I Will Inspire Your Insipid Days - Volume 1 Chapter 2.2

Finding

“So, how is it? Living with a complete stranger?”

As usual, I’m called into the counseling room located at the back of the staff room and end up partaking in Satsuki-san’s aimless chatter. She claims it’s to “let off some steam,” but since I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of stress a high school teacher faces, I wonder if talking with me really serves as a distraction for her.

Anyway, I reply succinctly.

“It’s nothing much. It’s just a complete mess.”

“Is that so?”

Grinning, Satsuki-san prompts me to continue with her gaze. It’s irritating that the person who put me in this situation finds it amusing, but the desire to vent my frustrations wins out.

“For starters, the room is always a mess. No matter how much I clean, it gets dirty again in no time. Our sleeping times don’t match. She keeps moving around even after I go to bed, so I end up feeling conscious about it. And—”

“And?”

“…I think Natsume-san lacks the awareness that there’s another person in the room.”

“What do you mean?”

“For example… she’d just strip naked right in front of me and head into the bathroom. Even though there’s a dressing room, she insists on taking her clothes off in the middle of the room.”

“Is she trying to seduce you?”

“Seduce? What do you mean?”

“If you don’t get it, never mind. Just stay as you are, Yonon~”

Waving her hand, Satsuki-san doesn’t elaborate further. Though I didn’t fully grasp the meaning behind her words, I had an inkling it was something worldly. Best leave it untouched.

While talking about my living situation with Satsuki-san, I couldn’t help but picture Natsume-san working late into the night. Her works as “Natsume” exude an overwhelming power that makes one think “this is amazing,” but at the same time, I don’t fully understand what specifically garners such praise. I wonder how the world appears to Natsume-san, who continuously churns out such works…

“I have a question for Hanabishi Satsuki-sensei, who teaches at Shumonzuka Girls’ Academy.”

“What is it? A serious talk?”

“Yes, a very serious one.”

After a brief introduction, I continue.

“I want to know what you think makes ‘Natsume’ so remarkable.”

At my question, Satsuki-san gives a wry smile.

“That’s a tricky question.”

“Is it a difficult question?”

“Not difficult, just complex. It’s hard to explain in a way that makes sense to you, Yonon, who lacks a background in art. Well, I am a teacher, so I can explain, but it’s tough to figure out how to express it.”

Satsuki-san, hailing from the Hanabishi family, specializes in traditional performing arts, including Japanese dance… However, not being from the main branch, she never takes the stage herself as a performer.

So, what role does she play? At Shumonzuka Girls’ Academy, she teaches subjects like economics and finance, which are not emphasized much, intertwining them with art history and the history of entertainment.

Shumonzuka Girls’ Academy has quite a few active students already making their debut as creators. However, they lack too much knowledge to dive into the world with just their art. Satsuki-san’s lectures clearly explain to students aged 16 to 18 about societal structures, accounting necessary for entrepreneurs, and how to protect one’s assets without being misled by sweet talk. This is also because the “Moon” branch of the Hanabishi family, to which Satsuki-san belongs, owns entertainment production companies and operates performance venues in various places, and Satsuki-san grew up familiar with such environments…

But, setting that aside.

After pondering for a while, Satsuki-san speaks up again.

“To put it simply, ‘Natsume’ is amazing because she’s so different from others, yet that’s accepted.”

“…”

“Are you really a teacher, this person?”

Or is it that I lack understanding?

Noticing my expression, Satsuki-san hurries to clarify.

“That’s why I said it’s tricky! It inevitably becomes abstract!”

“From your explanation, it sounded like you were saying ‘it’s amazing because it’s amazing.'”

“That’s roughly correct, and that’s what makes it so problematic…”

Scratching her head and sighing, Satsuki-san continues.

“‘Natsume’ is said to reflect in her works the difficulty of living in society, the obsession with being normal, and the ridiculousness of people who preach such things. In short, her works have a strong satirical aspect. She adds various essences to that spirituality to express her unique worldview. Are we good so far?”

I nod in agreement. There’s no discrepancy in my understanding.

Satsuki-san goes on.

“Art is about inheritance and derivation, and ‘who follows whom’ becomes part of the context for evaluation. However, ‘Natsume’ completely ignores that, hitting the viewers with the power of simply drawing what she sees. And she’s received a fair amount of recognition from experts for that. Plus, she’s young. She meets all the criteria to be deified.”

“So, it’s amazing because she arrived at her current style in a way others haven’t, and she’s established it?”

“That’s right. And she keeps churning out intense works, like an AI. Actually, there was a time when ‘Natsume’ was suspected to be an AI.”

“Really?”

“It was quickly debunked, though.”

“Why was that?”

“Because she draws pictures that ordinary people can’t, yet only humans can draw.”

“…”

Without waiting for my reaction, Satsuki-san begins a detailed explanation.

“For example, AI-generated images have been a hot topic recently, but when modern AI is used for drawing, it’s humans who input the commands. Ordinary people input words that decompose the final image they envision when they prepare the learning source and output the image. On the other hand, what ‘Natsume’ sees is different, making it difficult for others to grasp and verbalize what she sees. In other words, what Tachibana Natsume creates are works ‘only Natsume can draw.’ Do you understand?”

“Um… somewhat…?”

“If you somewhat get it, that’s good enough.”

Satsuki-san continues in a gentle tone.

“Just remember this, Tachibana Natsume is ‘amazing because she’s thoroughly not an ordinary human.'”

Hearing the answer, I thought to myself.

How ironic it is that Natsume-san, who seeks what everyone considers a normal “high school life”…