I wondered if things would somehow pass quietly, but...
Quietly letting out a sigh where no one would notice, I decided to observe the situation in silence.
"Wh... What do you mean by everything?! Even if you say that, this... this script has already been approved, and we're already practicing! There are only about 20 days left until the play starts...!"
"I told you many times to fix it. But you said, 'Once you see it in motion, you'll understand that this script is sufficient,' so I said if it's really okay, then it's okay.
But since it's not okay, it's not approved. Right?"
"Haa......"
How can a person be like a child who has only aged in years?
"Tsk, is it because they succeeded at a young age, or are they just born with that personality... Haa..."
I massaged my head with one hand as a headache began to surge from the situation.
"Sensei..."
The person who spoke to Samejima-sensei was GOA-san, the screenwriter for Tokyo Blade.
"First, I apologize for creating a script that didn't meet your wishes. Of course, I intend to fix what can be fixed from now on.
However... after our several prior conversations, I thought I had grasped your intentions to the best of my ability.
How should I go about fixing it from here?"
GOA-san is a screenwriter... in a way, he was always in the subservient position.
"So you're the one who wrote this script... I'm sure I communicated the parts I wanted to be revised beforehand.
You failed to grasp them. How should you fix it? Did you actually read Tokyo Blade?"
Who on earth would think there's a person who screenplays without reading the source material?
"Of course I read it! I read it and wrote the script to bring out the charm of the original...!"
"You read it and yet it turned out like this? This script you're making... This character doesn't say things like this, and doesn't do things like this, but you've written nothing but those things...
Changing the progression of the story is fine. But don't you think changing the characters is disrespectful?
My kids aren't this stupid!!!"
Naturally, a manga artist has their pride. However, while there are surprisingly many who think a screenwriter wouldn't have that same pride, few people actually realize it.
That's because, as I said before, the screenwriter is always in the subservient position.
There's no way there would be anyone considering the position of the one on the bottom.
"That's due to the nature of stage as a medium... No, if you tell me what to fix, I can handle it..."
"I told you, EVERYTHING!!! No matter how much I speak, you don't fix it...!
I thought you were just looking down on me, but the screenwriter purely just didn't understand.
If it turns out like this after reading the original... this person's sense as a creator is..."
"That's enough."
Unable to watch any longer, I decided to intervene first. I had intended to stay out of it if possible. I planned to let the original story flow as it did in my memories, but...
"Any further remarks are disrespectful. Samejima-sensei."
"Yume-san..."
At my statement, Samejima-sensei wore a look of surprise, and GOA-san also stared at me with startled eyes. Not only that, everyone in this room was looking at me.
Even Kichijoji-sensei, who had been hurriedly trying to block Samejima-sensei's mouth, looked on with surprised eyes.
"Haa... I've been listening and listening, and there's just no end to this. Samejima-sensei, of course, I think growing into a manga artist of this caliber at a young age means you have talent.
However... with only that much talent, you are in no position to blame someone else's talent."
"Excuse me...?"
"With only that level of talent, you say someone has no sense? At the very least, if you're going to say that... you should be at least at my level."
"....What?"
"If I were to draw manga... I can declare that within about half a year, I could become a manga artist known by everyone in Japan. My name value?
Even if I published it under a pseudonym, that would probably be even better."
"No.... Yume-san.... something like that..."
"It's possible. Because I am a genius."
".........."
"Haa... to be honest, I had no intention of interfering. But if I left it like this, it's obvious it would have ended up in a total breakdown anyway."
[I will see to each of you separately later.]
"Kichijoji-sensei, please take Samejima-sensei and go home for today."
"Ye... Yes, yes!! Come on, let's go!!"
".....Yes.."
Kichijoji-sensei took the dejected Samejima-sensei and left the rehearsal room, and the remaining people were still looking at me.
"Haa........ GOA-san, you should also head out for today. I will come find you later."
"Ah.. Yes, I understand."
Having sent GOA-san away as well, I leaned against the wall, clutching my throbbing head.
"Phew......"
Every time a conflict or accident erupts, pain hits my head. I'm currently assuming that even my few remaining memories are in the process of disappearing.
"Sumiaki-san."
"Ye.. Yes!!"
"Do you know why this problem occurred?"
"Uh....."
"Haa..... Isn't it obvious that it's because communication wasn't smooth from the start?"
".....Ah!"
"In the first place, it's a common occurrence for the original creator and the screenwriter to clash when doing a media mix. Yes, a very common occurrence.
As professionals in script production, the first draft is created under agreement between the producer and the director.
Then rewriting happens for the second and third drafts, and it's standard to get approval from the original creator at a stage nearly close to completion.
However, Samejima-sensei, who received that script, must have had complaints. And she must have written and sent those revision instructions, right?
Now, here's the problem.
Between the original creator and the screenwriter, many adults act as intermediaries, and the rewriting ends up becoming like a game of telephone.
From what I see, Samejima-sensei doesn't rely on logic; in a way, she's the 'intuitive type' like me, so there's a high probability that even the editor couldn't grasp her true intentions."
".....I.. I see...."
Everyone here, including Sumiaki-san, was surprised by my words.
"Well, now you know the problem, right? For now, I'll call the two of them separately later and talk to them. But I am an actor to the very end. First, Sumiaki-san, try to resolve it yourself. My helping you comes after that."
"I... I understand..."
"Right!! Everyone, let's call it a day for rehearsal and disperse!!"
After saying that, I left the rehearsal room first.
In the process, I sent a glance toward Aqua before exiting.
Was it because I believed that Aqua would solve it? This is as far as I can go.
It wouldn't be a lie to say I hope it gets resolved without me having to step in any further.
"For now, the script has gone back to a blank slate. I'll contact you as soon as a new script is completed after negotiations with the original creator's side. Until then, rehearsals are on break."
When I headed to the rehearsal room with Ai the next day, Kindaichi-san gathered everyone and said as much.
"Hey, hey, Yume, what happened yesterday?"
"Just a normal fight."
"I see~"
Ai and I didn't worry much about it. It was because even if we didn't practice, both Ai and I had the confidence to act 'perfectly'.
"Things have gotten serious..."
"We can't just do whatever we want if the original creator doesn't give permission..."
"Stopping rehearsals is painful... This stage is 'Stage Around', and we won't be able to secure much practice time..."
"Come to think of it, what is that 'Stage Around'?"
"What! You were practicing without knowing that!?"
"If you don't know that, doesn't it make it hard to visualize!?"
Ah, so Aqua didn't know that... Well, I guess it can't be helped since this is his first time doing a 2.5D play, or a play in general.
Noticing my gaze, Aqua approached me and Ai.
"Aren't play stages pretty much all the same?"
"Hmm......"
Ai and I looked at Aqua with amused expressions, and Aqua, seeing those faces, stepped back slightly.
"Aqua-kun, you don't like theater much, do you?"
".....Was I found out?"
"Of course we'd notice."
It would be stranger not to notice.
"It's not so much that I don't like it, but rather that I don't go out of my way to watch it."
"Why?"
"The tempo is bad because they change sets every time there's a scene transition."
Mm-hmm.
"Movable sets feel cheap."
How direct~
"I'm still not used to the characteristic exaggerated acting in plays."
I don't know about me, but Ai is also from the Lalalai theatrical company~
I stroked Ai's head while listening to Aqua's complaints that weren't quite complaints, and in the end.
"Since we have time, why don't you go on a little date?"
Ohyooooooo!!!! My son is going on a date!!!!!!
"Then, since things turned out like this, the two of you should go see this play. It will probably be a big help to Aqua-kun."
I gave two tickets to Aqua and Akane while carrying the clinging Ai on my back.
"Uh... Senpai, this is!?"
"It's a gift some successful juniors sent me recently. I'm glad the schedule worked out.
Well then, it would be rude to interrupt the date of two young people, so we'll take our leave~"
"Bye-bye~"
Saying that, Ai and I left the rehearsal room.... and prepared to tail them.
========================
The website for reading paid chapters is available on my Patreon. The number of chapters on Patreon: 105
Link: patreon.com/UltraMagnus_T