Masumi Usui/Banquet of Blooming

Starring "Masumi"

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Sakuya	Tomorrow is the screening party for “Boy Alice in Wonderland”, right?
	That’s something to look forward to, huh, Masumi-kun!
Masumi	You’re not appearing though.
Chikage	Haha, Sakuya, who’s not appearing in the talk show, is looking forward to it more than the person himself.
Citron	I’m sure the audience is looking forward to the talk show since Masumi will talk a lot!
Tsuzuru	Did you make sure to come up with conversation topics?
Chikage	Well, it's not only Masumi. You and Chigasaki who are going on stage with him are in the same boat too. Have you thought of anything?
Itaru	Masumi and Tsuzuru will be there, so I’ll rely on the youngsters’ memory.
Masumi	Don’t rely on us.
Tsuzuru	So then, have you thought about what we’ll talk about, Masumi?
Masumi	Not really.
Tsuzuru	Ehh…
	Then Itaru-san…
Itaru	It’s fine, it’s fine. We’ll figure it out.
Tsuzuru	Oi, oi… seriously, guys…
	*door opens*
Izumi	Are all of you ready?
Tsuzuru	Ah, Director. Thanks for your work.
Itaru	We’ve finished changing, so we’re good to go.
Izumi	It’s been a while since you’ve worn the Alice costumes, huh?
	They sure bring back memories.
Masumi	How does Alice look to you for the first time after a while?
Izumi	Yeah, I think you look cool.
	Let the audience have a good luck, alright?
Masumi	Just having you look at me is enough—.
Izumi	Alright, shall we head to the stage?
Itaru	That’s Director-san for you.
	Lol, she dodged that like a pro.
Masumi	*Sigh*, I love you when you’re like that too—.
Tsuzuru	Come on, quit staring at Director and get a move on!
	Was there something that made a lasting impression on you during the Alice play?
Itaru	Hmm… Ah, that reminds me, Citron wanted to use the whip like crazy, right?
Masumi	Rather than the King of Hearts, he became a Queen.
Tsuzuru	He sure did…
	It was hard to stop him.
Itaru	Do you have anything, Masumi?
	You were the lead, so you gotta have something.
Masumi	Shut up…
Itaru	We have to get the star of the show to talk proactively.
Masumi	…
Tsuzuru	Oi, Masumi, bear with it.
Masumi	…Hah.
	During the show, Itaru took me to an arcade by force and he was so immature and seriously such a pain.
Itaru	Well, I got fired up, so it can’t be helped, you know?
	I had fun.
Tsuzuru	I-I guess the conversation somehow turned out like this…?
	That’s a relief…
	Umm, then you should go to an arcade again—.
Masumi	Hell no.
	I’m never going to an arcade with Itaru ever again. And I never want to co-lead with him again for the rest of my life.
Itaru	Haha, this side of Masumi that can’t be honest with his feelings is also cute.
	Right, everyone?
Audience	Yeah, it’s cute!
Masumi	You…
Tsuzuru	I don’t get paid enough for this…

Itaru	The talk show finished smoothly, huh?
Izumi	Good job, you three!
	There were also a few moments I was nervous though…
Masumi	*Sigh*, you really are the one who puts me at ease the most…
Tsuzuru	Geez, you interacted with Masumi way too much, Itaru-san.
Itaru	I thought it’d be better to liven things up since it’s such an occasion.
Tsuzuru	You were totally amused, weren’t you?
Izumi	Ahahaha…
	Alright then, Masumi-kun, shall we take the polaroid for the present?
Itaru	Ahh, the polaroid project that Sakyo-san talked about?
	It’ll be used as a gift for an audience member, right?
Masumi	…I got it.
Izumi	Alright, do the pose, ok?
Masumi	…
Izumi	Um, can you smile a bit, Masumi-kun?
Masumi	My smile is yours only.
Tsuzuru	He’s the same as always…
Izumi	Alright, got it.
	Even though you’re not smiling, it came out really cool.
Masumi	I think it's because you know me so well that you were able to take such a good picture of me.
	As I thought, you’re the best, better than anyone else…
Izumi	No, no, professionals are way better than me…
Tsuzuru	I mean, it’s true you can call it a cool expression, but his face has an attitude like always, huh…
Itaru	This is also just like Masumi, so isn’t it fine?
	*dream starts*
???	—i… oi, wake up.
Izumi	Hmm…?
	Huh, Masumi-kun…?
Masumi?	Do you know where this is?
	By the way, I’m not Masumi-kun.
Izumi	Ehh? You’re not Masumi-kun…?
	(If I take a good look… this is Wonderland where boy Alice appears…?)
	(Also, his clothes and the way he speaks.
	Could it be, he’s not Masumi-kun, but Alice…?)
Alice	Are you listening to what I’m saying?
Izumi	Ah, sorry…! Umm, I kind of know where this is, but also kind of don’t…
Alice	What the heck? Which is it?
Izumi	(Uh… It might be better not to say something so vague.)
	I’m sorry, I’m actually not sure.
Alice	…I see.
	So this is my dream after all, huh?
	…However.
Izumi	Ehh?
	(H-he suddenly held my hand…)
Alice	Even if we suppose this is my dream, for some reason, I’m struck with a sense of duty to protect you.
Izumi	Umm, I’m not sure what you mean…
Alice	I’m sure this feeling and desire…
	Are precious things, even if they’re invisible to the eye.
	Come with me.
	For the sake of our happy future together.
Izumi	Ehhh, wait…!
	*dream ends*
	…!
	(A dream, huh… I dozed off on the sofa before I realized it.)
	(But that dream just now… somehow, at the end, it seemed like Masumi-kun, not Alice…)
	(…At any rate, my hand feels kind of warm.)
Masumi	Zzz, zzz…
Izumi	Wah, Masumi-kun…!?
Masumi	Mm…
	Director… you’re awake…?
Izumi	Yeah. You were sleeping here too, Masumi-kun?
Masumi	I found you napping on the sofa…
	And when I saw your sleeping face, I just fell asleep with you like that.
CHOICE 1: Um, my hand… [+] Izumi Masumi-kun, um, my hand… Masumi Hand? Ahh, I grabbed it while I was sleeping without realizing. I see… so that’s why. Izumi Eh? Masumi I had a dream I was holding hands with you. It was a dream where I took your hand… And I told you to go with me and that I would protect you forever. Izumi …! (I feel like Alice said the same thing in the dream I just had… It’s a coincidence.. right?)
CHOICE 2: To think you were looking at my sleeping face… [+] Izumi It’s a bit embarrassing to think you were looking at my sleeping face… Masumi …You’re also the absolute cutest when you’re shy… I was so happy to see you sleeping next to me… my heart raced, and the feeling that I love you filled my chest. I want to keep watching your many different expressions next to me from now on and forever… I love you, Director… Izumi …! (To be told that so directly kind of makes my heart skip a beat…)
	B-but having my sleeping face be seen really is embarrassing, so I hoped you would wake me up…
Masumi	Your sleeping face is adorable, so don’t worry about it.
	But it might’ve been seen by someone else, so next time, I’ll carry you to your room and keep your sleeping face all to myself.
Izumi	That's not what I meant—just wake me up normally...!

Anna