her ambiguous expression—seemingly carefree yet hinting at something deeper—lingered in my mind as she disappeared behind her door.
◆
The next morning, I waited at the building entrance, and Akari showed up with Nagisa in tow.
“Man~ I’m so happy to walk to school with Nagisa! You haven’t been around much lately, so I was worried we’d never get to do this!”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m happy too.”
Though she brushed it off lightly, the joy in her expression was a stark contrast to last night’s gloom, perfectly fitting a first-year high schooler.
“Now that I think about it, it’s been a while since I saw you in your uniform, Nagisa.”
Aside from the entrance ceremony, she’d been in casual clothes during our neighborly greeting and last night.
“Has it? So, you happy to see it?”
“Not really…”
“Well, I can pull off anything~ Just walking in this uniform is basically free advertising for the school.”
All I’d done was point out a fact, but Nagisa took it as a compliment, flashing a smug look.
Beside her, my childhood friend shot us a suspicious glance, her vibe completely different.
“Yuto, didn’t you call her Minase-san?”
“…So what?”
For no reason, my heart started racing.
“Nothing, just… It’s rare for you to call a girl besides me by her first name. When did you two get that close?”
She didn’t seem to be interrogating me, just voicing a passing thought with her usual casual demeanor.
“Well, stuff happened… Anyway, when’s the Entertainment Department test?”
It was a pretty forced topic change, but thankfully, my oblivious childhood friend didn’t seem to care, mentally flipping through her schedule.
“Singing’s in two weeks, I think? Acting’s a bit later, right, Nagisa?”
“Yeah, early July.”
“What about you, Yuto? Your test?”
“Mine’s next week.”
“Huh? You good? You don’t seem stressed at all.”
“Yuto’s always like this~ Back in middle school, I was crying over assignments while he barely touched his pen.”
“You couldn’t do anything because you needed me to explain everything…”
…Well, at least this time I can focus on my own studying without worrying about her, which is a relief.
◆
“Phew~! I’m wiped!”
Despite his words, my classmate Yamada Soma’s upturned mouth showed no signs of exhaustion. We’d just finished a “study session”—more like me being forced to tutor him—in a private room in the school library.
I’d hoped to focus solely on my own studying for this test, but two seconds after arriving at school, Soma begged me to help him.
After hours in the library, it was past 8 p.m.
I parted ways with Soma, who takes the train, right outside school and started my usual walk home.
A few minutes in, a familiar scene caught my eye.
“Not again…”
“What? You’re not actually a stalker, are you?”
“No, I’m just coming back from a study session with a friend.”
“Really now?”
Nagisa, a few steps ahead, adjusted her pace to walk beside me.
“Isn’t it dangerous for a high school girl to walk alone at night?”
“I’m fine. I’m not your average high school girl.”
“Being an actress makes it more dangerous.”
“Well, there’s been a shady guy following me at night lately.”
“…That’s me, isn’t it?”
“Good to know you’re self-aware.”
“You’re the type to say stuff like that.”
Her know-it-all tone got on my nerves, so I ignored her annoyed glance and changed the subject.
“So, why’re you out late today?”
“School stuff. Catching up on what I missed and going over the July test. Took longer than I expected.”
“Got it… Is school fun?”
Her expression, which had shifted from annoyed to neutral, went completely blank.
Is this what actresses are like? Her face changed so quickly I couldn’t tell which was real.
“Why’re you asking that?”
Her fleeting, unreadable expression was quickly masked by an actress’s practiced smile.
“You didn’t look like you were having fun, and you seemed kinda dissatisfied.”
“…Was it that obvious?”
“Nah, it wasn’t.”
I’d watched my biological father’s acting countless times, along with the actors and idols he worked with.
Their eye movements, the way their cheeks softened, their body language—I’d studied it all closely, and it helped me pick up on what people might be thinking.
“…You’re such a weird guy.”
Her murmur sounded less like an actress and more like a high school girl’s genuine smile.
Without either of us suggesting it, we wandered into the park near the apartment building.
She sat on a bench, gesturing with her eyes for me to join her, and I sat down, keeping a bit of distance.
“I’ve been thinking about quitting school.”
“Well, you’re barely there anyway.”
“Yeah. Most people my age in the industry are doing correspondence school while working.”
“But you didn’t choose that, so you must have a reason for coming here, right?”
“I haven’t said anything yet… but yeah!”
Annoyed that I’d read her thoughts, she let out a slightly huffy sound and lightly tapped my right leg with her left fist.
“There’s someone I admire, and they told me if I went to Ichiyo, I’d meet an incredibly talented kid my age. Honestly, I thought—no, I still think—nobody my age, or even older, could beat me at acting.”
Her words might sound arrogant, but given her status as a top actress with a track record to back it up, it wasn’t just talk.
“So I got curious… or, honestly, jealous. The person I admire, who I think I’ll never surpass, said that about someone else. How enviable is that?”
“Did you find them?”
“…Not yet, but I’m starting to think they don’t exist. I’ve only been to a few classes, but I’ve seen the acting of kids active in agencies. None of them really stood out to me.”
“So there’s no point in staying at school?”
“Exactly.”
It might be rude to say after asking, but there’s nothing I could do about it.
Not everything about school was unenjoyable for her.
She seemed genuinely happy hanging out with Akari.
Maybe school was a good place for her to draw a line between her work and everyday life.
But I couldn’t bring myself to say that or try to convince her to stay. I didn’t have the right.
It wasn’t hard to imagine how tough it must be to go to school on her days off while being swamped with work.
I felt I had no place to comment lightly on her decision.
The silence stretched until Nagisa broke it with, “Shall we head back?”
Her expression seemed to carry a quiet resolve, but I said nothing about it.
As we stood from the bench and started walking, I asked casually, “So, who’s this person you admire?”
“Hm? You probably know them.”
Nagisa, a few steps ahead, turned back as she unlocked the building’s entrance.
“Yuya Kitajo. You’ve gotta know him, right?”
“…Yeah, I guess.”
I meant to say it casually, but I wasn’t sure if the words came out clearly.
I never imagined my biological father’s name would come up as her idol.
“Hey~? Yuto?”
Nagisa, noticing I’d stopped walking, turned back with a puzzled look.
More shaken than I’d ever been, I stepped into the elevator, absently exchanging a few words as we walked down the hall.
After parting with Nagisa, I sank deep into the living room sofa, my heart still racing slightly.
“Welcome back~!”
“…I’m home.”
Mom, fresh from the bath, popped out just to show her face, her hair still wet.
Confirming I was back, she quickly retreated to the bathroom.
I’d messaged her about possibly being late due to the study session with Soma, so I followed her instructions from her reply, reheating the food left on the table.
As I ate, Mom came out of the bathroom and sat on the sofa.
Halfway through my meal, I decided to ask her something.
“Mom, does Dad know I’m at Ichiyo?”
“Of course he does. We talk about you pretty often.”
That was news to me.
Thinking about it, since Yuya Kitajo supports us financially, it made sense he’d stay in touch with Mom. And in those conversations, I’d come up…
The father I saw on variety shows or documentaries always seemed kind.
I remembered him saying he loved kids on some program.
My thoughts swirled, unable to settle.
If my guess was right, the “incredibly talented kid” Yuya Kitajo told Nagisa about might be…
“What’s up? Oh, I’m not the one telling him, okay? He’s the one who keeps asking about you.”
Misinterpreting my concern as fear of our family ties being exposed, Mom clarified as if to reassure me.
“I’m not worried about that… He’s supporting us financially, so it’s natural he’d be curious.”
“Good, then… Oh, but I haven’t sent him a picture of you in a while, so he was kinda sad about it…”
“You’ve been sending him pictures?”
“He really wanted them~ He probably misses his only son, right? He loves kids, you know. So…”
Mom pointed her phone camera at me.
I usually hate being photographed and would resist, but with all the new information flooding in, my brain froze, and I couldn’t move.
I’d always thought Dad’s involvement with us was just out of duty, not something I found bothersome but not personal either.
That’s why I avoided bringing him up around Mom or digging deeper.
I thought our family was just me and Mom.
But I’d been wrong.
The cameras captured the real him, and the kind, sincere Yuya Kitajo the public saw genuinely cared for us.
And just then, Mom’s phone buzzed with a notification, likely from the photo she’d just sent.
“…Dad?”
“Yup. He’s always quick to reply when it’s about you~.”
The realization that Dad cared for us felt like it was circling in my head, leading to a single conclusion.
The talented kid Nagisa mentioned could be me.
Maybe Dad, with a father’s love, saw me watching his performances obsessively as a kid and, with parental bias, thought I had acting talent like him. Unable to openly share our relationship, he might’ve mentioned me to Nagisa with a mix of pride.
…It wasn’t impossible.
“Thanks for the food.”
I took my dishes to the sink and took a deep breath.
A bit calmer—or rather, having given up on thinking for now—my mind felt clearer.
Glancing at Mom, still messaging Dad, I headed to the bathroom.
Focusing solely on moving my body, I showered mindlessly and soaked in the tub.
“There’s no way to confirm if I’m that person anyway.”
I muttered to myself, just to organize my thoughts.
Even if I asked Mom to confirm through Dad, I wouldn’t know whether to tell Nagisa.
So, there was nothing I could do.
With that conclusion, I focused on the warmth of the bath enveloping me.
◆
“You were in the bath way too long.”
“I was thinking about some stuff…”
As expected, I couldn’t fully switch gears and ended up soaking so long I got lightheaded.
“Yuto? Dad says he wants to meet you soon.”
“…That’s not happening, right?”
Meeting now would mean confronting the truth behind the “talented kid” comment, and if I made a mistake that exposed our relationship, it’d be bad for both Dad and Mom.
“But you’ll have to meet him eventually…”
Thinking about Dad’s actions earlier, never meeting him at all seemed rude and kind of sad.
When would it be safe? Maybe it’d be better as an adult than as a high schooler meeting Yuya Kitajo.
“Well, we both figured you wouldn’t want to meet in private.”
“Then don’t ask…”
I sighed, exasperated that Mom would say that despite knowing how much I feared our connection being exposed. Then she dropped a bombshell.
“So, Dad’s coming to Ichiyo for work! He’s judging the Entertainment Department’s test, apparently.”
…For now, I’ll just sleep.
Shutting off my brain, I headed to the sink to brush my teeth.
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