Follow Through ch1

p1
>Kya~
>Look over there! It's Lady Hime! (Girl 1)
>Lady Hime...
>The highest ranked and most popular of our  Generic Girls' Academy, which rich girls from all over Japan attend.
>THAT Lady Hime!? (Girl 2)
>There's such wisdom in her face. She must be thinking about world peace. (Girl 1)
>My name is Hoshino Hime.

>Hold on. There's so much anime this season that I can't get a wink of sleep.
>Defufu
>I'm actually an anime otaku trying desperately to put on a character.

>To be honest, I don't really care if people find out I'm an anime otaku.
>An anime-loving rich girl is pretty much a status symbol in this day and age.

>It's just...
>I wonder if Lady Hime is nourished?
>Of course she isn't!
>She's on another level compared to use living things!

>Even if I think that way, the people around me are different!!
>>Everyone worships her like a god.

>>The expectations around her are heavy!

p2
>You're amazing, Lady Hime!
>You were a flourishing child actor on TV up until high school and was still got top marks across the nation!
>You got great results in pretty much every sport too...

>You're a genius!
>They've raised the bar so high it's making me cry!

>I should let them down a little at a time...
>I used to be a bad mannered girl, y'know?
>I see...

>So you're a genius of effort!
>Wah
>Ah, geez. Maybe I should just make some funny noises.

>The reason I'm often called a genius is because of my keen eyes.

>Every since I was little, I've been perceptive of people's movements.
>Just from looking at them, I can tell someone's structure
>and the optimum way of moving their body around.

>Because of that, I've spend every day up until now feeling alienated
>like I'm living in a different world from everyone else.
>Anime is the one place I belong...

>Why are you acting all goody-goody?

p3
>Eh? (smile)
>Well, not that it matters.

>Acting?
>Was she talking to me?

>Do you two know her?
>As if!
>I've heard rumors that Nitta Takumi, president of the Ani Research Club, is a weirdo.

>Is that so...?
>She couldn't have possibly seen through my true nature, could she...?

>I should investigate just to be safe...
>>After School
>Is this the Ani Research Club?

>I'm Hoshino Hime, a freshman. I'm here to inspect the club.

>Ah, then please, come over here.

>Are you interested in anime?
>>Indifferent
>She's moving things along normally even though a girl who's acting all goody-goody is here~!

p4
>Yes. A friend of mine loves anime and I got interested too after watching it...
>Heh~
>The actual truth is that I love anime so much that I'd die of malnutrition without it.

>But well, if she's not touching the subject of why I'm here, all the better.
>As Lady Hime, I'll have her make clear
>what hidden side of her made her say those words.

>This is Generic Girls' Academy, where rich girls from all over Japan attend.
>Everyone does things on a ridiculously huge scale.

>I asked my dad to inaugurate a Late Night Anime Day!
>Everyone across the country must watch late night anime!
>More public holidays!!
>Eep~

>I should observe Nitta-senpai while acting like I didn't hear her earlier...!
>What does the Anime Research Club do?
>Well, y'see...

>We make animations, submit them to online contests...
>and screen anime during culture festivals.
>Heh~!

>So?

>Feel like joining now?
>You're really hasty.
>>Application

p5
>Do you have some time?
>If you'd like, could you watch this?
>Wow. You're so courteous all of a sudden.

>Is this an anime?
>What a stiff animation.

>What do you think?
>It's amazing! Did you draw this, Nitta-senpai!?
>...Yeah.

>I don't want to admit it, though...
>Hah...
>Please just admit it.

>I don't like this kind of motion.
>Onto the next one!
>Another one you drew?

>Wait, this is the same...

>Huh?
>This movement feels more lively.
>Wah.
>Right?

>You're noticing the follow-through.
>What's that?

p6
>When something that's started moving comes to a stop, there's a rule how the things that follow it come to a stop.
>We call it "follow-through".

>The first thing I showed you was a mechanical movement,
>but by applying this rule, you can give it life.

>Of course, there are all kinds of other factors that make up movement
>such as wind-up and overshoot...
>I'm starting to understand Nitta-senpai...

>She's someone who can't stop when it comes to anime!

>Whoops...
>Was I chatting away too much...?
>Not at all. This is fascinating stuff that I really enjoy listening to!
>Then just a little more...
>She really likes to talk!

>Hime-san, you're actually an anime otaku, aren't you?

>...Why do you ask so suddenly?
>Sorry. I knew from the very beginning.

>I can tell what someone's thinking from their actions...

p7
>The heck does that mean?
>Well...

>I observe people a lot,
>and by watching all kinds of people, I ended up having a keen eye for these things.

>The actual truth is that I love anime so much that I'd die of malnutrition without it.
>It's like I can read their minds.

>I guess you could call it a sixth sense?

>That sounds like some psychic ability...
>It's just like your powers of observation, Hime-san.

>No matter how much you try you blot out your true self,

>I can see it.

p8
>Around when I entered grade school, I had been working as a child actress.
>My class worshipped me, claiming I was a prodigy who could do anything.

>The adults told me to keep my eye a secret to bring out my charisma, but...
>How is it you can do anything, Hime-chan?
>Erm...

>I guess I can tell you since you're my best friend, O-chan!
>Really!?
>Don't tell anyone, okay? The truth is...

>...That's not fair.

>...Not fair?
>I mean, an observing eye?
>That's something only you have, right?
>I don't know about everyone else...

>It's not fair that only you're special...
>I lost a friend that day.

>Ever since then, I've been playing the charismatic girl that society wants me to be.
>Because I'm special!
>If someone special doesn't stay special, they'll just become a foreign substance...!

>I see.

p9
>You recalled your past memories on purpose?
>Oh my.
>So you really can read my mind...

>I don't try to peep into people's minds normally.
>I can't read them unless I observe them carefully. Plus I'd feel bad for them.
>But not for me?

>Your movements caught my eye and I found myself watching you unexpectedly.
>They caught your eye...?

>It was creepy, like watching a corpse move around...
>Could you not just kill me off?

>You were mechnically putting on a character, which showed in your movements, Hime-san.
>Mechanically...
>Hah

>So I was moving the same as that animation you said you didn't like, Nitta-senpai...?
>The one you showed me...
>That's why

>you don't need to act all goody-goody.

>There's no need to put on appearance when you're in this clubroom.

p10
>I'm not sure I want to be with a senpai that can read minds!
>If you think about it logically!
>You have a point.

>I'll try to keep you out of my range of vision.
>Hmph.
>You'd better.

>See? Now I can't tell what you're thinking.

>By the way.
>Wh-What is it!?

>Feel like joining the club now?
>What happened to keeping me out of your range of vision?

>Mom said I should always look people in the eye when talking to them...
>Stop being diligent in the strangest of ways.

>I've got snacks too, so...
>
>Candy...
>...So what?
>I don't want it.

>>She really is a weirdo... Continued in chapter 2!