in the rain - Prologue

 Summary 
"Reiji is walking in the rain when he happens to run into Suzaki Jun from Fantome. It seems Jun doesn't have an umbrella..."

Location: Epsilon Phi Share House

Reiji: I'm going out for a little while.

Tadaomi: Right now? But it looks like it'll rain soon...

Reiji: I have a meeting I need to get to.

Tadaomi: I see...let's hope it doesn't rain too heavily then. I'm sure you'd hate that, Reiji-kun.

Reiji: ...As long as I don't get soaked then I won't particularly mind.

I don't want the ends of my trousers to get wet either. I'm sure there are many people who would share my feelings on that.

Tadaomi: I suppose so.

Reiji: ...I'll be going now. Farewell.


Location: Shopping District

(Splash)

Reiji: Tch...there's water in my shoes.

(I should've called a taxi once the rain got heavier)

Hm?

Jun: Hah...hah...

Reiji: (That's Suzaki Jun from Fantome Iris... it seems he's left the house without an umbrella.

Unbelievable. There was a 90% chance of downfall this afternoon. Didn't he check the weather forecast beforehand?)

Jun: Wahh!!

(Splash)

Ow...who leaves an empty can just lying around here...? ...So unlucky...

Reiji: ...You really are unbelievable.

Jun: Huh?

Ah, you're...

Reiji: Epsilon Phi's drummer, Karasuma.

It may not be of much aid but please make use of this handkerchief. 

Jun: ...Huh?

ーLaterー

Reiji: As I expected, one handkerchief was not enough.

Jun: Y-Yeah. Thank you though.

Reiji: Are you injured? It looked like you took quite a fall.

Jun: I'm fine... I've always been unlucky.

Reiji: ...Really?

It seems you don't have an umbrella on you, did you forget?

Jun: Well... I put it in an umbrella stand while I was shopping but I think someone mistook it for theirs and took it.

I thought I could just buy a new one at a nearby convince store but they were sold out...

I spotted another sign for a convince store and I tried to run over to it butー

Reiji: You tripped over an empty can and fell over.

Jun: Ah, yeah...

Reiji: So you couldn't buy an umbrella, but wouldn't it have been smarter to utilize public transport rather than let your clothes get so wet?

The Fantome share house is in Ikebukuro, is it not? Don't tell me you planned on returning there by foot?

Jun: I-It sure would be a tough walk to make... it's really far... ahaha...

Reiji: Hah...

(...What a headache)

Prologue | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Epilogue

in the rain - Part 1

Summary
"Reiji invites Jun to his share house. He attempts to get information out of Fantome's composer but..."

Location: Shopping District

Reiji: (He appears like a completely different person on stage but this is his true natureー

...Maybe I should look further into this.)

Jun: U-Um...why're you looking at me like that~? ...Something on your mind...?

Reiji: My apologies. I was just thinking about how I'd like the chance to have a chat with you, Suzaki-san.

Jun: Huhh...why me...?

Reiji: Suzaki-san is in charge of composing the songs for Fantome Iris, if I'm not mistaken?

You do a wonderous job at expressing such a unique outlook of the world through your music.

We're both participating in the same competition so I couldn't help but take interest.

If you'll allow it, would you spare me a moment of your time?


Location: Epsilon Phi Sharehouse

Jun: What am I doing...

The rooms feel so unnecessarily luxurious and the furniture looks so expensive that I'm too scared to touch it...ughh...

Reiji: Suzaki-san, here's a towel.

Jun: Ah, thank you

Reiji: I could lend you some clothes if you wish...

Jun: Huh!? Nononono, I couldn't possibly ask for any more help!

Reiji: Well then, I'll go fetch you a hot drink so you don't catch a cold.

Is there anything else I can do for you...?

Jun: ...I wanna go home.

Reiji: Wouldn't it be wise to wait until the downpour lightens up? The period leading up to Fes is crucial so it would be best to not fall ill.

Jun: I-I know!

Reiji: Then, please wait.

Jun: Uwahhh...Japanese people really can't say no~! I'm stupidstupidstupid!

Reiji: (...He's an easy person to manipulate.)

ーLaterー

Jun: Um, Karasuma-kun. It's pretty quiet, are the other members not here...?

Reiji: Indeed. It seems they've all gone out.

Jun: I see.

Reiji: (He's rather anxious for someone his age.

According to my research, he's unemployed but earns a living through cash prizes received by winning gaming tournaments.

He struggles to socialize with people... I assume he's someone that's simply unable to fit in with society.

In the end, this is what his true nature looks like, huh...?

Perhaps my research wasn't needed.)

Suzaki-san, I'm amazed how different you appear when standing on stage as ZACK.

Jun: Ah, yeah. ZACK is me, but also not...

Reiji: ZACK is the one performing as part of Fantome Iris' act, right?

Jun: Well...it's not really like I'm acting...

He gets unleashed when I'm on stage... saying something like that must make me seem pretty lame.

But that's really what it feels like...

Reiji: ...I see.

Prologue | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Epilogue

in the rain - Part 2

 Summary
"Reiji learns of Jun's past. In Reiji's eyes, Jun is someone who was born with talent but once threw it all away."

Location: Epsilon Phi Share House

Reiji: (ーHe speaks timidly with a wary demeanor yet is untamable and aggressive when on the guitarー

They're complete opposites yet he's not acting...?

...It doesn't make sense)

May I ask you one last thing?

Jun: O-Okay?

Reiji: How long have you been playing music?

Jun: ...For as long as I can remember.

My parents and older sister are all entangled within the world of music, so I thought I'd be the same...but I couldn't have been more wrong...

It was back when I had quit my job and completely shut myself away from music that Tomoru had reached out to me.

Reiji: Then you joined Fantome Iris?

Jun: Yeah. But even now it still feels like a dream sometimes. Maybe this all just a big happy dream.

Reiji: ...

ーLaterー

Jun: Ah...it's getting late.

I should get going. Um...thank you for the towel, and everything else.

Reiji: Of course. Take care.

(Jun leaves)

Reiji: (ーSuzaki Jun.

He's talented but he'd given up on the world of music in the past.

"Maybe this all just a big happy dream," he says?)

ーFlashbackー

???: It was a dream, an amazing dream. But we all gotta wake up from our dreams eventually. Ain't that what father used t' say?

ーFlashback endー

Reiji: ...

(Why are the words of "that person" coming back to me...?)

(Door opening)

Reiji: !!

(...Someone's returned.)

Tadaomi: I'm back, Reiji-kun

Reiji: ...Oh.

Tadaomi: ...? Did you have a guest?

Reiji: How observant. Fantome Iris' Suzaki Jun came by.

Tadaomi: Really... that's quite strange.

Suzaki-san doesn't seem like the type to go and visit someone. That must mean that Reiji-kun invited him.

Did you want to speak with him about something?

Reiji: It's a long story.

Well, I thought I could get some inside intel that would aid us in the future...

Tadaomi: What kind of person was Suzaki-san?

Reiji: Well...

(Ping ♪)

Reiji: A notification?

Tadaomi: What is it?

Reiji: Further information on Suzaki Jun. 

I was rather keen to find out deeper intel on him so I sent out a request for it.

...

Apparently he was born into a household of musicians. His older sister was a famous pianist.

Tadaomi: Oh... so I suppose Suzaki-san's talents run in the family.

Reiji: Talent? So you feel the same way, Tadaomi.

Tadaomi: It's easy to conceal yourself within Fantome Iris' powerful personalities.

...Suzaki-san didn't try to become a pianist like his older sister.

Prologue | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Epilogue