Horror Actress – Theater 1: Scene 5

Translator: Flowingcloud  Editor: Arocks141

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Theater 1: Horror Actress Reincarnated as a Genius Child Actress – Scene 5

 

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Waiting Room (Day)
Tsugumi is surrounded by Juria, Mimi, and Rin.

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While the adults were preparing for the next test, I was surrounded by other children.

“Tsugumi, that was amazing. Where did you learn that?”

“Err, on my own, I guess. I was in the hospital due to an injury, so I had plenty of free time.”

Surprisingly, the girl who came up to me with the most glittering eyes was Yoruhata Rin-chan (written as ‘夜旗凛’), whom I had thought was a cool-type girl at initially. Rin-chan’s overall expression didn’t change much, but she talked to me with sparkling eyes, as if she was the type who spoke with her eyes.

Every time her deep jet-black hair swayed, I felt an uncomfortable feeling of, how do I put it, adorableness swelling up in me. What is this feeling? Love? No, that’s weird. I wonder if this is what those otakus call ‘moe’?

“I-I also won’t lose… I-I’ll do my best.”

‘Funsu’, Mimi-chan fired herself up. Her name is written as ‘夕顔美海’. I checked her name tag. ¹

Surprisingly, she too was not scared or perplexed but was full of fighting spirit towards me. I thought her brown hair contributed to her plain impression, but when she showed her confidence like this, her bright hair color made her stand out.

“What’s with that? Hmph, this is just the beginning!”

“Ahaha, I guess so.”

“—‘funsu’!”

And finally, the most unexpected was the girl who seemed bright and amiable, Asashiro Juria-chan. Juria-chan turned her head away with a ‘hmph’ and crossed her arms while her bright red hair shook. That’s just right for a rival rising to the top.

But, what is it? On the one hand, my actress soul feels that way, but on the other hand, I also felt sighing at the fact that my previous life aged-self was teasing a young girl, which felt both childish and embarrassing. My feelings became complex, so I’ll let Rin heal me.

“Everyone, it’s about time to move on to the next test. This time, we’ve prepared a set that matches each group’s personality, so could we move to the neighboring room?”

They prepared a set? They’re going that far for a mere audition? Kirio Tsugumi debuted in her teens, so maybe I just don’t know much about the world of child acting.

But, when my gaze shifted just a little bit, I had a slightly uncomfortable feeling. The staff dripping with sweat, the staff hurriedly sending out instructions somewhere, Juria-chan’s mother’s extremely puzzled expression, my parent’s friendly smile—that’s normal, huh?

In the midst of all this, perhaps my fears were correct, but Juria’s mother quickly approached a young staff member and whispered something. Normally, one wouldn’t have been able to hear her, but that was that. If you were a horror actress, you wouldn’t fail to hear the breath of an actor.

“Hey, what’s going on? I thought this was going to be over with a simple test?”

“S-Sorry, but Director Hiraga decided on the contents of the second test…”

“Like I asked, wasn’t that supposed to be a simple test!?”

“Eek, I’m sorry. At any rate, there was a change in personnel, so…”

“That’s right, who’s that kid to begin with!? Both her parents are smiling, but it’s strangely scary…”

“I-It was the sponsor’s idea… I don’t know any more than that.”

“Sponsor? Was Sorahoshi a sponsor?”

…Hmm, I guess it was a fixed audition to an extent, and now that there’s one more person, there’s more to do, I guess? I might have done something a bit bad. However, at least it didn’t seem like there was going to be a vacancy spot in this group.

Also, when you say “sponsor”, it feels like, well, you’re rich so you should at least be the one sponsoring. I never thought that the day would come when I would become one of those “sponsored actors” that I was so tired of in my previous life. I’ll have to get a role with my own abilities soon.

By the way, my name is legally ‘Tsugumi Sorahoshi Lowell’, but to make it easier for me to live in Japan, I called myself by my mother’s family name that was used as my middle name, so the sponsor might be listed by my father’s family name “Lowell”.

“Grrr, watch me, Mom! I’m definitely not going to lose!”

“Concentrate, concentrate, write the character ‘人’, eat.” ²

“…I wonder what’s for dinner tonight.”

Three different people, three different personalities. While looking at the three people with different individual personalities, we moved to the neighboring room. The neighboring room… or at least it should have been, but after going past a few doors, got on an elevator, and then taken somewhere called the ‘neighboring room’. Perhaps, they used the term out of consideration for the other audition participants.

We were taken to a studio—a place with a decent number of sets, cameras, sounds, and microphones—which was placed side by side with the monitor room. Wait. no, no no, this has exceeded a mere dry rehearsal (a rehearsal without a camera), this is a real set, right?

Are they trying to let the participants feel like actors? No, no, no, isn’t the producer the one sitting on the monitor side? Let’s not think too deeply about it anymore.

“This time, we will be carrying a type of drama where the script is written after the main cast is decided. Therefore, the four of you will perform an impromptu play in front of the camera, which will be used as a reference for deciding your positions if you are accepted.”

Isn’t that like saying that you’ve already passed? Well, but, it’s fine as long as they transmit that to the parents. It’ll be good if the children would think, “If I pass here, I’ll make it as part of the main cast!”

The set looked like a school classroom. A blackboard, cleaning tools, desks, chairs, a podium. Since we’re five, six years old, we’ll probably be playing the role of an elementary school student.

“I want the four of you to discuss and perform two impromptu plays here.”

The one who began to speak was the director… that’s right, the person Juria-chan’s mother called, “Director Hiraga”.

“The first theme is ‘Transfer Student and Kind Classmates’. The second theme is… I’ll announce it when we’re finished with the first one, so I want you to work hard on the first one first.”

“Yes!”

“Y-Yes!”

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

Thus, the four of us got together and decided on the contents. Since it was an impromptu play, it would be better to just decide on our course of action and perform freely. If we were adults, on the other hand, it might have been better to determine the lines to a certain extent.

When the four of us met face-to-face, Juria raised her hand before anyone else. Oh, you’re the leader type, aren’t you? As for me, I only want to compete with you and I don’t want to kick you down or anything. If you want to be the facilitator, that’s fine.

“I want to be the kind classmate!”

“M-Me too.”

Ahh, I see, I see. Mimi-chan is also shrewdly boarding the ship.

“Then, I’ll be the ‘transfer student’. Rin-chan, are you fine with being the kind classmate?”

“Sure.”

A story about three people, who were good friends to begin with, warmly welcoming a foreign transfer student seems pretty real. I mean, my color scheme is completely like a foreigner’s.

However, that would be boring if we just did that. All right, let’s add a twist.

“Then, I’ll play the role of someone who doesn’t understand Japanese.”

“? That way, we won’t be able to communicate, you know?”

“It’ll be fine!”

“? Ah, T-Tsugumi-chan, wouldn’t it be better for your name to be in English then?”

“Let’s see. Hmm, Rin-chan, what do you think would be good?”

“Isn’t something like ‘Alice’ fine?”

What Juria-chan said was reasonable. I wouldn’t have any lines or anything. However, speaking is not the only way to express yourself. Do evil spirits talk? No. Evil spirits are more frightening because they cannot communicate. Therefore, horror actors are more concerned about expressing themselves through non-verbal means than other actors.

We talked about the plan. In other words, being kind to a foreigner who doesn’t understand your language. Also, if possible, have a teacher-role to introduce me to everyone as a beginning. Ah, that’s right.

“Wait a minute, should we ask whether there’s a teacher?”

“Ah, okay, leave it to me!”

“J-Juria-chan, geez.”

“Thanks.”

I walked around the compact set and soon found the person I was looking for. Rather, Director Hiraga was with them, so they were easy to find.

“Um.”

“Hm? Ahh, have you guys finished preparing already?”

Director Hiraga asked me with a smile as I entered his view.

“We are, but that’s not it.”

“?”

“I would like Minauchi-san to play the ‘teacher’ role.”

When I asked, the person next to Director Hiraga—Minauchi Ran-san—blinked her eyes in surprise.

“Me?”

“Yes!”

“Director, should I?”

“Isn’t it fine? However, just this time, okay?”

“Yes, I understand!”

When I turned to Minauchi-san, she smiled softly at me. The hair that was put up during the previous test was now let down. When she did that, combined with her soft expression, she looked much younger than I imagined.

Also, that’s right, I felt she looked somehow like someone I knew.

“I’ll be in your care, Tsugumi-chan.”

“Yup! Thank you very much!”

I led Minauchi-san by her hand and went back to the others. Everyone welcomed Minauchi-san with a smile.

Then, as if arranged beforehand, the director gave us a signal, so we all went on the classroom set. It seemed that the corridor had not been built, so we lined up next to the podium, and started. Also, while we were at it, let’s set up the situation.

 

A distant foreign country.

Language that I could not understand.

Anxiety and hope mixed together.

However, the first step I took was a fickle.

 

“Well then, let’s start. Lights, camera, action!”

Click, my gears started to mesh.

 

“Well then, this is Alice-chan who’ll be your friend starting today. She doesn’t seem to understand Japanese yet, but everyone, please be good friends with her.”

“Yoroshiku, onegaishimasu.” ³

 

—When I bowed my head, a bewildered look pierced at me. Will we be able to get along? I wonder if they will hate me. In my hometown, I was able to make friends right away. However, how about in this distant foreign country? My wavering gaze sank from anxiety and I ended up looking at my toes.

It’s hopeless. If I don’t look up soon, the teacher will be bothered. So, I looked at the teacher, but she only smiled at me. I think I got the Japanese right. Did I make a mistake? What if I made a mistake? The more time passed, the more fearful I became.

 

“I’m Juria! Alice is fine, right?”

 

I nodded. However, using these strange words again was scary and my voice wouldn’t come out. However, Juria-chan grabbed my hand and lifted it up, giving me nowhere to go.

 

“Sensei, it’s okay if she sits next to me, right!?”

“Yes, of course. Alice-chan, that’s fine, right?”

 

I nodded my head in a daze and Juria-chan dragged me along with her. As soon as I did, a girl—with hair like the night—sitting in front of my seat secretly began talking to me.

 

“Juria is a bit forceful. If there’s a problem, just tell me.”

“……”

“Rin, did you say something?”

“Nothing really.”

 

As I frantically shook my head, Rin-chan gave me a smile as calm and serene as the winter sea. My hometown was a very cold place. She was as quiet as the cold sea, but she had a very warm smile.

I took my seat, and my day started as if it was trifling. Come to think of it, I don’t have my textbook yet. I searched inside my desk even though there’s no way there’d be anything, then my gaze loitered left and right and noticed that I didn’t have any words to say.

I wondered what I had been doing until now. The disordered words wouldn’t come out from my chest and I clutched the edge of the skirt that Mama had picked out for me, trying to gloss over my trembling eyelids—suddenly, I felt heat right next to me.

 

“I-I’m Mimi. Want to look together?”

“……”

 

When the girl gently pulled her desk over to mine, my eyelids stopped trembling.

“—Cut!”

Click, the cogs disconnected. The lingering memory of the role returned to my heart and the girl named Alice fell asleep. The one that woke up was the usual me. The actress named Kirio Tsugumi died in the middle of my dream and is currently living her next life as the half-Japanese girl named Sorahoshi Tsugumi.

“Ah—as I thought, acting is fun.”

The leaked voice did not resonate in the set. The only response was a dull silence.

If you are reading from a pirate or aggregator site, please read from the translator’s site: yado-inn (dot) com I have to put the link like this or else the bots will remove it, sorry 🙁

1. Cloud: I’ve linked a NicoDouga video that basically shows what ‘funsu’ is. Yui (from K-ON) doing cute things.
   https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm14053346
2. Cloud: If you haven’t seen in manga/anime, it’s a Japanese thing to write the character for ‘person’ (人) on your and pretend to eat it in order to get rid of your nervousness.
3. Cloud: Tsugumi’s supposed to be a foreigner, who doesn’t understand Japanese, thus these are words that she’s ‘memorized’ instead of actually understanding what they mean. They are in katakana in the raws as well, thus, I decided to put it in romanji.
   Slothmaster (Arocks): For those who are wondering what it means: It’s a form of first greeting, which can be said to mean “Please treat me well”.