「Starting from today, we'll be correcting your posture as well.」
It was from there that Hinami's instruction the following morning began.
「Posture.」
「Yes, posture. Do you remember? What's important for a good impression is, facial expression, physique and posture, I said.」
「Yeah, I remember.」
Hinami had been saying that when we had talked in her room.
「If you can somehow manage those three, then that will be the foundations covered. Your physique is, well, pretty average, so if you just fix your facial expression and posture, you’ll get a passing mark. You're more or less doing something about your facial expression with the mask training, so all that's left is the posture.」
The goal was surprisingly nearby.
「But what should I do about my posture? I mean, in the first place, is my posture really that bad?」
「Well, it is bad, but……rather than that, the postures of people in today's world are generally not that good.」
「Ah, is that so? Then among those people, the ones with a good posture will be able to stand out, you mean?」
「Well, that's half-right and half-wrong, I'd say.」
「Half?」
「There are various kinds of bad posture too.」
While saying this, Hinami started walking with her knees bent outwards, her head bent upwards and her shoulders swinging widely.
「This is also a kind of bad posture, but as you can see it carries an air of intimidation. It’s not the best, but it’s on the riajuu side of things.」
「Feels powerful, kind of like a delinquent.」
「Yes. And this is……」
This time, she started walking with her back hunched, her face looking down and her shoulders tucked inwards.
「This too is a bad posture. However, this one gives a weak impression.」
「Ahhー. Certainly gives off the feeling of an otaku or introvert.」
It looked like someone who would be bad at sports. So changing posture can give quite a different impression, huh. And she was good at demonstrating just that.
「In other words, while it is true that most people don’t have good postures, hiriajuu will often have postures that look even weaker.」
「Is that so? Why's that?」
「Let me see. I can think of various reasons for that. Hiriajuu use computers or gaming machines frequently, making them more prone to getting that posture, for one.」
「I see.」
「However, that’s not the biggest reason. It’s an issue of mind and body.」
「Mind and body?」
「As a test, can you try the Ahem pose? Stick your chest out and put both hands on your hips.」[1]
「L-Like this?」
I showed a dignified pose.
「……How is it? Just by changing your posture, don’t you feel a bit more powerful?」
「……You're right.」It was true that upon sticking my chest out and doing the Ahem pose, I felt a little bit more confident, or rather, I strongly felt like I could proceed as myself. 「……but, couldn't I be feeling this way because you told me so? 」
「Well, that is partially the case. However, the mind and body are closely connected. For example, when you get nervous, you cross your arms, and when you feel relaxed, you open your legs and loosen your shoulders. Conversely, when you feel sad, if you try to smile, even if only on the outside, you will also feel less sad in reality. Isn't that a famous saying? 」
「Ah, well, they do say that.」
「If you strengthen your body then your mind will be strengthened too. On the other hand, if your mind is weak then your body also gets weakened. So it's not like one leads to the other, but rather that they operate as a set. So, for riajuu, because their minds are set to being riajuu, their bodies become riajuu-like too.」
「So it's like that.」
「But, like I said……」As Hinami started her sentence, she started walking in a way that was slender and unintimidating, yet full of confidence with an adult-like aura.
「You don't necessarily need a posture as good as this one. Or rather, it's not something you can do in one day since you will need a long time to correct things like the distortion of your pelvis or your muscles' habits. However, you don't have the free time to do that. Nor is it essential.」
Amazing. This person really can do anything.
「So, what should I do?」
「You just need to stop giving off that weak atmosphere.」
Hinami pointed her finger at the area around my chest.
「……How do I do that?」
「There's a simple way to fix this. Come here.」
While saying「Huh?」, I followed her instructions.
「Lean your back and shoulder on the wall. And, while keeping your heels together, spread your toes left and right.」
I did exactly as she said.
「Do you get it? Right now, you're making use of your butt muscles.」
「Hn? Ah, it's true. I really am.」
Without my noticing it, I had automatically put quite a bit of strength into those muscles. While I was backed up against the wall and thinking this, Hinami began approaching me with a serious look. Eh? What? At extreme point blank range, suddenly there came the face of a refined girl. Due to the wall behind me, I was unable to step back. Was this high-class and clean fragrance the smell of shampoo? Then, Hinami slowly reached out her hands towards me, and,
「Un, this is good.」While saying that, she felt my buttocks.
「Woaah!? W-w-what!?」
「Just checking. Can you not make a big fuss from simply getting your butt touched? Aren't you a man?」
「But! That's not the problem!」
Or rather, could you stop that? It's bad for my heart! Kind of getting overexcited for no reason here!
「……What's with that face? Anyway, it seems alright. Now while maintaining the strength in your butt muscles, return your toes and heels to normal. After that, keep your shoulders and hips on the wall. Keep your butt as it is.」
She continued giving out instructions as if nothing had happened. I followed them hurriedly.
「I-Is this okay？」
「Yes. ……Now do you get it? That you're more imposing than before.」
……I really was. Without me realizing it.
「……You're right.」
「While maintaining that posture, step away from the wall ……with this your posture shouldn't look so weak anymore ……Un, seems about right.」
So said Hinami after pulling a short distance away and assessing my entire body. Seriously?
「However, this is quite a chore, huh.」
「That's true. It's because you're using muscles you don't normally use. However, from now on, whenever you stand, you are to always assume that posture. And if you can, even when sitting, throw your chest out and make use of your butt muscles. Generally speaking, people who have postures like you often don't stick out their chests and don't use their butt muscles. Therefore, make sure that it becomes a habit to stick out your chest and make use of your butt muscles.」
「『Always』 again?」
「Isn't that obvious? What you're doing is character creation. You're training your basic abilities. If you aren't able to keep it up all the time, it couldn't be called a basic ability, right?」
Well, that's certainly true.
「I got it. And, what I'll be doing today…… isn't only this, right?」
「Naturally. While doing that, there's also one more thing.」
Of course she wouldn't be that lenient.
「What should I do?」
「This time it won't be that difficult. Today, several times, while you're with me, you just need to talk a few times to Mimimi, or Hanabi, or else any of the boys I'm on good terms with.」
Just talking, huh. She said that rather easily, didn't she.
「Well, I guess that the fact that you'll be with me makes it easier than yesterday.」
「That's right. Anyway, this will be your task for the rest of the week.」
「Continuously doing this for four days?」
「Correct.」
Quite a lot here. To take in.
「So, when doing that, what should I be learning?」
Without understanding that, the efficiency seemed pretty bad.
「Heeh, aren't you getting assertive. That's a good tendency to have. 」
「Well thanks.」
「Anyway, it's simple. It's to earn experience points.」
「Earn experience points?」
「Yes. Look, isn't it common? In an RPG, during the prologue, there'd be the kind of event where you would befriend a really strong character, fighting strong enemies together. After that, the character leaves your party, but during the final stage, they turn out to be an important character, and join your party once again. By that time, the protagonists would have become as strong as that character. Then, you'd think to yourself,『Ahh, how we've grown』.」
This person always seems to be having fun whenever she talks about games.
「Ah, that does happen sometimes. There are also times where I wonder, Why hasn't that character grown at all! or something.」
「That's exactly right!」Hinami responded in a joyful voice, then cleared her throat.「……Well, this is the same thing. Temporarily forming a party with me and fighting strong enemies. And making use of that to gain experience points.」
「I see.」
Levelling up with handicapped battles, huh. [2]
「And while you're at it, there's also information gathering to be done. Even in an RPG, after having fought a boss once, wouldn't you learn their behavioural patterns, and develop countermeasures for the next time you fight? Like their weak points, or the amount of damage they inflict. If you did that, next time you'd know how to attack and when best to use restoration items or techniques, right.」
「That's true.」
「What you're going to do is that kind of thing. By conversing, you'll see and learn the flow of an actual conversation.」
Learn, huh. Given my current state, I felt like the conversation would just move along without me understanding a thing.
「Is it okay for me to just think about it in rough terms? Or is there anything I should be paying special attention to?」
Hinami thought for a short while.
「Let me see…… well then, in the four days from now, I think you'll talk to about ten people. It should be fine if you just perform some kind of analysis on those conversations.」
「Analysis?」Actually, ten people is a pretty vast amount, isn't it.
「Yes. In your own way, think about the different skills required for having a conversation, such as how to carry on the conversation or get closer to the other person.」
「I see…… analysis, huh?」
I wasn't sure if I could do it, but supposed I could try to.
「However……I don't think I'd be very able to suddenly enter a conversation between people I'm not familiar with. Then what?」
「Ahh, in that case, it's okay not to.」
「Eh？」
「This time, the objective is observation, after all. Well, I'll make sure that it won't seem unnatural, so you can be at ease and just observe.」
So leaving everything to her meant things would be okay……something like that, probably.
「That’s basically it. Anyway, I'll call you after school today, so find something to do like self-study and wait for me.」
On asking Hinami「After school? What are we doing today?」, she replied with the following as if it were only natural.
「I'll be gathering Mimimi, Hanabi, and a few of the guys to walk back to the train station. You'll be mixing in with them.」
「Huh!?」
Not just talking for a while, but going home together straight away!?
Translator Notes:
[1] Ahem pose: Do an image search for えっへん ポーズ
[2] Original is ハンデ戦. This is probably just terminology for the method of levelling up that Hinami describes, i.e. fighting with a stronger player in your party to defeat opponents otherwise too strong for you. As a side note, be aware that a handicap can go both ways, positive and negative. This particular example is a positive handicap.