Chapter 374: Filming?
That afternoon, after finishing lessons with Shirogane Miyuki and confirming that all tasks had been completed, the student council finally disbanded.
After doing so much work already, if something still went wrong at the prom, Sakurai Saki would be completely out of options.
At the school gate.
Chika and Sakurai Saki walked home in the same direction.
Chika had to take the train to Shinjuku, while Saki's new place was near Mita Station — much closer.
Before leaving, Sakurai Saki glanced toward the athletic field.
Nakano Yotsuba was chatting happily with her friends, her smile bright and radiant.
Doesn't seem too forced, huh? If she's truly enjoying herself, then maybe forcing her to give up sports just to focus on studying wasn't really the right choice.
'Hmph, I'm not even their tutor anymore — what am I overthinking for?'
Sakurai Saki planned to tell everyone (except Itsuki) after Golden Week that he would no longer be tutoring them.
"Saki-kun, I helped you a lot today, you know."
Fujiwara Chika spoke with meaningful undertones.
This afternoon, she had corrected many of the mistakes while the two were teaching dance. Even though she didn't personally step up to instruct, it had been far from easy.
"Umu, so what? What do you want?"
Sakurai Saki withdrew his gaze from the athletic field and turned toward the pink-haired girl.
"A date… I want to go out alone with you."
Today was clearly a rare day off, yet they hadn't had a single moment alone together. Fujiwara Chika was not pleased.
"Alright then. Where do you want to go?"
"Net cafe."
Huh? Are you serious? A date… at a net cafe?
"Sure. When? Right now?"
Sakurai Saki didn't mind — as long as Chika was happy, he didn't care where they went or what they did.
"Tomorrow…"
Before she could even finish the sentence, Sakurai Saki's heart almost stopped!
The aquarium date with Shinomiya Kaguya — was tomorrow!
Double-booked dates — that's suicide!
Don't let those anime fool you with that nonsense.
Girls are incredibly perceptive; if you try to go on two dates with two different girls on the same day and at overlapping times, forget it — you're dead!
Even a master of time management couldn't pull that off!
"No, wait, tomorrow I'm going to an escape room with Moeha…" Fujiwara Chika turned her head, and seeing Sakurai Saki's face looking as though he'd just been pardoned from death row, she said in a bargaining tone, "Saki-kun, then how about the day after tomorrow? That's also the last day of Golden Week, is that okay?"
"Of course."
As long as it wasn't tomorrow, any day was fine.
Double-booked dates were the ultimate taboo for any playboy!
Not only would it ruin the fun for both girls, but there was also the risk of "crashing the car" — or worse, catching a kitchen knife!
Among all the girls Sakurai Saki liked, Fujiwara Chika was definitely the most jealous, and therefore the most dangerous.
After all—
Pink hair. That legendary hair color alone screamed danger.
Possessive personality, with distinct yandere tendencies.
Chika: (♡ˊ͈ ꒳ ˋ͈)っ▬ι═ﺤ
"Oh right, Saki-kun, have you decided who you'll dance with at the prom?"
"I'd rather stand by the table and eat snacks," Sakurai Saki answered honestly and instinctively.
He had zero interest in dancing.
Sakurai wasn't like Shirogane Miyuki — if he didn't want to dance, no matter how many girls asked him, he simply wouldn't.
Chivalry, gentlemanly grace — none of that mattered to him.
If he didn't want to, then he didn't want to.
"If you don't have anyone yet, then… how about choosing me?" Fujiwara Chika said joyfully.
Finally, it was her turn!
Forget about Hayasaka Ai, forget about the Nakano sisters — step aside, all of you! I, Fujiwara Chika, AM COMING!!!!
"Umu."
Sakurai Saki nodded.
...
When he arrived at Mita Station, Sakurai Saki saw Chika entering the station. After saying goodbye to each other, he had only walked a few steps when his phone rang.
Glancing at the caller ID,
Sakurai Saki quickly picked up the call.
"Mashiro-san, what's the matter? Did you need something from me?"
Although Sakurai Saki had long since quit his job as a rental boyfriend, his relationship with this beautiful woman hadn't been severed.
Every week, he still made time to meet her.
"Sorry, Saki-kun. Your Yoko-nee has something movie-related she wants to ask you for help with." Minamoto Mashiro's voice carried an apologetic tone.
A twelfth-grade student was already busy enough with schoolwork.
Requests like this were honestly quite troublesome.
"A movie?"
Sakurai Saki suddenly remembered.
It was about Ichika. She had mentioned that the love triangle movie she was planning to film had been put on hold because the male lead had gotten into a car accident.
Sakurai Saki had heard about this from Itsuki just a few days ago.
"Umu. It's related to Ichika-chan."
"I see, I think I get the gist."
Sakurai Saki then recounted what he'd heard before.
On the other end of the line, the mature woman's voice carried a hint of helplessness: "The original actor needs at least half a year to recover, and since he got injured on his face, we don't even know if he can continue acting…"
The theme was a love triangle… the male lead at the very least had to look like an idol-type actor, right?
A car accident followed by facial disfigurement—he probably couldn't continue.
Sakurai Saki asked, "Wouldn't it be a bit inappropriate for me to step in like this?"
"It's fine, this is Director Kinoshita's new work. You should be familiar with her, and besides, you can't just show up and get the role—you'll still need to pass the audition, Saki-kun."
"Mashiro-san, who is Director Kinoshita again?"
"Don't you remember? The movie 'This Year, Class 2-F' you were in last time was directed by her. You and Ichika-chan played a pair of delinquents in it," Mashiro reminded him.
At that, Sakurai Saki finally remembered.
The kind of person who, if this were a novel, would be a side character appearing around chapter 200—and if we're already at chapter 374, she probably showed up by name back in chapter 182, serving as foreshadowing thanks to the author's tendency to ramble.
It'd be strange if Sakurai actually remembered her right away.
"Remember now?"
"Sort of. But last time I was just an extra with Ichika. Would she really remember me?"
"...Saki-kun, your looks alone are more than enough to make an impression." Mashiro spoke with a sigh-like tone.
"Thanks for the compliment, but I think I'm actually pretty average, nothing special."
"How could that be? Saki-kun, you're very handsome." Mashiro pretended to pout: "Mou~, stop saying weird things to tease me."
"The audition's the evening after tomorrow. Are you free?"
Sakurai Saki chuckled softly and said, "I think so. But that day I've already got plans to go to a net café with a girl."
"Saki-kun, going to a net café for a date?" Minamoto Mashiro knew Sakurai Saki had a girlfriend and assumed he was referring to Hayasaka Ai.
"...It's the place she chose. I didn't refuse."
"All right then."
They chatted a bit more, and the matter was quickly settled.
Sakurai Saki thought that acting in a movie wasn't a bad idea—after all, he wasn't tutoring anymore, so his income had dropped.
...
The next morning.
Sunny weather.
Temperature: 25 degrees—quite pleasant.
Though early May wasn't cold, it wasn't hot yet either.
By the end of May, that might change—rainy season was near, and temperatures tended to rise suddenly, as if trying to evaporate all the water from the ground into the sky.
After finishing his morning jog, Sakurai Saki returned home to shower — something he did every day.
As the warm water cascaded over his head, Sakurai Saki began thinking about today's date schedule.
Shinagawa Aquarium.
That was today's destination.
In a bit, Sakurai Saki would meet Kaguya at the station near his house, and the two of them would head there together.