[ES!] Colorful Autumn
Chapter Index
Ch 1 - Ch 2 - Ch 3 - Ch 4 - Ch 5 - Ch 6 - Ch 7 - Ch 8 - Ch 9 - Translation Notes
Chapter 1
Season: Autumn
Location: Classroom 1-A
Ossu! Today’s another day to get through with all my energy~♪
………
Woah— Midori-kun!? Why’re you just standing still right at the door?
I ended up hitting my nose real hard…! I hope it’s not turning red from a bruise…
………
Midori-kuuun~? You’re worrying me now, you’re not moving an inch! You’re like a robot that’s outta battery. Seriously, what’s wrong…?
Ahh… Tetora-kun… G’morning…
Morning~☆ So you’re fine after all, huh?
Well, no, that’s not right… you look pretty pale. Did you not sleep enough? You shouldn’t stay up late, or else you won’t get any taller, y’know~?
I’d gladly take that chance and stay up late if it’ll shrink my height…
I don’t wanna get any bigger than I am now… I’d rather be a daphnia…♪
Uumyu… It’s a luxury to be able to worry over somethin’ like that. But just ‘cuz Ryuseitai is on break right now doesn’t mean you should be lazing about.
Taichou may give us proper breaks, but we could get a job at any moment.
It’s good to live a proper life so that you’re prepared for any job.
You’re talking to me like I really did stay up late… Then again, I was forced to cook until late at night yesterday and the day before that, so I can’t really deny it…
Huh? Midori-kun, you cook at home? That’s really admirable! I wanna do the same, too!
…Except, whenever I try to cook at home, my parents immediately rush over to stop me.
They beg me with tears in their eyes, saying “Stop burning the pot already!” and it makes me feel like I did somethin’ bad.
Even though helping ‘round the house is a good thing, they make me feel guilty like I’m being a bother. I don’t get it at all~…
I think your parents were in the right to do that, though… You get stopped by Morisawa-senpai, too…
Mm~… Tetora-kun, do you know about the autumn fair happening in the shopping district…?
Oh yeah, there were leaflets ‘bout that all ‘round the district. Is that what you’ve been helping out with?
Yeah… Every year, they make the fair centered around a certain store… and this year, bad luck fell on me, and ended up being the greengrocers’…
What’s even worse is that from this year on, the district wants to put way more effort into the fair than last year… They planned the whole thing without even considering how much of a bother it’d be, and now I’m being forced to do work at my home for days on end…
Thankfully, my parents entrusted the signboard order to a professional, but they left me with all the cooking for the fair…
And I know veggies are good and all, but that many in one dish feels like a stomach ache bound to happen…
Ah, so the cooking’s centered ‘round veggies after all.
We’re a greengrocers store, after all… If it was a butcher’s shop it’d be centered around meat, but that would mean a lack of any other nutrition…
Well, pumpkins and sweet potatoes are popular regardless of age or gender, and I was thinking of using the season’s matsutake mushroom as a way to attract customers…
Domestically produced matsutake mushrooms are expensive, though, so I can’t use too much…
The autumn season has all the tasty food, after all~
I feel hungry now from all the food talk, even though I ate a good meal for breakfast. Weird, huh?
I made some glacé with the leftover carrots; do you want it…? There’s even carrot kinpira… You can have it if you like…?
Eek!? I can’t stand carrots, so I seriously don’t want that!
You sure? It’s tasty, though… Maybe I’ll keep it for lunch break…
Yeah, yeah, that’s a great idea!
But making food every day for the fair sounds rough. If Ryuseitai had a job on top of that, you’d have broken down…
I know, right… And here I thought I’d get to do nothing but laze around all day… That plan lasted two seconds before it got crushed, and now I only feel my depression getting stronger…
Eh~? You may say that, but you seem more bored than anythin’ when there’s nothing to do in Ryuseitai…
If you have free time, then shedding sweat in your club or helping out at home is the valuable way to spend it~♪
Doing nothing all day is also a valuable way to spend your time, though…
Most customers go to the shops downtown, so they wanna put more effort into the fair in hopes of getting the customers to come back to the district… Kinda complicated if you ask me…
The huge crowd will only last a little while… Once the fair is over, they won’t be coming back again…
Do you not feel excited for the autumn fair, Midori-kun?
It sounds like you’re cooking the food to make the fair more hype, so it’s not like you’re completely unmotivated, right?
Well, I’m gonna get a little reward… But more importantly, I’m so excited to see the signboards done that I can’t even sleep…♪
Ooh, now you look happy! I’m curious to see what kinda signboard they are~♪
Sorry, the data’s in the laptop at home, so I can’t show you.
My parents told me I could think of what kinda design to make, so I put every bit of effort into it…♪
Instead of using free stock images, a handmade drawing would make people grow attached to it…
I wanted to ask Anzu-san to draw the design, since she’s amazing at drawing mascots… but I didn’t have the time, so I ended up designing them in the end…
With an illustration I can look at, I should be able to manage a demonstration of our products, too… I’m not sure what I’d say, but, well… As long as I keep smiling, I’ll make it through somehow…
The autumn fair’s this weekend, right? I’ll invite everyone from Ryuseitai to meet up there!
If you don’t have enough helping hands, just let us know. We’d be glad to help out~♪
Ughh… I feel like if Morisawa-senpai finds out about this, he’ll say “There was no need to hold back, Takamine!” and barge right into my house…
I bet my parents would be super happy about it too, and I wouldn’t have any time to skip out on work…
I think he can probably tell by now, but try not to let him know about this until the day of the fair…
For now, my work for the fair is just cooking, so it’s not like I’m so busy that I need all the help I can get…
But… If we end up having a lot of customers on the day of the fair, then I might need some help… Can I ask you to spare a hand if something like that happens…?
‘Course! You’re my friend after all, I’d be happy to help you out~♪
Chapter 2
Location: School store
(Ugh~… I can’t see what’s in front of me ‘cuz of all the students rushing to the school’s store.)
(I didn’t expect there to be this many people here. I underestimated the crowd during break time. I should’ve come a lot earlier…)
(Taishou always prepares lunch for me, so I completely forgot how crowded it gets.)
(But I can’t keep relying on Taishou! It’s time to be an adult!)
(…Speaking of Taishou, it’s pretty rare for him to sleep in and forget to make me a lunchbox.)
(He said something ‘bout watching a late night variety show, but I don’t really get it since I never stay up late.)
(According to him, it’s a pretty good show, which does make me wanna watch it…)
(But I’ve got a habit of sleeping before 11 PM, and even if I sit with my legs folded in front of the TV, I’d fall right to sleep.)
(It’s not even good for your health anyway, so sleeping early and waking up early is definitely the best~♪)
(Woah— I spaced out so much that the bread’s ‘bout to be sold out!)
(The popular yakisoba bread is already sold out, huh…)
(The cutlet curry bread is… Ooh, it’s the last one! Gonna get it before it’s gone~♪)
…………
Wha— Don’t just cut in! Everyone’s in a queue, so you should line u—… Wait, Midori-kun?
I’m sorry… I’m sorry for being alive…
T-That’s so heavy!? Ah, uh, I didn’t mean to be so harsh, okay…?
It’s also my fault for getting angry. The people behind us are also saying it’s okay to line up here! What good people~♪
Are you here to buy lunch, too? It’s the same with me, I’m getting bread instead of eating from a lunchbox. Since the weather’s good today, how ‘bout we eat together outside?
Oh, but you mentioned something ‘bout eating that carrot dish, right?
What happened to it? I know it’s weird for me to say this since I don’t like carrots, but it’s a waste to throw it away.
Ahh… Don’t worry, I ate it… I had this extreme urge to stress eat…
Uugh, I won’t make it unless I eat more… I don’t wanna face reality, I wanna run awaaaaayyyy…
H-Hey, don’t crush the bread! The insides are splattering everywhere! You’re gonna make the clerk mad!
I dunno what happened, but don’t bottle it up; talk to me. You’ll feel better if you talk it out to someone, y’know?
I wonder… Would venting out these feelings swirling endlessly within me really help…
Ooh, yeah, you’re giving off an aura that somethin’ big happened~…
You were fine during classes though, so what happened in the short time between then and now?
Chapter 3
Tetora-kun, you know about it, so maybe it’s okay…
I think I told you about the cooking I’ve been doing for the autumn fair, but I ended up getting even more work, and I feel at my wits end…
Like, fine, there’s been a mistake with the order and now there won’t be enough signboards, but it’s not my responsibility…
But then they told me, “Well you’re the one who drew the picture, so you know the design best”, and I couldn’t retort back…
Erm, I’m guessing you mean your parents made a mistake with the order, right? Is it possible to ask ‘em to order more signboards?
There’s only a few days left until the fair, so even if they did make an extra order, it wouldn’t make it in time…
If it’s just drawing, I could make it in time by myself in the worst case, but I was told to make the signboards as well… They’re asking for way too much…
Yeah, making a signboard means it’s a job that requires strength.
I bet if Taichou was here, he’d say “What worth would we be if we ignored a comrade in trouble!?”
I dunno how much I can do for you, but I’ll help you out~♪
Are you sure it’s okay…?
I should be able to ask my parents for an extra reward, but it’s still gonna be a pretty small amount… so whatever I can give you is gonna be a droplet, y’know…?
I’m not offering to help you for money though.
As a man, I can’t ignore a comrade in trouble. And Ryuseitai has nothing to do right now, so it’s just perfect timing~♪
Now that that’s decided, it’s time to get to work immediately! We can make the food in the school’s kitchen.
Even if I can’t buy some bread, we can make some food and eat it. It’ll be two birds with one stone~♪
Ah, I actually need more help with working on the drawing than that…
I said I could make it in time with the drawing, but that’s if I don’t sleep or take breaks at all…
I cooked enough food for the fair, now what’s left is choosing which food is best to focus on… Sorry for letting you down…
It’s all good. It’s a shame I lost my chance to cook food, but maybe I can be of more help with the drawing.
And whenever I deal with fire, everything just becomes charred black, yeah~?
Yeah… Charred black veggies wouldn’t be good for your body…
Now that you’ll be helping me, I think I’m feeling a little better…
But we need to make the signboards too, so I can’t say we have enough hands for the job…
What ‘bout asking for Taichou, Shinkai-senpai, or even Sengoku-kun for help? The five of us together make Ryuseitai, after all. Anego’s also saying “Let me know if I can be of help”…
Wait, Anego!?
Hey, ‘suup~! ☆ I didn’t notice you at all, since when were you here?
Only a second ago? You don’t have to apologize for listening into our conversation~
You were looking for a chance to join our conversation, right? You’re always being considerate ‘bout that sorta thing~
Anzu-san…!
You really are a savior, Anzu-san! As long as the Mascot Goddess is here, we have all the hands we need…☆
Midori-kun, Midori-kun… If you praise Anego in a weird way she’s gonna feel awkward.
S-Sorry, I got excited…
Just the thought of having Anzu-san draw those designs made my exhaustion disappear. Uwaah uwaah, I’m sooo happy…♪
Uhh, Anego? Midori-kun is totally thinking that you’re gonna be helping us out…
Haha, you were already thinking of doing that anyway, okay. I don’t mean this the same way Midori-kun does, but you’re definitely a savior who would reach a hand out to anyone~♪
I’ll also help out as much as I can! But before that, it’s time for lunch.
Tetora-kun’s the one who first suggested it, but how about we eat outside… Are you done buying your food too, Anzu-san?
Then let’s go…♪
Chapter 4
Location: Water Fountain (Autumn)
Hmm… Ah! There’s a free bench; I’m gonna reserve it before it’s taken~!
Tetora-kun, you should only run after looking around you. If you end up bumping into someone, the food might get ruined…
Y-You’re right… My body just ended up moving without thought.
There’s a lot of people here, so…
I’ll carefully go to the bench without bumping into anything… Woah—
Aaah! The bread fell into the fountain! It’s in a bag though, so it should still be safe…?
sploosh…♪
Wha—!? Somethin’ came outta the fountain!?
was the item you dropped [fish bait], or was it a [jellyfish plushie]?
Um, Shinkai-senpai? Are you bathing in the fountain again?
It’s autumn now, so it’s best you stop doing that. You might really catch a cold, ‘kay?
uu~… tetora, you have to answer the [question]. i will be sad if you [ignore] me. sob sob…
I-I’m real sorry! I didn’t mean to ignore you~!
But I don’t even get the question. What I dropped was a bag of bread, it wasn’t bait nor a jellyfish plushie.
tetora does not know about [aesop’s fables], does he~?
but, you answered [truthfully]. i will give everything including the [bag of bread] to the [honest] tetora~♪
You’re so lucky, Tetora-kun… I could only tell it was a jellyfish when he mentioned it… Its vague, sloppy shape really soothes my heart…♪
Um, Shinkai-senpai. Midori-kun looks like he wants the plushie, so could I give it to him?
Seeing him so happy while rubbing his cheeks on the plushie makes me feel like I shouldn’t take it away from him.
i do not mind~ i have a lot with me. anzu-san, would you like one too?
no no, it is my pleasure~♪ it is [thanks] for being good friends with the [children].
Shinkai-senpai, if you still have some time, would you like to eat with us? We bought a lot of bread, and we need more people to be able to get rid of it all…♪
i do not like [hot food], but [bread] is [okay]. i have to eat for my [body’s] sake.
but if i eat too, there will be no [bread] for midori. [children] must eat a lot, or they will not grow big, okay~?
having a [small diet] is [bad].
Ah, no, I initially bought all of this just to stress eat… I already ate enough, so no need to worry about me…
Besides, I don’t wanna get any bigger than I am right now… Getting bigger height-wise is already a problem, and I wouldn’t want it to happen width-wise as well…
[stress eating] only makes your [stress] worse~ and then you will end up eating more, only to make your [stress] even worse. it is a [vicious cycle].
instead, it is better for a [child] to rely on [adults]. even [adults] rely on [others].
please do not bear it by yourself and shut it [inside] your [shell].
i am always here to help midori and tetora — all of you [children]…♪
Midori-kun, since Shinkai-senpai said all’a that, wouldn’t it be a good idea to tell him what’s going on?
You said it yourself that we don’t have enough people for the signboards.
I know, but… handling the signboards is physical work, so asking Shinkai-senpai for help with that is a little awkward…
We’ll be using a hammer too, so it’s pretty dangerous…
ehehe, please do not worry~♪ i excel in [physical work], you know?
Whaa— I didn’t expect that! You don’t look soft enough to be crushed or anything, but I didn’t think you’d be good at physical work.
i am the one who carried the [fish tanks] to the [marine life club]~
they are [tanks] full of [fish] living inside. it would be terrible if they got [hurt], so i cannot allow [other people] to handle it…♪
Ooh, you have even more strength than I thought… That’s awesome; I expect nothing less from the mysterious Shinkai-senpai!
ufufu, it is because getting [angry] makes me tired. i do not want to [overspend] my [energy]~
hmm~ if there are not enough [people], then maybe calling that child would be a good idea. if i were to call him, i am sure he will gladly come over…♪
That child…? Do you mean Sengoku-kun? It’s true that he’d come if you called him over, but he isn’t fit at all for physical work…
The assembly of the signboard doesn’t have to be right now, either…
Besides, I don’t even have the materials yet. It’ll all be put up right on the day of the fair…
What I need right now is people for the drawings, but Anzu-san is joining us for that, so I think we’ll be able to progress through a lot…
Ahh, wait, I almost forgot that the design for the drawing isn’t with me right now…
It’d be a huge pain to go back home for it, so I’ll just quickly draw it and have everyone use it as reference.
♪~♪~
Uh, it looks somewhat like this, do you get what I’m going for?
So a basket full of sweet potatoes and pumpkins, with chestnuts and mushrooms? They each have eyes and noses to ‘em.
There’s “Dossari-chan”1 written underneath the basket; is it the name of the characters?
Yeah… I wanted to choose only one veggie, but I couldn’t… so I decided to go for a design where they’re all together…
This way it looks a lot more lively and nice…♪
I drew it in my notebook so it’s pretty small, but the signboards for the fair will be about half my size…
First we draw the draft, and if there’s no problems with how it looks we can make it into a clean copy. That way there should hopefully be less mistakes…
oh, so it will be a [drawing]~… souma has wonderful [handwriting], but i am not too sure about [drawing].
for now, i will [call] him over and ask~
Chapter 5
Casual mentions of seppuku ahead.
So the person Shinkai-senpai wanted to call wasn’t Sengoku-kun, huh?
I was treated to a meal by Kanzaki-senpai once, and it tasted real good.
He could even match Taishou’s cooking. It makes me wanna learn how to cook from him.
And then I’ll treat Taishou to a meal~♪
i am sure he would teach you if you ask him.
but right now we are going to work on a [drawing], not [cooking]. i will ask souma to draw as much as he can, too~
of course, i will also [help] out. i am quite good at [drawing]~ scribble scribble~♪
Ah, the veggies are drawn so itty-bitty and cute…♪ It looks kinda like Shinkai-senpai’s signature — the drawing in his signature is also really cute and soothing to my heart…♪
ufufu, you will make me blush with that praise. midori is [good] at flattering people so that they do their best~
let’s draw more~ hehehe~♪
but before that, i have to call souma over~ i will message him through my [phone], although i am [worried] he will not pick it up.
souma does not seem to like [digital devices].
even if i [phone call] him, i will get the message “due to no battery on the other side, your call cannot reach them”, and even if it reaches him, he will close the call with a [huff].
Anzu-san, why’re you holding your hand up…?
Ahh, so you’re in the same class as Kanzaki-senpai.
You’ll go to class and bring him here? Is it really okay to ask you to do something like that…?
But it is true that without someone else, the burden will be too much on you… So it would really help to have one more person around…
i sent souma an [email], as well. if he reads [it], it will reduce the [time] needed to explain everything.
but the [chances] of him not reading it is very [high]. he may press the wrong [button] and delete it.
if that happens, i am sorry. until souma and anzu-san are here, i will take it easy and float about~ puka, puka~♪
Shinkai-senpai was talking so naturally that I completely forgot that he was still in the fountain. It’s ‘bout time you get outta there, y’know?
Catching a cold is one thing, but it’s also reaching a point where everyone’s staring at us. Feels like the Student Council could come over anytime now.
uu~… i wanted to [bathe] a little longer in the water…
i was able to avoid letting my skin [dry] up, so i will leave it at that~♪
Buchou-donoooo! I heard that you need me from Anzu-dono and came rushing right over!
If Buchou-dono is in a predicament, I will gladly go through the fiercest of battles to aid you! What is the errand that you have for me? Please feel free to instruct me with anything!
chooop~
Ow!? Why did you hit my head?
I made sure to make use of every second to reach here, but was I a fraction of a second too late…?
souma, you left anzu-san behind, didn’t you? you cannot do that, okay? i will have to [punish] you at this rate.
I have no excuse as to why I left Anzu-dono behind from my hastiness.
I accept any punishment you give me. I am fully prepared to commit seppuku!
It’ll be worse if you commit seppuku here…
Ah, Anzu-san. It’s a good thing you came back in time — it was about to be a bloodbath here…
Shinkai-senpai, Anzu-san is back. She doesn’t seem angry, so let’s not punish Kanzaki-senpai please…
If we end up finishing the drawings late ‘cause of some annoying problem, my sleep time will be reduced to nothing…
Drawing…?
Anzu-dono only told me that Buchou-dono was calling for me; could it perhaps be that you called me for assistance in creating an illustration?
as i thought, you did not check your [email], did you, souma…
M-Mm. I left my mobile phone in my house.
Hasumi-dono has repeatedly told me to bring it along with me, but I always completely forget to do so.
I even forget to charge its battery often. It seems that it truly is impossible for me to deal with digital devices!
That aside, I would be delighted to help if it’s alright.
I do not excel at drawing, but it should still be something within my capabilities. I have to draw the picture drawn here, correct?
Um, Kanzaki-senpai… There’s something I wanna ask you in relation to helping us out… Is that okay?
Yes, I’m fine with any question.
There’s gonna be an autumn fair in the shopping district… and to advertise the fair, I’d like you to work on the drawings…
But we also don’t have enough people to put up the signboards, so I would like some help with that, too…
Ah, I don’t have the materials for it right now though, so it’ll be done on the day of the fair.
It’s rude of me to be asking so much from you though, isn’t it…
Since the Halloween party has ended, I have free time until the next DreamFest.
Buchou-dono has also requested my help, so if it’s alright I will be happy to.
Waah, thank you so much…♪ Kanzaki-senpai is always carrying a katana, so you look like you’d be physically strong…♪
I often train with my katana, so I have quite the upper body strength — physical work should be no problem. However, we should focus on drawing the illustration right now, correct?
Anzu-san is really good at drawing, so you can look at hers for an example…♪
She’s always designing mascot character designs for me, right from scratch. She’s amazing!
Anzu-san’s drawing skills are so good, that my drawing is nothing compared to hers…
So please, let Anzu-san draw an example for you instead…!
Hm. If they are masterpieces worthy of such high praise, then I would like to see them as well. Anzu-dono, will you show me some examples?
Chapter 6
You do not mind drawing an example for me, but it will not match the level of Mizuhanome-sensei’s skills? So Anzu-dono looks up to that person as a mentor…
A person that even such a lady as Anzu-dono admires… They must be someone famous in this field… Can their skill rival that of Hasumi-dono, I wonder?
Hm, what’s wrong? You’re coughing as if you caught a cold.
Now that it’s become autumn, you must prepare for the cold.
Mm? You’d like me to forget what you said about Mizuhanome-sensei? I don’t quite understand, but I can’t refuse doing so when your face is all blue like that.
Alright, I understand. I’ll pretend as if I didn’t hear anything earlier.
Anzu-san, there’s still some paper, so can you draw here too…? It’s an A4 paper, so it’s okay to make the drawing big…♪
Ooh, she started to draw so quickly, you can tell she’s used to it. I think she’s drawing based on what Midori-kun drew earlier; it looks the exact same~♪
Anzu-san really is good at drawing, huh…♪
She’s copying what I scribbled down on my notebook with perfection… You really are super talented. I hold high respect for you…♪
Huh? “Is it okay if I draw it cuter”?
Of course it is.
I had references on how to draw cute-looking pumpkins and chestnuts, but…
I had no idea how to draw the carrots and burdocks in a cuter way…
Ah, you took a shot at it…? Fwaaah, it’s so cute! ☆
C-Can I have this drawing!?
I’m really conflicted right now between wanting the world to see this masterpiece so it becomes a big hit, and wanting to keep it in my heart forever…!
That’s Anzu-san’s drawings for you.
You don’t just draw them like my favorite mascot characters, but even draw them with all my preferences… You’re truly a living goddess amongst us…☆
You don’t mind giving it to me, but only after we’re done? Ahh… because this drawing is a lot bigger and easier to use as reference than the notebook one, right?
I’m gonna go ask a teacher for some roll paper, so until I come back, can you guide everyone on what to do…?
Crayons? Ahh, we do need crayons too, that’s true. But there’s not enough time to work on that during lunch break, so we can keep coloring after classes are over…
Let’s go with that~♪
Anego! I tried drawing my version while copying your drawing; what’cha think?
Ah, this spiky-looking thing?
It’s a chestnut~ Chestnuts have burrs all ‘round ‘em, right?
Anego drew a chestnut like that too, so I made one that was filled with ‘em~♪
…Anego? You’re making a sour face like you drank bitter tea. People don’t even make that kinda face when eating bitter persimmons.
Speaking of which, persimmon is also the taste of autumn.
And a prefecture famous for producing ‘em would be Wakayama. Midori-kun told me that Wakayama even has a mascot character based on persimmons.
But without the right references, I can’t draw that mascot~
So instead, I’ll draw my own version of a persimmon mascot character. Scribble, scribble~♪
Alright, I finished it! ☆
A-Anego? You’re shaking a li’l…? Maybe it’s ‘cuz we’ve been outside in the cold air? I’ll go buy some warm drinks!
Huh? You’re not shaking ‘cuz it’s cold?
Well, if you say so. But if you’re not feeling well, just tell me, ‘kay?
puka, puka…♪
tetora’s [art] has a [distinct] feeling to it, doesn’t it…?
even if you told me this was [persimmon], i would not be able to tell. it looks like a [strange object]~ a [mysterious life-form], hehe…♪
i will draw my own version too~ hello, [persimmon-san]~…☆
Ooh, he’s way better than me. That’s so frustrating~…
But since we’re working with mascot characters, somethin’ soft-looking like mine would be pretty popular. Don’t you think so too, Anego?
See, her voice is shaking in approval. I’m gonna show this to Midori-kun too as a new addition to the pack. I hope he’s happy ‘bout it just like Anego~♪
Hm, so it’s mascot characters? I do not know much about them; are characters like these popular?
I only know what I’ve heard from Midori-kun, but there’s even a competition to keep up the popularity amongst fans, so I’d say they’re pretty popular.
Is that so. So far Nagumo and Buchou-dono have drawn something, but I have yet to do so. Let’s see, it’s time I draw while looking at Anzu-dono’s drawings…♪
…Hm, it’s quite difficult to draw.
If I draw with too much force, the softness of the mascot character is lost.
But if I loosened the pressure on the paper, the lines become all jagged.
souma, you are putting too much [pressure] on your shoulders.
take a [deep breath], and imagine a [figure] drifting in the [sea]~
The sea…? So I should imagine a drowning figure of myself as I draw?
It is nothing new to receive severe punishment from you, so perhaps this is a trial to test me?
Is it to tell me to become a strong person who is agitated by nothing…?
I will take Buchou-dono’s words to heart, and imagine myself as a drowning body…!
souma, calm down.
Ow!? Buchou-dono’s chop always feels like it vibrates to the crown of my head!
It seems that I was jumping to conclusions. This is another one of those situations where you mustn’t take words literally, correct?
ufufu, it looks like you figured out the [answer] by yourself. good boy, good boy…♪
Hm, the way Buchou-dono switches between the candy and the whip is spectacular.
Buchou-dono, please continue to guide me. ♪
Chapter 7
…………
Ahh, sorry for spacing out. Watching Shinkai-senpai and Kanzaki-senpai talk to each other made me miss Taishou a bit.
Taishou always praises me with comments like “You did well, Tetsu”, but he doesn’t ever pat my head that way, and I got a bit envious.
Woah— Anego!? D-Don’t just pat my head outta nowhere like that!
Ahaha, “If you don’t mind me doing it instead”…? You’re kind, Anego.
But if you pat my head when I haven’t done anything, it’ll make me feel a li’l itchy inside.
Oh? Anzu-dono and Nagumo are getting along well. That’s just wonderful. ♪
the most important thing is to get along with each other…♪ there’s even all these [vegetables] getting along, as well~
Vegetables…? Ahh, Anego’s drawing, right?
Well, now that we’ve all drawn our draft… We just need to show this to Midori-kun, and once we get the OK we draw it on the roll paper, right?
Heeey, sorry to keep you all waiting~…
Ah, Midori-kun! You came just at the right time, we just finished drawing our own versions, so we’d like you to check ‘em out! ♪
Waah, this’ll be exciting…♪ Then I’ll start from Kanzaki-senpai’s drawings…
Ooh, Kanzaki-senpai, this is your sort of art style, huh? The lines are very firmly drawn, it’s as if it’s a clean copy rather than a draft.
Instead of soft mascots, it looks more like an ink painting…♪ It feels like they could come to life at any moment, it’s pretty cool…
I-Is that so? I’m happy to know you like it. So, is this going to be used as the clean copy?
Mm~… It would’ve been better if it was drawn just a little cuter, though… Like Shinkai-senpai’s~♪
I see, so like Buchou-dono’s drawing. I might not be able to copy it right, but I shall give it a shot. Buchou-dono, if you don’t mind, please guide me.
ufufu, of course, you can leave it to me~…♪ it is [refreshing] to teach you about things other than the [club]~
souma, follow after me.
Of course. If that is Buchou-dono’s order, then I will risk my own life for it. I will not turn my back away from any trials and tribulations!
Midori-kun, what ‘bout mine? Anego also approved of it, so I’m pretty confident of it~♪
Anego? If you keep shaking your head like that, the blood will get to your head, y’know? You’ve been acting weird since a while ago.
I’ll take you to the infirmary~ C’mon, give me your hand! ☆
Uwaaaaah…! ☆
Woah!? Midori-kun, did you just snatch the paper from my hand!? I would’ve given it to you if you just asked for it! You shouldn’t take things by force!
W-Who… Who drew this!? Tetora-kun!?
O-Ossu…? I’m the one who drew the persimmon as a mascot character…
Uwah, uwaaah…♪ I never thought I’d get to encounter someone close to me with this much artistic talent…!
Thank you, Tetora-kun. I love you…!
Ehh? I like you too, but…? You’re acting way different from the usual, so I don’t really know how to respond…
You’re acting like that one time Anego wore the mascot outfit. You’re way too hyper…!
I can’t help it, I feel like I just experienced a fateful encounter… I wanna put this under my pillow and sleep with it. Give it to me, Tetora-kun~♪
If that’s not okay, then let me burn it into my retinas…! Actually no, there’s no way I’d forget something as artistically perfect as this! I feel myself completely absorbed into it…☆
I-I’m glad you like it.
I never imagined you’d get this unbelievably happy over it, but it’s okay. A man doesn’t get flustered over trivial things. I’ll calmly accept it, just like Taishou would…☆
But enough of that, our break is almost over after all that talking and drawing. We never really got to eat our food in the end.
There’s only a li’l bit left until classes start, so I’ll eat the bread as fast as I can… (munch, munch) ♪
Anzu-san is also eating her bread as fast as she can… Her cheeks are getting all puffy like a hamster…
Whew, what a good meal! Anego finished her food too, it seems— Oh, the bell rang, we gotta get going~!
Shinkai-senpai and Kanzaki-senpai, you should also get going!
Sorry Midori-kun, I know you came all the way here with the roll paper… Let’s carry it with us to the classroom and bring it back here after classes are over!
Ahh, yeah. Is it okay if everyone comes back here with their gym uniform…? Alright, then see you later after classes are over…♪
After classes…
puka, puka…♪
the water has gone all [cold]~… achoo!
Ahh, Shinkai-senpai’s bathing in the fountain again! I hope you’re not sneezing from catching a cold…
We may have a break from Ryuseitai activities, but it isn’t good to let your valuable break go to waste like that!
[tetora] really does say things [chiaki] would say, doesn’t he~?
but, please do not worry…♪
if i let my [clothes] get wet, i will not be able to work. so i am only soaking my [feet] in the [water]…♪
it is going to continue getting [colder], and i will not be able to [bathe] in the water as much~
if my skin [dries] up, i will die. so i must [soak myself] with [water] just like one [stuffs themselves] with [food]…♪
Um, no… We can’t stuff ourselves with food like animals can, so I don’t think it’s possible with water either…?
Tetora-kun, you forgot the crayons… I also brought the paint… I’ll put it down here, so don’t kick it over, okay?
Crap, I forgot ‘bout that.
Midori-kun, you can carry two paint buckets in your hands so easily! That’s some physical strength you have~♪
Well, I do carry veggies when doing work at my house, after all…
Anzu-san and Kanzaki-senpai don’t seem to be here yet… Let’s get everything ready until they arrive…♪
Chapter 8
Casual mentions of seppuku and drowning ahead.
Kanzaki Souma has arrived!
I was late because of a prolonged class I had to finish my duties for. The only redemption I could have here is to commit seppuku!
Hm, Anzu-dono. “That would mean I should commit seppuku as well”, you say?
It is true that you were also late, but you have a proper excuse… There’s no reason for you to also commit seppuku alongside me…
Hmm? I was late for the same reason as you, so that would mean I too have no reason to do it?
Ahaha, you make a solid argument. ♪
The lord cutting open their own stomach is an unforgivable act.
If my seppuku would cause Anzu-dono to take her own life as well, then I would much rather bear this disgrace and beg for my life.
Please, I humbly beg for your forgiveness…!
souma, raise your head.
we only arrived a moment ago too~ no one is angry at you, okay?
Yeah, we were just in the middle of getting everything ready…
Ah— there’s paint buckets over there, so please be careful. If the paint gets on your uniform, it’ll be really tough to get rid of it…
Thank you for the warning. I see some curled up paper near the paint; could that be the roll paper?
Yeah…
We’ll draw the Dossari-chan mascot characters on the paper, then color them in with crayons or paint…♪
I figured out the level of everyone’s art skill, so… Is it okay if Shinkai-senpai and Kanzaki-senpai pair up and draw together?
You’re both in the same club, and you both seem to have great chemistry…♪
ufufu, i am with souma again…♪ souma is a quick [learner], so we will be able to produce results.
let’s cute [drawings] that are just as good as [signatures]~ hehe~♪
Ooh, Buchou-dono seems to be in an excellent mood! ♪ I feel excited, as well! Let us go forth, Buchou-dono…♪
Midori-kun, should I draw on the roll paper too?
I brought Anego’s drawings too, so I can draw while looking at hers and copy it over~!
~……♪
Ummm, Midori-kun? Why’re you leaning forward so much like that?
Woah, woah! You’re too close, you’re acting like Taichou! It’s embarrassing to be stared at while drawing, so I’d like it if you sit a li’l farther~
Me… like Morisawa-senpai…? Uughhh, this is a nightmare… Being in the same boat as that touchy-feely being is just depressing…
Maybe if I plunge my head in the water and drown myself, I’ll die easily…?
Wawa—!! Calm down, Midori-kun!?
I just misspoke earlier, ‘kay? You’re not like Taichou at all, so come on, cheer up! You can do this! Let’s go~♪
I’m too depressed to cheer up… But if Tetora-kun draws to cheer me on, I might get back my motivation…♪
If that’s all I gotta to make you happy again, then it’s easy-peasy stuff!
…Hrm~ Drawing on a wide paper is pretty tough, huh?
If I draw too small, it won’t be as dynamic, but if I draw too big, it might extend outside the paper.
There’s the burdock, the sweet potato, and the pumpkin… Aight, I managed to draw ‘em pretty well. Oops, can’t forget the chestnut. And now to draw the persimmon next to it, and it’ll be complete~♪
Uwaaah…! ♪ What a messy assembly, and they’re all looking right at me…! They’re freaky, but I can’t take my eyes off them! Just looking at them makes my heart beat hard~!
It’s absolutely perfect, Tetora-kun…☆ Thank you, it reaaally soothes my heart~…♪
Uu~… I know you’re complimenting me, but somethin’ doesn’t feel right ‘bout it. Oh well, as long as it cheered you back up.
As for Anego… Ohh, she managed to finish up a bunch of papers while I was finishing my first one.
At this rate, Anego’s drawings will be enough to get the amount we need.
It’s prolly more efficient that she does the drawings, and Midori-kun and I work on the coloring.
It’s a shame this is all I can get of Tetora-kun’s masterpieces, but it’s okay… I still have the drawing you drew during lunch break…
And I have Anzu-san’s art, too… Ehehe, I’m making such a good collection…♪
Anzu-san, can I color this…? Ahh, you already have some drawings that are completed, okay.
So can I give these to you, Tetora-kun…?
‘Course, leave it to me~♪ Time to dip the brush into the paint and color! (paint, paint) ☆
Veggies, veggies~… Hmhmhmm~♪ (Humming)
(Midori-kun’s in such a good mood that he’s humming a song while painting.)
(The veggies he’s painting all look bright and tasty~♪)
(But it’s kinda surreal to see veggies with eyes and noses have a speech bubble saying “I’m tasty, eat me~♪”)
(It’s a pretty unique idea to have the selling point as somethin’ like “eat me”…)
(Woops, while I was spacing out, Anego finished drawing and already started a new one.)
(Is that… the persimmon mascot character I drew? I can’t tell, I need to get closer…)
Uhya—!?
I tipped over the paint bucket!?
Ahh, this is a disaster! The paint’s spreading all over the paper!! I gotta wipe it off with a cloth… (wipe, wipe)
Oh no, the paint I wasn’t able to clean off is just spreading even further and ruining more papers!! W-wh-what do I dooo~!?
O-Ossu, no. I have to calm down. At times like these, you have to calmly work through it, or it’ll only get worse.
What am I saying, it’s already gotten worse! I’m real sorry, Anego…!
You’re glad none of it got on my uniform…? Well, yeah, none of it got on me, but!
I just ruined your drawing, y’know!? You should scold me for that!
I really hate this part ‘bout myself, making clumsy mistakes no matter the time! I should seriously consider doing the zen meditation that Taishou suggested for learning self-restraint.
I wanna be able to deal with any type of situation without freaking out from sudden problems.
Anyway, let me take responsibility for this alone…!
Huh? That’s why these things keep happening to me, you say? I should just let you handle the drawings and I keep working on the coloring?
Ossu, understood! I’ll make sure not to cause you trouble this time, Anego~!
Chapter 9
midori, tetora~ we finished [drawing] on the [roll papers] and [coloring] them~
if there is anything else you [need to do], i will be glad to [help]~
Then it’d be great if you could help with more coloring…
Anzu-san’s drawing pretty quickly, and we don’t have enough people to finish coloring them…
Hm, so we must color the drawings over here? Leave it to me, I will finish them up promptly. ♪
Slooowly, caaarefully… so that the paint doesn’t spill outta the line-art…
I’m not really good at work that requires precision, but that’s exactly why I shouldn’t avoid doing it. Being a man among men means overcoming your weaknesses…♪
Carrots… are hard for me to overcome mentally, but I’m sure there’ll be a day when I’ll be able to face ‘em. Ossu! A heart that believes can bring ‘bout miracles~♪
Mm~… With the drawings that Shinkai-senpai and Kanzaki-senpai finished, maybe one or two more drawings will be enough… And then I’ll be able to make it through with the rest on my own~♪
The two of them are also gonna help me on Saturday with the signboards though, so they’re doing me a huge favor on that day too…
Midori-kun, you didn’t mention me. It’s our job as the first years to carry the materials! We can’t put all the responsibility on our seniors~!
Tetora-kun…♪
Huh? Not only Tetora-kun but you too, Anzu-san? But, letting a girl carry something so heavy might be a little too much…
Fweh? Well, it is true that it’d be a great help to have someone stick all the roll paper onto the signboard…
But you’ve already done so much with just the drawing part… If I rely on you for even that, I’ll feel really bad for making you work for no reward…
Maybe I’ll negotiate with my parents if all of you can get paid… It’s my parents’ fault that this ended up happening anyway…
Hm~…? I hear somethin’ coming from your pocket, Midori-kun. It sounds like a phone ringing…?
Who could it be at a time like this…?
Hello…? Ah, yeah… The preparations for the signboards are going well… I don’t have the materials with me right now, so the actual signboards will be put up on the day of the fair…
I got help from my classmate and seniors with the drawings, so I can manage the rest by myself…
Actually, it’s a good thing you called… I was just thinking about how I need to pay them back for all the help they’ve done, so I’m wondering if there’s some pay I could give them…
Wha— You’ll pay them from my allowance? Ughhh, you monsters… What? You’re just joking? Stop it, that stuff’s really bad for my heart…
Okay, I’ll also let them know about the meal thing… But please don’t go too far with it. Yeah, see you…
Midori-kun, was that a call from your parents?
Yeah… They were asking about how the signboard making is going…
And then I told them about how you all helped me… They wanna repay everyone, so they told me to invite you guys to dinner at my house…
They’re being such a pain about it…
My mom was really enthusiastic, saying “How many are there? I’ll make enough for everyone, so bring them all over!”, it was so obnoxious…
Dinner? Huh, I got so caught up with our work that I didn’t realize the sun’s going down.
It would still be bright right ‘bout now if we were in the summer, but the days are getting shorter in autumn, huh~
I didn’t eat enough during lunch, so I’m starving. If your mom says it’s okay, then I’d love to come over~♪
i would like [fish]~ [fish] are food. we should eat them until only [bones] are left behind…♪
The fish that I have prepared should still be in the refrigerator of the kitchen… Wait a moment, I’ll bring it over in a cooler box!
I did hear about someone who brings fish to school, and that someone was Kanzaki-senpai, huh…
He said it was prepared, so that might mean he made it into sashimi…? As long as I don’t have to look at any googly eyes, I’m good with fish…
Now that we have the fish and veggies, I’m craving for meat. It reminds me of that barbeque we had at the Pirate Festival!
It was fun when Taichou kept shoving all the eggplants onto my plate, and I shoved all the carrots back~
This dinner’s not gonna be like a barbeque, but it’ll be among close friends…
Kanzaki-senpai is good friends with Sengoku-kun, and most importantly, in the same unit as Taishou.
Which means he knows stuff ‘bout Taishou that I don’t, right? I wanna ask him all ‘bout it~♪
Meat, huh… There’s a butcher’s shop we’re well-acquainted with in the neighborhood; wanna buy some there…?
The old man working there is a really generous person, so I’m sure he’ll give us extra on top… He also sells croquettes…
Maybe they don’t think about the profit much, but the croquettes cost around 50 yen, and there’s a lot of them… so I usually grab a few to fill myself whenever I’m coming home from club activities.
You’re in the Basketball club, so it makes sense you do that. You move ‘round a lot during club activities, so you burn through a lotta calories and get hungry just as much, huh?
Yeah, pretty much… But I’ll grow bigger if I eat meat, so I feel conflicted about it…
I’m still in puberty, so it’s scary that I could possibly grow even bigger… But avoiding meat means a lack of protein…
Why am I so freakishly huge…? It’s so depressing, I wanna die…
Uu~, I really feel like it’s such a luxury to worry ‘bout somethin’ like that! I’m itching to grow bigger and stronger like Taishou, but I don’t grow no matter how much milk I drink.
I’d love to switch places with ya, y’know~?
…Just kidding, there’s no point in feeling envious. I’m me. I can’t be anyone else~♪
Yeah… I may get depressed over my extreme height, but there’s no way to shrink, so… I’m gonna continue to live with this kind of body forever…
Well, there are times it’s got its merits, anyway… and times that it isn’t of course, like bumping my head…
Anyway, good job everyone…♪ I’ll need your help on the day of the fair as well, and my repayment for all that will be nothing compared to your hard work, but…
Please eat as much as you like, and enjoy yourselves…♪
Translation Notes
- ↑ Dossari means “Heaps of (something)”.