Act-Age Rebuild: Reborn into a Showbiz Family's Romantic Comedy!?
In the Yonagi household, dinner is bean sprouts, rice, and a stack of unpaid school lunch notices—and the only thing fifteen-year-old Kei has to her name is her mother's old movie DVDs and a habit of mimicking Audrey Hepburn in the dark. So when she sees an ad for a TV audition with a one-million-yen grand prize, she decides on the spot: she'll win it, pay off the debts, and prove to her sharp-tongued little sister Rei and her eye-rolling little brother Rui that when she says she'll do something
Act-Age Rebuild: Reborn into a Showbiz Family's Romantic Comedy!? - A sudden confession turns the set into total chaos!? And then, a contract of despair arrives
The final day of shooting for the school drama *After School Symphony*.
At the Chofu studio, a restless energy had filled the air since morning. The voices of staff members preparing the final cut echoed from every corner of the set.
Kei closed her script in the corner of the wooden classroom set.
(So this is... the last one.)
Her fingertips tapped the edge of the script—tap, tap, tap.
These past few days of shooting, surrounded by Chiyoko and Akira. She, who had been able to do nothing at first, felt like she had grasped just a little of the shape of acting.
"Yonagi-san, are you ready?"
"...Yes."
Kei stood up.
The final scene was the graduation ceremony. The protagonist and her classmates linger at the school gate, reluctant to part. Kei's role, Mizuno Yui, was a character who merely waved a small hand from the edge of the group.
The camera rolled.
Chiyoko, playing the protagonist, smiled with tears in her eyes.
"Everyone, thank you. I'm glad I was in this class."
Chiyoko's voice resonated across the set.
In that moment, something tightened deep in Kei's chest.
(Mother...)
The day of her mother's funeral.
Kei, surrounded by relatives, was the only one who couldn't cry.
Holding the hands of her sobbing younger brother and sister, she had simply stared straight ahead.
(I wonder... if I should have cried then, too.)
Kei's vision blurred.
The camera captured Kei's face in a close-up.
Mizuno Yui doesn't shed tears.
But in her eyes, a definite light dwelled.
"...Take care."
Kei's voice was small, trembling.
But that tremor was not a substitute for tears—it was the character's emotion itself.
"Cut! ...OK!"
The director's voice rang out quietly.
"Thank you for your hard work!"
Applause from the staff enveloped the set.
Kei exhaled deeply.
(It's over...)
Chiyoko walked over to Kei's side.
"Kei-chan, that last bit was wonderful. Your eyes—just for that moment—were Mizuno Yui herself."
"...You think so?"
Kei looked down, embarrassed.
"Yes. When I saw those eyes, I got goosebumps."
Chiyoko smiled brightly.
That smile carried a slightly higher temperature than her usual perfect one.
——
After the shoot, as Kei walked down the hallway toward the dressing room, a voice called from behind.
"Kei-chan."
She turned to find Akira standing there.
Light brown hair in a bowl cut. His gentle amber eyes were fixed on Kei with seriousness.
"A-Akira-kun. Good work today."
"...There's something I want to talk about. Do you have a moment?"
Akira's voice was a little harder than usual.
Kei tilted her head.
"Um, sure... that's fine."
The two moved to a corner of the deserted hallway.
The evening sun streaming through the window dyed Akira's profile orange.
Akira looked straight into Kei's eyes.
"Kei-chan."
"Yes."
"I like you. I want you to go out with me."
Kei's mind went completely blank.
(...Huh?)
(Likes me? Me?)
(Go out?)
Kei's face turned bright red all at once.
"Wha—wha—whaaaat!?"
Kei's voice echoed through the hallway.
Akira, seeing her reaction, smiled with a slightly troubled look.
"Sorry for surprising you. But I'm serious. Through the shoot, watching how straightforward you are, I fell for you more and more. You don't have to answer right away—just think about it."
Kei's mouth opened and closed wordlessly.
(Wh-what do I do? My brain won't work.)
(Th-this is what they call a confession, isn't it?)
(My first one in my entire life...)
Kei's heart was pounding so loudly it was unbearable.
"Um, well... I don't really understand that kind of thing at all..."
Kei said, flustered.
"Yeah, I know. I know you're the type who puts acting before romance. But even so, I wanted to tell you."
Akira's voice was earnest.
"...Akira-kun."
"I'll be waiting for your answer."
Akira said that and smiled gently.
Kei couldn't say anything—she just hung her head, face crimson.
——
That was when it happened.
"Oh my, oh my. Well, isn't this getting interesting."
A sweet, soft voice echoed through the hallway.
Kei and Akira turned around at the same time.
Chiyoko was leaning against the wall, watching the two of them.
Her chestnut long hair, lit by the setting sun, shimmered softly. Her jewel-like violet eyes narrowed in amusement.
"Ch-Chiyoko-san!?"
Akira's face turned red in an instant.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. But your voices were echoing through the hallway, so I couldn't help it."
Chiyoko giggled as she approached them.
"Akira, you're so unfair. I like Kei-chan too, you know."
Chiyoko said it casually, still smiling.
Kei's mind went blank once again.
(Huh?)
(Chiyoko-san too?)
(Likes me?)
"W-wait, Chiyoko-san, why are you saying that here!?"
Akira's voice was panicked.
"Because it looked like Kei-chan was about to be taken by you. I was the first one to take an interest in Kei-chan. Won't you stop trying to steal her?"
Chiyoko smoothly wrapped her arm around Kei's shoulder.
Kei's body jolted.
Chiyoko's warmth traveled through her shoulder.
"W-wait a minute! I don't understand any of this at all!"
Kei's voice came out like a shriek.
"It's all right, Kei-chan. I'll teach you gently."
Chiyoko whispered sweetly into Kei's ear.
"T-too close! You're too close!"
Kei struggled to escape Chiyoko's arm.
"Chiyoko-san, Kei-chan is uncomfortable."
Akira stepped between Chiyoko and Kei to help her.
"Oh my, Akira, you're the one making Kei-chan uncomfortable. Confessing to her like that."
Chiyoko looked at Akira provocatively.
"I meant it seriously."
"So did I."
Sparks flew between their gazes.
Kei, caught between them, was in complete panic.
(Why is this happening!?)
(I was just trying to go home after the shoot ended!)
Kei took a step back to put distance between herself and the two of them.
"I—I put acting before romance!"
Kei raised her voice.
But her heart was pounding so hard it hurt.
(No way. I'm this shaken up.)
(Why do both of their faces feel so much closer than usual?)
Kei seriously worried that the sound of her heartbeat might reach the two of them.
From a distance, the staff members were watching the battlefield unfold.
"Hey, is that a love triangle?"
"Momoshiro Chiyoko and Hoshi Akira are fighting over that newcomer..."
"What a crazy workplace..."
The staff's whispers echoed through the hallway.
Kei wanted to disappear from sheer embarrassment.
——
That was when it happened.
"How noisy."
A low voice echoed through the hallway.
Everyone looked toward the source.
Kuroyama Bokuji stood there with his arms crossed.
The head of Studio Daikokuten. The very man who had drawn Kei into this world. His sharp gaze swept over the three of them in turn.
"K-Kuroyama-san..."
"The shoot should be over. What are you all fighting about?"
Kuroyama said irritably.
"Oh, Kuroyama-san. We were just fighting over Kei-chan. Right, Akira?"
Chiyoko laughed without a trace of guilt.
"Chiyoko-san, saying it like that..."
Akira scratched his head, troubled.
Kuroyama let out a deep sigh.
"...Fine. Yonagi, I have something to tell you."
"Eh? Me?"
Kei finally snapped back to reality from the confusion of the confession.
"Yeah. I've decided you'll play the lead in the film *Rasetsu-onna*."
Kuroyama's words fell quietly into the hallway.
Kei's breath stopped.
(...Huh?)
(The lead?)
(Me?)
"I—I'm... the lead...?"
Kei murmured, dazed.
"That's right. That angry performance you showed on the audition show. Show it to me again in my film. Prepare yourself."
Kuroyama smiled defiantly.
Deep in Kei's chest, something pulsed strongly.
(Me, the lead.)
(A film's, protagonist.)
(The films my mother loved so much.)
Kei's eyes grew hot.
"...I'll do my best...! I'll definitely give a great performance!"
Kei clenched her fists.
Her voice was trembling.
But that tremor was one of joy.
"Oho, Kei-chan's the lead. Then I'll be in it too. As her co-star."
Chiyoko said immediately.
"I want to be in it too!"
Akira raised his voice, not to be outdone.
"...Don't decide on your own. The cast will be decided from here."
Kuroyama frowned.
"But if Kei-chan's in it, there's no reason for me not to be."
"I want to act with Kei-chan again too."
Chiyoko and Akira once again began sparking at each other with Kei between them.
Kei stood frozen in place, her feelings a mix of joy and confusion.
(I'm the lead...)
(But why are those two fighting again...)
Kei's heart had been pounding this whole time.
——
That night.
Kei had returned to her apartment.
"Big sis, welcome home! You're early today."
Her little sister Rei ran to the entrance.
"I'm home. It was the last day of shooting."
Kei gently patted Rei's head.
"Big sis, you must be tired. I'll make dinner."
"It's fine. I'll do it."
"Don't push yourself, big sis."
Rei looked at Kei with worry.
"I'm not pushing myself. When I say I'll do something, I do it."
Kei stood in the kitchen.
She opened the refrigerator. Inside were eggs and a bit of cabbage.
Kei quickly made tamagoyaki and cabbage miso soup.
The three of them gathered around the low table.
"Big sis, what were you shooting today?"
"A school drama. With Chiyoko-san and Akira-kun."
"Ooh, with that angel Chiyoko and the handsome Akira!"
Her little brother Rui leaned forward.
"Big sis, you're so popular!"
"I'm not popular. Don't tease me."
Kei put a piece of tamagoyaki in her mouth.
(Not popular... I'm not popular, but...)
Akira's confession and Chiyoko's declaration replayed in her mind.
(I put acting before romance.)
Kei told herself that once more in her heart.
But her heart was still pounding, just a little.
——
After dinner, as Kei was cleaning up, her smartphone buzzed.
Kei wiped her hands and picked up the phone.
A message from an unknown number was displayed on the screen.
Kei opened it.
*If you want to know more about your father, come alone tomorrow. If you don't come, I won't be responsible for what happens to your little brother and sister.*
The blood drained from Kei's face.
(About my father...?)
(Rui and Rei...?)
Kei's hands began to tremble.
The smartphone nearly slipped from her fingers.
"Big sis, what's wrong?"
Rei called out with concern.
"...It's nothing. Just a message."
Kei desperately feigned calm.
She tried to delete the message.
But her trembling fingers wouldn't move properly.
(I have to delete it. I can't let Rui and Rei see this.)
Kei tapped the screen over and over.
Finally, the message disappeared.
But those words were seared deeply into Kei's mind.
*Come alone tomorrow.*
*If you don't come, I won't be responsible for what happens to your little brother and sister.*
Kei gripped her smartphone tightly.
(About my father...)
(And Rui and Rei...)
Kei's heart pounded like a racing drum.
"Big sis, are you really okay?"
Rei peered into Kei's face.
"...I'm fine. I'll be a little late tomorrow. You two go to bed first."
Kei gently patted Rei's head.
"Okay. Don't push yourself either, big sis."
Rei nodded, still looking worried.
Kei stood in the kitchen and looked out the window.
In the dark sky, a thin moon floated.
(Tomorrow, I'll go alone.)
Kei made up her mind.
(I will protect Rui and Rei.)
(And I'll find out the truth about my father.)
The fingertips of Kei's right hand tapped the window frame—tap, tap, tap.
That sound alone echoed faintly in the quiet night kitchen.
——
The following night.
Kei had come to the designated location.
An deserted industrial district on the outskirts of Tokyo.
An old abandoned warehouse sank into the darkness.
The wind rattled the rusted tin sheets.
(Here...)
Kei stood before the warehouse and took a deep breath.
(I'm scared. But I have to go.)
Kei slowly pushed open the heavy iron door.
Giiii...
The rusted hinges let out an eerie sound.
Inside the warehouse was pitch black.
A musty smell stung her nose.
"...So you came."
A low male voice echoed from the darkness.
Kei's body jolted.
"Who...?"
Ke
Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.