Chapter 26

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## Gedai Life Day One

**Gedai Life Day One** (藝 (げ) 大 (だい) ライフ1日 (日) 目 (め) , *Gedai Raifu Ichinichi me*?) is the twenty-sixth chapter of Tsubasa Yamaguchi's Blue Period.

## **Synopsis**

The chapter opens with Yatora Yaguchi's short internal monologue about what art is, before cutting to Yatora's parents reacting to the TV broadcasting about Geidai, mentioning the low acceptance rate, to which both his parents are impressed by Yatora's ability to get accepted straight out of high school.

As they talk, Yatora is getting ready in the bathroom to attend the entrance ceremony, pushing his hair back in stress as he stares at the mirror with a stressed expression.

Later, his mother accompanies him to Geidai, chiding him for being so worried about entering the art university. He then confesses that he hasn't got a clue why he's feeling so down either, adding that he's spiffed his hair so that people will take him seriously. His mother wonders out loud if it makes him more intimidating instead.

It's then when Yotasuke Takahashi and his mother bumps into them at the entrance. Takahashi's mother introduces herself as he attempts to avoid eye contact, and the two mothers begin to make small talk.

Yatora chuckles out loud next to Yotasuke, saying he feels like he's dreaming and Yotasuke proceeds to bluntly question why. Yatora confesses it's because he feels his current abilities don't match his current reality and Yotasuke nonchalantly acknowledges it. The two mothers then leave to get tea and agar jelly together.
Yatora and Yotasuke head inside the school, entering the auditorium. When they finally sit down, Yotasuke tells Yatora that being in the school brings back bad memories about the entrance exam, and therefore it makes him nervous to be there as well. Yatora gives Yotasuke a shocked expression and the latter asks what gives, to which Yatora vocally expresses his surprise that Yotasuke could feel that way too. He then apologizes for it.

Yotasuke adds that, at the end of it, Geidai is still a school, so it's not a big deal, before offhandedly commenting that Yatora's current hairstyle doesn't suit him. Yatora internally laments that Yotasuke telling him this is in itself depressing as well, because it makes it as though his efforts weren't that big of a deal either.

Finally, the entrance ceremony commences and the president of the school, Okadaira, congratulates the new students for making it to Geidai. Yatora comments in his head that he didn't expect the president to be some nice old guy. The president then proceeds to go shirtless, bringing out a huge paintbrush and stands in front of a large canvas, declaring that he personally wants to greet the students with a single word.

Everyone watches, with shock, as the president begins writing on the canvas in black ink, his concentration so intense it rivals Mori's, Yatora describing it as killing intent.

The word the president has written on the canvas is 'lousy', which he also announces.

After leaving the auditorium, Yatora crumbles in fear, exclaiming in his head that Geidai is scary. Meanwhile, Yotasuke is holding a piece of paper with a schedule on it without so much of a care. Yatora wonders out loud to Yotasuke how many kilos of protein it took for the president to look that way, adding that the short performance had been crazy. He also wonders how old the president is.

Yotasuke tells him that he personally thought it had been cool and Yatora is once again surprised by him. Then, Yotasuke tells him that he's being overdramatic about it, before reading the schedule out loud about a department meeting at one. Yatora admits internally that he's indeed freaking out and finds himself lame for it. He thinks the weird sense of fear in him is making him extra jumpy.

Distracted, Yatora accidentally kicks over a bottle of wine sitting by a bench. The owner of the bottle turns, looking rather tipsy with a glass raised to her lips, and watches the bottle spill. Yatora panics and apologizes profusely, offering his wallet to compensate for everything. As he's apologizing, she takes the bottle right out of his hands and tells him there's still some left inside, before asking which department the two belonged to.

They answer that they're from oil painting and she laughs, taking note that the two are dressed up and deduces they're new students. She tells Yatora there's no need to pay her back, since the wine was a left over from a get-together, and instead suggests that they come with her for a drink at lunch.

She then introduces herself as Maria Hanakage, adding that she's also in the same department, before also clarifying that it took her three years to get into Geidai hence she can legally drink. Once again, Yatora internally exclaims that Geidai is scary.

Yatora mumbles to Yotasuke as the two follow behind her from a small distance, worrying that spilling alcohol on an older freshman might've influenced the rest of his university life. Yotasuke's only reply is that he wants to go home, and Yatora apologizes to him for dragging him along on accident.

Upon entering the eatery, Hanakage asks how many years it took for the both of them to enter Geidai. Yotasuke answers for the both of them that they got in straight from high school, and so she knocks alcohol off as an option of things they can order for lunch. Yatora cheekily tries to convince her into letting him have some, but she declines, saying she's not looking for any trouble.

They order dumplings, ramen and fried noodles, and a beer for Hanakage only.

They dig in, Yatora internally saying he'll act like the food is super good to please Hanakage, but fortunately him, the food is actually really great, and Yatora and Yotasuke marvel in the delicious taste. Hanakage smiles, glad that they're enjoying the meal.

She's on her second glass of beer when she comments on how the two made it into Geidai on their first tries, adding that there's only nine first years in the oil painting department. Yatora expresses his surprise, before asking why she was drinking at the bench earlier.

She answers that she had been drinking since yesterday and fell asleep, drunkenly continuing that she then ran into these really nervous and stiff freshmen and gobbled them up. Yotasuke exclaims in wonder in his head as to why she had been in school the day before the first day.

Hanakage then says she looks forward to their Geidai life, Yatora tells her he's feeling pretty nervous about it all, and then Yotasuke makes the same comment as he did before to Yatora, that Geidai is just another school. To him, it's just another stepping stone. He says he doesn't feel nervous and has no real expectations from it either.

Yatora freezes up in worry that the other might've stepped on a landmine. Fortunately, Hanakage exclaims how cute that thing is, saying she understands him. Yatora is shocked that both Hanakage and Yotasuke consider entering Geidai as a small deal, but then Hanakage tells Yotasuke that he isn't entirely right. She says, at the end of it, what matters is how a one personally views a goal, so it's best not to completely disregard their achievements either.

Yatora is surprised that she can have such sound views, though regardless still thinks she's trashy.

As they leave, Yatora had initially wanted to pay, but realizes his wallet his empty. He's thoroughly embarrassed about making Hanakage pay for their lunch, when the whole point of it had been to pay her back for the spilled wine. She says not to worry so much, since she can't make him pay for alcohol anyway.

He promises to pay her back next week, but Hanakage says he can just pay it back before he graduates. When he tries to object, she then pulls on his tie and suggests she'll only take money earned from his art. He's taken aback by this and Hanakage laughs. He feels a little bit more relaxed now.

They then head back to Geidai to assemble with the other first years, and Yumesaki angrily tells Hanakage off for being late. Yatora attempts to apologize, thinking it was directed at all three of them, and Yotasuke mentions that it's not even time yet.

It's then, as Yumesaki grumbles about the smell of booze on her, revealed that Hanakage was a professor the entire time. She was meant to fill an assistant in, who couldn't make it. Both Yatora and Yotasuke are immensely shocked. Mischievously, she grins at the two and says she never clarified she was an undergrad. In reality, when she meant first year, she had meant her first year in teaching.

Yumesaki, Sakurai and Hanakage then introduces themselves. Yumesaki is the assistant from the technique and material department, Sakurai is the assistant from the fresco department, and Hanakage is the stand-in assistant for Hinagiku.

Yumesaki starts by congratulating everyone, then comments how he hates that art types are always late to everything, says he has a lot of admin related things he has to brief about, but decides he'll start on the most important thing.

For the day after tomorrow, there will be a ten minute presentation for each person in front of all the staff and students, so all of them should go home and look through their old art pieces.

## **Characters in Order of Appearance**

Yatora Yaguchi

Yatora's Parents

Yotasuke Takahashi

Yotasuke's Mother

Maria Hanakage (Debut)

Yumesaki (Debut)

Sakurai (Debut)

## **Trivia**

### Cover Reference

The information below is not confirmed by an official source.

The cherubs in Sistine Madonna by Rafael Sanzio, served as reference for the cover of Chapter 26.