Even though Shirase didn’t have any more scenes, he stuck around the set for a while.
To Nakano Ichika and the rest of the crew, he looked completely absorbed in observing the cameramen and lighting crew. Every now and then, he’d nod slightly, as if struck by some profound revelation.
The agency manager, still hoping to sign him, watched from nearby.
But the longer she looked, the deeper her frown grew. Could it be that this boy—whose face alone could make him an instant idol—actually preferred becoming a cameraman over being a star?
What a tragic waste of talent, she thought.
Ichika, however, couldn’t help feeling warm inside.
To her, Shirase was just “keeping his word,” earnestly studying how the professionals worked.
But in truth, Shirase wasn’t studying anything at all—he wasn’t daydreaming about cameras or careers in film.
He was memorizing faces.
He didn’t know much about the entertainment world, so he simply decided to commit everyone’s faces to memory. Later, once home, he’d use [Immersive Hosting] to cross-check.
By around 3:30 p.m., he chatted briefly with Ichika before taking his leave.
Even for a short episodic drama like this, filming a full episode in one day was impossible—unless everyone was as superhuman as that damned system. Retakes and adjustments were just part of the process.
Before Shirase left, Ichika brought up the matter of the formalwear for the upcoming celebration party.
The girl who had chased her dream of stardom in secret for who-knows-how-long had clearly managed her finances well—her acting skills weren’t the only thing that had matured.
“Don’t worry about your suit,” Ichika said confidently. “I’ll handle it. I can afford the rental.”
Faced with Rich Lady Nakano’s generosity, Shirase could only think to himself: Rich lady, hungry, feed-feed…
…
Not long after Shirase left, the director and manager hurried over to Ichika, eager. “So? Did Shirase agree to sign with us?”
Ichika smiled apologetically. “Sorry, he’s not interested in becoming a celebrity right now. As his friend, I can’t really push him.”
“I see…” The manager nodded, disappointed. Then her eyes lit up. “But he will come to the party in two days, right?”
“Yes, he already agreed,” Ichika said.
“That’s good enough.” The manager’s tone brightened immediately. “If he’s even a little tempted by fame, one glamorous night might be all it takes to change his mind.”
Ichika just smiled gently. She knew Shirase wouldn’t change his mind.
After all, his path was already set—one that shone far brighter than the entertainment industry. The path to becoming a professional soccer player.
Thinking of Shirase’s dazzling figure on the field, Ichika pressed a hand to her chest.
My heart’s racing again… and my cheeks feel hot.
…
When Shirase got home, Kojima Kana wasn’t there. He figured she was visiting Kirisu Mafuyu again.
What he didn’t know was that his Kana-nee was currently meeting Nakano Nino in secret downtown.
The two of them—one older, one younger—sat across from each other in a quiet café, looking for all the world like spies exchanging intel.
“Kana-nee, where do you think my friend might be working?” Nakano Nino asked, absently stirring her juice without taking a sip. She clearly had more pressing concerns.
Kana, by contrast, looked perfectly calm. “Didn’t you say she might be working part-time at a maid café?”
“That was just a guess.” Nino sighed. “Honestly, I don’t have any solid clues. I’m starting to doubt my own theory.”
“No, I think your hunch is probably right.” Kana’s expression turned thoughtful. “From what you’ve told me, if your friend isn’t working at a maid café, then maybe it’s somewhere like a bar.”
At that, her tone turned grave. “By the way, Nino, your friend—she’s your classmate, right? Around your age?”
The sudden seriousness caught Nino off guard. She nodded instinctively. “Yeah, she’s my classmate.”
And not just a classmate—family, too.
“I thought so,” Kana said, frowning. “As a teacher, I have a responsibility to look into this. If your friend’s straying down the wrong path, we still have a chance to pull her back before it’s too late.”
“Huh?”
Nino stared blankly at her. How did we get here already?
Wait—hold on!
She suddenly realized what she’d overlooked.
Kana wasn’t just a close family friend—she was a teacher!
When she’d said, “a friend doing mysterious work,” of course that would set off alarms in Kana’s head!
Panicking, Nino put down her juice and said quickly, “Kana-nee, please relax! My friend’s a really good person—she’d never go down a bad path!”
Kana sighed deeply. “Do you know how many people we see on the news who started out ‘good’? They were kind, pure-hearted even. But circumstances led them astray, and they fell into ruin.”
Nino felt like crying. With Shirase watching over Ichika, what could possibly go wrong?
If Ichika ever so much as stepped into a bar, Nino was pretty sure Shirase would knock her out cold and drag her home himself.
Seeing Kana’s thoughts spiral off-course, Nino had no choice but to play her trump card. “Kana-nee, actually… Shirase already knows about this.”
“What?” Kana froze instantly.
Nino pressed on. “I’m serious. Even if he doesn’t know every detail, he’s at least aware of part of it.”
“Wait—this classmate of yours,” Kana said suddenly, narrowing her eyes. “Is it a boy or a girl?”
“Of course she’s a girl. Why?”
“…A girl…”
Kana clenched her fists.
That damn little brother—he’s flirting with another girl behind my back again, isn’t he?
Wasn’t having a big-chested beauty like Nino enough for him?!
Wait—no. What if he’s gotten tired of that and now he’s chasing someone flatter?
Or worse—what if he’s found another girl just like Nino?!
It wouldn’t be the first time!
“…Kana-nee, your face looks kinda scary,” Nino said, watching her warily. “You look like someone who just caught her boyfriend hiding naked on another girl’s balcony.”
“…What kind of analogy is that?” Kana groaned.
But then her tone grew serious again. “Nino, if you think Shirase already knows, then why haven’t you asked him directly?”
—
This is a fan translation of 谁能拒绝中野二乃呢？by 六花吖六花. 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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