The One Who Made the Other One Accept the Role of Protagonist… Yeah, This Title Sucks, Doesn’t It?

It had been two weeks since we last spoke. Blending into the crowd, I still quietly followed Tadashi through his daily routine.

Tadashi's life had slowed down. Now, as he walked, his attention settled on the streets, the changing traffic lights, and most of all, the faces that passed him by. Tadashi didn't allow himself the pleasure of losing himself in music and light novels.

Had the car accident traumatized him from walking casually through the streets? It was a good hypothesis — if he had only changed his behavior when he was outside.

Before, Tadashi used to run down the escalator so as not to waste time, but he would stop and let himself be carried along when the escalator rolled upward. He had no patience, but not enough to make an effort. Now, regardless of the direction, Tadashi would stop and observe the view, the people going up and down.

Hidden between the walls of his house, I listened to Tadashi talking to his family, much more than usual.

“Hey, is Asaka okay? What happened?” asked Tadashi.

“What do you mean? I'm fine...”

“I can see from your face that something is wrong. Feel free to talk to me.”

"Ah... It was that jerk in my class! He doesn't even pay attention to me anymore," his sister burst into tears as the words came out of her mouth.

During class, his attention was no longer scattered, his hand writing down the content in perfect sync with the teacher's words. Tadashi was no longer clumsy; instead of walking hunched over in the hallways, he seemed to float through the school.

From isolated to interested. I definitely had some impact on the kid. Was I eye drops for his third eye, perhaps? A feeling of gratification washed over me. The first step for a teacher is to inspire, so at least I fulfilled my first step.

— — —

That afternoon was kendo club practice time. Tadashi's mission was to not draw negative attention to himself. It was hard, but it paid off. Sweating and exhilarated, he remained seated on the wooden floor while the others left.

The president always trained for an extra 30 minutes after practice, something she liked to do alone. Everyone knew this, but for Tadashi, today was a day to try something new.

“Senpai, would you mind if I joined you during your solo training? I'd like to discuss a personal matter, so to speak,” all heads turned, following Tadashi's mouth, some with anger and others with admiration. “It's nothing strange, I just always thought you were wise, even more so than some adults, so I wanted your opinion.”

“If it's urgent, I'll make an exception. But only today and... Let's practice dueling, okay?” Practicing was synonymous with getting beaten up, but for Tadashi it would be worth it.

The place emptied, illuminated by the orange light of the end of the day, the two took up their dueling positions. With their training swords ready, they began — One, two, three moves. Tadashi lost the first duel.

“So tell me, what do you want to talk about?”

“Well, let's just say that an opportunity I've been waiting for a long time has come up...” Tadashi thought for a few seconds. “The opportunity to study abroad.” It was easier to copy his sister's dream than to create a new lie.

“Huh... interesting, Tadashi-chan. I never took you for someone like that,” replied the president. Tadashi hated it when she called him that, but she was his senior, so there was nothing he could do about it.

“It was unexpected. They saw skills in me that even I didn't know I had.”

One, two, three, and four touches between the swords. With a final smooth movement, the president won again.

“And would you like to know my opinion about leaving Japan? I don't know much about how education works abroad,” replied the president, stretching and preparing for the third clash.

"No, I wann talk about the possibility of going. It's an old dream, but to make it come true means giving up everything. I've longed for an adventure for so long, but now that it's in front of me, all I can think about is what I might lose. Would you abandon everything for a dream?"

“My dreams are rooted in my family. But even if I left, I could still call them, right?” the girl moved quickly, the third duel didn't even happen, in one movement she won against his clumsy defense.

“Yeah…but If I settle in that country, I won't be able to see them. And there's no turning back. If I go and it goes wrong, I'll have nothing to look forward to here...” The girl realized that they weren't talking about the same thing. “If I'm going to work in a convenience store, I'd rather do it outside of Japan. It would be too embarrassing to come back empty-handed,” He lied again.

The president rested the tip of her training sword on the ground, turning her right hand to her chin. “So, it all comes down to deciding what's worth more: the comfort of the familiar or the uncertainty of a dream?”

“Yes...”

Seriously, what a smart girl, Tadashi thought, sighing passionately.

“Tadashi-chan, I’m going to tell you the truth. Lazy, Oblivious, Predictable, Careless — many words come to mind when I think of you.”

Huh... what a stupid girl, thought Tadashi, seething with anger.

The next duel took seven moves, Tadashi's fury giving his defense a good boost.

“Well…Thanks for the compliments, senpai.”

“They're not compliments.” The president doesn't understand irony very well. “But all these characteristics are overshadowed by one in particular. Tadashi-chan, you are authentic. Even with all eyes on you, you continue to read the books you like without hiding. Smiling to yourself without the fear of being labeled as strange." 

“T-thank you... I guess...”

“I follow in the footsteps of my ancestors. I pray at shrines. I don't hide the fact that I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth or that I consider myself better than others. I give my all to everything, and that's why I don't have time for anyone but myself. My blessings and curses are written all over my face, just like yours.”

The president pointed at herself in affirmation, raising her voice:

“To the other students, you are someone adrift and I am someone forced down a path, but in the end, we dictate the meaning of our own lives.”

She pointed her sword at me.

"Your situation reminds me of a lesson someone taught me.”

The president let down her beautiful hair, which was caressed by the light from the window.

“Do you believe in God, Tadashi-chan?”

“Huh... more in one than in others,” said Tadashi, turning to me as I stood hidden in the window.

“Imagine you died.”

It was quite an easy task for him.

“Then you arrive before God and he asks: Tadashi, why weren't you better, like the beautiful kendo club president? It would be an understandable question. But you could answer that there was no way you could be like someone else, after all, we are so different! From birth to growth to opportunities and desires.”

Is the whole story just a ladder to massage her own ego?

“Now imagine the same situation, and God asks: Tadashi, why weren't you Tadashi? I made only one of you. One DNA. One fingerprint. One soul. So why do you insist on not being yourself?”

Tadashi lowered his sword, resting it on the ground, the shadows of the shining president resting under his face. The president's words struck a deep chord.

“You have been authentic until now, doing what you wanted. I think this is the moment of decision. Whether you are just useless or someone truly authentic. Whether you live your own way or drift along. Living an authentic life when it comes down to doing the easy thing is... well, it's easy.”

“I understand, President. Did you learn all of that at Shinto temples?”

“No….It was on a podcast!” replied the president, puffing out her cheeks, as if the question had ruined the epic mood.

“I just have one question, what if I'm that person who wants nothing. Someone who wants to live without any meaning in life. Zero goals and achievements? If that's Tadashi, should I just wander?”

“If it were, would you be so tempted to go out and fulfill your dream? If you didn't want anything, you wouldn't even think about it.”

“Huh... I think you're right. But I'll only admit it if I win the next duel. And it won't be easy." Tadashi said this as he activated his cheat code.

The two took their swords back, getting into position. Breathing, Tadashi closed his eyes, letting the sixth sense of his third eye work its magic. The president had a soul energy in pink particles, which spun in a great waltz around her form, and among so many lights he finally saw something.

One, two, three, and four... dodges? Tadashi dodged every attack without even raising his sword, using only his body. With every step back Tadashi took, he dodged three or four attacks, until the two swords met — even with no skill, Tadashi still could win in physical strength.

The president then simply let go of the clash of swords, catching Tadashi off guard. Dodging him and placing her delicate foot forward, the girl made him fall like a mountain.

“Hey, hey, hey... That wasn't a legal move!”

“Heheheh... Those were great dodges, but defense is useless if the attack is uncoordinated.” It was the first time he had heard her laugh. “Listen, think carefully and make your own decision, okay, Tadashi-san? Even if you're going to stay here being lazy, let it be because you want to!”

The girl reached out her hand to him, helping him up. The help ended in a handshake, followed by a mutual bow.

“Thank you very much, Chiyo-san.” The girl looked away when she heard her first name. It was as if, this time, she let it pass.

“And remember something else.” The girl suddenly leaned close to the boy's ear. “Unspoken love is nothing more than an empty and futile desire, so don't be a coward and run away without saying anything to me, okay?”

Tadashi blushed everywhere, as if his whole body were allergic.

The president said goodbye, not knowing if it would be the last — but Tadashi knew it would.

In the locker room, changing his clothes, Tadashi felt something different in his pants pocket.

He found a mysterious folded piece of paper. When he unfolded it, he saw text written in red ink... or was it really ink?

WE HAVE YOUR FAMILY! IF YOU WANT TO SEE THEM ALIVE AGAIN, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE BACK.

“W-what?” Tadashi gasped.