Chapter 1 - An Exciting Performance

<This swordsmanship.....!>

<You bastard, you're more than just some ordinary oni, are you!?>

<Hmph..... The past? I’ve already cast that aside long ago!>

(Woooahhh! Their swords are all shwoosh-shwoosh-shwing-shwing!)

(It looks like they’re dancing lightly, but it also feels really heavy and bawoom—)

(.....Such overwhelming intensity.)

(Thanks to my experience with the Mikazuki Troupe, I know how hard it is to fight this fast and still stay sharp.)

(A lot of this dynamic energy probably comes from the director’s vision.)

(Even how the costumes flow, it’s all clearly been calculated to the last detail.)

(Their singing is amazing too.)

(The all-female "Suzuran Troupe'" has their elegance, but..... this is incredibly powerful.)

(Maybe it’s because it’s an all-male troupe, but honestly, that’s not the only reason, they're just on another level.)

(Wowww…...)

(So this is what the Kikyo Troupe can do.....!!)

Wooooaaahhh~~~!

.......What a spectacular show.......

Yeah...… The ending, with the swordsman and oni parting under the cherry blossoms, was bittersweet.

But it left hope they might reunite.

Yeah.

I even saw a few people in the audience tearing up.

They started out hating each other, and then get locked in a brutal fight......

But that’s exactly why the ending hit so hard, it was well-earned.

Yep! I think everyone could feel what the swordsman and the oni were going through!

(…...But…..)

(I wonder why there weren’t more people in the audience…...)

(It was such a good show—it’s a shame more didn’t see it.)

Hmm...…

We got a little carried away talking, but we can’t just loiter here forever.

Still, I’ve yet to say everything I want to!

How about we find a place to rest and have a proper discussion?

Count me in~!

In that case, how about the family restaurant near the station?

Sounds good to me.

I’m getting kinda hungry anyway.

Excellent.

Then..... Let's be off!

Phew...…

I really got to talk my heart out there.

Totally!

It was super super fun listening to what scenes everyone liked!

Me too..…

It feels like it’s been a while since we’ve had time like this.

Indeed!

Rui and I are in the boys’ division, Nene's in the girls’ division, and Emu’s on the management side, and we're all training separately.

By the way, what's the boys' division working on right now?

Up until recently, we were doing tap dance.

Next lesson is Japanese traditional dance, apparently.

Ooh~!

That sounds so cool!

That’s so awesome, you get to try so many things!

Yeah, that’s true.

Although…..

Although?

It’s just...… things around us feel a bit aflutter lately.

Our instructors have been rotating in and out a lot recently.

Oh, really…...?

That hasn’t been happening on our side...… I wonder why?

I’m not sure why.... but I’m happy to be learning from all sorts of people.

Even if they teach the same thing, each instructor emphasizes something different.

That helps you learn from multiple perspectives, right?

Oh...… yeah, I guess that could actually be a good thing.

It’s like taiyaki, every shop makes it a little different, but they’re all yummy!

Fufu, that’s one way to look at it.

How about you, Emu?

Seems like you're always doing something new with production and planning.

Um, right now I’m studying how budgeting and expenses work in stage management.

Things like wages and maintenance fees are needed here too, just like back home at Phoenix Wonderland, but—

They want the audience to feel like they're in another world, so they go all-out with props and costumes!

I get it now..…

A company’s priorities affect where the money goes.

Yep.

It’s tricky, but super interesting!

Sounds like you've gained a lot from studying how the place operates.

Ehehe~ Both here and at Phoenix Wonderland..... it takes tons of effort from everyone to make those sparkly smiles happen.

Some hurdles need a big ol’ leap like "heyaaah!"—and other things really make you stop and think…...

I wanna be someone who can figure things out together with others.

Right now, I really feel like what I’m doing is worth it!

I see......

Ehehe~

Oh! Oh! And also, also!

I’ve also been learning about how all this management stuff works, and the other day—ah.

…...?

Something wrong?

Umm..… Talking about management stuff just reminded me—

There was this suuuper mysterious girl the other day!!

A mysterious girl…..?

What do you mean?

So, there's this big fancy meeting room where all the business people talk about important stuff…..

And out of that room came this girl—who looked about our age!

From the meeting room?

Wait… are you saying she was part of the meeting?

Still, someone our age involved with the management?

Is that even possible?

I suppose it’s not unheard of, Emu-kun’s one example, but it feels like we’d have heard more if it were common.

…...If they’re a Morinomiya student, maybe someone here knows more about them.

…...This might be perfect timing.

Hweh?

Um..… There's actually someone I wanted to introduce you all to.

She’s a student from the girls’ division, and I think she’s interested in our troupe…....

We might even get to hear more about that girl from her.

What do you think?