Chapter 1: The Part-Time Worker Won't Dream of Shimokitazawa's Blue Eyes
1. What is your current mental state
After a moment's thought, the curly-haired boy changed "relying on the defense" to "optimistic, cheerful, positive, and always ready to meet the next challenge in life."
He sighed. We've gotten tired of these tired tropes, so let's not use them on the exam paper.
2. Which school will you choose in the future?
He crossed out "It doesn't matter, I'll work part-time" and replaced it with Tokyo University and Waseda University.
Even though I probably won't be accepted, and I might not be able to outdo those top test-takers, I'll set a small goal first.
The questionnaire was now complete. After giving a perfunctory reply, the boy skillfully twirled the ballpoint pen between his fingers.
After all, if he didn't do it this way, he wouldn't pass the teacher's approval.
Even with seemingly open-ended questions—and even if the questionnaire was aimed at a group of teenagers who were not yet guileless—the question setter's bias had already been predetermined.
Most of the labels attached to teenagers were related to words like positive and motivated or hard-working and striving. But trouble would come when you tried to show characteristics that were completely different from the mainstream.
Writing down your true thoughts didn't violate adult rules, but if you went too far, you'd get a chat—an interrogation, essentially one of the so-called unspoken rules of adults.
Considering the trouble of being invited for tea outweighed the discomfort of saying something against his conscience, the young man rubbed his naturally curly black hair and came to a conclusion.
Then I'll just give a perfunctory answer.
In the teachers' office, the boy's action of modifying a questionnaire was noticed by someone approaching from behind.
---
"Hmm, I can tell you've put a lot of effort into just going through the motions, Narumi."
The steady yet slightly playful female voice belonged to the life guidance teacher, Hiratsuka Shizuka. After reviewing the boy's questionnaire, a meaningful smile appeared on her face.
She sat upright on the sofa in the teacher's office, flipping through the paper. Compared to her beautiful long black hair and striking, pretty features, it was the mature woman's unique charm that was most attractive—
that is, provided her tone wasn't so sarcastic.
"Your seemingly inspiring and positive words are clearly not your true thoughts."
"Haha, how can you say something like that, teacher?" he replied, expressionless.
The black-haired boy sitting before her, behaving like a well-behaved child, chuckled twice. Although he wanted to brush it off, the perceptive teacher didn't let him go so easily.
"Those who wrote 'Youthful exuberance wastes oxygen' in the last survey themed 'Youthful Exuberance' shouldn't ask why they're filling out a new one."
"Teacher, you're right, but avoiding trouble is a passive coping mechanism developed by teenagers in response to high-pressure education. We need to play the role of the obedient child in the eyes of parents and teachers, master educational rules more suitable for the constitution of East Asian children, and explore the question of how to achieve class transcendence and financial freedom on this continent—"
"That's enough. If there are no more jokes, we don't have to play."
"Private Marseille," he muttered, almost to himself.
Hiratsuka Shizuka raised an eyebrow, looking slightly troubled, wanting to light a cigarette to calm herself down. However, considering that the boy sitting in front of her was her student, she ultimately suppressed the urge.
Narumi Toru, sixteen years old — a student.
Although he appeared to be an ordinary high schooler, Hiratsuka Shizuka, from a teacher's perspective, could vaguely perceive the tip of the iceberg of his true personality.
At an age when most teenagers were showing their talents, this boy was better at hiding his. That alone was enough to make Hiratsuka take him seriously.
---
"Narumi, don't you think that enjoying youth at your age is a fleeting and wonderful thing?" Hiratsuka asked, offering a gentle, professional smile.
"Is the teacher saying this from the perspective of someone who has been through it?"
"Of course. When I was your age, you were still wearing open-crotch pants, weren't you?"
"But there are still people who, even during their adolescence, have absolutely no resonance with the so-called anthems of youth, right? Didn't such people exist in your generation, teacher?"
"That era…" Hiratsuka forced a professional smile while suppressing her irritation. It was unclear whether the kid had intentionally or unintentionally stepped on a landmine.
"…Seriously, Narumi, haven't you ever thought about taking advantage of your youth to have a relationship or pursue your dreams?"
This time, her tone didn't sound like a teacher's—it sounded more like a helpless sigh from an older sister worried about her younger brother.
Narumi blinked innocently. He thought that Hiratsuka-sensei was actually quite cute. At least she was different from those teachers who only liked to use their own rules to restrain students. She genuinely worried about his teenage troubles.
But to be honest, praising youth was a phrase completely out of character for Narumi Toru.
Create a once-in-a-lifetime memory. Experience a passionate romance. Spend an entire summer night talking with friends, promising never to forget one another, even after graduation.
He'd heard these tired, outdated stories of youth in pop songs to the point of exhaustion, and these sentimental lines were particularly unfriendly to someone who had no friends, had never been in a relationship, and didn't have any special skills.
Most people spent their teenage years in boring and tedious study; "youth" only ever favored a select few.
What good is a vibrant and colorful youth if you can only reminisce about it when you're old and gray?
In other words, no matter how glamorous your youth is, it can't change the fact that you slowly grow into a boring adult.
Some people might become indignant and roar in anger at those enjoying their youth — "Let all the normies explode!"
In comparison, Narumi's thoughts were much more moderate.
Just like relationships eventually end, youth too will fade away.
"It doesn't matter," he said quietly. "Since the final destination for all humans is the crematorium anyway."
That was the personal opinion of Narumi Toru — an ordinary, unremarkable person.
"…Without being malicious, I'd say you're definitely out of your mind," Hiratsuka muttered, her expression no longer able to hide her exasperation.
---
What high school student doesn't go crazy sometimes? They're just putting on a brave face.
The tedious and complicated interpersonal interactions, the potentially useless professional knowledge, the physically demanding activities, the daily routine planned down to the minute—
it all felt like a prison. And this prison-like daily life would take at least three years to escape.
But just when you thought you'd escaped the prison called high school, university—the place teachers exaggeratedly described as something to be fascinated by—would give you a real challenge.
"Everyone has been deceived," Narumi said. "They say they're escaping to university to pursue their youth, but the moment they succeed, their youth has already ended."
Narumi adjusted his non-existent glasses and began to argue earnestly.
"Of course, high school wasn't much better. Everyone says there's no good or bad in extroversion or introversion, but once you get involved in group projects and presentations, it becomes a passive, forced form of social interaction. Introversion becomes a disadvantage. Ultimately, school is just a microcosm of society. On the surface, advocating for personality diversity is just empty rhetoric — a kind of 'correct' that isn't practiced—"
"You're going crazy, aren't you? Then I'll take you where you're supposed to be."
Hiratsuka pursed her lips, then grabbed the tie of the still-talking boy, pulling him closer until their faces were just inches apart.
"Tomorrow afternoon, after school. Wait for me in the office. Understand?"
"Teacher, isn't this a bit inappropriate? I know I'm very attractive and have a bright future, but that comes at a different price—"
"You little rascal! Do you want me to send you to be disciplined by your peers tomorrow!?"
The veins on Hiratsuka's forehead appeared and vanished. Narumi had no doubt that if he said another word, her clenched fist would find its mark. So he wisely stopped teasing her.
It's often said that when a boy and a beautiful teacher are alone in a room, one's mind tends to wander. But Narumi Toru disagreed with that sentiment.
When dealing with Hiratsuka Shizuka, his thoughts were far more practical—
like where to find his next part-time job.
"Furthermore, constantly fantasizing about wonderful encounters with the opposite sex can lead to paranoia," he muttered.
---
Narumi Toru was an ordinary high school student—not particularly special compared to his peers.
His grades were above average, his physical abilities were above average, he didn't have many friends, but he wasn't a thorn in anyone's side either. In short, he was just an ordinary second-year student who wouldn't be noticed in a crowd.
One of the few things that could be praised about his appearance was the fluffy, naturally curly black hair he inherited from his mother, a pair of lake-blue eyes, and pretty features noticeable upon closer inspection.
In practice, this ordinariness was reflected in his work schedule, which he never missed—whether during summer, winter, or school days.
He worked at a bookstore on Mondays and Tuesdays and did odd jobs at an exhibition hall from Thursday to Saturday.
A working soldier wouldn't dream of beautiful girls, much less fall in love with one. Confirmed.
Unfortunately, he wasn't born into the typical protagonist family where both parents were busy and well-off. After his parents divorced, all that was left was chaos. Not wanting to live with either parent, he decided to earn his own living expenses by working part-time. Of course, his parents still paid the rent for the student apartment he lived in alone.
Although he tried his best to pay for his living costs, as an average student, his weekly working hours were limited, which meant his income was capped.
That's why he always chose the cheapest mode of transportation—the tram—even during the suffocating rush hours.
---
After being sent home by Hiratsuka, Narumi rushed to the station and squeezed desperately into the crowded carriage.
He breathed a sigh of relief after finding a corner to stand in and looked around while holding his schoolbag.
What caught his eye was a poster outside the glass window, hanging there for almost two years.
The girl with a bright smile in the poster was Mai Sakurajima—a child star and household name as an actress. Even Narumi, who didn't pay much attention to entertainment, recognized her face. That alone showed her popularity.
Although the trivial matters in celebrities' daily lives were always magnified, if one could earn that much money every day, being discussed and criticized didn't seem to matter.
Occasionally, Narumi's thoughts wandered.
What would I be like now if I'd lived a different life? If a talent scout had approached me years ago, would I be on a different path?
"Even if my hourly wage were only a third of hers, I'd still be willing to be an adult film actress…" he muttered without thinking.
Even if you were bad at lines, singing, or dancing, and got ridiculed to the point of tears, wiping them away with money still sounded great.
"…?"
A middle-aged office worker nearby was startled by the boy's strange mutterings and leaned back, nearly causing his wig to slip off.
"It doesn't seem like it's entirely wrong for a boy to become an adult film actress," Narumi added absentmindedly.
---
After the agonizing train ride ended, Narumi arrived in Shimokitazawa.
He followed the familiar route to the underground performance hall by the roadside. The manager, Ijichi Seika, had hired him a month ago, saying, "My sister is about your age, so it's only right that I take care of you."
At first glance, it sounded like a declaration of brotherhood.
But—
As Narumi manned the front desk, serving drinks to guests, his gaze drifted toward the Ijichi sisters not far away.
"Sister~ Let's practice again!"
Like her older sister, Ijichi Nijika had dazzling long golden hair, but her side ponytail gave her a more energetic look.
"Come on, we have a proper performance coming up. You guys even ran away with your guitarist. You might as well find something more respectable to do," Seika said coldly.
Compared to her lively younger sister, Seika seemed overly distant, responding with an impatient tone.
"Hey, why is it like this—"
Ignoring her younger sister's complaints, Seika walked toward the curly-haired boy who had just taken a short break.
"Thank you for your hard work, Narumi. There are quite a few audience members tonight, and I happen to have something to attend to, so you might be a bit busy... but I'll give you extra pay per hour."
She glanced casually at her seemingly disappointed younger sister.
"Then, please let them practice for half an hour in the rehearsal room. I'm counting on you."
Case solved! Narumi smirked inwardly. A tsundere, sister-obsessed manager who says one thing but means another.
"Okay, boss, I understand."
"Stop being sarcastic. Just call me by my name."
"Okay, take care, Mr. Ijichi."
"You brat... humph."
The proud and tsundere manager glared at him before leaving.
Nijika, catching Narumi's wink, beamed and ran off toward the rehearsal room to meet her bandmates.
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