Chapter 53: The day I participated in puppet show.
It’s morning, it’s already morning.
Today, a puppet show is going to be held at the hall.
I’ve already talked to the other three that remained in the community center.
All that left is only her.
“……”
To be honest I haven’t slept very much. That’s why, I’ve been looking at Misaki’s eyes, who has been looking at my sleeping face as usual for a long time now.
“……Un?”
Is he sleeping with his eyes opened? Misaki tilts her head as if wondering about that.
As expected looking at Misaki’s face really calm me down. I felt strangely clear-headed.
“Good morning, Misaki.”
“……Un.”
Misaki nods, trotting to the handbag we’ve prepared yesterday and pick it up. Seems like she couldn’t wait to see the puppet show.
“It’s still about two hours early. For now, let’s go wash our faces first.”
“…………Un.”
Dejected.
Oh man, she’s really looking forward to it, looks like we gotta give it our all today.
“Misaki.”
“……Un?”
“Look forward to it.”
“……Un.”
Alright, time to get up.
For Misaki’s sake, I’m going to do my best today.
Although we left the room quite early, but because I’ve to match my walking pace with Misaki’s, we’ve arrived at the community center at a good time.
There’s about ten minutes left before the meeting time for the parents. So first I guide Misaki to the hall. After we’ve entered the hall, we found a kid sitting in the front row seat. That kid is Yui-chan.
“Yo, long time no see.”
“Kishaaaaaaa――!”
Whoa, she’s in a bad mood!?
“Mi-, Misaki. What happened to Yui-chan?”
I ask her as I hid behind Misaki’s small back.
“Fushaaaaa――!
She looks kinda like an angry kitty. If I got close to her I’m going to be bitten for sure.
“……Misaki, please tell me what exactly happened.”
“……Un.”
Misaki boldly approaches Yui-chan. You’re truly a reliable person Misaki.
“What?” (Misaki)
“Funyofunyo……”
“……Un.”
How did you two just converse……? Yui-chan only said funyofunyo isn’t she.
Misaki came back to me while I’m still confused.
“What did Yui-chan say?”
“Fushaaaー”
“……Misaki?”
“Intimidating?” (Misaki)
Seriously? Am I being intimidated?
“Misaki, what do you think Ryo-kun should do?”
“Apologize?”
“Y-, yeah you’re right.”
I don’t know what to apologize for, but in anycase I’m going to apologize first.
“Sorry, I’m at fault.”
“Fushaaa――!”
No good, I can’t have a proper talk with her at all.
“……Misaki, do you know why Yui-chan is angry?”
I whispered quietly into her ear, and Misaki approaches Yui-chan again.
“What?”
“Funyofunyo……”
“……Un.”
Okay seriously how did you two able to converse.
“What did Yui-chan say?”
“Mama, place, quickly?”
“You’re saying that I should go to the place where her mom is huh……”
I look at Yui-chan to confirm my understanding of what she’s trying to say.
“Mishaaaaaaa――!”
I’m being intimidated again. I don’t really get it, but for now let’s trust Misaki.
“Alright. Misaki, Ryo-kun is going out for a bit, so please sit here with Yui-chan okay.”
“……Un.”
Misaki obediently nods, before walking to the seat next to Yui-chan and sits on it.
“……Funyofunyo.”
“Un, looking forward to too.”
Yui-chan whispers funyofunyo into her ear as Misaki nods.
I headed for the meeting place, while still being confused by the appearance of a new language.
――Yesterday, after Tosaki Yui is gone.
I’ve been thinking about it so hard that my brain is going to be lit on fire.
What I think of is, what exactly went wrong.
Eventually, I came to a conclusion.
No one was in the wrong.
That’s right, it’s nobody fault.
Then surely I’m the one who made mistakes. But there’s no point in worring about it, more importantly, it was also wrong to blame Tosaki Yui for it. Sure she said something inconsiderate to the earrings person. However, she bears no ill will.
That’s why, what I should be doing is――
The meeting place is in the meeting room as usual. the other four is preparing for the show, as for my job it’s to escort the kids that’s going to board on buses together with the help of nursery teachers.
And so, she stood in front of the whiteboard alone. However her usual firm stance that always stand straight, looking ahead in front of her with dignity, is now looking down in powerlessly. It seems like she doesn’t even notices me when I opened the door.
“Yo, you’re so early today.”
As I greeted her with a big smile, she slowly looked up.
“……I haven’t called you though.”
“Today’s the shoe day though!? Rather than that are you okay, you don’t look so well.”
“……No problem at all.”
She muttered, as she went back to looking down again. When I see her like this, I can’t help but wonder if I was wrong to blame her. However, worring about something that already happened won’t make it better.
“Alright, let’s get things prepared.”
“……”
“Alright, let’s get things prepared.”
“I heard you.”
“Then response to me, I’m lonely here you know.”
“……Your attitude is pretty different from yesterday.”
“It’s just your imagination. Rather we should get things prepared soon. We don’t have much time so hurry up.”
“Hurry you said…… There’s only me here isn’t it.”
You mean the others with the exception of me by what you said right? I won’t ask her though since it’s scary.
“So what happened to the others? Did they hate me and decided to not attend this anymore?”
“That’s not the case.”
“Please tell me all about it. After that, what exactly happened.”
……So she’s asking me huh. Well that’s because I blamed her yesterday after all.
Rather I’m relieved. I’m glad that she isn’t the kind of person that doesn’t care about something like that in the slightest. If it’s like this then, the thing I should be doing will not change. As I thought, it’s nobody’s fault.
I take a light breath, before speaking the things I’ve been thinking all night.
“Nothing happened.”
“Uhh, I’m being serious here.”
“Like I said nothing happened really. We’ve only encouraged each other saying let’s do our best tomorrow and stuff, and that’s it.”
Whoa, she’s staring at me like crazy. However, if it’s just this much then Yui-chan’s way scarier.
“Well then, let’s do our best today!”
“……Umm.”
“A lot has happened, but there’s no point in worring about it forever. Because you know what? Everyone is really serious about this, and it’s only just that we’ve different opinions about it. Oh whoops my bad, seems like I’ve been blabbering. Anyway let’s make a fresh start and change things up!”
Surely, if I hadn’t lost my temper at that time everything would have been alright. When I think about it I feels like it’s all just my fault, that’s why I’m going to take the offensive, and say the same thing as yesterday.
“Let’s make it the best show out there!”
She has become stunned. This reaction is exactly just like yesterday’s. Yesterday when I told them this, the no-earrings person suddely burst out a laugh, and the earrings person also laugh with her. Tec-chan who has been watching us from afar also joined, and I had a talk with him about things that’s going to happen today.
“……Hah?”
As expected she said that with astonished expression. It’s a really cold attitude, but seeing her reacting like her usual self put me at ease.
“Here, let’s get it going.”
“Going you say, but where are we going to?”
“You aren’t the backstage staff are you? Anyway, everyone’s waiting you know.”
“Umm, at least please give me a brief detail.”
“If you go you’ll understand it immediately. So follow me quickly.”
I encouraged her to move to the door, however she won’t move her legs.
I lightly sighed, and grabbed her hand.
“Here we go.”
I walked forward a step just like that, and then the second step―― before getting my hand thrown with a great force.
“I can walk by myself.”
“……That’s so huh.”
Harsh attitude as usual, but strangely enough I didn’t feel any malice from it.
“Just so you know I still hate you.”
As she threw a not-so-cute line at me, she starts walking briskly, and I only see her off without speaking anything. I guess she really doesn’t have any friends just as I thought. And at the same time, that thought made me remember a certain idiot that said something like “Please be friends with me” to that loner.
……Alright.
“Hey hey Yui-chan, can’t you at least thank me for coming all the way here to call you?”
“You’re disgusting please stay away from me.”
Yui immediately distances away and holds her nose.
Maybe, just maybe I think it’d be hard to call my relationship with her a friend. However, I think a relationship where you can spit all the insults face-to-face like this is a precious thing.
If I remembered correctly, I think there’s a word for a relationship like this.
……Bad friends, well that’s a bit off I think.
Well in any case, things seem to be going pretty well.
That’s a given. Since everyone has given their all after all, there’s no way a single word can ruin everything we’ve made up until now. Though just a single word isn’t enough to follow up the consequences of that one word.
“Yui-chan to your left.”
“I already know that. You stinks so don’t open your mouth please.”
If you’re already used to it these harsh words are just like any other normal words.
Words are really such an inconvenient thing, as it carries the words out but not its meaning. For example, the words that has no ill-will in it can becomes a bad word depending on how you look at it. In that case then the opposite is also true. The words that contains ill-wll might not become a bad word depending on how you look at it.
However all of that can be changed with just a little thinking into it.
With only just that, the world has become a kinder place.
“Alright, let’s do our best today!”
“Please don’t speak.”
Who’s that person, who’s that person, who’s that person!
Tosaki Yui is now in a all-time high bad mood.
His words really messed up her mind just like she thought. Even though normally she doesn’t care what others said to her in the slightest, but his words somehow really irritates her.
And the fact that whenver she listens to his words she’d feels a little more reassured irritates her even more. It’s as if she’s relying on him.
There’s no way. He’s only having a similar color to my favourite color that’s all.
And yet, every time I look at him his appearance overlapped with that figure.
“Then, I’ll be taking care of the kids, I’ll leave the rest to you.” (Ryuusei)
Eh, wa-, wait!
“Yes, let’s do our best today.”
After hearing Kazami-san’s reply, he walked out the door he came from. I kept looking at the closed door for a while, before turning around fearfully. There stood Kazami-san and Kurokawa-san, and also Nakura-san.
I couldn’t help but look downward, afraid of the expressions on their faces.
……That person, he only speaks what he wants to, and just leaves when it’s an important time. I also hates this irresponsibility side of him!
“……Tosaki-san.”
“Yes.”
When Kazami-san called me, I reply back while keeping up my calm act as to not let her know how nervous I am.
The place where we’re at now, rather than backstage it’d be more correct to call it the side of the stage. There’s a grand piano right next to me, covered in a black curtain. And if you look further ahead, there is a puppet stage that we’ve prepared. But if we went back to look at what’s in front of me, we’d see Kazami-san standing there with stiff expression.
There’s no where I can escape to.
Well then, I’ll just have to endure her insults until she’s satisfied.
“……”
She takes a deep breath.
I hold my breath as I clenched my teeth.
“Let me play as Don Juan please!”
However, she couldn’t hear the expected insults.
“Perhaps the children might be disappointed, but even so, please let me play as him!”
Far from that, she bowed instead.
This is weird, it’s me who should be the one to bow.
“……Is that a no?”
……Ah, uhh, I have to give her a reply.
“No, not at all. By all means, please do.”
“……Thank you very much!”
She showed an icredibly happy color, as she bowed her head.
……I’m not lying.
“Yui-pon, please give me instructions.”
“……S-, sure.”
Why, what happened?
“Then, Nakura-san please take a microphone headset with you and head to the lights and sounds control room. I’ll send you the dialogue via the headset, so give me only the signal please.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Why is no one blaming me?
“Kazami-san and Kurokawa-san, let’s go over the play once again together with me please.”
” ” Yes.” “
The preparation for the play proceeds smoothly with out any delay, so much so that it is unnatural.
In the meantime, I began to hear the children’s energetic voice.
“It’s about time.”
As I said that, two of them nodded with nervous look.
“……Ummm.”
It is at this time that I ask my first question.
“Why, why didn’t you two say anything?”
Two of them look at each other, before giggling.
“Did we say something weird?”
“No, please excuse my rudeness…… It’s just, I suddenly remembered something.”
……Remember?
“Yesterday, Tendou-san has said this to us.”
Kazami-san speaks with a slightly troubled look.
“I know you might be mad, but she actually has no ill will…...”
For some reason she didn’t finish her sentence, and look at Kurokawa-san instead.
Kurokawa-san seems to be holding her laugh, before clearing her throat with an ahem.
“But she actually has no ill will, so don’t blame my friend please…… That’s what he said to us.”
Kurokawa-san laughed as she tried to imitate him but it doesn’t resemble him at all.
“……Is that, so.”
I couldn’t say anything more than that.
And then, I felt a heat on my left wrist.
……So tired.
The nursery teachers and I finally managed to put those naughty kids on their respective seats, and so I took a seat in the last row. From here, I can see the figures of noisy kids in front of me, and more importantly I could see Misaki’s figure very well.
Hoooowever, Sato really did gather fifty kids here. What’s up with this ability of being able to gather people of her. Thanks to it we’re having a really hard time here. Fortunately, many kids here are quite obedient so we weren’t short-staffed but…… There’s that you know, girls are really amazing. I’d love to learn their skill of being able to shut the noisy kids up that rivaled even that of an adult’s.
That aside, I wonder how’s the play team doing.
That guy, is she able to talk with them properly?”
『Long, long time ago, in a certain place……』
Oh, it started suddenly. Are you sure that’s really fine, the kids are making noise loud as hell.
While I was worrying, the stage curtain slowly raised up. And then the noisy kids start paying their attention to the stage.
What’z datー!
It’s mermaidー!
Please be quietー!
They’re making loud noises as expected, but apparently some of the kids pay close attention.
Fushaaaa――!
Ah, it’s Yui-chan.
『There existed a very cool guy named Don Juan.』
“My name is Don Juan. A super cool man!”
Oh, seems like it’s going well―― Not cool at all! Who is that personー! ――Uwaa these brats are ruthless.
『And there existed a strange old man named Sganarelle.』
“My name is Sganarelle. A friend of Don Juan-sama!”
And the no-earrings person acting is as good as ever―― Gyahahaha! So funnyー! ――She received great reactions!?
『Although Don Juan is a very cool person, he is a bit of a bad man.』
So she’s going to ignore the kid’s reaction and keeps the play going huh…… How do I say this, as expected I guess.
Well that aside,
“……Seems like they’ve reconciled.”
I muttered quietly.
The person who’s in the role of Don Juan is none other than the earrings person, and I couldn’t feel the unhappiness in those three’s acting at all. They’re genuinely trying to entertain the children.
I feel weary as I sighed.
This is my first time ever. To be doing something with others like this…… Although there’s a lot of things I didn’t know, but it seems like it’s going end happily.
And thus, the show goes on smoothly.
The kids are noisy as expected, but as the show went on those noise becomes quieter. I think it’s because the story is truly interesting. At first I thought I’ll have to force some shitty brats out at some point during the show, but a straightforwarded method like this, well how do I put it, it’s just like her.
For me, when I was still a kid I’ve seen Romeo and Juliet before. I remember being taken to the threater and I have to sit there obediently for a few hours, after I told them what I’ve learned in class.
Sure enough, the Romeo I saw in that threater is a very clever person. However, the Romeo in this Tales of Verona is just a fool.
Romeo splendidly got deceived by Don Juan who has his eyes set on his mother to let him lives in his mansion, got laughed at by Don Juan because he believes that holding hands can makes a baby, in any case he seems like he had a few screw loose in his head.
However, his straight confession of love he has toward Juliet has impressed Don Juan.
And thus, Don Juan’s great plan of making Romeo confessed to his loved one begins.
On the stage, currently it’s the scene of balcony where Romeo and Juliet fell in love with each other in the original story.
Even if it’s only just a puppet show, but there’s a cute little house with a balcony on the stage. And this is where Romeo confessed to Juliet, with Don Juan giving him support.
However those aren’t Romeo’s words. Don Juan is hiding behind him and is the one making the voice, he only has to match his gestures with the voice. That is the plan Don Juan came up with.
But there is a miscalculation in his plan. That is Don Juan’s fiancee has become good friends with Juliet. At the exact time when Romeo went to the balcony, the two of them were in the same room.
As a result Don Juan’s fiancee who recognizes his voice, decides to carry out the same strategy of using Juliet as a shield and hide behind her while speaking.
At first Don Juan smoothly carries the words of love out, but his fiancee reply back with harsh words instead. Eventually it becomes a fight, and the situation is now absolutely unrecoverable.
And at that time, Romeo and Juliet stopped faking gestures.
“……It’s, it’s already over. I’m hated now.”
Juliet’s tear begins to flow.
Seeing that, Romeo――
“That’s not it! Please listen Juliet, the voice just now isn’t mine!”
Revealing the truth, he started speaking on his own. That straightforwarded word of love stopped the fight between Don Juan and his fiancee, and it firmly grasped Juliet’s heart.
What an ironic story.
He asked someone more outstanding than him for help because he lack self-confidence, as a result he failed because of that. It was almost a hopeless situation, however he’s able to turn that over by his honest words.
If that is so, then surely if he just confessed on his own then everything would’ve went well. If only he is confident in himself, no troubles would’ve occured―― Nah, that’s not right.
If Don Juan never existed in the first place, Romeo would never have been able to confess his love in a life time. Regardless of the outcome, Romeo has had the opportunity given by him.
It’s the same as me.
Thanks to Misaki, thanks to many people I’ve met that I have today.
Surely, that also applied to the person that’s enthusiastically acting as Romeo like a pro right now.
And when the curtain came down, the stage is filled with the applause from the kids.
After the show is over, I first guided fifty kids to the bus, and I left the rest of the work to two nursery teachers and returned to the hall. And so the five members of parent’s group decided to bring their kids home first, and they’ll come back to the coummunity center again to tidy things up.
“You don’t have to come here too you know.”
Said Tosaki Yui.
I smiled bitterly at the usual harsh words.
“Yui-pon, your acting as Romeo was amazing!’
“No no not at all.”
“As expected of Tosaki-san.”
“You’re flattering me.”
I’m glad that things seemed to be going well with those two, apart from her attitude towards me.
And so I bring Misaki back to our home, and immidiately returned to the community center. There’s a saying that it’s always lonely after the festival, and I truly felt that, I feel like there’s a huge hole inside my chest.
“I haven’t called you though.”
Said Tosaki Yui.
You don’t have to deliberately say that out alright.
And thus we finished cleaning up, while we’re at it we also cleaned the hall too, after that the four of us said our goodbyes. It was a business-like goodbye from her, but the no-earrings person is deeply moved by it and start crying.
After we separated, there’s only me left in this community center.
Although I want to go back to Misaki as soon as possible, but there’s something I want to see first.
The other side of the hall. The place where Tosaki Yui ate her lunch alone. During the day time the light shines through the glass windows creating dazzling lights, but when it’s in the evening the scenery is completely changed.
Yesterday, when I talked to the other three I only saw this for a bit, but I thought that I want to take a good look at it.
Unfortunately if you sit on the ledge by the window, you can’t see anything outside. And there’s also no seats on the other side. I had no choice but to lean my back against the wall, then look outside the window.
As I thought, a beautiful sunset is able to be seen.
There are trees and roofs in my sight, also a little large pond. It reflected crimson red light, and has a mysterious glow to it.
As I sighed, I felt weak.
Really tired. Although I haven’t moved my body that much, but I’m already tired. I feel like I’m going to fall asleep as I watched the sunset. Or rather, I’ve already closed my eyes.
Silence, I feel like I’m the only one here.
……Guess I’ll go back.
And immediately when I thought of that, I heard footsteps.
As I take a look at what it was, it was her walking to me.
“……”
Tosaki Yui walks briskly to here, and for some reason she stops next to me, and then leaned her back against the wall like me.
“……”
“……”
Since my chance to move away has been taken over, I had no choice but to move my eyes to the sunset once again.
At that time, I heard a sound that sounds like someone inhaling deeply.
“……Today.”
With a thump, she stood in front of me.
Her cheeks are illuminated and dyed in crimson red from the sunset, after that, she showed an expression I’ve never seen before.
She takes a deep breath once again and,
“Thank you very much for today!”
She said, before running away.
Surely, the expression I’m making right now as I see her off must look really stupid.
“…………”
Once again, I sighed.
I’ve lost my chance to go home again.
With my back still leaning on the wall, I unconsciously held my head.
“……Crap.”
Even if I resisted it I always break into a smile.
Being thanked to can makes you this happy huh.
Chapter 53: The day I participated in puppet show.
It’s morning, it’s already morning.
Today, a puppet show is going to be held at the hall.
I’ve already talked to the other three that remained in the community center.
All that left is only her.
“……”
To be honest I haven’t slept very much. That’s why, I’ve been looking at Misaki’s eyes, who has been looking at my sleeping face as usual for a long time now.
“……Un?”
Is he sleeping with his eyes opened? Misaki tilts her head as if wondering about that.
As expected looking at Misaki’s face really calm me down. I felt strangely clear-headed.
“Good morning, Misaki.”
“……Un.”
Misaki nods, trotting to the handbag we’ve prepared yesterday and pick it up. Seems like she couldn’t wait to see the puppet show.
“It’s still about two hours early. For now, let’s go wash our faces first.”
“…………Un.”
Dejected.
Oh man, she’s really looking forward to it, looks like we gotta give it our all today.
“Misaki.”
“……Un?”
“Look forward to it.”
“……Un.”
Alright, time to get up.
For Misaki’s sake, I’m going to do my best today.
Although we left the room quite early, but because I’ve to match my walking pace with Misaki’s, we’ve arrived at the community center at a good time.
There’s about ten minutes left before the meeting time for the parents. So first I guide Misaki to the hall. After we’ve entered the hall, we found a kid sitting in the front row seat. That kid is Yui-chan.
“Yo, long time no see.”
“Kishaaaaaaa――!”
Whoa, she’s in a bad mood!?
“Mi-, Misaki. What happened to Yui-chan?”
I ask her as I hid behind Misaki’s small back.
“Fushaaaaa――!
She looks kinda like an angry kitty. If I got close to her I’m going to be bitten for sure.
“……Misaki, please tell me what exactly happened.”
“……Un.”
Misaki boldly approaches Yui-chan. You’re truly a reliable person Misaki.
“What?” (Misaki)
“Funyofunyo……”
“……Un.”
How did you two just converse……? Yui-chan only said funyofunyo isn’t she.
Misaki came back to me while I’m still confused.
“What did Yui-chan say?”
“Fushaaaー”
“……Misaki?”
“Intimidating?” (Misaki)
Seriously? Am I being intimidated?
“Misaki, what do you think Ryo-kun should do?”
“Apologize?”
“Y-, yeah you’re right.”
I don’t know what to apologize for, but in anycase I’m going to apologize first.
“Sorry, I’m at fault.”
“Fushaaa――!”
No good, I can’t have a proper talk with her at all.
“……Misaki, do you know why Yui-chan is angry?”
I whispered quietly into her ear, and Misaki approaches Yui-chan again.
“What?”
“Funyofunyo……”
“……Un.”
Okay seriously how did you two able to converse.
“What did Yui-chan say?”
“Mama, place, quickly?”
“You’re saying that I should go to the place where her mom is huh……”
I look at Yui-chan to confirm my understanding of what she’s trying to say.
“Mishaaaaaaa――!”
I’m being intimidated again. I don’t really get it, but for now let’s trust Misaki.
“Alright. Misaki, Ryo-kun is going out for a bit, so please sit here with Yui-chan okay.”
“……Un.”
Misaki obediently nods, before walking to the seat next to Yui-chan and sits on it.
“……Funyofunyo.”
“Un, looking forward to too.”
Yui-chan whispers funyofunyo into her ear as Misaki nods.
I headed for the meeting place, while still being confused by the appearance of a new language.
――Yesterday, after Tosaki Yui is gone.
I’ve been thinking about it so hard that my brain is going to be lit on fire.
What I think of is, what exactly went wrong.
Eventually, I came to a conclusion.
No one was in the wrong.
That’s right, it’s nobody fault.
Then surely I’m the one who made mistakes. But there’s no point in worring about it, more importantly, it was also wrong to blame Tosaki Yui for it. Sure she said something inconsiderate to the earrings person. However, she bears no ill will.
That’s why, what I should be doing is――
The meeting place is in the meeting room as usual. the other four is preparing for the show, as for my job it’s to escort the kids that’s going to board on buses together with the help of nursery teachers.
And so, she stood in front of the whiteboard alone. However her usual firm stance that always stand straight, looking ahead in front of her with dignity, is now looking down in powerlessly. It seems like she doesn’t even notices me when I opened the door.
“Yo, you’re so early today.”
As I greeted her with a big smile, she slowly looked up.
“……I haven’t called you though.”
“Today’s the shoe day though!? Rather than that are you okay, you don’t look so well.”
“……No problem at all.”
She muttered, as she went back to looking down again. When I see her like this, I can’t help but wonder if I was wrong to blame her. However, worring about something that already happened won’t make it better.
“Alright, let’s get things prepared.”
“……”
“Alright, let’s get things prepared.”
“I heard you.”
“Then response to me, I’m lonely here you know.”
“……Your attitude is pretty different from yesterday.”
“It’s just your imagination. Rather we should get things prepared soon. We don’t have much time so hurry up.”
“Hurry you said…… There’s only me here isn’t it.”
You mean the others with the exception of me by what you said right? I won’t ask her though since it’s scary.
“So what happened to the others? Did they hate me and decided to not attend this anymore?”
“That’s not the case.”
“Please tell me all about it. After that, what exactly happened.”
……So she’s asking me huh. Well that’s because I blamed her yesterday after all.
Rather I’m relieved. I’m glad that she isn’t the kind of person that doesn’t care about something like that in the slightest. If it’s like this then, the thing I should be doing will not change. As I thought, it’s nobody’s fault.
I take a light breath, before speaking the things I’ve been thinking all night.
“Nothing happened.”
“Uhh, I’m being serious here.”
“Like I said nothing happened really. We’ve only encouraged each other saying let’s do our best tomorrow and stuff, and that’s it.”
Whoa, she’s staring at me like crazy. However, if it’s just this much then Yui-chan’s way scarier.
“Well then, let’s do our best today!”
“……Umm.”
“A lot has happened, but there’s no point in worring about it forever. Because you know what? Everyone is really serious about this, and it’s only just that we’ve different opinions about it. Oh whoops my bad, seems like I’ve been blabbering. Anyway let’s make a fresh start and change things up!”
Surely, if I hadn’t lost my temper at that time everything would have been alright. When I think about it I feels like it’s all just my fault, that’s why I’m going to take the offensive, and say the same thing as yesterday.
“Let’s make it the best show out there!”
She has become stunned. This reaction is exactly just like yesterday’s. Yesterday when I told them this, the no-earrings person suddely burst out a laugh, and the earrings person also laugh with her. Tec-chan who has been watching us from afar also joined, and I had a talk with him about things that’s going to happen today.
“……Hah?”
As expected she said that with astonished expression. It’s a really cold attitude, but seeing her reacting like her usual self put me at ease.
“Here, let’s get it going.”
“Going you say, but where are we going to?”
“You aren’t the backstage staff are you? Anyway, everyone’s waiting you know.”
“Umm, at least please give me a brief detail.”
“If you go you’ll understand it immediately. So follow me quickly.”
I encouraged her to move to the door, however she won’t move her legs.
I lightly sighed, and grabbed her hand.
“Here we go.”
I walked forward a step just like that, and then the second step―― before getting my hand thrown with a great force.
“I can walk by myself.”
“……That’s so huh.”
Harsh attitude as usual, but strangely enough I didn’t feel any malice from it.
“Just so you know I still hate you.”
As she threw a not-so-cute line at me, she starts walking briskly, and I only see her off without speaking anything. I guess she really doesn’t have any friends just as I thought. And at the same time, that thought made me remember a certain idiot that said something like “Please be friends with me” to that loner.
……Alright.
“Hey hey Yui-chan, can’t you at least thank me for coming all the way here to call you?”
“You’re disgusting please stay away from me.”
Yui immediately distances away and holds her nose.
Maybe, just maybe I think it’d be hard to call my relationship with her a friend. However, I think a relationship where you can spit all the insults face-to-face like this is a precious thing.
If I remembered correctly, I think there’s a word for a relationship like this.
……Bad friends, well that’s a bit off I think.
Well in any case, things seem to be going pretty well.
That’s a given. Since everyone has given their all after all, there’s no way a single word can ruin everything we’ve made up until now. Though just a single word isn’t enough to follow up the consequences of that one word.
“Yui-chan to your left.”
“I already know that. You stinks so don’t open your mouth please.”
If you’re already used to it these harsh words are just like any other normal words.
Words are really such an inconvenient thing, as it carries the words out but not its meaning. For example, the words that has no ill-will in it can becomes a bad word depending on how you look at it. In that case then the opposite is also true. The words that contains ill-wll might not become a bad word depending on how you look at it.
However all of that can be changed with just a little thinking into it.
With only just that, the world has become a kinder place.
“Alright, let’s do our best today!”
“Please don’t speak.”
Who’s that person, who’s that person, who’s that person!
Tosaki Yui is now in a all-time high bad mood.
His words really messed up her mind just like she thought. Even though normally she doesn’t care what others said to her in the slightest, but his words somehow really irritates her.
And the fact that whenver she listens to his words she’d feels a little more reassured irritates her even more. It’s as if she’s relying on him.
There’s no way. He’s only having a similar color to my favourite color that’s all.
And yet, every time I look at him his appearance overlapped with that figure.
“Then, I’ll be taking care of the kids, I’ll leave the rest to you.” (Ryuusei)
Eh, wa-, wait!
“Yes, let’s do our best today.”
After hearing Kazami-san’s reply, he walked out the door he came from. I kept looking at the closed door for a while, before turning around fearfully. There stood Kazami-san and Kurokawa-san, and also Nakura-san.
I couldn’t help but look downward, afraid of the expressions on their faces.
……That person, he only speaks what he wants to, and just leaves when it’s an important time. I also hates this irresponsibility side of him!
“……Tosaki-san.”
“Yes.”
When Kazami-san called me, I reply back while keeping up my calm act as to not let her know how nervous I am.
The place where we’re at now, rather than backstage it’d be more correct to call it the side of the stage. There’s a grand piano right next to me, covered in a black curtain. And if you look further ahead, there is a puppet stage that we’ve prepared. But if we went back to look at what’s in front of me, we’d see Kazami-san standing there with stiff expression.
There’s no where I can escape to.
Well then, I’ll just have to endure her insults until she’s satisfied.
“……”
She takes a deep breath.
I hold my breath as I clenched my teeth.
“Let me play as Don Juan please!”
However, she couldn’t hear the expected insults.
“Perhaps the children might be disappointed, but even so, please let me play as him!”
Far from that, she bowed instead.
This is weird, it’s me who should be the one to bow.
“……Is that a no?”
……Ah, uhh, I have to give her a reply.
“No, not at all. By all means, please do.”
“……Thank you very much!”
She showed an icredibly happy color, as she bowed her head.
……I’m not lying.
“Yui-pon, please give me instructions.”
“……S-, sure.”
Why, what happened?
“Then, Nakura-san please take a microphone headset with you and head to the lights and sounds control room. I’ll send you the dialogue via the headset, so give me only the signal please.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Why is no one blaming me?
“Kazami-san and Kurokawa-san, let’s go over the play once again together with me please.”
” ” Yes.” “
The preparation for the play proceeds smoothly with out any delay, so much so that it is unnatural.
In the meantime, I began to hear the children’s energetic voice.
“It’s about time.”
As I said that, two of them nodded with nervous look.
“……Ummm.”
It is at this time that I ask my first question.
“Why, why didn’t you two say anything?”
Two of them look at each other, before giggling.
“Did we say something weird?”
“No, please excuse my rudeness…… It’s just, I suddenly remembered something.”
……Remember?
“Yesterday, Tendou-san has said this to us.”
Kazami-san speaks with a slightly troubled look.
“I know you might be mad, but she actually has no ill will…...”
For some reason she didn’t finish her sentence, and look at Kurokawa-san instead.
Kurokawa-san seems to be holding her laugh, before clearing her throat with an ahem.
“But she actually has no ill will, so don’t blame my friend please…… That’s what he said to us.”
Kurokawa-san laughed as she tried to imitate him but it doesn’t resemble him at all.
“……Is that, so.”
I couldn’t say anything more than that.
And then, I felt a heat on my left wrist.
……So tired.
The nursery teachers and I finally managed to put those naughty kids on their respective seats, and so I took a seat in the last row. From here, I can see the figures of noisy kids in front of me, and more importantly I could see Misaki’s figure very well.
Hoooowever, Sato really did gather fifty kids here. What’s up with this ability of being able to gather people of her. Thanks to it we’re having a really hard time here. Fortunately, many kids here are quite obedient so we weren’t short-staffed but…… There’s that you know, girls are really amazing. I’d love to learn their skill of being able to shut the noisy kids up that rivaled even that of an adult’s.
That aside, I wonder how’s the play team doing.
That guy, is she able to talk with them properly?”
『Long, long time ago, in a certain place……』
Oh, it started suddenly. Are you sure that’s really fine, the kids are making noise loud as hell.
While I was worrying, the stage curtain slowly raised up. And then the noisy kids start paying their attention to the stage.
What’z datー!
It’s mermaidー!
Please be quietー!
They’re making loud noises as expected, but apparently some of the kids pay close attention.
Fushaaaa――!
Ah, it’s Yui-chan.
『There existed a very cool guy named Don Juan.』
“My name is Don Juan. A super cool man!”
Oh, seems like it’s going well―― Not cool at all! Who is that personー! ――Uwaa these brats are ruthless.
『And there existed a strange old man named Sganarelle.』
“My name is Sganarelle. A friend of Don Juan-sama!”
And the no-earrings person acting is as good as ever―― Gyahahaha! So funnyー! ――She received great reactions!?
『Although Don Juan is a very cool person, he is a bit of a bad man.』
So she’s going to ignore the kid’s reaction and keeps the play going huh…… How do I say this, as expected I guess.
Well that aside,
“……Seems like they’ve reconciled.”
I muttered quietly.
The person who’s in the role of Don Juan is none other than the earrings person, and I couldn’t feel the unhappiness in those three’s acting at all. They’re genuinely trying to entertain the children.
I feel weary as I sighed.
This is my first time ever. To be doing something with others like this…… Although there’s a lot of things I didn’t know, but it seems like it’s going end happily.
And thus, the show goes on smoothly.
The kids are noisy as expected, but as the show went on those noise becomes quieter. I think it’s because the story is truly interesting. At first I thought I’ll have to force some shitty brats out at some point during the show, but a straightforwarded method like this, well how do I put it, it’s just like her.
For me, when I was still a kid I’ve seen Romeo and Juliet before. I remember being taken to the threater and I have to sit there obediently for a few hours, after I told them what I’ve learned in class.
Sure enough, the Romeo I saw in that threater is a very clever person. However, the Romeo in this Tales of Verona is just a fool.
Romeo splendidly got deceived by Don Juan who has his eyes set on his mother to let him lives in his mansion, got laughed at by Don Juan because he believes that holding hands can makes a baby, in any case he seems like he had a few screw loose in his head.
However, his straight confession of love he has toward Juliet has impressed Don Juan.
And thus, Don Juan’s great plan of making Romeo confessed to his loved one begins.
On the stage, currently it’s the scene of balcony where Romeo and Juliet fell in love with each other in the original story.
Even if it’s only just a puppet show, but there’s a cute little house with a balcony on the stage. And this is where Romeo confessed to Juliet, with Don Juan giving him support.
However those aren’t Romeo’s words. Don Juan is hiding behind him and is the one making the voice, he only has to match his gestures with the voice. That is the plan Don Juan came up with.
But there is a miscalculation in his plan. That is Don Juan’s fiancee has become good friends with Juliet. At the exact time when Romeo went to the balcony, the two of them were in the same room.
As a result Don Juan’s fiancee who recognizes his voice, decides to carry out the same strategy of using Juliet as a shield and hide behind her while speaking.
At first Don Juan smoothly carries the words of love out, but his fiancee reply back with harsh words instead. Eventually it becomes a fight, and the situation is now absolutely unrecoverable.
And at that time, Romeo and Juliet stopped faking gestures.
“……It’s, it’s already over. I’m hated now.”
Juliet’s tear begins to flow.
Seeing that, Romeo――
“That’s not it! Please listen Juliet, the voice just now isn’t mine!”
Revealing the truth, he started speaking on his own. That straightforwarded word of love stopped the fight between Don Juan and his fiancee, and it firmly grasped Juliet’s heart.
What an ironic story.
He asked someone more outstanding than him for help because he lack self-confidence, as a result he failed because of that. It was almost a hopeless situation, however he’s able to turn that over by his honest words.
If that is so, then surely if he just confessed on his own then everything would’ve went well. If only he is confident in himself, no troubles would’ve occured―― Nah, that’s not right.
If Don Juan never existed in the first place, Romeo would never have been able to confess his love in a life time. Regardless of the outcome, Romeo has had the opportunity given by him.
It’s the same as me.
Thanks to Misaki, thanks to many people I’ve met that I have today.
Surely, that also applied to the person that’s enthusiastically acting as Romeo like a pro right now.
And when the curtain came down, the stage is filled with the applause from the kids.
After the show is over, I first guided fifty kids to the bus, and I left the rest of the work to two nursery teachers and returned to the hall. And so the five members of parent’s group decided to bring their kids home first, and they’ll come back to the coummunity center again to tidy things up.
“You don’t have to come here too you know.”
Said Tosaki Yui.
I smiled bitterly at the usual harsh words.
“Yui-pon, your acting as Romeo was amazing!’
“No no not at all.”
“As expected of Tosaki-san.”
“You’re flattering me.”
I’m glad that things seemed to be going well with those two, apart from her attitude towards me.
And so I bring Misaki back to our home, and immidiately returned to the community center. There’s a saying that it’s always lonely after the festival, and I truly felt that, I feel like there’s a huge hole inside my chest.
“I haven’t called you though.”
Said Tosaki Yui.
You don’t have to deliberately say that out alright.
And thus we finished cleaning up, while we’re at it we also cleaned the hall too, after that the four of us said our goodbyes. It was a business-like goodbye from her, but the no-earrings person is deeply moved by it and start crying.
After we separated, there’s only me left in this community center.
Although I want to go back to Misaki as soon as possible, but there’s something I want to see first.
The other side of the hall. The place where Tosaki Yui ate her lunch alone. During the day time the light shines through the glass windows creating dazzling lights, but when it’s in the evening the scenery is completely changed.
Yesterday, when I talked to the other three I only saw this for a bit, but I thought that I want to take a good look at it.
Unfortunately if you sit on the ledge by the window, you can’t see anything outside. And there’s also no seats on the other side. I had no choice but to lean my back against the wall, then look outside the window.
As I thought, a beautiful sunset is able to be seen.
There are trees and roofs in my sight, also a little large pond. It reflected crimson red light, and has a mysterious glow to it.
As I sighed, I felt weak.
Really tired. Although I haven’t moved my body that much, but I’m already tired. I feel like I’m going to fall asleep as I watched the sunset. Or rather, I’ve already closed my eyes.
Silence, I feel like I’m the only one here.
……Guess I’ll go back.
And immediately when I thought of that, I heard footsteps.
As I take a look at what it was, it was her walking to me.
“……”
Tosaki Yui walks briskly to here, and for some reason she stops next to me, and then leaned her back against the wall like me.
“……”
“……”
Since my chance to move away has been taken over, I had no choice but to move my eyes to the sunset once again.
At that time, I heard a sound that sounds like someone inhaling deeply.
“……Today.”
With a thump, she stood in front of me.
Her cheeks are illuminated and dyed in crimson red from the sunset, after that, she showed an expression I’ve never seen before.
She takes a deep breath once again and,
“Thank you very much for today!”
She said, before running away.
Surely, the expression I’m making right now as I see her off must look really stupid.
“…………”
Once again, I sighed.
I’ve lost my chance to go home again.
With my back still leaning on the wall, I unconsciously held my head.
“……Crap.”
Even if I resisted it I always break into a smile.
Being thanked to can makes you this happy huh.
