Two New Members (6k)

That was an absolute period of separation for the brother and sister.

This is a crucial period when adolescents' secondary sexual characteristics develop significantly and their related awareness begins to emerge.

Watching her brother grab a change of clothes and head into the bathroom to take a shower, Hotaru nimbly jumped over the coffee table again.

On it was a belated Valentine's Day gift, which Kitagawa Ryo had taken from Yuki yesterday, and which her younger sister had asked her to deliver on her behalf as she enrolled in school, along with a letter.

Kitagawa Ryo himself read it and then put it there.

Hotaru carefully used her soft paws to turn the letter over. The contents were very simple, just one sentence:

"While making Valentine's Day chocolates, I suddenly realized that I might actually have feelings for you, so I'd like you to come see me alone next time you leave school so I can confirm it in person--"

The kitten instinctively took a step back, its front paws landing on the signature area of the letter.

And so, a small cat paw stamp was added to the signature of "Firefly".

Chapter 10: Two New Members (6k)

Student club building, Drama Club activity room.

After all, not every club is as big and powerful as the Student Council, which has a huge activity room on the top floor that can be used for recruitment interviews. The Drama Club could only temporarily pack up the things in the outer room and move the trophy display case to the classroom inside, where they set up tables and chairs to temporarily fill the space.

As the president of the Drama Club, Kitagawa Ryo still needed to preside over the interview process for club recruitment. The interview format was simply that he, Karuizawa Kei, and Ichinose Honami, the two vice presidents, sat behind a table and asked each of the new students who came in for an interview from a distance.

Before coming, Kitagawa Ryo had specifically looked through the list initially selected by Ichinose Honami and Karuizawa Kei. Besides Nanase Tsubasa and Tsubaki Sakurako, there were two or three other girls, but their performances made Kitagawa Ryo frown.

Although the Drama Club was initially created by him as a convenient way to slack off outside of school, after Karuizawa Kei revealed her true feelings to him, Kitagawa Ryo himself began to truly value the construction and development of this club.

If possible, it would be best to recruit a group of students who are both talented and motivated. As a second-best option, it would be students who may not be as talented but are equally willing to work hard.

But the reality is that it's already quite rare to find a student who can devote even five or six points of their energy to club activities. The problem lies with his talent, which has an utterly speechless and purely negative effect. Yesterday, the girls who were somewhat human at the recruitment event came here and sat down in front of him, and they immediately exuded a mysterious aura that they weren't there for the drama at all.

"Next."

With a slight headache, Kitagawa Ryo rubbed his temples. He had been thinking about asking Hotaru if there was any way to temporarily block the effects of this god-like talent, but Hotaru had been restless since last night and hadn't even crawled into his bed last night, obediently going back to her own little nest to lie down.

"Good afternoon, three seniors!"

Nanase Tsubasa's entrance easily reminded people of Ichinose Honami in the past. This was not because of the almost identical development curves of the two beyond their age, but because her whole temperament exuded a natural sunny and cheerful atmosphere. Her sky-blue eyes and bright blonde hair, which were nine-tenths similar to Karuizawa Kei, made Kitagawa Ryo himself a little dizzy.

If Nanase Tsubasa, whom I met at the Cultural Festival, still carried a certain sense of confusion and helplessness, this junior I met again after half a year was undoubtedly much more lively and agile, and every smile and gesture of hers easily left a deep impression.

"I'm Nanase Tsubasa from Class 1-A. I'm so happy to have made it to the interview stage after passing the initial screening. It feels like I've been recognized."

Although she spoke with great emotion, Nanase Tsubasa maintained a very proper posture and demeanor once she sat down for the interview, revealing her excellent upbringing and personal manners.

"Hmm... Actually, we met at the Cultural Festival last year, Nanase- senpai."

Kitagawa Ryo had originally intended to say, "Don't be so nervous," but seeing that the other person didn't seem nervous at all, he swallowed his words and didn't mention the club. Instead, they chatted casually as if it were just everyday conversation.

"Yes, I'm very grateful for the care I received from my senior that time, as well as Horikita Manabu. I'll try to thank them in person when I have the chance."

"It's been several days since you started school. Are you adjusting well to your studies and life at ANHS?"

"Yes, everyone in Class A has a great personality. Especially after learning about the existence of Class Points and how they might be linked to our daily conduct, everyone has become very serious. Our class advisor has also been encouraging us to actively participate in clubs. Speaking of which, I'm the only one in our class who passed the initial screening for the Drama Club."

In every respect, Nanase Tsubasa is a very eloquent girl. However, whether it's because she's a year younger than them, from the perspective of a junior, or simply because of her personality, Kitagawa Ryo always feels that there's something like a desire to share in what she says.

To use an imperfect analogy, it's a bit like a child excitedly telling their parents about what happened at school that day, or like a puppy that has retrieved a bone its owner threw away and is happily wagging its tail to show off.

"Yes, because we think Nanase is a good fit for our Drama Club. It's not just me; Honami and Megumi both think so too."

"That's right."

Karuizawa Kei nodded and took over the conversation. She hadn't noticed it when they only chatted briefly yesterday, but today, with Nanase Tsubasa sitting properly in front of her, she realized that the other person's hair and eye color were quite similar to hers, and unconsciously felt a sense of kinship with her again.

"Especially since Nanase said she was willing to do logistics and behind-the-scenes work first, our Drama Club is actually quite short of manpower in this area. In fact, before, Honami was the one who coordinated everything, and the rest of us would lend a hand whenever we were free."

"Almost."

Ichinose Honami nodded in agreement. In fact, this tradition of the Drama Club is also related to the way they acted in the Theater Troupe in the past. Back then, Kitagawa Ryo and Karuizawa Kei were the Actor, and she would occasionally come over to help with some logistics or work part-time through their introductions.

After all, as a disgrace to reborn people in a certain sense, Ichinose Honami's behavior pattern was quite simple for a long time. It can't be said that there was no change at all, but the extent of the change was definitely not what a reborn person should have, and her way of thinking was also quite simple.

Since the whole series of incidents was caused by not having enough money to buy that hair clip, wouldn't it have been better to just raise the money beforehand?

It's like playing a level-based game with a linear progression, completely disregarding changes and consequences, and not even attempting to address the root cause of the problem.

"Yes, I did mention that yesterday, but I'd still like to ask, what exactly does the so-called logistics and behind-the-scenes work entail?"

Nanase Tsubasa raised her hand and asked politely.

"The production, modification, and sewing of props and costumes, the testing and setup of the stage before the performance... In short, basically everything except the performance itself is considered behind-the-scenes work."

"I see."

She seemed to show a hint of disappointment, but Nanase Tsubasa quickly cheered up again:

"I mean, for example, sometimes when everyone is rehearsing and practicing until very late, do we still need to buy lunchboxes in advance?"

"Hmm, I have encountered this situation before, but Nanase, you don't need to worry too much. Our Drama Club always keeps a variety of teas and drinks on hand, so it should be fine to have something to eat for a short time. Of course, these are all free club perks."

"I see, I understand completely now."

After listening to Ichinose Honami's explanation, Nanase Tsubasa suddenly stood up from her seat, placed both hands on the table with great authority, lowered her head slightly, and spoke with considerable sincerity:

"Please let me join the Drama Club!"

Unlike the two vice-ministers who were unaware of the situation, Kitagawa Ryo simply looked away speechlessly. He had seen how the other party spent almost all of the Private Points he received from the school on his and Suzune's dessert shop project at the Cultural Festival, and even ate half of the portion that he had specially prepared for Yuki.

From this perspective, the other party's reason for joining the Drama Club was rather ulterior motive.

But it doesn't matter, since Kitagawa Ryo himself also needs a convenient Matoba to chat with this junior he chose.

Moreover, judging from the interview process just now, the other party was not the kind of useless person who only wanted to come in to show off their desserts and afternoon tea. I just asked a casual question, and the other party was able to report the current situation of the class directly, which should have been intentional.

Moreover, the other party seems to be quite compatible with Hui.

To be fair, his blond hair and blue eyes might naturally give him a canine appearance. In Ichinose Honami's simulation, Kitagawa Ryo had seen Megumi, who would wag her tail obediently at him with just a little kindness. Megumi stayed with him in the hospital for much longer than Honami had at that time, for a whole night.

But.

Kitagawa Ryo's gaze returned to the junior student in front of him.

This one is clearly much smarter, quicker-witted, and more lively.

Moreover, it's even bigger.

If you search for the name 'Kitagawa Ryo' on the internet using a search engine, you can find her encyclopedia entry, which is updated quite frequently and with great care, making things much more convenient for Tsubaki Sakurako herself.

From the moment the other party miraculously managed to get his sister, who had already suffered a mental breakdown and was so traumatized that she was unable to live a normal life, out of the ward, Tsubaki Sakurako never gave up investigating him.

She was certainly grateful to him, but after the initial gratitude came an intense curiosity that was almost impossible to dispel.

Unlike her parents, who were overjoyed and cried tears of happiness upon seeing their older sister "normal," feeling that the matter was resolved, Tsubaki Sakurako wanted to get to the bottom of things and find out the truth.

Just like her constant curiosity about what happened to her sister, this was driven by both innate curiosity and a desire to Salvation her.

To be honest, Tsubaki Sakurako had thought about it herself. If they had grown up together as sisters from the beginning, she would never have developed such feelings that were almost obsessive. But the truth is, she didn't even know she had an older sister who was a year older than her until the other girl was eliminated from the White Room covered in wounds.

In this regard, Tsubaki Sakurako's parents also set an example for her. It can only be said that when the White Room Project was first proposed, it was indeed quite glamorous, as pure and flawless as its name, which attracted her father, who was siding with Ayanokoji Atsuomi at the time, to send his newborn older sister into it.

Looking back at what happened afterward, it was undoubtedly a decision he would regret for the rest of his life.

However, precisely because of this, after Xue was eliminated, her biological parents immediately invested a lot of time and money in their daughter, wanting her to return to a normal life.

This philosophy naturally reached Tsubaki Sakurako as well.

Generally speaking, the reasons for discord among siblings in traditional families with multiple children are nothing more than a few: parental favoritism or unequal distribution of resources. However, such situations are clearly not applicable to their family's circumstances.

First of all, from the moment she appeared in front of Tsubaki Sakurako, Yuki herself was unable to communicate or interact normally with the outside world. She would not actively compete with herself for anything, and this was the case from beginning to end, which made her seem very pitiful.

In this respect, before those vague feelings of kinship were born, Tsubaki Sakurako felt that what first welled up in her heart was a kind of innate compassion, just like the wounded and dying little animals she saw on television.

From a psychological perspective, this is because she had already passed the stage of absolute egoism in childhood and was a senior elementary school student at that time, and empathy began to emerge and develop.

But if you asked Tsubaki Sakurako herself, it's probably because the two are biological sisters.

This blood relationship wasn't something that was introduced by her parents and added out of thin air; rather, it was a thought that Tsubaki Sakurako had the moment she saw the other person.

The two of them look remarkably alike.

Whether it's eye color, hair color, or the contours of her face, the difference lies only in the fact that she appears sickly thin and bewildered, completely different from her healthy self.

She saw herself in her sister, and then unconsciously fantasized about the two of them switching places. Finally, she suddenly felt sympathy and sorrow that the other sister was bearing all of this for her.

Looking back now, much of that was just wishful thinking and self-righteousness on my part at the time, like finding a significant and indispensable mission for myself in the midst of a boring daily life.

From that day on, Tsubaki Sakurako wanted to redeem her older sister.

Although the word "redemption" itself is a kind of unconscious arrogance.

But Tsubaki Sakurako won't think too much about it for now. Once she finds a goal, she'll work hard towards it. She's always been a very proactive person.

However, the clues quickly stalled on the concept of the White Room.

Since her sister couldn't communicate with her normally, she naturally couldn't say anything useful, especially since bringing up this matter in front of her was strictly forbidden.

Tsubaki Sakurako tried to find other children who had been eliminated like her sister, but later found that there were very few cases like theirs. Most families would not support such a bottomless pit of waste for long. The situation of those people was even worse than that of her sister, and she could hardly get any information out of them.

As time passed day by day, and just when Yuki's condition showed no improvement and Tsubaki Sakurako was about to give up, Kitagawa Ryo suddenly appeared.

Without a doubt, the other party was the truth itself that she had been searching for all these years.

Just as Tsubaki Sakurako was excitedly starting to look up Kitagawa Ryo's personal information, hoping to use him as a breakthrough to uncover the truth of what happened back then, she suddenly discovered that her older sister, who had recovered and was now like a normal person, was doing the same thing as her.

The other person went through all his social media posts, found all the reports and performance videos of him since his debut, and frantically collected all the information about him as if they wanted to get to know this boy named Kitagawa Ryo all over again. Then they locked themselves in their room, sometimes crying, sometimes laughing, sometimes silent, and sometimes muttering something through gritted teeth.

Of course, this is just something that Tsubaki Sakurako herself would find strange. Her parents, on the other hand, wouldn't care much. After all, compared to Yuki before, their daughter who is now willing to receive information from the outside world and can communicate with them normally is already a gift from heaven.

That's why they always went along with their sister's bizarre requests, including booking hotel rooms for her in various parts of Tokyo in advance on dates that weren't holidays, finding everything related to Kitagawa Ryo for her, and finding a junior high school for her to enroll in mid-term so that she could successfully apply to Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School this year.

At first, Tsubaki Sakurako thought that her sister was finally able to live like a normal person, but the longer she spent with her, the more she felt that her sister was not cured at all. Her whole behavior revealed an abnormality, as if she was out of place in the real world.

Her parents comforted her, saying that this was a normal phenomenon after being discharged from the hospital and re-entering society, and that there always needs to be an adjustment period, especially since her older sister had been hospitalized for such a long time.

She had no way to refute it, so she could only continue to silently follow her sister, watching her actions step by step.

At the Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School's Cultural Festival, she saw her older sister and Kitagawa Ryo walk together into the dormitory building, which was not open to the public, in the afternoon.

On Christmas Eve a month later, she followed her sister and watched her knock on the Kitagawa Family's door, only to return the next morning.

This Valentine's Day, she discovered that her sister was in a bad mood after going out for a stroll. Then, her sister was involved in a group fight against delinquents on campus. In April, because of this dark history, she was assigned to Class 1-D at ANHS.

Human desires may be limitless.

While Yuki lay curled up in her hospital bed, unable to escape the nightmare of the White Room, Tsubaki Sakurako only wished that the other could smile and chat and joke with her younger sister normally.

But once that was achieved, she wanted an even better, more perfect ending.

Because she felt that her sister was still not normal and capable of happiness, even though she knew that if she said it out loud, she would be criticized for being self-righteous or arrogant.

But she's been arrogant and self-important since she was little, and she's still been now, so let it be.

Before hearing her name called and entering the Drama Club's activity room, Tsubaki Sakurako decisively bit into the candy in her mouth, swallowed it, and then pushed open the door and went inside.

"I'm Tsubaki Sakurako from Class 1-B."

Once again, he met Kitagawa Ryo's gaze face to face.

Even though it wasn't their first meeting, and she had never denied the fact that her mother had gossiped about him at home about how handsome he was, for some reason, the last few meetings had given Tsubaki Sakurako a strange and subtle feeling, almost like a cat seeing catnip, always feeling a natural sense of closeness.

At first, she thought it was because she wanted to explore the hidden truth about the other person and her sister, which was the effect of curiosity. But reason told her that it was definitely not like that. It was a kind of approach that was closer to instinctive desire.

Tsubaki Sakurako didn't like this feeling.

After all, he was her sister's boyfriend.

Incidentally, she had heard this phrase countless times from Xue over the past year, almost as if she were asserting her sovereignty.

"I noticed on your application form that you mentioned having some experience with drama in the past year. Could you tell us about that opportunity?"

"Because of my older sister, who really likes Liang's dramas, I watched them with her."

As soon as she uttered that answer, Tsubaki Sakurako could clearly feel the girl named Ichinose Honami, who was sitting to Kitagawa Ryo's right, glancing in her direction.

"Oh, I see. No wonder."

Kitagawa Ryo wasn't surprised that Yuki was frantically collecting information about herself. In fact, the worldline reset was definitely more beneficial than harmful to Yuki, since Sakayanagi Arisu's losses in this regard were far greater than hers.

"Has Sakurako ever thought about performing in plays? Becoming a stage Actor?"

Since they were indeed quite familiar with each other, Kitagawa Ryo didn't address him as "classmate" in a formal way, but instead called him by his name directly.

"Although I've had this idea, I feel that my current skill level is still too high to handle it, so I hope to focus on learning from the experience and skills of my seniors in the early stages. I really like the acting of both Captain Kitagawa and Vice Captain Karuizawa."