TTKWQ Chapter 3

I slept soundly. The next morning, when I woke up, I wasn’t tired at all! As expected of an elementary schooler, amazing resilience. Back in my old life, I was always tired after sleeping even if I slept for a long time. Aging is painful.

Then, I ran on the room runner^[1] for twenty minutes, and I took a shower afterwards to wash off the sweat. When I entered the living room, a breakfast of toast, scrambled eggs, and a soup that was full of veggies was waiting for me. The menu changes weekly from this to a Japanese-style breakfast with rice, miso soup, and grilled fish. My father likes Western breakfasts, and I like Japanese breakfasts, so that’s why the menus rotate.

And then, after having a delicious breakfast, I promised my mother not to overwork and not to increase my workload. And, Shinosaki-san seemed to be in contact with my mother, so I was sentenced to stay at home and not go to all those lessons.

I can’t help it, I guess I’ll take it slowly today. But, if I don’t do something, my inner heart isn’t peaceful. I guess it’s a symptom of being a workaholic.

“I, thy master, tell thee to know of the people in the meeting. We’re leaving Edo, and sending twenty villagers up…”

After my morning stretches, I’ll read aloud. It seems that the lines that I practice with originate from a Kabuki^[2] play, but I was taught in my child actor lesson that it was these lines are the best to practice with. Not only child actors, but people who want to become announcers and voice actors use these lines too. Since I was using these lines for seven years already, I could recite them smoothly and clearly.

I stole a sideways glance at my mother, who is surprised at what I said. She doesn’t say anything, so it’s safe. It can’t be helped because I need to practice.

“Ai, zai mashtaa, chell zee tsu noo av za pe-pe-pe… pelope? Dwendy biragaz ap…”

That’s my younger brother, Kazuki,^[3] who is five years old and is trying to recite the lines by mimicking me. Just watching him trying to say the lines makes me smile.

“Kazu-kun, you’re able to say more and more. Amazing, right?”

“Ehehe, onee-chan, I rav you.”

“Onee-chan too, Kazu-kun, I love you!”

Kuu! Cute!! I want to protect this smile.

In the future, when my little brother works for a black company and wants to quit, I’ll take care of him. Savings for that purpose are also accumulated in a separate bank account. When Kazuki is placed on my knee, I stroke his silky hair. There’s a gentle smell unique to young children.

My younger brother is similar to my mother; if he dresses like a female, he’s cute enough to be mistaken for a girl. In fact, my mother used to dress me up too. I was cute. Though, I started to dislike it when I became five, but, recently, I’ve been doing it myself.

I regret that I only have time to touch my little brother in the morning. My little brother is usually sleeping when I get home, but, since I have time, today, I’ll play with him in the afternoon.

I smelled my little brother once more, and, then, it was time to go to school. Too bad I couldn’t be with my little brother anymore. The school was a short walk from my mansion, so my father walked with me to school. Walking hand in hand with my father, it was embarrassing, yet my father kept doing it even when my face looked like I saw the end of the world.

I think I’ll have the same expression if my little brother refused to hold hands. I don’t have a father complex, nor do I want to be too greedy, so, even as an adolescent, I won’t say things like, “Don’t wash his clothes with mine,” or, “Change the bathing water after father was in there.”

My father said to me, “Recently, Nanami-chan has been trying too hard, and your mother’s worried.”

“Jeez, mother already told me that.”

“Father is also worried. Well, it’s a good thing to do what you want to do, but you’re still a child, so don’t do so much,” he replied.

My father said that, and he put his big hand on my head. I’d like him to stop because the hair I set was disturbed, but his hand is warm and it doesn’t feel bad.

My dad is a gorilla to say the least. He’s 190 cm,^[4] and he’s the wrestler type. He’s an ikemen^[5] gorilla that would look good with a banana. Mother said that he used to be macho, but, after getting married, he became a gorilla.

But, he’s a salaryman gorilla with some fat around the muscle. He’s working out to get rid of the fat, though.

On the other hand, my mother is smaller than average. She doesn’t look like a mother of two because she’s pretty slender. It seems that father was a childhood friend of mother with the same age. They seem to agree on parent-child matters, or it only looks like that because I’ve only seen the good sides and not the bad.

When we saw at the school gate, we parted. The main gate of the main part of Sakuranagi Academy, the school that I entered a year or so ago, gave out the feeling that it had history to it. In front of the gate, a slow-moving rotary was spread out. When one of the black high-class cars stop, one of the rich girls, dressed in a high school uniform, they said, “How are you doing on this fine morning?”^[6] to another, and walked to school while talking with other rich girls.

“How are you doing on this fine morning?” huh. I’ve only seen people say that in manga and dramas. …I once said that as an ojou-sama in a drama before, but it was really weird to say. This world is too different from a public elementary school, and I’m still getting used to it.

“Nanami-chan, good morning.”^[7]

“Ah, Sayuri-chan, morning—”

As I was walking towards the school gate, I was greeted by a girl. Rokujouin Sayuri-chan^[8] is her name, and she’s an ojou-sama. She’s my classmate and the granddaughter of a sponsor who recommended for me to transfer to Sakuranagi Academy.

And, other than being my only friend in this school, she says the normal, “good morning,” according the principles of the common people. To say the least, she’s an angel.

“You were able to come to Sakuranagi Academy today!”

“Yeah, my work finally settled down.”

“Your work was the shooting of “My Name;” it’s already over?”^[9]

“Ahh, I guess it’s over. There was also the shooting of a single-episode drama… I was a bit busy when it was supposed to be done.”

While walking while holding hands, we spoke in hushed voices. I hide me being a child actor by having my child actor name as “Hanasaki Nana,” so, other than Sayuri-chan, only a few students know. Teachers, like my homeroom teacher and my homeroom teacher’s superiors, know. I need to take a lot of breaks for my job, and I need permission from the teachers to get the breaks.

My cover is that I have a weak constitution.

I hide the fact that I’m a famous child actor because I didn’t hide it in my previous school. There was a reason why I transferred.

So, in order to conceal my secret, I disguised myself with a wig and black-rimmed glasses, so I would look different. I act like an introverted person that’s bad at seeing. Nobody has seen through my disguise yet.

By the way, there are many children who are active in the performing arts that go by their real name, but I was encouraged to make a stage name by Shinosaki-san. I was tempted to name myself, “Anonymous,” but I thought that would be embarrassing. It’s too late to change the stage name after the real name permeates, so I couldn’t sleep with Shinosaki-san’s foot towards me.^[10]

“Is manager-san angry again?”

“Yeah… I got scolded again when I did a job without her permission.”

While chatting with Sayuri-chan, I entered the classroom and sat next to her. Other students are chatting in the same way. Unlike public schools, there aren’t noisy people running around, and everyone’s calm. Although the tuition was expensive, I’m glad for this quiet school life.

Well, in this school there are also special students that don’t have to pay the tuition. At Sakuranagi Academy, we put emphasis on culture and art, so children with abilities and achievements can become a special student.

Ballet and Kabuki, children who want to become a pianist or another kind of musician, children who are studying shougi and go are encouraged? Graduate students? The ones have good grades, the promising ones that are likely to become a pro in the future. Some are already a pro.

To be frank, money talks. Future money that is. They just want famous alumni.

I declined to become a special student because I won’t be able to hide my identity that way. It’s a waste of money, but it can’t be helped if it leads to a peaceful life.

While I was talking to Sayuri-chan, I heard a kyaaa and a shriek from outside the building. When I looked at the front gate from the classroom window, I saw an ikemen who’s surrounded by girls.

The ikemen is Kuroya Hiroto.^[11] He’s part of an idol group called, “COLORFUL.” The idol group is formed by only elementary school students. The guy was the formerly mentioned acrobatic actor that was descended from a ninja. And, since he’s a special student, he’s exempted from the tuition.

His motor nerves are good, so he’s good at sports, he’s good at dancing, and he can even sing. Even though he became an idol, he’s still active in dramas and movies. Rather than just being an actor, it seems that popularity increases if you’re also an idol. Unfair—

While looking at the ikemen, hoping for him to explode, our eyes met. Hiroto, who noticed me, had a smile that stretched from one side of his face to the other. He headed towards me while waving his hand. I, in a hurry to get away from him, fell down.

…Aitsu. I told him to act like strangers in school, but it seems like he can’t understand.

I have to ask him not to do that again.

“Why did you call me to such a place, guha!?”

I sent an e-mail^[12] telling Hiroto to come to the science preparation room, and, when he came in, I used a lever to hit him. Then, after I made sure that nobody followed Hiroto, I locked the door shut. With this, I can talk normally. There’s almost always a fan around Hiroto, so I have to be extra careful.

“Wh-why did you hit me…?”

“How many times did I tell you, yet you still don’t understand, dog? Please don’t talk to me at school.”

“I just wove my hand, I didn’t talk…”

In silence, I picked up Hiroto’s hand. Suddenly, I twisted it. Then, I hit Hiroto, and, when Hiroto collapsed on the floor, I sat on him.

Even though his hand was hurting from my surprise attack, I still sat on him. I jumped up and attacked him once again, but I missed. Although he doesn’t do martial arts, his reflexes are a cheat. However, it didn’t matter if he dodged as I still held his hand joint.

“Owowowow! Give! Give!!”^[13]

“I said that ‘Hanasaki Nana’ is a secret, you know? Therefore, Hiro, we’re not acquaintances, we’re complete strangers, free from each other. I keep saying this and keep saying this, please, do what I ask!”

The noise that came from our touched hands tapping the floor was annoying, so I separated our hands. However, I sat facing his back to show my intentions of punishing him.

“…Is that place okay? If we go to the same school, we’ll end up speaking someday, but speaking as friends isn’t okay.”

He grumbled with displeasure. In the past, he was a nice obedient good child who obeyed my orders unconditionally… Is this a rebellious period?

After co-starring in that movie with the ninja 4 years ago, we often worked together. Hiroto’s action scenes were great, but he was a ham actor.^[14] When he got scolded by the director, he cried. It was good that he didn’t get scolded as much after I taught him how to act better, but he got attached to me after that.

Well, the Hiroto of that time was still small and cute, so it was like looking after my little brother.

“Hiro, you can’t talk to me at school.”

“Why!”

“Because there are girls all around you, so there aren’t any gaps to get in. Also, I get jealous when I’m close to Hiro.”

In addition to the official fan club, there’s also a secret Hiroto fanclub in the school. Membership seems to be high in this escalator style school with elementary, middle, high, and university. If word of me being close to Hiroto gets out, my school life will be over.

The kids gathering around Hiroto also seem to be concerned by power relationships; their parent’s financial and political power have a complex and strange influence on them. If I carelessly enter, I’ll get beaten to a pulp. Scary, scary.

Even if I explain to Hiroto, it goes through one ear and out the other.

“…Don’t wanna.”

He turned to face me when saying that. Where did the good, obedient Hiroto go? Even when surrounded by girls, he smiles and skillfully converses with them; he’s more mature than other young men around him. Yet, in front of me, he shows a strangely childish side. I’m not your mother.

Hiroto continued, “Recently, I haven’t been seeing Nana at work, so, since we go to the same school, I thought that we could play and talk together…”

“Well, it’d be impossible to be together at work since Hiro changed into an idol.”

“?”

He looked like he couldn’t understand.

It’s common sense to stop co-starring with the other gender as an idol because idols in relationships aren’t good.

He wasn’t an idol before, and, since we were both young, it was cute seeing us together, but it’s impossible now. “The budding of two maturing child actors!?” or a title like that, even if it’s false, will become a wide show.^[15]

When it was explained to the manager she cautioned us. She then said something like, “How mature could a fourth grader get? But, it can’t be helped.”

I’m not in for romance and things like that.

Hiroto and I are in the same environment, and we’re the same age, but I’m originally an old man. It was like an uncle got a hold of his nephew’s heart, that kind of feeling, except I was the one who won over Hiroto.

I guess it was a bit harsh to refuse so bluntly.

“Haah… Then, if you can always act like we’re strangers, sometimes we could do something like this; meeting and talking while not being found out by others.”

“Really!?”

“As long as you don’t wave at me when you see me like today, much less speak to me. Okay?”

“…I understand.”

He nodded, but it felt like he was a bit reluctant. But, each time we talk, I’ll tell him to forget talking at school.

I didn’t release Hiroto; I needed to punish him some more.

“Do you want to go back together,” said Hiroto. It seems that he didn’t understand what I said back then. I explained that it’ll be bad if we go back together after I did the Iron Claw on him.^[16] He’ll forget if I don’t inscribe his body with pain.

After Hiroto left, I sat on a desk in the preparation room, dangling my legs and waiting for the next bell. That was when I heard a gotan sound from the cleaning tools in the back.

Oh? A poltergeist?

Suspicious… I thought that there wasn’t anyone in the science prep room, but it seems that there’s someone in the cleaning tool locker.^[17]

I approached the locker and tried to open it. It was locked. However, it seemed to be the type that locked from the outside, and it opened when I pulled back the lever.

When I peeked inside, the “There’s nobody inside,” horror movie phenomenon was what I was hoping for, but a girl was there.

She had the same black-rimmed glasses as me and had braids. She was sitting and looking at me with a scared expression.

“…For how long have you been here?” I asked with a thug-like glare.

“Um, ummm, I didn’t hear anything, I didn’t see anything, so please forgive me…”

She had teary eyes and was trembling. After seeing Hiroto getting beaten up, it’s the correct reaction.

But, that’s not what I want to hear. I confirmed that the room wasn’t being used in the morning and called Hiroto to it afterwards. And then, just when 2nd period was over, I was ambushed here. That means that she was in there for over an hour.

And, this locker is the type that locks from the outside. After this girl entered the locker, someone could’ve locked the door.

…No matter how you look at it, it’s bullying.

“Are you okay? Should I call over a teacher?”

“N-no, i-it’s okay! But, I…toi…le…ahh.”

To calm the frightened girl, I smiled and stretched out my hand, but she was still scared and water was dripped down from her bottom parts. …It seems that she needed to go to the toilet. She had an expression like it was the end of this world, and started crying.

“I, I…I…wahhhhh…sorry…”

“It’s okay, let’s go to the nurse.”

While comforting and helping the crying child to stand, the bell rang. The next class will start in a few minutes, so it’s probably better to head out after next period starts to avoid being seen. Then, it’s better to destroy the evidence from before.

I told the crying girl that I’m cleaning. Luckily, this is a science prep room, so there’s a sink to wash off certain stuffs.

The cleaning was done quickly, and, by the time the bell rang, I was done. I then pulled the hand of the still-crying girl, and headed for the nurse’s office.

[1] ルームランナー (ruumurannaa); means treadmill.
[2] 歌舞伎; a classical Japanese dance-drama.
[3] 和樹 (Kazuki) (和 means harmony) (樹 means tree)
[4] That’s around 6’3″
[5] イケメン; a term commonly used in Japan to refer to a man especially meticulous about his grooming and appearance.
[6] She says, “ごきげんよう.” (gokigenyou) Gokigenyou can be used as a greeting, but it’s very formal/archaic.
[7] Sayuri-chan says, “おはようございます.” (ohayou gozaimasu) Ohayou (gozaimasu) is a normal greeting.
[8] 六条院小百合 (Rokujouin Sayuri) (六 means six) (条 means document article) (院 means institution) (小 means small) (百 means hundred) (合 means meet)
[9] Title of the movie in Japanese is, “俺の名は.” (ore no na wa)
[10] A Japanese idiom; it means that Hanamura is grateful to Shinosaki.
[11] 黒谷大翔 (Kuroya Hiroto) (黒 means black) (谷 means valley) (大 means great or big) (翔 means fly)
[12] Japanese people use e-mails like how we use texts.
[13] Give, short for give up.
[14] [Sera: Lys has a marker with no footnote, so I’m going to guess they wanted to talk about the “ham actor” bit. The actual phrase in Japanese is 大根役者, literally a “daikon (radish) actor” which is used as an insult essentially calling someone a poor actor.]
[15] I missed this the other time, but ワイドショー (waidoshou) refers to something that’s on every channel.
[16] Iron Claw refers to a pro wrestler.
[17]
<– one of these things