#Yamamoto Mayu | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

femme-malewife · 1 year

Text

Fantasia LOVE&KISS Novel Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I’m not a professional translator. Also, fair warning, the chapters are quite long.

Masterlist here

🎤

There was a time when Aizou couldn’t sing anymore. There was a time when he couldn't hear the sounds that made his heart pound. There was a time when he closed off the world to escape the noise.

Today was the day for recording their newest song. And for the first time, it seemed to actually be going well. He practiced the song many times ever since he got the demo sheet music, and he tried singing it in many different ways, but today, he was able to sing the song the best way he could have imagined it.

It could be because he didn’t have a lot of tension in his shoulders, or because he felt like he was in good condition, but either way, he felt impressed with how his own voice sounded steady. His voice was clear and his tone was consistent.

He sang with his hands clenched at his sides.

Aizou shifted his speakers as a voice came from the speakers. “Okay. We’re done for the day”

Aizou glanced at the control room, which was separated by a window. “Eh? Are you sure?” Normally, he had to do it a second time and sometimes more.

“It’s fine. It was good. What’s the matter? You did great.”

“Why’s that? Do you think it’s because it’s sunny today?” Aizou asked. The weather forecast said there was a zero percent chance of precipitation, and it had been sunny when he’d left in the morning. From the speakers, he heard the director laughing.

“Does that really have anything to do with it? But if you’re really worried, then let’s do it one more time. Sing just like how you just did, with a smile!”

“Yes sir!” Aizou said with a big smile on his face. There were times when he had to re-record a song several times because he couldn’t sing it the way he wanted to, so on days like today, getting the okay on his first try was uncommon. But Aizou was more than happy to be able to sing comfortably.

The recording ended quickly, and the sun was setting when he left the studio after a quick exchange.

People were crossing the crosswalk at the intersection and walking toward the station one after another.

(This is the end of my work for today, right? I don't even have a lesson today.)

Aizou took his phone out to check the schedule and saw that the recording session was the last thing for the day.

The first time Aizo passed an idol audition and joined an entertainment agency called "Moebius" was when he was in his third year of middle school. He applied for it because he was told that the successful applicant would get to debut, but somehow there was another successful applicant besides himself, and the two of them ended up forming a unit.

The unit was now known as “LIPxLIP”, and they debuted with their song “Romeo”. They immediately grew popular as high school idols.

Aizou stopped at the intersection just as the traffic light turned red. He was wearing a hat and glasses, but two high school girls who were also waiting at the light noticed him.

"Eh, isn't that Aizou?"

He could hear them whispering.

"Crap! Really?”

Aizou felt embarrassed when he saw them looking at him with excitement, so he quickly pulled down the brim of my hat. On the large screen at the end of the signal, he could see myself and his partner in glittering princely outfits.

It is a commercial for a live concert that was going to be held in the summer. In preparation, he was busy recording new songs, producing CDs, taking dance lessons, and taking vocal lessons.

Before their debut, Aizou didn't know what to do or where to find his place in the world, so he spent all of the time he had studying and practicing guitar. He couldn't bring himself to do anything except stare off distantly, and he didn’t feel like getting involved with anyone, and he wasn’t very social. Sure, he talked with his school friends, but he didn’t care about club activities or going out with them all.

He wasn’t comfortable staying at home either, so he rented a room at a music store that he often visited and spent a lot of his days there. He was a shy person, but the reason why he applied for the idol audition was because he wanted to sing.

That was the only reason.

Aizou didn't think he had the personality for being an idol. He didn't even like to talk with girls. Before his debut, he never would have thought of acting like a prince for anyone. When his friends from middle school heard that Aizou had become an idol, they said, "What, seriously? You?” They were surprised to hear that Aizou had become an idol.

He supposed it was only natural.

Back then, he rarely ever spoke to the girls. He was pretty sure that they ignored him because he didn’t socialize very often. It was embarrassing to be shown him blowing a kiss on a large screen.

He wasn’t an ideal idol, but he couldn't think of any other way to make someone listen to him sing.

He loved to sing, and was the kind of child who would always jump up and down on the couch while loudly singing. Seeing Aizou like that, his mother entered him in a singing contest on a whim. It was also the first time he ever got up on stage and sang in front of people. Aizou himself was praised as a good singer, and he was even admired at school, so he went around saying, "I'm going to be a musician in the future!”

He was embarrassed to think about it now, but he’d always been a happy child.

But as soon as he’d entered the large hall, he felt so sick with nerves that he had almost thrown up and sat down in the foyer. He’d been so scared. He’d felt small, like an inflated balloon that was deflating quickly.

The only reason he’d managed to get on stage was because his brother pushed him to. He could still remember the thunderous applause when he finished singing and the proud smiles of his family, who were listening to him in the audience.

His mother was crying from emotion, but she was still smiling. He wanted to sing more in front of everyone. He wanted them to praise him. If he were to stand on stage, everyone would see him.

Everyone would see him and need him.

Even his parents, who always fought with each other, would smile.

In fact, that was probably the first time that he dreamed of standing on stage and singing. It was not a whimsical, spur of the moment fantasy, either. It was a dream that he really wanted to pursue.

Aizou had given up on that dream once when he could no longer sing, and in the midst of the dark and bleak days ahead, he wished to see it again. He’d felt that he had nothing left, so it’d been his only “hope”.

If he stood on the stage, if he sang again, then someone would need him.

He wanted to be able to make someone smile. He wanted to regain what he’d lost.

He felt like there was no place for him anywhere in the world, so I wanted to create a place where he could feel safe and accepted.

(I never expected that it would be in the world of idols, but…)

He was content, though.

Aizou smiled slightly as he looked at the large vision screen.

His partner was incomprehensible and disagreeable, and they kept clashing with each other. It was as if he had encountered an unknown alien and was fighting him every day. Although they now understand each other to the point where they can communicate, they still disagreed and resented each other, and bickering was still an everyday occurrence.

There were times when they would have a heart-to-heart talk about their disagreements. Still, he was the only partner in the world for him, and he supposed that he really had no choice but to be patient with him.

(Come to think of it, wasn’t that guy doing a photoshoot for a magazine today?)

Since they’d been working more and more separately these days, he didn’t know all of his partner's schedule. He recalled talking about that with his manager at the office.

It was for a fashion magazine, he was pretty sure, but he didn't bother to check with the manager and was about to put his phone away when he suddenly received a message.

(Oh, it's from Yui…)

He was a member of the idol unit “Full Throttle4”, or also known as “FT4”. There was Yui and Rio, the vocalists, Dai and Megu the dancers, and Iv the manager and producer.

They were also judges for the audition that Aizou participated in, and after he passed the audition, they coached Aizou and his partner in dance and vocal lessons. They still see them sometimes when they have free time.

Even though they worked for different offices, they weren’t actually idols, and yet, they were people that Aizou genuinely respected and didn’t want to lose to.

“Aizou, I found an insanely good ramen place~! Let’s meet up at the station in 30 minutes~!”

The message was more of a demand than an invitation, so Aizou quickly typed out his reply with a wry smile on his face.

“Which station?”

Yui’s “insanely good ramen place” most likely meant “insanely spicy ramen place”. No one loved spicy things more than him.

He remembered one time, Yui got him some spicy ramen and it was so spicy that Aizou had lost consciousness for a solid three seconds. He was pretty sure he hallucinated being in a flower garden.

If it was possible, he would really like to have some actual good ramen, but he couldn’t complain if he was being treated to a drink as well.

“It really can’t be helped, I may as well go…” Aizou sighed in resignation to himself.

Besides, there's something he wanted to talk about. He was supposed to have the manager pick him up after work, but that would no longer be necessary.

He quickly reported that the recording had gone without any issues and hurried across the crosswalk after the light turned green.

Yui was waiting for him at a nearby train station. They headed toward the plaza in front of the station, the building lit up the darkened streets. Near the entrance of the station, there were many people waiting to meet someone.

The people around the area were looking at their phones or gathered around, enjoying themselves and making a lot of noise. Yui’s appearance was immediately noticeable.

He was sitting on the edge of the fountain, and a group of women were gathered around him. They were probably university students or working people. Yui, who was chatting and laughing happily with them, waved his hand in the air and called out to him. "Aizou~ this way! Aizou!" and waved his hand.

The women around him suddenly gasped. "What, Aizou?”

Suddenly they were all looking at him. Aizou looked down in a panic and tried to hide his face with his hat, but it was too late. High school girls who were walking nearby turned their heads and began to excitedly speak.

“It’s really him!”

“Oh my god, he’s so hot!”

“Ehhh! Hey, hey! Yui, why are you meeting up with Aizou?”

Aizou could hear the women around Yui. And to think Aizou had gone through the trouble to wear a disguise. He didn't want to stand out at all, unless he was at work.

But Yui didn't seem to mind at all, and even now he wasn't wearing a disguise. He was the vocalist of FT4 and popular not only among women but also among men, so it was impossible for him not to stand out wherever he goes. He was surrounded by women and seemed to take it for granted that he would be the center of attention.

Aizou was envious of his composure.

“I’m going somewhere with Aizou~! Sorry, ladies~!” Yui got up and walked over to Aizou.

“So where are we going?”

“Somewhere nice?” Yui lifted his index finger to his lips and winked at the girls, as if he were trying to say “I don’t want you to disclose my secret!” He winked at them. “We’ll see you at our next live concert! We’ll be sure to put on a great show~!”

The girls around started screaming in excitement and joy.

“Yui! You’re so cool! I’ll definitely go!”

“I’m looking forward to it!”

Yui waved his hand to the excited girls and walked away shoulder to shoulder with Aizou. FT4 was a dance vocal unit. That's what they are all about. However, they seem much more idol-like than he, who was actually an idol, was.

💮

Yui took him to a small restaurant in a narrow alley lined with multi-tenant buildings.

“Experience the spiciness beyond your limits!”

“We have the spiciest fainting level hot homemade noodles!”

Aizou felt fear when he read the signs that read off about their spicy noodles. He was about to escape, but Yui, who was in a good mood, spoke up. “The noodles here are super good, come on!”

He really couldn’t escape thanks to Yui’s grasp.

As he was pulled into the restaurant, he was guided to a seat by the counter. It was almost time to go home, the restaurant was practically empty, and the waiters seemed bored. There were only one other pair of customrs.

Aizou doubted that people didn’t come here to eat peacefully, but rather becaue the noodles would be too spicy. Sweat began to bead on his forehead before he even had any food in front of him.

(If it’s possible, please don��t make it too spicy...)

"Hey, super spicy ramen noodles for two with triple the spiciness!" Before looking at the menu, Yui raised his hand to order.

“Super spicy ramen noodles, triple the spiciness for two! Understood. Your order has been placed.” The waitress said.

(What do you mean, triple the spiciness?! Is this a secret menu item or something?!)

“It’s okay. The noodles in this restaurant are not that spicy!” Yui laughed as he patted Aizou’s back. Aizou stared at him, suddenly uneasy.

“Yui’s version of not spicy is the same thing as normal people’s super spicy!”

“Aizou...I have some good advice for you. If you eat spicy food, your singing level will go up! Just follow my example and you'll be fine!" With a look of pride on his face, Yui jabbed his thumb at himself with a flick of the wrist.

(No way that that’s true!)

Aizou could feel his throat tingling already.

(What kind of throat does this guy have..?!)

“So eating spicy food is actually very beneficial for you!”

“Aghh! I don’t get it! I don’t get it at all!” Aizou slumped down and groaned in anguish.

“You don’t know how to train yourself! Here I am, your softhearted senior, offering to train you to become a full-fledged professional!”

What in the world was he being trained for? Aizou wrinkled his brow and sat up quickly.

“I’d like you to train me in singing, if you don't mind!”

There were so many things he wanted to learn from Yui, a vocalist of FT4. His powerful voice could easily move people's hearts.

“You know, I heard that if you eat spicy food, you'll get good at it. Today's homemade noodles are the first step!” Yui was playing with a pair of disposable chopsticks, pulling them in and out of the little bag as he spoke.

Aizou had never taken vocal lessons from Yui before, but he’d taken dance lessons from Dai and Megu before.

(The instructions from those two were so easy to understand...)

Though they are rumored to be the ones who have been involved in forty different crazy rumors, they taught them well from the basics.

Iv is indeed the true leader of FT4, and although he was calm and smiling from beginning to end, the way he taught was very difficult. He was calm and composed throughout the lesson, but his teaching style was very hard. Even his partner had to correct him many times.

“You know what? No matter what happens, don't ever, ever make Iv angry!”

Dai and Megu had told Aizou that on the day that he was going to be taught by him.

"Yes, yes, or else you will experience hell on earth!”

Fortunately, Aizou didn’t piss Iv off and did not experience the hell, but he understood why the other members were so scare of him.

Behind his smile, there was a sense of intimidation that makes it impossible to say whether or not, and a strong aura that was hard to resist.

After all, he was the unconventional leader of a group with many problems. Aizou also took a lesson from Rio, the other vocalist.

Sometimes they said stuff like, “you were made by FT4!”, Aizou would always get embarrassed, but he didn’t want them to think that they were still amateurs. He wanted them to think “We can’t be overtaken by these guys so easily!”

He wanted to show them how good they were.

And, although Yui is good at singing, he also heard that he was good with sports and skateboarding.

He mentioned that he also snowboards during the snow season.

Yui asked him, "so have you ever done it before?"

“I had practiced with my brother for a while on a skateboard he had bought me. This was when they were both still in elementary school.”

“Oh yeah, Aizou has an older brother, right?”

“We don't get along very well now. We hardly talk to each other at...home.” Aizou replied with a wry smile.

Even this was not the case in the past. He used to spend more time playing with his older brother than with his friends. At the time, he thought that his older brother was "amazing" because he could do so many things better than he could. It was the same with skateboarding. The day his brother got his board, he had already mastered it and was able to do simple turns and jumps without anyone teaching him.

Aizo had tried to imitate him, but it did not go well, and he kept falling and landing on his ass.

It was not that he was not good at exercising. In fact, he was better at physical education than his classmates. It was just that myhisbrother was more dexterous than he was.

(I remember he was always like that...)

He was the best in his class on the bars, in soccer and basketball, and in the sprint. He was chosen to be the anchor at the athletic meet relay, and it was always his older brother who cut the goal tape.

His test scores were probably quite good, but he did not boast about it and always seemed uninterested. He could have been better if he wanted to be, but he was always reluctant to try, even though he could do anything.

This must have been frustrating for the adults around him. When he returned home after a bilateral meeting with his homeroom teacher, Aizou had once heard their mother lecturing his brother. She told him that his grades were good but that he lacked enthusiasm, and his brother listened to their mother's words with a bored look on his face.

People around him might think it was a waste, but his brother himself didn't seem to see much value in what he had. He was dexterous and to the point, so he could do more than anyone else, but he also got bored very quickly.

Once he improved to a certain level, he just gave it up. It was the same with skateboarding.

After a few months, he stopped playing and left the board he had bought for himself. Aizou had stopped too, simply because his brother stopped doing it. Practicing by himself was boring, and without someone to watch him, he had no motivation to do it, and eventually he lost his enthusiasm.

He was doing just fine. He didn't seem to be involved in any club activities. For better or worse, he was not attached to anything. So, if he didn't need something, he could let it go. Surprisingly, easily and effortlessly. No matter what it was.

And once he abandoned something, he never looked back.

“I wonder what he really thinks...” Aizou muttered to himself.

His brother was always making a lot of noise in his room nowadays, or grinning while looking at his phone, and it's all extremely freakin’ weird, but he seemed to be enjoying himself from start to finish.

Aizou didn't see the fake laughter that he used to see in the past. That was probably a good thing. Aizou sincerely hoped that if he has found someone he truly cares about, he won't let go of her hand this time.

Yui, who was listening with his hand on his cheek, unexpectedly reached for him and patted his head.

“Ah-!” Aizou looked at him in surprise and saw him laughing with both elbows on the counter.

"Next time, why don't you go buy a board with me? If we're going to start, we'll need it, won't we?"

“Yes, I’ll go with you!” Aizou immediately replied with a smile.

“If you really wanna do it, then I’m not going to go easy on you! So be prepared!”

“Ah, wait, no...I’m a beginner, just a beginner...”

“You’ll catch on pretty quickly, it’s not like you have a lack in skill. Man, it’s like you don’t think you can do it yourself.”

Yui placed the bowl of ramen brought to the counter in front of him and Aizou.

It was just like how Aizou thought of his brother. He looked over at Yui, a little surprised that someone else would see it that way.

“I've never thought of myself as skillful. But...I know I have to get over it to move on, don’t I?"

Yui grinned at Aizou as he handed the chopsticks to him. Aizou looked down at the bowl of ramen in front of him.

(Ugh...I knew it would be spicy..!!)

The surface of the ramen was completely red, and just by looking at it, it looked like it would set his mouth on fire.

Aizou cracked the disposable chopsticks with a wariness as he wondered what level was safe to put in the mouth.

“Yui...you know...”

“Hm?”

“Can I order some sweet apricot bean curd after my...meal?" Unlike his partner, he usually didn’t eat much sweet food, but today he would definitely need it.

Yui rolled his eyes and looked at Aizou in amusement.

"Ahahahaha! Fine, but only if you finish all of your ramen!”

💮

“That was so good! Super spicy ramen is the best!" Yui cheered as they left after he paid the bill. "Thanks for the food!”

Aizou felt a tingling sensation not only in his mouth, but in his stomach as well. He wondered if it was better that he did not pass out like he did with the extremely spicy ramen from before.

Today's bowl of ramen noodles was at a level where Aizou could manage to finish it. However, his taste buds seemed to have gone completely haywire, and he could not taste the apricot custard that Yui ordered at the end of the meal, so it was not a pleasant experience for his mouth.

“Yui...I want regular ramen next time...”

“I guess it can’t be helped that you’re a hopeless customer. I get it. I'll take you out for regular ramen next time! I know lots of good places!” Yui laughed as he faced Aizou. He clasped his hands behind his head as he walked. “Though, speaking of which, where's your partner?"

“Uh...probably at a photoshoot for a magazine?”

“You should definitely bring him along next time!”

“I’ll keep that in mind, as long as you don’t forget your promise!”

“I’ll send you my schedule later so you know when I’m off next,” Yui said with a wave of his hand. He took his phone out and made a phone call. “Rio~ what are you making for dinner tonight~? ....Beef stroganoff! Sounds delicious~ I’m on my way now so leave some for me~”

The members of FT4 always seemed to be getting along.

(Ah, come to think...the photoshoot should be over by now...)

Looking at the watch he wore on his wrist, he noticed that it was almost 10 at night. They would have gone home by now. His body, which had been warmed by the hot ramen, began to cool down, and Aizou turned around and started walking away.

As he turned onto the main street and headed toward the station, he was suddenly tackled from behind by something.

“Uwah!" When he turned around in surprise, he saw a familiar dog clinging to his leg.

“Oi, Hotaru!” The guy who held the leash tugged at his hat, and Aizou immediately realized who it was. He was wearing the same hat and glasses he always wore for a disguise. He was breathing heavily, likely thanks to his dog suddenly pulling him away and running so fast.

“You...hey, what are you doing out here at this time of night?”

“You can obviously see what I’m doing, I’m walking my dog!” Yujiro, the other member of LIPxLIP, replied in an annoyed tone as he tugged at the leash. He was trying to pull his dog away for some reason.

(Ah...he has walked his dog here before too...)

The two of them left the station, and Aizou sat down on the stairs. He rolled his canned coffee that he bought from a vending machine in his hand as Yujiro stood with him, with his dog next to him.

The moon reflected on the surface of the river, which swayed quietly with each gust of wind.

“So how was today's shoot?"

“...It went fine...it was just a normal shoot.”

“I see.” Aizou had no idea what else to say, so he shook his can to pass time.

“...What about you? You had a recording today.”

“Ah- it went great. I was in great shape.”

“Is that it?” Yujiro, who had been staring at the river, suddenly turned to him. “Is there anything else that you wanted to ask me?”

“...Nothing big, I just...do you always walk your dog at this time of night?”

“Well...today...”

Aizou glanced at Yujiro's face as he sat down next to him and stopped speaking.

“Well..?”

“Koichiro and father were arguing again. It was....bothering me. So I left.”

“Aren’t they close? Your father and brother, I mean.”

“...I’m wondering if he’s in his rebellious phase?” Yujiro's hair and clothes fluttered gently in the wind.

Aizou choked on a laugh and put his hand over his mouth. Even though he didn’t think it's a laughing matter, he still couldn’t help the chuckle. The way Yujiro said it was strange. “I don’t think you of all people can say that.”

“I know that we don’t talk much, but...he seems to be in a bad mood lately...maybe he’s in a slump. He’s starting to miss a lot of practice and it sets father off.”

Yujiro's younger brother, Koichiro, was still in middle school. He was chosen as the successor to his father, a famous kabuki actor, and has been performing on stage since he was a child.

This was in sharp contrast to Yujiro, who was not allowed to stand on stage even if he wanted to, and was confined to a behind-the-scenes position. Although he was always in the limelight, his younger brother must have had his share of hardships.

“Well, I don’t know about any of that, but...your place seems pretty strict.”

There seem to be a lot of connections. Yujiro also had a lot of trouble convincing his father when he passed the audition and to sign a consent form to work with the office. It was different from his own home, where there was a more go-with-the-flow attitude.

“...I wonder what they’re thinking. They have a performance coming up...”

“Isn’t it good to let him try to be more free?” Aizou asked thoughtfully.

Yujiro looked at him in surprise. “Why?”

“Why...I mean, what if seeing you do all of your activities freely made him envious?” Aizou raised his eyebrows. “Don’t ask me.”

There were many things about Yujiro's house that he didn’t understand. However, he thought that he could understand a little bit, since he was also a little brother.

(I mean, even I used to stick with my brother and do nothing but imitate him when I was little...)

The same went for skateboarding. Anything his brother did seemed like a good thing, and he wanted to try it himself. He supposed that was just how brothers were. His older brother was the target of his admiration.

“You’re the older brother, so of course you don’t get it.” Aizou said when Yujiro frowned at him, looking confused.

Even though they were not related by blood, an older brother is still an older brother, and a younger brother is still a younger brother.

Surprisingly, Aizou was a little relieved to see that this partner seemed to be playing the older brother at home.

(Well, he’s probably feeling suffocated too...)

When he thought back to his middle school days, he remembered that he was constantly lost, and he hated everything about it. Everything he heard seemed like a bunch of senseless noise, and he desperately struggled to get out of it.

(Ah, but I had old man Morita helping me before...)

Morita-san was the owner of his favorite music store. He met him when he wandered around town with nowhere to go, and he was also the one who let Aizou rent out a practice room for a few days.

Whenever he didn't want to go home, he spent his time playing his guitar in that practice room. It was the only place he could keep his mind at peace at the time.

He was so pissed off about that, that he even complained about it once. At that time, Morita only laughed while patting Aizou's head and said, "That's just the way young people are.”

For those who are at the mercy of stormy emotions, it is a matter of life and death, and such simple words are not enough to convince them. However, when that storm passes, you end up wondering what was so rough about the world.

(Yujiro...never seems to have rebelled at his home...)

Though the decision to become an idol was probably his biggest act of rebellion, in Aizou’s opinion. Since he’d been forbidden from being able to stand on the stage, and that was the one thing he’d really wanted.

But for his family, it must have been a surprise. For his younger brother, too, the "betrayal" may have come out of the blue.

In any case, his partner was unique in what he thought and what he did. Compared to him, the younger brother seemed more standard in his rebellion, as he is the one who was confronting his father head-on

“By the way...Yujiro.”

“...What?”

“Your uh, dog has been biting my hair for a while now...” Aizou bent forward a bit, internally pleading for him to do something about it. Yujiro’s dog was leaning against his back and had been biting and licking at his short ponytail.

“Hotaru, it won’t taste good if you eat that,” Yujiro said, but didn’t move to stop him.

Aizou let out a sigh, resting his face in his hand.

(Is there something I missed?)

Yujiro's dog clung to him and wouldn't leave. It was better since it didn't bark at him, but he would have preferred that if it meant his hair wasn’t being licked.

He was still an idol, after all, and he had no idea when he was being watched. It would be awful if people saw him with such ruined hair.

Yujiro chuckled when he saw Hotaru wagging his tail happily. “You think you’re friends, don’t you? He’s got a tail too.”

“My hair isn’t a tail, dammit...” Aizou grumbled, yanking his hair tie out of his hair and standing up.

Yujiro stood up as well and lifted Hotaru up in his arms before the dog would start playing with his legs.

“The manager said that there’s a meeting at the office tomorrow. She said to call later.”

“Hm. I’ll check it out, then.”

“Why? I thought you were off tomorrow.”

“I don't know. We've been working a lot lately. But the fact that he suddenly called me up must mean that she has something very important to do.”

(I wonder what it is...)

He thought about calling later to find out, but he supposed he’d just find out when he dropped by at the office tomorrow.

🎤

When Aizou and Yujiro went to the office in the early afternoon the next day, they found the president and manager waiting for them in the conference room. The other staff members seemed to be on vacation. This was probably why the office was so quiet.

Aizou sat down in one of the chairs.

“Actually!” President Tamura clapped her hands together as she told them the news.

“A play?!” Both Aizou and Yujiro shouted simultaneously.

“Yes! I know this is sudden, but this stage will be a great challenge for both of us, and if we succeed, it will lead to new job offers," the president said with a smile as she put both hands on the table in front of her.

“But...um...I've never done any acting or anything like that..?" Aizou had taken acting lessons before their debut, and he had played the role of a prince in an MV shoot, but he had never been on a theater stage.

He honestly thought it would be a long time before he would be offered such a job, so he wasn't prepared for it.

(Is it normal for this kind of thing to be sprung up on us?)

Aizou glanced over at his partner, suddenly feeling anxious.

Yujiro would have practiced and studied acting at home. During a previous acting lesson, he memorized the lines immediately, and even his teacher was amazed at his acting ability. If asked to do it, he would do it in a heartbeat.

Though he was obviously surprised, he didn’t seem nervous.

“Yes, I guessed as much. I've already told them that you have no experience on stage, and they've still agreed to do it. I know it's a lot of work for you because it's your first time on stage, but I'm sure you guys can handle it. Besides, this is a musical. Singing and dancing is what you are best at!”

“A musical?! We’re doing a musical?!” Aizou leaned forward in shock. Since he had no prior stage experience, being thrust into doing a musical seemed even more reckless.

(But...if it’s singing and dancing, is it really okay since we always do it?)

When it was put that way, he could probably give it a go... “No, no no!” He stopped and shook his head quickly.

(This isn’t possible! It's not like a live performance. This is something where you sing, dance, and act. That is going to be really difficult, right?)

He had a feeling that he would be a laughingstock if he, as an amateur performer, suddenly took the stage.

(Yujiro...looks like he may do it...)

His partner was silently listening to the president speak. Aizou put his hand to his head.

(And if only I can’t do it, it’ll make us look bad...)

“Aizou, you don't need to worry. You'll get proper instruction in acting, singing, and dancing. It's true, we don't have a lot of time. But I really want you to do this play. It's the perfect role for both of you. But the decision is yours.”

The President and Manager both looked at Aizou and Yujiro, before Uchida placed some papers in front of them.

“I’ll give you the script and sheet music to look over.”

“I want you to go look at it and think about it. We don't have much time, so I'd like an answer right away if possible. We need to talk about it together. It's a stage you’re both going to perform on!" The president, who had come around behind them, put her hands on Aizo and Yujiro's heads. She was smiling widely, as if she was convinced that the two would accept the offer.

The two left the office and headed for an old coffee shop off the main street.

Today was a holiday and fast food restaurants near the office were going to be crowded. Not wanting to be recognized, Aizou preferred a quieter place to relax and read the script.

He peeked inside the shop through the window and saw a counter with seats for four and a few seats for two. There seemed to be no customers.

When he opened the door and entered, he heard a voice calling out a, "welcome.”

Surprised by the familiar voice, Aizou looked at the counter and saw that standing there, wearing an apron, was Yamamoto Koudai, a fellow Sakuragaoka high school student. He was a member of the newspaper club and had interviewed them at school before.

“Ah, hey Yamamoto-senpai.”

“Oh. Hey. Are you guys off today?” Koudai’s eyes widened in surprise.

“No, we just got back from work...Yamamoto-senpai, you work part-time here?” Yujiro was the one to ask.

“Yes, I was asked to. There’s plenty of available seats. You can sit anywhere,” Koudai began to prepare a tray with water and napkins.

Aizou and Yujiro went to a four-seater seat in the corner, put down their bags, and sat down. They did not expect to meet a senior student from school at the coffee shop that they happened to enter.

(Well, it's nice to be able to relax...)

It's not likely that they would run into other fans of theirs. And since there were no other customers, he knew that he could stay a little longer.

The shop seemed comfortable, and he secretly thought that if Koudai was working there part-time, he would be happy to come there more often.

When Koudai put a glass and napkins on the table, Yujiro seemed to have already looked at the menu and made a decision.

“I would like a chocolate parfait and a cup of hot cocoa, please. With lots of cream,” Yujiro ordered.

“Is there even an option for lots of cream?” Aizou grumbled, opening the menu. Sure enough, there was no such thing as lots of cream on the menu.

Koudai put his pen by his mouth and laughed. “It’s alright. My junior came all this way, so I can give him that. What about you, Shibasaki-kun?”

“Ah...I’m fine with just a hot coffee. No milk or sugar, please.” After he finished ordering, Koudai wrote down their order.

“Alright. Please wait a moment and it’ll be ready.” He went back to the counter to prepare their orders.

Looking around, he didn’t see anyone who looked like they could be the owner of the shop, so it was becoming clear that Koudai was the one in charge. He was preparing the drinks and the parfait himself.

(I wonder how long he’s worked here...)

Aizou, who was not in the mood for idly watching, took the script and sheet music out of his bag and put them on the table.

Yujiro, who was sitting across from him, crossed his legs and flipped through the script. At the beginning of the script, there was a synopsis of the story and the characters.

Basically, the story is about two young men who visit a town, slay a dragon, and save the princess of the land. The character images played by the two men are clear and the dialogue is well paced. Aizou felt that he could understand why the president said the roles were perfect for them when he read the script. The way they fight and cooperate with each other was easy to relate to.

(This is...actually interesting...)

It was a script that really made Aizou want to try it.

As he turned the pages, Koudai came over with a tray in his hands. "Here you go.” He placed a cup of coffee in front of Aizou and a glass of cream-filled hot cocoa and the chocolate parfait in front of Yujiro.

Yujiro was reading his script intently with the hand holding the pen on his chin. He was concentrating. He seemed to be unaware that the parfait he had ordered had arrived.

"Take your time," Koudai said simply, realizing that they shouldn’t be disturbed. He went back to the counter. He must have known that what they were reading was a script, but he didn't ask any unnecessary questions.

Aizou reached for his cup and took a sip of coffee.

(Ugh, I knew this was going to happen...)

Aizou sipped his coffee with this thought in mind. All he could hear was the occasional sound of a car driving by, Koudai washing dishes, and the second hand of the clock on the wall. The cream from the chocolate parfait on the table started melting and slowly trickling down the surface of the glass.

By the time Aizou had finished reading the script, his desire to do it had grown. He should have guessed that President Tamura would have known.

Aizou closed the script and looked at his partner. Yujiro had finished reading the script first and was now quickly eating the chocolate parfait ice cream. It seemed to have already melted, though.

“...So what are you going to do?” Aizou asked.

“What about you?” Yujiro countered.

“I want to do it, but...I don’t know if I can...you’ll do it too, right?”

Yujiro stopped moving his hand and turned his gaze to Aizou. Looking into his eyes, Aizou could see that he was completely motivated.

“I don’t think you can’t do it,” Yujiro said softly without an ounce of hesitation.

“Maybe you're right," Aizou muttered. For Yujiro, who could perform, there was no reason to hesitate. This is a unique opportunity for them. They knew that, but once he said that they are going to do it, there was no backing out.

It was only natural that when one accepted a job as theirs, it came with responsibility. If he accepted the job even though he could not do it, he would cause trouble not only for the president but also for everyone else involved.

“What are you so unusually timid for?” Yujiro laughed quietly.

Aizou’s brows furrowed. “It’s just...how can you seriously say that I can do it so easily, just because I want to do it?”

“How? I mean, I’ve been doing everything I do because I want to. It’s not like I was an idol with experience before. Everyone starts off somewhere...even idols.”

The recording of their songs, the album production, the photography, the TV work, the radio, and the live performance were all a first for them. They had no confidence or experience. Yet, they still managed to build their skills.

They managed to make it this far. This was not to say that there had been no failures. There were many things Aizou could have done better. But he had always done his best, and he always accomplished what he set out to do. In order to move forward, he had to overcome this hurdle.

He knew that.

But...

Aizou brushes his bangs back with one hand and sighed in resignation.

“I understand...and I admit. For once, I'm not so sure! I may be the laughingstock during the acting lessons, so keep that in mind..! I know I’m a terrible actor and a daikon, so I can't say yes with as much confidence as I usually do!"

"...I don’t think you have to play the character.”

“Eh...why’s that?”

“Because this is what you always do!” Yujiro’s shoulders shook as he laughed. Aizou’s eyes narrowed. It didn’t sound like he was praising him.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean the simplicity and lack of thought.”

“Ah, that’s just like you! You’re really not cute or honest at all! You have a twisted personality!”

“Huh?! Who has a twisted personality?! Say that again, I dare you!”

“I’m not doing it! I can’t do a nice musical with you!”

“That’s my line! If you can’t do it, then go cry in a corner by yourself!” Both annoyed now, they stood up without realizing it, reaching out to grab each other to start fighting. Knees banged against the table, the glasses clattered, and the parfait cup moved like it was about to fall.

“Okay. No more, you two!” Koudai grabbed them by their shirt collars and yanked them apart.

It was then that they remembered that they were not alone and they were in a coffee shop. Both of them looked embarrassed.

“I’m sorry.” They both apologized quietly, before quickly gathering their things and hurrying back to the office.

When they got back, Manager Uchida caught sight of their grim faces and rolled her eyes. “Were you two fighting again?!” She must have seen their wrinkled clothes and messy hair. She put a hand to her forehead in clear distress. “Honestly. When are you two going to start getting along?”

Aizou and Yujiro glanced at each other, then looked away in a huff.

The president laughed at them. “Well, you two have you decided what you’re going to do?”

“Of course we’ll do it!” Both of them said, before Aizou glanced sharply at his partner.

“Don’t copy me!” Yujiro scowled. “You said you won’t do it, so what are you yelling for?!”

“I can’t be the one to let you look good!” Aizou retorted. The two had only just started to push each other, when the president suddenly ran over and hugged them tightly, indirectly forcing them to hug each other.

“I knew you two would do it! It’s just as I predicted! This show’s going to be a success!”

“President, I'll get back to you as soon as I can! Also, I need to adjust the work schedule!" Manager Uchida pushed up her glasses with a quick finger. Both the president and the manager seemed motivated.

Aizou and Yujiro were still in the president's arms, and both of them had sour expressions on their faces.

(I wonder how long we’re going to keep doing this...)

The members of FT4 always seem to be happy and relaxed whenever he saw them. Hibiki Kazuma and Soda Mifuyu, two members of the dance-vocal unit who had been in the same group before their debut, seemed to be in perfect harmony with their partners as well.

They were probably the only unit that fought so much. It's been over a year since their debut, and they must have grown up in their own way. Aizou thought it was time to put an end to the pointless fighting.

“This is uncomfortable. Stop it,” Yujiro hissed to him.

“Tell that to the president..! Ow! Don’t step on my foot!” Aizou whispered back.

Seriously, things never went well with them.

⚔️🏹

The two faced each other in the middle of the darkened alley, their hats and capes heavy with rain. They both have the same goal. What they were looking for was the legendary stone that would grant their wish.

“Do you know something that I don’t?”

“...And what if it were true?” Yujiro asked warily.

“Then I want you to tell me. I don’t expect it to be free, of course. I’ll give you a fair reward in exchange.”

“As if I would be honest with you. If we’re after the same thing, don’t you think I’d lie about the information I gave you?” Yujiro frowned.

“Maybe. I won't trust all of what you say. I don't even know who you are...but if we have the same goal, it would be easier to cooperate with each other, right? And...if you knew where the gems were, you wouldn't be going around town asking people. That means you don't know that much yet.” He smirked at him. “Is that right?”

(It’s...easier to cooperate with each other?)

But it would be no fun to go along with the conversation. As he stood there, pondering how to respond, they suddenly heard a scream that seemed to break the silence of the night. After looking at each other, they both ran in the direction of the voice.

“H-help me!” It was the drunken man that was on the ground earlier. He was staggering about now. His legs got tangled and he fell over. Yujiro gasped as a crowd of demons swarmed the man.

They had large eyes, which were as red as scarlet flames, shone with several eerie glints in the darkness of the night. They weren’t very large. They were about half the size of a human being. The bodies were translucent blue.

(Even in a town like this..!)

In the mountains and fields of the northern country, demons rarely appeared in a city surrounded by walls. Even if they do occasionally appear, it was only one or two at most. He had never heard of a group of demons appearing in the city.

People had been acting strange in this town.

Everyone returned to their houses by sunset, and he rarely saw anyone walking down the street. It was not normal for people not to turn on their lights even after dark.

The drunken man was dragged away by the demons that surrounded him, screaming, his face pale with fear.

Yujiro put his hand on the bow he carried on his shoulder. His hand hesitated because there were too many demons. There was no end to what he could do with one of them.

The other guy pulled his rapier out of his sheath and ran forward.

“Hey!” Yujiro shouted to stop him.

“Cover me!”

“What?!”

It was too reckless to rush into a crowd of demons. The man was a drunk, and the sharp claws of the demons that attacked him were repelled by his thin rapier. He turned around and pierced the eye of another demon that tried to jump at him from behind. Normally, he would not trust someone he had just met. And yet, he asked for backup as if it were a matter of course.

It was as if the idea of him not grabbing the drunk and running away hadn’t even crossed his mind.

The drunk man was crawling away now that the demons’ attention was on the other guy, sobbing as he went.

Left behind by the drunk man he’d just saved, he was surrounded by demons who were closing in on him with absolutely nowhere to run.

(I can’t believe this guy.)

With a loud sigh, Yujiro tore the cloth off of his bow.

“I really hate soft-hearted guys who don’t use their head!” He spat out, aiming his bow and arrow.

The arrow he released hit the red eye of the demon that was going to attack him. With a deafening scream, the demon's body shattered into pieces, and the fragments, which had turned to mist, were swept away by the wind.

After stabbing at another twenty demons, the guy leaped over the swarming demons, facing him.

He was not going to deal with all the demons, as expected. There was no reason for him to stay there and struggle. Seeing him rushing toward Yujiro with a swarm of demons in tow, he grabbed his bow and immediately spun around. He quickly caught up with him and lined up next to him.

“That was horrible aiming! You seriously almost hit me!”

“That’s what you say after I just saved your ass?!”

“Yes, you’re a terrible shot!”

“Agghh! You suck! I’m never covering for you again!”

“Good, because I won’t ask you to!”

As thy turned down the street while arguing, they saw a canal ahead of them. When they crossed the stone bridge to the middle of the street, they stopped because a crowd of demons was also in the street ahead.

Their red eyes turned toward them in unison.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me...this is all your fault,” Yujiro muttered angrily.

“Really?” The guy said dismissively.

Demons came at them one after another from the front and back of the stone bridge. As Yujiro stepped back to the edge of the bridge's railing, he was suddenly grabbed by the collar of my cape.

“Eh?!” He was promptly pulled over the railing.

“Let’s go, already!”

“Haaaa?!” Yujiro shrieked as the guy threw them off the railing, causing them to fall into the canal.

⚔️🏹

“T...terrible...” Yujiro muttered, trying to dry his hair with a cloth. He made no attempt to hide his displeasure.

The guy, “Aizou”, sat on a bed nearby and dried off with a disgusted frown on his face as he had to take off his shirt.

“At least we were saved!”

“Ha? Nothing about this is fine. We should have gotten out of there from the start!”

What's more, Yujiro found out after they jumped into the channel that Aizou can't swim. He was lucky that it was shallow, but what was he going to do if it wasn't? He was so thoughtless when he charged into the crowd of demons to save the man.

How he managed to live this long was honestly beyond him.

“I couldn’t just leave that old man there!”

“It had nothing to do with us. It’s none of our business.”

“Well, thanks to me, we managed to find a place to stay, so what’s the problem?”

“That’s a problem- why are we even sharing a room? And this place is a shitty place to stay...”

Yujiro looked at the dusty table. They were in a room of a small inn. When they finally climbed out of the canal and were walking around soaked to the bone, that drunken man came running over with a wild look on his face.

The drunken man must have sobered up completely after being attacked by the demon. He had run away in fear, but he was worried about the two he had left behind and was looking for them.

The man was an innkeeper, and when he realized that they had nowhere to stay, he said, "No charge, just stay at our place!"

He enthusiastically recommended it to them. He was apologizing and thanking them for helping him. They were just in need of a place to stay. Many of the other inns were closed and had been turned into stores. According to him, the inns in this town used to be crowded with people, but since demons began to appear, the merchants and travelers visiting the inns have disappeared, and the inns seem to have completely fallen thanks to not being in use.

The man who was working at the inn had lost his job, and the inn was as good as closed. He became desperate and often went out to drink alcohol, refusing to listen to his family's warning that demons would appear.

Although they were kind enough to let them stay as long as they needed to, the other rooms were unusable due to leaks, and they had to share this room, the only one available, between the two of them. That was the worst part. It was impossible to relax in this room.

“It's better than staying in the field with demons. You complain too much, we don’t need to stay in an extravagent place!"

Yujiro's brow wrinkled more and more as Aizou told him off.

“The room next door is empty, so just stay there. It has a bath, right?” Aizou said, sitting up from his bed.

A knock at the door interrupted their argument.

When the door opened, there was a startled yell. A petite girl with braids in her hair stood there. She looked to be about 14 or 15 years old.

“Um...my dad told me to bring you some food?” The girl’s voice was hoarse from fear. In her hands, she held a tray with two bowls of soup and buns.

“Ah, thanks. We were getting hungry,” Aizou said with a smile as he accepted the tray. The girl smiled, the tension releasing from her shoulders.

“Thanks for helping my father, by the way.”

“We were just in the right place at the right time! But it’s not safe to be out at night.”

“I’ll be sure to tell him that, but I’m sure he’s learned his lesson.”

“Do demons come out like that every night? It’s troubling, isn’t it?”

“Ehh...yeah...when the previous king became the ruler, the guards would exterminate all of the demons, and thanks to them, the demons never came into the city. But when the princess went into power, she had them shut in the castle...”

“Does that mean she's not doing anything for you anymore?" Aizou asked, and the girl lowered her gaze and shook her head.

“The people of the town had been complaining to the castle about their plight, but they were not being listened to,” she said, her face clouded.

It seems that the harm caused by demons has become so bad over the years that most of the craftsmen and merchants have abandoned the city and left. Since demons frequently appear on the streets and attack wagons, food and other supplies must have become hard to come by.

“So that’s why the market was deserted,” Yujiro commented, walking up behind Aizou. The girl took a surprised step back, and he continued. “Is there no one who can say anything against the incompetent princess?” It was a small country, but surely there were nobles or ministers.

“The princess is not incompetent! She was intelligent, kind-hearted, and thought of the people first." The girl’s face flushed as she spoke angrily.

“Then why doesn't that intelligent and kind-hearted princess do something about the people who are suffering from the evil of demons and things to the extent that they abandon the city and flee?”

“T-that's...!" She choked on her words and looked down dejectedly. "I...I don't know...but the princess has changed since the death of her father, His Majesty the King..." She said in a small voice, "I'm sorry," she turned back down the hallway, bowing her head.

The residents always seemed to clam up when talking about the princess. Yujiro looked away as Aizou slammed the door shut.

“You can stand to be a bit more tactful when you speak,” Aizou scolded.

Ignoring his light glare, Yujiro turned to the table. A draft had entered the room and the window was rattling. He pulled out a rocking chair and sat down with a small thud.

Aizuo came over and put a tray with soup and bread for two on it on the table.

“But it’s true. There’s nothing wrong with being honest,” Yujiro said blandly. “Besides, it’s not like anyone’s going to do anything about it.”

If all you do is lament and complain to someone about your plight, nothing will change. If you want to change things, you have to take action yourself.

“Not everyone is brave..." Aizou said, sitting down in a chair and sipping his bowl of soup. The soup was made up of only vegetable scraps and a little dried meat. But even this soup is probably the best hospitality the people of this town could offer.

(Still, it’s none of my business...)

It was up to the residents of the city to think about it. As Aizou said, not everyone is brave. It was one of the options to give up and say, "There is nothing we can do about it. We are just travelers staying in this city for a while. As long as we get what we are looking for, that is all that matters. When we have no more use for it, we will leave for somewhere else and will not visit this city again.”

Yujiro took a bite of the bun and frowned. “Ew.”

“Shut up and eat it. It was prepared for you.”

Yujiro put the bread back on the plate and leaned against the table. Aizou was probably concerned about the girl and didn’t want to leave any food behind.

“...You’re too soft-hearted.”

“What?” Aizou set his spoon down.

“I just think if you don’t keep your hero-complex to a minimum, you’ll end up regretting it when you run into trouble.”

There were many people who try to live their lives in a way that was easy and to the point. The most important thing to remember is that you can't just take a chance on a new product or service. One has to remember is that you can't just take a look at the pictures and say, "I’m one of those people, I’m not a good person.”

“I don't have any noble ideas about doing things for other people. Leave me alone...and besides that...I'm not soft-hearted."

“So you’re just naive?” Yujiro teased, but to his surprise, Aizou’s frown only tugged down more.

“Ahh, you say way too many unnecessary things!”

(That’s probably true.)

He laughed a bit and glanced at the candle on the table.

The candlelight flickered in his eyes. It was probably an unnecessary meddling. After all, it was someone else's business. For selfish people, a partner like him seemed convenient.

That was why they often take advantage of him. He felt a bit uneasy about that.

It would be hard to live that way.

🎤

After it was officially decided to stage the play, and after meeting with the people involved and the costars, the readings began immediately the following week.

In a large conference room with long desks and chairs, all the performers and the director, Okido Mitsuo, were seated.

Aizou took his seat with his prepared script and pen case, and casually looked around. The actors were all looking over their scripts in silence.

(Okido-sensei is a famous director, isn’t he?)

He was not familiar with the stage and did not know its name. But when he saw the stage, which was directed by Okido Mitsuo, as it was being distributed, he saw that it was indeed an amazing production that he got absorbed in watching from beginning to end.

Okido, sitting at the desk in front of him, was a man in his fifties, wearing a jacket. He had a somber air about him, and the fan he held in his hand opened a little as if restless and then snapped shut immediately. Sitting next to him was Ikezaki Anri, a dance and singing instructor. She was in her early thirties and was chatting happily with the scriptwriter sitting next to her.

When the time came and everyone was present, the reading began. The other actors sat in their chairs and read their lines at a brisk speed. Yujiro, who sat next to him, had his script open but was barely looking at it. He probably already had the lines in his head.

(Isn’t that...kind of reckless?)

Aizou felt impatient as he followed the lines written in the script with his eyes. His hand was cramping from how tightly he held the pen in his hand. Yujiro and the other actors had already created their roles, but he was mostly just reading the lines.

(I didn’t hear anything about that, though..?)

It’d only been a week since they got their script, and today they were just reading their lines.

That's what he had heard, so he even went through the script a few times and drew lines on his lines. Naturally, he had no idea how to prepare for a role. He didn't even know how to do it, and he hadn’t been taught how to do it.

It was totally different from what he had heard. Aizou kept his eyes down on the script and put his hand over his lips, which were getting dry.

Yujiro, who was sitting next to Aizou, glanced at him. But he didn't say anything.

(Crap, I’m the only one who hasn’t really done anything...)

The voice that read the dialogue became quieter as he lost his confidence. He couldn’t follow the dialogue from halfway through, like everyone else was.

He couldn't even tell where he was reading anymore. Suddenly, the voices cut off and the room fell silent. As Aizou stared blankly at the script in his hand, he felt a small kick on his leg. Yujiro was still holding the pen and staring ahead with a cool expression on his face.

“Ouch...uh, what?” Aizou blurted out, glancing at his script.

(Oh no! It’s my turn, it’s my turn!)

That's why everyone was staring at them. Aizou frantically turned the page and then honestly confessed, "I lost track of where I was at with that...”

The actors began to giggle, and Aizou, caught up in the relaxed atmosphere, almost laughed too.

“Enough!” A yell echoed through the meeting room, and the laughter instantly disappeared. Aizou was also startled and looked ahead. Okido folded his arms in irritation, glaring at them.

He continued. "I don't know if it’s because they’re high school idols or what, but are they all such amateurs? They didn't learn their lines, and on top of that, they read their lines in a deadpan manner. We're not doing a cultural festival show!" His anger echoed throughout the meeting room, the others remained silent with stiff expressions.

It was not an atmosphere where Aizou could say anything. Even a young staff member, tray of drinks in hand, was frozen at the entrance.

“You come in here in a lighthearted mood, and you’re laughing that you lost where you are?! Your role is not a standing mob! No, no! You’re the lead!” Okido tapped on the script, raising his voice. “You can't even do a good job, but being loved and praised makes you feel good about yourself, doesn't it? How can you accept a role when you can't even do it? Do you honestly think you can take my stage?”

“...I’m sorry, sir,” Aizou barely managed to choke out. He stood up and bowed deeply.

“I’m sorry sir,” the director mocked, “can the audience even hear your lines with that kind of voice? You say I’m sorry, sir!”

“I’m sorry, sir!” Aizou repeated loudly, his head lowered.

“Hey, someone get me a better actor than this guy! I can’t stand to have such a worthless shit standing on my stage!”

(Did I...really deserve to be told off that badly?)

He stared down, the script crumpling in his grasp.

It was his own fault that he hadn't been able to prepare for the role and that he hadn't learned the lines yet. However, he was told that since today was the first day of rehearsals, they would only be reading the script to each other. Besides, he had already told them during the selection process that he had no acting experience. And he thought we were told that they would be given guidance on that basis. That's what Manager Uchida said.

(But this...is another story altogether..!)

However, Yujiro and the other actors had prepared for their roles. They knew what they had to do without being told. He could only say that he was not aware of this. As he remained silent, biting his lower lip roughly, he heard a sudden slam.

Aizou’s head snapped up at the noise, surprised to see his partner standing up.

(Eh, Yujiro..?)

Aizou, as well as the other actors looked at Yujiro as in shock. It is obvious at a glance that he was pissed off. His eyes are completely fixed ahead.

When Yujiro was really angry, he was breathtakingly powerful. It was like he has a different kind of power in his eyes.

Even Okido, who had been yelling at him loudly, fell silent for a moment, as if he had been overwhelmed.

“No one was instructed to memorize the entire script today. There were others who didn't remember, right? I don't think it is only Aizou who is not ready for the role." His voice was lower in tone than usual.

Aizou tried to interrupt him. “H-hey-”

He reached out to gently grab Yujiro’s wrist, but he yanked away from him, as if he were in the way.

“I believe you were told ahead of time that we had no experience on the stage. They knew that, and that's why we were chosen for the job. We can work out our lack of acting ability in rehearsals. Isn't it your job to guide us and make the most of our performance?”

“Just who do you think you’re talking to like that?!” Okido snapped, red faced and his hands clenched into fists.

“You.” Yujiro replied.

“So this is LIPxLIP. One is a total amateur and the other is a cocky little brat!”

“You’ve been yelling for a while now. If you’re really a director, you’d use your title and give us better guidance.”

“You wanna say that again, boy?!” Okido stood up, snarling in a way that stunned everyone in the room.

(This is getting really bad...if we make him any more angry, it’ll cause a lot of problems!)

“It was my fault for not being prepared, next time I’ll do better!”

“You two, just get out of here! You don’t need to come back!” As if to enunciate his point, Okido slammed his fan on the desk. “I can’t have people like you on my stage!”

Yujiro glared at Okido and grabbed his bag.

“Excuse me then.” He said curtly, and left.

“Wha- hey!” Aizou ran after his partner.

No one else was in the hallway when Aizou left the room. The fluorescent lights were on, and Yujiro stormed down the hall, his pace quicker than usual. Aizou rushed to catch up with him.

“Wait!” Aizou grabbed his arm.

Yujiro stopped but didn’t look at him. His head was tilted in another direction, eyebrows furrowed in clear anger.

Aizou let out a sigh and slowly removed his hand. “...I’m...sorry,” he said, his voice lowered.

Yujiro finally looked at him, but he didn’t meet his eyes. “...Why are you apologizing?”

“If I had done it properly, then I wouldn’t have pissed off the director like that...and it looked like I made you uncomfortable too.”

“It’s their fault. Why are you putting up with something that doesn’t deserve to be said?”

“Yeah, but...it can’t be helped if I make him angry. It troubles the president too.”

“If that’s what you think, then go back by yourself.” Yujiro said firmly, and walked to the side entrance of the building.

“Yujiro!” Aizou called out to him, but he didn’t look back. “Dammit...what am I going to do..?" Aizou sighed as he puts his hand to his forehead.

Now that this happened, he’d have to go back to the office and report it to the president and manager.

Thinking about it, he started feeling nauseous.

💮

When Aizou called Manager Uchida, he quickly explained what happened and asked her to pick him up by car immediately. They also picked up Yujiro, who was about to walk home on the way back.

When he was called into the president’s office, he explained what happened again. He felt responsible for the whole ordeal, so he did all of the talking.

“I’m sorry...” Aizou bowed to the president.

“It’s not your fault, Aizou. He’s always a bit problematic at first. I should have known this was going to happen, it’s my fault for not warning you.”

“...What do you mean?”

“Let’s sit down and talk,” she sighed. They moved to the couch in the office and sat down. Manager Uchida put some cups on the table- coffee for the president and Aizou, and chocolate milk for Yujiro.

After taking sips of their drinks, they began to calm down a bit.

“So...” The president began, “the two leading actors for this play are the only ones who we han't been able to decide on for a long time..."

Aizou, who was about to bring a cup of coffee to his mouth, let out a soft "eh".

The president put a few fingers on her forehead. “You see, Okido-san is a strict man, and it seems that he couldn't find any actors who fit his image in the audition. Besides, this time it's a musical, so we'll need some experience in singing and dancing. That's why they came to us on such short notice. I guess I should have told you about that beforehand...I’m really sorry.” She bowed her head.

(What, so that’s...)

He had thought the offer was a bit sudden. Because Okido is a very particular man, there was no way that he would be able to find an actor who can meet his requirements so easily. Besides, not many people can keep up with his guidance. The attitude of Okido, a hard-headed man, can be described as unmannered. If he had continued to tell him what to do, Aizou would have lost his patience as well.

The only reason he hadn’t was because his even more ill-tempered partner had snapped first. He was the type of person who refused to tolerate anything unreasonable, which was why he snapped. Even now, Yujiro stared ahead, lips pressed together.

“You two can dance and sing, but you don’t have the stage experience. That’s why I recommended you two, because they said they could help you. We knew it would be a challenge, but we believed you’d overcome it...that being said...was today your first official reading?”

“It was for us...”

He was sure the others had received their scripts earlier and had had time to read them and prepare for their roles. Out of the two, it was just his partner who had prepared properly for his role.

“I think he must have been in a big hurry because he couldn't decide who would play the leading role in the play. It's not your fault, so don't worry about it. Because I confirmed it with the director in advance, and he has given his consent.“

(Does that mean...that I was scolded for nothing?)

In that case, there was no need to believe he was the one in the wrong. He leaned forward, putting a hand to his head. If he had known that he was in such a situation, he wouldn’t have put up with it in silence.

Beside him, Yujiro only pouted, as if he’d known all along.

(Well, if this ever happens again, I’ll lose my temper before Yujiro does!)

Unlike his partner, who boiled over as quickly as an electric kettle, Aizou’s anger often subsided with a bit of time to think.

“President, let’s drop this job! There’s no need for you to apologize! They can’t expect you to just take that in silence! There’s no need to bring them into this, just say the word, if you say fight, then we’ll fight!” There was flames of anger in Manager Uchida’s eyes.

Aizou almost fell back.

(Manager, your face is terrifying!)

“Calm down, I understand how you feel...” The president then glanced at the two boys on the couch. “It’s up to you two whether or not you want to continue this or not.”

“But...I don’t think the director wants us...”

“I don't think you need to worry about that. If you want to continue, he will agree, even if reluctantly. We have the theater and the performance dates are already set. It's their problem if you leave. You can dance and sing, you are well known and popular, and you are the talk of the town! Do you think it will be easy to find two people like that?"

Popular idols and famous actors naturally have full schedules. When it comes to stage productions, they spend two months or more in rehearsals.

There is no way they could be able to find the time to do so anytime soon. Although they were not free and have other jobs, they manage to make time for them because they were still in high school and their manager and president have reduced our workload so that it was not too much of a burden.

They also have a national tour coming up in the spring, and they have to prepare for that. At this rate, they would probably miss some school days.

"We don't have time to recruit and audition now. We have to make posters, and the ticket sales are coming up. If we had to find someone else, we won't make it in time. So, if you guys don't come back, we'll be in a lot of trouble,” Tamura said with a smile.

“He’s just gonna yell at our boys again! That arrogant director..!” Manager Uchida groaned.

“True, but Okido-san is a talented and capable person. And he's trained several top-notch stage actors. I think it would be a step up for us if we could get proper guidance.”

“I disagree! Even if you want to do a stage production, there are better directors out there! I'll go out and find as many as I can!”

“It’s true, this won’t be the last opportunity we have, and if they don’t bow down, then we won’t ask them to let us do it again. I won’t object if they say yes, but I’ll make sure they can’t say no either.” The president smiled at the boys. “So what are you going to do?”

(Well, the script was interesting...)

It was a role Aizou wanted to do. He may have some lingering regrets, but he supposed it can't be helped after all this time. Okido’s impression of him must have been terrible. Even if he asked him to let him try it again, he didn't think he could give a performance that he would like.

He would just end up cursing him again. Manager Uchida was right, this would not be the only chance. It would be better for me to study the basics of acting and be prepared by then.

Just as Aizou was about to give up, Yujiro, who had been silent the whole time, spoke up.

“I’m not going to stop.”

Manager Uchida and Tamura looked surprised. They, as well as Aizou, thought that he was going to reject it.

Seeing their stares, Yujiro elaborated. “We haven’t shown the director what we can do yet.”

(Eh...are you...serious..?)

💮

“I’m really sorry!” Aizou bowed his head to Okido, who was sitting in his seat.

In the room they were in yesterday, Okido and some staff members were the only ones in there- some actors too, it sounded like, since there were vocal lessons going on inside.

Okido glared at Yujiro, crossing his arms. “Aren’t you going to apologize too?”

Yujiro scowled but didn’t utter a word. Aizou gave his wrist a small, impatient tug, but Yujiro turned his head away, as if he had no intention of apologizing.

The president stepped forward with a small smile on her face, with Manager Uchida following close behind her.

“Okido-san, I am terribly sorry for the trouble I have caused you. I sincerely apologize for any discomfort I may have caused you. The two of them are deeply sorry and would love to be on the stage with Okido-san, who we all respect and admire very much. Please, we hope that you will understand our enthusiasm and give them another opportunity to perform on your stage.”

“Tamura-san, I trusted you two when you recommended them to me. But we can’t have them coming in here unmotivated. The stage is not for fun,” Okido said calmly. Even he seemed to have a thing for Tamura.

“Yes, I think you are right about that. They fully understand that, but since it is their first time on stage, their motivation and enthusiasm have been a bit lacking...they may still be inexperienced in some areas, but with your guidance, I am confident that they will make a success of the performance. I am sure that with your guidance, we will succeed on stage. Therefore, I would like to ask you to guide them patiently.”

“If that’s what you believe, Tamura-san, I’ll trust you...and you guys will do it too, won’t you?”

“Yes. Yujiro and I will do our best!” Aizou bowed his head again and put his hand on the back of Yujiro’s head, forcing him to bow too.

Yujiro stumbled slightly and sulked.

“They both agree.” Tamura said.

💮

(As expected, the president is amazing...)

Thanks to Tamura, they were able to avoid being dropped from the play, and they were supposed to go to rehearsals tomorrow.

They were also given the opportunity to work with the actors in the production of the film. Today, they only observed the other actors rehearsing.

Yujiro did not say a word during the rehearsal. He was unmotivated only in front of Okido, and his expression became serious when he was observing the rehearsal. Once he returned to the office and finished his meeting, the day's work was already over. Since there were no lessons today, all Aizou had to do after this was to go home.

As he left the building, the sky was dusk.

Yujiro walked past Aizou, who was standing in front of the automatic door.

“Bye.” Was all he said, though there was no sign of a car that was going to pick him up. He must be walking home alone- or stopping somewhere first.

Aizou sighed and brushed his bangs back.

(Really, I never know what goes on in his mind...)

On his way home, Aizou stopped by the coffee shop where Koudai worked part-time. He took a seat in the back and opened a magazine he had bought at a bookstore while waiting for the coffee he ordered to be brought to him.

The headline read, “The Alien Next to You!”. It caught his attention, and he flipped through the pages.

He heard the small clink of his coffee cup being set down and glanced up.

“Thanks, Yamamoto-senpai,” he said as he grabbed his cup.

“That magazine. It’s really interesting, isn’t it?” Koudai said, peeking at the magazine from the side.

“Yamamoto-senpai, have you ever encountered an alien?” Aizou asked seriously.

Koudai blinked and pushed his glasses up, making them glint in the light. “I haven’t, but I’ve taken pictures of UFOs.”

“Eh! Seriously, where?!” Aizou asked, shocked. Koudai only smiled at him.

"This is a miraculous picture taken on the rooftop of the school. It's in the newspaper club room, so I'll show it to you if you drop by next time.”

Aizou chuckled as he sipped his coffee.

Akechi Saku was Yujiro and Aizou’s class teacher and taught literature. For some reason, he always wore a white coat and has candy in his pocket. He was an eccentric teacher who, despite being a teacher, seems to walk around with a lollipop in his mouth. He was also the club advisor for the newspaper club.

“So Shibasaki-kun, why are you researching aliens? Is it for work?”

“No, no. I just thought it would be useful for...something.”

“Sounds complicated.”

“Yamamoto-senpai, what time do you get off?” Aizou suddenly asked. Koudai looked at the clock on the wall.

“I have about two hours until closing time, and I’ll be here until then. Please take your time, there’s not many people out now.”

“Thank you. This place is a good place to relax without worrying about other people watching you.”

“And you stop by when you wanna see those pictures.”

“I will...ah, but it’ll have to be after I finish a job. I won’t be at school much, but I look forward to seeing them after.”

Koudai nodded and went back to the counter.

Aizou put the magazine away and took out his script.

(For now, I have to do what I can for tomorow...)

He took a pen out of his pen case and began reading the script.

About an hour later, the door to the store opens with a lively "Koudai~!”

The door of the store opened with a bright and cheerful voice.

Aizou, who had been concentrating on his work, suddenly looked up as if he had been snapped back to reality. Before he knew it, it was raining outside the store.

The high school boy shook his umbrella and Aizou frowned. That was just great, he’d run into the last person he wanted to see.

“Shibaken, I thought you were going to the shrine today?” Koudai said.

“It started raining on the way home, so I’m just taking shelter. I want a drink too. Coffee’s fine- no milk or sugar.”

For some reason, he walked over to where Aizou was. He threw his bag down on the seat and sat across from him.

“Go away...” Aizou grumbled.

This guy is the same age as Koudai and a good friend of his, so it's no surprise he's been hanging out at the store. It was an accident that he didn't notice it.

“Oh?” Ken glanced at the script that was sprawled out in front of Aizou, and then the magazine with the alien on it. “Are you going to be playing as an alien?”

“Ha?! Of course not!” Aizou had initially decided to ignore him, but he ended up reacting to his stupid question anyway.

“Ehh, really? It would suit you, wouldn’t it?”

(This guy..!!)

Aizou angrily chugged the rest of his cold coffee down and slammed it down. He paid the bill and quickly left, calling out a “thanks for the drink!” as he stepped out into the heavy rain.

Within seconds, he was already as soaked as if he’d jumped into a pool.

(I...didn’t bring an umbrella...)

Aizou hung his head, dejected. The weather forecast didn’t say anything about such a downpour.

The store door opened and something poked through. When he turned, he saw it was an umbrella. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. His brother slammed the door shut behind him.

“Koudai~ I’m sorry but I lost my umbrella, so please drop me off at the station on the way home~”

“We have spare ones here, if you’re fine with floral pattern.”

“Well, that’ fine~ I’ll just return it next time.”

Aizou could faintly hear the conversation from outside the shop. He squeezed the handle of the umbrella tightly.

(...What’s with that...)

#shibasaki aizou #someya yuujirou #lipxlip #tamura rei #uchida mayu #yamamoto koudai #shibasaki ken #honeyworks #confession executive committee #heroine tarumono/heroines run the show #lisians translations

47 notes · View notes