Tsumugi Tsukioka/SUNNY WINTER

Winter Troupe Fanservice Study Group ~Tsumugi Edition~

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Tasuku	Ah, Tsumugi. Finished with the storage cleaning?
Tsumugi	Yep, all done.
Guy	So you were out cleaning?
Tsumugi	Manager requested that each of the troupe leaders would help out in cleaning and sorting out the storage room.
Azuma	Is that so? Rest up from all the work, then.
Tsumugi	Thank you.
	Oh, speaking of, while in the storage room, I found an uchiwa that the Autumn Troupe made for their fanservice research study.
Hisoka	…Uchiwa?
Izumi	Oh, there were still leftovers, huh!
Tsumugi	From what I heard from Banri-kun, they thought they might end up needing them if ever we get another live event, so they put them away in the storage room for now.
Tasuku	The more stuff that gets put away in the storage room, the more cluttered it’s just going to get.
Homare	However, there’s still a possibility that it could be used for something else, no?
Hisoka	I remember seeing Omi use an uchiwa to fan the rice once.
Azuma	You must be referring to the time he was making vinegared rice, right?
Tasuku	That’s not really a fan-service uchiwa though, is it?
Tsumugi	So uhm, I brought that up because I wanted to ask you guys if Winter Troupe should do their own fan-service study group as well… What do you think?
Tasuku	A fan-service study group, huh… I did help out with Citron’s study before.
Guy	If the other troupes have also done it, then I think it’d be good for us to try it out as well.
Izumi	You’re right, who knows when we could get to do a live event again.
Tsumugi	The other troupes seemed to have studied fan-service according to each member’s individuality.
Azuma	If that’s the case, why not focus on our own individualities for our case, as well?
Homare	Indeed, I do believe fan-service is quite important. Well, let’s not waste any time doing it!
Azuma	You know, Tsumugi has always made sure to keep up his fan-service.
Tsumugi	Yes. Since it seems to please the audience, I try my best to do it as much as I can.
Hisoka	But in a live event, it might be too late to do the fan-service before you can make out the words on the uchiwa.
Tsumugi	That’s true, it’d be difficult to do it on the spot…
Tasuku	Aren’t you overthinking this?
Tsumugi	But if I can understand what’s written down on their uchiwa, I would want to properly give it to them, you know?
Azuma	That’s Tsumugi for you.
Tsumugi	Although, if we’re talking about my specialties, then I wonder what would be good to make use of...
Izumi	Yeah, if we’re talking about Tsumugi, then…
Guy	Would it not be theatre?
Izumi	Ah… If it’s theatre, it feels like Tasuku would also count for that, so I think it’d be better to find something a bit more unique.
Guy	I see, that is a good point.
Hisoka	Flowers. If it’s Tsumugi.
Homare	Ohoh, a fanservice type that is only befitting for someone with the title of Garden Boss. That does sound decent.
Tasuku	We could go for that.
Azuma	In that case, let’s think from there.
Homare	How does scattering flower petals sound to you, Tsumugi-kun?
Citron	Oh–! Tsumugi, are you going to become an old man who brings back dead trees to life?!
Izumi	Woah, Citron-kun!?
Homare	Have you been here for a while!?
Citron	I only just came by! It is you guys that just haven’t noticed me.
Tsumugi	You were talking about Hanasaka Jii-san, right? That does sound like a nice idea.
Tasuku	That kind of fanservice is showy and all, but wouldn’t you have to pick up all the petals again every time you scatter them?
Tsumugi	Ah, now that you mention it… It might be too tedious, so maybe not, then.
Citron	Oh, that’s a shame…

Citron	You are having your fanservice study group, yes?
Azuma	We are. Right now, we’re trying to think of something that’s flower-related for Tsumugi.
Citron	Tsumugi, how about you try magic that makes flowers appear!? You can have Chikage teach you.
Tsumugi	That does sound like it would entertain the audience. Maybe we can try that.
Izumi	The element of surprise is really great, too!
Citron	Then it is decided! I will call Chikage right away!
Citron	Thank you for waiting~! I have brought out Chikage.
Chikage	Citron laid the details out for me. I got the necessary tools with me as well, but…
	Tell me what you think. I think a beginner should be able to pull off something like this.
	It looks like a normal top hat without anything in it, but… 1, 2, 3…
Izumi	Wow! Flowers popped out from the hat!
Homare	Ooh, how wonderful! It is such a classic yet beautiful and exciting magic trick!
Hisoka	Looks simple enough. The gimmick itself is easy to get.
Tsumugi	I understood how it’s done, too.
Izumi	You two are amazing!
Chikage	I figured Hisoka would be able to get it, but seems like even Tsumugi figured it out, huh. I wouldn’t have expected that.
Guy	If it’s like this, then perhaps Tsukioka has some promise in magic, as well.
Tasuku	Hm, I wonder about that…
Citron	I want to try it out, too! You should teach both of us, Chikage.
Chikage	Sure, no qualms here.
Tsumugi	Looking forward to your lessons, Chikage-san.
Chikage	The trick to this top hat is actually that it has two layers at the bottom. You hide the flowers under this, then you need to be able to smoothly take them out.
	First and foremost, you show your audience that there’s nothing in this hat, then say some magic words, and…
	1, 2, 3… There. Just like that.
Tsumugi	So the sleight of hand is very important. As expected.
Chikage	That’s right. Why not try it out yourself?
Tsumugi	Firstly, show off the magic hat to everyone… 1, 2, 3… There…!
	H-Huh? The flowers got caught in between, I can’t seem to get them out properly.
Chikage	Take your time, it just takes practice.
Tsumugi	Alright, one more time… 1, 2, 3!
	Oops… I really can’t take them out that smoothly.
Homare	There could be an extra step to it.
Guy	It really must not be as easy as it looks, then.
Citron	It’s my turn to try it! I take this magic hat, then say the magic words:
	RONRON-CITRON, CITRON-RON! And flowers have appeared~!
Tsumugi	You’re amazing at this, Citron-kun! Alright, I’ll do it too!
	Say the magic words and, 1, 2, 3…! Here—!
	H-Huh? The flowers won’t come out.
	That’s so strange. Maybe I should try pulling it out a little harder?
	And here… Ugh… They’re not coming out at all… Ah, there it go— UWAH, PWHF—!?!?
Hisoka	The flowers popped out and hit bullseye right onto Tsumugi’s face.
Izumi	Are you alright?
Tsumugi	…I’m good, thanks.
Tasuku	(sighs) I had a feeling this is how it’d turn out.
Chikage	Tsumugi’s quite a genius in his own regard.
Tsumugi	Ahaha… Sorry about that. Even though you went out of your way to teach me even a simple trick like this.
Citron	It’s a-okay, Tsumugi. It gets easier once you get the hang of it!
Izumi	Practice makes perfect, after all! You’ll be able to do it soon enough!
Tsumugi	…You’re right. Thank you guys, I’ll keep trying!

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