The latest Glass Mask manga (Vol 44) was finally released yesterday, Aug 26 in Japan. I didn’t follow the chapters published in Bessatsu Hana To Yume, so I don’t know the difference between the two versions. Here is the summary of the tankoubon ( I hope I didn’t make mistake in reading the Japanese..>_<)
Tsukikage sensei came to see Maya’s Kurenai Tennyou rehearsal. Maya did well in the rehearsal, tranforming herself into magnificent goddess and stunned the other players. Meanwhile, in Daito’s office, Masumi was deep in his thought when Mizuki came bringing a cup of coffee and asked what has been occupying his mind. He innocently asked if it is possible to love someone that he/she never meet even once. Mizuki giggled and commented that it sounded like a question a boy would ask. She replied that it is not at all impossible for a person to love someone that he/she never meet before, as through words and thoughts they can understand each other’s feelings. They are connected by a strong bond that they themselves don’t realize and Masumi immediately thought of Maya on this.
After the rehearsal ended, Maya was still in Kurenai Tennyou mode. Tsukikage sensei saw Maya and decided to test her. She brought a cup of water and offered it to her, calling her “Akoya”. Maya accepted it with deep bow and respect, just like what Akoya would do.
Tsukikage sensei then went to see Ayumi’s rehearsal. Ayumi performed beautifully and professionally. At the end of practice, same as Maya, Tsukikage sensei offered a glass of water to Ayumi, which she gladly accepted as Ayumi. Tsukikage sensei went away without saying anything and it puzzled Ayumi. She asked Genzo why and Genzo explained to her about what happened when sensei did the same thing to Maya. Ayumi got worried and once again realized the difference between her skills and Maya’s talent..
Tsukikage sensei visited Masumi in his office. Masumi assured her that he will not disturb the whole Kurenai Tennyou things and will just watch it. He also explained that he intends to get Kurenai Tennyou from his father and transfer the contract to the play’s leading role. Tsukikage sensei asked what he would do in case of Maya, since she hates him more than anyone else in the world because of her mother’s incident. Masumi was very upset with the remarks, and replied that she would never forgive him just like Tsukikage sensei never forgive his father. But he was determined to get Kurenai Tennyou with his own hands, as he would like to see the real Kurenai Tennyou on the stage. Inside the car, Tsukikage sensei commented that Masumi has changed, the cold fire in his eyes has disappeared and wondering what has happened to him.
Back in his office, holding a purple rose, Masumi slumped into despair. He very well knew that Maya would never forgive him, and thought about how Maya loves her purple rose fan whom she never met. “What should I do? This is the first time I feel such painful feeling…”
During rehearsal, Maya couldn’t do well in the love scene between Akoya and Isshin. Kuronuma then suggested her to try doing it as if she does it with her purple rose fan and it succeeded. Sakurakouji was more determined to wait for Maya and believed that one day Maya will look at his way, the one that is always by her side and show her love.
As usual, Ayumi performed excellently in her rehearsal. At the end of rehearsal, she noticed that Hamil was there and asked him why he didn’t take her pictures like he always did. He replied that he doesn’t take pictures of doll or things without heart. He also said that he doesn’t have interest in Kurenai Tennyou’s “form only”. Ayumi was shocked to hear this and wondering why he said that her Kurenai Tennyou has no heart. Meanwhile, it started raining outside and some actors jokingly recited sentences from the play’s script that “Weather is god of dragon’s feelings”. Ayumi startled at the words and started thinking that she has neither thought nor believed such things. She believed that if it were Maya, she would definitely believe it and think that way. Then, in the rain, she started chanting the script’s sentences in front of everyone and was more determined to win the battle.
During another rehearsal, Ayumi had an accident when trying to push an actress out of falling studio lamps. Instead, the lamp fell down on her. She assured everyone that she was okay, but started having dizziness and brief moments of lost of sight after that.
Meanwhile, Ayumi’s parents received international awards in France as best director and best actress. After talking and congratulating her mother through phone, Ayumi tossed glasses of champagne by herself congratulating her parents and wondering if they, as a family, would celebrate it together if she wins the Kurenai Tennyou’s role.
Ayumi continued to experience the dizziness and lost of sight in the rehearsal and decided to go to hospital the next day. However, at night in the changing room, she had terrible dizziness and the room turned dark. She panicked and reached for her mobile phone to call her mother. However, her mother was in the middle of party and didn’t realize the phone was ringing. In despair, Ayumi fell unconscious while keep thinking of how badly she wanted to get the role and to finally get herself out of the shadow of her parents..
In another rehearsal, Maya and Sakurakouji performed the love scene between Akoya and Isshin. During the break, they went to the roof where they shared a piece of bun. Sakurakouji mentioned that it must be the same with Akoya and Isshin, always sharing things between them. He was also wondering how it feels when you meet your other half of soul (soulmate?) and how one would think of their previous selves before they meet their soulmate. Maya’s thought went to the moment when she met Masumi in Kurenai Tennyou’s village and said that how one would realize how lonely they were before meeting their soulmate.
Later when going home, Sakurakouji bumped into Masumi outside the building and they went for a short coffee. Masumi commented how Sakurakouji has changed to become more manly and casually asked how the rehearsal is going with his lover on stage. Sakurakouji replied that it was true on stage, but in real life it was unrequited love since Maya has someone very important to her, the Purple Rose Fan. But he continued saying that he determined to make Maya love him eventually, since he is the one that is always besides her. Shortly before leaving, Sakurakouji mentioned how he remembered what Masumi has said before about how if miracle happens and you meet your other half of soul, and how one would realize how lonely they have been until now. He informed him that strangely Maya also said the same thing, which left Masumi surprised that Maya also had the same thought as him..It can’t be..Maya has the same feeling as I do..?
During rehearsal, Maya and Sakurakouji performed the scene where Akoya and Isshin were to be separated. Kuronuma was dissatisfied with them and instructed Sakurakouji to try using real ax as if he was really going to cut off the plum tree which harboured Kurenai Tennyou’s soul. Sakurakouji couldn’t bring himself to even lift the ax when thinking that he was going to kill his beloved soulmate. Meanwhile, Maya was frustrated over her inability to understand the feeling of “soulmates” and decided to seek Tsukikage sensei for advice.
On her way out, she met Eisuke Hayami and was invited to have parfaits. They ended up having huge parfaits and lots of fun. Maya offered to treat him next time, saying that she can’t afford this kind of big parfaits but she promised to take him to cheaper but yummy parfait shop. His assistant commented that that was the first time he saw his master laughed and had fun like that. He replied that Maya was an interesting girl and wondered why Masumi was able to maintain his cold attitude even after knowing her for 7 years..
Meanwhile, Shiori bumped into Rei and Sayaka on the way and invited them for tea. When she asked about Maya’s purple rose fan, Rei and Sayaka explained that that person has been supporting Maya since the beginning and for Maya, the person was more than just a fan, but more like parents. Her purpose rose fan paid for her high school education, and Maya gave her graduation diploma to express her gratitude. She also sent a lot of pictures from her various stage performance in an album. Upon hearing this, Shiori decided to go to Masumi’s cottage where she previously found an album containing Maya’s stage pictures. She searched around and found the album and Maya’s graduation diploma and realized that Masumi was indeed the purple rose fan and that he was deeply in love with Maya. She cried in despair, ripping off the album and swore to do anything to take Masumi’s heart away from the girl..
Maya finally arrived at the place where Tsukikage sensei was and was taken by Genzo to meet her. To her surprise, Masumi was also there in the same place..
The book ends with the scene of Ayumi on hospital bed with her eyes wrapped in bandage…
～光の中へ～Hikari no Naka e 