OreShura: Volume 4 Chapter 12
Status: Incomplete
"Masuzu-chan, firstly, please introduce yourself."
Saeko-san prompted as Masuzu took the mike.
"To the MC and everyone here, I have to make an apology."
"Hnn? What's wrong?"
"I've lost the right to participate in this contest. To be precise, I've lost it last night.
Bewilderment spread throughout the venue, which was filled with a buzz that was different from the excitement earlier.
I clicked my tongue.
This is really what you've decided huh, Masuzu.
"What do you mean by that? Masuzu-chan?"
"It's a simple thing. I got dumped by my boyfriend."
The buzz in the crowd increased suddenly.
Pointing at the Masuzu who was standing there blanking, some lovebirds started saying. "She's too beautiful that he can't manage her." "She probably has a real bad personality right?" "What matters in love is compatibility -."
"...... what do you know......"
I clenched my fist.
What do you guys know about Masuzu? What do you know about her.
The difficulty in dealing with Masuzu is beyond your imagination.
Masuzu's bad personality is beyond your imagination.
And beyond your imagination, me and Masuzu ---.
"Hey Ei-kun, is that true? Did you guys really split up!?
"Eita, what happened? Did President just speak the truth?"
"Split up? Then, Takkun is free? Does that mean Ai-chan is the big winner again!?"
I let the questions from Chiwa and the rest slide.
I took action.
I kicked off from the sand, breaking into a sprint.
I pushed through the fellas who made fun of Masuzu, and aimed for the stage!
"Masuzuuuu! It's meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!"
No use! My voice can't reach the stage at this distance. Masuzu can't hear me!
I pushed my way through the crowd, and continued shouting as I ran.
"What's with that dejection, Masuzu!"
Masuzu did not look at me. She was merely answering Saeko-san's questions blankly.
"Can't you hear me Masuzu! Don't keep looking down!"
As I thought, she didn't notice me. The bad-mouthing around me was louder. My voice couldn't reach her.
As I forced my way through the people, I was rewarded with cold stares from around me. I got hit on the back and kicked on my legs. Sorry. It's my fault. But forgive me please, I, I want to get to her side!
"Aren't you the president of "Ji-En Otsu" --- a maiden who can act out yourself!"[1]
I yelled as I waved the "Otsu" strap hanging from my cellphone which I've taken out.
"So, until the very end, act out Natsukawa Masuzu and show it to us!!"
By the time Masuzu noticed me, I've ran up onto the stage.
The crowd became silent, and Saeko's mouth was wide open.
"...... w-what are you here for?"
Masuzu stiffened visibly as she stepped back.
While my shoulders bobbed as I was catching my breath, I grinned,
"Isn't it obvious? I came here to be[2] your boyfriend."
"Like I said last night, it's fine!"
"Even if you are fine with it, I'm not."
I took the mike from Saeko-san, and my voice rang out throughout the venue.
"Let's do this again, Masuzu!"
"...... do you have any idea what you're saying?"
"I don't want to split up with you. I want to do it again, with you!"
"Do you have any idea what you're saying?"
Masuzu repeated her question.
"No matter how many times we redo it, it'll be the same. It will be nothing but a distorted mismatch. No matter how much a monkey imitates a human, to the human, it's just pathetic. It's the same as that. A fake is still a fake. It can't become a genuine thing."
"That's fine, a monkey with its fellow monkey, a fake with his fellow fake, things might just go well after all."
"Impossible. There are many of those dazzling 'genuine ones' around you right?"
When she said that, she had a face contorted with so much pain, a face that I've never seen before.
--- aah, I see.
So that's it. Masuzu.
You have always been envious.
You have been envious of Chiwa, Hime, and Ai that you can't stand it anymore.
But you know......, I too am the same.
We're the same.
"Aah. Everyone of them is wasted on me. They are all genuine."
"Then, why are you sticking to a fake?"
"The reason is obvious right?"
I put my mouth near the mike, and proclaimed to the crowd.
"That's because I love Natsukawa Masuzu!!"
I hollered at the top of my voice, and even though some of the audience were covering their ears...... I think I've sent it out clearly.
It should have reached Masuzu.
"When I saw you the first time, I've been feeling this. For someone to be so beautiful, her personality must be the worst, and truly, it is! An unbelievably wicked tongue! A stuck up attitude that doesn't see her boyfriend as a boyfriend! A person who's smart enough not to dirty her own hands! However you think about it is, she's just too horrible! She's really only a girl with looks! Such an extreme vileness before me! Iidioot!"
Hahaha, as I expected, my true voice was filled with bad-mouthing criticisms.
The crowd had become totally silent, and even with these many people, only the sound of waves could be heard.
Saeko-san had a "What's this?" look on her face.
Masuzu's mouth was gaping.
However, what came after was the real thing.
"That's why I'm fond of you! I love you!"
"I-I don't get what you're saying."
"Get it already! For someone as loathsome as you are --- there is only a man who is as loathsome as me for you!"
Masuzu swallowed.
"Aren't you the only one who knows how loathsome I am, how disgraceful I am?"
The only person other than me who has come into possession of that notebook, was Masuzu.
The only person in this world who knew everything about my unsightly, weak self, was Masuzu.
"That's why you are the only one for me."
That was everything I wanted to say.
I acted with everything I got.
I lied with everything I got.
As for the rest, it would depend on my "fellow actress", no, my "fellow sinner",
"--- don't joke with me."
Masuzu smiled.
"You know, Eita. I've always hated you."
"...... eh?"
R-Really?
"I hated you. Someone like you. Do you remember, during the first time we met, you turned your eyes away from me right away? Thanks to that, my first impression of you was the worst. What's with this rude man? When other men look at me, they look like as if they have been paralyzed. As for you, you just made a disdainful face. You've really hurt my pride. Even when my only redeeming feature is my face. Why aren't you charmed by me? Why doesn't your face turn red? Why aren't you gazing at me?"
"...... no, about that."
Did I do that sort of thing?
I can't remember at all......
"I can't stand it when your results were better than mine. I can't stand it when you didn't talk to me even when my seat is beside yours. When I had no choice but to speak with you, you merely replied nonchalantly, and immediately returned to your conversation with your best friend. I also can't stand it when you get friendly with your childhood friend. I can't believe you prefer a pipsqueak like her. Even though I should be able to bring a lot more fun moments to you. I'll definitely give you hell, I thought. I've always, always hated you. That's why when I got hold of that, I was really trembling in happiness each time I made you depressed. Whenever I saw your tearful face, I was really on top of the world. And at the same time, down in the dumps. Since with that, you got to know the real me. With that, you would definitely hate me for sure. --- but yet,"
Masuzu trailed off and looked up at the sky.
Before I knew it, the sky was bright orange from the setting sun.
"But yet, you were so kind."
Transparent droplets rolled off Masuzu's cheeks.
"You were much gentler and kinder to me after knowing me than before knowing me. That's just impossible."
A sobbing voice sounded from the stage.
Masuzu was crying......
"Hey Masuzu."
I braced myself, and asked boldly.
"Are those tears genuine? Or are they fake?"
"I don't know."
From that cracked voice, it seemed like those tears were genuine.
"I don't know myself. I don't even know who I am."
"Then, I shall decide that for you ---."
I grabbed Masuzu's trembling shoulders and drew her to me, and closed in with my lips to hers,
"You are my 'girlfriend'. Stay as my 'girlfriend'. Masuzu."
--- with that, I fulfilled the promise which I wasn't able to fulfill yesterday.
I could hear the rousing, howling cheers coming from below the stage.
As I thought about the "Mayhem" that was going to ensue after this, my legs couldn't help but tremble.
But right now, let me just indulge in this fake kiss, I thought.
Status: Incomplete
Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "?".% completed (estimated)
Translator's Notes and References
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