Tsumugi Tsukioka/Teacherly Guidance!

The Drama Club of Memories

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Tsumugi	Hey, Tasuku, look at this.
Tasuku	What is it?
	This is... a picture from high school. The one we took with the guys at the drama club.
Tsumugi	Yeah. We’re doing a school setting for the upcoming mixed troupe play, right?
	During practice, Banri-kun was reminiscing about a teacher he had in high school.
	After hearing his story, I was thinking, for me it would be the teacher that was the drama club advisor after all.
	I just somehow felt nostalgic, so I ended up looking for pictures.
Tasuku	This really does take me back.
Tsumugi	Doesn’t it? I think this one’s from training camp.
	Ahaha, this one was when sensei splashed water at you at training camp.
Tasuku	...Geez, that old man was always pulling pranks despite his age.
Tsumugi	Yeah, he was such a prankster. He always pretended not to hear you even when he actually could.
Tasuku	He even had his own peculiar way of talking; I’ve had trouble understanding what he was saying.
Tsumugi	But he didn’t compromise when it came to acting, and he always guided us diligently.
	*knock*
	Oh, I wonder who it is? Coming!
Izumi	Good evening. I’m sorry, but I have a favour to ask of Tasuku-san...
Tasuku	Hm? What is it.
Izumi	The clock in the lounge has stopped working. Can you take a look at it?
Tasuku	Let me see.
	...Ahh, this can be fixed in no time. I’ll work on it now.
Izumi	Really!? Thank you so much. That would be great.
Tsumugi	Director, you can wait here in the room if you’d like?
	We were looking at our high school pictures just now; you’d be able to see funny ones of Tasuku.
Tasuku	Oi...
Izumi	Huh! I’d love to see what you two looked like in high school! Can I come in?
Tsumugi	Of course. Come on in.
Izumi	Wah, you two are wearing gakuran!
CHOICE 1: Tsumugi-san, you didn’t change much! [+] Izumi Tsumugi-san, you don’t look too different now compared to back then! Tsumugi Really? Well, sometimes I do get told that I have a baby face... Izumi You’re playing a teacher role in the next performance, but you look like you’d be able to do a student role too. Tsumugi Ahaha, I did want to try doing that even from before. But I’m playing the role of a physical education teacher this time, so I’ll do my best to compensate for my baby face with my acting, and to show maturity and hot-bloodedness.
CHOICE 2: Tasuku-san, you look a little young! [+] Izumi Tasuku-san, you look a little young! Tasuku Well, these pictures are from several years ago. Tsumugi But he was more of a mischievous kid when we were in elementary school. The next time I go back to my family home, I’ll look for pictures from that time. Izumi Wah, please do! Tasuku Oi, don’t just promise to show pictures of other people.
Tsumugi	——And then, this is our former teacher.
Izumi	I see, so he’s the one who taught you acting. Have you seen that teacher recently?
Tsumugi	I saw him up until when I was in university, but I haven’t since then... How about you, Tasuku?
Tasuku	I saw him several times when I was in GOD-za, but not since I entered Mankai Company.
	...It’s been a while so why don’t we go see him? You’d always been on his mind.
	He’d arrange it so that you’d be able to get in the school if you contact him anyway; plus it might help you get into character.
Izumi	That’s a good idea. It’s a good chance, so why don’t you go see him?
	If you were on his mind, then I’m sure that means he wants to see you, Tsumugi-san.
Tsumugi	You’re right... Yeah, I think I’ll go see him for the first time in a while.
	Oh, why don’t you come with us, Director?
Izumi	Huh? Me?
Tsumugi	Yes. You’re our Director who’s currently taking care of us, so I want to introduce you to sensei.
Tasuku	Yeah. That should be fine, right?
Izumi	(Somehow, I feel happy after being told that.)
	I’ll take you up on that then. Is it okay if I go with you?
Tsumugi	Yes! I’ll contact sensei and ask when would be a good time for him.

Izumi	So this is your alma mater.
Tasuku	Yeah. And this here is the drama club room.
Tsumugi	This brings back memories.
Tasuku	But nobody’s here. He told us we could head right to the room once we’ve arrived...
Tsumugi	I wonder if sensei will come later——
???	Wah!!!
Izumi	(!? A person popped up from under the teacher’s desk!?)
Tasuku & Tsumugi	...
Tasuku	...*sigh*
Tsumugi	Ahahaha...
Sensei	Geez... No reaction. And you call yourselves actors.
	You could have gone along with this old man’s naughty pranks.
Izumi	(It’s the same person who was on that photo. This is their former teacher.)
Sensei	...It’s been a while, Tsumugi.
Tsumugi	Yes, it’s been a while, Genda-sensei.
	Thank you for arranging it so that we’d be able to enter the school.
Genda	It was nothing.
Tsumugi	Sensei, this is Tachibana Izumi-san, the director of the theater troupe we’re currently in.
	Director, this is Genda-sensei, the drama club advisor who took care of us when we were in high school.
Izumi	It’s nice to meet you. I’m Tachibana Izumi, the chairman and general director of Mankai Company.
Genda	It’s nice to meet you. Looks like Tsumugi and Tasuku have been under your care.
Izumi	Not at all; I’m the one who is under their care.
	After all, Tsumugi-san is currently working hard as the leader of the theater’s Winter Troupe——
	And Tasuku-san has been firmly supporting him. The two of them are really dependable.
Genda	Wow, Tsumugi as the leader! You two have switched roles, huh.
Izumi	Huh?
Tsumugi	Back in high school, Tasuku was the drama club president.
Izumi	Is that so!
Genda	If Tsumugi is the leader, I wonder if he’s kind?
Tasuku	Not at all.
Genda	That was a quick answer.
Tasuku	If you’re unlucky, I think he’s stricter than me when I was club president.
Tsumugi	Ehh? I don’t think so though...
Genda	Hahaha! Tsumugi is scary when angered, after all.
Tsumugi	Uu...
Izumi	...Did something happen in the past?
Genda	Mhm, I think that must have been the day before the regional tournament...
	It might have been because it was the day before the tournament, but tension was in the air during practice that day.
	So I thought of a good quality prank to help everyone relax.
Tasuku	Yeah right... Even when nothing was happening you were always pulling pranks.
Genda	Hey, you promised not to tell anyone.
Izumi	Ahahaha.
Genda	I went “Ugh...” and then collapsed to the ground right there on purpose.
Izumi	Ehh.
Tasuku	You were someone who was usually pulling pranks no matter where, after all... I knew from the start that it was just a prank.
Tsumugi	Everyone else in the club probably knew it was a prank too.
Genda	Yeah. But Tsumugi didn’t think so.
	The moment I collapsed, he immediately rushed over and fretted over me.
Izumi	(That’s so like the kind Tsumugi-san.)
Genda	I opened my eyes and said, “Just kidding,” so he got really angry at me...
	He scolded me, saying, “Do you not know what’s okay to do and what’s not okay? Aren’t you an adult?” with a terrifying expression... It was so scary.
Tasuku	It’s rare for Tsumugi to yell that loudly, so even I was surprised.
Tsumugi	But even I was really surprised too, you know?
Izumi	Tsumugi-san treasures his grandmother after all. That may be why he took that joke seriously.
Genda	But the truth is that thanks to that incident, he was able to show an intense expression on top of the stage very well.
Tasuku	You tried to wrap up that story nicely, huh.
Tsumugi	That’s true, but that’s not the point, sensei...
Genda	But I don’t pull that type of prank anymore ever since then.
	Tsumugi got really angry, so I’ve reflected and resolved never to do that again.
	Well, I’m always coming up with new variations of my pranks though!
Tasuku	You haven’t learned your lesson at all...
Tsumugi	Geez...
Izumi	Ahahaha...
Genda	...Tsumugi, Tasuku. I’m happy you two came to see me again together.
	Director-san, I’m sure it’s thanks to you that these two are able to stand on the same stage again.
	Please continue to take care of Tsumugi and Tasuku from now on as well.
Izumi	No, not at all...! But, please leave the two of them to me!
Tsumugi	You’re so reliable, Director.
Tasuku	Yeah. We’ll be counting on you from now on too.
Genda	Now then, we can’t just talk forever! Let’s go do some street acts now!
Tsumugi	Sounds good. I want to watch sensei’s etude after such a long time.
Tasuku	Yeah. I wonder what theme we should do.
Izumi	(Tsumugi-san and Tasuku-san look so happy. I’m glad I tagged along today!)

maria