Kasane [Chapter 85 - The Two's Isolation]

While taking a shower, Kasane thinks, “I only have to concentrate on that little bit. Just that little bit of light. I won’t hesitate even if I lose everything.” She looks serious as she recalls that time.

Flashback: At the Macbeth stage, Nobuhiko called out to Saki. Sitting by the stage, Saki called back out to him and asks what’s up for the others had already gone to the celebration party.

Narration: “After the final performance of ‘Macbeth’, you suddenly came over. From Saki, you can see Nina’s shadow.” Looking away, Nobuhiko said that even if he doesn’t know how he should say it but he doesn’t know why he is concerned about her...

Saki looked at him and looked away. She said that he told her before that she is very similar with a girl who had passed away. After a pause, Nobuhiko said, ah.

Narration: “Actually, this made me really happy. Despite the change of appearance, our hearts are still connected-- *Scene of Lady Macbeth holding Macbeth’s hand* But, I’m no longer ‘Tanzawa Nina’. The woman whom you love doesn’t exist in this world anymore. So...”

Saki stood up and said, “Uno-san, if you are looking at me as ‘someone else’s substitute then it would really make me feel uncomfortable.” Nobuhiko says that he isn’t at all... She leaned towards him and said, “So, as long as you still searched that ‘someone else’s shadow on me, we cannot have any private contact [except for work] again.”

Nobuhiko is taken aback as Saki looked at him. After a pause, he said, is that so. “It is as you said. I’m sorry.” Then, he quietly walks away. Saki looked at him and thought, “Uno-san, sorry. Goodbye.” End flashback. 

Slightly pursing her lips, Kasane recalls Kingo telling her, “You are king, Saki. King is a lonely existence but vis-a-vis to that, one can attain everything else.” Kasane slightly bites her lip then smiles.

While walking in the rain as some female students pass by, Yuuto thinks, “I had once thought this way, ‘If this is the path that Nogiku has chosen, no matter what I say, I won’t be able to hinder her’ *looks at the female students happily chatting* I’m an idiot...

...Actually, you are basically the only person I have. Even if I’m looked down by you, *imagines Nogiku looking at him and walking away* even if you loathe me, I should also hinder you, that thin and lonely figure from behind.”

Yuuto puts his laptop computer on the table. He believes that right now, Nogiku has been threatened by Saki to the point of being locked up. “First, I must find where she is locked in. They probably still didn’t know of my existence nor know that I’m Nogiku’s companion. But, just by myself, I cannot do anything. *holds head*...

...ah, in the end, the place where Saki previously stayed had already been rented out. This kind of ‘using lipstick to switch a person’s appearance’ thing, and also this thing about a beautiful considerably popular actress is actually an ugly woman, it is truly too preposterously absurd...

...As long as one hasn’t personally seen that kind of power, no one would believe it.” He notices the crumbled poster in the trash bin and sees the name of Iku in it along with Saki and others. He grabs the poster and thinks, “‘Igarashi Iku’...I feel that I heard this name before...” 

At the practice area in the theater [I presume], Iku opens the door and peeks in. She sees people around a huge circular stage. She thinks that it is just the second day of practice yet the stage is already being put up. “A circular stage...? How are we going to move about there?”

Then, she notices Saki happily chatting with the others. She thinks, “Ah, that’s right. It isn’t the first time that person has joined Fujihara’s stage play. The people here mutually know each other. *holds the script tight and sits by herself at the corner of the room*...

...During ‘Hamlet’, I still more or less have a few people whom I know...but here, I’m all alone. On the first day, it’s just reading the whole script. I basically wasn’t able to talk with everyone... In the end, I’m still like this... 

...As long as I’m outside the stage, I cannot get along with people. I always feel that I upset others, make others become disappointed, or perhaps, UNINTENTIONALLY hurt others.” Her thoughts were interrupted by Yoshio who calls out to her. 

Iku immediately looks up to the director and asks, yes, yes. He asks her why she is all alone sitting at this corner. “You are the lead actress so it is better for you to get along more with the people around.” Iku watches Yoshio goes to the others and tells them, okay, let’s start.

While everyone is sitting, Yoshio tells them that yesterday, he already made them read the script. “The stage play this time is adapted from an old children’s fairy tale but it will be performed in an adult-oriented manner. Afterwards, there are two main leads!

...That is to say, they’ll switch performing on stage for that one same role. But the role’s portrayal will be according to one’s own interpretation. It is alright even if it is totally not the same. Perhaps, it is more interesting if it isn’t the same...

...but, I think that the two of you won’t go there [/acting the roles in the same way]. That is because the setbacks that they’ve experienced aren’t the same.” This made Saki glance at Iku and wondered, SETBACK...?

Yoshio says that they’ll start, first, it’s Saki! Saki shouts, okay! Still sitting, Iku is relieved that she isn’t first because this gives her more time to ponder over how to portray the role. “Even if I’m very nervous but I also have to express it as much as I want.”

Narration: “—But” It is all dark when the spotlight shines on Saki who is wrapped in a long bandage with a lot of paper flying around. She runs around the stage and says her line, “Light is I. I am Light. A (fixed) star far above, living things [/people] on the ground, look. Look at me. Look at this life!”

Iku looks surprised. As Saki continues to act, Iku becomes nervous. Narration: “The shock from Saki’s lively luminous blossoming acting had made me feel that it is seemingly somewhat familiar [déjà vu].”

Comment: Just like Nobuhiko, Iku can see a trace of someone from Saki. Will she figure it out as Kasane? In a way, contrary to what Kasane expected, there are people who would somehow recognize her/her acting even if she changed her appearance. It won’t be just some ordinary person but people whom she had closely interacted with/observed her.

Contrary to my expectation, Kasane is giving up on Nobuhiko. I guess she isn’t that greedy or perhaps, learning about what happened to her mother, had made her more of a realist. After all, if more people to know of her secret is very risky.

That is one thing. The other thing is he would most likely not accept her ugly appearance even if well, he doesn’t seem like a psycho like her father was. Nevertheless, for her ultimate goal to stay in the limelight as long as possible, she has to cut it off while it is a bud. Is this the last time will see of him? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Yuuto is now on the move to help out Nogiku. Since, iirc, he researched about Kasane’s past before so it will be a matter of time before he figured out who Iku is. I do wonder which one, whether Nogiku or Iku, is referred to in the title. The other one is obviously Kasane. The other two seem ‘alone’ in this chapter. Nogiku from Yuuto’s description and Iku before the practice.

Lastly, does anyone know about a children fairy tale based on stars? I’m wondering if this will be another tragic play. I’m curious though if it is merely to keep things interesting that they have two female leads portraying the same role in each own way.

It is indeed interesting that they’ll be ‘switching for the same role’. That might be important later on, perhaps a twist, for the plot of this arc. The theme here seems to be ‘light’ and ‘star’. Will Kasane still be able to keep on being Saki after this play? That’s one of many things to anticipate in this arc. Scans by RAD汉化组

Word of the day:

In our world today— when good is often considered bad and bad is seen as good, when truth and error are switched around— people are looking for direction in life. May we be the ones who shine the light of Christ into our world. ~ Our Daily Bread