I’M ME1

Hama Asunaro High School - Main Entrance

Hama Asunaro High School - Main Entrance

Hakkei

The Hama Asunaro High School open campus… The Noon Team’s first tour day has finally begun.

(As long as I wear my gentlemanly, charming father disguise, I will once again successfully hide my identity as a supervisor from Tokyo.)

Student A

Hello! We’re the Neo Acharya Club! Stop by our booth if you want to do air particle waterfall training!

Student B

We’re the West Coast-Style Löyly Mastering Sauna Club! Come join us for a simulated sweating experience!

Student C

Ah, you look like you have refined tastes, sir. We’re the Liquid Tea Ceremony Club, and we’re handing out matcha to older guests today. Please, take some!

Hakkei

Oh… How very kind of you. Thank you, young lady.

Child

Mommy! I got this study set from that nice guy over there!

Mother

How lovely, it has “surefire pass” written on it. Let’s apply for this school when you grow up, okay?

Hakkei

(These booths are all very unique and genuine. I suppose they were designed to appeal to all demographics.)

(Although this tour is held in conjunction with an open campus event targeting prospective students, many locals and current students are also in attendance…)

Student D

I don’t give a shit about them. Making students into new ward mayors is dumb as all hell.

Hakkei

(Hm…?)

Student E

Yeah, and they’re all bombers at that. They’re gonna make HAMA get wiped off the map.

Student F

For real! They’re probably gonna blow something up today too, hahaha.

Hakkei

Hm…

(According to the information I was handed…)

(The Noon Team’s leader is Isotake Akuta, the president of the Macrocosmic Intergalactic Miraculous Solid Movie Club.)

(He was rumored to be involved in the explosion of the Asu High old school building… As a result, he has naturally received harsh treatment from those within the school. I shall reason that I will judge him quite harshly as well.)

Hmph… Kafka has made an interesting choice, I see.

Hm.

Kaede

If any of our guests need help, we’d be glad to explain our app to you and lend a camera!!

Hakkei

(Oh, if it isn’t the chief from HAMA Tours…)

Kaede

We’ll be utilizing our usual app, but new features have been added to it for this tour, so please make sure your app is updated!

After you’ve updated it, feel free to borrow a mini camera from us! It comes with its own tracking functions and is able to connect to your app!

Once you activate it, it will follow behind you and keep a record of your day without obstructing your view at all!

Hakkei

Ahem… I would like one set, if you please.

Kaede

Of course! Let me check the barcode on your ticket first!

Hakkei

(Hmph, he hasn’t figured me out.)

(My disguise is flawless once again. He will never find out that this dashing gentleman is actually a Tokyo ward mayor.)

Hakkei

(Hmph, she hasn’t figured me out.)

(My disguise is flawless once again. She will never find out that this dashing gentleman is actually a Tokyo ward mayor.)

Kaede

Everything looks good! Here’s your camera. Allow me to explain the open campus event to you.

Asu High’s campus stretches over multiple wards and is split into three sections.

This tour is being held on the second and third campuses, and guests will return to this main campus after it’s over.

Hakkei

I see…

Kaede

We have prepared transportation for the convenience of our visitors! You will be taking a shuttle bus to go between the campuses.

While you’re on the bus, your app will ask you to take a simple personality test, so feel free to take it!

We aim to be transparent with how your information will be handled, so it’s all noted here…

Hakkei

Hm. It is quite simple to understand, even for a traditional man such as I.

Kaede

That’s great to hear! We hope you enjoy the tour!

HAMA NICE TRIP!

Hakkei

HAMA NICE TRIP.

(Fledglings of HAMA…)

Show me what you can do!

Timeskip

1

???

Hm… I smell something.

Mmm, it must be emanating from this building.

Hama Asunaro High School - Second Campus Central Garden
Hakkei

This is the second campus that stretches across Ward 6 and Ward 7…

Map

Hakkei

(According to the app, the buildings encircling the central garden are home to a variety of indoor clubs, ranging from the arts to e-sports.)

Hm!

(I see there is even a bowling alley… This is a blessing as someone who owns a personal bowling ball that I love so dearly…)

Let me see what they have in sto⁠—

Kiroku

…Wel…come…sir…

Hakkei

!!

(He sneaked up from behind me…! I was so shocked that I almost dropped my disguise glasses!)

2

Kiroku

HAMA…NICE…T-TRIP… Wel…come to…the…Mascot…Friends…Room…

Hakkei

Mascot…?

(Kinugawa Kiroku, mayor of Ward 6. According to that sign, he is the host of something called the “Mascot Friends Room.”)

Kiroku

I can draw… a…mas…cot…portrait…based on…your…appear…ance…and the…personal…ity test…you took…on the bus…

Hakkei

Hoh, so that test I took on the bus can be used to create a personalized mascot portrait for me?

Kiroku

*nods* Yes…!

Hakkei

Very intriguing. I would be pleased to receive one.

Kiroku

Ah…! O-Okay…!

First I’ll…use your…data…to…put down…a…base…!

Hakkei

Hoh, so you’re using AI to draw the portrait.

Kiroku

Ah… Yes… There are…lots of guests, so…it makes it…faster…

It’s…trained on my…art… But…

Hakkei

But?

Kiroku

I retouch it…myself at…the end, so…please sit and…wai…

Hakkei

I understand. Hup, oof.

Kiroku

……

Tourist A

Wow, what’s that? A mascot portrait? It’s soooo cute!

Tourist B

I heard that they also upload it so you can use it as an avatar for a bunch of different things! It doesn’t look like it takes a lotta time, so let’s go get one!

Tourist C

Mommy, I want one too!

Kiroku

……

Hakkei

It seems a peanut gallery with an interest in your art has gathered to watch your live painting.

Kiroku

……

Hakkei

I notice your brush is shaking. Are you nervous, perhaps?

Kiroku

……

Hakkei

Or are you scared of people?

Kiroku

I’m…

(No…)

(A lot of people have gathered around… The sign that I designed, and my art…)

(They’re being observed by people… They’re getting a lot of attention, but…)

(I’m…not scared…)

(This is an idea that Isotake…helped me create. Even if people don’t like my art or hate me for it…)

(I can get through it. I can keep my head held high.)

I’m shaking…because…I’m…

I’m excited.

Hakkei

Oh, I see… In that case, show me you can offer hospitality. Show me your true power!

Omotenashi Battle
Kiroku

I’m…done.

I can turn it…into a 3D model…right away… You can use it on…mahorova and…other places…

Nanaki

You can use it throughout the tour. It will act as your true form after your outward appearance has been stripped away.

Hakkei

Oh, are you another one of the guides here?

(He is Nanamegi Nanaki, mayor of Ward 7, as I recall. I heard he made the song for R1ze’s concert.)

Then I would like to use it on mahorova now, if that is quite alright.

Nanaki

Of course, go right ahead!

We have a special space for this tour in mahorova, so we can log in there.

3

Mahorova - Karaoke Stage

mahorova - Karaoke Stage

Hakkei

Ohh… A karaoke stage, I see.

(Hm! My avatar is the portrait I had done. My “true form after my outward appearance has been stripped away,” was it…?)

Nanaki

You can get up on this stage and perform like a star to a large audience of NPCs.

Hakkei

I will say that it sounds fun, but I’m not very confident in my singing…

Nanaki

You can hum, if you’d prefer that. Please just sing whatever you’d like without any worries.

And if you sing this melody, you might be in for a special surprise at the end.

Hakkei

(He’s hinting at something exciting at the end to convince me… Haha… Very well played.)


Footnotes

  1. A potential reference to “This Is Me” by Keala Settle, featured in The Greatest Showman (2017).