Sakuya Sakuma/Secret Special Training for Countless Times More

Meet Me at the Riverside

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Itaru	Aah~, a good drink really hits the spot…
Omi	Haha, it’s worth making then, if you’re so impressed.
	There’s also enough for seconds, so please take more.
Izumi	It seems you’ve been busy with work, Itaru-san.
Itaru	Yeah. After returning from outside work today, I was asked to do other work too…
Omi	I see.
Izumi	Good work, you must be tired.
Sakuya	I’m back!
Izumi	Welcome back, Sakuya-kun.
Itaru	Yo. What was your part-time job today?
Sakuya	Today was my daycare job.
Omi	Good work. I’ll have dinner ready in a minute.
Sakuya	Thank you very much! Let’s eat.
Izumi	You’ve been returning a little later recently, haven’t you, Sakuya-kun?
Sakuya	I had to make some things for the play party and do some paperwork… I just realized that it was getting this late.
	But, my part-time job tomorrow is at a Western-style restaurant, so I don’t think I’ll be this late.
Izumi	I see. I know you’re busy, but take it easy.
Sakuya	Yes! But, every part-time job is fun, so it’s not hard at all! So, please don’t worry.
Itaru	And then there’s me, who was just complaining about work earlier.
Sakuya	B-But I think it’s so cool that you’re always working hard, Itaru-san!
Izumi	Yeah! I’ll listen to as many complaints as you want.
Itaru	It feels rewarding to hear you both say that…
Customer	Thank you for the meal, it was very delicious.
Sakuya	Thank you very much! Please come again.
Store Manager	It’s a litte early, but you can leave already, Sakuma-kun.
Sakuya	Eh? Are you sure?
Store Manager	It’s not that crowded today. And I’m sure you have theater activities, so get some rest.
Sakuya	Thank you so much! Well then, I’ll take your word for it and go.
Store Manager	Of course, good work. I’ll see you next week.
Sakuya	(The store manager is always supportive of the troupe and cares about me, which is really nice of them.)
Child A	Over here, over here!
Child B	Oh! Nice throw!
Sakuya	(Ah, they’re playing baseball.)
	Fufu, everyone looks like they’re having fun.
	(Come to think of it, I have that book of plays I borrowed from the library the other day.)
	(...Alright then!)

Izumi	(I’ve completed the meetings, and helped with the things that the troupe I’m helping asked me to do…)
	(That’s all for today’s schedule, so I’ll go shopping and then go home.)
	The sky is pretty… and the breeze feels nice too~.
	...Hm?
	(The back view of that figure…)
Sakuya	“Ah, what a beautiful dance.”
	“I also want to dance beautifully like them.”
	...Hah.
Izumi	Sakuya-kun!
Sakuya	Director! You surprised me…!
Izumi	I’m also surprised. You worked today, right?
Sakuya	Yes! It ended earlier than planned, so I decided to read a script by the river since it’s been a while.
	I haven’t been able to come here as much because of my part-time jobs and practice…
Izumi	Oh, I see.
	I used to see you practice by the riverside more often, Sakuya-kun.
Sakuya	That’s true! It’s nostalgic, isn’t it?
Izumi	Since you’ve acted even more now, you look even more like an actor than you used to.
Sakuya	...It makes me happy to hear you say that. Thank you so much!
	Practicing by the riverside is different from practing at the dorms. It’s a nice change of pace and I wanna find more time to do it.
Izumi	Mhm, I think so too.
	But you’re also busy, so don’t overwork yourself, Sakuya-kun.
Sakuya	Yes!
Izumi	Are you going to continue practicing?
Sakuya	Nope, I think I’m about to go home for today! Are you going home too, Director?
Izumi	I was thinking of going shopping now.
Sakuya	Then I’ll go with you to help!
Izumi	Are you sure? Thanks.
	Then, how about we have your favorite food for dinner tomorrow, Sakuya-kun?
Sakuya	Wah, yay!
Izumi	Fufu, let’s think about the menu while we walk.
Sakuya	Yes!
	(Today’s shift was also quick, so I’ll practice by the riverside on my way back.)
	(Which play should I use…?)
???	Sakuya-kun!
Sakuya	?

Tsumugi	Good, you’re here.
Sakuya	Tsumugi-san!? What’s up?
Tsumugi	I heard that you were recently practicing by the riverside, so I came.
	May I practice with you?
Sakuya	Of course!
Kumon	Ah, look!
Kazunari	Sakusaku, Tsumutsumu~!
Tsumugi	Ah, Kumon-kun and Kazu-kun came too.
Kazunari	Yessir! We brought you a little something!
Sakuya	Wah, thank you so much!
Kumon	We’re in too~!
Sakuya	Yeah! Let’s do this together!
	“Let’s go on a journey together, Julius. Let’s leave this cramped town and travel the world.”
	“With the two of us, we can go anywhere.”
Izumi	Sakuya-kun!
Sakuya	Director! Good work today.
Izumi	Good work to you too. I see you’re practicing again today.
Sakuya	Yes! While I was practicing here, people came up and talked to me and offered me things.
	It was fun to practice with someone else, not just by myself… I’m really glad I joined Mankai.
	We do our plays together, eat meals together, talk about different things, laugh together… I really met an irreplaceable family!
Izumi	Mhm!
CHOICE 1: I think so too. [+] Izumi I think so too. To have met everyone in Mankai… To have met you, Sakuya-kun, I’m really happy. It’s really fun to have everyone up on stage and do all sorts of things together. Thank you as always. I’m looking forward to continuing to do things with you. Sakuya Same to you, I’m looking forward to it!
CHOICE 2: Let’s continue to do lots of things together. [+] Izumi Let’s continue to do lots of things together. Sakuya Yes! Izumi Of course there’s plays, but I want to go out with everyone and do training camps too. Sakuya I wanna go to different events, and I wanna try new things together too! Izumi Mhm, that too. Sakuya Fufu, I’m kinda excited. No matter what we do or where we go, if I’m with you and everyone else, it’ll be really really fun!
Citron	Oh! He is here!
Masumi	She came too.
Itaru	Hey~.
Sakuya	Eh!? What’s everyone doing?
Izumi	It’s the whole Spring Troupe.
Tsuzuru	I heard from Director that you were practicing by the riverside, Sakuya. So we all came to see.
Chikage	Here, we brought you this.
Sakuya	Wah, thank you so much!
Citron	It is nice by the riverside~.
	This is a great opportunity! Let’s all play cops and robbers here!
Tsuzuru	What? Why cops and robbers? You shouldn’t interfere with Sakuya’s practice.
Sakuya	It’s okay! It sounds fun!
Tsuzuru	It’s okay!?
Itaru	Having to run… If one of the elders is chased, we won’t be able to escape.
Chikage	It’s better to chase after the ones who can be caught quickly, so I’m sure you’ll be caught first, Chigasaki.
Itaru	I’m done for.
Citron	Well then, first we divide into teams. Tsuzuru is a robber!
Tsuzuru	Of course I am… Wait, why am I a robber!?
Masumi	I’m a cop. Director is a thief I’ll capture…
Itaru	That’s just terrifying.
Citron	The usual Masumi!
	But it’ll be fun to chase! I will also be a cop!
Sakuya	Then, I’ll be a robber!
Izumi	(Normally, they’re all serious actors about their plays, but they also have fun playing together and caring about each other like this…)
	(From the outside, they really do look like a family.)
Citron	Well then, start!
Sakuya	Yes! Let’s go, Director!
Izumi	Mhm!

Juju