Everyone Has Talent. If Only We Could Realize It - Volume 1 Chapter 1.1

Episode 1: Admission

Several minutes’ walk from the bustling downtown area, the shimmering neon signs and the noise of the crowd fade away. Here, lined with standard apartments and a spacious, verdant nature park, are all the stores and convenience outlets essential for daily life, creating an atmosphere that seems very comfortable to live in.

Among them, one building stands out conspicuously.

Private Ryoran High School.

Constructed with red clay tiles, the school building intentionally exudes a retro chic, boasting facilities like an outdoor stage usable for performances, an indoor pool, a gymnasium, a hall of fame preserving the achievements of alumni, and various lesson studios. Glancing sideways, every building seems to be of high taste, making one feel as if they’re on a tour despite coming for the entrance ceremony.

Thanks to the students in uniforms heading towards the auditorium, I was barely reassured that I had the correct date and place for the entrance ceremony.

Still, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of being out of place.

Looking around, I saw nothing but beauties and handsome faces.

If we were to calculate the average deviation value based on facial appearance, it might easily surpass 80.

Sweet-looking like TV idols seemed to be the standard here, with their slim figures, good posture, and the way their uniforms fit indicating an exceptionally high sense of beauty.

Meanwhile, there’s me. Hunched back, bed hair, and bags under my eyes from lack of sleep. I worried I might be bringing down the average deviation value.

Indeed, Shika and I seemed out of place, attracting glances from the passing students and new entrants.

“Hey, is that guy a new student?”

“No way. A plain guy like that couldn’t possibly have passed. He’s probably just here to deliver something his brother or sister forgot.”

“But he’s wearing a uniform.”

“Really? Seriously? Then is he actually a student? The girl with him has messy hair and her style’s kinda meh too.”

“Sometimes people do slip through the admissions. They’ll probably drop out soon enough.”

“Ah, right, that happens.”

Shut up. I know that better than anyone. And hey, Shika is cute, alright? It’s just her bangs that prevent it from being obvious! There’s also a theory that she could match the facial deviation value of the students here, not that I can prove it. Just my personal opinion, though.

“…Well, can’t blame them. Considering the world these students are aiming for, our laid-back appearance must seem disrespectful.”

The entertainment industry is famously a high barrier to entry.

Audition applicants at talent agencies average over 30,000 people, with acceptance rates rumored to be in the thousands.

Even counting only those with confidence in their qualifications, it’s an immense number. If you include those who broke halfway and never made it to the audition stage, it gives you an idea of how many aspire to enter the entertainment industry.

In a way, Shika and I were lucky our enrollment was motivated by the offer of financial support.

Standing out here seems like an impossible game. If we had set lofty goals, we might have been crushed by disappointment.

But unlike me, Shika has talent. She might actually make it.

Meanwhile, Shika was casually humming next to me.

“Hum, hum, hum.”

“You’re in a good mood. Not overwhelmed by the atmosphere?”

“The wind feels nice today. The sound of leaves rustling is just perfect, very comforting.”

“Is it different from usual…?”

“Usually, it’s transparent. Today it’s light green.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“This school is overflowing with various colors.”

Looking around the school, Shika commented thoughtfully, causing me to pause.

It’s related to why Shika sings.

Despite it being the morning of the entrance ceremony, there are people diligently rehearsing on the outdoor stage, and surely some sort of music is being played in the studio facilities as well. I can’t hear it through the perfectly soundproofed walls, but if Shika can sense even the slightest wave of sound, she can perceive it as “color.”

Probably, Shika can “see” all the sounds being played in this school right now.

“Maybe this won’t be so bad.”

“…Yeah, that would be nice.”

Hearing Shika’s lively voice, a smile naturally spread across my face.

Though we have no fond memories of school, if Shika can enjoy her time here, nothing could be better.

And so, with a faint hope for our new life, Shika and I headed towards the auditorium where the entrance ceremony was to be held.

The auditorium, poorly ventilated and lacking oxygen, was filled with a lethargic atmosphere.

Even at a school for training entertainers, the entrance ceremony was just like any other high school’s—listening to pompous speeches for what seemed like an eternity.

This wasn’t just due to my cynical nature and tendency to view things from an off-angle, as the uniformly sleepy faces of the surrounding students could attest.

The hard, uncomfortable chairs felt like cradles to the point that the school officials’ long-winded speeches were dull.

Shika had fallen asleep within three minutes of the start.

Leaning her small head onto my shoulder, she breathed softly in a comfort akin to being at home.

The only reason I managed to stay awake was thanks to Shika. If I fell asleep too, I wouldn’t be able to support her head, and she might fall from the chair with a loud noise. It would be problematic if our financial support was cut off, not to mention the worst-case scenarios of suspension or expulsion.

For tomorrow’s meal expenses, I cannot afford to sleep… but I’m not confident I’ll last if this continues.

Please let it end soon.

Perhaps my wish reached the heavens, as suddenly, a noise disrupted the sleepy air of the auditorium.

An unpleasant but oddly pleasant disruption.

“──Next, for the congratulatory speech. On behalf of the students, third-year talent department, top student, Kanda Io.”

“Here.”

The female student called by the host stood up and confidently walked up to the podium.

She had an aura, the kind that phrase must have been coined for.

At that moment, nearly all eyes in the auditorium were on her.

Beauty is subjective, and there’s no absolute measure of it… but even I, who tends to view things from a skewed perspective, could assert within a second that she was beautiful.

First, her posture was beautiful.

Her upright standing and the balance she maintained even while walking never wavered.

The stable core, the elegance, and intelligence exuding from every move, she seemed to embody the concept of excelling in both arts and sports, proving it with her very being.

Then, her physique was beautiful.

Despite being confined to a uniform, the extraordinary curve from her toned abdomen to her waist was praiseworthy, not in a lewd sense, but like admiring a Greek sculpture, an artistic body line.

And most importantly, her face was beautiful.

Even among the crowd of handsome and beautiful new students, her overwhelming beauty stood out.