Chapter 59
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Volume 1: First Performance: A Tragic Love Story Of A Young Lady And Spring Cherry Blossoms
Chapter 59: The Cross-Dressing Boy Takes The Stage
“…I don’t have much hope for this stage.”
So saying, I leaned back in my seat in the audience and turned my gaze to the pamphlet in my hand.
The pamphlet read:
[―――― The first theatrical performance of “Romeo and Juliet” by the first-year students of Hananomiya Girls’ Academy’s Acting Department.]
[Starring: Romeo – Akane Tsukishiro and Juliet – Kaede Kisaragi.]
[Akane Tsukishiro, a rising young actress in the spotlight, and Kaede Kisaragi, an unknown newcomer with hidden talent acknowledged by Kyoichiro Yanagisawa.]
[Enjoy the world’s most famous love story, a tragic romance, as performed by these two young geniuses to your heart’s content.]
“…I obviously know about Akane Tsukishiro, but… who is Kaede Kisaragi…?”
Muttering this, I tilted my head and furrowed my brows.
…My name is Misaki Arisaka. I’m 29 years old, and I work as a magazine editor for an entertainment magazine.
My job is to quickly research talented young actors and spread their information nationwide faster than anyone else.
The magazine I handle, “Monthly Geinou Vision”, is sometimes called a stepping stone for new actors.
This is because actors featured in this magazine are guaranteed to break out in a few years.
So, it’s said that being featured in this magazine is often considered the first goal for new actors.
However… in recent years, there haven’t been many newcomers featured in the magazine who have become breakout stars.
Recently, it was just about three years ago when Akane Tsukishiro’s feature in our magazine led to her breakout.
In any case, our magazine primarily focuses on covering promising new actors—it’s a go-to for young talent.
“So, I came to see this stage directed by Kyoichiro Yanagisawa, but… to be honest, I’m disappointed. I’ve been let down…”
The cast listed in the pamphlet are all actors I’ve researched.
Most of them are ones I had previously filtered out as not worthy of being featured in our magazine.
Looking at the cast list, there didn’t seem to be any fresh faces.
“I wonder if there’s no actor who really stands out… I never expected there would be such a shortage of talent. Perhaps Hananomiya Girls’ Academy, which has produced many famous actresses in the past, is on the decline…”
Saying this, I let out a big sigh.
Suddenly, a cheerful voice from the seat next to me caught my attention.
“Onii-chan… I mean, Kaede-chan, fight on!! Rurika is cheering for you with all her might!!”
“Hm…?”
Looking in the direction of the voice, I saw a petite middle school girl in the neighboring seat.
The girl had a headband with “Only Kaede Kisaragi wins” written on it and was holding a fan printed with a picture of a beautiful girl with platinum hair. She was exhaling excitedly through her nose.
The beautiful half-Japanese girl depicted on the fan that this girl is holding in her hands…could this be Kaede Kisaragi, who will be playing the role of Juliet in this play?
From the fact that there’s already such fan merchandise, it seems she must be quite popular among the students.
Looking around the audience again, I saw many people wearing Kaede Kisaragi merchandise.
I see… Kaede Kisaragi is a new face to me, and as an actor, she is almost unknown, but… it seems she has something that attracts people.
It’s not just beauty that would normally attract such a following.
There must be something about her that draws people in.
“Honestly, unknown actors often turn out to be a disappointment, so I’m not expecting much… But there’s something about this girl that intrigues me.”
I said, putting my hand to my chin and looking again at the pamphlet in my hand――――at that moment.
Suddenly, I felt my smartphone in my pocket vibrate.
“Ah, oh no, I forgot to turn off the power.”
I hurriedly took out my smartphone.
On the screen was a message from my usual demanding boss, urging me for interview data.
I stared at the message, feeling a wave of frustration.
“Huh..… Why am I living this kind of life…”
Every day, it’s just work, eating, and sleeping.
Recently, the only people I talk to are my boss or colleagues, and we mostly talk about work.
All my university friends have married, started families, and are enjoying their lives.
Even though we were so close back then, my interaction with them has greatly diminished since entering the workforce.
I feel like I’ve been left behind.
It wasn’t like this during my student days… each day and routine seemed so bright.
Now, wherever I go, I feel like I’m always alone, living a solitary life.
The world seems to be just a dull gray in my current view.
“Ah… the play is about to start…”
Noticing the theater darkening, I quickly turned off my smartphone and directed my gaze toward the stage.
Then, an announcement echoed through the theater.
“――――Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the long wait. We will now begin the performance of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by the first-year students of Hananomiya Girls’ Academy’s Acting Department. First, some announcements. Eating and smoking are strictly prohibited inside the venue. Please turn off your mobile phones and enjoy the performance quietly. Next—”
A high school play, huh… Sigh, other than Akane Tsukishiro, they’re probably all at a student level.
As for Kaede Kisaragi, she will probably turn out to be nothing special, just as I imagined.
Even though I came all the way to the Tohoku region to escape from my demanding boss, it looks like I’ll be going back to Tokyo without finding any good information.
…Hmm. I wonder if there’s any good talent lying around somewhere.
“――――That concludes the announcements. The performance of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ will start soon. Please enjoy it to your heart’s content.”
After the announcement signaled the start, a buzzer sounded throughout the theater.
A few seconds later, a girl appeared on stage.
“Hmm, it’s such a nice day! The Adige River is beautiful today too!”
The beautiful girl with platinum hair in a luxurious dress said this, stretching her arms comfortably.
The moment I saw her—though I didn’t know why—I felt a chill run down my spine.
I didn’t understand why. But the moment that girl appeared on stage, I felt an unsettling… sensation.
“Oh, the person over there seems to have a gloomy face. Is something wrong…?”
The spotlight was directed at a young man standing on stage.
The young man, with his long hair tied up, was Romeo, played by Akane Tsukishiro.
With a worried face, she sighed and looked down at the Adige River from the balcony of a two-story tower that resembled a building.
Then, in a melancholic tone, she quietly spoke.
“Why do the Capulets and Montagues feud? It’s truly trivial.”
Afterward, she let out another big sigh and—noticed Juliet below, tilting her head.
“Oh, who is that…? I don’t see many faces like that around here…―――!?!?!? What, who is that beautiful person!?”
With an astonished expression, Romeo stared at Juliet, frozen in place.
This scene is crucial, where Romeo spots Juliet and instantly falls in love.
But—just as expected from Akane Tsukishiro.
Her face turned red, eyes wide open, and without making a sound, she perfectly expressed the instant falling in love.
A scene without dialogue is very difficult and challenging for actors.
To portray it so perfectly, she truly deserves to be called a genius actor.
Indeed, she is the top talent among today’s teenage actors, unmatched by others――――――.
“It’s such a lovely morning. I think I’ll take a quick bath… Here I go!”
“…………Huh?”
At that moment—on stage, a splash of water rose.
Juliet, holding the edge of her skirt with both hands, walked into the Adige River.
Then, she happily kicked the water, sending sparkling droplets around her.
“What… what is that!?!?”
Other spectators seemed just as confused by the strange scene… The theater buzzed with murmurs.
No wonder. Because I, too, saw—real water splashes in her performance.
It’s often said that highly skilled stage actors make things appear as if they’re there, but… her performance was beyond that level.
It truly seemed like there was water there… to my eyes.
“Is that… Kaede Kisaragi…? What is that girl…”
The gray view seemed to regain color the moment I saw that illusory splash.
…No, that’s not it. Her every move was bringing color into the world.
Kaede Kisaragi’s performance was imbued with a rainbow of colors.
“Oops… I’ve gotten my skirt all wet from playing too much! Now my father will scold me for being a tomboy… Hehe, but it was fun, so it’s fine.”
Saying this, Juliet tucked her hair behind her ear and gave a sweet smile to the audience.
At that moment――――the theater audience was mesmerized by the mysterious girl’s blend of innocence and allure, and I could see them gulping as they watched.