| December 17th.
Another cold day. |
| I tripped and lost my shoe while running away from the man at the store.
I went back to look for it, but couldn’t find it anywhere. |
| My legs are going numb.
I heard that your arms and legs begin to rot when they freeze, so you have to cut them off. |
| I don’t want to cut off my legs. I want to warm them up somewhere.
The adults took all the decent sleeping spots today.
Now it’s not just my legs—my hands, my face, my body are all going numb. |
| “I’m cold…” |
| “Are you okay?" |
| I don’t know the guy who’s talking to me.
He’s all bundled up; he looks warm. |
| He doesn’t belong to this side. He’s someone with a proper home. |
| “....” |
| “If you stay here like this, you’re going to die.” |
| “...I don’t have anywhere to go.” |
| “I’ll introduce you to the ‘Organization.’ Why don’t you come live with us?” |
| “Don’t bother with him. He’s probably useless; he’ll just get in our way.” |
| The other guy is mean. I shake my head right away. |
| “...I won’t go.” |
| “See? Let’s leave him alone.” |
| “But…” |
| “He doesn’t want to. There’s nothing you can do.” |
| “Find me if you ever feel like joining us. We usually hang out around the station.” |
| “....” |
| “This guy’s just gonna die like this.” |
| “....” |
| I thought I would die too, but I didn’t. |
| There were a lot of times I thought I would die, but I didn’t.
I’ve always lived alone like this. |
| But that guy kept reaching out to me, no matter how many times I refused. |
| “I don’t mean to brag, but I’m smart. |
| The Organization treasures me; they have high hopes for my future.” |
| “....” |
| “You’ve got incredible physical abilities and survival skills. If we work together, we’d be the greatest team.” |
| “....” |
| “Come on. No matter how many times you ask, it’s pointless. Let’s go.” |
| “I’ll come again—ah, that’s right. I’ll give you some of this gingerbread.” |
| “Gingerbread….?” |
| The moment I took a bite of that so-called gingerbread, I spoke without thinking. |
| “...I’ll go.” |
| “Eh?” |
| “...I’ll go with you.” |
| “Why?” |
| “...Gingerbread.” |
| “Ahaha! Do you want more? I should’ve baited you with sweets from the start.” |
| “He’s definitely gonna be useless.” |
| “Thanks. Starting today, we’re ‘family.’” |
| “—‘Family’?” |
| “What I just gave you is something families usually eat together on Christmas.” |
| He said, and laughed.
That was how I met him—and him. |
| |
| Izumi | For practice today—. |
| Yuzo | I’m coming in. |
| Izumi | Huh? What is it, Yuzo-san? |
| Yuzo | I heard you got a new guy? I was bored, so I came to check him out. |
| Citron | Oh~, Yuzo, I see you got fired from your job? |
| Yuzo | Who are you talking to. |
| Izumi | We haven’t started practicing for our next performance yet…. |
| Yuzo | Yeah. Make him do some basic practice. |
| Izumi | All right. |
| Then let’s start with tongue-twisters and articulation practice, everyone. |
| Since it’s your first time, Chikage-san, please follow along with this paper. |
| Chikage | I just have to read this? |
| Amembo akaina aiueo. Ukimoni koebimo oyoideru. Kakinoki kurinoki kakikukeko. Kitsutsuki kotsukotsu karekeyaki.[1] |
| Sasageni suokake sashisuseso. Sonouo asasede sashimashita. Tachimasho rappade tachitsuteto. Totetote tattato tobitatta. |
| Yuzo | Huh… |
| Izumi | (His pronunciation and articulation are so good. He doesn’t seem like an amateur…) |
| |
| Izumi | Next we’ll be doing simple etudes. Please perform freely. |
| Yuzo | …. |
| Izumi | (I got the same feeling during his audition, but Chikage-san’s acting is flawless. He carries himself with such ease, too...) |
| Yuzo | He’s a pretty skilled guy. |
| Sakuya | Chikage-san, it’s your first time, but you’re so good! |
| Chikage | This is my first time doing theater, but I have a bit of experience with kabuki dancing. |
| Sakuya | Eeh!? Really!? I see, so that’s why… |
| Tsuzuru | Is kabuki something you can have a bit of experience in…? |
| Chikage | Ahaha. I wonder. |
| Izumi | (I don’t know if he’s lying, but I’m almost ready to believe him. He has guts, and he’s unfazed about performing.) |
| |
| Izumi | I guess that’s enough for today. |
| Yuzo | Have you decided on your next performance? |
| Tsuzuru | No, not yet. I need to decide on a theme for the script soon…. |
| Izumi | The problem is Chikage-san‘s role. |
| Yuzo | Why don’t you just make him the lead? |
| Chikage | Me? |
| Citron | Diving into the lead role like that—what a submersion! |
| Masumi | Promotion. |
| Izumi | But apparently he has no acting experience? |
| Tsuzuru | Won’t it be too much pressure to start off with a lead role… |
| Itaru | Unlike during our first performance, the troupe actually has fans now, too. |
| Yuzo | He has enough potential to play the lead. |
| He doesn’t have as much on-stage experience; playing the lead role will help him build experience and give him a better feel for what it’s like to perform. |
| Whether or not the audience accepts him is up to his performance, but it’ll be easier for them to remember him if you put him in the spotlight. |
| Tsuzuru | That’s true…. |
| Itaru | Well, senpai might be able to handle it with no problem. |
| Sakuya | It’s true—Chikage-san seems like he’ll improve in no time! |
| Citron | It’s important to take challenges! |
| Masumi | I don’t care either way. |
| Izumi | What do you think, Chikage-san? |
| Chikage | I’m not completely confident, but I’m fine with that. |
| Izumi | Eh? Is that so? |
| Chikage | You’ll never know what you’re capable of unless you try, after all. |
| Izumi | (He accepted it so easily….) |
| If Chikage-san says so…. |
| Yuzo | Then it’s decided. |
| Izumi | We could at least make things easier for him by writing a role for him. |
| Tsuzuru | You’re right. I’ll do that. |
| Sakuya | A performance with Chikage-san as the lead—it’ll be a new kind of Spring Troupe; I’m looking forward to it! |
| Citron | The age group will be older! |
| Masumi | Old man. |
| Chikage | How rude. |
| Yuzo | ...Oi. |
| Izumi | Yes? |
| Yuzo | ...Chikage looks like he gets along with everyone fine, but he seems to be maintaining a wall between himself and others. |
| Izumi | ——. |
| Yuzo | He’s bringing a kind of uncertainty to the Spring Troupe, who was getting along well, so things could turn out badly. You should create a bonding opportunity as soon as possible. |
| Izumi | ...I understand. |
