My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 149

Class performances, exhibitions and presentations of achievements by arts clubs, orchestras performing on stage...

Perhaps in line with the current social trends, student-run food stalls are not allowed to cook, but can only sell pre-made food, and are not allowed to stay overnight at the school.

Despite the numerous restrictions imposed by the school, everyone's enthusiasm remained undiminished, demonstrating just how significant the anniversary celebration was.

Regardless of size or standard, the anniversary celebration has become a non-routine "symbol" for everyone to enjoy.

It truly lives up to its name as a celebration.

My class, Class F of the second year, was also caught up in this lively atmosphere.

The battle for customers started early, making it difficult to walk through the corridors. Some people were handing out flyers, some were lining up holding up signs, and others were walking around dressed in party props that looked like they'd bought from the chain store "Don Quijote." Goodness, it's so annoying.

When I returned to class after finishing the cleanup work for the opening ceremony, I saw everyone bustling around, making final preparations for the musical performance.

"Hey! What's the makeup artist doing? The makeup is too light!"

"What are you so nervous about? It's hilarious, it's killing me. The audience's here for Hayato anyway, what's there to be nervous about?"

Ebina was shouting and yelling everywhere, while Miura was encouraging each actor individually. Although her words were hurtful, they at least helped to ease the tension.

I looked around the classroom, and everyone was diligently working on their tasks. Over the past month and a half, the bonds between classmates had become even stronger.

There were moments of laughter, moments of tears, moments of yelling at each other, and even a near-fight... However, as their true feelings gradually became clear, they finally came together... Since I didn't participate in the class's musical performance, I don't know the full story.

With nothing to do, I loitered around the classroom door, muttering "Oh! I see," pretending to be busy with work.

"Why do you keep pretending you're working? Is it because you have nothing to do?"

I felt as if I could hear my boss speaking to me. I turned around and saw that there really was a boss—correction, I should say the leader of the school anniversary celebration (Note 77: "boss" and "leader" both mean Boss), Ebina.

"If you're not busy, would you like to help at the counter? Or would you like to go up and perform?"

I shook my head, indicating that I certainly didn't want to act.

"Then, please take care of the counter, tell the audience the show time, and answer anyone who asks."

"But I don't know the performance time."

"It's okay, there's a notice posted at the entrance. But it doesn't look very nice with no one there. You can just sit there, please."

Is this for real? Just sitting there? This must be the most wonderful dream job in the world. I must learn from this experience so I can do something similar in the future.

I accepted Ebina's request and went outside the classroom. Sure enough, there was a long, folded table and several folding chairs near the door. Hmm, I can take care of setting up the counter.

I clattered the table legs out and stood it up, then neatly arranged the chairs, and I was done. It was a desperately cool feeling (Note 78 is from the game "Super Speed ​​Transformation Spiral Jet," where the protagonist, Todoroki Ryu, has the catchphrase "Desperate ○○"). Boys have a particular fondness for these transformable gadgets; perhaps it's an instinct. Also, boys love taking things apart. For example, halfway through class, they always get the urge to disassemble a ballpoint pen and then put it back together.

Posters were plastered on the wall, clearly indicating the times for each show. As long as I sat next to this poster, no one would dare ask me again.

With five minutes left before the performance started, and as I was letting my mind wander, the noise in the classroom seemed to intensify. I peeked inside to see what was happening.

"Alright! Everyone, form a circle!"

When the Ministry of Revenue made this suggestion, everyone exclaimed "Eh~" and "Really?", but still obediently formed a circle. If this were leisure time, once they formed this formation, they would probably start playing "Wind Blowing".

"Without Ebina, none of this would exist, right? So come here, come here, the prime spot right in the center is yours!"

Since it's a circle, how can there be a center?

I was wondering what was going on when I saw the Minister of Revenue point to the man next door, which would allow him to conveniently pat Old Man Shanghai on the shoulder. Not bad, quite the strategist.

Miura seemed to want to help the strategist, so he took Ebina's hand.

"Come, Ebina, go to the middle."

As a result, Ebina was indeed pushed to the very center, the very center of the circle, so that everyone would form a circle around her. Keibu silently shed tears.

Ebina looked around at each classmate, and finally fixed his gaze on one person.

A figure stood in a corner of the classroom—Kawasaki.

Ebina smiled and invited her to join.

"Kawasaki, you should come too."

"Huh, me? I don't need that..."

"You're saying that again. You designed the costumes for the musical, so of course you have to take responsibility."

"Take responsibility...didn't you say you would take responsibility?"

Despite his complaints, Kawasaki still walked into the circle.

After everyone except me had arrived, Yui turned to look at me, and I smiled and shook my head in refusal. She saw this and looked rather unhappy.

What's there to be unhappy about? I'm just not in that circle. It would be even more awkward and uncomfortable to be in the circle without helping at all.

Since it doesn't feel honorable, it's better not to participate. Looking at Sagami, she seemed a little ashamed.

Sagami, standing in the circle, looked sullen. Her less-than-ideal speech at the opening ceremony might have been one reason for her unhappiness, but I think the real reason was her low level of engagement.

Those who habitually rank others will also use rank to rank everything. Therefore, Sagami is considering where she currently stands. She chooses a position far from Miura and Hayama, but not on the furthest point of their path; rather, she stands slightly off-center to avoid facing them directly. This is undoubtedly evidence that Sagami is contemplating.

Physical distance reflects the distance between people's hearts.

Following this logic, Ebina standing in the center of the circle precisely indicates that she is the central figure in this school anniversary class activity. As long as she gives the order, everyone will follow without hesitation.

The perfect circle looked surprisingly nice from a distance.

× × ×

The classroom, surrounded by dark curtains, was as crowded as a sardine can.

Ebina judged that the venue could no longer accommodate any more spectators and gave the instruction to hang a "Full" sign on the door.

After hanging up the sign, I used the long table that served as a counter to block the doorway and prevent people from coming in.

To allow for air circulation, the classroom door was not completely closed, leaving a small gap. I peeked inside through the gap.

The musical has finally begun.

First, Hayama's character "I" performs a one-man show.

The spotlight shone on him, and the audience erupted in cheers. It seemed that all of Hayama's friends and fans had come.

On a stage set against a desert backdrop, there was a prop airplane. The drawings made by the narrator in the story were performed by male classmates dressed as puppets. When the scene of the animal being entangled by a snake came on, the two boys also got entangled together, creating a comical scene that made the audience burst into laughter.

Hayama continued his long solo performance.

At this time-

"Excuse me, could you please draw me a sheep?"

Totsuka's voice rang out.

"Huh? What?"

"I" didn't hear the whisper clearly. The Little Prince repeated it.

"Please draw me a sheep."

The spotlight shifted to Totsuka at one end of the stage. His adorable appearance drew gasps of admiration from the audience.

With the two meeting, the story unfolds smoothly.

Then comes the scene where "The Little Prince" talks about the rose on his planet. A boy covered in a green bodysuit and wearing a red shampoo cap appears and tells his story with the Little Prince in a sissy voice.

The subsequent plot is quite tragic, with the Little Prince looking back on the planets he visited along the way, almost all of which are presented as short dramas.

The king, preoccupied with flaunting his majesty and defending his power, was draped in luxurious carpets brought from home by his classmates, while Yamato was sweltering inside.

A narcissistic man who craves the worship and recognition of others, covered in tinfoil from head to toe, his entire body was so glaringly bright that it was hard to look directly at him.

Ashamed of his alcoholism, and to banish this feeling, he drank even more to get himself drunk, surrounded by several bottles of strong liquor and countless one-liter bottles (Note 79: a type of fixed-size glass bottle in Japan, with a capacity of 1.8 liters). The man, whose name he couldn't quite place, was flushed red with nervousness, as if he were truly drunk.

The businessman talked incessantly about numbers, constantly proclaiming, "Look! I'm an important person." Thanks to Ebina's guidance, the squad leader's suit matched his perfectly.

Bound by the rules, the lamplighter must continuously light and extinguish the lights. Ooka, dressed in a fly-shaped overcoat covered in soot, kept circling the light fixture. This role seems quite suitable for him.

The geographer, who secluded himself in his study and never stepped outside, knew nothing of the world and devoted himself to recording the explorers' recollections. The man, whose name was unclear—whether it was Oda or Tahara—was surrounded by maps and globes, studying books with the air of a scholar.

The costumes, which were first created through brainstorming (probably) and then painstakingly crafted by Kawasaki (definitely), also received a warm response from the audience (hooray!).

Then the passage begins with "The Little Prince" landing on Earth.

He came to the desert, encountered snakes and many roses, and discovered that what he possessed was readily available in this place and not at all rare.

Totsuka delivered his lines with a sorrowful expression, and sniffling could be heard from the audience. Totsuka is so cute... oh no, the little prince is so pitiful, I really want to rush onto the stage and hug him right now.

At this moment, a boy wearing a fox mask and a fur coat appeared.

Ah, this is my favorite scene.

The Little Prince spoke to the fox:

"Come play with me. I'm very sad right now..."

He hung his head and said forlornly, "Hmm, very good, it breaks my heart to see it. By the way, in Ebina's first draft of the script, the line here was: 'Not doing it?' (Note 80: A famous line from the manga character Abe Takakazu, 'Yaranaika'.)... I really want to ask, what's going on in that woman's head...?"

The fox answered the little prince:

"I can't play with you... because I haven't been tamed yet."

I really like the word "taming". "Taming" is a concrete, clear and realistic way to equate with "building a relationship".

Indeed, building relationships is like being tamed step by step, telling yourself to get along well with the other person, and even with everyone, and not to cause trouble. Next, your own heart and stance are tamed; your sharp teeth gradually soften, your claws recede, and your thorns fall off one by one. We learn to treat others cautiously, like carefully touching a swollen part of our body, so as not to hurt them or ourselves. I appreciate this ironic portrayal of "building relationships."

As I was thinking about these things, the story continued to unfold.

"You need to sit on the grass like this, a little distance away from me. I'll be watching you out of the corner of my eye, but don't say anything, because words are the source of misunderstandings."

The Little Prince continued his conversation with the fox.

They successfully tamed each other.

However, the moment of parting finally arrived.

Before parting, the fox told the little prince a secret. I think this is the most famous passage in the entire story of "The Little Prince".

—The real thing cannot be seen with the eyes.

The Little Prince bids farewell to the fox and continues his exploration of many places. Finally, the stage returns to the desert.

I want to go with the Little Prince to find a well in the desert.

"The desert is beautiful because somewhere there is a well hidden."

When Totsuka uttered those words, another gasp of surprise rippled through the audience. This passage is also very representative of "The Little Prince," and most people are probably familiar with it.

As "I" and the Little Prince continued their conversations and spent more time together, their hearts gradually aligned. Finally, their moment of parting arrived. Incidentally, in Ebina's initial draft of the script, at this point, even their lips and bodies were supposed to overlap. Who exactly is that woman...?

"Little Prince...I really like your laughter..."

Female viewers couldn't help but get excited when they heard Hayama's lines. They thought that recording that dialogue as an MP3 or similar file and selling it would definitely make a lot of money.

"I don't want to leave you..."

Hayama's words elicited a satisfied sigh from the audience. How about this: how about releasing a CD containing Hayama's bedtime stories, along with a body pillow? I have a feeling this product will have unlimited business potential.

Finally, the scene shows the two parting ways.

The Little Prince is bitten by a snake and quietly collapses. Totsuka portrays the Little Prince as incredibly fragile, as if he might disappear at any moment. I sensed that the audience was so focused they almost forgot to breathe.

The stage dimmed.

A beam of light shone on Ye Shan.

The final solo performance by "I" brings the entire musical to a close.

The moment it ended, thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

The memorable premiere of Wang Yin's musical "The Little Prince" concluded with a packed house.

But I have a question: this shouldn't be considered a musical, but rather a drama... since no one is singing or dancing.

× × ×

When there are no performances, I close the classroom door.

Sitting at the counter seemed to imply that I was also responsible for looking after the classroom. While my classmates rested or visited other classrooms, I would sit on a folding chair next to the entrance.

According to the schedule for the miscellaneous tasks group, I have to be on patrol all day tomorrow, so today is the only day I can participate in the class activity. Since I didn't help beforehand and can't spare the time the next day, I'll naturally have to sit here from morning till night today. If this counts as participating in the class activity, then I should thank the classmates who took on this job and were willing to accept me.

But honestly, I don't think many people in the class would have thought of this, so it's more or less possible to guess whose idea it was.

"Thanks for your hard work!"

Someone put a plastic bag on the counter, and when I looked up, I saw it was Yuihama.