a3! ramblings and plays

Spring Troupe

Sakuya: I heard that cleaning up brings you luck, so I swiped the dorm clean! I hope I can gift Itaru-san an SSR now!

Masumi: Going to the arcade with Itaru today. I can’t afford to slip up my controls, so I practiced whenever I was free. Now all that’s left is to crush him.

Tsuzuru: After all the stories I’ve heard, I’m starting to understand how hard it is to be a working adult, so today I’ll be as nice as I ca– …Wait, already!? Well, I guess I’ll play along.

Itaru: If my younger self saw me gaming with so many people, I bet he’d be shocked. I can’t say this out loud, but… I’m super happy.

Citron: Dear…! No, I will not scold you, no matter how much you whale today. You keep drawing dupes, but I will cheer you ooon…

Chikage: If I say too much you’ll cringe, so I’ll stop myself. Either way, keep treating me well. Despite it all, you’ve become a part of my daily life.

Summer Troupe

Tenma: Itaru-san bought a product I did a commercial for and DMed me about it on LIME, and that actually made me pretty happy. He laid it on thick with the praises, though.

Yuki: Here, your gift. I made outfits for the Knight of the Round plushie I gave you before. There’s two styles: Cool and Cute.

Muku: Happy birthday! Itaru-san, you’re as sparkly and cool as the day we met! I’ll look up to you forever!

Misumi: It’s Itaru’s birthday, so I prepared a triangle pizza to celebrate! There’s a pretty triangle drawn on the box too~

Kazunari: I finished Itarun’s BD vid♪ I was polishing it until the last min, so it’s prolly the best one I’ve made yet! Let’s toast and watch it together RN~!

Kumon: The chuunibyou lines you come up with are super ultra cool…! I’m nowhere near your level, so I’ll keep referencing you, Master!

Autumn Troupe

Banri: Here ya go. Your fave pizza and cola. You’ll prolly be gamin’ all night long, so I got ‘em ready for you. Consider it one of your B-Day gifts

Juza: I’ve been recommendin’ that you work out, but what you needed was to relax, huh. In that case, sugar’s the way to go. How about that extra sweet red bean soup from last time– No?

Taichi: Wanna play the sitting zombie game at the arcade together? I wanna show you my skills!

Omi: Here you go, Itaru-san. I made a felt mascot of the Knight of the Round. Let me know if you have any other requests.

Sakyo: Lookin’ at Chigasaki makes me feel like an idiot for running away from the things I love usin’ age as an excuse. Not sayin’ that he’s a good role model or anythin’.

Azami: How the hell is your skin always so soft when you’re always stayin’ up and binging junk food… Oh, this ain’t a reason to slack on your skincare.

Winter Troupe

Tsumugi: The strawberries in the garden turned out really nice. I’ll give you the ones with the best color and shape for your birthday, Itaru-kun. I’m sure they’ll be sweet and delicious.

Tasuku: It’s Chigasaki’s birthday. I’m glad just playing WinEle is enough for him… But it probably wouldn’t hurt to find a nice shop and take him out.

Hisoka: It’s your birthday, but you aren’t making a lot of requests… Are you holding back? I’ll do anything so long as you give me marshmallows. Not the family pack ones, though.

Homare: You appeared to be fond of the Suzaku figurine I gave you before, so I shall gift you a Suzaku decoration this time! Do display it in your room.

Azuma: I was going to get you some liquor for your birthday because I wanted to see you drunk, but I decided to get you some snacks you can eat at night instead. Don’t stay up late too often.

Spring Troupe

Sakuya: As a fan of the scripts you write, I wrote you a fan letter! But it ended up really long… I’m a little embarrassed. 

Masumi: I think Tsuzuru has gotten better at taking care of himself than before. But there’s still times when he overdoes it, so I’ll keep watching over him for a little longer.

Tsuzuru: When everyone congratulates me for my birthday, it feels like the characters I’ve created are also congratulating me… I’ll think of this as one of the perks of being a scriptwriter.

Itaru: Happy birthday, Tsuzuru. Here’s your present… An anything ticket~ If you write down your wish and give it back to me, I might just grant it for you. … So long as it’s something realistic, obvs.

Citron: To celebrate Tsuzuru’s birthday… Drrrrrr, BAAAM! I have prepared Citron’s stageee~! Come, let us move up and start our manzai routine! … A script? We have no such thing!

Chikage: I think what you want the most is new ideas for your script, but… This year, I’ll give you a pink moon. Let me invite you to my special observatory.

Summer Troupe

Tenma: Happy birthday, Tsuzuru-san. Since you really don’t want any kind of gift, we’re just here at the cafeteria… But, well, we won’t be able to celebrate like this once we graduate.

Yuki: I want to make a costume for a darker white rabbit one day. You’ll wear it if I make it, right, Tsuzuru? It’ll include makeup, of course.

Muku: I wanted to help with your scriptwriting, Tsuzuru-san, so… I compiled this list of my shoujo manga recommendations! I hope it’ll be of help to you…!

Misumi: Thanks for waiting, Tsuzuru! I have a Super Sankaku-kun for you for sure this year~ …Oh, now that I look closer, this is Super Sankaku-chan! Sorry~

Kazunari: HBD Tsuzurun! TBH, I got you a kiiinda pricey pudding that’s supposed to be crazy delish, so let’s compare it to the one we usually eat!

Kumon: We wanted to celebrate Tsuzuru-san’s birthday at the uni too, so us Fairy guys have prepared all sorts of stuff! A birthday cake, a sash… Here’s hoping we pull it off!

Autumn Troupe

Banri: Happy B-Day, Tsuzuru. You’re prolly gonna be busy soon enough, so how ‘bout we go work part-time together before then? Can’t work at a beer garden this time of year, though.

Juza: Itaru-san told me creators’re happy to receive feedback on their work, so I made a collection of all the scripts you’ve written so far. It’s full of my gratitude for you, Tsuzuru-san.

Taichi: To show my gratitude to you… I got you an Akapoyo energy drink! It’s delicious and helps a ton with fatigue!

Omi: You make sure to include all our crazy requests in your scripts, you know? The best way to repay you for that is… a meal, obviously. Here, some yakisoba with ankake sauce.

Sakyo: Happy birthday, Minagi. Your kindness is a virtue, but you gotta start charging manuscript fees. Our scriptwriter ain’t some cheap supermarket guy.

Azami: Tsuzuru-san, lemme see you for a sec. …Yup, your complexion looks better with the blush. Today’s your day, so you better deck yourself out.

Winter Troupe

Tsumugi: I never thought I’d be playing a character whose ex-wife ran away from him. That was a refreshing and interesting experience. Thanks, Tsuzuru-kun.

Tasuku: Happy birthday, Minagi. Some of the guys from the gas station were talking about celebrating your birthday too. We might have to go for drinks at some point.

Hisoka: I’ll give you a fluffy blanket, Tsuzuru. It’s the same one I use, and it helps me sleep well. … But maybe you shouldn’t use it while writing.

Homare: I always find great inspiration from our activities as the literary club, Tsuzuru-kun. The time spent writing with you is so very precious to me.

Azuma: Good work on all the scripts you write, Tsuzuru. And also, thank you. It’s thanks to you that the roles I treasure increase with every performance.

Guy: Minagi, you are… a role model older brother. As Kureha’s older brother, I would like to learn from how you interact with your own brothers.

Backstage

Film Club Member: Minagi, do you have a sec?

Tsuzuru: What’s up?

Film Club Member: So, y’know, that film you helped us with before was really well received.

Tsuzuru: Nah, I didn’t really help out that much… but I’m glad.

Film Club Member: Well… I’ve got another favor to ask.

Tsuzuru: You want me to help out with the script for your next project?

Film Club Member: Not quite… we don’t want you to just help out this time. We were wondering if you could write the script for us this time, Minagi.

Tsuzuru: You want me to write the script…?

Film Club Member: Yeah. By the way, the theme this time is—.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Tsuzuru: (Urgh… what am I gonna do?)

Taichi: Oh, Tsuzuru-kun?

Tsuzuru: Hey, welcome back, you two.

Tenma: We’re back. Were you working on homework?

Tsuzuru: Nah, the university film club asked me to write the script for their next short film.

Taichi: Wait, seriously!?

Tenma: Oh yeah, you did mention that you’ve helped them out before.

Tsuzuru: Yeah.

Tsuzuru: Thankfully, this time, they just asked me to write the script itself.

Tsuzuru: I took them up on the offer because I figured I’d be able to handle it given the length of a short film.

Tsuzuru: Also, the theme of it is “graduation.”

Tsuzuru: As for the direction of the film, they wanted it to be a bittersweet story centered around graduation…

Tsuzuru: Since I myself am gonna be graduating soon, I thought I’d maybe be able to just express my true feelings as they are right now.

Tenma: Right, I guess you are gonna be graduating pretty soon, huh…

Taichi: We’re gonna be so lonely~...!

Tsuzuru: Honestly, it still doesn’t really feel real to me. But I’m glad that you two feel that way.

Tsuzuru: I thought I’d be pretty lonely when Fushimi-san graduated, but thanks to the two of you enrolling, I got to make even more fun memories.

Taichi: Same here!

Tenma: When we enrolled, knowing that you and Juza-san would be there gave us a nice sense of security.

Tsuzuru: …Oh, right.

Tsuzuru: There’s a part of the short film that I’m kinda lost on, so would you guys mind giving me some advice?

Tsuzuru: As part of their request, the film club asked me to add some heart-fluttering romance stuff to the script, too.

Tsuzuru: And since both of you have starred in dramas, you’ve probably seen scenes like that, and have actually acted in them too, right?

Tsuzuru: Have either of you been in any situations lately where you thought, “This is kinda nice”?

Tenma: Lately, huh…

Tenma: For me, the direction they gave me for a Valentine’s Day commercial I did just a bit ago was to make it heart-fluttering since they wanted the whole commercial to be on that makes your heart pound.

Tsuzuru: Oh yeah, I thought you were pretty cool in that commercial, Tenma.

Taichi: At a shoot I did recently, there was this scene in the drama where an actor I was working with kabedoned his crush!

Tsuzuru: I guess a kabedon would be a pretty standard route to go…

Tenma: And coincidentally being alone in a classroom together after school is a classic too.

Taichi: Don’t forget only having one umbrella and being forced to share it on a rainy day!

Tenma: So basically, it’s all about making the distance close instantly for dramatic effect.

Tsuzuru: Gotcha… asking you guys questions was pretty helpful.

Tenma: I mean, a kabedon does seem like it’d be the most classic and easiest approach.

Taichi: It’s the classic-est of classics!

Tsuzuru: I guess you’ve got a point… If I end up doing that, the key is gonna have to be the lead-up to that scene.

Taichi: Maybe if you actually try doing one, it’ll help you come up with some ideas!

Tenma: Yeah. Thanks to Summer Troupe and the director practicing with me before my commercial shoot, I was able to gradually get the hang of it.

Tsuzuru: A-Actually doing a kabedon… I dunno about that one…

· ❀ —– ٠ ❀ ٠ —– ❀ ·

Tsuzuru: (Thanks to my talk with Tenma and Taichi yesterday, I think I’ve got something good to work with.)

Tsuzuru: (But like they said, if I actually were to try doing it, maybe I’d be able to get some more inspiration…)

Tsuzuru: …

Masumi: …What do you want?

Tsuzuru: …Can I, like, kabedon you real quick for this short film script I’m doing, or…

Masumi: …What? Hell no. Ask someone else.

Tsuzuru: Damn, I knew you’d say that.

Tsuzuru: (Well, I figured Masumi would turn me down… guess I’ve gotta find someone else to ask.)

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

*Door opens*

Tsuzuru: …

Omi: Oh, Tsuzuru. I just made some scones, do you want any?

Tsuzuru: Sure, I wouldn’t mind having one.

Kumon: Oh yeah, Tsuzuru-san, you’re writing a script for a short film, right? Tenma-san told me about it!

Juza: Are ya really?

Tsuzuru: Yeah. …But along with the graduation theme, they said they wanted me to include some heart-fluttering romance stuff.

Tsuzuru: When I was talking about it with Tenma and Taichi, they ended up talking about how a kabedon might be a good idea for it.

Kumon: Ooh! That IS a good idea!

Tsuzuru: I figured that maybe I’d be able to get some sort of idea if I were to actually do one for myself, but…

Tsuzuru: When I just asked Masumi just now, he shot me down instantly.

Omi: Haha, that sounds about right.

Kumon: But if that’s what you’re trying to do, wouldn’t it be easier for you to picture kabedoning a girl?

Tsuzuru: That’s gotta be the director then. If there’s a woman who’s easy to ask for help that I’m close to, it’s her…

Juza: If ya just tell her the reason behind it, I’m sure she’ll help ya out.

Tsuzuru: Well… I was thinking the same thing. But if Masumi were to see that…

Kumon: Then just secretly ask her when Masumi-san’s not here!

Tsuzuru: Uegh… Give me a bit to think about it.

Omi: …Regardless, you’re about to graduate soon, aren’t you, Tsuzuru?

Tsuzuru: It still feels like you just graduated the other day, Fushimi-san.

Juza: …In the blink of an eye, huh?

Kumon: I wish I coulda spent more time with you, Tsuzuru-san, AND I wish I coulda been there when Omi-san was there too~.

Tsuzuru: After I graduate, I wanna go to Yosei’s cultural festival with you this time around, Fushimi-san.

Omi: Haha, sure thing. We can go together as alumni.

Kumon: You’ve gotta come, you’ve gotta come!

Juza: We’ll be waitin’.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

*Knock on door*

Tsuzuru: …

Izumi: Come in.

*Door opens*

Izumi: Ah, Tsuzuru-kun. What’s up?

Tsuzuru: If you don’t mind, I’ve got a favor to ask you…

· ❀ —– ٠ ❀ ٠ —– ❀ ·

*Door opens*

Tsuzuru: Sorry for making you come all the way to my room… Masumi isn’t here right now, so let’s just do this.

Izumi: There’s no need to be so sneaky about it. It’s for the script, right?

Tsuzuru: Even if you’re not worried about it, I’m still kinda worried about Masumi seeing…

Tsuzuru: And if we went somewhere different, someone else might see.

Izumi: (Maybe this is all part of Tsuzuru-kun’s diligence too…)

Tsuzuru: …Well, if you don’t mind.

Izumi: S-Sure. Go ahead.

*Thud*

Tsuzuru: …

Izumi: —!

Tsuzuru: D-Did I do it right…?

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Choose!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Option 1: I think you did!

Izumi: I think you did! Don’t worry about a thing.

Tsuzuru: R-Really? Isn’t this a bit too close…

Izumi: Being this close is what makes it heart-fluttering.

Tsuzuru: …I’ll be sure to remember this feeling, then.

Option 2: W-What do you think?

Izumi: W-What do you think?

Tsuzuru: It feels off, doesn’t it…?

Izumi: No, that’s not it… I’m not quite sure what the right way to kabedon is…

Tsuzuru: …Same here.

Izumi: (That actually made me a little nervous…)

*Door opens*

Masumi: …What the hell are you doing?

Tsuzuru: Masumi!?

Masumi: …

Tsuzuru: Er… I told you about this earlier. It’s for the short film script.

Tsuzuru: I thought that doing one with a girl would maybe help some ideas come to me, so I was just having the director help me out.

Masumi: Practice on me.

Tsuzuru: I tried to before, but you shot me down!

Masumi: If I had known things would’ve ended up here from the start, I would’ve gone along with it. I would’ve crossdressed if you had asked me to. I would’ve even—.

Tsuzuru: Okay, I get it! My bad!

Izumi: A-Ahaha…

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Tenma: It’s almost time for the screening to start.

Taichi: I seriously can’t wait to see a short film with one of your scripts, Tsuzuru-kun!

Kumon: I wanna just watch it already~!

Juza: …Same.

Omi: Good work, Tsuzuru.

Izumi: Congrats on finishing it.

Tsuzuru: Director, Fushimi-san, thanks for coming here to see it.

Tsuzuru: And Director, I apologize for all the trouble I caused regarding the kabedon incident…

Tenma: So Masumi caught you, huh?

Tsuzuru: And after that, the rest of Spring Troupe told me that acting all secretive about it actually makes it look even MORE like I’ve got ulterior motives, and I realized that they were completely right.

Omi: I guess your diligence backfired on you.

Juza: …Sounds like it was a real disaster.

Tsuzuru: Well… at least it’s a funny story to look back on.

Tsuzuru: And you truly were a lifesaver, calming Masumi down like that, Director.

Izumi: I wanted to lend you a hand with your script, and I knew that Masumi-kun understood exactly what you needed.

Taichi: Ah, it’s starting!

Tsuzuru: —.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Taichi: …That final reunion scene was so freaking good!

Kumon: I know, right!? It was so touching~!

Tenma: It was really heartbreaking how their love was totally requited, but they kept drifting apart to pursue their own paths.

Juza: With one of ‘em movin’ to the city ‘n the other stayin’ behind, I could really feel the emotions of both of ‘em.

Taichi: And then right when they were about to be separated, IT happened…!

Kumon: Yeah, yeah, and it was…!

Taichi & Kumon: A kabedon…!

Kumon: My heart was totally pounding!

Tenma: I bet that was because it was reflecting the results of when Tsuzuru-san tried it out for himself.

Tsuzuru: No matter how many times you say it, it’s still kinda embarrassing…

Tenma: Haha. But it was also really nice that it showed their reunion. It gave you the sense that they were gonna have a bright future.

Omi: Parting ways, but then meeting again across time is very Tsuzuru.

Izumi: Yeah. What made it more than just heartache was how it was filled with Tsuzuru-kun’s kindness.

Izumi: I’ll never be able to say it enough, but I truly do love your scripts, Tsuzuru-kun.

Spring Troupe

Sakuya: I don’t want to let my dreams end as nothing but dreams. I’m sure I can make them come true with you, Director!

Masumi: The form my love takes may change, but its essence won’t. I’ll definitely keep falling in love with you over and over.

Tsuzuru: The best people and actors I know are waiting for me to finish my script. That’s why I’ll continue writing!

Itaru: The time I get to spend here as if it’s something natural is another precious form of happiness. I’ll be in your care from here on out too.

Citron: It is thanks to you that every day is fun! Let us keep spending our days happily together!

Chikage: I have a place to go home too, and people I’m connected with through acting. I’m living a life more blessed than I’d have ever thought possible in the past.

Summer Troupe

Tenma: With you and those guys by my side, I can reach for my dreams, no matter how far. I’ll keep striving to reach them with my acting.

Yuki: I’ll keep challenging myself with both my costumes and acting to keep growing, so you'd better keep your eyes on me, okay?

Muku: There are a lot of people encouraging me here. I want to live up to their expectations!

Misumi: I love acting! And you too, Director! Thanks for showing me so many things I love!

Kazunari: Kazunari Miyoshi has leveled up again! I’ll keep going at it with both my designs and acting, TYSM☆

Kumon: I want to keep getting better so that I can support you and everyone else. That’s why I’ll work hard!

Autumn Troupe

Banri: I wanna act even if it kills me. I won’t be scared no matter what happens. I’ve got you with me too, after all.

Juza: I’m nowhere near good enough as an actor. I wanna improve. I’ll end up relying on you again, but… Thanks in advance.

Taichi: I love this place, I can act with the friends I love! I’ll keep proudly standing on stage!

Omi: Every single smile here looks the brightest right now. Let’s leave more happy memories like this for the future.

Sakyo: I’ve still got endless potential. It was you and the guys at the company that made me realize this.

Azami: My make-up skills have gotten better. I wanna improve my acting next. I’ll be perfecting it bit by bit, so watch over me.

Winter Troupe

Tsumugi: I will continue growing by using everything I learn in order to continue seeing new views together with the people important to me.

Tasuku: There’s still a mountain of things I want to do in this troupe. I’ll need you to stick with me, Director.

Hisoka: I’m happy you need me as an actor. I’ll keep doing my best.

Homare: I too continue to grow as time passes. Together with you, that is. I will continue to be in your care from now on.

Azuma: Thank you for all the fun and warm times. I have to treasure the time we spend like this.

Guy: I get to meet new people even at this age. My life has gotten so much more interesting ever since I was introduced to theater.

Backstage

Matsukawa: We’ve still got a long way to go! Let’s reach the scenery you’re aiming for together!

Tetsuro: I look forward… to every stage… I make with the Company… too…

Akashi: We’ll do our best to shine our lights so that your path will stay bright.

Rento: I’m always on my toes waitin’ for what great sound I’ll hear from ya guys next.

Tsuzuru: Seems like we got “Friends who are Complete Opposites.”

Sakuya: Umm… “Since their personalities are complete opposites, they never seem to get along no matter what they do.”

Sakuya: “A certain incident served as the catalyst for the two of them to gradually grow closer—.”

Sakuya: “This is the story of how two people who should’ve been complete opposites became friends.”

Sakuya: That’s what the synopsis is.

Tsuzuru: And the lines are “There’s no way we’ll ever understand each other” and “Who would’ve thought it’d come to this.”

Sakuya: Seems like the general vibe is polar opposites.

Tsuzuru: The synopsis leaves plenty of room for interpretation, so the performance could go in a ton of different directions.

Sakuya: We could have them collide forcefully, or we could carefully show the moment that they start to draw closer!

Tsuzuru: Exactly. There are tons of scenarios to consider.

Sakuya: Yeah!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Tsuzuru: …Alright, do I write a script or make it an etude?

Tsuzuru: (I encouraged Sakuya to write a script…)

Tsuzuru: (Maybe I should just skip the script and go with an etude. That way, I could just enjoy the moment with Sakuya.)

Tsuzuru: (For now, I’ll just think about establishing the characters and the general flow of it.)

Tsuzuru: (Friends who are complete opposites… Citron-san and Guy-san come to mind.)

Tsuzuru: (Maybe it’d be a good idea to hear a bit straight from them.)

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Sakuya: Ah, Tsuzuru-kun.

Tsuzuru: Hey, Sakuya. Everything going well with the two-man show script?

Sakuya: I’m organizing what I wanna do and writing stuff down bit by bit.

Tsuzuru: You’re already working pretty hard on it, aren’t you?

Sakuya: Yeah. I’m still stumbling my way through it, though…

Tsuzuru: If you’ve got any questions, feel free to ask me anytime.

Sakuya: Thank you so much! Have you decided on what direction you’re taking, Tsuzuru-kun?

Tsuzuru: I decided on it just a bit ago, actually.

Tsuzuru: I decided that I’m gonna have us do an etude. I wanna just enjoy the moment with you, Sakuya.

Tsuzuru: I’m still gonna think about the general flow and setup of it, though.

Sakuya: Aww, I’m looking forward to it! If there’s anything I can help you with, just let me know!

Tsuzuru: Haha, thanks. I’ll count on you.

Tsuzuru: Ah, by the way, is Citron-san in your room right now?

Tsuzuru: The theme of friends who are complete opposites immediately brought Citron-san and Guy-san to mind, so I thought I’d talk to them a bit.

Sakuya: They’re right over there—.

Citron: Guy, it is more like this!

Guy: Like this?

Citron: That was completely different~.

Sakuya: They came here to talk about their two-man show, but…

Tsuzuru: Gotcha… they’re getting so into it that it’s just turning into rehearsal then? Feels like things aren’t quite clicking for them, though…

Sakuya: But they both look like they’re having fun.

Tsuzuru: Yeah, you’ve got that right.

Tsuzuru: When Citron-san and Guy-san are around, I feel like the atmosphere changes a bit compared to when they’re together with us.

Sakuya: That is true.

Sakuya: It’s hard to put into words, but you can sense that deep connection between them, like they understand each other on a whole different level, or something…

Citron: No, no! I feel a de~ep connection with Spring Troupe, too!

Sakuya: Whoa! C-Citron-san…!

Tsuzuru: Just how long were you listening…?

Citron: You notice if you feel that many eyes are on you! You almost drilled a hole through my body~.

Tsuzuru: Ah… our bad. We were just observing for a bit.

Guy: Observing…? Oh, could it be related to your two-man show?

Tsuzuru: Yeah, something like that. Our theme is kinda close to the two of you.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Tsuzuru: (Guess I should try to think about establishing the characters and general flow of the two-man show.)

Tsuzuru: (Even when it seems like they’re clashing on the surface, deep down, their hearts are in sync. Just like Citron-san and Guy-san earlier…)

Tsuzuru: (It’s probably pretty hard to show that kinda relationship, but I wanna show the place where our hearts connect…)

Tsuzuru: (And then there’s the matter of how to even handle that kinda relationship and their occupations in the first place…)

Tsuzuru: Hmm…

Itaru: Whatcha doing, Tsuzuru?

Tsuzuru: Ah, Itaru-san, did you just get home? Welcome back.

Itaru: I’m home.

Tsuzuru: …Ah.

Itaru: Hm?

Tsuzuru: An office worker… that could work. Nah, even if I tweak it a bit…

Itaru: Uh, what?

Tsuzuru: Ah, sorry. I’m actually thinking about the setup for my two-man show right now.

Itaru: Ahh, gotcha. So it’s about office workers, then?

Tsuzuru: Itaru-san, you just got back, right?

Itaru: Yeah. I was about to get dragged along to a drinking party right when work ended, but I managed to dodge it.

Tsuzuru: Oh, good work, then. Is it fine for you to miss that drinking party?

Itaru: Yeah, it’ll be fine. I got invited by a coworker who’s pretty ambitious and loves going to drinking parties.

Itaru: Last time I drank and talked at a company thing, I got so passionately hammered that it kinda bit me in the ass, so this time I politely declined.

Itaru: …Er, I really shouldn’t be keeping you from your work like this, so I’ll just get going now.

Tsuzuru: No, wait a sec. Can you tell me more about that story you were just talking about?

Itaru: …Look, Tsuzuru, that look on your face tells me you’re gonna try to make something outta this, but it’s literally nothing, okay?

Tsuzuru: I have no clue if it’s good material or not. I just wanna hear more.

Itaru: …Fine. I’m only telling you a bit, though.

· ❀ —– ٠ ❀ ٠ —– ❀ ·

Sakuya: Those sunglasses really suit you, Tsuzuru-kun!

Izumi: You borrowed them from Kazunari-kun, right?

Tsuzuru: After I talked to him about the theme and setting for this, he lent me these sunglasses, saying they might help with setting the vibes.

Tsuzuru: Well, they were kinda forced upon me, but… they are really helping set the mood.

Izumi: Yeah, I think the mood is perfectly set!

Izumi: If you’re both ready, you should be fine to start.

Tsuzuru: Alright, let’s go!

Sakuya: Yeah!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Haruki: “Wanna grab drinks tonight? I found a nice-looking place near the station.”

Haruki: “Oh, you know of it? Yeah, yeah, I saw it on a review site, and it seemed like it had pretty good ratings.”

Mahiro: “...”

Haruki: “That Mahiro guy is still working away quietly by himself like usual. His designs are good, but…”

Haruki: “I kinda feel like I can’t get any closer to him, and he probably doesn’t like guys like me either.”

Haruki: “Ah, you’re all in? Cool, I’ll make the reservation.”

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Haruki: “My ad design got rejected, and now I’ve gotta do the whole thing over… Ughh… looks like I’m stuck doing overtime today.”

Haruki: “...Well, there’s no point in whining about it. I’ve just gotta do it.”

Mahiro: “Let me see that.”

Haruki: “Huh? You mean this design?”

Mahiro: “What else?”

Haruki: “Er… right…”

Haruki: “I’m sure you’ve got your own work to do, Mahiro, so I’m totally fine handling this on my own.”

Mahiro: “You say that, but everyone else got sent home, and shouldn’t you get someone else’s opinion on this?”

Haruki: “Well… can’t argue with that logic…”

Haruki: “...Okay, go ahead.”

Mahiro: “...I think brightening the colors here would create a better atmosphere.”

Mahiro: “And it’d be better if you reduced the amount of information you’ve got in this part.”

Haruki: “O-Ohh…! You’re probably right.”

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Haruki: “Ah, Mahiro!”

Mahiro: “?”

Haruki: “The revised design you helped me finish got approved without a hitch.”

Haruki: “Thanks for sticking with me these past few days. It was really fun to think things through with you.”

Mahiro: “...It’s not like I did it for you. I only stuck things out with you for the company’s sake.”

Haruki: “You don’t gotta put it like that.”

Mahiro: “...Well, I guess I don’t entirely hate people with ambition like you.”

Haruki: “Wait… what!? But I totally thought you were like, 'there’s no way we’ll ever understand each other’ or something—.”

Mahiro: “That’s quite the assumption… More importantly, are you mimicking my tone?”

Haruki: “No way, hahaha… Ah!”

Haruki: “Hey, now that we’ve cleared up that misunderstanding, wanna grab a drink? Plus, I wanna thank you somehow.”

Mahiro: “I’m not much of a drinker.”

Haruki: “C’mon, don’t be like that. Everything will be my treat. Think of it as a token of my appreciation!”

Mahiro: “Ugh… fine.”

Haruki: “Awesome!”

Mahiro: “I never would’ve thought it’d come to this… Actually, I’ve been thinking this for a while now, but those sunglasses don’t look good on you.”

Haruki: “Why are you telling me that now!?”

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Citron: Good work, you two! It was very funny!

Guy: Your performance effectively conveyed the relationship between the two polar opposite individuals. Deep down, I felt like you were both on the same wavelength.

Izumi: And it was great how naturally your conversation flowed!

Itaru: I was surprised to see you use the little drinking party episode that I casually mentioned to you way more than I thought you would.

Itaru: But you blended it seamlessly into your performance, and it came together pretty nicely.

Tsuzuru: Thanks to the hints I got from what Sakuya told me and talking with the three of you, I was able to create a fun etude.

Sakuya: I also really enjoyed doing this etude with you, Tsuzuru-kun!

Tsuzuru: If you’re happy, I’m happy.

Sakuya: Yeah! Do you wanna take a picture now, Tsuzuru-kun?

Tsuzuru: Oh, right. Sure, go ahead.

Citron: Sakuya said they did not suit you, but I think those sunglasses are a very nice touch~.

Sakuya: T-That was in the play…! I really think they look great on him!

Tsuzuru: Haha, I know.

Sakuya: When we give them back to Kazunari-san, let’s be sure to thank him for lending them to us again.

Omi: I just grabbed the shimeji and maitake mushrooms. And then the eggplant, pumpkin, and one kilogram of chicken breast…

Sakuya: The director’s in charge of dinner tonight, right? So that means we’re having…

Omi: Yep, autumn vegetable curry with plenty of mushrooms.

Omi: …Alright. We’ve got all the ingredients she asked for in the basket. Is there anything else you were looking to get?

Sakuya: Oh, right, there were some seasonal sweets that some of the moms at the daycare recommended to me.

Sakuya: Can I go get some of them while we’re here?

Omi: Of course.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Sakuya: Ah, here!

Omi: Pie made with chestnut cream, huh… That is pretty fitting for autumn.

Sakuya: Since we’re here, I might as well get at least two.

Kid A: Do they have it~?

Sakuya: ?

Kid B: Nope. Onto the next store~.

Kid C: Maybe that big shopping center over there has it? Let’s go ask Papa if he’ll take us there—...

Sakuya: …Some kinda popular sweet that sells out a lot? 

Omi: Seems like it.

Sakuya: I wonder if it’s also some sorta seasonal sweet…?

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Izumi: Guys~, dinner’s ready, so if you’re eating, come and get your plates ready~.

Sakuya: I’ll help! Umm, who’s all here right now…?

Tsuzuru: All of Spring Troupe is… except for Citron-san.

Tenma: Same goes for us, minus Kazunari.

Azuma: Right, it seemed like there was something they wanted to buy, so those two have been out together since this afternoon. 

Guy: That’s true, they did mention something about candy…

*Door opens*

Kazunari: We’re back~...

Citron: We are home…

Izumi: Ah, welcome back, you two.

Tsuzuru: Seems like you guys are kinda down. Did something happen?

Kazunari: You ever heard of “Don’t F*** With Me”?

Sakuya: Don’t eff with me…?

Itaru: Yeah, Banri says it all the time.

Banri: I do not.

Chikage: You don’t? I was thinking the same thing.

Banri: Hey.

Banri: But yeah, you’re talkin’ about that, right? The candy that’s been trendin’ in videos?

Izumi: Candy?

Banri: Y’ever heard of a candy called “Don’t F*** With Me”? It’s been goin’ viral on video sites like TikTak.

Kazunari: The weird name has been gaining tons of attention, but the real reason it’s been doing numbers is because of something completely different…

Citron: It is also known as the “Get Rich Quick Candy”!

Izumi: That sure is quite the second name for it…

Kazunari: The wrappers have prizes in them, and the grand prizes are things like luxury cruises or high-end appliances.

Citron: They are ultra-luxury prizes!

Izumi: And those are prizes from some candy…?

Tsuzuru: Those sound a little TOO luxury for what it is…

Kazunari: Anyway, posting unboxing vids online is like the thing nowadays.

Kazunari: But it seems like it’s selling out everywhere because of how explosively popular it is…

Citron: We tried going around to many shops, but in the end, we could not find any…

Sakuya: (Could that be what those kids at the supermarket were looking for…?)

Citron: At this point, we have no choice but to activate the power of adults… No, the power of the royal family! 

Tsuzuru: What!?

Masumi: For something like that…

Itaru: Damn, he’s pulling out the royal family bit.

Itaru: But now that you mention it, I’m pretty sure our company used to handle that product.

Chikage: Yeah, now that you mention it, I think I remember hearing about it before.

Itaru: Can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to get you some, but I might be able to get my hands on the restocking info for you.

Kazunari: For realsies!? Like, actually for realsies!?

Citron: Ooh, elite office worker powers, activate!

· ❀ —– ٠ ❀ ٠ —– ❀ ·

Kazunari: There it is~!

Citron: Way to go, elite office worker information!

Sakuya: I’m glad we found them!

Kazunari: It seems like you can only get ten per person, though…

Citron: I will buy ten, of course!

Kazunari: Same here! What about you, SakuSaku?

Sakuya: Well, since we’re here, I might as well also get ten of them for the kids at the daycare.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Kazunari: Alrighty, let’s get to shooting this unboxing vid ♪ And, action—.

*Beep*

Kazunari: What’s up, guys!? MANKAI Company here! We’ve got twenty “Don’t F*** With Me”s here, so let’s get right to opening them!

Citron: It is my turn first!

Citron: The first one is… nothing!

Kazunari: Damn!

Citron: Let us keep opening them~!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Citron: This is it. My heart is racing…!

Kazunari: Last one! Hey, hey, can’t you like, totally see some text on this one!?

Citron: Have we gotten it at last!?

Kazunari: And it’s…!

Kazunari: Ah… damn. Twenty whole pieces and we struck out on all of them~.

Citron: We will have to go out on yet another quest for candy…

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Kazunari: So in the end, we didn’t win a single thing~.

Citron: How sad! I wanted to go on a luxury cruise…

Sakuya: That’s really too bad…

Kazunari: Do you wanna open one too, SakuSaku? Ah, but you said you wanted to give ‘em to the daycare kids, right?

Sakuya: Yeah. …But since we’re here, I guess I can try opening just one of them.

Kazunari: Opening just one of them could make for a pretty interesting vid on its own!

Citron: And since it is you, Sakuya, you could possibly win the grand prize on your first try!

Sakuya: I-I’ll try my best!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Sakuya: S-Spring Troupe’s Sakuya Sakuma here! Umm… I wanna try opening just one of these “Don’t F*** With Me”s!

Sakuya: …

Sakuya: …Ah, there’s something written on it…

Sakuya: “Well, damn, a top prize. Nice going, pal.”…?

Kazunari: WHAT!? Did you seriously just solo-yolo it!!?

Citron: That is our Sakuya… a super strong master of luck…!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Customer A: Hey, that’s the guy who the insane eff candy pull!

Customer B: That really was something~.

Izumi: …Seems like you’re the talk of the town after that unboxing video, Sakuya-kun.

Sakuya: I never would’ve thought that’d become such a big thing…

Izumi: “Don’t F*** With Me” is pretty incredible, isn’t it?

Sakuya: Ahaha, it’s kinda embarrassing, though.

Izumi: Well, things should calm down soon enough.

Sakuya: But at least the daycare teachers were happy with the brand new cordless vacuum cleaner I won as a top prize…

Sakuya: And above all, I’m glad it was some good publicity for the company!

Izumi: Yeah. Everyone was pretty happy, and—.

*Ping*

Izumi: Ah, it’s a LIME message. 

Sakuya: It’s in the whole company group chat.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Sakyo Furuichi: If you find any Don’t F*** With Mes, buy them immediately and share your location.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Izumi: …Well, figures that would happen.

Sakuya: I’ll do my best to get another super lucky pull!

Izumi: You’re being way too optimistic…!

• • •

Notes:

Tsuzuru: So my one-man show theme is ‘Aren’t I supposed to be an otome game NPC!?’.

Tsuzuru: I’m suddenly getting flashbacks to when Yuki used to call me Villager C… Anyway, I’ll give it a shot.

Izumi: Hehe, do your best. Alright, and start!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Tsuzuru: “...Phew, I made it through the graduation ceremony without any issues. These past three years really flew by.”

Tsuzuru: “If the Heroine confesses to our homeroom teacher and gets an OK, she should get a Safe Ending.”

Tsuzuru: “Well, she is pretty likable, so I’m sure she’ll get a Happy Ending.”

Tsuzuru: “Lately, we’ve been getting along so well… It’s kind of embarrassing to just watch from the sidelines as they smile at each other every time their eyes meet during class.”

Tsuzuru: “Jeez, I wish she’d think a little bit more about how Classmate A feels when he sees her so openly flirting with the Route Target without a care in the world.”

Tsuzuru: “Well, I’m just an NPC without a sprite or a name, so I doubt the Heroine even recognizes my existence in the first place.”

Tsuzuru: “Ah, the date written on the classroom chalkboard went back to April, three years ago.”

Tsuzuru: “Which probably means the Heroine is replaying this game again, and so the story rewound to the first day of school.”

Tsuzuru: “But she’s already finished the routes for the class representative, the transfer student, the delinquent, the club senpai, the student body president, and the hidden character, our homeroom teacher.”

Tsuzuru: “So, whose route is she even going to do next? Well, I’m just an NPC, so it’s none of my business…”

Tsuzuru: “...Wait, what? Why does it look like I’ve got a sprite now? And it seems like I’ve got a window with my name in it, too.”

Tsuzuru: “W-What’s the meaning of this? Has the Heroine been playing this game way too much and it’s somehow caused a weird bug?”

Tsuzuru: “Whoa, why is the Heroine getting closer all of a sudden…!?”

Tsuzuru: “N-Nice to meet you! Is there something you need from me?”

Tsuzuru: “What? We’ve lived next door to each other since we were kids, and now I’m acting distant all of a sudden, and you want to know what’s wrong…?”

Tsuzuru: “But I’ve never heard of that option before! Wait, are you telling me I’m the character whose route you’re going for this time!?”

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Itaru: That was interesting, but LMAO, the way you were way too familiar with romance game things. I wonder if that’s what you secretly get up to when you’re hiding out in your room…

Tsuzuru: No, it’s not. This was all thanks to all of your yapping about your games, Itaru-san.

Itaru: Wow, to think that my game yapping would be used for something like this… Ah, there’s this great new romance game that’s coming out. Wanna play it together?