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!? - Rock Bottom Yonagi Kei: I Just Wanted to Act...
The moment she opened the door to Studio Daikokuten, the air went still.
Kei took a single step inside.
The woman at the reception desk looked at her. Then her gaze slid away—the way you'd look at something dirty.
"...Good morning."
Kei gave a small bow.
No one answered.
Several staff members were in the office. They'd all been talking about something before Kei walked in. She'd even heard laughter.
But now, no one said a word.
Only the clatter of keyboard keys echoed, unnaturally loud.
(Ah...)
Kei started walking toward her desk.
With every step, she felt eyes on her. A prickling, crawling gaze boring into her back.
(Don't look at me.)
Kei hung her head.
The fingertips of her right hand began tapping, unconsciously, against her thigh. Tock, tock.
"Hey, did you hear?"
A man's voice came from the direction of the break room.
Kei stopped walking.
"That girl—she signed that contract herself, apparently."
"Seriously? I thought she was just clueless and couldn't read a room, but she's the type to pull something like this?"
A woman's voice. A stifled giggle.
"Doesn't she think about the trouble she's causing the agency? Does she have any idea how much the penalty fee is?"
"God, the worst. Why did Kuroyama even pick up someone like that?"
Kei's feet felt glued to the floor.
(That's not true.)
(I never signed anything.)
Kei bit her lip.
The taste of blood seeped between her teeth.
"...Yonagi-san."
A voice came from behind her.
She turned. One of the office clerks stood there—a woman in her thirties, glasses on, looking at Kei with a blank expression.
"Kuroyama-san is out today. He said he was going to see the lawyer."
"...I see."
"All of today's appointments have been canceled. So, um... please feel free to use the rehearsal room."
The clerk said only that, then hurried away.
Kei watched her go.
(All my appointments, canceled.)
(Because of me.)
Kei headed for the rehearsal room.
The empty rehearsal room. Her reflection stared back from the mirrored wall.
A pale face. Faint dark circles under her eyes.
She hadn't slept a wink last night.
The Yorukage man's face surfaced again and again.
"Your father ran off leaving behind his debts. You're the one who'll pay them."
"Refuse, and I don't care what happens to your little brother and sister."
Kei stared hard at herself in the mirror.
(I signed it?)
(I didn't.)
(But that handwriting...)
Kei looked at her right hand.
It was trembling.
(How did it come to this?)
A knock at the door.
"Kei-chan, you in there?"
A sweet, soft voice.
It was Chiyoko.
Kei hurriedly pulled her eyes from the mirror.
"...Chiyoko-san."
The door opened and Chiyoko stepped in.
Softly curled chestnut hair falling long past her shoulders. Huge, jewel-like eyes with a violet cast. A small star bracelet on her left wrist.
The same flawless smile as always.
"Are you okay? You look really pale."
Chiyoko walked over to Kei's side.
"...I'm fine."
"Liar. That's not the face of someone who's fine."
Chiyoko peered into Kei's face.
So close.
Kei took a step back.
"...Um, why are you here today?"
"I came to see you. I heard about the contract."
Kei's body went rigid.
"...You don't believe me, do you. No one does."
Kei said it in a small voice.
"I believe you, Kei."
Chiyoko answered instantly.
Kei lifted her head.
Chiyoko was looking straight at her.
Those eyes were too clear, too perfect.
"...Thank you."
Kei bowed her head.
(Is this person really on my side?)
Deep in Kei's heart, a small doubt surfaced, drop by drop.
Chiyoko's words had been too smooth.
Like she was reading from a script.
"If anything happens, you can always lean on me."
Chiyoko said it with a bright smile.
The angel of Stars.
That smile would look perfect to anyone.
But Kei couldn't see past it.
"...Okay."
Kei bowed once more.
Chiyoko gave her shoulder a light pat, then left the rehearsal room.
Kei was alone again.
Her reflection in the mirror was watching her once more.
(What does "believe" even mean?)
(How can she say it so easily?)
Kei sank down onto the floor.
She hugged her knees to her chest.
"...I didn't do anything wrong."
She murmured it aloud.
It reached no one.
——
Past noon, there was another knock at the door.
"Kei-chan, you in there?"
This time, it was Akira's voice.
Kei stood up.
"...Akira-kun."
She opened the door. Akira stood there.
Light brown hair in a bowl cut. Gentle amber eyes.
But those eyes were wavering, just a little more than usual.
"...Can I come in?"
"Go ahead."
Akira stepped into the rehearsal room.
An awkward silence hung between them.
"...Hey, so."
Akira spoke up.
"I heard about the contract."
"...Yeah."
Kei looked down.
"I want to believe you. I really do."
Akira's voice was earnest.
Kei raised her head.
"But the handwriting on that contract—it looks exactly like yours..."
Akira said it like it pained him.
Something clenched tight in Kei's chest.
"...You too, Akira-kun? You doubt me too?"
Kei's voice shook.
"No—that's not it! I want to believe you. But the evidence..."
Akira hung his head.
"...Sorry. That's not what I came here to say."
He clenched his fist.
"I want to help you, Kei-chan. But I don't know how."
His voice was trembling.
Kei looked at his face.
He really was suffering.
(He's suffering too. Because of me.)
That's what Kei thought.
"...It's okay. I'm okay."
Kei forced the best smile she could.
But she didn't feel like it was working.
Akira looked at her face, like he wanted to say something.
In the end, he said nothing, and left the rehearsal room.
Kei was alone again.
("Want to believe," huh.)
(What does "want to believe" even mean?)
(Can't you believe me without evidence?)
Tears spilled from Kei's eyes.
Hot tears traced down her cheeks and fell to the floor.
——
In the evening, Kuroyama came back.
Kei was called into the reception room.
Kuroyama sat on the sofa, puffing on a cigarette.
Smoke filled the room.
"...Sit."
Kuroyama said it shortly.
Kei sat across from him.
"I asked the lawyer to get the contract voided."
Kuroyama tapped his ash into the tray.
"...Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet."
Kuroyama's voice was low.
"That Yorukage bastard is digging in his heels—says the contract's valid."
Kei's heart lurched.
"Break it, and it's a hundred million yen penalty, he says."
"...A hundred. Million."
A hoarse sound escaped Kei's throat.
"I can't pay that kind of money..."
The blood drained from her face.
"I know. I'll figure something out."
Kuroyama stubbed out his cigarette.
"You just focus on your acting."
His voice had none of its usual composure.
(Even Kuroyama-san is rattled.)
Kei looked at his face.
Kuroyama was staring out the window.
His profile looked smaller than usual.
"...I'm sorry. This is my fault."
Kei bowed her head.
"It's not your fault."
Kuroyama said it flatly.
"But the situation's as bad as it gets. I can't put you on any work for a while. Understand?"
"...Yes."
Kei hung her head.
——
Night.
Kei came home to the apartment.
She opened the door. The place was dark.
(Rui and Rei aren't home yet?)
She turned on the light.
Just then, her smartphone buzzed.
She looked at the screen.
A notification from an entertainment news site.
Kei tapped it.
The headline jumped out at her.
"Yonagi Kei Exploiting Her Missing Father for Fame? Film 'Rasetsu-nyo' Role Prep Accused of Using Private Trauma"
Kei's hand froze.
She scrolled through the article.
"According to sources, Yonagi has been deliberately drawing on memories of her missing father for the film role."
"One acquaintance claims she told those around her she uses her missing father as 'fuel for her anger.'"
"Online, comments have flooded in: 'Buying sympathy like that is the lowest,' 'Can't believe the agency would push someone like this.'"
Kei gripped her smartphone tight.
"...Don't talk about my acting like that."
Her voice was shaking.
"I'm not using my father."
"I just wanted to become the role."
Kei slammed the smartphone onto the floor.
It hit with a dull clatter.
The screen cracked.
"...gh."
Kei crouched where she stood.
The tears wouldn't stop.
——
A while later, the front door opened.
"I'm home!"
Rui's voice.
Kei hurriedly wiped her tears.
"Welcome back."
She stood and went to the entryway.
Rui stood there.
His uniform was covered in mud.
A scrape on his cheek.
"...Rui, what happened to your face?"
Kei's voice trembled.
"Oh, this? I just fell."
Rui grinned.
"Liar. You don't get your uniform this dirty just from falling."
Kei grabbed his shoulders.
"...Did someone say something to you? Because of your sister?"
Rui went quiet for a moment.
"...Well, people said some stuff. But I'm fine. I'm tough."
Rui grinned again.
Something twisted painfully in Kei's chest.
"...I'm sorry, Rui. Because of me."
Kei gently stroked his head.
"It's not your fault, sis. Don't worry about it."
Rui gently brushed her hand away.
"I'm gonna go take a shower."
He headed for the bathroom.
Kei watched him go.
(It's my fault.)
(All of it, my fault.)
Kei bit her lip.
——
Late that night.
Rei came home.
"...I'm back."
Rei's voice was small.
"Welcome back, Rei. You're late."
Kei went to meet her.
Rei's eyes were red.
"...Rei, were you crying?"
Rei looked down.
"...Big sis."
"Yeah?"
"I'm sick of getting bullied by everyone because of you..."
Rei's voice shook.
Kei's heart stopped.
"...Sorry, forget I said that."
Rei clamped her mouth shut in a panic.
"Good night."
Without looking at Kei, Rei ran into her room.
Kei stood frozen in place.
(Because of you.)
(Rei said that.)
(Because of me, Rei is being bullied.)
Kei went back to her own room.
She collapsed onto the bed.
Stared at the ceiling.
Tears spilled over.
——
Deep in the night.
Kei slipped out of the apartment.
Her destination: the rehearsal room at Studio Daikokuten.
The empty rehearsal room.
Kei sat in the corner, hugging her knees.
She buried her face against them.
Everything that had happened spun around and around in her head.
At the audition, when Kuroyama called her a monster.
Meeting Chiyoko.
Akira's confession.
The Yorukage man shoving the contract at her.
The whispers at the agency.
Rui's mud-soaked uniform.
Rei's trembling voice.
"Because of you."
Kei cried, stifling the sound.
"...I just wanted to act."
The words leaked out.
"Why did it come to this..."
Her voice was swallowed by the silence of the rehearsal room.
"Mom... Dad..."
Kei hugged her knees tighter.
"What am I supposed to do..."
Her vision blurred with tears.
Then her smartphone buzzed.
Kei picked it up with tear-wet hands.
On the screen: an email from an unknown address.
No subject line.
She opened it.
The body contained a single line.
"The only one who can protect your family is you."
Kei gripped the phone.
The cracked screen bit into her fingers.
Blood welled up.
"...Yorukage."
Her voice echoed faintly in the dark rehearsal room.
Outside, the wind was blowing.
The window glass rattled.
Alone in the darkness, Kei trembled.
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