The next day, after seeing Yuzu off as she headed to the premiere of her movie, I practiced my lines until the very last minute and then made my way to the studio, as instructed.
Since it was the usual studio, I had no trouble finding it and walked inside.
“Good morning—wait, what’s with those looks on everyone’s faces?”
As soon as I entered, my colleagues who were already gathered stared at me with a mixture of surprise, confusion, and unease. Specifically, it was the kind of look that seemed to ask, “Are you sure you should be here?”
“Huh? What do you mean, ‘What’s going on?’ Do you guys know something I don’t? There’s a big love scandal going around, isn’t there?”
“What!? A love scandal? Who and who?”
Well, it’s probably me and someone else, but I don’t have any close relationships with any women. And certainly none that would warrant a love scandal.
“You and that famous actress, Yuzu Aoi! When did you get close to such a famous actress!?”
My voice actor colleague showed me his smartphone screen. There, in huge letters, was the headline: “Young Popular Actress Yuzu Aoi Involved in Love Scandal! Her Partner Is Voice Actor Yuu Akasaka.” Below it, the article went on: “In the middle of this month, a tabloid journalist witnessed the two entering the same room together…”
“No way, with Yuzu?!”
True, I don’t remember ever officially announcing that Yuzu and I were siblings. But I hadn’t been hiding it either, so I assumed it was common knowledge. Apparently, though, most people didn’t know.
“You’re on a first-name basis with her?!”
“No, she’s my sister. All this worrying for nothing.”
“Sister!? But you have different last names.”
“Yuzu Aoi is a stage name. Aoi is our mother’s maiden name. Yuzu didn’t want to use her real name in public, so she went with the maiden name.”
While my colleagues stood there in shock, I continued reading the article. It talked about how we were supposedly living together, and that wedding bells were just around the corner. Classic online news—always exaggerating.
The comments below were all over the place: “It’s not okay to date a high schooler,” “Living with Yuzu? He should be ashamed,” “Isn’t he blackmailing her?” At least there wasn’t much hate directed at Yuzu, which was a relief.
Soon after, my agency staff rushed in, and I explained the situation to them as I had with my colleagues. Apparently, their phones hadn’t stopped ringing since yesterday, and they had been unable to reach me because my phone had been broken. I really caused them trouble, and I felt bad about that.
Since Yuzu’s movie premiere and press event were about to begin, everyone in the studio was glued to the small TV the agency staff had brought in.
Although we were already scheduled to start recording, they decided to hold off and see how Yuzu’s side would respond to the situation before continuing.
The premiere featured plenty of cast members and the director, but every station was focused solely on Yuzu.
A love scandal involving a top young actress was clearly a huge deal.
Honestly, I felt bad that the truth was just that we were siblings—it almost seemed like a letdown.
The premiere was going smoothly, and it was time for the press to ask questions.
Of course, all the questions were about Yuzu, not the movie.
I felt guilty for the impact this was having on the production team, but I trusted Yuzu to clear up the misunderstanding and shift the focus back to the film.
“Is it true that you’re living with someone, Yuzu?”
“Yes, but it’s more like cohabitation than anything romantic.”
“So, are your parents aware that you’re living with Yuu Akasaka?”
“Yes, of course. I wouldn’t have moved in without their approval.”
“You said ‘moved in.’ Does that mean you willingly went to live with him?”
“Yes.”
Wait! The misunderstanding is spreading!
She’s not exactly lying, but she’s not telling the full truth either. Why isn’t she saying we’re siblings?! If she just said that, this whole thing would be over!
Come on, reporters, stop being stunned and ask the real question! Before talking about cohabitation, shouldn’t you ask about our relationship!?
“When did you two start living together?”
“I moved in when I started high school, so it’s been three years now.”
“When did you first meet Yuu Akasaka?”
“I’ve known him since I was born. So we’ve been together for 18 years.”
The murmurs in the room grew louder.
More cameras zoomed in on Yuzu, while the rest of the cast faded into the background.
“Does that mean you’re childhood friends?”
“No, not childhood friends. We’re siblings.”
Time stopped.
The murmuring crowd suddenly fell silent, and everyone froze.
Of course—they thought we were lovers, only to find out we were just siblings.
“...Siblings?”
“Yes, Yuzu Aoi is a stage name. My real name is Yuzu Akasaka, and Yuu Akasaka is my brother.”
The reporters, finally recovering from their shock, hesitantly resumed their questions.
Well, that should put an end to the misunderstanding. From here, the questions should shift back to the movie.
As I sighed in relief in front of the small TV, ready to return to work—
“Then, there’s no romantic relationship between the two of you?”
“No, there is. It’s just one-sided on my part.”
Now it wasn’t just the premiere venue that froze—the entire studio I was in went still.
I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. I questioned my ears, my brain, and even the broadcast.
No, that couldn’t be right. There’s no way—
“W-What? But aren’t you two siblings?”
“Yes, but we’re not related by blood.”
I didn’t mishear that!!
What is happening?! Yuzu likes me?! As in, romantically?!
And more importantly, how does she even know we’re not related by blood?!
We had a family meeting before Yuzu was old enough to understand, and we decided to treat her as a true member of the family without revealing that we weren’t blood-related.
There shouldn’t have been any way for her to find out!
“You’re not related?”
“That’s right. I was taken in as a candidate for adoption. My brother and parents never intended to tell me that we weren’t related by blood, but when I asked why I had an AB blood type while both of them were Type A and O, they told me everything.”
Blood type?! Nooooo!!
It’s true, having parents with blood types A and O means it’s virtually impossible for a child to have AB blood, but to think that’s how we’d get found out. What a blind spot!
“Yuu Akasaka, do you accept Yuzu’s romantic feelings while living together?”
“No, I don’t even think he realizes that I know we’re not related by blood. He only treats me as a sister.”
“So then, about your relationship with Akasaka—”
The questions were getting more intense.
The reporters, who had been frozen in shock, were now furiously scribbling notes, bombarding Yuzu with more questions.
“Hey, are you alright?”
“No, I’m definitely not alright.”
On my end, things were just as awkward. My coworkers looked at me with a mix of pity and amusement, but I was too stunned to even care. They, sensing that now wasn’t the time, quietly turned their attention back to the small TV screen.
On the screen, chaos reigned at the press event, and the host was running around in a panic. Amidst the frenzy, Yuzu raised her right hand, signaling for silence.
Her sudden gesture made the reporters fall quiet, and the cameras zoomed in to capture her every move.
“First, I’d like to apologize to everyone involved with the movie. I’m truly sorry for turning this premiere into a personal issue and wasting your valuable time on such matters.”
The camera shifted to the movie’s cast and director, all of whom were wearing awkward smiles. It was no surprise—they had come to promote their movie, and now it had turned into a love scandal circus.
“And to all my fans, I deeply apologize for causing such a stir. However, I’d like to clarify one thing here. My brother was just dragged into this. I’ve seen many comments online criticizing him, but please refrain from spreading baseless insults about him. Knowing my brother, he probably doesn’t care if people slander him, as long as no one says anything bad about me. He’s the one who found me when I had been abandoned and possibly left to die. He took responsibility and even started working as a child actor, doing his best for me every single day. I’m sure it was hard for him, but he never once complained and kept on working for my sake. Even when I treated him coldly, he always showed me unwavering love, and when I was being bullied, he stormed into the school to protect me. He’s an incredible, admirable brother. Without him, I wouldn’t be standing here today. He’s not someone who deserves to be unfairly insulted. Please, I ask you to stop speaking badly about him.”
On the screen, Yuzu quietly bowed her head.
“You’re really loved, huh?”
“…Please, just spare me.”
This was embarrassing. It was painfully embarrassing.
I had just been smothered in praise. An “incredible, admirable brother”? I’m not that great of a person.
And the teasing looks from the people around me in the studio only amplified my embarrassment. I mean, I’m glad she feels that way, but still.
As things unfolded, it was finally announced that due to time constraints, only one more question could be asked of Yuzu. Clearly, they couldn’t spend the entire press conference on the love scandal, as it was supposed to be a movie premiere.
The final question came from a reporter who eagerly threw it out:
“Do you have any message for your brother?”
I had a bad feeling about this. Couldn’t they have asked something else?
Yuzu thought for a moment before breaking into a big smile.
“Big brother, I love you. Please marry me.”
The sudden proposal sent the venue into a frenzy, the biggest excitement of the day.
Of course, my mood hit rock bottom.
Since it was indeed the last question, the focus then shifted back to the movie. But the atmosphere in the studio where I was couldn’t have been worse.
Well, maybe it wasn’t terrible for everyone—just for me.
My colleagues and the staff were grinning from ear to ear, barely hiding their amusement. They were basically third-party spectators enjoying someone else’s misfortune.
By the way, the recording session that followed was a disaster. All my practice went down the drain, and we had to reschedule the session for another day.
After Yuzu’s statement, she was somehow praised for her boldness, with fans showering her with admiration. She even gained a whole new wave of fans, and the movie went on to break sales records.
As for me, I was suddenly hailed as the “ultimate big brother,” gaining fans of my own. Work offers flooded in, though most of them were for roles as someone’s older brother, which I hope wasn’t directly related to this whole incident.
And ever since that declaration, Yuzu has shown no restraint. On top of that, people have stopped inviting me to group dates, using the excuse that I “already have a little sister.” I’m also constantly under the watchful eyes of those who seem jealous, and it’s exhausting.
To make matters worse, my last hope, my parents, have already been won over by Yuzu.
I’m completely surrounded. But still, Yuzu is my sister.
Now, it’s a fierce battle between my resistance and Yuzu’s relentless pursuit.
Who will give in first?
…I think we both know how this ends.
[The End]
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