Yuki Rurikawa/Waltz With the Prince

Give It Your All! Hands-On Kyudo Experience

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Yuki	Hmm...
Muku	Well? Do you think you could use the hunters in these picture books and manga as role study references?
Yuki	Well, it’s not like I can’t see it, but...
	I guess it’s like, hunters get plenty of supporting roles, so it’s kind of hard to understand the nature of the character...
Muku	Hmm, I see... I’ll see if I don’t have any other works that have hunters in them!
Muku	Sorry, Yuki-kun... that was all the stories with hunters in them that I had...
Yuki	You don’t need to get down over it. I mean, thanks for lending me so many different ones.
Muku	Something else that could work as reference for a hunter’s role study...
	Ah, that’s right! It should be over here...
	Here it is!
Yuki	A flyer?
	...what’s this, a hands-on ninja class?
Muku	When we put on our shinobi play, I wanted to get good at throwing shuriken so the Director and I went together.
	And look, there’s information about a hands-on kyudo class written here too.
Yuki	Huh...
Muku	Your character is a hunter who uses a bow, so if you do some role study with their tools, maybe it could work as reference for getting an image of Rose.
	Ah, but Rose’s bow and a kyudo bow might be different sizes. I’m sorry, in the end my idea was nothing more than...
Yuki	No, you’re right when you say it could act as reference, so we should give it a try instead of worrying about that.
	Thanks for letting me know about it.
Muku	N-No problem! I’m glad I could help! Yuki-kun, good luck!
Izumi	Come in!
	Yuki-kun? What’s up?
Yuki	Hey, Director. Do you have time this weekend? I wanna check this place out.
Izumi	Eh? A ninja class!?
Yuki	Not that one. Here.
Izumi	“Hands-On Kyudo Class”... huh, so this group does kyudo classes too.
Yuki	Rose is a hunter, so we thought it might work as role study. Would you come with me?
Izumi	It’s for role study, so of course I will!
Yuki	Thanks. See you this weekend, then.
Yuki	Hmm. I thought they’d make us wear hakama and stuff, but our rehearsal clothes are fine.
Izumi	I guess these “lessons” are different because they’re supposed to give hands-on experience to beginners?
	Looks like they set up all the tools for us too.
Instructor	Hello. Welcome to our class.
Izumi	Hello.
Yuki	...hello.
Instructor	Well then, let’s get right into it.
	Alright, when you sit seiza-style, start from your left foot. Pull in your left foot and sit on your left knee, please.
Izumi	(They’re starting with etiquette.)
Instructor	Yes, yes, very good.
	Now, straighten out your back... good.
Izumi	We’re in your hands.
Yuki	Thanks for your help.

Izumi	(We’ve learned a bit about the etiquette and posture, and now comes actually holding the bow, but...)
	I-It’s bigger than I thought it would be...!
Yuki	...
Izumi	(Yuki-kun’s holding a bow that’s bigger than mine.)
	(The appearance of drawing a bow really suits him somehow... it’s cool and dignified.)
Yuki	Ah...!
	Hnn...
Instructor	What is it?
Yuki	The arrow isn’t flying right. It’s falling before it reaches the target.
Instructor	Ahh, you mustn’t pull the bow with your muscles.
Yuki	What do you mean, “don’t pull it with my muscles?”
Instructor	As there is the phrase “pull with your bones,” you should be aware of your joints and frame.
	Adjust your posture like this—
	Yes, pull the bow up to here.
Yuki	—
Izumi	Ah!
Yuki	It flew better than the one before.
Instructor	Wonderful! Your arrows are landing near the target now. Let’s try it one more time.
Yuki	...
	—
Izumi	Whoa, it hit the target! And almost in the center, too!
Instructor	Amazing! You don’t seem like a beginner.
Yuki	Guess I got the hang of it.
Izumi	Do you think it’ll be good role study?
Yuki	Well... yeah, it could.
Izumi	We’re back~
Yuki	We’re home.
Homare	Well hello, welcome back. I hear that you went to a hands-on kyudo lesson.
Taichi	What, Yuki-chan, you can use a bow and arrow now!? That’s so cool!
Kazunari	That’s our Yukki, not cutting any corners in his role study!
Citron	Oh!? Yuki, you hunt monsters?
Yuki	No.
Muku	Ah, Yuki-kun, Director-san, you’re back. Welcome home!
	Yuki-kun, how did it go? Were you able to use a bow and arrow well?
Yuki	Yeah. I feel like I’ve gotten a pretty good feel for it, and... I guess it was kinda fun.
Muku	I see, that’s great!
CHOICE 1: You were so cool [+] Izumi Yuki-kun, you were so cool. Yuki What? What are you suddenly... Izumi It was awesome how you started hitting the target right away, and the dignified look of drawing a bow really suited you. And on that note, when we learned the etiquette and movements, you were a natural at those too! Yuki That’s because I learned my movements from Azu-nee when I practiced traditional dance, and when I did my role study for our shinobi performance. Izumi Ah, that makes sense...! Yuki I thought it’d be cool if I could make pretty movements and gestures in a kimono, so I’m glad I retained that knowledge. I’d better thank Azu-nee.
CHOICE 2: Yuki-kun, I think a hakama would suit you [+] Izumi We wore our rehearsal clothes today, but Yuki-kun, I think a hakama would suit you too. Yuki A hakama, huh. I’m a little curious. I wanna try something like tucking my kimono sleeves with a tasuki too. Izumi Oh, cool! Yuki I said so a little while ago too, but the kyudo itself was pretty fun too. If I get the chance, it would be fun to go again. You’ll come with me, right Director? Izumi Of course!
Kazunari	Oh yeah, don’t you guys wanna see Yukki’s results from today!?
Taichi	I wanna, I wanna!
Citron	Me too!
Muku	I-I’d like to see it too...!
Yuki	Sigh... no getting around it.
Izumi	Even if it’s basic, the fact that we even had an emergency kyudo target and equipment...
Manager	Well~ it happened to be in the storage room!
Taichi	That storage room really does have everything~!
Homare	Oh, Kamekichi-kun?
Kazunari	Oh, maybe he’s coming back from a date? Kamekichi, welcome back, applejack!
Kamekichi	Yo! I’m back!
Yuki	Hmm. Ok, guess tonight’s dinner is roast bird. Nock the arrow, and...
Kamekichi	!? Wh-What are ya plannin’ to do!? Even if ya eat me I'm not gonna taste good!
Yuki	I’m joking. It’s dangerous, so go over there.
Kamekichi	Joking?!
Izumi	Th-There now, Kamekichi. Come over here, we’ll watch together.
Taichi	Alright Yuki-chan, go for it!
Yuki	...
	—
Muku	Whoa, you hit it!
Taichi	Awesome!
Manager	That’s amazing~!
Homare	Ooh, splendid.
Kazunari	Yukki, that was SO cool~! I got the perfect vid of it ♪
Citron	With this, you are hunting rank 120!
Yuki	Well, it’s something like that.
Kamekichi	tremble tremble... That Yuki, I don’t think his bloodlust was a joke...
Izumi	Ahaha... I guess that means his hunter role study was successful in some way...?

Noodle