Chapter 25 Role-Playing

Chapter 25: Role Play

"Well..."

Looking at the manga script and character design sheets in his hands, Tsukishima spoke somewhat uncertainly.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Hoshino raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

"What's wrong, Tsukishima?" She smiled sweetly. "You were the one who just said you'd do anything within your power, right?"

Tsukishima: ...

That ominous, polite tone, that dangerous smile—he'd better not ask any more questions.

Accepting his fate, Tsukishima refocused his attention on the materials in his hands and began to study them seriously.

Well... it was just a matter of role-playing based on given character settings to figure out the subsequent plot. It wasn't that big a deal. He could treat it like an unrehearsed play—he'd done something similar before during the cultural festival.

With that thought, Tsukishima felt the task wasn't as hard as he'd imagined.

From the materials Hoshino had given him, Tsukishima learned that this was a school-themed romantic manga. The protagonists were the heroine Saori and the hero Hiroki, and their relationship development was the main plot of the story. Currently, the story was at a critical point where the protagonists had a misunderstanding for some reason and were being upset with each other.

Tsukishima: ...

Why did this feel a bit off?

Never mind, that wasn't the point... In short, Hoshino had only drawn the story up to this point, and the subsequent plot needed to be figured out by the two of them together. He would play Hiroki, and Hoshino would play Saori. The agreed-upon scene was the fireworks festival.

...

Okay, got it.

Having fully grasped the rules of the game, Tsukishima quickly slipped into character: "Let's go, Saori."

But Hoshino immediately frowned and gave him a "stop" gesture with her hand.

"No, Tsukishima," she pointed out. "Didn't you carefully read the character settings? That line doesn't fit Hiroki's personality at all!"

Tsukishima: ?

"How does it not fit?" He didn't understand.

He'd just said an opening line, hadn't he?

But seeing Hoshino so confident, he pulled out the character settings she'd given him and reread them from start to finish.

...

...

...

Upon seeing the small print he'd overlooked in the character settings, Tsukishima froze.

After a few seconds, under Hoshino's teasing gaze, Tsukishima had no choice but to read the line:

"Let's go..."

He paused, then forced the words out of his throat—

"...Milady."

Almost as soon as he spoke, Hoshino immediately turned her back on him, clenching her teeth hard to suppress her laughter.

***

...

No, no, I can't laugh!

She quickly warned herself.

She was still mad at this guy! How could she laugh in a situation like this!

But she only managed to hold back her laughter for three seconds.

"Pfft... hahaha!"

Hoshino's face was red from holding back, but she couldn't help doubling over with laughter.

"Hey..." a victimized Tsukishima said helplessly, "You said my line didn't fit Hiroki's character, but your reaction doesn't match Saori's either, does it?"

"Sorry... I know..."

Hoshino was now crouching down from laughing so hard, waving a hand behind her to signal Tsukishima.

"But I can't help myself, it's just too funny, hahaha..."

Tsukishima: ...

This girl... honestly.

He glanced again at the small print on the character sheet:

「Note: Hiroki calls Saori 'Milady' when she's angry, so be extra careful when writing lines!」

Tsukishima: ...

Why did such a setting even exist?!

By now, Hoshino had finally stopped laughing.

"Alright, alright, no more messing around. Let's continue."

She stood up, turned around, and announced.

But Tsukishima was still standing there motionless, looking at her without intending to move.

"Hiroki? Hiroki!"

She waved her hand in front of his face.

"Huh?" Tsukishima snapped back to reality.

"Time to go," Hoshino reminded him.

"Oh... okay."

Tsukishima nodded and followed Hoshino's pace.

Just now, when Hoshino turned around with a lingering smile, Tsukishima suddenly realized something—

He really preferred seeing her smile.

Compared to that angry, furrowed brow, or that sad, tearful expression, he much rather see her laughing.

...

Come to think of it, was that even part of Hiroki's character profile? He wondered idly.

***

There was still some time before the fireworks, so the two of them wandered through the nearby stalls.

Of course, they were doing so as Saori and Hiroki.

It was a bit awkward for two people who had just had a conflict to walk around together, but the role-playing helped smooth things over. They shared some shaved ice, watched a float parade, and bought some handicrafts. Although there wasn't much conversation—mostly Tsukishima trying to start a topic and Hoshino replying with brief, flat responses—it unintentionally fit Saori and Hiroki's current dynamic, so Hoshino didn't dwell on it.

It wasn't until they stopped at a small roadside goldfish scooping game that Hoshino heard Tsukishima's voice beside her—

"Hey," he said.

"Shh—"

Hoshino, crouched by the tank and concentrating on scooping a goldfish with a paper net, interrupted him.

"Keep it down, the goldfish will get away!" she said.

And sure enough, a fish slipped right past her net.

...

Seeing Hoshino immediately start scooping another without hesitation, Tsukishima thought it over and decided to speak anyway.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Hoshino's hand, holding the net, paused.

"I know it feels like I've been apologizing ever since I met you, but I feel like no matter how many times I say it, it's never enough. I'm the one who calls you 'young lady,' but I've actually been the more willful one, and you've always been the one putting up with me."

Hoshino: ...

Oh, so he was speaking as Hiroki.

Unsure whether she felt more relief or disappointment, Hoshino just replied flatly, "It's fine. It's not like I don't know you. I'll forgive you this time."

That should have been the perfect answer, but Tsukishima didn't look satisfied at all.

"Really?" he pressed. "Is that really how you feel?"

Hoshino: ?

"Of course. What else would it be?" Hoshino said, a little confused.

"If that's how you feel, then why didn't you ask for nuts on your shaved ice?" Tsukishima pointed out. "You told me once, didn't you? When you're happy, you always get nuts on your shaved ice."

Hoshino: ...

Did this guy really memorize something like that?

"I forgot, that's all. It's not that deep," Hoshino explained.

But Tsukishima didn't seem ready to drop the subject.

"And what about when we bought the souvenir?" he asked further. "You clearly like purple the most. Why didn't you say no when the vendor handed you that green charm? And you love watching fireworks, so why did you say 'anywhere's fine' when I asked where you wanted to watch them? Is that really what you truly think?"

"...Hey, don't you think you've said enough?"

Hoshino felt a sudden surge of anger. She didn't even feel like scooping goldfish anymore. She threw down the net and stood up.

"Does it really matter that much what I truly think? Why do you have to dig into everything?" Hoshino said, growing inexplicably irritated. "It's always been like this. Ever since kindergarten, when you accidentally got mud on me, it's always been you apologizing and me forgiving you. Isn't that enough? Why can't we just let this one slide like all the other times?"

Tsukishima picked up the net that had fallen into the water, set it aside to dry, and stood up as well.

"But I don't want it to be like that," Tsukishima replied. "I want to know what you really think. It matters to me."

Hoshino froze on the spot.

"You're still angry, aren't you?" Tsukishima said, looking into her eyes. "You haven't really forgiven me, have you?"

...

"Yeah, you're right. I am angry. I'm furious. I'm so mad I can't stand it!" Hoshino finally let everything out. "I came all the way from the countryside in Ishikawa to Tokyo to see you, and you shut me out by saying things like 'let's not see each other anymore.' Don't you think I have every right to be angry? And after saying something like that for no reason, you show up in front of me out of nowhere and ruin the fireworks festival I've been looking forward to. Am I wrong to be angry? You say you want me to forgive you, but you still have to ask me what I'm even mad about? Do I not have the right to be angry?"

"So what is it?" Tsukishima pressed on. "What are you really angry about?"

"It's obviously—"

Hoshino cut herself off.

Tsukishima immediately regretted it.

Even if it was to understand Hoshino's real feelings, even if it was to find the root of their issues, his relentless questioning had gone too far. At least he had never seen such an expression on Hoshino's face before—a look like shattered glass that had been crushed under a wheel. It was as if she was about to burst into tears at any second, giving him the overwhelming urge to pull her into his arms—

But in the end, he didn't.

Neither as Tsukishima Kei nor as Hiroki did he have the right to do so.

After a long pause, he finally heard Hoshino's voice again.

"The real reason I'm angry..."

She gave a faint, self-deprecating smile and said softly, "It's that you quit the drama club without a word. That's what."

She took the bag of goldfish she had caught from the vendor and looked up at him again.

"We had already cast every role for this play, and the club currently has no spare members. You just up and quit like that, and I don't even know where to find a replacement. Do you have any idea how much trouble this is?"

Tsukishima felt his heart sink.

Just as he expected, he told himself.

Just as he had thought before, Hoshino's real concern was having to recast the male lead for the manga adaptation play. It had nothing to do with him as a person. In other words, the only reason Hoshino had been spending so much time with him was out of necessity for the Manga Club's project.

...

He had already mentally prepared himself for this, but hearing the actual answer still left him feeling undeniably disappointed.

"Boom—"

A sudden explosive sound rang out, and untimely fireworks bloomed in the night sky above them. Hoshino looked up, letting the colorful sparks reflect in her eyes.

And Tsukishima let his gaze rest on the girl beside him.

Tsukishima Kei, fifteen years old, watching fireworks with a girl he liked for the first time—but he had completely messed it up. He got her answer, but not his own. After tonight, what was he supposed to do?

...

"Hey, listen."

After who knows how long, Hoshino softly called to him.

Tsukishima: "Hmm?"

Through the loud noise of the fireworks, he almost didn't hear her.

"I forgive you. This time, for real," Hoshino said seriously.

...

Tsukishima looked at her, surprised, but she kept her eyes on the fireworks, unshaken by his stare.

"Why?" he asked.

"Why what? What do you mean 'why'? There’s nothing to ask 'why' about." Hoshino thought it was kind of funny. "If I have to say, it’s because you ran me off once, and I yelled at you once. We're even."

Tsukishima: ...

"That's it?" He still couldn't quite believe it.

"What else? Hey, don't tell me you think I'm the type to hold a grudge?"

"...I never said that."

"...Then you must have thought it to yourself."

"...I didn't think that at all."

The sound of fireworks continued, but they both laughed without meaning to, though neither knew exactly what they were laughing about.

As their laughter died down, Tsukishima finally asked his question.

"Then, will you still come to watch our match?" he asked. "I mean, the volleyball match."

"Eh?"

Hoshino, who had been staring at the fireworks, finally turned to him in disbelief.

As if worried she hadn't heard him clearly, Tsukishima stressed again—

"Hoshino."

—After a whole night, he called her name again.

Hoshino blinked, the fireworks flickered in her eyes, making them brighter than the stars.

"Well..."

She tried not to let her lips curl up too obviously, but she failed anyway.

"We'll see how I feel!" she finally said.

-TBC-

*

Author's Note:

It's finally over!! You two have been having a tiff for a solid five chapters!! Five chapters, you know!!

§ Crescent Moon §