[SPOTLIGHT OF THE ANGELS 5: MATTHIAS DE CLERQ]
(Interview Room; 12:00 pm)
(Matthias De Clerq walks into the Interview Room, where Manami Tsuno is waiting)
Matthias: Hello? Is this the room?
Manami: Hello, Mr. de Clerq! Welcome to the Interview Room. Today, you have been chosen for the fifth Spotlight of the Angels!
Matthias: Ah. The interview Youhei and Miss Kumada went through?
Manami: Yup. You already know how it goes, right?
Matthias: Indeed. There are ten questions I have to answer, right?
Manami: Correct! Now take your seat!
Manami: Alright... Your first question is as follows: How do you feel being half Belgian, half Japanese?
Matthias: Well... part of me is proud of being Belgian, but... my parents were not happily married... they were set up for an arrange marriage after college. My mother loved someone else, but she had no choice but to accept.
Matthias: My mother is Japanese while my father is Belgian. I never knew the true personality of my father since they always fought...
Manami: I see... Your Second Question is as follows: Do you believe you can reconcile with your father?
Matthias: I do. Even though I have to defy my mother's orders of no contacting him, I want to learn more about my father... after he saved me from being sent to a drug cartel.
Matthias: But my mother, she saw it as him putting me in danger... and she filled for both divorce and full custody of me, which is why I moved from Belgium to Japan.
Manami: Your third question is as follows: Did you have any horses before you trained Bijoux?
Matthias: Actually, Bijoux is among the first horses I have... and she has been living the longest. She is now 7 years old after she was told to retire from horse racing due to not showing good results in the Triple Tiara.
Manami: I heard there have been several cases of retired race horses turned Dressage Horses in the industry.
Matthias: Indeed. Bijoux is a very precious treasure of mine and I wish to see her again.
Manami: Your fourth question is as follows: Have you considered becoming Matthias de Clerq instead of Tsukigata Hideyuki once you come back?
Matthias: I am still considering it... When I do get out, I want to take the identity of Matthias de Clerq, but part of me still wants to be Tsukigata Hideyuki. And I hope that people see me as both Tsukigata Hideyuki and Matthias de Clerq.
Matthias: When I was in the killing Game, I was Tsukigata Hideyuki, but here... I became Matthias de Clerq. However, I am still kind and overly excited about new things. It's just... hard to keep the optimism.
Manami: I see... Your fifth question is as follows: How dod you feel when your hair changed color?
Matthias: Honestly... I was surprised... I mean... after I moved to Japan, my mother dyed my hair in order to... blend in with her people, but when I awoke in the Resurrection Chamber, it was back to my natural color of brown.
Matthias: Speaking of dying hair, what caught me off guard is that Youhei dyed Daiki's hair, even though Daiki was averse of touch. I guess he really did grow out of his trauma.
Manami: Yeah... anyway... Your sixth question is as follows: What would you have done instead of taking Denden Misao's life?
Matthias: I would have talked her out of it... but she was so broken. I had hoped that Tei would talk more to her, but she was inconsolable... and even after what happened, Denden was a broken girl... and I still regret everything.
Manami: Your seventh question is as follows: Do you believe Ogura Noriko is worthy of being saved, even as a Bleeding?
Matthias: Miss Ogura may have been a bleeding, but she was not the one that took the life of Miss Kumada. She still regrets her actions, but she is still Her Most Powerful and Dimensional Goddess of Beauty and Grace. And hearing what she inspired Daiki to do, it fills me with joy as her disciple and as her friend.
Manami: Your eighth question is as follows: Who do you believe is worthy of redemption on both sessions, outside from Ogura?
Matthias: Session 2 is definitely Shishikura and Kumada. Kumada was given an unjust death, and not just that, it deeply traumatized Yaitabashi and Daiki. As for Shishikura... he is atoning for his sins. And he is slowly becoming his old self.
Manami: That is really heartwarming.
Matthias: As for Session 1... it's kind of hard to tell... I think I will say... Miss Isono and Miss Tamba. I can't think of a reason.
Manami: Alright... Your...
Matthias: Is something wrong?
Manami: I'm... very sorry for asking you these last two questions... I know how much they hurt you... and I'm sorry...
Matthias: You're one sincere person... but I'm ready... I won't hold back this time.
Manami: Your ninth question is as follows: Do you forgive Ouno Nanae and Hasegawa Ken for their actions against Shsihikura Osamu and Ninomiya Youhei respectively?
(Matthias takes a deep breath)
Matthias: Ouno's actions... she was like a crazed mother bear... she was... driven insane by the sins she did... Kidnapping Tei, Killing Miss Ogura and tormenting Shishikura... I don't know if I can forgive her or not... because her actions were driven by insanity... Now... Hasegawa... he hurt Youhei just because he saw life as a test? I... I can't even... This was a merciless kill... and he got Youhei to endure four punishments... Youhei... did not deserve the punishments... Youhei did not deserve being hung on the chandelier... I can never forgive Hasegawa... no matter how hard I try...
Manami: (sigh) Your tenth question is as follows: How did you feel when you were near death?
Matthias: I was scared.... I was scared for my life... I was scared because I thought I would never recover... But... when I saw how much everyone cared about me... I decided not to give up... I was broken, but then... I was put back together.
Manami: Alright... that is all for the fifth Spotlight of the Angels. You may return to your daily activities.
