ᴅᴀʏᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ᴠᴏɪᴅ | ʜ. ᴍɪᴋᴀɢᴇ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ x ᴄ. ᴜᴛꜱᴜᴋɪ

『three: an offer』

Chapter 3

"Locked up in a cage of thorns, how do I wake up from this deep slumber?"

"Umm, so you're Chikage Utsuki-san, right?" Izumi asked the man clad in a white turtle neck sweater that was layered by a pale blue jacket.

"Yup." Chikage answered. They were now inside the Mankai Company's property, holding Chikage Utsuki's audition to be the latest addition to the new spring troupe.

"Then let's begin our brief troupe audition and interview. First, please introduce yourself." Izumi instructed Chikage who was standing on the stage.

"Chikage Utsuki, engaged. Born April 14th, 183cm tall, blood type A." Chikage answered curtly.

"I was introduced by my coworker, Chigasaki. I'll be in your care." He continued.

"How's that?" He added as an afterthought.

"That's fine." Izumi nodded with a smile. "Next, please read the lines in this page." she said as she handed Chikage a booklet that was opened.

"Eight o'clock, huh..." Chikage trailed off. "I'll take a taxi-no, it'll get caught in traffic. If I switch trains... no, I still won't make it." He said, trailing off a few more times to emphasis his train of thought.

Chikage went through a couple more lines of the dialogue he was handed. He used his phone as a prop as he 'called' someone, giving them a notice that he won't make it in time.

Chikage continued to read through the next lines of the script. He was expressing frustration as he read them until the end.

"...How's that?" Chikage asked Izumi as soon as his act ended.

"...Do you have any acting experiences?" Izumi asked.

"No, this is my first time." Chikage clarifies. Izumi held a thoughtful position for a few seconds, judging the performance he put out a couple of seconds ago.

"Then I'd like you to join practice as soon as possible...." Izumi announced as she made her final decision of accepting the new guy.

"You wanted to dorm, right? When do you plan on moving in?" Izumi asked Chikage. The aforementioned man thought his options over cautiously as he reached a conclusion.

"I can't really move in right away; I think it'll be next weekend." Chikage said to Izumi.

"I see..." Izumi said, trailling off. "Then you'll join practice starting next week... Let's get along!" She added with a smile.

"Same here. Nice to meet you." Chikage replied curtly. "Also, my fiance would love to meet you. She's a big fan as well." He added.

"Oh really? That can be arranged." Izumi said with a smile.

"Sure. I think she can drop by right now." Chikage said with a small smile on his lips as he fished out his phone from his pocket and dialed his fiancee's number.

"You're free right now?" Chikage asked as he glanced back at Izumi.

"Oh! Like right now? Yeah, I think so." Izumi said as she briefly went through all her scheduled meetings and jobs for the week.

That's how Sakyo, Izumi, Chikage and his fiancee ended up at a nearby cafe, staring at each other. Chikage's fiancee cleared her throat,

"Uhm, hi. My name is [Name] [Last Name]. I would like to make an offer." [Name] said in a timid manner.

"Go ahed." Sakyo raised his eyebrows as he crossed his arms.

"W-well, I am here in behalf of my father from The Sakikumi Company..." [Name] explained. "We offer to sponsor ¥x,xxx,xxx for the next play." she added.

"Why? What's in it for us?" Sakyo asked, his tone fully laced with caution.

"T-the Sakikumi Company is a company my father has built in order to help out small to medium scale theaters in Veludo Way..." [Name] started.

"Oh, I heard my father talk about that company when I was younger..." Izumi whispered to herself which didn't go unnoticed by [Name] and Chikage.

"Wh-when my father was younger, he dreamt of building his own theater. Due to u-unfortunate circumstances, grand father died early and passed the family's business to father." [Name] continued her story.

"N-now that he has done well in our family business, he built The Sakikumi Company in order to help theater companies. Since he-" [Name] pulled out a handkerchief and his her face as she wiped away the tears that were starting to fall.

"He couldn't reach his dream, so he decided that he will help others in doing so." [Name] ended her story at this.

She could tell, Izumi too was emotional. She also could tell Sakyo was slightly moved by her story, no matter how indifferent his face was. The [Name] felt Chikage's hand pat her back in a comforting manner.

"I-I'm sorry I got a little bit emotional there." [Name] added, wiping away the last of the tears that were falling from her eyes.

Sakyo looked over to Izumi who was seating beside him. She seems to be a tad bit too emotional to decide and continue on this business on a professional matter. It's now all up to him.

"What will be our part?" Sakyo asked.

"P-page 17. 14th line." [Name] replies. Sakyo took the bundle of papers that [Name] brought out earlier.

"A personel from Th-the Sakikumi Company will be working with the chosen company closely." [Name] explained.

"H-however, father made it specific that I should work with the Mankai Company." She added.

"And by closesly, you mean?" Sakyo asked further.

"A-ah! Don't worry! It's just w-watching practices, street acts, the process of designing and sewing the costumes, props making! Things like that!" [Name] replied.

"Anyways, that will be all. I hope to receive an answer in two days. Thank you for lending me your time, Izumi-san, Sakyo-san." [Name] said with a small bow that Chikage did too.

Within a minute later, the couple was back in Chikage's car.

"That was quite some show you put on there." Chikage commented, his tone laced with amusement as his eyes were focused on the road.

"Of course. It's me after all." [Name] said with a huff as she crossed her arms.

Muffled screams from the backseat of Chikage's car were resonating throughout the otherwise quite car.

"Shut up, old man. Your company is now paying for your sins." [Name] said without looking back.

Another round of muffled screams were heard, as if protesting. Sounds of struggling were heard too. This irked [Name] very much.

"Shut up and die, Sakikumi." She said as she finally looked at the backseat.

Her eyes met a pair of teary, pleading brown ones. The man was around forty. His hair was a tousled mess of chocolate brown color. His hands were tied up and his once crisp gray suit was wrinkled to oblivion. Blood were starting to stain his wrist.

"That's what you get for messing with the organization. My best advice would be to eat shit and die quickly." [Name] rolled her eyes.

"Your shy, good girl act fits you much better." Chikage chuckled, stopping the car now that they reached their destination, their own home.

"Shut up, you're a shithead."