Chapter 82: I'm Rehearsing

**I'm Rehearsing** is the eighty-second Chapter of *Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu*.

## Summary

Maeda addresses Ichikawa with a glowing smile, asking him if he'd like to give a speech at the graduation ceremony for the end of the year. He immediately refuses, but Yamada says that it sounds awesome. He deflects, saying that an honor student like Ishimuro or Hara would be a better pick, and Yamada asks if she'd work with a glare, prompting him to offer the job to her. Moe walks over, interested in the conversation, saying that Ichikawa would be a great pick, and bringing up how he made second in the finals. Yamada reacts with surprise, and Moe confirms that he mentioned it when she was bragging about her own grades. Moe pushes him again to do it, while Adachi comments how it might be funny to watch in the background. Maeda says that he won't insist Ichikawa do it, but that he hasn't found anyone willing despite rehearsals being tomorrow. Ichikawa awkwardly offers that until someone else is chosen, he'll do the rehearsals.

The next day, Ichikawa attempts to do a speech in front of the school, but can barely be heard due to his nervousness, which each person in the crowd seems to be unanimous in agreeing about. He talks with Maeda, saying that he had trouble projecting his voice, and that he'll talk with the broadcasting committee to turn up his volume. He feels drained of life until Yamada pokes her head into the door. He says that they'll have to seriously consider an actual pick, so things have worked out, but she insists they practice instead. She takes him to the storage room, but he complains, saying he has no plans to continue. She ignores his comment, saying she has had public speaking lessons. He pulls out his speech, and begins mumbling as before, and she places her hand on his stomach, saying to pay attention to his diaphragm, to which he awkwardly offers that his is a bit higher up and moves her hand himself. She changes topics, asking why he didn't say he made second in the final tests, and saying she'd have been bragging to everyone about it. He says that grades are just a means to an end, and it mostly matters what you do with them. She compares his line to something from Japanese television show "Professional," then says that he got to see her at work the other day, and she wants to see him giving his best at something. At that moment, they hear the voice of someone outside of the room, and Yamada panics, with the two of them ending up in a compromising position by the wall. They eavesdrop on a conversation between Nanjou and a girl named Mita, where she attempts to confess, but he turns her down saying he is interested in Yamada, to which Mita replies that he shouldn't go out with girls so often, then.

Having overheard this discussion, Ichikawa refuses to look her in the eyes, realizing that Nanjou is serious as well, but gains resolves and tells her that he'll do the address. He realizes that he's pinned her to the wall in the wake of all the previous events, and they jump away from each other, embarrassed. He thinks that he wants to show off to both Yamada and Nanjou a version of himself he can be proud of. Later that day, he panics in his room, asking himself why he agreed to do all this.