BL translations: A visitor

Tap tap

.............................

Tap tap

Ouch. Something hurt.

Like my face was being poked with a sharp thing......

Tap tap

"Wake up, sleepyhead! Oi, come on!"

Aoba: "Tsh, ouch....."

"I'm telling you to wake up! I'll strike you, moron!"

".......mmh, it hurts!"

When I jumped up because someone was too persistent, the one poking my face fell down. I grabbed it with my hand reflectively.

"Oh, Beni."

Beni: "Aagh, let go of me! How are you treating a guest!"

Beni flapped his wings in my hand and glared at me sharply.

"Does that mean Koujaku came here?"

"Isn't that obvious! Let me go!"

I stood up from the bed with the shouting Beni in my hand.

Eh? Where's Ren?

When I looked for him, he was sleeping in the corner of the bed in sleep mode.

Oh yeah, he said some data had vanished. I have to do some maintenance on him later.

But I wanted to eat something first.

My condition was quite good because I slept for a while. The headache was gone, too.

Though there was still some pain in the joints, it was not so bad that I couldn't walk.

When I stepped out of the room, a good smell drifted from downstairs.

Grandma has come back. She was cooking a meal.

When I looked at my coil, it certainly was time for supper.

"Is it already so late."

"Because you almost didn't wake up, I became mad. You get it, aa?"

Ignoring Beni's complaints, I went down the stairs and looked at the living room.

Koujaku was sitting at a table shrewdly in the living room filled with an appetizing smell.

Grandma was standing in the kitchen too.

When Koujaku saw me, he grinned.

Koujaku: "Yo, Mr. Good morning."

"........Morning."

Koujaku: "Your face is just super today too, huh."

"....... Thanks to you."

A yawn leaked unintentionally.

"Here."

I shot Beni that I had grabbed earlier at Koujaku. Koujaku catched it skillfully.

"Even though I woke you up you treat me badly! Don't underestimate me, Aoba!"

"Direct your complaints at your master. Doesn't he make you run his errands?"

"Can't help it. You're so troublesome when you've just woken up."

"That's not true."

"Aoba, if you're up, help a little! The meal is ready, so chopsticks and tea!"

"Yes yeeees."

I was rushed by grandma and hurried to the shelf. Koujaku heard that and laughed happily.

"No matter how many times I visit, you never change, Tae-san. I feel relieved hearing that energetic voice."

"I dare you to be yelled at every day. It's pretty hard."

"Ahahahaha."

When I shrugged my shoulders while putting the chopsticks on the table, Koujaku laughed even more happily.

While I poured tea into three teacups, grandma arranged the plates containing the just made dishes on the table.

All the preparations for supper were completed, and I sat on the table with everyone.

Everyone: "Thank you for the food."

Today's supper was fish boiled with salt, stir fried konbu, and pork.

First I tried the pork, and was impressed.

Delicious.

A meal after you've slept away your exhaustion is delicious. Really delicious.

When I realized it heartily, Koujaku watched grandma with a smile while chewing.

"So good. Tae-san's cooking is the best after all.

"Hmph. Coming here suddenly, what are you saying?"

"Didn't I inform properly before coming? To Aoba."

The blame was suddenly directed to me, and Koujaku stared at me lightly.

"Didn't you say you'd come 'in the near future.'"

"And you kept sleeping like a log. You wouldn't get up no matter how many times you were called."

"That was..... well it's true but...."

"But making such a proper meal, I'm truly thankful."

"Don't misunderstand. There was some food that was going to expire soon, so it was a good chance to use them now."

"That's why I love you, Tae-san."

"Just shut up."

Grandma snorted roughly and stuffed her mouth with konbu. Koujaku watched grandma with a smile.

Unexpectedly, grandma seemed to like Koujaku.

Although Koujaku came to this island with his mother, it was more common to him to be alone.

That's why he often hangs out with me, and comes to the house. Of course he eats lots of grandma's home made cooking, too.

If I know grandma, she's surely thinking that she has a second grandchild now.

"Are you staying for the night?"

When grandma asked that while rising her eyebrows, Koujaku stopped his hand which was stuffing food and nodded without being timid at all.

"That's what I had in mind."

"Really, don't you know how to be impudent?"

"Well, it's the same as always. But I have work, so even if you're sleeping I'll slap you awake."

"Just the opposite, right? I've always woken you up gently even though you won't almost wake up at all."

"Right~"

"......... You guys......"

After showing an irritatingly nice smile, Koujaku began to eat his meal from the bowl again.

Then we exchanged silly conversations with the three of us, and the time of the lively supper passed.

".........phew."

I took a shower after the meal, and covered my half wet hair with the towel on my shoulders and proceeded to the living room.

When I peeped into the living room, grandma was watching TV while drinking tea. Koujaku wasn't there.

"Where's Koujaku?"

"He went upstairs. He's probably in your room."

"I see. ..... Ah, by the way, grandma."

"What?"

"Lately, when I've had a bad headache and took the medicine, it's effectiveness has been kinda bad."

"..........hmmm."

Grandma who watched TV the whole time turned towards me.

Grandma has told me to report anything regarding the headaches no matter what it is.

Grandma: "It hasn't worked at all?"

"Hmm, not like that, but it feels like it's not as effective as before."

Grandma: "Is that so. Then let's try changing the formula of the medicine a little."

"I'm counting on you."

When I bowed exaggeratedly, grandma snorted and returned to face towards the TV.

Well then..... It seems Koujaku was in my room.

I left the living room and went upstairs.

Many places of my body throbbed when I lifted a foot.

"Ouch."

Though there were no visible cuts or bruises, it felt like the core of my body ached dully.

Is it because I took damage in the Rhyme......

"Even though the fighting happens inside the head, it still hurts pretty badly....."

When I fought with that weird rabbit head, Ren had said that the control of the damage level was excluded.

Was that even possible?

I bore the pain, finished going up the stairs and entered my room.

......Oh.

Koujaku's not here. Ren either.

That's what I thought, but the window leading to the veranda was open a little bit.

When I looked in at the veranda, Koujaku was leaning on the handrail.

He was looking at the night town with an absentminded expression.

He had a thin cigarette between his fingers, and white smoke escaped from his lightly narrowed lips.

Koujaku wouldn't smoke in my room.... and for some reason only in the veranda.

Of course he doesn't smoke in front of girls or during work, or even when he's at a bar, he smokes only here.

I don't know the reason, but maybe he feels like he can relax here.

Koujaku doesn't show such a dim face outside. He's always confidently smiling. That's Koujaku's image.

He seems like he's having fun with women usually, I wonder if that itself is unexpectedly tiring.

Koujaku's hand carried the cigarette to his lips. In the dark, those fingers looked awfully long and beautiful.

He's doing hair styling every day, so he should be skillful with his fingers.

They were bony and masculine and it was mysterious that I found them beautiful.

Koujaku was holding Ren, and Beni was also there on Ren's head. Both of them seemed to be in sleep mode.

Because they were on the handrail I felt like they could fall, but Koujaku was holding them so maybe they were fine.

I had the ashtray that was in my room and opened the window to the veranda.

Koujaku: "......n."

Koujaku's absent eyes catched me, and a loose smile appeared on his mouth.

Koujaku: "Yo. You finished with the bath?"

"I thought you were in the living room."

Koujaku: "Aa. Felt like having a little of this."

Koujaku raised the hand which had the cigarette lightly and showed it.

"You like being here, huh."

Koujaku: "Really? Maybe."

"Although you can't see anything."

Koujaku: "Well yeah.... But isn't it fine even if you can't see anyhting?"

"? It is? I don't really get you."

Koujaku exhaled unexpectedly and laughed.

"Here."

I held out the ashtray and the shortened cigarette was dumped there. I put it to my feet and leaned on the handrail too.

"Aaah."

As soon as Koujaku saw me next to him, he frowned.

"Aoba, again you....."

"Hm?"

"Your hair. I keep saying you have to wipe it a bit more properly."

Koujaku reached out towards me.

Is he going to touch my hair.......? I shrugged reflectively.

But instead of catching my hair...... he caught my nose.

Aoba: "Guah!"

"Really, because of my work I can't help but be concerned about your hair."

Aoba: "Stop that."

When I shook my head to escape, Koujaku smiled happily.

"Your hair has grown a lot. Are you still cutting it yourself occasionally?"

"Well, yeah. Because I don't want to see a professional. Myself is enough."

"well, it's not that bad? Your hair is properly in the right place."

"Really? Kyaa, I was complimented by Koujaku-san, I'm so happy."

"What's with that sarcastic tone."

"It was an imitation of your fans."

"Oh you."

Koujaku let out a small laughter.

I won't let anyone cut my hair for a reason.

Because ever since I was born, there has been a sense in my hair.

That's why cutting my hair with scissors hurts, so I won't do it.

Although below the shoulder, the feeling becomes blunt so I can cut there somehow.

Ever since I was a kid I was teased that I looked like a girl because of my hair.

Since it being touched was also stimulative, when pulling my hair as a joke.... it was like hell.

I was also bullied because they thought it was amusing. When they did, Koujaku always saved me.

Though it seems Koujaku thought I was a girl in the beginning.

When he found out I was a boy, he was considerably surprised. But Koujaku's attitude didn't change after that.

As for me, I was pretty happy about it.

"Because you have such a beautiful hair, take good care of it."

"........ I've always thought so, but you say that so often and so easily. That hasn't changed about you form the old days at all."

"I only say it because I mean it. And you used to be so bashfully happy when I complimented you...."

Since Koujaku looked off into the distance ostentatiously, I threw him a thoroughly horrible look.

"That's when I was a kid. I don't remember."

When I wiped my hair at places that were still wet, a blunt pain ran to the shoulders.

"Ow....."

This pain..... remnants of the Rhyme....?

"What's the matter?"

"No, it's nothing."

"Don't lie. Come to think of it, you looked tired a while ago, too."

"Aa~"

"What now, you're putting up a front."

"It's not like that."

What should I do. Should I tell Koujaku about the Rhyme?

A little bit of hesitation was born inside me.

When it gets like this, Koujaku has a strangely sharp intuition. He was already watching me with doubtful eyes.

At this state, even if I tried to lie he wouldn't buy it....

"Well, today. I had a strange experience. That, how should I say this. Like I was dragged into Rhyme...."

"Dragged into Rhyme?"

"It happened suddenly. I was on a delivery, and when I noticed I was standing on a Rhyme field."

"It didn't happen in a dream, right?"

"No."

"So in other words...... or, is that even possible?"

"I didn't quite understand it either, but it was close to your territory. That narrow alley there."

"I haven't heard anything like that before....."

"There was some other strange things too. Usui wasn't there either."

"That's strange. It's responsible of holding the Rhyme, right? That strange device appears with it and all."

"Isn't it? And....."

I told Koujaku about the rabbit head...... including the fact that he knew my name.

After Koujaku brought his eyebrows together and heard my story earnestly, he groaned low.

"What he did to you, could it be..... isn't he like a tsujigiri?"

[Tsujigiri: A Japanese term for a practice when a samurai, after receiving a new katana sword or developing a new fighting style or weapon, tests its effectiveness by attacking a human opponent, usually a random defenseless passer-by, in many cases during nighttime.The practitioners themselves are also referred to as tsujigiri.] - Wikipedia

"Tsujigiri?"

"I've only heard this from my team mates, and I don't know the details but..... there seems to be guys who are able to set up a Rhyme game without Usui."