I Will Do Everything In My Power To Bring Happiness To The Enchanting Beauty Who Can No Longer Smile. - Chapter 35: The Manager's Regret.

The Manager’s Regret.

“I’m glad, Tsubame.”

“Yeah. I’m really, really happy.”

Inside the car, Tsubame looked down at the necklace hanging around her neck… then glanced between the two handkerchiefs she held in her hands, her eyes flitting back and forth.

“I’m glad she liked it. It was worth searching all over for it, wasn’t it, Shigure-kun?”

“Yes, it really was.”

Just watching her gestures brought a sense of calm. I’m truly glad we decided to buy both.

By the way, earlier when her mother gave her the necklace, Tsubame hugged her tightly. Her mother seemed quite surprised, so it must have been a rare moment.

Seeing that heartwarming mother-daughter interaction, both Usui-san and I couldn’t help but smile.

“…”

I watched as Tsubame admired the handkerchiefs and the necklace. Her graceful, delicate movements were so beautiful that I lost track of time just looking at her.

“—Well, we’re here. You remember what we talked about earlier, right?”

“Huh? Oh, yes?”

Before I realized it, we’d arrived at the hotel. Given the distance, we must have been like that for over ten minutes.

I asked out of surprise—”Already?”—but Usui-san seemed to interpret it differently.

“We agreed that you and Tsubame-san should enter the room at separate times. If someone saw you together, it could cause problems.”

“Ah, yes. I remember.”

“Then we’re good. As long as you leave a fifteen- to thirty-minute gap, there shouldn’t be an issue. You received the key card, right?”

“Yes.”

As I spoke with Usui-san, I recalled the conversation we’d had over dinner.

Although the hotel staff had been informed of the situation, it would still look bad if someone saw the two of us entering a hotel room together. Even if Tsubame pulled her coat low over her face, there was always a risk.

So we decided to stagger our arrival times. For the record, Tsubame’s mother would be staying in the room next door.

…It feels like she’s being considerate of Tsubame and me.

“Then, do you mind if I go take a bath first?”

“Go ahead. That would actually help me out.”

“Are you sure? Would it be better if I stayed with Shigure-kun?”

“No, it’s fine. I remember the room number.”

She was looking out for me, knowing I wasn’t used to staying out overnight—but I couldn’t lean on her for everything. We’d already checked in.

“All right then. Tsubame, shall we?”

“Yeah. See you later, Shigure-kun.”

“Yeah, see you.”

“Have a good evening. Tomorrow’s your day off, and your schedule for the day after is in the email I sent, okay?”

“Got it. Thank you, Usui-san.”

“Thanks for everything, Usui-san.”

With that, I watched them leave. Now it was just me and Usui-san left in the car—for the first time today.

Now then… what should we talk about? Or maybe this is when Usui-san gets some work done?

As I hesitated, unsure what to do, she suddenly murmured quietly.

“…I wonder how many years it’s been since I last saw Tsubame-san smile like that.”

It was a small whisper. Likely not even meant for me to hear… or so I thought—until our eyes met in the rearview mirror.

“Truly—it’s something close to a miracle. That girl never smiled… no, she didn’t even flinch. And now she’s smiling again.”

“…All I ever wanted was to see her smile.”

“That’s probably why. Because you saw her not as the ‘Nation’s Ruinous Beauty,’ but as Sakakibara Tsubame. And because of that, she was able to rediscover the part of herself she had lost.”

Usui-san gave a faint smile—but within her eyes lingered a deep, unmistakable darkness.

“There’s something I want to tell you.”

“Something you want to tell me?”

“Yes. Something like… a confession.”

In the quiet darkness of the car, her words rang out clearly.

“These days, I refuse any job offer from people who see Tsubame-san as just a ‘product.’ I avoid joint shoots with multiple people to reduce unnecessary trouble. That’s my principle now.”

“…!”

Her words brought back things she had told me before.

“I especially take care to ensure she doesn’t run into other models at the agency or on set… Did she tell you about the incident?”

“…Yes. She told me a lot.”

It was just the day before yesterday.

Someone Tsubame had once considered a friend—someone she’d known since her reader-model days—had called her an “enemy.” Another top model, who saw her as a rival, was crushed by the difference in their talent and told Tsubame to “stay on top forever”—a cursed parting shot.
And someone Tsubame had adored like an older sister… had only approached her for the sake of benefiting from her popularity. When her pride was wounded, she admitted the truth, hurting Tsubame deeply.

“I did something unforgivable to that girl… Saying sorry isn’t enough. If someone said I broke her, I couldn’t deny it.”

“…”

“I can’t argue if they say I shattered her heart.”

Her eyes narrowed with sorrow. …They didn’t resist the pain. They simply accepted it, as though she’d resigned herself to carrying that burden.

“What… do you mean?”

“No matter how hard I tried, it doesn’t change the fact that her heart was broken. That’s all there is to it.”

“…I’d like to hear more.”

She nodded quietly, took a sip of water, then continued.

“I lacked the ability. The knowledge, the experience—everything.”

I clasped my hands together and leaned in. It was clear this was a serious conversation.

“Before I became Tsubame-san’s manager, I was just one of many… That might not mean much to you, but I was basically just another cog in the machine, doing average managerial work. I never imagined—up until minutes before meeting her—that I’d be in charge of someone who’d become a once-in-a-generation top model.”

With those words, I finally began to understand the flow of the story.

So that’s what this was all about.

“After discovering Tsubame-san, things progressed incredibly quickly—from her reader-model debut to agency contracts. The agency started backing her, and suddenly we were flooded with interviews, reporters, and a jam-packed schedule. I was supposed to guide her, but I found myself barely keeping up.”

It’s only been around five years since she started—counting from her reader-model days.

And yet, five years was long enough for her to rise to the very top.

“…How many years have you been a manager, Usui-san?”

“This is my seventh year. I used to be a model myself, actually. But once I realized I’d hit my limit, I quit. This agency took me in when I was twenty-two, right after I graduated from university.”

Seven years. That means she must have discovered Tsubame somewhere between her second and third year as a manager.

“As a manager, there’s only so much I can do. Even so, I did everything I could to make sure that girl wouldn’t be overburdened. I spoke with senior managers and learned that the most common and serious issue is human relationships. So I made sure to avoid any contact between her and girls she used to work with as a reader model—especially the ones with inflated egos.”

Usui-san gave a dry laugh at that.

“But I couldn’t shield her from everything. I was barely hanging on myself, trying not to get consumed by the fire. No matter how hard I tried, things kept slipping through my fingers. And in the end, that fire… dealt her a fatal blow. It was entirely my failure. Saying I ‘tried my best’ isn’t an excuse. Because the truth is, her heart was broken.”

“…”

I couldn’t find the words to respond—even though I was the one who had asked.

But still, I understood something now. That Usui-san had truly done everything she could.

She had given her all, and yet… Tsubame had still been hurt.

“I won’t make excuses. I stole one of the most important periods of her life—her youth. Someone like me has no right to justify anything. But even so, I didn’t have time to hang my head in regret. Because while I stood still, she kept moving forward.”

Usui-san spoke rapidly, as if the emotions were boiling up inside her. Then, as though releasing that heat, she let out a deep breath.

“When I didn’t know what else to do… I sought out someone. Though, really, it was just a string of coincidences. Our respective talents happened to have adjacent interview slots.”

Our eyes met in the mirror. Her gaze was still somber… but unwavering.

“Her name was Kifune-san. She used to manage an idol group. I can’t say which one, but it was a very well-known group. And Kifune herself was quite a prominent figure in the industry.”

“…Why was that?”

“She had results to show for it. For example, she took legal action against people who repeatedly slandered her idols. There was also a case where one of her idols had a fan with incredible reach on social media—she recognized his potential and recruited him as part of the PR team. Thanks to her, that agency saw significant growth.”

…That last bit sounded vaguely familiar. I feel like I might’ve seen something like that trending on social media once.

Well, no point digging too deeply—especially when they’re keeping the idol’s name under wraps.

“That kind of move could have easily backfired, but Kifune-san had a gift. She could assess risk, and she was excellent at putting out small fires before they spread. And her ability to read people—she was in a league of her own in this industry. So I turned to her for advice. You could say she became my mentor.”

Usui-san smiled softly. The shadows in her eyes seemed to fade ever so slightly.

“Thanks to her, I learned how to navigate this industry. These days… well, I can’t say I’ve mastered everything, but I can extinguish most sparks before they become flames. Still, I couldn’t heal Tsubame’s heart.”

Then, she turned that gentle smile toward me. It was a beautiful smile.

“Thank you, Yukitsuki-san. Because of you, I was able to see her smile again. That means the world to me.”

“…I think you helped Tsubame too, Usui-san. I’m not just trying to console you—I truly mean it. If it hadn’t been you, the outcome might’ve been far worse.”

She did everything she could. She gave her all—and even then, she couldn’t save her.

But what if Tsubame had been assigned a manager who only saw her as a product?

What if her manager had no regard for her emotional well-being?

Maybe… in that case, Tsubame wouldn’t have been able to keep modeling at all.

“And besides… I don’t believe her heart was broken. Not completely. After all, she reached out to me.”

If she had truly shattered, she wouldn’t still be modeling. She wouldn’t have had the strength to choose to meet me.

“Of course, Tsubame is strong. Or rather… she’s hard on herself, always putting on a brave face. But she didn’t break. She’s still within reach. She reached out to me—and that’s thanks to you, Usui-san.”

Usui-san is filled with regret. But maybe it’s exactly because she can feel that regret that Tsubame is still within reach—able to smile, able to feel joy.

“…Thank you. Hearing you say that gives me renewed resolve.”

She looked at me through the mirror once more. Her eyes were gentle, but now they carried a clear, steady light.

“I can’t let that smile you helped bring back be lost again. That’s why… I’d like to say ‘leave it to me,’ but the truth is, I still don’t fully trust myself. I’ll do everything I can, though. That much, I promise.”

“I know. And I trust you.”

After hearing everything she said, I understood—just how hard Usui-san had fought for Tsubame.

And even I, a complete outsider, could feel how capable she had become.

“And even if something slips through again… it’s okay. I’ll be here. So will her mother.”

“…Heh. Hearing that really puts me at ease.”

“Good. Then leave it to me.”

No matter what lies ahead, I’ll bring a smile to Tsubame’s face. I’ll make her happy.

I said it with my whole heart—and Usui-san responded with a grateful smile.

Then she checked her watch. It seemed we had talked for quite a while.

“It ran a little long, but… it’s time. Thank you for listening, Yukitsuki-san.”

“No, I’m glad I got to hear it.”

“Yukitsuki-san—may I say just one more thing?”

She called out to me just as I picked up my bag and reached for the door.

“There are some things I can’t handle. Some challenges are simply too great for one person alone. If that day ever comes… please, be there for Tsubame.”

“…Just like I said before.”

This time, it was my turn to smile.

“I’ll be here. So will her mom. And I’ve got friends too. No matter what happens—I’ll protect her smile. Always.”

“…Thank you. I’m truly relieved to hear that.”

With that, I opened the door again.

“Well then… please continue looking out for Tsubame, Usui-san.”

“I promise to do everything I can. And you, Yukitsuki-san—please continue to stay by her side.”

“Of course. Leave it to me.”

“Good. Have a wonderful evening, Yukitsuki-san.”

“You too, Usui-san.”

And just like that, my conversation with Usui-san came to an end.

I stepped into the hotel with a renewed sense of resolve.

—How can I make Tsubame smile? What can we do together that she’d truly enjoy?

As those thoughts swirled in my mind, I used the key card and rode the elevator to our floor.

Since we’re at a nice hotel, maybe I’ll just lie down and fall asleep while watching animal videos or a movie on the monitor. But… we have school tomorrow, and I need to be up early—that’s a dilemma.

Well, I’ll just talk it over with Tsubame once I get back to the room.

With that thought, I opened the door—and at the same moment, I heard the soft click of the bathroom door opening.

And then, she appeared—

“Ah, Shigure-kun. Welcome back. You were gone a while.”

It was Tsubame, dressed in nothing but a bathrobe.

—No, not just dressed in a bathrobe.

She was wearing only a bathrobe.