Ano Hito no Jijō (That Person's Circumstances)
by
Saddletank
Chapter Fifty Five – That Final Week
14 Days / 7
It was late on Friday, we were all outside in the quad waiting for Yukino to finish yet another of her long student council meetings.
Her head appeared out of a first floor window.
"Ohi!"
"We've got a problem," Aya called up, "All the classes have started gathering plywood and other materials, so there's none left we can use for scenery."
"Even the library and the science rooms?" Yukino shouted down.
"No good," Rika replied, "we went everywhere but it's all been claimed."
"I told you so didn't I? Trying to put on a play this late is…"
I didn't need to turn around to know the person speaking behind me would have her arms folded and her legs crossed at the ankles.
"This is a problem!" Rika was getting flustered.
"Listen to me!" Maho was getting excited now too.
"Oh," Yukino cut in, pointing, "Behind you guys, in the window, Kawashima-sensei is trying to get your attention."
We went over to him and Aya told him what our problem was.
"Oh, no empty rooms?" he smiled, and drew another ace from his sleeve. Well, it was a key actually and it didn't come from his sleeve but his pocket, but the metaphor holds up so I'll leave it in, "Well, you can use the student discipline room. It won't be in use for a while anyway."
He unlocked the door. We were stunned.
"Oh yes! Power!" Yukino bounced up having run down from the first floor corridor. We went in and took the place over. From that day all our work and planning was carried out there. Mission Control, Yukino named it. The name stuck, from then on, all through our three years at Hokuei, if someone was told to report to Mission Control it meant one of the teachers was going to tear a strip off them and possibly give them a detention.
"I'll meet you outside Mission Control."
It was a useful code to have, even if hardly necessary.
"We'll each have to find a source of scenery materials at home or from where family members work. Can we do that?"
We agreed we'd have to.
"So, Aya," Yukino said, "Did you write out what kind of preparations we need to make?"
"Yeah, how does this look?" she handed Yukino a pad.
"Let's see… mmm… read through, yep, then rehearsal, costume fitting, then a full rehearsal on stage. We need to measure the back of the gym for the sets. Stage equipment, sets, props – you've listed those yes? Okay, lighting – we need a lighting manager, the overall image. Hm, posters and programmes. Let's look at the lights and sound setup when we check the stage on Monday. Make detailed decisions on background music, sound effects and lighting. Oh, we can think about that as we do a run through of our lines. We'll put that off until later. No school tomorrow makes it kind of tight. Lets draw up an outline today and go shop for what we need tomorrow afternoon. Is that okay with you guys?"
"Hai!" we all chorused.
Apart from Maho who watched the trees outside.
"Good. Then let's decide the schedule first. What has to be done by when."
"We've got no time to waste at all," Rika pointed out what was already painfully obvious.
"I'm telling you," the voice at the window spoke, "What do you expect to accomplish in one week?"
"Have you thought about the stage equipment?" Yukino simply ignored the doomsayer, and if I'm honest I was getting a bit fed up with Maho too. She'd made her point long ago, to keep reminding us of it was a bit childish I thought.
"Yes, stage equipment is sorted out," Asaba said.
I glanced at him and gave him a smile. He grinned back.
It had been such a hectic week, we'd all been working late on this several nights now and he and I hadn't seen each other outside school for – hm, what was it now? Not sure, but it must have been all that week.
I'd missed him.
No, be honest, girl. I'd missed his touch. I'd missed it.
I thought that one evening soon when we weren't too tired I'd like to go clubbing again and afterwards invite him home. All this hard work and rushing about and thinking.
Yes, I deserved it. And looking at him he looked like he did too.
"And of course, the whole enterprise is pointless if we actresses don't know our lines. So," Yukino looked up at Tsubasa and me, then across at Maho's back, "have them all perfectly memorized by Monday."
"Monday?" I was thunderstruck.
"Yes. Monday! When did you want to do it, Wednesday? When will we fit in the read through and the full rehearsal then? The Festival is next Saturday!"
"Alright, alright, get off my case. I'll do it!"
"It's easy. I can do it, it'll only take a couple of evenings and there's all Sunday."
"Okay already! I can do it too!" Angry Girl at a Window said.
"God, she's good," Aya said quietly to Rika, impressed by our leaders powers of motivation. And forked tongue.
"Now, the stage. Is the set design done?"
"Hm, here, as promised my lady," Asapin pulled a large stiff card from his art wallet and handed it to her.
Yukino looked at it. We gathered round. Our first look at what the set would be like.
"We came up with it jointly, Rika-san, Aya-san and I. But it was mostly Aya-san's work, her design. She's great to work with, she's so disciplined. She kept it focused right down on the bare essentials."
"Oh shut up Asaba, anyone'd think you actually like me," Aya retorted.
We looked. For a moment we were silent. This is where it would happen. Our first look at where these characters would live. Stage right was the bed or sleeping chamber, a large box-like structure that had a lid lifted by a hydraulic cylinder that Aya's brothers friend would build for us. It needed to have various lights on the side and lid so it looked like it was computerized. In front of that was a radio set, computer monitor and communication desk.
Front centre stage was a table and chairs, all in an old curly turn of the last century European style. At back of centre stage was a huge bookcase again of old-fashioned style. Set into the centre of this was a large flat monitor and a set of keyboards below it.
Stage left was the 'lab' area that would have a desk, an examination table and cupboards and shelves. We'd need to fill these with clutter that looked scientific and futuristic.
There were entrances at the rear of stage right and the centre of stage left.
"I wanted the lab set to originally be a different set but given our limited resources and time I thought I'd do away with set changes and incorporate the lab set into one side of the living chamber set. What I think we'll do is simply dim out the lights on the side of the set we're not using, giving the impression of two rooms.
"I actually want a lot of dimmed lighting and complete black out much of the time, with the speaking characters illuminated by strong over head spots. I just wanna – depict spaces between them, distances their personalities are trying to close but can't. D'you get that?"
We did.
I was impressed, Aya had it all planned out.
"And with so much darkness we don't have to go mad with a super detailed set. I want it be have quite a minimalist feel, a clean feel."
"Wow," even Yukino sounded impressed, "I can hardly wait to see it. Oh, that's right, what are we going to do about the huge monitor? It's a key element in the story, but it's going to be hard to do."
"That won't be a problem," Aya said, lifting a cigarette to her lips, "My older brother who's organising the sleeping box for us does film- and TV-related work at a small studio. He got interested in the story," she tried to light her cigarette, but her petrol lighter wouldn't ignite. She span the wheel over the flint a few times, shaking it, "and he said he'll do that for us…"
Her cigarette was snapped in half and the top end went flying. She looked stupidly at the remains between her fingers, the filter and a half inch of crushed paper.
"Uh?"
"You started this!" Yukino was before her, breathing hellfire and brimstone, "You're gonna wreck it! What are you thinking? You'll get yourself expelled and us all suspended over culture fest week! I told you before – QUIT SMOKING!"
"Oh," Aya looked at the remains of the thing in her hand. Her face was blank, like she'd never seen it before, "How did that get there?"
"At least it's the discipline room, Aya, you're making it nice and easy for Kawashima-sensei," Asaba sniggered at my joke.
"Did you call me? How are things going?" Kawashima-sensei was at the door. Aya made the cigarette stub vanish fast. "The reason I called for you a while ago was because I have some cakes for you. One of the second year teachers had a birthday today and she brought in far too many pastries. So here, you have them. There's some cans of drink too."
He held out a box. Asaba took it and held it high while Tsubasa appeared magically at his side and began to bounce up and down whining at it like a hound after a fox.
"Whoa! Excellent! Arigato!" we were all pleased by his gesture.
Did he like us or something?
He wasn't such a strict scary monster after all perhaps.
We tucked in.
The clock ticked by and by seven in the evening we decided to call it a night. Everything now hung on getting hold of materials for the sets (again Aya thought her brother could help) and pacing out the stage. Costumes were well under way, Rika said and we had our lines to learn over the weekend.
That was about it.
Everyone decided to go get a bite to eat. Yukino said she'd seen the lights still on in the kendo hall and thought she'd go meet Arima direct from his club. I thought I'd go over too and see if the pool was still open. I grabbed my sports bag and decided a half hour swim would do me some good.
It did.
I swam for forty five minutes, letting go of everything and just not thinking at all. Up and down, length after length. Up and down. Letting it all wash away.
The school coach came by and seeing me, dropped off the keys shouting to me to switch off and lock up when I was done.
I carried on and it was almost nine when I'd had enough.
Well, no really, I could keep going all night when I get into the groove but it was dark outside and I was hungry, so I got out, showered, dried and walked home.
Down familiar streets past the same old houses and street lights.
Their sameness was comforting, their presence at each corner and around each turning helped to calm me.
I needed that.
I was going to stand up in front of a couple of hundred people and act.
The thought filled me with fear. I'd skimmed through the script a couple of times now and my character seemed to be the minor one of the six (Tsubasa actually played three parts) but it was an emotional role. I was worried enough about just remembering the lines.
Having to do things and put emotion into the speaking was a whole different world.
And then there was the kiss. At the end when my character died, Maho's character kissed me. It was a fairly chaste thing, on the forehead but I could feel the emotion in that scene. That whole thing bothered me too for different reasons.
I wondered, given the character Aya had written for me, how much she knew.
About me.
And Maho.
- - - oOo - - -
We met up the next day in Kawasaki centre to shop for supplies and equipment.
Yukino was a little late but she arrived eventually and we chatted waiting for Asaba to show up. When he did arrive he freaked me out, he was dressed all in sixties gear, a brown and pink flowery shirt, worn faded jeans and a load of necklaces including a big metal 'ban the bomb' symbol. He even wore John Lennon glasses, little round rose pink ones. I stared at him, open mouthed.
He reminded me of the day I'd first seen him. How long ago that seemed.
Damn, he looked good though. He could even carry off an over the top look like this.
Things went off course right from the start. The first thing Rika and Aya wanted to do was mess about trying different outfits on him so they dragged him into the nearest department store. The rest of us kicked our heels outside the men's changing rooms getting more and more worked up.
"Come on Yukino, we're in danger of getting seriously derailed here. Are we okay with these characters in our group?"
I turned to Maho.
Oh, since when did you start caring about the play?
Yukino's response was to grab Tsubasa and drag her off towards a rack of children's frilly party dresses making gurgling cute eager noises. Sure, she'd make a good mother one day but today was not the time to practice.
Maho and I dragged the other five outside and over to a café. Hm, why was she that bothered?
"We can borrow sounds effects CDs from the broadcasting club." The focused Yukino was back, thank God, "I also called the director of the brass band last night…"
"You're working from home too?" a disbelieving Maho cut in.
"No-one has much free time. And about the time slot we can have... well I was thinking of doing it in two parts. The script's pretty long. I think it'll turn out to be nearly two hours and two hour slots are impossible to get so why not split it into two parts, one early in the day and one in the afternoon. It'll give us a rest too. Aya, I need you to make that call."
"Hm, it's a dilemma. I'd prefer to do it in one shot to keep the atmosphere but that would be physically tough too. The real issue is whether the audience would come back for the second part."
"Easy," I said, "We sell tickets for the whole play so people will have paid to see it all. If the first part is popular and more come to watch the second half we can sell any extra tickets at half price."
"Sixty six percent of full price," Yukino corrected, "Get your marketing principals right, girl."
"What times can we get?" Rika asked.
"Well, we were a last minute addition – not a proper club - total amateurs…"
"Dammit! I said don't say that!"
Maho wasn't herself today, she was unusually driven. What's eating her? I thought.
"…so we can't get good times. Now, no-one will come to see us at nine thirty in the morning or after four in the afternoon, so I thought we should take the plunge and use the lunch hour."
"Ah." Asapin commented.
"And here's the news flash. The brass band isn't using the hall this year. They are doing a concert on the roof at sunset and since I know the band director quite well from the student council he released the free hall to me."
"So we don't have to put up with the crappy lighting in the gym?" Aya leaned forward.
"No. We can use the hall all day. Its just we have to slot in the performance around the other big events so nothing clashes."
"We've got the hall? Not the gym?" Rika sounded like she couldn't believe it.
"Uh-huh," nodded Yukino, "that's okay isn't it?"
My God, of course it was okay. It was more than okay. It was a damn miracle. We had the full stage now, with lighting, sounds, TV and video, a proper lighting desk, a sound mixing desk, changing rooms, everything.
We sat there, stunned.
Oh my God. This was gonna be big. Bigger than big. Awesome.
"Wow," Aya said, amazed, "You're like a politician Yukinon."
"So a brass band concert on the roof at sunset," Rika said, "How romantic."
"Let's treat ourselves to karaoke after this." said Aya.
"Sounds good. I'll sing Penicillin's 'Romance'," Asaba stood and struck a pose.
"Ha, that fits you so well," Yukino cut in, "I'll sing Ringo Shina-chan's 'Kabui Tower Queen'!"
"Ah, good one! We'll sing Yuzi!"
"Hold it! Hold it!" Maho stood up, "We don't have the time! We only have a week to do this! We need to do a read through tonight! And you guys are gonna goof off?"
We froze.
We stared.
"Maho?" someone said.
"What? Why… why am I worrying about this?" she stood there looking like she'd woken from a dream.
I was impressed though, at the few times she really got a bee in her bonnet Maho would rank up there with Yukino for that wild crazy determined edge.
"Why do you care?" Yukino asked the question we were all thinking.
Maho just stood there, unable to give an answer.
But in her eyes it was there. The determination. It struck me then. She did care. No matter what her exterior had written on it, the negative attitude she wore there, on the inside she did care about this play and her part in it. I sat there wondering, like everyone else, why. What had changed?
Well, what had? I wracked my brains. She and I hadn't spoken much recently about, you know, stuff. Important things. Not since she'd run away from me on the roof the other day. I wondered if things with her dentist boyfriend were okay. What had her parents said to him? Um, maybe it was a small thing like he was coming to see the play and she wanted it to go well in order to impress him.
"Ha!" Aya broke into my thoughts, "I'm so glad Maho-san's serious about this now. You've committed yourself even though at first you wanted it to fail. It feels good doesn't it? When something begins to gain momentum and you feel it go rolling downhill and you're so against it but then you realise that if you all work together you can make it happen."
"And not just happen," I said, looking up at Maho and smiling, "but happen well. Although…"
"Hm?" Yukino looked at me.
"…I'm still nervous about my part. I'm afraid of talking in public. I always have."
"We'll all be there, me, Maho, Aya. We'll prompt you if you need it. We'll be right with you. A team."
"All right," I said, taking a big breath.
"Together. Yes?" Maho looked at me.
"Yeah."
I could feel her enthusiasm now, feel her heart supporting this thing that right there, right then in some anonymous Kawasaki mall coffee bar became suddenly bigger than all of us. No-one could stop it now, no-one could turn it aside. We were caught up in a monster of our own creation. It had only one destination now and I felt the exhilaration of being a part of it.
And if Maho was a part of it too, well that was fine as well.
If she was there I felt like I wouldn't screw up, because her involvement deserved my best shot. If something in her had changed so this was important to her now, then it was important to me too.
- - - oOo - - -
We treated ourselves to an hour's karaoke and then went back to Maho's house. Asapin made his excuses and went on. He said he wanted to go out in town that night. Being Saturday a good DJ was on. I looked at him as he went giving him a slightly longing look. I think he got the message. One day soon, maybe next Saturday after the culture fest, if we didn't all go out to celebrate, I'd ask him to take me to his club again and we'd do something wild and fun.
Maho's bedroom was a good place to practice. It had been raining earlier but had stopped, so we slid the shouji screens open and the back porch became the front row seats. Aya and Rika sat there. The door to the hallway was perfectly placed for back of stage right, and by turning her bed ninety degrees so the foot faced towards the door we could more or less create the set as necessary.
We brought in a second table and placed it stage left and put a futon over it for the scientific examination table and her book cases against the hallway wall were perfect. We had no entrance stage left but people could come on from the porch on that side.
We did a read through, Aya speaking notes into her dictaphone as we went, Rika scribbling things down too. We managed to almost do two complete read throughs before it got late and Rika and Aya had to catch their last train. They took Tsubasa with them.
"Finally it's beginning to feel like it's really happening."
"Yeah," Yukino answered me, "it feels good doesn't it?"
"Hm," I nodded.
Maho merely stared into her teacup. We were on cushions outside on the porch. The garden dripped in the moist warm night. It smelled wonderful.
I looked at her face. Coasting in Neutral was back.
"Does it feel good, Maho?"
She looked up at me.
"It's late," was her answer, "if a loser like me is going to memorize these lines by tomorrow night you guys need to clear off home."
How I wanted so much for Yukino to not be there. How I wanted so much to just put my arms around that woman and tell her that whatever it was, it would be alright if she would let me make it so. How I wanted to hug her forever until all her fears and worries and aches and concerns went away and only peace was left.
How I wanted that.
"Sure," Yukino nodded, "let's go."
So we went.
- - - oOo - - -
14 – 17 July 2007
For author notes about Chapter Fifty Five, please see my forum (click on my pen name).
