Episode 56 – explanation

[Oh, what a handsome guy!]
[I can’t believe it’s him.]
[He’s so young! Kazashiro Rei is so young!]
[What, he’s just a good-looking guy.]

The comments section accelerates as the camera is turned on.
Comments flooded in like hot water at the sudden appearance of a well-dressed man.

[Are you in your 20s?]
[You’re so young.]
[You’re so handsome, thank you for being born.]

The comments flowed too fast for me to read each one carefully, but generally the atmosphere was one of high praise for Nagishiro kun.

I also think that he was a handsome man when I saw him from the front like this.

[Uh, …… I am Kazashiro Rei. Sorry ……, this is a little embarrassing.]

What is there to be ashamed of ?! This handsome guy
What kind of bullshit is telling handsome guys to stick their chests out?

Or rather, yes. Is it okay to show his face !? Isn’t it too risky for him to show his face while he is still a student?
I’m not a guardian, but I worry about him like a parent.

[Ah yeah, …… but ……. Hmm?Oh, umm, …….]

And Nagishiro kun is fidgeting in front of the camera.
Ah, what an unfamiliar beginner, like a little animal. Cute.

Not that!!, I’m already restless too!

And there, as we (I took the liberty of including Nagishiro kun) were puzzled for the first time, I saw a comment flow in that got to the heart of the matter.

[Oh, Kazashiro Rei is Mizuno Shizuku’s boyfriend?]

It was as if my heart was grabbed by the eagle and my heart rate increased at the same time as I was doused with more cold water.
It is such a contradictory, mixed-up feeling.

Yes, in that picture that triggered my flameout, Nagishiro kun was not wearing a disguise at all.
At that point he didn’t even know what he looked like, and rightly so.

But things are different now. This is how he showed his face in front of everyone.

“What are you doing, Nagishiro kun?!!”

I noticed the grand mistake Nagishiro kun had made and immediately took action.
I’ll comment anyway to make up for the mistake.

“They look alike, but it’s not the same person… because the clothes are the same…”

However, it was difficult to follow them when they were even wearing the same clothes.
If it’s just the faces, it would be nice to say that they’re two people, but…

-Really, why this timing!

If only it had been a month or so after that picture went up, I would have disappeared from everyone’s memories, and they would never have connected the man in that picture with Kazashiro Rei!

I blame Nagishiro kun in my heart.
No matter how mentally positive you are, this is indeed a bad idea.
Even Kazashiro Rei’s reputation would suffer.

Please! Please, please, please let that comment go through and no one will find it!

I could only pray so.

[Oh, you just said the word [Mizuno Shizuku san.]]

“Eh?”

For some reason, Nagishiro kun picks up on that comment himself.

“Wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What are you doing?”

I am the one who would have gone in so loudly that it might have been annoying if my neighbors were there.

No, but indeed this makes no sense.
I can’t believe he’s going to dig his own grave.

[Oh, is Mizuno Shizuku’s boyfriend Kazashiro Rei?]
[Yes, he looks like the guy in the picture.]
[As expected, someone as successful as Mizuno Shizuku wouldn’t choose an ordinary guy.]

It may have started with a few people, but by now everyone has connected the man in the photo with Kazashiro Rei.
It’s a complete failure. There is nothing I can do about it now.

Still, I tried to figure out how to make up for Nagishiro kun’s mistake, but I was stuck in limbo.
I could not think of a way to change this situation.

Why, why is Nagishiro kun……….!!!

I felt something akin to anger.

I had just gotten better and was finally moving in the right direction after using up all my life.

Why are you strangling yourself?

All my hard work will be for nothing. …… !!!!

You just had to work harder up there!

I feel such intrusive anger and then lament the absurdity of this world.

–I can’t even manage my own life, so of course it’s impossible for me to do anything about others.

I’m thinking of something masterful like that.

That’s when I finally became aware of the video.

[I’m………… Kazashiro Rei and Mizuno Shizuku are not in a relationship.]

Despite my feelings, Nagishiro kun declared strongly.

For some reason, those words almost hurt me, but more than that, I thought it would be useless to say it now.

The world of the Internet is not so easy. Even if you know it is not true, it can be spread, and if you just deny it, it will only add fuel to the fire.

–I wonder if this is the end for me and Nagishiro kun. The two of us are dragging each other down and hitting rock bottom.

It made me a little bit happy. I know this is inappropriate, and I know it’s an ugly feeling, but it was more reassuring than if it had ended only for me.
Besides, we may be able to get along even better with other people in the same situation.
I’m starting to feel at ease.

“Wait, that’s not the point !!!!”

No, it is not. Although such feelings have come up, they are temporary and come on in a flash.

That’s not what I really want.
They are just newcomers who have been popping up.

No, my underlying feelings are …… No !!!

I wish Nagishiro kun would play a more active role!
I want to see Nagishiro kun shine more!

–And I want to see more smiling Nagishiro kun.

Don’t give up on me. Think of something, think of something. ……!!!

Even if I lie–and Nagishiro kun might really hate me if I do–I must excuse myself by any means necessary!

In the meantime, I had to change the flow of comments at …… and went to see what the viewers had to say, but a strange thing happened.

[Oh, so he’s not her boyfriend.]
[So you’re still free]
[I knew it. I thought so from the beginning.]

“What’s …… happening ……!?”

The spark that had been there earlier had been extinguished cleanly.
There is no trace of the atmosphere that existed earlier, of the desire to beat them up.

Why? Why?

When I looked toward Nagishiro kun’s image as if seeking an answer, he said, as if to answer my question.

[Kazashiro Rei and Shizuku Mizuno are business partners. I write the music and she sings it. That’s all there is to our relationship.]

I didn’t quite understand what he was saying.