“Eh? Is that so?!”
Receiving the answer, Ichika couldn't help but show a look of surprise on her face. She hadn't expected the girl beside her to be a former child star!
And judging from Nakanoyu's tone, it seemed like she was quite famous! A well-known child star, to be precise.
But why had she never heard of her?
Could it be... that she had faded from the spotlight?
Thinking this, Ichika observed the girl she was supporting, puzzled.
The girl beside her was undeniably beautiful, even as a child, she must have been a beautiful little girl. Since she was a famous child star, why hadn't she been seen on television at all as an adult?
Though she was very curious, Ichika wasn't foolish. She wouldn't keep dancing around someone's pain, so naturally, she wouldn't ask what happened.
“Well... I only appeared a few times as a child. I didn't think anyone would remember me, it's common knowledge that I'm a has-been.”
Kana nodded, taking a deep look at the young man, her voice tinged with melancholy.
She used to be surrounded by fans, bathed in the spotlight, and only her. But now, not even fireflies would illuminate her anymore.
This is what Arima Kana had always believed, but she hadn't expected to be remembered, to be illuminated again!
This was the only glimmer of hope in all the misfortune Kana had faced today.
Just now, Miss Nakanoyu mentioned that this young man was her... brother? Could it be that she had a chance?!
As soon as this thought arose, Kana realized how bold she was being. She was just a forgotten child star who had been saved by this young man, and yet she was thinking of standing by his side.
Kana no longer believed in these Cinderella and Prince stories.
With this in mind, Kana reluctantly withdrew her gaze.
“No, no, no, not at all! Miss Arima is working hard on her auditions!”
Seeing Kana make light of her own situation, Ichika quickly shook her head and spoke.
“Is that so? Thank you, and thank you, Mr. Nakanoyu, for saving me today. If not for you, I wouldn't have had another chance to try harder.”
Kana, who was accustomed to this, smiled and thanked Nakanoyu.
Nakanoyu waved his hand, feeling awkward about the title of Mr. Nakanoyu. He asked Kana to call him by his name, because he didn't have the habit of calling people by their first names to express intimacy:
“Just call me Yu. And also, I want to know why you two were kidnapped here.”
“Okay, okay! As for why we were kidnapped here...”
Faced with Nakanoyu's request, Kana felt excited and naturally wouldn't refuse. However, when it came to explaining why they were there, Kana turned to Ichika with a look of exchange.
Ichika shook her head. She wasn't entirely clear about the ins and outs of today's kidnapping by the yokai. All she remembered was entering the audition studio, and then, before she could even say anything, she was...
Wait! She remembered!
It was that director! Those rats, the director had released them!
“Yu! During the audition today, those rats, it was Director Shimada who released them! Shimada Meiichiro!”
Her memory gradually returning, Ichika immediately recounted what she knew.
“Director Shimada, huh?”
Hearing this, Nakanoyu narrowed his eyes. He hadn't heard of this guy before, but he wouldn't exist for much longer.
“Well, I understand. It's getting late, I'll take you both home first.”
Silently committing Shimada’s name to memory, Nakanoyu took out his phone, glanced at the time, and said.
“Okay!”
Ichika nodded emphatically. She roughly understood Nakanoyu's intentions in asking this question, but she didn't plan to stop him. She realized that she didn't know much about this boy who had grown up with her.
Moreover, Ichika knew clearly that if it hadn't been for Yu, she would have died at the hands of the yokai because of that Director Shimada!
Seeing that both of them were about to leave, Kana felt a bit anxious. It was late, and after today's events, she no longer dared to walk alone at night.
She lived alone in this city, and it was impossible to ask a friend to pick her up. Forget friends, she didn't even have many classmates she could confide in!
Just as she was thinking about how to get home later, Ichika suddenly grabbed Kana's hand.
“Hey, Yu, how about we send Miss Arima home first?”
Hearing Ichika’s words, Kana was stunned and looked at Ichika in surprise, only to see the other girl winking at her and smiling.
Nakanoyu, who had already walked some distance, turned around and looked at the two girls holding hands, sighing helplessly.
Perhaps, for Ichika, who had lost her mother at a young age and pursued her dreams alone while concealing it from her family, she was more considerate of others.
Gazing at Kana's expectant yet nervous expression, Nakanoyu sighed helplessly:
“Let's go. If we don't hurry back, Nino will complain about me again.”
“Yay! Let's go, Kana!”
Seeing that Nakanoyu didn't refuse, Ichika smiled and pulled the girl along to follow Nakanoyu.
But Kana looked at Ichika's bright smile, momentarily hesitant.
“What's wrong? You can call me Ichika too, after all, we're both in the entertainment industry? If you don't mind...”
Seeing Kana's hesitation, Ichika thought it was because she minded being called by her name without permission, and she nervously said.
Looking at Ichika, Kana was stunned for a long time, finally, for the first time, she showed a genuine smile and replied:
“No, I wouldn't mind, Ichika!”
Perhaps, in this vast city, in the entertainment industry, she would also have friends she could confide in, actually, that wasn't bad.
......
“Ding dong!”
With the sound of the chime, the elevator door slowly opened.
Standing in front of the elevator with Ichika, Nakanoyu pressed his phone, accepting Arima Kana’s LINE friend request.
Seeing that the elevator had arrived, Ichika hurriedly stepped in. Right now, she just wanted to go home and get some sleep. What happened today was truly challenging her understanding of the world.
“Hurry, hurry! Yu, come in quickly, I'm pressing the button!”
Seeing that Nakanoyu hadn't come in yet, Ichika urged him.
But the young man put away his phone, looked up at Ichika and gave her a smile:
“Ichika, you go home first. I still have something to deal with. Dinner tonight, I'll leave it to Nino.”
Hearing this, Ichika loosened her grip on the elevator button and asked:
“Yu, you're going to find Director Shimada, right?”
“Hmm, not just him.”
Seeing Ichika's inquiry, Nakanoyu thought for a moment and replied.
“....Be careful, don't leave any trace. We'll wait for you to come home. Oh right! Please keep the entertainment industry stuff a secret, Yu.”
After a moment of silence, Ichika winked at Nakanoyu, and the elevator doors began to slowly close.
“Don't worry, I will.”
Smiling, the young man’s words drifted through the remaining gap in the elevator doors, and the doors closed tightly.
After the elevator doors closed, the smile on Nakanoyu's face gradually faded. He waved his hand and opened his system panel, and immediately a panel glowing with golden light appeared before him.
On the panel was Nakanoyu's task:
【Daily Task: Death of Three Dreams – Ape Dream!】
......