Chapter 169: Neither Dazzling Nor Scorching (7,100 characters!) (Patreon)

Something's not right, Minami Yuji thought, chin resting on his hand. It really wasn't right.

Counting the previous episode, LoveforReal was already on its fourth installment.

And it was starting from this very episode...

Minami Yuji hummed thoughtfully and looked to the other side.

There, Akane Kurokawa was gripping a notebook, writing down word for word the dating-show tips Sumi Yuki was sharing with her.

Seen from an ordinary angle, this was just Akane Kurokawa asking someone for advice — no different from usual.

But... "Aww... why does it feel like Akane-chan's being so eager today...?"

Beside Minami Yuji, the dyed-blonde MEM rested a finger on her smooth chin, her other hand scratching at her head, the little devil-wing charm dangling behind her hair trembling along with the motion. Her gaze turned toward Akane Kurokawa with a touch of concern.

Akane seemed the same as always, but clearly, every gesture betrayed a kind of anxiousness — whether in the way she jotted her notes or in the impatience she couldn't quite hide in her eyes.

"Minami Yuji—" MEM called.

Minami Yuji didn't answer.

If even MEM could sense it that keenly, of course he could feel it too.

And he could more or less guess the reason behind Akane Kurokawa's anxiety.

They always said the more earnest a person was, the easier they were to wound.

Akane Kurokawa was exactly like that — earnest, gentle, putting real effort into everything and everyone she dealt with.

Yet it was exactly this kind of person who, watching her own popularity keep sliding, piled the pressure onto herself all the harder.

But that was just how the entertainment life sometimes worked. The more anxious you got, the more you pressured yourself, the less likely you were to perform at your true level — and the more you lost the judgment a performer needed.

Kana Arima at eight had been just like that.

And now Akane Kurokawa was the same.

So Minami Yuji thought. And then—

"Um, c-can I sit here?"

The voice came out small.

Minami Yuji, sitting on the bench lost in thought, lifted his head on reflex, and there she was — a girl with dark purple hair falling past her ear.

Her fingers were laced together, giving off a distinctly awkward air. Clearly, this kind of gesture didn't come naturally to her at all.

"Uh... sure, I guess."

Minami Yuji nodded on reflex and half rose, meaning to make room for Akane Kurokawa.

But— "S-Senior Minami, you don't need to move. I'll just sit right next to you."

"Huh?!"

Hearing that, MEM beside him blinked her blue-tinted contact-lensed eyes, deliberately cupping a hand catlike beside her mouth, a teasing look spreading across her small, cute face.

"Wow — Akane-chan, so bold! Are you making a move on Senior Minami?"

This was supposed to be MEM deliberately drumming up some material for Akane Kurokawa.

At a moment like this, all she needed was a quick excuse, or a bit of social savvy to tease back.

Instead... "Ngh!"

Earnest by nature and no good at playing the jealous-rival act on camera, Akane Kurokawa's face flushed red instantly.

Her steps, which had been moving forward, faltered on the spot.

But— 'I want to see Akane leave real results on this show!'

Her agency president's furious voice rang suddenly in her ears.

Her frozen feet moved forward once more.

Practically staring down the camera, stiff all over, she forced her way between Minami Yuji and MEM.

Then, trying her best to ignore MEM's gaze behind her, she greeted Minami Yuji on her own.

But... huh...? Something felt strange...?

Akane Kurokawa froze.

It really was strange. She was sitting right beside Minami Yuji, the most eye-catching figure on the whole show. She was even chatting with him.

So why couldn't she feel even a shred of fun in this scene? Why wasn't there any sense of it working for the show?

Because, taken as a whole, wasn't this shot just her, alone, barging in on MEM and Minami Yuji's warm little chat?

Not cute. Not eye-catching.

Just her making a scene — and dragging Minami Yuji and MEM into the same awkwardness with her.

Minami Yuji was, without question, a good person.

After every taping wrapped, he never put on any senior airs — he'd taken the whole rookie group out for barbecue, signed autographs for them, and made a point of sharing his tips for the show.

MEM was a good person too. She was kind-hearted, checking in on Akane now and then, offering advice on improving her image.

But herself...?

What was she even doing?

Not only had she failed to produce any results, she'd dragged MEM and Minami Yuji down with her.

Her stiff intrusion had left all three of them mired in unbearable awkwardness.

Only now realizing exactly what a foolish thing she'd done, Akane Kurokawa froze.

Just imagining how viewers might react once the next episode of LoveforReal aired, she could almost hear the sound of rocks tumbling somewhere near her feet.

When she looked down on reflex, she found that, without knowing when, she'd somehow ended up at the edge of a cliff.

A cliff. A bottomless cliff.

Without realizing it, she'd already arrived at its very edge.

But the problem was, she couldn't stop now!

Because right behind her, the cameras were still rolling!

Every move she made now — including forcing her way in and leaving MEM out in the cold — whether she liked it or not, all of it would be laid bare to viewers through the lens!

What would viewers think when they saw this footage? How would they see her?

But as already said, she couldn't stop. Because the one who'd driven her onto this path was herself!

Behind her, the camera slowly pushed in.

Probably just trying to get better footage.

But Akane Kurokawa could clearly feel it as a great pair of hands — hands about to shove her straight off this ten-thousand-foot cliff.

Right as one of her feet was about to slip off the edge—

"Hey." A soft sigh sounded suddenly by her ear.

Right after, an inexplicable sensation touched her palm.

Her blue-green eyes, dazzling in the sunlight, snapped wide open.

Then came the startled voices of Kumano Nobuyuki, Sumi Yuki, and the others nearby.

Because right before their eyes, Minami Yuji had gone and taken Akane Kurokawa's hand of his own accord.

And this was in front of the camera, no less.

Doing something like that — especially a guy initiating it toward a girl — took real nerve.

After all, a guy's position was different from a girl's. The same gesture — say, a girl reaching to hold a guy's hand — could be described as shy and cute.

But if a guy did it to a girl without her permission, viewers might well read it as harassment.

But what none of them — nor Akane Kurokawa herself — expected was what Minami Yuji did next.

Minami Yuji blinked his clear black eyes at Akane Kurokawa, and with the air of a young lord drifting above the mundane world, spoke straight to the camera.

"Kurokawa, could the two of us go talk somewhere — just us?"

"Whoa—!"

Everyone was stunned.

Ando Eichi practically lit up, waving excitedly at the cameraman behind him.

Taking her hand on his own initiative, then proposing a "private talk" between the two of them.

What was he up to?! What kind of trick was this?

The show's only on its fourth episode!

People in the industry all said Minami Yuji was a god at controlling a show's effect.

But could this guy really pull off something this explosive every single time?

Only four episodes in, and he was already about to pull out another trick?!

It didn't take long to walk from the courtyard where everyone had gathered to the school rooftop.

The early-spring afternoon sun wasn't harsh. It spilled over the shoulders of the young man in front of Akane Kurokawa, softening his handsome face into a faint blur.

Behind him stretched a sky of endless, deep blue.

But... what was Senior Minami really up to...?

Akane Kurokawa's cherry-pink lips moved. Questions filled her mind.

But before she could put them into words, they scattered away beneath the blue sky.

Because— her pale, slender fingers froze in midair.

Her blue-green eyes, only just settled, widened slightly again.

Akane Kurokawa had lost count of how many times she'd made this expression today.

Because Minami Yuji, without any warning at all, had just gone and wrapped both arms around her!

Such warmth...

And that scent! He smelled so good!

Seen up close like this, wasn't his face just too gorgeous?

Was this the beauty of Senior Minami, the industry's number one...? No, wait!

Akane Kurokawa finally snapped back to her senses.

I... am I being... b-being hugged?!

Realizing it, as a girl, her first reflex was naturally to push out her hands and try to break free.

But then— "Just hold still like this. Play along."

Minami Yuji's voice suddenly sounded by her ear.

"The camera's still rolling behind us."

"Huh?"

She followed the direction of his voice on reflex.

Only then did Akane Kurokawa notice that even in a moment this private, the reality show's camera crew had trailed them like shadows.

And what surprised her even more, without question, was Minami Yuji's command over the show.

The instant he'd sensed the cameraman catching up, he'd made his move — the hug had washed away the awkward air she'd caused a moment ago, and given the show fresh material worth watching all over again.

No wonder he was Senior Minami!

Admiration filled Akane Kurokawa's eyes.

But soon, that bright shine of admiration dimmed.

Yeah... he really was amazing... no wonder he was Senior Minami Yuji...

Even though he'd told her before that all of it was just acting, calculated for the show's effect, he could still, with total ease, use that same acting to shake her to this degree.

And then, looking back at herself? Wasn't she just being led around by the nose?

Still, this was fine, in its way. At least this episode's material—

"I didn't bring you up here just for the sake of the show."

"Huh?"

Tilting her head back slightly, Akane Kurokawa looked up at Minami Yuji.

Not just for the show?

Perhaps sensing the doubt in her mind, Minami Yuji, still holding her, kept his voice low and went on.

"Your popularity's been sliding, so you've been deliberately trying to stand out — but you can't quite find the right line yet, and that's why you almost caused a problem just now. Am I wrong?"

"Ergh—!"

Akane Kurokawa tipped her head back. Her face — refined and gentle, utterly unlike MEM's cute, sprightly air — was now lit with pure disbelief.

Because Minami Yuji's words had, without a doubt, hit every one of her hidden thoughts dead-on.

"What's there to be so surprised about." Seeing her like this, Minami Yuji shot her an amused glance instead. "Or did you think you were hiding it well?"

Her anxiety over her popularity — even without Minami Yuji, others had noticed it too.

In the original storyline, there was even a scene where her parents anxiously asked about her mental state.

But not wanting to worry them, Akane Kurokawa never confided in her parents, bottling everything up instead — until endless online harassment became more than she could bear, and everything finally broke open.

Minami Yuji could, in fact, have simply let things run their course — let Akane Kurokawa hit rock bottom, then use his own influence to swoop in and save her, just like in the original storyline.

That way, without even needing to think about it, once Akane Kurokawa's contract with her old agency ended, his Minami Pro would gain another acting prodigy on par with Kana Arima.

But— a decent adult simply couldn't bring himself to do something like that.

He shook his head, helpless.

Minami Yuji looked at the girl in front of him — her face still pale, her blue-purple hair still faintly disheveled, not fully composed even now.

She was just a sixteen-year-old girl — plainly speaking, just a naive kid who didn't understand the world yet.

Exploiting a sixteen-year-old kid, waiting for her to break down, then swooping in like some savior to scoop her up and grow his own agency with her...

That was something an adult with a genuinely proper upbringing simply could not do.

And, most crucially — Minami Yuji had no intention of racking up any more debts to women.

Kana Arima and Sakurajima Mai alone already gave him enough headaches. Add Akane Kurokawa on top? Wouldn't that just make it worse?

So— "Kurokawa, I told you before that everything I do on this show is acting. But what I'm about to say now comes entirely from the heart."

He reached out both hands. Not for another embrace — instead, he gripped her slender shoulders.

His black eyes lifted, and he said—

"Don't do things that make you hate yourself, just for the sake of the show."

"...Huh?"

If, before, Akane Kurokawa's momentary shock had come from Minami Yuji seeing right through her, then these words of his now cut straight into the depths of her heart.

Did she hate herself...? Before, certainly not.

But now, she could say it plainly — she loathed, even despised, who she'd become.

Playing out some jealous-rival-fighting-over-a-man act in front of the cameras.

Scheming every which way to produce results for the show — even deliberately shutting MEM out.

Never once considering how that selfish behavior might affect MEM and Minami Yuji afterward.

After all, both MEM and Minami Yuji had done nothing wrong.

And Minami Yuji, especially, was someone she still looked up to even now.

But— a faint sob escaped her, and tears welled in her eyes.

"If I don't do this, what else am I supposed to do?"

Akane Kurokawa was an earnest, unadorned girl by nature. That had been true in the original storyline. It was true here too.

And so, even with Minami Yuji pointing straight at the weak spot in her heart without mercy, she showed no willfulness, no unreasonable outburst — she didn't even cry and shout in front of a senior like him, let alone lash out in shame and anger.

She simply raised her hands and covered her face, sobbing helplessly.

Yeah. She didn't want to do these things that made her hate herself either.

But if she didn't... what else could she do?

Her popularity's decline was something you could see with the naked eye.

Whether it was her agency president, the viewers, or even her parents' well-meaning check-ins — all of it, in some way, had turned into pressure.

If she didn't change, then what could she possibly offer to meet their expectations?

But the problem was, she simply couldn't find the trick to it!

Like a traveler walking through fog, unable to find a direction, unable to find a goal.

As she said all this, the deep helplessness on her pretty face was enough to break your heart at a single glance.

"It's simple. Just do what you're best at."

Minami Yuji's voice rose again. There seemed to be some kind of magic in his voice.

Just the sound of it made Akane Kurokawa, tear tracks still on her face, lift her head on reflex.

"What I'm best at...?"

"That's right." Minami Yuji shrugged.

"Forcing yourself to change, forcing yourself in between me and MEM — how did that turn out, do you think?"

Akane Kurokawa—

How did it turn out...

Honestly, thinking back on how she'd forced herself between Minami Yuji and MEM just now, spouting small talk like "nice weather we're having" and "have you eaten yet" — even she, the one who'd lived through it, found it unbearably awkward.

If even she felt that way, how much worse for the viewers watching?

"That's exactly why I said don't do things that make you hate yourself."

Minami Yuji held up one finger and laid out his view.

"Put plainly, a dating show is basically just like acting in a drama or a film. You love this industry, and that's why you can perform so perfectly in it. But flip it around — if you can't even move yourself on the show, how are you supposed to move the audience?"

"So what Senior Minami means is...?"

She raised a hand and wiped what tears she could off her face.

Listening to Minami Yuji's words, Akane Kurokawa felt like she was grasping at something — but not quite catching hold of it.

Minami Yuji, in answer, held up a second finger and smiled.

"It's simple. Do what I do — treat this whole dating show as pure acting, and just perform it."

Exactly! Acting was the ultimate trump card they had as performers!

Was Minami Yuji a Playboy? Of course not!

He was simply putting on the corresponding performance to serve the show's filming, nothing more.

By the same logic, Akane Kurokawa could naturally adopt the same approach.

"And don't forget—" he said, "in stage and theater, aren't you already known as 'genius Akane Kurokawa'?"

Akane Kurokawa's eyes slowly widened.

If, before, she'd been a traveler groping blindly through fog, unable to find any direction, then now, having heard everything Minami Yuji said—

the thick fog that had always shrouded her eyes finally cleared away completely.

No! It wasn't just that!

She wanted to act so badly! Her breath quickened.

She wanted to act!

A feeling she'd never known before surged inside her.

Akane Kurokawa understood — that was the instinct of a genuinely talented performer, surfacing the moment a fresh challenge appeared: the itch to try.

Because she'd never once thought to use acting to express herself on a reality show like this!

It was like a light switching on!

In this moment, Akane Kurokawa truly understood, for the first time, exactly what it meant for a fog in your mind to suddenly clear.

Except...

"'Genius Akane Kurokawa,' huh... Senior Minami, are you making fun of me...?"

Her cheeks flushing faintly, Akane Kurokawa shot Minami Yuji an embarrassed look.

If it had been said to some other rookie actor, being called a genius wouldn't have bothered her — she'd have taken it as just a bit of social flattery.

But in front of a once-in-a-millennium genius like Minami Yuji... having "genius" pinned on her too — that felt just a bit too much.

"You've got enough spare energy to joke around now — looks like you've finally pulled yourself together, Kurokawa."

Watching her like this, Minami Yuji smiled and nodded.

Then he stepped up beside her, standing shoulder to shoulder.

"Straighten your back a bit. Don't forget, the camera's still rolling. Come on, give it a smile — that'll sell the 'couple made up after a fight' feel even better, right?"

"Um... Senior Minami."

Facing the camera alongside Minami Yuji, Akane Kurokawa chose her words carefully.

"Hm?"

Minami Yuji was clearly still in show mode, keeping up that air of a young lord drifting easy above the mundane world even facing the lens.

Hearing her, he tilted his head slightly.

"Why would Senior Minami help me like this?"

She asked the question she couldn't wrap her head around at all.

Because to her, Minami Yuji was, without question, the one performer on the whole cast with the least to worry about.

After all, with his fame, he had no need whatsoever to lean on a reality show for exposure.

Not to mention he'd already been quite kind to her before this.

In the very first episode, instead of picking Sumi Yuki, who photographed more easily, he'd chosen her and MEM to hype up as the show's couple pairing.

As a senior, that alone had already gone above and beyond.

And today, he'd even risked ruining his own scene alongside hers just to talk her through her doubts.

Wasn't that already far beyond what a senior owed a junior?

"Hm, you really want to know?" Under her gaze, Minami Yuji hummed thoughtfully.

"Yes!" Without a shred of hesitation, she nodded hard.

She really did want to know just what value she had — enough to earn help like this from Minami Yuji, the man hailed as the industry's number-one young actor.

Was there some deep, meaningful reason behind it worth puzzling over?

Her face full of anticipation, she hoped to hear the answer from his own lips.

But very quickly, everything went dark before her eyes.

Because this was what Minami Yuji said—

"Hm... I guess it's really just because you're cute, Kurokawa."

Wait, what?

Akane Kurokawa genuinely couldn't process it.

What kind of answer was "because you're cute"? Was that even supposed to be a reason?!

A bright flush rose to her face. She let out a couple of cute "mgh—mgh—" sounds, puffing her cheeks out crossly.

"Please don't tease me, Senior Minami! I was being serious, you know!"

Yeah. She'd asked that question in complete earnest.

And yet Minami Yuji had gone and made a joke out of it!

But what she hadn't expected was that Minami Yuji turned to look at her, dead serious.

"No, I wasn't joking at all. You really are cute, Kurokawa. Fine features, and — you're quite well-endowed too. Looking closely, I'd guess you've trained in dance as well?"

Minami Yuji really wasn't joking. He was a genuinely honest person.

Part of why he was willing to lend a hand really was because Akane Kurokawa was pretty — quite pretty, in fact.

On looks alone, she basically stood level with Kana and Mai.

Minami Yuji was a man too, and of course he was happy to help a pretty girl out.

Of course, if you said there wasn't any other reason... that wouldn't be very likely either.

And the other reason was— "Because I know, Kurokawa, that you're an actor who works hard, and one with real potential."

It was true — before this, Akane Kurokawa might not have found the trick to it, but everyone had seen how hard she worked to do her job well.

Minami Yuji was an ordinary person too, in that respect.

Compared to people who were lazy and unwilling to lift a finger, he was naturally more inclined to help someone like Akane Kurokawa.

After all... "Effort shouldn't be something people laugh at." He lifted his head, looking off into the distance, murmuring to himself.

Effort shouldn't be laughed at...

Hearing Minami Yuji say this, Akane Kurokawa — who'd still been stuck on his "you're cute" remark a moment ago — followed his gaze on reflex.

There stood the cameramen, all poised and ready, the dark round lenses of their cameras trained straight on the two of them, still running.

So... with a soft slap—

Akane Kurokawa let out a startled cry.

Because Minami Yuji, behind her, had reached out and given her a light shove forward, sending her stumbling — and pushing her straight into the glare of the spotlight.

She spun around quickly.

In the afternoon sunlight, the dark-haired young man stood behind her, those black eyes watching her.

It was strange. Strange and almost magical.

No words passed between them. None were needed.

Akane Kurokawa found she could somehow understand exactly what Minami Yuji meant.

Go get 'em, Kurokawa.

Beneath the deep blue sky, that's what he seemed to say.

"..." Akane Kurokawa fell silent.

Looking at him like this, she lifted her head slightly, drew in a deep breath, and pressed her cherry-pink lips together.

Having found her rhythm now, she naturally no longer feared the camera in front of her.

But at the same time — with one question resolved, another rose up to take its place.

And that was...

Pressing a hand to her chest, Akane Kurokawa looked at Minami Yuji.

Senior Minami had clearly said he was just performing. He'd clearly stated too that he wouldn't fall for anyone on this dating show.

So then... why?

Her pale hand brushed across her face without thinking.

Why was her face... so hot?

Yeah... her face was burning. It even felt like it might catch fire.

It left Akane Kurokawa genuinely puzzled.

She lifted her face to the sky.

Could it be... that it was all the weather's fault?

But wasn't the early-spring afternoon sun supposed to be neither dazzling nor scorching?