After the pizza arrived, Kuroha Akira went upstairs to call Hijikata Isamu, but no matter how much he knocked and called out, he couldn't wake the man. He was likely still in the depths of his post-shift coma, dead to the world. It was a pity—if Hijikata-san had been there, this would have been the first time all members of the Kobayashi household ate together as one big, dysfunctional family.
While eating pizza, Kuroha Akira's mind wandered, and he thought that these three women perfectly corresponded to the three female body types in gacha games: young girl, adult woman, and old woman. Only a loli body type was missing to complete the full collection. Not that he was complaining—three out of four was already a solid pull.
The three ladies didn't eat much. They had ordered a total of four ten-inch pizzas, and together, the three of them only managed to finish one and a half.
Shinomiya really wanted to stage a feeding scene—to lean over and offer Akira-kun a bite with a coy "ahh~"—but in a public setting, she didn't dare to openly display her affection for Kuroha Akira. So instead, she just ate quietly, eventually consuming six slices of pizza with admirable restraint.
Aka-nee only ate two slices of pizza because she still had pasta to work through. Then, half of each of the two pasta dishes was left uneaten. Finally, Kuroha Akira and Shinomiya finished the remaining halves together, sharing the same plate in what could almost be considered an indirect kiss if you squinted hard enough.
Granny Kobayashi, however, ate more than the average old woman, consuming half a pizza without breaking a sweat. She had neither diabetes nor high blood pressure, so she had no dietary concerns whatsoever. With such robust health, she would probably live to be a hundred—if not more. Kuroha Akira sincerely hoped the old woman would, because she was the glue holding this chaotic household together.
Kuroha Akira himself ate a whole pizza, and there was still one and a half pizzas and some potato wedges left—all originally saved for Hijikata Isamu. But then a greedy little cat, smelling the food from wherever it had been hiding, came slinking over and helped itself to a slice of pizza.
So why does Kuroo eat everything?! Kuroha Akira thought, watching the cat devour pizza like it was the most natural thing in the world. Is your digestive system really a cat's digestive system?!
After the pizza feast in the evening, Granny Kobayashi retreated to her room first. She slept very early, usually by nine o'clock, but today she had eaten a little too much, so she would probably wait until she digested it before turning in for the night. The sound of her TV playing old samurai dramas filtered through the walls.
After eating their fill, the remaining trio continued to discuss the arrangements for the coming weeks.
"So, starting next week, I can focus on accompanying Shion-chan," Aka-nee said, leaning back in her chair with a satisfied smile. "Oniichan, what do you say?"
Kuroha Akira pulled out the voice actor agency rookie recruitment schedule he had collected and printed earlier, spreading it across the table like a military commander planning a campaign.
"Here are the agencies that have rookie recruitment drives coming up," he explained, pointing to various entries. "Originally, I planned for Shion to pick a few nearby places to participate in auditions. But if Aka-nee accompanies her, she should be able to go to all of them… Aka-nee, I remember you can drive, right?"
"I can drive," Aka-nee nodded, though her expression flickered with uncertainty. "But I haven't driven in a long time. However, my other self also has a driver's license, so if necessary, I can let her take the wheel."
In her previous life, Tashiro Kohaku had stopped driving after she lost her sight—it had been over ten years since she had touched a steering wheel. Moreover, traffic rules in Japan were different; it was left-hand traffic, so it would be more reliable for Kurenai-chan, a native local, to do the driving.
"But the problem is," Aka-nee continued, tapping her chin, "I don't have a car, do I?"
"For a car, we can borrow Granny's."
"Huh?!" Aka-nee's eyes went wide. "Granny can drive? I didn't even know that! And—she can still drive?!"
Aka-nee was genuinely startled. Granny Kobayashi was over seventy, and it was truly remarkable that she still insisted on driving herself.
"Of course she can," Kuroha Akira said with a shrug. "Otherwise, how do you think she buys so many groceries? I used to accompany her to the supermarket, but recently Shion has been going with her."
"Ah… I see…"
"Anyway, starting next week, Aka-nee, you'll drive Shion to participate in live auditions. Consider it a chance to accumulate experience and get familiar with the industry."
"OK!" Aka-nee pumped her fist enthusiastically. "Leave it to me, Aka-nee! I promise to bring Shion-chan back to you in one piece!"
Of course, it has to be intact, Kuroha Akira thought wryly. What if she's damaged?
"But before that," he continued, "we need to solve Shion's appearance problem. As I mentioned before, we need to find a way to lower her attractiveness."
"Oh, Kurenai-chan is listening too," Aka-nee said, her eyes glinting with amusement. "How about we let her come out and chat with Shion-chan now? I'll call her out."
With a blink—just that simple—the personality switch was complete. Tashiro Kurenai's entire demeanor transformed, and it always felt like watching a stage magician perform a flawless trick.
Kuroha Akira observed carefully and noticed some clues. The main changes were in posture and expression, leading to such a significant shift in temperament. When Aka-nee sat, her back was very straight, she looked straight ahead, and she would tuck her bangs behind her ears with a confident flick. She appeared energetic, capable, the kind of woman who could run a corporation.
But when it switched to Kurenai-chan, everything changed. She adopted a hunched posture, not only slumping her shoulders but also lowering her head, deliberately covering her eyes with her bangs. Her expression shifted from confident to timid, like a deer caught in headlights.
At this moment, Shinomiya was also intently observing Tashiro Kurenai's transformation. Something sparked in her eyes—like a lightbulb turning on in a dark room.
It was the same person, but the before and after changes made her seem like a completely different individual. It was almost like 'switching to a different soul'…
Although in reality, it was indeed a true 'personality switch,' what Shinomiya was thinking about was something else entirely.
Could this level of transformation be achieved through acting?
Previously, she had only used acting to hide her true self—to appear normal, to blend in. But now she suddenly realized that the 'inner self' could also be shaped. Could one create a 'brand new soul' through deliberate changes in behavior, demeanor, posture, and expression—to achieve that feeling of 'becoming another person'?
Perhaps it's worth a try…
The moment this thought arose, Shinomiya Shion's talent, "Soul Performance S", found its most correct 'unlocking method.' The true value of an S-rank talent was about to manifest, like a dormant seed finally sprouting.
"Um… h-hello…"
Kurenai-chan mustered her courage and greeted the two proactively, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kuroha Akira offered a relaxed, reassuring smile to ease her nervousness.
"You can be casual. So, I'll leave it to you to show Shion how to 'hide her brilliance.'"
Shinomiya also came back to her senses, lowering her head in a respectful bow. "I also ask for your guidance."
"O-okay." Kurenai-chan fidgeted with her fingers. "So… can I get a bit closer to look at your face?"
"Of course you can." Shinomiya smiled warmly. "You can even touch it."
Shinomiya tilted her head slightly, making it easier for Kurenai-chan to examine her perfect face. Kurenai-chan leaned closer, staring so intently that she forgot her nervousness entirely. Her lips parted, and she murmured dreamily,
"…Utsukushii…"
Beautiful.
Then Kurenai-chan pulled a wet wipe from her bag, thoroughly cleaned her hands with obsessive care, and then reached out to gently caress Shinomiya's face.
"So beautiful…" Kurenai-chan's voice was reverent, like an artist admiring a masterpiece. "I can't find a single flaw… Her eyes are naturally large, and their proportion to her face is just right—they're so expressive. And her eyelashes are incredibly long… There's absolutely nothing that needs to be 'fixed'…"
Kuroha Akira reminded her from the side, "So, how is it? Can you do it?"
"Hmm…" Kurenai-chan withdrew her hand reluctantly. "Although I'm a little reluctant to conceal such beauty… if I absolutely have to, I can do it."
Tashiro Kurenai stated this with great certainty—a stark contrast to her usual timid demeanor. Only in the field of makeup did she possess absolute, unwavering confidence.
This reminded Kuroha Akira of Aizono Moe. She also became particularly serious when talking about drawing, putting aside her usual shyness. The difference was that Aizono Moe's painting was still just an 'interest,' while for Tashiro Kurenai, this was 'work.'
There's an old saying: Don't challenge someone's profession with your hobby. For Tashiro Kurenai, makeup was her absolute professional domain.
"So, what style do you want?" Kurenai-chan asked, her eyes finally meeting theirs.
Kuroha Akira asked curiously, "Can we even specify a style?"
"Yes, I can do most common makeup styles," Kurenai-chan said, her confidence growing as she spoke. "Maiden makeup, classical makeup, ball makeup, et cetera… If broken down, there are probably dozens of types…" She hesitated for a moment, then added, "I also know other special styles of makeup, like smoky eyes, clown makeup, and so on…"
At this point, Kurenai-chan noticed Kuroha Akira and Shinomiya's slightly bewildered expressions. She suddenly realized she was explaining to 'outsiders' who might not understand the terminology. Her confidence deflated, and she awkwardly lowered her head again.
"Ah… but if I say it like this, you won't know what kind of makeup styles they are… I'm sorry, it would be better if I had pictures to show you…"
Kuroha Akira scratched his head and asked, "Um, Aka-nee seemed to have mentioned before that you also do special effects makeup?"
"Yes," Kurenai-chan nodded, her voice gaining a hint of professional pride. "I joined the film club when I was in university and learned many special makeup techniques—aging, fattening, disfigurement, and so on… But those require special materials and are quite time-consuming."
In the era before computer special effects became widespread, people could only rely on special effects makeup to alter appearances. Of course, it hadn't been completely phased out even now—after all, practical effects were still much cheaper than CGI, and some things just looked better when done for real.
"But I don't recommend applying makeup too thickly," Kurenai-chan added, her expression turning serious. "Cosmetics can damage the skin over time… and Shion's skin is so high-quality… it would be such a shame if it got irritated."
"Anyway, I don't know much about makeup," Kuroha Akira admitted with a shrug. "So just do what you think is best, Miss Kurenai."
"O-okay! Then, let's start right away!"
Tashiro Kurenai was clearly eager to try. She pulled out a pile of cosmetics from her bag—brushes, palettes, tubes of things Kuroha Akira couldn't identify—and began to work on Shinomiya with the focus of a master craftsman.
After a while, Kurenai-chan finished the first version of the makeup and handed Shinomiya a hand mirror.
"Hmm… It's done. Take a look."
"…Ah…!"
Shinomiya's lips parted in surprise. She, who knew her own appearance better than anyone, could clearly see that she had indeed 'become uglier'!
Her skin looked a bit duller than usual, and her eyes didn't seem as large. Was it because of the eyeshadow? The contouring? Whatever it was, it worked.
In short… amazing!
If she had known that makeup could lower her attractiveness, she would have learned it ages ago. Of course, she hadn't thought of it that way—makeup usually brought to mind 'beautification,' so Shinomiya had never been particularly interested in it.
But now, her own thoughts on the matter didn't matter. She turned her head and asked Kuroha Akira, "Akira-kun, what do you think?"
Kuroha Akira folded his arms and frowned. He was still not entirely satisfied.
"It seems to have become a bit more ordinary… but she's still very beautiful!" He shook his head. "Can't it be lowered further?"
Although her attractiveness had dropped from 120 points to 100 points—a solid S-tier to an A-tier—it was still a perfect score! He needed her to be a B-tier at best, just an average girl who wouldn't turn heads.
Shinomiya's natural foundation was truly too good. Without actually altering her facial features, it was very difficult to make her look genuinely plain or ugly.
Kuroha Akira briefly considered suggesting makeup like the terrifying gyaru style of the Corpse Beast from Blue Sea—the kind that could make anyone look like they belonged in a horror movie. But after a moment's thought, he realized that showing up to a live audition looking like that might scare the judges more than impress them.
Makeup should be down-to-earth, not summoning demons from the underworld.
"I can go further," Kurenai-chan said hesitantly, "but that would require heavy makeup. Once or twice is fine, but if it's too frequent, as I mentioned, it'll damage the skin. I really don't recommend it…"
With ordinary makeup techniques alone, this was the extent of what could be done. Even with Kurenai-chan's master-level makeup skills, reversing the operation—making a goddess look ordinary—was asking a lot.
On one hand, Shinomiya's facial features were simply too perfect to hide completely. On the other hand, Tashiro Kurenai genuinely couldn't bring herself to make her look any uglier. It felt like deliberately ruining a masterpiece, and the guilt weighed on her.
"Hmm…"
Although Kuroha Akira was still not entirely satisfied, he also didn't want Shinomiya to damage her skin. There was no need to go to such lengths just to hide her beauty—not when there were other options.
Noticing Kuroha Akira's dilemma, Shinomiya volunteered, "Um, it's fine even if it damages my skin a little. I can—"
"No," Kuroha Akira cut her off directly. "I can't accept that. There's no need to take such a risk."
His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. Shinomiya's heart fluttered at his concern, even as she felt slightly frustrated.
He then turned to Kurenai-chan. "Is there no other way?"
"There is," Kurenai-chan said slowly, "but it's not through makeup. It's by changing the hairstyle."
"Hairstyle, huh…"
"Yes. Actually, the overall beauty of the head relies heavily on the hairstyle. The first thing people notice is the hair, and only then the face. That's why many people grow long hair to hide flaws."
"I know that," Kuroha Akira nodded. "Covering the face with long hair, then using a hand to partially obscure the mouth—even a chubby girl can make her face look smaller that way, right?"
"Yes, exactly! In the film and television industry, this kind of visual illusion is used all the time."
"Oh, I know about that too," Kuroha Akira said, "but that's limited to 'fixed shots,' isn't it?"
It was the same in games—all game design served the camera. As long as there were no glitches within the shot, anything could happen outside the frame. In the past, when computer performance wasn't strong enough, creating realistic hair, mirror reflections, and water flow effects was extremely difficult. Real-time rendering was almost impossible, so developers used all sorts of 'trick' methods.
For example, many early 3D games weren't truly 3D at all—they were 'pseudo-3D' effects created from a series of image frames. This was just the tip of the iceberg; there were countless other clever workarounds.
Kuroha Akira had learned this insider knowledge when he entered the gaming industry and began understanding the various implementation methods used in game development. Game developers truly had a lot of 'smart tricks' up their sleeves—it made you realize that humans were indeed 'cunning' creatures.
The process of making games was itself a very interesting 'game,' though it had nothing to do with him as a writer now.
In short, makeup was essentially a technique of 'deceiving the eye.' Tashiro Kurenai's LV4 makeup skills gave her a unique eye not only for faces but also for overall aesthetics.
"Like this…" Kurenai-chanKurenai-chanKurenai-chan began, her hands moving with practiced ease. "Part the bangs from the middle to both sides, revealing the entire forehead. Then divide the hair into two strands and braid them like this…"
"Oh, oh, oh!"
This time, even Kuroha Akira was genuinely surprised.
Shinomiya had transformed into a country bumpkin!
The makeup from earlier perfectly complemented this hairstyle, creating a synergistic effect that brought Shinomiya's overall appearance down to about 70 points. It was solidly average—someone you wouldn't look twice at on the street. All that was missing was a final touch…
"Glasses! We need to add a pair of glasses!"
"Yes! I was thinking the same thing!"
Kurenai-chan nodded enthusiastically. She had thought of glasses from the very beginning when designing this country bumpkin Shion image.
The result was a look that seemed very rustic at first glance—like a girl who had just come from the countryside—but upon closer inspection, you'd realize she was actually a beautiful girl with delicate features underneath all that styling.
It was perfect for passing off as someone unremarkable.
And best of all, there was even a built-in transformation sequence—she could take off her glasses and become a beautiful girl in an instant! It was like a magical girl transformation, minus the sparkles and theme song.
At this moment, Kuroha Akira recalled the conversation he had with the class president when they first met… This was the class president's image!
She was the type who appeared very old-fashioned outside, but at home—when she took off her glasses and let down her hair—she became an incredibly alluring, secretly seductive beauty with a huge contrast.
The current Shinomiya looked more like the class president (Asato Hitomi) than Asato Hitomi herself!
"Excellent! This will do." Kuroha Akira nodded approvingly. "After this, as long as Shion, you act a bit more reserved and put on an unconfident demeanor, it'll be perfect! This way, even if you go out, you won't attract so much unwanted attention!"
"Is that a compliment…?" Shinomiya gave a wry smile, her expression caught between amusement and helplessness.
If it were her old self, she would probably have been thrilled to finally become inconspicuous. But now? She felt a little regretful. Because she wanted Kuroha Akira to look at her—truly look at her—hoping his gaze would always be fixed on her. She wanted to show her most beautiful self in front of him, not hide it away.
"Oh, well. Anyway, I'm completely relieved now…" Kuroha Akira's eyes glinted with calculation. "So, to help you adapt to this look faster, how about you keep this appearance even at home, Shion?"
He was already scheming. If Shinomiya maintained her current appearance, he was confident he could remain steadfast—his mental burden would be greatly reduced, and he wouldn't have to endure such sweet torment.
Shinomiya looked even unhappier. She saw right through his desire to avoid her. But instead of refuting him, she simply agreed.
"Since Akira-kun says so… I can maintain this appearance."
"Mm-hmm! My Shion is the most obedient!" Kuroha Akira beamed, in a very good mood. He thought that this way, he would finally sleep more soundly tonight.
However, when night came and it was time to sleep, he couldn't smile anymore.
After showering, he returned to the room and found the lights off. He reached over and flicked the switch.
"Ah…! Close the door quickly, Akira-kun…"
A soft gasp, accompanied by Shinomiya's slightly embarrassed cry.
Kuroha Akira closed the door behind him and asked curiously, "Why aren't the lights on… Uh…"
He couldn't finish his sentence. His eyes were glued to her.
"What's wrong, Akira-kun?" Shinomiya was lying on her side on the lower bunk, pulling back the covers and patting the spot beside her—a seductive smile playing on her lips. "Come to bed, quickly?"
Inside the covers, there was nothing but her body.
That is to say, even the clothes that should have been there were gone.
Shinomiya had indeed maintained the country bumpkin hairstyle from earlier, though her makeup had been washed off in the shower. But she had a plan—simple and crude.
Since Kuroha Akira wanted her to keep that plain image so he wouldn't look at her face, she would just make him look elsewhere.
As a woman, her weapons weren't just her face.
Don't want to look at my face?
Fine. I'll satisfy you.
Then look at my body!
Anyway… don't even think about ignoring me!