Masumi Usui/Journey of Blooming

Heart-Shaped Thank You

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Izumi	Let's end today's practice around here. Good work, everyone.
Sakuya	Good work!
Citron	Good work!
Masumi	... Good work. I'll be heading back first.
	*door closes*
Chikage	Lately, Masumi's been leaving as soon as practice ends.
Itaru	True. Setting aside times when Director-san isn't here, when she is here, he usually doesn't leave in that much of a hurry.
Sakuya	I wonder if there's something he has to do?
Tsuzuru	Seems like he's been going somewhere lately, and he comes home kinda late, too.
Citron	Ohh, Masumi! Perhaps he's secretly making preparations for his and the Director's wedding?!
Izumi	Huuh?!
Sakuya	W-Wedding?!
Tsuzuru	Even if it's Masumi, there's no way... or so I'd like to believe.
Itaru	Then maybe he's going to a game center or something.
Izumi	I feel like the image of Masumi and a game center doesn't really...
Chikage	Even if the wedding is a bit of a stretch, how about in order to figure out a date plan for Director-san, he's checking out places in advance?
Citron	Ooh, that could be it!
Tsuzuru	Hmm, it seems like it's possible, but...
Itaru	Well, he might have just gotten a part-time job, plain and simple.
Sakuya	Masumi-kun with a part-time job... I'm kind of curious about what kind of job it could be.
Citron	But Masumi is a tsundere, so he probably wouldn't tell us even if we asked.
Chikage	That's true. Well, for now, let's just keep an eye on him.
Izumi	Yes, let's do that.
Owner	Usui-kun, good work. You can take a break.
Masumi	Okay.
	... *sigh*
Tsuzuru	——Huh, Masumi?!
Masumi	Tsuzuru...
Tsuzuru	You just came out of this curry bread shop, right?
	Don't tell me you actually got a part-time——
Masumi	Training.
Tsuzuru	What? What do you mean by——
Masumi	...!
	Hide.
Tsuzuru	Huh?! Whoa!
Owner	Welcome!
Izumi	Hello. I'll have one curry bread, please.
Tsuzuru	I'm surprised you knew when the Director was coming...
Masumi	I sensed her presence.
Tsuzuru	What the heck do you mean by "presence"...?!
Masumi	Shut up, be quiet. She's gonna find us at this rate.
Izumi	Thank you so much!
Owner	Please come again.
Tsuzuru	... It looks like she's gone.
Masumi	... Thank goodness she didn't notice us.
Tsuzuru	I knew that you've been going somewhere lately, but it was here for your part-time job, huh.
Masumi	I told you, it's training. It's because I want to make curry bread for the Director.
	Since the Director likes this store, I told them that I want to make curry bread for my fiancee and became their disicple.
Tsuzuru	You said she's your fiancee...
	But, well... I see, for the sake of the Director, who's been taking care of us, and for the second anniversary of the theater----
	We all made a plan to have one person a day make a single meal for her.
Masumi	... I'm already satisfied with the curry I made for her when I was preparing for my role in the KniRoun performance.
	This time I'm going to aim even higher and make curry bread for her.
	I can't forget her smiling face when she ate my curry and said it was good.
	I want to make her even happier...
Tsuzuru	... You really are as forward as ever two years later.
	Do your best to make that curry bread. I'll be rooting for you.
Masumi	Mm.

Sakuya	How is Masumi-kun's curry bread making going...?
Citron	Ohh, it's as you can see.
Masumi	Zzz...
Tsuzuru	He's sleeping.
Chikage	But what he's holding is——
Sakuya	It's bread dough! There's a memo, too.
Tsuzuru	"Don't touch" "If you touch it, I'll kill you"...
Itaru	Lmao. It's a talisman of sealing.
Chikage	It looks like he's at the part where he's letting the dough rest, but... To think he would rest alongside it.
Masumi	... Mn.
	You guys...
Citron	How is your curry bread making going?
Masumi	... The curry came out good like last time. All that's left is wrapping the curry in the dough and frying it.
Tsuzuru	Looks like it's going well.
Masumi	... I wonder if she'll be happy...
Itaru	You went as far as becoming a curry bread shop owner's disicple, so I'm sure she'll be happy.
Sakuya	I agree! I'm sure she'll be really happy!
Masumi	... Right.
	... I'll wrap my love for the Director with the curry, too.
	The curry bread's all done, and the table setting's done, too.
Sakuya	The pointing and calling is perfect, too!
Citron	Smells good~! There are lots of heart decorations on the table, so it's very lovely!
Itaru	But the food sitting on the table is actually curry bread.
Tsuzuru	It's kind of a mismatch...
Chikage	Well, this has its own special feeling, so isn't it fine?
Izumi	I'm home~.
Sakuya	Ah, it looks like the Director came home!
Itaru	I guess we should retreat pretty soon.
Masumi	... Doesn't matter, you guys can stay if you want.
Tsuzuru	Huh?!
Masumi	If you stay outside a radius of 2 meters and you don't enter our field of vision.
Citron	Oh?! Masumi is showing us his dere side!
Chikage	It's a very subtle dere, though.
Itaru	Okay, then let's go over there and play games or something.
Chikage	Alright. Masumi, take your time.
Sakuya	Masumi-kun, do your best!
	*door opens*
Izumi	I'm home... Wow, what a nice smell! Is this curry bread?
Masumi	I made it for you.
Izumi	Huh, you made it, Masumi-kun?!
Masumi	Yeah. I wanted you to know how grateful I am.
Izumi	Grateful?
Masumi	Since I met you... and since I became a part of the Reborn MANKAI Company's Spring Troupe, 2 years have passed.
	Thank you for teaching me about all kinds of things——all kinds of emotions.
	Up until now and going forward, my feelings won't change. ... I like you. I love you.
Izumi	Masumi-kun——
Masumi	I wrapped my feelings up with the curry. ... Try eating it.
Izumi	I should be the one thanking you.
	Then, I'll be eating it right away.
Masumi	... How is it?
Izumi	Mm... It's delicious! It's really delicious!
	Of course, the curry filling is really good, but the cripsiness and sweetness of the bread is so good, too!
Masumi	Thank goodness...
Izumi	Is it possible that you based this curry bread off of the one from that one food truck?
Masumi	Yeah. I trained at that truck.
Izumi	You went that far?!
CHOICE 1: "Training, that's amazing!" [+] Training, that's amazing! You went all-out! Masumi Because I wanted to make sure I was able to make what you liked well. If it's for the sake of your smile, I'll do anything. I'd go training in India, and I'd even go on a journey across the entire world for ingredients. Izumi That's okay, you don't have to go that far. Masumi When you eat something I made and smile and say it's delicious... you're just so cute. When I see your smile, I get really happy, too.
CHOICE 2: "I think I would've liked to see you training" [+] Izumi You went out of your way to undergo training to make it. I think I would've liked to see you training, a little bit. Masumi I wanted to surprise you, so I hid that I was training. But if you want to see, then you can watch me next time I make curry bread. Izumi Really? Then, when that happens, I'll help you out! Masumi Making curry bread of love with you... I'm really looking forward to it. I'm glad I underwent training.
	I made a lot of curry bread, so you can have some more.
Izumi	Okay, thank you.
	This curry bread is really good. It's the best out of all the curry bread I've had up until now!
Masumi	——
	I'm so happy...
Itaru	——Looks like Director-san is pretty happy.
Sakuya	I'm happy for you, Masumi-kun!
Masumi	From now on too, I'll treasure you more than anyone else...
Izumi	Umm, you're kind of close...?
Masumi	Because we're family.
Izumi	That's not a proper reason... Hey, you're really close, Masumi-kun!
Masumi	I love you...
Citron	Ohh, Masumi's out of control!
Chikage	I guess we should go rescue Director-san pretty soon.
Tsuzuru	*Sigh* he really is the same as ever. Jeez.

Kou