Episode 24 – Those Who See it, See it

“I-I’m performing? Why?”

The director, Hiyoshi san, explains.

“Akimoto, who plays as a yankee, sprained his ankle.”

He mumbled, [He’s a guy who gets excited when it comes to cultural festivals…]. If anything, Hiyoshi san is more like a yankee.

“So I was wondering if Izuma kun would participate.”

“Why me?”

“The costume fits your height and size. If you’re too tall, the costume won’t fit. If it’s not the right size, it’s going to look weird.”

“There are other guys with a similar build like myself.”

“That’s not the only reason why I chose you–.”

He waved his index finger.

“You have perfect attendance at readings, and rehearsals, right? So I thought you had some grasp of the lines and the mood of the role.”

I was concentrating on watching the performance because I didn’t want to miss any lighting switches, which was true. Or rather, she was watching me. I didn’t think she cared at all.

“B-but who will be doing the lighting?”

“That won’t be a problem, right?”

Ishigami san, the girl who played as a heroine, who was silent with her arms folded on the other side of the room, said, 

“You did a pretty detailed write-up, didn’t you? With that script, I’m sure someone else could’ve handled it.”

Eh, she saw that much?

Hiyoshi san continued.

“So, what do you think? Will you do it?”

Everyone’s eyes were staring at me. I kept my face down.

“But I’m…… not the type of person who’s capable of doing anything in front of people.”

“…..So it’s impossible?”

It is. It has been decided. Standing on a stage like that and acting with dignity is a kind of talent, and I don’t have that. I have been living for seventeen years and I’ve learned this lesson the hard way.

“I’m sorry….”

I apologized while trying to squeeze out my words. Hiyoshi san waved her hands in the air.

“No, no ! I’m sorry for being unreasonable.”

A boy who played a supporting role raised his hand.

“My role is not too difficult, so I could play two roles.”

“But then I’d have to change the lines, and there’d be time for costume changes.”

“In that case–“

The discussion begins. I quietly leave the room and head for the door.

My legs are heavy. But it’s different from guilt.

—I see, I’m lonely.

To walk away from my classmates who expected me to be there.

I think of Yua, who was so excited in her maid’s uniform. It’s impossible for me to enjoy myself like that from the bottom of my heart. But at least I want to be the person who doesn’t feel lonely when I see her like that. That’s what I think.

My feet stop in front of the door. I turn toward Hiyosh -san and the others, who were still talking with each other, and speak up.

“You know what !”

Hiyoshi san and the others looked at me with surprised faces.

“That;s….., as expected, maybe I should participate, I think……”

“Eh?”

Hiyoshi san rolled her eyes.

“Seriously? Are you sure? You don’t have to force yourself, okay?”

“No, it’s not that I can’t, it’s more like impossible……”

I’m talking about going through the impossible.

“If you don’t like it–“

Ishigami san covered Hiyoshi san’s mouth.

“You said you’d do it, so I won’t say anything to lower your motivation !”

“Nng.”

I nodded.

“I’ll do it. I heard that I have a good voice.

“Voice……?”

Ishigami san stared blankly.

“No, just talking to myself.”

Hiyoshi san who brushed Ishigami san; hand away, said,

“Thank you. I’ll support you as much as I can.”

“I’m counting on you too.”

“Okay, let’s hurry up and get the lines together. Can the props guy please make up some cue cards just in case?”

The director gave the order and everyone began to move quickly.

“Before that, Izuma kun, get dressed. Just in case.”

“Got it.”

I changed my blazer into a modified school uniform, put on a wig net, and put a brown wig on top of it.

“Okay, perfect.”

Hiyoshi san and the costume designer looked relieved.

I look at a picture of myself taken on my phone. I thought it would be more of a painful high school debut feeling, but it turns out that I looked like a very serious delinquent.

–I never thought I’d be a delinquent…….

“Your expression is a little too soft, make sure to always look angry on the stage.”

“Understood.”

After that, we went over the lines and confirmed the movements on stage. Although I was reading from a script, I had seen the performance many times during rehearsals, so it went more smoothly than I had expected.

The scene in which I appear is–.

The scene in which the main character is in a quarrel.

The scene where the main character is violent.

The scene where the heroine finds out that she likes the main character, tells him her feelings, and leaves.

These three scenes can be roughly divided into three categories. The role of someone who looks as if he’s putting up a fight but actually has no chance of winning. There aren’t that many lines, and I can memorize them easily.

I looked at the clock on the blackboard. It was a little past twelve o’clock, and my scene would start at thirteen-thirty. I have plenty of time.

“I bought takoyaki ! !

A few classmates came into the classroom with bags in their hands.

“Nice ! Okay, I’m going to make a final push while I’m starving !”

「「「「Okay ! 」」」」

It was so loud that the classroom window shivered. I couldn’t suddenly join that circle, but I didn’t feel as uncomfortable as I had felt before.

Now all I had to do was concentrate on the play–

–No, before that.

I opened up the chat app on my phone. The recipient was, of course, Yua.

“I was going to be in a play. If you have time, please come see it.”