Chapter 10

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Volume 1: First Performance: A Tragic Love Story Of A Young Lady And Spring Cherry Blossoms

Chapter 10: A Cross-Dressing Boy Gets Picked Up By A Handsome Girl

“I have only one goal. That is―――――――to make sure my acting reaches him… the demonic monster, ‘Fuuma Yanagisawa’ and to get that monster back on stage. No, that’s not quite right. My true aim is to defeat that monster. That will be the pinnacle of my career as an actress. That’s all. I’m done.”

With those words, Akane sat down, letting her red twin-tails sway dramatically.

My mouth was open when I heard what she said, and I found myself staring at her with a stunned expression.



While I was still trying to process what she’d said, the rest of our classmates began whispering among themselves, clearly shaken.


“Fuuma Yanagisawa…? Who’s that?”


“Yanagisawa… you mean the famous actor, Kyoichiro Yanagisawa? But who’s Fuuma?”



“…Oh! I remember now! Fuuma Yanagisawa is Kyoichiro Yanagisawa’s son! He was that child actor who became really popular for a while! You know, the one who starred in that morning drama ‘The Boy from the Coastal Town’!”



“Ah… Yeah, I think I remember someone like that… But didn’t Yanagisawa Jr. retire a long time ago? Why would she bring up someone from the past like that?”



“Who knows… Maybe she’s trying to say that a retired child actor has more talent than any of you who are still active? That snobby twin-tail girl would say something like that.”


“Is that what she meant!? Ugh, so annoying! Just because she’s had a breakout role, she thinks she’s better than us!”


The classmates all turned their hostile gazes towards Akane, but she seemed completely unfazed, twirling her twin-tails and looking for split ends.


Could she have possibly figured out who I really am and said all that on purpose…?


No, that’s too far-fetched.



Knowing her personality, if she realized I was cross-dressing and had enrolled in this all-girls school, she’d definitely make a huge scene.



It wouldn’t matter if it was in the middle of an introduction or whatever: if she spotted me, she’d probably come at me with fists flying.


Yeah, that’s just the kind of person she is.

 “…Hah. Seriously, though, she’s already surpassed me as an actress, so why is she still hung up on me? She’s such a pain…”


Well, the chances of her recognizing me as Fuuma Yanagisawa now are close to zero.


Even if she was an old acquaintance, it’s been five years since we last saw each other.



Unlike her, who’s frequently in the media, she wouldn’t have any idea what I look like now.


Plus, I’m wearing makeup and cross-dressing.

It would be almost impossible for that twin-tail girl to figure out my real identity.



(Still, better safe than sorry.)


You never know when I might slip up.


Unless absolutely necessary, I should avoid interacting with her. That’s the safest way to get through my time at this school.


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The sound of bells rang out, signaling the end of the school day.


Since today was the first day, the only things on the agenda were a brief orientation and receiving textbooks, so classes ended by noon.



As I packed the textbooks into my school bag, the lively chatter of my classmates reached my ears.



Glancing in the direction of the voices, I saw that it seemed they had already formed their little groups of friends.


Just this morning, they were all glaring at each other during introductions… Girls are a curious thing.



Then again, it’s not that strange. When a common enemy appears, it’s natural for bonds to strengthen.



I cast a brief glance towards Akane, who was sitting in the center of the room.


It looked like she had just finished packing her things, as she slung her school bag over her shoulder, stood up, and quietly left the classroom.



The moment she was gone, the remaining students immediately started gossiping about her.


Seriously, what is she hoping to achieve by making so many enemies?


This is supposed to be high school, it would be nice if she could at least try to make one friend.


As I looked over at her empty seat and sighed deeply, someone spoke to me from the front of the room.



“Onee-sama? You sighed quite heavily just now. Is something the matter?”


I turned to see Honoka, who was looking at me with a curious expression.

I gave her a gentle smile and replied.



“Oh, it’s nothing, Honoka-san. I’m just a bit tired, that’s all.”



“Is that so? In that case, I suppose I shouldn’t invite you out after school…”



“Invite me out after school?”


“Yes. Actually, I had planned to have lunch in the cafeteria with a friend who enrolled in another department. So I was thinking… Perhaps Onee-sama would like to join us?”


“The cafeteria… That’s right, it’s about time for lunch.”



Hmm, that’s a good idea.


I don’t have any other plans after this… and it might be wise to familiarize myself with the different facilities on campus for future reference.


After a few moments of consideration, I gave Honoka a warm smile.



“Well then, if it’s alright with you, Honoka-san, I’d be happy to join you. I’m a bit curious to see what the cafeteria here is like.”



“Really!? Onee-sama, you’ll come with me!? I’m so happy!!!!”

Honoka placed her hands on her chest and beamed with a joyful smile.


I couldn’t help but chuckle softly at her reaction as I picked up my school bag and stood up from my seat.

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Perhaps because this is a Christian school, the architecture everywhere reflects a Gothic style reminiscent of medieval Europe.




The hallways are spacious, with high ceilings and vibrantly colored stained glass windows at various intervals.


Peering out from a second-floor corridor, I could see a rose garden sprawling out below, with what appeared to be members of the gardening club chatting while holding watering cans.




This school has an atmosphere that feels like stepping into another country.



As we walked down the corridor, we were surrounded by the sound of students exchanging greetings of “Good day.”


Once again, I was reminded of how out of place I am here.


Lost in thought, I walked alongside Honoka, until suddenly, I heard a burst of excited voices from up ahead.



Curious, I looked towards the source of the commotion and saw a tall girl surrounded by a crowd of female students.



She accepted a bouquet from one of the girls, flashed a brilliant smile, and spoke with a charming tone.



“Is this bouquet… from the garden? The color is a beautiful shade of red… and it has such a lovely fragrance. I can feel the love and care put into growing it. Thank you, this really lifts my spirits.”



The girls around her let out even louder squeals of delight at her words.


Honoka and I exchanged bewildered looks and stood there, unsure of what to make of the scene. Then, the tall girl noticed us and turned her gaze in our direction.



With a graceful smile, she approached us.

“Hello.”


“H-hello.”



“…Hmm? I don’t recognize you two. Are you perhaps… new students?”



“Yes, that’s right. My name is Kaede Kisaragi, a first-year in the Acting Department. And this is—”



“I’m Honoka Hiiragi, also a first-year in the Acting Department!”


“I see. Kaede-san and Honoka-san, right? I’ll remember those names. I’m Haruki Ginjou, a third-year student in the Acting Department. Nice to meet you.”


With a dazzling smile that seemed to be accompanied by a sparkle sound effect, Haruki Ginjou — a short-haired, blue-haired girl with a strikingly handsome appearance — introduced herself.



Her tone and androgynous features were so masculine that for a moment, I almost mistook her for a man. But her feminine curves made it clear that she was indeed a woman.


I was momentarily taken aback, wondering if she might be another crossdresser like me, but then I realized it was unlikely. Two people like me in the same school would be a bit much.




While I was lost in thought, I noticed that Haruki was staring intently at my face.


I panicked inwardly, wondering if she had figured out my disguise, but I kept my expression neutral as I spoke.



“Is something the matter?”


“You have… very beautiful eyes.”


“…Huh?”


Without warning, she gently lifted my chin, bringing her face close as if about to kiss me.



She smiled down at me with a mysterious look in her eyes.


“Hey, would you like to have tea with me sometime? I’d love to have a long chat with you.”


“…Wha? Whaaaaaaaat!?!?!?!?”


“Here, take this. Call me if you ever have some free time.”



Handing me a slip of paper with her contact information, Haruki then walked back to the group of girls who were waiting for her.


“See you later.”



With a wave over her shoulder, she disappeared down the hallway, leaving me standing there in shock.