Supervillain – Prologue
Season: Summer (after Comet Show)
ES’s 1st year of establishment. Right after Comet Show — during rehearsal for the upcoming spring show: ‘Supervillains’…
(Oh no…)
(I accidentally hit Morisawa-senpai…!)
……………
W-What the…?! What are you doing, Tetora-kun!?
Wha? Huh? I heard a really loud sound just now, what happened…!?
Sorry! I can’t be bothered to practice, so I wasn’t looking! What’s going on…?
U-Umm…? We were rehearsing the battle scene, when suddenly Morisawa-dono got blown away, and…!?
I-I think… Tetora-kun’s punch accidentally hit Morisawa-dono for real…?
are you alright, chiaki!? are you still [there]!?
Ahh… Uunh… That really took me out…
Erm, sorry Kanata, but please don’t shake me… I feel like I’ll lose consciousness for real if you continue.
I swear I’m alright.
but—
Fuhaha! Nagumo, you little clutz…☆
……………
You making a mistake in estimating distance is such a rare sight, since you’re so good at karate!
No, actually, I should’ve realized that it would hit me and dodged in time!
My reflexes didn’t react fast enough! I’m so sorry!
Why ar—
Nagumo, I don’t blame you for this, but you haven’t been getting much sleep lately, have you? I can see you’ve got dark eyebags.
Exactly befitting of Ryusei Bla— Ah, um, anyway, you should take good care of yourself!
Trying to go about one’s day without proper sleep can lead to unexpected accidents like this one, you know!
The same goes to the rest of you; you have to be careful! Is that clear, Kanata, Sengoku, Takamine!?
That’s all for now! We don’t seem to be on the same footing today, so let’s call it a day and continue our rehearsal on a later date!
Farewell then! I’m off! I’ll head to the doctor’s office to have myself examined, just in case the hit did something to my body!
But before I go, I just want to say: don’t fret over it, Nagumo. I’ll be fine. Accidents like this happen all the time.
Injuries can occur even in pro-wrestling, where a script is always prepared. It’s the same when rehearsing and acting for tokusatsu shows. After all, even if it’s a play, you’re still fighting with your actual body.
You did nothing wrong, Nagumo.
Rather, and I say this again, I’m sorry I couldn’t foresee the accident to avoid it in time.
Why—… are you apologizing…
That was obviously all my fault. I’m the only one who made a mistake here. Actually… not just this, but everythin’ else, too.
The reason Ryuseitai got into this unnatural state—
Is all ’cuz I was weak, isn’t it? Every single thing’s all on me.
No, that isn’t true at all. As I said on stage at Comet Show, I take full responsibility.
I was naïve in my foresight. Because of that, I failed to give everyone the future they wanted. I couldn’t even push the agency, the higher-ups’ demands, out of our way.
I’m the one at fault, and I’m also the one who’s weak.
So… Don’t make that sad face, Nagumo.
You can hate me for all of this, and you’re even free to curse me.
I forced a lot of things on you and then took them all away without any logical reasoning — Both the leader position, and the red color…
I’m horrible for doing that. I shouldn’t ever be forgiven.
I betrayed your trust, trampled on your dreams and efforts, and hurt you.
I’m not a single bit hurt from that, though. It’s true that I was disappointed that I had to step down as the leader, but…
That was all ‘cuz I wasn’t good enough. If this outcome’s what the higher-ups and society want, then there’s not much I can do ‘bout it.
That’s why I accept things as is. Even if I really was a li’l hurt by all’a this, the punch just now made up for it, so it’s fine.
With that, we’d have hurt each other the same amount, and we can call it even.
…Except, what I took from you doesn’t even compare with that one punch you threw on me.
What’s with you? I just said that I accept the situation as it is. Yet you keep persistin’ otherwise, over and over and over again—
Wh— Why’s it turning out this way…? Please don’t fight…
Y-Yes, exactly! Ryuseitai is already in the worst possible position as it is! If a crack opens up even between us—
yes… that would be the [end] of everything.
the ryuseitai that we love would come to an [end] here.