| Izumi | ...Hn? |
| Where am I.... |
| Chikage | .... |
| Izumi | Chikage-san...? |
| Chikage | Oh, you’re awake? |
| Izumi | Um, I’m sorry. I think I fell asleep at the curry place.... |
| Chikage | You don’t seem to understand your situation. |
| Izumi | Eh? |
| Chikage | You didn’t fall asleep. You were made to fall asleep. And you’re currently being kept in custody. |
| Izumi | Custody!? |
| Chikage | I won’t tie you up or anything, but I’ll be keeping an eye on you at all times. This room has a special structure, so there’s no use in trying to escape. |
| Izumi | Eh, but, why...? |
| Chikage | There were some circumstances on my end. |
| Izumi | But... you can’t do this. Spring Troupe will be putting on their next performance soon. I need to go to practice. |
| Chikage | You and I will both be skipping practice then. We can’t leave this place. |
| Izumi | What do you mean? Chikage-san, don’t you have work...? |
| Chikage | I’m supposedly on a lengthy overseas business trip. |
| Izumi | “Supposedly”—? When will you let me go? |
| Chikage | That depends on MANKAI Company. I’ll set you free when the troupe falls apart. |
| Izumi | What? |
| Chikage | By the way, I’ve contacted everyone through LIME. I told them you were going on the business trip with me. |
| Izumi | Eeh!? |
| Chikage | They probably think we eloped or something. |
| Izumi | Yeah, uh, no.... |
| You have to be pulling a prank or joking, right? |
| Chikage | .... |
| Izumi | Why are you trying to destroy the troupe? |
| Chikage | .... |
| Izumi | Chikage-san! |
| Chikage | .... |
| Izumi | (No good. He won’t respond to me. Is he really going to destroy the troupe...?) |
| (What should we do about Spring Troupe’s performance...? They can’t perform without the Director and lead actor...) |
| (We can probably ask Yuzo-san to watch over practice, but what about the lead? Have someone substitute? Will they make it in time...?) |
| (Maybe Tenma-kun or Tasuku-san could handle it; they have a lot of acting experience. Misumi-kun is also a genius when it comes to acting. He might be able to help.) |
| (Or Hisoka-san, who can take on any role... But he’s acting strange lately. I wonder if he’ll be okay...) |
| |
| Hisoka | “August... I’m sorry.” |
| |
| Izumi | ——. |
| (That’s right. Hisoka-san said “August” back then...) |
| ...Chikage-san, do you perhaps know something about Hisoka-san’s past? |
| Chikage | ——. |
| Izumi | Is it related to why you’re trying to destroy the troupe? |
| Chikage | .... |
| Izumi | Please tell me, Chikage-san! |
| Chikage | ...I guess it’s fine. Since Director-san will probably never see him again. |
| ...He used to belong to the same organization as me. |
| Yet he betrayed the Organization, and now he’s living comfortably as a regular citizen. I can’t forgive that. |
| Izumi | Betrayed—? Hisoka-san lost his memory. |
| Chikage | That’s nothing but an excuse. |
| I joined MANKAI Company for the sole purpose of getting my revenge on him. |
| Izumi | Revenge...? |
| Chikage | Because of him, I lost... my one and only family. |
| |
| Hisoka | “August... I’m sorry.” |
| |
| Izumi | (Was August Chikage-san’s family...?) |
