Haruto Asuka/Ice Kingdom

The Story of Haruto Asuka

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Shift	I’m starvinnngg! Haruto-san, let’s go eat some croquette udon.
Haruto	Go invite Izumida or something.
Shift	Nah, Azami and everyone else are probably eating at the dorms right about now.
Haruto	Then you should go eat at home too. The play’s just around the corner, so I’m gonna head straight home to relax.
Shift	If that’s the case, why don’t we just eat at a restaurant on the way home? And I wanna talk about our play while we’re at it!
Haruto	..... Sigh. I’m going home the moment I finish my food.
Clerk	An order of croquette udon and kitsune udon!
Shift	Eh!? Haruto-san, you didn’t get the croquette udon!?
Haruto	This place has more than one thing on the menu. What makes you think I’ll automatically order croquette udon like you?
Shift	We ate it together the other day.
Haruto	That was the other day. It doesn’t matter now since I want to eat something different.
Shift	Croquette udon is the best thooough~
Haruto	Do you love it that much? Let’s eat it already.
Shift	Let’s dig in then. That reminds me, I feel like Gilbert should move more in his first scene.
Haruto	You’re right. Reni-san mentioned it too. And, about that last scene of the first act――
Shift	Thanks for the meal!
	Haa, I’m so full. Croquette udon really is the best.
Haruto	The kitsune udon was pretty good too.
Shift	Right? Everything they serve here is delicious. I knew Haruto-san would like it here too.
Haruto	You only eat the croquette udon here.
Shift	Obviously, croquette udon is the superior choice, but I’ve heard the side dishes are good too.
	On the plus side, the atmosphere is really relaxing.
Haruto	What about your image as the Top Actor in GOD Troupe? Settling down in an udon shop ain’t it.
	(It is calming, though...)
Shift	When I came here with Kumon before, I figured it was nice to come here with my friends.
	Haruto-san, you should bring someone with you next time.
Haruto	No, I don’t really have any friends over here that I can go out to eat udon with....

Haruto	Sakochin!
Morisako	Gen-chan, long time no see!
Haruto	Sakochin, you haven’t changed at all.
Morisako	On the other hand, you’ve changed so much, Gen-chan!
	Your performance was really cool! I cried during the second half of Cain’s arc! Gen-chan, you’re amazing! You made your dream come true!
Haruto	Shhh! Sorry, there might still be some fans around here...
Morisako	Ah! Right, right! Sorry bout that.
Haruto	Sakochin, are you free after this? Do you wanna grab some dinner together?
Morisako	Eh, come on Gen-chan, you must be tired.
Haruto	It’s my day off tomorrow.
Morisako	Really? Okay, then let’s go!
Haruto	Is there any food you’re craving?
Morisako	I haven’t been to Tokyo since my last school trip, so I can’t think of any good places, I’ll definitely stick out like a sore thumb in a classy restaurant too.
Haruto	Sakochin, you really haven’t changed a bit.
	Restaurants around here probably still have fans from the play. Let’s go somewhere where I’m sure there won’t be any fans to disturb us.
	I know a place that’s calm and will make you feel at home.
Morisako	Gen-chan, you sure know a lot. Such a city person.
Haruto	Not at all, I made an effort to look stylish, but I’m still the same old me on the inside.
	Sometimes, my Kansai dialect even comes out on accident.
Morisako	I see, that’s a relief to hear at least.

Haruto	It’s an udon shop, but the food here is pretty good.
Morisako	Heh~, really? I’m looking forward to it then.
	Back to what I was saying, I really liked the stage performance this time around.
	Sasha and Lutz were great, and the story was so much fun!
Haruto	Thanks.
Clerk	Here’s your kitsune udon!
Haruto	Thank you for the food.
Morisako	It’s so tasty.
Haruto	Right?
Morisako	But, Gen-chan, are you alright?
Haruto	What makes you say that?
Morisako	When we were on a school trip in the past, we ate croquettes at an udon shop because you said that Kansai broth was the best for udon and that Kanto udon didn’t make the cut.
Haruto	(Come to think of it, when I just moved to Tokyo, I didn’t feel like eating udon.)
	(Before I knew it, I didn’t care anymore, and I’ve been eating out frequently with Shift.)
	I didn’t think I changed that much on the inside, but maybe some things did change without me noticing.
Morisako	I knew you turned into a city person!
Haruto	But I still have love for my hometown!
Morisako	I mean, you don’t even come back home anymore.
Haruto	That’s because I came to Tokyo with the intention of not leaving until I became a successful actor....
Morisako	Though the Gen-chan I saw today, was shining onstage so brightly.
	I was really proud of him as my childhood friend. I thought he was doing a great job playing the lead role in such a big theater company.
	Everyone in our hometown is talking bout you, Gen-chan.
Haruto	Eh!?
Morisako	Everyone was watching “Fervent Islands”.
Haruto	Really...?
	I abandoned my real name and work under a shiny new stage name, shouldn’t you think that I’m a jerk?
Morisako	No, of course not! Gen-chan you’re amazing, and everyone is rooting for you.
	We saw you work hard on TV and everything. You were so cool.
	Everyone bragged about how they were classmates with Haruto Asuka, or that they taught at the abacus class he attended.
Haruto	When I left my hometown, you were so against it and made fun of me for it......
	But it seems like everyone knows me in my hometown now.
Morisako	Ya right bout that.
	So, don’t hesitate to come back home anytime.
Haruto	―― But my mother told me not to come back.
Morisako	Ah, nah, I’ve been meaning to talk to ya bout that.
Haruto	?
Morisako	It was Gen-chan's mom that’s been telling everyone about the “Fervent Islands” broadcast.
Haruto	Eh.....?
Morisako	She even wanted souvenirs. Oh, but don’t tell her I told you that.
Haruto	――.
	(Now that I think about it, I think I saw her for a moment in the theater audience.....)
Morisako	The kushikatsu was delicious, it was great. So long! Good luck on the stage, Gen-chan!
Haruto	Thanks. Have a safe trip home.
Morisako	See ya~
Haruto	..........
	(Mama..... I should send her an e-mail.)
	(No, but...)
Haruto	...........
	“Can I visit you at home at the end of the year?”
	Fuu.....
	――.
Haruto's mother	“I’ll be waiting.”
Haruto	That was quick!
	..... but, that’s a lot like mama I guess.

Adriemori