Chikage Utsuki/Harugaoka Quartet

Sudden Violin Performance

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Waiter	Are you ready to order?
Chikage	Hot coffee please.
Waiter	Alright.
Chikage	(Huh? Oh, I have a message from the Spring Troupe LIME group.)
Citron Whtruding rn?
Itaru Chigasaki Code-breaking Squad Dispatch. Looks like he said, ‘What are you doing right now?’ .
Citron Izz liddat!
Sakuya Well I was just practicing the cello.
Tsuzuru I am at university. Class just ended.
M.U At the CD shop.
Itaru Chigasaki Out.
Chikage Utsuki I am taking a little break, I am doing a little shopping.
M.U Spices, probably.
Itaru Chigasaki Predictable. What about you, Citron?
Citron I am visiting the shop that Misumi works at part-time! I ★ everyone was here with me!
Tsuzuru You mean you ‘wish’ everyone was there with you?
Citron Ding-ding, correct!
Itaru Chigasaki Misumi has a part-time job now?
Sakuya Yep, at that dog cafe!
Chikage Utsuki I will pass.
Tsuzuru That was quick!
Itaru Chigasaki F.
Chikage	(Unfortunately I had to turn down Citron’s invitation, but I should be heading back to the dorm now.)
Izumi	Huh? Hey Chikage!
Chikage	Director. Where are you headed?
Izumi	Actually I just heard from one of the neighbors that the community orchestra is going to be having a mini concert outside the station.
	I think it would be great research for our upcoming performance so I am going to check it out.
Chikage	Really, we have a community orchestra?
Izumi	So it seems. Hey would you be interested in going with me?
	I know you don’t have any performance scenes, but you do play a violin teacher!
Chikage	Alright, just to watch.
Izumi	Huh? It’s almost time for the concert to start but.... I don’t think everyone is ready.
Chikage	Everyone seems to be rushing about.
Man	Ah! Miss Izumi!
Izumi	Hm,
	I see everyone seems to be rushing around.... Is something wrong?
Community Leader	Uh, well yes! Is there anyone from your theatre troupe that can play the violin!?
Izumi	What?

Community Leader	Well it’s just our violin player suddenly fell ill and couldn’t make it. We have another violinist coming instead but--
	It seems like they won’t get here before the concert starts but we really can’t delay any longer...
Izumi	Well we do have someone who can play violin in the troupe but....
Chikage	Citron is currently hanging out with Misumi where Misumi works part time so he is not in the dorm at the moment.
Izumi	Oh is he!?
Chikage	But if there is no solo part, then what is the problem? If it is just one person...
Community Leader	The thing is we just barely have enough people as it is, so missing any more would just...
Izumi	(I don’t know what to do, I wish there was some way I could help....)
	Um, Chikage would--
Chikage	Pass.
Izumi	That was quick..!
Chikage	You were gonna ask me, right?
Izumi	Well.... I don’t really know but... I just kinda thought you were the guy who could do anything.
Chikage	I am no magician.
Izumi	True...
	What about-- Oh the manager is helping Yuzo right now, that’s right. Hmm, I am trying to think of anyone I know who could play the violin.... Uhhhh--
Chikage	.... Hm. You are quite the kind person.
Izumi	What was that, Chikage?
Chikage	Leader, what are you willing to offer? I mean, if there is no reward then, well.
Community Leader	Huh, reward? Well we didn’t really get that much to start with...
Chikage	Then how about you let us promote our troupe? We will distribute flyers to promote our upcoming performance.
Community Leader	Oh, that’s easy, of course!
Chikage	Successful negotiation.
	Director, please let me quickly go get the flyers from the dorm.
Izumi	A-Alright!
	(Chikage came back quickly with the flyers, but I wonder if we really have enough.)
	(At any rate, it seems like he knows what he’s doing... What the hell is that boy gonna do?)
	(Oh, the concert is starting right on time---)
	I’m so glad, w-wait what, Chikage!?
Chikage	♪~ ♪~
Izumi	(Wait, he is really up there with the rest of the orchestra, and with such a nonchalant look on his face....! What the hell, he is playing for real...!?)
Substitute Violinist	Haah... Haah... S-Sorry for making you wait..!
Community Leader	Great! We just finished up the first song.
Chikage	.... Excuse me for just stepping in for just one song. I am an actor from Mankai Company.
	Spring Troupe’s Sixth Play is a story that takes place in a music school and--
Izumi	(Ahh, yes I gotta hand out the flyers...!)
	Here is our flyer for the play, ‘Harugaoka Quartet’.
	Please come, thank you so much!
	Wow, I was pretty surprised. You should have told me that you could play violin!
Chikage	It has been quite a while since I last touched an instrument so I did not think I could confidently say that I was able to play.
	However, recently I have been watching everyone hard at practice so I decided to give it a try. I am glad I knew that one song.
Izumi	No no, I didn’t sense any awkwardness. Have you taken lessons before?
Chikage	Well a while back I knew a violinist from a certain famous orchestra.
	During his free time during his own practice, he would tutor me..... How nostalgic.
Izumi	Wow, that’s really....
Chikage	--- I was kidding.
Izumi	WHAT!?
Chikage	Ehh... Well I learned a little a long time ago. For work.
Izumi	(That is totally not something people normally do for work...)
	That aside, how did you really learn?
Chikage	Secret.
Izumi	Right.
	(And thus the enigma that is Chikage continues to baffle me more and more....)

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