Tsumugi Tsukioka/Dappled Sunlight Smile

Tsumugi-sensei’s Day Off

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Tsumugi	Heave-ho… There we go.
Izumi	Are you tending to the flowerbed, Tsumugi-san?
Tsumugi	Oh, Director.
	I am. I don’t really have any schedule for today, so I thought I’d replace some plants for the time being.
Izumi	Actually, I don’t often see you wearing overalls that much.
Tsumugi	Ahaha, I suppose not.
	The work today will involve me getting down and dirty with the soil a lot, and so I figured I’d change my clothes for the time being.
Izumi	So that’s the case.
	Oh, why don’t I give you a helping hand as well? I’m actually pretty free right now.
Tsumugi	Is it alright then? Please and thank you.
Izumi	Soooo… I can just dig a hole around here, right?
Tsumugi	Oh, it’s alright, let me be in charge of that.
Izumi	Huh?
Tsumugi	You’ll get your clothes dirty if you squat down to dig… How about you help me take out the flowers from their pots instead, Director?
Izumi	In that case… Sure thing. Thanks for worrying about me.
Tsumugi	…Hmm.
	This flower is going to bloom pretty soon, and this one will follow a little after that, so maybe we should move these for a bit…
Izumi	Hehe.
Tsumugi	…? Is something the matter?
Izumi	I was thinking about how serious you looked while in thought just now.
Tsumugi	Ah, so sorry. I was just thinking about the arrangement for this that I got deep into thought.
Izumi	Don’t be sorry! It’s just, the way you care for the flowers and plant them according to each season—
	I’m certain that all of us, me included, could really feel the seasons roll around when we look at the flowerbeds thanks to you. I’m always grateful for that.
Tsumugi	…If that’s the kind of feeling you get from them, then I’m also flattered.
Izumi	If Tsumugi-san weren’t here, I doubt the flowerbeds would be as well cared for as they are now.
	In that sense, it makes me glad that you’re here with us now.
Tsumugi	Fufu. In that case, I’ll keep on looking after the harmony of this courtyard.
Izumi	Please do!
Tsumugi	But… In actuality, I’m the one who should be expressing my gratitude instead.
	Even raising all these flowers together with everyone is so much fun—
	Since joining the company, there have also been more frequent opportunities to send and receive flowers as well.
	I really feel like I’ve come to love this kind of daily life here.
Izumi	That really sounds like something you’d say.
Tsumugi	Ah… All this gushing talk has gotten me a bit embarrassed now.
Izumi	Don’t worry about it! Personally, with you around, I’ve been having lots of fun getting all these chances to handle flowers.
Tsumugi	That’s good then.
CHOICE 1: There are so many kinds of flowers. [+] Izumi Flowers really come in all kinds and colors, it’s nice to see. Tsumugi That’s true. The flowers in these flowerbeds and the ones that the florist sells are only just a portion of the flower kingdom. There are just so many of them. That’s why I’m always interested to see even more kinds of flowers. Izumi Let’s do just that then! I also want to see all sorts of flowers, so let’s find out more! Tsumugi Really? That makes me happy to hear that. In that case, let’s go visit places where there are lots of flowers next time— like the botanical garden or a really large park. I’ll invite you then. Izumi I’m looking forward to it!
CHOICE 2: Even Tsumugi-san is like a flower. [+] Izumi It’s obvious enough that Tsumugi-san’s image is that of someone who really likes flowers, but somehow, even Tsumugi-san himself is quite like a flower, huh. Tsumugi Eh? Izumi You could just silently stay by someone’s side, but even that is enough to ease someone’s heart. I think the feeling is similar to flowers, too. Tsumugi It’s a bit embarrassing to be told that but… Thank you for that. But in that case, wouldn’t the others be similar to different flowers as well? Izumi That’s true. It’s interesting to think about! Tsumugi We could analyze that more next time.
Tsumugi	…Ah, that flower should be the last of the workload. Thank you for helping me out, Director.
Izumi	It’s no problem at all. Let me know anytime if you need another pair of hands to help you out.
Tsumugi	Alright. Now that the tidying up is done, I should probably go wash the overalls.
Kumon	Ah, there he is!
	Tsumugi-sensei, help me~!
Tsumugi	Kumon-kun?

Kumon	I was just thinking about looking for you, what timing.
Tsumugi	Is that so? …Ah, let me guess, does it have something to do with your studies?
Kumon	Exactly that! I’ve been doing my homework, but somehow I still can’t really understand this one problem…
	Is now a good time?
Tsumugi	Now’s just fine. Which part are you confused about?
Kumon	Uhm, you see…
Tsumugi	…And that’s how we would end up with this answer.
Kumon	I see, I finally get it now! Thanks!!
Tsumugi	No problem at all.
Kumon	To think I can understand something like this so fast. It’s a good thing I thought to immediately go looking for you.
Tsumugi	Feel free to come to me anytime.
Taichi	Ah, Tsumugi-sensei~! So you were here!
Tsumugi	What’s the matter, Taichi-kun?
Kumon	Ah, could it be, Taichi-san’s also….
Taichi	Tsumugi-san, please! If you have the time, can you help me study for a bit?
Kumon	Thought so!
Taichi	Auu… The assignments in college are so hard that I don’t think I can get through them all by myself…
Tsumugi	Ahaha, that’s alright. I’ll lend a hand if you want.
Taichi	Thanks so much!
Kumon	Oh, in that case, let’s study together, Taichi-san! I might just continue my homework here, too!
Taichi	Continue your homework?
	Wait, so Tsumugi-san, have you been teaching Kyu-chan before I showed up?
Tsumugi	I was. I saw through a few of his assignments.
Kumon	He just finished teaching me stuff!
Taichi	For real?! I was rushing to talk about my own problems I didn’t even realize…
	You sure it won’t be too much to follow up with me and my assignments after that?
Tsumugi	It’s really alright. I’ve got no plans for today, so I’m free to take my time giving you guys any pointers.
Taichi	Really? Thanks in advance!
Taichi	It’s all done~! I made it!
Kumon	Mine too! Getting Tsumugi-san to teach me all these supplements I couldn’t understand really helped me out lots~!
Tsumugi	I’m glad to see you both managed to finish it all without worries.
Taichi	All thanks to you, Tsumugi-sensei! Thank you so much!
	‘Bout time for me to head back to my room now!
Kumon	Same here! Thanks so much again!
Tsumugi	You’re welcome.
	(... Now then, to wash up the overalls. I nearly forgot about it while I was absorbed in tutoring.)
	[LIME notification sound]
Tsumugi	Huh, who could that be?
Itaru Chigasaki at Guy’s bar rn. why don’t you join us Tsumugi
Itaru Chigasaki Tasuku’s here too btw
Tsumugi	Fufu, I guess I might as well.

Guy	Welcome. Ah, it’s you, Tsukioka.
Tsumugi	Good evening, Guy-san.
Itaru	Ohh, there he is.
Tasuku	Good work today.
Tsumugi	You as well. You said you were dropping by your family home today, right, Tasuku?
Tasuku	Yeah. Had my errands all done so I came here, then it so happened that Chigasaki was nearby as well, and now here we are.
Itaru	Just bumping into Tasuku was enough of an event flag, since it was just by chance, so I figured it’d be a waste to not make use of this before going home.
Tsumugi	Is that how it is…
Tasuku	Calling it an event flag is kinda…
Tsumugi	Either way, it’s not so bad right? Speaking of, where did you head off to today, Itaru-kun?
Itaru	There’s this anime that I’m into that got a movie adaptation, so I went to see it in the theatre.
Tasuku	An anime, huh… Was it interesting?
Itaru	Well, can’t say yet. I’m gonna have to rewatch it ten more times to really give my opinion.
Tsumugi	T-Ten more times?!
Itaru	The scriptwriting and the cinematography are pretty high-quality. Plus the story is the kind that delves into a lot of complex foreshadowing, so you can totally watch it over and over again while contemplating the plot.
Tasuku	If that’s the kind of work it is, then watching it multiple times to gain an understanding of it does sound interesting.
Itaru	Oh, so it’s piqued your interest too, Tasuku? By all means then. They even give out some special offers that you can get after you watch it.
Tsumugi	They even give special offer items then, huh.
Itaru	It’s probably related to the franchise. Seems like they change the variety week by week.
Tasuku	If you can use your feet to walk to the theatres multiple times for something so trivial, then I wish you could put that footwork for other uses too.
Itaru	Saw right through me.
Tsumugi	Pfft, ahahaha! But isn’t it a nice feeling to have something you’re obsessed with?
Itaru	You get it, Tsumugi. I knew you would.
Tasuku	Speaking of, you said you’d be working on the flowerbeds and make use of those overalls while you were at it. Did you manage to finish all that?
Tsumugi	I got it all done sooner than expected thanks to Director’s help.
	I’ve replanted a bunch of the flowers, so it may take a while, but I think they should bloom a bit differently from the other flowers we had before.
Itaru	Does that mean you went full "Garden Boss" mode all day today?
Tsumugi	Not really. Soon after that, Kumon-kun and Taichi-kun came to me and asked me to help them with some of their assignments.
Itaru	Ah, the ever-steady Tsumugi-sensei.
Tasuku	So you tended to the garden, then tutored some of the students in the troupe… That certainly sounds like how you would spend your free day for.
Tsumugi	It may not be any different from the usual, but you’re right. Still, today was a lot of fun.
Itaru	…Tsumugi sure is well-favored, huh.
Tsumugi	Eh?
Tasuku	That’s true, it feels like you’re always being dragged along to others’ whims.
Tsumugi	You think so? If it’s about the students, then it does feel like they would call out to me to help them with their studies pretty often…
Itaru	Besides that. I mean, even when it’s not related to studying, you came here because I asked you to, right?
Tasuku	Exactly that. It means you have a lot of people relying on you, and a lot of people that feel close to you.
Tsumugi	I… guess I see what you mean? Hehe, well, the thought of that does make me happy, though.
Itaru	In any case, how about a toast— to Tsumugi-sensei’s busybody day.
Tasuku	Second that. Good work again, Tsumugi.
Tsumugi	Thank you, both of you.
Itaru	Alright, then. Cheers.
Tasuku	Cheers.
Tsumugi	Cheers! …Fuu, the alcohol today tastes great as well.

Dita