Chapter 2

(What was all that, anyway?)

(Those two—Sena-kun and Yuuki-kun were obviously acting weird.)

(Sena-kun even threatened me, saying he’d cry and claim I did something weird to him—)

(So I had to take them to that secret place I always sneak off to rest. I can’t believe I gave in to his threats—I’m so pathetic.)

(It’s that spot with all the vending machines and sofas in it.)

(I guess the smoking section near there got taken down, so no one ever goes there anymore.)

(So I’ve used it to get some rest when I was tired of faking smiles all the time.)

(The thing I’m more worried about is them, though. Yuuki-kun looked like he wasn’t doing so well; it was like he’d lost all his energy.)

(But when I asked if I should go get his parents, since they had to have come with, he was totally against it.)

(Sena-kun even said he’d kill me if I told his parents.)

(He’s so scary… Kids these days jump right to death threats…)

(…I’m kind of bothered by his attitude. At that age, your parents are supposed to be your biggest allies, right? I mean, they’re literally your guardians.)

(W–wait, it’s not child abuse, is it…? No, but I didn’t see any marks or bruises or anything.)

(If there were, he wouldn’t be able to work as a model.)

…Do you know anything about them, Narukami-kun?

…!

…Huh? What? I’m sorry, My mommy and daddy told me not to talk to strangers!

I’m not really a stranger. We see each other around in this same place all the time—Actually, are you tailing me?

You’ve been following me around since this morning too, haven’t you?

…?

Huh? Umm, you have been following me, right? Or am I wrong?

That’s—

It’s ‘cause you’re my enemy, Akiomi.¹

Your enemy.

In order to take you down, I have to take everything you’ve got.

Uh, sure.

So I’ve been keeping an eye on you. Got it?

I mean, more or less.

You do? Just like I thought you would.

Basically, you admire Kunugi Akiomi, the Sparkling Prince. I am the most highly regarded young model in the modeling industry today, after all.

Admire…?

If you wanted to be like me, why not just say so? Anything my cute little kouhai doesn’t understand, I’ll teach him.

Cute…?

Yeah. So are that Sena-kun and Yuuki-kun who I just met. They’re from a different agency, but we’re all models—

So I feel like it’s my duty as a senpai to protect you and guide you along.

I don’t know Sena, but I know Yuuki.

He’s the strongest kids model right now. After I take you down, I’m going after him.

Why are you so aggressive?

(No, maybe he just doesn’t know enough to express himself. He’s pretty awkward with his words, even.)

(Maybe he just doesn’t talk enough with his parents, so he doesn’t have the vocab for everyday conversation—)

(I guess he just hears the words on TV or sees them in manga and interprets them his own way. And that’s why it sounds like he’s saying such crazy things.

(Maybe he just can’t put the feelings he has into words very well.)

(Sena-kun and Yuuki-kun are probably the same way, too. Well, they’re still little boys. I’m sure I was the same way when I was their age—)

Akiomi.

Oh, right. What is it? Sorry, I got a little lost in thought.

Actually, you should know that when you talk to someone older than you or the people in charge, you shouldn’t use their given name—

You shouldn’t get too close to those kids.

? Those kids… you mean Sena-kun and Yuuki-kun?

Do you know something about them, Narukami-kun?

I don’t know anything.

But Mommy and Daddy said so. They said their parents are bad.