Tasuku Takato/The Master Likes a Mystery

Actor That Gets Possessed by the Role

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Yuki	I’m coming in. Is the muscle daruma here?
Tasuku	I’ve told you to stop calling me that.
Yuki	Let’s do the fitting for your costume for your next performance. Try it on.
Tasuku	I’ve put it on. There’s no problem with the size.
Yuki	That’s good. I was wondering what to do if you couldn’t fit in the costume.
Izumi	Huh? Didn’t you take measurements before you made the costume?
Yuki	This bodybuilding idiot gets muscle easily so his measurements change.
Tasuku	I’m being cautious about that.
Homare	Oh but Tasuku-kun, if I remember correctly, were you not working out with Tenma-kun yesterday?
Hisoka	...They were. In the courtyard.
Tasuku	T-that’s...
Yuki	Geez. Trashy actor aside, the theater nerd is too crazy about working out.
Izumi	Now, now. But because he’s built, he’s perfect for the detective role.
Tsumugi	That’s true, there’s that too.
Azuma	A lanky detective wouldn’t look convincing after all.
Tasuku	......
Izumi	Tasuku-san? What’s wrong? You suddenly got quiet.
Tsumugi	Tasuku, could it be that...
Izumi	???
???	Gyaaaaaaa!
Tasuku	!?
Yuki	What was that scream just now?
Izumi	Let’s go have a look!
Izumi	What’s wrong!!?
Manager	U, uu…
Tsuzuru	......
Tsumugi	Manager!? Tsuzuru-kun is also lying on the ground!
Tasuku	Minagi! Get a hold of yourself—
	...He, doesn’t have a pulse...?
Izumi	What!?
Everyone	...!?
Tsuzuru	Yes I do...
Izumi	T-that scared me...
Yuki	Don’t scare us with irresponsible comments.
Azuma	What happened?
Tsuzuru	Er, I had a report that was overdue because I was so focused on scriptwriting. I finally finished that report around noon, but…
	Looks like I fell asleep afterwards.
Izumi	So, why was the Manager lying on the floor?
Manager	Ow ow ow... Well you see, I had something to hand over to Minagi-kun so I went to his room, but—
	I didn’t think there would be a person lying on the floor, so I tripped and fell...
Homare	In other words, that shriek from earlier had been the Manager when he tripped on Tsuzuru-kun and fell to the ground.
Hisoka	False alarm.
Yuki	The psycho sleeper shouldn’t be saying that.
Izumi	But I thought something serious happened, so that’s a relief. Tsuzuru-kun, make sure not to sleep on the floor.
Tsuzuru	Sorry... I’ll be careful.
	But still, I was surprised too. When I woke up there was a person who looked like a detective.
	He’s wearing his costume, so for a second there I didn’t know who he was.
Tasuku	“I’m Nakatsu Keiji, the one in charge.”
Azuma	...Huh?
Izumi	...Tasuku-san?
Tasuku	...!
	S-sorry. I just got into the role…
Tsumugi	Ahaha, I thought so. You never change, Tasuku.
Homare	What do you mean?
Tsumugi	When Tasuku wears the costume, he gets into the role more intensely than normal. He’s been like that since way back.
Izumi	I see. That’s so like Tasuku-san, for some reason.
Tasuku	It may be typical of an actor, but I have to be careful...

Izumi	You just get so hungry after practice.
Tsumugi	That’s right. I wonder what the menu is for today.
Izumi	...Huh? There’s a red stain on the table.
Tasuku	*gasp*! A bloodstain…!?
Izumi	No way!?
Omi	Oh, sorry, that’s ketchup. I spilled some earlier.
Tasuku	I-I see. I’ll wipe it off.
Omi	Thank you very much.
Tasuku	*sigh*...
	...Hm? There’s something written on the mirror... “It has three sides. What is it?”
	This is... Could it be a dying message...?
Tsumugi	Erm, I think that’s just a scribble... And one of Misumi-kun’s riddles, at that.
Manager	Oh, Yukishiro-san, there’s a package for you. But it doesn’t say who it’s from...
Tasuku	It doesn’t say who it’s from? Is it a bomb...!?
Manager	Ehh!?
Azuma	Ah, it must be a colouring book. This sender often forgets to write their address down.
Tasuku	I-I see...
Tsumugi	Tasuku has been like that since the other day...
Izumi	It’s somehow different from the usual Tasuku-san, so it’s a little fresh.
Homare	It’s as if he is Nakatsu Keiji.
Hisoka	He’s too into the role.
Azuma	Hehe, isn’t it cute?
Tasuku	Sorry...
Izumi	Okay, shopping is done, so time to return to the dorm... Huh? Tasuku-san?
Tasuku	Oh, Director.
Izumi	Did you go somewhere?
Tasuku	Maybe it’s because I’m excited since we haven’t performed in a while, but I can’t get out of character... and it’s causing trouble for the people around me.
	I wanted to vent out this acting craze, so I caught Tsumugi before work and we did some street acts together.
Izumi	I see.
Tasuku	Sorry for causing you trouble too, Director.
Izumi	Don’t be sorry. I think it’s fine and very like Tasuku-san.
Tasuku	Thanks, Director.
???	I-it’s gone! A-are you serious!?
Izumi	???
Youth	No way, it was just here a few moments ago!
Passerby A	Did something happen to that person?
Passerby B	Did he lose something?
Izumi	Excuse me, is something wrong?
Youth	I was doing street acts up until earlier! And then the audience tossed me some coins...
	But the coins were gone the moment I took my eyes off them!
Passerby A	Uwah, so someone stole them?
Passerby C	That’s horrible...
Tasuku	It happens sometimes when you’re doing street acts...
Youth	I-I’ve always wanted to be in Veludo Way, and I just got here from the countryside!
	And yet, something like this suddenly happened…
Tasuku	......
Izumi	How horrible… For someone to trample on his efforts after he worked so hard and came all this way to act…
Passerby B	Cheer up, buddy.
Youth	Uuu...
Tasuku	...Hey. You over there.
Passerby D	...!
Tasuku	You’re the culprit, aren’t you.
Izumi	Ehh!?
Tasuku	Culprits tend to return to the scene of the crime, and you’ve been acting suspiciously for a while.
Passerby D	Wha...!?
Izumi	(W-what do I do!? Tasuku-san is stuck in character again...!)
	I’m sorry, he’s acting out a role for our next performance—
Passerby D	Damn it...! I just- I just really wanted the money, okay!
Izumi	Huh!? He really is the culprit!?
Passerby A	Wow! Amazing work!
Passerby C	Hey you, return the money you stole!
Izumi	He actually solved the case…
Youth	Thank you very much! I don’t know how to express my gratitude...! Um, what is your name?
Tasuku	“I’m Nakatsu Keiji.”
Izumi	Tasuku-san, you’re in character again...!
Tasuku	*gasp*...!
Youth	Ohh, so you’re a detective (keiji)! Thank you for your hard work even though it’s your day off!
Tasuku	...Keiji is, my name...

Notes

maria