In This World That Favors Men, I... ~Starting a Sweet School Life in a World With a 1:8 Gender Ratio~ - 74

Chapter 74: Heart-Pounding Audition Part 1

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“Still! An audition sounds really exciting!”

As I savored a freshly made cup of hot chocolate, gently blowing on it to cool it down, Yui brought up the topic of the audition.  In the end, after that, I’d been completely overwhelmed by Yoriko-san and Jun-san’s intense push. Even though I looked to Mom and Yui with pleading eyes for help, my plea for help ended up in vain.

“They’ve gone this far just to ask you to do it. So why don’t you try giving the audition a try first?”

“This hexagonal pudding is so delicious! And the audition sounds fun too!”

Surprisingly, both of them were very positive about it. Surrounded by four women getting all excited in such an affirming atmosphere, there was no way I could say, “No, absolutely not!” The audition was apparently already scheduled for this weekend. They said they’d send me the materials later, but… What kind of audition would this be, exactly?

《Pudding Quest: “Let’s Promote the Ultimate Hexagonal Pudding” Part ② – “Heart-Pounding Audition!” in Progress》

“Heart-pounding,” huh… Honestly, I would’ve preferred to go on a date instead of doing this audition.

“Are you not into promoting the pudding, Onii-chan?”

Maybe it was because I wasn’t responding enthusiastically—Yui peered into my face, looking concerned.

“Umm… It’s not so much about the pudding promotion itself. I just don’t have much interest in showbiz, I guess.”

“Why not? Everyone on TV always looks like they’re having fun!”

“That’s probably because they’re smiling as part of the job. I’m sure there are lots of fun aspects in such a glamorous world, but I just can’t imagine having my face plastered all over the city. What about you? How would you feel?”

“Hmm… To be honest, I personally think I’d be happy if Onii-chan’s photo was up at the convenience store every time I went.”

“Really?”

“Yeah! I mean, Onii-chan, you’re super cool. You’re my pride and joy. And I honestly think you’d be able to convey just how delicious that pudding is to everyone.”

“…That pudding definitely exceeded normal convenience store quality, I’ll give you that.”

“If you’re chosen for the commercial, they’ll give you a year’s supply of pudding as a bonus! Even if you don’t make it, just participating in the audition gets you a month’s worth of pudding!”

“Huh? They said that?”

“Not at the time. But I made a group chat with Yoriko-san and Jun-san, and they told me that in the group chat.”

Just when did she exchange contact information with Yoriko-san and Jun-san? And how…?

“Also, even if you don’t pass the audition, they’ll enlarge the photos taken during the shoot and print them for us. I’m looking forward to that. Can I have yours if you don’t want it?”

…Right. That’s true.

Jun-san acted like I was their top pick, but there was no guarantee I’d actually get chosen. In fact, realistically speaking, the odds were against me. All the other candidates were either active talents or people on the verge of debuting. Thinking about it that way actually made me feel a bit better.

Having a pro photographer take my pictures was a rare enough experience. If I thought of it as a fun event where I’d get to try something new and take home some pudding as a reward, it didn’t seem so bad and Yui seemed excited too.

Alright! I was starting to feel a little fired up about it now.

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“Good morning! Yuusei-kun, looks like you’re all set. It’s going to be a long day, but do your best!”

A van pulled up in front of our house and Jun-san stepped out from it.

“What’s the schedule for today?”

“Well, of course you’ve already passed the document screening, so we’ll be starting with the interview. During the interview, they’ll probably ask you a few questions, but just answer them like you normally would. It’s just to check your natural vibe, the way you talk, your voice quality, and that sort of thing.”

For this audition, I was participating as a provisional talent under Youshun Agency, the company Jun-san worked for. She handled everything related to the audition, starting with creating a “composite”—a sort of profile that included my measurements and photos.

“As we mentioned beforehand, cleanliness is super important when it comes to food commercials. With how you look today, Yuusei-kun, that’s already a check.”

I’d been given a printout titled ‘Notes for the Day’ in advance, which included simple guidelines on hairstyle, grooming, and outfit. According to it, the ideal image for this commercial was “a modern boy living an ordinary high school life.” So today, I’d showered early in the morning and dressed simply. I was donned in a white V-neck T-shirt, fairly new jeans, and a light gray hoodie.

“Do you think this outfit will do well?”

I double-checked with Jun-san.

“Yup, perfect. You’ve got great features, so simple clothes like this really bring that natural charm of yours.”

“Glad to hear that. Alright, I’ll be in your care today.”

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There was a separate driver for the van. I sat in the backseat with Jun-san, and during the ride, she went over the mindset I should have going into the audition.

“As it said on the printout, the key is ‘a wonderful smile’… That’s the most important thing. Especially in commercials, since the impression is often based on just a single photo or a 15-second video clip. That’s why a person with an attractive smile is preferred.”

“A wonderful smile, huh… I don’t really make a habit of smiling intentionally, so I’m not sure I’ll be able to do it well.”

I decided to be honest about my lack of confidence.

“It’s your first time, so it’s natural to be nervous, but you can relax more. Yuusei-kun, your natural smile is already amazing. Just be your usual self, and that’ll be enough.”

“So I don’t need to put on any kind of act?”

“Exactly. In commercials, the real star is the product. What they want from the actors isn’t strong individuality, but things like freshness, sincerity, and a good first impression. That’s why simple is best. Just a natural smile is all you need.”

A natural smile… A natural smile… Hmm. Can I really do that in front of total strangers?

“I’ll try my best, at least…”

“Great answer! Even though you weren’t really into this at first, you’re still doing your best now that you’ve accepted it. That sense of responsibility and serious attitude in tackling your responsibility… That’s a big plus. Just go in with the mindset that it’s fine if I don’t get it,’ okay?”

I think she meant that as encouragement. But “it’s fine if I don’t get it”… That might actually be an important phrase to keep in mind.

“Hearing that makes me feel a bit more at ease.”

“Hehe~ After all, it was Yoriko-san who scouted you. She was the one who planned this product. That means you’re a perfect fit for the image of that pudding and personally speaking, I think you have talent.”

“Talent? But I don’t really have anything like that…”

“Then let’s call it a special quality. Or maybe.. You’re not aware of your own capability?”

“A special quality…? If anything, that just makes it harder to guess.”

“What you were born with is ‘a natural charm.’ That’s something only certain people possess. And you, Yuusei-kun, have it in abundance. So there’s no need to act! Just face this audition head-on!”

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