First • Previous • Next • Last
| Azuma: | They crashed into an oncoming car while on the road and were thrown to the bottom of a cliff. |
| Azuma: | They found my parents' bodies but not my brother's... |
| Azuma: | I know it's a lost cause, but I continue to grow my hair out in the hopes that he'll come back one day. |
| Azuma: | Even now, I wish I hadn't encouraged them to go without me that day. I wish I had stopped them instead... |
| Azuma: | But I know all the thinking and regret in the world won't change the past. |
| Izumi: | Azuma... |
| Azuma: | After that, I lived by myself. I would have nightmares about the accident when I slept at night and was always afriad of having to face the mornings alone. |
| Azuma: | That's why I took up cuddling. |
| Azuma: | And I joined the Mankai Company for a similar reason. |
| Azuma: | Perhaps the only reason I'm still acting with you all is so I won't end up alone again. |
| Azuma: | That's why I can't help but feel how guilty when I see how dedicated Tasuku is to his art and how much Izumi believed in me when she gave me the lead role... |
| Azuma: | Since Reo welcomes his loneliness, I thought I'd be able to act the part better if I spent time alone again. |
| Tasuku: | Is that why you've been coming here every night? |
| Azuma: | Yes. |
| Azuma: | It's a shame... I never meant for all of you to see this weak and miserable side of me. |
| Azuma: | But after seeing Tasuku try so hard to reach out to me, I don't feel so embarrassed about it anymore. |
| Tasuku: | It was pretty embarrassing for me to do all of that too, you know. |
| Azuma: | We were in the same boat, then. |
| Azuma: | Since we're all adults in the Winter Troupe, we know how to keep a comfortable distance form one another, so as not to step on anyone's toes. |
| Azuma: | That's why we've never confronted each other more than necessary. |
| Azuma: | But that comfortable distance also serves as a way to protect ourselves. |
| Azuma: | That way of thinking makes dealing with people much easier, but it's also a really isolating and lonely way to live. |
| Homare: | ... |
| Hisoka: | ... |
| Azuma: | Ever since our debut show, I haven't dared delve into my past or face my regrets. |
| Tasuku: | ... |
| Azuma: | We don't have to overshare, and we can blame it on alcohol and say we forgot it all afterwards, but can we talk openly to each together, just for tonight? |
| Azuma: | It might help to take a step forward as a team. |
| Tsumugi: | I think that's a great idea. I want to learn more about you all, and I want you to know about me, as well. |
| Homare: | What a fine notion. I believe we shall all benefit from it. |
| Hisoka: | ...Sure. |
| Tasuku: | We should get some drinks. |
| Tsumugi: | Yeah, we should. It'll help us open up a bit more. |
| Izumi: | Let's make this a fun all-nighter, then! |
| Homare: | An all-nighter, you say? How thrilling. |
| Hisoka: | ...You'll probably fall asleep first, Arisu. |
| --- | |
| Tasuku: | So, what should we talk about? |
| Tsumugi: | I think you're the only one who hasn't talked about their past yet, Tasuku. |
| Azuma: | I've finally said my piece. |
| Tasuku: | So it's my turn, huh... |
| Homare: | Perhaps you could enlighten us with the reason why your relationship with Tsumugi had deteriorated so badly back when the Winter Troupe had just formed. |
| Azuma: | I'd like to know why, too... |
| Tasuku: | Tsumugi and I initially auditioned for the God Troupe together years ago, but I was the only one who passed. |
| Tasuku: | Even though Tsumugi was really crushed by that, I wasn't able to reach out and comfort him. After that, we ended up growing apart. |
| Tasuku: | Afterward, I heard Tsumugi had given up on acting, and it felt like I had been betrayed. |
| Tausku: | But I was also mad at myself for not being able to do anything fro him when he needed support. |
| Azuma: | Sounds like a very 'Tasuku' way to handle things. |
| Tasuku: | When we met again, he was do different from the Tsumugi I used to know, who used to always work his hardest and asked fro nothing back. It really shocked me. |
| Tsumugi: | Tasuku... |
| Tasuku: | Every time I saw him get anxious about acting or being near me, a wave of emotions I didn't know how to deal with overcame me. That's why I acted the way I did. |
| Homare: | In other words, you were sulking. |
| Azuma: | Seems like it. |
| Tasuku: | ... |
| Azuma: | It must've been hard to grow up with someone who isn't very honest with his feelings, Tsumugi? |
| Tsumugi: | Honestly, I was equally to blame for giving up on something I devoted myself to just because of a single failure. |
| Tsumugi: | Besides, you told me that you love my acting, so I think your debt has been repaid, Tasuku. |
| Izumi: | Sounds like a happy ending to me. |
| Azuma: | Looks like he knows what's really important in the scheme of things. |
| Tasuku: | ...You didn't have to tell them about that part. |
| Izumi: | No need to be embarrassed, Tasuku. Now's the time to share our thoughts and feelings with one another. |
| Tasuku: | Well, what about you, then? |
| Izumi: | M-me?! I'm just here as an honorary guest, since I'm not part of the Winter Troupe! I'm exempt from the discussion! |
| Azuma: | And what makes you think that? |
| Izumi: | W-what...?! |
| --- | |
| Tasuku: | There's a surprising amount of information we didn't know about each other. |
| Azuma: | Indeed. There are plenty of things we don't bother sharing, after all. |
| Izumi: | I'm sure you'll all start opening up more to each other form now on. |
| Azuma: | The Spring Troupe is like a family, the Summer Troupe like school friends, and the Autumn Troupe like comrades for the same cause. What does that make us, then? |
| Tsumugi: | Hmm... I don't think we fit into any of those categories. |
| Tasuku: | Yeah, I don't really see us as close buddies or anything. |
| Hisoka: | ...We're something. |
| Homare: | And what would that 'something' be, exactly? |
| Azuma: | He probably means that our group's relationship is something that can't be put into words. |
| Hisoka: | ...Yeah. |
| Tsumugi: | We've been fine without a label this whole time, so maybe we don't need one. |
| Azuma: | Perhaps not. |
| Homare: | Oh, I have the most brilliant idea! Why, what more fitting a title for us than 'noble figures fated to share the same destiny'?! |
| Tasuku: | We literally just decided to drop any labels for now. |
| Homare: | In sickness and in health, for better or for worse, we shall share our laughter and our tears as those with an intertwined fate... How beautiful we are! |
| Izumi: | I can already hear wedding bells in the distance... |
| Hisoka: | ...Too much commitment. |
| Homare: | Why, excuse you! I believe it is 'just right', not 'too much'! |
| Tasuku: | Well, I'm fine with whatever you guys decide on. |
| Tsumugi: | I guess I'd say our relationship is supporting each other when our burdens become too heavy to bear on our own. |
| Azuma: | That's about right, I'd say. It'd be wonderful to stay this way with everyone. |
| --- | |
| Hisoka: | Zzz... |
| Homare: | Mm... |
| Tsumugi: | Zzz... |
| Azuma: | Everyone's fallen asleep. |
| Tasuku: | So much for staying up all night. |
| Azuma: | We should et some rest, too. Staying up at my age doesn't do any favors for my skin. |
| Tasuku: | Right... By the way, are you really going to cut your hair? |
| Azuma: | Maybe. What do you think I should do? |
| Tasuku: | I'm sure you’d look great, but you looked like a different person when you wore a wig in our last play. It was a bit hard getting used to seeing you like that. |
| Azuma: | Is that so? |
| Azuma: | Oh. |
| Tasuku: | What? |
| Azuma: | Look outside. It's morning already. |
| Tasuku: | Wow, we really did stay up all night… Yawn… I’m ready to crash. |
| Azuma: | ... |
| Tasuku: | What's up? |
| Azuma: | I just never realized how beautiful the sunrise was from here. |
| Tasuku: | You definitely have an amazing view from the top floor. |
| Azuma: | But today’s the last day I'll be able to enjoy it. |
| Tasuku: | Are you giving back your key? |
| Azuma: | Yes. I don't need to come back here anymore. |
| Tasuku: | What's your other key for? |
| Azuma: | It's the key to my family's place. I haven't gone back there even once since losing them. |
| Azuma: | I've been too afraid that it would make my loneliness resurface. |
| Tasuku: | ... |
| Azuma: | Once I gather the courage to return there, could you come with me? Just kidding, of course... |
| Tasuku: | ... |
| Azuma: | Hehe. Of course he would fall asleep right at the good part. |
| Tasuku: | Zzz... |
| Azuma: | Good night, and sweet dreams. |