Track 2
HAMA House - Living Room
A-Ahem! And that wraps up my presentation! Lemme know if you've got questions!
*Applause*
Your mock presentation went great, Renga-kun!
You were super cool, Renga-san. Spot-on, really.
Ten, Chief...! Th-Thanks, guys! Guess all thirty practice runs yesterday really paid off…
Wonder when Liguang's getting back today. I gotta get him to check it out too...
Whaaat, my praises weren’t enough?
N-No, that's not it! It's just... Liguang might be tough on me, but he's straight up honest. The guy's usually right about stuff, y’know...
Oooh, so you’re a masochist. No wonder you and Yachiyo-san get along so well.
(I feel like Ten-kun is casually making fun of him…)
I’d pass on being anywhere near someone that scary. You don’t get along with him either, right? So you should stay away too.
Nah, that won't work. Staying away from Liguang isn't an option. I mean…
……
You mean…?? What, Renga-san?
*Kaede’s phone rings*
Oh, speak of the devil! It’s Liguang-san. I’ll ask him when he’s getting back!
*Beep*
«I have some urgent work to attend to tonight, so I won’t be returning to the dorm. I will head straight to the site for the meeting with the client tomorrow. Pass my message on to the idiot.»
Lu Residence, Liguang’s Room / HAMA House Living Room
Huh?! Liguang! Don't tell me you're not gonna listen to my magnificent presentation!?
«Hah? Why would I need to go that far for you?»
Oh, um, Liguang-san! Renga-kun’s counting on your advice more than anyone’s.
«......»
W-Well, uh... I mean... err...!
...Okay, yeah. It's 'cause you end up being right every single time.
«......»
«Say that when you’ve actually followed my advice for once.»
Hey! I fixed the proposal properly, didn't I?!
«It took 50 tries. That’s an astronomical number.»
Haha. The guy fixing it is amazing, but the guy making him fix it is just as impressive.
«I’m busy. I’m hanging up.»
Ah! I recorded a video of Renga-kun’s practice presentation, so I’ll send it over to you later!
«......»
*Beep*
Lu Residence - Liguang’s Room
*Sigh*... Dealing with the idiot is exhausting.
(However… he’s better than he used to be, I suppose. From middle school until just recently, he was terrible and impossible to talk to. He created a false image of “Renga Nishizono” and dragged his family name through the dirt with his clumsy acting…)
(His reckless behavior after becoming ward mayor has ceased for the moment. He’s still an imbecile, but he stuck to my corrections without yielding.)
He still irritates me every time, though…
*Door opens*
Boss, this is the list of potential training trip locations. I’ve narrowed it down based on your requests.
Good work.
*Liguang looks through the list*
The requirements I gave were a place I would be able to spend one night, and…somewhere I could see old trees. However, you’ve also included that it must be a location with a famous hot spring.
Did you add this as a requirement?
Yes. Rather than one night, I would like you to stay two or three.
Hm. You want me to rest?
You haven’t had a proper break in three months, Boss.
…I see.
(However, Kiba’s current movements are unknown. The den of Evil Wolves1 has disappeared, and their trail has gone cold…)
(Perhaps I should ask Ninokuruwa once more, and expand the search area…?)
…Boss. I will watch over things while you are away. As your sword.
…Sojun.
(I chose you and forced you to become entangled in this life’s fate… but it seems my judgement was sound. You have resolve and a determined gaze.)
I will go for two nights.
…Three or four nights would be okay too.
Two nights will allow me to get a sense of the atmosphere and food of the training destination. Thank you for your work, you may leave.
……Understood.
*Sojun leaves*
(...Is this proposed site close to the sea?)
……
That person was squatting down on the beach, scooping the sand with both hands.
What are you going to do with that?
I asked, finding it amusing.
Amidst the gentle rippling of the waves, the one I cherished was joyfully smiling, as always.
Seeing that smile filled me with a feeling of kindness as well.
“I’m taking some sand home as a keepsake.”
Because there’s no sea where I live…, he said.
*Liguang gets a phone notification*
Lu Residence - Liguang’s Room
……
(I dozed off…)
This message…is from the chief. What is this…a video of that idiot? …It looks like some sort of rehearsal for his presentation.
(...Speaking with Kamina helped me recognize my own shortcomings. I suppose I unconsciously expected that foolish dog to be on the same level as Kiba.)
No matter how alike they look, that idiot is…a connection that will only exist in this life.
Kiba and I will still be killing each other in the next life… He’s different from us.
>*Thunder rumbles*
(—......Souls cannot travel through the cycle of rebirth. Aside from Kiba and I, every other fate is limited to this lifetime.)
(—If these ties are only for this life, I must face them properly… Not just with him, but the others as well…)
HAMA Tours
HAMA House Conference Room
The request Liguang and Renga worked on together got the company’s approval? Well done.
Kafka! It was my presentation that sealed the deal!
W-Well, I mean, Liguang helping with the proposal was, you know, uh, kinda helpful too I guess...!
……
Deep breaths, Liguang-san.
The reliable brother and the hard-working brother. This is the kind of teamwork that gets results.
Following the happy news… Today we’ll be discussing our next Feature Tour. The host will be Liguang-san. The location is…
Izumo.
Izumo, huh? I’ve never been, but I’m looking forward to it.
Izumo is a place with a lot of ties to Japanese mythology, and they say that every October, the gods gather there from all over the country to decide on people's fates.
That’s why in the old lunar calendar October is known as Kannazuki, the month without gods, but in Izumo it’s called Kamiarizuki, the month with gods.
People’s fates, huh... That's actually pretty amazing.
They say it’s the best place in Japan for matchmaking. My dearest Chief, let’s travel around and deepen our bonds ♪
Very well. I will accompany you to the ends of the earth.
Why does it always end up like this? No one invited you!
The same routine never gets old for you guys, huh?
Matchmaking... gods... Do you think they could hook me up with some cash instead...? Or maybe a big corporation...?
That reminds me—who'll be the sub-host this time?
……I’ve already decided.
I like the enthusiasm. Who is it?
(I was the host last time, so I hope he doesn’t pick me just ‘cause it’s more convenient to do underground work.)
(Knowing Liguang-san, he might choose Kafka so the work gets done smoothly… Or maybe Yuki-nii since he seems comfortable with him.)
It’s you, stupid mutt.
Yeah!
…………....Wait, WHAAT?!
(For real? Are you telling me this guy’s a masochist too?)
Wow. That’s an unexpected choice, but I’m all for it.
My reliable and hard-working little brothers team up again. I like it.
Boss man! You feeling okay!? He's literally worse at this stuff than me you knoooowwww!?
(I never would have guessed it, but I guess he did patiently guide Renga-kun on the last job too. Maybe Liguang-san is planning on training him?)
(This guy is the irregularity Kiba left with me. However… this too is a bond limited only to this lifetime.)
Y-You okay? You're not, like, so exhausted that you've lost it, right?
(Since that’s the case, I should face him properly for once.)
(I’ve always known this would happen someday… Ever since I realized he and Kiba were completely different people.)
Hah... So my presentation last time was so good you wanna team up again?! Well, can't blame you for that!
If you're that insistent about it, this Great Renga might just do you the favor!
……………………
Oookay Liguang-san, six second deep breath—