Chapter 2: Nervousness
Hatsumi: Good work during rehearsal everyone.
Hatsumi: Looking back on today...
Hatsumi: Frankly speaking, it's not up to my standards.
Everyone: ...
Hatsumi: First of all, Herodia. Get closer to King Herod. You're standing further apart than you would during practice. A real married couple wouldn't be that distant.
Daikoku: U-understood...!
Hatsumi: Alright? About this close. Don't forget it. And also what happened to all the fawning that was present during practice?
Daikoku: I've very sorry, I completely forgot about it...
Hatsumi: Next up, the guard. The acting during the heart-broken scene was too much.
Shigure: Huh...? If you encounter a setting like that, wou;dn't it be a better performance if it was like that?
Hatsumi: It doesn't fit with the balance of the whole act. You have to preserve the atmosphere that's present during practice. Don't do anything out of line.
Shigure: ...
Shigure: Alllright, I understand.
Hatsumi: And now.... Salome.
Iruru: Yeah...?
Hatsumi: That's no good at all. Do you know why thats the case?
Iruru: I'm not understanding Jokanaan's feelings deeply enough. I need to relate to him more deeply from the depths of my heart.
Hatsumi: Salome isn't your usual lovestruck girl, you know? She loathes everything around her and this is her only saviour.
Hatsumi: Like water is the saviour to the thirsty man. You must see the glimmer of light in the world of darkness.
Hatsumi: Are you performing with that level of aspiration?
Iruru: ...
Iruru: I'm sorry. I'll work on it.
Hatsumi: I'll get you to stay behind and practice, come back to the hall later on. We'll practice the Dance of the Seven Veils, since its the highlight.
Tetra: Is that everything you wanted to point out?
Tetra: Hatsumi. It's good to be get into it, but you don't have to be so nitpicky.
TEtra: Good job with the rehearsal everyone. I've left some ningyoyaki for everyone, go and have some before you leave.
Shigure: Yay♪. All that practice has me starving~.
Nikako: Leave... You haven't said anything about my performance yet?
Hatsumi: Jokanaan was well done. I know it's a challenge to understand his dislike towards Salome, but right now, it's up to par.
Nikako: Ehh!?
Nikako: Thank you very much!
Hatsumi: Lets all do better tomorrow. With that said, you're all dismissed for today.
Daikoku: I'm beat... With the performance coming up, practice has been getting longer and longer...
Shigure: It's already time for dinner...
Nikako: Right? I'm so hungry now.
Nikako: Lets have some of Tetra-san's ningyoyaki♪
Shigure: Anyways, Hatsumi-san was scary today. With the mood of the rehearsal today, I knew that it was going to end up like that.
Nikako: Yeah, Ren-san back down really has you on edge. Compared to other times on the days leading up to the performance, the nervousness is, how would you put it...
Shigure: And Iruru-senpai has to stay back as well. Well I guess thats a given with a performance like that.
Daikoku: Iruru-san's not using her Sense this time, right? That might be the reason why she's not able to grasp her role.
Shigure: Hm, is it were Shigure, she would be able to put on a good performance without needing to use her Sense.
Shigure: That's what happens when you always rely on your Sense. And it causes trouble for everyone around you.
Daikoku: This brat.... Get off your high horse...
Nikako: ...
Nikako: Ren-san and Irurun are amazing.
Nikako: To be able to work that hard to try new things... I need to learn more from them.
Iruru: Whew...
Hatsumi: Iruru.
Iruru: Good work, Hastsumi.
Hatsumi: Take this seriously. The lead role doesn't have a somber expression like that.
Iruru: Sorry. Ahaha...
Hatsumi: What were your thought on the rehearsal?
Iruru: Rehearsal?
Iruru: About whether or not my performance is satisfactory?
Hatsumi: About not using your Sense.
Hatsumi: Your Sense allows you to play any role at a satisfactory level. However you're unable to attain full points.
Hatsumi: And so, we both made a promise. That you would act with your own willpower alone.
Iruru: Yeah...
Hatsumi: From the bottom of your heart. Without using your Sense. To show be your performance from the bottom of your heart like you did just now.
Hatsumi: Iruru, show me your evolution.
Iruru: Right...
Iruru: I'm definitely show you a new me.
Iruru: I am keeping that promise, I have nothing against it. This will be to show my evolution as well.
Iruru: I'm still not used to this, and in some ways it's like a gamble... But I'll do my best.
Hatsumi: ...
Hatsumi: I understand that you're throwing away that status quo, and traversing the unknown.
Hatsumi: But I need you to keep pushing that envelope. You can only grow when you put yourself in difficult situations.
Iruru: ...
Iruru: Got it.
Hatsumi: Break through that wall, Iruru. That's your mission.
Hatsumi: Don't give up before the performance... Because your performance is not up to the standard I'm looking for.
Iruru: Crap, she really went off back there.
Iruru: Ahhh... thats what happens when you can't keep up.
Iruru: ...
Iruru: (Hatsumi gave me this chance to play the lead role, and yet I can't even live up to her expectations.)
Iruru: (The performance day is approaching and I'm feeling the pressure. And there was the rehearsal today...)
Iruru: No, I can't let that get me down.
Iruru: I've decided that I was going to do my best... No matter what comes my way, I will show her the new me.
Iruru: And that's why I've sealed my Sense away.
Iruru: And I have to surpass Hatsumi's expectations.
Shigure: "Stop right there! Don not approach that person!"
Iruru: "I want to get a closer look at that man..."
Iruru: "Get out of my way!"
Iruru: "...Jokanaan! So your name is Jokanaan."
Nikako: "Who is there calling out to me?"
Shigure: "Princess! Do not speak to him! He is the prophet. He is being taunted by the King and is being held captive."
Hatsumi: ...
Tetra: She's played a young man before with Raoul, and she's become more dignified. That's enough for a male role.
Hatsumi: You've got quite high expectations for Nikako.
Tetra: It can't be helped. Thats how it is with younguns.
Hatsumi: But as it is, Iruru is overshadowed by her performance. This is completely different to what I wanted to create.
Tetra: The original play was to demonstrate the danger of Salome. But right now, she just looks like a little girl.
Tetra: I don't mean to be picky and pick apart your script, but isn't your characterisation of Salome a bit weak?
Hatsumi: No, having her like a little girl is fine. Iruru's Slaome performance won't be able to be like that.
Hatsumi: Having a little girl like that with that level of desire is enough, it's what makes it interesting.
Nikako: "Princess?"
Nikako: "Is that the Princess...?"
Nikako: "Go away, you filthy girl! You will not hear a word from my mouth."
Iruru: "!"
Iruru: "I'm not like my stepfather or my mother. They also see me as a sinner also..."
Iruru: "This is scary.... But I can't help being drawn to you."
Nikako: "God has seen what you have done. You will never be forgiven. You will one day be cursed, all of you."
Iruru: "Cursed..."
Iruru: "JOkanaan... What can I do for you? How do I get you to forgive me?"
Nikako: "Stop! Don't get any closer to me, you daughter of the devil!"
Iruru: (Nikako's performance is perfeccted to this point... It's quite scary, and to have me to play the lead role for this play)
Iruru: (And again, I just want to have fun with acting, but I'm really feeling the pressure. My strides, my gestures, my voice, I'm unable to control them all.)
Iruru: (Up until now, I've been relying on my Sense, but reading everyone's expression, I can't get used to figuring out what the correct way to act is.)
Iruru: "Tell me Jokanaan. How is your voice so lovely... Its like music to my ears."
Iruru: (Why am I so anxious? Even though this is what I wished for.)