Episode 1 - The Show Must Go On!/Chapter 28

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Episode 1 - The Show Must Go On!

-- Corporate Building --
Itaru:	Good morning, everybody.
Female Employee A:	Hey, Itaru! I saw you on TV!
Itaru:	You did?
Female Employee B:	I had no idea you'd joined a theatrical troupe!
Itaru:	Oh... Yeah, I did, actually,
Female Employee A:	Are there any tickets left? I've got some girlfriends in the office who are dying to go.
Itaru:	There should be, yeah.
Female Employee A:	Fantastic! Get me four, if you could!
Itaru:	Sure, I'll get right on that.
Female Employee A:	Ahh, he's so hot!
Female Employee B:	I know, right?! The perfect guy!
-- Hanasaki High Classroom (Day, Lights on) --
Sakuya:	Hey, there you are, Masumi! Have you eaten?
Masumi:	Not yet.
Sakuya:	Okay, then do you wanna head with me to the cafeteria? I kinda wanted to talk.
Masumi:	...Sure.
High School Girl A:	Masumi! I bought my ticket! Break a leg!
Sakuya:	?!
High School Girl A:	Eee! He looked at me!
Sakuya:	Wow. Is that one of the girls in your fanclub?
Masumi:	Don't know, don't care.
-- Director's Room (Night, Lights on) --
Izumi:	(Ticket sales really took after the TV segment. But closing night is what we really need to sell out, and it's just not there...) Ugh. We've only got one week to go. What can we do? (If even one seat isn't filled, we're finished...) Yes?
Masumi:	It's me.
Izumi:	Masumi? What are you doing here this late?
Masumi:	How am I lately?
Izumi:	What do you mean, how are you? You've been doing fine.
Masumi:	Really?
Izumi:	I mean it. Even Yuzo gave you his stamp of approval.
Masumi:	Who cares about that old guy? I'm doing this for you, not him.
Izumi:	For me? Masumi, you can't say that.
Masumi:	I can't?
Izumi:	You shouldn't be doing this for kind words from me. You should be striving for personal growth, and-
Masumi:	...
Izumi:	Masumi?! Did I shoot that down too hard? (It's as late as it is. I'll talk to him tomorrow.)
-- Training Room (Day, Lights on) --
Izumi:	Good morning, Masumi. About last night-
Masumi:	Masumi, wait!
Sakuya:	Oh, hey Masumi. What about morning practice?
Masumi:	I'm going to school.
Izumi:	Masumi...
Tsuzuru:	What's gotten into him?
Citron:	Masumi, ignoring Izumi? What is next, figs flying?
Tsuzuru:	It's pigs.
Sakuya:	I'm worried about him. I'm gonna go with him to school!
Izumi:	... Yeah, thanks!
-- Living Room (Evening, Lights on) --
Izumi:	Masumi, can we talk?
Masumi:	...
Izumi:	Masumi, come on!
Masumi:	...
Izumi:	...
Tsuzuru:	He's acting like a sulking brat. Geez.
Izumi:	(This isn't good. The show's just around the corner. If I leave this unresolved, it's going to impact the performance.)
Tsuzuru:	Oh, crap!
Izumi:	?
Tsuzuru:	I just remembered we don't have enough food to make dinner! Izumi, could you make an egg run real quick?
Izumi:	I thought we still had plenty of eggs in the fridge-
Tsuzuru:	No, no, we're REALLY running low! Go on, Masumi, help her carry them!
Masumi:	...
Izumi:	(Ohh, I see what he's doing. Nice play, Tsuzuru! Thanks for the heads-up, Tsuzuru. I'll make the grocery run.
Tsuzuru:	Take your time!
-- Veludo Way (Evening) --
Masumi:	...
Izumi:	... (He's still completely silent. He won't even make eye contact with me.) Masumi, about what I said yesterday...
High School Girl B:	Hey, isn't that Masumi?! Omigosh, how lucky are we?!
High School Girl A:	Masumi, will you shake my hand?!
Izumi:	?!
Masumi:	...Move.
High School Girl A:	Break a leg! We're rooting for you!
High School Girl B:	We're gonna bring all our friends to see you!
Izumi:	I didn't know you had a fan following, Masumi.
High School Girl A:	Who's the cougar? Your manager?
Izumi:	Excuse me? (No, I should just suck it up and deal with it. We need all the audience we can get. No sense mouthing off to them. Even if that did sting.) Hi. I'm the director of Masumi's troupe.
High School Girl B:	Huh, so the old lady's the director.
High School Girl A:	I thought you were like, his manager or personal assistant or something.
High School Girl B:	So if you're the director, does that mean you hired him?
Izumi:	Yeah, I did.
High School Girl A:	Wow, you must've went to crazy lengths to get close to him.
Izumi:	I'm sorry, what?
High School Girl B:	Oh, come on. We know how this works with cougars like you.
High School Girl A:	Ew, you're DEFINITELY old enough to know better. Gross!
High School Girl B:	Someone should call the cops.
Izumi:	...
Masumi:	You...
Izumi:	Masumi, don't- ...
High School Girl A:	Huh? What the?
Masumi:	... S-Sorry! I wasn't trying to hit you, I...
Izumi:	I'm okay.
High School Girl B:	Uh, was it something we said?
Izumi:	Let's get one thing straight. I didn't recruit Masumi for his looks. I think if you come see the show, you'll see why he was chosen with your two eyes. All right?
High School Girl A:	Uh, sure.
High School Girl B:	Look, I'm sorry, okay?
High School Girl A:	Let's just go.
Masumi:	...
Izumi:	Masumi?
Masumi:	...
Izumi:	(I was hoping to patch things up, but I think I just made matters worse.) Let's get back to the dorm, okay?

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