บท 668: I will entrust everything to you

　　 Ichika clearly understood that she was acting.

　　It was precisely because she was acting that she could suppress the feelings of happiness and dependence when she was hugged, and continued to maintain an impassive expression on her face, saying her lines calmly.

　　Thanks to her acting skills, she always keeps a calm mind. From an observer's point of view, she observed all the spectators, she acted as if she was a different person.

　　She spoke softly.

　　"I feel your heart beating inside my chest now."

　　"My only misfortune is that I cannot express my thanks to the person who gave me my youth."

　　She pressed her palm against Shinichi's chest, as if feeling the warm vibrations coming from that smile.

　　In the script, she is a girl who has faced death but is able to live because her heart was donated by the man in front of her.

　　After arriving in this afterlife, even though she was called an angel by other people, the girl named Tachibana Kanade knew that she was just a lost sheep looking for someone to thank.

　　That's why she could show a relieved expression when everything was about to end.

　　For Ichika, it was easy to understand the script and carry out her role. She can already do things like wear different masks with great proficiency.

　　But this was the first time she felt the experience of "being" that character with her voice changing like that.

　　Do the people at Seisho Music Academy also appear in this kind of mood?

　　Turns out, she did it too...

　　"Yuzuru, please... Say again what you just said to me."

　　She turned around, showing a slightly sad yet relieved smile.

　　The young man in front of her suddenly widened his eyes, and took two steps back as if his legs were weak, and he shook his head slightly like a subconscious reaction.

　　"I don't want to…" Shinichi gripped her collar tightly. Without a heart, he suddenly couldn't feel heartache.

　　"Kanade will disappear... I don't want to..."

　　"Yuzuru!" The girl took a step forward, as if she wanted to enter his heart. "Please… Yuzuru."

　　"I can't do something like this..."

　　"Yuzuru!"

　　"Let me believe what you've always believed... I beg you."

　　Ichika skillfully uses a plain voice that is rarely attempted, but the overflowing emotions and urgent pleas can make the audience immersed in this performance.

　　 Ichika also understood.

　　If it weren't for Shinichi in front of her, she wouldn't be able to do this.

　　Standing as the character Tachibana Kanade, Ichika looked at Shinichi with red eyes and shaking teeth, and couldn't help but laugh in her heart.

　　(Forgive me, because my relationship is not yet mature and I need to be with you to be able to show off my acting skills)

　　(If it's you, I can definitely do it...Whether it's real or fake, it doesn't matter to me!)

　　(From now on, please pay attention to me carefully. One day, I will let you see Nakano Ichika's stage, the best view of the performance in the most beautiful way)

　　(So, thank you, Shinichi-kun)

"Because of you, I can stand here without regrets."

　　Seeing his hesitant expression, the girl showed a smile of sincere gratitude.

　　She raised her small face, waiting for him to come forward and hug her.

　　"Not me.."

　　Shinichi's hands trembled slightly before being clenched tightly by her.

　　"Kanade..."

　　"Yuzuru."

　　Ichika took a step forward, her hands already open.

　　The script said that next Shinichi would hug her tightly and say affectionately: "I love you."

　　Even though she looks completely immersed in her role, to be honest, Ichika has been waiting for this moment for a long time!

　　She was so excited that she couldn't control her increasingly rapid heartbeat, her cheeks became slightly red, and the temperature of her entire face rose.

　　Most likely she was the first person Shinichi said the words "I love you"!

　　Even though it was just acting, both parties had fully taken on their roles. So what Otonashi Yuzuru said to Tachibana Kanade was equivalent to what Asada Shinichi said to Nakano Ichika!

　　How could this not excite her?

　　(Calm down... But I can't calm down... Shinichi-kun, please hurry up!)

　　With Ichika expecting but not afraid of being hurt, Shinichi finally leaned forward and hugged her back.

　　She closed her eyes, waiting for that familiar chest to touch her again.

　　At this moment, a voice came from the judging panel.

　　"Time's up. Ready. Come and get your points card."

　　Then, Shinichi took his hand back, stepped back one meter, and exhaled gently.

　　"Finally over..."

　　It's no wonder that he 'struggled' for so long, and he still had to keep his acting skills intact until the show's deadline ended...

　　He wasn't this tired even when he faced Nino at the mall.

　　Erasing all remaining impressions of the character from his mind, he broke free from his self-hypnosis state and looked at the girl in front of him. Shinichi was about to praise her for her acting skills.

　　But he found that Ichika was looking at him with an annoyed expression on her face, her mouth pursed, and tears streaming down the corners of her eyes.

　　"Shinichi-kun... You must have done it on purpose, right?"

　　"…Hmm, what are you talking about?" Shinichi admired the view of the stadium.

　　"Mmm~..."

　　Ichika puffed out her cheeks and was about to vent her dissatisfaction when she suddenly heard loud applause from the audience, with cheers and praise.

　　"Awesome."

　　"It's like watching a movie!"

　　"As expected of an active actress, it's different being someone who has appeared on the big screen..."

　　"It's rare that the biggest stars of the future can be so close to us. Do you want to ask for an autograph later?"

　　"Even though Seisho Music Academy's performance was also very exciting, I always felt that Shuchi'in Academy's side was more to my taste..."

　　"Ah, me too! I fell into it before I knew it. I almost cried just now."

　　"I cried too, what about you?"

　　Ichika stared at the lively discussion among the audience.

　　There were high emotions rising in her heart, but she suppressed those emotions and looked towards the crowd, locking onto the three girls standing outside the crowd.

　　"Ah..."

　　What she wanted to see was this scene.

　　 Maya with surprise in her eyes and fighting spirit and she stared at her shamelessly.

　　 Claudina folded her arms across her chest, and although she smiled appreciatively, she did not feel any calm. Instead, she felt as if she was facing a formidable enemy.

　　Nana clapped her hands in admiration and expressed her sincere appreciation, as if shouting "BANANICE".

　　As a result, Ichika smiled.

　　She pressed her fist against her chest, feeling a strong unease coming from her.

　　And once again emphasized that she really likes acting and the feeling of performing optimally in the eyes of other people.

　　Ichika lowered her gaze and spoke softly.

　　"Hey, Shinichi-kun."

　　Shinichi was surprised and saw the sudden change in her expression.

　　"What is wrong?"

　　"If I say that I want to be an exchange student at Seisho Music Academy for a period of time to learn their performance skills..."

　　Ichika looked into his eyes.

　　After Shinichi was surprised, her mood became a little complicated.

　　She deliberately didn't finish her sentence, perhaps testing his own reaction.

　　How to answer?

　　It's very simple, for Shinichi that's the only answer, right?

　　"Even though I can't give a 100% guarantee... But on the school side, I will find a way to solve it."

　　"Do what you can do, and then... Leave everything to me with peace of mind."

　　After leaving those words, Shinichi took one step forward, walked beside Ichika towards the audience, stretched out his hand from an angle that no one could see, and flicked her forehead.

　　"Okay… Then, I'll leave everything to you."

　　Ichika raised her small face and looked at his back.

　　That smile looked like a hundred flowers blooming.

　　△

　　The two came down from the stage and took back the score cards from the judges, which had very high scores.

　　"Seisho Music Academy and Shuchi'in Academy should get the same score, right?"

　　"Yes, but they are three people performing together. They will be taller than us, but not too tall."

　　"It doesn't matter. According to information, their specialty is none other than acting. I might be able to use my IQ to overwhelm them."

　　"Shinichi-kun, it's better not to say words like that in front of them..."