Anime: B Project: Kodou*Ambitious

(Y/n)'s POV

The world seemed to stop, all the colour draining away like a dark rainy day. Forcing down the tears, I managed to look up and face my manager with what I hoped was a stoic expression.

"(Y/n), this isn't a joke. I'm serious. Our company's fallen out of business and that means you're fired. You've never helped us before and I doubt you'll get famous any time soon," he exclaimed mercilessly.

"Fine then, so be it. Passing another audition will be a breeze."

"Tch, what an arrogant girl you are. Get lost, I no longer have any need for you."

"That's what I planned to do from the moment you told me our company's situation. Hope you have a fantastic day."

"(L/n) (Y/n)!"

I shut the door behind me before heading outside the tall, looming tower. Tch, who did he think I was? A tool he could just throw out after he deemed me useless? What a moronic jerk.

I didn't care. Finding another place to audition and getting accepted was no challenge for me...okay, maybe it was. How the hell was I supposed to do that?

I slid down the wall of a deserted alleyway and finally let the tears fall. The company I had always wanted to work for...was ruined. My deceased mother would be so disappointed in her worthless daughter...

Damn, I was not raised to be a weakling. My father didn't raise me in order for me to give up my dream. I could do this- I had to do this. My mother wanted it, and so do I.

~A few days later~

I looked around the corner, startled but also curious about the sudden shouting. A brown-haired girl was getting yelled at by what seemed to a somewhat drunk editor.

His speech was slightly slurred and his anger was easily fuelled by simple provocation. With a big breath, I put on a cap and mask before walking towards the scene.

"Is this the place?"

"Who the hell are you?!" he yelled.

I looked at his name tag, eyes widened slightly before regaining my posture.

"I believe your boss has told you that I would be here to assess your credibility. Got any problems with that?"

"T-then you're...(L/n) Misaki (made-up character)..."

"Of course I am. So? Am I seeing you scolding a defenceless girl?"

"N-no ma'am! I um have something to do so p-please excuse me!"

Oh thank god he believed my acting. My sister's harsh personality was a little difficult to impersonate...I haven't seen her in ages. She probably hated me.

"U-um thank you for helping me," the girl said.

"No problem."

I took off my mask and smiled. Her eyes widened but I simply held a finger to my lips.

"You're not..."

"My name's (L/n) (Y/n), her 'unworthy' sister. I'm training to become an actress...although I haven't gotten very far."

"Tsubasa, are you coming or not?"

I turned my head to look at the boy who had spoken. My eyes almost popped out of their sockets. Was I dreaming? Was this girl Kitakore's manager or something?!

Korekuni Ryuji...I never thought I'd see him standing right before my eyes. *sigh* It sure was a small world that we lived in...

"H-hey! You're not (L/n)-san!"

"She's a friend of mine, an actress. If you didn't like her training like that in a real life situation, go talk with her manager. Her sister, Misaki, agreed to it," Korekuni exclaimed, a bored expression on his face.

"O-oh, I'm sorry."

Korekuni began walking away after grabbing Tsubasa by her sleeve. Suddenly, he turned his head and raised an eyebrow. It took a long time for me to process what he meant before the realisation dawned on me.

I hurried after them, following them outside. I guess my chance at auditioning here would have to wait a while. With a sigh, I walked behind them like a lost puppy.

"Thanks for that back there."

"If I didn't help you, you'd just be embarrassing yourself, making everyone else feel the same way," he replied.

"T-that's- nevermind. I'll be on my way now."

"Where do you think you're going? Do you not want to visit your sister? She's on her way here now although I doubt she knows that you're here."

"You know my sister?"

"We're acquaintances."

"Oh, thanks for telling me but we don't have a good relationship-"

"(Y/n)?"

I turned around, feeling my sister's cold gaze on me. She glared at me like I was a bug flying around her head.

"H-hi sis?"

"Don't call me that. If it weren't for you, mother would still be alive. I hate you, get out of my sight."

"...I'm sorry."

She pushed past after saying a quick greeting to Korekuni, who kept silent. The girl beside him didn't say a word and just watched us, sympathy written clearly all over her face as she looked at me.

"...I'll get going. Thank you again for before-"

"Does she always treat you like that?"

"R-Ryuji, don't ask sensitive questions!"

"Tsubasa, if she really wants to become an actress then she should know that the world of entertainment is a harsh place. You never know what type of questions some journalists may ask."

"...yes, she's been like that ever since my mum's death three years ago. They...were really close but I guess she was jealous about how mum always favoured me over her."

"And I take it that your mum's death is your fault?"

"You just never know when not to cross the line, do you? But yes, I stubbornly ran away from home. My mum was chasing me and she got hit by a car at a crossing. Even then, she said that it wasn't my fault..."

I forced the tears back but it was futile. They had already begun sliding down my cheeks so I angrily wiped them away. Surprisingly, he handed me a handkerchief with his gaze elsewhere.

"T-thank you..."

I couldn't help but cry my heart out. Strangers stared at me, judged me but I couldn't care less. I hadn't realised how painful it was until I had actually spoken those words.

Telling someone took a whole load off my shoulders but that didn't lessen the pain nor the sorrow that came with it. It was so painful to be neglected by my sister after losing our mother...father did nothing to help with it...

Without warning, I was pulled into a somewhat awkward hug. Korekuni had his arms wrapped loosely around my back but it wasn't an act of pity nor one of simply calming me down.

I gripped his shirt, letting the pain die down until it was nothing but a small knot in my chest. He gently rubbed his hands on my back and whispered the three words that I had longed to hear.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, thank you..."

"My mum would always do this for me when I was feeling down."

"*smiles* Thank you."

"*blush* I-it's not like I did it to make you feel better. I didn't want people staring at us like we were a bunch of weirdos."

He pulled away but I could still feel his warmth radiating within me.

"Korekuni-san, thank you."