Why Are You Just Watching? .JPG

"Okay, so did the recipient accept the cocoa that my brother personally gave them?"

Snapping her fingers, Ying leaned closer and asked nervously. Her personality was just like a cat's, changing every moment, making her completely unpredictable.

I drank half a glass; I left the rest at the front desk.

Because he was thinking of cats, Kitagawa Ryo casually stroked Hotaru's hair, just as she leaned closer.

"Hotaru's brother is such a kind person."

Having confirmed that her sister's identity had not been exposed, Ichinose Maki breathed a sigh of relief and said in a sweet voice.

"A brother who doesn't listen to his sister can't be considered gentle at all."

While enjoying her brother's head pat, Hotaru was still grumbling a little:

"I've already said I want to live outside with my brother, but he won't let me."

"I live outside because I have to attend the Theater Troupe's daily training, but Hotaru doesn't have that reason, and she has someone to take care of her at home."

"Oh..."

She was incredibly disappointed, but only for a moment; Hotaru quickly regained her usual energy.

"What does my brother do every day? Is it just training?"

"Cooking, playing chess, going for a run, those are all very ordinary things."

After chatting casually for a while, Ying got a little sleepy and yawned widely.

"Don't wait for me anymore, it's getting dark."

Seizing the opportunity, Ichinose Maki quickly spoke up again to persuade her.

"No, I promised Maki."

Ying quickly rubbed her eyes and said:

"And that's Maki's sister can't come for some reason, Maki won't be safe for Maki to go home alone. It'll be safer for us to take you with us."

Once again easily defeated by her friend's impeccable reasoning, Ichinose Maki could only pray that her older sister would notice the situation and not come over to talk to her in a bunny suit, especially not with that half-empty cup of cocoa in her hand.

After all, from her perspective, her Ichinose Honami, must have left that half-cup of cocoa for her, and it had always been like that.

She dared to come here today because Hotaru had offered to pay for her share, and then she saw her older sister also receive a cup of cocoa from Hotaru's brother. This double gift made her feel ashamed; if her sister really...

Just as Ichinose Maki's heart was pounding, Kitagawa Ryo, who had noticed her glancing at the rabbit by the door from time to time, roughly guessed the truth of the matter.

He knew very well Ichinose Maki was thinking. It wasn't because she was his best friend that he didn't mind being honest with her about his family situation. On the contrary, it was precisely because she was his best friend that he didn't want her to see his unbearable side, in order to preserve that last bit of pitiful self-esteem.

If his guess is correct, then the rabbit-like woman handing out flyers at the door, who gave him a familiar feeling, should be the Ichinose Maki has been waiting for.

Ichinose Honami.

"I need to use the restroom first."

Having realized the situation, Kitagawa Ryo decided to leave for a while.

Although he didn't know why Ichinose Honami was working here, based on his understanding of Ichinose Honami from several simulations, the other party probably didn't want to embarrass his sister in front of her classmates and friends, which was why he hadn't shown up. This was also very much in line with Ichinose Honami's style.

After all, for her, family always holds an extremely high position.

It even surpassed himself.

Kitagawa Ryo casually washed his face at the bathroom sink and looked at himself in the mirror.

For a long time, Kitagawa Ryo was afraid of looking in the mirror. Because he had just been reborn, whenever he looked in the mirror, he seemed to see another world in the mirror, as if the person in the mirror was not himself.

His back was always straight, his lips always curved upwards, and his eyes always shone with light, unlike his former self, who was like a sickly little dog soaked by the rain, or a broken piece of pottery that could be broken at the slightest touch.

But now, he can look at himself in the mirror with composure, accepting and appreciating his own growth.

This is the real self he yearns for, and is gradually approaching.

The phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated. Kitagawa Ryo glanced at it; it was a call from the Theater Troupe leader.

"Hello, this is Liang."

"Hmm, do you remember those two kids who were about your age today?"

Without exchanging pleasantries, the Theater Troupe leader went straight to the point and asked.

"Remember."

Strictly speaking, I can't really say I remember; in fact, I even dated one of them for a while.

"Both children are interested in pursuing a career in drama. One was approached by her mother, and the other has been pestering me ever since the performance ended."

"Although I don't think either of them has much talent in this area, it's not good to refuse them outright. Should we let them give it a try first?"

Sensing the subtle atmosphere, Kitagawa Ryo twitched the corner of his mouth:

"What do you mean by 'try this'?"

Simply put, it's about letting them try acting it out.

"So?"

"Ahem, after all, they are just two children."

The Theater Troupe leader's voice suddenly carried a hint of amusement, as if he had already dug a pit and was waiting for Kitagawa Ryo to jump in:

"So after all the selection process in the group, it's best if you, who are around the same age, can take on the role of mentor."

"The script has been sent to your phone. The performance is in a week."

Without giving Kitagawa Ryo any time to react, the Theater Troupe leader quickly finished speaking and hung up the phone cleanly and decisively.

"Life is tough."

When Kitagawa Ryo sighed and left the restroom, returning to his seat, Hotaru was indeed the only one left, listlessly fiddling with the ends of her hair.

"So slow-- Maki's already been picked up by her older sister."

Upon seeing Kitagawa Ryo return, Hotaru immediately ran to her brother's side and shook his arm.

"Maki sister is a super pretty girl."

As if she had stumbled upon some incredible gossip, Ying tiptoed and whispered in Liang's ear, her warm breath tickling Liang's earlobe.

"And what's more, I think her voice is exactly the same as the rabbit sister outside."

"Ichinose- neechan even thanked me for taking care of Maki at school."

"Hey, I remember Maki was the one who took care of you at school, right?"

Kitagawa Ryo took Hotaru's hand and prepared to leave the coffee shop.

"Um?"

As Kitagawa Ryo passed by the front desk, he noticed that the cup of cocoa was still there.

"Didn't she take it?"

Kitagawa Ryo stood on tiptoe and asked the clerk at the front desk, who replied with a smile:

"She said this was for you, and she specially asked us to reheat it again. If you don't take it, it seems like it will just have to be thrown away."

"..."

While Kitagawa Ryo was still pondering Ichinose Honami's intentions, Hotaru, standing to the side, readily accepted Cocoa.

"Ichinose- neechan is really perfect for our family."

"?"

Slowly typing a question mark, Kitagawa Ryo turned to look at Hotaru, who was completely unaware of what she had said.

"Mmm."

Because she hadn't expected it to be heated so quickly, Hotaru stuck out her tongue and fanned herself with her hands.

Noticing her brother's somewhat strange gaze, Hotaru tilted her head and explained:

"Is there something you need, brother?"

"No, I'm just curious about what you meant by your last sentence."

"Hmm? If you want to make that sound, you can just burn your tongue."

"The previous sentence."

"Ichinose- neechan is really a good match for our family?"

"The reason is very simple."

Ying held up the cocoa in her hand and explained:

"My brother usually drinks one cup of cocoa, I can drink one and a half cups of cocoa, Ichinose- neechan only drinks half a cup of cocoa. That makes a total of three cups."

She took a deep breath and pointed smugly at the price list on the wall:

"Family meals come with a 20% Discount."

After returning to her room, Karuizawa Kei lazily sprawled out on the living room sofa, her two straight and slender legs, encased in white stockings, swaying up and down, her two small slippers bouncing on the floor.

The thing Ryo was worried about would never happen again. How could she, with her memories of the future, be bullied by children of the same grade again?

Karuizawa Kei hummed a song softly, a very pleasant tune.

She began reading the script of "The Little Mermaid" for the second time:

I never expected to run into Shiina Hiyori here again, the girl who left me with bad memories.

It was as if they were constantly suppressing her; even in the script used for this Theater Troupe audition, she was chosen as the female lead, playing the little mermaid.

But it doesn't matter.

Karuizawa Kei rolled over and held the paper script high in the air.

She murmured the interjection:

"The church bells are ringing, and the mermaid can only watch from the sidelines."

"The good news of the engagement has spread far and wide, and the mermaid can only watch from the sidelines."

"The bishop has finished reciting his blessings, and the mermaid can only watch from the sidelines."

"The mermaid, dressed in silk and adorned with gold, could only drag the bride's wedding dress along."

"The blind and deaf mermaid can only dance for the wedding of the prince and princess."

The female protagonist would give up everything to pursue a noble and undying soul, and no one would deny her worth. But for the supporting female character, if she could spend her life with her lover...

[This can't really be considered a bad ending, right?]

In the end, the prince and princess ended up together.

This time, I'm the one who will stay with Liang until the end.

Chapter 5: Why are you just watching?. JPG

On a crisp winter morning, the grass on the green belts lining the streets still had a few patches of frost on it. Just hearing the howling wind made you want to stay snuggled up in your warm blankets for a while longer.

"Huff, huff."

Karuizawa Kei, panting heavily, jogged after Kitagawa Ryo. Only after Kitagawa signaled that she could stop did she halt, panting, and bend over, supporting herself on her knees with her hands. After resting for a while, she found a bench by the roadside and sat down, her heavy breathing forming puffs of white mist in the cold air.

A few minutes later, Shiina Hiyori, looking even more exhausted, dragged her heavy body here at what could hardly be called a run. She sat down next to Karuizawa Kei without any manners, also tilting her head back and panting heavily.

"My stamina still can't keep up."

Seeing their exhaustion, Kitagawa Ryo, leaning against a nearby telephone pole, offered his unreserved comment.

"Although a play may seem like just a performance on a stage, the physical exertion required for a single performance is definitely not small, especially for the lead actor who has the most screen time."

Actually, between the two, Karuizawa Kei's physical condition is quite good, but Shiina Hiyori's stamina is definitely below average, which is consistent with her image as a literary girl.

In terms of understanding drama alone, Shiina Hiyori's foundation is undoubtedly much better than that of Karuizawa Kei, who is just starting out.

However, drama is not just about reciting a few lines. To bring out the tension of the characters and the plot, all kinds of actions are absolutely necessary. That's why Kitagawa Ryo woke the two of them up early this morning for morning exercise.

After finally catching her breath and the burning pain in her throat subsided somewhat, Karuizawa Kei asked curiously:

"Has Liang consistently maintained this level of exercise?"