A little under a half hour’s walk from downtown, the neon signboards and the hustle and bustle of the people disappeared. The area had a pleasant vibe, with its uniform apartment blocks, spacious green parks, and all the shops and convenience stores you could need for an easy life.
But in the midst of it, one building stood out in an odd way.
Ryouran Private High School.
The main school building had retro-style redbrick walls. There was an outdoor stage for performances, an indoor pool and gym, a memorial hall preserving the achievements of alumni, and several studios for lessons, among other facilities. The buildings around us all had stylish architecture. Even though we were there for the entrance ceremony, it felt more like we were taking a sightseeing tour.
Seeing the uniformed students heading toward the auditorium reassured me that I had the correct time and location for the entrance ceremony.
Still, I couldn’t deny that I felt completely out of place.
All around us were beautiful people.
Academic ability aside, the ratio of gorgeous faces would have to be something like 80 percent.
They all had the standard, cute idol good looks, the kind you see on TV, and everyone had a slim build and good posture. In their tailored uniforms, they reached extraordinary heights of conventional attractiveness.
Then there was me. With bedhead, a hunched back, and bags under my eyes. My presence was dragging the beauty ratio way down.
No doubt Shiika and I were standing out in a bad way. Passing students, current ones and newbies alike, were all staring at us.
“Hey, is he a freshman as well?”
“No way. He couldn’t have passed the entrance requirements with a drab face like that. No doubt he’s just here to deliver something a sibling forgot.”
“But he’s wearing a uniform.”
“What, seriously? Then I guess he really is a student? That girl he’s with, though, her hair is a total bird’s nest. And she clearly has no sense of style.”
“Sometimes people slip through the net and manage to get in. No doubt they’ll end up flunking out right away, though.”
“Oh, you’re totally right.”
Shut up. You think I don’t know all that? And hey! To me, Shiika is adorable! You just can’t see it ’cause her bangs are covering her eyes! You have no idea what kind of effect she might have on the beauty ratio at this school! Although, I guess that was just my personal opinion.
“…Well, it’s understandable. When you think about the kind of world these students are aiming for, then our dull appearances just come across as disrespectful.”
The entertainment industry is notorious for being hard to break into.
The average number of applicants for auditions held by entertainment agencies exceeds thirty thousand, but only one in a thousand pass.
Although there are probably some opportunists who audition just for the fun of it, if you factor in the people who reckon they’ve got an actual shot at success, that’s still a crazy number of applicants. Then if you think about the number of people who were half-assed about it and didn’t end up making it to the audition, then it’s pretty easy to guess how many people want to enter the entertainment world.
Shiika and I entered this school with the ulterior motive of getting some help with our living expenses.
Trying to stand out in a competitive environment like this would be playing a losing game. Even if I did have that kind of goal for myself, there’s no way I’d make it through without being crushed.
But unlike me, a totally ordinary guy, Shiika has real talent. She might actually have a shot.
Shiika was currently humming beside me without a care in the world.
“La-di-da.”
“You’re in a good mood. Don’t you find this atmosphere overwhelming?”
“Such a nice breeze out today. The sound of it rustling the leaves on the trees is just perfect today. Ah, it feels so good.”
“Is it different from usual…?”
“It’s usually transparent. But today it’s greenish-yellow.”
“Nope, no idea.”
“This school is full of all kinds of colors.”
I blinked, looking at Shiika’s profile as she gazed around at the school.
This was directly connected to the reason Shiika kept singing.
There were people working hard at their rehearsals on the outdoor stage, even though it was the morning of the entrance ceremony. No doubt there was some sort of music being played in the studio. I couldn’t hear any of it, not through those soundproof walls, but Shiika… Whenever Shiika’s ears picked up on even the slightest sound wave, she “saw” it as color.
No doubt Shiika was able to “see” all the sounds that were being created throughout this entire school.
“This might actually be fun.”
“…Yeah. Let’s hope.”
Hearing Shiika’s slightly cheerful tone, I found myself smiling.
Neither of us had pleasant memories of school, but if Shiika could manage to enjoy this, then I couldn’t ask for anything more.
And so Shiika and I headed to the large auditorium where the entrance ceremony was to be held, our hearts filled with faint hope for our new life.