panini

She/They NikiP, Crazy:B lover 🍳 https://x.com/panini0547

[paniniichan]

Ballade of the Lost Ones - Directory

Characters: Niki, Yuzuru, Tsumugi, Madara, Rei, Hajime Prologue: 1 Wandering: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6

Breakthrough:

1 - 2 - 3

Epilogue:

1 - 2

[paniniichan]

hii! i was wondering about your progress on mana's event story! are you still tling it or have you dropped it? feel free to ignore this ask if it puts too much pressure on you ^^

I don’t have any plans on dropping Mana, and as of right now the initial draft of the remaining chapters has been completed! Unfortunately, a combination of both irl obligations and the general busyness of this time of year means my proofreaders and I haven’t had much time to fully check and edit the translations yet. I’m planning to hopefully have the next few chapters out by mid-January!

I’m so sorry for the long wait, I promise to do my best to finish this and get it published (╥ᆺ╥；)

[paniniichan]

Sorry to everyone who followed for Ballade content (๑•́ㅿ•̀๑) I’ve been unexpectedly busy the past few weeks so haven’t had much time to work on or upload anything. Rest assured I will continue working through and hopefully posting soon, thank you all for your patience ヽ(o＾▽＾o)ノ

[paniniichan]

Ballade of the Lost Ones - Wandering / Chapter 4

Characters: Yuruzu, Niki, Madara, Rei, Tsumugi

Proofreaders: Aru, Oli

＜The Next Day. During the script reading session＞

Yuzuru: “Huff…”

Rei: “Are you alright?”

Yuzuru: “...Ah, it’s nothing. I’ll recover soon enough.”

Rei: “You’re lying. Look. Even for a wound like this, it’s taking so long to heal.”

Tsumugi: “Everyone’s faith… Truly has faded this much.”

Madara: “Hey, is there even a reason for us to keep protecting this place…?”

Niki: “D-Don’t just say stuff like that~. It’ll be a-okay! This place is like our home after all.”

“And that way we can protect the tran…tran…kill..ity…?¹

Yuzuru: Shiina-sama, it’s read as ‘tranquillity’.

Niki: Ah, thanks~♪

“And that way we can protect the tranquillity of this land!”

Director: – Ummm. Could we stop it here?

Niki: Uwah! I’m so sorry! Is it ‘cause I can’t read the kanji!?

Director: Well... I was more concerned about your acting abilities than your ability to read kanji.

The character Shiina-kun is playing, “Hikaru”, is also beginning to doubt it himself…

To try to shake it off, he acts as cheerfully as possible. He has to say these things out loud to try to persuade himself.

So I want you to try not to become a character that is only cheerful.

Niki: Being totally cheerful is no good… Right, got it!

Director: Alright then, let’s resume from the next scene–

＜30 minutes later＞

Niki: …Ugh. T-Too hard…

Director: Yeah… Maybe Shiina-kun needs some more time to read through the script.

Niki: The others aren’t finding it that hard, I feel bad for causing so much trouble…

Yuzuru: You do know that the rest of us are not able to give a perfectly satisfying performance from start to end either?

Tsumugi: Besides, Shiina-kun only had shallow experience in dramas to begin with, so I guess it can’t be helped to some extent. 

Niki: It’s probably a little late to ask but… Why was I chosen to play the role of “Hikaru”? Even weirder, I’m one of the two lead actors. 

I know that some of the films Fushimi-kun acted in were selected for big awards. But I’m just a plain old idol chef?

Rei: That makes you sound like some dangerous person who cooks idols. 

Director: My reason for choosing the two of you is clear.

I believe Shiina-kun and Fushimi-kun are people with a ‘switch’.

Niki: Switch? But I’m a member of Crazy:B, am I getting transferred without notice?! 

Tsumugi: Uwah, welcome to Switch ☆ We welcome you with open arms~

Madara: Let’s all calm down. Let’s not finalise a verbal transfer without the producer’s prior knowledge. Anzu-san’s panicking, don’t you see?

Niki: So it’s not the idol group Switch? But what does ‘switch’ mean then?

Director: A ‘switch’ is a, well… um… I guess you could describe it as a “change of personality”.

When you’re in my position, you watch a lot of actors. But it’s rare to find someone with these traits.

Someone who can change their personality into another as if just flipping a ‘switch’. 

These sorts of people are most definitely perfect for acting jobs!

When the two of you were chasing that bag thief, I was positive I could hear the sound of your switches!

It was then that I thought, “This must be it! This has to be fate!”

Niki: Back up back up! Please don’t just get up in my face like that!

This director has to be the type of guy who loses sight of his surroundings when he’s excited.

Yuzuru: Yes. But that reasoning is…

Your viewpoint is very unconventional, no? It seems to be quite a strange one… I believe he fits the mould of someone within the creative field.

Niki: Ugh? Even if you call it a switch, it doesn’t click with me. I can’t get a feel for it.

What even is a switch? I’m not some kinda tool to test a bunch of lightbulbs.²  

Hm? What’s wrong, Anzu-san?

Uh~, sorry ‘bout that. It really is just what you say.

If I keep carrying on like this I’ll never get good results, so I’d like a bit more time to look over my role.

I think I need some time to mature, just like a piece of ham.

Yuzuru: That sounds good. Even if the director wants to speed up production, filming while the script reading is unsatisfactory would be counterintuitive.  

Let us dismiss this meeting for today.

＜Same Day at Night. Resting Room＞

Yuzuru: …… (drinking coffee)

Niki: Uu… Guuu…

Yuzuru: …What was that noise? It sounds like the groan of something dragging itself across the ground. 

It’s coming from over here.

Niki: Uu…

Yuzuru: Oh, Shiina-sama, what seems to be the problem? Why is it that you’re dragging yourself along the ground like that? Are you pretending to be some type of dead insect?

Niki: I wish I was a dead bug… B-But more important… Food…

Yuzuru: Food…?

These are some sweets I was saving as a snack, but I’ll hand them to you.

Shiina-sama, please have these.

Niki: ！Nomnomnomnomnom! Nomnomnomnomnom…!

– Fwah, I’m alive again~! Thank you so much, Fushimi-kun!

Errr. Today’s reading session really had my brain working at full power, so now I’m super duper hungry.

I thought I could replenish my sweets stash here, but I ran out of steam mid-way~.

Yuzuru: So that’s what happened. I’m relieved you didn’t pass away in the hallway here.

Well, the script reading today did stretch on much like a marathon, so it can’t be helped that you’re exhausted.

Niki: Nomnom. I guess you’re right~. My brain sugar levels pretty much ran out. My eyes got all blurry, and my hands started shaking. I thought I was gonna die. 

Besides, this acting stuff is super hard. 

I’m flattered by the director’s high expectations of me, but I honestly don’t think I can do it.

I’m not even used to acting, so playing a non-human character is way out of my league.

If it was a role for a chef, I could probably get that no problem. Sigh…

----- ¹ In the original, Niki is having trouble reading the kanji 安寧, which refers to public peace. I decided to translate this as ‘tranquility’ as it gets the general meaning across while being more complicated than simply ‘peace’ (which Niki would 100% be able to read). ² Referencing how testing lightbulbs in the past required someone to screw in the lightbulb and another to flip a switch.

[paniniichan]

Ballade of the Lost Ones - Wandering / Chapter 3

Characters: Yuruzu, Niki, Madara, Rei, Tsumugi

Proofreaders: Aru, Oli

Yuzuru: Is this the script for the film? Thank you very much. 

Niki: Umm… The title is “Ballade of the Lost Children”? 

I can’t tell what the story’s about from just this.

Tsumugi: …Ah, I think I understand.

From this summary it seems like a film about a group of gods that features multiple concurrent storylines… at least that’s what it seems like.

Niki: You read that so fast!?

Tsumugi: Ahaha. Since reading is my hobby, I became pretty good at speed-reading. 

Niki: Still, that was super fast~. You’re amazing…!

Yuzuru: Even if you say these characters are gods, I can’t form a mental picture of what they’re like. I can’t quite pin it just yet.

The Japanese deities are commonly associated with the phrase “eight million gods”.¹ There are so many that it’s easy to believe one could exist for every phenomenon.

Hm? What seems to be the matter, Anzu-san?

Ah, I see.  Since the director went through all the trouble of coming here, it would be best for him to explain the important details in person.  

Director: Got it. Please allow me to explain–

This film is set in the present day. 

The main characters are smaller local deities who spent many years assembling the faith of their people and protecting their land. 

As the people have begun to lose their faith with the changing times, the local deities are losing their divinity, little by little… It’s pretty much like the world we live in.

Rei: Religious faith, hm? The people of this era do feel out of tune with it.

Director: Yes. This story is also one of children engulfed by the changing times. 

With their loss of divinity, the protagonists will gradually change from gods into mere non-humans–

During this change, they become what we call ‘spirits’ or demons.²

As this occurs, the local deities’ behaviours are also influenced and they begin to transform.

Among them, there are those who hate the humans who so callously forgot their faith, those whose “individuality” has become unclear, and those whose existences also begin to wane. 

But these gods ask themselves if it’s necessary to continue to protect this land, and by extension the people who live there. That’s the story I want to tell. 

Yuzuru: ……

This is truly… a difficult story to portray, is it not?

Niki: You think so?

I haven’t done much acting work before, so I’m not really sure which bits are difficult.

Yuzuru: This script will require us to play the role of someone who is “non-human”. Since this is the case, I am unable to rely on experience or memory for my part. How am I to perform this…?

Niki: Hmmm. I think I get it now.

Rei: Kukuku… When you think about it like that, perhaps this is a role perfectly suited for one such as myself. I am a monster after all…♪

Madara: Hm? What’s wrong, Anzu-san?

I see. Even though the roles are hard, you have faith in all of our abilities? Got it.

 I’ll stay true to my character!³ Well if the producer told me so, I guess I have no choice but to do my best ☆

Niki: Yup! I don’t really know why I was chosen. But even if I’m not good at acting, I don’t plan on cutting any corners!

Director: Thank you all for saying that!

Anzu-san. If it’s possible, I’d like to start filming soon, so could we sort out scheduling right away?

Of course, I totally understand that all of you still have your own jobs to do. I don’t want to make you go to the trouble of taking time off.   

I’d like to progress with filming within any free time you all may have, even if it’s little by little.  　

Yuzuru: …? Yes, it does seem like that. It’s as you say, Anzu-san.

It’s almost like they’re trying to proceed with filming as soon as possible, no…?

Niki: Is there a reason why you need to film everything so quickly?

Director: Truthfully, this film is being entered into a competition.

There aren’t many days left until the submission deadline. I sincerely apologise for these circumstances, but I’d like to get the filming done as soon as possible. 

Tsumugi: Sigh... A competition?

Director: You must think I’m just doing this for personal gain, right?

Tsumugi: Eh!? No no, I didn’t intend for it to come across like that!?

Director: No, it’s alright. It’s because I’m a shameful person.

I want to create satisfying movies. Although I created a small film production company for that purpose, our administration is always falling short. 

If this film results in failure, I’ll have to close the company.

In my youth I was praised as some kind of a genius… but these days I don’t even know if I have any talent at all.

That’s why this competition is my last chance. 

Yuzuru: ……

Niki: There’s no chance… Were you looking around town for actors since you don’t have any money!? 

Director: Well, um. It costs money to hold auditions, you know? We don’t exactly have the extra funds to do that~. 

 Even if we did make an offer, we’re such a small company that it’s difficult to ask agencies or theatre troupes. I was actually turned away at the front gate. Hahaha.

Ah, but you guys are different! Please don’t get me wrong on that! I seriously wanted you to appear in my film, so I ran as hard as I could despite my lack of physical prowess to try and call out to you.

I was so lucky! Anzu-san really saved me when she reached out. Fortunately, I’m now able to work with you both. 

Niki: Anzu-neesan, why’d you pick this movie for the “P Choice” project? 

…Uh-huh? Ehh~. You watched one of this director’s films from when he was a student? So you’re a fan of his!

Director: Haha. As of recently, I’ve found my past titles and reputation to be mostly annoying. 

But if this leads me toward the road to salvation, I guess I can’t just abandon my past self.

Yuzuru: ……

I thought this was a strange coincidence from the start, and there is no guarantee we will be able to win this competition for you.

But if you think so highly of us, we shall record this film to the best of our abilities.  Director: Ah, if you will, I’ll be relying on you…!

----

¹ 八百万の神 - “Eight million gods” - Meaning too many gods to count

² The character used here is 妖, meaning mysterious or alluring. It could be an abbreviation for the word “yōkai” or just mean “calamity”, but I’ve decided to leave it as spirits for simplicity.

³ 面目躍如 - Madara typical idiom meaning ‘to live up to one’s name’ or ‘demonstrating one’s worth’

[paniniichan]

Ballade of the Lost Ones - Wandering / Chapter 2

Characters: Yuzuru, Tsumugi, Niki, Madara, Rei Proofreaders: Aru, Oli, Azu

＜Several Days After the Bag Thief Incident＞

Yuzuru: Cleaning, cleaning, funfufufu~n♪

Moving the broom to a fixed rhythm is the most efficient way to sweep up the falling petals. My skills haven’t faltered either. 

Ah, meeting expectations as expected…♪

Oh, there seem to be more sakura petals falling over there. I’d like to clean those too if possible.

But I’m almost out of time, and in addition, I mustn’t completely take over someone else’s job. I must restrain myself.

Tsumugi: ……

……? (Rubbing his eyes as if he’s hallucinating)

Yuzuru: Oh? Aoba-sama, a pleasure to see you. 

You seem to be in a state of shock, are you alright?

What is the reason for you staring at me with such bewilderment?

Tsumugi: …Ah, this is ES, right? My brain confused this place for Yumenosaki Academy for a moment there. 

Maybe I should instead be asking why you’re cleaning here, Fushimi-kun? ES has its own cleaning staff, after all.

Yuzuru: I am well aware. I believe a member of staff was cleaning here until a short while ago, but it seems they’ve been absent for a while now.

When my hand subconsciously reached for it, a strong yearning swept over me and I simply began to clean. 

Since I have been living in the dormitory and no longer need to clean the Himemiya Family’s estate, I’ve completely lost the opportunity to pick up a broom.  

Tsumugi: Ah. Now that you mention it, I can see what you mean.

You don’t need to use a broom in any of the dormitory rooms. And all the other spaces are cleaned by the janitorial staff. 

Yuzuru: It is as you say– Ah, it’s that time already…!

Thank you very much for your understanding, Aoba-sama. Anzu-san has called for me after this, so you’ll have to excuse me soon.  

Tsumugi: Eh? You too, Fushimi-kun?

Truthfully, I’ve been called by Anzu-chan as well. You’re heading to the “COCHI” Meeting Room, right?

I was also going to head over there in just a moment.

Yuzuru: You’re going as well, Aoba-sama? I was sure it was a task I had to take care of.

Judging by this situation, others may be assembled as well.

＜30 Minutes Later. “COCHI”, a Coffee Shop Near ES Building＞

Niki: Huff, huff. Hiyaaaa~☆

Madara: Hi there! –Huh, wait? What’s up, Niki-san? You’re sweating like crazy.

Yuzuru: So it seems that Sakuma-sama, Mikejima-sama, Aoba-sama, Shiina-sama, and myself were all summoned to this place.

Niki: –Wha!? There’re way more people here than just me!?

What even is this? Anzu-neesan told me to come here so she could get my help with something, no doubt about it–

I thought I was gonna be taste-testing a new menu item, I even skipped all the way here from the dorms!?

I never once gave up, even when it felt like my legs were gonna break!!

Rei: So then, is that why you’re sweating so much? I can’t imagine you’d sweat that much naturally in early spring.  

Madara: Hahaha☆ Aren’t you just overflowing with energy?!

Niki: Noooo, I can’t do this anymore… I used up all my energy just getting here, I can’t move anymore. Goodbye, cruel world…!

Rei: Shiina-kun, what on earth are you doing? You’re being unexpectedly serious. 

Tsumugi: It would be fine if you ate something while waiting for Anzu-chan, wouldn’t it? There’s still some time until the meeting is supposed to start. 

Niki: Whoa! That’s a great idea!! Alrighty, I’ll take one “Seasonal Burger Plate”!

＜About 10 Minutes Later＞

Niki: Nomnomnom…♪ 

Madara: Niki-san sure eats a lot. Since I’m a big eater myself, I feel a sort of connection with you ☆

Yuzuru: I do recall Mikejima-sama set up food and drink carts at the school gates relatively frequently. 

Madara: That really brings back the memories. I can remember how a furious Keito-san would rush in after a while like it was just yesterday. Hahaha!

Yuzuru: Please do not laugh about such matters. As I was not a member of the student council at that time, I could only watch and remain in my position–

Oh? It seems like Anzu-san arrived at some point during that exchange. In that case, let’s end the stories of reminiscence. 

Anzu-san, welcome. …Yes, there are five of us gathered here. 

Ah, now that everyone who Anzu-san called for is present, shall we begin?

For what important matter did you bring us here today?

Eh? There’s someone you want to introduce me to?

–Ah, you are…

Niki: Nomnom– Aaah~! Aren’t you that guy whose bag was snatched the other day!?

Rei: What on earth do you mean by snatched?

Yuzuru: Truthfully–

＜Several Minutes Later＞

Rei: …Hm. So to summarise your story–

Fushimi-kun and Shiina-kun happened upon a scene of larceny, and this man they helped also happens to be a film director.

Madara: It seems that coincidences like these truly do exist.

Though I don’t think I’ve heard the story of “I met someone downtown who also happened to be a film director” before.

Rei: Well, there is a phrase that reality is often stranger than fiction.

 In any case, this director wanted to request for Fushimi-kun and Shiina-kun to star in his film and therefore made an offer to ES for a film production, however…

At the present moment, ES’ hands are full and he was pushed aside. 

Tsumugi: It’s a shame to say this, but as someone who is involved with office management I can give some insight.

Every department has its hands full with something this time of year, so it’s not easy to plan new projects. Therefore I think something like a movie that takes a lot more time is even more likely to be dismissed. 

Niki: Hm? Isn’t that strange though? Why did Director-san come here with Anzu-neesan if ES rejected it?

Yuzuru: I believe Anzu-san raised her hand to take on this plan as a part of “P Choice”.

Rei: Oh, I see. What a good idea.

After becoming an independent individual from the “P Association”, Ojou-chan has become responsible for the “P Choice” project.

Certainly, since this is the case, she can also take over projects that have been rejected from ES.  

Niki: So then the reason we were called here today is… Yuzuru: We will be appearing in this director’s film as a part of “P Choice”, correct?

[paniniichan]

Ballade of the Lost Ones - Wandering / Chapter 1

Characters: Yuzuru, Niki Proofreaders: Aru, Oli, Azu

Yuzuru: Excuse me, sir. Are you alright? You aren’t injured, are you?

Man: I’m safe, but my bag… Damn, it had something important inside…

Yuzuru: …

Shiina-sama. This could be dangerous, so please wait here for now. I will go and chase after that bag thie–

Niki: You thief~! You petty thief~! How dare you steal the stand’s churros along with that bag~!

Yuzuru: Shiina-sama!? P-Please wait a second!?

(What just happened? Before I could even move, Shiina-sama ran off to chase down that bag thief…) 

Ah, this is not good. Shiina-sama’s exceedingly strange behaviour caused my thoughts to cease for a moment.

Although we’re from different agencies, we’ve been placed in the same situation… I cannot risk Shiina-sama being exposed to danger. I must pursue him with haste.

Sir, I will also chase after that bag thief. I will do my best to deal with this situation and return your bag to you. 

Man: You’d do that for me!? Eh? Are you sure!?

Yuzuru: Yes, please leave it to me. 

(Now then. It seems that while I was busy dawdling around, the distance between myself and that bag thief had widened.)

(In order to catch up with and restrain him from here, I might have to take this a bit more seriously.)

(Fufu. I don’t normally have the opportunity to get this serious. It may be imprudent of me, but I’m getting a little excited.)

Don’t think you can successfully escape from my grasp. 

Man: …

Niki: Hey you~! Get back here right now!

Those who play with their food should suffer the absolute worst of the worst!? People like you deserve to be kicked to death by a horse, you hear me~!?¹

Yuzuru: That is an idiom said when a person interferes with another’s love life.  

Niki: Huh? When did you get here, Fushimi-kun? There wasn’t anyone next to me just a moment ago?  

Yuzuru: Fufu. In order to catch up, I decided to get a little serious. 

But let us set that aside. Shiina-sama, it seems like our bag thief is running into a back street.

Niki: Ah, you’re right! I wish he’d just accept the fact he’s going to be arrested already.² 

Yuzuru: Well, this might just be the perfect time for that. Since the main street is heavily crowded, pedestrians are simply in the way and I can’t take any extreme measures.  

But since the back street is devoid of people, it may be favourable for us.  

Shall we settle this in there?

＜Several Minutes Later＞

Bag Thief: Huff! Huff! How long are those guys gonna chase me!?

They’re way too stubbo–uwaah!?

Wh-What the!? Something hit me between my legs and I fell over… Is this a plastic bottle!?

Yuzuru: –Indeed. It was a little impolite, but I threw it to stop you from continuing to run away. 

Additionally, even if it had broken a bone in your leg, I would not have cared at all.

Well, I guess it is an extreme measure, even by today’s standards. 

But since I do have a position I need to protect, I tried to take the gentlest approach I could manage. 

 I humbly request for you to resign to your fate already. You won’t be able to escape anymore–

Bag Thief: Eek…! 

Niki: Ugh~, I’m shivering. Why does it feel five degrees colder in here? Is it because it’s so dark~?

Ah. It looks like he dropped all the bags right when he fell.

All righty, safe and sound ☆

We have successfully recovered the churros you snatched! 

Yuzuru: Shiina-sama, I think your priorities are out of order. Could you please secure the bag instead of those churros?

Man: Huff, huff…! Y-You two!

Yuzuru: –Hm? Ah, you followed us all this way?

It’s dangerous to approach a thief, so I had hoped you’d wait back there.

Niki: Hey sir, we managed to safely recover your churros! And we got your bag too! 

Man: Huff, huff… My bag! I’m sorry for the trouble, thank you very much!

Bag Thief: (Now. I’ll run away while they’re distracted…!) 

Yuzuru: …! Oh no! Stop right there!

Niki: Ngah! He’s running again!

Man: Please wait, you two! It’s alright, you don’t have to chase him anymore!

Yuzuru: …Why did you stop us? While we did return your baggage, he still committed a crime and should be handed over to the police. 

Niki: Yup yup. What he’s saying. 

Man: NO! This is so much more important! (He grabs Yuzuru and Niki’s hands)

Yuzuru and Niki: Eeh!?

Yuzuru:  …What exactly are you doing all of a sudden?

Man: Owowowowowowow!?

Niki: Fushimi-kun, Fushimi-kun. You’re really twisting the poor guy’s arm there.

Yuzuru: Please forgive my impoliteness. He suddenly grabbed our hands as if he was some kind of degenerate. My body simply moved for the sake of self-defence. 

Man: Me, a degenerate!? No, that’s wrong! That’s completely wrong! I’ve never even been a degenerate at all! 

–Please, won’t you two star in my movie!?

Yuzuru and Niki: …What?

Man: I’m sort of like a– huh? Where’d my business card go? Ah, not again! Well, uh, I’m a film director!

I’d like you to star in my film!

Yuzuru: E-Err…?

Man: My intuition is telling me to pick you! You two are high school… no, university students?

First of all, if you could kindly let go of my hand, please.

I’ll sufficiently compensate you for your performance of course! I don’t even mind if you treat it like a part-time job, could you please just collaborate with me on my film!?

Niki: This guy's super freaky!? He’s rattling on and on while leaning forward crazily, I’m getting a little freaked out!? Just what is his deal~?

Yuzuru: Uhm. Could you please take a moment to compose yourself?

Well. Unfortunately, we cannot appear in your film.

Man: Eh, you can’t? I promise I’m not a suspicious individual, and the job is respectable so–

Yuzuru: No. I’m not referring to that. 

The two of us are idols belonging to production offices. For that reason, any discussion of work must go through the appropriate processes with ES. Man: Idols…?

-----

¹ As Yuzuru mentions in the following line, “being kicked by a horse” is a Japanese expression used for people who interfere with others’ love lives.

² The expression Niki uses here (観念してお縄) can be exactly translated as “resign yourself to the policeman’s rope”. It basically refers to the art of restraining a person with a rope or cord, but also can refer to arresting.

[paniniichan]

Ballade of the Lost Child - Prologue

Characters: Niki, Yuzuru Proofreaders: Aru, Oli

Niki: Nomnom…♪

Kuu~u. This “hashimaki¹” is super yummy! Guess I was lucky there was a food stand here.   

It’s so delicious, why don’t more people know about this?

This world truly is weird~. Society should acknowledge “hashimaki” so much more.

It’s a flour-based food and it’s super easy to eat. You can even choose its flavour.

(In falsetto) Welcome ♪ Which flavour sauce would you like? Soy sauce flavour? Or how about cheese? –Hm~m, I just can’t choose!  

…Whoops. Woah, that was close. I almost passed that place by accident…!

Nahaha. I suddenly forgot why I’d come out here since I came across such delicious food~. 

Ooh, this line is huge!? Is this for those doughy churros that are trending at the moment!?

I thought I could avoid the crowds by coming earlier, but there are already so many people here.

I guess people gather at places with delicious food after all~.

In other words, it’s not an exaggeration to say that “delicious food creates world peace”...!

Right, this is no time to be messing around. I need to get in line before it gets too long.

<At the same time>

Yuzuru: Let’s see. I believe all the necessary purchases should be complete by now.

One, two, three… I bought this too, and that one just a moment ago. This one was sold out, so I shall have to come back at a later date.

… Hm, it appears all is in order. I don’t seem to have left any oversights.

Niki: I’m really looking forward to it~. Coming across new food is always so exciting. ♪

Yuzuru: Oh my, do I hear a familiar voice?

Ah, so it belongs to Shiina-sama. He seems to be at the end of a queue.

Season Avenue is always bustling. Hence it’s odd to see so many people lined up in a single queue.

They all seem to be queueing outside that stand. I wonder what exactly is being sold?

If Shiina-sama is lining up, it’s likely to be some type of food or drink.

… (Looking around)

… The people who’ve moved away from the stand all seem to have brightly-coloured sweets in their hands.

From their shape, I would guess they were donuts… No, perhaps churros?

Churros…? Come to think of it, I believe the Young Master mentioned those the other day…

Something about a speciality store selling cute churros on Season Avenue.

I see. He must’ve been referring to this stand.

……

Hm… He truly seemed to want to eat them, so perhaps I’ll buy them as a gift for the Young Master.

I wouldn’t usually let him eat this kind of thing, but…

Recently, he seems to be putting more and more effort into both his studies and work. Why not spoil him once in a while…♪

Shiina-sama.

Niki: Huh? Fushimi-kun?

How strange seeing you here~? Did you also come to try the churros? 

Yuzuru: I believe they would be a good gift for the Young Master. Would you mind if I accompanied you?

Niki: That’s fine by me~, let’s get these trending churros together! A journey is most fun with a companion after all²…♪

Yuzuru: It’s not a journey, we’re merely waiting together in line.

Niki: Nope nope. This line is the “Food Road”! In other words, it’s kind of like the Silk Road³, isn’t it?

Yuzuru: Well, um. Are you trying to compare this long queue to a road?

Niki: Yup! 

Yuzuru: sighs. Since the “Silk Road” isn’t about food, but rather silk, I feel like it’s a bit of a strange analogy in the first place. 

Niki: It’s instinct, Fushimi-kun. I thought I should express it to you in some way or another. Anyway, I don’t really care as long as we can get these churros. 

Yuzuru: Please stop talking based solely on reflex⁴. 

I don’t often find myself surrounded by your type, Shiina-sama. If I had to say, Hibiki-sama comes the closest.

Niki: Really?　

I don’t keep any company that’s like Fushimi-kun~. I only have irresponsible and weird people around me.

Oh well, thanks to that I can usually take it pretty easy, so that’s a plus.

Yuzuru: By the way, Shiina-sama. It seems that most people here are eating their churros as they leave, so do you know if I could order them to go? 

Since they’re not for me to eat and are instead a gift for the Young Master, I’d like to get them for takeout if possible. 

Niki: Hmm~? Is that so? I was also planning on eating while walking around here.

Truthfully, this kind of food is usually eaten on the spot or while walking, so I’m not sure if they’d be alright to take home.

Ah, Fushimi-kun. Take a look at that guy over there!

Yuzuru: Sure.

Niki: It looks like he only just bought some churros.

They’re wrapped in a paper bag from the stand too! I bet that means you can get them to go–

Man: Uwahh!?

Niki: Eh, what happened!? A fight!?

That guy was shoved over and knocked down by another man in black!?

Man: My bag! Wait, get back here! Bag thief!

Niki and Yuzuru: A bag thief!?

-----

¹ Hashimaki is Okonomiyaki wrapped around chopsticks

² Japanese proverb which means something alone the lines of “no road is long with good company”

³ The Silk Road was a series of trade routes connecting Europe and Asia spanning over 6,400km (4,000 mi) named for its primary use of trading silk. Niki is trying to liken the queue that they’re standing in to a long road where food will be traded at the end.

⁴The literal translation of what Yuzuru says is for Niki to stop talking based on “spinal reflexes”. These reflexes being involuntary and based on instinct without input from the brain. It’s effectively the same phrase as “knee-jerk reaction” in English.

[paniniichan]

good morning chat :3 resident NikiP Panini here !

just started a blog here to hopefully publish some niki and crazy:b-related translations!

🍳🎉