| Azami | As far back as I can remember, mother was lying on the hospital bed.
Almost every day I would make my way to mother’s hospital room, attended by guys from Ginsenkai. |
| She would read me picture books, and I would tell her what happened in nursery school. |
| I was sad we couldn’t spend time together at home, but there were lots of group members at home, and I thought that was normal. |
| Dad always made time in his busy schedule to come see her as often as he could.
He always came at the very end of visiting hours; I would wait for him in the hospital room, and we would go home together. |
| Every time dad came to visit, mother would carefully do her makeup. |
| She would apply blush with a cheek brush and tint her lips with lipstick so he wouldn’t notice how pale she was. |
| She must have wanted dad to worry as little as possible. |
| Mother would look at the mirror and turn her head in all directions; she enjoyed makeup like a young girl in love. At some point in time, I grew interested in makeup too. |
| One day, as mother took the cheek brush in her hands, I told her I wanted to try it too. |
| Mother closed her eyes, and as I slid the brush across her face, copying her movements as best I could, her pale-blue cheeks grew rosy with color. |
| I still can’t forget the feeling of casting a spell on mother with the brush in my hands. |
| When dad arrived that day, he looked at mother and said, “You look healthier than usual today,” and mother and I secretly winked at each other. |
| From then on, I helped mother with her makeup, and learned how to use it bit by bit. |
| But no matter how well the makeup covered her poor complexion, mother’s sickness didn’t get any better; it only grew increasingly worse. |
| Right before she passed away, she smiled and said, “I will always be beautiful thanks to you, Azami.” |
| “You’re very good at makeup, Azami, so I’ll give you this.” |
| With a face was so pale that it could no longer be covered with makeup, mother handed me a magic cheek brush. |
| I wanted to make mother even more beautiful.
I wanted her to stay by my side forever. |
| But no matter what kind of magic I use, mother is no longer here. |
| |
| Azami | “Mother isn’t here anymore, so there’s no use for this cheek brush.” |
| “But I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away. That’s when I thought—” |
| “I want to cast that spell of happiness on someone again. I want to do what I couldn’t do for mother: make someone else happy with this brush.” |
| “Then maybe mother will be happy too.” |
| “Contrary to my budding dream of becoming a makeup artist, dad began to lay his hopes on me to become a respectable heir to the group.” |
| “‘Become a respectable heir who will make your mother proud... be aware that you are the son of the chairman...’ that was all he would say to me.” |
| “I was born into this sort of house; I know I’m not allowed to dream of becoming a makeup artist. But I still can’t give up.” |
| “Right when I was unsure of what I wanted to do, dad destroyed my makeup kit, and all of the feelings I had bottled up just exploded.” |
| “Because it had been destroyed, I realized how important my dream of becoming a makeup artist was to me.” |
| “After that, I ended up joining the troupe—interacting with everyone and going through all sorts of experiences led me to realize my true feelings.” |
| “I can’t throw away my dream or my house. Because they’re both equally important to me—.” |
| Chairman | .... |
| Azami | I’m sorry, dad. I don’t want to give up my dream. That’s why I can’t inherit this house. |
| But I don’t want to run away from you and Ginsenkai. I don’t want to leave you. I love everyone in Ginsenkai who raised me; I love this house. |
| Chairman | ...Both, eh? You’re asking for too much. |
| Azami | I know that. But no matter what you say, I can’t throw away my dream. |
| But I’m still your son, dad. I’ll do anything I can for you—for Ginsenkai—as your son. |
| Chairman | .... |
| Sakoda | Everyone in Ginsenkai loves you, Azami! That’s not gonna change even if you’re no longer the heir! |
| Sakyo | I will also be chasing my dream, just like Azami. But I will do anything I can to support Ginsenkai, even more than I have up till now. |
| That’s why—please, chairman, could you let him to follow his dream? |
| Chairman | ...Now you’re all ganging up on me like I’m some utter scoundrel. |
| There isn’t a parent out there who doesn’t want to support his child’s dream. |
| Azami | ...Eh? |
| Chairman | I thought Azami’s dream was just an excuse to flee from the pressure of becoming the heir. |
| I didn’t know anything—I didn’t know he was chasing it for so long, or that he was so serious about it. |
| But you don’t want to throw away your dream or this house? Life’s not that easy. |
| Azami | Even so, I—. |
| Chairman | If you’re gonna do it, don’t think about anything else. Study with all your might, and aim to become the greatest makeup-whatever-it-was there is. |
| Don’t worry about the house. I can handle it just fine without you. |
| Azami | Dad.... |
| Chairman | ...Plus, it seems like we’ve got a pretty staunch guy around anyway. I’m sure he’ll make a fine heir. Don’t you agree, Sakoda? |
| Sakoda | Y-yes? |
| Izumi | (The chairman... recognized Azami-kun’s dream....) |
| Chairman | Got it? Now head back and practice or do whatever you have to do. The next performance is coming up soon, right? I won’t forgive you if you show me something half-baked. |
| ...I’ll tell Sayuri that you’re growing up just fine. Not as an heir, but as a man. |
| Azami | ...Thank you, dad. |
| Izumi | (Now Azami-kun can head towards his dream without holding back. I’m so glad....) |
| Chairman | Director-san. |
| Izumi | Y-yes! |
| Chairman | I humbly ask for your kind guidance. |
| Izumi | —Yes! Please leave it to me! |
