Everyone Has Talent. If Only We Could Realize It - Volume 1 Chapter 2.4

Episode 2: Two Talents

A short walk from Ryōran High School leads you into a bustling downtown area.

The ground, littered with dropped ice cream, swarming with people buzzing around like ants, made me feel slightly nauseous.

Despite this, Shika and I persevered through the crowd, motivated by the prospect of views, likes, and money.

Akiha was the only one who seemed unfazed, deftly navigating through the masses while keeping her eyes glued to her smartphone.

“Hey, walking while on your phone is dangerous. This is what’s wrong with young people these days.”

…Well, she’s only two years younger than me.

“We’ve been walking forever… I’m tired…”

“Hey, where are we even going?”

Taking Shika’s complaint as a cue, I asked Akiha.

She lifted her gaze from her smartphone to answer.

“We’re heading to a cosmetics shop.”

“Cosmetics? You mean makeup?”

“Yeah. Before we even think about clothes, we’ve got to start by creating a ‘face.'”

“Huh. I didn’t know you were into makeup.”

At a glance, Akiha seemed to wear no makeup, so I had assumed she wasn’t interested in it.

Could this be the so-called natural makeup I’ve heard about? A friend from EPEX (a notorious online flirt) once claimed that there are masters of makeup who can make it look like they’re not wearing any, crafting the illusion of a bare-faced beauty.

Nowadays, there’s talk of “mass-produced girls” and “landmine girls,” and it seems like there’s always pressure to discern quality in a world of makeup.

So, Akiha was a master of makeup too, I thought. But then…

“Nah, not at all. Never done makeup before.”

“You haven’t?! Hey, hey, hey, hey, can you really pick out the right cosmetics for Shika?”

“Shut up. That’s why I’m looking it up on my phone.”

She showed me a girls’ Q&A website.

It seemed like a place where women could share advice on common topics like health and romance. Akiha had posted a question asking for suggestions on makeup that would suit her, be affordable, and make her look cute.

“You’re relying on amateurs? Is that really a good idea?”

“Like we’re in any position to talk down on amateurs. To the people posting here, we’re less than nothing.”

“True!”

Her logic was irrefutable.

Sorry for doubting you, unknown ladies of the internet.

“Got a reply already.”

“That was fast!”

“Never underestimate the power of the net… Hmm, interesting.”

I leaned in to peek at Akiha’s smartphone screen.

Although I couldn’t read everything in detail, the response seemed to include suggestions on makeup techniques suitable for Shika, recommended products and tools, and even some had added their own opinions in reply, updating the knowledge with each reload. Some people even attached photos to explain how to do the makeup, turning the question page into a valuable textbook.

The modern internet society is indeed formidable.

I noticed some comments expressing a desire to help the questioner.

“Are you a student trying makeup for the first time? If you’re still not familiar with the basics, you might want to learn how to do your eyes.”

And in response,

“Everyone’s eye shape and bone structure are different, so it’s hard to give advice without seeing. Can you send a photo of just your eyes?”

Reading the same message, Akiha murmured, “Makes sense,” and pointed her phone at Shika.

“Let me take a picture of your eyes.”

“No.”

Shika, anticipating her bangs being lifted, pressed them down with both hands.

“Stop complaining. We need this.”

“Muu!”

The tug-of-war between Shika trying to squirm away and Akiha trying to move her hands seemed evenly matched.

“Shika, please. This is for our livelihood.”

If I could say it was for the future of humanity, I might sound like a hero, but what came out was the lament of a mundane man.

“No.”

“Darn it, desperate times call for desperate measures. —Hand fox.”

By joining the tips of my thumb, middle, and ring fingers together to form a fox’s face and extending my index and pinky fingers as ears, I created what’s literally called a “hand fox,” waving it in front of Shika like a cat toy.

“What are you doing, Rakuto?”

“Just watch.”

Ignoring Akiha’s bewildered look, I continued to wave the hand fox, and Shika’s eyes began to follow its movements. Letting go of her head, she made her own hand fox, touching mine with the “mouth” formed by her fingers—an exchange of kisses between two foxes.

I seized the moment.

“Now!”

“O-Okay, photo opportunity!”

Akiha quickly lifted Shika’s bangs and took a picture of her eyes with the smartphone camera.

Shika glared at me resentfully.

“…That’s cheating. Using Kon-chan to lure me…”

“It’s for views and living expenses. Forgive me.”

“I won’t fall for my brother’s fox trick again.”

“Hand fox.”

As I brought the hand fox close to Shika again, she immediately made her own and kissed it.

“…! My body reacted on its own…”

“Childhood conditioning is scary, huh?”

Our family’s unique way of calming Shika’s tantrums. It’s both convenient and terrifying that it still works now that she’s grown.

While sending the photo to the internet sisters, Akiha commented in disbelief,

“You siblings are truly weird.”

After purchasing makeup tools and new clothes, we headed home, to the Ikebukuro siblings’ residence.

Fortunately, the nearest station to our home was only a few stations away from the apartment where Akiha lived alone.

Our place was a run-down apartment in the suburbs, its exterior covered in ivy.

On the second floor was our simple 2DK room, the dwelling of the Ikebukuro siblings.

Compared to the glamorous, ballroom-like atmosphere of Ryōran High School, our home felt like Cinderella’s house after the magic had worn off, turning her back into a cinder-covered girl.

For Shika and me, though, our modest, simple home was far more comfortable and preferred.

“Rakuto, you’re pretty bold, inviting a girl to a place like this.”

However, Akiha seemed less impressed, voicing her complaints as soon as she entered.

“Calling someone’s home ‘a place like this’ is pretty harsh, don’t you think?”

“There’s a minimum level of respect, you know! With this mess, don’t go acting all proud!”

Akiha pointed at the scattered manga, documents, and empty cardboard boxes on the floor.

Maybe it’s a bit messy… but is it really that bad?

“What are you looking so clueless for? This is a full-blown messy room!”

“Rude. There’s no food waste, and it shouldn’t smell… probably.”

“If it were that level, I’d be out of here in no time… Wait, do you even clean?”

“Of course, I do it religiously. Once a month.”

“That’s not enough! At least once a week! Better yet, do it every day!”

“Too much trouble!”

“Hopeless…”

Pushing the grumbling Akiha towards the dining room, I proceeded.

Since we usually eat our meals in our rooms, the kotatsu in the dining room was rarely used and was now covered in a random assortment of items.

Like a bulldozer, I cleared a space on the carpet by pushing everything aside and spread out the newly purchased makeup tools.