Masumi Usui/Reverent Salute

Making Memories that are One of a Kind

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Masumi	…Sakuya and them are slow.
	*flashback starts*
Sakuya	I can't believe there are still parts of the ship we haven't seen yet even though we explored so much at lunchtime...
Kumon	Ah!
	I think you can get to the deck from over there, Taichi-san!
Taichi	Holy, is there really a secret path to the deck from here!?
	Alright, let’s go!
	*runs off*
Sakuya	Ahh! Hold on, you two!
	S-sorry, Masumi-kun.
	I’m going to chase after those two for a second!
	*flashback ends*
Masumi	…*Sigh*.
Elderly woman	Where are you taking me next?
Masumi	…?
Elderly gentleman	To the banquet hall.
	The welcome party is about to start.
Elderly woman	Oh my, I can’t wait.
	Last year’s party was wonderful too, wasn’t it?
Elderly gentleman	Yes.
	I’m looking forward to being able to make more memories together with you.
Masumi	…
	Make memories… together…
	Director!
Izumi	Huh, Masumi-kun?
	Weren’t you taking a look around the ship with the other guys…
Masumi	Come with me.
Izumi	Ehhh!?
	H-hold on a second! Where are you taking me!?
Masumi	You’ll know when we get there.
Izumi	This is… the banquet hall?
Waiter	Excuse me, sir.
	Would you like to attend the welcome party?
Masumi	Yes. Director and I will both join in.
Izumi	Ehh!?
	(That’s news to me!)
Waiter	Welcome, thank you for coming.
	The venue is in this direction.
Izumi	S-say, Masumi-kun, why are we suddenly going to a party…?
Masumi	I... wanted to make memories with you that we’ll never ever be able to forget.
Izumi	Huh?
Masumi	I heard that you can make wonderful memories at this party.
	So I wanted to make you happy too…
	…Do you not want to?
Izumi	(I see… Masumi-kun was thinking of me in his own way.)
	I understand.
	The party looks fun, right?
	And since we’re already here, let’s enjoy it with all our might!
Masumi	…Yeah.
Izumi	Wow, what a tall champagne tower…
	But as expected of a luxury cruise ship… it’s not shaking at all.
Masumi	I’ll build an even taller one next time if it caught your eye.
Izumi	You don’t need to compete with it, ok?
Waiter	We are currently handing out sparkling wine to use for the toast.
	Please let us know if anyone was not able to receive one.
Masumi	Director, wait here.
	I’ll go get them.
Izumi	Thank you.
	But it’s ok, I’ll get it myself.
	You’re underage so it's not like I can send you out to get alcohol.
Masumi	It’s fine. I don’t mind.
Izumi	No, no, that’s not allowed, ok!?
Masumi	…
Izumi	…I got it. Then I guess I’ll ask you to get me a soft drink instead of wine?
Masumi	…!
	No problem. What will you have, Director?
Izumi	Whatever you want to drink is fine with me.
	So bring the same one back for me as well.
Masumi	The same one…
	…Director, the fact you want to share an indirect kiss is aggressive, yet modest and cute…
	You don’t need to hold back though.
	If it’s your wish, I’ll give you as many as you want directly—.
Izumi	Get two shares of the same drink in two separate glasses, please!

Izumi	Anyways, it really is an amazing party, huh?
	The food looks delicious too…
Masumi	Wanna eat something, Director?
Izumi	Yeah. We might as well eat since we’re here.
	Ah, how about that over there?
	I’ve never seen that dish before, and I’m kind of curious how it’ll taste.
Masumi	I got it. I’ll go get some so wait for me.
	…
Female guest	…Oh?
	You’re the young master from the Kujo Shrine, aren’t you?
Masumi	…?
	No, you have the wrong—.
Male guest	Ohh, it is! You’ve really grown, huh!
	How many years has it been since we’ve last seen each other again?
Masumi	I’m…——.
Izumi	(…? Masumi-kun hasn’t come back…)
	(I’ll go take a peek at what’s going on.)
Female guest	Oh, right! Speaking of which, I heard you received an award at a piano competition the other day!
Male guest	Is that so? Why, that’s remarkable!
Masumi	…
Izumi	(Ahh, is he in the middle of a conversation?
	…But Masumi-kun has a really troubled look on his face.)
	(I really thought they were acquaintances, but maybe they’re actually talking to him by mistake?)
	(…Ok, I’ll go rescue him.)
	Um, excuse me.
	Do you have business with this guy?
Male guest	Oh, you are…
Female guest	Ahh, could you be his fiancée who came to greet us a few days ago!
Izumi	EHH!?
	Hold on a minute! We’re not like that—.
Masumi	Yeah.
	She’s my soulmate.
Izumi	!?
Female guest	Oh my, oh my! I knew it!
Male guest	Hoho. Aren’t you a charming, lovely young lady?
Izumi	(Uh… this is a total misunderstanding…)
CHOICE 1: I’ll follow the conversation here [+] Izumi I-it’s very nice to meet you. Thank you for always taking care of him… Masumi …! About me, you also… I knew it, we really are fated to be… Izumi I’m just following the conversation, ok…!?
CHOICE 2: I have to stop Masumi-kun discretely… [+] Izumi Wait, Masumi-kun! Why did you lie like that…! Masumi I’m not lying. I didn’t confirm you were my fiancée, and it’s true that you’re my soulmate.
Female guest	By the way, did your families finish exchanging your engagement gifts already?
Masumi	No…
	I’m still 17 years old so we can’t get married.
	So I’m making her wait one more year…
	But during that time, I’ll grow even more, and I’ll definitely become a man who can continue to protect her happiness.
Izumi	…!
Female guest	My, how lovely!
	You’ve become such a fine, young man…!
Male guest	Indeed, you must be thrilled that you can become his wife as well!
Izumi	…Ehh, ah, y-yeah!
	(That was so sudden, I replied instinctively…)
	…I’m sorry.
	We have other guests to greet as well so we’ll be on our way.
Female guest	Oh, that's right. We’re sorry to keep you.
Izumi	N-not at all. Then please excuse us…!
	…Phew, we managed to slip away…!
Masumi	There's too many people.
Izumi	This luxury cruise ship has a lot of people on board, so it can't be helped, huh…
	…By the way, Masumi-kun.
	Why did tell that kind of lie back there?
	I just went with the flow on the spur of the moment…
	But wouldn’t it have been troublesome if you were caught in your lie?
Masumi	…I wasn’t lying.
Izumi	…Eh?
Masumi	It’s not a lie that I want to protect your happiness. That’s what I’m truly thinking.
Izumi	…!
Masumi	So that’s why, please wait a little more…
	Until I can become a truly great man.

Anna