On a midwinter morning, frost still clung to the grass lining the sidewalks. Even just hearing the wind howl past one's ears was enough to make anyone want to shrink deeper beneath the covers and stay in bed.
"Huff... huff..."
Karuizawa Kei panted as she jogged behind Kitagawa Ryo. Only when he signaled that they could stop did she bend over, hands on her knees, gasping for breath. After catching it for a bit, she sat down on a nearby bench. Her heavy breathing turned into little clouds of mist in the cold air.
A few minutes later, Shiina Hiyori stumbled in, clearly even more exhausted, moving at a pace that could barely be called running. Without any semblance of grace, she plopped down beside Kei and tilted her head back, gulping in air.
"Still lacking stamina," Ryo commented bluntly as he leaned against a utility pole, observing the two girls.
"Even though theater seems like just acting on stage, a single performance can be physically draining—especially for the lead roles."
Between the two, Kei's physical condition wasn't bad. Hiyori, on the other hand, had stamina well below average—which matched her image as a quiet, bookish girl.
When it came to understanding theater, Shiina Hiyori definitely had a stronger foundation than Kei, who had only just begun. But theater wasn't just reciting lines. To portray characters and storylines with tension and depth, physical movement was essential. That's why Ryo had dragged them both out for morning training.
Once Kei caught her breath and the burning in her throat had eased, she asked curiously:
"Do you always train like this, Ryo?"
"It's hard at first, but once you get used to it, it becomes routine."
Ryo nodded and turned his attention to Hiyori, who was still recovering.
"How are you holding up? If it's too much, we can tone it down a bit."
Hiyori wasn't athletic, and Ryo hadn't expected her to improve her stamina drastically in just a week. Building physical endurance took time.
"Your role doesn't demand much physicality," he added. "What matters most is your expressions and delivery."
The little mermaid, having traded with the sea witch, first steps onto land with human legs, each movement as painful as walking on blades. Though the script included dance scenes, it didn't require real dance skills—what mattered was conveying the pain she endures and the way she tries to shine in front of the one she loves.
"I can handle it," Hiyori said softly. Her voice lacked confidence, but she still rejected Ryo's offer.
After all, it was she who had begged her mother to contact the troupe leader after falling in love with Ryo's performance yesterday. If she couldn't even endure basic physical training, then what did that say about her feelings?
She'd read detective stories featuring "armchair detectives" who solved cases from home, but what she admired more were Holmes-like figures who actively investigated, cane in hand.
Besides, physical training wasn't a bad thing.
She had stayed home most of the time not just because she loved reading, but also due to a lack of social connections. Even when she wanted to go out, she had no one to go with. But today, even though they had run far, she had Kei and Ryo beside her.
So she felt she could keep pushing herself a bit longer.
She also recalled the scene from the script she had read last night.
If she couldn't overcome this much, how could she portray the bleeding, resilient spirit of the little mermaid?
"Go home and rest for now. We'll meet again in two hours at the troupe's rehearsal room. It has soundproof practice rooms—I've sent you both the address."
After explaining the next steps, Ryo waved goodbye to the two.
Compared to his memories from past simulations, it felt like the trajectories of Kei and Hiyori's lives were already changing. Whether that was good or bad, Ryo didn't know. This wasn't a simulation—it was reality. That made him more cautious in every relationship.
Especially when it came to Kei and Hiyori—Ryo wasn't even sure what his own feelings were yet.
As he turned to leave, he pondered his future. He deeply valued this second chance at life. Years ago, he had already set two goals:
- Break away from the Kitagawa family.
- Save up enough money before Hotaru's illness worsened.
The first was nearly accomplished. The second was steadily progressing.
In truth, Ryo wasn't particularly fond of acting. Even with the golden talent of "Drama King," theater was just a stepping stone to achieve those two goals. Once he saved enough money, he would leave the stage behind.
If all went well, it would only take about two more years.
The theater world and the idol industry were fundamentally the same—skill was secondary to marketing and connections. Even the most gifted would fade without proper publicity. Conversely, with the right packaging, even average actors could become stars.
Having seen this firsthand, Ryo knew the rules. It was vital to step away before getting too deep.
Once both goals were fulfilled, he'd finally have time and space to search for what he truly wanted to do.
Stretching, Ryo sank his consciousness into the interface in his mind:
[Current items: Ichinose Honami's Blessing, Ichinose Honami's Self, Karuizawa Kei's White Rose, Karuizawa Kei's Self, Engagement (single-use), Admission Offer, Ring, 2 million personal points (single-use).]
Since talents manifested in the real world, these items should also be usable.
[Admission Offer: Grants entrance to Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.]
Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.
A school backed by vast societal resources, offering unparalleled support to its A-Class graduates.
He decided to add it as a potential option.
[Engagement: A single-use item that allows the user to form an engagement with any character.]
Naturally, this item caught his attention. Over the years, Ryo had thought many times about how to deal with this peculiar tool.
Perhaps it was the emotional trauma from his fourth simulation with Horikita Suzune, but he never once considered using it again. If it weren't for the fact that items couldn't be destroyed or discarded, he would have thrown it away long ago.
If you truly love someone, there's no need for a contract.
If fate doesn't connect you, then even an engagement would only bind two people into a forced compromise.
-------------------------------------
"Engagement! They're engaged!"
"The princess was engaged to the prince from the start. He didn't originally intend to marry her. What he truly remembered was the mysterious girl who saved him during the shipwreck. But the one who actually saved him was the princess."
Inside the small soundproof room, Karuizawa Kei and Shiina Hiyori were in the middle of a heated script discussion.
"But the one who really saved the prince was the mermaid! She was the one who placed him on the shore. Even without the princess, he would've survived!"
"You can't deny that the princess took credit for it. She stole the mermaid's achievement."
When it came to books, Shiina Hiyori responded swiftly and sharply.
"Andersen's original story never criticized the princess. Your prejudice comes from later adaptations where she's portrayed as a foil to highlight the mermaid's kindness."
Kei seemed to have done her homework, retorting fluently:
"The mermaid loved the prince only because she wanted him to love her back—and grant her an eternal human soul."
"Once love becomes utilitarian, it stops being moving, doesn't it?"
Hiyori didn't back down:
"That's precisely what makes The Little Mermaid touching. She approached the prince for selfish reasons at first, but in the end, she fell in love with him genuinely. She chose to give up her life for love. Her soul's immortality, achieved through kind deeds after becoming sea foam, is Andersen's way of praising her sacrifice."
When Kitagawa Ryo returned with costumes and opened the door, the two were still locked in an intense stare, huffing at each other before turning away in sync.
"Uh... here are the costumes. Change into them yourselves."
"We'll run through the lines once you're ready."
Not knowing what had just happened, Ryo left the room after setting down the clothes.
Thinking about it, Kei and Hiyori together were just as dangerous a combination as Honami and Kei. Thankfully, neither girl retained memories from the simulations—this must've been just a passionate script debate.
Waiting just outside while the two changed, Ryo casually flipped open The Little Mermaid script.
The original story wasn't long, so the play adaptation was a short one—ideal for new actors. The troupe leader had made a solid choice.
The girls' roles were the Little Mermaid (lead) and the Princess (second lead).
Maybe the troupe leader felt Hiyori's quiet aura suited a mermaid from the sea?
Yawning from boredom, Ryo tried to guess the rationale behind the casting.
His own role—the prince—had few lines. Most of the time, he was just a prop. So all he had to do was coast along.
After all, it was the girls' entrance exam performance. Slacking a little wouldn't matter.
Like right now, he couldn't even be bothered to change into the costume prepared for the prince.
When his phone buzzed with the girls' message saying they were ready, Ryo put the script away and re-entered the room.
"Ryo, how do I look?"
In a costume of bright yellow and sky blue, Kei looked radiant. Her honey-colored hair flowed down her shoulders as she lifted her skirt slightly and twirled in front of him with a light laugh.
"It suits you."
He nodded in approval, then turned to Shiina Hiyori.
Hiyori's mermaid costume hugged her frame in a fish-tail design, highlighting her slender figure and the subtle curves of her chest. The translucent blue hem trailed down to her ankles, reminiscent of a ballerina.
"Yours looks great too, Shiina."
At least visually, both girls fit their roles. After all, both Hiyori and Kei were striking girls in their own right.
Recalling a casting announcement by a movie studio where a Black actress was chosen to play the Little Mermaid, Ryo couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth and shake his head, trying to erase the eye-burning memory.
"Since the princess doesn't appear in the first act, Kei, could you handle the narration? It'll be good practice for your delivery."
"Mm."
Though slightly disheartened about not appearing in the first scene, Kei quickly composed herself.
[As the little mermaid finally reached her fifteenth birthday, she eagerly poked her head above the sea. The sun had already set, but the clouds still glowed like roses and gold. In the pinkish sky, the evening star twinkled brightly and beautifully.]
[The air was warm and fresh. A large ship with three masts floated on the calm sea. Music and singing drifted through the air. As the sky darkened, all kinds of lanterns lit up at once.]
[The little mermaid swam closer to the ship's windows. When the waves lifted her up, she could see through the shiny glass like mirrors. Amid the crowd, the most beautiful one was the prince, his eyes a deep, charming black. He was only sixteen years old. It was his birthday, which explained the grand celebration.]
[As the prince stepped out, over a hundred fireworks shot into the sky. The light was so bright it seemed like daytime. Startled, the little mermaid dove back into the sea—but she soon peeked out again, mesmerized as if all the stars were falling from the sky. She had never seen such fireworks before.]
[Huge golden suns whirred loudly, brilliant fire-fish soared into the sky. All of it reflected off the clear, quiet sea.]
[It was late at night, but the little mermaid couldn't take her eyes off the ship or the beautiful prince.]
[She was the best singer among her sisters. Not knowing whether the prince could hear, she wanted to sing for him in this peaceful, late night.]
[Mermaids didn't need lyrics to sing. They were born singers, and her voice was especially moving.]
[Her song rose from the sea to the sky, across the silent night, across the deep blue sea, under the brilliant starlight, as the little mermaid sang for the prince.]
[Everyone on the ship was entranced. Within the ethereal, far-reaching melody, the prince felt a stirring of affection. He instinctively turned to ask the ship's captain—]
["Your Highness," the old captain said, visibly flustered. His strong body trembled slightly, as if afraid: "That's the song of a mermaid. When these sea spirits sing—"]
["—they bring storms!"]
[His voice was shrill with fear. Before the prince could react, the captain had already ordered the sailors to prepare.]
[The lanterns went out, no more rockets were fired, and the cannon blasts stopped. The prince was escorted back into the cabin.]
[The little mermaid, puzzled, flicked her tail and approached the ship. She didn't know what it was; she only wanted to find the prince.]
[As if fate were responding, a deep rumbling echoed from the heart of the sea.]
[Sitting atop the waves, rising and falling with the swells, the little mermaid wasn't afraid. She was the daughter of the sea. The surging tide let her glimpse the cabin.]
[But the ship picked up speed; its sails unfurled.]
[The waves grew higher, dark clouds gathered, and lightning flashed in the distance.]
[A terrible storm was coming!]
[The sailors took down the sails. The experienced captain cursed the sea spirits as he guided the ship.]
[On the violent ocean, the ship lurched forward, rocking dangerously. Waves towered like black mountains, threatening to snap the masts. The ship dove into the waves like a swan, plunging and rising again.]
[The little mermaid didn't understand what was happening. To her, waves were nothing new. So she kept singing amidst the storm.]
[Each of her high notes seemed to stir the sea even more.]
[The ship groaned under the assault. Thick planks buckled, masts snapped like reeds. Water flooded the cabins.]
[As the ship split and sank, she saw him.]
[She was overjoyed—he was coming to her now. But then she remembered: humans can't live underwater. Unless he died, he would never reach the sea's depths.]
[The little mermaid wanted to save him. She couldn't bear to watch him die before her eyes, even if she didn't know why she felt that way.]
"Pfft—cough, cough—help, help me!"
Kitagawa Ryo's voice was filled with helplessness and fear, as though he were truly drowning in the vast ocean. He was fully immersed in the role of the 'prince.'
"P-please, hold me..."
Shiina Hiyori recited her line with a slight stammer. The difference in acting skills was obvious at a glance.
But she was still giving it her all.
Karuizawa Kei watched the two of them perform. She pressed her lips together, silently reminding herself that this was just a stage performance.
In the dark sea, the mermaid and the prince embraced, like two desperate souls clinging to the last straw.
Just like what she had once seen before.
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