Episode 62 – Professor Omori and a new character

Time was passing, and January was coming to an end.
The cold was only getting colder, and if anything, it seemed to be peaking around here.

In the midst of all this, I went to college as a matter of course and was called by Professor Omori at the end of class.

“Excuse me.”
“It’s a mess, but who cares?”

The room I entered after Omori sensei was the teacher’s private room at the university.
It was a place I often visited when I went there to ask questions.

There are several thick books on the shelves, as thick as this one, and it is evident that the teacher is a studious and research-oriented person.

“Sensei, maybe it’s time to get your books in order.”
“No~ I’m sorry …… I’m not willing to give up any of my books. ……”
“Then take it back home.”
“I-I don’t have room to put it at home either. ……”
“……..”

After all, they say, you can’t throw away a book.

I think that kind of “study more than lover” attitude is the reason why people are missing out on marriage. ……
If she likes to do it, it can’t be helped.

“For now, just sit around there.”

She brings a pipe chair from beside her desk and holds it out to me.

Then I run both the electric heater and the air conditioner and make sure there is hot water in the pot to make coffee.

“So, um, what is it …… ? I was called out of the blue.”
“Oh, sorry, sorry.”

It was as if she had forgotten why she had really called me up.
The earlier conversation upset you. …….

“Gohom” Coughs

After a single cough to keep up appearances.

“Nagishiro. Is it true that you’re a composer, ……?”

Then, as if in fear, she asked a question from a low posture.
But the content of this question was exactly what I had imagined.

“Well, in a manner of speaking, yes. ……”

I had expected it, but was a little embarrassed to admit it.
It was by no means that I was doing anything embarrassing, but I was embarrassed that people would think I was just a transient flirt of a college student.

However, Professor Omori asked suspiciously.

“I was told by a fourth-year student in my seminar to look up Kazashiro Rei…….　A fourth-year student in my seminar told me about it, and I looked it up, but …… turned up an awful lot of hits.”
“Aah….um….”

I was so embarrassed about it that if I had a hole, I would want to get in it.
It was very embarrassing to be told by someone who knew my pen name, or rather the name I came up with.

“What, you look down and shyly ……?”
“Because I have already abandoned that name!”

This was not a matter of being too embarrassed to speak out.

This was my declaration on YouTube at the same time three days ago, on January 24, the day Mizuno Shizuku announced her new single.

And yet it was a decision I had made all along.
I’m embarrassed to say that it’s been picked up as news by various web media outlets….

It’s kind of embarrassing and shameful all the time.

‘Well, I’m not a music guy, so I hate to say I don’t know, but ……. I just know it’s gaining popularity.”
“Enough! Please really stop!”
“The article, [Why does Kazashiro Rei only offer his music to beautiful female artists] was quite interesting, you know? It gave me a glimpse into Nagishiro’s taste in women.”
“Don’t trust an internet hoax at a glance from a would-be university professor!”

In these days when information literacy is so important, I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. ……
It makes me want to hold my head up a little.

“Well, so here’s the thing.”
“If you don’t want everything we’ve talked about, can I go home?”
“Oh, relax.”

The professor chides me for throwing a tantrum and trying to leave.

She seemed to be choosing her words carefully and did not speak up easily, but finally she cut to the chase.

“Are you …… going to quit this college?”
“Aaah–………”

It all made sense as to why I was called away and why the professor looked somewhat unflattering.

“Indeed,…… since being here is not a plus when it comes to being a composer.”
“Yeah”

Professor Omori agrees with what I said.

I belong to the economics department at my university.
Even if I study hard here, there is nothing that will lead me to the future, as I have already decided to live my life as a musician only.

“That’s actually something I’ve been struggling with ……”
“I-I see…..”

When I told her that I was actually leaning toward dropping out of school, the professor became overtly depressed.

I was kind of happy. I was happy that there were people who were sad to hear that I was quitting.
I don’t think you’ll find anyone like that in your students. ……

“But I think being here has helped me in my music career.”

So, not to return the favor, but to make up for the self-satisfied guilt, I was talking about that.

“I joined a club my freshman year, and it didn’t work out. I also had the experience of taking classes with 100 other students, and I never would have known that there were such unique professors until I came here.”
“Nagishiro….”
“I can’t guarantee that, …… but I certainly think it will continue to help me in my songwriting.”

There are many things that I was able to experience because I joined a university.

Now I don’t know if I’ll live soon, and I may never actually be useful or feel useful, but I didn’t think it would be a waste of time.

“Maybe I’ll stop, but I’ll …… come back to report on that when I do.”
“…Yeah”

Professor Omori is a bit tearful.

I think that kind of quietness is a little cute.
I wonder if showing such weakness to men would make her popular with them, and I’ll keep thinking about it as an afterthought.

“I’m rooting for you, Nagishiro. I’ll be rooting for you.”
“–!!! Thank you…..”

However, I still think I have a good teacher.
She is a really respectful and great teacher.

“Also, when you get on TV or something, introduce me to some …… hotties!”
“I knew this was the way it was going to turn out.”

Really, if it were not for the love aspect, she would be a respected teacher.

＊

“–Look!! it’s Rei’s new song!!”

A blonde woman shows her cell phone screen to the manager who is driving in a car on the coastline.

She is at the age of turning 20 in just one more year. Although she still looks innocent, her style as an artist is already that of a veteran as well as that of a superstar.

Mia Brooks. She made her debut as an 18-year-old in the year before last and captivated the nation with her first single.
In one year, the young woman rose to the top of the world’s artists.

She is different from other such singers, and has been focusing on one composer from an island country for the past year or so.

“Mia. The composer has changed his name. He is going by his real name, Nagishiro rin.”
“Nagisiro …… rin?”

She liked the pronunciation of the word somewhat.
Rin, Rin, Rin ♪ and excitedly spluttered in the car.
Those areas are still age appropriate, or rather a bit young. ……

Mia learned about the Japanese because Sophia, a fellow artist, told her about them.
Everything seems to be popular among women in the same young age group as her.
They say it is popular among American singers.

The girls were focused on the melody, and of course Mia was too, at first.
Some are light pop songs, while others are ballads that will unintentionally loosen your tear glands.
All of the songs resonated with Mia.

But that’s Mia, indeed. Not just a superstar.

She studied Japanese to understand his songs.

In her mind, lyrics are as important as songs.
The fact that the lyrics are unintelligible makes the song half as appealing, if not less so.

So she made sure to study Japanese and actually learned some Japanese from his lyrics.
The manager was also from the same country and spoke Japanese, so learning Japanese was not that difficult.

And as she came to understand the Japanese language, she also came to understand that it is impossible to speak of Nagishiro Rin as a composer only in terms of his compositions.
She found the lyrics to be just as lovely as the music.

“Hey, isn’t it about time I made my debut in Japan?”
“…… Mia. You just want to meet Nagishiro, don’t you?”
“Hehe, I guess I’ve been found …..”

She has no intention of hiding it. Rather, she’s opening it
The manager sighed deliberately, but showed no sign of paying attention.

“–Well, yes, I guess so. But if you have to clear your schedule, that’s at least two months, right?”
“Eeh? What kind of plans do I have?”
“I won’t show it.”

It’s a bad habit of Mia’s to want to procrastinate as soon as the manager show her.
She seems to care about her fans, but she goes ahead with what she likes.

“And …… he seems to have a girlfriend, too?”

The manager, in return, shows Mia one image at a red light.

This is a photo that she already know is a hoax, but it worked for …… mia.

“Wat!? what is this!? Where did you get this from……?”
“Well, he seems to be popular in Japan, so he must have a girlfriend or two.”

Mia seems to have a tendency that once she likes a song, she also likes the person itself.
She was completely taken with the woman who provided her with her first debut song, and she also has a considerable fondness for Rin Nagishiro.
Perhaps the reason she wanted to go to Japan was because she just wanted to meet and talk with him. Songs and such are probably of secondary importance.

“Why…..”

Mia’s shoulders slumped and she hung down.
Just as the manager’s strategy.

Now she shouldn’t even want to go to Japan …… for at least a month or so.

The manager who thought so, however, was easily dashed.

“I’m going to ……, Japan.”
“—-Huh!?”
“I’m going !! To prevent any more strange insects from sticking to him!!”

The manager doesn’t know where she learned that kind of Japanese, ……, and it makes the manager want to hold his/her head….
Apparently, they went in the wrong direction.

“Haaa….”

Thus, the story was about to start up again, unbeknownst to Rin.

(TL/N : Eeheheh, Dokidoki)