Kasane [Chapter 105 - Dawn]

[Free Talk: I made a mistake about ‘Ake no Hime’s translation. Ake is actually 'dawn = 暁' but it isn’t called ‘Akatsuki’ since it is just ‘あけ’ when I saw it on the previous chapter. Based on the Jap-Eng online dictionary, ‘Ake’ meant ‘red’ ^^; Anyway, sorry about that.]

Nogiku takes out the lipstick and puts it on Kasane’s lips. Then, she kisses Kasane. After Nogiku pulls away from her, Kasane starts to hold her face. Nogiku says that always until the end of the play, she’ll comply with the agreement so Kasane also ought to comply with what she herself said.

Kasane says yes, of course. She looks at Nogiku before leaving. Nogiku watches her leave. Walking downstairs, Iku calls out to Nogiku and says, Kasane-chan...no, Saki has finally returned. Nogiku says yes, but she doesn’t know why...

“In the end, there is something wrong [/strange] about her. I had never seen her as ‘Saki’ while having that kind of expression.” Saki looks glum and serious. At a theater, Saki hesitates to open the door.

When she finally did, Kingo greets her from the stage. “It has been a long time, Saki.” Saki didn’t reply. As she heads towards the stage, Saki says that obviously this isn’t a rehearsal so how come she has to use this face in coming to the theater.

Kingo says that it’s nothing much, just a small ceremony. He holds out his hand to her to help her climb up the stage. He says, “In order to make you temporarily retreat from ‘reality’. And, once again, go into the ‘make believe’. You would unexpectedly return to the stage for me.”

Saki tells him that there’s no need for him to say those words since she didn’t return to the stage for him. Looking at the Ake no Hime script on his hand, she says, “Perhaps, it is simply just for that script, that’s all...

...*sits down by the stage* Even if you said that it is based on Akeiwa’s legend but after I read it, I noticed...” Narration: “Starting from the ‘beautiful miko’[shrine priestess]’ and the ‘ugly witch’s past, the two’s fate are mutually intertwined. ‘Izana’ and ‘Sugeyo’. ‘Kasane’ and ‘Nogiku’.”

Saki continues to say that no one can write this story except for him who had watched Isana attentively from the start. “Because of this, I’m quite afraid if the current me can act out this work which seems to be the compilation of your and Isana’s life—

...But, while reading the script, my blood is boiling. As if it is screaming out, no matter what, ‘I want to act in this play’.” After a pause, Kingo says that Izana also told him the same thing before. “At that time, I let her see ‘Ake no Hime’s draft.”

Flashback: In the house, Izana looked surprised as she reads the script. She called out to Kingo and asked what he is thinking. “This story... It is simply [/isn’t it that kagura]...” Kingo urged her to please continue to read it. He tensely watched Isana read his script.

He thought, “Even if I said that, deep down I’m starting to regret it already. This play will make her recall that hateful past. She’ll definitely be angry [/will not allow it] but...” He is surprised when tears start to drop from Izana’s eyes. She continued to read on as Kingo watched her.

Isana stopped reading. As tears continue to flow, she covered her mouth and looked at the side. This made Kingo shout, “...about...about that, I’m sorry!! It obviously should be sealed up and forgotten but I wrote it into a script...”

Izana said that she doesn’t know why but she did want to forget all of it, that place and the legend, even the mother who brought her up. “But, I want to act in this play...Kingo. *smiled and looked at him* ...This is a story that I should be acting in.” Kingo looked surprised. End flashback.

Kingo said that person said that she wanted to act in his play and she even smiled while said that. “In the very end, it didn’t happen. But that person had left you behind, you who have inherited her talent. If it is you, you ought to be able to make the legend become realistic...

...Show it in front of me and the audience. Swallowing everything [/know everything thoroughly] and be reborn through the fire as a BEAUTIFUL WOMAN-!!” Glum Saki quietly looks at the side. She says that she has a request. “This play needs two leads. ‘A beautiful miko’ and ‘an ugly witch’-

...It is an internal and external existence [integrated body] that is extremely close and extremely far. [<- I think it is opposites yet the same existence] If I’ll be playing the beautiful woman, then, the ugly role has to be act out by ‘Igarashi Iku’.” This surprises Kingo.

Kasane explains that Yoshio had recognized and praised Iku’s acting. “Besides that, she’s an actress who wants to try to understand the pain of an ugly woman [me]. There is no one else except for her.”

Kingo says that it is okay and it is quite convenient for him to keep an eye on someone who knew the secret of the lipstick. “And besides...it seems very interesting. ...then, thanks to Saki, finally, it has started...‘Ake no Hime’...!

Saki glances at him then recalls the time when her mother said something to her when they were clinging on the tree trunk on that fateful day. Narration: “A director who anticipates the opening and the actress [me] who anticipates the curtain call. At the end’s end...I’ll answer you, your last words.”

Comment: Kasane really looks too serious and quiet. She doesn’t seem that thrilled to change back into a beauty since she asked Kingo why she has to look like ‘Saki’ just for their meeting. It is normal for Nogiku to be suspicious. There has to be a catch why Kasane gave her the lipstick and made that agreement.

The play turns out to be about the kagura. So, because of that, it might be possible to do the ‘permanent switch’ since the kagura seems to be involved in it. It seems that the play is both good and bad for Kasane. Good since she wants to play it but in her current situation, she isn’t confident that she can pull it off.

Apparently, Izana was the one who should be playing the role. That was Kingo’s dream. And, currently, that is his drive in wanting Kasane to play it. To somehow fulfill the dream, someone with Izana’s talent will be acting out the play. The script must have been quite good that Izana is moved to tears by it even if it is a story that she wanted to forget.

Kingo has already agreed for Iku to play the other lead. It makes me wonder if the permanent switch will happen between Kasane and Iku. ^^; But most likely not, it has to be with Nogiku. So, is answering what Izana told her before she died = permanent switch? Scans by RAD汉化组

Word of the day:

You run on the “fuel” of your spirit. You have to replenish and care for your spirit; otherwise, you won’t have the energy to keep going. ‘Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23’ ~ 101 mottos for success by J. Richards and M.S. Fontaine.