A day full of frightening challenges had finally passed.
Being the host of a broadcast program, getting acquainted with my previous most revered seiyuu, finding out that that the said seiyuu just moved next door and had suddenly barged into my room.
The day felt like a dream. No, from some aspects, I really hoped that today was just a dream. However, it was not a bad day if I looked at it from the perspective of the whole day. No, wait. Getting to know the true face of Miss Otonashi, was also could be said as something that woke me from my dreams, right?
Anyway, I'm going to start a normal life today. The broadcast program recorded yesterday will not be on air so soon, so until the next program, I'm just your everyday high school student.
"So school's starting today, eh?"
Even though the spring break was only a short ten days, going back to school after a series of breaks, was really something that I don't feel comfortable doing.
However, I somehow managed to wake up before the alarm rang. I think it's the sunlight's fault, peeking through the curtains. The outside of my room had been blocked by the construction on the outer wall before, so my room had been in a state of darkness and I have not been graced by the morning sun for quite a long time.
Getting bathed in sunlight and waking up to a fresh morning once in a while may be nice, I guess.
I got up from bed and opened my curtains wide.
I then opened the windows and took a deep breath of the cool morning air.
However, I stopped breathing because of the view before me. Ah, this is simply a view showered in holy light!
--I forgot. That's right, my window is facing Miss Otonashi's room.
`"......"
It was just as they say, the early bird gets the worm. Even though I don't know how much worth is a worm to a bird, but the view before me is definitely something not just worth any amount of worms.
There were two suns. No!
I once again got my eyes full of Miss Otonashi as she was changing her shirt.
The difference with yesterday night was that, the Miss Otonashi was now facing my direction. She was putting on a white shirt.
She seemed to have just put her arms through the sleeves. The collar bones peeking out from the collars was just the appetizer.
As she have not buttoned her shirt, so the two round objects encased within her bra was exposed for all to see. This was the main course.
Just in the middle of her stomach, a slender small navel button. This should be the dessert.
Going downwards we have the panties, right after the dessert, a new main course!
It seems that, today Miss Otonashi opted for the full combination of white underwear!
Under the sunlight, her porcelain white skin seemed to give off a blinding radiance. The body that was completely different from a man's body, seemed to be so slender and luscious.
Has Miss Otonashi ever taken a swimming suit photo-shoot before?
I tried to flip through the photos of Miss Otonashi from the scrapbook in my head. As I had read the whole thing from front to back several times already, I had the all the photos engraved into my brain. I started checking from the first page. However, there is no memory of Miss Otonashi having taken such a photo-shoot before.
In other words, Miss Otonashi have never taken a swimming suit photo-shoot before.
In other words, in other words! Until now, Miss Otonashi have rarely shown her beautiful body to others!
In other words, in other words,in other words! Parts of Miss Otonashi's body which are normally out of bounds to others, was now shown before me! Not, not only that, even the forbidden parts are completely exposed to me!
And also this was happening after what happened last night!!!!!!!!! (Note: I'll have to make do by translating all 8 啊s into exclamation marks)
I have always heard that people worshiped the sun like a god, so I see, so I see! This was indeed something to be worshiped. Alright, I will put my palms together to express my thanks.
Thank you for letting me see something so brilliant. Thank you for the luck you gave me. Amen, amen.
Ah, I think there's something warm in the deep parts of my nose. I have always thought that having a nose bleed due to being overly excited was just something you see in manga, but I seemed to really am having a nosebleed......
Er, hey hey hey! Wait, wait, wait!
Was that supposed to be my reaction now?
"----Tsunemura Ryouto......"
Miss Otonashi's eyes met mine.
This......doesn't seem to be a good thing for me!
Miss Otonashi quickly covered herself.
And then silently closed the curtains.
"Ah, wait! It's, it's not what you think! This is an accident, an accident I tell you! Miss Otonashi? Did you hear me?!!!!!!!!!! Miss Otonashi !!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Even though I shouted loudly, but the curtains didn't seem to open again.
My palms that were supposed to be expressing my appreciation for a piece of art, became the expression of an apology.
I continued to yell for sometime, but my voice and pleads didn't seem to get across. What came instead was the bell from the lower floor of my house.
After that, my room door was immediately opened. The person that appeared at my door, was of course someone who had lost all the image of a seiyuu idol, and had the face of a enraged ogre, Miss Otonashi. Her hair that was slightly curled seemed to stood on their ends. I do hope that this was because she just woke up and not because of her extreme rage!
Eh...eh? I seemed to have seen the uniform from somewhere.
`"Miss...Miss Otonshi! Good Morning! Looking...Looking at the uniform you're wearing, does this mean that you're going to the same high school as I am?"
I tried to use a calm attitude to do a pleasant morning chat with her. However, the other party was as silent as a rock. Alas, the strategy to divert her attention was to no avail!
As it was simply too frightening, I cannot even run away from Miss Otonashi who was slowly advancing towards me!
She suddenly gave me a smile. That...that was good, so she wasn't angry at all? I guess that was the case. I mean, it was also her fault for not putting down the curtains!
Suddenly, a fist from Miss Otonashi hit me right in the heart!
"You outsider!!!!!"
`"Ooooooowwwwwhhhhh!"
I was completely knocked back by this punch. The force behind Miss Otonashi's punch made it hard to believe that it was a fist by a girl......ouch.
Hey, my name is Ryouto, you know......
"You saw it, right?"
`"..................Yeah...I saw........."
"So you did! You pervert! Hentai!" (Note: Hentai mean pervert, for those who don't know.)
"That's......not it! I was not looking at purpose!"
As the damage done by the fist was simply too great, I can't even talk properly!
"What? Are you telling me that it's my fault? Are you telling me that the disgrace just now was my fault?"
`"Be...Because......Didn't we tell each other to take more care of our own privacy yesterday?"
"I'm a girl and you're a guy, you know! As a guy, of course you should take more care than me on this!"
Does...Does this mean that I didn't have the right to bathe in the sunlight? This is an infringement of one's right to sunlight!
"Ugh, you the outsider, my stupid old pop, all men are the same......"
Miss Otonashi used her golden left hand to pull her hair to the back of her head gracefully. (Note: A reference to Diego Maradona's "hand of god") Instead of saying that she was an idol, she was radiating the aura of a regal existence. Hmm? ......your stupid old pop?
After I have slowly recovered from the pain, my mother appeared.
"Ryouto, what are you doing? Madoka-Chan is going to the same high school as you are starting from today! She's even waiting for you to go with her, so be nice and lead the way properly, okay!"
"I'm embarrassed for intruding this early in the morning, Auntie. "
Woah, she's acting the nice demure girl! She even raised the pitch of her voice by one level!
She really is the professional actor with that perfect performance, isn't she?
"Don't worry, it's fine, Madoka-chan! Thank you for coming specially to wake my stupid son up. Ah, right, Madoka-chan, have you eaten breakfast?"
"No, because of 'many things that have happened', so I left without eating anything."
Miss Otonashi answered while looking at me. Was she trying to blame me for everything?
"Oh, is that so? Well then, would you like to come down for breakfast while waiting for Ryouto to get ready?"
"Eh? That would be even more embarrassing for me."
"Don't worry, don't worry! If you don't mind eating Ryouto's portion."
Hey, mom. Then what about my breakfast?
"Well then, I would take you up on your offer."
Don't use such a soft gentle voice to accept the offer!
Don't seize away my breakfast!
Also, mum, could you please be more caring about me who is lying on the floor!
This world just treats me too badly!
"Hey, be quick, outsider."
Miss Otonashi raised the voice at the end as she told me that before she left. My...my name is Ryouto, you know......
In the end, my breakfast was eaten by Miss Otonashi. Unable to do anything else, I only got to munch on a piece of toasted bread which was about to expire. However, once I ate it, I noticed that it was not just about to expire, it had expired. My stomach was getting a one-two punch from everybody around me, eh?
Burusato High School where I studied was just a fifteen minutes walk from my house, so it was an awkward distance where I couldn't register to ride a bicycle to school. And so, it would not trigger an incident where my girlfriend would ride with me on the back of my bicycle or something like that. Um, even though I did not have a girlfriend anyway.
On the way to school, Miss Otonashi and me were both silent. No, it should be said that the incident just now was so shocking that I don't even know what to say to her now. Even though I have already apologized profusely to her......This really doesn't make sense to me.
On the other hand, Miss Otonashi fits really well with just about any clothing she wears. I couldn't stop myself from thinking that when I turned around to see her.
She was now on her earphones, so she might be listening to some kind of music. She seemed to completely not have any notion to chat with me. Ah, I got stared at. I guess I should just look straight ahead as I walk.
Until now, I have seen Miss Otonashi wear her uniform to act for some character in many occasions. As those characters are anime characters, so the uniform design would be much intricate. However, once Miss Otonashi put on the old-school and bland-looking uniform of our school, it makes one look at it in a different light. She really was amazing. Maybe that's something that only beauties can do?
However, with my other-worldly powers, I managed to capture a truly special view of this beauty.
Even though the fact that looking at the naked body of girls makes us boys excited is a kind of innate ability, however, if I were just to use the word "ability" to explain this feeling, it would be an understatement. The reason was that the other party was Miss Otonashi. Using a piece of thin cloth called underwear to cover her most important parts of the body was really something that makes me so excited that...
"The outsider in front of me."
`"Y-yes?"
"No thinking back just now and smiling on your own."
How do you know that! I was the one walking in front, right?
Could it be said that, as Miss Otonashi had been training her acting skills since a young age, she had been able to discern any small and subtle signs of changes in the emotions of others? I feel that if I were to lie in front of her it would be exposed in a flash.
I bore the weight of the stress emanating from Miss Otonashi walking just a few steps behind me, and just as I was going to be worn out completely, we finally reached the school. In any case, my job will be completed once I brought her to the staff room.
"I have not forgiven you, you know?"
Miss Otonashi threw this sentence just as we parted. Wu wu......so she really was still angry with me, eh?
I called out to Miss Otonashi who was about to enter the staff office. There was something that I had to tell her first.
`"Please help me keep it a secret in school too."
I'm already feeling embarassed about going on a broadcast program, and if the news about hosting it with the seiyuu idol Otonashi Madoka got around, I don't think it will do me any good. At the very least, my close friends will do violent acts on me out of jealousy.
Miss Otonashi completely ignored the worry growing in my heart and walk straight into the staff office.
That aside, to confirm how would the classes be divided, I walked outside.
Actually, the both of us entered school from the back door, so I didn't see the results of the class division near the front door.
As for why we were walking from the back door...
That was because on the way to school, there were way too many eyes on Miss Otonashi. If I were to bring such an attractive beautiful young girl directly to the front door, I would surely be interrogated by my friends. And if they were to know that this beautiful young girl was the seiyuu idol Miss Otonashi, the results would be unimaginable. So, we sneaked stealthily into the school through the back door. Even though it was unavoidable that we got stares from some students, but my luck was not bad, as we didn't meet anybody I know......maybe.
"Morning~"
Upon reaching the classroom, the usual members of my gang were already gathered together.
It seems that my friends were also in the same class as me. Even though the problem of the declining birth rate was frequently discussed in the current society, the number of classes for each year in my school had as much as six classes. With so many classes, the probability of being in the same classes with all my friends was pretty slim.
Before the teacher entered the class, I chatted excitedly with Amachi, Kuzumi, Takamizawa about the normal mundane stuff we usually talk about. I think they are also fans of Miss Otonashi, or it should be said that, they have been influenced by me?
Even though we have never discussed about it, but the leader of our group is unanimously Takamizuwa. There is also Amachi, with his high intelligence, which also caused him to take zealous interest in a lot of things, and Kuzumi, who was the first to take interest in Miss Otonashi, under my recommendation.
The four of us, including me, often gather together. We're not only classmates, but also best otaku friends.
Of course, about Miss Otonashi and me, I'm also keeping it a secret from them. Even though this is painful for my heart to do this, but it was much better than having my body bear the same pain if this thing went into the open.
Ding~dong~dang~dong~
As we were discussing about the newest anime and the newest games that just went on the shelves, the bell rang.
And the teacher entered the class as it rang.
"Hi everyone~! Well then, would everyone please sit down according to the order written on the attendance list!"
As if she was going to start a crosstalk performance, walking into the classroom while clapping her hands......Eh? Is she going to be my class teacher for this year!
She is the female teacher who loves comedies, Miss Wada. She was quite famous for saying cold jokes out of the blue no matter the occasion.
"Alright, alright. Please sit down quickly! It's 'sit' in English. Girls, don't get jealous of me because I'm cute! I'm just joking!"
"......"
Um, How old is this teacher anyway? Was she actually saying that she is cute?
Laughing on her own after saying a cold joke, she was really such a blissful person. Yup, even if you were single your whole life, you will have a blissful life, teacher.
Even though I put it that way, but the effects of her cold jokes are amazing. This was because after she finished her cold jokes, almost the whole class will quiet down. This was the coup de grace to silence any noisy student.
After laughing on her own, the teacher would have a smug look on her face, that spoke of "The joke I said just now was interesting, wasn't it?", as she looked around the class. So, everyone sat straight and coughed gently while turning their focus to their notebooks. This was because obviously, this was not something one would want to dwell on.
A long time ago, I heard that some brave soul decided to rant to the teacher on her jokes. Alas, it was to no avail, and on the contrary, it was thought that the person's rant was the one that made the whole class go cold. The end result was that this incident left such a huge scar in the person's heart that he even refused to go to school or something.
"Alright, alright. Well then, let me now introduce the newly transferred student!"
Everyone went bustling in a flash!
I got a nervous feeling in my heart for no reason!
The transfer student she was talking about was Miss Otonashi, wasn't it? Why was she transferred to this class!
"Let's welcome her to present herself! Present! Wait that's wrong, it should be please come up to the stage! I'm just joking!"
This would simply be the worst opening talk I have ever seen. The situation of transferring schools was already something that would make one nervous, and what's worse was that she was invited to come on stage with a cold joke, by the teacher, no less!
Even so, Miss Otonashi, who presented herself as she opened the classroom door slowly, showed no signs of being nervous at all. She was even showing a small smile, walking gracefully to the front of the stage.
"Woooaaahhh!"
All kinds of surprised sounds echoed in the classroom.
Amachi, Kuzumi, Takamizawa were simply dumbfounded. I sat behind the three of them so all I could see was their backs, but they were staring to the front of them in unison.
Her silky hair shook with natural grace with every step she took. Even though this might just be my opinion, but I think she would leave a nice smell anywhere she walked.
She stood properly in front of the stage, looking around the class. She greeted the class with a look that said, "good morning, everyone." As Miss Otonashi looked around the class, her eyes met mine, but she did not show any reaction. My heart pounded hard once. Of course, it was out of fear.
However, if we were to just talk about her outer appearance, then the person standing before us is undeniably the seiyuu idol Otonashi Madoka I have met during the broadcast program yesterday.
"Nice to meet you, my name is Otonashi Madoka. Due to the nature of my work, I might have to take plenty of leaves from school, but I still hope that we would get along well."
A voice that was as clear as crystal. Even though the volume was not loud, her voice reverberated in every corner of the classroom. Was it some kind of special way to speaking?
After that, she bowed deeply. The whole class looked on, stunned, as they watched her long hair flow down. Using her hand to put her hair in place after she lifted her face, she showed that smile again.
The boys in the class instantly fell for her. Wait, from the looks of it, it was not only the boys who had fallen for her.
"Wooooaaaahhh!"
Next, it was this kind of reaction. Hey it's just a transfer student who introduced herself, you know?
The clapping that just won't stop. If this goes on, I feel that everyone would be chanting her name loudly together.
"Everyone! Calm down a little! Alright, quickly calm down!"
Miss Wada's voice was overshadowed by the clapping, sounding extremely weak.
"Dong~Dong~Dong. Ah, is this the sound of pounding mochi! I'm just joking!" (Note: Mochi is a kind of a japanese rice cake. Frankly I don't even know that this was a joke...)
".............................."
Only the cold joke went into everyone's ears. Why was it so? How much effort did you put into voicing that? Did you want everyone to hear your cold joke that badly?
However, Miss Wada was indeed impressive to get the students who were so excited that they on the verge of doing the "wave" dance silenced in an instant.
Everyone averted their eyes as Miss Wada looked around the class.
`"Ah,right."
I called out to Miss Otonashi who was about to enter the staff office. There was something that I had to tell her first.
`"Please help me keep it a secret in school too."
I'm already feeling embarassed about going on a broadcast program, and if the news about hosting it with the seiyuu idol Otonashi Madoka got around, I don't think it will do me any good. At the very least, my close friends will do violent acts on me out of jealousy.
Miss Otonashi completely ignored the worry growing in my heart and walk straight into the staff office.
That aside, to confirm how would the classes be divided, I walked outside.
Actually, the both of us entered school from the back door, so I didn't see the results of the class division near the front door.
As for why we were walking from the back door...
That was because on the way to school, there were way too many eyes on Miss Otonashi. If I were to bring such an attractive beautiful young girl directly to the front door, I would surely be interrogated by my friends. And if they were to know that this beautiful young girl was the seiyuu idol Miss Otonashi, the results would be unimaginable. So, we sneaked stealthily into the school through the back door. Even though it was unavoidable that we got stares from some students, but my luck was not bad, as we didn't meet anybody I know......maybe.
"Morning~"
Upon reaching the classroom, the usual members of my gang were already gathered together.
It seems that my friends were also in the same class as me. Even though the problem of the declining birth rate was frequently discussed in the current society, the number of classes for each year in my school had as much as six classes. With so many classes, the probability of being in the same classes with all my friends was pretty slim.
Before the teacher entered the class, I chatted excitedly with Amachi, Kuzumi, Takamizawa about the normal mundane stuff we usually talk about. I think they are also fans of Miss Otonashi, or it should be said that, they have been influenced by me?
Even though we have never discussed about it, but the leader of our group is unanimously Takamizuwa. There is also Amachi, with his high intelligence, which also caused him to take zealous interest in a lot of things, and Kuzumi, who was the first to take interest in Miss Otonashi, under my recommendation.
The four of us, including me, often gather together. We're not only classmates, but also best otaku friends.
Of course, about Miss Otonashi and me, I'm also keeping it a secret from them. Even though this is painful for my heart to do this, but it was much better than having my body bear the same pain if this thing went into the open.
Ding~dong~dang~dong~
As we were discussing about the newest anime and the newest games that just went on the shelves, the bell rang.
And the teacher entered the class as it rang.
"Hi everyone~! Well then, would everyone please sit down according to the order written on the attendance list!"
As if she was going to start a crosstalk performance, walking into the classroom while clapping her hands......Eh? Is she going to be my class teacher for this year!
She is the female teacher who loves comedies, Miss Wada. She was quite famous for saying cold jokes out of the blue no matter the occasion.
"Alright, alright. Please sit down quickly! It's 'sit' in English. Girls, don't get jealous of me because I'm cute! I'm just joking!"
"......"
Um, How old is this teacher anyway? Was she actually saying that she is cute?
Laughing on her own after saying a cold joke, she was really such a blissful person. Yup, even if you were single your whole life, you will have a blissful life, teacher.
Even though I put it that way, but the effects of her cold jokes are amazing. This was because after she finished her cold jokes, almost the whole class will quiet down. This was the coup de grace to silence any noisy student.
After laughing on her own, the teacher would have a smug look on her face, that spoke of "The joke I said just now was interesting, wasn't it?", as she looked around the class. So, everyone sat straight and coughed gently while turning their focus to their notebooks. This was because obviously, this was not something one would want to dwell on.
A long time ago, I heard that some brave soul decided to rant to the teacher on her jokes. Alas, it was to no avail, and on the contrary, it was thought that the person's rant was the one that made the whole class go cold. The end result was that this incident left such a huge scar in the person's heart that he even refused to go to school or something.
"Alright, alright. Well then, let me now introduce the newly transferred student!"
Everyone went bustling in a flash!
I got a nervous feeling in my heart for no reason!
The transfer student she was talking about was Miss Otonashi, wasn't it? Why was she transferred to this class!
"Let's welcome her to present herself! Present! Wait that's wrong, it should be please come up to the stage! I'm just joking!"
This would simply be the worst opening talk I have ever seen. The situation of transferring schools was already something that would make one nervous, and what's worse was that she was invited to come on stage with a cold joke, by the teacher, no less!
Even so, Miss Otonashi, who presented herself as she opened the classroom door slowly, showed no signs of being nervous at all. She was even showing a small smile, walking gracefully to the front of the stage.
"Woooaaahhh!"
All kinds of surprised sounds echoed in the classroom.
Amachi, Kuzumi, Takamizawa were simply dumbfounded. I sat behind the three of them so all I could see was their backs, but they were staring to the front of them in unison.
Her silky hair shook with natural grace with every step she took. Even though this might just be my opinion, but I think she would leave a nice smell anywhere she walked.
She stood properly in front of the stage, looking around the class. She greeted the class with a look that said, "good morning, everyone." As Miss Otonashi looked around the class, her eyes met mine, but she did not show any reaction. My heart pounded hard once. Of course, it was out of fear.
However, if we were to just talk about her outer appearance, then the person standing before us is undeniably the seiyuu idol Otonashi Madoka I have met during the broadcast program yesterday.
"Nice to meet you, my name is Otonashi Madoka. Due to the nature of my work, I might have to take plenty of leaves from school, but I still hope that we would get along well."
A voice that was as clear as crystal. Even though the volume was not loud, her voice reverberated in every corner of the classroom. Was it some kind of special way to speaking?
After that, she bowed deeply. The whole class looked on, stunned, as they watched her long hair flow down. Using her hand to put her hair in place after she lifted her face, she showed that smile again.
The boys in the class instantly fell for her. Wait, from the looks of it, it was not only the boys who had fallen for her.
"Wooooaaaahhh!"
Next, it was this kind of reaction. Hey it's just a transfer student who introduced herself, you know?
The clapping that just won't stop. If this goes on, I feel that everyone would be chanting her name loudly together.
"Everyone! Calm down a little! Alright, quickly calm down!"
Miss Wada's voice was overshadowed by the clapping, sounding extremely weak.
"Dong~Dong~Dong. Ah, is this the sound of pounding mochi! I'm just joking!" (Note: Mochi is a kind of a japanese rice cake. Frankly I don't even know that this was a joke...)
".............................."
Only the cold joke went into everyone's ears. Why was it so? How much effort did you put into voicing that? Did you want everyone to hear your cold joke that badly?
However, Miss Wada was indeed impressive to get the students who were so excited that they on the verge of doing the "wave" dance silenced in an instant.
Everyone averted their eyes as Miss Wada looked around the class.
After confirming that everyone has calmed down, Miss Wada once again introduced Miss Otonashi with a confident face.
"Alright, as her name suggests, Otonashi would seem like a very sweet and demure girl, so everyone please be kind and caring to her! As for the boys, don't try anything funny while you're at it!"
"Thank you, teacher. However, I'm not sweet and demure at all. My mother has always told me that I have to act more like a girl."
That was completely correct.
A sweet and demure girl would not have punched a guy's body in the early morning.
"Well then, why don't you just sit on an empty seat? Oh, such a cute girl has transferred to my class, I'm so envious, you know! I'm just joking!"
So powerful! She actually used the same cold joke again without a hint of shame! She was invincible from some point of view!
"Where would you like to sit? You can sit anywhere you please!"
Miss Otonashi looked around the classroom again, before pointing at me.
"Well then, I'll sit there then."
Well, to be exact, at the seat behind me. I sat in the last seat of middle row. There was indeed an empty space behind me.
"Tsunemura, would you please help move the desks?"
Miss Wada moved another set of desk and chair from the corridor outside the classroom. Helpless to do anything except help out, I felt that people were looking at me and thinking "Why you?". I would also like to retort with the question, "Why me?".
After I had moved the desk in front of Miss Otonashi, she said,
"Thank you. I'm sorry for bothering you like this."
The act of being all demure without even saying "That's okay, I'll do it myself", is really quite the feat. This was indeed the perfect way of making me move the desk for her while maintaining her goody-two-shoes image.
Once I finished moving the desks, Miss Wada began to talk about contact details of the school. Of course, she said a few cold jokes while she was at it.
Even though everyone was not listening seriously, they were pretty restrained, not doing anything so shameless like turning around to look at Miss Otonashi. Everyone was looking in front quietly.
And that was why, she turned her fangs on me.
`"Ouch!"
My chair got kicked!
A shock wave went straight into my core. Well, of course that was so. As I'm only protected by a thin piece of wood, it was no different from getting my posterior kicked!
`"Wh-Wha-What do you want?"
"Has the teacher always been like that?"
It was just like she had no relationship with the person who was sweet and demure just now, as she jabbed her lower chin in the direction of Miss Wada while she spoke to me.
`"Well, she's basically like that. Even when she is teaching. You can't get too serious with that part of her."
I stealthily turned my head to answer. If I were to ignore her, I would have been subject to another kick...
"By the way, why are you here?"
`"Even if you put it like that, it's something I can't prevent."
"Even in the classroom I have to be with this outsider...how far are you going to interfere with my life?"
`"My name is Ryouto! Not outsider! Besides, I'm not interfering with your life in anyway! Even it was so, why the heck did you choose the seat behind me anyway!"
"Um...this was because I felt that many things would be easier that way."
`"What do you take me for...?"
"My slave."
Hey hey, aren't you answering a little too quick and determined there!
"Hey, that's because you saw my naked body. Not once, but twice. Being a slave just a small price to pay for that, understood?"
That seem understandable......I can't help but think that way. That probably was equatable in terms of value. No! No! No! Even so, I can't just agree to it like that!
`"What naked body! I only looked at you wearing your underwear!"
"Eh? Didn't I ask you to forget about it?"
This was too unreasonable......Wanting me to forget about what I saw, while asking me to pay something of the same price.
"Well, that's it then. I'll be in your care in school."
You look very happy, don't you, Miss Otonashi. I felt as if I was worn out already......
There was only the opening ceremony today in school, so there were no classes. The students first gathered in the sports stadium, and after perfectly ignoring the principal's speech, lazily returned to their classrooms, and continued to ignore Miss Wada's cold jokes. Then, the day was over. I felt as if only the "ignore" ability of my class would get raised.
However, the feeling that my energy getting exhausted at a rate not proportional to time should not be my imagination.
In any case, it would be better if I could get home early to watch the spring season anime that had been prerecorded.
"Attention, everyone!!!"
I seemed to have heard something. Quick, activate the "ignore" ability that I have been training for so long.
Alright, time to go back home! No matter what happens I have to go back home!
"Hey, Ryouto! Don't be so selfish!"
Takamizawa stood at the stage pointing at me. What the heck are you getting excited about? If you want to attract everyone's attention just do it yourself. I'm not someone like that. Sigh, look. All because of you pointing at me, everyone was looking at me!
Home room time was just over, and even though Miss Wada has not left, Takamizawa ignored the presence of the teacher and wrote a few large words on the blackboard on his own.
Welcome party.
Even though his writing were completely unrelated to any sense of prettiness or tidiness, but at least I could see what it meant.
"Anyone who is free later, come with me! We're going to hold a welcome ceremony for Miss Otonashi!"
Oh, that's great! Have fun so the new transfer student get familiar with her classmates as soon as possible! But I'm going home!
"By the way, I asked Miss Otonashi about it and she agreed!"
Takamizawa's arms were on his waist and he stuck out his chest, like he did something great. However, did you really do something to be proud of?
"Oh yeeeaaaaaah!!!"
"Good job, Takamizawa!"
All the male students were clapping their hands. What happened? Do normal second year high school guys really want to meet idols that much?
Even...Even though if I hadn't seen the true face of Miss Otonashi, I might have the same reaction of everybody else anyway!
However, on the other hand, all the girls were looking coldly at you, Takamizawa, is that really okay? Shouldn't you take care of the girls around you first? (Note: Originally 你应该先确保比较贴近自己的存在才对吧, which literally translates to "shouldn't you make sure of the existence of people around you first?".)
"Girls! Think about it! Miss Otonashi is the most popular seiyuu idol now, you know! If you get into her good books now, she might even introduce some cool guys to you!"
"Takamizawa~~~"
"I wanna go too!"
He really knows the way to a woman's heart! This was completely in his hands all along!
But I digress. Talking nonsense like that, is that really okay? I turned around to look at Miss Otonashi behind me.
"This is just something normal."
Miss Otonashi shrugged her shoulders and said. Could it be said that she had liberal mind or that she had already got used to it?
Unknowingly, Takamizawa had a crowd around him. It seems like half the class was going.
Miss Otonashi took her bag and walk past me...No wait, she stopped.
"Come join us. Aren't you free today anyway?"
`"Uh, but I have some......"
Even though I was a little unhappy at being defined as a slack, that was however the truth, so I can't say anything about it.
"Eh? Don't you want to come?"
This is an act, don't be fooled. Miss Otonashi wouldn't say something cute like that.
"It...It's not like I want you to come or anything!"
...Well...Well, I guess I'll just have to go...(Note: Both lines are said by Miss Otonashi. Two-KO punch!)
"What a simple guy. You're going to get cheated by bad women, you know."
`"Yup. In fact, over these years, I have always been cheated by a bad woman called Otonashi Madoka...Uwah!"
The school-regulated bag violently swung past my eyes, as if to stop me from talking! My solar plexus almost got hit.
"Ah. Sorry. Were you saying something?"
With all smiles, the violent girl who wanted to use her bag to hit me asked me. Her motion just now wasn't just to adjust her bag properly. How hard were you going to hit me anyway?
`"I...didn't say anything......"
"Anyway, just come. If anything were to happen, it would be much easier if you were there."
"Sigh......is this an order?"
Sigh, it can't be helped then. Even though I would really like to watch the anime that I have recorded yesterday earlier, it seems that the only thing I could do was to stand it for a while. Even though, Miss Otonashi has also participated in the voice acting of the anime anyway.
There were around 20 people who came, a large group of people walking towards the karaoke box. Getting a large box easily, with all the snacks and drinks provided, and even not getting scolded if we were too noisy,this was only possible at a low price if it was a weekday afternoon. What a great time to be alive.
Even though it was a karaoke box, there wasn't any hard and fast rule that you must sing in it. As you would have guessed, Miss Otonashi must take care of all the questions thrown her way. The people sitting around her were basically girls and gleeful guys. Even though Miss Otonashi was quite famous, what does she actually do? They are people who base their actions on this kind of curiosity.
On the other hand, we......actually it should be said people who already knew that Otonashi Madoka was a famous seiyuu, chose to keep a distance with her instead. We don't near her on a whim. Even if we do, we would be so nervous that we would not know what to talk about. We are a group of such people.
Even though I'm just keeping a distance from her because I know what she really was like.
"Hey, Ryouto. Aren't you a little too calm for a Otonashi Madoka super fan?"
Kuzumi, who was as much of a Otonashi Madoka fan as me spotted something wrong with me with his keen eyes.
"Ah, no. I'm very excited. How do I put this? I just so excited that I have become calm."
No matter the fact that Miss Otonashi just moved to the house beside mine, getting to know her, hosting a broadcast program with her, are all secrets.
In any case, I plan to avoid getting into any sort of relation with her in school, so I sat at a distance from her, watching her reaction as she responded to the questions.
Miss Otonashi herself has been receiving questions about her basic information.
"When did you start working?"
"If you're talking about being a seiyuu, I think it was after graduating from junior high. Even though I have been acting since I was younger anyway."
"Miss Otonashi's father is that Mr Otonashi Minamotofutoshi, right?"
"Yeah, but I don't really know much about my father. This was because he passed away when I was really young."
I already knew all of this without even asking about it! I saw this from an interview report on some magazine!
Miss Otonashi only started acting after her father passed away. After that, she was placed under the drama troupe that her father had created, and after one drama act, some producer saw her talent and so she started after her seiyuu career......I silently added these information in my heart.
However, she seemed to have some trouble due to her father's influence.
"What does a seiyuu do?"
If there were to have a survey among children about "Your dream job", "Seiyuu" happens to be among the top three occupation choices. As you can see, this is a question that most people would be interested in.
"Um~like dubbing for foreign films, and anime characters, et cetera, all kinds of stuff. Recently I got more jobs about hosting broadcast programs or photo shoots."
"However, to convey everything through your voice, sounds like a tough job!"
"En, that is true. But since we don't have to film a video, we can put all our effort into our voice, so I guess it's a one-for-one trade."
"Miss Otonashi is really pretty. Isn't just being a seiyuu too bad? Have you ever thought about aiming to be an actress?"
"Eh! Nothing like that. Thank you for your praise! However, being a seiyuu is also pretty fun. Not only can we dub for female characters, we could also dub for males and animals. Ah, sometimes we could even turn into a Hollywood star!"
Miss Otonashi, until a few years prior, had been an actress in the troupe. Thinking about this made me think that she was indeed pretty amazing. It's just like she was the living embodiment of talent. Even though she was also using the same talent for acting to pulling the wool over the classmates' eyes. That is why I just feel so bad for her. If she was a cute girl on the inside, then she was really the perfect girl!
"I've also participated in the voice acting of some of the spring season anime. If you don't mind, you can watch some of them."
Advertising herself nonchalantly, Miss Otonashi you're really clever.
"What kinds of guys do you like?"
A male student asked the question provocatively. It's the guy who was sitting beside Miss Otonashi all along.
Hearing his question, every male student in the room cleared their ears.
However --
This questions is really pointless. This was because, the person replying is Miss Otonashi who has mastered the art of acting perfectly.
"Not limited to guys, but I think people who work for their dreams are really cool."
Alright, there's the perfect answer for you! For someone who was used to such circumstances, her way of answering questions diplomatically is really unparalleled.
"Why do you want to study in our school?"
What's that about "want to"? It's just a coincidence, isn't it? There's a 80% chance she was going to answer with a reason like it being near to home or such, right?
"That's because I'm getting busier everyday, so I would like to live near my agency. Frankly, the reason is just that the school is near my home."
I was completely correct!
"Oh, right."
A female student whose name I don't even remember said that before turning her eyes on me, who was busy ranting in my heart. Have I said anything aloud? No, no, nothing like that. It was just one broadcast program, so it's not like I got some occupational compulsion that quickly. (Note: originally 职业病, which is literally occupational disease, but in reality it is closer to an OCD regarding your occupation.)
"Madoka-chan, are you acquainted with Tsunemura?"
Uh oh, have she seen us talking under our breaths in the classroom?
By the way, has that girl got into a first name basis with Miss Otonashi? I guess that's a privilege of being the same gender as a girl. If some boy told another boy, "call me by my first name directly next time", it would feel like stepping into another world.
Well then, how do you plan to deal with the people looking my way?
"Um......he was seated in front of me so I was just saying hi to him."
Miss Otonashi gave me a small smile as she looked at me. However, I understood what she meant very well. As the main character of Miss Otonashi's answer, I couldn't understand more than this. She must have been thinking "I'll just help you keep it a secret for now".
"Gah, I'm feeling so jealous of you! To be able to talk to someone so pretty!"
That provocative guy tried to tease me who was keeping a low profile and sitting at the corner. I really hoped that he would stop that.
Look, Miss Otonashi's eyes are already shining.
"Tsunemura, don't hide in the corner, why don't you sit here."
Miss Otonashi slightly moved away from her seat, creating an empty seat. Are you asking me to sit beside you?
Why...should...I...sit...beside...the main character!
Hesitant, I was unable to shift from my seat.
What I saw next, was the two streams of ideas, "why you" and "You aren't going to reject Miss Otonashi's when she's already offered you, right?", none of which would bring about a happy ending for me if I choose any of them.
In addition, Miss Otonashi had a twisted smile on her face. That was her showing her true face in the instant everyone had their attention on me.
There was no way to run. Even if there was only hell before me, I could only walk forward.
Miss Otonashi's side was also where everyone's attention was at.
"As we're seated really close, I'll have to bother you about teaching me about the school."
`"Al-Alright......"
I surrendered completely, without any notion of resistance. I hope I can leave this battlefield with the barest casualty. Of course, I don't think I can leave without a scratch on me.
"Thanks for moving the desks for me."
`"You-You're welcome, that's nothing big....."
"I'll look forward to your care in the future."
`"Me-Me too......"
"Tsunemura, you're my fan, right?"
`"Y-yeah......Uh! Eh?"
Gaaaaaaaaah! Don't expose something like this!
Even though I have told my friends, who were also otaku about this face, but I have never openly admitted to that. Even though it was not something that I have keep secret, but it was also not something to publicize anyway.
Just as I was thinking like that, eh? Why was everybody nodding in agreement! What's the deal about the reaction like you guys already knew about it!
"I'm really glad to hear that. Thank you!"
This sentence was said without a shred of sincerity. Her smile was full of contempt.
"Come on, don't be so nervous. I'm just your average classmate after this after all."
Average...classmate? An average classmate wouldn't call others her slave, would she?
Even if we were neighbours, and also hosts of the same broadcast program, so we were never just average classmates. Although I can't tell anyone about this now anyway!
"You know, I really hope to interact with my fans more. This is also to repay everyone for supporting me all this time."
I couldn't tell completely how much truth was in her speech just now. It just feels strange.
At the same time, Miss Otonashi winked at me playfully. If she was an idol character in some anime, she did the action so perfectly that stars would have shot out of her eyes. Being so perfectly matched would really be her personal charm, I guess.
Watching Miss Otonashi's every move, the classmates around her exclaimed in wonder.
Don't be fooled! Everybody just calm down. It's just an act anyway!
"Okay! Since we've already reached the Karaoke anyway, why don't we start singing!"
The person who suddenly spoke up, was the guy who had been sitting beside Miss Otonashi before I came. He probably tried to change the situation after seeing the seat beside Miss Otonashi get taken away by me, and that the both of us seem to be chatting away happily. Even though this was just his delusion, but I must say, good job!
After this, what's left was to escape from this place. To escape from Miss Otonashi's clutches!
"Eh, where are you going?"
Mission failed!
I got pounced on the instant I tried to get up. It seems that she was not going to let go me any moment now. So I tried to ask for help from my friends through my eyes. However, what I got return was hateful stares. Argh, I can't rely on them now.
Quick, I need a plan now! I have to escape somehow!
Somebody said that, making everyone focus on the main character again.
"Miss Otonashi~! Sing a song~!"
Everyone in the room called out to Miss Otonashi in unison. No, wait, suddenly asking the main character of the welcome party to sing isn't really nice to do, right!
Besides, letting the person sing her own song, it does not feel like it's a Karaoke anymore.
Naturally, nobody heard the ranting in my heart. The microphone is passed to Miss Otonashi.
"Sing a song? Ne-never mind about that. I'll get nervous, you know."
Stop cheating these people! For someone who has been singing on a stage countless times, how could you get cold feet just singing in a Karake!
"Eh? Really? Uh! Then I'll try my best."
Wow~such a perfect reaction. Nothing to nitpick out of that. Did you prepare a script for that?
After she accepted the microphone, Miss Otonashi began to choose a song. You obviously tried to decline just now and now look, aren't you happy to control the machine?
After that, Miss Otonashi who was originally looking at the screen suddenly turned to me. Dammit! I actually missed the god sent chance just now to escape!
"Tsunemura, what song do you want me to sing?"
`"Eh? Me?"
Why are you asking me! Can't you ask for everybody's opinion! Could you please stop bullying me!
"I think, if it were Tsunemura who knows me so well, then you would be able to pick a good song for me."
Miss Otonashi turned the small screen to me for me to choose.
Hmm! What song to choose! Hey wait, any song will do anyway! If any song will do then......this song will do. Even though it has been on air for quite some time, but this is the song that I have played the most in my portable music player......Argh, dammit. So in the end I really wanted to hear her sing anyway!
After the music started to play, the lights in the room went dim. A stage performance in a karaoke box.
Iridescent lights shone on the walls.
Loud catchy beats shook the core of everyone present.
It felt like this karaoke box has been cut off from the world. Maybe this was a similar feeling like when I was in the broadcast studio.
And in this space where lights and music intertwined--
She stood at the center.
The girl who had been sitting beside me until now.
No wait, she's still beside me, just that she was standing up.
She started to sing. Not looking at the television screen with the lyrics, but looking at each and everyone one at a time.
This song is the title track of the her first solo album. Before this, she have sung plenty of anime character songs; but this song, is where she sung as her own self, instead of a character.
The song had a vibrant rock tune, but the lyrics seem to make one's heart ache instead.
A voice that could make people who had been chatting enthusiastically quiet down and fall for her.
She completely dominated this space.
Not letting go of any of the eyes on her. Not releasing any of the fans' hearts captured.
Finally she came to the chorus. And she looked at me as she sat beside me.
And then I finally realized it. The reason why my heart had been shocked so thoroughly, was not only due to her beautiful voice.
This is too cunning. She looked perfect only on the outside. This is an unyielding fact. So for my heart to beat that wildly, is also something I can't prevent.
By the time me and Miss Otonashi relinquished our freedom, the sun had already set west. If I think about us leaving school in the early afternoon, then this was really a long welcome party.
Bidding our classmates goodbye on our way home, in the end, there was only the two of us, Miss Otonashi and me. I walked on the road as if I was chasing the shadow of Miss Otonashi's head.
"Hey, outsider. I'm just so damn tired after all that singing."
The cute idol who held an impromptu solo performance just now has now disappeared into thin air. That's just too bad.
`"I didn't hear it. I didn't hear anything at all."
"Why are you following behind me?"
`"That's because our home is in the same direction!"
Miss Otonashi laughed out gleefully.
"You're getting used to talking to me. Even though you're just an outsider."
Wu......it may actually be so. Even though I have seen Miss Otonashi's true face with my own eyes, but, like yesterday, the nervous reaction that I have when I see her, is slowly fading away.
Although I have no idea what did she mean by "even though you're just an outsider."
"However, you were finally of some use today."
`"Ah? Of what use?"
"The boy who had been sitting beside me in the karaoke box, was pretty annoying."
`"So you asked me to sit beside you?"
"That's because you're much easier to handle."
So that's the reason why I got bullied? Dammit, I was going to thank the guy, but now I'm going to take that back. It's all his fault. My identity of an otaku seiyuu fan was exposed because of him. Not letting go of Miss Otonashi, you're really shameless!......Eh?
`"Sigh......You're two-faced facade was pretty impressive."
"Two-faced facade? Are you referring to me?"
Miss Otonashi asked while pointing to herself.
`"You're always smiling in front of the staff and classmates. When you're being bombarded by the questions, I actually thought that you were going to get a case of measles or something."
"Isn't this normal?"
`"No, it isn't."
"I just appreciate the impression of 'Otonashi Madoka' in everyone's heart very much. It is my job to carry their dreams, so it's normal."
Even though she spoke of it like it was nothing, this was really something amazing, isn't it? To become the person everyone wants you to be, is the same as giving your all in accomplishing their hopes. To accommodate the impression that everyone had dreamed up of, she had to reject her original self, to change her original self.
`"But, isn't that pretty tiring?"
"Eh? What's so tiring about that? No matter the side I'm on, I'm still me."
Miss Otonashi would sometimes show a complete serious expression on her face.
It's not the face of anger, nor the face of an idol, but a face of judging herself objectively. This was probably an attitude she had unknowingly nurtured while she was training her acting skills. A human who is able to see "herself" clearly after becoming an existence that is not herself.
`"Um, you could put it like that."
"Because this is my job."
Miss Otonashi blocked the evening sunlight out of her eyes with her hand while saying that, creating a shadow purposefully behind the ever radiating sun.
"Because the stage I'm on, is built on the efforts of all the staff around me. It's not only for the everyone who are willing to watch and listen to my performance, but also for the staff, I must be the 'Otonashi Madoka' that everyone wants me to be. No matter the pain, I must also put on a smile."
Miss Otonashi put down the hand which was blocking the sunlight and bathed in the evening sun, showing off a smile again.
What was that all about?
The Otonashi Madoka, that I have adored before, is a cheerful, straightforward, and cute seiyuu idol. Not a girl who would be punching people, calling others as outsiders and taking others as her slave.
So frankly, after knowing what she was really like, my dreams were a little crushed. Because the feeling of getting cheated is really strong.
However, what was this about? Looking at her, who was talking about her attitude towards her work seriously, I was a little...even though really it was just a little......
"What are you standing there for? Let's get home quickly."
I seemed to have unknowingly stopped moving.
"Ah, or is it that, you have been captivated by my beauty?"
I was unable to tell her "that's right", so I have to try to cover it up somehow.
`"I never thought that you thought so much about it."
"Are you serious! Of course I'm using more of my brain cells that the outsider!"
`"I told you, my name is Ryouto!"
"But, I'm really tired, outsider."
"The way you're ignoring me is just too blatant, so I can't help but reject what you're saying."
Who asked you to sing from start to beginning anyway?
"If my voice is ruined, how are you going to compensate for it, outsider?"
`"This is completely something of your own doing. Also, my name is Ryouto."
"Eh, outsider, do you have a cough lozenge or something?"
`"How could I possibly carry that with me......Ah, I really do have it. Here. Also, my name is Ryouto."
"Here you go, Ryouto, a reward for you."
"Hurray! Hey, this is just the wrapper for the sweet! Also, my name is outsider! Wait, that's not right!!!!!!!!!!!"
What's wrong with her? How far was she going to tease me......even though I've also used an old trick to rant at her anyway.
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