Tasuku Takato/Writing is a Path of Suffering

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Tsumugi	Tasuku? Where are you going with the script?
Tasuku	Minagi’s place.
	My role this time is a novelist in slump, I want to hear a bit more about it for my role study.
Tsumugi	I see. People like Tsuzuru-kun and Homare-san would understand the feeling of being in a slump when writing.
Tasuku	Yeah.
	Then, I’ll be going.
	*Shifts to Lounge*
	Minagi, so you’re here.
Tsuzuru	Eh?
Izumi	Ah, Tasuku-san. What’s happening?
Tasuku	I come to listen to some slump story for my role study.
Tsuzuru	Oh, so that’s what it is.
	If you’re fine with my own experience, I don’t mind sharing it with you.
Izumi	Tsuzuru-kun, do you mind if I listen in too?
Homare	Is it alright for me to listen too?
	I’m quite interested to hear what it’s like to be in a slump for someone other than me.
Tsuzuru	Well, it’s fine.
	In my case, when I start wondering how I should write a certain part, I keep thinking that it’s not right and I’ll end up writing and erasing them a lot of times.
	At that time, the moment when I can say “This is it.” will never come to me.
Tasuku	It’s different from Arisugawa huh.
	As I thought, different people have different feelings when they’re in a slump.
Homare	A lot of times, I felt like they’re in my throat, but nothing will come out.
Izumi	Then, it might be different in Tasuku-san’s case too.
Tasuku	Yeah, you’re right.
Homare	If you want to know how it feels to be in a slump, why not Tasuku-kun try to write a novel yourself?
Tasuku	Me? I’ve never written a novel before.
Izumi	If you’ve never done it, I think it’s all the more reason so you can understand the pain of creating a work.
Tsuzuru	I agree.
	I think it’s the best idea to experience it yourself for this kind of thing.
Tasuku	…Understood. I’ll try it out.
	But, what should I write in a novel?
Tsuzuru	I think anything’s fine, but at the beginning, why not try to write something based on your own experience?
Izumi	For example, a romance novel maybe, or other real life experience.
Tasuku	Real life experience…
	I don’t think I can write so long for that.
Homare	Hmm, if that’s the case why not try to write collection of short stories?
Tsuzuru	Ah, yeah, it’s easy to write short stories.
Tasuku	I see, short stories huh.
Izumi	If it’s short stories, I think it’s a good idea to write it based on recent happenings.
Tasuku	If that’s the case, I think I can write it.
	I’ll try it out for now.
Homare	Feel free to consult me if you’re lost at anything.
Tsuzuru	Me too, you can find me if you need to.
Izumi	If it’s just writing your own thoughts, I think I can help too…!
	Tasuku-san, good luck.
Tasuku	Yeah.

Tasuku	“Today’s weather is good, the sun’s shining comfortably this morning. This kind of day is good for running.”
	Like this…? It’s kinda hard.
Tsumugi	Morning. Tasuku, it’s still pretty early, what are you doing?
Tasuku	It’s my role study as a novelist.
Tsumugi	Role study huh, are you perhaps writing a novel?
Tasuku	Yeah. It’s actually just short stories though.
Tsumugi	Eh, really!?
Tasuku	Writer’s slump seems to be different between people.
	That’s why I thought I should experience it myself.
Tsumugi	But, Tasuku, you’re not good at this kind of thing right?
Tasuku	… Well, I’ve never written a novel before.
	But I can’t just say that for my role study.
Tsumugi	You’ll do even things that you’re not good at for the sake of your role study, that sounds like Tasuku all right.
Tasuku	Back at you.
	Tsumugi:
	Ahaha, that’s true.
	*Shifts to Lesson Room*
Izumi	That’s all for today’s practice.
	Good work everyone.
Tasuku	…
Homare	Tasuku-kun, did you just come up with something?
Tasuku	Yeah. I’m writing it down in a memo so I won’t forget.
Homare	Yeah, that’s a good idea.
Izumi	How far have you written your novel today?
Tasuku	6 pages.
Tsumugi	You’ve already written that much.
Hisoka	Is it a role study?
Tasuku	Kind of.
Guy	So you’re writing for your role study.
Azuma	Hee, that’s amazing. I want to read Tasuku’s novel.
Homare	Hmm. Then, when you’re done with a book, why don’t we read it together with everyone?
Tasuku	No, it’s a novel written by a beginner with no proper knowledge you know?
	It’s not going to be interesting.
Homare	What are you saying. Isn’t this Tasuku-kun’s debut work!
	Your novel will be happy too to be read by so many people!
CHOICE 1: "I want to read Tasuku-san’s novel too!" [+] Izumi Me too, I also want to read Tasuku-san’s novel! Tasuku Director too huh… Izumi Don’t you think that getting feedback from everyone will be a good role study too? Tasuku … You’re right, that sounds reasonable.
CHOICE 2: "Everyone’s a beginner at first!" [+] Izumi Everyone’s a beginner at first! Tasuku Regardless, I’m still too much of a beginner. Izumi I don’t think Tasuku-san will be a complete beginner, after all, you’re always in contact with different scripts for different performances. Tasuku Reading and writing one has a big difference.
Guy	I’m also interested in the kind of novel that Takato will write.
Tsumugi	You’re right, I’m curious too.
	Tasuku, how is it?
	There’s still some time, it’s fine not to decide now.
Tasuku	Yeah, you’re right.
	I’ll think about it again when I’m done writing.
	I’ve finally finished the novel I’ve been writing since last week.
	There you go.
Izumi	Eh, so it’s alright to read it?
Tasuku	Yeah, I want everyone to read it.
Homare	Then, I won’t hold back.
	“Today’s weather is good, the sun’s shining comfortably this morning. This kind of day is good for running.
	After I’m done with today’s routine, I went back to the dorm to drink some water.”
Tsumugi	So, it’s a story picturing Tasuku’s daily life.
	It kind of feels like a diary though.
Azuma	I think you write pretty well for a beginner.
Homare	Yeah.
Hisoka	Arisu, next.
Homare	“For me, I’m going to do some training to strengthen my upper body. It starts with 100 push-ups, followed by 100 dumbbell press.
	After a suitable interval, back to 100 push-ups, 100 dumbbell press, and 100 sit-ups.”
Izumi	(…Eh?
	It seems that the mood of the novel has changed…)
Homare	“For Tsumugi and Arisugawa, in order to strengthen their lower body, they should start with 10 squats. It might be a good idea to do some drill with balance ball too.
	For Azuma-san, I think it’s good to strengthen the core a bit more.
	Things like plank, side bridge, and back bridge can be added to the menu.
	For Guy-san and Mikage…”
	… What is this?
Tsumugi	… Training menu huh.
Tasuku	Yeah. During daily practice, I wrote some muscle training menu that I think is not enough.
Homare	How is this a novel!?
Tasuku	From tomorrow onwards, we should add this menu in our practice.
Hisoka	No way, I’m not doing it.
Tasuku	Oi.
Guy	You wrote some acting memo too.
Azuma	Fufu, the content really screams Tasuku.
Tasuku	It’s based on recent happenings after all.
	I wrote down things that I observed on different days.
Izumi	(Eh? There’s 1 more page there)
	“Today’s curry with coriander is delicious.
	It was a good idea to put a lot of beans as the ingredients.”
	Is this your impression about the new curry I made yesterday!?
Tasuku	Yeah. It was delicious, so I wrote it down in my memo.
Izumi	Woah, you even have a specific impression, that’ll be helpful!
	I’m so happy, everyone’s been saying it’s delicious recently.
	Tasuku-san, thank you so much!
Tasuku	It’s useful for my role so that’s good.
	… Writing a novel might not be so bad after all.
	Maybe I’ll continue.
Tsumugi	Eh!? Is, isn’t it enough?
Homare	More than that, don’t just keep trying to build our muscles…

Chiaki