Kokona
I was so surprised to run into Chikage-chan in a place like that! Thank you for your letter the other day! Everyone in the troupe read it.

Chikage
Ah, y-yes. Thank you...

Chisa
Everyone was fired up by Chikage's letter.

Chisa
...Are you coming to watch the district's free performance too?

Chikage
Of course! I've got tickets for the performance, and I'll be attending the open rehearsal as well!

Kokona
Really!? Thank you! Fufu, we're looking forward to rehearsing in front of the elementary school children too.

Kokona
Chikage-chan, you really love theatre, don't you?

Kokona
I heard you always come to watch Sirius's performances.

Chikage
Yes. I want to attend not only Sirius's performances but all the plays performed in various places without fail.

Chikage
...What about it?

Kokona
If you love theatre so much, don't you ever want to try acting yourself, Chikage-chan?

Chikage
What!? Me, on the acting side!?

Chikage
No way, no way! Nothing like that!

Chikage
I'm not that type of person, and first of all, there's no way I could do it well!

Kokona
I wonder about that? Before I joined Sirius, I was really terrible too.

Kokona
"Love. This is true love!"

Kokona
Like that. Fufu, it makes you laugh, doesn't it?

Chikage
That line is from "Romeo and Juliet"...

Kokona
That's right! Looking back now, I was really bad, but at the time, that was my best effort.

Chikage
...Your acting just now was certainly awful, but in Sirius's regular performances, you don't seem like that at all.

Kokona
Fufu, yay. I practiced a lot, so I'm happy~ Chikage-chan, I'm sure you'd become very good if you practiced too.

Kokona
Oh right, Chikage-chan. Do you remember the continuation of that line from earlier?

Chikage
Eh?

Chikage
Um... This is the scene where Romeo sees Juliet for the first time and...

Chikage
...Has my heart...ever known true love before?

Chikage
"I have never seen true beauty until this moment! Love. This is true love!"

Kokona
That's right! Well done, well done!

Kokona
Let's continue! Here, Romeo takes Juliet's hand and...

Chikage
Um...

Chikage
"I'm sorry, I have defiled your holy shrine with my touch."

Chikage
"Would you allow me to cleanse that impurity?"

Kokona
Yes, yes. And then, the next line is Juliet's, I think... Um, what was it, Sasuga-chan?

Chisa
...

Kokona
Sasuga-chan?

Chisa
Ah, um...

Chisa
Sorry, what were we talking about?

Kokona
The scene in "Romeo and Juliet" where Romeo sees Juliet for the first time. I couldn't remember what Juliet says in response.

Chisa
Ah, that's...what was it, let's see, Romeo says, "Would you allow me to cleanse that impurity?" and...

Chikage
We've already done that part...

Kokona
Well, well, it's common to go back a bit when trying to remember!

Chisa
I remember now. It's "Sir pilgrim, that would be a pity for your hand," I think.

Kokona
Ah! Yes, that's it! That's how Romeo and Juliet first speak to each other.

Kokona
"Sir pilgrim, that would be a pity for your hand. Saints have hands too, and pilgrims' touch is a kiss."

Kokona
Chikage-chan, do you remember the line?

Kokona
Ahaha, sorry. I couldn't do it very well today.

Chikage
Geez... You were so cool in "The Phantom of the Opera"...

Kokona
Eh, really?

Chikage
But I was saying that your improvisation just now was disappointing!

Kokona
Ugh...I can't argue with that... Oh, Sasuga-chan and Panda-chan are good at improvisation.

Kokona
No matter what happens, they quickly and coolly cover for each other, so I'm always learning from them.

Chikage
Sasuga-san and Panda-san...

Kokona
Do you know? They're both very skilled actors. Oh right, during "Romeo and Juliet"-

Chikage
...I know. I love "Romeo and Juliet" too. But neither of them has played lead roles recently.

Chikage
With people like you and Kathrina-san joining the troupe, Niizumachi becoming a Dai Star, and recently the appearance of Shizuka-san, a promising new star...

Chikage
Of course, I think the overall acting level of Sirius is rising. Each production is becoming more and more impressive.

Chikage
...But in "The Demon's Friend," Panda-san and the others seemed to have settled completely into positions as supporting actors.

Chikage
Honestly, at this rate, I think they'll be overtaken by you and the others.

Kokona
Chikage-chan, don't say it like that-

Chisa
Panda is working really hard.

Kokona
Sasuga-chan?

Chisa
Panda is a hard worker. She's always making a lot of effort where people can't see.

Chisa
There's absolutely no way Panda will be buried within Sirius.

Chisa
I can't talk about it in detail yet, but in the upcoming free performance too, Panda is not in a "supporting" position.

Chisa
Panda will definitely give a wonderful performance, and she'll surely make the stage shine brilliantly and captivate the audience.

Chisa
At the actual performance, Panda and I will show you acting that will take your breath away.

Chikage
...

Chikage
...I understand. I'll watch again at the free performance. Ah, but before that, there's the open rehearsal first.

Kokona
Yes.

Kokona
...Hey, Chikage-chan.

Chikage
...Yes.

Kokona
I'm happy that you praise me, Kathrina-chan, and Shizuka-chan, but Sasuga-chan and Panda-chan are important seniors to us too.

Chikage
...

Kokona
And you know, in theatre, there are many roles that can shine even if they're not the lead. I'm sure Chikage-chan understands that, having watched so many performances.

Kokona
So, Panda-chan and Sasuga-chan aren't buried at all. We're all comrades creating a single stage together.

Kokona
Though I understand the feeling of wanting your favourite actors to have more screen time!

Chisa
Eh, is that what this is about?

Chikage
N-no, that's not what I meant...!

Kokona
Fufu, but Chikage-chan wants Panda-chan and the others to play lead roles and be active.

Kokona
The next performance is still a secret, but we're doing something a bit different from usual. I think it will be a performance you'll enjoy, so look forward to it.

Kokona
As Sasuga-chan says, I'm sure Panda-chan and Sasuga-chan will create an amazing stage together.