Chapter 26: Dancing Press Conference (1)

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Translator: Soafp

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Director Tatsumi × “Rangaku: The Beginning of Knowledge,” Film “Two and One” Press Conference.

Reading through the explanation sheet with that title, I—Hajime Aizawa, also known by my pen name Hajime Rangaku —was currently waiting backstage at the film’s press conference.

Soft lighting illuminated the walls, while the marble counter was lined with mineral water and an assortment of fruits. The walls were adorned with beautiful movie posters.

The black leather sofa, uniform in its luxury, enveloped my body as I sank into it, almost as if it wanted to swallow me whole. The faint hum of the air conditioning maintained the room's tranquility, and the delicate scent of flowers placed here and there gently filled the air.

Even as an ordinary person like myself, I couldn't help but feel as though I had become someone important in the industry, thanks to this luxurious room.

But something felt off.

Specifically, the two people sitting on either side of me.

“Here, sensei, say ‘ahh.'”

Kagura said from my right, just as Marin on my left pouted and protested.

“Hey, that's unfair! It's my turn next!”

“There were no rules about taking turns.”

Kagura brazenly retorted.

…No, that's not the issue here.

This room was supposed to be prepared for me, but somehow Marin and Kagura, dressed in glamorous outfits for the press conference, had barged in with lunch and were now forcing me to accept bites of food from them.

“Um, you two… what exactly is going on here?”

Unable to withstand the embarrassment any longer, I asked, and they both looked at me with puzzled expressions.

As always, they were picture-perfect beauties, as if they had stepped right out of a high-fashion runway. Marin's dress was simple yet elegant, highlighting her porcelain-like fair skin.

Kagura, on the other hand, was wearing a daring dress with a slit that she pulled off effortlessly, even the faint scent of her perfume seemed meticulously calculated.

Sandwiched between these two, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was completely out of place.

They were bathed in the glamorous spotlight of the entertainment world, while I was… just plain me. This stark contrast left me feeling unsettled.

Then, Marin smiled and spoke up.

“Hm? What do you mean, sensei? This is what childhood friends do, right?”

“Yeah, sensei! This is just common sense nowadays. Now, say ‘ahh.’”

I blinked in surprise.

“Huh? W-wait, no, that's definitely not how I remember childhood friends behaving!”

Despite my flustered reaction, they continued pretending they didn't understand, persistently offering me more food.

They were referring to the time they visited my house.

[Can we… be your childhood friends, sensei?] they had asked.

What they meant by that was clear—they wanted to act like the childhood friends I had written about in my novel Two and One.

But something was off.

The childhood friends I wrote about didn't have scenes where they made me do embarrassing things like this…

Could it be that the film's script included something like this?

“So, sensei, how do you like my dress?”

Marin suddenly asked, twirling like a princess at a ball, causing the hem of her dress to flutter gracefully. The soft fabric swayed with her movement, and the delicate lace shimmered in the light.

“How do I look?”

Marin asked with a playful look, gazing at me like a child eager for praise.

Her usual elegant demeanor was replaced by a slightly more coquettish air.

“I-it looks great… I-I mean, it really suits you.”

As I awkwardly said those words, Marin’s face lit up, and her cheeks blushed happily.

“Hehe, I'm glad.”

She murmured softly, her voice oddly cute, causing me to avert my gaze in embarrassment.

Just as I was feeling overwhelmed, Kagura smirked and gently lifted my chin, turning my head toward her with a confident move.

“And how about me, sensei? Is my dress a bit too bold?”

Tracing a finger along the low-cut neckline of her dress, she threw a provocative glance my way, leaning in teasingly.

Her deliberate movements completely flustered me.

“Hey, sensei?”

As she whispered close to my ear, her sweet perfume filled the air, and I couldn't hide my discomfort any longer.

“W-wait, hold on…!”

“Fufu, sensei, your face is so red. How cute.”

Kagura whispered playfully.

Her voice right next to my ear made me feel like I was at my limit.

“That's not fair! Sensei, pay attention to me too!”

Marin pouted, pressing herself against my back.

With her deliberately sweet voice whispering close to my ear, a shiver ran down my spine.

“H-Hey, both of you…!”

—Knock knock.

The sound of a knock on the dressing room door echoed through the room, bringing an abrupt halt to our actions.

All three of us froze in place.

Snapping back to my senses, I hurriedly reached for my rabbit mask and put it on in a rush.

By the way, this rabbit mask was something I had brought with me just in case.

As expected, the mask that Hizaki-san had prepared was some goofy superhero mask, which I had promptly discarded.

Alright…

Sweat beaded on my forehead, gradually spreading inside the mask.

“Sensei, that suits you too well, it’s adorable.”

Kagura chuckled, while Marin smiled sweetly and added,

“You look like a mascot.”

Even in this tense situation, they both wore relaxed expressions.

Letting out a small sigh in the back of my throat, I carefully walked toward the door.

As my fingers touched the knob, my heart leaped.

“Yes?”

Trying to maintain my composure, I opened the door to find a tall blonde man standing before me.

“Oh, you’re really hiding your face, huh? Nice to meet you, Sensei. I heard you were here, so I came to introduce myself.”

The man, with his handsome features and a refreshing smile, smoothly started a conversation. His demeanor was confident, radiating the self-assurance typical of someone who had spent a long time in the entertainment industry.

“Who are you?”.

He laughed lightly and, with practiced ease, introduced himself.

“I apologize for the delay. I’m Koda Subaru, and I’ll be playing the adult version of the protagonist in this movie.”

Koda Subaru.

The moment I heard that name, a small sense of unease crept into me. I wasn't well-versed in the entertainment world, so I didn't know much about Koda Subaru. But something was off with Marin and Kagura's reactions behind me.

Their expressions instantly changed, and they subtly moved behind me, avoiding eye contact.

Their shoulders tensed, and Kagura, unusually silent, bit her lip.

Marin, too, had lost her usual graceful smile, looking awkwardly downward.

I couldn't understand why they reacted this way, but something about this man was definitely not right—I was sure of that.

“Oh? Marin and Kagura, you're here too.”

Koda spoke to them cheerfully, but his eyes held a cold, dry quality beneath the surface.

Despite his soft expression, there was an unreadable, almost mechanical aura about him, sending a creeping sense of unease up my spine.

“It feels like you’re avoiding me, doesn't it? If something's bothering you, we could always have a chat later to clear up any misunderstandings.”

He added with a smile.

Despite his seemingly friendly tone, Marin and Kagura's shoulders trembled slightly.

While my instincts screamed to be cautious, I tried to maintain a calm demeanor behind my mask.

“Would you mind shaking my hand?”

He asked, extending his hand toward me.

“O-Of course…”

As I awkwardly reached out, I was met with a far stronger grip than I had anticipated.

“Ouch…!”

I grimaced involuntarily.

“Oh, sorry about that. I guess I was just too excited to shake the hand of such a great writer.”

Koda said, his voice dripping with feigned innocence.

Just then, a voice from down the hall called out.

“Excuse me, it’s time! Please prepare for entry!”

“Well then, see you at the venue.”

Koda said, waving lightly as he turned and walked away.

Watching him go, I glanced down at my right hand, which still throbbed with a dull pain from his grip.

What ridiculous strength.

I instinctively rubbed my hand to ease the discomfort. Marin and Kagura, now visibly worried, looked at me with concern.

Marin gently tugged on my sleeve, and Kagura furrowed her brow, peeking at my hand.

“Sensei, are you okay?”

Marin asked softly, her eyes filled with clear anxiety.

Even Kagura, usually full of confidence, was biting her lip as she gazed at my hand.

“I'm fine. It just caught me off guard.”

I replied, trying to sound as calm as possible, offering them a reassuring smile.

However, they still didn't seem convinced. Seeing them like this, I suddenly remembered something.

“Hey, you two… Do you not like Koda-san?”

Marin and Kagura exchanged glances, hesitating briefly. Then, almost at the same time, they both nodded.

“…Actually, through his agency, we've been pressured several times.”

Marin admitted in a low voice.

“His agency is pretty big, so they've been pushing us to have a meal with him…”

“Thankfully, our president has managed to come up with excuses to avoid it so far.”

Kagura added.

Their words made me frown.

Marin and Kagura's agency was relatively new, so they were clearly at a disadvantage.

It was obvious that their position was far weaker compared to Koda’s agency.

“That's… really tough.”

I muttered, unsure of how to respond.

But I felt frustrated at myself for not noticing that they had been struggling with this for so long.

They always seemed so poised at work, as if they were far more capable than I was, yet they had been enduring this pressure.

I looked at them and, wanting to offer some encouragement, said gently,

“You've both been going through a lot. But I really admire you both. You've continued to work hard no matter the situation, and you're still trying to face forward, even in times like this. So… don't let it weigh on you. If anything happens, I'll do whatever I can to help.”

Marin blinked, surprised by my words, and Kagura bit her lip, holding back her emotions.

“Sensei…”

Marin whispered softly, while Kagura gave a small smile.

Their expressions seemed to ease just a little.

I hoped that, somehow, my words would help lighten the weight they were carrying, even if only slightly. I nodded gently.

“Sensei, it's time.”

Kagura reminded me, pulling on my sleeve. The time to head to the venue was quickly approaching.

“Got it. Thanks.”

I replied, taking a deep breath to steady myself.

With a newfound resolve, the three of us walked toward the venue together.