TTKWQ Chapter 11
90, 100, 95, 90.
Those were the scores of Japanese, Math, Science, and Social Studies. This time, I received the tests that I missed while I was absent, got scored quickly and returned.
My scores are steadily falling.
“What’s wrong?”
“Well, I failed my tests a bit…”
After I said that, I showed my printout to Sayuri.
“Oh my, Nanami-chan’s scores are bad…”
“I’ve been studying hard these days… My mother is going to get angry.”
It is a lie to say that I’ve been cutting school recently though I haven’t done anything except my homework. Still, I always get 100 points, occasionally there’s a mistake, so there are times when I get 95 points. However, there was a problem I really did not understand this time. Do you normally learn this kanji in grade four?
Well, as an adult, it’s natural that I can get good points in elementary school tests, and it is not something that I can brag about.
When I reincarnated, I thought that I would be a goddess at ten, a talent at fifteen, and a normal person at twenty, but, apparently, I became a normal person at ten.
I thought that I didn’t need to study if I was in elementary school, but I was naive.
“…What about Sayuri-chan?”
“The same as usual.”
All 100? I lost to a real elementary school student.
Studying for school is unnecessary as a reincarnated person. Or so I want to say.
I told my parents, “I will do my best so that me being a child actor doesn’t affect my studies.”
There was no report card in the public elementary school that I went to; all you did was try hard. In Sakuranagi Academy, there was a report card.
Until now, it was overlooked as I usually get 100 points, but my activities as a child actor may be restricted if it keeps dropping.
Now’s the time to make money, and I don’t want to be troubled on how to reduce my work. However, if it’s 90 points it’ll be safe. If I get 80 points, I’ll get a yellow card.
Now, I’ll have to study before and after the shooting. If that doesn’t work, I’ll have to go to cram school.
While Sayuri-chan was talking to the me who was complaining about the test, Ayano-chan, who finished her daily work, came back.
“Don’t make a hard face, what’s wrong?”
“Well, my test points were band, and my mother will get angry… If she get’s angry I have less time to work.”
“Ehh!? Why don’t you borrow my notes?”
“Seriously? That’ll be great.”
And so, Ayano-chan takes out her notes and gives them to me. It is written in the old fashioned manner that the school recommends, with the important stuff on the blackboard color-coded with a colorful pen.
It is quite different from my notes which only has a red pen line and some pencil marks. Well, in order to mimic a girl, it’s not good if I don’t practice writing round characters. I don’t have enough girl power in such fine details.
“Thanks, I’ll copy it then return it”
“No, I’d be happy if it helps you… Ahh! I’m not good at Japanese…”
After she said that, I quickly took Ayano-chan’s Japanese notes. I stole a sideways glance at Sayuri-chan and saw that she was lonely. …Ah, yep.
“Then, can I borrow Sayuri-chan’s notes?”
“If I don’t mind… I will lend them to you.”
Saying so, Sayuri-chan gave me her notes. She can get lonely.
“Thanks. Then, I’ll copy them over in the staff room for a bit.”
2nd period break just started, so I still have enough time. It takes 10 minutes to copy.
I stop them from trying to follow me, and I headed towards the staff room by myself.
I went to the corridor and walked on the side to be inconspicuous. There were no students running around, unlike public school, but because it’s break, there were a lot of people around.
As I walked down the stairs, I saw Hiroto surrounded by a flock of girls. Ichinomiya-san was there too.
I avoided them by staying near the wall, waiting.
I moved my line of sight away from them and I didn’t noisily talk. I looked at Hiroto with eyes like an abandoned puppy. Look here.
And, when I thought that there was a great eyesight on me, I saw Ichinomiya-san looking at me. I hurried and dropped my eyes, and moved to pass by.
Scary.
It looks like a harem, but it would be bad if Hiroto had to stay like that all the time. It wouldn’t be fun for a 4th grader.
Still, it’s good to respond properly with an amiable laugh. In the past, Hiroto was a madam killer when he was still a small child, and he was ignoring his grandmothers when they called out to him. Because this business is based on popularity, bad things happen if you don’t cherish fans. The lifespan of a child actor is the lifespan of how much you care.
Especially, don’t turn women into your enemy. Absolutely.
And, after Hiroto passed by me, I went to the staff room. While going there, another pair of girls passed by me while talking.
Since I was walking near the wall, I managed to avoid being hit. The one of the partners, who wasn’t looking ahead, bumped her head into a pillar.
I looked at the person who was holding her head and glaring at me. If I’m not wrong, that’s Ichinomiya-san.
Too bad, physics don’t work with me.
Although it was messy when I first transferred, things calmed soon because I was an adult. Well, I wish that I knew Ayano-chan earlier. It’s not good to leave Ayano-chan alone.
She was trying to say something with her eyes, but I didn’t want to get involved, so I ran away.
Part 2
After making a copy of the notes and returning to the classroom, the boring class resumed. It is horrible to go to elementary school lessons after becoming an adult. We do one-digit addition. I get sleepy because I get too bored, but I was desperately trying to pay attention seriously because I didn’t attend much. But, I was too busy to learn the ultimate skill of falling asleep with the eyes open. In any case, my classroom behavior gets evaluated and reported on. Sorry, I fell asleep.
However, because of my test scores, I tried to take today’s math lessons seriously. I already knew about 90% of it, but I heard a number of stuff for the first time. I didn’t know about rounding half up. Did I learn such a thing in the past? I don’t remember.
I went lunch break after taking 4th period seriously. There is no free lunch in Sakuranagi Academy, but a cafeteria is there instead.
The food at Sakuranagi Academy is delicious and it’s made with the best quality of ingredients, expensive. It’s cheaper than eating at restaurants, but it isn’t something normal people can eat everyday. The seating arrangements are decided by the school cast. It’s painful to look at if someone doesn’t understand this.
I didn’t want people’s eyes in pain, so I brought bento. I don’t know where Ichinomiya’s group sat. Tehe.
If you have a reserved seat, put your name on it.
Well, as there are many students who eat school meals, classrooms, terraces, rooftops, and all the other good eating spots are available. The weather was good today, so Sayuri-chan and I ate on the roof.
It wasn’t a roof with just grey tiles like public schools, it had green, and flowers and small trees were planted in various places, so it was like a little garden. There were also tables and chairs, so we could eat comfortably.
There seems to be few people at this time, so we put our bento down on a corner of the roof where there were no people. Sayuri-chan has a lacquered bento that looks expensive, and Ayano has a cute lunch box with the things inside being very small.[1]
I have a so-called doka bento.[2] Even though I’m exercising, I don’t need to eat a lot. A simple bento without a piece of sweet cuteness was out of place, but the contents were packed sweetly with all my mother’s feelings.
Well, it would be great if there was more fried chicken.
“Does no one use that classroom?”
“Yeah, I’ll soon have to get that guy in the room. Though, I’m probably going to beat him up.”
“…That guy is Kuroya-kun, isn’t he?”
“Yes, the science preparation room will have people, so does Sayuri-chan and Ayano-chan know of any good places?”
I finished eating and talked to Sayuri-chan and Ayano-chan. Hiroto will talk if we don’t have the “meet up and talk” thing that I promised soon. If Ichinomiya-san sees, it’ll be bad.
I thought that the science prep room would be good, but, since it’s used by Ichinomiya-san, Hiroto and I might be seen. It would be better to talk with Sayuri-chan since I’m not very familiar to the school. She knows the relationship between Hiroto and I.
“Uh, umm… Are Nanami-chan and Kuroya-kun going out?”
“Umm, I saw that Ayano-chan was going out with Hiroto?”
“…I didn’t see that.”
Ayano-chan, who asked that with a little expectation, felt dejected after thinking a little. I wonder if there is a couple that punches with a lever, hits the joints, and then mounts him.[3]
Or so I thought, but unlike a certain pro wrestler, I can’t do that unconditionally.
“We’re just friends. A long time ago, we used to co-star in many movies, and, in-between the filming, we played together.
“I see… Now that I think about it, I saw Kuroya-kun co-starring in a movie! Acting as a lover!”
We acted as lovers several times. We also acted as childhood friends. Once, we acted in a movie as twin brother and sister hit men; for some reason, Hiroto wore female clothes.
“Since Hiroto became an idol, it was only a matter of wanting to play with me because there was a sharp decrease in co-starring at work. I guess it was a matter of him wanting to play with me, but maybe it was that he had no other friends at school?”
Ayano-chan answered, “Umm, I used to see him playing with other boys, but, since he became an idol, Ichinomiya-san and other girls always flocked around him… That’s how it is up until now.”
I guess that was the situation ever since I transferred in. Hiroto, you can do it, ultra-you can do it. He was a little pitiful; I’ll listen to complaining.
“Indeed, if he’s surrounded all the time, he would’ve accumulated stress. I don’t want to listen to him complaining, what should I do?”
To invite him home is a no. In the unlikely event that we’re found, it could become the newest wide show, “Clandestine Meeting at Home.” Besides, my house isn’t known to the public yet, so that could come undone through Hiroto.
All in all, it’s best to finish it inside school. If I get into trouble, I only have to transfer again
Sayuri-chan said, “Then, what about the old school building?”
“Old school building? Is there such a thing?”
“Yeah, it seems that it’s also used for culture clubs, but, other than that, I heard that the building is rarely used.”
After Sayuri-chan said that, she smiled.
“Bu-but, students who aren’t in culture clubs are banned from entering… And, I heard that there’s ghosts.”
I said back to Ayano-chan, “Hmm, a ghost, huh…”
Ayano-chan squeezed her hands together tightly after she said that. The Seven Wonders of the Academy, I guess. If there is such a rumor, that means that not many people go to the old school building. I should go see it once.
“Then, let’s go to see it tomorrow, because I’m a little busy today.”
I said that then I started flipping through the book in my hands. Sayuri-chan and Ayano-chan looked over.
“‘Introduction to Acting,’ and ‘Introduction to Directing’? They’re books that might be necessary to Nanami-chan, but…”
“I have to teach someone about acting after school. I’ve never taught other people formally, so I thought that I should give this a read.”
For now, my thoughts while reading were, “Indeed, I don’t understand.”
Stanislavski’s system? Bella Reine’s system? Underground theater?[4]
The books are written in various technical terms, though explanations were included, but everything got mixed up in my head. In the office’s acting lessons, the instructor gives advice on that occasion, for example, by giving a light script and doing improvisational plays, acting on the improvised plays properly at a later date, and so on. So, I’ve never used such technical terms
Well, since there is no reason to be successful if only doing office lessons, I am still practicing acting at home.
It’s easy to co-star. I get practice and I can ask the other actor for advice.
“Being an instructor is completely amazing!”
Ayano-chan’s eyes shone. It doesn’t matter how much you praise me. I brought bananas for a snack, want to eat?
“Well, today, I’ll be with a high schooler, so I’m a bit nervous.”
Like that time with Hiroto, it’s easy to catch a rhinoceros beetle, isn’t it?
[2] Wikipedia article in English using Google Translate-sama.
[3] Not that kind of mounting, you people with dirty minds.
[4] Stanislavski’s system wikipedia, ベラレーヌ・システム; googled this and got nothing, Underground theater wikipedia in English using Google Translate-sama. [Sera: Bella Reine System apparently refers to some French actor/dancer of Russian origin and their acting method; she was sent to Japan in 1971 on a cultural mission and apparently became much more popular there than anywhere else, given that other than Japanese sources I only managed to find 4 possible mentions of her in the literature, and only one of those was written after the end of WWII.]