Chapter 23

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

 Chapter 23: Intermission: Akane Tsukishiro

[From Akane Tsukishiro’s Point of View]

The first time I saw him was on a stage.

 

Under the bright spotlight, a boy with golden hair and noticeable foreign blood danced gracefully.

  

At first, I thought that Fuuma Yanagisawa was just a typical second-generation actor who became famous because his parents were genius actors, but who, contrary to public opinion, lacked both skill and experience.

 

But that idea was wrong.

The moment I saw him act, I realized how corny my own acting had been up until then.

“Amazing‥‥”

His acting had color, light, and tone.

 

It’s not just the technical skill of the performance, but something mysterious and indescribable that stirs the emotions of all who watch.

[…My parents encouraged me to become a child actor because I was good-looking, so I became an actor and entered the entertainment industry.]

 

I was very skilled and could do anything well, and I had been able to achieve good results in most of the auditions I had participated in up until then.

That’s why I thought I was a genius, and that there was no one my age who could surpass me as a child actor.

 

But the moment I saw him act with my very own eyes――――everything inside of me just crumbled away.

 

I was made to realize, once and for all, that I was not a true genius by the true genius that was Fuuma Yanagisawa.

“I want to be an actor like you.”

After the play ended.

  

I quickly rushed over to Fuuma Yanagisawa’s dressing room and, yes, I spoke to him.

  

And that man – Fuuma Yanagisawa – in stark contrast to the cheerful boyish image he had had on stage earlier, now looked cold and expressionless, tilted his head and replied.

 

“Who?”

  

“I’m Akane Tsukishiro. Even if you don’t know my face, you probably know my name, right? I think I’ve made quite a name for myself as a child actor.”

 

“Sorry, I have no idea.”

Saying that, Fuuma sighed, wiped his forehead with a towel, and spoke again.

  

“You can’t be like me.”

“Eh‥‥?”

  

“Admiration is an emotion only amateurs have. For those who are serious about becoming a star, admiration is nothing more than a shackle. No matter how talented an actor the other person is, they will bare their fangs and bite them. Only wolves with that kind of spirit can survive in the entertainment world.”

 

“Is admiration a shackle…?”

“That’s right. Admiration is an obstacle to growth. In fact, I have never once admired my father, the famous actor Kyoichiro Yanagisawa. This is because I am confident that in the future I will become an actor who surpasses him. If I had any admiration for him, I would never be able to surpass the wall that my father posed. So if you continue to admire me, you will never become a good actor.”

His jewel-like, beautiful emerald – blue eyes seemed to be looking at me, but at the same time, they weren’t.

 

His eyes are fixed straight at the far end of the peak.

He doesn’t even acknowledge me whose just a stone rolling on the side of the road.

 

The moment I saw those eyes, the words I was thinking blurted out without me even thinking about it.

“…I’m pissed.”

 

“Huh?”

“It’s annoying, it’s annoying, it’s annoying, it’s annoying!! It’s true that to you I’m nothing more than a rock lying around, you know? But I’m standing right in front of you, so why are you not interested in me at all!! A cute and beautiful girl like me even barged into your dressing room and told you that she respects you!! At least be a little embarrassed!!”

“Eh, what?! Why did you suddenly get angry?!”

“Fuuma Yanagisawa… No, Fuuma!! One day, I’ll definitely make you acknowledge me!! In the future, it will be you and me who will reach the top of acting. You will win Best Actor at the Japan Academy Awards, and I’ll win Best Actress. And even after that, we’ll continue to compete and fight with each other. It will be us, Fuuma, who will lead the entertainment world in the future!!”

 

“I don’t really understand what you’re saying… basically, does it mean that you see me as a rival?”

“That’s it!!”

“I see, I get it. To be honest, I don’t think someone like you is even a match for me… but come on, if you can keep up.”

 

As he said this, Fuuma looked towards me, gazing at me. Though he was about the same height as me, he seemed like an enormous wall to me.

 

Seeing him looking so strong made me feel excited, despair, and my heart was filled with excitement.

He was my first love.

And he is the person I must surpass someday, my greatest rival, and the person I aim to reach as an actor.

That was his name, Fuuma Yanagisawa, the man who had betrayed me and quit acting, the man I hated with all my heart, but also loved with all my heart.

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“——Thank you very much”

 

I bowed to the judges, Professor Wagatsuma and Professor Yanagisawa, and then looked up.

This audition—to be honest, it seemed like a piece of cake.

 

After all, there is no one in this acting class who can be my rival.

 

If I had to say, I would say that the person I was paired up with this time is Rika Shinozaki, I think she was on the right track, but in terms of technical ability, I was far superior.

In terms of imagination, performance ability, and reading comprehension, not a single one of the students I judged have surpasses me.

There is probably no actor here who can better portray Romeo than the one I played.

Naturally, my victory was now confirmed.

 

“Both of you gave wonderful performances. Especially Akane Tsukishiro. Your Romeo performance was sophisticated and refined, hard to believe she’s only in her teens. I could tell from every part that you had a lot of experience.”

“Thank you.”

After thanking Professor Wagatsuma, I turned my gaze to Kyoichiro Yanagisawa.

He didn’t say anything to me, just stared at the judging sheet and twirled a pen in his right hand with a bored look on his face.

 

[Kyoichiro… doesn’t look much like Fuuma.]

As a father, I might be able to ask how Fuuma is doing right now.

 

After all, I had moved all the way from the Kanto region to Sendai, where he allegedly lives.

If there’s a chance to get some information about him, it might be a good idea to ask him here.

 

I decided to call out to Kyoichiro Yanagisawa.

 

“….Professor Yanagisawa. I’ve known your son, Fuuma Yanagisawa, for a long time. Do you know where he is now? I’d like to meet him again after such a long time.”

 

“I don’t know. I don’t have custody of him anymore. I don’t know where he is or what he’s doing now.”

 

“Custody…? Did you get divorced?”

“Well, that’s about it. Who are you, perhaps, Fuuma’s ex-girlfriend?”

 

“No. That’s not how we are. He and I are… well, maybe it would be better to say we are rivals.”

 

“Hmm, a rival, huh. If that’s the case, then wouldn’t it be best if you didn’t meet him now? He’s probably just an ordinary high school boy now, with no connection to the world of acting. The more you expect, the more disappointed you’ll be――――”

“Fuuma is not just a high school boy. He’s a better actor than anyone else. Better than me, better than any average professional actor – and of course, better than you…”

As I said that and glared at him, Kyoichiro Yanagisawa grinned, showing his teeth.

“That’s a funny thing to say, you know? You’re saying I’m inferior to that brat who quit acting?”

 

“I apologize if this offended you, but this is exactly how I feel.”

Upon hearing this, Kyoichiro Yanagisawa suddenly burst out laughing.

 

Then, after laughing for a while, he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and called out to me.

 

“I like you, Akane Tsukishiro. If you ever become Fuuma’s girlfriend――I will wholeheartedly welcome you. Someone like you could be the one who could move him forward.”

 

“H-huh?! I-I-I-I-Wouldn’t be that guy’s girlfriend!!! Don’t say such ridiculous things!!!”

“Hahahaha! Well, the audition is over! Get back in line, you two!”

“Y-Yes…”

 

“Excuse me.”

 

I bows together with my partner, Risa Shinozaki, and returns to the group of classmates watching the audition.

 

“——–Now, the next pair, please come forward.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Y-yes!”

 

At that moment, a blonde girl and a girl with a bun hairstyle came walking towards us, away from the line.

 

Staring straight ahead with her emerald green – blue eyes, her blonde hair fluttering in the wind, a beautiful girl walked towards me with a dignified presence – Kaede Kisaragi.

 

 

Just as I passed by the beautiful girl with her obvious foreign bloodline, for some reason, for a moment I saw Kaede Kisaragi… overlapping with Fuuma Yanagisawa.

 

“Eh‥‥?”

 

I turn around and follow Kaede Kisaragi with my eyes.

 

However, what he saw there was a beautiful, artificially created girl who bore no resemblance to him, in fact, she was of a different gender.

 

 

Why did I see her and Fuuma overlapping?

 

 

I have absolutely no idea why, but… the aura that Kaede Kisaragi gave off as she passed by me just now seemed to be the same as that of Fuuma, the man I used to revere in awe of as a child actor.

 

[She’s supposed to be an amateur, right?]

 

I’ve seen a lot of different people in the entertainment industry.

 

That’s why I have absolute confidence in my ability to judge people.

 

But this time, I couldn’t help but believe my eyes.

 

This was because, although she was supposed to be just an amateur, she exuded the aura of a skilled, experienced actor… an aura of strength.

 

“My attendance number is 6, Kaede Kisaragi.”

“My S-s-student number is 22, Honoka Hiiragi!”

Saying this, the twelfth pair bowed to the two instructors who were sitting on metal chairs and were serving as judges.

And when she raised her head, Kaede Kisaragi was smiling mysteriously, fearlessly.