Tsumugi Tsukioka/MANKAI Playback

The Winter Troupe’s Visit to the Tsukioka Household

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2

Winter Troupe	Happy birthday!
Izumi	Happy birthday!
Tsumugi	Thank you very much. There’s so many bouquets... I’m so happy.
Azuma	We didn’t even pick gifts together but we ended up getting the same thing.
Guy	We all thought the same.
Hisoka	That’s why I added marshmallows as a bonus to mine.
Homare	Flowers suit Tsumugi-kun after all. The deep red of the roses I picked is a beautiful colour, is it not?
Tasuku	Looks like our dorm room will be a little more lively.
Tsumugi	Ahaha, you’re right. Each flower brings out everyone’s own personalities; they’re really beautiful.
	It feels strange having everyone celebrate my birthday here in my room though...
Izumi	We prepared a cake too!
Tsumugi	Thank you so much! Is this——
Azuma	Fufu. Isn’t this chocolate cute?
Guy	It’s modelled after Zabi.
Tsumugi	Uu.... It’s cute, but that conflict of whether to eat it or not is starting again...
Tasuku	When we made Zabi nerikiri, it took you a while to eat that too.
Zabi	Woof woof!
Hisoka	He’s telling you to eat it.
Tasuku	He sure is, from that expression.
Izumi	Ahaha...
	(I thought it would be a bother to his family, but just like last year, Tsumugi-san’s grandmother welcomed us kindly...)
Tasuku	That reminds me, it’s almost Tsumugi’s birthday.
Azuma	It is. Tsumugi, is there anything you want?
Tsumugi	Not particularly. It’s the thought that counts.
Homare	Good grief, you are modest as always.
Hisoka	...If it’s not about acting.
Izumi	That reminds me, last year I visited Tsumugi-san’s family home on his birthday.
Guy	Is that so?
Tsumugi	My grandmother just happened to call me when the Director and I were out together——
	She told me come visit, so I invited Director to come with me.
Izumi	His grandmother was kind and wonderful. Ah, I met Zabi too; he was so friendly and cute.
Guy	Zabi...?
Tsumugi	It’s the name of my family’s pet dog.
Tasuku	I haven’t seen Zabi in a while...
Homare	*gasp* I’ve got it!
	We recently visited Tasuku-kun’s family home, so why don’t we go visit Tsumugi-kun’s family home on his birthday next!
Guy	Won’t we bother them if we go with such a big group?
Hisoka	Arisu is loud, so it’ll definitely be a nuisance.
Homare	Hisoka-kun, why did you single me out, I wonder?
Izumi	But it’s true that we’re a pretty big group.
Tsumugi	I think my grandmother and Zabi would be happy, so it’ll be fine. Please come visit.
Homare	Since Tsumugi-kun said so, why don’t we go!
Tasuku	I can see Zabi again after a long time.
Hisoka	...First time meeting Zabi.
Azuma	Fufu, I’m looking forward to it.
Izumi	(And so we ended up visiting Tsumugi-san’s house...)
Azuma	Say, are these old scripts?
Tsumugi	Yes. I just can’t bring myself to throw them away...
	Back in high school, we’d call the drama club members and we’d read lines here in my place and in Tasuku’s house.
Homare	It’s filled with written notes. Very like Tsumugi-kun.
Guy	All these scripts have Takato’s name in the cast.
Hisoka	...You’re right.
Azuma	You can tell how long you two have been together when you look at these.
Tsumugi	That reminds me, it was apparently unusual whenever we’re not together——
Tsumugi	(I’ve got to read the script thoroughly once I get home——)
Friend from the Drama Club	Oh, Tsukioka. You’re not with Takato today?
Tsumugi	No, Tasuku is on day duty today, and apparently he forgot to write in the class journal.
Friend from the Drama Club	Oh I see. I just thought it was rare that the two of you aren’t together.
Tsumugi	Ahaha. There are times when we’re not together too.
Tsumugi	——There was a time when I was told that.
Azuma	Huh. You were really close. I would’ve wanted to see what you two were like back then.
Tsumugi	I have albums.
Tasuku	Oi, you don’t have to show them——
Tsumugi	Let’s see, it should be deep in this shelf here...

Tsumugi	These are the pictures of the class.
Hisoka	Ah, there’s Tsumugi.
Azuma	You’re right. Fufu, how cute.
Tsumugi	Really? It’s a little embarrassing after all...
	Ah, that’s right. Tasuku’s picture is...
Tasuku	Oi, wait a sec.
Tsumugi	Ah——
Tasuku	Don’t just show them. They’ll obviously make fun of it.
Tsumugi	It’s fine, you don’t look much different now compared to back then.
Homare	It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.
Hisoka	I’m curious now.
Azuma	I’m sure you were cute too, Tasuku.
Tsumugi	And so they say. Come on.
Tasuku	Er...
Guy	He doesn’t want to, so why don’t we give up this time?
Tasuku	This time, you say... I’d be troubled if it’s only this time...
Hisoka	Guy, that didn’t help very much.
Guy	Is that so? Sorry about that...
Izumi	Hm? Some kind of photo fell out...
	T-this is...!?
Tsumugi	Director?
Izumi	Umm... Tsumugi-san——
	This is probably something you don’t want to show us, so I’m returning it...! It’s extremely cute though...
Tsumugi	Huh? What are you...
	——T-this picture is...!
Homare	What was that photo just now...?
Tasuku	It was a picture of the crossdressing contest.
Tsumugi	You looked!?
Tasuku	I just saw it.
Hisoka	Crossdressing contest...?
Tasuku	We didn’t have enough people for the cultural festival in high school, so Tsumugi ended up crossdressing to participate; it was probably a picture of that.
Azuma	Really? I want to see a picture of Tsumugi crossdressing.
Homare	Tsumugi-kun crossdressing, how interesting.
Tsumugi	That’s the only thing I absolutely can’t show you...
Winter Troupe	Thank you for having us.
Izumi	Thank you so much. It ended up being pretty noisy——
Tsumugi’s Grandmother	Not at all; it’s been a while since it was this lively, so it was fun. Please do come again.
Izumi	Yes!
Hisoka	In the end, Tsumugi didn’t eat the Zabi chocolate.
Azuma	He stored it safely in the fridge, but I wonder when he’s going to eat it.
Homare	A chocolate of loneliness... A tornado of misery... Only lonely Zabi!
Guy	...It’s a good poem that evokes grief.
Tasuku	Guy-san, you don’t have to force yourself.
Tsumugi	...I’m glad the one who picked up that photo was the Director.
Izumi	Ahaha. But I was lucky to have been able to see such a cute Tsumugi-san.
Tsumugi	As a guy, being told that kind of gives me mixed feelings...
CHOICE 1: I want to see Tsumugi-san play a female role. [+] Izumi I want to see Tsumugi-san play a female role someday. Tsumugi A female role... I’ve actually been told that by the other kids in the troupe too. Izumi Fufu, everyone has thought about it once. Do you want to give it a try yourself? Tsumugi Taking on new roles will broaden the range of my acting, so I’m interested in trying it. When I do receive a female role, I’ll do my very best. Izumi I’m looking forward to it!
CHOICE 2: Do you prefer manly roles? [+] Izumi When it comes to acting out roles, do you prefer manly roles? Tsumugi That’s not it. I love all the roles given to me. ...But I want the Director to think of me as manly. Izumi Huh...? Tsumugi Ah, umm... Like, I rely on you, but I also want you to rely on me just as much... ...Er, saying things like this without getting embarrassed would be the manliest though... Izumi ...I rely on you enough, Tsumugi-san. You help me so much by always looking after the Winter Troupe and the other troupe members. Tsumugi ...Thank you.
Guy	This is quite an old building... What kind of shop is it?
Hisoka	A snack shop.
Izumi	Last year we got everyone some souvenirs from that snack shop.
Tsumugi	We did. Want to stop by?
Azuma	Sounds good.
Tasuku	This takes me back.
Homare	This is truly an atmosphere that gives me poetic inspiration.
Hisoka	I’ll look for marshmallows...
Homare	Ohh! We had this last year!
Izumi	The instant noodle snack?
Tasuku	I ate this a lot when I was a kid.
Tsumugi	Tasuku loves hiyashi chuka, so he did his best to make it like that.
Tasuku	You’re telling them something unnecessary again...
Izumi	Huh, is that so!
Azuma	Tsumugi, are you doing this again?
Tsumugi	Ah, the Lucky Choco Bar...
Guy	...That brings back memories.
Izumi	You’ve had it before, Guy-san?
Guy	...Yeah, I think I’ve had it when I was a child. It’s the one with draws, right?
Tsumugi	Why don’t we buy one for each of us, and then open them at the same time?
Homare	Mhm, sounds interesting. My charisma shall earn me a win.
Azuma	I wonder who has the best luck among us.
Hisoka	I’ll try it.
Tsumugi	Let’s open them then. One, two...
Azuma	That’s too bad. I didn’t win.
Izumi	I didn’t get it either...
Tasuku	I didn’t win either.
Guy	I didn’t win.
Hisoka	I didn’t win...
Homare	Hm... To think that I would not win... How about you, Tsumugi-kun?
Tsumugi	...I won.
Izumi	What!? Amazing...!
Hisoka	A winning streak.
Tasuku	It’s always a win whenever you’re the one pulling after all.
Azuma	You improved your record again.
Tsumugi	...Fufu, I have a feeling the new year will be a good one again.

maria