Taichi Nanao/Bright Star of Blooming

My Performance Memories ~Taichi~

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

	*DOOR OPENS*
Taichi	I’m home—
Banri	…...
Taichi	(Ah, Ban-chan’s over there with his earphones on. Wonder what he’s listening to…)
Banri	… Oh hey. Welcome back, Taichi.
Taichi	I’m baaaack!
Banri	Huh. You're home way earlier than your usual time today. Did somethin’ happen with your lectures?
Taichi	Oh right, get this! The class that they cancelled last time? They switched up the schedules instead…!
Banri	And I’m guessin’ you got unlucky with that one?
Taichi	Weeeell, I mean, once I got there, it turned out to be a pretty interesting lecture. Didn’t even realize it was already over by the time the bell rang.
Banri	So it felt like a pain in the ass on the way until you got there? I get that feeling too.
Taichi	Yeah, that’s it! Hashtag uni life, am I right?
	But anyway! I’m surprised to see you using wired earphones. Don’t you always use the wireless ones?
Banri	Ahh, yeah, my usual ones were failin' on me, so I’m stuck with these while waiting for my new order.
Taichi	Ohh gotcha. That does happen, huh? What were you listening to?
Banri	It’s a new track from the band we were talking about before. They’ll be performing in the upcoming music fest.
Taichi	No way!? I wanna listen too!
Banri	Oi, what’re you——
Taichi	Let’s listen together! Here’s your side of the earphones!
Banri	Aren’t these my earphones in the first place?
	‘Sides, this is a typical move you’d do with a girlfriend, ain’t it?
Taichi	Ah. Now that you mention it!
Banri	Looks like you’ve still got a steep climb ahead of ya on your road to popularity, huh?
Taichi	Uuuu…!!!
	—Hang on, though. You said you’re going to the music fest, right? Man, that sounds fun~!
Banri	Haven’t really made plans. You wanna come too?
Taichi	Can I!?
Banri	‘Course.
Taichi	YAHOO!! Oh I’m pumped up for it now!!
	Guess I better start looping this song a ton ‘till fes day!
Banri	Def’ should.
Taichi	Woooo—!! Rad Red’s back together again!
Banri	I mean, I did technically pull out from the group though.
Taichi	Ban-chan!!!
Azami	But, if you think about it, it’s kinda like how a band gets together again for only a short while after years since the members split up, y’know?
	Which is a pretty cool thing if you ask me.
Taichi	True! So true!
Juza	Doesn’t really change much if Settsu’s not around anyway. Conversations are a lot better without him.
Banri	What shit are you saying now?!
Juza	You’re the one who first mentioned it.
Banri	And why does that give you any right to say what you just said, huh!?
Juza	Hah?
Banri	Haa?!
Taichi	Oh come on, you two..!!
Azami	Could you guys not do this right at the last minute? God, it always goes down like this.
Izumi	C’mon, everyone! We’re about to start the program. Just a little bit now.
Banri	…
Juza	… M’bad.
Taichi	But I suppose this is just another side of Rad Red too, isn’t it?
Izumi	Ahaha. Good luck out there.
Taichi	Yes ma’am!

Azami	Pretty sure we were stuck on practicing our instruments more than doing rehearsals for this play, weren’t we?
Juza	We even performed in a real live house.
Taichi	It really feels like it’s been forever ago since that happened.
	… Ah!!
	That reminds me! I got to watch one of my fave bands in a live house with Ban-chan too!
Azami	What? That’s the first I’ve heard of that.
Juza	Something like that happened?
Taichi	Sure did! Right, Ban-chan?
Banri	Yeah. It was really a coincidence more than anything. Wasn’t like it was for any role-study either; we just went ‘cause we wanted.
	Well. Maybe it did become useful for Taichi’s role study, but you had me real worried back then, y’know?
Taichi	Eh?
Banri	I was watching from the rear row, but then you were out there slowly moving forward ‘till you ended up in the middle of the crowd. Got me all anxious.
Taichi	B-But I couldn’t help it! With the way that band was playing? Like, they were so awesome that I kinda, y’know, went with the flow…!
Banri	You didn’t end up gettin’ hurt before our performance at least. Thank god for that.
Taichi	Uuu…. I’ll reflect on my actions!!
Banri	Well, I would’ve tried stopping ya before anything happened.
	But in the end, getting to watch that live house gave us plenty of references. Like how to act on stage just like them, and all that stuff.
Taichi	It really did! Getting to experience the real thing like that made ours a performance really worth learning from!
Taichi	Hrm…..
Izumi	What’s up, Taichi-kun? You’ve had that puzzled face for a while now.
Taichi	Well, it’s just that… I’ve compiled a lot of poses to choose from, but now I’m not sure which to go with.
Izumi	That’s why!? Hmm… Then, could you show me each one of them first before we decide on the final one?
Taichi	Sure thing!
Taichi	Thanks for helping me pick a pose, Director-sensei!
	Oookay, I’m ready now!
	*SHUTTER CLICKS*
Taichi	How is it!?
Izumi	You wanna see? Here you go.
Taichi	Woah! This looks pretty good to me!
Izumi	Alright. You know, it feels a lot like Daichi himself is posing here. My heart might’ve just skipped a beat realizing that too!
Taichi	Heh. I’ll gladly take that compliment from you, Director-sensei~!!
Taichi	…. Huh? Where am I...
	——!!
	(The guy playing the guitar on that stage… Is that Daichi!?)
Daichi	…Ah. Sorry, are you one of the live house staff? I can put my things away in a minute—
Taichi	Ah, no, I’m not a staff member.
Daichi	Eh? Then who…
Taichi	Ah! Erm… I guess you could say I’m a fan of Rad Red...
Daichi	N-No way…!?!
	……
Taichi	(Yeah… I figured he’d stiff up after being told he’s got a fan in front of him…)
	(C’mon, think of something to say… Anything…)
	… Say, didn’t you guys have a member named Senri before you debuted?
Daichi	You know Senri?
Taichi	Yeah! He was such a cool person, wasn’t he? I think you two were quite the match too!
Daichi	——!!
	I thought I was the only one who thought so! I’m so happy to hear that.
Taichi	Mh-hmm. I love the current Rad Red, and I love the Rad Red in the past just as much.
	… That’s why you should just do your best! You’ve got people who’ve got your back after all.
	Don’t leave any regrets.
Daichi	——...
Taichi	Mmm…
	… Huh? Was that just a dream?
	*PHONE BUZZING*
	*BEEP*
Banri (on phone)	“Yoooo, you up yet? We need to be leavin’ soon.”
Taichi	(OH NO! Right, today’s the day me and Ban-chan are heading to the music fest!)
	Ah craaaap!! I’m gonna ready my things right away!!
	(I wonder if everyone from Rad Red will get to play on a huge stage in a music festival someday too.)
	(And maybe someday, it’d be with all four of them again. Just maybe——)
Banri (on phone)	“Earth to Taichi? You better not be catchin’ more Z’s. I might leave ya for real if you don’t hurry.”
Taichi	Wait! Just wait a seeec!

Dita