Garasu no Kamen Synopses

Tankoubon 35

Chigusa's lessons start.

Tokyo, railway station. Maya and Ayumi are about to leave for the birthplace of "Kurenai Tennyo". Maya is running after Masumi. She shouts at him, but he cannot hear her:
Hayami san! Please wait! My purple rose fan is you... Isn't it?
Sakurakoji follows her; he grabs her hand. The Shinkansen is about to leave! Maya cannot talk to Masumi...

Maya and Ayumi together with the president of National Drama Association take two trains and then a taxi to get to the Red Plum Tree village, the land of "Kurenai Tennyo". It takes them a long time!
Genzo welcomes them at their arrival. He shows them around the village where Ichiren Ozaki was born. His play was inspired by a local legend. In a shinto temple of that village, there is an ancient sculpture of a goddess, made with plum tree wood. The legend says that once upon a time, in a valley among those mountains, dwelt a beautiful Crimson Goddess, protected by some ogres and a dragon. The valley of "Kurenai Tennyo", the crimoson goddess, was well known because red plum trees always used to bloom there. Humans were forbidden to enter that sacred valley: ogres killed the ones who tried to enter. There was a thousand-year plum tree in the valley. It was said it was the personification of the spirit of the goddess. In Nanbokucho era, a sculptor of sacred statues used the wood of that tree to create a statue of a goddess to invoke peace: thanks to that statue the internecine war in his village came to an end.

Maya and Ayumi are accomodated in a old ruined mountain temple where Ichiren Ozaki used to live - he was the son of a prior. Genzo and some inhabitants of the village reorganized it before the girls arrived. Maya and Ayumi go to bed.
The day after, Maya wakes up and she can't find Ayumi. She starts looking for her around, then she hears the sound of a tsuzumi (little hand drum) and finally she gets to the Valley of Red Plum Trees, the valley of "Kurenai Tennyo"!
But... "Kurenai Tennyo" is there! Chigusa Tsukikage is performing the goddess. Ayumi was already there, and then even the president of the National Drama Association joined the girls. They are very impressed by Chigusa Tsukikage's interpretation.

Tsukikage sensei welcomes the girls. She shows them the thousand-year plum tree which represents the soul of "Kurenai Tennyo". It's not the one which was used for the sacred statue but it is the one which inspirated Ichiren Ozaki.
Since the day Chigusa arrived to the valley, she has been rehearsing "Kurenai Tennyo", and every day she has been perfectioning it. She asks the girls how they feel. Ayumi is honored that Tsukikage chose her as a candidate, and she will do her best. Maya is staring at the tree: she is so excited to interpret the spirit of such a beautiful tree! Ayumi is nervous: while she is so anxious, Maya is just excited, like a child who wants to play...

Maya and Ayumi will have a special training for a month, before rehearsing "Kurenai Tennyo". They will have to study and interpret the four elements: wind, fire, ground and water.
After those 4 excercises, the next step will be to understand "Kurenai Tennyo". The president of Drama Association has to get back to Tokyo. He leaves the girls to Chigusa Tsukikage.

First subject to study and express: wind.

The girls have some days to find their own interpretation of the wind. When they are ready, Tsukikage watches and judges their performances.
Ayumi wants to interpret the shape of the wind: thanks to her perfectly trained and nimble body, she can show gracefully the presence of wind just standing up and slightly moving her head and hair.
Maya interprets the life of wind: she interprets the wind itself! She makes the movements of wind: first it's still, then it's a vortex, then a light breeze, and finally it stops blowing. Tsukikage praises Ayumi for her faultless interpretation and she scolds Maya: she told her to interpret wind, not to impersonate it! And her techinque was almost amateur... She never has to forget that she is an actress! Ayumi interpreted the wind, while she tried to become the wind but her clumsy body didn't allowed her to... Anyway, Ayumi is upset. She knows that after all Maya understood the meaning of the wind better than her...
The second subject to study will be: fire!

Shiori's confession.

Hayami house. Eisuke asks Masumi why he is so calm. The National Drama Association is monopolizing the production of "Kurenai Tennyo"... Masumi smiles... Why shouldn't he be calm? All the Daito's competitors gave up, the best actors have been selected for the cast, there will be a demonstrative play and it will probably be staged in Daito's theatres... Everything according to Daito's plans...

Masumi is alone in his villa on the seaside. He's mourning about his feelings...
Why I am so attracted by that girl... Who is 11 years younger than me? "Kurenai Tennyo"... Maya has grown up... Now she is old enough to interpret a love drama... No actress has ever aroused these feelings in me... On stage, her looks and her natural poses make me forget who I am... I should be ashamed of myself... In my heart, I was waiting for her to become an adult... Even though I knew she didn't consider me at all... She is more sincere and more disinterested than anyone else... When I am with her finally I feel serene... Maybe one day she will learn how to love as well... And she will fall in love with an other man... Will I manage to keep my coolness? Will I be able to send her my purple roses, with best wishes from the bottom of my heart? No... I will not leave her to anyone else... If it happened, I would go crazy!

In that moment, Shiori makes Masumi an unexpected visit. She is fed up of waiting, she wants an answer. Masumi is always kind with her, but... Why hasn't he given her an answer yet? The Takamiya family is waiting for an official answer for a long time... The woman starts crying and she confesses Masumi that she is in love with him. Masumi doesn't know what to say... It's not that he doesn't like her, she is a wonderful person, but... Well, she is too much for him... And he's not too sure about his own feelings yet... Shiori keeps crying... She apologises for embarassing him... And she runs away in tears.

Maya in the valley of "Kurenai Tennyo" is looking at the starry sky...
Purple rose fan... It seems like I can embrace your universe... Can you see the stars in Tokyo in this moment? Under a smoggy heaven, I couldn't see your heart. I was not aware of the existence of a mass of bright and dazzling stars... I didn't realize how warm was the universe in your heart...
In the same moment, Masumi is drinking alone in a bar. He is thinking of what happened with Shiori...
The stars of the city are just an imitation of the stars of deep night... The sky is dark... Being used to them, people ended up with forgetting the brightness of the real stars... Probably the stars are shining in the land of "Kurenai Tennyo"... Maya... Who knows if you are watching them... Maya is an extraordinary girl... Who knows why she attracts me so much... Shiori Takamiya is really sweet... I think she's a good person. I don't dislike her at all. But, when I am with Maya I have the feeling that our souls touch... The feeling that between us there is no lie... Maybe she is the one with whom I can be completely sincere... Maya, a girl who is 11 years younger than me...
Masumi thinks that it's too late: Maya will never consider him, and she will keep hating him...
It's me who accepted the arranged marriage even if I was aware of my feelings... It's me who kept dating Shiori... Me, who gave a kind answer to her sweetness... It's obvious that she fell in love with me... It's my fault... Shiori Takamiya... Why are you hesitating, Masumi? At least, she is sincere to you... She would be a perfect wife. Perfect for Daito and for you... And still...

Eisuke's hint.

Maya and Ayumi are studying the subject: fire.

Maya hasn't found her fire yet.
Genzo asked her to go to the hospital to take some medicines for the sensei. She sees Hijiri talking to a doctor... Later the doctor confirms that he was asking for info about Chigusa Tsukikage's health. Maya is so confused... Her purple rose fan... Masumi Hayami... Is he doing that for her? For Daito? Is he an enemy or a friend? She is about to call him, but she gives up... Masumi Hayami would never tell her the truth...
While going out of the telephone box, a car passes by and stops: Eisuke Hayami recognized her! What is he doing there? He is going to a watering place to cure his rheumatisms.
They fall into conversation. Eisuke invites her to eat something, and he offers her fruit salad with cream. Their conversation is very funny, because Maya says a lot of bad things about the president of Daito Art Production, Masumi Hayami, calling him 'coakroach'... Eisuke Hayami laughs a lot... But when Maya adds that Masumi's father is said to be even worse he drops the cup he was driking from :) Then they talk about the rehearsals for "Kurenai Tennyo". Maya tells him that she hasn't decide how to interpret fire.

Eisuke Hayami suggests her a play titled Yaoya Oschichi.
It's a play often performed in Kabuki Theatre. It is based on a true story which happened in 1861, when there was a big fire in Edo. The heroine, Oshichi, has her house burnt in the big fire, ans she finds shelter in the Koishikawa temple, where she meets the young monk Kichiza. She falls in love with him. When her father builds the new house and she has to leave the temple, she suffers so much for missing her love, that she becomes crazy: even is she knows that arsonists are punished with death, she sets fire to her house so that she can see Kichiza again. For what she did, she is burnt alive.

Maya has decided. She will perform the fire of Oschichi's heart.

Ayumi wants to interpet fire, showing the moves of its flames... The rhythm of a burning flame, which dances until it is extinguished...

Maya and Ayumi talk about fire. Suddendly Ayumi asks Maya if she has ever fallen in love with someone... Yes, she loved Satomi but they had to break up... And now? Masumi comes suddentdly to Maya's mind, but the girl just ignores her thought and says no... But what about Ayumi? She is so beautiful and lucky in love! The girl admits dating actors only to improve her performance... But she has never loved them... Maybe she has never been in love... Ayumi confesses being worried: will she be able to interpret the love of "Kurenai Tennyo"? She doesn't want to lose to Maya... What? Maya can't believe Ayumi's words: Ayumi has always been ureachable for her! She has always envied her! Ayumi smiles:
It's me who has always envied you.

Eisuke Hayami will spend some time at a watering place in the surroundings... Waiting for an occasion to meet "Kurenai Tennyo..."

Kuronuma is in the valley of "Kurenai Tennyo" too. He is looking for inspiration for his play.
Sakurakoji is determined to find a sacred statue which helps him to create his own Isshin, the scupltor. After visiting museums and temples, he finds in a retreat a statue which captures his attention: this is the statue his Isshin created! He is informed that the sculptor is named Kaikei. He has to find him at any cost!

Masumi's proposal.

Daito Art Production. Masumi is in his office. Mizuki informs him that his father is in the land of "Kurenai Tennyo". A phone call arrives: Shiori fell sick! They immediately get to the car to reach her. Mizuki suggests him that maybe Shiori's illness is someway due to his delay in giving her an answer... Masumi tells her that she uses her imagination too much. Mizuki asks her if she likes Shiori, and Masumi shocks her by answering: yes! Mizuki is really upset. She tries to make him confess... She would like to help him... But Masumi says she worries too much. He will help that person for his whole life, since she deserves it...

Takamiya house. Shiori is in her futon. She had an anemia attack (!). She doesn't want to see Masumi... She doesn't want his pity! Why was he so kind with her? Why did he make her fall in love? She doesn't want to suffer any longer. Shiori shouts all these things in tears. Masumi enters the room even if she told him to stay out. Shiori's father, president Takamiya, enters too and asks him what his intentions are. Masumi gives Shiori a bunch of flowers and with sweet words he officially asks her to marry him...

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Attention!

Original story by Suzue Miuchi. Synopses by Francesca.
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