Bonus Chapter 19.5 – Behind the scenes

Presented by: Class 1-B Documentary Club (which does not exist, but Kenta insisted)

Interview Booth – Interview #1

Q: What’s your role in the play?

Kenta: Sword guy, No lines, Maximum energy. The soul of the show.

Q: Do you think the play will go well?

Kenta: If it doesn’t, we blame Daiki.

Daiki (off-screen): What did I do?!

Kenta: Exactly.

1:00 PM - One Day Before the Play

Class 1-B was not rehearsing, For once.

Instead, they were decorating the hallway, sorting costumes, and arguing over whether glitter counted as a prop hazard.

Mr. Kumagai was directing us with a broom and a juice box, No one knew why.

"Costume check!" Mika shouted, holding a clipboard too big for her hands. "Daiki, you’re missing your cravat again!"

"I don’t even know what a cravat is!"

"It’s the fancy neck thing!"

Kenta walked by dramatically, wearing three capes.

"Why does he get three?!" Daiki asked.

"I earn them with style," Kenta said, doing a slow twirl.

"You earn concussions," Hina muttered from her desk, labeling stage props.

Interview Booth – Interview #2

Q: What is your favorite thing about the play?

Mika: Um… everyone working together? And the story is really sweet! Also, Airi senpai looks scary but cool, and Yuuji kun is surprisingly good at acting nervous.

Q: Do you think you’ll remember this?

Mika: I hope so.

2:17 PM - Prop Crisis

Mika screamed.

"The tiara’s gone! The villainess tiara! It was right here five minutes ago!"

Daiki tried to calm her down. "We can make another one, right? Out of foil or something?"

"It had rhinestones!"

"Emergency drill. Everyone look under the desks. And if anyone took it as a joke, prepare to be executed." Kenta said, holding a broom like a sword once again.

Hina walked in holding a vending machine prize capsule.

She opened it.

The tiara was inside.

Everyone stared.

"I’m not explaining this," she said, and sat down.

Interview Booth – Interview #3

Q: Do you believe in the story?

Daiki: Honestly? Yeah. Even if it's kind of cheesy, I think it says something real. That people aren’t always what they seem.

Q: What do you want to happen at the end?

Daiki: For someone to choose the villainess, Just once.

4:30 PM - Sunset Break

They ended up on the rooftop, Mr. Kumagai had retreated to the staff room. The school was quiet.

Kenta laid flat on the ground, Daiki leaned on the railing, Mika had her head on her arms, Hina was eating a steamed bun.

"Tomorrow's gonna be wild," Kenta said.

"Don’t jinx it," Daiki replied.

"I hope I don’t trip. Or drop my line. Or cry." Mika said.

"You’ll do great," Daiki said, patting her head.

They sat in silence for a while.

Then Daiki said.

"You ever feel like we’re all just background characters in someone else’s love story?"

"Obviously," Kenta said. "But we’re the best background cast ever."

Hina: "Even if no one notices, the story would be emptier without us."

Mika smiled. "Let’s do our best. Even if it’s just for tomorrow."

Interview Booth – Final Interview

Q: What do you want to remember about this?

Kenta: The fight scenes, And the vending machine tiara, Legendary.

Daiki: That feeling before the lights go up. That heartbeat moment.

Mika: That I was here, That I helped make something real.

Hina: Everything, Even the things we’ll never say out loud.

Final shot : The stage.
Curtains closed. Light spilling through the cracks.

And someone’s laughter coming from off screen.