ダブル・ファンタジー

Hey...

Are you a bit nervous?

By the way,

I haven't asked your age yet.

- How old are you? - Thirty-five.

You don’t look it.

Men think women become elated, simply by telling them:

“You look younger than their age.”

Why don’t they have the decency to avoid the topic

and instead say: “Women become the most attractive at that age”?

It feels good...

Hey, you feel good?

Do you think I can get in the mood

with your incessant pestering?

All wrong.

Makes me want to

audibly click my tongue.

Once again,

it seems I pulled a dud…

[Original work by Murayama Yuka Double Fantasy - Published by Bunshun Bunk]

I have a package for Mrs. Takato Natsu-sama!

[Natsu Takato - 1152 Tofuno, Minuma-ku, Saitama-Shi, 337-0017 Japan]

- Thank you. - I take my leave!

It was the item

I’d bought in London last week,

as its beauty immediately caught my eye.

Its price so terrifying

I wouldn’t dare tell my husband, Shougo.

Don’t say you love me.

I’m...

only in it for the pleasure.

Don’t say you love me.

I'm...

only in it for the pleasure.

And cut!

Now entering break.

We’re now entering break.

- Nice work. - You too.

Script?

- Thanks for all your hard work. - You too.

Sensei, may I speak with you for a second?

Oh, of course.

You know, Sensei

the dialogue you write is quite physical, isn’t it?

When I reading it, I get embarrassed and red to my ears

but when acting it out, I feel a rush of excitement.

Thank you very much.

But Sensei, you're so calm and modest.

You don’t look like the type of person who’d write such a script, it’s a mystery to me.

Anyway, about this one scene here…

I reserved the same hotel as usual.

I hope you can finish the final manuscript by tomorrow morning.

No problem.

How's Senpai doing?

He’s working hard in the fields, as usual.

That Shougo is always the recluse.

Maybe dirt's a better conversation partner for him!

I’m a bit jealous.

Retired, and living a life of leisure now, isn’t he!

Well, if he wasn’t transferred to the sales department I’m sure he’d have wanted to stay in this field.

Well if he ever comes around

let him know that I’d love to grab a drink with him some time!

When tasked with writing

my first ever serial drama series

for prime time

I was assigned a director.

That man was none other than Shougo.

When we first met

this man, who was three years my senior

seemed to be quite the mature adult.

You know Natsuppe...

You have to sleep when you can.

You've convinced yourself into believing that you can only concentrate at night.

Most working people in the world function the same way.

Alright?

There’s no way you won’t finish.

- You say you’ll pull an all-nighter to wrap it up. - We’ve been married for 6 years.

But you won't feel...

However...

He’s become something like a mother figure to me.

I breathe and yet I suffocate.

Though I’m not dead

the feeling of being alive eludes me.

Once more!

I understand.

So everything started with that production of Snow White?

When I was around 5 years old

I went to go see a play at an amusement park.

Snow White awakened from the kiss of a prince

and with a bright smile she turned to face the applauding audience.

I was extremely envious

and thus decided in the moment that I’d join that world as well.

So you first aimed to become an actress?

Well...

In a stage play

everything is plotted out from beginning to end right from the get-go, correct?

In a fictional story

which already has a set conclusion

there’s no reason for anyone to have restraint towards one another.

I felt a sense of liberation once reaching that conclusion.

No need to read between the lines either!

Exactly!

Then in college,

I joined the university theatre club

and I’d discovered that I enjoyed creating the stories rather than acting them out.

And that’s what pushed you to enter in the playwright competition?

The one who vouched for my work

in the selection committee

was the theatre director, Shizawa Sensei.

You mean that Shizawa Ichirouta-san?

I’m a big fan of his!

I’m actually going to see one of his production’s next month.

As I recall, you went to see the London production of this play, right?

I'm so envious.

Geez...

Shizawa Ichirouta,

Sixty-years old.

His productions always search for the “something”

that lies between the thin border

of human emotion and insanity.

Because of that, he’s become a nationally renowned genius.

And now, the bouquet

to be presented by the head of

this year’s selection committee

Mr. Shizawa Ichirouta.

Please, Shizawa Sensei.

Congratulations on winning the award.

Thank you very much.

Cameramen, please make your way to the front of the stage.

Your eyes seem to blaze with a sinful glare.

Sinful glare, huh…

- Good work. - Thanks, you too.

- Takato-san, thank you so much! - Thank you as well.

Thanks for your hard work.

- Good work today. - And to you as well.

The article will be published in next month’s issue.

I hear your series is quite the hit.

- Thanks. - Right back at you.

Your recent essay was also quite the hit.

Pardon me.

Thank you.

So...

What kind of person is Shizawa Sensei in his daily life?

I’ve given him my greetings at parties before

but he doesn’t seem like the type of guy I’d be able to casually start a conversation with.

True.

Rumor has it, he’s on another level of “indiscriminate”.

What do you mean?

He seduces women left and right, with no hesitation!

That’s not the kind of person he is!

Could you stop insulting my respected teacher?

I give my sincere apologies.

You were able to meet him in London, right?

I didn’t have the opportunity to greet him.

He’s always quite busy, so there’s no time to relax and catch up.

If anything, I’m probably the last thing on his mind.

Shizawa Sensei

Just now

I received your invitation

and could not help but let out a voice of surprise.

To tell you the truth

I had gone to see your London performance.

However, as I had become overcome with emotion following it,

I hesitated in giving you

my greetings. That was quite shameful of me.

I eagerly look forward

to your performances in Japan.

Thank you very much.

And now, next on the 17th

Rising Playwright's Competition: Awards Ceremony—

Next time we meet

do you want to have sex?

Your own work is first priority.

If you’ve got the time to watch my plays

focus on your work.

Though my invitation contradicts that very statement.

Work is work, and I’ll be sure to get it done.

However,

to watch a production that you Sensei put together

is something like

a dose of Camphor to me.

Even now, I am quite excited for this production.

Welcome back!

- The bath is ready. - Ah, okay.

- Hurry and warm up. - Thanks.

Oh this is bad, very, very bad.

You finished up the final manuscript for us

but the lead actor's schedule got a bit tight.

What do you mean?

See, it looks like a commercial shoot he had scheduled got a bit delayed.

- So? - What should we do?