Tasuku Takato/Escort Card Invitation

Object of Unrequited Love

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Izumi	Alright, I’m done helping out, so I guess I’ll hop on the train and head home.
	*notification sound*
	…Hm?
	It’s a LIME from Tasuku-san.
Tasuku Takato You said you went to help out a different theatre troupe, right? Are you done now?
Izumi I just finished up, so I’m on my way home
Tasuku Takato I’m passing nearby with the car, so I’ll pick you up if you’d like
Izumi Are you sure? That helps! I’ll be in front of the station
Izumi	(It’s a bit troublesome going by train from here, so I’m honestly grateful.)
???	Oh, could that be Director-san?
Izumi	…Ah, Fuyuki-san!
Fuyuki	It’s dangerous for a lady to be all alone at this hour.
Izumi	Don’t worry. Besides, I was actually thinking of taking the train home, but Tasuku-san’s going to come pick me up by car.
Fuyuki	Tasuku?
	Haha, he’s awfully kind to you, huh?
	Say, I’ll stay with you until Tasuku gets here.
Izumi	But aren’t you in the middle of work, Fuyuki-san…
Fuyuki	It’s also a policeman’s job to protect our good citizens.
	Plus, I’ll be scolded if anything happens to you.
Izumi	Ahaha, I doubt you’d be scolded…
Tasuku	Sorry for the wait, Director.
Izumi	Tasuku-san! Thanks for going out of your way.
Tasuku	No… more importantly, I was wondering who you were talking to, and it turns out it really was my brother?
Fuyuki	Oh, Tasuku. You’re already here?
	You recognized me?
Tasuku	I saw your uniform and basically figured.
	Alright, hop in, Director.
Izumi	You really saved me.
	Thank you so much too, Fuyuki-san!
Fuyuki	Not at all.
	Ah, come to think of it. Tasuku and Tsumu’s classmate Ishikawa-kun is getting married.
	He even sent me an invitation. Are you two also going?
Tasuku	Uh, I don’t think ours arrived…
	When did yours come?
Fuyuki	This morning, I think.
Izumi	It might have arrived at the dorm sometime today then.
Tasuku	Probably.
	Let’s go head home and check first.
Tsumugi	Welcome back, Tasuku.
	Hey, Ishikawa-kun’s getting married.
	Invitations to his wedding arrived.
Tasuku	So they really did, huh?
Tsumugi	They really did?
Tasuku	I happened to bump into my brother earlier and heard about it from him.
	Apparently, Ishikawa also invited him.
Tsumugi	Oh, you don’t say.
	Fuyuki-kun got along well with our classmates when we went over to your house to play, huh?
Tasuku	Well, that’s the type of guy he is.
Tsumugi	You’re also acquainted with some of Fuyuki-kun’s classmates. The two of you have close interactions with each other’s friends, don’t you?
Tasuku	I don’t think it’s that deep or anything.
Tsumugi	Really? I’m pretty sure Fuyuki-kun told me his friends are quite fond of you.
Tasuku	Aniki...
Tsumugi	Fufu. I can’t wait for the three of us to attend the wedding together.

Izumi	You two look as sharp as ever~!
Tsumugi	Thank you very much.
Tasuku	Aren’t you just saying that…?
Izumi	Hey, I’m complimenting you from my heart!
	Alright, see you then, you two!
	Have fun, alright?
Tasuku & Tsumugi	We’ll be off.
Tasuku	My brother’s not here yet.
Tsumugi	It’s fine since there’s still time before it starts, right?
	It looks like there’s escort cards, so let’s go ahead and grab ours first.
Tasuku	I guess so.
Tsumugi	Ah, there’s two Takatos here today, so don’t get them mixed up.
Tasuku	There’s no way I would, alright?
Woman	…
Tsumugi	…Hm? Isn’t that woman looking over here?
Tasuku	Is she?
Woman	…
Tsumugi	It seems like she’s looking at you, Tasuku…
	I’m kind of curious, so let’s call out to her.
Tasuku	Oi, Tsumugi…
Tsumugi	Excuse me, is something the matter…?
Woman	Ah! I’m sorry for staring. You’re Takato-kun, right?
	I saw the name on your escort card.
Tasuku	Yeah, that’s me…
Woman	Oh, you really are!
Tasuku	???
Woman	Ah, the truth is… my friend had a crush on you back when we were students.
Tasuku	Ha?
Tsumugi	Heh…
Woman	It brought back memories, so I couldn’t help myself.
	Even now, my friend still mentions you from time to time, Takato-kun.
Tsumugi	Really now?
	Fufu. You can’t underestimate Tasuku either, huh?
Tasuku	Even if you say that, I don’t recall this at all…
Woman	Her feelings were totally one-sided, so it’s understandable you didn’t notice.
	She only saw you once in a while, and I don’t think you two ever talked.
Tasuku	She only saw me once in a while?
Tsumugi	What do you mean?
	I think we were at the same school though…
Woman	She told me so many times how she could never forget the sight of Takato-kun running up to a child who had fallen down near the school and helping them up.
Tsumugi	…Hm?
	Hold on, could that actually be…
Fuyuki	Sorry, sorry. Were you two waiting?
	I’m late since I was helping out a troubled old lady on the way here.
Tasuku	It’s him for sure…
Fuyuki	Eh?
	What’s up? What’re you guys talking about?
Tasuku	It’s nothing.
Tsumugi	Ahaha… it would probably better if you went and fetched your escort card first, Fuyuki-kun.
Fuyuki	???

Tsumugi	…And that’s what happened.
Izumi	Ahaha. “Takato-kun”, her one-sided crush, wasn’t Tasuku-san but Fuyuki-san.
Azuma	Fufu. They mistook Tasuku.
Homare	I am certain that there were other ladies who were crushing on you, so turn that frown upside-down.
Tasuku	I’m not feeling down to begin with.
Hisoka	…How did that girl know Fuyuki?
Izumi	Good point! She never talked to Tasuku-san, her classmate. So it’s strange that she knew his brother and even went as far as falling in love him.
Tsumugi	Ahh, that’s…
Tasuku	My brother came to our school from time to time.
Izumi	Fuyuki-san did?
Tsumugi	He waited in front of our school occasionally to go home with us.
Guy	He went all the way to the school to pick up his little brother and his friend…
Hisoka	…I feel like I can almost imagine it.
Homare	Certainly. That sounds very like him, indeed.
Azuma	Fufu. So then that girl became aware of his existence and formed a crush.
Tasuku	Are you washing up, Director?
	I’ll lend a hand.
Izumi	Are you sure?
Tasuku	…If I’m over there, I’ll be pestered about that previous story.
Izumi	Ahaha, so you came to seek refuge, huh?
Tasuku	You can say that…
	Should I wipe this?
Izumi	Yep, thanks for the help!
	Anyways, they’re all totally buzzing about Fuyuki-san.
Tasuku	Well, aniki’s no stranger to them, after all.
Izumi	That’s true.
	He’s taken care of you guys in a lot of ways already.
CHOICE 1: You two are alike [+] Izumi You and Fuyuki-san really are alike in some ways. Tasuku You think? I mean, we’re brothers, so there would obviously be similarities… Izumi Of course there are lots of differences, but it’s something about your vibe or aura. I think that’s why everyone in Winter troupe were able to get along so quickly with Fuyuki-san. Tasuku Yeah, it didn’t take them long to warm up to each other. I never thought my brother and them would end up going drinking together. Izumi (Fufu. Tasuku-san looks kind of happy while saying that.)
CHOICE 2: He hasn’t changed from his school days, has he? [+] Izumi Fuyuki-san hasn’t changed from his school days, has he? Tasuku Yeah, he hasn’t changed much. Once, he delivered a lost child to the police station so he was late for school… And then he persuaded his teacher that his lateness was justified. Izumi Ahaha… if he says it with that firm gaze, then you’ll be convinced. Tasuku I used to tell him helping others was fine, but do it in moderation. But I don’t say that much anymore. Izumi Is that so? Tasuku …I would never say it to his face, but that sense of justice of his has saved me before too. Izumi Fufu, I see.
	Even so…
	Hearing stories about Fuyuki-san helping others in the past made me think how kind both of you really are all over again.
Tasuku	I understand my brother. But even me?
Izumi	Yeah, that’s right.
	You’re a kind person, aren’t you, Tasuku-san?
	Like just a few days ago. You went out of your way to pick me up with the car just because you were passing close by.
Tasuku	Ahh, that time…
	But I—.
	I wouldn’t be kind to just anyone like my brother though.
Izumi	…Tasuku-san?
Tasuku	No, it’s nothing.

Anna