Chapter 15
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Volume 2: The Demons Of The Hananomiya Family
Chapter 15: The Cross-Dressing Boy Is Unrivaled In Volleyball
―――――The whistle signaling the start of the match echoed throughout the gym.
As a handicap, the first serve was granted to the Acting Class.
When I looked over to the other side of the net, I saw the general education students who were members of the volleyball club smirking at us with a condescending attitude.
Judging by their expressions, they were quite confident in their abilities.
After taking in the scene, I placed the ball in the palm of my hand and let out a short breath.
――It was then that a conversation from my childhood with Kyoichiro Yanagisawa, when I first started aiming to become an actor, suddenly resurfaced in my mind.
“…Fuuma. If you want to take the name Yanagisawa and become an actor, engrave this in your heart. Third-rate actors create illusions on stage. But first-rate actors are different. First-rate actors create an illusion that is close to reality… A true con artist makes the audience forget about their daily lives. They repaint the stage with a world that feels real.”
“A world that feels… real?”
“Exactly. A good actor is someone who pursues realism. That’s why, from now on, you’ll experience various things. Sports, music, cooking, painting, martial arts, and so on. Of course, I’m not asking you to become first-rate in all these fields, and I have no intention of giving you the time to do so. Because what you’re aiming for is to be a first-rate actor. Therefore, I want you to become… a ‘second-rate genius’ who can handle almost anything.”
“A second-rate… genius?”
“I’m going to limit your sleep to exactly four hours every day. All of your time, apart from eating and sleeping, will be spent on learning. Once you’ve gained second-rate experience in various fields, I’ll personally coach you in acting. But if you give up halfway ――― then you should give up on becoming an actor, Fuuma.”
…At the age of eight, I received those instructions and somehow endured two hellish years of training. By the time I was ten, I had become a ‘second-rate genius’.
Through learning various things, I came to understand that people have their strengths and weaknesses.
It seemed I had a certain level of talent for cooking and painting, but when it came to physical activities, I didn’t seem to have much talent.
In the past, I had received coaching from professionals, including former medalists, whom Kyoichiro had connections with, but I remember all of them saying, “Fuuma-kun doesn’t seem to be suited for sports.”
When I was young, I was terrible at sports.
Because of my asthma, I had little stamina, and I would quickly run out of breath whenever I ran. Moreover, due to my body’s inability to build much muscle, I had little strength or leg power.
My body was slender, almost like a girl’s, and it wasn’t built for sports in the first place.
But even so, I… didn’t give up.
With a determination to die, I worked hard, hard, and harder… driven by the desire to become a first-rate actor, I managed to elevate my skills in sports, which were my weak point, to a certain level.
“…That said, I’m still only second-rate. There’s no way I can truly compete against someone who’s mastered a single thing.”
After muttering that softly, I tossed the ball into the air, letting it float gently.
Then, I leaped up, quietly focusing on the volleyball club members in front of me.
“Hehe… Alright, everyone! Let’s smash that pretty face of hers, the tool of her trade! But first… yeah, let’s toy with her a bit, and then, just like with the Voice Acting Class earlier, we’ll strike when she lets her guard down―――”
I put all my strength into the ball I had tossed up and spiked it directly at the feet of the smirking girl in front of me.
The volleyball sliced through the air, flying towards the girl like a bullet, tracing a fierce trajectory.
“Eh? ――――――――― Kyaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!?!?!”
The girl, who seemed to be the leader of the volleyball club members, tried to get into a receiving position to catch the ball, but… perhaps out of fear, her body wavered, and she ended up falling on her rear.
The ball hit the ground near her feet, bounced, and then flew forcefully toward the back.
The ball slammed against the gym wall with a loud thud, and I could see Karen, who was standing nearby, staring at me with a surprised expression.
“………With this, we’ve scored the first point. It’s been a really long time since I last played volleyball, but… well, from what I’ve seen, it doesn’t seem like my skill level has dropped that much, so that’s a relief.”
“Huh? Wha… what?”
The volleyball club members stared at me in shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
After glancing at them briefly, I let out a short sigh.
――As expected. There’s no one here who’s a real player.
If there were athletes who had competed at the national level, things might have been different, but against these mere experienced players… there’s no way I could lose.
Judging by how they couldn’t react at all to that speed, I can easily dominate this match on my own.
“…Seriously, how incredible are you…?”
Akane’s voice reached me from the front, her face a mixture of amazement.
I turned to her and gave a troubled smile before speaking.
“I’m not that incredible, Akane-san.”
“That just sounds like sarcasm. Look around you.”
“Around…?”
I glanced at the faces of the other team members besides Akane.
There, I saw my admirers looking at me with tearful eyes.
“O-Onee-sama… how, how beautiful…!!”
“It’s so cool, I might get a nosebleed…! Ugh… it’s frustrating that there’s no camera to capture this!!”
Megumi Nemoto and Chiaki Shimano were saying such things, clasping each other’s hands in excitement.
As for Miyauchi… she was simply crying.
Tears streamed down her face as she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, despite being in the middle of the match.
Honoka, on the other hand, had her hands clasped together as if in prayer, her eyebrows furrowed as she gazed in my direction silently.
…Well, I don’t mind if they admire me, but lately, their over-the-top reactions are starting to get a bit scary…
It’s beginning to feel like the Kaede Kisaragi Fan Club is turning into some kind of cult, and honestly, it’s a bit frightening…
“………B-Ball in! First point to the Acting Class!”
With that, Suzunari-sensei hastily blew her whistle.
At that moment, the students from the Acting and Voice Acting Classes who had been frozen in place erupted into cheers.
The atmosphere around us began to feel as if the General Education students were enemies of the Performing Arts students… The volleyball club members gritted their teeth in frustration, biting their lips in anger.
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From Hanako Sato’s Point Of View
“………Wow… I didn’t expect it to be this swollen. Really, those people were quite merciless toward beginners.”
Saying this, I looked at my reflection in the girls’ bathroom mirror and let out a deep sigh.
It was a bit awkward, but I managed to stuff some tissue into my nose and administer first aid to treat the nosebleed.
Now, I needed to deal with the bruises on my right wrist and cheek, but… I really don’t feel like heading to the nurse’s office (Infirmary) in the separate building right now.
Since the fourth period would end soon and then it would be lunchtime, I decided to just get some gauze at the infirmary then.
With that decision made, I left the girls’ bathroom and headed back towards the gym.
“…………I seem to overreact to unreasonable violence.”
Regarding the earlier incident, I stubbornly refused to make a player change.
When I was young, my mother regularly abused me, and her cruelty dominated my heart.
So…I think the one thing I didn’t want to do was succumb to unilateral power like during my childhood.
“………I thought I had forgotten, but… it seems that those hellish days are still etched deep in my heart.”
I gently pressed my trembling right hand with my left.
……My mother divorced my father when I was an baby.
My father was apparently from a prestigious family of doctors, but… during her pregnancy with me, he had an affair with another woman and eventually ended up with her.
Whether it was due to this or not, my mother fell into mental illness――― and began to see me as a tool for revenge against my father.
“…It’s okay, Hanako. In the future, get a better education and become a much better doctor than that man. Do your best to make that bastard who abandoned us regret it.”
I had loved anime since I was a child. That’s why… I wanted to become a voice actress.
But I couldn’t tell my mother that. I knew she would definitely slap me if I mentioned it.
If I said something that went against her wishes, I’d be subjected to violence. So, I always had to be careful with my words.
“………What is this score!! I said I wouldn’t accept anything less than 90 points!! 72 points… are you mocking me!?”
“I’m sorry, Mom, I’m really sorry…”
“Sorry isn’t enough!! Ahh, enough already!! No dinner tomorrow! Reflect on this! You failure!!!!”
Saying this, my mother had pressed a lit cigarette against my arm.
……I still have many permanent scars on my body from my mother’s abuse.
That’s why, even in summer, I can only wear long sleeves because I’m worried about what other people think.
Even if I find someone I like in the future, I could never show this filthy body to a boy.
I truly think that time was hell. It was to the point where thoughts of suicide crossed my mind.
But……
“―――Magical Girl Miracle Cure, defeating evil～☆ Next time, look forward to it!!”
Every Sunday morning, the children’s anime supported my heart.
When I watched anime, I could forget the harsh reality. It was very enjoyable.
That’s why I―――― admired the profession of voice acting.
Honestly, I think this world is incredibly harsh for a high school student living alone.
To live, you inevitably need money. Even pursuing your dreams requires money.
Although I’m currently working in the underground voice acting scene, my biggest dream is to be a voice actress for TV anime.
When I was supported by that anime during my hellish childhood, I was saved by it. That’s why I wanted to become a voice actress someday.
To achieve that, I enrolled in this school.
“……So, I can’t let something like this get me down…… huh?”
As I walked through the connecting corridor, I heard a loud cheer coming from the gym.
Given that the general education department was beating up the acting department… the situation seemed strange.
Normally, people wouldn’t make such an uproar in a game where it was obvious to everyone that it was one-sided.
“? What on earth is going on…?”
I hurriedly entered the gym.
And then, what unfolded before my eyes was――
“Got it! Kaede, let’s go!!”
“Yes, please go ahead, Akane-san!!”
Akane Tsukishiro tossed the ball from the opponent’s side, sending it high over Kaede’s head.
As Kaede watched the ball with her blue eyes, she leaped high―――― and delivered a powerful spike right to the edge of the opponent’s court line.
None of the volleyball club members were able to react to the ball that was coming at them at bullet-like speed.
The ball went perfectly into the opponent’s court, scoring a point for the acting department.
Seeing this, the general education students stared at Kaede’s face with disbelief.
“―――――Did you realize now? The pain Hanako-san felt……”
“Huh…?”
Kaede Kisaragi… or rather, Fuuma-kun Yanagisawa, glared sharply at the volleyball club members and spoke.
Then, she (He) opened her mouth again.
“You people are immature third-rate players in both volleyball skills and mentality. There’s no way such low-level people can achieve anything. Don’t underestimate the entertainment department, which seriously aims to become actresses and voice actors.”
“!! Are you kidding me!! Don’t act so high and mighty――――”
“Shut up!! The person you were hurting earlier was my precious friend!! What kind of person wouldn’t get angry if their friend was hurt!!!”
Faced with this intensity, the general education students shrank back and fell silent.
Seeing them like that, Kaede narrowed her eyes and quietly began to speak.
“I really hate people like you who make arbitrary decisions about other people’s values and look down on them. Certainly, Hanako-san might not be good at sports. However, I know many of her good qualities. She is a very kind person. Even knowing the true nature of me… Hanako-san continued to treat me as a friend. That person is… a girl with the kindest, purest and most beautiful heart.”
“Huh?”
“If you continue to mock my friend, I won’t show any mercy. Are you prepared for that?!”
“………!!”
……I don’t know why. I can’t take my eyes off Fuuma Yanagisawa’s figure.
I can feel my heart beating hard in my chest, and my cheeks are flushed and steaming.
……What is this? I don’t understand, I don’t understand……
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It seems the general education students lost their fighting spirit from Kaede’s words.
Well… with the loud cheers from the voice acting and acting departments, the gym must have become quite uncomfortable for the general education students.
It’s no wonder their morale is down.
“…Well then. All that’s left now is to serve once more and bring this match to a swift end――――”
“……Hehehe. That’s Interesting, Kaede. Why don’t you have a match with me? Let’s change players.”
With her long black hair fluttering, Karen approached with slow, deliberate movements.
Seeing her, the general studies students suddenly showed signs of agitation.
“K-Karen-san…”
“How pathetic. If you can only achieve such half-hearted results, why not quit the club and focus on studying? I think there’s nothing more wasteful than spending time on useless things.”
“……!! Sorry……”
After glancing at the frightened volleyball club members, Karen told one of them to change places and entered the court.
……Given the current situation, if the acting department scores even one more point, our victory will be confirmed.
But…… considering Karen’s demeanor.
She probably has some experience in volleyball, judging from her confident attitude.
Karen, exuding an aura like a final boss and displaying the manner of a strong opponent.
Akane stared at her intently and muttered quietly.
“That person… I’m sure she’s the one who used to stay at Fuuma’s house, right? I heard she was a cousin or something…”
With those words, she glared sharply at Karen and began to burn with fighting spirit.
I tilted my head at Akane’s behavior and turned my gaze back to Karen.
Holding the ball in both hands, Karen looked at me with a confident smile.
……There’s still so much I don’t know about her.
President Sakuragaoka called Karen a genius.
If that’s the case, then there was no way that a fake genius created through hard work like me, a “second-rate genius”, could compete with a real genius.
I should consider her the highest-level enemy and be on guard.
“Well then…… here I come, Kaede Kisaragi.”
Karen tossed the ball into the air and prepared to serve―――― leaping high into the air.
“Here we go! …Oh?”
The ball bounced at Karen’s feet rolled backwards.
Seeing this, Karen nodded, putting her hand to her chin.
“It’s surprisingly difficult. It seems there’s a big difference between watching and doing.”
“…………Yeah…”
――――――Thus, with the sound of the whistle, the volleyball match ended, and the acting department’s victory was confirmed.
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Author’s Note: Thank you all for reading Chapter 79 | 80! If you liked it, please consider rating, following, or liking to keep up my motivation! The next chapter is scheduled to be posted tomorrow! I’d be happy if you read it again! Thank you so much for the warm reviews and comments! To be honest, I cried… I’m glad I didn’t quit this work…!! Thank you again!! Thank you very much!!
