Anytime I see Mei and Val's romance, I think about how useless their characters are. We know nothing about anything relating to the Kai Empire either. I'm not seeing ANYTHING about Mei-nyan returning to being a general, she's just romance fodder bait at this point. Very goofy.
I expected a lot more from the Gaiden chapter. I wish it had started with a timeskip set years later, with Yona's long flowing hair - the woman with the sword we see leading troops and such at the beginning of the series. What was the point of that scene?
I like this chapter solely because Lili and Geun-tae were carrying it regarding Su-Won's wellbeing and intentions, as well as getting info on Lili's mother. Lili called Su-Won her friend, that's great progress. But outside of that, I can't say I'm that happy.
I'd have rather learned more about Su-Won and his clan too. What even happened to the Hiryuu clan? Why has the story forgotten about them?
Also, if the gang is back together (Zeno and Kija), what the hell was the previous chapter? Why were they all so distant but now drinking buddies?? What is happening?
It doesn't seem like much changed at all, tbh, other than the change in relationships. That's good.
Donāt know the chapter context but either way Iām so annoyed that Meinyan occupied half the chapter, is she really that important. Iām so not interested in what she does. Really happy Lili and Soo-won have something going on there but I want to read first to be sure. Also Iām so ready to see Liliās mom, I was so curious about this woman and the spicy family drama going on in their family
Anyway weāre definitely getting multiple chapters at this point, I thought max 3-4 to fill the volume. This chapter didnāt bring anything to the plot though, more like an introduction. So maybe the side story could be longer?š„¹ One can hope
From what I understood this chapter touches the events before Yonaās coronation, so itās before the dragons all leave
Same, glad we're finally getting more of Lili. I'm curious about what her mother will look like. It would be interesting if Lili's mother saw Lili and Su-Won and asked them, "are you dating?" or something. That would be a great tease haha. Especially if Lili or Su-Won get embarrassed. I'd like to see change in the dynamic especially now that they are officially friends.
And yeah, what's the whole story behind Joon-gi's affair and Nene? I am curious.
The side story was indeed like an intro, but I want to see more drama. I want to see the future of Kouka. I wonder when that will be.
Omg I imagine Lili would be so embarrassed if her own mother says that lmao šš Is it confirmed that Joon-gi cheated? Or was it actually her? God Iād love if this family drama could be brought up
but I want to see more drama. I want to see the future of Kouka. I wonder when that will be.
Me too but hey now thereās actually hope weāll get some real information. I feared this gaiden will only be about the wedding but it seems weāll get more than that. Iām hopeful again
Yuuta: Huh, was it that spicy?! Oh geez, hurry and drink some water!
Shinobu: T-Thank you, Yuuta-kun. Cough, cough! Uu, my throat hurts from the spiceā¦
Wait, this is sparkling water! I heard it fizz when I opened itā¦!
Yuuta: Aw, was I found out? I thought I could trick you if you were in a rush! Seems I was naive!
For seeing through my prank splendidly, I shall gift Shinobu-kun with real water. āŖ
Shinobu: Gulp, gulpā¦ Fwah, I-Iāve returned to life, de gozaruā¦
Uu, I wish you wouldnāt play tricks on me when Iām in need, Yuuta-kunā¦
Yuuta: Well~, I thought Iād get a better reaction for the shot if I did it like that.
And I did take a picture just now, butā¦ Hmm, this is a dud.
Shinobu: This is the significance of me putting my life on the line?!
Yuuta: Itās because you have a bigger reaction than I do, so you stand out more, Shinobu-kun.
Shinobu: Well of course I do, de gozaru! I mean, since weāre taking candid photos of you, shouldnāt I be the cameraman, Yuuta-kun?
Yuuta: I wouldnāt do anything thatād have you feeling left out, Shinobu-kun! Weāre friends, after all. āŖ
Shinobu: Thatās not a reasonā¦
Yuuta: Yes it is. I wanna get a picture of me with a friend.
You know, like how a candid photo can be of you eating food in front of a convenience store, yeah?
Iāll get to take pictures when discussing it with Anzu-san, but Iād like to get some ideas together myself.
Shinobu: I understand how you feel, de gozaru. Thatās why Iām helping you think up some candid photo ideas thatāll help your individuality shine throughā¦
Yuuta: Mmmhm! Youāre my best friend, who I can rely on when Iām in trouble! āŖ
Shinobu: Iām probably just being relied on out of convenience, but it did seem like you were seriously worried, Yuuta-kunā¦
And of course Iāll help out a dear friend in trouble!
Yuuta: ā¦Yeah. Thank you, Shinobu-kun.
By the way, you havenāt had your Feature Live yet, have you? If you were to take a candid photo, what would you do?
Shinobu: āCourse, Iād be photographed as a ninja, de gozaru!
Yuuta: As expected of Shinobu-kun. You get a sense of individuality just by saying youāre a ninja, donāt you?
Shinobu: Thatās a harsh way to put it, de gozaruā¦ But itās what Iāve been working up ātil now! āŖ
Yuuta: I see. What youāve been working up to, huhā¦
ā¦ (does some juggling with plastic bottles)
Shinobu: Ooh, amazing as always! Isnāt this what youāve been working up towards?
Yuuta: Hm, maybe. Something like this is more of a 2wink thing, though.
Girl: ā¦
Shinobu: ā¦Hm, itās a little girl. Whatās she doing out here, do gozaru?
Yuuta: Is she an elementary schooler? Itās red around her eyes. Was she crying because she got lost, or something?
(Actually, what is it with this kid? Itās like sheās staring at meā¦)
Girl: ā¦Yuuta-kun?
Yuuta: Huh? Uh, I mean, I am Yuuta, butā¦.
Girl: I knew it! Itās Yuuta-kun~!
Yuuta: Whoa?! Whatās going on?! I donāt know what to do being suddenly hugged like this!
Spring of ESā second year of establishment. In Shinobuās dorm room at the Starmony Dormā¦
Shinobu: Hmhmhmhmmm~āŖ (Humming)
(Iām over the moon~! I never would have thought Iād get an offer to do a large-scale event about ninjas!)
(The project director strongly nominated me tooāthey said I was just the person to have when it came to ninjas.)
(Have my activities as a ninja idol finally begun to bear fruit?)
(If my love of ninjas has become known to loads of people, Iām really glad. āŖ)
(If things keep up at this rate, as a ninja idol, I could kick off ninjas becoming all the rage around the world.)
(...Mnn, I canāt just rest on my laurels.)
(This is my chance to convey the charms of ninjas to loads of people! I absolutely cannot afford to fail!)
(Iāll show the best performance ever so that everyone can fall in love with ninjas!)
(I was told that for the event, they wanted me to make use of the stage as much as I could and show the appeal of ninjas)
(So, if I demonstrate some flashy ninjutsu, it should certainly make everyone interested in ninjas too! āŖ)
(When it comes to ninjutsu onstage, Iāve done it before in RYUSEITAI events[1], butā¦)
(If Iām going to the trouble already, Iād like to demonstrate even more advanced stage production than I did those times~)
(But, itās not my field of expertise, soā¦ Mm. Iāll try looking into it from there before anything else.)
Location: Starmony Dorm Library
Shinobu: (... So, I came to the library on a mission to find some ideas.)
(It doesnāt seem like thereās anything that sticks out in the āNew Booksā corner, huh~)
(At this point, Iāve got no choice but to put in the work to search for books that seem to be of use.)
(Luckily, it seems like everything in the library is categorized really simply, by genre, so I should be able to find itā¦ quickly, I hope?)
???: Mm, what should I doā¦
Shinobu: (That voice isā¦)
As I thought, it was Shino-kun, hm?
Hajime: Ah, Sengoku-kun. I donāt often see you here in the library. Are you looking for something?
Shinobu: Thatās right. Iāll be on a stage showing off the charms of ninjas soon, actually!
I wanted to make the show stage great for the people whoāll come to see it, so I was looking around to see if I could find any materials in the library that seemed useful for it.
Because as I recall, there are materials for stage production put in here.
Hajime: I see. So thatās why you look a little happy, Sengoku-kun.
If youāre looking for books about stage production, I believe youāll find them on the shelf over there. How about I show you?
Shinobu: Really? If youāre sure, Iāll take you up on it then!
Come to think of it, Shino-kun, didnāt you say something was troubling you a second ago?
I distinctly heard you say āWhat should I doā¦?ā while you were squatting down over there!
Hajime: Ehehe, I didnāt notice you had overheard.
Itās not all too big a deal, butā¦ Could you take a look at the back of this shelf here?
Shinobu: At the back? What could be in a place like this?
Uuu, itās so dark, I canāt see very well. It doesnāt seem like something fell back here eitherā¦
Hajime: You see, there are these strange markings drawn onto the wall hidden behind this shelf.
Shinobu: Markingsā¦ Ohh! There really are some markings. Nicely spotted!
Hajime: I happened upon it by chance while I was cleaning, you see.
I donāt know how long itās been there, but if itās been there since I began living at Starmony Dorms, Iād think I would have noticed it soonerā¦
Someone must have drawn it recently. But these markings are too intricate to be considered graffiti, so I was wondering if itās alright to erase themā¦
Shinobu: M~mn, it does just seem like ordinary graffiti. I feel like it wouldnāt be an issue to simply erase itā¦
Hajime: Even if there was a reason for it, I just donāt think itās right to just draw on the walls like this, so Iād like to caution whoever did this against itā¦
I guess Iāll just have to ask around to figure out who drew it?
Shinobu: If they donāt feel guilty about it, you might get an answer out of them, butā¦
Graffiti scribbled in such a weird place like thisā¦ I donāt know, it feels like they donāt want it to be found for some reason.
Hajime: Thatās trueā¦ Hmm, erasing it is simple enough, but what should I doā¦
Shinobu: ā¦If thatās how things are, Iād like it if you leave this to me.
Hajime: Leave it to you, Sengoku-kun?
Shinobu: Mhm! Iāll try using these markings as a clue to look into whoever drew them!
Hajime: Thatād be a great helpā¦! But, what about the books you need for stage direction?
Shinobu: Donāt worry about it. After this matter is investigated, Iāll come back to borrow them another time.
Besides, as a member of RYUSEITAI, I canāt just leave you to your troubles, Shino-kun!
Hajime: Hehe, alright, got it. Iāll be counting on you then, Sengoku-kun.
I wish I could lend you a hand, but I have work scheduled after thisā¦
Shinobu: Donāt worry about a thing.
Iām a ninja, so this kind of investigation is my specialty!
You can rest easy; please leave this to me! āŖ
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Likely referencing Ninja Association activities like the performance at a historic village in Scroll of the Elements and performing an AR live in Ninja Clan.
Disclaimer: This post is partly a style guide for myself, and not all nicknames will be a 1-1 translation. Iāve included the romaji for your reference (excluding Rookās list). This list is also incomplete.
Rookās Nicknames
Himself āĀ Le chasseur dāamour
YuuĀ ā Trickster
GrimĀ ā Monsieur Fuzzball
RiddleĀ ā Roi des Roses
AceĀ ā Monsieur Heart
DeuceĀ ā Monsieur Spade
CaterĀ ā Monsieur Magicam
TreyĀ ā Chevalier des Roses
LeonaĀ ā Roi des Lions
Jack ā Monsieur Tough Guy
RuggieĀ ā Monsieur Dandelion
AzulĀ ā Roi dāEffort
JadeĀ ā Monsieur Mastermind
FloydĀ ā Monsieur Kills for Thrills
Kalim ā Roi dāOr
Jamil ā Monsieur Multi-Skilled
VilĀ ā Roi du Poison, Beautiful Vil
EpelĀ ā Monsieur Cherry Apple
Idia ā Roi de Ta Chambre
Ortho ā Monsieur Doll
MalleusĀ ā Roi des Dragons
Silver ā Monsieur Sleepyhead
Sebek ā Monsieur Crocodile
Lilia ā Monsieur Curiosity
Neige ā Roi de Neige
Floydās Nicknames
Yuu ā Little Shrimpy (Koebi-chan)
Grim āĀ Baby SealĀ (Azarashi-chan)
Riddle ā Little Goldfish (Kingyo-chan)
Ace ā CrabbyĀ (Kani-chan)
Deuce ā Little Mackerel (Saba-chan)
Trey ā Sea Turtle (Umigame-kun)
Cater ā Sea Bream (Hanadai-kun)
Leona ā Sea Lion (Todo-senpai)
Jack ā Sea Urchin (Uni-chan)
Ruggie ā SharksuckerĀ (Kobanzame-chan)
Kalim ā Sea Otter (Rakko-chan)
Jamil ā Sea Snake (Umihebi-kun)
Vil ā Betta Fish (Beta-chan-senpai)
Epel ā Guppy (Guppy-chan)
Rook ā Seagull (Umineko-kun)
Idia ā Firefly Squid (Hotaru Ika-senpai)
Ortho ā Sea Angel (Clione-chan)
Malleus ā Sea Slug (Umiushi-senpai)
Silver ā Jellyfish (Kurage-chan)
Sebek ā Crocodile (Wani-chan)
Lilia ā Flapjack Octopus (Mendako-chan)
Crewel ā Beakfish (Ishidai-sensei)
Trein ā Red Squid (Akaika-sensei)
Vargas ā Lobster (Lobster-sensei)
Sam ā Seahorse (Umiuma-kun)
Vilās Nicknames
Pomefiore 1st years ā Fresh potatoes (Shin-jaga)
Epel ā Baby potato (Ko-jaga)
AceĀ ā Fresh potato 1 (Shin-jaga 1-gou)
Deuce ā Fresh potato 2 (Shin-jaga 2-gou)
Sebek ā Cucumber (Kyuuri)
Leonaās Nicknames
Yuu ā Herbivore (Soushoku doubutsu)
Riddle ā Red Young Master (Akage no bocchanĀ and Akai bocchan)
Azul ā Octopunk (Tako-yarou)
Idia ā Radish sprout (Kaiware daikon)
Malleus ā Young Master (Obocchama), Lizard (Tokage), Monster (Bakemono)
Other
Ramshackle
Grim often refers to Yuu as his henchman. (Kobun)
Yuuās nickname for Malleus isĀ āMr. Hornsā (Tsuno Tarou)
Heartslabyul
Ace often teases Deuce by calling himĀ āMr. Goody-two-shoesā (Majime-kun)
Deuce refers to all his seniors by their last names.
Cater calls himself Cay-kun.
Cater addsĀ ā-chanāĀ to all 1st yearsā first names except Jack (-kun).
He calls GrimĀ āGri-chanā and ChenyaĀ āChenyanā
Original vs. meaning vs. English-language adaptation
Ace: Kani-chan
Meaning: Crab-chan
EN: Crabby
Deuce: Saba-chan
Meaning: Mackeral-chan
EN: Macky
(EN will sometimes introduce a āyā or āieā ending or the word ālittleā to Floydās names, possibly to represent the ā-chanā honorific (ex: Ace, Deuce, Ortho) but sometimes not (ex: Jack, Epel, Sebek))
(Floydās nickname for Ruggie remains the same in the original game, but on NA it is āremoraā in one place and āsharksuckerā in others, which seem to be two names for the same fish.)
Azul
We see in a flashback that child-Floyd referred to Azul as āTako-chanā (Octopus-chan, or āOctyā on NA) when they were still getting to know each other, but the game goes out of its way to have Floyd explain that he has no nickname for Azul now because, āAzulās Azul.ā
Vil: Betta-chan-senpai
Meaning: Betta-chan-senpai
EN: Lilā Betta / Vil / Mr. Fancy Fins / Schoenheit / my fancy friend
(I have received questions before about whether or not Vil and Floyd have a unique relationship of some kind sinceābesides Azul and JadeāVil is the only character Floyd refers to by names outside of his own sea-life-naming-convention.
But he doesnāt!
Unlike Rook (who shifts between using French/Japanese/English with his nicknames and sometimes drops them completely) Floyd is strict about his names: he never uses any name with anyone besides the sea-creature name he decides for them, except for Azul and Jade. The game emphasizes this with Floydās āAzulās Azulā line, so it is interesting that NA's continuity for Floyd is so flexible.)
"Nfufu, but ya made it, Oshi-san. Anythinā ya make is a treasure in my eyes. āŖ"
[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu āŖ]
Season: Summer
Location: ES Building Lobby
During the second year of ESā establishment, in June. At the ES Building Lobbyā¦
Mika: (Nnah~, I finally made it to the ES Buildinā.)
(I heard it was gonna be hot and summery out, but I didnāt expect it to be this hotā¦ I was āboutta melt onto the pavement on my way here.)
(Even the candies in my pocketās gotten all squishy. Iām gonna have tāput them in the fridge fer it to harden laterā¦)
(It feels like heaven in here with the air conditioner on anā everythinā~! āŖ Stayinā indoors is the way to go on days like this. Designinā outfits, and sewinā āemā¦)
(ā¦Ah, right, I donāt have the time tātake it easy in the cooled air. Iāve gotta discuss with Oshi-san ābout what weāre gonna do.)
(It seems heās come up with an idea fer our Fan ThanX Festival, but I havenāt a single clue what it could beā¦)
(I sent āim a message askinā what it was, but he didnāt give me a straight answer.)
Mika: (He just went, āIt will be more efficient if I just show you!ā, just as Oshi-san would.)
(It seems like the other units are doinā some real extraordinary things. Mystery-solvinā games[1], and exhibitions showcasinā unique art[2], fer exampleā¦)
(And the game switch made all by themselves was real cool too![3] āŖ I donāt really play games, and I even had fun with it!)
(Itās like ya can do anythinā that you wanna do! Anzu-chan sure is generous, huh!)
(ā¦Wait, huh? Who is it I should be thankinā in this case? Since itās called the āES Fan ThanX Festivalā, should I be thankinā the big-wigs up at ES instead of Anzu-chan?)
(But, the one handlinā everything is Anzu-chan, right? Ummā¦?)
(Well, Iāll just haveāta thank both of āem. āAnd to Oshi-san too, oācourse!)
(āCause the reason Iām able to even be an idol like this is all thank tāOshi-san. The me I am now wouldnāt exist if it werenāt fer him.)
(So, fer Valkyrieās ThanX Festival, I want to do it exactly as Oshi-san likes.)
(Iām so excited to hear what he came up with. I bet itās real amazin', this is Oshi-san weāre talkinā about, after allā¦āŖ)
Location: Dressing Room
Mika: Sācuse me~ā¦ Ah, there ya are!
Thatās some beautiful rosework ya got there, Oshi-san. Whatācha makinā?
Shu: Oh, Kagehira. This here is a prototype for a decoration for the outfit.
Mika: Outfitā¦ Could ya mean the outfit for the Fan Thanx Festival?
Shu: Correct. I wish to incorporate roses into its outfit. Iām surveying materials and their textures and the like.
Mika: Ya really love roses, huh, Oshi-san? Thereās so many arrangements ya can do usinā roses as a motif, huh.
Ya can change how it looks dependinā on how much dimension ya give it, and changinā its color and its number gives it further meaninā too, huh?
Shu: Thatās right. Red symbolizes passion, white, purity, and yellow, friendship. A single rose represents love at first sight, and eleven, a treasured loveā¦
And if you are to propose, you should prepare twelve roses. The proposed, rather than respond with a āyesā, instead communicates it traditionally by taking a rose and returning it.
That being said, all of these are simply meanings appropriated upon the rose by humans after the fact. The rose itself was not borne into existence to such purposes..
Mika: Nnah~ā¦ Hearinā it like that makes it kinda strange, huh.
The worldās so big, yet somethinā added on after the factās been widely accepted as a common sense of sorts.
Shu: Hmph. It all ultimately comes down to what is most convenient for humans, isnāt it?
Even feelings that cannot be described by words can take shape in the form of flowers. Quite convenient, is that not?
However, that means that those meanings are at the fore, leading to misunderstandings.
Mika: I getācha. I only started considerinā those things after I became an artist, fer example.
Once, when I casually presented an artwork oāmine, someone started countinā the roses in it. I was shocked ācause I didnāt understand it at all.
Come tāthink of it, Oshi-san, ya gave me chocolate roses at Chocolat Fes, didnāt ya?[4]
At that time, I had accepted it without knowinā much ābout those things. I wonder if there was a meaninā behind it?
Shu: Who can say? What truly matters is how you felt upon receiving it.
In any case, finding meaning in the mundane is the very essence of what it means to be human.
The rose is a blossom that possesses both beauty and pain. It is splendid, yet unafraid to bear its thorns.
Unable to stand on its own, it uses its thorns to entwine itself with other plants to provide itself support. It is nothing more but a mechanism for its survival, yetā¦
Humans seek out meaning, even in those thorns. Such as intangible emotions such as love, devotion, or even pride.
A story is imbued to where there was none, and emotions are entrusted unto it. That is precisely what constitutes āartā.
Mika: Hmmā¦ So yer sayinā thatā¦ As it is, this rose decoration is beautiful, butā¦
The reason I see it as somethinā so special is because it is filtered through my own lenses of it beinā somethinā Oshi-san createdā¦?
Shu: Thatās a rather rough-hewn way to put it, but if I were to borrow your vocabulary, yes, that would be about how I would put it, Kagehira.
ā¦This material is too pliant. It wonāt be suitable for the outfit I have in mind.
Mika: Are ya gonna throw away that rose? Could I have it instead, in that case?
Shu: I do not mind, butā¦ Goodness, you just ask for anything, donāt you?
Mika: Nfufu, but ya made it, Oshi-san. Anythinā ya make is a treasure in my eyes. āŖ
By the way, Oshi-san, thereās somethinā thatās been on my mind fer some time nowā¦
What's that over there? Itās hard not tānotice, beinā covered in such elegant red silk and all.
Shu: Hmmā¦ Yes, this makes for a good time to pivot to the ThanX Festival, doesn't it?
This is the palace I have designed from the ground up for our Valkyrieās ThanX Festival to be held at.
Mika: A palaceā¦?
Shu: Indeed. Here is the diorama for it.
Mika: Whoa...! This palace is real extravagant! Itās got fountains and pavilionsā¦ It reminds me of the palace ya took me to in Paris.
Yer thinkinā to get this built fer real? Rather than rent a venue or somethinā?
Shu: That is right. According to the notice, ābudget is not a concernā, you see. Meaning, I am at right to spend generously and without constraintā¦āŖ
Money, to the artist, is an issue they cannot be separated from. By the year, our performances have become more extravagant as the years pass, but there we are always dealing with financial constraints.
Fortunately, we make up any expense deficit through sales through the live, but, even so, ātis not enough for us to reach our ideal.
Our performances are akin to constructing a world of its own. Only when our song, outfits, and staging entwine in perfect harmony can our performance be considered complete.
And that is exactly why we absolutely cannot compromise. But as unfortunate as it is, we are bound by the shackles we call money. And without this necessary resource, our ideal will remain but a pipe dream.
As such, let us make full use of this for Valkyrieās ThanX festival.
We shall pour this money into creating our grandest stage yetāwe shall build our palace, and host a magnificent feast for our fans!
We shall hold a celebration filled with music and art for three days and three nights, just as the royals and the nobles once did!
This will be our way to express our gratitude! Kakakaā¦āŖ
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Likely referring to UNDEADās Thanx Festival, featuring a mystery escape game.
Likely referring to 2winkās ThanX Festival, an exhibition featuring an array of optical illusion art.
You too can play Switchās Thanx Festival game, right here!
Referring to the scene found in Hot & Elegant Chocolate Fes - Chapter 11.
>Two years after the establishment of ES, early April.<
Arashi: Hehe, how nostalgic. Walking here makes me feel like I've gone back to my student days.
Nazuna: You make it sound like it was ages ago. Arashi-chin graduated, what was it, a month ago?
Arashi: That's true, but. You know, we've been living in the dorms since last year, right? Since we moved to the dorms, we hardly pass by here anymore.
I'm remembering a lot of things. Since it's cherry blossom season, I seem to be feeling sentimental.
Chiaki: Yeah. This area holds a special place in my heart as well. There was a time when I used to do the "morning greeting campaign" under that streetlight over there.
Arashi: That kind of thing happened too, didn't it? I vaguely remember it.
Chiaki: What!?
You remembered me even though we never had the chance to meet...... I'm so moved!
Arashi: You're being so dramatic. I said "vaguely," didn't I? It was memorable, so it just stuck in my mind.
You were wearing the "Ryuseitai" costume and energetically greeting people passing by. Even if I didn't want to, I'd remember it.
Nazuna: Ahaha. Still, I think it's something that makes Chiaki-chin happy.
Knowing that his activities are remembered in someone else's memory āŖ
Chiaki: That's right! Everything has an end. Even a hero show will come to an end after a year.
However. The hero's deeds remain in our hearts forever and continue to give us courage even now.
Thank you for remembering me back then, Narukami! Handshake......ā
Arashi: You're welcome. Geez, you always talk about heroes whenever you get the chance.
I feel like I've heard enough for a lifetime just today.
Nazuna: I heard a lot about it at Chiaki-chin's house too~ The conversation was so lively that a viewing party was about to beginā
......So, shouldn't we resume filming soon? We're quite far from Chiaki-chin's house now.
Arashi: Sure thing. Staff, could you please start the shoot? ~āŖ
"Well, well. Did you enjoy 'Surprise! Idol's Room,' where we introduce idol homes?"
Chiaki: "Yes! It was fun to showcase a lot of things I like! Thank you so much for coming today......ā"
Nazuna: "Arashi-chin was talking to the viewers, you know~? But well, as the person in charge of the program, I'm happy you're pleased."
"As you all know, in this program, we introduce the homes of idols, andā"
"It's a relay system where the guest of that episode introduces the next idol who will show their home. So, Chiaki-chin, can I ask you to do the introduction?"
Chiaki: "Leave it to me! Now, everyone, the long-awaited next guest isā"
"My reliable companion! It's Kanata Shinkai from 'Ryuseitai'......ā"
>A few days earlier. Inside the TV station, in the dressing room of the talk show "Sekirara no Yakata".<
Arashi: āSorry to keep you waiting, Nazuna-chan. I got us some drinks.
Also, the staff gave us a treat saying, "Please enjoy it, everyone." I'll leave it here.
Nazuna: Thank you...... but this is quite extravagant, isn't it?
I was surprised last time too. I feel like the treatment is getting better with each recording session.
Arashi: You're right. If you were given something like this, you'd naturally think that way, wouldn't you.
Does that mean our program is just that popular?
Nazuna: That's right~ I never imagined that the program we're in charge of would become such a hot topic.
Arashi: Me too. At first, it was a mini program of about five minutes, and both the name and purpose were different from now.
Nazuna: Yes, yes. It was a project titled "Attention! Idol's Treasure," where guests were asked to bring their important personal belongingsā
"Since I don't want to take it out, I want you to come see it at my house". The guest's request prompted a program introducing the idol's room.
Arashi: Yeah. There are quite a few fans who want to know what goes on in their idols' rooms, and it doesn't seem like the program is going to end anytime soon......
Nazuna: Hmm, do you feel like there's a problem? I thought we were supposed to be concerned about privacy, like not showing the exterior of the house or anything that might identify the address, right?
Arashi: No, that's fine. The problem is the content of the program.
Earlier, I overheard the staff talking. They said, "We've been introducing too many wealthy homes, and it's starting to feel monotonous."
Nazuna: Ah...... With Tsukasa-chin and Momo-chin, the rich people just keep coming.
Arashi: Yeah. In that sense, it's nice to be able to introduce Morisawa-senpai next.
I was shown a picture of his room. It was very boyish with a lot of Sentai goods.
Unlike at Momo-chan's house, it seems like we won't have to be so nervous next time.
Nazuna: It is getting a bit monotonous, huh...... Come to think of it, it's been nothing but introductions from friends, hasn't it?
Even if we introduce our friends, is it too much to ask to introduce a room with a different direction than before?
Arashi: Isn't it natural to think about making a good program?
It's the staff who actually run the project. However, we're also entrusted with the progress of the program.
That being said, I don't really have any concrete ideas. What should we do?
<A few minutes later, in the Seisoukan Common Room.>
Madara: Now then. Iāve managed to put the brakes on Souma-san and Anzu-sanās project for now, butā
The real problem is figuring out how Iām gonna get my project approved... Hmm, what to do, what to doā¦ ā¦?
Rei: Ohh, so this is where youāve gotten yourself to, Mikejima-kun. Iāve been searching high and low for you for quite some time now, you know?
Madara: Oh myyy, if it isnāt Rei-san. Whatās up? Were you looking for me?
Rei: Indeed. Itās about this afternoonās business. You asked for my help, but left me in the dark as to the outcome. Thatās rather thoughtless, donāt you think?
Madara: Whoops! Come to think of it, I have forgotten to thank you! I was sooo caught up in my own thoughts that it completely slipped my mind.Ā
Let me fix that now: Thank you! The intel you gave me about Anzu-sanās whereabouts and Souma-sanās project earlier was such a great help āŖ
Rei: Mmm. So? How fares the outcome of your proposal?
Madara: Siiigh. The outcome? Nothing, nada, zilch. As things stand right now, Halloween is a no-goāmy plan didnāt take off at aaall.
Thatās why thereās going to be another meeting scheduled the day after to decide whether to go with Souma-sanās proposal or mine.
Rei: Well~, thatās probably the best outcome you couldāve hoped for given the limited time you had to pull it off. But really, Mikejima-kun, you do make a hobby of imposing impossibly tall orders on yourself.
It's the peak of Spring right now, with vibrant sunshine and blooming flowers everywhere. And here you are, stubbornly pushing a Halloween event, which is... to say the least, thoroughly out of season.
Madara: Thatās exactly why itād be fun! Besides, if weāre gonna fuss about something like the season, itās Autumn in the Southern hemisphere nowww, isnāt it?
If thatās the problem, we could just hold the event in Australia and tadah~! Problem solved!
Rei: Good grief. What a mad stretch of logic you make to justify your whims. Even in Australia, itās the wrong time of year for Halloween. No matter where you are in the world, everyone knows Halloween is firmly tied to October 31st.
Madara: Hmm? Whatās going on here? For someone who helped me out earlier, Rei-san, are you against my Spring Halloween idea now?Ā
Rei: No, Iām not against it at all. Itās just that I canāt help but voice my dissatisfaction on seeing the unnecessarily complicated path youāre on.
Frankly, I believe this whole business could be resolved most quickly, if only you could just be honest, Mikejima-kun.
Madara: I am being honest, though! I think Anzu-sanās project is amazing, and I reeeally want to make it a reality!
Rei: Ohhh, I donāt doubt that part is true. However, what Iām referring to is something elseāmore accurately, closer to your true feelings, Mikejima-kun.
Madara: ā¦ ā¦ Hahaha. It looks like youāve already figured me out, Rei-san.
Rei: Deducing the motives of others is a specialty of mine. Because, why would you be clinging so stubbornly to Halloweenā
Or more specificallyāto last yearās Halloween? When I think about what happened back then, the answer becomes crystal clear.
The extreme lengths you go to, Mikejima-kun, are so adorably pathetic and touchingly brave (1). I canāt help but wonder, why are you keeping your true intentions concealed from the young lady Anzu?
Madara: ā¦ ā¦ Because I donāt want to manipulate her. Using sob stories to tug at her feelingsāThatās just ā¦ uncool, isnāt it?
Iāve already caused Anzu-san enough grief because of Double Face, not to mention the hurtful things I said to push her away. (2)
Madara: Thatās why this time, I reeeally want to make her smileāby using this project, which she poured so much of herself into.
Rei: Huh. Even if, by doing so, you might end up causing her even more trouble?
Madara: Haha~. You reeeally donāt pull your punches at all, do you? However, that trainās already left the station; thereās no turning back now.Ā
Iāll absolutely make this Halloween project happen, no matter what it takes.
Rei: You really are a stubborn one, for crying out loud.
Just so weāre clear, this is the last time Iāll be helping you on this.
I do want to support you, Mikejima-kun, but as someone from the same agency as Kanzaki-kun, I cannot in good conscience undermine his endeavour.Ā
Besides, if youāre aiming to be my successor, I expect you to be able to handle this level of adversity on your own.
Madara: Of course! I donāt plan to keep relying on you forever, Rei-san. This is something I want to do for myself after aaallā
Chiaki: āOHHH! There you are, Mikejima-san!
Madara: Hmm? If it isnāt Chiaki-san and Kaoru-san. Are the both of you looking for me tooo?
Chiaki: Thatās right! Iāve heard all about your Halloween project from Hakaze. We thought you might need some help, so here we are!
Kaoru: For the record, Iām only here because Moricchi dragged me along, okay~?
Chiaki: Haha! Donāt be like that, Hakaze. You were curious about Mikejima-sanās fixation on Halloween too, right?
Kaoru: Well, I donāt deny thatā¦ ...
Madara: Nope. I appreciate your kind intentions, Chiaki-san, but Iām not in any trouble at aaall. Thereās no need to help me out with anything.Ā
Rei: Now, now, Mikejima-kun. It isnāt good to lie. Werenāt you just agonizing over how to get your proposal approved?
Madara: Youāre sooo heartless, Rei-san. I reeeally wish you wouldnāt out the fact that Iām struggling so promptly like this!
Rei: For crying out loud. You should tone down on your secretive ways, Mikejima-kun. You have a bad habit of trying to take on everything and solve everything on your own.
Kaoru: Huh? ā¦ ... (stares at Rei)Ā
Madara: ... ā¦ ā¦ (also staring at Rei)Ā
Rei: Wh-what is it, you two? Why are you staring at me like that?
Kaoru: ā¦ ā¦ Hahhh. Take a moment to reflect about what you just said, why donāt you?
Rei: In any case, Mikejima-kun, you should trust the people around you more and be honest about your true feelings.
Your motivations this time arenāt anything you should be ashamed to share with others, at any rate.
Madara: Urmmm. You mean my pathetic need for self-satisfaction?
Chiaki: Whatever it is, you can count on us, Mikejima-san! Iām all in to support you, no matter what!
Kaoru: That goes for me too. Iām already involved to this extent. Might as well see it through to the very end, right?Ā
Besides, in your words from this afternoon, Iām āan honorary member of this merry gangā already, right?
Madara: Haha, I canāt argue with that logic, Kaoru-san.
Good grief. Thereās absolutely no need for your meddling in this matter at aaall, but... I guess Iāll show Rei-san some face this time.
Promise you wonāt laugh when I tell you what my goal is, okayyy?Ā
Chapter 3 / Chapter 5
Lupine Halloween Masterlist
(To be continued)
Translatorās Notes
Rei describes what Madara is doing as ććććć (ijirashii) which is a unique term that exists in JP. Some dictionaries explain it simply as āadorably pathetic / endearingly pitifulā while others explain it further as the emotional state of deep sympathy, admiration and sadness you feel when witnessing someone being endearingly pitiful, brave, and touching in their struggling efforts despite their weakness / vulnerability, which evokes respect and a desire to support that someone.Ā
(Example: Hinata Shouyoās first and only middle school match where he and his 2 inexperienced friends and 3 newbie freshmen went up against Kageyama Tobio's powerhouse school and got crushed despite valiantly trying their best, prolly.)Ā
Madaraās harsh words to Anzu were said in Antique Legend Epilogue 3 (January 2021) as he walked away from her. This kicked off a long period (also known as the MadaAnzu divorce) where Madara kept his distance from Anzu until the Poltergeist/New Color event (January 2023, so for about ~2 years).
During their estranged period, some mentions of Madara + Anzu can be found in
- Hidden Beasts ,
- his FS1 3* Idol Story As an Elder
- Myriad of Colours and Flowers (starts from ch 5)
- Secret Service Ch 8 and Epilogue 4 (where Madara's efforts to protect Anzu and his sister Maguro while so many people were threatening to destroy him, especially in the 5 Epilogues, are very overlooked)
- and Poltergeist .
There is Last Mission as well, where she kicked him after he (jokingly) suggested they get married. Interestingly, in Madara's FS2 (30th March 2024), their dialogue indicated they had already reconciled with each other, but now we have Lupine Halloween (November 2024) set slightly before FS2.
Itās not proofed, so if thereās any feedback, please DM me.
Kohaku: ā¦Huh? I feel like the sweets line-up has changed from last week.
Kohaku: Niki-han, have you been messing around with the menu, by any chance?
Niki: Oh, Iām impressed you noticed~ Thatās right!
Niki: It's June now and itās starting to feel summery, isnāt it? So weāve started serving a menu to make you feel refreshed.
Niki: Not just sweets - weāre planning on offering a few more main dishes too. Cold pasta and such.
HiMERU: āIndeed. Instead of always serving the same thing, you make adjustments to suit the situation.
Niki: Of course. On hot days, you'd rather quench your thirst with a cold drink than a hot one, right? The food you want to eat is also affected by the season and the temperature.
Niki: In that case, the right thing to do is to adjust the menu to match. So a chefās job is to meet the customersā needs.
Niki: While maintaining the flavour of our regular menu and our signature dishes, we try new things too. Thatās the trick to surviving the dog-eat-dog food and drink industry!
Niki: Just kidding. Iām just repeating the manager at Cinnamon! Nahaha ā
Niki: Or maybe I should say, half the year is almost gone. Since I became an idol, it feels like the time passes quickly.
HiMERU: Thatās not a bad thing. Itās proof youāve been living a fulfilling life.
Niki: Eh~ But in my case, Iām just doing my best to live each moment somehow.
Niki: Still, I'm happy just being able to eat my fill every day. In order for that happiness to continue, I have to do my best in moderation at idol activities too~
Rinne: To achieve that, we have to make the Fan ThanX Festival a success.
Rinne: Niki, something to eat. And water.
Niki: You just show up out of nowhere and say that? Are you some spoiled brat? (1) Your way of asking is so sloppy!
Niki: Well, I knew youād say that, so I was already prepared. Here, water and snacks.
Rinne: Oh. As expected of Niki, his coldness is seeping into my bodyā¦ā¦āŖ
Rinne: So? How far along is the Fan ThanX Festival presentation?
Kohaku: We havenāt started yet. Weāve been waitinā for Rinne-han for ages.
Rinne: Oops. Letās get started then. What plan have you brought, Niki?
Niki: What I suggest is Crazy:Buffet!
HiMERU: ā¦ā¦? Whatās that?
Niki: Iām glad you asked āŖ As the name suggests, Crazy:Buffet is an event where you can enjoy food in a buffet format.
Niki: Idols can't survive without fans who support them. Humans can't survive without food either. Soć¼
Niki: The idea was to serve food to show our gratitude to both the fans who support us and the food that sustains our lives, as a true āthanksgivingā event.
Niki: Food isnāt just something to fill your stomach. It has the power to do things like put a smile on peopleās faces and make them feel warm inside.
Niki: Thatās why I thought Iād repay everyone who supports me through cooking.
Niki: In Crazy:Buffet, the four of us will show off our skills and personally serve up a feast.
Niki: The food will be buffet style, and the plan is to have a variety of international dishes! From Asia to Europe, America, the Middle Eastā¦ā¦
Niki: The ticket is like a passport, and you get a stamp when you eat a dish or something.
Niki: It would be fun to introduce a fun element like travelling the world through food, too ā
Niki: Anyway. Thatās my suggestion! Crazy:Buffet will fill both your stomach and your heart at the same time. Itās sure to be the best event ever ā
HiMERU: ā¦ā¦ HiMERU sees. Thatās a very Shiina-like plan.
Kohaku: Yeah. I think the idea of expressing gratitude through food was conveyed well. A world-travel kinda direction would be interestinā too.
HiMERU: Yes. HiMERU thinks itās a good idea to combine oneās strengths with the theme of the Fan ThanX Festival. At least, it doesnāt seem so badā
Rinne: No good, try again.
Niki: Eh?
HiMERU: Amagiā¦ā¦?
Rinne: Heyy, Niki. Have you completely forgotten who the main character is this time?
Rinne: This is a Crazy:B event, right? But if you open the lid and look inside, itās all your specialty.
Niki: Ugh. I donāt need you to tell me thatā¦ā¦. Isnāt it obvious what would happen if I came up with it on my own?
Rinne: Are you being defensive? If youāre aware of it, bring something decent. If youāre just listing things you want to do, write them down in a diary or something.
Rinne: The fans expect us to be ālikeā ourselves as idols. Itās worth showing that.
Niki: ā¦ā¦
Rinne: So no Crazy:Buffet and no cooking.
Rinne: Well, it wasnāt a terrible idea. As Nikiās plan, that is āŖ
Niki: Roger that.
Niki: I'm going to do the dishes in the kitchen for a bit.
Kohaku: Ah, Niki-hanā¦
Kohaku: Rinne-han beinā harsh on Niki-han is nothinā new, but surely that was a bit too far?
Kohaku: He tried his best to do somethinā heās not used to, and it wasnāt a bad idea, right? You donāt have to put him down like that. (2)
Rinne: Gyahaha. Isnāt Kohaku-chan sweet? That was just a little joke āŖ
Kohaku: Itās not little. That seemed like a pretty big deal, actually. (3)
Rinne: You think so? They say what doesnāt kill you makes you stronger (4), right? It wonāt work for him unless you do something like that.
HiMERU: In other words, Amagi has high expectations for Shiina.
Rinne: That being said, what Niki came up with was a āsafe betā (5). To be honest, just between us, I think the fans would've enjoyed that idea to an extent.
Rinne: But, thing is, weāre not the type of meek, well-behaved unit that would be satisfied with such a lukewarm event.
Rinne: How can we make the fans truly happy, and how can we make it the wild party (6) you'd expect from Crazy:B?
Rinne: That's what I think the Fan ThanX Festival is about.
Kohaku: Ah, I seeā¦ No matter how you say it, you're really thinkinā this through, aren't ya?
Rinne: Obviously. Well, even if I seriously preached to Niki, it wouldn't have any effect on him.
Rinne: Putting him down while teasing him works best.
(2) I canāt quite figure out the nuances of what Kohaku is saying here, but either way heās clearly not a fan of Rinneās response to Niki.
(3) The adjective Rinne used for his ālittleā joke more literally means ālightā: Kohaku responds that it was quite āheavyā, as it obviously weighed on Niki.
(4) The actual proverb Rinne uses refers to a lion dropping its newborn cub into a deep valley and only raising it if itās strong enough to crawl out. In other words, you need to pass a hard test to grow up.
(5) The Japanese expression refers to a āsafeā mahjong tile that can be discarded without benefitting the opponent. Both the Japanese and English here play quite nicely into Rinne's gambling hobby lol
(6) He talks more about messing around than a party specifically, but I was struggling to make that make sense in English in a way that felt Rinne, short of just calling it crazy shit. Basically, Rinne wants the Fan ThanX Festival to reflect Crazy:Bās usual level of insane nonsense and shenanigans.
notes
the title of episode 7 is å®å®(ćć)ććć®ćŖćć·ćć (sora kara no otoshidama), otoshidama (ć幓ē) in general context means the new year's money for kids which is one of the contexts in this particular episode too, however one more context that i caught from this episode is that the "otoshidama" could be taken as "otoshi (č½ćØć)" + "tama (ē)" as in "dropping/falling ball" that is similar to falling star phenomenon, so the title could be interpreted as "falling ball from the sky", i assume the "otoshidama" was written in katakana because of this double context so i kept the "otoshidama" as it is in the title translation
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"Donāt show sympathy for something so sad~! Thereās value in time dedicated to relaxation and taking it easy, you know?"
[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu āŖ]
Season: Summer
Location: Mountain Forest
On a particular mountaināā¦
Natsume: Sora, reply if you can hear mE! Iām right heRE!
Sora! Sora! PleaSE, say somethiNGā
Tsumugi: āPlease wait, Natsume-kun!
Didnāt I just tell you? You need to calm down too! If we keep going like this, weāll end up no different than Sora-kun!
Natsume: Thereās no time to be so easygoING! Arenāt you worried about Sora, Senpai?!
Tsumugi: Iām worried about him too, you know! But youāre important to me too, Natsume-kun!
We donāt know for sure if Sora-kunās on this mountain. Even if he was, I canāt just let you do something so reckless.
Weāll both get lost if weāre not careful. Thereās just no logic in that, is there?
Natsume: ā¦Even stiLL, I canāt just sit around and wait like thIS.
Because, the reason Sora-kun got spirited away[1] is because I took my eyes off of hIM.
Natsume: I wasnāt supposed to let him feel lonely anymoRE. I had sworn I wouldnāt make that mistake agaINā¦!
Location: Starmony Dorms Hallway (1F)
A couple weeks ago, June, during ESā second year of establishment. At the Starmony Dormsā¦
Sora: HaHa~! Kan-chanās finally left his dorm room~!
Kanna: ā¦I see you all from Switch have plenty of time to spare. Having time to spare is essentially time wasted.
Natsume: And who do you think is to blame for thAT? We had to wait for you to leave your rOOM.
Kanna: Shouldnāt you have just knocked to see if was in the room, then?
Tsumugi: Oh no, we did knock, actually. But you didnāt come out, so we were troubled.
Natsume: Is your dorm maTE, Kazehaya-senpai, still in the rOOM?
Kanna: Iād hoped you would have given up and headed back after Iād pretended to not be home.
Tsumugi: Ahahaā¦ So you admit to having ignored us, huh?
Kanna: Anyhow, just what is it you need from me?
Sora: Would Kan-chan like to play a game with Sora and the others?
Kanna: No thanks.
Tsumugi: W-Well that was quick. Do you not like games, Kanna-kun?
Kanna: No. I find playing games to be a waste of time.
Sora: Sora heard that from Kan-chan before~! Itās why Sora is here to show Kan-chan how fun gaming is!
Kanna: Is that so? No thanks, it sounds like a hassle.
Sora: B-Butā¦! Uu, Kan-chan is hard to convince, huh~. Kan-chan is like a boss with no weaknesses.
Natsume: FuFU, and debuffs need to be used in order to defeat those types of bossES, rigHT?
I had forecasted Kanna-kun would give an answer like thAT.
I also understand the idea of not wanting to waste energy on things that are unnecessary in your liFE, you sEE.
Tsumugi: Donāt show sympathy for something so sad~! Thereās value in time dedicated to relaxation and taking it easy, you know?
Natsume: Senpai has a point too, of courSE. Thatās why thereās even a demand for entertainment things like games and idoLS.
AnyhOW, Kanna-kun looks like he wants to slip back into his room if we keep talking meaningless taLK, so let's get to the poiNT.
Letās just say that there are benefits even you can get out of thIS, tOO.
Kanna: Iām delighted to see you are aware it was meaningless taLK. So, what are these benefits?
Natsume: Right nOW, we are currently developing our own game for the ES Fan ThanX Festival.
Sora: HiHi~! Itās an indie RPG masterpiece made by Shisho~!
Tsumugi: We were informed by Anzu-chan about the Fan ThanX Festival a while back, and Natsume-kun and Sora-kun have been working on it in secret behind the scenes.
Natsume: Thatās riGHT. As we were working on its developmeNT, Senpai was so busy with issues around the agency that he didnāt help us out one bIT.
Tsumugi: W-Why must you hold such a strong grudgeā¦
Natsume: As we were working our asses oFF, you kept causing troublesome probleMS, such as getting fired as vice president and then disappeariNG.
If you at least feel a bit bAD, could you at least lend a haND?
Tsumugi: Ahahaā¦ Iām really sorry about that. Iāll help out as much as I can going forward, okay?
Kanna: You seem to have digressed, so Iāll be excusing myself here.
Natsume: OoPS, soRRY. AnyhOW, I want you to test out the game weāve made for the ES Fan Thanx Festival.
Kanna: I do not believe there is a single thing to be gained from playing a game youāve made, Sakasaki-san.
Natsume: You say such rude things so openLY, donāt yOU? WeLL, I knew you were the type to say things like thAT.
Regarding the gaME, you are correCT. BUT, what about in regards to the ES Fan ThanX Festival?
Kanna: ā¦
Natsume: All idols that belong to ES are required to participate in the Fan ThanX Festival. The newly-debuted Esupuri is not an exceptION.
Itās a rather reckless thing to ask a newcomer to do out of the blUE. Not even a month has passed since your debUT, yet they want you to thank your faNSā¦
Kanna: Thatās right. I question the sanity of those entrusting such a project to new idols who don't even know how to make right from left of things.
Natsume: ExactLY. You might feel lost if you donāt know how to proceed with such a projeCT. Soā
Kanna: āby helping with Switchās project, we can gain insight on how to approach the Fan ThanX Project?
Natsume: It helps how quickly you pick up on thinGS. We want at least one person to give us their opinion on our gaME.
You get to siphon the project-planning now-how from uS. Not a bad traDE, is iT? How about iT?
Kanna: I believe I could solve the now-how issue by consulting Anzu-san or Nice-san. Howeverā¦
Understood. If there is a benefit from doing so, then I shall accept.
Natsume: Oh, you agreed surprisingly quickLY. I expected there to be more push-back from yOU.
Kanna: Protesting further would be a waste of time.
I originally had been planning to acquire advance knowledge for the Fan ThanX Festival.
I was planning to refer to the projects from the respective ES units that have already participated, but an actual collaborator is hard to beat.
That way, information can be acquired quickly without going through the hassle of communication.
Natsume: Iām grateful for your cooperatiON, bUTā¦ WoW, youāre really not all that cute of a junIOR, hUHā¦
[ ā ]
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Spiriting away, known in Japanese as ābeing hidden by kamiā (ē„é ć), refers to when someone mysteriously disappears after angering a god or spirit.
Aira: Hmm~... I think I said too much to Tattsun-senpai yesterday.
I initially told him he could do whatever he wanted, but I ended up saying all those things to him. Iām the worstā¦
Hiiro: ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
Aira: Wait a minute! You werenāt listening to me, were you, Hiro-kun!?
Hiiro: ā¦Oh, sorry, Aira. Itās nice and warm today, so Iām a bit out of it.
But I know what you were talking about. You were talking about Tatsumi-senpai, right?
Thatās all youāve been talking about since yesterday, so I remember. You kept saying how you wanted to apologise to him.
Aira: DāDonāt say it so calmly like that. Youāre making it sound like Iāve been repeating myself since yesterdayā¦! Well, I guess that is true, though.
Tattsun-senpai was so kind to support me during āFeather Touchā, so I feel bad that I gave him my opinion on something trivial.
Hiiro: I donāt think it bothers Tatsumi-senpai that much.
Aira: It bothers me!
*Sigh* Hiro-kun wonāt listen when Iām talking to him and Mayo-san isnāt aroundā¦ What should I do with my emotionsā¦?
Hiiro: Donāt feel so down, Aira.
Iām sure our suspicions wouldāve still remained if we went through with that version of āUNDYINGā.
You said what you wanted to say and Tatsumi-senpai respected your opinion. You can just leave it at that, right?
Aira: Donāt make it sound so simple~...
Mayoi: Hiiro-san, Aira-san. So you two were hereā¦!
Aira: Eeek!? A head has poked out of the hedge!?
Hiiro: Itās just Mayoi-senpai.
Aira: Oh, itās Mayo-sanā¦ you gave me a fright.
Mayoi: Uuu, Iām sorry, Iām so sorry. I startled you, didnāt Iā¦?
Aira: Yeah. Youāre elusive as always, huh.
So what were you doing in the hedge? Is it comfortable there?
Hiiro: How novel. Shall I try it out as well?
Mayoi: No, itās not comfortable at all! Itās prickly and it feels strange, so thereās no need for you to be in here! I shall come out myselffff!
Iā¦ think I said some horrible things to Tatsumi-san yesterday. So itās been on my mind since.
What do you two think? Was it really careless of me to say those things!?
Aira: Oh, wellā¦
Hiiro: Hehe. It seems both Aira and Mayoi-senpai had the same troubles.
Mayoi: You two, Aira-sanā¦?
Hiiro: Indeed. Itās also been bothering Aira since yesterday.
But I donāt think you two need to worry. Giving our frank opinions is also something necessary as weāre in a unit together.
Aira: No no, your mindset is just on another levelā¦ Heās someone who has actual achievements to his name.
It was rude of me to give him my opinion.
Mayoi: I completely understand! It was rather rude of me to say those things to him as wellā¦!
I was reflecting on the things I had said during the day before bedā¦ I was in such a gloomy mood, wondering why I said those things!Ā
Aira: Yeah, I know, right!?
Hiiro: Hmm. I feel as though weāve gone off on a tangent.
Iāll call Tatsumi-senpai to come over on āHallhandsā...
Aira: Wait, whatāre you doing, Hiro-kun? Whyāre you calling Tattsun-senpai here!?
Hiiro: I thought it would be best to ask Tatsumi-senpai his thoughts on the matter.
You want to know what he thought when we gave him our opinions, right?
Mayoi: Eeekā¦! IāIām not mentally ready yet!
And what if Tatsumi-san says he felt uncomfortable after hearing our opinionsā¦?
Nooooā¦! Iām so sorry for being aliveeee!
Aira: Ah! Mayo-sanās panicking and circling the hedge! Hurry and delete your message to Tattsun-senpai, Hiro-kun!
Hiiro: Huh? Okay, Iāll delete it then.
I thought it would be best to ask Tatsumi-senpai his thoughts on the matter himself, but I see. So my actions were something bad.
Iāll delete the messageā Oh? Itās already been read.
He says, āIām sorry. I was doing some thinking, so I shall meet up with you all tomorrow.ā
Aira: Geeeeeez, Hiro-kun! What have you done!?
Tattsun-senpai is very clearly upset after seeing that message! I didnāt want this to happenā¦!
Mayoi: Iām scared of tomorrow! I hope itāll never come!
Hiiro: I didnāt know it was this badā¦ Iām sorry for sending him a message before understanding the situation.
But Iām sure itāll be okay.
Heās been an idol far longer than we have. Heās been thinking about how to be an idol since his solo days.
So Iām sure he understands what we want to convey in our opinions too.
He understands what we want to say, but he doesnāt want to ignore our opinions, so thatās probably why his ideas turned out weird.
Aira: ā¦Yeah.
Tattsun-senpai is always working hard for someoneās sake.
It looks like he started this whole project because of what Tenshouin-senpai said to him too. He must be having a hard time juggling the expectations other people have for him and the things he wants to do, right?
Mayoi: Which meansā¦ our opinions only served to confuse him further.
Hmm. On second thought, was it really okay for him to agree to our opinions yesterdayā¦?
Aira: But even if he didnāt, do you think he would be happy with that?
He took in our opinions and removed the horror elementsā¦
Mayoi: Then would it be best if he kept the first version of itā¦?
Hiiro: I donāt think thatās quite right, either.
I think Tatsumi-senpai needs to face his own voice.
This is something he decided to do. In the end, he has to be the one to decide ā it wonāt be the will of a god or our opinions.
Tatsumi: ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
(Hehe, itās burning so brightly.)
(The proposal and documents for āUNDYINGā are all gone now.)
(Idols do not exist for one sole personās sake.)
(Now, my selfishness is also gone.)
(I think I can now come up with ideas for the performance together with the others ā a performance thatās for āALKALOIDā and also in āALKALOIDāsā style.)
ā¦Farewell.
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HOLISTIC HOLIC - The Saint and The Dead: Chapter 2
Characters: Hiiro, Aira, Mayoi & Tatsumi
Hiiro: āUNDYINGā...?
Aira: What does that mean?Ā
Tatsumi: It means āimmortalā.
I once injured myself to the point of retirement.
But there were many fans who still supported me despite that.
And the people I met after I was hospitalised ā the patients, doctors and nurses ā they all prayed for my comeback.
Tatsumi Kazehaya will not perish. Iād like to convey those feelings by holding a concert.
Aira: Thatās a really cool conceptā¦āŖ
Hiiro: Come to think of it, you were working as a solo idol before we formed a unit, huh.
Iām sure the fans who have been supporting you for a long time will be happy.
Mayoi: IāI also think itās a great concept.
Itās very honest ā much like yourself, Tatsumi-sanā¦ I think itāll meet their expectations and make them happy.
MāMy apologies. Iām not in any position to decide whether or not itās in character for you, am Iā¦!?
Tatsumi: No, no. I appreciate you saying that.
I wasnāt sure whether or not this concept would be properly conveyed to you all.
Mayoi: ?
Tatsumi: Iād actually like to incorporate my own personal experiences into the āUNDYINGā concert.
Hiiro: Your own personal experiencesā¦?
Tatsumi: Yes. I believe this will be my first time telling you all this story.
I met a ghost while I was hospitalised.
Aira: AāAāAāA ghostā¦!?
Stop right there! Itās not some horror story, is itā¦?
Tatsumi: Hehe. I havenāt said anything yet. Please donāt be so afraid.
There were rumours floating around that there were ghost sightings in the ward I was hospitalised in. Even the patients were talking about it and an investigation was also conducted.
Back then, even though I was in low spirits because of my injury, I still had to confront the ghost.
I was only able to muster the courage to face my rehab because we became companions.
If I were to offer such an intriguing story to the fans, then it would also create a topic of interest among them ā it would be hitting two birds with one stone.
I figured a story about death and rebirth would be rather fitting for me.
Hiiro: Death and rebirthā¦ Thatās quite a magnificent theme.
Mayoi: By the way, what happened to the ghost rumours? It has piqued my interest.
Aira: Eeek!? Why would you bring that up again, Mayo-san!?
Iām definitely not listening to this! Iām gonna block my earsā¦!
Hiiro: Hmm, so youāre not a fan of scary stories, Aira? You really enjoyed āES Halloweenā, so I thought you liked these sorts of things.
Aira: This is different! I love seeing idols all dressed up for Halloween, but I donāt like ghosts!
Hiiro: Then, would you like me to listen to Tatsumi-senpaiās story and then tell you the non-scary parts?
Aira: No, you donāt need to do that much for me! Knowing you, youāre definitely gonna trigger some of my fears, Hiro-kunā¦!
Tatsumi: Aira-san, please, rest assured. Itās not that scary of a tale.
I simply heard someone singing at night at the hospital.
Aira: Eeekā¦!
Mayoi: Someone singing?
Tatsumi: Yes. Every night, I could hear a child singing in the hospital. But whenever I went in the direction of the voice, there was no one there.
I searched for the child several times, but I couldnāt find them. Even when the entire hospital staff went on a search, the source of the voice could not be found.
And so, the rumours of a ghost singing at the hospital came to exist.
But I was saved by that voice when I was in low spirits while I was hospitalised.
The singing of a ghost that had once died was my pillar of support.
Itās a bit strange, but I was in despair, thinking my days as an idol were over, but after hearing that ghostās singing, it made me wonder if I could sing again.
Iād like to incorporate this story into the concert somehow to make it more enjoyable for everyone, butā¦
I donāt have any experience planning a concert thatās based on a story, so Iām currently pondering how I can do that.
Mayoi: Itās certainly not a very common type of concert.
But I think the concert will turn out to be a wonderful one if you follow your instincts, Tatsumi-san. Iām just simply helping out, after allā¦
Hiiro: āALKALOIDā can only be āALKALOIDā with the four of us here. I respect your intentions, Tatsumi-senpai ā Iāll do everything I can to lend a hand.
Aira: YāYou donāt have to choose such a scary storyā¦ Uuu, Iām getting chillsā¦!
Tatsumi: Hmm. Perhaps I should use another story then?
Aira: No, Iāll help out too.
I donāt really like scary things, but you also supported me when I was planning āFeather Touchā, Tattsun-senpaiā¦
Besides, itās also something that ended up saving you, so I wanna help. It makes me feel like I need to do things properly.
BāBut letās not have too many scary stage effects!
After all, one of your charm points is that you have this kindness that envelops everyoneā¦ If youāre too scary, then the people who come to see the concert will also think your image is different.
Tatsumi: Naturally, Iāll think of you as one of my fans, Aira-san, and Iāll hold back in that regard. Please donāt hesitate to tell me if itās too much, alright?
ā¦Once the proposal for āUNDYINGā has been completed, Iāll go over everything once more.
In order for everyone to enjoy the concert, Iāll be sure to be quite meticulous about the scary factors.
Aira: Thanks. Iām also looking forward to your concert, Tattsun-senpaiā¦
*...Achoo* ā
Mayoi: Aā Are you alright, Aira-sanā¦? You look unwellā¦
Aira: No, Iām totally fine! I just suddenly felt chillyā¦
*Achoo, achoo* ā
Tatsumi: Ohā¦?
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If there is one thing I am proud of in this chapter, than the fact that Soo Won stayed pretty level-headed.
He was the only one to understand the next step of the dragon gods. Funny, how a person that hated them so much, understood, how the gods work...The dragon gods wish of course for an additional bond, for a savety plan.
I mean yeah...that's Soo-Won we're talking about!! The thing that he's perfectly figured out the gods thought process gives a hint that he might be the one to figure out how to deal with him (Ik yona as the mc & Hiryuu 2.0 has to play the main role but I'm sure he'll be able to help her in this regard)
When zeno asked if he had some plan in mind, he said he cannot fight against the gods...but that's not entirely true. Even Zeno doubted that. He definitely has something on his head.
My guess is since he heard abt the prophecy & Iksu, he's definitely gonna reach out to him to gather more info. I'm really excited to see how he tackles the situation!!
I know, but is this not a lil disappointing? Yona plays so a small, insignificant role then? Like all this shit went down, because she so wanted to see the dragon gods. And then she is helpless.
True, Soo Won might figure out, that the dragon gods think relatively like human beings and how dependant they are on Yona.
Searching for Ik-su might be really the game-changer, as he might be able to cast a little light into the darkness.
Yona goes into action without much thought and any real plan while Soo-won is left to do all the thinking.
He stopped Zeno to gather some information.
Figured out what dragons god would do to make Yona do what they want. Didn't Zeno try the same tactics recently? Ha attacked Hak to make Yona kill him.
Soo-won now needs to figure out a plan that Yona didn't bother to think about.
Seeing how this story goes, the next thing is something lucky happening that helps Yona to successfully deal with the dragon gods.
