Tsumugi Tsukioka/MANKAI Birthday

The Hospitality of the Tsukioka Family!

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Izumi	I’m glad everyone in the Winter Troupe was able to celebrate your birthday with a party!
Tsumugi	Yes. It was a little embarrassing, but it still makes me happy that they celebrated it.
	It was also interesting how everyone’s personalities showed in the presents they gave me.
Izumi	Didn’t Azuma-san give you a bouquet?
Tsumugi	He did. It was a beautiful bouquet of flowers that bloom in the wintertime.
Izumi	Fufu. Azuma-san has wonderful taste; it’s so like him to give a bouquet that makes you feel the season!
Tsumugi	Yes. It was so beautiful that I ended up thinking about how I have to make the children in the garden bloom beautifully as well...
	I apologize for making you come with me to the flower shop.
Izumi	No no, I didn’t have any plans this afternoon so it’s fine! Have you decided on what you wanted to take a look at?
Tsumugi	Yes. Apparently this winter is only going to get even colder, so I want to provide some kind of countermeasure against that for the flowers.
	But then I thought, it’s still the theater troupe’s flower bed, and I’m making all the decisions on my own...
Izumi	Fufu, and that’s why you approached me.
Tsumugi	Yes. I’d be happy if you can tell me your opinions.
	*phone rings*
	Ah, sorry. ...Oh? It’s from grandma.
	Can I answer it?
Izumi	Of course. Please don’t mind me!
Tsumugi	Thank you. Excuse me for a moment.
	...Hello?
Tsumugi’s Grandmother	“Hello, Tsumu-chan?”
Tsumugi	I’ve told you to stop calling me that...
Tsumugi’s Grandmother	“Sorry, I just tend to out of habit.”
Tsumugi	So, you called so suddenly. Did something happen?
Tsumugi’s Grandmother	“No. Today’s your birthday, so I was just wondering if you’re well.”
Tsumugi	Ahaha, I’m doing fine. Don’t worry.
Tsumugi’s Grandmother	“That’s good to hear. But Zabi-chan is also wanting to see you, so you can come over right now if you like?”
Tsumugi	Wha, right now?
Tsumugi’s Grandmother	“Why not? It’s your birthday after all. Let me and Zabi celebrate it as well.”
	“Now then, I’ll prepare some teacakes. I’ll be waiting.”
Tsumugi	U-umm... Grandma!
	...Erm, what do I do...
Izumi	Um, Tsumugi-san. Please go to your grandmother’s place and let her see you.
Tsumugi	Huh? But I promised to go to the flower shop together with you...
Izumi	You can go with me anytime, so it’s fine.
Tsumugi	That may be so, but...
	...Ah, that’s right.
Izumi	...?
Tsumugi	Director, if you’d like, can you come with me?
Izumi	Oh, no, it would be a bother if I suddenly impose, so please don’t mind me.
Tsumugi	It’ll be all right. I’m sure grandma and Zabi will be happy.
	I’ll take you there. It’s this way.
Izumi	T-Tsumugi-san!? Please wait...!
Tsumugi	This is my family home.
Izumi	(I ended up being taken to his house after all...)

Tsumugi’s Grandmother	I’m glad you came, Tsumugi. Welcome back.
Tsumugi	Yeah, I’m home.
Izumi	(Tsumugi-san’s grandmother looks a little like him. She’s calm and kind.)
Tsumugi’s Grandmother	...Oh? Could this be your girlfriend?
Izumi	What!?
Tsumugi	S-she’s not! She’s the Director of the theater troupe I’m in!
Izumi	It’s nice to meet you. I’m Tachibana, the chairman and general director of Mankai Company.
Tsumugi’s Grandmother	Oh my, is that so? That’s very kind of you. Thank you for always taking care of Tsumugi.
Izumi	Oh, no, Tsumugi-san is always helping me out as well.
Zabi	Woof woof!
Tsumugi	Zabi! It’s been a while!
Izumi	Wah, how cute! So this is Zabi.
Tsumugi	Yes. He’s already a grandpa, but I’m glad he looks well.
	Come on Zabi, why don’t you say hi to the Director?
Zabi	Woof!
Izumi	Ahaha, nice to meet you.
Tsumugi’s Grandmother	Fufu. We’re standing here talking, so why don’t you come in?
Tsumugi	Thanks, grandma. Go ahead, Director.
Izumi	Yes, thank you for having me.
Izumi	(This room is very like Tsumugi-san... It’s really clean and organized.)
	...Oh? Are these yearbooks on this shelf?
Tsumugi	Yes, from high school.
Izumi	Wah, can I take a peek?
Tsumugi	Sure. I don’t think they’re all that interesting though.
Izumi	Not at all; I can’t imagine what you were like in high school, so I’m excited to look at it.
	...Wah, you were so young after all! So you wore gakuran in high school.
Tsumugi	Tasuku wore it too.
Izumi	Ah, is this Tasuku-san next to you here? He was already so tall back then.
Tsumugi	He’ll get mad at me if you tell him I showed these to you, so please keep it a secret.
Izumi	Ahaha, got it.
Izumi	It’s really refreshing to see what you and Tasuku-san were like when you were in high school. Looking through this is fun.
	Um, is it okay if I can see the other albums?
Tsumugi	Yes, go ahead.
Izumi	Thank you so much! ...Oh?
	(That pile right next to the shelf of albums must be scripts. There’s even some old-looking ones left...)
	These are scripts... aren’t they? There’s quite a lot...
Tsumugi	Ahaha. You’re right. For some reason I just can’t throw them away...
Izumi	Wow! There’s lots of notes left too...! How do I put this – this script is very like Tsumugi-san.
Tsumugi	By the way, that one you’re holding right now is the script for Tasuku and I’s first performance, the one we did at the school arts festival.
Izumi	Wha, really?
Tsumugi	Yes. So that script holds a lot of memories for me.
Izumi	I see.
Zabi	Woof woof!
Izumi	Oh, Zabi?
Tsumugi	I wonder if grandma is calling for us. Whenever the food is ready, he comes up to my room like this to call for me.
Izumi	Really? He’s so smart!
Tsumugi	I’ll give you some treats later.
Zabi	Woof!
Tsumugi	——Wah!
Zabi	Woof woof!
Tsumugi	Come on, Zabi, don’t lick me so much. I told you I’d give you treats later!
Izumi	Ahaha, Zabi really loves you.
Tsumugi	He just wants treats.
Tsumugi’s Grandmother	Tsumugi–? The tea is ready so come on down.
Tsumugi	Ah, sorry grandma! We’re coming!
	Let’s go, Director.
Izumi	Yes! We also have to give Zabi some treats after all, right?
Zabi	Woof!

Tsumugi	Well then, grandma. We’ll be going now.
Tsumugi’s Grandmother	Ah, wait a moment. Take this with you.
Tsumugi	This is...?
Tsumugi’s Grandmother	Your favourite tamagoyaki.
Tsumugi	Thanks, grandma!
Tsumugi’s Grandmother	Tell Taa-chan to drop by once in a while too.
Tsumugi	Ahaha, got it.
Izumi	Um, I’m sorry for suddenly imposing today.
Tsumugi’s Grandmother	Oh, it’s fine. Come by again anytime. ...Please take care of Tsumugi.
Izumi	Yes!
Izumi	Your grandmother is wonderful.
CHOICE 1: She’s like you. [+] Izumi Your grandmother is kind like you. Tsumugi Is that so? It’s embarrassing, but I’m happy you think so.
CHOICE 2: Zabi was also so cute. [+] Izumi Zabi was so friendly and cute. You have a wonderful family. Tsumugi Thank you very much. They’re my family that I take pride in.
Izumi	(Fufu, he really loves them.)
Tsumugi	...Ah.
Izumi	Is something wrong? Did you forget something?
Tsumugi	No; I was just surprised that snack shop is still there, so I reacted without thinking.
Izumi	A snack shop, huh... Sure brings back memories. I often bought from them when I was little.
Tsumugi	Me too. We’re already here, so why don’t we stop by for a bit?
Izumi	Sounds good!
Izumi	Ah, Curry Snack-kun! I always bought this when I was a kid!
Tsumugi	Ahaha, it was the curry-flavoured snacks that you liked after all.
Izumi	Do you have any particular memories with snack shops, Tsumugi-san?
Tsumugi	When I was a kid, I bought a snack that could win you another one to test my luck.
	I won another one from it, but... When I got that, I won another one again.
Izumi	What!?
Tsumugi	And then after that, I just kept constantly winning more snacks.
Izumi	So that kind of thing does happen...
Tsumugi	...But thanks to that, I got banned from that snack shop. How nostalgic.
Izumi	I’d never heard of being banned from a snack shop before...
Tsumugi	Ahaha, it’s just a trivial memory.
	I wonder if the rest of the company has some memories with snack shops too.
Izumi	Hmm... The kids in Summer Troupe are all young, so even if they see these cheap snacks they probably won’t get it.
Tsumugi	Ahh, that’s true. If it’s the Winter Troupe then everyone might be able to understand though...
Izumi	...I can’t imagine Azuma-san and Homare-san getting hyped up over cheap snacks.
Tsumugi	Ahaha, you’re right. But you’ll never know unless you ask.
	We’re already here, so why don’t we take some home? I want to thank everyone for celebrating my birthday anyway.
Izumi	Sounds good! Let’s buy some before heading home!
Homare	“Norinori Senbei~ Taro”, “Furufuru Forest”... These are some truly interesting snacks.
Hisoka	...There’s no marshmallows.
Azuma	All of these bring back memories. I loved “Mini Pudding” so I often bought it.
Izumi	That’s one of the more expensive ones even among cheap snacks.
Homare	Ohh, how much does it cost?
Tasuku	I think it was around 20 yen?
Hisoka	Cheap.
Homare	Well, prices are higher now compared to the past.
Azuma	It wasn’t that long ago though...
Tasuku	For Tsumugi, isn’t it this one? “Lucky Choco Bar.”
Azuma	Oh, the one that has draws in it. If you win you get another one, right?
Izumi	Tsumugi-san, please open it. You might be able to improve your winning streak!
Tsumugi	Ahaha, I don’t think that’s——
	Ah.
Hisoka	It says that you win.
Tasuku	It’s a new record.
Izumi	It’s a good omen. I’m sure the new year will be a wonderful one!
Homare	Mhm! What a wonderful omen for the Winter Troupe as well.
Tsumugi	Ahaha. Maybe I should open another one then?
Azuma	Fufu, Tsumugi is surprisingly greedy.
Tsumugi	Let’s see, the second one is—— Ah, I won.
Izumi	What!?
Tasuku	Even as an adult, Tsumugi’s good luck is still going strong, huh...

maria