Tsukiuta. Boys’ 4th Season CD 5 – Story of colors Drama (2)

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2. Drama – "Spring – The Cherry Blossom Admirer in Full Bloom"

 

Passerby 1: Oh. Are they doing some filming thing here?

 

Passerby 2: Looks like it. Do you think there’s any actresses here? Can you see?

 

Passerby 3: Ehh? I can’t go through this area? For real?

 

Staff member: We humbly apologize for the inconvenience! This area will be blocked off from regular foot traffic.

You’ll be able to use that path to the west, so could we have you take a detour over there?

 

Passerby 3: For real...!? Ugh, I’m gonna be late!

 

Passerby 2: See anything over there?

 

Passerby 1: Uh, there’s some tent-looking thing. You think they’re in there? Wanna keep watching?

 

Passerby 2: We have some more time to kill, so let’s wait. We might be able to see a celebrity.

 

Arata: Said celebrities are right behind you, bud.

...I sorta feel déjà vu from this, don’t you?

 

Aoi: That’s true.

 

Arata: It’s been, what, four months since the last shoot? Like before, the weather feels fantas—*yawns* ...makes me sleepy.

 

Aoi: I feel as if I vaguely remember that line, too... is what I’d like to be saying. But Arata, you’re always sleepy regardless of whether the weather’s good or not.

I guess it’s a given that I’d remember you saying that.

 

Arata: Don’t you get sleepy on overcast, gloomy gray days?

 

Aoi: And on rainy days, you get sleepy because of the sounds of raindrops.

 

Arata: How did you read me like a book?

 

Aoi: For the record, let me ask: on the contrary, is there ever a time when you’re completely and thoroughly awake?

 

Arata: Mm... Nighttime? When I’m lazing around and messing around with my phone?

 

Aoi: *chuckles* I bet you’re occasionally falling asleep from that, too.

 

Arata: ...*gasp*...

Oh my god. This is bad, Aoi-kun.

I don’t think there’s ever a time when I’m completely, thoroughly awake!

From the instant I wake up to the moment I fall asleep, I’ve got half a foot in dreamland the whole time!

 

Aoi: Phrasing it extravagantly will do nothing to change your reality, got it?

 

-

 

Aoi: Arata, they say we’ve got around twenty minutes left until we start filming.

 

Arata: Go~tcha.

 

Aoi: Ah, were you contacting someone?

 

Arata: Not for work. It’s some personal thing.

Now that it’s April, you know that guy who got a new subordinate ‘cuz a new graduate entered his company? He’s screaming something fierce in my DMs.

 

Aoi: Let me see...

“They’re not using polite language with me, and I don’t even know if they’re motivated to work!”

...Wasn’t he told the same thing about himself last year?

 

Arata: That’s what I responded.

 

Aoi: Ahaha! Got it.

It’s a season where the world’s full of new students, newly admitted working adults.

 

Arata: It’s ‘cuz we’re in my representative month, April.

 

Aoi: Yeah, okay. And opposite to the workplace where he’s struggling, our workplace here is making good progress at this moment in time.

We’re making way more progress in this time than expected.

If we keep up the pace for our filming, too, things will finish smoothly. It’d be good if we could all leave early.

 

Arata: We can handle it the same way we did last time, huh?

 

Aoi: Yeah. *teasingly* I hope that Arata doesn’t flub his lines this time~

 

Arata: *flatly* I hope that Aoi manages to wink successfully this time.

 

Aoi: Uh—There was an instruction like that?

 

Arata: Nah. It’s just that the cut from last time, where I dropped in a wink for an improv scene, ended up getting used in the actual commercial.

If you did it this time, it’d be like we came in a pair with each other. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

 

Aoi: Y-you’re right... Oh, no. What do I do? Wh-whenever I try winking on purpose, it turns out looking extremely unnatural...

 

Arata: But you’re firin’ them off constantly when the camera cuts to you during concerts.

 

Aoi: Because... well, it’s like the natural flow of things. I do it on reflex.

That being said, Arata, you do them pretty frequently, too.

 

Arata: It’s also me just YOLO’ing it. In the first place, I’m someone who can’t wink on command. And the scene where I dropped in that improv wink? It’d be more correct if I called it a product of coincidence.

I can never do something the same way even after I’m told to do so.

 

Aoi: That’s... not something to puff out your chest in pride, I think...

 

Arata: Oh, perfect timing. Speaking of perfect winks, who else would I get a notif from but this guy?

Haru-san’s updated a selfie where he’s winking.

 

Aoi: Today’s the day he’s promoting his drama, right?

 

Arata: Yeah. Look. Ever seen a surgeon look this hot?

 

Aoi: Hmm? ...Whoa! Haru-san suits wearing a lab coat so well!

 

Arata: He looks so good with it. Doesn’t he look like a mad scientist?

 

Aoi: Hrm... When you’ve added “mad” to it, I’m unsure whether I should nod to that or not...

 

Arata: All right, Aoi. We can’t let ourselves lose out here. To update people with how much we’re doing our best, let’s post a selfie.

 

Aoi: Why did I get the feeling that you’d say that...? We have to accomplish that mission, too.

 

Arata: Mission?

 

Aoi: Remember the previous shoot? Didn’t you bring it up? During the next filming session, you wanted to take a picture in front of the cherry blossoms, in the same place.

 

Arata: Ah... ...Oh, yeah, I did say that.

 

Aoi: I’d prefer it if you didn’t forget the things that you said yourself.

 

Arata: Uh, well, the old guy who was there when we took our pictures left more of an impact on me, honestly~

 

Aoi: Ah. You mean that brisk and active man who lives in that house right next to the park?

 

Arata: Yeah. Aoi, you remember him, too.

 

Aoi: Yeah, I do. You’re right that he did leave an impact.

 

Arata: What if he shows up again?

 

Aoi: He lives right nearby, so I can’t exactly rule out that possibility...

 

Arata: Nah, no way.

 

-

 

[They’re taking selfies.]

 

Old man: I was wondering why it was so noisy around here, and who would have it. It’s you boys again.

 

Aoi: *whispering* See?

 

Arata: *chuckling* Huh. Huhuhu. Huhuhuhuhuh.

 

Old man: Uduki Arata-kun, was it?

 

Arata: Hm? You remembered my name?

 

Old man: And the one next to you is... Satsuki Aoi-kun.

 

Aoi: Ah... yes! My name, too...?

 

Old man: Even the elderly can use the internet. I can manage a simple search. When I looked you boys up, the results came up immediately.

You’re relatively popular, aren’t you?

 

Arata: I’m glad to hear that the search results are working relatively hard, then.

Long time no see.

 

Old man: Boy, you’re... a strange one as always.

 

Aoi: Um, er... You two... got along pretty swimmingly, huh?

 

Arata, Old man: ...We’re getting along?

 

Aoi: Ehhh...?

 

-

 

Old man: Are you shooting a commercial for television?

 

Aoi: Yes. It’s a commercial for a cram school, aimed towards students taking university examinations. It’s in a two-parter, so the previous one was in the winter arc, set during the times when students would be taking the exams.

For this current spring filming session, we’re portraying students who have successfully passed and managed to attend their entrance ceremonies.

 

Arata: The winter part was broadcasted in January. Did you see it?

 

Old man: I saw it... or perhaps, not...?

 

Arata: Ahh. Before, you did mention that you don’t watch much TV, after all.

 

Old man: Boy, you remember well!

 

Arata: My memory’s surprisingly good.

 

Aoi: I wouldn’t expect that sentence to come from the guy who had completely forgotten about the commemorative photos he himself talked about...

 

Arata: Shush it, Aoi.

 

Old man: You two get along well, don’t you?

 

Arata: Ah, me and Aoi? We’ve known each other even before we made our debuts in showbiz. I guess you’d call us childhood friends?

It’s a long, long relationship.

 

Old man: Childhood friends...?

 

Aoi: Yes. We’ve known one another ever since we went to kindergarten, and from elementary, junior high, high school... and lastly, college, we’ve gone to all the same schools.

As you see here, even now, we’re together as working adults.

 

Arata: The fact that we’ve been with each other for so long is lowkey disturbing for us, too.

 

Aoi: *growling* Don’t say it’s “disturbing.”

At least phrase it differently. For example, that it’s an “upsettingly inseparable relationship that’s bound us hand and foot,” maybe?

 

Arata: Okay, that way of phrasing it doesn’t make it much better.

 

Old man: You boys have even gone to college? And you’re...

 

Arata: Working as idols.

...Ah. Did you think it’s a waste that we’re doing this?

 

Old man: Hrm...

 

Arata: We’re not bothered by that. If anything, that’s the normal way to react.

But also, going by those standards, our unit... Ah, our group? Has some exceptional, premium guys whose talents are being put to waste even more.

I think they might’ve shown up alongside us when you looked us up?

We have not one, but two T-University grads in our unit. And if we include our rival unit, there’s an additional alumnus.

A stunning three members are T-Uni grads.

If we had an idol world battle to see which group has the highest academic deviation value, I think we might win the fight.

 

[T/N: The university described here is the University of Tokyo, shortened as “Todai/Toudai.” It’s a public research university and is considered the most selective and prestigious university in the nation. It counts as one of the best universities in the world as well. The members he is referring to are Hajime, Haru, and Shun, who graduated from the school.]

 

Old man: Goodness me... Well... this must be the times, I suppose.

 

Aoi: Ahaha. It’s definitely... surprising, right?

 

Old man: Er, no—Actually... yes, it is. I am surprised.

 

Arata: There are all sorts of idols, too. Like how there are tons of varieties of cherry blossoms.

 

Old man: *chuckles* You really do have a sharp memory.

 

Aoi: Cherry blossoms...?

 

Old man: I discussed with him that you celebrities are like cherry blossoms to me.

...Take a look. What beautiful cherry blossoms these are, hm?

They attract people’s gazes and hearts. However, the time in which the flowers bloom is terribly short. They fall and scatter in an instant.

The time in which they’re not blooming lasts longer. During those times, they’re not even enough to garner people’s attention.

I believe it to be an occupation that’s just as unstable. That’s what I told him.

 

Aoi: ...Ah... But it’s...

 

[Arata puts his hand on Aoi’s shoulder.]

 

Aoi: Arata.

 

Arata: Hey, about that? Ever since you talked to me about it, I’ve been thinking about it, too.

What’s so bad about being cherry blossoms?

 

Old man: Come again?

 

Arata: Well, see. There’s a possibility that our job might linger in someone else’s heart, for even the briefest of moments.

Don’t you think that’s amazing?

 

Old man: Er...

 

Arata: “I liked them before.” “I cheered them on with my friends.” “There was someone in my class who loved them.” “I went to their concert once.”

Any of that’s fine. When we stir someone’s heart, we become a part of their memories.

As long as we’ve become a part of their lives, I realized... I’d be fine being a cherry blossom.

Since the fact that we shone brightly at that instant really wasn’t fake.

 

Old man: ...I used to work as a court judge.

 

Arata: A judge... Is that so? I guess that’s why...

 

Old man: “This guy’s a hardheaded, stubborn geezer,” right?

 

Arata: Well... yeah.

 

Aoi: Arata!

 

Old man: I don’t mind. It doesn’t bother me, since it’s true.

 

Aoi: A-all right...

 

Old man: I had a fulfilling time, because I had lots to do. I felt there was worth in achieving the things that I had on my schedule every day.

I worked day to night. Thanks to that, even now when I’m retired, I have lots of extra time on my hands.

A hard headed guy, learning a hard headed field of study, reached a hard headed occupation. Said man kept on going with it until retirement age.

The result... is as you see here.

 

Arata: Hmm...?

 

Old man: I have a title, so I’ve been receiving a decent amount of consideration, ever since the past, and even now.

But that’s all there is to it.

In the past, there were people around me who envied the stability of my lifestyle. But now, they say... “You’re not lonely, are you?” “Will you be fine on your own?” They’re worrying about me!

Every time they do that, I reply saying that I’m fine. Because I really am.

I’m meant to be on my own.

 

Arata: ...But?

 

Old man: ...Heh. Honestly, there are times I wonder if it’s because I knew no other way of living.

 

Aoi: Another... way of living?

 

Arata: For example, like ours? Living like cherry blossoms, maybe?

 

Old man: Yes. After all, the cherry blossoms... are just so beautiful.

They truly are... just so beautiful. I’m sure these flowers will linger in someone’s heart as well.

 

-

 

Staff member: All right! We’re done! With this, all our filming has come to a close!

Uduki-san, Satsuki-san, thank you for your hard work!

 

Everyone: Thank you for your hard work~!

 

Arata: Thank you very much.

 

Aoi: Thank you very much! Good work on getting through it to you all, too.

 

Staff member: After this, we’d like you to get your makeup taken off. When you’re done changing, you’ll be free to leave. When would you like the car to take you back?

 

Arata: Ah, it’s fine. We have warm weather today, so I’m considering walking back.

You fine with that, Aoi?

 

Aoi: Yeah, no problem.

 

Staff member: Is that so? Then, I understand. Please head over there.

 

-

 

Arata: Phew~ Ahh, it’s done, it’s done.

 

Aoi: Good work, Arata.

 

Arata: Right back at you.

 

Aoi: The cherry blossoms... sure are pretty.

 

Arata: Yeah. We’re here at some random time during the weekdays, so it’s fine now. But on weekends, I get the feeling that there’d be crazy crowds here.

This area would be perfect for flower-viewing.

 

Aoi: It’d be nice if we could do a flower-viewing with the others, don’t you think?

Last year, we were frantically running around so much that we couldn’t do it by the end.

 

Arata: Really?

 

Aoi: Yeah. Not a proper flower-viewing, at least. The only thing close was... on the way back from our college graduation, we were really just wandering around, like the way we’re doing right now.

Obviously, we couldn’t get everyone to do it.

 

Arata: It’s been getting difficult to gather everyone up these days, huh?

 

Aoi: Because we all have our own jobs to work at.

 

Arata: Well, that just means it’s totally possible to nab whoever’s free and start up some easy parties. Also, there’s a fantabulous cherry blossom tree in the park in front of the dorms.

So we can drink at home... flower-view at home?

 

Aoi: In that case, we’re already doing it every year.

 

[The wind blows.]

 

Arata: Cherry blossoms, huh...?

 

Aoi: ...Hey. Arata.

Do you think... we’re blooming properly?

 

Arata: Mm?

...It’d be cool to say, “Of course.” But who knows?

It’s like how we can’t see our own selves without a mirror.

I don’t think we can really tell whether or not we’re blooming properly.

Aoi, from your perspective, do you think I am?

 

Aoi: Arata, you’re... at any moment in time, you’re a cherry blossom blooming with dignity in my eyes. You’re always pure and resolute. No lies whatsoever.

 

Arata: Ooh. I got an unexpected compliment.

...Eh? That was a compliment, wasn’t it?

 

Aoi: *chuckles* Don’t worry. That was my intention. Then next is me.

Arata, from your perspective... how about me?

 

Arata: Aoi, you’re... ...Hm.

I imagine that you’re blooming with a “poof.”

 

Aoi: What do you mean by “poof”...?

 

Arata: Uh—It’s not like I meant anything weird by that.

You know double-flowered cherry blossoms? They’ve got bunches of petals, and when they bloom, the flowers open up gently. With a “poof.”

Like, they’re blooming a bunch.

From far away, they look like clouds.

 

Aoi: What I got from that is that you think I’m fuzzy and fluffy as a whole.

 

Arata: It means you’re kind and gentle.

 

Aoi: All right, got it. ...I guess it’s fine, considering the amount I’m blooming.

 

Arata: It’s a proper compliment, though~

 

Aoi: Yeah, yeah~

 

Arata: Hey, Aoi.

 

Aoi: Hm?

 

[The wind blows, sending the cherry blossoms flying.]

 

Arata: Cherry blossoms should be cherry blossoms. We should be ourselves.

Let’s be in full bloom.

 

Aoi: Arata...

 

Arata: Or whatever~

 

Aoi: *chuckling* Arata...!

 

Arata: While we’re on the topic, though, that old guy also resembled some superb cherry blossoms to me.

 

Aoi: Eh?

 

Arata: I learned about this word at a stageplay. There’s this word called “rouou.”

In kanji letters, it’s written as “old cherry blossoms.” Rou-ou­.

The meaning’s exactly what it says in the name, but don’t you think it sounds cool?

Rouou.

 

Aoi: Mm!

 

Arata: It just popped into my head randomly because of what we were talking about, but I thought it suited that old guy perfectly.

Wish I could’ve told him, “The way you’re living is also just as beautiful as the cherry blossoms.”

*sucks in breath* I guess that’s a little too pretentious, though?

There’s a chance he’d get upset at me and say, “What nonsense are you saying, silly brat?”

 

Aoi: Ahh... Sounds possible.

 

Arata: But maybe I should take the plunge and go get yelled at?

 

Aoi: *laughing* Right now?

 

Arata: Yeah. The filming started back then, so we sorta left the conversation hanging when we parted ways.

Maybe we can buy some rice dumplings for him?

The direction his place is... We know where his house is, anyway.

 

Aoi: ...Sure. Let’s go, then.

 

Arata: Yeah. Yes, let’s do it. Let’s go.