Izumi | So that’s how it was… |
Taichi | So Sakyo-nii wasn’t leaving! I’m glad to hear that―! |
Omi | I’m relieved. |
Banri | …Rather, none of this would have happened if you'd at least told us something. |
Sakyo | In other words, you guys understand, don’t you? |
Juza | ? |
Sakyo | I’ll be taking back the training time I missed out on this entire week. |
Juza | ‘Kay. |
Banri | Gotcha. |
Taichi | Let’s do this! |
Omi | We have to put all our enthusiasm into it. |
Izumi | Then, how about we start the night’s practice session at once? |
| |
Sakyo | Honestly, Hyodo, Nanao and Settsu are one thing, but to think that even you, Fushimi, would be affected too. |
Omi | Haha, sorry. I just thought that you had a life we didn’t know about too. |
Sakyo | …I’ve made you worry, huh. |
Omi | Did you meet Juza on the way back? |
Sakyo | No, That guy saw me on the train and followed me. I only noticed him while we were viewing the inside of the apartment. |
Omi | I see… |
Sakyo | And then, I talked a bit about my past… I couldn’t help but go on and on about the boring stuff. |
| It wasn’t my intent to do so though. He just happened to resemble me a little, so I couldn’t help it. |
Omi | Resemble? |
Sakyo | He’d probably lead a life filled with regrets if he continued smothering his feelings towards acting… Like I said, perhaps he will. |
Omi | He has changed ever since he started acting in plays. Juza and you, both. |
Sakyo | Yeah… |
| |
Juza | “Say, will you take revenge for my father?” |
| “There’s trouble brewing internally as well, so I can’t make any reckless moves. Please. You’re the only one I can rely on.” |
Sakyo | “I’ve not forgotten my gratitude towards you father. I’ll protect the Tatsuta group.” |
Izumi | (Amazing…their interactions with each other are obviously getting better and better!) |
| (It’s not as if all the awkwardness between their interactions have completely disappeared. Compared to before, there’s a sense of unity being created between Kazama and Tatsuta right now.) |
| (Juza-kun’s Tatsuta Ken has also taken a turn for the better, or rather, he’s more prideful now.) |
| Okay, let’s take a break for ten minutes now. |
Juza | ‘Kay. |
Taichi | Okay! |
Izumi | Juza-kun, your portrayal of Tatsuta’s behaviour has improved a lot! There was no sense of inferiority even when you were acting side-by-side with Sakyo-san. |
| Did you have a change of mind or something? |
Juza | …Rather than calling it a change of mind, I guess I understood something after talking face-to-face with him. |
| Ever since our opening play, Sakyo-san has always been the only one among us who’s stoic towards the plays. |
| I respected that part of him and had longed to be the same. Or rather, I might have been unconsciously thinking that Sakyo-san was someone beyond my capabilities. |
| But he also gets troubled by things, dragged around and painstakingly reached his goal. So I guess we’re the same. |
| I didn’t notice it at first so I didn’t really have the confidence to stand side-by-side with him as a co-lead. |
Izumi | …I see. |
| (So the change in his acting had been because of the understanding he has towards Sakyo-san…because he had found the courage he needed to stand side-by+-side with him…) |
| (The rest of the Autumn Troupe might actually be just like Juza-kun.) |
| (Just like how Sakyo-san feels like there’s a division between them because of their age differences and his standing, everyone else too…) |
| (Sakyo-san might need to talk to the others more frequently. I’m certain that the play will come to new heights if he does.) |
| |
Banri | …So how about we try out what we talked about the other day? |
Sakyo | …Are we going to be doing that during the performing period too? |
Izumi | Of course! Okay, the cue for the person with questions for the talk corner! |
Taichi | Me, me—! |
Izumi | Yes, Taichi-kun. |
Taichi | What kinds sweets did you like back when you were kids? |
Izumi | Good one! |
Omi | Now that’s a nice one. |
Banri | Let’s go with that then. |
Sakyo | Haa… |
Taichi | I liked plum-flavoured snack bars! |
Banri | Oh— that’s simple. |
Sakyo | I had those too when I was a kid… |
Taichi | It’s a cheap sweet that always satisfies me! |
Izumi | What about you, Juza-kun? |
Juza | I liked the cookies and cakes my mother baked herself in general and also her pudding, creampuffs, eclairs, pies and… |
Banri | That’s way too much! |
Omi | So Juza’s love of sweets was because of his mother, huh. |
Juza | They’re as about as delicious as the ones you make, Omi-san. |
Izumi | (It doesn’t matter how many times it takes but so long as they build up their communication through the daily questions…) |
| (Everyone seemed to think that it was just a bother in the beginning but they look like they're enjoying in the end. The feeling of solidarity between them all has improved compared to before.) |
| (Most of the members in the Autumn Troupe don’t really like making small talk so times like this are important for them.) |
| (Yesterday’s rehearsal was perfect too, so they’ll probably get some good experiences out of this.) |
Taichi | How about you, Director-sensei? |
Izumi | I liked Baby Moon Ramen’s curry flavour. |
Banri | Limited to curry-flavours only, huh… As expected of you. |
Omi | What about you, Sakyo-san? |
Sakyo | …”Please give me a stamp.” |
Banri | Ha? |
Juza | Stamp…? |
Taichi | Is something the matter, Sakyo-san? |
Omi | If you’re talking about the Theater Company’s stamp, the manager… |
Sakyo | Could it be that none of you know about it? |
Izumi | Oh, I know! It’s chocolate in the shape of a stamp, isn’t it? You can find your own family name on it, right~? |
Juza | …Don’t know about that. |
Banri | Never seen it. |
Taichi | That’s the first time I’ve heard of it. |
Sakyo | …… |
Izumi | (I guess there’s nothing we can do about the generation gap right now…) |
| (But everyone will certainly be more relaxed on the day itself if we do this.) |
| |
| (It’s finally the first day of the performances… I’m looking forward to the actual performance today too!) |
Sakyo | …… |
Taichi | Sakyo-nii, your face is stiff! Please turn into your usual terrifying Yakuza-look! |
Sakyo | It’s actually the former. |
Omi | I guess we’re all ready to go. |
Banri | Sakyo-san, won’t you start this off all yakuza-like? |
Sakyo | …Geez, don’t go saying that all of a sudden. |
| ——Let’s go, all of ya! |
Juza | ‘Kay! |
Omi | Gotcha! |
Banri | Got it! |
Taichi | Gotcha bro! |