Operetta - Birthday 5

[bakemonoremy]

Location: Operetta Stage

- One week later, on the day of “Operetta” -

Mao: Alrighty then, let’s get this started.

Please gather around, everyone. Since we didn’t really have a lot of time for lessons until the performance, it might feel like we didn’t practice enough, but the day has come--

So let me go over the program for “Operetta” with you one more time.

If worst comes to worst, we can leave the performance to the Sakuma brothers who're playing the lead roles here.

We are just here to liven things up, so as long as we don’t get in their way, we’re good.

Koga: Hah. If we’re just the supportin’ actors, how come you’re actin’ like the one in charge here, Dekosuke?

Mao: Eh~, it may rub you the wrong way, but I can’t help that now. After all, I am the head of the project.

So in other words, I am in charge. And as such, I’d like everyone to focus on the stage now.

You can leave all the bothersome stuff outside of singing and dancing to us student council members ♪

Yuzuru: Indeed. I believe that this is our one real duty.

At the very least, that’s what I believe to be the will of the graduated Keito-sama and others.

Tori: Yup, though I get the feeling Eichi-sama’s intentions were a bit different... 

Besides, we can’t really act all high and mighty after all the stuff we did last year that only resembled student council duties by the broadest of definitions.

But it’ll be different from this year onwards; we’ll become the ideals our predecessors dreamed of. That way, we can repay the people who became sacrifices… Just kidding~.

Ahaha. The stage is so luxurious and magnificent that I started exaggerating on accident.

Yuzuru: Fufu. Now that you’re a second year, your vocabulary has increased, Bocchama. 

Could it be that you actually read the timeless literary works that I recommended? I am deeply moved.

Tori: Ahaha… Eichi-sama told me he loves to read, so I thought it wouldn’t be a bad thing for me to learn more by reading some books.

(Actually, I couldn’t make it through any of the books Yuzuru recommended, so I’ve been reading nothing but mangas and other stuff that the New Prez has been lending me in secret…)

(That still counts, though. Novels and manga are still books after all. Yup yup.)

Yuzuru: …Fufu. Well, reading does not equal studying.

In that sense, I reserve all judgment of your literature, Bocchama.

Tori: Yuzuru, can you stop nonchalantly reading my mind? It’s kind of scary, not to mention a pain in the butt! 

Yuzuru: Aah, Bocchama is going through puberty too, after all. If you don’t want your innermost thoughts to be read, it’d do you well to learn how to express yourself without words ♪

Koga: (Hm~... Still, we’re seriously a weird line-up of people here, ain't we.)

(Those student council guys come out when it's somethin' they've gotta supervise in-school, but I get the feelin’ that it’s pretty rare for the three of ‘em to stand on stage together.)

(Just goes to show what a big deal this “Operetta” is for the student council, and for Yumenosaki as a whole, huh.)

(And here I am, signin' up to perform in it without havin’ gotten any kinda explanation for what it’s all about, just ‘cause I knew it was for Sakuma-senpai and Ritchii’s sake.)

(Both of ‘em were like “Help me out if you can” and asked for my support… Sheesh, it ain’t easy bein’ this popular.)

Ritsu: ...Actually, you just seemed like you had a buncha free time at the beginning of the semester.

There was no one I could turn to but Corgi, who was bored shitless in the absence of his companions, that’s all. Don’t get the wrong idea, alright?

Koga: Uwoah!? Don’t go readin’ people’s thoughts all willy-nilly either, ya bastard, it’s creepy!

Ritsu: Ahaha. Anyone could read yours if they tried, ‘cause Corgi is an open book ♪

Koga: (The hell’s up with him, he’s so chipper today… Weird, since he looked so depressed ever since the meet-up with Sakuma-senpai the other day.)

Rei: ………..

Koga: (And on the other hand we’ve got Sakuma-senpai makin’ a face like he’s about to commit seppuku any second now.)

(I just don’t get it… What the hell kinda project did “Operetta” turn into?)

Kaoru: Heyhey, it’s totally awesome that everyone’s getting along so well, but let’s cut the chitchat. We’re running out of time, so can we get to it already?

I was busy with some other job right up 'til this morning, so even I'm not in the know of what this whole “Operetta” thing is all about yet, you see~?

Arashi: Same here. It seemed like Ritsu-chan was seriously lacking helping hands, so I felt obligated to sign up for this.

But I’d prefer not to be tossed onto the stage without knowing anything, okay?

Koga: (Oh, nice going. The flashy blondies took the words right outta my mouth.)

(Hmm. So it’s me, the Sakuma brothers, the guys from the StuCo, and those two blondies…)

(With that, everyone’s all here, but there really ain’t no feelin’ of unity whatsoever.)

(It’s a real mishmash… Is “Operetta” really gonna turn out okay like this?)

Kaoru: Hmm, so it was the same for you, Narukami-san? Just like me, you just got summoned here out of nowhere and now you’re completely confused?

Arashi: ? You can drop the -san, you know? You’re the older one between us, after all.

Kaoru: There’s no need for you to use polite language either. Hm~, I’m a bit hesitant about how to treat you, to be honest.

It feels like I’ll step on a landmine if I’m not careful.

Arashi: Ufufu, there’s really no need to be overly considerate, you know…

But you give a better first impression than all of those guys who act like it’s only natural to be insensitive. I can understand why you’re so popular, Senpai ♪

Kaoru: Thank you~. Well, I’m fine being only loved by my fans for now. Romance brings about a whole other kind of hardship after all ♪

Mao: Hmm. And we’re right back in chitchat mode, huh. It’s probably my fault for lacking in management power.

Tori: What on earth is “management power”... I keep repeating myself, but you really shouldn’t let people just do whatever they want. Be strict when you need to be!

Act more high and mighty… If the higher-ups don’t have it together, the lower ranks lose their bearings.

Koga: Agreed. Oi, Dekosuke, get the ball rollin’ already.

Mao: Right. Once again, everyone, I thank you for deciding to perform today.

More than half of you should know this already, but: “Operetta” was originally a one-person job that Sakuma Rei-senpai over there accepted on his own. 

We, as the student council, got permission to take that original draft and revise it into a new program, and that’s the “Operetta” we'll perform today.

We received a lot of assistance from our producer, Anzu, and so I want to take this opportunity to once again express my gratitude to her.

Koga: Oh, so Anzu’s been here the whole time.

One'd think you’d stand out in the producer course nowadays, bein' such a hard worker, but you ain’t got no presence, just like always ♪

Ritsu: Fufu. She looks like she’s been praised as the invisible stage hand of idols. 

Compared to Anzu, the new students in the producer course are all so noisy and meddle too much, and it’s so irritating.  

Even though they don’t know anything… I so prefer Anzu to them.

Kaoru: ………….

Rei: ? Kaoru-kun, why are you hiding behind me? Come on now, it’s unsightly.

Kaoru: Well, it’s kind of hard for me to face Anzu-chan right now…

‘Cause you see~, I had no idea it’d come to this, so I acted all cool and performed that big dramatic farewell during the RepayFes…

And I made that whole romantic promise to reunite with her in the future and all…

Seeing her again so soon totally ruined that. If this was a shoujo manga, this kind of development would be rejected by the editor in charge, don’t you think?

Rei: Kukuku ♪ I understand your feelings, so look dignified. I think you should value this fateful encounter for what it is, as there was a good chance that you wouldn’t reunite for some time.

You should cherish this once in a lifetime encounter… Just like I celebrate this opportunity to stand on stage with all of you, who have by chance assembled in this place today.

This is infinitely more welcome than the original programme that called for a performance in solitude.