Volumes 7-12 Part I, Chizuru Mizuhara's Love Story, Chapter 2
Volumes 7-12, How Chizuru viewed Kazuya
❤Trust, 70%: from someone she wants to help to someone who supports her
So far, Chizuru has been in the position of supporting Kazuya as a rental girlfriend, but she's become also in the position of being supported. Chizuru has a dream to become an actress and "show Grandma Sayuri how she looks in movies," and it was Kazuya who encouraged her when she was about to give up. She declares him a "fair neighbor" and allows him to have a private relationship with her. Kazuya begins to become indispensable to Chizuru not only as a rental girlfriend, but also in her personal life (mainly as the actress Chizuru Ichinose).
❤Attraction, 50%: Fair neighbor, and to the boy she likes
The moment Kazuya said "I want you," Chizuru saw him as her own lover for the first time. Subsequently, the way Chizuru treats and views Kazuya begins to change as he cheers her up. He takes care of her physical condition, covers for her in a drink, and despite his clumsiness, she becomes attracted to him because of his kindness. A scene also appears in which he becomes jealous of his trial girlfriend, Ruka. Chizuru had thought she was helping him as a rental girlfriend, but she finally realizes that her feelings were love for Kazuya.
Chizuru Mizuhara's Love Story
■ [Introduction] Chizuru Mizuhara's Love Story
■ Volumes 7-12 Part I, Chapter 2
■ Volumes 7-12 Part II, Chapter 3
■ Volumes 13-18 Part I, Chapter 4
■ Volumes 13-18 Part II, Chapter 5
■Someone who Will Truly Make Me Happy
Volumes 7-12, Highlights and Commentary
WAS THAT ALL ABOUT...? STUPID.
◆WAS THAT ALL ABOUT...? STUPID. (50)
For Chizuru, Kazuya is someone she wants to support. She thought she was seeing him as a rental girlfriend. But when he confessed "I want you," she momentarily saw Kazuya as her real boyfriend. After that, she learned that he meant that he was counting on her as a rental girlfriend, but she got extremely upset by his confession.
◆Chizuru's cheeks puffed up. (50)
Chizuru's cheeks puff up at Kazuya's confession-like words, and she cannot hide her confusion. When Kazuya corrected her, saying that he meant "Of all the rental girlfriends, you are the best," maybe she found herself feeling disappointed for some reason.
Don't Tell Me You're Giving Up!
◆DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE GIVING UP! (53)
Chizuru was thinking of quitting her job as a rental girlfriend and focusing on acting. Chizuru's dream was "to show Grandma Sayuri how she looks in movies". She does not have much time left. That is why she has been working hard to make sure that she has no regrets. However, she was so depressed that she cried when the stage performance she had hoped for did not lead to a movie performance. At that time, it was Kazuya who encouraged her.
DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE GIVING UP!
Kazuya says he will rent Chizuru every week to support her as an actress (Chizuru Ichinose) .
◆STUPID...! THAT'S WAY TOO MUCH! (53)
Always practical and working hard on her own, Chizuru sometimes loses the ability to dream. At such times, it was Kazuya who really encouraged Chizuru and gave her the strength to dream, even if there was no basis for it. When Kazuya made appointments for rentals, she cried tears of joy.
Chizuru, who had been on the supporting side as a rental girlfriend, is now on the being supported side for the first time. From this point on, the way she treats Kazuya starts to changing drastically.
Declaration of Fair Neighborhood
◆BECAUSE THE "REAL" YOU IS MY DREAM GIRL! (56)
Chizuru has been playing a neat and tidy girlfriend when she dated with Kazuya, but what he requested was "'REAL' YOU". It is almost like saying, "I want you to be my girlfriend". She pretends not to be upset by saying, "HOW CAN YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITH A STRAIGHT FACE?" but maybe she saw him not as her client but as her own lover again at that moment.
Chizuru, who thought that "I am a rental girlfriend and he is a customer," could not realize Kazuya's true feelings. She took it as a customer's request.
◆SO FROM NOW ON, LET'S GET ALONG LIKE FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURS DO! (57)
After the rental date ends, she asks Kazuya to join her at the batting cage. She was really happy that Kazuya cheered her up
SO FROM NOW ON,
LET'S GET ALONG LIKE FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURS DO!
She declares Kazuya her "fair neighbor" and tells him she would like to have a private relationship with him. Since Chizuru had told Kazuya that she was not allowed to have private relationships with customers, he had been avoiding her for a long time. She was not happy about that. For example, talking about the stage on the balcony or even greeting each other in the morning with a "good morning" may be important time for Chizuru now. For Chizuru, Kazuya may be a person who cheers her up when she is with him.
NOTE: Chizuru has begun to treat Kazuya as a neighbor since chapter 40 of volume 5. However, she failed to tell Kazuya at that time because of the incident with Ruka's underwear.
◆High-five. (57)
Since the relationship is between a rental girlfriend and a customer, they cannot meet without some reason, but Chizuru's desire to get along with Kazuya overflows. Although she says she is just killing time until she meets Grandma Sayuri, she voluntarily asks him for a high-five.
Although Chizuru herself is not aware of it at this point, there is no doubt that her feelings of "I love Kazuya" have already begun to run.
◆GRANDMA, DON'T YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE BEING A LITTLE TOO FAMILIAR WITH MY BOYFRIEND? (57)
GRANDMA, DON'T YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE BEING A LITTLE TOO FAMILIAR WITH MY BOYFRIEND?
At the hospital they visits later, she complains to Grandma Sayuri that she's taken Kazuya away from her.
This evening, Chizuru tells Kazuya about her dream: she wants to show Grandma Sayuri that she is in a movie. She probably thought he would listen to her properly about such a childish dream.
◆I... WANT YOUR DREAMS TO COME TRUE. I REALLY, REALLY DO. (61)
LOOKING AT YOU, MIZUHARA, I CAN'T HELP BUT BE IMPRESSED!
I... WANT YOUR DREAMS TO COME TRUE. I REALLY, REALLY DO.
AND I HOPE THAT THE DAY COMES
WHEN I'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT FOR MYSELF.
Kazuya says he wants to see Chizuru fulfill her dream as an actress, and that is why he wants to be by her side. Chizuru loves to be praised, so Kazuya's words must have made her very happy. It must have been reassuring to have someone who is on her side tell her that he wants to be there for her.
◆STUPID. IF YOU SAY YOU WANT TO STAY BY MY SIDE, THEN I CAN'T TURN YOU DOWN, CAN I? I MEAN, I AM YOUR 'GIRLFRIEND', AFTER ALL. (61)
ALWAYS...?
STUPID.
IF YOU SAY YOU WANT TO STAY BY MY SIDE,
THEN I CAN'T TURN YOU DOWN, CAN I?
I MEAN, I AM YOUR 'GIRLFRIEND', AFTER ALL.
Kazuya says he wants to be by her side, and Chizuru replies that she will be by his side as his rental girlfriend.
Chizuru thinks that she is dating Kazuya as a rental girlfriend. Therefore, she can only express her feelings in this way. But
I want to be with you, too.
This is Chizuru's true feelings.
◆Greetings on campus (61)
On campus, they had promised not to have anything to do with each other and to pretend to be strangers, but Chizuru dissolves this promise. In truth, a rental girlfriend must avoid private relationships with customers. Chizuru understands this very well. Even if it is the wrong thing to do as a rental girlfriend, she really wants to spend time with Kazuya.
Can Chizuru realize where her desire to be with Kazuya comes from?
Jealousy
◆C'MON CHIZURU! FOCUS! (66)
For Chizuru, Kazuya began to change into an important person who supported her. When she finds out that Ruka stayed in Kazuya's room last night, she thinks that they have become close.
Kazuya and Ruka-chan already...
She is so concerned about this that she cannot concentrate on memorizing her lines. For the first time, she gets "jealous".
As a rental girlfriend, Chizuru is in a position where she should support Kazuya to have a girlfriend. She used to do so, and it was herself who made Ruka Kazuya's girlfriend. Yet now she feels uneasy if Ruka and Kazuya are really going to get together. The truth is that she does not want to lose Kazuya.
◆THAT'S SOUR! OKAY! GOTTA HAVE SOME RICE WITH THAT! (69)
When Chizuru comes home tired, she finds a birthday present from Kazuya on her balcony. What a surprise: pickled plums. It seems that it was a gift to take care of her physical condition as she works hard to become an actress. Chizuru can't help but laugh.
P.S I DIDN'T TOUCH RUKA-CHAN!
I'LL BELIEVE YOU. NOW QUIET DOWN.
Feeling the sincerity in the gift of his concern for her, she decides to believe Kazuya. She answers bluntly, but inwardly she must be relieved.
◆SO I'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE I'M THERE FOR "ICHINOSE"... (73)
Kazuya defends Chizuru at a drinking party and drinks too much, crashing. He is stupid, clumsy, and always pretending to be cool, but he is a very kind person. Once again, she feels that he is there for her.
Thank you for saving me, it was my pleasure.
I sent Kazuya a bottle of "Turmeric Lover" with the word "SO DRUNK!".
Seifuku Date
◆DON'T BE GETTING MODEST NOW. I'LL BE WITH YOU THE WHOLE DAY. (79)
Date to support Chizuru Ichinose. At Kazuya's request, they decided to wear school uniforms.
SO? WHTA'S NEXT?
THERE'S MORE RIGHT? THINGS YOU WANTTO DO.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HIDE IT, YOU KNOW.
PLANNING A DATE BEFOREHAND ISN'T BAD.
DON'T BE GETTING MODEST NOW. I'LL BE WITH YOU THE WHOLE DAY.
Seeing Kazuya unable to say what he wants to do, she urges him not to hesitate. She says it this way as a rental girlfriend, but...
Let's enjoy this date together!
In all seriousness, Chizuru want to enjoy the date with him, too. She leads their date by sharing churros, taking purikura pictures, and asking to ride the Ferris wheel.
◆Chizuru is nervous about hugging Kazuya, (80)
At the Purikura (photo booth), an unexpected front hug shot!
For Chizuru, Kazuya has begun to change into an important person who is on her side. As ordered, she plays "REAL YOU (herself not having feelings for Kazuya)," but she is nervous. I'm glad he didn't catch her blushing lol. Chizuru can't help but be conscious of him if he is so close to her. She is not aware of it, but this is already....
◆Chizuru says that she won't quit her job as a rental girlfriend. (82)
On the way home, she informs Kazuya, who has been supporting her dream, that she has been chosen for a new stage. Kazuya squeezes her hand so tightly that she thinks he is worried that she might quit her job as a rental girlfriend.
RELAX.
YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY SO MUCH.
IT'S NOT LIKE I'M DESAPPEARING RIGHT NOW...
With that, Chizuru tells him that he can rest assured because she intends to continue being his "girlfriend". However
...THAT'S NOT IT.
YOU'RE AMAZING.
SINCE YOU'VE WORKED SO HARD...
I'M JUST SO HAPPY FOR SOME REASON!
Kazuya's reply was unexpected. He is happy that she got a new stage. I guess she really wanted him to say "I am relieved that you continue to be my 'girlfriend'". Chizuru has a mixed expression of happiness and sadness at Kazuya's words.
I am happy that he would like to support me,
but I still don't want to not be able to be by Kazuya's side anymore.
It looks like she will be Kazuya's "girlfriend" for a while longer.
(To be continued in Volumes 7-12 Part II, Chapter 3)
Chizuru Mizuhara's Love Story
■ [Introduction] Chizuru Mizuhara's Love Story
■ Volumes 7-12 Part I, Chapter 2
■ Volumes 7-12 Part II, Chapter 3
■ Volumes 13-18 Part I, Chapter 4