| *the scene begins in the GOD Theater* |
| |
| Reni | Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come and see us today. |
| Committee Member A | Thank you for inviting us. I see that GOD-za is really embracing its changes. |
| Committee Member B | Asuka-kun and Takato-kun were both wonderful. They've really matured into wonderful actors. |
| Committee Member A | Takato-kun is no longer part of GOD-za, if I recall correctly? |
| Reni | That's right. He is currently acting for the Newborn Mankai Company. |
| I could introduce you to their director now, if you'd like— |
| Committee Member A | I'm really sorry, but there's a meeting we really must attend now. |
| Reni | I see... I'll be sure to invite you to one of Mankai Company's plays another day, then. |
| Committee Member A | That would be great. |
| Committee Member B | If only Amadate-san could've made it. He's an even bigger theater nut than we are, and he loves collaboration plays like this. |
| Committee Member A | Oh, well. It's not like we can pull him back from his business trip. |
| Reni | Right... |
| Committee Member A | Anyway, we'd better go. |
| Reni | Have a safe trip back. |
| (All right, where's Syu—?) |
| (He's already gone. He never says hi even with my constant insistence. Goodness...) |
| |
| *the scene changes to a function hall* |
| |
| Izumi | Wow, look at how decked out this after-party is. |
| Azami | Are all of these people GOD-za staff? |
| Tasuku | Yeah. This is pretty typical for a GOD-za after-party. |
| Tsuzuru | It's so... different from what we do. |
| Haruto | We usually don't go all-out like this, but there are times when the hard work of all our staff and actors calls for an extravagant celebration. That's how we do things here at GOD-za. |
| Azami | Can you tell that to our resident stingy yakuza? |
| Tasuku | He'll probably say something like, "Come back when you make as much money as GOD-za does." |
| Azami | Ugh, I can practically hear that in his voice. |
| Shifuto | Eat up, Azami! The food is really good! I always bring a container with me so I can take some of it home. |
| Haruto | Stop scrounging around for food like that! You're our top actor, for crying out loud! |
| Tsuzuru | Everything here is so high-class, I'm having trouble deciding where to start... |
| Izumi | Let's try a little bit of everything first. |
| Madoka | Thanks for all your hard work, Minagi-san. |
| Tsuzuru | Hey, Madoka. You too. |
| Madoka | I had a lot of fun working with you. Thank you again for the opportunity. |
| Tsuzuru | I had a great time working with you, too. I feel like I learned a lot. |
| I felt like I was conversing through my pen rather than with my mouth, so to speak. |
| Our thoughts and expressions connected on a level beyond a normal conversation. It was my first time experiencing something like that. |
| Izumi | (I knew this would be a good experience for Tsuzuru-kun. Looks like I was right!) |
| Tsuzuru | ...Oh, right. Director? Can I talk to you about something? |
| Izumi | What is it? |
| Tsuzuru | For the play Hakkaku-san had planned, how about we get Madoka on board as well? Since Madoka's his grandson and all. |
| Madoka's a great writer, but more than that, I think we work really well together. |
| I'd love to see what kind of play Hakkaku-san and Madoka's efforts would create, plus Madoka could learn more about his grandpa through this experience. I think Hakkaku-san would be really happy if his grandson could work on the play, too. |
| Izumi | You do raise some valid points. |
| Tsuzuru | Well, we'd have to ask Madoka first, anyway. |
| Madoka | I would love to help! Please. |
| I would be so happy if I could work on something my dear grandfather left behind, and even more so if I could write something for my brother. |
| Tsuzuru | Great! |
| Izumi | (Looks like Tsuzuru-kun's made a fellow writing buddy. I remember him saying before that he wasn't confident he could do Hakkaku-san's writing justice...) |
| (...but I think everything will be okay now that he's got a friend he can trust in Madoka.) |
| |
| MC | The next number is... 25! If you get a bingo, please come up to the front! |
| Shifuto | Did you get a bingo, Haruto-san? |
| Haruto | Nope. |
| Shifuto | Hey, you're really close! You just need either a 23 or 67! |
| Haruto | I doubt I'll get a bingo. I've never gotten a bingo before. |
| Shifuto | Huh, really? Guess bingo's a lot harder than it looks. |
| Tasuku | I've won stuff like a TV and microwave from this before. |
| Shifuto | For real?! |
| Haruto | You're always cheatin' an' whatever! And stop tryna get on their good side by wearing those t-shirts that show off ya muscles at practice! |
| Izumi | Showing off muscles... |
| Tasuku | Haruto always gets so annoying when he gets drunk... |
| Izumi | He's the type that slips into his native dialect when he's drunk, huh. |
| Tasuku | Yeah. He was drunk when he revealed that his name is Genta Yamada, too. |
| MC | The next number is... 23! |
| Shifuto | Haruto-san, you got a bingo! |
| Haruto | Huh? |
| Shifuto | You got a bingo, dude! You gotta go up to the front! |
| Haruto | Wow, really...? |
| Reni | Congratulations. Here is your prize. |
| Haruto | Thank you. |
| Reni | Oh, that's right. Once bingo is over, could you wait for me by the entrance? |
| Haruto | Of course! |
| Shifuto | Woohoo! Lead actor awesomeness! |
| Azami | 'Grats. |
| Madoka | I'm happy for you. |
| Shifuto | So, what did you win? |
| Haruto | Um, I got... a kettle... |
| Haah... You can have it. |
| Shifuto | What? Really?! |
| Haruto | Yeah, I already have one. I can't exactly toss it out either, right? |
| Shifuto | Yay! I'm gonna use this to make so many instant udons! |
| Haruto | Hey, don't just ignore me! |
| |
| MC | Aaand that's the end of our bingo competition! |
| *applause* |
| Haruto | ... |
| |
| *the scene changes to the entrance of the function venue* |
| |
| Haruto | ... |
| Reni | Sorry for calling you out here. |
| Haruto | N-No, it's fine! |
| Reni | I just wanted to continue our conversation from the other day, about my coaching methods changing and such. |
| The biggest reason for that change was that I had suddenly come face to face with a truth that was buried deep inside of me. |
| I neglected to properly consider how my actors felt because I was so caught up in my own delusions. I failed miserably as head of this troupe. |
| Haruto | No way—! I owe my whole life to ya! |
| ...I'm— I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to slip out. |
| Reni | But it's what makes you, you. There's no need to hide that side of yourself when you're off stage. |
| ...You know that I have a history with the father of Mankai's director, correct? |
| Haruto | Yes. |
| Reni | Even after I founded GOD-za, I remained trapped by his influence unconsciously. |
| Even when directly faced with the creativity and individuality of my actors, I would actively avoid making use of their unique traits. I was so narrow-minded. |
| Tachibana believed less in inherent talent and more in refining whatever his actors came equipped with, letting their authentic self bloom on stage. |
| I quit Mankai Company because I clashed with his methods. Even after I left, I was hellbent on going against it. |
| I figured that if I could make GOD-za succeed by doing the opposite of what he did, I could prove myself to be superior. |
| However, that was wrong of me. Watching you all acting up on stage made me realize that. |
| Tachibana was right in his methods. His way of thinking was probably also what made his acting so enchanting. |
| I just wanted to pursue my ideals head-on, but in the end, I let myself be lost in my fixations on this one man. I'm pathetic. |
| ...So, how do you feel? Disillusioned? |
| Haruto | No— No, of course not! I still believe in the ideals you seek to pursue. |
| I owe you more than anyone else in my acting career, and that will never change. |
| Reni | I see... If I recall correctly, you left your hometown to pursue acting, correct? |
| Actors do what they do for everyone out there watching them. That's the truth, but it's not the whole truth. |
| There's always that one person every actor wants to connect with more than anyone else. Who is that person for you? Who is that one person you continue to act for? |
| Haruto | At first, it was my mother. |
| (For my mother, who was so against me moving to Tokyo, yet still had high hopes for my career...) |
| (I also wanted to make those who laughed at my aspirations eat their words.) |
| (When I joined GOD-za, I also made myself a rival that I would rather die than lose to. However...) |
| Reni | Then, what about now? |
| Haruto | Now it's you, Reni-san. |
| When Tasuku was still with us... |
| ...I was always caught between the determination to beat him, and thinking that I would never be able to when it came down to talent. |
| While working on this play, there was a moment where my jealousy towards him resurfaced, and I felt so powerless. I started to question why I was even still acting. |
| But I realized that whether or not I can beat the "real" actors doesn't matter. I still want to spend the rest of my life repaying you and GOD-za for what you've done for me. |
| I will continue to act to express the gratitude I feel towards you and GOD-za for coming into my life. |
| I want GOD-za to be immortalized as the best troupe around. |
| I came to Tokyo in pursuit of a dreamscape far removed from who I was. What I found among all the other troupes was GOD-za, the one troupe I felt a fateful connection with. |
| My dream started as a desire to go to a beautiful dreamworld, which was so vague and ill-defined. But now, I have something more concrete to pursue—to continue the legacy of GOD-za. |
| So, whatever happens, I will never leave GOD-za. I will always be here for you, Reni-san. |
| Reni | ...! |
| You know, during the practice sessions for this play, I started to feel a little jealous of Tachibana. |
| As I continued to flesh out the play with his daughter, I realized that those two are a lot closer than any of us know. |
| She continues to embody his ideals and his personal philosophy regarding theater. |
| I started to wish there were someone like her for me, someone who could continue my legacy and ideals. |
| Haruto | You have me. |
| Reni | ...Yes, you're right. This play also reminded me that if there's anyone who could carry on the legacy and ideals of GOD-za, it'd be you, and no one else. |
| Haruto, always put your best foot forward in the face of any challenge. |
| Haruto | Of course. |
| Reni | As the head and founder of GOD-za, I will be expecting even greater things from you in the future. |
| Haruto | And you won't be disappointed! |
