[CH.67] The Aftermath of the School Trip and the Shouting in the Conference Room
**TL Notes: So as not to confuse you all, I made a list of the characters that get mentioned in this chapter that you may have forgotten before. Sumire Matsuda: MC Yoko Ando (Yoko-san): Sumire's manager. Azusa Oshima: Sumire's mentor. Touka Kimura: Sumire's close friend and classmate in Tokyo. Haruka Sasaki: Sumire's kouhai Kenji Nakamura: Senior Actor |
Two months and a bit had passed since I saw off my childhood friends boarding the Shinkansen at Tokyo Station. During this time, I had been living a relatively leisurely life, handling regular work and occasional impromptu tasks that popped up in between.
The school trip in June concluded without any notable incidents. Despite being the rainy season, we were fortunate to have no rain during the trip, and the weather was generally pleasant, allowing us to comfortably explore. However, sparking an interest in shrines and temples among elementary school students seemed quite challenging. Aside from famous places like Kiyomizu-dera and Kinkaku-ji, everyone seemed indifferent, wearing expressions that suggested a lack of interest.
The most lively moments for everyone appeared to be inside the hotel. Even elementary school students, as they reached the highest grade, got excited about romantic matters, leading to confession events. It was a situation that made the supervising teachers slightly sympathetic... well, I shouldn't be saying this since I was on the receiving end of a confession.
As promised in gratitude for Nao and Fumika accompanying me, I properly washed Touka's back after the bath. Despite entering the bath separately by class, the bathing area was quite crowded due to the large number of people. Although it's important to dry properly to avoid getting scolded by Yoko-san, the hairdryers in hotels during this era were weak in both wind power and heat stability. Therefore, to quickly dry our hair and not disturb the other girls, Touka and I left the changing room together.
Then, I was summoned by boys from another class and taken a little away from the hotel entrance. I would have been quite uneasy if I were alone, but Touka, who was next to me, came along, so I felt a bit reassured.
"Why is Kimura here? I didn't call you."
"If a close friend is summoned by a boy who's not even a classmate, it's only natural to be worried and follow along."
Touka confidently replied to the somewhat sulky boy. He seemed bewildered for a while by her assertive words, but seemingly giving up on pulling her away, he looked straight at me.
"Ms. Matsuda, I... I like you."
The words were somewhat awkwardly expressed, and I couldn't help tilting my head in response. Is this a confession, or did he just express his feelings? Either way, all I could say was, "Is that so?" As someone who had never confessed to anyone in this life or the previous one, I admired the courage it took. However, there's no rule that I have to accept it unconditionally.
We stood facing each other in silence for a while, and as he looked at me as if expecting something, I realized that I had to say "I'm sorry" for this to be resolved. So, I firmly uttered those six words.
Naturally, he persistently asked for reasons, but I couldn't possibly decide on a romantic partner's gender when even my own sexual identity was questionable. Moreover, it's impossible to start a relationship with someone you just met today. I couldn't state these reasons, so I briskly dismissed the topic with a vague excuse like, "I can't consider being in a relationship right now" or "I want to focus on my work." I didn't want to get close to someone who selfishly insisted on dating against my will, and I thought this was a tactful way to refuse.
Perhaps due to Touka giving him a stern look from the side, he didn't explode in anger at being rejected and instead walked back into the hotel with a dejected demeanor. After expressing my gratitude to Touka for accompanying me, we waited a bit before returning to the hotel. It wasn't a pleasant memory, but I convinced myself that it probably wouldn't happen again and considered it a bitter memory of the school trip. However, I never expected to experience the same thing three more times during this 2-night, 3-day trip. Honestly, there are many girls, including Touka, who are cuter than me, so I couldn't help but think he should confess to them instead.
Back in the room, I got caught up in a girls' talk session. The girls in the room, who became my roommates for this trip, were discussing who likes whom and who they are interested in. Touka and Haruka, lying on the futons on both sides of me, skillfully avoided occasional questions. Sensing that they couldn't get enjoyable stories from the two of them, the girls shifted their focus to me.
No matter how much they pried, thinking about my ideal type of guy felt repulsive. I respect some senior actors, but they are not romantic interests. After mentioning this a few times, it seemed the girls understood my true feelings, and they stopped targeting me. Oh, those two are dating? Wow, she's dating a senior who graduated last year.
In my previous life, I had absolutely no interest in other people's romantic affairs, but now, I find myself enjoying hearing about stories that don't involve me. Perhaps this change is a result of being reborn as a woman. I have no intention of meddling or supporting anyone, but it's okay if I just enjoy it.
As I was thinking about this, on the second day, I was surrounded by girls and their entourage who liked one of the boys who confessed to me. They were apparently childhood friends, but it seems they weren't in a relationship. Regardless, I think it's completely out of line for them to complain to me, who simply received and rejected a confession. I asked her directly, and she started crying. It should be me who wants to cry, being accused and surrounded like this, but I'll hold back my tears.
I don't understand being blamed for turning down a confession from someone she likes, and I don't like the way they surrounded me in a group. Instead of blaming me, she should put effort into developing a relationship with him. Even if the comfort of childhood friends is pleasant, it's obvious that unless she takes a step forward, other girls will snatch him away. Maybe my tone became a bit harsh because I was irritated, but in the end, she seemed to understand, and I was released. Touka and Haruka didn't come with me because it wasn't a summons from a boy. I should have asked them to accompany me.
The school trip seemed more like getting involved in human relationship troubles rather than enjoying the journey, but in a way, it felt like a valuable experience. I hope to use this experience in my acting, and perhaps roles related to such situations will come my way soon.
Finally, or should I say inevitably, my first menstruation came. A while after returning from the trip, I noticed a little blood on my underwear when I went to the toilet. Surprised, I consulted with Haruka, and she explained that it was my period.
There was hardly any pain or significant bleeding, just a slight heaviness in the lower abdomen. However, I'm a bit concerned about having bleeding about once every two weeks, as it doesn't seem stable yet. Worried, I discussed it with Yoko-san, and she mentioned that the menstrual cycle might not stabilize immediately after the first period. She suggested keeping an eye on it for a while and considering a visit to the doctor if needed. While I have some knowledge from my past life about such symptoms, it's uncertain whether it's accurate or not, so I want to hear from a medical professional.
However, my main concern is not the symptoms of menstruation but rather my height. You know, people say that your height stops growing right after your first period. Considering I want to grow a bit more, at least beyond 150 cm, it would be quite troublesome if my growth stops now. I've already asked Haruka, Touka, and other classmates who have experienced their first period some time ago, and it seems that growth doesn't abruptly stop. Even a girl who started menstruating early in the fourth grade is still gradually growing taller, which was a relief.
---
The season quickly turned to summer, and as an elementary school student without final exams or parent-teacher conferences, I approached the last day of school in a relaxed mood. The thorough cleaning was done, and my report card had no issues. If there was anything to be concerned about for exams, it would be the attendance days. Well, Ms. Azusa also said that if there's a proper reason and the school approves, there shouldn't be much to worry about.
Unfortunately, my summer vacation is almost entirely devoted to filming, and I'm scheduled to spend these days away from the dorm. It's for that movie I've been cast in for a while now, and although the shooting has already begun without my involvement in the scenes, there aren't that many scenes without the main character. So, they've planned to do intensive filming during my summer break, and until today, I've been leisurely going about my usual work.
After bidding farewell to Haruka and Touka, I headed directly to the film set from school in Yoko-san's car. I had already packed my belongings yesterday and left them in Yoko-san's care, so I only needed to bring the homework I received today. I packed enough clothes and underwear for a week, and if any interviews or other events come up, Yoko-san will arrange everything. Unlike my past life where I had to worry about size and availability if I were overweight, my current petite elementary school girl size should be relatively easy to manage. Moreover, there are stylists on the set, so if needed, I can ask them for clothes separately from the costumes. If necessary, Yoko-san can take me to a coin laundry during our free time.
With those thoughts in mind, we arrived at the studio destination in no time. It was a considerably large studio located in the suburbs, allowing both indoor and outdoor filming to take place in one location. For scenes that can't be easily replaced or replicated, like those in the city, it would probably be faster to go to the actual location for on-site shooting. However, for locations like parks or squares, this studio seemed more than adequate.
Today's schedule involved meeting the director, key staff members, and fellow cast members. I approached the receptionist, and the PR person guided me to the meeting room. After a formal knock, without waiting for a response from inside, the PR person opened the door. At that moment, a yelling voice, presumably from a middle-aged man, echoed out.
"What the hell are you thinking?! We notified you that filming starts today, and yet you haven't even memorized the script or bothered to read the overview of the movie! Are you taking this lightly!?"
"Well, I'm not really taking it lightly."
A man wearing a hunting cap and sporting a beard was berating a teenager who looked like a high school or college student. Hearing such a forceful voice filled with anger made my body involuntarily tense. While it's fine when you see it on TV or in a drama, in real life, where you can directly feel the other person's emotions, it seemed like others were also affected to some extent.
With her arm comforting my tense shoulders, Yoko-san followed behind the PR person. Although I took a moment to catch my breath once seated, every time the man's yelling voice reached us, my heart would pound, and it ended up being more exhausting than I had anticipated.
The people around seemed bothered, but rather than sympathizing with them, they appeared to be on the side of the older man, giving disapproving looks to the young boy. Since I couldn't understand the context of the conversation, it was hard to say anything, but for now, I decided it might be best to step outside until things calmed down. While contemplating this, a familiar face, scratching his head, approached us. It was Kenji Nakamura, with whom I had acted in the previous movie.
"Hey, Sumire. You've grown a bit... or maybe not. Are you eating properly?"
His sudden and teasing greeting caused my irritation gauge to rise. Although we had become somewhat friendly during the previous shoot, he had a habit of making such remarks. While I knew he didn't mean any harm, it was inevitable to get upset when someone pointed out your insecurities.
"Long time no see, Nakamura-san. Rest assured, my height is growing steadily."
As a senior and someone I had received assistance from, I stood up from my chair and greeted him with a slight bow. Adding that my height was indeed increasing, Nakamura-san seemed to understand and nodded with a somewhat satisfied expression.
"Nakamura-san, it's been a while."
"Oh, yeah... likewise."
Watching Yoko-san and Nakamura-san exchanging greetings, I couldn't help but feel a subtle sense of discomfort. During the filming of the previous movie, although we initially clashed, towards the end, we had become friendly enough to chat while having tea or even go out for drinks together. Somehow, it seemed like they were intentionally keeping a distance now.
"... Yoko-san, did you have a fight with Nakamura-san?"
"We didn't fight. We're not the kind of friends who get along by fighting. That's not our relationship."
Yoko-san said that to Nakamura-san before going to inform the staff of my arrival. Watching Nakamura-san's bitter expression as he saw her off, it seemed like something had happened between them. Well, I'm just a kid, so I don't intend to get involved in such complicated matters.
"If something happened, it's better to apologize quickly. Yoko-san can be really scary when she's angry."
"... I know."
With a wry smile in response to my words, Nakamura-san gently patted my head. They're both adults, things will work out. More importantly, I wanted to do something about that man's yelling voice as soon as possible.
"More importantly, why is that person being scolded?"
"Oh... He's supposed to be Sumire's co-star in this movie, but he doesn't bother to memorize the script and arrives extremely late. On top of that, he said he didn't come here because he wanted to. No wonder the assistant director is getting upset. Even though he's an idol from the Dannies Agency, there's only so much you can do for someone who's so hopelessly uncooperative."
The man in question is the assistant director, and if he's Sumire's co-star, then it must be Ryuya Ishidou, the boy whose name was in the script. I wonder if he was cast for the buzz surrounding the popular idol from "Dannies" trying his hand at acting. I don't know much about idols, so I can't confirm if he's genuinely popular. My knowledge is limited to people who approached me directly, like friends and seniors, and those who were famous in my previous life.
"If he's not motivated, there's nothing you can do, right? The assistant director might protest to the agency and bring in someone else as a substitute."
When I expressed a likely expectation, Nakamura-san seemed somewhat uneasy, avoiding eye contact. Not understanding the meaning, I tilted my head, prompting him to confess hesitantly.
"I don't think they'll find a substitute easily. Um... it seems that they've been turned down across the board for the heroine role of Sumire. Everyone says she's too young, and they can't see her as a romantic interest even in acting."
Upon Nakamura-san's words, I couldn't help but puff out my cheeks in frustration. While the setup might be challenging, blaming it on me is just not fair! Geez!
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