Chapter 29 (Behind the Scenes!!)

**Scene 29** is the 29th chapter of *Behind the Scenes!!* manga series.

## Summary

As preparations for the Christmas puppet show continue, the stories of Ruka and Izumi continue to develop too, with Ranmaru and Soh still struggling to figure out how they can help them. The two end up preparing a surprise for their upperclassmen during the show, displaying their determination and desire to be the strength of the people they care about.

## Plot

Picking up from last chapter's revelation, Soh and Ranmaru are both frustrated by the way Izumi and Ruka seemed to have admitted defeat while they are trying their hardest. Soh tries to encourage Izumi and gets partway through a confession of love before the two are interrupted by Tomu, leaving Soh flustered. But the ever-calm Izumi simply smiles sadly while saying sorry.

A flashback sequence occurs, explaining both Izumi's and Ruka's situations. Izumi is showed getting released from the hospital after an accident, with the doctor saying that he has amnesia and may never regain his memories. The narrator Izumi explains how confusing it was and what it was like to see friends and family again when he didn't remember them. He kept a notebook for his new memories but the feeling of guilt that he couldn't remember anything burdened him. But he realized one day (after watching Ryuuji's short film) that there was just nothing he could do about it.

In Ruka's case, she is from a family of doctors but she didn't inherit any aptitude for medicine. Some of her relatives worried for her since she's only good at making clothes. She hoped that she'd be able to leave and be free of any such family obligation but that hope ended when her mother passed away. Her father remarried, leaving Ruka in the care of her step-mother and by that time, it was too late to escape. She cried and struggled over the loss of freedom but she realized (again, after watching Ryuuji's short film) that there wasn't anything for her to do about it.

Hearing Ruka's story, Ranmaru sees that Ruka gave up on trying in order to escape desperation and that giving up can be the ray of light that allows people like Ruka and Izumi to move forward.

When Soh returns from her trip with Izumi, she tearfully tells Ranmaru that Izumi had turned her down. He had said sorry that he couldn't return her feelings and that he was incapable of loving anyone. On the way home, Soh and Ranmaru hold hands and cry over the circumstances of the people they like whom they cannot seem to help.

The next day, both Soh and Ranmaru show up with glasses to hide their red eyes which they attained while crying all night, still deciding not to give up. Meanwhile, one of the little girls speaks of her dreams of being a baseball player playing at a famous stadium. Other kids tell her that girls can't play at that stadium but Ryuuji convinces them that anything is possible and Soh and Ranmaru are struck speechless. Riku approaches the two of them to show them his drawing of the prince from the play. He explains that even though he was sad about the story before, while he was happy to help the poor people, like Ruka had previously explained, there was something else that made him happy too.

Soh and Ranmaru show up at Ryuuji's house at night, making a suggestion for the play. Tomu and Maasa were called to help as well. They work hard to carry out the new plan but Ryuuji is excited because just sticking to the original plan is boring.

On the day of the puppet show, Ruka and Izumi sit in the audience to watch it, as Ryuuji had excluded them from helping out on the changes and on the big day. Before the show, Izumi recounts how Soh was the first sincere girl to confess to him like that. The show starts and as the crowd gets teary eyed as the sad end approaches. But a sudden twist occurs where the sparrow and prince suddenly get zapped by light and come back as robots instead of dying and are then hailed as heros in the town that they helped. Ruka and Izumi burst out laughing at the unexpected ending, reflecting how even in life, we don't know how things will end.

A short flashback of Izumi and Ruka walking into the same theater playing Ryuuji's film is shown as the arc concludes with saying that a miracle could happen so laugh and have fun with others as much as you can in the present moment. It is revealed that the other thing that made the prince happy, according to Riku, was that he wasn't alone and had a good friend in the sparrow.

As the year had ended, Soh had graduated from high school and moved on to attend university and Ranmaru was now entering his second year of university.

## Characters

* Izumi Samura
* Ruka Enjoji
* Ranmaru Kurisu
* Soh Kobora
* Tomu Tenba
* Ryuuji Gouda
* Maasa Rokubu
* Riku Kobora