Banri Settsu/Bright Star of Blooming

My Performance Memories ~Banri~

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Lansky (in video)	“Don’cha dare get into it with your womanizer act and just ignore what people are saying.”
Banri	……
	Tch… That damn Hyodo. Can’t believe how good his acting was here.
Taichi	Huh? You’re still up, Ban-chan?
Azami	You gotta get your skin in top condition for tomorrow’s screening event. The lead’s visual appeal is nothing to scoff at, alright?
Banri	Sorry, sorry. Was just trying to find some stuff to talk ‘bout for the event, so I started watching our recording to check. Before I knew it I just kept on watchin’.
Taichi	… Don’t tell me you’re planning to do some free practice this late in the night? I mean, I get you’re probably itching to do some acting and all, but——
Banri	Ha? I mean… I can’t deny that I do have that itch. But no way am I gonna start now.
Taichi	Well that’s good to hear then!
Azami	Just hurry up and head to bed already… I won’t forgive the two of you if you wake up tomorrow with bags under your eyes.
Banri	… ”The two of you”?
Taichi	We’ll be going ahead! Nighty night, Ban-chan~!
Banri	Oh, sure. Night.
	*DOOR OPENS*
Banri	(Don't feel like sleepin', but I really shouldn’t be staying up either. Maybe I’ll grab a warm drink or somethin’.)
Juza	……
Banri	(... What the hell’s Hyodo watching on that tablet at this hour? Ain’t he appearing for tomorrow’s screening event too—)
	Oi. Shouldn’t you be sleeping—
Luciano (in video)	“Yoohoo, mister policeman. Got some bad guys right here.”
Banri	(... Is he watching Picaresque too?)
Juza	…Tch. He did that line too fucking well. Pisses me off.
Banri	——...
	(... Man. I just KNOW a certain someone would get a kick out of seeing something like this from us.)
	(....... Agh, lowkey feelin' weird now.)
	—Hey, Hyodo. Why’re ya still up? Hit the bed already.
Juza	Ha? What. So you’re still awake too.
Banri	I just came to get a drink. So move your ass.
Juza	Oi, what’re ya kickin’ me for— Tch… I’m headin’ back first.
Banri	… Why does he think he needs to rewatch the recording for? It’s not like that bastard needs to talk that much for the screening event anyway.
Azami	Looks like Juza-san got some proper sleep. As for Banri-san… I guess you pass the check. Barely.
Banri	Well I couldn’t sleep a wink with Hyodo’s noisy teeth-grinding at night.
Juza	Haa? Ya gonna blame others for your mess?
Taichi	Y’know, I was worried the two of you were gonna plan on doing rehearsals until daylight.
Juza	The two of us? I would’ve kept doing my own practice if it weren’t for Settsu gettin’ in my way… Why would he be…
Banri	—Oh shut up. Who cares why.
Izumi	Everyone! All set up for standby?
Banri	Whew. Nice timing, Director-chan.
Izumi	Eh?
Banri	——Right, on to the next question.
	“Is there anyone among your fellow Autumn Troupe members that you’d hope you wanna be more like?”
Taichi	Everyone in Autumn Troupe is just so cool though— I’ve thought about wanting to be like them plenty of times already!
Azami	I had thought about wanting to be more like Taichi-san myself.
Taichi	Eh!? ME!?!
Azami	You always somehow light up the room— always having fun with everything too. It’s something I wish I could be more of.
Taichi	Hehe… When you say it like that, I can’t help but blush!
Azami	What about you guys— Banri-san? Juza-san?
Banri	Well, lemme think…
	(Now that I think of it… When we were in the middle of doing that play for Hyakka, there was that etude assignment where I had to act like Hyodo.)
	(Not to mention that one time everyone had to act like their roommate— I was forced to behave the same way Hyodo does for that time too.)
	(So that’s basically been TWO times I “became” Hyodo… Ugh, can’t believe I got reminded of just the absolute WORST moments.)
Taichi	Ban-chan?
Banri	… Well, I can’t say I don’t have someone who’d fit the bill. But it’d be anyone except Hyodo, ‘course.
Juza	I don’t wanna be like ya either.
Banri	(scoffs) As if you’ll ever be.
Juza	Sure. I’ll never be like you, and you’ll never be like me.
Banri	——Can you not start making the cheekiest comments. Geez.
	Although… In a way, there’s meaning in that. I am who I am, the same way Hyodo is the way he is. And I could say the same for the rest of the guys too.
	It’s for that reason we’re the Autumn Troupe— it’s thanks to that, we were able to perform this sequel for Picaresque.
	It was proven to us once more after going through that… And, I should say as well, that us climbing the rank for the Fleur Show nominations is another result of all our work.
Azami	… Can’t exactly deny that.
Taichi	So cooooool…!! Take a look, everyone! This is exactly the face I make the moment I think about wanting to be more like Ban-chan!

Izumi	Good work today, everyone. The last thing there is to do is the photo part. I’ve got the instant camera here. Are you ready, Banri-kun?
Banri	Gotcha. Is there a type of pose we gotta do?
Izumi	Yep. We decided to go with a gratitude-filled heart pose!
	There aren’t any other specifics to it, so you can decide on the heart’s shape if you want— whether it’s you being yourself or with your character in mind.
Banri	Can do then.
Izumi	I’ll be taking the shot now. 3, 2, 1——
	*SHUTTER CLICKS*
Juza	… What’s up with that pose? Can he get away with it when it’s not even a heart?
Taichi	“A shot to the heart” kind of pose, isn’t it? Very fitting for a playboy like Luciano!
Azami	Huh!? That’s such a shameless choice!!
Taichi	I really don’t get where you draw the line on your description for “shameless”, Aachan…!!
Juza	… Cheeky bastard.
Banri	Shut your yap.
Banri	(yawn) … It’s finally over~
Juza	That’s one hell of a yawn.
Taichi	You said you haven’t gotten that much sleep right, Ban-chan?
Banri	Ahh… Yeah, kinda.
Izumi	The event must’ve taken a lot out of you guys, so it’s probably better for you to sleep as soon as you get back.
Banri	… I’ll do just that.
Banri	… Mm.
	(——Where the hell am I?)
	(I’m pretty sure I was just in my room getting some sleep…)
	… No wait. I recognize this place.
	*DOOR OPENS*
Luciano	Hey, Lansky, you bastard—!!
Banri	……You gotta be shittin’ me right now.
Luciano	… Are you a client?
	Hold on. You…
Banri	…
Luciano	You look an awful lot like me. Who’s payin’ ya to be here? The Boss?
	*COCKS GUN*
Banri	Uhhh… How 'bout we don't just jump the gun, y'know what I'm sayin'?
Luciano	Not before you tell me who you are.
Banri	(... Hoh boy. I must be dreaming because of the screening event we had. And there’s a gun being pointed at me too. Like gimme a break— this is supposed to be a dream isn’t it?)
Luciano	Hey! Silence won’t save your ass.
Banri	(Luciano’s a womanizer with a short temper, but he’s no idiot. Going with a half-assed answer will be too risky...)
	… You know of Japan, right? I traveled all the way here from that country ‘cause a pretty lady bumped into me while I was walking through town once. Seemed like she mistook me for ya.
	I was curious to see if there really was a guy who looked like me in this country… And here I am.
Luciano	Hmm…
Banri	(He’s not gonna let that slide, is he…)
Luciano	… Alright, I’ll buy your story for now.
Banri	(Great. That’s the first obstacle cleared.)
Luciano	But seriously. The more I look at ya, you look too similar.
Banri	Probably not just in looks either.
Luciano	Ain’t that fun. So, what’s your work?
Banri	I’m an actor.
Luciano	Looks like we’re already different right off the bat.
Banri	Different topic, but you came in yelling just now, didn’t ya? Is somethin’ up?
Luciano	Ohh right… That cheapskate of cheapstake’s Lansky— He’s been trying to get in my way and keeping me from going to one of my regular spots.
	Juuuust because I was warming up to one of the dames there. He’s just overdoin’ it now.
Banri	I see… That’s why, then.
Luciano	Just a while ago too, when we were infiltrating an enemy hideout for a job order, that guy’s acting was just so terrible that it nearly cost us our lives after getting exposed.
	We had to sleep outside for a different case, but that bastard’s teeth-grinding was just so loud and annoyin’ it felt like I was about to go nuts.
	And another thing——
Banri	… All of those seem pretty true to life to what Hyodo’s like, so you have my sympathy, man.
Luciano	You’ve got someone just like that in your case too?
Banri	Yep. Similar down to a T.
Luciano	So you get what it’s like then?
Banri	I getcha. A little bit too much even.
Luciano	Haha! Well damn then. I have a feeling you and I can get along just fine. How ‘bout you and I be buddies then?
Banri	Nah. I don’t think I can be your bud.
	… It’s true you and I are similar.
	(More like, he and I are practically the same.)
	It wouldn’t be too bad to have a buddy who’s just like ya in a lot of ways. But——
	When it’s all the same, it’ll make things easy, but you’ll end up wanting something more in the long run… You get exactly what I mean, right?
Luciano	——...
	… Maybe so. Maybe so.
Banri	Welp. I’d better get going.
Luciano	… Say, I know I just asked a similar question, but I wanna know— You’ve got someone just like that too, right? Y’know… Like a partner.
Banri	Rather than a partner…
	It’s someone who I never ever wanna lose to even ‘till the end.
Luciano	… Hoh. So a rival then?
Banri	Don’t say somethin’ so embarrassing so easily. ‘Sides, I don’t wanna lose to the likes of you either, y’know.
Luciano	Me?
	Just what the hell do you even mean by that…
Banri	Well. See ya.
	——Let’s bump into each other again sometime.
Banri	…?
	(I knew it. So it WAS a dream…)
Juza	……
Banri	(Hyodo…?)
	—And where do you think you’re going?
Juza	Tch. Thought you were still sleepin’.
Banri	Your ruckus woke me up. So again: where is it are ya planning to head off to? The rehearsal room?
Juza	……
Banri	I knew it. You’re trying to get a head start all by yourself, aren’cha.
Juza	…Ha? Don’t tell me you’re going too?
Banri	Need even ask?
Juza	… In that case, I’m decidin' on the etude’s prompt.
Banri	Huh. What prompt are you even thinkin’ of?
Juza	… A sweets store owner and a customer.
Banri	Zero creativity.
Juza	Ya got a problem?
Banri	Just shut up so we can get goin’ already.
	*DOOR CLOSES*

Dita