Chapter 710 - side: viewer
『ARE YOU SERIOUSLY PULLING TEN IN A ROW?!』
And so, a familiar voice echoed throughout the venue… yet it was a voice that differed from the real-world 'him' in atmosphere, tension, and that certain something one might call 'presence.'
They were supposed to be the same person, yet they were clearly different.
At this very moment, watching their friend—who was undeniably not Haru Kasuga, but Haru—inside the screen, the group of four university students were all, to varying degrees…
"……………Man, I seriously respect that guy now…"
"It's hilarious how he's playing the fool, the straight man, the teaser, and the one being teased, all at once."
At this point, all they could do was watch with a mixture of admiration and disbelief.
"…Whether he's doing it naturally, calculating it all, or just fumbling through a state of saturated nervousness… that's just talent, pure and simple."
"…………He's… amazing, isn't he? Nozo—mph!"
As Mizuki added to the words spoken by the two childhood friends, Kaede, who tried to follow, had her mouth mercilessly clamped shut by her best friend sitting next to her. She'd been in this state ever since watching 'his' match, but even if she was only murmuring, she was getting a little too carried away.
"Kaede, be careful. Pull yourself together."
"Uu, sorry…!"
The spectator seats in Yotsuya Dome were elegantly designed to be stress-free and not cramped, but they couldn't forget that there were other people on either side of their group of four.
It was one thing to get excited along with everyone else, but as de facto 'insiders,' they needed to be careful about how they got excited… or so she should have known.
"Well, when you see it happen right in front of you, what can you do…"
The other three understood. Because they too, though to varying degrees—
"Yeah, how could you not fall for him?"
"F-Fall…! Th-That's not what this is…!"
"Isn't it? —Because I totally fell for him."
"I fell for him too, for sure."
"I've fallen for him all over again. …Well then, Kaede, you're the only one left out."
"Wh-Whaaat…?! I-If that's how it's going to be, then, I-I have too…!"
The image was projected via augmented reality. Though it still existed in a different dimension, it was a scene reflected in their own eyes, right before them. The result was inevitable.
Combined with the fact that he was a close friend, it was impossible for them—in some ways, even more ardent fans than the general public—not to get swept up in the match they had just witnessed.
Unaware that the friends he himself had invited were unavoidably growing more feverish, 'he,' who was cheerfully bantering on one of the countless floating screens, continued—
『The ten letters are done. Now for the next one.』
『You've gotta be kidding me, an eleventh one in a row?! You're not rigging this, are you?!』
Whether there was any nervousness left in his heart or not, he continued to show his friends and the world how he could act so cheerfully and fearlessly among true titans.
◇◆◇◆◇
『You've gotta be kidding me, an eleventh one in a row?! You're not rigging this, are you?!』
And so, a familiar voice echoed throughout the room… yet it was a voice that differed from the real-world 'him' in atmosphere, tension, and that certain something one might call 'presence.'
It was the voice of 'him' (Haru), which she had started to check frequently in archived videos after naturally taking an interest in him as her best friend's crush.
His virtual persona, different from his real-world one. This familiar duality was being broadcast live on the monitor, watched from the comfort of her own room—a world away from the heat-filled venue—
"Yeah… that's a natural talent. He's definitely the type who stops worrying about his surroundings once he's in the zone. He's got guts, too. He's fundamentally suited for a job where he's in the spotlight."
"………………"
"I'm so jealous of how good he is under pressure. No matter how many years I do this job, the best I can do is pretend not to be nervous. I can't shake being a timid little chick, always messing up behind the scenes, seriously."
"………………"
"………………"
"………………"
"—Hey, Nia-cha. Isn't it a bit much to not only summon someone to your room but to then use them as a sofa and completely ignore them? My legs are starting to fall asleep, you know???"
"………………"
"Can't we at least have a conversation? Huh? I'll tickle you. I'm gonna tickle you, you know???"
"………………………………"
"Ah, right, so— that's it, I'm mad now! So you choose love over friendship, you traitor!"
"—?! Mmph…!!? Gckk!!!?!?!?"
One person nestled on her friend's (Hiyori's) lap. And the one holding her friend (Nia) on her lap.
While the former was completely engrossed in her crush on the screen, and the latter launched an attack born of sixty percent jealousy, thirty percent melancholy, and ten percent anger, starting a playful scuffle, 'he' continued—
『“What's your motto?”』
『Ah… “What you can do if you try, you can do if you try, so let's believe we can and work hard.”』
『…………Haru-kun?』
『What is it? That is, in all seriousness, my motto.』
—to spread his cheerful, elusive, and silly persona to the world, never letting on what was truly going through his mind.