Practice Conversation 1

Tsuzuru	Setsubun^[1] is a custom that’s been around for a really long time, so it’s been used as themes for things like Kyogen, Kabuki, or Kouta^[2].
	I’ve seen several of them, though it was quite interesting because not only did an oni^[3] appear, but also a god of fortune.
	It might be cool for us to do a play with Setsubun as a theme.
	We’ll have to decide how many people will play as humans, or who the god of fortune would be, oh and would it be awesome if the oni can be a different member…?
	Or wait, perhaps a modern take on it would be good, too. Like maybe instead of beans, they’d throw something else…
	I’m getting so many ideas right now, I gotta take note of all of these!

Practice Conversation 2

Tsuzuru	Oh, so this is where you were, Director. Have you… not gotten found by Masumi yet?
	It’s just that earlier he was walking around restlessly in the lounge with an ehomaki^[4] in hand.
	And apparently he was looking for you…
	He said something along the lines of “The direction where the Director is at is my lucky direction. That’s why I have to eat this ehomaki while looking at her.”
	The sight of him just eating the ehomaki while silently staring at you is too surreal…
	Even if I told him you’d only get troubled by that, he didn’t listen and continued to look for you.
	Well, that’s just the most Masumi thing that Masumi can do.

Tsuzuru	…
	…Woah! D-Did you come to visit this temple too, Director?
	So you came here to pray for the success of the Setsubun Festival performance, huh… Well, the same goes for me.
	That and so that those two can end the performance with a smile.
	Now that I’ve said it out loud, it sounds quite embarrassing…
	But I’m sure that it’ll all go well since you and everyone else are here after all.
	…Ah, I met with the priest earlier and they gave me wagashi^[5] and Setsubun beans, I wanted to give you some, too.
	I’m not bribing you or anything, but I want you to keep my wish a secret from the others, can you do that for me?

Misumi	Hmm…
Tsuzuru	Ikaruga-san? What’s wrong?
Misumi	Oh, Tsuzuru! Well you see, the Setsubun oni has tons of triangles but—
	Then I thought the throwing beans don’t have triangles~
Tsuzuru	Err… The triangles you’re talking about are the horns on the oni, yeah?
Misumi	Yeah, yeah! There’s also the fangs!
Tsuzuru	Ah, you’re right. For the throwing beans… I guess the beans are round.
Misumi	That is the case after all~... Sigh.
Tsuzuru	Uh… Oh, I got it. Ikaruga-san, just wait right there.
Misumi	???

Tsuzuru	Sorry for the wait. Here, you can have this.
Misumi	Wowie! It’s a triangle~!
Tsuzuru	I bought these parched beans for my younger brothers, but the small bag it came in is triangular.
Misumi	Is it really okay for me to have this even though you got it for your little bros? Won’t your bros be sad?
Tsuzuru	It’s all good. I got loads, so it’s better if you take some.
Misumi	Hooray~! Thank you, Tsuzuru!

meganedolaon

↑ Setsubun is the last day of winter and the day before spring begins. Rituals and ceremonies are held on this day, such as bean scattering, to drive away evil spirits.
↑ Kyogen is a form of traditional Japanese comic theater. Kabuki is a form of traditional Japanese drama. Kouta is a song accompanied by shamisen (Japanese three-stringed lute).
↑ Oni are demons or ogres in Japanese folklore.
↑ Ehomaki is an uncut roll of sushi eaten during Setsubun for good luck. The “eho” part means lucky direction.
↑ Wagashi are traditional Japanese sweets.