Climax – Prologue
Casual mentions of marine life euthanasia.
Location: Marine Life Clubroom
(humming) ~……♪
puka, puka…♪
Heyaa~! I’m bored so I came over to hang out! ☆ (waves)
Hm? Ohh, Kanata-kun! You look like you’re in a good mood~♪
heyaa~… i am not particularly in a [good] mood, kaoru.
i am actually pretty [irritated]. it is very [noisy] outside.
Ahh, yeah, while I was on my way over here, I saw the Basketball Club having a farewell party for their third years.
They’re in that basketball court outside.
They were partying pretty hard, so I guess the noise is reaching all the way here. Moricchi’s stupidly loud, after all.
moricchi… you are talking about chiaki, yes?
ufufu, you started [calling] him by that name at some point. it is [wonderful] to see you two getting along~ i am almost jealous.
Heh, if you’re so jealous, maybe I’ll start calling you “Kanacchi”~♪
please do not joke around.
Ehhh…!? Sorry, was that overly-friendly? Mmm~ I don’t really get what sets you off…
hehe… i am just joking, [kaocchi]~♪
Ehh~? Man, you’re always messing with me…
I don’t really want people to get too friendly with me, and I’d rather you keep calling me by my first name.
I know it’s my own fault, but everyone’s been kinda keeping their distance from me…
I mean, not even my family talks to me without attaching an honorific to my name.
wouldn’t a girl gladly call you “kaoru”?
Yeah, I always tried to make sure that girls would call me like that as much as possible. It sure makes me wonder what was going on deep inside my head…
But lately I’ve been thinking a lot about stuff, and, well… I’ve stopped meeting up with girls now.
At this point, the only comfort I get is from you and Anzu-chan.
eh~… that is not something i can really help with.
if you want [emotional comfort], i recommend gazing at the [fishies] and [jellyfishies]. we call it [aquatherapy]. puka, puka…♪
Mm, yeah. I guess looking at them through the fish tank does give me some comfort now.
It took all the way until graduation season, but I think I’m finally starting to understand your feelings, Kanata-kun.
really? it feels a little less [lonely] to have someone share the [same feelings] as me.
Mhm… But, uh, they really are loud out there, huh? I feel like I can’t chill out; that party is going off the rails.
Knowing the kind of person Moricchi is, parting ways must be kinda sad for him. I wonder if he’s balling his eyes out…
chiaki won’t cry.
fufu, how about we call souma over and have our own [farewell party] for the [marine life club]?
i would like to [hand] the [fish tanks] over to souma’s care, as well.
Mm~… Thing is, I think he hasn’t been showing up lately…? My classmate Hasumi-kun’s been freaking out about him. I don’t think anybody knows where he is right now.
really? i wonder what is wrong… souma gets restless very easily, so it is [worrying].
I’m sure he’ll be alright, won’t he? He’s a tough kid when it comes down to it. We can always just support him as his seniors if he’s ever in trouble.
Heh, I’d like to do something upperclassman-like for once~♪
fufu, that’s true~ let’s do something that will make him return the favor someday. i also would like to ask him to [look after] the [fish tanks] starting next year.
but it may be far too many for him to [take care] of all on his own…
so as sad as it may be, i will have to [euthanize] half of them.
Wh— Did you just say euthanize!? No, don’t! They’re living creatures; you can’t just throw them away like that…!
You say some shockingly cold-hearted things sometimes, Kanata-kun…
fufu. we are the [children] of [monsters], after all.
it is [unnatural] for a sea creature to live on land.
if one will only cause trouble, and only be a burden… that means it is time to say [goodbye], yes?
No, no. It’s completely natural for us to cause trouble and burden each other~ That’s how everyone lives, including you and I.
If you hold yourself back from everyone, you won’t even be able to breathe.
And you hate being suffocated — don’t you, Kanata-kun?
………
Besides, if it’s too hard for Souma-kun to manage the aquarium by himself, how about we show up again after graduation then?
I’ll probably be a little busy with work, but I could swing by every once in a while to pass the time~♪
Let’s keep visiting him over and over like shameless graduates, until the club gets new members.
So yeah, no need to force yourself to get rid of stuff and say goodbye to avoid being a “nuisance,” right?
Well, I’m in no position to say that, considering I’m still in the middle of sorting out my own personal matters. …Life’s always easier said than done, huh? ♪