Horror Actress – Theater 2: Scene 1

Translator: Flowingcloud  Editor: Arocks141

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Theater 2: Genius Child Actor Meets Genius Child Actor!? – Scene 1

 

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Lowell Residence (Day)
Tsugumi faces Koharu in the living room.
She turns her nervous look towards Koharu.

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The day after I bought a smartphone with Rin-chan, I was in the living room of the mansion, meeting the woman who would be taking care of me. She had silver-rimmed glasses and black hair, a clever expression, and looked at me with a worrying gaze. “Cool beauty” would be words appropriate for her, and she is my manager and servant from today, helping me with my daily life and supporting me with my work.

Koharu-san bowed so politely that it was hard to believe she was dealing with a child, and then, we exchanged our contact information. Indeed, she seemed to be able to do her job well and was very trustworthy.

“Well then, Koharu-kun, take care of my Tsugumi. Make sure to listen to what Tsugumi tells you.”

“Daddy? I’m a kid, you know? I’m the one that does the listening, you know?”

“Yes, leave it to me. If Tsugumi tells me to die, I shall do so quickly.”

“Eh, I won’t do that, all right? I won’t just so you know.”

Well, but, yeah… she may be a little more mischievous than I thought.

“You will be traveling to the TV station, not in your usual car, but in a company car that you will be using from now on. If there is anything you think is inconvenient or any points of improvement, please do not hesitate to let me know. I will begin working on it at any time.”

“Got it.”

Points for improvements… For the car? It’s going to cost a fortune. ¹

As soon as I left the entrance hall, I found a car parked in the roundabout in front of the fountain. Standing in front of the door was a gentleman in his prime of life with tousled black hair. His name is Makabe-san, a driver who has served our family for three generations. He is the son of the driver who drove us to the audition venue the first time.

I was a little relieved to see that the car was not a limousine as expected. That… rea~lly stands out, you know. It seemed to be a black passenger vehicle with an ordinary boxy shape, and I wondered if my father and mother had held back, thinking that this was good for a rookie. As I approached thinking so, I stiffened at the phoenix markings on the tire axle.

(This is a Century…) ²

The Century is synonymous with Japanese luxury cars. It has a TV screen for the rear seats, and the interior (it was no longer at the level of just inside a car) is designed to be comfortable, and they were pursuing high quality. I know because I once played the role of a ghost who cursed and killed a politician in a Century, but in this car, the front passenger seat could be removed to make a hole so that you can stretch your legs…

However, I don’t even need to think about how she perceived my stiffness. Koharu-san looked at me somewhat anxiously.

“As expected, is this too small?”

“No! I thought this was very nice!”

“Is that so? If that is the case, then that’s good.”

That was a close call. After all, this is better than a limousine in any case. If I want to stand out, I want to stand out with my acting skills.

I was once a horror actress who could make anyone scream just by walking up to them after all! I feel guilty for scaring Sakura-chan with my ghoulish acting every time we meet though. But I mean, she looked so happy even though she was scared…

“What music should I put on?”

“Please give me your latest recommendation.”

Music, music, huh? I don’t really know about the latest music these days. When I used to listen to music in the ‘90s, I didn’t hear about enka among my friends anymore and pop music was beginning to dominate the world. I also remember that dancing at a disco was very popular. I even heard about a body-conscious gyaru who was murdered by a pimp who wanted revenge. ³

Music can change drastically given twenty years. Twenty years ago, when I was alive, enka music was everywhere, but just before I passed away, enka music had almost stopped selling. Thus, what is popular now? Did we go around in a circle and go back to jazz?

“The most popular music among young people would be Vocaloid.”

“Vocaloid?”

“It’s music using synthesized voices, refined by Yamana’s music synthesizer software called Vocal Robot.” ⁴

“R-Robot? Synthesized???”

T-That’s strange. How can things change so much in twenty years? I mean, robots will be dancing instead of humans, right? The world of science fiction is this close… P-Perhaps, could it be that AI robots are working as receptionists in stores or something… probably not, huh? You said “synthesized”, right, Koharu-san? I guess it’s like human synthesizing music and a robot singing.

Uh-huh. However, it definitely is a good idea to learn more about modern knowledge, isn’t it? It feels like I’m recovering my memories as a kid. That’s good.

“I’ll play a popular song.”

“Yes, please do. Koharu-san.”

“Leave it to me.”

While chuckling at Koharu-san’s serious reply, I tried to enjoy Koharu-san’s selection of music. Pop, Taisho romance, jazz, or jazzy ballads. I see, you can do so many things just by buying one.

“Koharu-san, this synthesizer software, how much does it cost?”

“You can buy it for somewhere around 20,000 to 30,000 yen… Would you like to purchase it?”

“I’ll! … I’ll be fine. I was just wondering… A-Ahahaha.”

“? I understand. However, if you do want it, please do not hesitate to speak up.”

“S-Sure.”

I died in the year 2xxx in my thirties, but I entered the industry at fourteen and worked part-time to earn money until I was twenty, when I began to see the light of day. I had a part-time job at a cafe where the wages were just barely at minimum wage in exchange for flexible hours.

At that time, my part-time wage was just a little under 500 yen per hour. The rent was 10,000 yen for a 4.5 tatami-mat apartment with cold drafts and a common bathroom with no bath. After deducting the utility bills, the funds for studying to be an actor, and savings for the future, I only had about 5,000 yen left over. That’s how much I would spend a month. In other words, the music software is equivalent to half a year of my salary. It’s not like I’m going to go down that path. I can’t buy that sort of thing casually… ⁵

“We are arriving. I am going to stop.”

“Roger.”

Koharu-san responded seriously, but it was not like there was any sudden braking, thus I was able to get up without feeling any shaking. Rather than the skill of the driver or safe driving, the performance of cars has improved…

Makabe-san opened the door for us, and Koharu and I headed towards the designated place without any issues. It seems like the meeting room in the station was where we agreed to meet.

All things considered…

(For some reason, I’m worried about being stepped on.)

From a child’s perspective, just about everything looks bigger. It’s hard to say because the TV station’s location and interior design have changed from the past, but it used to be so small that the station was filled with stuffiness. But now, everything is big and spacious. It was as if I was Gulliver. ⁶

As I was looking around, I suddenly noticed a poster on the wall. Was it a thriller film? On the large poster, there was a woman in a white coat and a man in a police uniform. There were also the names of various actors and instigating words. I thought the composition was interesting, but I could not keep my eyes off the leading actress. Her black hair flowed smoothly and her eyes were calm. She possessed strong eyes that were both gentle and fierce.

“Kiritani, Ouka…”

Kiritani Ouka.

A woman who retained the looks of “someone” from the distant but near past.

“Tsugumi-sama?”

“Ah… sorry, Koharu-san. Let’s go.”

I followed Koharu-san in a hurry. I responded, “It’s nothing”, to Koharu-san’s puzzled look, and drove away from the poster just now into the corner of my head.

The meeting room was a spacious room with a long desk. Everyone else, including the child actors, was already gathered inside. The meeting time was still 30 minutes away, but everyone was early. I am the newest member of the group, so I should have come a little earlier.

The cheerful red-haired girl named Asashiro Juria-chan. Yuugao Mimi-chan, a girl with brown hair tied up in two knots and wears glasses. Then, there is Yoruhata Rin-chan, a dark-haired girl who was even communicating with me this morning on a messaging tool called Lane. Each of them had a woman in a suit by their side. They were probably their managers.

“Tsugumi, over here.”

“Ah, it’s Tsugumi. You’re going to be the villain, right? This way, over here.”

“S-Stop it already, Juria-chan. Good morning, Tsugumi-chan.”

“Yeah, good morning.”

Starting with the cool Rin-chan, Juria-chan and Mimi-chan followed and made me feel welcome and they ushered me in. I exchanged glances with Koharu-san, then joined the group of children. Koharu-san returned my glance, then took out her business card and went to greet the other managers.

“I am a manager, Mikado Koharu. I am looking forward to working with you today.”

“Oh my, oh my, how polite. I’m—”

I glanced backward at Koharu-san, then I planned on mingling with my own group. My seat, well… Rin-chan was leading me by her hand and I ended up sitting next to her.

Rin-chan seemed to be enjoying herself as usual. I feel like she’s the one having the most fun as a kid. But I’m sorry, I still haven’t made any progress in GureBure. I’ve never even played on the NES properly, so I’m not familiar with this kind of game.

“Juria-chan, do you play any games?”

“Yeah. My mom doesn’t come home very often after all. I play games like Tamashi, Sullen, and also… can’t leave out Biopandemic.” ⁷

“Agh, Juria-chan’s are too scary so we can’t play them together.”

“Mimi’s just a scaredy-cat!”

Scary game… you like scary games? I’ve played some mythological horror TRPGs, but I wonder if it’s any different from that. Come to think of it, I feel like Sakura-chan also said something similar. She didn’t know anything about TRPGs and I recall feeling guilty for making her cry as the gamemaster.

Looking back on it like this, wouldn’t it be strange at all if Sakura-chan hated me? Well, I do believe that she enjoyed being with me in the end. But, hmm…

“Tsugumi doesn’t play games at all.”

“R-Rin-chan, your ability to communicate is strong, isn’t it? You’re already this close.”

“? Yeah.”

“Hmm. Then, let’s come over to my place, and let’s play some co-op!”

“You sure? Thanks, Juria-chan!”

“Awawawa, i-it’s better if we don’t.”

“Then, I’ll also come. Mimi, you’re coming, right?”

“Ehh.”

One way or another, I was relieved that we were getting along better than I thought we would. When it comes to horror games, I’m sure I’ll be able to improve my acting exp. In the past, I had to make up for everything with my imagination, so I had to study anatomy and physiology when I played a ghost with a broken leg and a limp. But now, even without spending all my time in the library, I can still find plenty of teaching materials.

“Sorry, we’ve kept you all waiting.”

As we were chatting, the young staff member I had seen on the day of the audition opened the door and entered the room. Following him was Director Hiraga, and someone who looked like the producer. Rather, isn’t that Kuramoto-kun? His age is getting to him, isn’t it… Eh, is the person next to him the scriptwriter, Akasaka-kun? Then again, it’s been twenty years, hasn’t it?

…It may have been a blessing in disguise that I had no relatives in my previous life.

“It’s nice to meet you. I am Kuramoto Kouji, the producer of this drama. I’m entrusting Director Hiraga with the things at the scene, and I’m just in charge of the planning, so please feel free to chat with me. Hahaha,” Kuramoto-kun smiled beneath his black sunglasses and said in a reassuring manner.

His cheerful behavior seemed to be perfect for interacting with the children since Mimi-chan’s shoulders relaxed noticeably.

“I am Mitsunori Akasaka, the scriptwriter. If there’s anything you don’t understand like the dialogue or meanings, feel free to ask me.”

This brings back memories. In the Showa 60s, when I was in my mid-teens, I shot a late-night drama with a small production company. At that time, the boy who was working all over the place and had a passion in his body that would put an adult to shame was Kuramoto Kouji, who was 18 during the time. He was studying television while attending university, and I was the same age as him at the time, so for some reason, I felt a certain affinity for him. ⁸

At that time, he was the assistant director, and besides him was a boy who aspired to become a scriptwriter. Akasaka-kun—he was the one who mistook me for a real evil spirit and fainted for the first time, as I became popular with my performance as an evil spirit in the late-night drama. I remember very well that I apologized to him later and had to buy him a Chashu ramen and fried rice set, which was a lot of money for me at the time. ⁹

(This is so nostalgic.)

I can’t go back to those days. Because I had played the roles of dead people, the absurdity of the situation was unexpectedly familiar to me.

“—Last but not least, I am the director, Hiraga Daisuke. From now on, I’m going to think of everyone as my own family and won’t hold back, so please take care of me.”

Director Hiraga spoke in a more relaxed manner than at the audition.

“First of all, I would like Akasaka-sensei to tell us about the plot and the casting of this drama. Sensei, please.”

“Yes.”

Akasaka-kun stood in front of the whiteboard in the conference room with a friendly smile.

“Although still tentative, the drama will focus on bullying and mystery. The protagonist will be a new teacher named Mizuki Sana, played by actress Aikawa Mizuho-san. Supporting her, who was newly appointed to be the assistant teacher, will be the homeroom teacher Kurose Kimihiko, played by actor Tsukishiro Tougo-san, who is the center of the adult group. You guys will appear as classmates in the class they are in charge of.”

I see. If bullying is the focus, then our role will also be a central one. The person concerned is a child. The adults will have to come up with a solution.

“First, Asashiro Juria will play the role of Natsukawa Akari, the class leader with a strong sense of justice.”

“Yes! Yay, the good girl role…”

“Next, Yuugao Mimi-san as Harukaze Mina, a kind-hearted and quiet girl who is bullied and pushed around.”

“Y-Yes. I’ll do my best!”

Akasaka-kun drew a relationship diagram on the whiteboard and gave an easy-to-understand explanation. Rather, I wonder if the basis of this relationship was the improvisational play we had done at the audition.

If that pulled their heartstrings, then I would be getting more than I deserved as an actor, but I wanted to play an evil spirit anyway. No, it would be outrageous for a newcomer to choose their work.

“Next up is Sorahoshi Tsugumi-san as Hiiragi Lily, the half-Japanese girl who controls the class from behind the scenes and is the key person for the theme this time.” ¹⁰

“Yes. I’ll do my best to the best of my ability.”

“Good. Thanks. The only friend that Lily lets her guard down with is Akimi Kaede who will be played by Yoruhata Rin-san. I look forward to working with you.”

“Yes.”

“Akimi Kaede has an older sister named Azusa in high school. The role of Azusa will be played by Minauchi Ran-san, who was with all of you at the audition, so I look forward to working with you all.”

“Yes, I understand.”

After Rin responded, she whispered in my ear, “I’m glad it’s someone I know.” I’m sure she’s very good at making friends, so I don’t think she needed to worry about it that much.

“Also, there is a mysterious girl whose true identity I will not tell the actors until the very last minute. She is a girl who gives us hints about bullying, various incidents, and problems that occur inside and outside the school. I would like you to play her, Sorahoshi Tsugumi-san.”

“—! Dual roles?” ¹¹

Playing two roles as if you were two different people. When acting, it’s difficult to switch between two roles on the same stage. There’s quite a degree of difficulty for a newcomer, especially for a child actor.

“Wouldn’t that be a burden?”

The person who spoke up was Koharu-san. Taking my burden into consideration, Koharu-san asked modestly as she raised her hand.

“Of course, there will be a reasonable burden. Thus, if Sorahoshi-san refuses—”

Refuse?

Turn down a role?

My mind replayed the meeting room of some time ago. Brushing aside my co-stars, who were arguing over who was playing what and who not playing what, I alone put my finger on the flames of destiny. I have never forgotten the moment of passion that lit my heart on fire.

Kirio Tsugumi never refuses the work that is given to her. Then, what about Sorahoshi Tsugumi? There was only one answer.

“I’ll do it.”

“—Are you sure, Tsugumi-sama?”

“Yes. After all.”

That’s right, there was no way I was going to quit.

“It would be such a shame not to perform such an interesting role.”

If I didn’t accept such a challenge, my actress’s soul would go rotten.

When I followed my heart and said this, for some reason, the Akasaka-kun and them suddenly stopped moving and their eyes opened wide.

“—mi-san?”

“Ha, haha, I’m sorry if I faint.”

“…”

Errr, what should I do?

I didn’t know what to do, so I just waited for an answer. The strange atmosphere hurt my skin and all I could do was sit there with my head tilted in puzzlement.

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. Flowingcloud: Doesn’t translate well into English. Previously Koharu was saying that she’ll improve (the car) at any moment, but it could also be interpreted that she was referring to herself as well. It was left vague on purpose in Japanese, but someone hard to do so in English.
2. Flowingcloud: A Toyota Century. It’s a luxury vehicle mainly produced for the Japanese market, thus fairly unknown for foreigners. It’s basically the Lexus LS in Japan for those who know their cars. Technically, it is classified as a limousine sedan, so in a way, it is a limo.
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Century
3. Flowingcloud: Don’t have to tell you what gyarus are right? Also, ‘90s music was dominated by going to the disco genre and dancing at a club. Enka is the old-fashioned Japanese music you hear sometimes.
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enka
4. Flowingcloud: The term used in the previous sentences is ‘ボカロ’ which is the abbreviation for Vocaloid in Japanese. There is no appropriate corresponding term in English, thus I’ll use “Vocaloid” when abbreviated and “Vocal Robot” (the parody name) when the official term is used. Also, Yamana is just a parody of Yamaha, mostly known for their musical instruments (especially pianos).
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_Corporation
5. Flowingcloud: Honestly, readers might complain, but it’s really hard to get out of that sort of spending mindset, even when you get richer. Thus, I find it rather understandable why although she can pretty much command all the money she wants, she can’t bring herself to spend that money however she wants. Maybe this changes in the future, but not now.
6. Flowingcloud: For those who do not understand the reference, Gulliver, from Gulliver’s Travels, discovers a race of tiny people, less than 6 inches (15cm) tall.
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulliver%27s_Travels
   Arocks141: And later on journeys to a country of giants where his role is reversed.
7. Flowingcloud: I tried to make some educated guesses on the actual game from their parodies. Maybe some smart reader can enlighten us about the second one.
   『霊』(Tamashi) → I think it’s Tamashii (It’s on Steam.)
   『SULLEN』 → Thanks to a kind commenter, SULLEN most likely refers to Silent Hill. Please thank Malphis in the comments for their information.
   『バイオパンデミック』(Biopandemic) → In Japan, Resident Evil is called Biohazard. Biopandemic… Biohazard… Get it?
8. Flowingcloud: Fun Japanese calendar system. Showa 60s refer to the last few years of Emperor Hirohito’s reign as the emperor of Japan. The Showa year only goes up to Showa 64 (1989) when he passed away. Thus, Showa 60s pretty much just refers to 1985-1989. Refer to Wikipedia if you’re interested in reading more about the Japanese calendar system.
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_calendar
9. Flowingcloud: The assistant director, left ambiguous in the raw, was Kuramoto Kouji, as hinted in Theater 1 Scene 6. In Scene 6, there was a conversation that mentioned that Kuramoto was an assistant director and Akasaka was still an apprentice at the time.
10. Flowingcloud: Usually, I translate foreign names as first name then last name, however, she has a Japanese surname, as I just want to keep consistency. Thus, all names in this novel will most likely be translated in Last Name, First Name form, with the exception of full foreign names (i.e. Tsugumi Sorahoshi Lowell).
11. Flowingcloud: Dual roles refer to when one person plays two roles. Sometimes, it’s done on purpose to provide a thematic significance, which is most likely the case here.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_role