Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093093152263860/episodes/16818622176203698404
We left the event space and came to the food court corner.
“Kaede-san was as cute as ever,”
Toka said as she sat down on a chair and swung her legs back and forth.
“Yes, she was cute!”
Yuzuha agreed wholeheartedly. I couldn’t agree, but I couldn’t disagree either. That’s because I only saw her for a moment! But if I did agree, I feel like it would cause a big problem.
“Kagurazaka started acting because she was influenced by Toka.”
“That’s right. When she joined the agency, she was very affectionate and cute, calling me ‘Onee chan’ all the time.”
Toka is a big sister? Looking at Toka now, I can’t imagine that at all.
“Oh, Onii chan. My father called. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
Yuzuha left her seat with her cell phone. Maybe she was being considerate? No, knowing Yuzuha, maybe it was just my imagination.
“…Toka, can I ask you something?”
“Yes?”
“What is the relationship between Toka and Kagurazaka Kaede?”
“Hmm…”
In response to my question, Toka’s eyes became distant, as if she were remembering the past.
“At first, she was a junior. Then she became a rival. Maybe she was also a friend.”
“A friend…?”
When I asked her that question without thinking, Toka smiled a little sadly.
“I’ve always envied her. She was cheerful, honest, and a good actress. She seemed to have everything that I didn’t have.”
Toka continued, twisting her fingers on her lap.
“There was a time when I thought that if she hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have been called a ‘failure’. To be honest, I resented her. Without her permission.”
After saying that, Toka looked up at the sky for a moment.
“But you know what? Now, I feel a little sorry for her. Because I’m sure her shelf life will come to an end too.”
…Toka had previously compared the profession of a child actor to a product with a shelf life. New children appear one after another. As they grow up, their value decreases.
As I recall, Toka stopped appearing in the media around the time she entered junior high school… That means Kagurazaka will be gone in about a year.
“It’s very painful to see your value decrease as you grow up. You can’t do anything about your body growing up.”
“Toka…”
“Hey, don’t make that face! I don’t think that way at all now. In fact, I want to grow up quickly.”
Saying that, Toka smiled carefree. Seeing her like that, I felt relieved from the bottom of my heart.
“That’s why I told Kagurazaka to keep going.”
“It’s just a feeling, but it was like seeing a younger version of myself.”
“Well, but you were pretty cold at the end…”
“Because I didn’t want to interrupt her work any further.”
“You’re so considerate.”
I don’t think it was a behavior that benefited Toka at all, but I was somehow happy that she was so kind to someone she said she resented. I feel like I’ve found another good thing about Toka.
“I think that’s a really wonderful thing about you, Toka.”
“Huh!?”
“I’m really glad I became your boyfriend. Trying to understand other people’s feelings is one of your good qualities, Toka.”
“Wait a minute! That’s a surprise attack!”
“But I really think so…”
“Ryo kun, you have that tendency sometimes…”
Toka fanned her face with her hand. Her face was completely red.
“By the way, is it okay that Kagurazaka said that?”
“That?”
“She said she wants to do theater with you again.”
“No, I won’t. I’ve quit.”
Toka replied bluntly.
Toka herself says so, but to be honest, I feel it’s a waste. Does she no longer have the desire to act purely for the sake of acting, regardless of the entertainment industry?
“I found you…!”
As we were talking, a girl came dashing from behind the food court.
It wasn’t Yuzuha.
She had light skin and chestnut-colored hair that reached her shoulders. She had wide-set eyes and a straight nose. Her brown eyes were striking, and she looked like she might be half-Japanese.
“It’s really you, Onee channnn!”
Someone I’ve seen on TV is right in front of me!
Oh my gosh! The very person we were just talking about, Kagurazaka Kaede, has appeared! She’s still wearing the stage costume from earlier!
“W-Why are you here onee chan!?”
“Who are you?”
Toka replied with a serious expression. Moreover, she read it straight from the script. Sorry, I don’t think I can act anymore.
“It’s Kaede! You spoke to me earlier! That wasn’t a dream, right? Hey, you’re onee chan, aren’t you?”
“Are you mistaking me for someone else? I don’t have a younger sister. I do have a girl who is going to be my sister-in-law, though.”
“No, no, no, no! I don’t understand! The only younger sister of Asahina Toka is Kagurazaka Kaede, right?”
Toka looks obviously annoyed at Kagurazaka, who is closing in on her.
“What a troublesome girl…”
“You said it! You said it in front of me!”
Toka was quite cold to her junior, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time. I started to feel sorry to Kagurazaka
“Hey, hey, what have you been doing all this time? Why are you here? The rumors about you retiring are false, right?”
“Kaede-san. I’m on a date right now, so don’t bother me.”
“O-one chan date!!!!??”
Shut up! Kagurazaka is so surprised that she looks like she’s about to fall through the floor.
“The Toka I know is aloof, cool, and doesn’t fall for anyone, she’s the perfect older sister…!”
“Who’s that?”
I couldn’t help but interject. Somehow, this is completely different from the image I had of Kagurazaka…
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