| "I've always hated Yukio Tachibana. I resented him." |
| I was born to a family of Taishu Engeki. Ever since I was young, I spent my days practicing traditional performing arts without getting distracted by anything else. I can’t recall it anymore, but it seemed like I had not even reached the age of discretion when I first performed on the stage. |
| Theater has always been a huge part of my life. To me, it was just like eating and sleeping. I accepted early on the fact that I was born to such a family, thinking it was my fate. Besides, I found acting generally fun and was aware that I had the talent for it. Thus, I polished my skill with all my heart. |
| I knew I was going to succeed my parents' troupe in the future… I never questioned it. However, the role that I always wanted to play was a member of an extremely flashy and eccentric samurai gang, just like my father. |
| It was because I respected my father as a star of the Taishu Engeki that I wanted to be like him. But… I grew up with a girly face that resembled my mom’s, while my little brother grew up to be a big and brawny man like my father. Naturally, they only let me take on female roles. |
| Even when I got attention from people in the neighborhood and the young women, I couldn't stand being unquestionably made to play female roles over and over again. No matter how much I devoted myself to training, I felt like both my father and others valued my looks more than my skills. |
| As my frustration built up day by day, I strangely sympathized with my childhood friend, Reiji Kamikizaka, who I met through my parents' connection with his. Just like me, he seemed to be restrained by his family and had been living uncomfortably. |
| My friendship with Reiji deepened over time, and one day, when we had already been friends for many years, I learned that he started doing theater in high school. As far as I knew, it was the first time he did something out of his own will, and not for his parents nor family. |
| "Theater? You could have done it at my troupe." |
| "I was asked to help establish a theater club." |
| "It's surprising that your father allowed it, though." |
| "He only let me do it until high school graduation." |
| "I see. So, how do you find theater?" |
| "I'm having a hard time since our club president is not only selfish, but also his head is always in the clouds. We can't even do much activities due to our lack of members. Still, watching plays at the Veludo Way is fun." |
| Seeing Reiji being unusually lively, I felt frustrated for no reason. After that, I started to grow irritated as I could not do the things I wanted to do. |
| Then, one day, I eventually exploded and ran away from home. I moved around from a friend's house to another's after that, and during that time, I built my network with people unrelated to theater for the first time and earned enough money to live comfortably. |
| I could live without acting and the constraints from my family. Thinking that, I felt at ease. But then I remembered Reiji, who also led a difficult life of being constrained by his family like me. I wanted to tell him the way to live one’s life freely. |
| "Long time no see." |
| "That should be my line. You suddenly disappeared." |
| "What are you doin' now?" |
| "I left my home too." |
| "You?" |
| "I built a theater troupe with the guy from my high school's theater club." |
| "You?" |
| "There's no need to repeat it twice. We're currently looking for members now, will you join our audition? If I leave this thing to Tachibana, we won't be able to recruit decent members." |
| I never thought he'd continue doing theater even after high school graduation. Frankly speaking, I merely accepted his invitation because I was worried he was being tricked and used by this Yukio guy. |
| I was surprised when I saw Reiji and Yukio for the first time at the audition venue. Throughout the audition, that effeminate man called Yukio kept being scolded by Reiji. He didn't have what it took to deceive someone. It made me convinced that it was Reiji himself who decided to continue doing theater. |
| After giving us a challenge, Yukio easily gave all of us a pass. Then, after that, he gathered all the new members for the final confirmation before we officially joined the troupe. Including me, there were five people in total. |
| "I'm really happy that all of you are joining my theater troupe. However, I won't take responsibility if your lives get ruined because of theater." |
| "The hell is that?" |
| "I'm prepared." |
| While Yuzo and Kasumi answered that way, neither Hiro nor Zen was surprised. |
| "I figured." |
| "Bring it on." |
| Even Reiji simply accepted it by saying, "You're as irresponsible as ever." |
| Although he said something unreasonable, all of them remained unruffled. I came to the conclusion that this man touched the hearts of each of them in different ways. He was one-of-a-kind. |
| He gathered people for his own goal and refused to take any responsibility, not to mention he even made the others accept his irresponsibility. At that time, I knew fully well that I hated him. |
| I was thinking of leaving the troupe soon, but that changed the moment I read the script that was handed to me. This script, which was written by a playwright named Hakkaku Ikaruga for MANKAI Company's debut show, was interesting. |
| Although it was such a torment to be performing under an unpleasant man called Yukio, I wanted to perform this piece no matter what. I was especially attracted to the mad gang member role in the story. It was a character that I had always wanted to play. |
| However, there was a female character in the script, making me realize the reason why they wanted us to act as a girl during the audition. I was sure I would be the one taking the role, since I didn't fool around during the audition and Reiji already had his role written for him. There was no other person who was suitable for the role. |
| I was kind of disappointed, but this script had charmed me so much that I would not mind playing the female character just this once. |
| "Then, I'd like to start the read-through today… First, I'll announce which roles you are going to take. If anyone is not pleased with the casting, please raise your hand." |
| In the end, Yukio decided to give the female role to Kasumi while I got the gang member role. |
| "M-Me!? Playing the female role!? Furthermore, it's such a significant character…" |
| "Why did you give me that role?" |
| "Because Syu-san is the manliest one among all of us. I want you to play a cool character." |
| "Hah…?" |
| "On the other hand, Kasumi has a heroine spirit. I think this is the perfect cast." |
| Then, as practice started, I came to interact more with Yukio as the director of the play. I was honestly impressed by his ability. |
| I hated Yukio as a person. However… as an actor, I couldn't bring myself to hate such a director who understood me. Every time I stood on the stage performing a new script by Hakkaku Ikaruga whom I looked up to, I got even more into Yukio Tachibana, the director. |
| Sometime later, Reiji decided to leave the company. Despite that, since I found it comfortable to hang out with the members who were like my family, I decided to remain while thinking that Reiji would return one day. |
| Then, Yukio disappeared. Yuzo, as well as the other first-gen leaders besides Hiro, had also decided to leave the company. That was when I received the news that my father had collapsed, and my brother tearfully begged me to succeed the troupe as the second chairman. |
| I couldn't bring myself to turn it down, of course, so I decided to leave MANKAI Company. However, I still believed and had no doubt that the day would come when all of us returned to that dorm. Thus, I continued to pay the bills like before. |
| I received permission to perform Hakkaku-san's past works at my family's theater troupe. Then, one day, Hakkaku Ikaruga himself came to watch the show without prior notice. |
| "Hakkaku-san!" |
| "Hey, long time no see." |
| "I never thought you'd come to watch the show. I'd have sent a formal invitation if you told me beforehand…" |
| "Don't mind it. I had some business to do, anyway." |
| "I apologize for suddenly leaving MANKAI Company. Is that what you're here for?" |
| "It's not something that someone who hasn’t given up acting like you should be worrying about. I'm sure you'll cross paths with your old friends somewhere one day. Today, I brought something for the biggest fan of my stories." |
| "'Conclusion'? What's this?" |
| "It's a part of a concept. This story can only be realized by the future of MANKAI Company. You can't perform this one on its own." |
| "--." |
| "But I'm sure you’ll wanna see the finished piece, right? In order for that to happen, the original members need to get together again. But well, looking at the situation, I think the most troublesome one is Reni. Save him." |
| I wanted to save him if I could, but there was nothing I could do for Reiji, who was struggling at GOD-za trying to satisfy his unfulfilled desire--something that has since plagued him with suffering. |
| That aside, the concept of Hakkaku Ikaruga's new work piqued my interest. If he gave me "Conclusion", that means the other leaders must have the "Introduction", "Development" and "Twist". However, I just couldn't tolerate the fact that I wouldn’t get to perform the piece. |
| The future of MANKAI Company. The fact that I would not be there made me frustrated. It made my chest burn with jealousy. In the end, I ripped the envelope that he gave me. |
| |
| Hiro | "I used to have a friend with whom I ran through this land. I used to have a partner with whom I talked about our dreams." |
| Zen | "I was stuck here unexpectedly. Can I cross the mountain pass in this condition?" |
| Hiro | "--Dear traveler, would you be willing to listen to my story?" |
| Zen | "For me to happen to be here at this moment, this must be fate. Please let me hear your story." |
| Hiro | "A thousand years ago… when the prosperity of the Taira clan fell miserably like the fading tree leaves that fluttered in the wind…" |
| |
| Reni | I think we've discussed all the points in today's meeting. |
| Yuzo | I feel like there's a large gap, though. |
| Hiro | That's obvious. |
| Zen | You all might have no problems since you still continued acting after leaving the company, but I'm having a hard time getting my intuition back. |
| Syu | You don't look like you're havin' a hard time. You did good. |
| Reni | By the way, Syu, what did he write in your letter? |
| Syu | He wanted me to do my best to coolly run rampage in my own way, and he also mentioned his plan about the fighting scene. |
| Even if he called it a plan, it was quite sloppy. For cryin' out loud, I'm really no match for him. |
| He knows the way to make use of this actor named Syu Otomiya so well it makes me annoyed. |
| Hiro | That person loves actors, after all… |
| Zen | His daughter is currently leading the current theater troupe. |
| Yuzo | She's a pretty staunch fellow. Her pushiness is similar to Yukio-san's. |
| Reni | It'd be better if she doesn't have his pushiness. |
| Syu | Oh, yea, I have this. |
| Hiro | Huh? That is… |
| Syu | I also got it from Hakkaku-san. |
| Yuzo | So it really is "Introduction, Development, Twist, and Conclusion". |
| Zen | Why is this opened, though? |
| Syu | I opened it as soon as I got it. I thought such a troupe would have no future. |
| Hiro | Hey! |
| Reni | What's the content inside, then? |
| Syu | I can't say that it's only "Conclusion". But… |
| "I want the future playwright of MANKAI Company to finish this piece." |
| There's no way anyone besides that person will be able to complete such a grand concept. That's why I have no intention of handing it over. |
| Yuzo might have given him a freebie as he pleased, but I will never hand this to him unless I'm sure that he has what it takes as a scriptwriter for me to be able to entrust this concept to him. |
| Yuzo | That explains why you were being hard on him. |
| Zen | In other words, you want him to be better than right now. |
| Hiro | I think it's something that's hard to understand. |
| Syu | Shuddup. |
| Yuzo | The only one who wants Tsuzuru to write the best script ever is the Hakkaku Maniac. |
| Zen | I see, so that's why you told him to quit acting and focus on writing scripts. What a Maniac you are. |
| Syu | Stop repeating that word. |
| In any case, I don't feel like handin' this to them that easily. |
| Let's do our best rehearsin' and knock the hell out of those lads, you hear me? |
| Reni | I have no objection to that. |
| Hiro | That's my plan all along. |
| Zen | You don't even have to tell us. |
| Yuzo | But we still have a problem. |
| Reni | Is it Hinamori? |
| Yuzo | Yea. Even after our first day of rehearsal, I still couldn't talk him into joining us. |
| Syu | I'm sure you'll do something about it, right? |
| Yuzo | Well that's true, but that guy is also quite stubborn… |
| Hiro | But we need to submit information for the flyers, you know. |
| Zen | There's nothing we can do about that if we still can't talk him into participating. |
| Yuzo | No, let's put his name in the flyers. It's his fault for ghostin' me. |
| There's a chance he will make up his mind if we put his name down. |
| Reni | *sighs* Will it really be alright… |
