------------------
HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
------------------
Chapter 10: The Celebrity in Our Class
Every country’s laws differ, but in nations where living standards have reached a certain level, compulsory education exists.
In both my country and Japan, this compulsory education period includes six years of elementary school and three years of middle school.
And me?
“First-year students, please gather in the auditorium for the entrance ceremony.”
I had become a first-year middle school student.
＊ ＊ ＊
Reality Check.
A slang term with many layers—whether it’s ‘sage time’ or ‘moment of harsh self-awareness’, it always seems to come back to that sinking feeling when a deep sigh escapes your soul and an unbearable wave of apathy washes over you.
“Haaaaaaah—”
Like right now.
“I’m… a middle schooler…”
It’s not like I didn’t know that.
But I’d been so caught up in drawing manga, I somehow forgot that, yeah, I was still in the age bracket where ‘compulsory education’ was a thing.
“Well. I guess this is an experience too.”
When I was younger, watching Japanese anime and reading manga, I used to daydream about what it would be like to attend a Japanese school—
Not university, mind you. Middle school. Maybe high school at most.
So I guess… in a way… this is one of those small dreams coming true.
“Goddammit…”
Yeah. If I don’t think about it like that, I don’t think I’ll survive this.
“Micchan~! Long time no see! We're in the same class, huh? Let’s get along!”
“Did you see that upperclassman handing out the tennis club flyers earlier? Wasn’t he totally cool?”
We’d just finished the entrance ceremony and come back to the classroom, and already some of the kids had latched onto each other like lifelong besties. How’d they even bond that fast?
“So radiant. It’s blinding.”
Maybe I’d get it if they were high schoolers.
But middle schoolers? They were way too shiny for the rotted eyes of someone like me, who’s already been marinated in the grime of society.
Probably because a bunch of them had come up together from nearby elementary schools, the room had this faint air of familiarity.
The scattered energy, a mix of nervousness and excitement, only settled when the teacher finally walked in.
“I’m Takahashi Lila, and I’ll be your homeroom teacher starting today. Looking forward to the next year with all of you.”
Wearing a gym uniform, just as expected—she was a P.E. teacher.
“Alright, let’s start off easy with some self-introductions.”
＊ ＊ ＊
School life was… peaceful.
There were no delinquent students picking fights like something out of a manga, no cold stares paired with, “Tch! I heard that kid's from Korea,” or any other foreigner-phobic nonsense ruining the vibe.
Sure, the moment my name was called during introductions, it was obvious I wasn’t from around here—but even that got swallowed up by the general awkwardness of a brand-new school term.
I'd already gotten a taste of Japanese school life back when I was in college, so settling in wasn’t all that hard.
Granted, middle school was a different beast entirely—but not without its perks.
“Hey, did you read the new ‘D Note’?”
“I think J’s already suspecting Eito’s the killer.”
“In this chapter, when Eito said—”
One of the upsides? I could hear readers’ reactions in real time.
Sure, I could check Twitter or niche otaku community forums, but this was the year 2000—we weren’t exactly living in the age of viral content yet.
So hearing kids gossiping about ‘D Note’ right here at school? That hit different. It gave me a weird little boost. Call it... motivational feedback.
“Eheheh… hehehehehe…”
I didn’t even notice the creepy little chuckle slipping out of me.
Not then, anyway.
＊ ＊ ＊
It has already been over a month since I started going to school.
“Jun, good morning~”
“Yeah, morning.”
Now that a month had passed, I’d naturally ended up with a few friends—the kind you eat lunch with, chat with during breaks, nothing too intense.
By the way, Jun is me. I told them to call me that. “Jun” from “Junhyuk” is easier to say than my full name, especially here.
“Hey, did you hear? It’s happening today!”
“What is?”
A few of them had gathered around my desk and immediately launched into gossip mode.
“You know, ‘her’. That girl who was on that morning drama. Filming's done now, so she’s starting school with us today.”
“Oh right, there ‘was’ talk about a celebrity enrolling at the entrance ceremony.”
I answered absentmindedly while scribbling in my notebook, and Maeda—one of the chattier ones—perked up, clearly pleased I was listening.
“She’s been absent ‘til now ‘cause of her schedule. But I overheard something when I passed by the staff room. They say she’s even prettier in person than on TV!”
At first, the others were only half-listening, but the moment they heard ‘that’, everyone suddenly sharpened up.
Even if she’s still a child actress, the fact that someone from the entertainment industry—especially someone that pretty—is joining our class was enough to grab attention.
Huh… maybe I could whip up a rom-com manga based on a classmate who’s secretly a rising idol.
I was still doodling that thought out when—
“Alright everyone, back to your seats! Class’ starting!”
Our homeroom teacher, Takahashi, walked in with a girl by her side, herding the rowdy classroom back into order.
“Whoa…”
Someone let out a gasp, but really, they were just saying what we were all thinking.
Takahashi was talking, sure—some kind of explanation—but no one in the classroom was actually looking at her.
It wasn’t that we were ignoring the teacher. It’s just… all eyes were locked on the girl standing next to her.
She wore the same school uniform as the rest of us, just like any other student.
But as the saying goes, ‘fashion is completed by the face’. And hers? Was stunning. The same uniform somehow looked like it had been made for her and her alone.
They say when you see a real actor in person, it’s like a spotlight naturally follows them around.
Yeah… this was one of those times.
Presence.
That overwhelming sense of ‘being’—of standing out without even trying—she had it.
“I’m sure some of you already know…”
Takahashi began, glancing at the girl.
“...but she’s a classmate who’s been absent until now due to outside work.”
The girl gave a polite bow as she introduced herself.
“I’m Hasegawa Kanna. I look forward to spending this year with you.”
＊ ＊ ＊
Hasegawa Kanna.
Maybe it was thanks to inheriting her mother’s talent—her mother, still an active actress even now—but Kanna had stood out from the moment she debuted, making her first appearance on the big screen at the age of five.
Since then, she’d consistently appeared in TV dramas and variety shows for kids, and unlike many child actors who faded away like dust, she’d continued to make a name for herself.
Kanna genuinely liked being an actress.
From the start, she thought her mom’s work was cool. And once she started acting herself, she found it rewarding.
She was a positive person by nature, and filming—just acting in general—made her happy.
But even for her, there was one thing that was a bit… much.
“Hasegawa-san, are you close with that actor Isechi?”
“How was the shoot? I heard it was by the sea?”
“Could you sign something for me? My brother’s a huge fan.”
“Isechi-senpai and I haven’t actually worked together, so I haven’t met him in person. The shoot was at the seaside, but we didn’t get that much time to film. A signature? Of course, I don’t mind!”
It was school life.
The moment break time started, she was hit with a tsunami of questions and attention.
Kanna handled it all with practiced ease, like a pro. But in truth? Her soul had already long since left her body.
‘Ugh… I’m so tired…’
She loved acting. She was genuinely grateful when people appreciated her work.
But being exposed to this much attention from a crowd of strangers in a school setting wasn’t easy for her to deal with.
And honestly, how could it be?
“Hasegawa Kanna? Doesn’t she act way too full of herself?”
“Ugh, right? Hasegawa? Never even heard of her before. She shows up on TV a couple of times and thinks she’s all that.”
“Honestly, I don’t even think she’s ‘that’ pretty.”
Because like clockwork, she had to face the unavoidable—direct malice from people she’d never even spoken to.
“Couldn’t they at least talk crap somewhere else…”
It wasn’t until long after the voices had faded that Kanna, who had been crouched quietly inside a bathroom stall, finally crept out.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Kanna-chan, if you're free, wanna go to that dessert cafe together?”
A classmate caught Kanna just as she stood up after class.
If she remembered right, her name was Ayane.
“Ah, sorry. I’ve got a lesson today, so I think I’ll have to head out right away. But if it’s okay with you, can we go next week instead?”
Kanna said it with an apologetic look, ending with a big, beaming smile.
This time, she really did have no choice but to decline.
It wasn’t because she didn’t like them—her words wrapped that whole message into one smooth, gentle refusal.
The flawless delivery, polished on countless adult-dominated sets, worked like a charm.
“Well, can’t be helped! Let’s definitely go next time!”
Kanna grinned to herself as she pulled off another textbook-perfect soft rejection without rubbing anyone the wrong way.
She didn’t actually have anything on her schedule after this, though.
But she ‘did’ have something ‘she’ had planned.
Rustle.
Her hand slipped into her bag and brushed against the smooth cover of a book.
Volume 1 of ‘D Note’—which she had rushed to buy the moment it hit shelves, doing a bookstore “open-run.”
The shoot had suddenly been extended, so she hadn’t had the time to enjoy it properly.
But today—finally—she was going to read it in the perfect environment, uninterrupted.
The series had brought her joy through long, dragging days on set, so to her, ‘D Note’ meant more than just a story.
She darted out of school, changed into her casual clothes, hopped in a taxi, and headed to a cafe she’d reserved in advance.
It was a quiet, somewhat pricey place—mainly used by professionals for long, private meetings.
Which meant the chances of bumping into classmates or anyone she knew? Practically zero.
Even better, the tables were spaced far apart and had partitions between them.
No one would even see her face.
In other words, the perfect safe haven to geek out in peace.
Humming a little tune, Kanna sat down and ordered the dessert and drink she’d been craving.
For the final touch, she made a quick trip to the restroom. But on her way back to the table—
Ding-ling.
The cafe door chimed open. A boy walked in.
“…Huh?”
It wasn’t that strange to see someone her age here—rare, sure, but not shocking.
But then she saw his uniform.
“Wait… no way. He goes to my school?”
Even worse—his face rang a bell. She was pretty sure they were in the same class.
Without thinking, she shrank back behind a corner and peeked around it, holding her breath.
He started walking toward someone already seated—someone who’d just waved him over.
“So he’s not alone… Maybe his older brother?”
He looked too young to be the boy’s dad.
“Then again, this place isn’t exactly student-budget friendly.”
Maybe his brother had promised to treat him or something. Sounded about right.
She was mid-speculation, briskly passing by the boy’s table to avoid drawing attention, when—
“‘D Note’ is getting a reprint.”
—those completely unexpected words froze her in her tracks.
＊ ＊ ＊
“They say this next print run’s going to be a big one.”
Before their meeting about the storyboard even began, Matsuda shared some exciting news with Jung Junhyuk—news he’d picked up before arriving at the studio. Volume 1 of the comic was getting reprinted.
“Oh.”
It hadn’t been long since the first reprint, and already a second one was on the way. The speed and momentum were something you'd expect from a top-tier Jump series.
But the man at the center of it all, Jung Junhyuk, just let out a flat little murmur of acknowledgment.
“No big reaction, huh? Or is that just par for the course with you?”
Matsuda said with a chuckle.
Junhyuk shook his head.
“This is where it really starts. I told you—I plan to wrap it up in 50 chapters. If I get cut before then, I won’t even get the chance to finish. So yeah, I’m a little on edge.”
“You’re hopeless. You seriously have zero cuteness.”
Matsuda snorted and handed Junhyuk a menu.
“Anyway, today’s on me—company card’s staying in the wallet. Order whatever you want. We’ll do a light meeting while we wait for the food.”
“Thanks. I’ll have this, and… this one too.”
“Hmm, then I’ll go with…”
Once they’d picked their food and drinks, Junhyuk suddenly stood from his seat.
“Gonna hit the restroom real quick.”
As he slid open the partition to head out—
“Whoa—!”
“…?”
There, having been leaning on the very partition he pushed open, was none other than Hasegawa Kanna—who lost her balance and tumbled right into him.
------------------
HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
------------------
