My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 401

"Of course I'm praising you. There aren't many high school students who can write stories without any sense of self, except for you. Most people usually write novels or screenplays with their ego overflowing."

"You sound like you have a lot of experience?"

I ignored Miyo's probing question.

"What was the original script like? Besides, since there was an original script, why did we need you to write it?"

When I asked that, Meiyang tilted her head with a complicated expression.

"The original script seems to have been written by a senior a long time ago, and it's said that it's occasionally performed on stage at cultural festivals... However, later everyone said they wanted to do an original play, but then they discussed what to do with the script. Someone said that there seemed to be a script written by a senior, and then they said, why not just use that?"

"Did you decide to use an existing script because it was too troublesome to come up with your own? Then why is it that you're now rewriting it?"

"The content... is a bit... well..."

Meiyang looked away, seemingly embarrassed. Seeing her expression, I understood.

"If it were just boring, that would be fine... but because it's an old script, everything is too outdated... the dialogue style, and the values, etc..."

"Values?"

"There are scenes that use homosexuality as a joke to create humor. And there are all sorts of other issues..."

"what……"

Things that were once taken for granted can change as times change. I remember chatting with Isana before, and she mentioned that in "The Frozen Schoolhouse Where Time Stopped," there was a description of high school students smoking, which surprised me at the time.

"Then there is definitely a need for revisions..."

"Right? So, because it's been revealed that I was in the arts club back in middle school, this task was forced on me."

"It's better to keep useless skills hidden. The 'protagonist who hides his true strength' that often appears in light novels is actually quite wise in his approach to life."

"It's etched in my memory..."

Meiyang looked dejected as she hissed as she drank from the already empty cup through the straw.

I took out the old MacBook I'd borrowed from my workplace from my bag, pushed a stack of scripts aside, and opened it on the table.

"First, make a list of the class's requirements. Then, based on that, re-examine the plot outline from scratch."

"This will take a lot of time..., won't it? Will we have enough time...?"

"That depends on how hard you try."

"OK……"

◆ Higashito Isana ◆

In the classroom filled with hurried conversations and the sound of homework, I was facing my graphics tablet after school.

This is a sketch of the signboard. Although the signboard itself was decided to be hand-drawn, the reason being that it would have a more handmade feel, I am originally a digital artist, and Shuidou-kun said that the sketch and background color could be done digitally.

We need character illustrations for six characters. Although it's a large number, the backgrounds can be solid colors, and the composition doesn't need to be too meticulous, so it's easier than usual. However, correspondingly, we must consider poses that fully express the characters' personalities…

"Dongtou, how's it going?"

While I was quietly engrossed in my work, a female classmate came over and asked me something. It seemed there were no executive committee activities scheduled for today, so she came to participate in the class's preparatory activities.

"For now, all the female characters... I'll have Yoshino take a look later."

"Is it done already? That was fast!"

"Thanks to what Mizuto-kun always says, 'Instead of wasting time worrying, it's better to draw more drafts'..."

"I see... So, while you call him an agent, he's actually more like a coach..."

He's no ordinary coach. He's a devil coach. But if I were just casually drawing on my own, I probably wouldn't have improved this quickly.

...But now...

"Have you heard of Yui-chan?"

"What?"

"What is Mizuto-kun doing right now...?"

Ah…, the girl let out a somewhat embarrassed laugh.

"He reported back very honestly yesterday. He said he was going to help a first-year girl with her scriptwriting."

"Aren't you angry? For being alone with other girls or something?"

"Should Dongtou be the one to say that?"

The woman said with a wry smile, and I was immediately speechless.

"...I feel really bad... even though it's hindsight..."

"It is a bit... Well, that's why Mizuto is fine. If this is considered being a womanizer, then Higashito would have been a womanizer by now."

Is this what you call the ease and composure of a legal wife...? I could clearly sense a calmness that my female classmate from last year had never possessed.

"Compared to this, what about you, Dongtou?"

The female classmate knelt down next to the table, her eyes level with mine as I stared at the graphics tablet.

"The water bucket that was always by my side has gone to another child's place. Doesn't it feel lonely?"

"I'm not that childish. And Mizuto-kun isn't just for me. There are definitely other people who need Mizuto-kun, so it's only natural for him to help them."

"You're surprisingly mature. I thought you'd throw a tantrum and say you were lonely."

—Of course I'm lonely!

He's always only acknowledged me... only taken care of me... and suddenly he's gone to that new young girl... Gununu... could it be that that girl has the same talent as me...? I'm annoyed... I'm annoyed...

"You look really unhappy?"

"No"

I calmly and vehemently denied it, the female classmate said with a smile.

"You've completed all the tasks entrusted to you perfectly; you deserve a lot of praise from him afterwards."

"I will!"

I gripped the pen even tighter.

◆ Irito Mizuto ◆

Listening intently to the silence of the night, I looked back at the script for Class 4, Grade 1 in my room.

Through discussions at the family restaurant, a general outline of how to complete the script has been developed. Since it requires a complete rewrite, it will naturally take time, but based on the speed at which the escape game script was completed, a first draft should be available within a few days. This gives us plenty of time to have her write the script. As long as it doesn't seriously affect the puzzle-solving content the class is currently working on, there shouldn't be any problems.

However, there's something that's bothering me a little—

A soft knock at the door pulled me back from my thoughts. I stood up, opened the door to the hallway, and there stood Yui in her pajamas.

"……Um"

"Um"

After exchanging a few hushed words, as if giving a secret code, I welcomed Jie into the room.

At home, we mostly interact as a normal family. We spend time as lovers on weekends or after school when Dad and the others aren't home—and at night, like now, after everyone has gone to sleep.

Lately, we've both been very busy with preparations for the school festival, so the only time we can spend together as a couple is late at night like this. Even so, considering we have to get up early tomorrow morning, we can't be too rowdy.

"……this"

As I closed the door, Jie saw the script on the table.

"Was it said yesterday?"

"Yes. Right now, it's being rewritten from scratch."

"Hmm~..."

Jie Nu flipped through the script with a rustling sound.

"I remember Class 4, Grade 1, had an original script for their play, right...? But considering the performance time, doesn't the script seem a bit long?"

"The class came up with all sorts of requests, and the result was a disjointed structure like this... If we actually acted it out like this, it would not only go over time by about ten minutes, but the boring scenes would also go on and on."

"It's really difficult, an original script."

"We need someone who can be a good director. Speaking of which, Yoshino in our class is surprisingly hardworking."

As the initiator, Yoshino held a position akin to a general coordinator. She couldn't write scripts, draw illustrations, or even conceive of puzzles, but she excelled at overall coordination. I truly felt that this kind of role was the most valuable in such collaborative creations.

Jie put down the script and turned around.

"What kind of person is that scriptwriter?"

"What is it like?"

"You've never interacted with younger students before, so this is probably the first junior you've met. What are your thoughts?"

"Junior..."

I tilted my head and thought for a moment, then sat down on the edge of the bed.

Jie Nu sat down next to me, leaning her shoulder against mine and turning her head to look at my face.

"This person is a bit of a mystery to me. She uses honorifics frequently, but I always feel like I'm being evaluated by her."

"Being evaluated by her?"

"I heard she's Yoshino's hot girl friend, but I can always sense that she's very intelligent and well-mannered. I guess she's the type who's naturally smart. Unlike Yoshino, her grades must be pretty good too."

She's incredibly quick-witted; she understands about 90% of what I say, and immediately asks questions to fill in the rest. While she may not be on par with the student council president, she's probably one of the most quick-thinking people I've ever met at school.

"Even you say that... when most of the other students in the same grade don't think much of it."

What do you take me for?

"If she were that smart, I should have known too. To recruit her into the student council, I basically investigated all the top students in the first year... If there was a girl with those highlights, I would definitely remember her."

"Maybe they just want to pass the exam."

"What is that? The protagonist of some kind of story?"

"No... in that case, the scriptwriting should also be kept a secret, right?"

To avoid taking on extra work, she hides her abilities—I always felt she was the kind of person who would do that, but speaking of which, we did discuss this topic at the family restaurant today.

"Anyway, it seems the script for Class 4 of the first year will be completed unexpectedly smoothly. ...On the other hand, that's something that's bothering me a little."

"What is it?"

"Is it possible that she didn't actually need my help at all, and could have completed the script all by herself?"

Today's negotiations went exceptionally smoothly. Almost too smoothly. Even with my perspective as a third party, could things that were initially at an impasse really have been resolved so easily?

"If that's really the case, why would they specifically seek me out as a consultant, someone they don't even know... Maybe I'm overthinking it, but it's a bit concerning."

"........."

"What's wrong?"

Jie Nu looked a little sullen and stared at me with a slightly disdainful gaze.

"Doesn't that mean you've taken a liking to someone?"

"You've got your eye on something? What's it?"

"You!"

The girl poked my chest with her finger.

"There's no need for me to consult you; it's obviously about these kinds of things! This is the most typical excuse for hitting on someone!"

"Speaking of which..."

Using discussion as an excuse to create an opportunity for conversation—that's not unheard of.

"No, but that's probably impossible. We shouldn't have had any contact before we met the day before yesterday."

"Even if you don't know her, she might already know you, right?"

"Is it possible...?"

"have!"

"Okay, okay, I know, don't be angry."

I pulled my arm around the slender body of the woman sitting next to me.