Pseudo-Harem Academy: I Can't Stop Acting Around Senpai!
Nanakura Rin has a problem: whenever she's around Eiji-senpai, the boy she likes, her mouth moves on its own—and out comes a flawless tsundere, little-devil, or clingy-girl performance. One girl playing every heroine role? To Eiji, that's comedy gold. To Rin, it's armor. Ever since a middle school play went horribly wrong, she's been terrified of letting anyone see the real her—especially the senpai who calls her "the ultimate harem" without a clue.
But when the drama club announces a romance p
Pseudo-Harem Academy: I Can't Stop Acting Around Senpai! - New Club Member's Confession Declaration!? ~The Hope Can't Refuse~
"I-it's not like I'm practicing for your sake or anything!"
The drama club room after school. Tucked at the end of the third floor of the second building, this converted storage room still smelled of old wood and dust. The past production posters plastered across the walls looked faded in the evening light.
Nanakura Rin sat staring at the script on the long table. On the cover, in Iwata Tsuguhito's round handwriting: *The Many Loves of a Multiple Personality*.
(Why did it have to come to this...)
Three days had passed since the script arrived. Every night, Rin read it over and sighed.
"Rin, what's up? You've been glaring at that script for a while."
Kitahama Eiji, who'd been reinforcing a set panel in the corner, set down his hammer and looked over. His light brown hair glowed softly, translucent in the western sun through the window. His dark brown eyes crinkled with their usual friendliness.
"N-nothing at all! You should focus on your work, senpai!"
Rin instantly switched into her tsundere voice. Her heart was pounding. Just knowing Eiji was watching made the real her retreat.
"Oh, tsundere-chan's in full force today! Proof you're fired up for the culture festival."
(That's not it. It's not being fired up. This is my armor.)
Rin traced the corner of the script with her finger. The paper felt a little cold.
—Knock, knock.
A timid knock came at the door.
"Excuse me."
Nakayama Motokuni, the club president, walked in. Tall, with handsome features—and a joker of a third-year who used that as material for his own jokes. His blazer hung off one shoulder, and he was grinning.
"Hey, President Nakayama. You're late today."
"Got caught by a teacher in the staff room. Apparently we're one form short for the culture festival."
Nakayama lowered himself into the folding chair across from Rin. The old chair creaked.
"So, Rin. How's the script coming along?"
Rin's shoulders twitched.
"...Um, President."
"Hm?"
"This script is... a little much for me."
Rin chose her words carefully and set the script on the table. The pages fell open to the scene where the heroine, Lirina, falls for Eiji.
"You think you can't do it?"
Nakayama's voice was as light as ever. But his eyes were fixed straight on Rin.
"The heroine switches between five personalities, and every one of them falls for the same person... at least think about what that does to the person playing her."
"Haha, it's definitely absurd. Iwata really outdid himself writing this."
Nakayama laughed. Then he leaned forward slightly.
"But Rin. You're the drama club's hope, aren't you? No one else can play this role."
"Hope...?"
"I've thought so ever since I recruited you. Your acting has the power to grab the audience by the heart. Five roles or ten—if it's you, Rin, you can do it."
Nakayama's words were direct, warm—and heavy.
(So this is how heavy "hope" is...)
Rin looked down. She gripped the hem of her skirt tight.
"...Do you think I can do it?"
"You can. I guarantee it."
Nakayama flashed a grin. His handsome face sparkled absurdly in the sunset.
"Besides, your co-star is Eiji. That's reassuring, right?"
"O-oh yeah! I'll give it my all too, Rin!"
Eiji clapped her on the shoulder.
The warmth of his hand squeezed Rin's heart.
(Playing lovers with senpai. Just that makes me happy—and terrified.)
Rin let out a small breath.
"...All right. I'll do it."
Her voice came out so small it surprised even her.
"Great, it's settled! Starting today, we go into full practice!"
Nakayama stood. The folding chair creaked again.
"Rin, Eiji. Let's run it from the first scene. Iwata should be here soon too."
—Thirty minutes later.
Iwata Tsuguhito shuffled into the club room, hunched over. He pushed up his black-rimmed glasses, a battered notebook and pen in hand. Same as always.
"Sorry I'm late. The copier jammed in the staff room."
"Hey, Tsucchi. We're just about to do a full run-through."
"Oh, nice. I'll take notes."
Iwata sat on the round stool in the corner and opened his notebook.
Rin stood clutching the script to her chest.
(It's fine. Acting is my strong suit. I have to show senpai what I can do.)
The more she told herself that, the more her chest ached.
"All right, from the first scene. Where Lirina reunites with Eiji."
Nakayama flipped through the script.
"Rin, ready?"
Eiji looked at her, script in one hand.
"Of course! Don't blame me if you can't keep up with my acting, senpai!"
Tsundere-chan flew out of Rin's mouth.
(Ah, again. The moment the real me tries to come out, it takes over on its own...)
She was thinking that inside, but her body was already in character.
"Okay, here we go. Three, two, one—"
—Scene start.
The setting: a school corridor. Lirina reunites with Eiji, the transfer student.
Rin straightened her posture. Her shoulder-length black hair swayed. Her deep brown eyes caught Eiji dead-on.
"I-it's not like I'm happy just because I'm playing your love interest or anything!"
The air in the club room shifted in an instant.
Eiji's eyes went wide.
"Whoa... amazing, Rin. You're already completely Lirina."
"Hey, take this seriously! That was Lirina's line!"
"I know, I know! As expected of Rin! You get into character so fast! I can't lose to you!"
Eiji gripped his script, face full of determination.
(That's not it. This isn't acting—it's how I really feel...)
Rin screamed it inside.
But what came out of her mouth was still tsundere-chan's.
"I-it's not like I'm happy just because you praised me or anything!"
"Whoa, ad-libbing?! Amazing, Rin, you're a true actress!"
Eiji was genuinely impressed. That pure gaze stabbed at Rin's chest.
(Senpai, please. Notice. These feelings of mine—they're real.)
But Eiji didn't notice.
"Good, this is going well. Next, scene two. Where Lirina switches to little-devil-chan."
Nakayama said it while tracing the script with his finger.
Rin let out a breath.
(I have to switch. Little-devil-chan. My specialty.)
"Oh my, Eiji-kun. Staring at me so intently—have you fallen for me, perhaps?"
Rin's voice dropped, sultry. She twirled a strand of hair around her fingertip.
"O-oh... wow. Now it's little-devil-chan. Rin, how many people are in there?"
Eiji was honestly astonished.
"Fufu, does it matter how many? More importantly, Eiji-kun. Won't you have a little talk with me, just the two of us?"
Rin took a step toward Eiji.
Eiji's face went just slightly red.
"O-oh. Well, sure, I guess."
(Ah—did senpai just blush?)
Rin's heart leaped.
But she caught herself immediately.
(This is him blushing at little-devil-me. Not the real me.)
That fact squeezed Rin's chest tight.
"Ooh, nice. You two are really syncing up."
Nakayama smiled, satisfied.
Iwata silently scribbled something in his notebook. Every so often he pushed up his glasses.
"Rin, that little-devil-chan just now was really natural. But you also conveyed that Lirina's hiding her true feelings from Eiji—that's good."
"Huh... ah, yes. Thank you."
Rin's heart skipped at Iwata's words.
(This guy really does see through it. What's underneath my acting.)
—That was when it happened.
Bang!
The club room door flew open.
"Hello! I'm the drama club's newest member!"
Everyone's eyes turned to the door.
Standing there was a petite girl. Her black hair, cut in a bob at the shoulders, swayed beneath straight-cut bangs. Her big brown eyes sparkled with curiosity. Her uniform was still brand-new, the pleats of her skirt still holding sharp creases.
"Kiri-chan, you made it."
"Yes! President, sorry I'm late!"
Shirasawa Kiri bowed deeply.
"This is Shirasawa Kiri, who joined the other day. A first-year. She'll be your kouhai, Rin."
Nakayama introduced her to Rin.
"Ah, yes. I'm Nanakura Rin. Nice to meet you."
Rin answered in her real voice without thinking.
(Ah, crap. The real me slipped out.)
But Kiri didn't seem to mind—she stared intently at Rin's face.
"Rin-senpai! I've wanted to see your acting for so long! That just now was amazing! You switched between tsundere-chan and little-devil-chan in an instant—it was like a completely different person!"
Kiri's voice was bubbling over.
"Huh, ah, thank you. It's not that big a deal..."
Rin was flustered, but happy.
(It's been a while since someone praised me so honestly.)
"Amazing, amazing! Senpai, your acting is so good! I wonder if I can ever be like that."
Kiri bounced on her toes as she spoke.
"Kiri-chan, you just joined, so you've got plenty of time to grow."
Nakayama gently backed her up.
"Yes! I'll do my best!"
Kiri answered energetically.
—And right after that.
Kiri's gaze slid over to Eiji.
"Ah, it's Eiji-senpai."
"O-oh, me? That's right, Kitahama Eiji. Nice to meet you."
Eiji waved, grinning.
Kiri stared at Eiji.
Then she beamed.
"I've fallen for you too, senpai!"
The air in the club room froze.
Rin was speechless.
(Huh? What did she just say?)
Eiji was frozen too.
"O-oh...?"
His voice cracked.
"Kiri-chan, what kind of 'like' do you mean by that?"
Nakayama asked cautiously.
"What kind? The normal kind of 'like.' I thought senpai was really cool."
Kiri was completely unbothered.
"O-oh. Thanks."
Eiji scratched his head, embarrassed.
Rin was still frozen.
(Kiri-chan just told senpai she likes him. So easily, so directly.)
Her chest ached sharply.
(Something I couldn't say after years—that girl did it in an instant.)
"Ooh, this is getting interesting."
Iwata murmured, quickly jotting notes.
"Tsucchi, don't enjoy this."
"I mean, come on, this is great script material. A new member's straight-ball confession. Yep, usable."
"Usable, she says."
Nakayama smiled wryly.
Rin still couldn't move.
(I was called the hope, and I couldn't refuse. So I just keep performing characters in front of senpai. But Kiri-chan can say 'I like you' as her real self.)
The gap squeezed Rin's chest tighter and tighter.
"Rin-senpai?"
Kiri peered into Rin's face.
"Huh? Ah, sorry. I was spacing out."
"Are you okay? Your face is red."
"I-it's nothing! It's just a little hot!"
Rin frantically fanned her face with her hand.
(No good. I'm really shaken up right now.)
"Rin, you okay? You don't have a fever, do you?"
Eiji reached worriedly for Rin's forehead.
"I-I'm fine! Don't do unnecessary things, senpai!"
Rin slapped his hand away.
(Ah, tsundere-chan came out again. I wanted to be honest and let him dote on me just now.)
"Oh, tsundere-chan's back. Well, if you've got energy, that's fine."
Eiji smiled cheerfully.
—After that, practice continued.
Rin performed Lirina's five personalities one after another. Tsundere-chan, little-devil-chan, clingy-chan, cool-chan, refined-chan.
Every one was perfect.
But Rin's heart was sinking, bit by bit.
(I'm always performing someone in front of senpai. Kiri-chan could say 'I like you' as herself.)
Practice ended a little past six.
Outside the window it was fully dark. The camphor tree in the courtyard floated dimly in the streetlight.
"Good work, everyone. Let's call it here for today."
Nakayama clapped his hands.
"Rin-senpai, thank you so much! I want to watch your acting up close even more!"
Kiri ran up to Rin.
"Uh, ah, sure. If you don't mind me."
"Then next time, let's read lines together! I still can't memorize my lines."
"Sure. We can start now, even."
"Really?! I'm so happy!"
Kiri's smile was so genuinely happy that Rin felt a little lighter.
"Then we'll head out first. You two be careful."
Nakayama, Iwata, and Eiji left the club room.
Eiji turned back at the door.
"Rin, your acting today was really amazing. Especially little-devil-chan—that was the best!"
"I-it's not like I was acting for your sake or anything!"
"Haha, there she goes again. See you!"
Eiji waved and left.
Only Rin and Kiri remained in the club room.
"Rin-senpai, that exchange with Eiji-senpai earlier was really funny!"
"Huh? Funny?"
"Yes! That was ad-libbing, right? Those lines weren't in the script. And Eiji-senpai didn't notice at all."
Kiri giggled.
Rin's
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