Chapter 90 – Hangaku Mae’s interview

Friday came, and the entire 1-A class arrived at School carrying a trolley or a backpack, besides their usual School’s bag. The reporters at the entrance tried to question them about where they were going, receiving only a smile and a wave, leaving them puzzled.
Hangaku Mae arrived as usual by car, and a safety line was made from the car to the School’s gate. When the reporters shouted questions at her, she stopped and raised one hand, asking for silence.

When the noise diminished, she spoke, “I am sorry if I didn’t answer any of your questions until now, but you must understand that all this attention lately is too overwhelming, and I am still getting used to it. Please forgive me. I didn’t want to look rude, but all this is way too much. You are stressing my fellow students and me. I used to come to School by train, and I would do a nice walk from the train station to get here with my friends. Lately, I can’t do that because of you. If I answer a few questions, will you give me some space and peace of mind?”

One reporter pointed a microphone at her and questioned, “If I may! For TV Tokyo, do you intend to pursue a career as a singer? And what does your family think of that, considering you are the heir of the well-known Hangaku family?”

“I always wanted to be a singer, but I never dared to go against my family. I was supposed to inherit my father’s position in Hangaku Constructions, and I was also supposed to be attending a private School with that in mind. I am attending a public School, as you are aware, because I never considered that to be a part of the Hangaku Constructions, I needed to go to a private School. Public Schools are as good, and if I study hard, I can learn the same things.”

Another reporter asked, “We are now live on Nippon TV! We saw recorded footage of you punishing the famous model, Tashiro Saito! Can you explain what happened?”

“He got obsessed with me. He invited me to go to a photo session with him, and he put it in his mind that I had to! That guy even tried to force me to accept it! There will be the day that I allow a boy to force me to do something that I don’t want to!”

The same reporter asked again, with a slight smile, “What about the next day? We also got access to some footage of you slapping him and pushing his head against a wall, making him faint. You even threatened a girl that went to help him!”

“Yeah, that guy is kind of stupid. He was shouting at a friend of mine, saying that he would get me! As if! I didn’t threaten that girl, I only told her that she was being a fool for letting him step on her as if she was his doormat or something. I can’t understand why a woman would let a man treat her like garbage! If a guy tried to do that to me, I would kick his groins until his balls came out of his mouth!”

The reporter stuttered, “Y-you can’t say that on TV…”

“Oops! So sorry, it slipped!”

The reporter touched his earpiece, and he then asked, “In that footage, you said to Tashiro Saito that you already had a boyfriend. Can you tell us more about him? What kind of boy is he to grab your heart? I am sure many of our viewers want to know.”

“I cannot talk about that, I am sorry. One thing is talking about me, another thing completely different is talking about my boyfriend. He doesn’t like to call for attention, and just me saying that I have a boyfriend will definitely make you guys even more curious, and he will hate it if you go after him.”

Another reporter approached. “We are live on TV Asahi! You for sure understand that everyone will be curious about your boyfriend! We are already receiving messages in our TV Forum asking more about him!”

“I am sorry, but I don’t want to talk about him. I can answer almost everything you may ask, but he is completely off-limits.”

“But you understand that your recent fame because of your performance with Tomoe-chan made everyone curious about you, and your boyfriend will eventually face some reporters if he, for example, accompanies you to an event?”

“I know, and he will hate that. I will probably go to those events all by myself because I don’t want to make him suffer like that. He likes to live a quiet life, and my recent fame might disturb him, causing him to reconsider our relationship. I would rather lose all my fame than lose him.”

The reporter nodded and continued with a smile, “Everyone knows that an adolescent love is strong, but it can also disappear in an instant, and your fame, if you do everything right, can last until you reach adulthood. Are you sure you want to put in jeopardy such a glamorous future for a teenage passion?”

“I am sure. I met him before I met Tomoe-chan, and I fell in love with him at first sight. It took me a while to conquer him, but there is no way I will let him escape me! Talking about Tomoe-chan, I hope you are going to Nakanojo tomorrow to root for her!”

“You are also going to perform with her, Hangaku-chan?”

Hangaku tilted her head. “I didn’t choose a stage name, but I think I will go with Mae-chan instead of Hangaku-chan because of my family business. I don’t want to make people wonder why I use my family name. As for your question, I don’t have the faintest idea. It would be cool, though. Now, if you excuse me, I need to go to class. I don’t want to be late. Can you guys now leave and let my colleagues enter School without you making such a mess and annoying them? I would appreciate that. It was a pleasure to talk to you.”

She then made a deep bow and waved at the cameras before going to the gate while the reporters kept on shouting questions at her.
When Hangaku entered School, she was, as usual, surrounded by students, and she spoke with them and took some pictures while walking to the main building.
Along the corridor, a few students walked alongside her, asking her when she would sing again and where so that they could go. Hangaku smiled and told them to go to Nakanojo for Tomoe-chan’s concert and to enjoy the festival that was going to happen during the entire weekend.

When she entered her classroom, she went straight to Sakamo’s desk and whispered into his ear, “I may have talked about you with the reporters outside. They found out I had a boyfriend, and they wanted to know who he was. I told them I would not say anything about you, but they didn’t seem willing to let it slide. I am so, so sorry!”

Sakamo frowned and whispered back, “Great, more work for my guys. They won’t be happy with that. They are already doing a lot to prevent the reporters from invading School. You could deny everything, you know?”

“Yeah, but I don’t want to do that. I am way too happy to be dating and living with you.”

“At least try not to say that, or you will completely ruin your reputation.”

Hangaku glanced around and spoke in a low voice, “Today we are going to Nakanojo, and I am proud to tell you that I will be the opening act for Tomoe-chan tomorrow. My agent just sent me a message saying that my recordings were perfect, and they are going to make the announcement today.”

Sakamo gave a big smile. “That’s so cool! Shall we tell everyone or is it better to save it for the train ride to Nakanojo?”

“Better tell them after School. I don’t want them babbling in the corridors and those reporters finding out before it’s the right time.”
…

When it was already lunchtime, Sakamo went with Hangaku, Tomiko, and Takechi to the cafeteria, but as soon as they reached there, Hangaku Mae got surrounded by a bunch of students who had seen the news on their phones announcing that she was going to be the opening act for Tomoe-chan’s concert during the Moon Festival in Nakanojo.
Hangaku confirmed and told them that her debut album was going to be in stores next week and that she was going to sing a bunch of songs from that album at the Festival.
Hangaku explained to the overly excited group around her that were questioning her about the type of songs, that some were written by Tomoe-chan and given to her to sing, and others were her own that she had written over the past few years but never dared to sing to anyone else.

Hangaku finally sat next to Sakamo, who raised one eyebrow at her. “I thought you were supposed to tell everyone after School.”

“Yeah, it seems like my agent told the media and everyone already knows. I thought they wouldn’t let me eat! All this attention is nice, but it is also a bit tiring.”

Sakamo swallowed his food and said, “Less talk, more eating, or afternoon classes will start, and you will still be here. That weird guy is over there with those girls that like you so much, and they keep on glancing at you ever since you entered the cafeteria.”

Hangaku Mae looked to where Sakamo was signalling with his head and saw Tashiro Saito averting his sight from them. Next to him were the three girls, who were looking at a phone that was on the table. Judging by their reaction, Hangaku assumed they were also watching the announcement of her performance at the Festival.

She grabbed her fork and shrugged. “Let them watch. As long as they don’t get near me, that is.”

“It’s probably better if you let me deal with them next time, because you have a reputation to maintain. As for me, I am nobody, remember?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know for how long. Those reporters this morning were very interested in you.”

Sakamo shrugged and winked at Takechi, who was smiling at him. “It seems I will need your help on this one, Takechi-sama. We may need to pretend to be a couple to fool those reporters.”

“No, don’t put me in that mess! I don’t want anything to do with it! I already have a girlfriend, and I don’t need you around to make things weird!”

Sakamo leaned on the table and caressed Takechi’s left hand. “Don’t say that, you cutie, or you will break my heart!”

Takechi slapped Sakamo’s hand and frowned. “Stop that, you weirdo! Go caress your girlfriend, will you? Darn, sometimes you make me so mad!”

Sakamo Ryu smiled at the angry-looking boy and joined Tomiko’s laugh, who found his reaction way too funny.
…