Nocturnality/Episode 10

Nocturnality
Episode 10

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Izumi “Here’s a farewell gift from me. We were neighbours after all, if only for a short while.” Reo “Thank you for going out of your way—” Izumi “—Wishing for a bright future.” Reo “—Gh.” Kouta “Huh… Reo?” Reo “—Could it be that you’re…” Izumi “I didn’t realize one would be this close.” Kouta “What are you doi—” Izumi “Filthy creatures of the night. I shall exterminate thee as my blood pledge dictates.” Izumi (The sudden transformation of the supposedly good neighbour Izumi… This chilling performance shows what Tsumugi-san is really made of.) Kouta “What the hell are you saying—!?” Reo “—Run, Kouta.” Kouta “Don’t be stupid! There’s no way I can leave you with a serious injury like that!” Izumi “You can still move?” Kouta “Stop!!” Izumi “――” Franz “Oh dear.” Izumi “—!? Reinforcements?” Franz “I thought I might as well partake in this meal, but I ended up drawing the short end of the stick.” Izumi “—Guh.” Franz “You still want to fight? I’m not as lenient as that other guy.” Izumi “—Tch.” Kouta “Reo, are you okay!? Reo!!” Franz “Can you entrust that guy to me?” Kouta “You were the one with Reo the other day—” Franz “We’re of the same kind.” Kouta “Can you really save him?” Franz “Probably.” Kouta “…Fine. I’ll leave Reo to you.” Franz “How obedient. Good boy.” Kouta “But promise that he’ll come back and explain everything to me.” Franz “Fine. I’ll tell him.” Reo “Ugh—” Franz “You’re awake? Geez, you were too careless. I ran out of emergency rations thanks to you.” Reo “Where’s Kouta…?” Franz “He’s safe. I can’t just tell him to give his blood, you know? Be grateful that I’m so considerate.” Reo “…” Franz “You’re awake; my job here is done. You just have to take care of the rest on your own.” “We’ve been exposed so we can’t stay here anymore. The headquarters would’ve already been informed; the next one will come soon.” Reo “What did we ever do? Just because we’re able to live longer than humans.” Franz “Heresy eliminates. It’s been done over and over again since ancient times. That’s what we call human nature.” Reo “…” Franz “Oh, before you leave, you better talk to that man called Kouta first. I have a promise to keep.” Reo “…” “……” Kouta “Reo…? Reo!?” Reo “Ugh…” Kouta “You’re dying out here on the street again? Geez.” Reo “…I really wasn’t planning to come back. But I just have something I want to tell you…” Kouta “That’s enough, don’t talk. Get some rest.” Reo “…” Izumi (While Kouta is nursing him, Reo reveals that he’s a vampire…) Reo “This is goodbye, Kouta. I’m glad I met you.” Kouta “I know about your circumstances now. There’s no need for you to leave, is there?” Reo “If I stay here, you’ll get involved too.” “I can now believe that there’s meaning to this tedious life as long as humans like you exist. Thank you.” Kouta “Wait! Are you planning to die out on the street by yourself again?” Reo “I’ll be careful.” Izumi (Tasuku-san’s performance really conveys the instability of Kouta’s emotions towards Reo – feelings associated to neither friendship nor compassion.) (And even though Reo desires solitude, there are feelings akin to clinging on to something…) (This complicated relationship where there’s a thin line between closing the distance between the two is like Azuma-san and Tasuku-san.) Kouta “Are you going to keep moving from place to place while spending the rest of your life on your own?” Reo “That’s our fate.” Kouta “…Then take me with you.” Reo “What—” Kouta “I’m saying that I’ll be your companion. I’ll become anything, even a vampire.” Reo “…Thank you, Kouta. Just by hearing that from you, I—” Kouta “Reo…?” “You’re biti—” Reo “Good night… and sweet dreams.” Izumi (This line… You feel not only the loneliness and sadness of goodbye, but also kindness and generosity…) (This is Azuma-san’s Reo.) Kouta “…――Re…o.” Nonomiya “Hey, you can’t be dead, right!? Seo!?” Kouta “Nn…” Nonomiya “What, so you just slept in. You were absent from work so I got worried.” Kouta “Slept in…” Nonomiya “What’s wrong?” Kouta “Where’s Reo…?” Nonomiya “Oh, now that you mention it. Did that freeloader finally leave?” Kouta “…Yeah, he left me behind.” Nonomiya “Ha? What are you saying?” Kouta “――” Nonomiya “Hey, Seo. You all right?” Kouta “…You idiot.” Izumi (That last line… It’s Tasuku-san’s adlib. It’s a line filled with a mix of frustration and sadness – how like Tasuku-san…) (Kouta makes a sorrowful expression as he thinks of Reo continuing to live in solitude somewhere… No, that’s not it. Those eyes show that he hasn’t given up.) (He looks determined to go after him… Tasuku-san chose this performance for Kouta for the last scene.) Tsumugi —We managed to finish without any trouble. Izumi The first day was a big success! Hisoka …That’s good. Azuma What a relief. Homare Let’s keep it up until the final performance. Tasuku There’s some things we need to brush up on. Izumi Right. But for now, good work! Azuma …Tasuku, I want to go for a drive. Tasuku Ha? Azuma I said before that we should go with everyone, right? Tasuku You didn’t say it would be right now. Azuma Even I wouldn’t be that unreasonable. Why don’t we go on a day when we don’t have to perform? Homare A drive, huh. It’s been quite a while. Tsumugi We went during our debut performance, didn’t we? Hisoka …I want to go. Tasuku Can’t we do it after the final performance? Azuma I want to go so that we can make this play even better. It’ll deepen our friendships, and we might be able to see something. It might even improve our exchanges, right? Tasuku …It can’t be helped then. Azuma That was easy… You’re a theater nerd as always. Well, that part of you is cute. Izumi (The overall atmosphere of the Winter Troupe has somewhat changed. That’s also a step in the right direction…) (They’ve gotten closer while maintaining the same distance.) (Each troupe has their own chances and methods of deepening bonds…) (But because each member of the Winter Troupe has walked through their own unique lives, sharing each other’s pasts had a great impact on them.) Azuma You’re coming too, right Director? Izumi Of course!
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maria