Homare Arisugawa/MANKAI Playback

Natural Soprano Boy

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Izumi	Homare-san, happy birthday-
Winter Troupe	Happy birthday!
Tasuku	So we really are having hotpot around the kotatsu this year too.
Tsumugi	That’s what Homare-san requested, after all.
Guy	Did you do this last year as well?
Tsumugi	Fufu, we did. This’ll be your first time, won’t it?
Guy	Indeed. However, this sounds enjoyable.
Homare	Oh! You understand too, don’t you, Guy-san? This traditional combination...
	It’s just perfect for my birthday celebration!
Hisoka	... It’s a surprisingly good idea for Arisu.
Homare	What do you mean, it’s a surprisingly good idea for me, Hisoka-kun?! You were the one who wanted to get under the kotatsu in the first place!
Hisoka	Zz...
Homare	Good grief...
Izumi	He looks like he’s sleeping better than usual...
Azuma	Hey, Homare, your birthday is a rare occasion, so it’d be a waste if we don’t drink.
Guy	Yukishiro and I selected this sake from a specialty store. We wanted to choose something we could add to the hotpot.
Homare	Hm... Indeed, it looks like excellent sake! Thank you, I’ll accept it.
Izumi	S- somehow, I can tell it’s expensive from the packaging… it’s in a wooden box...
Tasuku	It’s a present none of us can match up to.
Azuma	Here, have some.
Homare	Yes, it smells wonderful! Then, without delay...
	...! Th- this is...!
	As it enters my mouth, fruity and sweetie! As it runs through my throat, a mellow wind of fresh verdure!
Tsumugi	Homare-san is in perfect form.
Hisoka	He’s always annoying, but he’s even more annoying today.
Izumi	Hahaha...
Guy	If it suits your taste, it was worth choosing this.
Azuma	Mhm, I’m glad you like it.
Tsumugi	Ah, it looks good in the hotpot, too!
Izumi	Wow, it looks delicious! Let’s have some!
Hisoka	I want seconds.
Azuma	Then, let’s try opening this next.
Izumi	Udon or rice gruel, which should I finish off with?
Homare	Sob... sniff...
Tsumugi	H- Homare-san... are you okay?
Tasuku	He’s a crying drunk as usual.
Homare	... Oh...
Izumi	Oh...?
Homare	Oh, father~ Oh, mother~♪ Thank you~ for giving birth to me~♪
Tasuku	... The hell is that?
Tsumugi	Um...
Hisoka	Arisu finally broke.
Guy	This is new.
Azuma	Fufu, Homare looks like he’s having fun.
Tasuku	And he’s stupidly good at it.
Izumi	He is...
Tsumugi	Do you think Homare-san was part of a choir at some point?
Homare	Fu~fu~fu... That’s right... in my student days, I was a boy loved by God...!
Hisoka	... Hey, do I have to listen to this?
Azuma	It sounds interesting, so why don’t we try listening?
Homare	Yes, it was when I was a student at St. Flora Middle School--.

Homare	It happened when I was enrolled at St. Flora Middle School, while I was walking in the courtyard after school--
	The weather is quite nice today. So much that even the little birds are chirping... Ah, what light voices they have.
	-- Ah, it’s coming to me!
	Sunlight shining in~♪ The birds chirp and sing~♪ No matter where, the sky~ Is ever blue and high~♪
	... Hm. My singing voice is wonderful today, too, if I do say so myself. I should get out of school soon and let Grandmother hear it!
Teacher	You over there, that was a lovely song. Would you perhaps like to join the choir?
Homare	The choir?
Teacher	Yes. With your angelic singing voice, you might even win competitions.
Homare	If you want my genius so badly... then leave it to me!
	And thus, now possessing this genius, St. Flora Middle School’s choir became strong enough to win the national competition.
Tsumugi	That’s amazing, Homare-san.
Tasuku	Yeah, seriously...
Hisoka	Arisu’s surrounded by weirdos.
Homare	But then, tragedy struck...
Azuma	What happened?
Homare	I continued in the choir even in high school, but it slowly became more and more difficult for me to sing.
	And then, when I was promoted to my second year of high school--
	My voice changed, and I no longer had that beautiful soprano...!
Guy	However, I don’t think your voice is bad even now.
Homare	Guy-san...! Ooh...! Aah, there really are people who understand, after all...!
Hisoka	This time he’s crying.
Azuma	I guess he’s back to his usual drunken ways?
Tasuku	It’s either singing or crying; he’s a real piece of work.
Tsumugi	It’s very like him, though.
Homare	Ooh... Director, between my old soprano and my current self, which singing voice do you prefer...!?
CHOICE 1: I want to hear you singing with that soprano voice. [+] Izumi I want to hear your singing voice as a soprano. Homare To think you would want to hear the beautiful singing voice I lost to the distant past... How cruel of you, Director... Izumi Th- that’s not what I...! Homare No, I understand your feelings... things seem more beautiful once you’ve lost them... that’s true as well. That’s right! My parents might have videos of me from back then at their house. I can show you what I sounded like at the time.
CHOICE 2: Homare-san’s singing voice is lovely even now. [+] Izumi I think Homare-san’s singing voice is lovely even now. Homare As I expected of you, Director! You have a discerning eye... or, would it be ear in this case? I knew you had the ability to identify the real deal. Ha-ha-ha, there’s no way I can deny a request from you. Why don’t I sing a tune for you? Izumi I didn’t request anything, though!?
Homare	With that said, let me sing a song... Ahem!
	A genius~ born in~ a certain town~~♪ When in high school he himself found~~♪
Tasuku	Is he trying to turn his life into a musical?
Azuma	It sounds nice; want to use it for the next Winter Troupe performance?
Tasuku	... Please spare me from that.
Yuki	Ah, Arisu’s here.
Muku	Arisu-san! Happy birthday!
Homare	Oh, goodness me. Did you need something?
Muku	Arisu-san, listen to this! For the first time in like a dozen years, St. Flora Middle’s choir is going to take part in the national competition!
Yuki	Apparently this is the first time they’ve achieved that since some “boy loved by God” was part of the choir.
Izumi	That’s...
Homare	What?! Congratulations! That’s... sob... that’s quite a notable achievement...!
Tasuku	There’s not even a trace left of that boy loved by God.
Azuma	I like Homare just the way he is now.
Izumi	Ahaha...

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