I Will Do Everything In My Power To Bring Happiness To The Enchanting Beauty Who Can No Longer Smile. - Chapter 4: Let's Chat.

Let’s Chat.

We sat on the sofa, facing each other. Between us, there was no conversation.

“……”

“……”

When people hear about a man and a woman staring at each other, they might imagine something romantic. But in reality, this was nothing like that.

There was only one thing on my mind.

—Now then. What should we do for fun?

There were plenty of options—games, movies, dramas, anime, even manga.

However, I had no idea what Tsubame actually liked.

“Tsubame, what do you usually do when you have free time?”

“Sleep.”

“…Do you sleep every time you have nothing to do?”

“I sleep when I can, or at least close my eyes. I often struggle to sleep at night.”

…I see. If she’s experiencing so much stress that she can’t even taste her food, then it’s no surprise that her sleep is affected too.

From a health standpoint, it’s obviously not good. But judging from everything she’s told me so far, helping her relieve stress should improve the situation.

As I was thinking about this, she continued speaking.

“That’s why I don’t know. I don’t know what else to do besides sleeping.”

Her gaze, darker than the night, locked onto mine—so deep it felt like I might be pulled in.

Nodding at her words, I voiced my thoughts.

“Then, how about we start with some small talk?”

“Small talk?”

“Yeah. We used to play together when we were kids, but now, all I know about you is your image as the ‘Ruinous Beauty.’ On the other hand, you probably know nothing about me.”

It’s been about six or seven years since we last spent time together. That’s quite a long time.

“There are many things we can do during the break, and I’d like to try different things. First, I thought we could figure out what direction to take.”

“What do you mean?”

“Tsubame, are you good at or interested in sports?”

Understanding my intent, she nodded slightly.

“I have almost no experience with sports.”

“Anything at all? Even something you did in gym class?”

“…The agency restricted me from ball games and long-distance running in PE. They didn’t want me getting injured since it could affect work.”

“I see…”

That means outdoor activities might not be the best idea.

It feels like an overreaction, but considering how distant our relationship has become, I can’t just take her outside and risk her getting hurt, causing her to lose work opportunities. It’s better to wait until we’re closer before suggesting anything like that.

“So, for now, avoiding physical activities seems best.”

At my words, Tsubame nodded silently. Seeing that, I paused to think.

“Do you play games?”

“The last time I played was with Shigure-kun.”

“Hmm… What about dramas, movies, or anime?”

“I don’t watch them.”

“Manga or novels?”

“I don’t read them.”

“How about videos or social media?”

“I don’t watch videos. My social media accounts are managed by the agency.”

“…I see.”

It seems she truly doesn’t engage in any of these activities.

For a modern high school student, she’s exceptionally rare.

As I struggled to decide where to start, she murmured quietly.

“It’s the agency’s policy.”

“What do you mean?”

“They want me to act in a way that matches my public image.”

“…You mean maintaining a mysterious aura, or something like that?”

She gave a small nod, her face devoid of emotion.

I understood, but I couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable about it.

Just what does the agency see her as?

“For now, I understand. But what do you personally think about it?”

“It’s necessary for work. I don’t feel anything beyond that.”

“…Does that mean you also want to restrict yourself from these kinds of entertainment?”

If she agreed, our options would be severely limited.

If that was the case, I’d just have to work with it, but—

Fortunately, Tsubame shook her head slightly.

“This break includes everything.”

“Ah, I see.”

Her words made sense. This “break” must function as an on-off switch for her work persona.

It didn’t seem like the agency was forcing a ban on entertainment, and… perhaps even this break itself was decided by her mother or someone at the agency.

My thoughts began to spiral, so I stopped myself. Right now, thinking about that wouldn’t accomplish anything.

“Alright, then. Manga and novels might take time if you’re reading them for the first time, so… Oh, I know.”

As I debated which genre to introduce, something came to mind.

“Tsubame, do you like animals?”

“……I’m interested.”

“Oh?”

This was the first time she showed a different reaction.

So, she still liked animals, just like when we were kids.

“Then let’s go with something animal-related. Do you watch animal videos?”

“I don’t watch videos at all.”

“…Right. Then today, we’ll start with some videos. Later, we can try watching animal-focused movies, dramas, or anime.”

Tsubame nodded several times, looking more engaged than before.

Seeing that, I felt relieved.

As I turned on the TV, she spoke up.

“Shigure-kun, do you like animals?”

“I do. I follow a lot of animal-related channels, and I often watch longer videos when I have time. They’re really soothing.”

“……?”

“Ah, sorry. That might’ve been a bit unclear.”

Come to think of it, she’s never used video streaming platforms before. Terms like “channel” and “short videos” wouldn’t make sense to her.

“Well, basically, I love animal-related content. Dogs and cats, of course, but also birds and turtles.”

“They’re cute.”

“Exactly! They’re incredibly cute. There are so many relaxing videos out there, so let’s watch a few.”

As I browsed through my subscribed channels, Tsubame spoke again.

“Shigure-kun, do you watch videos and movies often?”

“Hm? Yeah. Videos are good for passing the time, and when I have more free time, I watch movies and anime. Sometimes, I watch dramas with my parents.”

She was asking more questions now, which reminded me that we were supposed to be having a casual conversation.

…This was unexpected.

Sure, we were childhood friends. But I thought she was only interested in figuring out what to do during the break, nothing more.

That thought must have shown on my face, because she stared at me intently.

Somehow, her gaze felt… almost piercing.

“Earlier, you said that you only know me as the ‘bewitching beauty.’ And that I don’t know anything about you. Since we’ll probably be spending a lot of time together from now on… I want to know more about you.”

Her words, unusually long for her, made it clear that she wasn’t just being polite—she truly meant it.

“And right now, you’re the only person I can really talk to, Shigure-kun.”

“…Is that because of your public image?”

“That’s part of it. But also, I just don’t have people who approach me. Besides—”

She trailed off, her eyes shifting from me to the TV screen.

On the screen, the thumbnail showed two Shiba Inu puppies playing.

“…Shall we keep talking while watching?”

“Yeah.”

She nodded almost eagerly.

Seeing that, I couldn’t help but smile as I pressed play.