Masumi | …Curry shop? |
Chikage | The interview was long, you’re starting to get hungry aren’t you. |
Masumi | You just want to eat yourself. |
Chikage | By the way, this is also Director’s favourite place. |
Masumi | …I’ll eat. |
Chikage | Well, I thought it’s not a bad idea to atone myself here. |
Masumi | ? |
Chikage | What do you want? |
| By the way, this is their recommended one. |
Masumi | Anything. |
Chikage | Then, I’ll get two of the same one. |
| *Short Time Skip* |
|
Chikage | Alright, before I start my story, I have to apologize to Masumi. |
| You might know about it roughly… |
| You remember that Director disappeared during Oz’s practice right, I was the one who kidnapped her. |
| I really regretted that time, the Director let it go pretty easily after that though. |
| But, I would like to properly apologize to Masumi, for I had done that to the most important person in your life. |
| I really apologize for that. |
Masumi | At that time… I thought I would kill you if you’re actually involved… But maybe there were some reasons involved. |
Chikage | … |
| Kasumi-san’s story earlier, there are some overlapping parts with mine. |
| I’ve also lost him, my most important person, my family, and my reason to live. |
| I became desperate afterwards and I entered the troupe, set out on getting revenge on my opponent. That was the reason I kidnapped Director back then. |
Masumi | … |
Chikage | When everyone went to the airport to get Masumi who was going to go abroad, I couldn’t stop thinking, what kind of family play was that, what kind of bullshit was that, and I was so irritated. |
| I’ve lost my family, there’s nobody else. |
| But, in the end, it’s another family who saved the me back then. |
| With that guy who was an irreplaceable member of my family, as well as my new family in the troupe… and the feelings left behind by the lost family member for us. |
| If you ask me why I am still alive right now, my answer would always be the same, as I thought, I live for the sake of my family. |
| The reason that I’m doing acting right now, it’s complicated, but in the end it’s for the sake of my family. |
| I’ll also treasure it, the performance that is treasured by my family more than anything else. |
| …In that sense, Masumi and I might be a bit similar, Kasumi-san too. |
Masumi | Towards the family members who have passed, like Kasumi-san, do you still love them now? |
Chikage | Love… Love huh. |
| I don’t really express it with words, but it might be the case. |
| Even now, my feelings for him will never change. |
| Surely, going forward, when it comes the time when I need to say goodbye to the current family, it will be the same, my feelings will never disappear. |
Masumi | … |
Chikage | It’s Masumi’s turn next. |
Masumi | Me? |
Chikage | About Masumi’s love towards Director-san, can you tell me all about it again. |
Masumi | Why again? |
Chikage | According to Chigasaki, I won’t be able to have a proper love talk with Masumi and it’s vexing. |
Masumi | …For me, getting to like her and falling in love with her are such simple things. |
| I met her and I’m glad I followed my heart back then. |
| But… I have been doing my best in a lot of things, all for the sake of receiving her love. |
| If moving forward, Director ends up with another guy, I feel that all my efforts will go to waste and now I’m just lost. |
| Without my relationship with her, will I still be able to do my best as an actor… |
| As I thought, I can only act for her sake. In order to be the number one person in her eyes, in order to be recognized by her… |
| If I told her about this, I thought she would tell me something about finding my own motivation, one that’s more for my own sake… |
| After listening to Kasumi and Chikage’s story, I don’t think it’s a bad thing to do your best for the sake of someone else. |
| (It’s not that I wanted to be an actor at first. |
| Acting for me is, a way to express my love for her, to not be separated from her. That’s the number one meaning of my acting.) |
| If, I’m going to continue as an actor until the end of my life… |
| Even if Director ended up marrying someone else, I don’t think I can change this feeling of love I have towards her. |
Chikage | Hmm… The power of love is really great. |
| It can even change our lives. |
Masumi | How about you? |
| But not about Director. |
Chikage | Well, whatever… I’ve reached “Normal Clear” on love talk with Masumi now. |
Masumi | An upgrade from love talk would be… romance talk[1]? |
Chikage | Romance talk huh. |
Masumi | Then, I’ll ask you properly this time, what is love to you? |
Chikage | It’s embarrassing so stop writing it down. |
| I guess… for me, love is– |
|
| “Love is, surely, something that won’t be lost.” By Utsuki Chikage |
| |
Announcer | Thank you very much for coming today, Spring Troupe’s 7th Performance “Magicians' Pure Love”, will be starting soon. |
Izumi | (It’s finally the opening day… It’s the usual thing, but it’s been a while. |
| I’m a bit worried about Masumi-kun, but after the talk with Kasumi-san, I’m glad he’s back to normal. |
| I’m glad I relied on Chikage-san. The play is slowly getting better too. |
| Masumi-kun has been trying to appeal to me on top of stage, much more than usual, and his power of attraction is really amazing. |
| He’s able to attract the audience’s attention to him, as an actor, as the lead, it’s really a great talent to have.) |
| *Shifts to Backstage* |
Izumi | Everyone, we should get ready– |
Itaru | So you really had a love talk with Senpai? |
Chikage | Are you still going to treat me like a man with no romance. |
Masumi | That’s why, it’s not love talk, it’s romance talk. |
Izumi | … Masumi-kun really can’t compare with the time during our flagship performance, you’re familiar with everyone now. |
Sakuya | Ah, Director! |
Izumi | Everyone, the audiences are in! |
Tsuzuru | It’s finally time. |
Citron | I’m excited~ |
Izumi | Well then, I’ll be with the audience, good luck on your first day! |
Masumi | –Wait. |
Izumi | ? |
Masumi | Come here for a bit. |
| I have something I need to tell you. |
| That day when I saw you performing in Veludo Way, was the first time I started acting. |
| I started everything for you, I did everything for your sake but… |
| Since then, it’s been fun, and I guess that’s one reason I’m doing theatre now. |
| Together with everyone in Spring Troupe, the thought of being able to continue performing with everyone from the troupe, made me really happy. |
| I feel that I can do something that I wasn’t able to do before, after acting as different roles, I feel that I’m overflowing with different emotions I’ve never felt before. |
| I’m glad to have met you, I’m glad I started acting. |
| Thank you. |
Izumi | Masumi-kun… |
| Me too, thank you for growing to love acting. |
| I’m also very happy, to be able to see the Masumi-kun who slowly grows to appreciate acting. |
Masumi | … |
| (But in the end… My reason for acting will always be you. |
| I want to be the number one in your eyes… |
| I want to be your ideal actor. |
| There are other reasons, but in the end, like a dumb simple man that I am, my number one reason to be an actor will always be for your sake. |
| Just that, will never change no matter what happened. |
| The truth is, all of my acting until now, is a form of love letter directed to you. |
| But, you’ll be troubled if I tell you all of this, so I won’t.) |
| –Today too, look at me. |
Izumi | Yeah, of course. |
| I’ll look at you properly. |
| Then, I’ll see you later. |
Masumi | … |
Citron | Masumi, that was a confession of a lifetime huh? |
Masumi | I’ll do that everyday. |
| Starting from now. |
Itaru | As expected, you’re consistent. |
Sakuya | You’re so energetic as always! |
Chikage | That’s Masumi after all. |
Tsuzuru | Right. |
Masumi | This time, I’ve learned a lot from listening to everyone’s stories in Spring Troupe, and I understand that there are different forms of love. |
| For me, my number one love will always belong to Director but… |
| I’ll try to share only a small bit with you guys too. |
Tsuzuru | Only a small bit is….! |
Itaru | So stingy. |
Chikage | Only, I’ll be waiting for more in the future. |
Sakuya | Haha, but I’m really happy, Masumi-kun! |
Citron | Like Masumi-kun said. Love has different forms. Love is not only romantic love. |
| Your petty love towards Spring Troupe is overflowing! |
Tsuzuru | Plenty, right! |
Sakuya | Love towards family is also love! Right. |
Citron | You’re right! |
| Next time, let’s get Spring Troupe to perform as a family! |
| Make sure we draw the passionate encounter between the father and the mother properly~! |
Itaru | I wonder if I’m going to see Senpai shedding tears for his cute grandson… |
Chikage | Do I need to ask Azami to put an old-man make up on me…? |
Tsuzuru | Haha, it will be a full-blown comedy. |
| It’s going to be fun writing it. |
Sakuya | Masumi-kun, should we get to the cheering? |
Citron | Do one that only Masumi can do! |
|
Masumi | …Everything’s for the sake of love towards Director. |
Sakuya | Ah, yeah~! |
Citron | For the sake of love! |
Tsuzuru | Too heavy…! |
Itaru | It’s hard to continue. |
Chikage | But, it really sounds like Masumi. |