Episode 48 – Way of Life

“I see. In other words, you ate breakfast here.”

Nanase sat down next to me and sipped her milk. I didn’t want to explain, so I left out the part about forgetting to buy groceries and just said that I was eating breakfast here.

“Hmmm, it seems that what Senpai is eating is anpan. If I had known, I would have bought milk for you.”

Nanase adds a straw as she says this in frustration. Looking at her like this, she looks like a subordinate who admires his supervisor, but there is no such bond between me and Nanase. But Nanase is strangely close to me. Perhaps Nanase is the type of person who becomes very lenient with those whom she trusts once.

(Good grief, I’m not the old me.)

I used to be like that. Nowadays, there is no one else in the world I trust with all my heart but myself. I can say that my step sister is the only person I can trust.

I didn’t even want to think about my old self, so I let go of my thoughts for a moment. I was afraid that Nanase would ask me something stupid, so I forced myself to change the subject.

“What about you, why did you come to the equipment room so early in the morning?”

“Yeah, I’m going to leave my stuff in this place.”

“Huh?”

I didn’t understand what she meant, so I urged Nanase with my eyes to let go.

“Well, It’s been going on for a long time. So, with the teacher’s permission, I’ve been allowed to use this place as a place to store my belongings.”

“I see.”

“That’s one way to respond. Well, maybe because of that, I was appointed to the cleaning committee and was entrusted with cleaning this room and organizing the equipment.”

“……”

When I looked at the equipment room again, there were certainly various pieces of equipment. A tortoise triangle ruler and a large amount of iron that seems to have been used in home economics without knowing when to use it. In addition, a large amount of items that would have been used at school, such as batons and cones used during the relay, were left unattended.

“Right, I don’t think this is any of Senpai’s business.”

“What is it?”

“I’m thinking of taking a break from show business for a while.”

What a deliberate choice. Not long ago, she was able to appear in movies even though she was a mob. Without a doubt, Nanase is an upcoming talent egg that is going to gain momentum.

Nanase, perhaps seeing that I was a little surprised, began to talk about what was to come.

“People around me stopped me, but to be honest, I was doing pretty bad in my studies. I put too much emphasis on sports, so I was just barely able to get into this school. I thought that if I entered, I would be able to do something about it, but it didn’t turn out that way…”

The pace of the lessons at this school is certainly quite fast. The school assumes that you understand everything you have learned up to middle school, so if there are gaps in your knowledge or if you are not used to studying, it will seem very fast.

The school is not only for performing arts, but even the students who are involved in normal club activities are just barely able to study. No wonder Nanase laments that it’s hard for her. If that’s the reason, the adults who are trying to keep Nanase at the office or other places will understand.

“So, as long as I can get through this week, I’ll be free to go.”

“I see. I’m glad to hear that.”

“Geez, you’ve been giving me a lot of curt reactions, Senpai.”

Well, it’s none of my business anyway. Come to think of it, why is she talking to me in the first place? We’re not even friends.

I”Geez, senpai, you can’t enjoy your high school life like that. Look, smile, smile, just like me.”

“I’m not that type of person”

“Smiling is not something that can be taken for granted. Just seeing someone smile can make you happy, and happiness is contagious. It can even affect someone’s life.”

“Hee. That’s a unique value system.”

“Well, I couldn’t do it myself, it all started with him……”

“?”

At first, I couldn’t help but listen to Nanase’s story because it was strangely persuasive, but towards the end I felt like she was strangely talking to herself. Well, I guess it doesn’t change the fact that it has nothing to do with me.

“Anyway, what I want to say is that you should express yourself more. I guess you could say it’s an identity. If you can show that, I’m sure you’ll see something good spread out before you.”

“Hmm.”

(Nonsense.)

In my mind, I asked Nanase back. What should I do if I have been betrayed by everything as a result of over-exercising that identity……like that. No, you could say that I betrayed them, but that doesn’t matter.

What was spreading before my eyes at that time was a hellish scene that makes me want to vomit just remembering it. What she calls something good is surely a scene that will never come true, made up of opportunism and prejudice.

“Ah, that’s right, Senpai. Can I change the subject?”

“Well, there are only five minutes left until the opening, you know?”

Time is running out. As expected, I would like to ask for a break from talking about unnecessary and unpleasant things soon. But Nanase shakes her head and tells me that the story will end soon. And, unlike before, she had a slightly tense expression.

“Um, I said that I would suspend my entertainment activities if I could make it through this week, but I actually have the day off today.”

“Ah, I see.”

Or rather, she went to school quite irregularly in April, but recently she comes to school every day. Perhaps she had begun laying the groundwork recently.

“So, what’s with today being an off day? Are you showing off?”

“No, it’s my day off, so I want to do something. So, I’d like to have some time after school, please, Senpai.”

“Huhu?”

What is this girl?

“Even if I say what I want to do, I won’t take your time. To be precise, I’d like to check something……something like that.”

“I can’t see what you’re talking about.”

“That’s for next time, specifically when we meet after school today.”

“……”

Then Nanase left the equipment room after telling me that she just wanted my time. it might be unexpectedly free and uninhibited. Or maybe she really wants to live like that?

As far as I’m concerned, it’s nothing to be annoyed about.

“Let’s go to class for now.”

There are only a few minutes left until the first day of school. I should think about whether I can hold up or not until after school today.