“Excuse us…”
“…What are you doing?”
Even though it didn’t feel right to criticize her band’s vocalist in front of someone she barely knew—especially someone like Tsuzuki Chihiro—Momoka couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by Nina’s behavior.
The girl was crouched down, hunched over like a thief sneaking around a crime scene.
Does our band even have a future? First, they had a reckless kid, then a drummer who randomly decided to quit.
Oh, right—Nina had also tried to quit before.
“Why are you sneaking around like that…?”
Unaware of what Momoka was thinking, Nina clenched her fists at her chest like a startled squirrel, scanning her surroundings warily.
She was definitely nervous. But then, when she turned to look at Chihiro—the person who had helped her on her very first day in Tokyo—she couldn’t help but feel like she was grasping at a lifeline.
“Chihiro, I’m counting on you.”
“Eh? Why me?”
“You promised that if I ever saw you again, you’d grant me a wish!”
Chihiro stared at her, half-amused. “That’s what you’re using your wish on?”
“It’s just that Subaru gets mad so easily, and I don’t wanna set her off.”
“Oh my~”
Before they could continue, a voice from behind them sent shivers down their spines.
Chihiro turned toward the source and immediately recognized the overly theatrical girl she had only met a few days ago.
This time, Subaru was dressed in a plaid dress, exuding an air of grace and composure.
Why does this feel so familiar…?
Oh, right.
This was exactly how Soyo acted in front of strangers—her signature customer-service mode, with every smile practiced to perfection, to the point that it was downright unsettling.
“Su… Subaru?”
“Come along, dear Grandmother. This way, please.”
Trailing behind Subaru was the “Grandmother” she had just referred to—an elderly woman who looked vaguely familiar to Chihiro.
It took her a second to remember why.
She had definitely seen her before—probably while watching TV with Soyo.
That’s right.
It was Detective Grandma.
Of course, that was just a character she had played in a drama.
Still, compared to that, Subaru’s overly prim-and-proper act was far more entertaining.
Especially now, as Nina blocked her path, glaring at her with an expression full of betrayal.
Chihiro had to wonder—what would it be like if Soyo and Subaru acted in a scene together?
That would be something.
“Can I help you with something…?”
“Subaru!”
“Hm? Oh, do you need directions? Let me show you the way.”
Subaru’s nonchalant response only made Nina even more furious.
Without another word, Subaru grabbed them and dragged them into a nearby corner, where she swiftly locked Nina’s head under her arm.
“Why did you guys come all the way here?! And who is she?! Did you already find a replacement drummer for me?!
If you had this much energy, why not find a bassist instead, dammit?!”
“Me…? A drummer? More like a butt-kicker.” Chihiro tilted her head innocently, feigning confusion as she pointed at herself.
Her joke, however, sent Nina into another state of shock.
“Ah… Right! She is our new drummer! You’ve been replaced, traitor!”
“Momoka, stop messing around!”
Nina stomped on Momoka’s foot before struggling to free herself from Subaru’s hold.
“You texted me out of nowhere saying you were quitting the band! Of course I had to come find you!”
“And she’s Soyo’s friend. Her name is—”
“I’ll explain that later!” Subaru cut her off, clearly refusing to let the conversation go in that direction.
“I don’t care about the band right now. You three—no, you four—get lost!”
“Grandmother and I have a dinner party to attend, so don’t mess this up for me!”
Subaru shot a particularly sharp look at Chihiro.
“Especially you. You have nothing to do with the band. Don’t go spreading weird rumors and putting a green hat on my head!”
“Then at least give me a reason!”
Nina refused to back down. Subaru, on the other hand, looked like she was about to lose her mind.
“I told you—!”
“…Who are these people?”
“Ah~”
At the sound of the grandmother’s voice, Subaru’s attitude flipped instantly.
In the blink of an eye, the aggressive, high-strung drummer transformed into a meek little kitten, pasting on a sugary-sweet smile.
“Oh, Grandmother, they’re my—um, I mean, they’re all actors!”
“Actors?”
Before Momoka could react, Subaru swiftly elbowed her in the ribs and stomped on her foot.
Groaning in pain, Momoka clutched her stomach and managed to gasp out, “A-ah, yeah, we’re… actors.”
Then, as if struck by inspiration, she glanced at Chihiro, who was still watching the scene unfold with amusement.
“But if we’re talking about the best actor here, it has to be Tsuzuki Chihiro, right?”
“Me? An actor?”
Chihiro blinked before her lips twitched into a smirk.
“I suppose my job is somewhat similar to acting.”
“Yeah. She’s a pro at acting.”
Maybe not in the entertainment industry.
But when it came to playing a part, putting on a persona, and gaining Nina’s sympathy?
She had to have some acting talent for that.
No matter how she looked at it, Momoka didn’t trust Chihiro.
After all, she knew Soyo.
She knew that Nina had been trying to find her.
And yet, Chihiro had avoided her this whole time.
If she wasn’t hiding something, then who was?
Which was why using her as a shield felt too perfect.
However, what caught all four of them off guard was the moment Momoka said the surname “Tsuzuki”—
The elderly woman’s expression subtly changed.
For the first time, she no longer seemed to view the situation as some trivial squabble between kids.
Instead, she walked up to Chihiro, smiling warmly.
“Chihiro, was it? Tell me… is your grandmother’s name Tsuzuki Shifune?”
“…Huh?”
The group of girls, who had just been trying to cover up a ridiculous lie, suddenly froze.
One by one, their heads turned toward Chihiro as if she were some kind of rare specimen.
Especially Subaru.
She kept glancing between Chihiro and her grandmother, as if trying to piece something together.
“Awa-san… you know me?”
“The moment I heard your name, it sounded familiar.” The elderly woman’s smile remained gentle.
“Come to think of it, I even held you when you were little.”
“…What?!”
The other girls stood there in stunned silence.
Ignoring their reactions, Awa Tendo seemed to consider something for a moment before looking at Chihiro with newfound interest.
“I never expected Tsuzuki’s granddaughter to grow up into such a lovely young lady, nor that she’d be stepping into the entertainment industry.”
“She never mentioned it to me…”
“But as it happens, there’s a banquet tonight. Chihiro, why don’t you join us?”
—
This is a fan translation of 素世同学，恭喜你被我优化了 by 杰克喵. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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