Tenma Sumeragi SR - The Loyal Comrade [Backstage Translation]

[mimosacafe]

"I'm trying out a role with flashy hairdo this time, but I still manage to pull it off, don't you think? Now, if I can only find a way to hide my aura…"

"A Perfect Disguise - Part 1”

⚠️ DISCLAIMER BEFORE READING: This story will contain content that comes from "BANANA FISH" the anime. Please only continue if you are willing to encounter possible spoilers.⚠️




Kumon: Pheeeew! I feel alive again!
Yuki: It's just sparkling juice. You're overreacting.
Muku: This crepe is amazing! It's overflowing with fruits!
Kazunari: Thankies so much for driving us all the way here, Sumii~!!
Misumi: You're welcome, Kazu~ By the way, the ice cream you bought for me is so tasty!
Tenma: …Mhm. This meat bun's good too; it's so packed with filling.
Yuki: You sure you don't wanna just take off those sunglasses while eating? I can see them fogging up from the steam.
Tenma: What're you talking about? This is the disguise I use to avoid blowing my cover. As if I'd let a little steam bother me.
Kumon: Tenma is a really big celeb, after all~
Kazunari: Oh yeah, isn't the role you're doing for the next performance also someone who wears sunglasses?
Tenma: Yeah. I'm sure that I'll be wearing sunglasses all the time when I'm up on stage too.
Muku: So is it like... wearing glasses is a role study on its own?
Tenma: You could say that.
Yuki: Sounds like an excuse to me.
Tenma: Bottomline is, it's not something I've gotten used to doing on stage, so I may as well start now; better late than never.
Misumi: You're performing with Kumon this time, right~? I'll prepare lots of triangles for you guys!
Muku: Good luck, Kyu-chan!
Kumon: Yeah!
Tenma: (...Speaking of, there's a new pair of sunglasses I wanted to get. Where's the floor map—)
[FOOTSTEPS]
Woman A: Uhm… You're Sumeragi Tenma-san, right?
Tenma: I am.
Both Women: Waaah~!!
Woman B: See, just like I said!
Woman A: Uhm, would it be alright to ask for a handshake?
Tenma: Of course.
Woman A: Thank you so much!! I'll be continuing to support you!!
[FOOTSTEPS WALK AWAY]
Woman B: Even with the sunglasses, you can still tell it was him~
Woman A: That's Tenma-kun for you!
Kazunari: …You heard them, Tenten? Your popularity's just a whole other league!!
Tenma: Hmph. No big deal for me.
Yuki: What're you looking so proud for?
Tenma: W-What about it! You got a problem?!

——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——

Tenma: (... Alright. Maybe I should rewatch the part of the anime we just covered in rehearsals.)
Kumon: —Ah! There he is! Tenma-san!
Kazunari: We got him now~!
Tenma: Huh? Why are all of you here?
Misumi: I got snacks from the troupe I guested in~ We should share them together~
Tenma: You guys can go dig in first. I'll have some later.
Muku: …Were you planning to do some work with your tablet?
Tenma: Nah, I was just about to watch some "Banana Fish."
Kumon: Then let's all watch it together! I was just thinking of doing that later myself.
Kazunari: Count me in on that! We can all just watch while having snacks together, right?
Misumi: I wanna watch too! I wanna see the anime you and Kumon are going to perform for~
Muku: The original work was a manga, wasn’t it? I wanna see it too.
Yuki: Aren't we gonna have a hard time fitting everyone in this small space just to watch?
Tenma: … Yeah, let's move first.

——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——
Ash: "……"
Shorter: "Ash."


Ash: "… What up, Shorter."
Shorter: "Rare to see ya up so early. Somethin' up?"
Ash: "Nothing. Just went to see old man Dino."
Shorter: "So I'm guessin' you butted heads with Marvin again."
"Be careful with him, he's vindictive."
"And he's gay— with a thing for green-eyed blonds."
Ash: "Pha!"
[MOTOR REVS]
"Stop worrying so much, Shorter, or you'll go bald. Laters."
[MOTOR DRIVES AWAY]
Shorter: "I'll sure go bald, huh!”

——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——
Tenma: Let's stop it here for now.
Muku: … Phew. I got so immersed in watching. My heart hasn't stopped pounding.
Misumi: The guy you're playing is Shorter, right, Tenma~?
Tenma: Yeah. He's the gang group boss of Chinatown, and Ash's close friend.
Kazunari: A guy who's tough in fights is a man's idol after all ☆
Kumon: Like a guy you'd call aniki!^[1]
Muku: The trusting relationship he has with Ash is great, too.
Yuki: Ash and Shorter, played by Banri and you… You guys can handle that?
Tenma: 'Course we can. I've been talking with Banri-san about it.
Kazunari: I guess if there's anything to worry about… What about the sunglasses?
Tenma: What do you mean?
Kazunari: You remember how you still got found out as "Sumeragi Tenma" even with the glasses on?
Tenma: Well, yeah. When you have a status like mine, my presence would be difficult to hide.
Kazunari: But… Wouldn't that NOT work out for you as Shorter?!
Tenma: Huh?
Yuki: Oh right. Isn't there supposed to be a scene where no one saw through his disguise?
Muku: So… If Tenma-kun wants to completely get into his role, he has to get better at disguising himself?


Tenma: —...
Kumon: So like… Hiding his aura? But how?
Misumi: Let's all try to wear sunglasses~
Kazunari: Oh! Are we gonna compete on who's the best at disguising themselves?
Tenma: …….

✦——✦——✦——✦——✦——✦——✦——✦——✦——✦——✦——✦——✦——✦

"A Perfect Disguise - Part 2”


Customer A: Thanks for the meal.
Tenma: Thank you very muuuuch!


[DOOR CLOSES]
Tenma: (I'm surprised my disguise hasn't let up yet.)
(Still surprised with how it came to this…)

- - - - -FLASHBACK- - - - -
Tenma: …..
Izumi: Ah, Tenma-kun! I thought I'd find you here.
I just wanted to let you know; I was consulting with Banri-kun about our rehearsal schedules, so make sure to check it when you can, okay?


Tenma: Alright…
Izumi: … Is something wrong, Tenma-kun? If there's anything bothering you about the next performance, I can lend you an ear.
Tenma: Well… I guess there is something bothering me.
You know how people can still usually tell it's me when I try to disguise myself?
Izumi: Yeah. With how much of a popular figure you are, though, it can't be helped…
Tenma: But since I'll be performing Shorter, I was told that I should try to brush up my disguising skills.
Shorter had a scene in the series where he was in a cover-up, wasn't he? And he never got exposed.
Izumi: I see where you're getting at…
… In that case, would you like to test yourself if you'll get found out in a disguise?
Tenma: What do you mean?
Izumi: You see, someone from another troupe introduced me to an owner of this Chinese restaurant.
Tenma: Huh? A Chinese restaurant?
Izumi: It's a store within Veludo Town, so I think they'll be willing to give us a hand if you'd like to use it for a role study.
Let me try and contact them, okay?
Tenma: S-Sure…
- - - - -FLASHBACK END- - - - -

Tenma: (I’ll have to say, I was taken aback after being told that I'd be doing a part-time job out of blue…)
Customer B: Excuse meeee! Can I have an additional order of fried rice?
Tenma: One order of fried rice! Coming right up!
Boss, one plate of fried rice please!
Owner: Got it!
Tenma: (It's looking like there's not a single customer who's realized the the one and only Sumeragi Tenma is here with them. Alright, then at this pace—)
[DOOR OPENS]


Azami: I'm staaaarving…
Taichi: Then we should go eat our hearts out today!
Tenma: ——!!!
(Why are they here…!!)
(Wait, don't these two go eat out at Chinese restaurants a lot…?!)
Taichi: Excuse meeee!
Tenma: —!! Yes!
Taichi: One order of char siu bowl, with marinated egg please!
Azami: One wonton bowl.
Taichi: Oh, and some gyoza! You'll eat some too, right, Aachan?
Azami: Sure.
Tenma: One char siu bowl, additional marinated egg. One wonton bowl. And two orders of gyozas. Coming right up!
(...It didn't seem like those two had a clue it was me at all.)

——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——
Tenma: (Getting paid for doing a one-day part-time isn't so bad, actually.)
(I was worried what was gonna happen when Taichi and Azami showed up, but they left the store without realizing anything. Same goes for the rest of the customers.)
… Mission accomplished, I'll say.

——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——　——
Tenma: I'm home.
Sakuya: Welcome home, Tenma-kun. We're having Chinese cuisine tonight!
Taichi: I could totally stuff myself silly with Chinese food anytime!
Azami: Just how much do you like the stuff…
Taichi: You say that, but you're still eating anyway, Aachan.
Azami: I never said I wouldn't be eating. It's good food.
Tenma: (... Today's a Chinese-food kind of day, I guess.)
Omi: Hm? Did you not have catering at your workplace, Tenma? I mean, I still figured that I'd prepare you something else, instead of more Chinese food, so…
Tenma: Huh?
Taichi: Weren't you doing part-time at a Chinese restaurant today, Ten-chan?
Tenma: HAH?! Y-You mean you realized it was me…?!
Azami: Well duh.
Tenma: But I swear the rest of the customers couldn't even tell…
Taichi: Aw, come on! Don't just compare us to any regular ol’ customer~!
Azami: We sure got to witness something rare though.
Tenma: Y-You guys should've just said something if you knew…!!




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[1] Aniki = big brother, but moreso like a position of respect. Like how Sakoda calls Sakyo.