Masumi Usui/MANKAI Playback

Headphone’s Reminiscence

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Citron	It’s almost Masumi’s birthday-dayo! What do you want as a present-ne?
Itaru	So you just going to ask it straight to the person yourself huh. The surprise plan is already ruined like this.
Izumi	Well, hearing the person’s wishes is also important after all. Masumi-kun, is there something you wanted?
Masumi	Things I wanted… then.. Dire–
Chikage	Other than Director-san.
Masumi	….It’s nothing then, what a bother…
Citron	Oh! Masumi that’s cheating! Don’t just ran away using headphones like that!
Masumi	--?
Tsuzuru	Is something wrong?
Masumi	I can’t hear anything…
Sakuya	Eh!? could it be possibly broken?
Masumi	Probably...
Chikage	Then how about a new headphones for your birthday present? Nowadays there’s even one where you can listen at a high quality sound.
Itaru	Oh that’s pretty nice. A better sound will makes you feel the music atmosphere more after all.
Citron	The hard-boiled and sweaty boss fights will become even more exciting-dayo!
Tsuzuru	Okay gamers please stop talking now. But again, I also agreed on that idea.
Sakuya	Then it’s decided! The birthday present will be a headph–
Masumi	I don’t need it.
Sakuya	Eh...?
Citron	I will pick the one that sticks well with Masumi though?
Itaru	You meant that suits him, right ?
Masumi	At any rate, I don’t need a new one.
Izumi	Masumi-kun...
Tsuzuru	What's up with him.
Itaru	He sure is full of mysteries.
Chikage	Well he did said he didn’t need it, so how about we think of another present?
Masumi	...
Homare	Oya, what are you doing here Masumi-kun?
Masumi	Nothing, just wanted to talk with Tasuku about something…
Homare	Hoo, now that’s unusual.
Masumi	It’s nothing special so just leave me be. ….Why are you here?
Homare	I was about to ask Tasuku to help me fix my pocket watch. But it seems like the person isn’t around right now.
Masumi	Pocket watch?
Homare	It’s a precious thing I got from my grandmother. I kept trying to fix it that it drives me insane.
Homare	It’s barely usable as a watch anymore. But even so, it’s a precious item that I cannot bear to throw away.
Masumi	…It’s the same.
Homare	Same?
	In the end, neither of my parents ever came to my entrance ceremony during middle school. But I’m okay with it, since–
Hatsue	Masumi, do you wanted to stop by grandma’s place for a moment? There’s something I wanted to give to you.
	Since the grandma I really liked came by. For me, that’s enough.
Hatsue	–Alright, here. Congratulation on your new school, Masumi.
	After saying that, she gave me a certain box.
	It was nicely wrapped and when I opened it, the inside is a white headphone.
	It’s apparently made by a popular brand. The design was really cool that I took a liking to it at first sight.
Hatsue	Grandma doesn’t really understand anything about machines. So I bought it based on the shopkeeper’s recommendation. Did you like it?
	With a slightly worried and embarrassed expression, grandma asked me.
	And I answered…
Masumi	Thank you so much, grandma.
	–I’ll treasure it forever.
	As I held the headphones tightly, I said my thanks to her.
Hatsue	Fufu, I’m glad. Well then, let’s celebrate it together now. Grandma made lots of foods. There’s also a chocolate cake!
	With a sigh of relief, Grandma smiled happily.
	Whenever I looked at my headphones, it made me remember that time’s memory.
Masumi	And now that thing’s I’ve been taking care of nicely, is broken just now.
	Everyone in spring troupe suggested to get a new one to replace it, I know it’s the right thing to do. But this is something I hold very dearly, so I–
	Accidentally acted cold towards them…
Homare	I see…
	Why don’t you told them about this story then. It’s them we’re talking about, they’ll definitely understand.
	I’ve also managed to solve my problem by talking it to everyone in winter troupe. After that, you can still try asking Tasuku about it.
Masumi	…I’ll do that. So even you can be pretty reasonable sometimes huh.
Homare	How rude! Even I cou– ha! I got a new inspiration!
	Your precious memory, a continuing journey. Lulala, the music you listened, became a harmony–!
Masumi	…Nevermind you’re still the same.

Masumi	zzz…zz….
Tsuzuru	Masumi~?
Masumi	zzz…
Tsuzuru	…alright, right now should be fine. I’m borrowing this for a sec, okay
Masumi	nn….
	(…This headphones, maybe it really can’t be used anymore.)
	……
	–Eh, I can hear something on here again?
Masumi	Director–
Sakuya	Masumi-kun, happy birthday!
Tsuzuru	Congrats!
Citron	Congrats!
Itaru	Congrats, Masumi-kun.
Chikage	Congrats, Masumi-kun.
Masumi	What…?
Izumi	Happy birthday, Masumi-kun!
Tsuzuru	It’s your birthday party. You should’ve realized already. Come on, hurry up and sit down here.
Masumi	A party….this early in the morning?
Citron	Fufufu, It’s because we called a special guest now!
Masumi	Special guest ?
???	—Masumi.
Masumi	!?
Sakuya	Here Masumi-kun, it’s a tablet. connected to grandma Hatsue through video-call.
Masumi	Grandma…
Hatsue	Masumi, Happy birthday. You’ve grown so much even if we haven’t met for a while.
	It’s a bit lonely here since we weren’t able to celebrate it together.
Masumi	…….Yeah.
Itaru	Masumi-kun is unusually honest now.
Chikage	Seems like the plan is a success.
Hatsue	Tachibana-san, and everyone in spring troupe.
	Thank you for celebrating Masumi’s birthday and making us able to communicate like this.
	Please take care of him from now on too.
Izumi	Leave it to us! Please come to watch our play too sometimes!
Citron	Alright, let’s start the birthday party-dayo!
Izumi	We made lots of foods for this occasion. So eat lots to your heart’s content!
Masumi	This… Most of these are stuff grandma usually make–
Sakuya	Yup, we were told of Masumi-kun’s favorite food recipes, so everyone started making it together.
Masumi	Everyone, Director too…?
CHOICE 1: Of course, it's all cooking I'm proud of! [+] Izumi Of course, it's all cooking I'm proud of! Masumi –then I'll eat everything all by myself. Izumi W-Wait this kinda amount is impossible by yourself! Masumi It's a collab between you and grandma, it rarely happens. I'll eat everything even if it kills me. Izumi I'll make it again I promise! So this time, let's eat it with everyone okay?
CHOICE 2: To tell you the truth, it's a bit of failure… [+] Izumi To tell you the truth, it's a bit of failure… Masumi You're the one who made it. So I'll eat it even if it's burnt out. Izumi It's just a difference in ingredients quantity, It should be okay to eat but the taste will be a bit different from what Hatsue-san usually made… I'm sorry. Masumi You've made it for my sake. So it's already enough.
Tsuzuru	Here Masumi, we also have cake.
Citron	This is the first time I heard you like chocolate cake!
Chikage	Somehow it's pretty unusual huh.
Masumi	That's… only because grandma made it.
Sakuya	Is that so !?
Masumi	…but you can think of it as my favorite, I guess.
Izumi	Fufu, I see. Masumi-kun really thought Hatsue-san as an important person after all.
Masumi	This headphone, I also got it from her.
Itaru	So that's why you're so stubborn about it.
Sakuya	And since we didn't know about it, We just simply talk about replacing it like that, I'm sorry…
Masumi	It's fine. Somehow it's been fixed anyway.
Chikage	Hee, is that so. Maybe it's just broken for a temporary time.
Masumi	….Hey, could it be that someone fixed i–
Chikage	It's great that Masumi's precious headphone is fixed now. Right, Tsuzuru?
Tsuzuru	Yeah, I'm so glad.
Itaru	Well, just think of it being fixed with magic I guess?
Masumi	Then if it's broken again next time, please fix it again with magic.
Chikage	Well that would be quite a problem even for mister magician.
Citron	Even if the magician cannot fix it you can entrust it on the Zafra laboratory too!
Masumi	……..Thank you.
Izumi	(Masumi-kun looked really happy…. I'm glad.)
Masumi	……Director.
	Someday I will properly introduce you to grandma.
Izumi	Eh? We already met each other though…
Masumi	How should I introduce you… 'My one and only director'…no, maybe 'Fiance' would be better…
Citron	Oh! Already back to the normal Masumi-ne!
Itaru	Going normal too fast lol
Masumi	I'll become a better man. So that you'll recognize me, I'll become the best actor and the best man.
Izumi	How reliable! Then, let's work hard together with spring troupe too this year!
Masumi	Yeah.

Suzu/Suz