Chapter 9

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Volume 2: The Demons Of The Hananomiya Family

Chapter 9: The Cross-Dressing Boy Provides Care

“Ugh, ughhhhh…”

“Hey, hey, are you okay, President?”

I sat on a park bench, gently shaking the back of President Sakuragaoka, who was sitting next to me.

After the mixer ended and everyone had gone their separate ways, I couldn’t just leave the drunk President Sakuragaoka behind. I took her on the train and got off with her at Kita-Sendai.

I intended to escort her home, but… when the President suddenly clutched her mouth and said, “I’m going to… ugh…” So, we hurriedly stopped at the nearest park. Now, I was taking care of President Sakuragaoka.

As I rubbed the back of the girl who was groaning and heaving, I let out a short sigh.

However… when I calmly thought about the situation, it really started to make no sense.

Why did I have to take care of this upperclassman I barely know, who’s drunk?

Normally, wouldn’t it be up to Hina or Hanako, the ones who brought her here? Why do I have to do this? Hey? I’ve never really had a conversation with this person as Fuuma Yanagisawa or Kaede Kisaragi!

“Ah, thank you. I’m feeling much better now…”

she said, pressing a handkerchief to her mouth, and looked at me with a pale face.

I sighed at her and decided to ask the question that had been on my mind.

“So, what’s your relationship with Karen Hananomiya?”

“…Why does her name come up here?”

The moment Karen’s name was mentioned, the President shot a sharp look at me.

I shook my head and spoke again.

“Karen Hananomiya is… well, she’s a bit of an acquaintance of mine. I overheard one of the students from the Academy saying that she and you had a fight at school today. So, I’m a bit curious. Are you on bad terms with her?”

“…My family, the Sakuragaoka family, was once a prestigious family renowned in Sendai since ancient times. However, about 60 years ago, the Hananomiya family came from outside and used forceful methods to take away much of the land we owned…and our influence became smaller and smaller. Therefore… the Hananomiya family and the Sakuragaoka family are rivals. Though, by now, the Sakuragaoka family has become a subordinate of the Hananomiya family, and I am the only one in the family who harbors animosity toward them…”

“Is that the reason you’re on bad terms with Karen?”

“…….Of course, there are other reasons. I’ve known Karen since we were young through family connections. To put it simply, we have a childhood friend-like relationship, but… all I remember from those times is being made to taste hardship by her.”

She exhaled sharply and looked up at the starry night sky, squinting her eyes.

“No matter whether it was piano lessons, calligraphy, singing, or horseback riding, I could never beat her. The prodigy daughter of Hananomiya versus the failed daughter of a fallen family. I grew up being compared to her like that.”

“…“

“She always looked dignified, with her long black hair swaying… and her sharp eyes seemed to view the world as if everyone was her enemy. I knew at a glance that she and I were on completely different levels as people…”

The family feud is there, but it seems that the biggest reason for her strained relationship with Karen is that.

It is true that Karen sometimes displays a mature demeanor that is far beyond that of a child.

She said she manages several companies despite being a high school student and is also a school board member.

It’s undeniable that she’s a prodigy beyond the ordinary student.

“How can an ordinary person possibly overcome someone with talent…”

She said, letting out a passionate sigh.

President Sakuragaoka’s profile looked very tired.

…At times like this, Kyoichiro, who adheres to the supremacy of talent, would probably say, “Ordinary people can only continue to taste hardship.” He would say it without mercy.

But I… can’t say something so harsh.

While I may have had talent in the past, I now understand the suffering of extreme hardship.

I know the glory that can only be attained through struggling in suffering.

Through Romeo and Juliet, I came to realize that I am merely a human.

So―――――――.

“……Those who cannot proudly become losers cannot become winners.”

“Eh…?”

“These are the words of Halle Berry, who won the Worst Actress award for ‘Catwoman’ at the 25th Golden Raspberry Awards.”

I said, looking up at the pale blue moon floating in the sky.

“The Golden Raspberry Awards are held on the night before the Academy Awards each year to award the worst movies. It’s a very dishonorable thing to be chosen, and it’s rare for the recipient to appear at the awards ceremony.”

“So… did Halle Berry, the actress, attend the ceremony?”

“Yes. She reportedly said this at the ceremony. ――‘When I was a child, my mother told me that those who cannot proudly become losers cannot become winners. That’s why I am standing here now, proud and dignified.’ She appeared holding an Oscar statue in her right hand and the Razzie award for worst actress in her left hand. Probably, for her, both were honorable. She wanted to say that both success and failure are equally valuable…”

“….”

“In other words, those who are extremely afraid of becoming losers will never grasp success. When you challenge something, the possibility of failure always comes with it. But… those who fear failure and do nothing can never become anyone. Only those who can laugh off even their worst failures as success and move forward can truly grasp glory.”

The world is cruel.

No matter how much you challenge and pursue things, you will eventually hit a wall of talent differences with others.

But even so, if you don’t give up, even if you’re battered and worn out, if you desperately keep standing, eventually, you can grasp something.

I learned that in the hellish play of Romeo and Juliet――――.

“………Laughing and becoming a loser, huh… Yes, that’s right…”

President Sakuragaoka said and smiled at me from beside me.

“Fuuma Yanagisawa, you’re a very mysterious person.”

“Mysterious person?”

“Yes. I never imagined that someone I met for the first time would reveal their inner feelings like this… You’re someone who’s good at opening people’s hearts. Truly, you’re a mysterious person…”

President Sakuragaoka, with her purple eyes glistening, stared intently at my face.

I felt embarrassed and turned my gaze away from her, standing up from the bench.

“Well then, I’ll take you home, Princess. You’ve calmed down quite a bit, haven’t you?”

“Yes, that’s right… But I might want to stay here a little longer…”

“Huh?”

“N-nothing! Let’s go!!”

We left the park and walked through the area lined with upscale residences.

As I noticed the President glancing at me repeatedly from the side, I couldn’t help but give her a sidelong glance.

“…What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing. I’m not thinking you’re cool or anything at all!!”

“No, it’s all coming out of your mouth. …I thought so before, but… are you actually quite the klutz?”

“W-what are you saying? I’m Sakurako Sakuragaoka, the daughter of the prestigious Sakuragaoka conglomerate. How dare you call me a klutz—who are you talking to!?”

Suddenly, the klutzy student council president fell face-first to the ground, despite there being nothing in her way.

Now that I think about it, she did fall when I first met her, too.

When I first saw her fighting fiercely with Karen, she seemed like a strong and dignified young lady… but this senior is just an idiot.

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“So then, I’ll be going now, Yanagisawa-san…”

“Yeah. See you later.”

I waved my hand in front of the large mansion and parted ways with President Sakuragaoka at the gate.

However, she stopped her hand from opening the gate and―――― turned back to me quietly.

“Um, Yanagisawa-san. Could you perhaps listen to my story another time…?”

“Huh?”

“It’s been a while since I talked so much with someone other than my family… and it was really enjoyable. Is that alright…?”

She looked up at me with a pleading expression.

Hmm… Since I attend that school as Kaede Kisaragi, it’s not a good idea to have much contact with this senior.

Especially since Hanako has already discovered my true identity recently… it’s better to decline, of course――――.

“Onee-chan? What’s wrong, in front of the house…? C-could it be… Fuuma… Y-Yanagisawa!?”

“Huh?”

“Why are you in front of our house!?”

Suddenly, a voice calling my name came from behind the President.

The person who emerged from the Sakuragaoka family’s garden was… a girl with a bob haircut who looked similar to President Sakuragaoka.

…Hmm? I feel like I’ve seen this girl somewhere before…?

“Risa? Do you know Yanagisawa-san?”

“Know him? More like… Sis, don’t you remember!? This guy was the one who, during my child acting days, drove me to the brink of quitting acting… The devil who wreaked havoc on newcomer awards and auditions, my hated nemesis!!”

“…Risa…? Ah, Risa… Sakuragaoka (Sakuraoka), is it…!?”

Risa Sakuragaoka (Sakuraoka). She played the main heroine in an NNK morning drama series and made a name for herself as a national star, a popular young actress.

I don’t recall ever meeting her, but the fact that she still remembers my name… Along with Kuroshiki, it seems like a surprising number of actors know who I am.

Wait a minute, this girl is from Sendai, too? And the Sakuragaoka (Sakuraoka) family, at that… I see, I see…

“Why are you nodding as if you’re satisfied with something!? Fuuma Yanagisawa!!”

“Uh, um, yes!”

As she corners me, Risa Sakuragaoka suddenly thrust her finger at me.

“Why did you quit acting? You gave me despair without a second thought and then disappeared from my sight without a word…!! My rival, Akane Tsukishiro, has been waiting for you ever since you left, and she doesn’t even seem to care about me at all!!”

“Uh, um…”

“No, it’s fine if you don’t come back!! Even if a monster like you comes back, it will only result in less jobs for me!! Ughhhhhhh!! Even now, I can’t forget the words you said to me!! Because of you, I seriously considered quitting acting for a while!!!!”

There are people who actually say “Ughhhhhhh” in real life… No, that’s not the point right now.

“Um… have we met before…?”

“What!? Could it be that you forgot!? I… no, Kuroshiki and I, during our child acting days, admired you, who was sweeping up all the newcomer awards, so we went to see you in person… And you told us, right to our faces, ‘You two will never be able to beat me’!? Unbelievable, right!?”

“…Did I really say that?”

Why was I so aggressive when I was a child actor, like when I was with Akane?

Past me, please, I’m begging you, stop suffering from chunibyo. Seriously.

“I’ll never forget… that completely crushing audition… The overwhelming acting ability that allowed no one else to keep up with you, the meteoric rise of Fuuma Yanagisawa. Even though we had such brilliant talent as child actors, Kuroshiki and I were utterly defeated by a single genius. I know very well how many actors quit because of your performances. You shut down the dreams of many actors… that’s you!! The demonic monster, Fuuma Yanagisawa…!!”

“Yanagisawa-san is… that demonic monster…?”

President Sakuragaoka shows a surprised expression, while Risa Sakuragaoka frowned.

For now, I decided to ask the two of them a question that had been on my mind for a while.

“Um… what exactly is the relationship between you two…?”

“We’re twins.”

They said this at the same time, both in the same polite tone.