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Chapter 3 - Did He Like Me?
“Ranjou-kun, you're so cool~!”
“Ranjou-kun, look at me~!”
Every time I'm approached at a concert, do they really think I'm 'cool'? Ranjou wonders.
The memory of being called "feeling bad" as a child has always dominated her mind, and she cannot swallow the words honestly.
I think it was when I was quite young that I realized that I was different from others. Everyone was playing outside, but I was not allowed to step out of the house. There was a special film on the window; I could see outside, but the world looked distorted and silvery. I want to play outside with everyone, even me!
He ran outside under his mother's watchful eye, and within a few minutes he was itching all over and had to be rushed to the emergency room. When he saw his mother sobbing and apologizing for what Ranjou had done wrong, he realized that others would be saddened if he were to be reckless.
As he grew older, he illness became less severe and he was able to go to elementary school as long as he kept he skin protected with a cloth. I could play outside with everyone! I was so happy when I found out that, and I counted down the days until that day.
And the day of the entrance ceremony. Ranjou was excited to go to school. To be honest, even stepping out of the house was fun, everything was fun. His classmates were about the same height as him and he was in the world she had been looking at from the window. I can finally play with them!
But that dream was shattered in an instant. Everyone looked at Ranjou and laughed. Now that I think about it, I understand. An elementary school student wrapped from head to toe in cloth and wearing sunglasses would be a terror in itself. Everyone looked at Ranjou and furrowed their brows.
“It's disgusting.”
“What is that?”
“Isn't that an alien?”
“Is there a person inside?”
The sharp words tore him to shreds. After the day of the entrance ceremony, Ranjou stopped going to school.
My parents took pity on me and created an environment for me to enjoy at home, and I started composing music. As I grew older, my illness healed and I was able to make my debut as a singer. Ranjou was happy to see that her history of being a popular singer after not going to school seemed to help other children who were going through the same pain.
I try to respond to the messages I get from kids who are in the same situation as me, and I want to keep singing for them. But Ranjou didn't like it when people called him "cool" or singled him out for him abnormally white skin and lightly pigmented brown eyes due to the after-effects of him illness.
However, I knew that the agency was using my appearance to market me, and as long as I was singing in front of people and earning money, I thought it was inevitable.
But I don't enjoy listening to the presentations every time they release a new song. Everyone comes up with an image ahead of time on the orchid. I can't help it, but today I was listening to the presentation with the feeling of "whatever". Aliens, survivors, angels, demons, it's all the same image.
“I want you to be my father, Ranjou-san.”
I blinked at the words. Dad? Me? I wondered what he was talking about, but the content of the project was interesting. Above all, the words of the producer, Ooba-san, "Even if you are unhappy from the outside, you can be happy," grabbed Ranjou's attention.
Ranjo's family was a 'happy family' while Ranjou was home sick, but the moment he was cured of his illness and became a singer, his parents bickered and divorced. He was sick and unhappy all the time, but happy.
"From the perspective", I'm not sick and unhappy now, and I should be happy to sing freely, but I can't believe anyone's words alone.
I know I'm trying too hard at something, but I don't know what I'm doing too much of anymore. I wonder if Ooba-san would understand.
I want to know about this person. Maybe this person knows the right answer.
“I'll do it for Ooba-san. I want to be a dad. If I'm going to get married, I want it to be to someone who explodes when I get close."
It came out naturally. I want to work with this person.
I want to work with someone who knows firsthand that people are not easy to get close to after all.
Ranjou looked at Rieko Ooba, thought about it, and took a step forward.
"Let’s contact exchange."
“E-eh….?”
In front of Rieko's eyes, Ranjou stopped showing her the LINE registration screen. His eyes are serious. Of course, the contact information of famous artists is top secret, and there are many people who want to get their hands on it. Of course I want Rieko's contact information, but I don't want Ranjou's personal contact information either. As long as I can get in touch with the president, I'm fine with that.
“Are you okay?"
Rieko looked at the president, who was close to her guardian to confirm.
"Wow, that's unusual. Ranjou's personality is like a dog that's scared to death, so it's very rare for he to give out her contact information. Besides, Ooba-san is a very mature person. If you have any work for me, please bring it to me."
"No, no, no, you have plenty of work to do, don't you, Ranjou-san?
"It's difficult. It's difficult~. There are so many projects looking at the past Ranjou that it's not interesting. On that note, Ooba-san's project this time was really good. It's interesting."
“Hahaha…..”
Rieko can't help but laugh now. I'm sorry, but this was a project for TPAPA-san. And at the same time, it reminds me of the expression on Akane's face when she was staring at Rieko.
I had no idea how long he had hated me. Was that smile on your face when you met me in the elevator an act? Or was it just frustration at losing, not hatred?
There was actually a reason why I was looking forward to today's presentation. Rieko really likes the world that Akane creates, and has been checking out the work she does for other companies, but the work she submitted to another company last month,"didn't look like Akane at all."
In a good way, it's flashy and punchy. But the individuality has disappeared.
It was "a thing full of common tsugihagi".
The competition was won by Akane, but was that enough? Will we ever be able to see Akane's unique world again?
“Contact address.”
Swallowed in a whirlpool of thoughts, Ranjou was in front of Rieko's eyes again. He had so many sparkling faces that for a moment he thought he had wandered into some fantasy land, but he hurriedly returned to the present world.
"Excuse me. This picture is a bit of a joke, but here it is."
Ranjou looked at Rieko's profile picture and made a "?" She looked up. Rieko's profile picture on LINE was a very realistic picture of a foreigner wearing a pigeon headdress and eating ramen.
"Why?"
Ranjou said while staring at Rieko's face.
“I've been using this picture for my profile for so long that I can't change it, and I don't feel comfortable anywhere else."
"Why?"
Ranjo asks back without changing his mood word by word. Rieko opens up and answers.
“Isn't it interesting? Pigeons and ramen. I did it once, and it was rather good.”
“You did?”
The president, who was listening beside me, burst out laughing. I wondered how this could be, so I ordered a pigeon and tried to eat it covered. The pigeon's feathers were in the way, but it was comfortable because my hair didn't fall out.
Kasai, who was standing beside me, took out his phone and showed the pictures he took at that time to Ranjou and the president.
“This is it. We had a blast at the office. It's a pigeon wearing a suit and eating ramen after an all-nighter.”
“Hey, hey!”
Rieko hid Kasai's phone screen. This was actually a story to cheer up Kasai when he was really depressed after she dumped him. It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your time and money.
This is how they still laugh at me, so I'm glad. But don't show the picture outside!
Ranjou opened his mouth when he saw it.
“Please, that picture.”
“Ranjou-san?”
Rieko let out a strange voice from her brain. Kasai said, "Okay, sir!" and forwarded it immediately.
Why, don't you forward a gag photo to a famous singer? I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who's had it.
I give up. Ranjou looked up, staring at the picture with a blank expression.
“I want to eat ramen.”
“What? You want to eat ramen? Let's go, let's go!”
The president shouted beside her happily. Ranjou quietly shook her head.
“With Ooba-san….”
"Ahhh. I'm sorry, but I've got a lot of meetings ahead of me.”
“Oh, I see.”
Ranjou was visibly depressed.
Rieko stepped forward, looked Ranjou in the eye, and opened her mouth.
"You want to talk about something? Yes, sir. I hope I can make it in time for the talk, but next week will be fine."
When I said that, Ranjo's face became more serious than I had ever seen it before. It seems that he was right.
“See you next week. I can go anywhere.”
“It's not good anywhere! Not at all. I have a lot of work.”
As the boss shouted behind them, Rieko and Ranjou made an appointment for dinner on the spot, adjusting their schedules.
“Can I have Kasai with me?”
“No, but...”
“Thank you for coming!”
Kasai joined the circle. Basically, he avoids going out to dinner with young creators. Seeing this, the president opened his mouth happily.
“I've been having trouble eating lately.”
“It's better to eat with someone else.”
Anyway, I finished my greeting and ran out of the office. I was smiling, but I was not at all ready to prepare my presentation to TPAPA-san.
The two of us went to the nearest Renoir. We tried our best to come up with a presentation, but TPAPA-san only gave us a reluctant look when we came up with the second best story, so we had to re-present it next week.
Ah, the work goes on and on. As Rieko hobbled to the train, a notification popped into her phone. It was from her favorite best friend, Mei Amamiya.
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