[CH.12] Scouting from the unqualified

I Reincarnated as a Beautiful Girl and Aim to Become a Top Actress! (WN)

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[CH.12] Scouting from the unqualified

For 5 minutes, as Kasumi-chan continued to comfort me, I finally stopped, wiped the tears that had gathered at the corners of my eyes with my fingers, and sniffled.

"...I'm sorry, Kasumi-san. I must have been a bother."

Realizing that using "chan" might not be appropriate, I apologized with "san." I once again realized that the memories of the beloved cat I had lived with in my past life were a double-edged sword. Well, it's not like I would be told to cry like this suddenly in my daily life. Maybe I should seal away this technique.

"No, not at all. But more importantly, Sumire-chan, are you okay now?"

"Yes, it just got a bit overwhelming."

I answered with a wry smile, and Kasumi-chan laughed with a similar expression. Nevertheless, it felt great to act again after a long time, and it was refreshing. If there was a chance to become an actor again in this life, maybe I should seriously consider pursuing it.

"Kasumi-san, your singing was incredibly good. I thought you sounded just like a real singer."

"Thank you, I still have a long way to go. Sumire-chan, you were also really good at acting. Are you in a theater company or something?"

When I vigorously shook my head to deny it, Kasumi-chan looked incredibly surprised. Well, of course, if a grade school girl with no acting experience suddenly recited "Uiro uri" (a traditional Japanese storytelling performance), and if it was a convincing performance, I would be surprised and taken aback too. In my case, it's a sham with experiences from my past life, but if a child like that existed, she would undoubtedly be a genuine genius.

As we continued to share our life stories, I noticed the figure of my mother being led towards us by what seemed like staff members from down the hallway. Wait, didn't they say parents were waiting in a waiting room?

"Su, are you okay!? Mom was called, so I got worried that something happened."

My mother rushed over and began to check my face and body for any signs of abnormality. She must have noticed the redness in my eyes due to crying, and I could tell her demeanor became slightly more serious.

Well, any normal mother would be upset if she found traces of tears on her daughter who was in an interview. To avoid directing unnecessary anger at the interviewers, I decided to give her a concise explanation. As I explained, my mother's expression became increasingly puzzled, which was to be expected.

"Acting? Uiro uri? Where on earth did you learn something like that?"

"Um, it was in a book I saw at the library."

I had considered using the library as an excuse if I ever needed to come up with an explanation for something in the past, but I didn't expect to have to use it so soon. However, given the circumstances, my mother had no choice but to accept it. While saying something like, "You've got an interest in unusual things," she patted my head.

"Ito-san and Matsuda-san, the results are in, so please come inside. Matsuda-san (Sumire's mother), please join us as well."

Mr. Kawai in a suit emerged from the door and gestured for us to enter. The fact that my mother was invited inside made me wonder if there was something specifically about me they wanted to discuss. Hopefully, it wasn't going to be a scolding.

Just like before, we sat facing the interviewers, and the only difference this time was that my mother was sitting next to me.

"Thank you both for the interview. Now, without further ado, I'd like to share the results."

Saying this, Mr. Kawai picked up a piece of paper. No matter how many times you go through it, hearing the results can always be nerve-wracking. I should be used to it by now, having gone through high school exams and certification tests multiple times, but I never seem to get used to it.

Glancing at my side, I saw Kasumi-chan tightly clasping her hands together, closing her eyes as if in prayer. Her singing had been truly heartfelt, and I really hoped she would make it to the final round and get a chance to debut.

"The contestant who will advance to the final round is Kasumi Ito-san. Congratulations!"

At that moment, Kasumi-chan's face lit up for a brief moment, but then she looked at me with an apologetic expression. Well, she had passed the interview, so there was no need for her to look like that. She's really a kind-hearted girl. With a warm feeling inside, I turned to her and congratulated her with a smile.

"Congratulations, Kasumi-chan. Do your best in the final round!"

"Thank you, Sumire-chan."

Kasumi-chan seemed a bit bewildered when she responded, but I wasn't pushing too hard, and I accepted the fact that I didn't make it. After all, I had taken this challenge as a shot in the dark, and it allowed me to fully showcase my acting skills, rekindling my enjoyment for it. For me, the experience I gained this time was something valuable.

"Now then, Ito-san, I'll explain your schedule for tomorrow and the following steps. Matsuda-san, you may leave now... and Director Kanzaki, I hope we can put this behind us," Mr. Kawai said.

"…I apologize, and I appreciate your kindness."

Huh? It's fine to be asked to leave, but I'm really curious about the unsettling conversation that followed. After offering our gratitude to the three interviewers and preparing to leave the room, for some reason, Mr. Kanzaki decided to accompany us.

"Matsuda-san, I'm sorry to impose, but could you spare a bit of time for an important conversation? I'd like your mother to be present as well, it's a significant matter."

I agreed after receiving Mr. Kanzaki's earnest request, and he began leading us somewhere. Our destination was a cafe on the first floor. Although there were a few empty seats, he guided us to a secluded table in the back where we were less likely to be noticed. It felt like something unusual was about to happen, and tension hung in the air.

As we sat down, Mr. Kanzaki promptly said, "Feel free to order anything you like; it's on me." So, I ordered a lavish chocolate parfait that exceeded ¥1000. I've always loved sweet things in both my past life and my current one. However, I regretted being overweight my whole previous life, so in this life, I strictly manage my calories and exercise, refraining from indulging in parfaits and the like.

But today should be an exception. I felt hungry after putting so much effort into my acting, and as a reward to myself for trying something new, I decided to indulge myself a little. I'll get back to working hard when I return home, yes.

While we waited for our orders to arrive, Mr. Kanzaki introduced himself to my mother. When my mother received his business card, her eyes widened in surprise. It seemed that Mr. Kanzaki had a certain level of fame even in these days. However, unless you were one of the very famous directors seen frequently on TV and such, regular people wouldn't remember your face. Doubts about whether he was the real deal and if they were being deceived crossed my mother's expression.

The chocolate parfait was brought to the table, and I immediately dug in, spooning a mouthful of whipped cream into my mouth. Perhaps sweets from the late Heisei era were of higher quality, but it had been so long since I had whipped cream that it tasted even better than it did in my past life. As I savored each bite, coffee for my mother and the others arrived, and Mr. Kanzaki took a sip to moisten his throat before beginning to speak.

"First, let me apologize. The truth is, Sumire Matsuda was supposed to participate in the final round. She has a lovely appearance, her responses were on par with Ito-san's, if not better, and her acting skills were exceptional. There was a good chance she would have performed well in the final round."

"Um, but my daughter didn't pass, right?" my mother asked with a puzzled expression. I was surprised by the unexpectedly high evaluation, but the fact remained that I had been told I didn't pass. So, why did Mr. Kanzaki say I should have passed? What was going on?

"I asked the other two judges to reject her. I have no choice but to accept their contempt, I rejected Sumire for my own personal gain."

In this era, idol audition shows of the Heisei era introduced multiple cameras, and footage of participants' off-screen moments and interviews was broadcast to viewers through television. However, recording equipment was very expensive at this time. The events of today's interview wouldn't be known to the general public, and even if there were leaks, only the results would be known. The details of how it went and the evaluations wouldn't be communicated at all. In other words, tampering with results or suppressing inconvenient details was relatively easy.

However, from Mr. Kawai's demeanor at the end, it seemed that there was some reluctance toward such actions. This was just speculation, but perhaps this situation was indeed quite rare. Nevertheless, the fact that the other two judges acted in accordance with Mr. Kanzaki's wishes meant there must have been a very compelling reason.

"Why did you do that, Mr. Kanzaki?" I asked straight up, my curiosity about the reason piqued. My mother sitting next to me hurriedly covered my mouth after I spoke, but I thought it was pointless to hold back after saying it.

"I really apologize to you..."

"You don't need to apologize anymore. I'm okay with the result of not passing since I originally joined this with no expectations. I'm just curious about why you did it," I said.

Mr. Kanzaki seemed to understand that I wasn't angry or upset, and he nodded once before clearing his throat and continuing.

"...I wanted to cast you as the lead in a movie. Of course, winning this audition and gaining recognition through your name and face would add to your appeal, but your main activities would likely shift towards variety shows and television appearances. You might even be made to sing as a singer... While that might be enjoyable for you, it's not really what you truly want, is it?"

I did find it enjoyable to imagine myself on television, chatting on variety shows and singing. However, when asked if that was what I really wanted, I could only say no. At this stage, what I really wanted was to act. During the interview, I had rediscovered the feelings I had when I first started as a film director, the joy of immersing myself in a work without worrying about unnecessary things, and the pure dedication to expressing emotions through your entire body.

"To increase sales and generate buzz, you need to come up with new techniques and innovative direction. Recently, I've been constantly thinking about such tricks when making movies, and many of them just didn't feel right. However, when I saw your performance today, I was reminded of my initial excitement as a film director, the dedication I had to get lost in my work without thinking about anything else. I want more people to see your acting, where you express all emotions with your whole body. And when that happens, I want to be the one holding the megaphone. I don't want to hand it over to someone else. That's why I made you fail."

Despite Mr. Kanzaki's appearance as someone nervous and cool, his words overflowed with passion. It felt like a confession of love or a proposal. It could be seen as a pickup line from a director to an actress, and it wouldn't be entirely wrong.

"However, she is still a rough diamond at this stage. To make her shine, she needs to be guided by a good mentor and polished. I have the connections for that, and I can provide her with the best environment. While she is growing, I will prepare for film production. There is so much to do, such as planning the work and gathering sponsors, so it will probably take several years before filming starts."

Mr. Kanzaki said this and removed his hunting cap, bowing deeply to my mother.

"Please, won't you entrust Sumire to us? I beg you, I want to nurture this talent and see it blossom."

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