| Hisoka | ...Zzz. |
| Tasuku | He’s like this again as soon as practice ends. |
| Guy | I’ll carry him today. |
| Tasuku | I’ll leave him to you. |
| Tsumugi | Hisoka-kun... I wonder if he’s okay. |
| Azuma | He always falls asleep right after practice recently. |
| Izumi | He’s always slept a lot, but lately he hasn’t even been eating. |
| Homare | Even his marshmallow consumption has diminished; it truly is quite out of the ordinary. |
| Azuma | It doesn’t look like it’s because he’s feeling pressured from being the lead role either. |
| Tasuku | That’s unlikely for Mikage. |
| Tsumugi | Right... |
| Izumi | I wonder what could be causing this then... |
| Homare | Hmm... I cannot think of anything else Hisoka-kun would be troubled over besides marshmallows. |
| Tsumugi | But that’s just...! There must be something else other than marshmallows. |
| Homare | I jest. But Tsumugi-kun, can you think of anything? |
| Tsumugi | Hmm... |
| Azuma | ...Like sleeping, maybe? |
| Homare | *gasp*! Perhaps he is entering hibernation? |
| Guy | So all those marshmallows he had been eating were for hibernation. |
| Tasuku | Er, there was no sign of that happening last year though. |
| Homare | Then what in the world... |
| Izumi | If Hisoka-san is troubled about something, then maybe it could be something from his past—— |
| Homare | At any rate, it’s not as if we could forcibly interrogate Hisoka-kun about it. |
| He may have a complex mode of life as well. |
| Tasuku | But he’s definitely not hibernating. |
| Azuma | Either way, it’s not good for his health if we leave him alone. |
| Tsumugi | Let’s think of a way to make him eat, at least. |
| Azuma | You’re right. |
| Izumi | (...So that’s what it is.) |
| (If this is about his past, then it’s probably better to leave it until Hisoka-san talks about it himself.) |
| (Maybe I’ll try asking Chikage-san for some advice.) |
| |
| Waiter | Welcome. For one person? |
| Izumi | Ah, one more person will be coming later. |
| Waiter | Understood. Please sit over here. |
| Izumi | (This restaurant is so popular that there’s usually people lining up, but it’s empty today. How unusual.) |
| (Hmm, what should I get...) |
| Chikage | ——I recommend this one. |
| Izumi | Oh, Chikage-san. You’re here early. |
| Chikage | The meeting ended early. |
| Izumi | Okay, then I’ll try what you recommend. |
| Chikage | Excuse me, we’re ready to order. |
| |
| Izumi | I’m sorry for calling you so suddenly. |
| Chikage | Nah. It’s probably about that Sleepyhead anyway, right? |
| Izumi | You noticed it too, Chikage-san? |
| Chikage | Well, yeah. We live together so I’d notice even if I don’t want to. |
| Izumi | I was thinking... Maybe it’s because of something from his past. |
| I think it’s better to wait until Hisoka-san talks about it himself, but I’m worried about his health... |
| Although to be honest, he and I lived in different worlds, so I don’t know if I should press into it based on just a speculation... |
| Chikage | I see. |
| ...So? What do you want me to do? |
| True, I know about his past more than anyone else, and I can ask him about the reason for all this. |
| But he and I think differently, and now our situations are different too. We’re polar opposites, back then and even now. |
| Izumi | ...You’re right. I’m sorry; I relied on you too much. |
| Chikage | Heh. You’re not acting like yourself, Director-san. |
| You’re usually so impudent that you meddle in others’ affairs without caring about their past. |
| Izumi | I-impudent... |
| Chikage | What is he to you? A spy that belongs to a mysterious organization? Or a Sleepyhead troupe member that’s always eating marshmallows? |
| Izumi | —— |
| ...He is Mikage Hisoka-san of Mankai Company. |
| Chikage | Isn’t it good enough that you see him as the actor, Mikage Hisoka? |
| Izumi | You’re right. |
| (Maybe I was just overthinking it.) |
| (No matter what Hisoka-san’s past may have been, there’s no doubt that he’s now one of our companions in this theater troupe.) |
| Chikage | Well... He’s probably just panicking anyway. Like thinking he has to hurry up and do something about his past. |
| That guy’s always rushed things on his own and troubled the people around him. |
| ...Not like he has a reason to rush anyway. If it really is something he wants to talk about, the time when he can naturally talk about it will come eventually. |
| Izumi | (Naturally, huh...) |
| Chikage-san, you—— |
| Chikage | Hm? |
| Izumi | It’s nothing. |
| (What about you, Chikage-san...) |
| Chikage | Oh, right. Tell that guy not to cause Tsuzuru too much trouble. |
| Izumi | Tsuzuru-kun? |
| Chikage | Since in the end he didn’t request for anything, apparently Tsuzuru’s trying really hard to include a component that might get Hisoka motivated. |
| Like a story where a marshmallow alien that vomits marshmallows comes here from Marshmallow Planet to attack—— |
| Or a story where a marshmallow artisan continues his training in order to create the ultimate marshmallow. |
| Izumi | Ehhh!? That would instantly overturn the image the Winter Troupe has presented until now... |
| (A component that might motivate Hisoka-san, huh... I’ll ask Tsuzuru-kun about his progress when I get home.) |
| Waiter | I’m sorry for the wait. Who ordered today’s daily curry special—— |
| Chikage | Oh, that’s me. |
| Izumi | Wah, it looks delicious! |
| That reminds me, this place is strangely empty today. It’s usually crowded in here. |
| Chikage | I wonder why. |
| Izumi | ...Was this your doing, Chikage-san? |
| Chikage | Who knows? |
| But well, for you to talk about us in such an open place like this, you sure have a lot of nerve, hm, Director-san? Or maybe there’s something wrong with you. |
| Izumi | (I feel like he just easily said something mean to me with a smile on his face...!) |
