The Nonfiction That Only You Know

Chapter 37

Original Author: ひのはら (Hinohara)
Date Submitted to Kakuyomu: 2021/06/29

It has been about 2 months since those questions sprouted.

In the end, time just kept passing by without Mii figuring out who Chiho really was.

While trying to withstand her drowsiness, Mii heads back home on the crowded train.
Work is as busy as ever and there is still so much to learn.

As she desperately stifles a yawn, she receives a message on her smartphone.

It's from the Love Mill fan club so she happily opens it.

Excitedly expecting an announcement for another live performance, she's left speechless by the shocking words written.

"No way..."

Her beloved idol she has been supporting since middle school...
The person Mii admires and respects from the bottom of her heart will be graduating from the group. That is what is written in the message.

Flustered, Mii checks online and finds her name trending on social media.

Everyone is surprised by Isuzu Minami's graduation.

She will be 24 years old this year, so it isn't too early for her at all.
In fact, she has been an active member of Love Mill for almost 10 years and can be said to have been at it for too long already.

"So she's graduating..."

Mii lets out her voice.
For some reason, Mii had a feeling that Minami would continue being an idol forever, but there's no way that would be true.

From the point of view of Minami, who has become active in various fields, being an idol might have become a hindrance to her.

She has already become a woman strong enough to live without the support of anyone else.

Mii clutches her smartphone tightly.
She definitely has to witness the final moments of the idol she has been supporting with her own eyes.

Despite her great shock, the gratitude she feels towards Minami for all her hard work is several times greater.

The next morning, almost every news outlet is reporting the announcement of a greatly popular idol's graduation.
They're even respectfully quoting some of the words from Minami's blog.

While eating breakfast, Mii listens to the expert commentators discussing her graduation.

"Isuzu-san is really popular. She should have a stable career after her graduation."
"Next I want to become a person who can support my fans... seems to be what she's saying."
"This is the kind of graduation where she can proudly say she has completed everything she set out to do. Her achievements while she was a member of Love Mill are spectacular..."

Minami's achievements in Love Mill truly are unfathomable.
At one point, Love Mill fell to the bottom due to all the bashing.
It is no exaggeration to say that the public that drifted away from the group was brought back all thanks to her.

Since she truly loves the fans and the members of Love Mill, she has managed to bring everyone this far with her strong sense of professionalism.

As Mii spreads strawberry jam on her toast, her mom enters the living room after she finished drying the laundry.

She sees a bit of what's being broadcasted and sounds a little sad.

"So Minami-chan is graduating... Mii, are you going to her concert?"
"Of course. I'll definitely apply and win a ticket no matter what."
"Even though you love her so much, why did you act so cold when I brought her here that time?"

At that time, Mii was still in high school. Her mom brought Minami over to their home knowing that Mii is a devoted fan.

Due to her strong insistence for her mom to never do that again, that was the last time she saw Isuzu Minami in private.

"That's because... it's impossible for Minami-chan and I to talk to each other like friends."
"Why not? You're cute too."
"That's not the issue... Minami-chan is really brilliant and I'm just some nobody who met her because of my mom..."

Minami is so good-looking and so accomplished as an idol that it is hard to believe she's only one year older than Mii.

Thanks to her acting skills and sharp wit, she also appears in variety shows and does all sorts of other things. Minami is a girl overflowing with talent.

Unconvinced by Mii, Mii's mom offers a rebuttal.

"From my point of view, Mii and Minami-chan are no different."

She sits down next to Mii, who is eating toast.

Her eyes are unusually serious.

"Minami-chan wasn't popular as a child actor at the beginning. That's why she tried to complete every job she was given perfectly... Of course, she was still a bit rough around the edges, but both her costars and the staff loved her attitude and kindness."
"Eh..."
"Even though she wasn't good at it, she did her best to become good... and eventually showed results. People may be satisfied just calling it talent, but I don't think that's true."

Since Mii's mom is an actress, she knew Minami back when Minami was a child actor.

She can say such things because she knew what Minami was like behind the scenes when the cameras were off.

"She worked harder than anyone else and that's what makes Minami-chan who she is today. Don't you think it's rather rude to just call her 'amazing' and dismiss the idea of getting to know her?"
"..."
"If you think there's too much of a gap, then all you have to do is close it. Even your dad was mocked as being a freeloader when he married me, but now no one says such things."

Her dad was once an unpopular scriptwriter who could barely find jobs but is now well-known and respected by everyone.

Due to the results he showed, the rest of the world could no longer complain.

"He wanted to proudly stand next to me so he worked hard until he was sweating blood to become a successful scriptwriter. If you want to stand next to the person you admire without feeling ashamed... then match that desire with your efforts."

Mii has only been making excuses this whole time.

She has just kept running away from her inferiority complex and never tried to face it or put in any effort to get rid of it.

Even though Mii noticed that her lack of self-confidence was her own fault, she never did anything.

Right now, Mii feels terribly ashamed of herself.