Chapter 1
On the day of the performance
“Um, ahem ♪”
“Ahem ahem ♪”
“May we have your attention please! The Yumenosaki Academy drama club will now begin its spring performance: Romeo and Juliet/Reversi!”
“RJR! RJR!”
“Quit spewing nonsense…”
“Remember, we’re just here to play the chorus and recite an introductory poem at the start of the story. We aren’t supposed to have any significant lines.”
“Oh, you’re good! You got onto me and explained who we are at the same time!”
“Can you quit butting in?”
“Umm… We’re off to a messy start, but yeah, we’re the chorus.”
“We’re not actual characters in this story.”
“So none of the characters, like Romeo or Juliet, will even acknowledge us.”
“Kinda like we’re fairies! We could write all over their faces and they’d never even know~ ♪”
“Cut it out… This play is already super weird to begin with.”
“If we start making unnecessary commentary, all hell will break loose and no one will be able to do anything about it.”
“Anyways, our only role here is to recite the verses for the play.”
“But before we can do that, we have to break character and tell you something important.”
“A certain spell has been cast upon this stage.”
“Who cast the spell and what that means will be revealed within the story…”
“But to put it simply, it’s the magic of reversal.”
“Mm, that’s not exactly simple, is it? What do you even mean by reversal?”
“You’ll get it once you see it. But for now, just know that there are a lot of things in this play that have been reversed.”
“Things we know to be true, the setting, plot points… all of it has been flipped upside down, just like in a game of Reversi.”
“Oh, you mean like this?”
“Why are you doing a handstand…? But yeah, sometimes up and down can be flipped, but even things more at the core of the story can be affected too.”
“People who used to hate each other have now fallen in love. Someone who was once a slave has become the master.”
“But you see, the spell was pretty half-baked…”
“So not everything has been reversed. Some things in the story are still how they should be.”
“So, everyone, please keep your eyes peeled and try to guess what is and isn’t reversed.”
“Well I say that, but even though it is considered a classic, not everyone knows all about Romeo and Juliet.”
“So don’t worry; we’ll give you explanations here and there so it doesn’t get too complicated.”
“Heh. Actually, even though we were just supposed to be the chorus and not have anything to do with the story…”
“We also got hit by the reversal, so now we’re in the position of some god-like figures, which means we can watch over the story with a bird’s-eye view and explain everything.”
“It’s all upside-down and topsy-turvy~ ♪”
“How long are you gonna keep doing that handstand…?”
“Oh! We don’t have the time to stand here and talk. Someone’s coming; we’ve gotta hide!”
“Huh? But we’re the chorus, right? I thought the characters in the story couldn’t see us?”
“It’s possible that got reversed too, and even though we’re supposed to be invisible, they can see us now. So hurry up and hide!”
“Well crap. I wanted to stay center stage forever!”
“It’s always so annoying being the chorus, so I was hoping I’d get to go all out this time.”
“Yeah, don’t do that… That’s not in our job description, so try not to meddle in things too much.”
“Hey look, here comes our story’s protagonist!”
“……”
“Whoa? A really pretty lady just came out! She’s seriously glowing under the moonlight ☆”
“Is she the unparalleled beauty of the Capulet house I heard in the rumors…? Lady Juliet, I think?”
“But, umm? Why would a young maiden be walking alone by herself so late at night?”
“It’s dangerous to go out alone at night~ Let’s go protect her ♪”
“But what could we even do? We’re just the chorus; we have no real power in the end.”
“…Hang on, that girl is looking at someone?”
“Whoa, that’s a huuuge castle-looking-thing!”
“Sure is… And then on the balcony of that castle (?), there’s another beautiful girl…?”
“……”
“Who is that? Wait, could this be that famous scene from Romeo and Juliet?”
“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? …That one?”
“Huh? Wherefore is Romeo?”
“Don’t ask me.”
“If this really is that scene, would that make the dark-haired girl outside… Romeo?”
“And then the white-haired girl on the balcony Juliet?”
“Huh huh huh? That’s kinda weird, yanno? ‘Cause Romeo and Juliet’s about a romance between a guy and a girl, right?”
“Maybe… this was reversed, too? And now Romeo’s gender was switched?”
“Oh… Then it’s a romance between two girls! That’s pretty woke of them~ ♪”
“Uh, no. Did you forget Romeo and Juliet is set in fifteenth century Italy…?”
“Is this gonna be okay? I think they were even less understanding of that kinda thing than they are now.”
“And even under normal circumstances, Romeo and Juliet already had a huge obstacle getting between their love.”
“An obstacle?”
“Yeah, you know: Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene. This is where the Montagues and Capulets live.”
“Vero…? Monta…? Cap…?”
“You don’t have to remember the names. Anyway, these two families have some bad blood between them.”
“It’s so bad that when even the servants see each other, they fight to the death.”
“Huh? Why can’t they just get along?”
“Who knows… But anyway, Romeo is the son of the Montagues—their heir. And Juliet is a daughter of the Capulets.”
“They were born into feuding households, but once they met they fell madly in love… And that’s where it all began.”