Everyone Has Talent. If Only We Could Realize It - Volume 1 Chapter 1.3

Episode 1: Admission

He was a slender and tall pretty boy, with voluminous red hair styled in an idol-like fluffy manner. His sharply beautiful eyes and a well-defined face made him look as if the concept of “handsome” was personified and walking around. And to make matters worse, even the earrings he wore showcased his impeccable taste.

Despite wearing the same uniform, I couldn’t help but wonder where the difference between him and me lay.

The flashy redhead casually touched one of the girls who had been praising Shibuya on the shoulder.

“What’s going on? Have you been talking bad about me?”

He asked in a laid-back tone.

“Ko, Komae-kun!?”

The girl called out his name.

It seems he was the notable composer they were talking about, Komae Noakiya. Now that they mentioned it, there was talk about a genius couple of a handsome boy and a beautiful girl. Seeing his looks, I could understand why he received such praises.

With his hand still on the girl’s shoulder, Komae leaned in close, his lips, which appeared to be glossed, gleaming as he spoke near her ear.

“It would be troublesome if rumors like that spread. Girls might start avoiding me.”

“No, it wasn’t bad mouthing at all. And, your hand, on my shoulder…”

“Then, take responsibility.”

“Responsibility?”

“Can I like you? If you become mine, I’ll forgive you.”

“Ah, Aaaaaaaaah!?”

“──Noakiya. Your jokes are in poor taste. Can you stop doing that to friends?”

“Whoa, scary. Don’t glare at me like that, it ruins your cute face, Erio-chan.”

“Annoying. Get lost.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll leave the guys alone. But hey, I’m always open for a date invitation. Waiting for your call☆”

As Komae winked and walked away, the girls erupted in shrill cheers.

Even Shibuya, who had been cold in her response, seemed somewhat pleased by the compliment, her cheeks flushing as she raised an eyebrow.

Witnessing such a scene, there was only one feeling that arose in me, a regular new student.

──Ugh, no way…

“──Ugh, no way…”

“Eh?”

I was momentarily startled, thinking my inner voice had inadvertently slipped out. However, I quickly realized the voice didn’t come from me but from a girl sitting next to me, and not Shika.

Shika was sound asleep on her desk, drool spreading over it from under her arm pillow. Seeing her sleeping like that even before the homeroom on the first day of school, I couldn’t help but admire my sister’s boldness.

Thus, the voice that echoed my sentiments didn’t belong to my sister but to another girl sitting on the opposite side, who turned to look at me upon noticing my reaction.

Seeing her face directly for the first time, I felt an immense relief.

Amidst a school filled with stunning beauties and handsome boys, the girl in front of me had a remarkably normal, plain, and modest appearance.

Not ugly enough to be outright called so, yet not a beauty by any stretch, she was as plain as plain yogurt.

She had maintained her naturally black hair given by her parents, likely only using water for styling the silky straight short bob. Her physique was, well, not fat for sure. But modeling was definitely out of the question.

This reassuringly plain girl stared at me with damp eyes and said.

“You’re thinking something incredibly rude, aren’t you? I can tell by the look in your eyes.”

“No, no way. We just met.”

“Did you hear that just now? Don’t go snitching.”

“I won’t.”

I detest such petty interpersonal drama the most.

And.

“…I can’t say I don’t understand the urge to interject.”

“Oh, a comrade, huh? You should’ve said that sooner.”

She smiled broadly, pleased.

Her speech and expressions had a boyish quality. I was worried I might die from nervousness due to my lack of experience talking to real-life girls, but if it’s someone like her, I should be okay. In that sense too, she was a girl who provided complete reassurance.

“I’m Akihabara Mana. Akihabara is too long, so call me Akiha or Mana, whichever you prefer.”

“Then, Akiha it is.”

Even with a girl who was easy to talk to and somewhat boyish, calling her by her first name without honorifics felt like a high barrier.

“What’s your name? You’re a new face, so I guess you’re from the entrance exam group?”

“Ikebukuro Gakuto. And this one sleeping here is my sister, Shika.”

“Sister? Twins?”

“No, it’s a bit complicated. I’m eighteen. Actually, two years older.”

“An old man, huh.”

“Don’t call me old man. There’s a lot going on.”

I added that my sister was sixteen, the same age as them, for their peace of mind.

Akiha put her hand on her chin, pondering.

“So you’re eighteen, meaning you’ve repeated years to enter Ryoran. That’s some serious determination.”

“Not at all. I just came in on a scout offer.”

“Ah, I see, a scout offer… WAIT, a scout offer!?”

I was met with an astonishingly loud reaction.

──Hey, did you hear? He’s here on a scout offer.

──Seriously? I mean, I haven’t seen him in the middle school section… but that can’t be true, right? Such a plain guy being scouted?

The classroom buzzed with curious gazes from all around.

Even the influential groups like Shibuya Erio’s and Komae Noakiya’s, who had been the center of attention until a moment ago, were no exception; everyone had their eyes on us.

Eh. What’s with this atmosphere?

“Scouting isn’t something that happens often!? Gakuto, who are you?”

“Ah, um, well, actually, it’s more about my sister?”

“She was doing music activities!? ‘Sang it’? Vocaloid? Underground idol?”

“The pressure is intense!? Um, um…”

Backed into a corner and desperately trying to come up with an answer, revealing the “person behind” a VIRTUAL SINGER could be a legal minefield. I couldn’t straightforwardly answer, so I had to dodge somehow.

With my brain on the verge of boiling, I managed to squeeze out a response.

“…Like, local karaoke contests, kinda the strongest in the area?”

“Ah〜”

They seemed somewhat convinced by my vague explanation, albeit with mixed feelings.