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Lu Liguang SR - The Rainy Night's Echoes: Fine Day for Gourmet Food

Part 1

📍 HAMA House, Dining Room

Kaede: Urgh… Uuu… I don’t think I can do this anymore…

Liguang: ?

Liguang: Chief? Why are you groaning? Does your stomach hurt?

Kaede: Ah, Liguang-san…. I’m sorry. This is a little hard to explain…

Liguang: I’ll call a doctor if you need me to.

Kaede: No, I’m fine…! Actually, I’m trying to train my stomach, so I tried eating some “Wanko porridge”...

Liguang: …Dog…?

Kaede: Ah, no, there’s no dogs in the porridge! It’s the porridge version of “Wanko soba”. I was trying to expand my stomach before our trip to Fukuoka.

Liguang: … Is that the purpose of those huge bowls and pots?

Liguang: But what exactly is the connection between Fukuoka and the need to expand your stomach?

Kaede: The first thing that comes to mind when you think of Fukuoka is its cuisine, right? I’ll be accompanying you guys, so I wanted to enjoy Fukuoka to the max.

Kaede: So I tried eating more than usual to expand my stomach. All in order to savor all the gourmet food in Fukuoka…!

Liguang: … That’s what the “Wanko porridge” is for?

Kaede: Yes! Apparently, porridge is easy on the stomach even if you eat lots of it.

Kaede: But… I think 20 bowls is my limit. I got a bunch of different things to switch up the flavor like pickled mustard and kimchi, but I just couldn’t bring myself to finish the last bit of it…

Kaede: If I can get through this, I think I’ll be able to move on to the next level, but…! I’m struggling…!

Liguang: …

Kaede: Ah-Ahaha… Oh man, it seems I’ve overdone it, or maybe I just overestimated myself~!

Liguang: …*Sigh*. If you eat in a weird way, it’s going to mess with your satiety.

Kaede: Guh… You have a point… But I have to finish this porridge no matter what! I’d feel bad for the farmers if I threw it away.

Liguang: … Give it to me.

Kaede: What?

Liguang: I haven’t had lunch yet.

Kaede: … Are you sure?

Liguang: Yeah. Try adding some goji berries next time you make porridge. It’s a medicinal ingredient that not only lowers blood sugar levels, but also eases the burden on the stomach.

Liguang: …It won’t help you expand your stomach, however.

Kaede: Ahaha… Thanks a lot, Liguang-san!

Part 2

📍 Fukuoka, Daizafu Tenmagu

Kaede: (It’s almost time for the gourmet Fukuoka experience…!)

Kaede: (Just as expected, Daizafu Tenmagu has lots of food options to pick from as you make your way to the shrine.) 

Female Tourist: Hey, look, there’s a stand selling Amaou strawberry ice cream over there!

Male Tourist: I want to eat soft rice crackers. Also mentaiko chazuke and tea over rice, and pudding ice cream, and…

Kaede: (Urgh… Just hearing all these specialties is making my mouth water… I can’t pick…)

Kaede: (But all my stomach expansion training ended in failure, so it’s not like I can eat more than I used to… I have to choose carefully.)

Kaede: …Woah!

Liguang: !

Kaede: I-I’m sorry…! Oh, Liguang-san!

Liguang: Chief. Make sure not to space out so much next time.

Kaede: I’m sorry, I was just walking around… What are you doing, Liguang-san?

Liguang: I was looking for souvenirs to bring back to my family.

Liguang: Daizafu is famous for its plums. I heard there’s a famous confectionery made from plums.。

Kaede: Plums…! Right, they’ve got that kind of thing too…!

Kaede: What should I do?  I was planning to start from deep-fried skewers and move on to udon and strawberry sweets, but maybe I should start from something with plum… Hmmm…

Liguang: Heh… Sounds like you’re about to put the results of your “Wanko porridge” training to the test.

Kaede: Uuu… You haven’t forgotten about that? W-Well… I’ve just gotta go for it.

Kaede: Oh! Look over there, Liguang-san! The line over there leads to a shop famous for its Umegae mochi!

Kaede: Umegae mochi is best eaten fresh, but it’ll be delicious regardless if you bring it back to your family. You can even freeze it!

Kaede: I’ll try to grab some for myself too…

Liguang: …

Kaede: Ah, I’m sorry! I’m getting in the way of your search, aren’t I? I just get so excited when I visit tourist spots.

Liguang: … If you’re going to line up, then hurry. They could sell out.

Kaede: Oh, you’re right! I’ll be going, then!

-

Kaede: (…Hm?)

Kaede: Huh!? You’re coming too, Liguang-san?

Liguang: Were you not the one who said it would make a good souvenir? You’ve piqued my interest.

Kaede: B-But…

Female Tourist: … Woah, there’s a crazy handsome guy lining up here. Isn’t his aura insane?

Local Woman: Has some kind of royalty come here incognito for sightseeing…? Even if he is, he’s standing in line properly. What an upstanding citizen~

Kaede: Um… Liguang-san, you should go take a break… I’ll stand in line for both of us…

Liguang: The clerk is coming.

Store Clerk: I’m sorry for the wait! Would you like to order and pay first?

Liguang: Yes. I’ll take two to go and two souvenir boxes.

Store Clerk: Two mochi to go and two box sets, yes? Please wait while I get them!！

Kaede: Ah, Liguang-san, let me pay…

Liguang: Around here should be fine. More importantly, will one box be enough for you?

Kaede: ?

Liguang: I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to make “Wanko Umaege Mochi”.

Kaede: …., …!

Kaede: J-Just one will be fine…

[taatsums]

Kafka Oguro SSR - FAV collection: The Future With You

Part 1

📍 mahorova, Lobby

Kafka: Nayuki already brought this up, but it sounds like preparations for mahorova are also going smoothly.

Sakujiro: Yes. We are working hard to make the “mahorova BD Event” a reality.

Sakujiro: The section managers and external contractors have been a great help as well.

Kaede: I was seriously surprised when I first heard the idea for our Mayors to celebrate their birthdays in original areas in mahorova.

Kafka: Providing hospitality even on our own birthdays sounds just like something HAMA Tours would do, right?

Kafka: Areas can be freely designed within mahorova, so I’m sure we’ll end up with some interesting results.

Kaede: I think so too. I’m already looking forward to it… Have you decided what kind of area you’re gonna create, Kafka?

Kafka: I’m still thinking about it, actually.

Kafka: But I can say one thing for sure. …It’ll be a place full of important memories for me.

Kaede: I see. Memories, huh…

Sakujiro: President, Chief. The person in charge has arrived. Let us start the meeting. 

Kafka: Alright. Let’s go, Chief-chan! 

📍 Oguro Hospital, Courtyard

Kafka: Whew. Good work today. There’s nothing better than taking a break out here after a long day of work.

Kaede: You too, Kafka! This event really makes it feel like anything’s possible.

Kafka: I’m sure lots of people will enjoy it. Today’s meeting helped confirm that.

Kaede: Right? You’ll also be able to thank the people who have been supporting you.

Kaede: I’ll keep working hard to make sure this event works out! Throw anything you want at me! I’ll do it all!

Kafka: …Hehe.

Kaede: Kafka?

Kafka: Being around here reminded me of the time I taught you how to fish.

Kafka: You had the same exact smile when you caught your first fish.

Kafka: You were grinning and saying things like, “I want to catch all kinds of fish with you, Kafka!” and “Teach me more from now on!”…

Kafka: (Your smile was full of excitement and anticipation. It’s been my favorite since ever since.)

Kaede: D-Did I really do that…!? When you put it like that, it’s a little embarrassing…

Kafka: Why? I think it’s wonderful how honestly you express your feelings. 

Kafka: You haven’t changed one bit.

Kafka: Not since when we went on our first trip…. Nor since the time I asked you to join HAMA Tours. 

📍 Flashback

Kafka: Would you bet your life on me, Kaede-chan?

Kaede: I’ll heal HAMA with you. I’ll bet my life on it, too!

📍 Oguro Hospital, Courtyard

Kafka: (You have no idea just how brightly you shine. Just how much that shine of yours has supported me…)

Kaede: Kafka…?

Kafka: Let me tell you this again. Thanks for taking my hand, Kaede-chan.

Kafka: I’m here now because you took my hand that day.

Kafka: Your existence is vital to me. It always has been, and it always will be.

Kafka: I hope you’ll stay by my side from now on, too.

Kaede: … Yeah, of course I will.

Kaede: I bet my life on you, after all. We’ll be together forever from now on!

Kafka: … Thanks. Hearing you put it into words makes me really happy.

Kafka: I’ve more or less decided the contents of my BD Event thanks to you.

Kaede: I’m looking forward to what a place filled with your memories will be.

Kafka: Yup. By the way…

Kafka: I’ll need you to do your best during the event too, so you better be prepared ♪

Part 2

📍 mahorova, BD Area

Kaede: (I wonder what kind of place Kafka’s BD Area is… I can’t wait to find out–)

Boy That Likes Fishing: Ohhh, this looks like a good fishing spot! Is this today’s “hunting spot”?

Boy That Likes Fishing’s Mom: Looks like we’ll be able to fish for HAMA Tours’ mascot Gyoza here, Taku-chan. We can’t go home till we get them all!

Woman That Likes Gyoza: Ohhh, Gyoza-tan’s costume is soooo cute… E-E-E-Excuse me!! Can we shake hands first!?

Kaede:  (A fishing spot and a Gyoza Meet & Greet… Everyone who came looks happy.) 

Kaede:  (The rest of the Morning Team seem to be having fun, too…)

Renga: I’ll definitely catch gyoza to bring home to Shumai. Wait for me, Shumai!

Ten: Do your best, Renga-saaan.

Yukikaze: I’m cheering for you too. I’m sure the god of gyoza will smile upon you.

Liguang: …Just what kind of fish is a noisy idiot like you who can’t even properly hold a fishing rod is expecting to catch?

Renga: Huh!? Who are you calling a noisy idiot!?

Kaede: (Ahaha. I’m having fun just hanging out here with the Morning Team.)

Yachiyo: I-I-I-Is this my chance to repay Renga-san for his kindness the other day!?

Yachiyo: Now! I must dive into the waters and grab a gyoza with my own handssss!!

Sakujiro: Not another step. Fuefuki-kun.

Sakujiro: We may be in the metaverse, but it is still bad manners to jump in headfirst. We must follow the rules and have a fun time celebrating the President.

Yachiyo: Hyieee, Karigane-senpai!! …Oh, the President’s over there too.

Kafka: So? Are you having fun, Chief-chan?

Kaede: Of course I am! But… Are you sure you don’t need any help?

Kaede: There are more visitors now than there were in the morning, and you’ve got the speech coming up, don’t you?

Kaede: (And I think he mentioned something about wanting me to work hard on the day of, but…)

Kafka: Don’t worry. Your job is to enjoy my hospitality. President’s orders ♪

Kaede: Okaaay…. Oh. 

Kafka: Something’s biting…! It’s big, Chief-chan!

Kafka: Anyone who catches the “Rainbow Gyoza” will get a special gift. Good luck!

Kaede: Right! Just like this… Carefully…

Kaede: (Kafka taught me this. You have to make sure to stay cautious even if you feel something biting. But you have to be bold when it counts! Read how the rod is moving and– Hyaa!!)

Kafka:  Woah! Congratulations, Chief-ch–

Kaede: Ah, it’s Smiley Gyoza!

Kafka: Huh? That should’ve been the cue for him to catch the Rainbow Gyoza, though…?

Yukikaze: I caught it. Rainbow Gyoza.

Kaede: Woah! Amazing, Yuki-nii!

Kafka: Huh… Why is Yukikaze fishing?

Yukikaze: Should I give it to the Chief? Here, this is for—

Kafka: It’s okay, you can keep it. You caught it, so come back later to get your gift!

Kaede: Ahaha… I’ll stick around until it’s time for the speech to see if I can catch a Rainbow too.

Kafka: Ugh… You do that. I’ve got confidence in your fishing skills. 

Kafka: Oh, also. I forgot to tell you this, but I want you to watch the speech from the audience, not from behind the scenes.

Kafka: I’ve got a special seat reserved for you.

Kaede: Huh? … Okay, I will!

-

Kaede: (It’s about time for the BD Event. Kafka’s speech should be starting soon…!)

Kaede: (But still, this seat is really close to the stage.)

Kafka: Thank you very much for attending the “mahorova BD Event” hosted by the Ward 0 Mayor.

Kafka: The fact that HAMA Tours has been able to come this far after having the special subsidy from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government cut off…

Kafka: Is all thanks to all of you who continue to visit us. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Kafka: But we are far from having shown you all of HAMA’s charms.

Kafka: We hereby declare that we will further enliven HAMA, and make it a city loved by all tourists!

[Applause]

Kaede: (Kafka’s passion is coming across. What a moving speech…Wait, huh?)

Kaede: (Kafka is… looking at me?)

Kafka: And I would like to take this opportunity today to introduce you to a certain someone.

Kafka: … A person who is indispensable to HAMA Tours and myself, Kaede Hamasaki!!

Kaede: HUH!?

Kafka: Now then, Chief-chan. Come up on the stage. Here, take my hand. 

Kaede: Ah, yeah…!

Kafka: He is an irreplaceable person who supports HAMA Tours from behind the scenes.

Kafka: It’d be no exaggeration to say that it is only thanks to him that HAMA Tours was able to overcome many difficulties.

Kafka: And I’d like him to give a message to everyone in attendance here today.

Kaede: Kafka!?

Kafka: I told you, didn’t I? You should be prepared, because I’ll ask you to work hard on the day of the event.

Kafka: This is a great opportunity to express all the gratitude you’ve been feeling.

Kaede: …!

Kaede: (...Right. I’ve got to make the most of the chance Kafka gave me!)

Kaede: … First, allow me to introduce myself. I’m HAMA Tours’s Chief, Kaede Hamasaki.

Kaede: I hope everyone can experience new scenes through their travels. Seeing your smiles through them brings us irreplaceable joy.

Kaede: We will continue to enliven HAMA and provide you with more unforgettable trips. And lastly…

Kaede: I would like one more round of applause for our President, who works hard for HAMA… Kafka Oguro!

Kafka: !

[Applause]

Kafka: … Thank you, Chief-chan.

Kafka: Thank you very much, everyone!

Kafka: Our journey… is still far from over.

Kafka: We promise to take each one of you on a trip that will touch your hearts and help you encounter a little “something” that will change your lives… 

Kafka: We appreciate your continued patronage with HAMA Tours!

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Tao Kinouchi SR: PIN PAN ATTACKER - That Could Work, Right?

Part 1

📍 HAMA House, Living Room

Chihiro: Hmmmm…

Tao: What’s up, Chihiro?

Chihiro: Oh, Tao!

Chihiro: I’m likeee, getting ready for Big Sis’ wedding photoshoot, but I can’t decide on the props.

Chihiro: There are just SO many versions of everything on all the sites I’ve looked at.

Tao: Woah, balloons, confetti, garlands… Talk about lots of stuff.

Chihiro: Right? The more I look, the more I find… I dunno what to do anymore~ My head feels like it’s gonna pop.

Tao: …Hey, Chihiro. I bet researching all of this is gonna be a real pain. I could help, if you want me to.

Chihiro: Huh?

Tao: You’ll probably be busy with the plans for the Feature Tour and producing the wedding photos…

Tao: I don’t know if I’ll manage to pick stylish, but I’ll give you a hand if you want me to.

Chihiro: Th-Thanksss! You’re my savior, TaoTao!

Tao: Ahaha, you’re exaggerating.

Tao: So, what’s the vision? Or, uhh… Have you decided on what you want to do?

Chihiro: Yup! I’m thinking of taking this chance to DIY some stuff♪

Chihiro: Andddd… since we’ll be in Wakayama, I want it to include some things unique to it!

Tao: Things unique to Wakayama, huh…

Tao: Its oranges?

Chihiro: Hmm~ They’re tasty and cutieful, but… isn’t it gonna look like a farmers’ poster instead?

Chihiro: Like, a “we raised these oranges” poster.

Tao: You’re right… That’s not what we’re looking for.

Tao: (What should I do… This is the kinda thing that really puts your tastes to the test.)

Tao: (But this is for Chihiro’s family, and this memory’s gonna stay with them forever. I need a good idea…)

Tao: …Oh, how about these?

Chihiro: Wedding Bears?

Tao: Yeah. It says here they can be used during the ceremony, and you can also keep them as keepsakes after.

Chihiro: Nice one, Taooo~!

Tao: Next, we gotta make them resemble Wakayama, somehow…

Chihiro: How ‘bout we make them pandas?

Tao: Ohh, I see. That’d definitely make them unique.

Tao: We’ll be panda ambassadors too, so… I think making them Wedding Pandas instead of Wedding Bears is good.

Chihiro: IKR! With that out of the way, let’s pick a plushie to use as the base～♪

Tao: A plushie… so we’re gonna look at toy stores?

Chihiro: We could do that, but…

Chihiro: Aha! ♪ Chii has an idea!

Chihiro: There’s a really good place I’m gonna take you to!

Part 2

📍Zoo

Tao: Oh, so the zoo sells plushies. Nice one, Chihiro.

Chihiro: Right~?

Chihiro: They’re sooo soft and plump, I’m so glad we got to buy something extra cutieful♪

Chihiro: Let’s ask Sakujii for help with their costumes when we get back!

Tao: Yeah. I don’t know much about sewing, so I’ll need your help. Let’s do our best.

Chihiro: Yeah…!

Chihiro: That reminds me… This zoo is like, really old, right? Did it exist in your era?

Tao: I think so. I’m pretty sure I’d heard about it opening, but I don’t remember ever going.

Tao: Hey, are there any pandas here?

Chihiro: Nope, there aren’t.

Chihiro: But there’s panda mice, apparently. You can even play with them in the play area.

Tao: But are they pandas, or mice…?

Chihiro: You’ll get it when you see them! Wanna stop by for a bit? Panda mice are suuuper pretty, yanno♪

Tao: That so? The play area’s that way, yeah…?

Chihiro: We may not be able to see any pandas, but at least that keeps us hyped for Wakayama~

Chihiro: …Oh! So, so, do you wanna name the panda plushies we got?

Tao: Name? The plushies?

Chihiro: Yup! Chii will decide on a name for Mr. Panda, so pick one for Ms. Panda, Tao!

Tao: O-Okay. Got it.

Tao: What’s a cute, good name…

Tao: Now that I think about it… Panda names often repeat the same syllables, right…?

Chihiro: Do they…?

Chihiro: Then, this one’s gonna be TaoTao!

Tao: That sounds like I’m the one getting married!

Chihiro: Huh, really!?

Chihiro: Don’t go and get hitched, TaoTaoooo~!!

Tao: Huh? I wasn’t planning to…

Tao: …Well, no one’s rushing us, so we can take our time picking out names.

[taatsums]

hello! do you have plans on translating kafka's 1.5 ward novel?

hi!

yes! it's currently not as high a priority, but i do plan to get it done!

[taatsums]

do you have any plans to post the translations for kafka "my promise to you" ssr card?

i'm planning to translate all of kafka's recent cards (1st anniv, june bride, birthday) sometime during august, yes!

[taatsums]

Kafka Oguro Ward Mayor Novel - Mother's Code: Season 1, Track 5 - The Treasure By My Side

I knock on the door, and the boy from back then—my precious childhood friend, Chief-chan—comes into view.

“I got this year’s present and solved the last key. Will you watch it with me?”

Chief-chan understands my intentions as soon as I ask, and lets me into his room.

“You already solved Rinka-san’s problem?” he asks as he pours us both a cup of tea.

“I do it every year, after all. But Mom must have underestimated me, because I’m getting faster at solving them every year. It should’ve been harder this time.”

Since Chief-chan is preparing the tea, I choose some snacks, knowing what's expected of me. His family travels a lot, and they send him all kinds of souvenirs. If we don’t eat them together like this, he just leaves them to pile up.

“But man, Rinka-san's amazing. She arranged for you to receive presents at the same time each year, even long after she’s passed.”

“She may have been my mother, but I couldn’t tell you what she was thinking when she made all these arrangements.”

Once our tea and snacks are ready, we sit down next to each other and I start up my laptop.

Chief-chan seems more nervous than me, with how hard he's staring at the screen.

A screen appeared in front of us, asking to input the final password.

“It says to enter the rest after “M…” Huh, what even is it?”

“Mais cette question nous entraînerait trop loin.”

As soon as I answer, Chief-chan asks, “That’s French, right?”, just as you’d expect of someone who’s travelled all over.

“It means… ‘However, this question will carry us to an answer much further away’.”

Those were the final words in a paper attempting to understand the shape of the world, published by Henri Poincaré in 1904.

… This question will carry us to an answer much further away.

Perhaps what Poincaré was trying to solve… was something closer to the secrets of the world my mother often spoke of.

“An answer much further away, huh? That sounds kinda like a journey.”

I agree with him as I type the final letters in.

The hologram that had unfolded in front of our eyes disappears, and a movie starts playing in its place.

My smiling mother, who looked just like me before she died, appears in front of us.

“Happy birthday, Kafka. I take this to mean you’re still alive. …Meaning the operation was a success. I won this bet then.”

“What’s with that, I was betting I’d survive too, you know.”

When I snap back at my mother in the video, Chief-chan starts laughing beside me.

I really enjoy this atmosphere.

“I assume that by now you’ve taken over as Mayor of Ward 0 from you-know-who. Perhaps you have your own company, too. I do wonder whether he’ll be able to maintain the Special Tourism Wards even after I’ve passed… It must’ve felt like you took over right before everything came crashing down, didn’t it?”

My mother spoke as if she saw it all happen, and Chief-chan quietly praised her, saying that’s to be expected of her.

Well, it is a fact that she was very smart.

For a while after, my mother spoke about all kinds of trivialities, such as my father, her own hobbies and research, and her memories of me. She even talked about what the weather was like on the day she filmed theis video.

After a certain point, however, my mother stopped to look at me with a serious look in her eyes.

“All that aside, here is my question: There are variables in our reality that we can never fully predict, no matter how much thought we put into them. Those variables are what make life so enjoyable. … Do you have something you treasure by your side right now?”

My mother’s eyes sparkle through the screen.  I felt as if she could see right through me and expose the truth.

“Something you treasure?”

Instead of responding to Chief-chan’s innocent question, I let out a soft chuckle before silently answering.

… I do.

He’s right next to me. My treasure.

Regardless of whether she knows the answer, my mother, in the video, smiles.

This was the decisive bet my mother had proposed to me before she passed away. I wonder if she knew I had already found my treasure back then.

I don’t think I’ll ever find out, though.

“Kafka, what does that mean?”

“Hmmm… Well, more importantly, I need to tell you something so Mom will hear it too… Once again, thanks for working with me at HAMA Tours.”

Telling him that clearly embarrassed him, and his face turns red.

“Wh-What are you saying all of a sudden?” he asks, shock evident in his face. 

He looks so cute that I just have to lean in closer and continue, “Honestly… I thought you’d leave me and go somewhere far away again.”

When we were kids, there were times when we were together, and times we were far apart. Although I understood it wasn’t something in his control because his family was based overseas, I was still happy he chose to attend high school and university here in JPN. I was a bit relieved when I heard he found a job at a travel agency in HAMA. It meant he wouldn’t leave as easily, but he was still overseas a lot for tours, and hardly ever in our hometown.

I loved how free he was, but at the same time, I resented him for it.

… That’s why I’m happy now that he’s by my side, working at the company I started, and accompanying me through life.

Secretly, I hope that this miracle will continue, and perhaps develop into something even deeper.

“Why do you think that? I told you before, didn’t I? We’ll play together forever,” Chief-chan said, sounding a little sulky.

It feels as though the sun is rising in my heart. 

I’m so glad he remembers that promise.

I’ve replayed those words in my head more than you can imagine.

“Mhm. I’m not there to see it, but I can tell you’ve won our bet. I think I was around 20 years old when I got engaged to Rihito-san, too…”

“Nuh-huh, I’m not listening to this.” 

My mother in the video laughs as I say that, as if she already knew what I was going to say.

The smile on her face was that of a young girl’s, without a trace of the fear of death that had caused her to break down and cry.

She suddenly stiffens, and smiles as if she was about to test me.

“You have two codes left,” she suddenly declares.

Not expecting to hear that, my chest tightens.

“In the final code, I left behind the secrets of the world. … I wish you the best of luck.”

With that whispered challenge, the video ends.  These videos always end with a random cute picture of me when I was little, and next to those pictures is a silly message written by my mother that said something like “Kafka, 3 years old. So cute.”

Well, Chief-chan next to me exclaims how cute it is, so I suppose I can say it's a good production.

“… Two left, huh?” Chief-chan asks sadly.

Seeing him be sad for me makes me kind of happy, but oddly enough, the situation doesn't make me feel all that sentimental.

“… The secrets of the world, hm…”

That’s what I'm more curious about.

My mother was a never-seen-before genius, known as the Goddess of wisdom. She left behind incredible achievements in nearly every field, so I had always wondered what it was that she couldn’t accomplish before she passed.

I wonder what the so-called “secrets of the world” my mother left behind are.

I’ve never told anyone, but they left me with a small grudge in my heart.

Will that grudge disappear once I solve the final code? Or will I be left aghast, and fall even deeper into despair?

I look at Chief-chan, who still looks sad, beside me and I realize we might not be able to see the final code together.

But that's for later.

“Now that I’ve opened this year’s gift… Shall we get this tea party started?”

“Yeah, let’s!”

I’ve decided to make the most of the happiness I get from spending time with Chief-chan, who smiles so brightly when I call out to him.

Maybe even the time we get to spend together now is a gift from my mother. Who can really tell?

Track 1 | Track 2 | Track 3 | Track 4 | Track 5

[taatsums]

Kafka Oguro Ward Mayor Novel - Mother's Code: Season 1, Track 4 - Thanatophobia / 3

In the end, I became "friends" with those siblings.

Ever since that day, I don't know how to explain it, but my life felt as if it went from monochrome to colorful high definition. As if suddenly, everything somehow became more vibrant.

They couldn’t visit all the time because of their parents’ work, but whenever they went on a trip, they’d bring back souvenirs and a cassette tape. They’d also visit when they had free time, and we’d go fishing together, play cards, and talk about books we’d read.

I didn’t get along well with their ice skater cousin, but for some reason he’d also drop by and force me to eat his homemade shumai from time to time.

The siblings and I picked up a stray dog, named it, and decided we’d keep it together.

My fondest memory of all is the “first trip” he planned for me.

We snuck out of the hospital and explored HAMA. I found it to be an incredible adventure.

I was harshly scolded after, but it was such a fresh experience for me that I didn’t care at all.

That day, I climbed up onto a rooftop, looked out over the city of HAMA as dusk fell, and I thought to myself:

I want to keep living. I want to live, and visit lots of places. I want to travel.

Together with him, if possible.

One simple trip became my hope to keep on living.

Because he smiled and said he loved HAMA, I decided I’d follow in my father’s footsteps and become a Special Tourism Ward Mayor. If I could make this city shine even more, then I’m sure he’d be even happier.

Then he said, “I’ll never forget you, Kafka! Ever!”, and my aimless hope turned into a light that swelled in my heart.

But the brighter a light becomes, the darker its shadow.

Will I even survive until I reach 20 years old?

What if I do survive, but the surgery fails?

Even if the surgery is successful, can I really expect myself to be able to live as long as a normal person?

The more things I found myself wanting to do, the more afraid of death I became.

It’s okay for us to be afraid of death. … Sometimes… it’s legitimate fear that leads you to find the reason you’re alive.

My mother said something like that, didn’t she?

Does that mean that fearing death leads us to living more fulfilling lives?

Really?

I thought my mother’s words over again and again, as if they were a puzzle with no solution, and before I knew it, they wouldn't leave my mind.

“You’re here again, Mom?”

I was so shocked all I could do was chuckle.

She had just snuck out of her hospital room and had tiptoed her way to mine.

I still lived in the hospital, even though I was about to start middle school. At the same time, my mother’s condition had deteriorated due to overwork, and she was hospitalized in a different room.

But my mother was the kind of person who couldn’t sit still. She often snuck into my hospital room without the nurses noticing, and we’d make small bets, or she’d share her wisdom with me.

“They’ll get mad again if they find out. You even took out your IV drip without asking.” “It’s only for about 30 minutes. More importantly, did you solve yesterday’s math question?”

I smiled wryly and showed my mother the verification data for a part of the already-proven Poincaré conjecture my mother and I had talked about the day before.

My mother looked at the numerical formulas I had written without pause and understood them in an instant.

“You’ve solved most of it, but it seems you’re having trouble with the remaining bits?”

“I’m pretty good at differential geometry, but I still don’t understand the physics approach to it. I’ll take my time solving it.”

“Have you read the original?”

“Not yet. The data I’ve yet to read dates back to 1904, so I figured someone has transcribed them. It’s awful how hard this text is to read.”

My mother laughed heartily in response.

“So you’re finding this hard... Maybe I’ll bet on this being unsolvable for you, then.”

“Oh, please. I’m just verifying something that’s already been proven, how can I not solve it? I should be able to solve it within the year” I insisted and my mother’s eyes narrowed. “Within a year, you say…” she muttered.

Right then, my mother looked oddly melancholic, and it gave me a bad feeling.

“Kafka, let’s make a decisive bet,” my mother whispered.

“What?” I titled my head.

What decisive bet?

“… Let’s bet on whether or not you’ll find the most important treasure of your life. If you do, you win.”

… That wasn’t really a bet, was it?

It wasn't like she’d win if I didn’t find it.

Plus, I think I’ve already found it… but for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to say that.

Maybe because I felt that this seemingly meaningless bet was being made on my future. 

An hour later, the head nurse found my mother and angrily took her back to her own room.

For some reason, I ended up reading the original text of the old thesis we had talked about that day.

The conclusion left an impression on me, and I thought about sharing it with my mother. Although this wasn’t exactly in character for me, I went to visit her in her hospital room, pretending I was going to the bathroom.

For some reason… For some silly reason, I thought that if I told my mother I had read the thesis we talked about with the squiggly handwriting and quizzed her on whether she remembered the last sentence, she’d laugh. I thought she’d give me a funny response.

There was still a while before it was time for lights out, but the hospital was quiet and somewhat dim. The door to my mother’s room was slightly ajar, and a small light was coming through it.

I could hear sobbing coming from inside the room…

“… I don’t want to die.”  I heard the words clearly. I peeked through the gap in the door and saw my mother crying with her face buried in my father’s chest.

“I’m scared of dying like this, when I haven’t accomplished anything…”

Her voice was hoarse from all the crying.

My father patted her back, trying to cheer her up. He reminded her of all the magnificent things she had accomplished.

"You’re still meant to live", he pleaded.

"Don't be scared, Rinka."

"You’ll keep living. For Kafka’s sake, too."

"God is watching over you…"

… My father is a fool.

For a scientist such as my mother, a God meant nothing.

But I was even more powerless than my foolish father.

With no words I could say to my mother, all I could do was turn tail and walk away. Behind me, I could hear my mother’s tearful voice whispering, “What can I even do for Kafka?”

A few days later, she gave me the silver memory stick. She said it was a birthday present, even though it wasn’t my birthday. The code within the present was too difficult for me at the time… 

And before I could solve it, my mother quietly passed away.

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[taatsums]

Kafka Oguro Ward Mayor Novel - Mother's Code: Season 1, Track 3 - Thanatophobia / 2

At first, I only went fishing because of the bet I made with my mother. I wasn’t that into it, but before I knew it, I was hooked. I couldn’t play outside much, but fishing proved a good activity for the mind.  No matter how much thought you put into your calculations, at the end of the day, your catch for the day was up to luck. I found that kind of randomness fun, too.

By the way, the bet with my mother ended in a draw. The weather on the day of my father and I’s little fishing competition wasn’t on our side, and both of us came back empty-handed.

Although my father was disappointed to see his bucket empty, my mother laughed at it.

Around a year after I started fishing, something unexpected occurred.

It wasn’t anything big, but… to me, it meant the entire world.

“You can fish at the hospital! That’s awesome!” “C’mon, tell us, what’d you catch?”

Those two kids followed me around and made a ruckus on that day too.

They were a pair of siblings near my age… I had heard their father broke his leg in an accident and was being hospitalized. When they went to visit him, they spotted me walking around with a fishing rod and followed me out of curiosity… That was how we first met. Since then, for some reason those siblings would follow me around whenever they came to visit.

Every day, every single day, to the point where it made me want to ask them whether they were okay not being with their father instead.

Honestly, I was quite confused and troubled by it.

It seemed their father was a photographer who traveled around the world. They travelled with him a lot, apparently. It just so happened that their father got injured while shooting in a remote part of JPN, and the two were happy that they could remain in the country for a while.

Well, not that I was all too interested in that. The two of them really wanted to talk to me, despite how much I tried to block out their voices.

Just why were they following me around so much? I just didn’t get it. I hardly even responded when they talked to me. I would tell them what kind of fish I caught when I did… But I wasn’t good at those kinds of exchanges.

I mean, most children just looked confused when I spoke. They would say the words I used were too difficult for them to understand. Even when I tried to speak normally, I just couldn’t hold a conversation, so I tried to talk to those siblings with words they’d understand, too.

That meant that with every fish I caught, I would say, “This is a mackerel. That one’s a mackerel… Yeah, that’s a mackerel too.”

One day, my father asked me if the kids I hung out with sometimes were my friends, and I got so irritated that I hid in bed.

We were not friends. There’s no way they thought we were friends, either. Who would want to be friends with someone who only tells them the names of fish?

And yet, one day, one of the siblings approached me with an idea…

“Here take this…! Let’s keep an exchange diary on cassette!”

He gave me a cassette recorder that was probably straight out of the Heisei era.

“I’ve already recorded something, so give it a listen!” he said with a shy smile.

I was dumbfounded.

Why? What did he gain out of doing this? I could solve incredibly difficult mathematical formulas, and I could analyze incredibly abstruse language. But this was one thing I couldn’t understand. Why would you give a cassette tape to an unsociable child who’s always in and out of the hospital, and only talks to you to tell you the names of fish?

I accepted it reluctantly, but in truth, I was incredibly excited. Because this was the first time a kid my age had ever given me something.

I listened to the tape in my hospital room, and it was full of nothing but trivialities. He talked about his father, who was still hospitalized, what he had eaten the day before, what he learned about mackerels, how he was interested in fishing… Sometimes, his sister’s voice joined in.

I could even hear something that sounded like their mother’s voice from afar: “… Oh, you’re recording the cassette. You did say you wanted to be friends with him.”

When I heard that, my heart started pounding and my cheeks grew red.

It was as if her words went straight to my heart. It was a strange feeling I had never felt before.

Before I knew it, I was listening to the tape on repeat.

He told me to record a reply, but I didn’t know what to say.

I thought about it for a while, but figured that maybe, if I spoke through a cassette, I wouldn’t get the usual blank stare in response.

In the end, I pushed the record button.

I replied one by one to each of his trivialities.

I told him I hoped his hospitalized father gets well soon. I responded to his talk about snacks with what snacks I've had at the hospital. I corrected some of the facts he got wrong about mackerels.

I had planned to end my recording with a goodbye, but before I knew it, some other words came tumbling out of my mouth:

“… I hope you’ll come and see me again.”

When I realized what I had just said, I tried to turn the recording off, but Heisei era cassette recorders didn’t have that function.

It was then that I realized… I was happy that those siblings approached me, and that one of them even gave me that cassette.

Despite thinking there was no way we could ever be friends… Somewhere in the depths of my heart, I actually hoped we could.

I wondered why that was, but right then, something my mother had once told me came to mind.

“… It’s okay for us to be afraid of death, Kafka.”

I didn’t know what the connection between making friends and fearing death was, but I felt like my mother was giving me a push forward. And so, after we exchanged a few cassettes…

“If you come see me again tomorrow, I’ll teach you how to fish.” I finally told him that. I made a promise to the future, with a kid I didn’t know all too well, even though there was no guarantee I would live to see tomorrow.

But fortune and misfortune come in pairs, and the God of this world probably has it out for me a little.

On the night before the promised day, my condition took a turn for the worse.

All I remember was knocking over the dinner tray and falling over, footsteps rushing around the hospital floors, and the urgent exchanges between the doctor and nurses.

“… What do you mean he needs emergency surgery, Doctor!?” Probably my father, yelling.

“... in the doctors. Please take care of Kafka.” My mother speaking with a trembling voice. 

I was under anesthesia, so I don’t know what happened after. But I remember that as I fell asleep, I only had one thought in my mind: Even though I finally made a promise… If he visited tomorrow, I wouldn’t be able to teach him how to fish...

If I died just like that…How would those two react?

What would I think?

… It was the first time I’d made a promise with someone outside my family. Wasn’t it okay for me to teach him how to fish? Wasn’t it okay for me to have just a bit of hope?

Was I not even allowed to actually make friends?

I don’t want to die like this.

I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die…

I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die. I want to live.

I want to live, live, live. I want to fulfill my promise.

I mean, what have I even accomplished so far?

I don’t want to die. I can’t die yet.

I have to live, even for just a little longer. I can’t die without leaving some proof that I lived in this world.

When I thought that, I felt like I finally understood why my mother was so afraid of death.

Even if I am nothing more than the amalgamation of 14 kilos of oxygen, about 4 kilos of carbon, probably 2 kilos of hydrogen, 700 grams of nitrogen and other elements.

“... Some people believe that a person is only truly considered dead when all memories of them are erased from the minds of those still living.”

If I were to die like that, I would soon disappear from everyone’s mind, and people would forget I even existed to begin with.

That made everything seem pointless.

In the pitch black void, I felt as though both my body and heart were being cut into pieces. It felt so horrifying and cruel.

Every time I wished to live, I was made aware that there was no guarantee that my desire would be fulfilled… I had come to understand that the cruel end known as death comes to all, regardless of our wishes…

Ah, so this is fear. That was thanatophobia. I had finally come to understand how my mother felt.

When the fog in my mind finally cleared, I was in the same hospital room as always.

It seemed like the emergency surgery was a success.

I could see medicine dripping from the IV bag above my head.

Apparently, I was unconscious for a few days due to the anesthesia… During that time, the father of the siblings I had promised to teach how to fish was released from the hospital.

… I’ll never see him again.

He must hate me since I broke our promise.

When I thought that, I was overcome with a heavy sadness that I myself didn’t really understand.

I guess in the end, my expectations were too high for the first kid who just happened to notice me.

Really, all I wanted was to become his friend.

I just wanted him to remember I was alive…

I wondered, why didn’t I understand something that simple?

I wished I had talked to him sooner instead of being a coward.

I’d have taught him how to fish, or anything else he wanted.

I should have told him and his sister I wanted to talk to them a lot more...

That night, I just cried a little, regretting my choices.

The next day, I woke up to a surprise.

“Good morning, Kafka.”

The siblings I so desperately wanted to see were right there in my hospital room. The boy, who I had exchanged cassettes with, had bright red eyes, as if he’d cried his heart out.

When he saw my arm with the IV drip attached to it, for some reason he started tearing up and gently took my hand.

“Let’s be friends, Kafka,” he said with a determinated look on his face.

As soon as he said that, he burst into tears. He cried because he thought he should have said it sooner. Because he was scared that if I hadn’t woken up, we would have had to part ways without him ever saying it.

At that moment, it was as if my world had turned upside down.

For a moment, it was as if my small hospital room, my severe illness, and everything else had disappeared, and the future opened up before me.

… Mother. This may not be the secret of the world, but my world has changed.

Changed by this one completely ordinary child, who, unlike me, probably had nothing special about him…

And his foolish, but pure and dazzling feelings… towards me.

Wouldn’t you call this mysterious thing… a secret of the world?

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[taatsums]

Kafka Oguro Ward Mayor Novel - Mother's Code: Season 1, Track 2 - Thanatophobia / 1

That day, I woke up in the same hospital room yet again.

Seven-year-old me let out a sigh. My white private room was in the pediatric ward of the Oguro Hospital. I'd been in and out of this hospital since I was old enough to be aware of what was happening around me, but recently, I hadn't been able to go back home at all. Even my memory of the residence on the pier had become faint.

"I wonder if it'll be Dad coming to visit today… or maybe Mom?" I may not have been healthy, but that didn't mean I was unhappy. My family had the means to keep me hospitalized there for extended periods of time. My father, a tourism Ward Mayor, and my mother, a scientist, visited me whenever they could find time off from work.

My mother in particular was extremely knowledgeable, and would share all kinds of interesting stories with me whenever she came over, so I always looked forward to her visits.

My father… Hmm, I suppose he missed having me around at home, but I figured he's also doing his best. I could feel his love.

"But… will I die one day?" I muttered as I gazed at the clear blue sky outside the window.

I'd never been able to go outside much, and I couldn't go to school either, so I didn't have any friends. Even though there were other children hospitalized in the pediatric ward, they'd sort of been keeping their distance from me. It's probably because I didn't act as childish as my age would suggest, and also because my family is distinguished in HAMA.

"You're a little special, you see," is what my mother would tell me.

"Being special is a blessing, Kafka, but don't let that lead you astray. If there were no people who aren't special, how would you know you're special?"

Was that my mother's notion? Or was it mine?

Whichever it was, if this life of mine were to come to an end so quickly, this blessing of mine would be all for naught. If I were to die like this, then what was I even born for?

That day, neither my mother nor my father came to visit, so instead, I got permission from my doctor to go to the rooftop garden.

I may call it a garden, but it was actually a modest little place. I was thinking of sitting on the bench and reading a book when I spotted a dead baby bird on the cold concrete. Maybe it bumped into something and fell? Its tiny eyes were closed as it laid there limply.

Had the baby bird known it would die right here, on this day?

I felt just a bit sorry for it, and wondered whether or not I should bury it. But was it even okay for a frail person like myself to touch the remains of a dead wild bird? When I raised my concerns to one of the nurses, they gave me a mask and protective gloves and helped me bury the bird in the hospital's courtyard.

They said I was a kind boy, but that wasn't really the case; I simply felt that this baby bird that had died so prematurely wasn’t any different from me.

After all, I could get a sudden pain in my chest, collapse, and die just like that one day too. All I hope is that whoever finds me is someone kind.

I stood over the bird's grave even after the nurse left, until a shadow suddenly came up behind me. When I looked up, I saw my mother standing over me, still wearing her white lab coat and looking like she'd just snuck out of work.

"They told me you buried a bird?"

She'd heard about it from the nurse, apparently.

"Yeah. It died."

It may have been dead, but when I held it through the protective gloves, it felt heavier than I thought it would, and just warm enough to make me doubt whether it had truly died.

"Will I end up like that too, one day?" "…"

My mother was silent for a while, and then asked; "What do you think the definition of death is?"

"When one's heart stops beating?" "There is also the theory that death is when one stops thinking," she said as she took my hand and led me to a bench in the courtyard.

"This is a rather sentimental thought process, but some people believe that a person is only truly considered dead when all memories of them are erased from the minds of those still living."

Despite saying this, my mother changed the subject.

"In accordance with JPN's current medical standards, human death is defined as the cessation of both the heartbeat and spontaneous breathing, the loss of pupillary light reflex, and mydriasis. Legally, death is defined as the cessation of breathing and one's inability to be resuscitated."

"Is it the same for animals?"

"This applies to the death of anything with a physical body; death is the irreversible loss of life."

My mother motioned for me to sit on the bench, and then sat down next to me.

A gentle breeze blew through the courtyard, carrying the faint scent of medicine from my mother's lab coat with it.

Neither of us spoke, simply letting the cold hit us and the scent calm us. But I didn’t mind it at all.

“But yes… Fundamentally, all life forms on Earth are dependent on carbon polymers. When you look at it that way, the biological changes that occur after death are not that different between humans and other living organisms. They both stop breathing, decompose, become fertilizer for microorganisms, and what can’t be used is left behind.”

That is how calmly my mother spoke of “death”.

Then, she patted my head and asked, “What do you believe death is, Kafka?”

I took some time to think about it before giving her an honest reply.

“If all things eventually die, then it’s not that scary… But honestly, I’m not sure. There are times when I think I might die, but it turns out I’m still alive.”

My mother stayed quiet for a while as she continued patting my head.

Eventually, though, she drew her hand back.

“ … I have thanatophobia. I’m constantly… afraid of death. Honestly, I was very scared when I was giving birth to you.” She said quietly, her voice far removed from its usual dignified tone.

I raised my head to look at her, but she was staring off into the distance, looking deep in thought.

But soon after, she turned to me and smiled.

She pulled me closer to her and held me to her body tightly with a sad look on her face, before adding, “I’m glad I gave birth to you, though, of course.” "… I just wish I could have given birth to you in a healthier state. There are things you only come to understand when you’re knocking at death’s door. I know that now.”

It was rare for her to make feeble complaints. Sometimes–really, only sometimes–my mother said melancholic things like that when talking about my body, or about death.

I think that even my mother, an accomplished genius, lost her bearings when it came to my frail body and looming death.

My father always looked so happy when he talked about how alike my mother and I are. He often spoke of how proud he was that I was born with my mother’s beautiful face and her smarts.  But it would’ve been better if I didn’t take after her weak constitution as well. He didn’t say it out loud, but I knew that’s what he thought.

“Kafka, unlike me, there is a surgery you can get that could lead to your complete recovery. … All you have to do is make it to your twenties… If you do, you should be able to hope for a normal future, just like any ordinary person.” “… Unlike you?” “I…”

My mother went quiet after having said that. I guess there was no hope for her. She may have been working, but she was often bedridden and hospitalized, just like me.

“Kafka, let’s make a bet. If you live until you turn twenty, I’ll give you a reward.” “What?”

I wanted to ask her if she’d still be alive then, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

But those bets we made were like secret little games between my mother and I, and they were always fun.

That’s why I knew my mother was trying to encourage me.

The bets we made helped me look towards the future while living out these monotonous days, every day exactly the same–waking up and falling asleep in the same hospital room–if only a little bit.

That’s why… I didn’t want to bet with her on something so far into the future. 

“I think it’d be more fun to bet on what we’re having for dinner tonight.” “Haha, you might be right.”

We made a bet on whether we’d be having hospital jelly or not for dinner, and then my mother put her face near mine and whispered:

“Until your surgery when you turn twenty… No, even after that… It’s okay for us to be afraid of death, Kafka… Because even if our bodies die, the heart is a much more complicated thing…”

“… You’re afraid of death even though it’s so close? Isn’t that tiring?” “Sometimes… It’s the legitimate fear that allows one to find the true meaning of being alive.”

My mother looked right into my eyes as she said that.

It was as if she was sharing a very important secret with me.

“If you continue to live honestly like that… You could even come to learn the secrets of the world.” “… What secrets of the world?” 

When I asked that, my mother laughed with a slight sense of melancholy

“Whether knowing those secrets will bring you happiness or not…is entirely up to you.”

I had no idea what she was trying to say. Just what were the secrets of the world? Were they truly so impressive? Even more so than unproven mathematical formulas, undiscovered intellectual property, or the origin of the other side of the universe?

Did my mother, who’ds lived while fearing death… know the secrets of the world?

“You should think on it when you go fishing,” my mother cheerfully said for some reason as she let go of me and stood up. She mentioned fishing so suddenly that all I could do was stare blankly at her. Before I could gather my bearings, my mother laughed playfully and tugged at my arm.

“There’s a fishing spot near the hospital. You can get to it if you pass through the courtyard. Your father is good at fishing, so you can ask him to teach you.” “I don’t know… I’d rather be on my laptop.” I whispered, and in response, my mother whispered back…

“Then let’s make a bet. Even when fishing, you have to calculate things such as the currents, the wind, the weather, the season, and the bait you’ll use… Between you and your father, I’ll bet that your father will catch more fish.” “Sorry, but with those conditions, I’ve got the upper hand. Dad can’t do those kinds of calculations.” I declared.

“Okay, okay. You’ll be betting on yourself, then.” My mother replied.

“I know! I’ll learn from Dad, and then I’ll show you how to fish!”

My mother laughed as I boldly exclaimed.

The sunlight hitting the courtyard reflected off of her hair and eyes, causing them to sparkle.

It was as if I was looking at the ocean from the pier on a sunny day…

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[taatsums]

Kafka Oguro Ward Mayor Novel - Mother's Code: Season 1, Track 1 - Happy Birthday

I insert the silver memory stick into the laptop and the laptop's LCD screen flickers off, giving way to a hologram. A three-dimensional torus starts to rotate slowly, mathematical formulas forming on top of it.

“Hmmm… I see,” I mutter, “so this is still just a trial run.”  I can't help the grin that tugs against the corner of my lips as I suddenly find myself enjoying this so much. It's not my birthday or anything— This is just a "birthday present" that's delivered to me out of the blue once a year.

Just like every other year, Sakujiro handed me another small, silver memory stick.

The name on the simple packaging was… Rinka Oguro. My mother.

I thanked Sakujiro as I received the package, and with his usual expression, he asked, "Are you planning to remain occupied for a while?" Well, I couldn’t possibly put off something this interesting.

Obviously, Sakujiro is aware of the existence of the memory sticks that have been delivered to me annually for the past few years. However, I'm unsure of just how involved with them the capable butler is exactly. Up until now, there has been no need for me to know, so I’ve never tried to find out. Maybe he’s in charge of delivering this to me at my mother’s request, or he’s simply handing me a package that arrived. Or maybe, he’s aware of everything, even the intention behind this gift.

Regardless, what I have to do never changes. The memory stick contains numerous codes, and solving the riddles is something I look forward to every year.

In the midst of solving some of these mathematical formulas, my roommate Renga walks into the room. I don't have to turn around to know that he's startled by the countless complex mathematical formulas that have started appearing one after another on the unfolding hologram torus.

Wanting to crack the code as fast as possible, I pay him no mind, moving onto the next problem.

"W-What're you doing? Trying to find the area of a shape, or something?" "Close. These are topology problems."

He's nowhere near hitting the mark, but I tell him he is anyway.

Renga looks intimidated as he keeps his eyes on the floating formulas.

"Out of all these graphs, which one do you think is the closest to the shape of a human?" "Huh? One of them looks like a human!?"

When I turn to hear his answer, he flinches like a dog about to jump away.

Well, I can't say I blame him. In front of us are circles, squares, and two circles put together. From Renga's point of view, they're just simple shapes. None of them look anything like a human. But, this is actually one of the more basic and simple problems.

"It's this one. The two-dimensional torus." "… That’s a donut, no matter how you look at it. Saying that's a human is horrifying." "The specifics differ, but from a topological perspective, humans and donuts have approximately the same shape." "From a top… W-What?"

I ignore Renga, who seems to have countless question marks floating above his head, and continue onto the next problem. This year, the riddles seem to be nothing but math problems, but that's not always the case. Some years it's science trivia, and others, the questions are historical or political, even containing facts about everyday life.

… Mother is probably testing me. Even problems that only university mathematicians can solve are child's play for me. I'm sure that was the case for her as well. Eventually, the hologram changes shape, and eight different shapes materialize.

"A sphere in a Euclidean space… Is this… a geometrical conjecture? A continuation of the topology problem?"

I'll have to look at it for a while and think about how the formulas that have appeared thus far have gone.

"Ah, is this the Poincaré conjecture?"

It's simple once you understand what the columns are.

We've jumped straight from Thurston's geometric conjectures to Perelman's proof.

"Energy, entropy… And the proof I need is…"

I type non-stop without pausing to breathe, engrossed in solving all these equations. Before I know it, I've managed to solve the mathematical formula that countless mathematicians had taken three years to find a conclusion to. As I finish typing, the final code appears.

—— [M…]

The hologram instructs me to enter what comes after "M". Oh, and for the record, this is suddenly no longer a mathematical problem.

But my mother is being too easy on me. This is nothing for my 20 year old self. I can't hold back my smile as I close my laptop's lid.

I want to solve the final code next to a certain someone I treasure.

"A-Are you done?" Renga asks timidly.

Apparently, he has been watching from behind me this whole time. Well, given Renga's personality, he's probably worried about me. I think as much to myself as I take a sip of the black tea Sakujiro had prepared for me.

I was so focused on solving the problems that I didn't notice my tea had gone cold.

"You okay…? It looks like you had to think a lot…"

He's probably worried about me. He was more worried than anyone else the last time I collapsed, after all.

"I'm alright, I'm good at this kind of brain work. If anything, it was a pretty good distraction." "… What was that thing you were solving earlier? It was all numbers and symbols and stuff like that, and it was kinda scary… Uh, it wasn't some weird curse, was it?"

Did they seem like curses to Renga? I feel bad for saying this, but I understand why everyone treats Renga like a dog. He wears his heart on his sleeve.

That's a good thing, because a lot of us in the Morning Team aren't exactly easy to read— Well, Yukikaze is, but his indomitable spirit kind of offsets that. It's good to have all kinds of people in your group.

"It's a birthday present from my mother, actually. Or maybe I should call it a challenge? Every year, she sends me a code, and I have to solve its riddles to get to the real thing." "It's your birthday!?" Renga exclaims, and I don't have to turn to look at him to know that he's forgotten all about the curse he was so afraid of. He's probably thinking something like, oh no, we have to celebrate!

But after a few seconds, Renga's expression twists into one of confusion.

"… Wait, your birthday is on July 3rd, right? It's nowhere near that time of the year right now." "Aw, thanks for remembering ♪" "Of course I'd remember! You're our president, after all..."

Renga, you do understand that Ten and Liguang act like that around you exactly because you say such simple-minded things, don't you?

I wonder what kind of face he'd make if I asked him that? I think about it, but decide against it. I'm rather pleased with the current relationship between the Morning Team and Renga, after all.

"Also… Isn't your mother…" He probably said that without thinking, because I could tell from the way he got quiet that he's starting to regret it. Now that I think about it, I did tell him about my mother back in the hospital.

"You know, don't you? Actually, this present was delivered from Heaven." I say as I stroke the surface of my laptop.

Renga looks confused by what I said. It really was, though. The only difference was that my mother had given me the first one directly.

—— "I have a birthday present for you."

I can still remember. My mother's voice as she called out to me and gave me the first memory stick some years ago.

At the time, she was hospitalized in the same private room as me in Oguro Hospital. I tilted my head in confusion and said, "Today isn't my birthday, though."

"Isn’t getting your birthday presents only on the day of rather ordinary and boring? I think receiving one out of the blue is much more interesting."

All I could do was agree. My mother was a strange person, and she often came up with strange ways to explain her ideas.

"Handing it to you directly every year wouldn’t be any fun, either. So I'll find a more surprising way to give it to you next year. Okay, Kafka?" She said with a hint of pride as she patted my head.

Her hands were shakier than usual.

But back then, I simply ignored it and went along with what she told me.

My mother died soon after, and the birthday presents that were given to me on days other than my actual birthday were delivered from Heaven… In the form of small packages.

Track 1 | Track 2 | Track 3 | Track 4 | Track 5

[taatsums]

Kafka Oguro SR - Macarons Just For You: You're A Special One

Part 1

📍 HAMA Tours, Office Floor

Kafka: Hmmm… Now then, what should I make?

Sakujiro: Young Master, I’ve brought you a cup of tea. I can guarantee its taste is up to par, as I picked the leaves myself.

Kafka: Oh, thanks. Just when did you find the time to go tea picking?

Sakujiro: It was not so difficult to achieve within a short timespan. This is something you will be consuming, after all.

Sakujiro: But let us put that aside. You seem to be troubled by something.

Kafka: Oh, right. I was just thinking about White Day.

Sakujiro: I see. So it is that time of year already. What are you planning to give this year?

Kafka: That’s what’s troubling me. I was just thinking that I can’t find anything good that I haven’t done already.

Sakujiro: Is that so… How about Yokan, or Monaka, or perhaps Ohagi? It would also be quite adorable if you were to use Nerikiri—

Kafka: Woah, woah. Those sound delicious, but aren’t they all more like treats to accompany Gyokuro with, rather than White Day gifts?

Sakujiro: Oh dear… Do forgive me.

Sakujiro: If you are looking for ideas for sweets… Perhaps you could try taking a look at this website.

Sakujiro: This is an incredible site that allows you to look up many recipes that could suit your needs.

Kafka: Huh. Let’s see… This sure is interesting. They’ve even included the meanings of each sweet.

Kafka: …! This one…

Kafka: … Yup! I’ve decided; I’ll make macarons this year.

Sakujiro: Macarons… Fufu, I see.

Sakujiro: There is a problem, however, Young Master. Aren’t your gifts for the Chief always handmade? Macarons are not so easy to make…

Kafka: I know. But there’s no need to worry about that. I’ve already asked Ushio if he’d be willing to teach me how to make sweets.

Sakujiro: Oho, you leave no stone unturned. I would expect no less from you.

Kafka: But it won’t matter how good my teacher is if I can’t keep up with them. Especially when macarons are that hard to make.

Kafka: I can’t take time off from work, so I’ll have to make a solid plan and keep my schedule open for practice.

Kafka: I’m planning to do this all by myself, so… Your support would be appreciated, Sakujiro.

Sakujiro: Yes, of course. I shall cheer for you with every fiber of my being as I pray for your success in baking with a dance!

Kafka: Fufu, thanks.

Kafka: Well, looks like I’ll be getting busier♪

Part 2

📍 HAMA House, Kitchen

Kafka: Alright, it’s done!

Kafka: (I struggled here and there, but… Yeah, they turned out alright. I guess that’s because I spent every night practicing.)

Kafka: (I even got Ushio’s approval. But…)

Kafka: I was careless. I was so focused on the contents that deciding how to wrap them totally slipped my mind…

Kafka: I do this like that… And…

[Kaede walks in]

Kaede: Good work, Kafka.

Kafka: ! Uh, Chief-chan…!? Um, why are you here…

Kaede: ? What do you mean, why? You called me here. You told me to come to the kitchen as soon as the bell struck midnight, right?

Kafka: I did, but… Huh, It’s already midnight!?

Kaede: … Should I come again later?

Kafka: … Umm… Uhh…

Kafka: No. It’s fine. You went out of your way to come at the promised time, so I can’t do something as uncool as reschedule.

Kafka: Here you go, I wanted to give you this. It’s my gift for White Day.

Kafka: I tried to wrap my gratitude and feelings for you into this, Kaede-chan.

Kafka: … Will you accept it?

Kaede: Of course I will…! Thanks, Kafka!

Kafka: You should open it.

Kafka: You caught me in the middle of wrapping it, so it’s a little sloppy, but… I’m pretty confident about what’s inside.

Kaede: It’s not sloppy at all! It’s so beautiful, it reminds me of a jewel… Thank you for putting so much thought into it.

Kaede: I’ll take you up on your offer and open it right away!

[Box opening]

Kaede: Wow, these macarons look beautiful! They’re… handmade, right!? Did they turn out good?

Kafka: Haha, I’d say so.

Kaede: Amazing… But macarons are pretty hard to make, aren’t they? Why did you make something so difficult this year?

Kafka: Ah, well… There are lots of small reasons…

Kafka: I guess the most important reason is that I wanted to give them to you.

Kaede: I… see…?

Kafka: I already told you, didn’t I? I put my feelings for you in it.

Kafka: More importantly, why don’t you give them a taste now that you’re here? I’ll go prepare some tea.

Kaede: Are you sure? Then, don’t mind if I do—...

Kaede: Mmm!? What the heck, this is delicious. It’s super delicious, Kafka! These might be the best macarons I’ve ever eaten!

Kafka: Ahaha. Oh, come on, Chief-chan. You’re exaggerating.

Kaede: I’m not…! Not to mention, when I think about how you made this for me, it becomes all the more special…

Kafka: !

Kaede: ? Kafka?

Kafka: Ah, sorry. When you said that I… got a little emotional.

Kafka (whispering): I’m not sure if my feelings came across or not, but… I’m glad you feel the same way.

Kaede: What did you say?

Kafka: Nothing at all.

Kafka: But still, if this made you so happy, then that makes things difficult for next year~

Kaede: Isn’t it a little too soon to start thinking about next year?

Kafka: Haha, it might be. But next year I’ll make sure to work on the wrapping—

Kafka: So look forward to next year, Chief-chan♪

NOTES

(1) yokan, monaka and ohagi (or botamochi) are all traditional japanese sweets that usually accompany green tea

(2) gyokuro is a type of (expensive) green tea

[taatsums]

Excuse me, do you have Kafka Macarons Just For You (キミだけのマカロン) card translation. Thank you😊

i do! i'm planning to post it over the weekend! ty for your patience 🙇

[taatsums]

Event Story: Precious as a White Light - Masterpost

translated by dimi, xii, aca, jelly, and slaine

proofread by niri and myun

On Valentine’s Day, everyone in HAMA Tours received chocolates from the chief. Amongst them, Nanaki found himself agonizing over what to give in return for White Day. Wanting to choose something that would make the chief the happiest, Nanaki turns to Kiroku for advice, and finally decides to bow his head to Ushio; “Please teach me how to make desserts.” Although Nanaki manages to get a crash course from Ushio, it turns out Ushio also promised to teach Kafka how to make desserts…!? Determined not to lose to Kafka, Nanaki asks Ten for advice and finds himself doing research in the city, working hard to find what homemade gift would be best to give… but things don’t go as planned.

Track 1 | Track 2 | Track 3 | Track 4 | Track 5 | Track 6 | Track 7 | Track 8 | Track 9

[taatsums]

Event Story: Precious as a White Light - Track 9: Epilogue

📍 HAMA Tours, Office Floor

Kafka: Hm~  …You’re missing a line here. You need an extra statement here or else you’ll run into an error.

Ushio: Oh, I see.

[Keyboard sounds]

Ushio: Like this?

Kafka: Yup, exactly. You must’ve studied hard, since you can immediately fix your mistakes once they’re pointed out. A gold star for you.

Ushio: Ugh… I’m not a kid, geez. Also, finding the problem is usually the hardest part.

Kaede: What are you two up to?

Kafka: I’m just giving Ushio a small programming crash course on an introduction to robotics in return for the baking lessons. 

Kafka: It seems he’s self-taught, but he’s got the basics down. He’s basically a model student.

Ushio: …You’re just saying that. I realized that I’ve just been taking the long way around once you actually started going through stuff with me.

Kafka: You’re such a contrarian~ I’m praising you, so you can just be happy about it.

Kaede: I didn’t know you were interested in programming, Ushio-kun.

Ushio: ……I want to be able to perform fixes and maintenance on robots.

Ushio: And Oguro-san’s pretty good at teaching, so.

Kafka: What we’ve done so far is pretty much a walk in the park. Okay, let’s move on to the next problem.

Ushio: W-Wait, lemme look over what we just did…!

Kaede: (Ushio-kun seems to be taking it really seriously. Kafka looks like he’s having fun too, so it must be worth teaching him.)

Kaede: (For some reason, it’s making me happy too.)

📍 HAMA House, Living Room

Nanaki: Hey, Ushio. About that playlist I sent you yesterday…

Ushio: …!

Nanaki: What’d you think? I wanna hear your thoughts on it.

Ushio: …Didn’t you make that to thank me for my help? I don’t see why exactly I need to give you my thoughts on it.

Nanaki: It’s because I need to know if that’s actually a decent thank-you gift. Like, I had no idea what you needed it for, so I just threw a bunch of songs together based on the keywords you gave me and hoped for the best.

Ushio: (“It’s actually a theme playlist for my OTP” …As if I could say that? My secrets are between me and God.)

Nanaki: Besides, I wanna make sure we’re even. If the playlist’s good, then great. But if not, then tell me.

Ushio: Erm……

Ushio: (It kinda pisses me off that he was able to mysteriously put together such a high quality playlist just from a single word.)

Ushio: (But I guess that’s just how good it is.)

Ushio: …You don’t owe me anything anymore.

Nanaki: Really? Well, if you’re saying that with that look on your face, then you must’ve really liked it.

Ushio: …Huh? Can you stop making baseless assumptions about me?

Nanaki: I was just asking a question, though.

Ushio: Excuse me???

Nanaki: …See, you always get all defensive like that, but I’m not buying whatever you say today.

Nanaki: You were being so difficult about it that I had a hard time picking the right songs. I was worried if the playlist even worked, so I kept digging even after I sent it to you…

Ushio: Huh?

Ushio: ……You have more songs?

Nanaki: What?

Ushio: I’m asking if you found more songs based on my request aside from the playlist you sent me.

Nanaki: Yeah, I did. …Wanna hear them now?

Ushio: …

Nanaki: Oh, but since we’re even now, how about this? You can listen if you actually tell me what you think this time.

Ushio: …And what makes you think I’d tell you my thoughts or anything for that matter if you don’t let me do a full listen first? Like, can you stop nitpicking and hurry up and press play?

📍 HAMA House, Entrance

Kaede: (Wha…., HUUH—!!!!)

Kaede: (Ushio-kun and Nanaki-kun are listening to music together…?!)

Kaede: (I see, I get it… Those two have gotten closer.)

Kaede: Hehehe…

📍 HAMA House, Living Room

Ushio: …Um, so why is the shady man over there suddenly laughing to himself like a creep?

Nanaki: Chief!

Kaede: Ah! Sorry, sorry. Just ignore me…

Ushio: And just what do you think will happen if I ignore an adult that keeps staring holes at me while grinning to himself.

Nanaki: Seriously, you never really change.

Ushio: Oh? Didn’t you say you weren’t buying my words today?

Nanaki: Save your sarcasm for tomorrow.

Kaede: Sorry for bothering you two. It was just so heartwarming, I couldn’t help myself.

Nanaki: Heartwarming…?

Kaede: I was just thinking that everyone’s gotten so much closer from baking together. Especially Ushio-kun, Kafka, and Nanaki-kun. 

Kaede: White Day was such a great day… I’m just savoring it.

Ushio: …………Are you for real?

Kaede: Huh, was I wrong…?

Ushio: That’s what’s on your mind after that series of events…?

Ten: Ahaha. I totally saw this coming. Very in-character of you, Chief~

Kaede: Ah! You scared me! Ten-kun and Kiroku-kun… Um, what’s going on?

Kiroku: I think… that’s just like you… Chief.

Kafka: Huh? What are you all doing here?

Kaede: Kafka!

Ten: Nah, we were just talking about how the chief has some serious talent~

Kaede: Huh? What do you mean? Did I say something weird…?

Kafka: Ahhh… He definitely does. But that’s one of his charms ♪

Nanaki: …True.

Kaede: Huuuh? Wait, am I the only one who doesn’t get it?

Nanaki: (Well, that’s the chief for you.)

Kafka: (That’s what makes him our chief, after all.)

Kaede: ……K-Kiroku-kun, Ushio-kun…

Kiroku: Being oblivious… is a good thing. I think….

Ushio: At this rate, he’s gonna stay like that until his hair goes white.

Kaede: (What in the world are they talking about~~~~~~!?)

Track 1 | Track 2 | Track 3 | Track 4 | Track 5 | Track 6 | Track 7 | Track 8 | Track 9

[taatsums]

Event Story: Precious as a White Light - Track 8

📍 HAMA House, Kitchen

[Pouring]

Nanaki: There, that should do it.

Nanaki: I wonder if the chief’s already waiting. *sigh* I’m so nervous…

📍 HAMA House, 2F Free Space

Kaede: Oh, Nanaki-kun!

Nanaki: Sorry for the wait.

Kaede: No, I should be the one saying that. Sorry I ended up being late.

Nanaki: Was work okay?

Kaede: Ahaha, there’s always some sort of trouble brewing. It’s no big deal.

Nanaki: You’ve worked hard today. …Please have this snack to unwind after work.

Kaede: Wow, that looks delicious. Did you brew coffee for me? 

Nanaki: Not just the coffee… I also made some madeleines for you.

Kaede: Oooh, really!

Nanaki: Yeah, Ushio taught me. But you already knew that, didn’t you?

Kaede: …Ahaha. Was it obvious I noticed?

Nanaki: Yeah, especially with how you encouraged me back then.

Kaede: But I didn’t know what you had planned for me.

Kaede: Relaxing after work with a cup of coffee and madeleines? This is a pretty luxurious White Day gift.

Kaede: Thank you, Nanaki-kun.

Nanaki: …!

Nanaki: I-It’s nothing, really.

Nanaki: (He smiled and thanked me… I think I’m gonna cry.)

Nanaki: (I’m glad I didn’t give up and was able to give it to him…)

📍 Flashback

Kafka: Why you made the gifts doesn’t matter. Chief-chan isn’t the type of person to leave someone brokenhearted, and he’ll be more than happy to receive a gift someone put their all into.

Kafka: I’m sure what you do will definitely reach him.

📍 HAMA House, 2F Free Space

Nanaki: Um, Chief…

Kaede: Hm?

Nanaki: Does it make you happy…

Nanaki: That I did something like this for you…?

Kaede: Yes, of course.

Kaede: I’m happy…Very happy.

Nanaki: …!

Nanaki: (It’s just like what Oguro-san said.)

Nanaki: (My feelings really did reach the chief… He accepted it all wholeheartedly.)

Nanaki: (Maybe it’s not a big deal to most people.)

Nanaki: (But to me... It feels like a miracle.)

Nanaki: (No, that’s not it… Right now, I am experiencing a miracle.)

Kaede: Mmm…! Taking a bite of the madeleine, and then a sip of coffee, is…

Nanaki: Peak, right?

Kaede: Yes, exactly! …How did you know!?

Nanaki: That’s a secret.

Nanaki: Here, try this one. It has a different flavor.

Kaede: Really? Now I’m curious, but…

Nanaki: Are you already full? Or are you worried about the calories?

Kaede: That’s not it… I just thought it’s kind of a waste to eat them all.

Nanaki: …!

Nanaki: …I’m already happy just seeing you enjoy them.

Kaede: Huh?

Nanaki: …It's nothing, don’t worry.

📍 HAMA House, Kitchen

[Sink running]

Nanaki: *sigh*

Nanaki: (It felt like the moment would last forever, but then it ended in a flash.)

Nanaki: (Still, I’ll never forget this for the rest of my life.)

Kafka: …I was right, wasn’t I?

Nanaki: Huh, Oguro-san?

Nanaki: …Wait, were you watching earlier?

Kafka: Who do you take me for? I just happened to pass by.

Kafka: Just letting you know, but Chief-chan is as dense as they come. I think it’ll be pretty hard to get him to understand 100% of what you’ve said.

Nanaki: …Maybe. But he’s also the kind of person who’d exceed your expectations by 120%.

Kafka: …Really now?

Kafka: Should I take that just now as a declaration of war?

Nanaki: Huh? No, that’s not what I meant…

Nanaki: (Crap, I got carried away and said too much…)

Kafka: …Bring it on.

Nanaki: Huh?

Kafka: I don’t have any intention of losing, you know ♪

Kafka: Sleep well, Nanaki. Kids need their rest, after all~

Nanaki: ……

Nanaki: (What was that? He didn’t really have to go out of his way to mess with me…)

Nanaki: (...But maybe that was his way of acknowledging me. Like I’m finally standing on the same playing field as him.)

Nanaki: Yeah… This is a big step for me.

Nanaki: (It took me so long to get here, in more ways than one…)

Nanaki: (But I finally took that first step forward.)

Track 1 | Track 2 | Track 3 | Track 4 | Track 5 | Track 6 | Track 7 | Track 8 | Track 9

[taatsums]

Event Story: Precious as a White Light - Track 7

📍 Hama Asunaro High School, Second Campus, Home Economics Room

[Oven ding]

Nanaki: Can I get them now?

Ushio: Yeah. …Ever heard of oven mitts?

Nanaki: Oh, I forgot. Thanks.

[Oven opening]

Nanaki: Whoa…!

Nanaki: Look, look, Ushio, Kiroku! My madeleines turned out amazing…!

Kiroku: …It’s a nice… color…

Ushio: …I guess they look okay.

Nanaki: Woah, does that mean I got your seal of approval?

Ushio: Do you have flowers for brains or something? All I’m saying is that out of all the batches you made, this one was the best.

Nanaki: But you've never praised me before, so honestly, that’s huge.

Nanaki: …Thanks, Ushio.

Ushio: …

Ushio: …Whatever.

Nanaki: And you too, Kiroku.

Kiroku: Eh… Ah… I didn’t do much… really…

Nanaki: You helped me pick what to make and stuck with me through all the research.

Kiroku: You’re… welcome…

Nanaki: (Madeleines aren't the hardest thing to make, but they’re easy to customize. And most importantly… they carry a special meaning when given as a White Day gift.)

Nanaki: (I’m sure it’ll make him happy.)

Ushio: …I thought for sure he’d stay holed up in his room rotting like a moldy panda forever.

Kiroku: Mhm… that’s a, relief.

Ushio: Then again, at least as a moldy panda, the worst he could do is just spread around his spores or something.

Nanaki: Ah, Kiroku, is your caramel done yet? Your little sister wanted some, right?

Kiroku: Ah… Yeah. But I think… this is a lot… for my little sister… so I’ll give some… out.

Nanaki: Good idea. 

Kiroku: It looks like… it’s ready to go…

Nanaki: Should we try out what we’ve made?

-

Nanaki: *nom* Whoa! Kiroku, your caramels are amazing!

Kiroku: Really…? That’s good…

Ushio: Unlike a certain someone, Golem properly came to class, so of course they’re good.

Nanaki: …I know, I know. I regret it, okay?

Kiroku: Ah… What about… Nanamegi’s madeleines….

Nanaki: Ushio, what do you think?

Ushio: …I mean, I guess it gets a pass? The flavor is consistent at least.

Kiroku: I thought… they were… delicious as well.

Nanaki: Really? I’m glad to hear that…!

Kiroku: However…

Nanaki: Is there something off about them?

Kiroku: Ah… It’s not that... I was suddenly… craving your coffee.

Kiroku: These madelines… would be peak with your coffee….

Nanaki: Peak…

Ushio: You guys have been hanging out with Idiotake too much. Though you aren’t wrong, I’ll give you that much.

Ushio: But in the end, when and where you eat this can drastically change what the other person thinks of the taste.

Nanaki: … Thanks, you two.

📍 HAMA House, Living Room

Nanaki: Phew…

Ten: What’s got you looking so nervous?

Nanaki: It’s because, uh… today’s White Day.

Ten: Ahh… Maybe you should hurry then?

Nanaki: Huh, why?

📍 HAMA House, Dining Room

Chihiro: Gooood morning, Chiefy~! Here’s a biiiig thank you for the V-Day choco from Chii and Taotao!

Tao: We may say it’s from both of us, but I don’t know much about these things. It’s Chihiro that did all the choosing.

Kaede: Thank you both so much, you didn’t have to!

Kiroku: Chief… here… I made caramels. Though I made the same… for my little sister.

Kaede: Wow, the wrapping paper is so cute! Did you draw this, Kiroku-kun? Thank you, I’ll treasure it!

Kiroku: …Yeah.

Ushio: —I’ll leave this chocolate baumkuchen here. Those who want some, feel free to take it.

Kaede: Then do you mind if I have one? Ushio-kun’s confections are like a pro’s, they’re amazing!

Ushio: …What part of “feel free to take it” did you not understand? A-Also, for the record, my cake has nothing to do with White Day. I made it ‘cause I felt like it. Got it?

Kinari: According to my findings, I believe the best gift for Master would be a storage box.  I’ll make revisions to what I have learnt and make the best use of them from next year onwards.

Muneuji: Mm. It seems Azekawa-san and I unexpectedly had the same idea. No one said one could only give confectionaries on White Day after all.

Muneuji: …However, this year, I was able to bond with everyone over exchanging gifts, and Uu-chan seemed to have a lot of fun too. This will be remembered as the best White Day in history.

[Phone ringing]

Kaede: Oh, that’s mine…!

Kaede: —Hello, this is Kaede Hamasaki from HAMA Tours.

Netaro: Doudou~! I’ve got steaming hot and a specially made White Day Bun for you!

Nagi: This is for…

Netaro: You should eat it all up♪

Kaede: Ah! Netaro-kun, w-wait a sec! I’m on the phone…!

📍 HAMA House, Living Room

Nanaki: (No way…!)

Nanaki: (I can’t find the perfect time to give it to him…!)

Kafka: Why do you look so nervous, Nanaki?

Nanaki: Ah, Oguro-san.

Kafka: Ushio told me. In the end, you made the desserts just fine, didn’t you?

Kafka: …But are you getting cold feet now that the day’s finally here?

Nanaki: What about you, Oguro-san? You’re not running late, right—?

Kafka: Haha! Too bad for you, but I was first in line to give him my White Day gift.

Nanaki: What!? Th-That’s so unfair…!

Kafka: Well, good luck? Make sure not to be late to school, though.

Nanaki: …You don’t have to tell me that!

Kaede: Nanaki-kun, do you have a moment?

Kaede: The call I got just now was someone inquiring about using unlove’s music. I’ll send you the details later, so could you go over it when you have the time?

Nanaki: Yeah. Oh, um… actually, there’s something else I wanna ask.

Kaede: What’s wrong?

Nanaki: Could…

Nanaki: Could I ask for some of your time tonight?

Kafka: !

Kaede: Sure, that’s fine. I’ll let you know if I’ll be home late.

Nanaki: Th-Thank you…!

Kafka: (...Huh. That’s an invitation 3 times bolder than what I was anticipating.)

Kafka: (I even got cheeky and wished him good luck… Well, I’ll hand it to him just this once.)

Kafka: We should get going, Chief-chan.

Kaede: Okay! Alright then, Nanaki-kun, I’ll see you tonight.

[Kaede and Kafka leave]

Nanaki: …

Nanaki: …Alright!

NOTES: (1) Giving madeleines as a white day gift means "I want to be more special to you"

Track 1 | Track 2 | Track 3 | Track 4 | Track 5 | Track 6 | Track 7 | Track 8 | Track 9

[taatsums]

Event Story: Precious as a White Light - Track 6

📍 Hama Asunaro High School, Second Campus, Home Economics Room

Ushio: ……Just you again, Golem?

Kiroku: Ah… Yeah…

Ushio: …*sigh* I’m done. Just who does Panda think he is, asking for help ‘cause he was desperate and then suddenly pulling a no-show.

Ushio: It’s just one lame excuse after the other. “Oh, sorry, I have to study…”, “Oh, um, I have work…”, like, what is he, a child desperate for attention or something?

Ushio: I said I’d teach him how to bake. Since when was it my job to care about his mental health? If there was a world championship for the person with the thickest skin, then Panda would definitely place. “Wow, look at you, you took first place~” *sigh* Unbelievable.

Kiroku: About… that…

Ushio: Yep, this is getting outta hand, nope, nuh uh, not my problem. I’m definitely not going this time. Been there, done that, never again.

Ushio: And like, is there even a reason for us to come anymore? Since Panda was the one who asked and isn’t even showing up anymore, I guess not. Then we’re done with the lessons—

Kiroku: Ah… There’s a… reason!

Ushio: …

Ushio: Alright, then tell me. What’s the point of us showing up? And be specific.

Kiroku: (Nanamegi will come back. I’m sure… he’s going to continue these lessons. This place is necessary for that very reason…)

Kiroku: Ah… uhm…

Ushio: It’s okay, you don’t have to try so hard to find a reason. But really, he’s even making you waste your precious time. Talk about youngest child much?

Kiroku: Just wait a… sec…!

Ushio: You have 3 seconds.

Kiroku: …!

Ushio: 3, 2, 1—

Kiroku: I-It’s fun… to make things...!

Ushio: …What?

Kiroku: I’m able… to understand… just how amazing you are… when we bake…!

Ushio: …

Ushio: …Just because of that?

Kiroku: … Please.

Ushio: *sigh* Whatever, I get it. But if you have the audacity to quit too, then don’t ever think about asking me to teach you ever again.

Kiroku: …! Yeah…!

📍 HAMA House, Living Room

Nanaki: (Skincare goods, bath salts, relaxation stuff… Should I avoid anything that’s too personal?)

Nanaki: (If I go with something edible, maybe I could buy something from one of the popular shops Murakumo-san told me about…)

Kafka: Do you have a moment, Nanaki?

Nanaki: !

Nanaki: …What is it?

Kafka: I heard you’ve been skipping your baking lessons lately. Ushio was pretty mad about it.

Nanaki: About that… I’m planning on apologizing and explaining to him once I figure out a new plan. 

Kafka: So you’re giving up on making something yourself?

Nanaki: …I never said that. I just thought maybe store-bought goodies would be good enough.

Kafka: …I thought you wanted to do your best for the chief?

Kafka: You’ve always had the option to buy something made by a professional. 

Nanaki: ……

Kafka: But, you still came to the same conclusion I did, didn’t you?

Kafka: That Chief-chan would be happiest if you made him something yourself.

Kafka: I can’t wrap my head around why you’d give up halfway.

Nanaki: …You can just give him something handmade, Oguro-san. I’m sure… the chief would be really happy about it.

Nanaki: But please stay out of my business. This has nothing to do with you.

Kafka: It does.

Nanaki: Huh…?

Kafka: Chief-chan knows we’re preparing something for White Day. He’ll be worried if he finds out you quit halfway through.

Kafka: Sorry, but I won’t allow you to act so half-heartedly.

Nanaki: That’s not what I’m doing…

Nanaki: …Besides, it’s just a thank-you gift. I doubt he’ll think anything of it whether I give it to him or not.

Kafka: Of course he will.

Kafka: Why you made the gifts doesn’t matter. Chief-chan isn’t the type of person to leave someone brokenhearted, and he’ll be more than happy to receive a gift someone put their all into.

Kafka: I’m sure what your actions will definitely reach him.

Nanaki: … I wonder…

Kafka: *sigh*… I give up.

[Kafka walks off]

📍 HAMA House, Entrance

[Kafka walks past Kiroku]

Kiroku: … Huh…?

📍 HAMA House, Living Room

Nanaki: …

Nanaki: (…Why did Oguro-san get so worked up?)

Kiroku: N-Nanamegi…

Nanaki: ! Kiroku… Welcome back.

Kiroku: Did… Oguro-san get mad at you… just now? W-What… happened?

Nanaki: …I told him I was thinking of giving up on baking, and then he just went off on me.

Kiroku: Well… that’s…

Nanaki: But I’m not sure why he cares. This has nothing to do with him, so I don’t get it.

[Kiroku shakes his head]

Kiroku: That’s… not true.

Nanaki: ?

Kiroku: The reason… why Oguro-san is obsessed with… making macarons, is because you’re… working really hard…

Nanaki: …What?

Kiroku: When… we were taste-testing his… macarons, I heard him say that…… he didn’t want to… lose to you…

Nanaki: …He actually said that? Is that why he’s so obsessed over making the macarons?

[Kiroku nods]

Kiroku: …!

Nanaki: …But that doesn’t make any sense...

Nanaki: (I was never on Oguro-san’s radar. Like, he never saw me as a threat and just did things his own way.)

Nanaki: (But… did he actually know all along?)

Nanaki: (Did he realize that my feelings for the chief were more than just thanking him for the chocolate?)

Nanaki: (And because of that… is that why he’s trying so hard to make those macarons, because he saw me as his rival—!?)

Nanaki: Kiroku, where’s Ushio!?

Kiroku: Eh, Ah…? K-Kurama is dropping… by the condiment store…

Nanaki: I’m going to apologize to him.

Kiroku: Ah… I-I’ll go too…!

📍 Downtown HAMA

Nanaki: Ushio…!

Ushio: Huh? What do you wan—

Nanaki: I’M SORRY!!

Ushio: …U-Um? Can you not randomly start bowing in the middle of the street?

Kiroku: *pant*, *pant*....! P-Please listen to us… Kurama…

Ushio: Ugh… *sigh* So what exactly do the two of you want?

Nanaki: I’m really, really sorry that I asked you to teach me, and yet I bailed without saying a word! I know that alone might not fix things, but—

Nanaki: Can you please give me another chance…!?

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