Ranma Half Moon chapter 42, A Star is Borne of Sorrow, part 5
Author's note: This episode is on the same day as Sailor Moon episode 26, Bring a smile to Naru's Face! Usagi's friendship.
Aino Minako's friend leads by her hand backstage. Even though they were both sixth graders, her friend had an older brother who had helped direct the play, even though he had just started high school.
They reach a back room. Many older students mill about, but they give Minako's friend respectful distance, since they all know who she is.
"Nii-sama! This is my best friend, Minako. Minako, this my Nii-chan Andrew."
Andrew smiles at Minako. "You look very lively."
Minako makes a peace sign. "I really liked your play."
Andrew blushes. "I had a lot of help, but thank you."
...
The other cast members try to console Minako.
Andrew pats Minako on the shoulder. "I'm sure that wasn't the only copy of the song. They probably only had a technical glitch."
Another member of the cast runs up. "Minako, Andrew. Come quick, the director is furious!"
Andrew raises an eyebrow. "We were just listening to the radio."
...
Seventh grader Minako walks with her friend backstage at the high school theater. Unlike the previous year, many of the guys backstage complement her on her looks. I guess compliments should not surprise me since I have gained three inches in height, five inches in hair length, and have started to fill out as a young woman since I came backstage last year.
Her friend gives the guys a dirty look.
They reach the back room. "Andrew, we're here!"
"Hey guys."
"You remember Minako from last year?"
Andrew's eyes grow wide. "You're Minako-chan? Wow, what a difference a year makes!"
Minako looks down at the ground. "Andrew, I've been thinking of you a lot. If you don't have a girlfriend, I just want you to know that you can be my boyfriend." Wow, that was was not impressive, unless Andrew likes girls who stutter on every fourth or fifth word.
Andrew smiles. "Minako, that's a very moving confession. But, you'll have to excuse me because I don't have much experience. What do boyfriends and girlfriends do?"
"They play together, and comfort each other when they cry."
"I would like that a lot, Minako-chan. But, there's a small problem with that idea."
"You like boys? My friends were telling me that lots of guys go into drama because they like boys."
A giant sweat mark appears beside Andrew's head.
"I can't say that doesn't happen, but my problem is that I like girls who are older than me."
Minako looks saddened. "Well, you have a kid sister. Maybe you could be my big brother?"
"That would be great."
...
"What's the director's problem?"
Minako and Andrew walk towards the director's office.
"Don't worry, I won't let them bully my kid sister."
They walk past Mio. Mio presses her hands together.
Suddenly, instead of looking straight ahead, Andrew alternates between looking ahead and looking at Minako. Minako, instead of walking at a slight distance from Andrew, walks closer and surreptitiously places her hand on Andrew's side as if they were boyfriend and girlfriend.
Minako looks worried. "Do you think they found out about last night?"
"What we did was risky."
"Do you regret it?"
"No."
Andrew and Minako walk into the director's office.
The director holds a picture in his hand, shaking with rage. "Andrew, you had seemed like such a mature boy for your age. This makes this all the more tragic and shocking."
"What's going on?"
"We are canceling the play."
"What?" Minako and Andrew yell in unison.
"We have no choice. If the show goes on a scandal magazine is going to publish this." The director shows Minako and Andrew a picture of them kissing in a darkened theater.
Andrew gulps.
"We can make up an excuse and get the insurance money and pay the scandal magazine off. Otherwise, the picture gets published and Andrew, you might wind up with huge problems because the of age difference."
"I'm sorry our indiscretion was discovered, but I am not sad that it happened."
"Personally, I don't disapprove of young love. But, this magazine is very vindictive, so you might have to do something more, Andrew-san. With your semi-celebrity status, they still might want to go after you."
"I can go to England. I have an aunt who can get me an apprenticeship on the London Police Force."
The director nods. "That would probably work. The scandal won't mean much in a couple of months. However, Minako," the director's voice grows ice cold. "Your indiscretion has hurt a lot of people who worked very hard for this play. I'm afraid I'm going to have to tell my fellow director friends that you're not a dependable person to work with."
"Minako, it was really my fault. I won't see you again. I'm sorry." Andrew runs out.
Minako walks out of the office in shock.
Mio waits for her in the hall. "Way to go, lover girl. The word has already spread. Idol Singer Monthly called my manager and said they canceled and erased your single."
"I, I, I ..."
"You know, Minako, I tried really hard to help bring you up to my level. I really thought that you were a dependable person. Sometimes I think that people who screw up and prevent other people from living their dreams shouldn't live."
Minako walks out of the theater in a daze, watched by scores of hateful eyes.
...
Ranma-ko arrives at Minako's house. She vaults in one jump to Minako's balcony. Ranma-ko immediately notices something is wrong, Minako's balcony door is open and there is a note taped to it.
"Ranma. I am sorry. You do not deserve a partner who is cursed. Myself and my beloved Andrew have disgraced ourselves with our affair last night. I have left the country. Please forget me." There is a picture of Minako crying on the note.
Ranma-ko enters Minako's room. She hears a thumping from the closet. Ranma opens the door.
"Ranma!"
"Cool cat, what the heck happened?"
"Ranma, Minako has lost her mind."
"She had an affair with some guy called Andrew last night?"
"Minako kept me up until three in the morning with her snoring. And, Minako thinks of Andrew as a big brother."
"What is going on?"
"It gets worse. Her copy of the song also erased itself. It's like someone took everything she worked for the last two years and made it disappear."
Mio Kuroki jumps to Minako's balcony. She peeks in Minako's room and sees Ranma-ko talking to Artemis. Mio reads the note.
No, no, no, no, no! Minako, you didn't get it. You were supposed to kill yourself!
Mio looks demonic with rage and leaps from the balcony into the night.
The End of "A Star Is Borne of Sorrow"
Next Arc: Can Ranma get his grove back?