Interlude: A Drama Club Member's Melancholy

Attending drama club practice after class was my daily routine.

“Today is a script reading in the AV room, no need to change...”

I walked while checking the schedule I’d written on my phone. Confirming that it matched my memory, I put my phone away in my school bag.

When I looked up, I saw two female students walking toward me. They were my upperclassmen in the drama club, President Mikami and Kaburagi-senpai.

“Good afternoon.”

“Oh, good afternoon.”

When I greeted them, only President Mikami returned it. Greeting them this way even in the afternoon was a kind of club tradition. I was about to pass them by.

“Ah, wait!”

No, passing them by was wrong. I quickly called out to my seniors.

“Club activities...?”

The AV room, where practice was scheduled today, was in the direction I was heading. The seniors, walking the opposite way, were moving away from it.

“Oh, sorry. We’re taking the day off today.” President Mikami stopped and turned back to say.

“Hey, did you see this, the one that came out yesterday?” Next to her, Kaburagi-senpai pulled a popular fashion magazine for teenage girls out of her school bag. I skimmed through it every month, too.

“N-No, I haven’t yet...”

“Sera is introducing some new accessories. You definitely have to check it out.”

Kaburagi-senpai told me excitedly. All I could manage was a "Huh..."

I didn’t want to think it, but were they canceling club activities just to go check that out? I probably knew the answer, but I was too afraid to ask.

“Um, did you contact the club members...?”

“Sorry. I was just about to.” said President Mikami.

“Right. Could you send it out on the group LINE, saying it’s a message from the president?” Kaburagi-senpai continued.

“I can do that, but...” I looked at President Mikami.

“Can you do it?”

“Understood.”

If it was an official request from the club president, I had no reason to refuse.

After the two left, I immediately sent a message to the drama club’s group LINE stating that today’s club activities were canceled.

“Attending drama club practice after class was my daily routine... it used to be, anyway.”

I couldn’t help but lament.

How many times had we even had club activities since the new school year started in April? We only had practice once or twice a week to begin with, and with sudden cancellations like this, we’d only had a handful of activities so far.

Kaburagi-senpai was a genuinely skilled actress. But she was inconsistent in her motivation and prone to selfish behavior. President Mikami, who was close to her, was also influenced by her, and this was the state of the drama club.

And yet, even Kaburagi-senpai was overshadowed by Mishio—Minase Mishio.

Mishio was simply cute. She lit up the room just by being there. And once she started acting, everyone was drawn in by her performance.

But she was gone. She had quit so easily over spring break.

“I wonder how Mishio is doing.”

Just as I muttered that to no one in particular, I coincidentally caught sight of Mishio.

I was walking on a sky bridge. Right below was the shoe locker area, and when I casually looked out the window, I saw her emerging from it.

Was she going home now? She came out looking busy and hurried, then walked straight toward a male student. She seemed to have been waiting for him. They walked side-by-side, heading home.

Mishio was smiling happily.

I couldn’t tell if it was a smile from the bottom of her heart. But if it was, then maybe quitting the drama club was the right choice for her.