[ES!!] Dollhouse
Chapter Index
Ch 1 - Ch 2 - Ch 3 - Ch 4 - Ch 5 - Ch 6 - Ch 7 - Ch 8 - Translation Notes
Chapter 1
This story contains casual suicide mentions.
Season: Summer
Location: Set Piece Storehouse
Heeeey!! Is there anyone out there~!?
Heeeyyy! Somebody~!
Ain’t there anybody out there~!? We’re trapped in here~! Anybody~!
…It’s no use… I don’t hear a single person outside… and we’ve been banging on this door and yelling this whole time, too…
Uughh… The set piece storehouse is in the back of ES, after all… I usually wouldn’t be ‘round here, either…
Siiiighh… What are we supposed to do…
(Ahh… How could this happen…?)
Location: Cafe Cinnamon
Two hours ago…
Alright, then sign here please… Thank you.
Well then, I’ll be going now. Please order from Takamine’s Greengrocer again…♪
(Whew. I think I’ve delivered everything…?)
(I have to check through the sale slips first. My mom’ll be so mad if I miss anyone… I really don’t wanna go through that.)
(Ermm… so we have the teishoku place1 in Saison Avenue, ES’s Cafe COCHI, the staff cafeteria, and… Cafe Cinnamon.)2
(Mhm, that’s definitely all of them.)
(Delivering to only four places may not sound like much, but I had to carry a lot of vegetables to each place since they serve so many customers a day…)
(It used to be really easy to deliver stuff since I did all of it in the shopping district, but that started to have problems of its own…)
(A while back, I tried to deliver around the district, but then people started to gather around me… and it turned into a whole mess…)
(Life gets really annoying the more well-known you become… I don’t even wanna stand out…)
(Well, it’s not too bad though, since our shop’s thriving ‘cause of it…)
(I guess you’d call this a first world problem…?)
(Well anyway, I have to keep succeeding in as many jobs as I can, no matter what—)
(There’s not much I can do about this “problem” of mine, so I’ll try not to think about it for now…)
Alright, what should I do now? I’ve got some free time, so… hmm…
(I’ve got dance practice to go to later, and I was planning to head to it after I was done delivering—)
Ah! Actually, I may as well go to Season Avenue while I can and look around for some new yuruchara merchandise…♪
(—Ahh, never mind. I just realized none of the shops are even open at this hour…)
(And even if I did find something I like, I wouldn’t be able to buy it… My allowance is really short this month… so depressing.)
(Actually— Isn’t it too weird how I work a huge ton as a greengrocer and as an idol, yet I’ve only gotten a thousand yen raise since last year…?)
(My mom just decided on this amount without ever letting me have a say in it, saying that it’d be enough for a second year high school student, and I just kinda went with it…)
(Well, on the brighter side, none of this has been affecting any of my jobs at the moment, since I’ve been using L$ for any Ryuseitai expenses, and getting money from my parents whenever I need it…)
But I wish I was paid enough money to buy an extra large plushie without going broke… I really wanna be soothed…
Uuu… The more I think about everything, the more depressing it gets…
Ugh. Just think about something else for now… I need to think of somewhere I can go kill some time.
Uurmm…? There’s all kinds of places like that in ES, but I dunno, I don’t feel up for it…
(Everyone’s working really hard day in and out, and I feel like that’ll make me restless… Like, I dunno, it’s not the best place to go to for relaxation…)
(So another place I could go to is—)
…Hm, okay. It should still be cool outside right now, so I’ll have a small walk around the ES building.
I feel calm whenever I look at plants, and it won’t cost me a penny… It’s just perfect…♪
Location: ES (Exterior)
(Breathes in and out) Haah… phew…♪
Maybe I was right to go with this idea… The air feels so nice… I haven’t had the time to take a stroll like this lately.
But man, it feels so good that I might end up forgetting all about my lessons, and I really hope that doesn’t happen…
Where’d ya gooo~!? I’m beggin’ ya, give it baaack~!
Hm? I heard a voice from afar… They sounded panicked, maybe I should go help…?
(Ugh, but I don’t wanna… I bet it’s gonna be yet another troublesome problem… But I think it’ll haunt me for the rest of the day if I ignore it…)
(Ahh, man… I used to be able to ignore every bothersome thing without a second thought…)
(But thanks to a certain someone, I now have something like a hero’s voice inside me, constantly poking me to not be that way…)
(I feel like his overbearing blood is consuming my body, and it makes me wanna die… It’d be a different story if it’s just learning from someone, but this is—… I really just don’t wanna be infected by that guy of all people.)
……Ah! I’m not supposed to be thinking to myself right now—
Um, okay. The green flame is the mark of compassion! The great nature, growing infinitely! Ryusei Green, Takamine Midori! — Alright then.
I’m on my way to you~ I’m not sure if I’ll be able to help, but please wait a little longer, okay~?
Chapter 2
Casual drowning mention.
Location: Forested Path
Hm… I think I heard it coming from here…?
Hmm? The person over there… is that Kagehira-senpai?
Ngahh~! Come on out already~! I’m beggin’ ya~!
Ummm…? Good morning, Kagehira-senpai. What’s going on here…?
Nngah! Midori-kun! Did ya come across Daikichi-kun anywhere!?
Ugh—You mean Akehoshi-senpai’s dog, right…? I’ve got bad memories of him…3
Ya too!? He’s drivin’ me crazy right now~!
Huh? Really?
Could it be that you’re thinking Itsuki-senpai turned into a dog…?
Oh, don’t worry. I can assure you that’s not what happened. Daikichi-kun is a real, genuine dog…♪
Oshisan turnin’ into a dog…? Ummm… What’re ya on ‘bout? Daikichi-kun’s obviously nothin’ but a dog, an’ people can’t turn into dogs either, so…?
Ahhh!! But at this rate, I bet he will get angry at me like a growlin’, menacin’ dog~!! What do I dooo~!?
(Huh? Did I jump to conclusions too fast…?)
(That’s so embarrassing… I wanna go drown myself in the sea…)
Ughh… I’m sorry. Please forget what I just said…
Um, so you’re looking for Daikichi-kun? What happened…?
Y’see… Daikichi-kun nabbed my ID ta enter the ES buildin’… an’ ya can’t enter without it, right? That’s why I’m lookin’ fer him~
Huh… Yeah, that’s definitely a problem. I heard that the procedure to reissue one is a real pain, and it takes forever to get a new one…
Exactly! That’s why Oshisan warned me not ta lose it when he handed mine over ta me!
I gotta get it back, or he’ll be super mad~! Uuu, what do I dooo… He’s totally gonna give me hell fer this…
Wha—He’d go that far…?
(Mmm… He really sounds like he’s in trouble…)
(It’s gonna be physically painful to search for one dog in such a huge place, though…)
(But I’m sure if Morisawa-senpai were here, he’d immediately help out without a second thought…)
(Sigh… Well, I’m here now, so I can’t pretend to be a bystander, or I’ll just feel bad for the rest of the day. I guess I’ll help out until it’s time for practice…?)
Um… If you don’t mind, I could help you find Daikichi-kun?
R-Really!? Yer alright with that!?
Yeah. I still have time before I need to go, and I was only strolling around to kill time.
T-Thank ya kindly~! Yer like my savior~!
Ah— But yer part of Ryuseitai, so I reckon ‘s completely natural for ya ta help people out… Was that rude fer me ta say?
Yer just what ya’d expect from an ally of justice~♪
Ahaha… I’m not that noble of a person, y’know…?
Ryuseitai has had joint lives with Valkyrie a few times before, and we’re indebted to you, so, yeah…
I can’t sit around here and do nothing while a colleague is in trouble, that’s all…
Thanking me for something like this would only make me feel awkward, so… Please don’t worry about it.
Anyway, let’s go search for Daikichi-kun before he gets any further.
Nnah, yer right! He dashed from the front of the ES building over t’here, so this is where I lost sight of ‘im.
Did he go far into the woods…?
I’m looking around, and I don’t see a uh, shadow? of a dog anywhere, so… I think you might be right…
How about we try calling for his name while walking further inside…?
Aight th—Wait! Midori-kun! Ain’t that a dog over there?
Ah, you’re right. It looks like one.
…Ahh, it ran even further inside.
That looked like Daikichi-kun, so let’s hurry after him…!
Deeper into the forested path…
Daikichi-kuuun! I’m beggin’ ya, come on out~!
You’re stressing out Kagehira-senpai! You need to return his ID~! Daikichi-kuuun!
Sigh… He’s really nowhere to be found, huh?
This is the first time I’ve come this far down the path. Nobody walks this far inside, huh…
Ughh… The plants are so thick, it’s kinda creepy… and there’s barely anyone around… It’s kinda scary — I’m starting to feel anxious…
Wasn’t there a huge storehouse for keeping set pieces and props around here…?
Mhm, ‘s first time I’ve been here myself… I heard anythin’ hard ta store within the buildin’, like stuff used in photoshoots, gets stored in there.
I reckon they’ve been renovatin’ it since last week?
Huh? Really?
They’re gonna make it bigger or somethin’, an’ they’ll make a proper path from the back of ES for easier access ta it.
That might be why there’s barely anyone ‘round here.
Huh… I didn’t really check up on that. That means we need to catch Daikichi-kun and get out of here as soon as possible.
Ah! Ain’t that big buildin’ the storehouse we were talkin’ about?
—! Did you hear that bark just now…!?
Midori-kun! Ain’t that Daikichi-kun near the entrance ta the storehouse!?
—Ah, he’s goin’ inside. The door was left slightly open… That’s so careless of ‘em.
Oh, but this puts luck on our side…♪ He won’t have anywhere to escape, which means we’ve got ourselves a fish in a barrel—
—Wait, that doesn’t make much sense. He’s a dog, not a fish… Umm, then dog in a barrel?
Nnahh~! Never mind that~! We gotta get my ID before he escapes again!
I’m not lettin’ ya escape this time! Chaaarge~!
Ah—You don’t have to run…!
Ahh, jeez! Please wait, Kagehira-senpai! Don’t leave me alone here~!
Chapter 3
Location: Set Piece Storehouse
Daikichi-kun— You’re not getting away this time!
Give it up an’ gimme back my—
Wawa—!? Midori-kun, don’t just stand at the door~ Couldja go in already~?
We’re both gettin’ wedged in the door~! Why’d ya charge at ‘im at the same time as me?
U-Um, it’s just that you were yelling “charge” at him, so I…
Wai—Kagehira-senpai, don’t push me, the door is too small…!
I’m way too big, I’ll get sandwiched by the door— Stop, stop…!
Waah~!? —Gah—ow!
Owow… I crashed straight into one of the setpieces…
Nnah! M-Midori-kun, ‘m so sorry…! I pushed ya way too hard… Did ya get hurt?
Oh, I’m alright. I’m pretty sturdy, so…
Actually, I’m more worried about the setpiece… I’m pretty huge, so I might’ve done something to it… I dunno what I’d do if it breaks… I don’t have the money to pay for it to be fixed…
I reckon it’s all good! I don’t see a scratch on it! It ain’t broken at a—
Mm? It’s kinda wobbly…? It keeps teeterin’ back and forth like it’s losing its balan—
Aaaaaaaah!? It’s fallin’ down~!
AAAAAAGH?!
…………
…………
(Cough, cough…) So much dust…
Ugh… I almost thought I died from the impact… I’m so lucky that they’re huge pieces without any real weight…
I gotta get out of here… Huff, huff…
There’s dust all over me… so depressing…
Ah—! What about Kagehira-senpai…!?
Aahhhh~! He’s buried inside…!
Are you alright, Kagehira-senpai!? I’ll lift the sets now, okay!?
I-I’m alri—Achoo! Haa-choo!
Nnaah~… The dust’s makin’ my nose tingly…
Heave-ho… I’ve got it up, so please come out of there now.
Thank ya kindly~♪ Huff… Ahhh~ That scared me… I’m so glad it wasn’t heavy…
Um… I’m so sorry. I ended up crashing into it because of how huge I am…
Huh!? Why’re ya apologizin’!? It’s all my fault, y’know!?
I’m sorry for puttin’ ya in danger by pushin’ ya… I’m so glad yer alright.
Huh? No, it’s my fault for—
Um, why do I feel like there won’t be an end to this…
Alright then, let’s consider it both our faults… Let’s be more careful from here on in. It’s really dark and messy in here, so…
Mhm, thank ya kindly, Midori-kun~♪
Ah, those setpieces blocked the entrance… They’re all pretty light, so we’ll just need to move them out of the way.
But maybe that’s a good thing? Daikichi-kun has no way of escaping now.
Let’s catch him and then move them out of the way.
Aight~ Ummm, is he all the way in the back? It’s real dark in here, so we gotta step carefully… Daikichi-kuuun?
Ah! He’s near the wall!
…Hm? Huh? I chased after ‘im here ‘cause I thought he was Daikichi-kun but… maybe I was wrong? It does look similar to ‘im, though.
Ah, you’re right. I couldn’t tell from afar… It’s thinner than Daikichi-kun, isn’t it? So it was a different dog all along… Maybe it got lost?
Ahh! It escaped through the little window over there!
Mm? But it dropped what it was holding…
Isn’t that your ID over there?
Waaah, yer right! What a relief~ Thank ya so much, really~♪
I didn’t really do anything except run around with you… I don’t think I was even useful in the end…
But I’m glad you found it…♪ Alright then, let’s go back. I should be heading for practice now, anyway—
Huh? Actually, what time is it anyway…?
(Umm, let me check on my phone… Oh, my phone’s almost out of battery. Did I not plug it in correctly last night…?)
(Oh well. I can charge it during practice, I just need to know the time right now—)
—! Ahhh!? It’s already this late!? Crap, I have to go now or I’ll be late!
Kagehira-senpai, let’s hurry back!
Y-Yeah! Let’s get these outta the way. I’ll lift it from ‘ere, so ya should take the other side.
Okay! Let’s do this~ One, two, three— Heave-ho…!
I think this’ll be enough for the door to open?
Mhm. It should be—
Mm? Mmm~!?
…? What’s wrong? I’m in a hurry, so… Could you please open the door already…?
…M-Midori-kun. W-What do I do… The door won’t budge…
Huh!? P-Please move aside for a moment. I’ll try opening it…!
Mmm~! Huff… Huff… Mmmrgh~!!!
…It won’t open. Maybe we’re supposed to pull it, not push…?
Nghhh~!!
Nope… It won’t budge… Why…?
D-Did… the impact from the pieces falling lock the door by accident somehow…?
Which means…
We’re…
Trapped in hereeeeeee!?
Trapped in hereeeeeee!?
Chapter 4
Back to the present…
Siiiighhh… This is so depressing…
L-L-L-Let’s just stay c-calm now, y’hear?!
You need to calm down more than I do… Take a slow, deep breath.
(Breathe in, breathe out)…
Ahh… Yeah, it really helped me calm down a li’l…♪
Yer amazin’, Midori-kun. How’re ya so calm? An’ I’m the senior between us, too… Real pathetic of me.
Oh, no, it’s more like… I get self-aware, I guess? I feel more calm when there’s someone else panicking.
By the way, do you have your phone on you? Could you call for help…?
I could use mine, but it’s almost dead… I don’t think it’ll survive long enough for a phone call…
—! Ahh, yer right! We could do that! I was so panicked, it totally slipped my mind~
I’ve got mine! Gimme a sec, I’ll ask Oshisan for help! ♪
Mm? Mmm? Huh!?
…? Kagehira-senpai, why’re you patting yourself all over?
You look like the penguin-yuruchara “Pen-tagon”, it’s kinda cute…♪
…Um, Midori-kun. ‘m real, real sorry…
Y’see, I must’ve dropped my phone somewhere while runnin’ around…
Whaaa!? You dropped it!?
Nnaaaah~! I’m so stuuupid~! Why am I so unlucky today!? Is this meant to be the unluckiest day in my whole life…!?
Ngh, this is real pathetic of me… From now on, I’m “Kagehira Moron”! Moron, y’hear!
Calm down… There’s no point in crying over spilled milk, so don’t be so hard on yourself, okay…?
Sometimes it’s just one of those days… When everything goes wrong no matter what you do, and you keep tripping up no matter how careful you are… I have those days too, so I know how you feel…
And anyway, I still have my phone with me, so it’s alright. I don’t know how much longer it’ll hold, but I’ll try calling for help.
Uuu… Thank ya kindly, Midori-kun…
(Mmm… I think it’ll die while trying to call someone, so maybe I should send a message instead…?)
(I think they’ll be able to understand what’s going on if I send a message saying, “Kagehira-senpai is stuck with me in the set piece storehouse”…)
(Now it’s just deciding who to ask…)
(Ughh… A certain overbearing face keeps popping up… Go away.)
(Umm, maybe I’ll ask Tetora-kun… Ah, but he said he’s gonna be a little late to practice because he has a job to finish first.)
(Maybe Shinobu-kun then…? Mmm… But he mentioned something about playing around with encrypted messages—)
(He may think I’m just sending him one of those and end up not getting what I mean…)
(Then there’s Shinkai-senpai… It’s completely random if he’ll be around, which is anxiety-inducing to say the least…)
(So the last person left would be…)
Ahh, dammit— Why does he come to mind when I’m in trouble… Is it because he’s a hero? (mumble, mumble)
M-Midori-kun? Why’re ya mumblin’ ta yerself while typing…? Yer face’s scarin’ me…
Please don’t mind me. I just felt a rush of irritation well up inside me…
Umm… “Kagehira-senpai is stu—”
—Ah, crap! The battery’s gonna die! …Ahh, forget it, this’ll do! Go, send!
…aaand it’s dead. The message sent, right…?
But I couldn’t type the whole thing… Will he understand…? Actually, I wouldn’t mind if he comes over ‘cause of the message cutting off so strangely…
I can’t even manage something as simple as this… Sigh, I wanna die…
—! Don’t die, Midori-kun! Yer still so young! Yer parents’ll cry fer ya if ya do~!
Huh? Ahhh… I just have a habit of saying that… I don’t really mean it. Please don’t take it seriously…
Well, I guess it’s my own fault for constantly babbling on about depression and wanting to die…
Oh, fer real? That’s a relief, then.
Well, ya did what ya could. We just need ta believe in ‘im and wait…♪
That’s true… You’ve really calmed down now, huh? You were so panicked earlier…
Ahaha, yer right~ It’s like ya said; ya feel calmer when ya see another person bein’ all anxious.
Hehe, right…?
Anyway, what’ll we do now…? Should we find a place to sit?
We can’t sit on the floor since it’s so dusty… But this is a storehouse, so there must be something we can sit on.
Yeah. I see some chairs over there — let’s see if we can’t sit our butts down on ‘em.
Ummm? Ahhh, there’s a cover over them, but we should be able to sit on one if we take it off…♪
I’m pulling the cover off… Huh. This setpiece is way too fancy, it's actually kinda weird seeing it sit in a place like this.
Yer right. Aight, let’s wait here fer our rescue. Though we look kinda silly dilly dallyin’ while we’re trapped in ‘ere.
Hehe, true. But I wouldn’t wanna stay in a place like this for too long, so I really do hope someone comes to our rescue soon…
(Please, notice our SOS…)
(I don’t have that much hope in you, but I at least know you’re a hero who’ll come to the rescue, Morisawa-senpai…)
Chapter 5
He’s still not here…!
Huh? Ain’t ya askin’ fer too much? I reckon it’s only been five minutes, y’know?
Ehhh… Only five…? Every minute feels like a century…
We’ve got nothing to do while we wait, so I keep having horrible thoughts, and it’s seriously depressing…
Doing something should keep my mind off all that, though…
Yeah, I get ya. So how’s about we explore the place?
Huh? This dirty storehouse…? I doubt there’s anything interesting, though.
Huh, ya think? But that’s what I like about it…
Hehe, maybe I’ve gotten used ta this place?
Being surrounded by all these huge setpieces makes me feel like a little doll — it’s kinda excitin’.
Ahhh, now that you mention it—
It’s cute how that Scandinavian house set looks like something you’d see from the Sylvanian Families.4
I think my anxiety’s fading away a little just looking at it…♪
Alright, sure. There’s not much else to do here, so let’s try exploring the place.
Aight, then how about we go deeper inside? I see a huuuge stage set from ‘ere.
Okay.
…Alrightie. Look, look, Midori-kun! This set looks like a huge dollhouse, it’s so cute~
This sofa also looks great, don’t it? It would suit Madonee perfectly…♪
I wonder what show they used it for…? ——Huh? Midori-kun?
Midori-kun, ya listenin’? ‘s lonely when I’m just talking t’myself, y’know…?
Uwaaaaaah…♪ It’s the legendary “Niku-nikumatan☆”5 stage set~…♪
It was a show where you did stretching exercises with this bear yuruchara who loves building muscle—
But Niku-nikumatan☆ immediately pulled a muscle on the first episode, and it was never aired ever again! It’s like the show was just a dream! Uwaaaah…! I can’t believe it’s right before my very eyes~☆
Mmm? I don’t really get how that works…?
Exactly! He loves muscle building, yet he’s doing stretches on the show! And pulling a muscle during stretches makes absolutely no sense, which is just beyond perfection…!
—Um, huh?
Oh, I didn’t notice the other side because this set was hiding it, but… This looks like the restroom, huh…? There’s a kitchen, too — though it only has the basic stuff…
Ah, yer right. Maybe they’ve got ‘em here so it’s easy to fix up setpieces while yer inside the storehouse?
Looks like it. Guess we won’t have to worry about hurting our bladders or finding something to drink. We’re in a life-or-death situation now, so…
There’s all kinda big setpieces here, so there’re probably more hidden places all over…
Woah! This is huge… And I don’t get what it’s s’posed to be. Whaddaya use it fer…?
Mmm? I think this is that giant robot we had in front of the ES building for an event a while back… I think it’s the chest piece?
Morisawa-senpai went nuts over it and sent me a whole bunch of photos, so I sorta remember it…
Ahh! That robot, huh?
I wouldn’t have noticed unless ya told me. I couldn’t tell by the body parts alone since it’s so huge…
Wow, we really are like toy dolls right now, ain’t we?
From a doll's perspective, stuff belonging to human beings would be so big, ‘n they wouldn’t know what it’s fer—
I reckon they’d use a sofa for a trampoline and stuff.
Oh yeah, there was a nursery rhyme like that — where the toys come out to dance and play in the night behind the humans’ backs.6
Mhm. I used t’sing it ta my li’l siblings back in the day.
When I was a kid, I used ta dream of stuff like, “if I could be as small as a doll, I could eat lots and lots of cakes, and live in a fancy dollhouse~”.
Hehe, I used to think about being super tiny, too. I wanted to nap on the belly of a fluffy yuruchara…♪
But in the end, I just got bigger and bigger… Sigh, so depressing…
Oh yeah, hasn’t enough time passed since I sent that message? I wish he’d notice the SOS and come rescue us already…
Yeah, hmmm… I still don’t hear anybody outside, though.
Ughh… Weren’t you supposed to be a hero to anyone in need…? You always stick your nose in my business even when I say no, so what gives…?
I know there’s that whole “a hero always arrives in the nick of time” saying, but can you not do that this time…?
Location: ES (Exterior)
Mm… Where on earth is Takamine? It’s already time for practice… I think his phone is dead, because I can’t call him, either.
(I tried asking around, and it sounds like he was delivering vegetables early in the morning…)
(The manager of Cinnamon said that he finished his delivery over there, so I don’t think he’s still delivering anything…)
(I accidentally mentioned that I couldn’t find Takamine anywhere and made the manager worried… I feel bad.)
(I’ll have to let them know when I find Takamine that everything’s all right.)
On the other hand, Takamine sure is hardworking! He’s been properly going to school, doing his jobs, and even helping out his family’s greengrocer!
The manager also praised him a lot, and hearing it made me feel proud~♪
But if I said any of this to him, he might get angry at me again and tell me off for treating him like a kid… But I can’t help it! I’m so happy to hear my junior getting praise and recognition!
But really, where is he?
I got a message from him earlier saying, “Kagehira-senpai is stu”… What on earth does it mean…?
Oh! I shouldn’t just think to myself right now.
I’ve asked the other three to start practice without the two of us, but I’m still making them wait on us either way. I’ll think about the message while looking around!
A detective’s work involves using his feet! This is just like Space Sheriff Gavan — I’m all fired up~♪
Location: Set Piece Storehouse
Ah, speaking of which — I’ve been curious about something…
Hm? What’s up?
I know this is a remote area, but isn’t it a little too weird how nobody has walked by here…?
If they’ve been renovating since last week, then you’d think there’d be someone around here by now…
Hm? Ain’t that exactly why there’s nobody around?
Huh? Haven’t they started the work since last week, though?
That would mean they’re still working on it, so shouldn’t a worker have shown up by now? Isn’t it weird that there isn’t anyone?
Like, I figured that even if Morisawa-senpai doesn’t come save us, we could bear it until tomorrow when a worker comes in here… Hence why I wasn’t really worried or anything…
But there really is just nobody around, huh…?
Nnaah! No, no! Ya got it all wrong, Midori-kun!
They may have started a week ago, but the actual construction with the machines an’ all is gonna start next week!
They’re just makin’ it off-limits to be ‘ere, is all. But that’s still counted as “under construction,” y’see?
So I doubt anyone would come by ‘til next week…
Whaaaaaat!? Why didn’t you tell me that earlier!?
Nnahh, sorry fer thinkin’ ya got what I meant… I knew alla that already, so my explanation was real lackin’…
That’s why you’ve been panicking this whole time!?
Uwaaaaah…!!! W-What do we doooo!? We can’t just wait for help…! We have to find a way to get out of here!
We’ll die if we wait a whole week… I can’t stand the thought of my usual phrase becoming real…
Chapter 6
Mmrgh~! M-Midori-kun, could ya go a li’l higher? Just a li’l more… Just another ten centimeters…!
You’re asking for too much… I’m stretching as far as I can…
Also, ten centimeters isn’t just “a little”… Please don’t underestimate how tall that’d make a person…
Nnaah~! The ceilin’ window strategy’s a flop after all…
Alright then, I’ll put you down. —Here we go…
…Phew. Ngh, it wasn’t enough… I was able ta open the window, but I can’t lift my body up ta it~
I must’ve been real heavy on yer shoulders, huh? ‘m sorry.
It’s alright. I’m always carrying heavy boxes of vegetables, so I’m used to the weight.
But you’re pretty light anyways, so I could probably even run while carrying you on my shoulders.
That’s good, then~
Ah! What if I stand on yer shoulders instead!? I should be able to reach then!
Um, I’ve been thinking, but… Let’s say you did manage to get out through the window… Wouldn’t you just immediately fall to the ground…? Do you have some sort of plan?
Umm…
Oh, yer right actually.
Ahaha, I hadn’t thought about what would happen after I got out~
Thought so…
Let’s forget about this idea. Things would only get worse if you hurt yourself.
Aight… That’s a shame.
We can’t get out from the bottom window the dog went through, so I figured this’d be our ticket outside…
I guess this means we need t’think up somethin’ else…?
Ah! There’s a vent over there, how ‘bout that?
Y’know, like ya see in spy movies? Where ya go through the vents~
We can’t. It’s as high up as the window, and it’s locked with wiring. There’s no way we could get it open normally.
That’s no good either, huh…
Mmm… Maybe if we could drop something outside as an SOS…
Somethin’ as an SOS…
Ah! Then how ‘bout we hang the words SOS outside the window with these here ropes?
With rope? We don’t have scissors or tape— How are we supposed to make the letters?
Well, y’see~ Ya link the letters like a single stroke… then ya tie it here, and—
There, if I keep doin’ this and then make it hangable, it’ll turn into an SOS sign~
Ohh, I get it! Wow, you really are a member of the Handicrafts club, huh?
Hmhm~♪ Ya can leave the thread kinda stuff ta me~ Though this is just rope…
Aight, I reckon I could hang it up if ya lift me one more time? My hands reached the window, so it should work.
There’s a lot of trees around here, so I dunno if anyone will notice, but… This is all we have right now. Let’s try it.
Location: Forested Pathway
Mmm… He isn’t here, either…
Mmm… He isn’t here…
Hm? Did someone just say the same thing as me…?
Ohh! Aoba! Have you been looking for someone, too?
Oh, Chiaki-kun? Fancy seeing you here~ Yes, I have. You see, I spotted this on the ground earlier.
Hm? Is that a phone?
Yes. I didn’t know who it belonged to, so I had no choice but to peek in to know… It looks like it belongs to Mika-kun.
I figured he would need this back, so I’ve been looking for him, but — I can’t find him anywhere.
Oh? What a coincidence! I’m also looking for Takamine!
Oh yeah, that reminds me — Takamine’s message earlier mentioned Kagehira-kun’s name.
Message?
Takamine didn’t pick up the phone when I called him because his phone died, but before that, he managed to send me this. —Ah, here it is.
“Kagehira-senpai is stu”…? Is this all?
What a strange message… What could it mean?
I have no idea!
But my guess would be that he was trying to say “staple”!
The superhero staples are the basic foundation for all allies of justice! Examples of them would be the storylines of Anpanman, Goranger, and Ultraman!
Ahh, but lately, tokusatsu shows are really starting to stray from those elements…
Well, never mind that.
In other words, Takamine is talking to Kagehira-kun about superhero staples, the shows that pop into your head when you think of them.
They might be playing pretend in one right now, so he wanted to message me saying he’ll be late…!
But gosh, he’s such a ditz — He sent me the message midway~☆
Mmm… Personally, I don’t think that’s what it is…
Also, if he meant staples, wouldn’t he have said “sta”, not “stu”?7
Mm~? Huh, you’re right… Then what could this message mean…?
Who knows…? But this may mean they’re both together right now.
But honestly, it’s strange that they disappeared just like that. Did they get spirited away?
S-Spirited away!? No, that’s impossible! People can’t be spirited away; there's no scientific evidence of it happening, so that's why I’m definitely, absolutely not scared by the thought of it!!
Really? But there’s folklore for every place you go, as well as cases of it happening, so I would assume it’s likely possible…?
No, really, there’s no way it could! We should stop talking about this, okay!? If we keep this conversation going, it may actually— Nono, it won’t happen, it won’t!!
C’mon now, let’s talk about something fun! Something as bright as the sun! …Maybe we could talk about the sun?
Ahaha, that does sound nice, but we should continue our conversation after we’ve found the two.
Ah! You’re right! We should accomplish our goal first!
Chapter 7
Location: Set Piece Storehouse
Sigh… Nothing, huh…
Oh man… I looked ‘round the place again, but there really ain’t no other way ta get outta here.
Will we just be stuck ‘ere forever…?
…………
Nobody’s gonna be comin’ to our rescue after all…
Huh…?
Ah! I’m only gonna make ya anxious if I keep talkin’ like this, aren’t I? ‘m real sorry!
No, um… By that, do you—
…No, nothing.
(Did I disappoint him…?)
(I bet I did… There’s no way this could’ve gone well…)
(I mean, there’s still nobody coming to our rescue…)
(The more I grow up, the more I learn the hard truth… Nothing’s convenient in this world…)
……………
(Why won’t you come save us…?)
(Isn’t a hero supposed to always come to the rescue whenever there’s danger…?)
(I didn’t believe that at first…)
(But you’d always, always arrive on the scene — and you’d always, always, always, always be shouting as loud as you could…)
(And before I knew it, I started to think… maybe even believe, just a little, and yet—)
(It’s not that I thought you’d never lie, but…)
(I felt like… you wouldn’t let it be a lie. I really started to feel that way.)
(That was enough for me to keep working as hard as I could…)
(Because I didn’t wanna think that what those people said about us back then was true…)8
(And I didn’t wanna let all our hard work be a complete lie…)
(So why…? Why won’t you come…)
(…No. I’m already aware… I’m just taking it out on you.)
(I didn’t wanna accept the truth, and it’s been making my heart race like crazy…)
(Because what’s really making me mad… the one who’s really pathetic right now is—)
…………
Midori-kun? Why’re ya crouchin’…?
Ya must be real anxious… ‘m sorry. If I just didn’t run straight inta this place without a second thought, you wouldn’t be stuck here…
I’m sure someone’ll find our SOS, so don’t be so down, aight?
…No. —That’s not it.
I’m… I’m sorry, Kagehira-senpai.
Huh!? What’s wrong!? Why’re ya apologizin’ outta nowhere!? It’s my fault that yer here, so I’m the one who’s supposed ta say sorry!
No, not that… It’s just, you’ve been thinking up so many ways to get out of here, and all I’ve done so far is reject each and every one of them…
And like, I haven’t even bothered to come up with anything on my own.
I’ve just been waiting for someone else to come save us… When I’m the one who’s supposed to save you…
Ryuseitai—and everyone around me, they do that all the time, yet I can barely do the same…
When we were called hypocrites and frauds… I was so angry that someone who didn’t even know a thing about us was telling us off…
But in reality, I actually can’t do anything — all I ever do is vent my frustrations…
……
All I ever do is whine, like I’m doing now… I even told Morisawa-senpai not to show an uncool side to us, like an arrogant idiot…9
But in the end, I’m the one who’s the really uncool, pathetic loser…
Woop! (Claps his hands as hard as he can)
Eeeeek!!
Y-You surprised me…! Please don’t make a loud sound like that… The echo in this place is insane…
Also, I was being serious here, y’know…?
Ahaha, ‘m sorry. I figured it’s best ta start with clearin’ the mood in here.
Being locked in a dark place really starts ta make ya feel like yer down in the dumps, don’t it?
I dunno how yer feeling, but—
Is it really that bad ta be uncool?
Would that mean that kids can’t become heroes just ‘cause they can’t do what the heroes on the screen do?
Y’see, where I used ta live… Whenever we used ta watch Super Sentai shows, all my li’l bros would start sayin’ they wanted ta be heroes.
Does that mean they can’t become one?
…………
I don’t see it that way. They may jus’ be kids now, but… as long as they believe, hope, and do their best—
Some day, they’ll go from bein’ my li’l bros to bein’ heroes, y’know?
I don’t ever wanna reject kids who have that hope in themselves. I wanna cheer for ‘em. Just like how I was cheered on—
Y’know, ‘m sure heroes and idols are the same kinda thing.
As long as ya believe and wish fer it, yer path ta yer goal will get clearer ‘n’ clearer — but that path’ll stop short if ya don’t believe in yerself.
…Is it really alright that I can’t do anything right now? Is it really fine to be this pathetic…?
Even the heroes on screen don’t win every battle in a cool way, y’know?
There’ll always be a time when they get into trouble, get close to losin’ — and get beaten ta the ground…
But they always get right back up, and that’s what makes ‘em so cool. That’s just another reason why kids admire ‘em so much.
That’s why yer not even a li’l pathetic right now, Midori-kun.
Yer just workin’ yer way back up! And besides, yer savin’ me a whole bunch!
Ya helped me find my ID, and the anxiety woulda been overwhelming if I were stuck in this place all alone!
Y’know what? Nothin’ spells “hero” more than someone who isn’t even aware of just how much they’ve been savin’ people~♪
…Then please say all of that without surprising me…
Gosh… Thanks to that shock you gave me—all my moping just flew right out of me.
Chapter 8
Aight then, let’s get back ta thinkin’ up ways ta get outta ‘ere!
Kagehira-senpai, let’s try throwing ourselves against the door to break it open.
Whaaa!? Where’d that insane idea come from!?
I doubt that’ll work…? I mean, it’s made outta iron…
—Wait, yer stretching already!?
We don’t have to make a hole in the door or anything — all we need to do is bend it open a little. It should be manageable with two guys.
I mean, it would be great if we actually did manage to break it open — but also, someone might hear our banging at least.
Besides, it may be made out of iron, but it doesn’t seem to be that thick. Or else it would’ve been so heavy, you wouldn’t even be able to open the door.
Not only is dust going to get in our faces, but it’s also gonna hurt, and we’re gonna have to hope we don’t get injured… Honestly, I don’t actually wanna do this, but—
We’re not gonna be falling straight out a window at least, so I figured I could try my best for this.
But we’ll stop if either of us get close to an injury, okay? There’s no point in acting cool here.
Ahaha, ya sound so much more confident now.
Aight then. Let’s try it~!
Location: Forested Pathway
Deep into the path…
Uu… The woods are so quiet, it’s a little unsettling…
You’re right. And there’s renovation going on right now, so it’s even quieter than usual.
Are Takamine and Kagehira-kun really over here…?
Who knows? We checked the entire area and couldn’t find them, and this is the only place left, so maybe they’ll be here…?
Oh! There’s a large building over there! The rusted exterior makes it look so eerie…
Ahh, that’s the set piece storehouse. It’s the building they’re going to renovate.
Hm? There’s rope hanging out the window…?
Ah! You’re right!
Umm… “202”…? What does that mean?
I don’t have a clue… The first thing that comes to mind is an apartment room number…
An apartment room number? Here? We don’t have a room by that number in ES, either… Maybe it’s a phone number? Like the number you call in an emergency.
I don’t think there’s a telephone number for 202, though…
What a mystery… Mmm…?
—! Huh? Something’s starting to come to me when I tilt my head…
Me, too… There was a similar trick in the detective novel I read…
If you read it diagonally… no, in the opposite direction…?
Opposite direction… “es-oh-es”…?
Ohhh! Flip it around, and it becomes “es-oh-es”!
Ah, that’s it! They call it mirrored writing~ How interesting, it’s like a visual illusion~♪
…SOS!?
…SOS!?
W-What’s going on!? Why is there a request for help outside the storehouse!?
Chiaki-kun, about the message you received earlier…
That “stu-” part… maybe it was meant to say “stuck”?10
So that means… What Takamine wanted to say was—
“Kagehira-kun is stuck with me in the set piece storehouse”!?
Location: Set Piece Storehouse
Alright then, we’ll charge on the count of three.
Aight!
One—
Takamineeeeee!!
Mika-kun, are you okaaaaaayyy!?
Gaaaaaaaaaaah!?
Gaaaaaaaaaaah!?
Are you alright!? Are either of you hurt anywhere!?
Huh? M-Morisawa-senpai…?
T-Tsumuchan-senpai…? Why’re ya…?
Ahh, I’m so glad you’re safe…
We were looking for you two. I found your phone, so I wanted to return it to you.
Then I spotted Chiaki-kun looking for Takamine-kun, so we tried working together.
That’s when we saw the SOS sign outside the window and rushed over to help.
Ah! Ya found my phone!? Thank ya kindly~!
Wait—Forget that, how’d you two unlock the door!? Did you have the key or something!?
Hm? Key? There wasn’t a lock or anything, though?
Huh? B-But, we couldn’t open it no matter how hard we pushed or pulled…!
Ummm…? It’s a sliding door, y’know? Look—It opens when you slide it.
Hm, yeah, I don’t think pushing or pulling it would work on this door.
Wha…
A-Ahaha…
We were so panicked, we never considered the possibility of it bein’ a sliding door…
…I’m depressed and wanna die. Do not search for me, please.
Ha ha ha!! ☆ Don’t be that way, Takamine! You two are safe, and that’s all that matters!
Don’t worry about it! We all have days when we fail — that’s what makes us human! Failures are the key to success!
If you’re a boy, then leap forth with full confidence! Jump out and reach for your future! ☆
Shut up. Don’t you dare say “failure” again.
Sighhhhhh… What the hell, so it was all just a big waste of time… I’m so depreeessed…
…Well, it wasn’t entirely a waste… But, still, I just… (mumble, mumble)
Ehehe, a lot happened, but ‘m glad we’re out now. Thank ya kindly, really~♪
Thank you too, Kagehira-senpai…♪
Oh? I didn’t think you two would be so calm after being stuck here… Did something good happen?
It’s a secret~ Ya gotta protect a hero’s secret~♪
(This sure was a mess… Oh well. At least something good came out of it.)
Ah, I almost forgot! The other three are waiting for us in the practice room!
Takamine! Our comrades are waiting for your return! Let’s return at the speed of a shooting star!
…………
Hm? No response!? What’s wrong, what’s up!?
(He’s the same old overbearing Morisawa-senpai, right…?)
(My eyes must’ve tricked me for a moment. It was pretty dark in there… and out of nowhere, it suddenly got really bright…)
(I’m sure that’s the real reason why Morisawa-senpai and Aoba-senpai looked like heroes…)
—He’ll only get more overbearing if I say that out loud, so I’ll keep it to myself.
Did you say something, Takamine?
Nope.
Yeah, you’re right. That’s enough darkness for one day. Let’s go somewhere brighter.
Translation Notes
- ↑ A teishoku place is essentially a restaurant that serves specific set meals. They’re very similar to bentos, and the staff cafeteria in ES has a similar system as well.
- ↑ Trivia note: Cafe COCHI, Cafe Cinnamon, and the staff cafeteria are all in ES.
- ↑ A reference to Zodiac - Senpai Turned into a Dog!?
- ↑ This is Sylvanian Families.
- ↑ This yuruchara's name is a wordplay between niku (meat) and kuma (bear).
- ↑ The nursery rhyme he’s referring to.
- ↑ Originally, Midori only manages to send a message to Chiaki saying Kagehira-senpai to oodo— (The word cut off here is oodougu souko 大道具倉庫, for “set piece storehouse”.), but his phone died before he could finish typing the word. Chiaki misunderstood it as oudou 王道, hence why Tsumugi corrects his interpretation.
- ↑ A reference to what happens in the first main story. A TL;DR: Rinne falsely accuses Ryuseitai of being fake, lying, hypocritical heroes, which forced Ryuseitai to fight against Crazy:B in the Idol Royale.
- ↑ A reference to Epilogue 4 of Motor Show.
- ↑ As explained in Chapter 6, originally the word that cuts off midway is oodougu souko (Set piece storehouse). So Tsumugi figured out that Midori was trying to mention a specific location.