I was lucky to make it home in time.
Because it didn't take long for the rain to start again.
Water hitting the apartment windows with a steady sound.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
"'…Even if the whole world turns its back on me…'"
I paused.
Frowned.
"'…if it's for you…'"
My voice cracked horribly halfway through the line.
Silence.
And then the blue window appeared in front of me.
[Acting Evaluation:] Pathetic.
"Don't you think you could at least pretend to be objective?!"
[You sounded like an NPC dying in a tutorial.]
"ENOUGH WITH THE NPC COMPARISONS!"
I threw the script at the system screen.
It passed straight through the holographic window and slammed into the wall.
…
I sighed.
I'd been practicing for over two hours.
TWO.
HOURS.
And I still felt ridiculous every time I tried to act seriously.
"Acting is way too hard…"
[Talent is chasing you, but you're faster.]
"You have no idea how much I hate you…"
I got up and practiced for another hour.
My throat hurt.
I wanted to cry from frustration.
I fell back onto the futon.
Exhausted.
I couldn't take any more.
I stared at the ceiling for a moment.
Same old ceiling. Same miserable apartment.
Yuuna had probably felt like this many times.
I understood that after watching her rehearse.
Even Mei, as talented as she was…
Even if it was just a little.
Even if it was very slowly.
I felt like something was changing in me too.
I shot up suddenly.
Ding.
A new window appeared in front of me.
For a second I forgot it was a hologram and screamed thinking I was going to crash into it.
Fortunately that didn't happen. My beautiful idol face was safe and sound.
I smiled triumphantly for some reason and then looked back at the floating window.
[Talent still requires effort.]
[You have practiced acting for an extended period.]
[Acting Affinity Lv1 → Lv2]
[Stage Presence Lv1 → Lv2]
I sat up straight.
"Huh? Level two?"
I immediately saw that notification as a sign that my suffering was about to get a lot more manageable.
So I couldn't help jumping up and celebrating.
I tried a few lines and yes — it did feel easier.
Everything came out much more naturally.
"…I'll never get used to this."
[You finally look less stiff just existing. Congratulations.]
"Can you go five minutes without insulting me?!"
The next day.
Drama club.
The auditorium was livelier than usual.
Harada was giving instructions while Rika ran back and forth carrying props.
Mei was quietly leafing through her script.
And Yuuna…
Yuuna was already on stage.
Perfect as always.
"Shimizu-san, you made it."
Mei smiled the moment she saw me walk in.
"Y-Yeah…"
I still wasn't used to someone actually looking happy to see me.
I climbed up onto the stage, a little nervous.
Harada clapped his hands.
"Alright, let's pick up from scene three."
I felt a small knot form in my stomach.
Great.
Time to embarrass myself publicly again.
"'I don't need anyone's pity.'"
This time…
the line came out better.
Not perfect.
But better.
Much better.
I didn't stumble.
It didn't sound like I was reading a microwave manual.
And apparently everyone noticed.
Rika's eyes went wide.
"Shimizu-senpai has improved so much!"
Harada looked surprised too.
"You've clearly been practicing."
"J-Just a little…"
Just a little.
Mei smiled warmly.
"I knew you could do it."
And then…
I looked at Yuuna.
Her arms were crossed.
She watched me for a few seconds.
And then smiled slightly.
Rehearsal ended a while later.
Most people started packing up while Harada talked about the festival schedule.
I took the opportunity to walk over to Yuuna.
I was holding a carefully folded bag.
"Kanzaki-san."
She looked up.
"What?"
I held the bag out to her.
"Your clothes. I washed them. Thank you for lending them to me yesterday."
Yuuna took it.
"…You didn't have to wash them so fast."
"I'm going to burn them anyway."
"Of course I did! W-Wait…"
"You're going to burn them?"
"I'm joking."
"Thanks."
…
I'm glad she clarified.
And then—
"Huh?"
Mei appeared out of nowhere behind us.
She looked at the bag.
Then at Yuuna.
Then at me.
Then at Yuuna again.
…
Her expression shifted slowly.
"Shimizu-san…"
"…why do you have Kanzaki-san's clothes?"
My brain stopped working.
"Huh?!"
Yuuna raised one eyebrow slightly.
Mei was looking at us like she'd just uncovered a national conspiracy.
"Did you two perhaps…?"
"NO!"
We both answered at the same time.
…
…
Silence.
Yuuna looked at me.
I looked at her.
Mei blinked slowly.
"Wow…"
"DON'T SAY 'WOW'!"
I pointed at myself desperately.
"I got soaked in the rain yesterday and she just lent me some clothes, that's all!"
Mei stayed quiet for a few seconds.
And then…
she smiled.
"Ah."
"So Kanzaki-san can be kind after all."
Yuuna frowned.
"I-It was nothing."
"It didn't sound like nothing."
The tension between them was genuinely scary.
Rika appeared in the background.
"Are the senpais fighting?"
"We're not fighting!"
We answered at the same time again.
…
This was getting concerning.
Later, at dismissal.
Mei and I walked out of school together.
The sky had finally cleared.
We walked in silence for a few minutes.
Until I worked up the courage.
"Hey… Hirano-san."
"Hm?"
I looked away.
"Do you know where to buy uniforms?"
She blinked.
"Uniforms?"
"Y-Yeah…"
"I mean… somewhere that isn't too expensive… I think I need to buy something more my size."
Heat rushed to my face immediately.
Damn it.
Why was this so embarrassing?
Mei studied me for a few seconds.
…
…
…
"It is a little big on you."
She kept looking at me and I was already starting to die of embarrassment.
Mei tilted her head slightly.
"If you want… I can come with you."
"Huh? No, you don't have to, I'm sure you have things—"
"I don't mind."
And before I could react…
She gently took me by the arm.
"Let's go."
My brain stopped working for two full seconds.
Thirty minutes later…
I was in a fitting room.
Looking at the new uniform.
The blazer fit correctly.
The shirt no longer hung off me like a bedsheet.
Now it followed my silhouette.
And the skirt…
well…
the skirt was dangerous.
I took a deep breath.
And slowly stepped out of the fitting room.
"I-It looks weird on me…"
Mei looked up.
And froze.
Literally.
She went completely still.
"…"
I blinked.
"Does it… look bad?"
"N-No…"
Her face started turning red.
Very red.
"That's the problem…"
I tilted my head, confused.
I turned toward the mirror.
And then I saw it.
The difference was absurd.
The uniform defined my waist properly.
My corrected posture made my back look more elegant.
My hair fell much more brilliantly over my shoulders.
And the fitted blazer made my chest stand out far more than usual.
I looked…
too different.
Way too different.
I stood there looking at my reflection for a few seconds.
In silence.
And for just a moment…
I felt like I was looking at someone else.