I Will Inspire Your Insipid Days - Volume 1 Chapter 2.3

Finding

Several days later, on a beautifully sunny holiday.

After finishing my morning routine and sorting through the trash scattered on the floor as usual, Natsume-san, who seemed to have been working on her paintings all night, made a new request.

“Yokaze, make up an excuse to go to a gallery.”

Sighing at the sudden request, I replied.

“What’s the purpose today? And what exactly is a gallery?”

“It’s obviously about art galleries.”

“I don’t understand what that is…”

Apparently, it’s a place where art pieces are exhibited and, in some cases, sold. Depending on the exhibit, prices might be set, and one could purchase paintings or art books. “I’ve never been there myself, so this is all hearsay,” she added with a clarification.

“So, what do you need at an art gallery, Natsume-san?”

“It seems my paintings are being displayed there.”

“‘Seems’? Are they being exhibited without your permission?”

“Of course not. The gallery’s organizer had scheduled an appointment, and we gave our permission. I’ve heard that artists sometimes rent exhibition spaces themselves.”

“…Then why doesn’t your earlier statement make sense?”

“Even though I was told ‘We’ll be exhibiting them~,’ I’ve never actually confirmed it with my own eyes. It’s like Schrödinger’s exhibit.”

“Why do I feel like I’m being cornered in this conversation…”

After roughly finishing the separation of burnable trash, non-burnable trash, recyclables, cans, and bottles, I dusted my hands off and sought clarification from Natsume-san.

“So, you’re saying that I should visit the gallery in person to check if your works are properly displayed?”

“Why would it come to that?”

“Why wouldn’t it!?”

“It might be fine for you, Yokaze, but it’s meaningless if I can’t see them myself. Take a picture, please.”

“Ah… I see what you mean.”

“That’s why I need you to make up an excuse to go to the gallery.”

“Just now, an excuse came to mind.”

“How coincidental.”

And so, I found myself unexpectedly spending my holiday running an errand for Natsume-san.

Not that I had anything better to do, though.

The Shumonzuka Girls’ Academy and its dormitories are located in Tokyo.

Although I agreed to this task, having barely ever ridden a train in my life, the complex web of Tokyo’s metro lines took considerable time to understand.

“First, head to Shinjuku Station, then move to Kudanshita Station, and from there take the Toei Shinjuku Line…”

I muttered to myself as I checked the route.

At times like this, my ability to never forget what I’ve seen comes in handy. Until now, I’ve only used it for memorizing cooking procedures or furniture layouts, so discovering this new application was unexpected.

Somewhat bewildered but managing to switch trains, I was shaken around for several minutes.

I arrived at Shimbashi Station, a well-known business district in Minato Ward, Tokyo. The scene, with a train displayed in the square in front of the station, exceeded my imagination.

The crowd density was unlike anything I had seen before, giving me a headache.

Matching the route etched in my brain with the names of buildings in front of me, I slowly made my way to the destination.

Following the main street for about 10 minutes and turning at a few intersections, I finally reached a less crowded spot, near the location Natsume-san had mentioned.

However, I couldn’t find any place that looked like a gallery. What kind of appearance does a gallery have? I should’ve asked Natsume-san… Though she probably wouldn’t know either. Guess I have no choice but to find it on my own… With that thought, I pulled out my smartphone, not used to operating it, and started wandering around.

“──Hanabishi-san?”

Suddenly, someone called out to me from behind.

Turning reflexively, I saw an attendee of Shumonzuka Girls’ Academy High School 1st year, class A, number 5──

“I’m surprised… Hello, Kimie-san. It’s a coincidence to meet you here.”

“Just call me Komachi. We’re classmates, right?”

Komachi Kimie.

I quickly retrieved her profile from my mind. She’s from Osaka Prefecture, aspires to be a designer, has a wide circle of friends, and despite being a student at the unique Shumonzuka with her quirks, she communicates with everyone without discrimination. I’ve never seen her creations, but from the snippets of conversations and her behavior in class, I get the impression she’s “a versatile person.”

Even towards me, who generally keeps a distance from others to avoid revealing my gender, she approached as if we were long-time acquaintances, perhaps thinking I “couldn’t fit in well.”

But… What’s unnatural is this location.

I never expected to encounter a classmate in such a place.

“I also didn’t expect to meet Hanabishi-san here. What brings you?”

“Well, that’s──”

I explained the situation briefly, omitting Natsume-san’s involvement.

“Really? I’m heading to the same exhibition. Wanna go together?”

A stroke of luck.

Grateful for the unexpected chance, I decided to take her up on the offer.

“Well, the entrance is in the basement of that building over there.”

She pointed to the ground floor of a multi-tenant building. Led by her, we entered the basement, contrasting with the surrounding mundane atmosphere, and found a door with a distinctly different design.

“I’ve never been here before, but it stands out more than I expected.”

While saying this, she moved towards the gallery entrance.

Following behind, Komachi-san struck up a conversation, seeking agreement.

“A gallery quietly nestled in a business district──just that alone has a unique personality, doesn’t it?”

Komachi-san pointed to a signboard placed beside the door.

Exhibition “Creation of Hope from Introversion”──it read.

“An exhibition?”

Encountering the unfamiliar term, I inadvertently voiced my question. Not expecting an answer, Komachi-san took the lead and explained.

“In the case of art galleries, unlike museums, this refers to borrowing selected works for display. As for museums, they not only showcase their own collections but also organize exhibitions with works borrowed from within and outside the country.”

“Do galleries also hold events other than their own projects?”

“Yes. There’s something called ‘rental galleries,’ where artists rent the gallery space to exhibit their works.”

I recall Natsume-san mentioning something similar.

Komachi-san’s explanation was tens of times clearer.

“…So, the exhibition we’re about to see doesn’t focus on a single artist but displays works from many artists.”

“Quick on the uptake, that helps.”

“By the way, I’m not very familiar with the difference between galleries and museums either…”

“A gallery simply refers to a space for displaying art. Museums, broadly speaking, are similar to historical museums, focusing on collecting, preserving, and exhibiting art and cultural artifacts. They’re for educational purposes, promoting and researching culture. Museum curators work there, planning exhibitions and conducting art research. They even host creative workshops for kids, making it a surprisingly open place.”

I was impressed by her fluent response, akin to reciting a dictionary.