Izumi: Aren’t you acting a bit too pretentious right at the start? It’s just like Tenshouin to act all suspicious though.
Eichi: Fufu. It’s just my own type of service. I thought it’d be fun to recreate the way I met Anzu-chan. That fits with the theme of the show, right?`
Kaoru: My first meeting with Anzu-chan… That’s something I don’t really wanna think of. It’s a part of my dark past.
Izumi: You just chased Anzu around right?
Kaoru: I only called out to her when I saw her, I didn’t chase her… Well, I don’t wanna hear anything about chasing someone around from you, Senacchi.
Izumi: Hah? Look, Yuu-kun and I mutually love each other, so I wasn’t chasing anyone around, got it?
Keito: Hakaze didn’t even mention Yuuki’s name though? Glad to know you're at least a little bit aware.
Madara: Anzu-san used to be pretty wary of Kaoru-san, so she hid behind me once to avoid him.
Do you remember that, Anzu-san? …Yes yes, I’m talking about that time we played billiards[1] together. Mama’s glad you remembered that ☆
Keito: Billiards? I wasn’t aware you had a hobby like that, Anzu.
Eichi: … You said “I’m not good at it enough to call it a hobby”? There’s no such thing as being good or bad at a hobby.
Alright. Then, how about we play a game after we finish recording? If you beat me, I’ll buy you anything you want…♪
Chiaki: I’d love to join! I never played billiards before, but I always wanted to try…☆
Kaoru: Ahaha, one of Moricchi’s charm points is that he can manage to squeeze himself into the smallest of gaps～
Izumi: You're acting all adult like just standing on the sidelines like that. Are you going to join them? You look like someone who’d be good at billiards.
Kaoru: As a matter of fact, I am good at it. Then, let me join in and show off a bit♪
Chiaki: Haha, this reminds me of that time we all went to the arcade together after school[2]…☆
Shu: I remember that very well. I had no choice but to join you all when Tenshouin threatened me by saying, “If you don’t come with us, I’ll blow up Mademoiselle♪”
…But I will say that it was a good memory of mine, since I was able to spend my time like a regular student would.
[TL] Backdoor - an Original Scenario written by Akira
Backdoor is a short original story written by Akira-sensei to accompany the release of the Crossroad animated series. I recommend watching it before reading this, especially if you haven't read the original Crossroads.
Please enjoy my translation below!
—
Backdoor
I break in from the backdoor. I feel like a super cool outlaw from one of those movies. Avoid the countless traps, blindly shoot the enemies like bang bang bang! Feast your eyes, idiots of the world!
I am the great Oogami Koga…!
"..."
By the back door is a guy with blond hair who’s sorting the trash out, probably works here part time. Since I came in and started acting like a weird middle schooler, he looks at me, surprised.
“Hey, you–” Part-time-kun (tentative name) puts his hand out with a totally bored expression. “One thousand yen. It’s the entrance fee.”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry.”
“Next time come in from the proper entrance, ‘kay?” Part-time-kun (tentative name) doesn’t lecture me any further and exchanges my 1000 yen bill for a sleek plastic card. If I show this at the bar, I can get a drink and stuff. I thank him. “Enjoy your night～♪”
Part-time-kun (tentative name) is side-eyeing me, and at this point in time I’m so embarrassed all I want to do is go home but I pull myself together and head inside.
I’m in a cheap underground livehouse in the downtown area, near Yumenosaki Private Academy, the school I’m going to attend.
My sanctuary is here.
My god is here.
***
The livehouse I've been hanging around in lately is built a little weird. The entrance to the stairs is in a back alley. At the bottom of the stairs, there’s two corridors, one leading left, the other right. There’s a lot of soundproof doors, standing one after another. The majority of these small rooms are booths, meant to be hired out by amateur bands to practise in. If you look through the window of one, it’s normally empty since nobody really uses them.
Well, these days people don’t practise by actually picking up an instrument, playin’ until their fingers hurt. I’ve been doin’ that too lately, sittin’ at home ‘n staring blankly at my computer screen. I dunno.
At the end of the empty corridor, there’s the employees only room, the kitchen, and the back entrance which I found by accident when I was trespassing.
I’ve been short on cash lately because I’ve been buyin’ like, introductory books to playin’ the guitar ‘n stuff so I’ve been sneakin’ in that way ‘cos then I don’t hafta pay the entrance fee. No-one’s ever around anyway.
“I won’t be able to come in that way next time,” I complain as I walk down the corridor in low spirits, stopping when I find the soundproof room I’m looking for.
The biggest, most extravagant door is in the middle of the corridor. At the back, at the heart of this place— is the livehouse, or I guess you could call it a music hall.
“♪～♪～♪”
I open the weighted door and my entire body is blasted by music.
This is it. This electrifying feeling.
At the back of this relatively wide space is a really nice stage, and that’s where bands that have signed up to perform do so. The entrance fee also covers one drink, but you can order more food and drink and enjoy the show at the same time. It’s your average livehouse. I dunno though. I’m underaged, so I stick to a non-alcoholic tomato juice whilst enjoying the show.
Since this place is close to Yumenosaki, a lot of the customers are scruffy-looking students. I never thought young me would come to a place like this. I’m just in ordinary clothes. This place pays attention to its customer base, so there's not a drop of alcohol or a single cloud of cigarette smoke to be seen. Only super cool music is playing. It’s echoing.
“～...♪”
My God is in the middle of the stage, singing enthusiastically. The lyrics are in English, and I understand almost none of them. The lyrics are probably about wishing for world peace, or religious sacrilege; something complicated but meaningful. When I asked what he was singing about later, he said something like “I’m so happy because my cute little brother has recovered from his cold!”
Is he stupid? Or am I the stupid one for being so entranced by him?
But. I didn’t know that sort of thing back then, so I was genuinely moved by him.
Illuminated by the dim stage lighting, his pale corpse-like skin stood out in the shadows— him.
Crimson eyes like hellfire.
Black hair that melts into the darkness.
From between his seductive lips that are sexier than any girls’, comes a masculine, deep voice.
He looked simultaneously like an angel that could rescue the world and a devil that could destroy it too. Whether angel or devil, his singing voice was powerful enough to completely change the very fabric of this world.
“～...♪”
The name of the person I respect the most in this world is Sakuma Rei.
My God.
***
I was born and raised in an unremarkable environment.
We’re middle class. My dad’s an office worker and he earns a pretty decent wage, and my mum’s a housewife, which is rare nowadays.
They bought a nice detached house in a nice place. Both of my parents like kids and like taking care of others, so I grew up pretty pampered. I’m aware that since I was spoiled, I grew up to be a selfish, cocky brat. I was given whatever I wanted. I didn’t know what I really wanted though since it would be handed to me before I could even think about it. When I got to an age where I didn’t need to be looked after, my parents got a dog to satisfy their overflowing need to help others (?). His name’s Leon. He’s the best dog ever.
I fussed over him too, but not in the way my parents did. Everyday, they’d treat him like he was a baby, doting on him, probably the same way they treated me. It made me sulk a bit.
I could tell that my parents’ interest had shifted from me to Leon. Leon isn’t bad. He was bought to be loved. He’s a pedigree, he was born for this, to be doted on. He’s a really good boy and whenever I felt sad he’d snuggle up close to me and put his face next to mine. So I wouldn’t be lonely. So I knew I wasn’t alone.
But I felt that the amount of love I had received up until this point was steadily decreasing, and it made me anxious.
—Alas! Miserable, spoiled Oogami Koga-kun!
But I wasn’t shameless enough of a person to say “pay attention to me instead of the dog!” Leon deserved to be loved as much as I did— I wandered around town, searching for someone other than my parents who could love me.
I was starved, yearning. I looked like a stray dog scavenging around for something to fill me up. My parents aren’t bad. Neither is Leon. I’m probably not bad either.
I’ve already finished compulsory education. I had reached the age where I could fend for myself. So I should have. I’m sure other people are doing that. We leave the watchful eye of our parents, tackle teenagehood, and find out who we are. Find what we want to do with our lives. After countless trial and error, I found what I was looking for— Sakuma Rei. His music satisfied what my soul had been craving.
***
The performance ends, and Sakuma Rei disappears behind the stage.
I’ve never been on stage before, so I don’t know what it looks like back there. There’s probably a passageway that leads to a green room or something. The livehouse is weirdly dark and it’s hard to see much of anything, so it really looks like Sakuma Rei vanished like a ghost.
The person who fills the gap in my heart, vanishes.
So I grow anxious again and begin blindly searching for him everywhere. I make my way through the livehouse, pushing through the swathes of people who came here to see Sakuma Rei.
—Sakuma Rei, Sakuma Rei, Sakuma Rei.
My soul wants him.
Of course, I’m not part of his family. We’re not even acquaintances, let alone friends. He’s probably never even heard of me. But I didn’t mind either way. I found him, met him, fell in love with him, and had my yearning quenched. That alone made me thankful. Sakuma Rei, without a doubt, saved me. That’s all I wanted. I was just a sheep, one of hundreds who came here. To me, he was the night sky, something I thought I could never reach. I didn’t mind just watching from afar. That’s how I really feel. If I never got to see him closeup, I’d be fine with that.
And yet.
“What you’re drinking looks good.”
Suddenly, the tomato juice I’d ordered, which I didn’t end up liking because it was weirdly sweet, is taken from my hand by someone next to me.
—The hell, bastard? That’s mine. When I go to look up at whoever grabbed my drink with a belligerent expression, I realise it’s Sakuma Rei.
“If you’re not drinking it, I’ll have it. Singing’s got me workin' up a sweat.”
Naturally, my body stiffens.
That’s Sakuma Rei.
If I reach out my hand, I could touch him.
I’m so surprised by what I originally thought was something that could never happen, I have nothing clever to say and instead, like an idiot, I freeze with my mouth ajar.
“What’s up? Oh, you’re at that age where you think indirect kisses are embarrassing, right…?” Sakuma Rei says with a somewhat apologetic expression. Then he says something absurd.
“Oopsies, sorry～…Don’t worry, I take full responsibility for stealing your first time. Mhm.”
That was the first conversation we had, and it’s not exactly something I can brag about to anyone.
Ever since then, ever since that moment, I’ve been at the mercy of this arrogant person.
***
I step through the backdoor.
The unmotivated-looking blond employee is slacking off on his phone again today– he’s a playboy called Hakaze and is actually the manager of this place. He’s also supposedly one of my senpai from Yumenosaki. He glances up from his phone at me with a gross expression.
“Look look. I just got another girl's number. I’m typing out my first message now.”
“Shut up, I don’t know you. Don’t talk to me, playboy.”
About two years have passed since I had my first conversation with Sakuma Rei, Sakuma Rei-senpai, a conversation I’d rather not remember.
I’ve got a bit taller and a bit stronger.
I practised intensely so my guitar and singing skills have somewhat improved.
Whilst I was growing, Yumenosaki had gone to the dogs.
Yumenosaki Private Academy’s an idol school steeped in a rich history and tradition. But inside, it was rotting.
I wanted to be like Sakuma-senpai, so I followed him without thinking and took Yumenosaki’s entrance exam like an idiot. I was blinded. I didn’t know anything. Every Yumenosaki student is shit. Naturally, I noticed that since I frequented the livehouse in order to see Sakuma-senpai.
A rotted miniature garden where those with dead eyes spend their sad youth reeking of corpses. Sakuma-senpai was weirdly energetic despite the backdrop of death, so I got it wrong. No. I think I was just an immature, stupid brat, so I didn’t notice.
Sakuma-senpai had those same dead eyes.
In the mountain of dead bodies, he was clinging onto life. He was the only one who didn’t want to die, he was the only one praying for something to happen.
No-one could save him.
A bespectacled monk boy from a temple came along and evoked anger in him, trying to make him into a human— into something more than human. The stupid, lost dog just wagged his tail and followed the hand that fed him.
We didn’t realise that the person that was always grinning like a fool, and living what appeared to be a happy life, was actually suffering more than anyone. He desperately needed help. You can see why we didn’t notice; he looked like he was having fun.
When he stood on stage with me and Shitty Glasses as Deadmanz, he lived each day like it was his last. He looked genuinely happy—he looked like he was alive. But that was only a short-lived dream. Once he steps off stage, the spell breaks, and he turns back into a corpse.
A revolution takes place at the rotted Yumenosaki.
Sakuma-senpai was seen as a cause of evil and exterminated by those who claimed to be on the side of justice. The evil monsters had been defeated, and everyone lived happily ever after. It’s creepy when a corpse moves. Yeah, nothing will change if you don’t exterminate all the gross monsters, right?
—Fuck you, you bastards!
***
“Wan-chan, will you be singing today too?” The bored-looking playboy asks, on his phone as usual. Guess he doesn’t really want to talk to me. “You should stop because you’re dampening the mood. People think you're one of Sakuma-san’s henchmen, so people think you’re evil too and will persecute you like he was.”
“I don’t care. I… I’m.” I growl, the shallow first person pronoun Sakuma-senpai sometimes used slips from my mouth [1]. I cling onto what I’ve got left of him. “I just wanna sing with all my energy. I don’t care what the rest of you do.”
“But you’re creating problems for the livehouse. A customer pokes fun at you or Sakuma-san, you get angry, and you start a fight—I really don’t want things like that happening.”
“I won't create any problems, I’ll be on my best behaviour.”
“Will you really? But you’re like the rest of the customers— You always look like you’re going to start arguing with other Yumenosaki students. You come in from the back entrance like, everytime, to avoid any trouble, right?”
“I still pay the entrance fee.”
“Why do you go out of your way to perform here even though you’ve got to jump over so many dangerous obstacles to get here? It’s super bothersome.” Playboy's grumbling as usual. He pulls out a key and throws it to me. “Here. I’ll give you a key to a room so you can change clothes and get ready. If you swear to not cause any more trouble, you can become our new breadwinner, Wan-chan. I actually want to cheer you on,” the playboy said and laughed insincerely.
I hate his demeanour, so I snap back.
“Don’t call me ‘Wan-chan’.”
“Sakuma-san calls you ‘Wanko’. I call you ‘Wan’ as in, ‘number one’. Honest, honest to god.” [2] Playboy’s face goes serious for a split second and he waved his hands around like he was trying to hide his embarrassment. “You can be my number one breadwinner, like Sakuma-san.”
“Don’t hafta tell me twice.”
Just like Sakuma-senpai, I’ll become the best guy in the world. My voice alone will excite the crowd. A flirtatious glance will have women swooning. With a single look, even the strongest of men will bow down to me. In an instant, their souls are gripped, I captivate everyone. I’ll become like Sakuma Rei too. But the journey is a long one. “Let’s go. I’m singin’ tonight.”
I reach my booth, key in hand, and change into my costume. I take out my guitar, who’s as important to me as my parents and Leon are. Once I’m ready, I head to the stage. To tackle this head on.
“Shake, you fools! Imma show you what real music is!”
I sing. My guitar does too.
Just like Sakuma-senpai did.
Right now I’m blindly copying him, but I pray that one day, I’ll be able to be just like him.
I hope this song reaches him, wherever he is.
***
Once, I was starving, yearning. But when I found Sakuma Rei and his music, my soul was satisfied.
—Now it’s my turn.
“Rock ‘n’ roll…!”
Come on, idiots of the world. I’ll open your eyes with my music. I’ll become your God.
~~~~
Translation notes:
[1] in the line above this one Koga says ‘俺...俺様は’ or ‘ore…ore sama wa’. Oresama being the first person pronoun rei sometimes used, and its very egotistical.
[2] number one is pronounced as, in this case, ‘nanbaa wan’
Character(s): Rei Sakuma, Koga Oogami, Kaoru Hakaze, Adonis Otogari, Keito Hasumi, Tomoya Mashiro, 'Hajime Shino'
Description: Rei and the rest of UNDEAD are set to relive their past in a "certain experiment". Though, the events that lead to the formation of their unit seem to be different from what they can remember...
Also, just a quick “in defense of Chaol Westfall.”
Yall love to hate on him for being jealous and rude because Aelin had moved on.
But here’s the thing, Aelin left promising to always choose him… And then promptly came back and did the opposite. He was hurt. And if Chaol had come back from an adventure after promising to “choose Aelin” with a babe on his arm we would’ve all been like “YES GO OFF AELIN DISS HIM!”
Just because Chaol is a man, we say that it is unacceptable for him to have an emotional response.
Was he justified in his behavior? No. Was it understandable? Absolutely.
Now, let’s fast forward to TOD…
Chaol is still in this stagnant relationship with Nesryn born of loneliness… and now he develops a crush on Yrene.
Yrene who has a very kind and handsome Royal interested in her.
Does Chaol get jealous? Does he insult Yrene? No, he does not.
And what is the difference?
Yrene never promised to choose him. She never set an expectation.
And I am in no way saying that Aelin can’t change her mind or that she deserved his wrath. I’m just saying, she set an expectation and didn’t meet it. That’s gonna ruin a relationship.
So all this talk of Chaol being a bad person or prone to jealousy is simply incorrect. He was upset with Aelin for breaking up with him. Like people tend to be when someone ends a relationship. He is allowed an unreasonable emotional response just like anyone else who got their heart broken.
This!!! Also we were robbed from meeting Terrin the snack Westfall ™. I mean a tall, skinny, brunette, sassy scholar with daddy issues? Sign me tf in. We were robbed! I really wanted for him to appear in the books or have at least a couple dialogues, I was intrigued since Throne of Glass.
“Dorian padded onto his balcony, needing to feel the river breeze on his face, to know that this was real and he was free.
He opened the balcony doors, the stones cool on his feet, and gazed out across the razed grounds. He’d done that. He loosed a breath, taking in the glass wall as it sparkled in the moonlight.
There was a massive shadow perched atop it. Dorian froze.
Not a shadow but a giant beast, its claws gripping the wall, its wings tucked into its body, shimmering faintly in the glow of the full moon. Shimmering like the white hair of the rider atop it.
Even from the distance, he knew she was staring right at him, her hair streaming to the side like a ribbon of moonlight, caught in the river breeze.”
I love just how everyone always talk about how Rowan and Aelin did it on the beach or the moment of Manon and Dorian in the ship, but at the same time forget that Chaol and Celaena did in a broom closet XD
