Kazunari Miyoshi/Aozora graffiti

My Buddy

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Izumi	(Alright, the paperwork is finished so I guess I’ll have some tea in the lounge…)
Kazunari	…Oof.
	*paper flutters*
Izumi	—Are you okay, Kazunari-kun?
	That’s a huge piece of paper you have there. What’s that for?
Kazunari	This is simili paper that was used in a school project.
	I took it since I figured I might be able to use it for something.
Izumi	Simili paper comes in black too, huh?
	It’s a huge sheet, so I’m sure you’ll be able to draw all sorts of things.
Kazunari	I know, right~.
	I mean, yeah, I could cut it up and use it. But if possible, I wanna draw a picture that packs a punch.
	The base is black, so to make it pop…
	I wonder what I should do~.
Izumi	(Kazunari-kun looks like he’s enjoying himself.)
	(Before the play, he said he couldn’t think of anything to draw. But seeing Kazunari-kun like this really is the best.)
Kazunari	Ah. You’re smiling, Director-chan!
Izumi	I’m just happy to see you having fun thinking about painting.
Kazunari	Y’know, somehow, I feel like I wanna draw even more than before. It might be thanks to the show!
Izumi	Fufu. Yeah, maybe.
	*door opens*
	I’m home.
Kazunari	That sounds lit!
Kumon	Let’s let her know later—.
Izumi	?
Muku	Ah. Welcome back, Director-san!
Kumon	Hey, we were waiting for you!
Izumi	What’s going on?
Yuki	There’s going to be a fireworks show in the neighbouring town on Sunday at the end of this month.
Kumon	All of us were thinking we’d love to go!
Misumi	We couldn’t see any fireworks before~.
Tenma	We’ll get our revenge this time.
Kazunari	Of course you’ll come too, won’tcha?
	Clear your schedule, ‘kay?
Izumi	Sure, will do.
Kumon	The fireworks show is coming up next week, huh~?
Muku	Ah, that’s right.
	I can hardly wait!
MisumI	We can finally see some fireworks~.
Yuki	It feels like we’re hankering to see them even more since we couldn’t see them on our trip.
Muku	Exactly. I know what you mean!
Kumon	Summer and fireworks totally go hand-in-hand, after all~.
Kazunari	…EH!?
Muku	What’s wrong, Kazu-kun?
Kazunari	Ahh… I just saw the news on the net…
	A typhoon is expected to smack right into the fireworks show next week…
Misumi	Ehh!
Tenma	On that day of all days?
Kumon	Aw man!
Yuki	Well, typhoons miss all the time, so the forecast could be off.
Misumi	Let’s make teru teru bozu!
Muku	Good idea!
	Let’s make a huge one to veer the typhoon away!

Weather person	“For those in the area of the typhoon’s expected path, please refrain from going outside and stay away from the sea and swollen rivers.”
Muku	It’s going to hit tomorrow evening…
Yuki	I guess the fireworks show is a no-go after all.
Kumon	Don’t give up yet!
	Maybe it’ll make a sudden u-turn!
Tenma	Typhoons never do that.
Kazunari	I just checked the site for the fireworks show, and they said there’s a chance it’ll be called off due to the typhoon.
Kumon	Whaaat! Stupid typhoon!
Muku	Even though we thought we would finally be able to see some fireworks…
Yuki	It looks like the weather’s going downhill starting tonight.
Misumi	I wanted to see a triangle firework~…
Tenma	It’s really too bad.
Kazunari	…Wait, I know!
	If it’s gonna get cancelled at this rate, then we should just do our own!
Tenma	Do what?
Kazunari	A fireworks show!
Yuki	Uh, right now in the daytime? How?
Kazunari	Y’all, just leave it to me!
	Sorry for the wait~! I’ve brought it over!
Muku	Wow, that’s a huge sheet of simili paper!
Tenma	And art supplies too?
Kazunari	That’s right. Let’s all draw fireworks together!
Yuki	Good idea. Such a big piece of paper is perfect for all us to draw on.
Kazunari	Plus the background’s black, so it’ll look sick if we draw fireworks on it!
	I’m not sure if tomorrow’s really gonna be cancelled or not, but why don’t we host our own fireworks show in advance?
	I love seeing all your drawings!
Muku	That sounds fun! I’d love to!
Misumi	I’m gonna draw a big triangle firework~!
Kumon	I’m gonna draw the biggest one!
Yuki	Well, that sounds fine to me.
Tenma	…Guess we have no choice.
Kumon	I call this spot~!
Misumi	Ta~maya~!
Izumi	?
	(I wonder what Summer troupe’s up to in the courtyard…?)
Yuki	Excuse me, it’s cramped. Can’t you scooch a little over?
Tenma	Then I won’t have any space!
Kumon	Ah! You’re on top of my firework, Tenma-san~!
Tenma	Eh? Sorry—uwah, the paint!
Kumon	Ahaha, let’s make your handprint into a firework too!
Muku	Misumi-san. That’s Sankaku-kun there, isn’t it?
Misumi	Yep! It’s a Sankaku-kun firework~!
Yuki	I like Kazunari’s colour combination. It stands out.
Kazunari	Doesn’t it?
	Colour usage is super important!
Izumi	(Everyone’s drawing fireworks, huh?
	It does look amazing against the black background~.)
Muku	Ah, Director-san!
Kazunari	Draw with us, Director-chan~.
	The spot beside me’s free.
Izumi	Alright, I’ll join you guys since I’m here.
	That reminds me, everyone in Summer troupe gathered and drew like this together on your trip, right?
Kazunari	Drawing together might be something we just gotta do whenever I play the lead.
Izumi	True, you guys drew during your Shinobi play too.
Kazunari	I have a lot of rough patches during plays where I lead. But everyone in Summer troupe always helps me out, and I get to make tons of precious memories.
	Even for the performance this time, I felt like everyone had my back~.
	I’m thankful we were able to reach the finale, no prob.
Kumon	Same here!
	You were so cool as the lead, Kazu-san!
Muku	You always help us when we lead. So we’re returning the favour.
Yuki	Yeah, we’re all in the same boat.
Tenma	That’s right.
Izumi	(To support and to be supported… they really do share a wonderful relationship.)

Misumi	Finished~!
Kumon	Did it turn out awesome or what!?
Muku	Amazing. It packs a punch!
Kazunari	The colours Yukki used for his fireworks are super fancy and cute!
Izumi	Kumon-kun’s are dynamic.
	They’re like huge ball fireworks.
	The colour combo of Muku-kun’s looks adorable too.
	Wouldn’t it be great if fireworks like this really existed~.
Muku	Misumi-san’s Sankaku-kun firework also looks cute!
Yuki	There are character fireworks out there these days. It feels like a firework like this could actually be made.
Kazunari	Tenten’s give off a “simple is best” vibe!
Kumon	It’s chic! As expected of Tenma-san!
Yuki	There’s a dynamic sense to Kazunari’s, just like real fireworks.
Kumon	If the fireworks show does happen to get cancelled, then we can yell “tamaya~” while looking at this picture!
Tenma	That’d be an interesting sight in its own way…
Yuki	If the show gets called off, we can try searching for another one.
Kazunari	Or we could always light sparklers!
Misumi	I wanna light some rocket fireworks~!
Kumon	Pinwheel fireworks are a must too!
Kazunari	*Yaaawn*…
	Mm… Huh!?
Muku	Good morning, Kazu-kun… what’s the matter?
Kazunari	…Mukkun, look!
	The skies are totally clear outside!?
Muku	!!
Izumi	This spot is will do, right?
Kazunari	Should we spread the sheet out?
Yuki	I can’t believe the the typhoon actually veered off.
Muku	It’s a relief the fireworks show can go off as planned.
Kazunari	I wonder if the weather was watching out for me~?
Muku	Thanks, Kazu-kun!
Yuki	What are you guys talking about?
Izumi	I’m glad we were able to secure a great spot.
Kumon	Sorry for the wait~!
Misumi	We bought the food and drinks~!
Izumi	That’s a lot…!
Tenma	They ordered way too much.
Kumon	Chill out. We’ll eat it all anyways, so don’t worry!
Tenma	This is way too heavy.
Yuki	The bag boy who lost in rock-paper-scissors shouldn’t complain.
Kumon	I wanna eat some takoyaki!
Misumi	I wanna eat the candied strawberries! Candied triangles~.
Izumi	I suppose I’ll have some okonomiyaki.
	How about the rest of you?
Muku	Itadakimasu!
Kazunari	The fried chicken looks tasty too~.
Yuki	Hold on, the shaved ice will melt if we don’t eat it first.
Kumon	Don’t worry. I’ll eat the takoyaki in a flash!
Tenma	You’re gonna choke.
Kazunari	Ah! Isn’t it about time for the show?
	*fireworks go off*
Misumi	It started!
Muku	They’re beautiful…!
Kumon	Huge fireworks like this are the best, aren’t they!
Kazunari	…Ah!
	I have this buddy with me here today, so let’s take some hella nice shots!
Muku	That’s true!
Izumi	Ahaha, aren’t you on a smartphone ban right now?
Yuki	Or rather, calling his phone his buddy…
Kazunari	Well, I mean, my phone and I are inseparable, after all~.
	Since we came all the way here, let’s take snap a pic together with the fireworks in the background!
	C’mon. Snuggle up to me, guys~.
Misumi	Okay~!
Kumon	Ah, hold on, hold on!
Tenma	You’re gonna drop the takoyaki.
Kazunari	Alrighty, here goes~. Say cheese!
	*click*

Anna