Tasuku Takato/MANKAI Playback

The Star of Extracurricular Activities?

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

	*party poppers pop*
Izumi	Tasuku-san, happy—.
Troupe members	Birthday!
Tasuku	Yeah, thanks.
Azuma	That’s pretty honest of you, Tasuku.
Tasuku	Well, you’ve all prepared this much for me, so it wouldn’t make me feel uncomfortable at least.
Homare	Oh my, oh my, Tasuku-kun has mellowed out these past several years, has he not!
Tasuku	Be quiet.
Tsumugi	Speaking of preparations, we were very particular about the dishes we made for Tasuku this year as well.
Izumi	Yep, we put lots of effort into them this time too!
Hisoka	It’s a muscle menu for Tasuku.
Guy	I tried to collect data on ingredients that are said to be good for building muscle.
Azuma	Right, we did a lot of research again together.
Tsumugi	Some unexpected ingredients are good for your muscles…
	It was pretty informative.
Tasuku	You guys really did your research, huh?
Izumi	What’s more, the cake this year has more protein in it than last year’s!
Homare	It’s an exclusive menu just for Tasuku-kun!
Azuma	Yuki would probably be angry if he knew you were eating this.
Tasuku	…Please don’t tell Rurikawa.
Tsumugi	Well, well, today’s your birthday so even Yuki-chan would let it slide.
Tasuku	…Alright. It’s about time so I guess I’ll head out.
Izumi	Are you going somewhere, Tasuku-san?
Tasuku	Yeah. It looks like Minagi and them want to hold a BD futsal match again for me.
Izumi	That’s great!
	They said it’ll be sunny all day today.
Tasuku	Does Director want to come watch too?
Izumi	Is it ok?
Tasuku	Yeah. But… we’re missing just one more player.
Izumi	I see…
	As expected, there’s no way I can join in—.
	*ding dong*
	Do we have a guest?
Fuyuki	Long time no see, Director-san.
Izumi	It’s been a while!
Tasuku	Aniki? Why are you here?
Fuyuki	Happy birthday, Tasuku!
	Hey, here, I brought a present for you from our parents’ house.
Tasuku	Thanks, sorry you went out of your way.
Fuyuki	Oh, and while I’m coming here to hand this over, I was wondering if I could borrow your bike? You know, that really flashy, black and yellow one…
Izumi	Could you mean… Queen Bee?
Tasuku	…Are you serious?
Fuyuki	Eh? Is it no good?
	I really like that design though.
Tasuku	…*Sigh*. I got it…
Fuyuki	Thanks! I owe you one!
Tasuku	…
Izumi	Tasuku-san?
Tasuku	In exchange—.
Fuyuki	Huh?
Tasuku	Come out to play in our futsal game too, Aniki.

Tasuku	Hmph!
Tsuzuru	Oops!
Omi	Azami, over there!
Azami	You’re not getting away!
Fuyuki	Tasuku, over here!
Tasuku	Aniki, I’m counting on you!
	*kicks*
Izumi	His brother can play soccer too, huh?
Hisoka	…Genetics?
Azuma	Fufu, they’re brothers after all.
	*whistle blows*
Izumi	Tasuku-san, good job out there.
	Here’s a towel if you’d like.
Tasuku	Yeah, thanks for that.
Fuyuki	Tasuku, you’re great at soccer as usual, huh?
Tsumugi	Didn’t you get invited a lot by the soccer club back in high school?
Tasuku	Come to think of it, things like that happened too, huh?
Izumi	High school? Were you a member of their club?
Tasuku	No, there were just a number of times I filled in as backup when there weren’t enough players, or they had open spots.
Fuyuki	What’s more, the tournament that Tasuku was a helper in was a sweeping victory.
	Right, Tsumu?
Tsumugi	Right. I went to watch the games often with Fuyuki-kun.
Izumi	That’s amazing!
Guy	Yes, that is a big deal.
Tsumugi	Because of that, he was enthusiastically asked by the soccer team to join them personally.
Izumi	Tasuku-san, you were that strong at soccer, huh…
Tsumugi	But Tasuku rejected them all.
CHOICE 1: Why did you reject them? [+] Izumi Why did you reject them? Even though it seems with Tasuku-san’s physical strength, he could’ve been a member too. Homare Umu. Tasuku must have appeared as a muscle maniac with that face. Tasuku Oi, a “muscle maniac” is uncalled-for.
CHOICE 2: It seems like he’d be recruited by other clubs too. [+] Izumi Tasuku-san looks like he’d be recruited by clubs other than the soccer club too, right? Since sports seem to be his strong suit. Hisoka He was playing tennis at our training camp. Tasuku I was asked to help out before, but soccer was the only thing I actually played. Tsumugi Basically, the drama club was your priority, right?
Tasuku	Well, soccer was fun too…
	But it’s because I liked to act with Tsumugi and them.
Tsumugi	Tasuku…
Hisoka	…Tasuku’s a theatre maniac after all.
Guy	That impression has never changed.
Homare	Umu, that is indeed what makes him Tasuku-kun!
Azuma	Tasuku who’s not a theatre manic just isn’t Tasuku, right?
Izumi	Speaking of which, I just remembered that Tasuku-san said once before that he never wanted to become a soccer player.
	I kind of feel like I understand the reason now.
Tasuku	…Huh?
	I’ve told you something like that before?
Izumi	…I-I heard it from Tsumugi-san last year.
Tasuku	…*Sigh*.
Izumi	There was also one time you said if not an actor, then you’d want to become a “mecha doctor” too.
Tasuku	…Oi, Tsumugi.
Tsumugi	Ahaha, isn’t it fine?
	I mean, it’s the truth.
Tasuku	…Well, acting is the one thing that will never change.
	As long as I’m thinking that, from now on as well, I want to create the best stages with my teammates here.
Fuyuki	Haha, whether it be now or in the past, Tasuku’s an unchanging theatre maniac after all.
Tsumugi	Fufu, we're full of people like that here.
Izumi	I'm depending on you, Tasuku-san!

Anna