Start of the new arc!!!
Title: Miscast Satou-san.
Before I knew it, the last year of my high school life had passed the halfway point. My daily life is generally peaceful and enjoyable. My examinations are going well, and the results of the mock exams I took at the prep school are not bad either. The atmosphere of the class is also in a united mood, perhaps because of the graduation, and with the cultural festival coming up next month, the atmosphere has become more and more lively since October.
“It’s the last school festival. Why don’t we do a play on stage?”(Niijima)
It was the good-natured Niijima who brought it up in homeroom.
“It’s nice to have an easy to understand, happy ending, like Cinderella!”(Saiki)
It was the always cheerful Saiki who proposed the play. Maybe I was the only one who was at odds with the idea of performing in a play for a high school student. In no time at all, the class was united, and in the blink of an eye, it was decided that we would play Cinderella at the school festival. But the truth is, I didn’t oppose it either. Because,
“Cinderella is a wonderful story, isn’t it? I wonder if she’s going to wear a dress after all? Maybe I’d like to see you dress up!”(S)
It was because Satou-san had reacted favorably to this. She said she wanted to see it with her eyes shining like a child, and I have to admit, it was kind of cute. So I voted yes, just as long as she was okay with it, I was okay with it, too.
By the way, I’m not very lucky in the lottery. We used to use a lottery to change seats in class C, but I’ve never been able to get the seat I wanted. Last year, I ended up next to a “simple, fragile, and stupid” girl because of it, and now I want to be next to her, but she’s too far away. And the classmates who were so excited when it came time to decide on the cast of the show had a hard time coming up with a candidate. Props, props, lighting and sound were all very popular, and no one wanted to take the part of the actor on stage. Acting in front of people was not cool for me either, and I thought it would be better to be behind the scenes. I guess that was punishment for voting in favor of the project for impure motives, even though I had no intention of doing it. The lottery I drew was, of all things, the role of a house mouse.
“No, I don’t want to…”(Y)
After the raffle, I returned to my seat and put my head in my hands. A house mouse gets caught in a mouse trap in the kitchen of Cinderella’s house and is turned into a horse by a wizard by magic. Either way, he’s a ridiculous story character who is only made into an animal. In the play, this transformation from a mouse to a horse is represented by a single headdress. In the scene, the transformation from a mouse ear to a horse headgear is a demonstration of the wizard’s magical prowess. And underneath the headgear, the body is required to wear full-body tights – full-body tights? The girl I love watches it too. Who would want to do such a thing?
“Yamaguchi-kun, you don’t look so good.”(S)
As I was lying there disappointed, I heard the voice of the girl I liked. I quickly looked up to see Satou-san standing next to my seat, looking down at me with some concern. And over her shoulder I could see the backs of her classmates gathered in front of the podium. The classroom is still buzzing with excitement with the lottery. Since the casting of the leading characters such as Cinderella and the prince has not been decided, those who have not drawn lots yet are being cheered on. There won’t be any more mice in the show no matter what they draw, so there’s no need to worry about it.
“Of course I do.”(Y)
I sighed and replied to Satou-san. Who would want to play a role like that? I would have preferred a different role.
“That’s right. What part did you want to play?”(S)
Satou-san is staring down at me with a gentle gaze. I could tell she was trying to comfort me even before she said anything. While I’m happy to see that kindness, it adds to my pettiness.
“If I was going to do it, I’d have preferred to work behind the scenes.”(Y)
I complained, glad no one was listening except her.
“Of course it’s best to be in a role that doesn’t require you to be on stage. I would’ve liked it that way too.”(S)
Naturally, the most popular backstage candidates were also the most popular. Candidates, both male and female, came in one after another, and only the winner of a rock-paper-scissors tournament was assigned the role. And for those of us who couldn’t find work behind the scenes, the dreaded lottery to decide who would be cast in the play awaited us. There are many characters in Cinderella. Cinderella, the Prince, the mean stepmother and sister, the wizard – I didn’t want to play any of them. If I had to choose, I would have preferred to play a townie, a castle soldier, or some other safe role that didn’t stand out as a failure. I prayed and tried to draw the lottery. And yet.
“But I don’t think mice are a bad role.”(S)
As if to follow up, Satou-san said.
“I looked at the script and there’s not a lot of dialogue, is there? Yamaguchi-kun’s role.”(S)
“Only three.”(Y)
There are only three short lines of dialogue, which might be easier said than done. The first is the mouse’s cry, and the second is after it has transformed into a horse. Incidentally, the third line is the mouse’s “chuuu” just after the magic is broken, after it’s around 12pm. It’s the worst level of embarrassment ever.
“It’s a good role then. You won’t have to memorize a lot of lines.”(S)
“It’s not good, they’ll just laugh at me.”(Y)
When I sulk, Satou-san looks down for a moment, but then she immediately intervenes cheerfully.
“It’s an important role. Cinderella can’t go to the ball without Yamaguchi-kun.”(S)
I can understand that. Without rats, Cinderella’s happiness would not be possible. But if I wear full-body tights, I’ll be unhappy this time. It’s the misfortune of embarrassing myself in front of the girl I love at the last school festival of my high school life.
“I don’t like it when the costume is full-body tights.”(Y)
The ‘girl I like’ tries to take me on as I assert.
“Yamaguchi-kun has a great style. I’m sure you’d look great in tights.”(S)
“It doesn’t make me happy to look like that.”(Y)
“Oh, yeah? But I think you’d make a cute little mouse.”(S)
No, I won’t. No way. I don’t want to wear full-body tights in front of Satou-san. No matter how strongly I feel about it, Its already decided who I’m going to play. On the blackboard, the role of the house mouse is clearly marked as Yamaguchi.
In the meantime, the results of the lottery in homeroom are being decided one after another. It seems that the one who drew the role of Cinderella was Yukawa-san, and she wrote her name on the blackboard with a bashful smile.
“I didn’t hear about the leading role or anything! It’s embarrassing….”(Yukawa)
My mood sinks again when I hear that. I’m still a human being and I can wear clothes, so why not? I’m a rat, I’m wearing tights.
“Cheer up, Yamaguchi-kun.”(S)
She patted me on the shoulder and said,
“I’m sure you can do a fine job in any role.”(S)
“Do you think I’d be a good fit for the role of the rat?”(Y)
I asked that back. Of course I wanted her to think I didn’t look good in it. I wanted my image in Satou-san’s mind to be a more innocent role, not a storybook character like the mice, but a more innocent one.
But she replies without hesitation.
“It’s a better role than mine, isn’t it? I have the feeling that Yamaguchi-kun is the power behind the scenes. Pulling the pumpkin carriage and taking Cinderella to the castle would be perfect.”(S)
The power behind the scenes. There was a good way to put it. That doesn’t make me feel any better, but more importantly, I suddenly have a question, so I stop being a jerk and ask it back.
“”You know, you drew the lottery, didn’t you, Satou-san? What role did you play?”(Y)
All at once, she flinched.
“Well, you know, that…”(S)
Instead of slurring her words, she pointed to the front of the classroom. I looked for her name on the chalkboard where the roles were listed.
Satou-san’s name was on the far end of the list. Of the three noblewomen A, B, and C, noblewoman C was Satou-san.
“Were you at the ball?”(Y)
I ask, hazily, and she pulls her chin awkwardly.
“Yeah. I’m playing a part in the ball in a dress, which is funny.”(S)
A group of women in dresses are attending a ball at the castle. One of them seems to be her character. She wears her school uniform in compliance with the school rules, and her civilian clothes are very plain, and on top of that Sato-san, who always wears a single knot, wears her dress with a high-pitched smile, just like a noblewoman. I wondered if she would have a ladylike high-pitched smile. I couldn’t imagine it.
“There’s even a line that says, ‘Well, how beautiful you are’.”(S)
She even had a line that said, ‘How beautiful she is! Satou-san shyly utters a barb of dialogue.
“Which scene is that from?”(Y)
“The scene where Cinderella appears in the castle. My line, that’s all I have to say.”(S)
Then she covered her head ticklishly.
“The part of the lady is not for me at all. I’d be the one people would laugh at.”(S)
I don’t think they would laugh at her for that. It’s much better than my role as a mouse. Some people might say it’s not good enough for you, Satou-san, but it’s still not enough to be laughed at.
“There’s no way they’re going to laugh at you.”(Y)
So when I replied, Satou-san blinked at me in surprise. Then she laughed a bit.
“….Thank you, Yamaguchi-kun.”(S)
I don’t remember doing anything that would make you say thank you. I was puzzled, but then I realized that it was more of a thank you, so I gasped.
“No, my pleasure. Thank you for encouraging me.”(Y)
“Yes.”(S)
Satou-san nods honestly. She ran up to me during homeroom to encourage me, and we had become close enough to be able to do so. That made me happy and gave me emotional support.
Notes:
Of course it has to be a culture festival. I was initially thinking when translating this chapter that Satou would get an important role. Well there is still the possibility.
Butter Translations 
Satou is so cute.
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