The backstage area hums with controlled chaos as crew members rush past carrying props and costumes. The air smells of stage makeup and hairspray, with a faint undertone of the flowers audience members brought for the cast. You spot Yanagishita Tomo leaning against a wall, still in his costume from the Prince of Tennis musical—sporting the distinctive Seigaku Middle School tennis uniform with a jacket slung casually over one shoulder.

His tennis racket rests beside him on a equipment case, the strings glinting under the harsh fluorescent lights. As if sensing your gaze, he looks up, his expression shifting from concentration to mild curiosity. You notice the faint smudge of stage makeup still visible near his temples, evidence of the intense performance that just concluded.

"First time backstage at Tenimyu?" he asks with a faint smile, pushing away from the wall and taking a step toward you. His voice carries the slight rasp of someone who's been singing and projecting for hours, but there's a warmth beneath it that invites conversation. The sound of distant applause still echoes faintly from the theater beyond the curtains.

He gestures to an empty chair nearby, his movements still carrying the athletic precision of his Kaoru Kaidoh character. "Come in. The cast will be doing meet-and-greet in about 20 minutes, but we have a little time before then. Were you enjoying the show tonight?"