[ES!!] Whimsical City Rider
Chapter Index
Ch 1 - Ch 2 - Ch 3 - Ch 4 - Ch 5 - Ch 6 - Translation Notes
Cycling Road 1
Season: Winter
Location: Behind the TV Set
Wonderful work, everyone~♪ Whew, the first half of our recording is finally over.
Yeah, and we’re getting through it quicker than scheduled, so it looks like we have a lot more time to rest.
Let’s relax during our break, and do our best in the second half.
Woohoo~! There’s soooo many sweets I’ve never seen before! ☆ They all look super duper tasty!
I dunno which to eat, so I’m just gonna go for all of ‘em! I’ll try this chocolate with a drawing on the wrapping first! Nom, nom…
Mmm~!! It’s so good that it gets me right back on my feet! Okay, time to try this one!
Woah— You’re gobbling them all up. Were you that hungry?
Heh! I have a separate stomach for bread and tasty food~♪
No need to brag… Jeez, I can’t believe you’re gobbling up all those expensive sweets like they’re just junk food…
I’m so sorry, Tomoe-senpai. We don’t mean to look so ungrateful for all the refreshments you brought.
No need to worry about that. It’s quite refreshing to see his manner of eating!
Come now, eat as much as you like. Go ahead and eat them up like a starving puppy…☆
Why do you always have to say unnecessary stuff… Which one are you going to eat, Ohii-san?
I’ll have the quiche! I need my black tea with it too. ♪
I just knew you’d say that. I was right to bring quiche with me.
It’s gotta be warmed up in the microwave, so I’ll brew the tea first.
Shall I prepare the tea for him? I’ve already brought the boiled water from the kitchen~♪
Are you sure…? Aight, I’ll gladly take your kind offer, then.
I’ll be back shortly, so Ohii-san, please behave yourself, okay?
I know that! Come on now, Jun-kun, just go already!
Good grief… I’m always well-behaved. Jun-kun’s the one who says unnecessary things!
—Whaaat!? Is that really true!?
Woah, Hajime-chin, don’t yell.
Ah— I’m so sorry, I was just so surprised…
Whatever are you talking about? I’m curious now, so you should let me in the loop!
Oh yeah, Eve was in that program too, right?
Remember that special program about idols experiencing life in the countryside, that was requested by the local government?
Of course. Why, I’m even the one who named the spring water in that countryside’s mountain “Aqua of Hiyori”!
Ahh, I know about that. It seems like it’s become a tourist spot now.
When we had a photoshoot around that location, we also helped with making the pathway to the spring water. ♪
Oh? I see I contributed to renovating the area without my knowing — All the more proof that I’m a true professional…♪
So what happened to that rural area? You sounded very surprised earlier…?
Yeah, well… I heard about this from the staff who worked on the program, but—
The family farm that took us in for a while… Apparently, the cabbages they grew are in critical condition.
Eh? What do you mean? Was it a bad harvest? Even though I helped with planting all those seeds? What terrible weather!
Actually, it’s the direct opposite. They’ve got the largest harvest of all time.
Oh, you had me worried for a second. It’s actually excellent weather. ♪
No, no, we can’t say that for sure… Anyway, Ohii-san, I brought you your quiche~
You’re late! You’re so cheeky, Jun-kun, making me wait this long!
It’s not my fault, there was a huge queue for the microwave. I can’t cut the line to get back here faster, that’d just be bad manners.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand. It sounds like you think an abundance of crops is a good thing, Ohii-san—
But apparently, there’s a limit to that sorta thing. Once you exceed it, it’ll cause a price drop ‘cause of an oversupply, which means a negative profit to the farmers~
In the worst case, they’ll have to destroy their crops before shipping ‘em.
My, it isn’t like you to say something so smart, is it? Even though you can only name four prefectures.1
I saw a photo of a tractor crushing cabbages when I was young, and it was a real shock to me. Like, “what’re they doing to all those crops that took so long to grow”…
But I’m aware by now that there were actual reasons to doing that, ‘course~
Mm~… Even so, it’s cruel to dispose of all those crops that were nurtured with care.
I still remember how delicious all the vegetables in the family farm’s meals were; you could feel the love poured into them.
But there’s nothing we can do about it, is there? Produce only stays fresh for so long, so they can’t leave ‘em around forever.
If I was in their position, I’d get rid of ‘em too. I wouldn’t risk going in the negatives ‘cause of an abundance of crops…
Even stores wouldn’t bother with products that can only be sold for dirt cheap, so~?
…………
…Oh, I know! If stores won’t sell it, I will!
Hah?
It’s a noble’s duty to show pity and guide the citizens suffering in anguish, you know!
And most importantly, those crops grew thanks to my efforts of planting them! It would be a loss to the whole world if they didn’t make it to the market!
Mhm, mhm, I have to be the one to rescue them. ♪
Except the seeds you planted were for turnips, and then you immediately lost interest and put the rest of the work on me, didn’t you~?
Besides, Ohii-san selling cabbages… Haha.
That’s just impossible, it’s beyond anyone’s wildest dream~ You’ve never done typical manual work before, have you?
You literally pushed even the field work onto me. So all this just sounds like a complete joke to me.
You’re just saying whatever you like, aren’t you! So annoying~!
I will rescue those crops from their critical condition with my own power! I’ll make sure you eat your words, Jun-kun!
Our break hasn’t ended yet, has it? I’ll first start by contacting a commoner who might know more… Ah, I’ll call Anzu-chan!
Hello, Anzu-chan? Mhm, it’s me! I’d like to speak to you about something!
…Jeez. As soon as he said “own power”, he went straight to relying on someone…
Sorry, it’s all ‘cause we started talking about the family farm.
Please don’t worry about it. It’s nothing new.
…Nah, actually, maybe it’s a little different this time. ‘Cause it seems like he’ll be taking on this job without me.
I just hope he doesn’t cause anyone trouble by acting recklessly, is all~
Yeah. …I’ll watch over him in your stead, Sazanami.
I’ll help out, too. I can’t stand the thought of all those vegetables being disposed of, after we all went through the effort of growing them.
The family farm has done so much for us; I want to do something for them as well!
Thanks, I appreciate it. Please contact me if he gets out of hand. I’ll come rushing straight away.
Ohii-san’s a pain in the ass and real tough to handle, but he doesn’t mean any harm… Please take good care of him, you two.
Cycling Road 2
Location: Café COCHI Meeting Space
Hello…
(Huh? Anzu-san isn’t here… This is the right room, though… Right?)
(I’ll take a seat for now… Where should I sit, though…? I think I’m here to talk about a job, but I haven’t heard much…)
(I don’t really know much about which seats should be for the employers and which ones for the employees… I always go for safe greetings to fit in with everyone else, after all…)
(I’ll go for the safest option and sit at the edge of the table. ……Okay, whew.)
…………
(…I’ve been wondering this since I got here, but… Why is there a cardboard box on the table?)
(It’s too unnatural… Did someone forget it? …Ah, there’s a yuruchara sticky note on it.)
(It’s the one you can get through the vegetable drink campaign. I have those, too… It’s sooo cute~♪)
(Huh, there’s something written on it… It looks like it was scribbled with an ink brush, so it’s hard to read… Umm…)
(“To Takamine Midori-dono”——!?)
(What, that’s scary… That’s scary, that’s scary!! Is this a trap!? What if there’s a bomb inside…!?)
(I don’t wanna open it… Maybe I’ll call someone over to be my scapegoat…)
(But what if the box has something that’d be awkward for others to see… That’d be stressful, too… Uuu…)
(……Alright. I’ll check it myself. If I run away as soon as I open it, I won’t end up dead, right…?)
(I’ll secure myself an escape route by keeping the door open…)
(Alright, calm down, take a deep breath… three, two, one… Open!)
(Now, immediately run to the door—!)
…………
…? Nothing happened…? Whew…
(Wait, what the heck am I doing all alone… What if someone saw me…)
(Then again, I don’t hear anyone talking nearby, so I’m probably okay…)
(Well, whatever… Let’s see what’s inside the box…)
…! Merchandise of ‘Sumo Cabbage-kun’!?2 And there’s so much of it…!
There’s the mug, the key-strap, the sports towel, T-shirt, stickers, thermo flask… Plushies in all size options: large, medium, small, and even the jumbo size one—
That’s not all…!? There’s even the tiny palm-sized plushie that sold out immediately, the same one I thought I dreamed up…! It wasn’t just impossible to get, I practically gave up on even looking at the thing, yet it’s right here before me…!
I can have this all for myself, right? Uwaah, uwaaah…♪
(…But that’s weird. Anzu-san’s the one who called for me, but…)
(I don’t think she’s behind the sticky note. The handwriting is completely different from hers…)
(…So does that mean it really is a trap? Maybe this is all part of some prank show…)
(Ahh, yeah, I bet it is… This box is a trap to have a laugh at my reaction—)
(They’re definitely recording me getting freaked out thinking it was a dangerous object, and then getting excited over merch… Then they’ll broadcast it to the whole country…)
(Uu… That’s so mean…)
(Maybe there’s a camera hidden somewhere here… That plant is pretty suspicious, actually…)
(…There’s nothing behind the pot… Maybe it’s hidden inside the soil, I’ll try to dig through it a little…)
(Mm~… There’s nothing really—)
…Uhyah!?
A-Ah, it was you, Anzu-san… You scared me by tapping on my shoulder out of nowhere…
…Huh? What was I doing? Umm…
I-I was looking at the plant. Like, wow, the store this is from uses really good mulch……?
A-…Anyway. Do you know anything about that box over there?
It was on the table before I got here. It’s addressed to me, apparently…
…Did I check inside? Yeah, I did… There were so many different kinds of merchandise for ‘Sumo Cabbage-kun’…♪
…Ah, I know that local government. They’re doing the best they can to revitalize their region, so they’re also proactive with making yuruchara.3
They have a dozen other yurucharas aside from ‘Sumo Cabbage-kun’, so the region is like a birthplace for yuruchara…
I also watched a bit of that program where idols experience life on the farm. But it didn’t seem like any yurucharas appear in it, so I turned it off midway… What about it?
Anzu-chan, I’ve kept you waiting! The glorious me has so graciously come for you all!
Ah, Midori-chin’s here, too. That makes all of us~♪
Yes. I’ll close the door, then.
Huh… Huh…?
(The two members of Ra*bits are fine and all, but why’s a member of Eden here…?)
(I have a bad feeling about this… I wanna sneak out of here…)
Heeey, Midori-chin~ How long do you plan on standing?
Eh— Ah… Um, yes, I’ll sit…
(Uuu, I don’t know what’s going on… Save me, ‘Sumo Cabbage-kun’…)
We only have a limited amount of time, so I’ll get right to the main topic.
I am a savior, and my duty is to rescue the common folk suffering in distress.
And this very savior has chosen you three! You will become my hands and feet and do your utmost best for me. ♪
(What’s he on about? What does he mean, “savior”…?)
Mm, Midori-chin doesn’t look like he gets what’s going on…? Did you not explain to him, Anzu?
…We came in while you were explaining? Then I’ll continue the explanation~♪
Erm, the farmer that took care of us in that program is struggling with an abundance of cabbage crops. It’d be a waste to have it all disposed of, so we were hoping we could help them out somehow.
Anzu-chan recommended you, as the issue concerns vegetables. Ermm, Takamine-kun, was it? A pleasure to meet you!
Cycling Road 3
(…I know about the huge crop disposal. I remember the farmer saying that the market price keeps dropping, and that it’s probably going to be bad business for them at this rate.)
(But I don’t wanna get involved in this… This was all decided by a bunch of adults after giving it a lot of thought, right? So it’s not like this is a problem we can solve.)
(But… If I refuse to help, they might take away all the merch I just got…)
(And my family’s greengrocer also owes a lot to the farming business here…)
…? What is it, Anzu-san? “Sorry for not giving an explanation in advance, you don’t have to take this job if you’re against it”…?
…………
…I’m… not against it. I don’t want Sumo Cabbage-kun’s beloved cabbages to go to waste, either…
But what do you plan to do? How will you avoid having them all disposed of?
If nobody has any ideas, I don’t want to do it… Getting people’s hopes up only to disappoint them wouldn’t benefit either side…
Fufu. I’ve already got an idea prepared. I’m not so foolish as to take on a challenge without one!
Anzu-chan told me already, actually. It isn’t anything new for the market price to drop due to an abundance of crops, correct?
But still! I don’t want to simply stand by and watch them fall to their fate. I refuse to live a life of regret, wishing I had done something while I still could!
We don’t have to save every one of them. Even if it’s only just a little, it’s still our victory if we manage to rescue those cabbages from disposal!
But I plan to sell them all, of course. And I’ll need Takamine-kun in order to achieve that. I’d like your assistance!
My assistance…?
Mhm, mhm! I didn’t know the price of cabbages so I had someone look it up, and it seems like their value has already gone down.
So we’ll have to use its cheap price as its selling point. To be more specific, we’ll sell our whole stock by providing recipes that use up a lot of cabbages!
And you were from a greengrocer, weren’t you? I presume your family business makes a living off of selling vegetables.
I’d like you to provide me a place to sell the cabbages, as a means to test-run my plan. ♪
Erm, so you’d like to use our store…? But that doesn’t have anything to do with needing my help, does it…?
It certainly does. Only you are suited for the task of negotiation; it’s your own family after all!
But it would be rude to just borrow the place, so we’ll also be there as vendors.
Could you please ask them if we could rent the store this Saturday or Sunday?
…I don’t have to ask, I can be the one to decide that. I’m partially taking on the greengrocer business, so…
But what do you mean by “recipes that use a lot of cabbages”…? Something like cabbage roll or coleslaw salad…?
That’s what I’ll be brainstorming today. I’d like a sweets recipe, you see! Cabbage is sweet, after all.
Cabbage sweets…? I’ve never heard of that before, though…
If one doesn’t exist, then I will simply just have to make it! There’s no such thing as “impossible” in my dictionary!
We’ll think up a design and have my family’s chef make a recipe out of it!
Ehh, you’re leaving the actual recipe to someone else…?
Use every tool you have in your inventory! That’s what it means to assign roles to the right person.
Ah. I know someone who’s the CEO of a sweets company, so we could have them manufacture a large quantity, and sell it in the store!
We’d burn through the cabbages by manufacture, and the customers can try the dessert for themselves. It’s the perfect bargain. ♪
By the way, Shino-kun, why on Earth do you keep putting your hand up and down? What’s the matter?
I-I’m sorry. I thought up a design for the sweets, but I didn’t want to interrupt you…
I feel you~ Tomoe’s been talking the whole time so far, so it’s hard to join the conversation.
You shouldn’t hold back. We’re all companions here, gathered to rescue the cabbages and people!
Tell me all your thoughts and opinions. The same goes for you two, Anzu-chan, Takamine-kun!
Hah…
(What sort of opinion could I even have here…)
Location: Dance Room
Same day, in the evening…
—And that’s the sort of disaster that struck me… I managed to survive it by cuddling the ‘Sumo Cabbage-kun’ plushie, though…
I was the only one who couldn’t think of any ideas, while the rest just kept coming up with more and more… I felt like I was gonna die from how uncomfortable I felt…
Hm, hm. The plush toy is strangely long, so I thought it might’ve been a Chinese cabbage yuruchara… So it was simply a typical cabbage?
Yeah. It got all squished ‘cause I was hugging it tightly… But well, it’ll go back to its normal shape soon enough—
The real problem is the whole project to save cabbages… Why’d I get dragged into it…
Uu~myu? Wasn’t that made clear? It’s ‘cuz they wanna use your family’s greengrocer store, right?
Sounds fun to me! Men who stand their ground to rescue cabbages…! Guuh~ It fires me up!
I feel like I’m being forced to stand my ground though, so there’s nothing for me to be fired up over… I don’t wanna take part in something that could fail…
Shinobu-kun, can’t you do substitution jutsu? I want you to become me and go in my stead…
Uu~ That jutsu involves making a log look like myself, and even if I were to opt for disguising myself instead…
Perhaps I could get away with the appearance through makeup, but I can’t make up for our height difference. They’ll immediately catch on and say, “You suddenly got shorter!?”
Were I a full-fledged ninja, I might’ve been able to accomplish it, though. How shameful of me…
Ah, no… Don’t worry about it, I just figured I’d ask…
Couldn’t he join normally to represent you, without tryna become you?
In fact, I don’t mind doin’ it myself. I’ll call over customers with an energetic “Welcome!” ♪
Huh, you’d really do that?
(…Maybe I’ll leave it to Tetora-kun then. Anzu-san also said I don’t have to take this on if I don’t want to…)
(He’d be way more suited for it than me, ‘cause I have no motivation…)
…………
(…But, would that really be okay… This has all got to do with my family business, so I can’t pretend not to be involved…)
(I feel like I’ll regret taking a step back. I’ll think about how I could’ve done something if I was there, that things would’ve turned out differently…)
(“Even if it’s only just a little, it’s still our victory if we manage to rescue those cabbages from disposal”, huh…)
(…Someone like me being there doesn’t guarantee success, but…)
(If even “only just a little” is acceptable, then…)
…No, it’s fine. I’ll do it by myself after all. I’m barely up for it, and I feel depressed just thinking about it possibly failing, but…
I… have to be the one to do this.
Cycling Road 4
Location: Shopping District
On the weekend, Sunday…
Takamine-kun, good morning~
Ahh, Shino-kun, Nito-senpai… G’morning…
Um, I hope everything goes well for us today…
Yep. Let’s do our best to sell ‘em all~
—Woah, that’s a lot of boxes. Are there cabbages in all of them?
Yeah, pretty much. We’ll have other vegetables available as well for our usual customers, but… We’re practically a cabbage store now.
My parents laughed about it, like, “wow, never had this many cabbages to sell before”. I don’t really see what’s so funny about that, though…
But, well, I’ll do what I can. I can’t turn back now, anyway…
Fufu. You seem so motivated, Takamine-kun. ♪
I don’t think there’s anything different about me from the usual, but… Maybe I look that way ‘cause of this.
Huh, this sticky note says “To Takamine Midori-dono”. What’s it for?
Apparently, this is actually the handwriting of ‘Sumo Cabbage-kun’. Anzu-san told me yesterday. I think this was all to win me over, so she didn’t mention everything at first, but—
It seems like the farming business and ‘Sumo Cabbage-kun’ were deeply impressed by this cabbage project, and they heard that I’m a fan of the yuruchara, so… They gathered every kind of merchandise they had in their warehouse, and sent it to me.
So I thought, if that’s how much they’re expecting from me, then maybe I’ve got no choice but to buckle down…
—I’m also expecting a lot from you, Takamine-kun!
How do you do, everyone? ♪
Allow me to introduce who I have here. All the people you see lined up behind me are employees from the sweets company that I’m acquainted with—
I’ve been told that they’re an elite team with outstanding customer skills, gathered from all of the company’s branches and headquarters. Let’s leave the sweets to them, and focus on selling the cabbages ourselves.
We’ve been blessed with excellent weather today, which is a great sign! We’re all set! Everything will surely go so well, what fine weather…♪
A while later, after opening the store…
—Waah, you’ll buy the cabbages? Thank you so much~♪
…The sweets from the other vendor were cute and tasty? Fufu. I’m happy to know you enjoyed them.4
We’re actually behind the design for those sweets. It might look complicated, but it’s actually pretty easy to make.
Please try making it for yourself by using this recipe…♪ The bag is heavy, so please be careful~
Please tell family and friends about it too, if you can. Thank you for your purchase~
We have a lot more empty boxes now. I’ll go tidy them up.
Got it, I’m counting on you. Heeey, Midori-chin~
I know we haven’t been selling for that long, but from your perspective, how do you think our sales are going?
Mm~… Looks like our neighbors are coming over to buy out of courtesy, so I think we’re selling more than usual…
But we’ve got so much in stock, so… We probably won’t be able to sell them all at this rate.
Quite a handful might end up getting disposed of in the end…
…………
…Say, Takamine-kun. Seeing all the customers got me thinking…
This store, “Takamine Greengrocer”… are your regular customers mainly the elderly?
Yeah… It’s not just our store, I’m pretty sure it’s mostly the elderly who buy from this shopping district…
I think most young people just shop at huge supermarkets… We can’t beat big companies with branches everywhere through cheap prices…
Our quality is guaranteed, though… The people who regularly buy from us always praise the quality, too…
My family and I also love your store’s vegetables, Takamine-kun.
They’re extremely tasty, and it really helps out with my family’s expenses because you sell them so cheap for us~♪5
Hmm… The vegetables here are certainly fresh and vibrant.
Most customers are the elderly, and the quality has an established reputation… This means that we need to change our sales strategy.
After all, these cabbages are high quality, so they’re quite heavy and difficult to carry! I doubt customers can buy that many at a time because of this.
So instead of only making them come to us, we’ll go to them. If we go someplace far from the shopping district, the people of that area will surely buy from us!
Ah, like a portable store? Yeah, it would be better to have more places to sell…
Midori-chin, is that okay to do? Do we need permission to sell first?
It’s fine if it’s only the vegetables. But processed foods need the health care department’s permission first, so I don’t think the sweets will be possible…
Mhm, mhm! Right then, let’s go sell some cabbages! I’ll prepare the car at once. ♪
Car…?
Cycling Road 5
Ten minutes later…
Takamine-kun, our ride’s here! Come now, let’s get all the cabbages inside!
Uhhh…
What’s the matter? I’d much rather not carry anything heavy, so it’s your duty to do so!
Er, no, that’s a limousine… Are you seriously thinking of selling cabbages with that?
Of course, what other conclusion could there be? I’ve prepared the biggest car the Tomoe household owns all for the sake of stacking up as many cabbages as possible.
If you won’t carry them in, I’ll have the driver do so! Hey, come over here~ (waves)
Hold on, hold on! We’re going to sell these cabbages at parks, neighborhoods… Y’know, normal residence areas.
We’ll look way too suspicious if we went there with this car, like, nobody would even come by us…
My, is that so? Then what sort of car would be suitable here?
Car…? I’d say a light pickup truck or something…?
We don’t have that at my household. How much does it cost? I’ll have one purchased and brought over immediately.
No, let’s drop that too… If neither of us have a license, we won’t be able to drive it…
Let’s just do it normally with a delivery bicycle. The one over there, with a two-wheeled cart at the back…
This? How lovely, it looks interesting~♪
By the way, how do you use this?
Wh… Have you never ridden a bicycle before…?
Mhm!
…………
…Then I’ll go sell the cabbages; you stay here and tend the store, Senpai.
Ehhh!? That’s boring! I’ll be the one to go and sell them!
But you can’t ride a bicycle…
You simply just have to teach me how to! It’ll be fine! As you know, I’m a genius, so I’ll acquire the skill in no time. ♪
Er, I don’t actually know you that well, though…
(This person’s such a pain… With the two-wheeled cart attached, the bike’ll stabilize itself like a three-wheeler, so I feel like he’s good to go without me teaching him…)
(But… it’ll be bad news if he gets himself hurt for not practicing beforehand, wouldn’t it…)
Location: Park
A while later…
(…I tried to think it through, and I think the best place would be the park. It’s where I used to practice, too.)
(I remember my dad telling me that a small slope makes it easier to improve…)
Erm, I’ll explain then… First you have to sit on the saddle, and then grip the handles… Then, if you put your feet on the pedals and paddle down… it should move.
The parts next to the handles are the brakes… those levers are there to slow down the bicycle or to stop it moving. The right side is for the front wheel, and the left is for the back…
When you want to use the brakes, make sure to brake with the left side first, and only press down on the right side once you’ve slowed down.
Hmm~ So I can’t slow down from the right side first?
If you try to stop with only the front wheel, you’ll go facefront and possibly fall down…
Rather than which brake to hit, what’s important is to avoid braking too hard… That’s also why it’s best that you don’t speed up too much, either. You won’t be able to control the bicycle…
That’s the run-down, I guess… How about you try getting on it for now…?
Mhm, I’ll learn best by doing. ♪
Mm, this seat is as rock-hard as a shabby folding chair…? I think my rear will feel sore after this.
You’ll get used to it… I’m supporting the carrier— the back part, so please try pedalling slowly.
Like this? Am I pedaling properly?
Yes… While pedaling, try steering the handle slowly to the right…
Ooh, it turned to the right! Which means if I steer to the left—
Woah!
I’m telling you, you can’t make a sharp turn…
Right. I must admit that I was careless there!
Takamine-kun, make sure you never let go! We can’t have me falling!
Yeah, I know.
…………
(…Uuu. Supporting him while bent down is painful…)
(My back’s starting to hurt, and it’s rough keeping up with a bike…)
(…Ah. I accidentally let go.)
(What am I gonna do… I don’t wanna run after him, it’s too exhausting…)
Mm? It got lighter all of a sudden! You haven’t let go, have you, Takamine-kun?
I-I haven’t…
Really? I feel like your voice sounds far away, though?
My voice is just quiet, that’s all…
(…Woah, he’s already got the hang of it. It personally took me so long to get rid of my training wheels…)
(Guess there’s a reason he calls himself a genius, huh…?)
(…Ah, crap. He noticed that I let go.)
(He’s coming back at full speed… What am I gonna do… Will he get angry at me…?)
Thank you, Takamine-kun. ♪
I’m so sorry for letting go…
Huh?
Pedaling makes you speed straight ahead, right? Pedal once, and the bicycle moves on its own before it stops. How fascinating!
I’ll go for a spin around the park, so wait for me here!
Huh!? Weren’t we going to sell stuff!?
(…He’s gone. Did he just forget about the cabbages?)
(He told me to wait here, so it’s hard to leave… Without that bike, we can’t deliver anything…)
(Just standing around here is making time pass like nothing…)
—I’ve kept you waiting!
Huh? You’re already back? You said you’d go for a spin, though…
Mhm, mhm! And that I did, I carried out my word! I’ve got the perfect hang of it, so we can start selling cabbages now!
Mm? Why are you making such a face? Are you tired?
Come, sit at the back! I shall take you to the store. ♪
Um, no, two people riding the same bicycle is prohibited by law, so… Please go back without me, it’s fine.
Then I’ll walk, as well. I can just walk the bicycle, no?
There was another one at Takamine-kun’s store; is that yours, too?
It’s my dad’s… But he hasn’t been using it at all because of a health issue.
I’m glad he didn’t throw it away. With two bicycles, we can carry twice the amount…
Only twice the amount? That won’t be enough, you know! We won’t be able to sell everything unless it’s twenty times the amount!
Ehhh… That bar is too high, I feel sick just thinking about it…
Not to worry, not to worry at all! There’s no such thing as impossible for us, don’t you think? ♪
Um, no, in my dictionary, it’s written in bold letters…
Cycling Road 6
Location: Shopping District
Several hours later…
—Ah. Nii~chan, I see the two of them!
You’re right, there they are~♪ Heeey, Tomoe! Midori-chiiin~! (waves)
We’re back! We easily finished our last portion of sales!
Woah, incredible… The vegetables at the store were all sold out, too…
It doesn’t end there, actually. Anzu said she’d arrange for mass media coverage, right?
We’re gonna get widely covered in newspapers, TV, and even on the web. Looks like we’ll be avoiding any sort of disposal~♪
Really? I’m so glad… This means ‘Sumo Cabbage-kun’ won’t be sad…
Tears just don’t suit yuruchara, after all…
Can yuruchara even cry? But well, if you say so.
Your mom told us to let her know when you’re back. How about you go and talk to her?
My mom…? Huh, wonder what it is…
(I see her shoes, so she must be at home… Ah, there she is.)
Mom… I’m home. Yeah, we managed to sell them all.
It’s nothing to thank me for… Most of it was Tomoe-senpai’s doing, anyway. He’s really good at talking.
…It’s not just that, though. Tomoe-senpai’s really selfish and overly self-confident, and talking with him is kinda exhausting…
But he’s also so colorful, and he has a talent for drawing people in… He’s bright and optimistic. The complete opposite of me.
He must be exactly what the public imagines as “the ideal idol”, huh…
…In your eyes, I’m the most amazing idol? M-Mom, you don’t have to say that…
Um, did you want me for something? I’m keeping everyone waiting, so I’d like to get it done quick…
…Huh? Are you seriously saying that…?
Location: Midori’s Room
Five minutes later…
(Uu… She kept insisting to treat everyone to a meal…)6
(And I rarely ever let people in my room, too…)
So this is Takamine-kun’s room? Excuse my intrusion!
It’s not excused… I’d rather you go home…
Now, now. I get how you feel, but at this point you gotta give in gracefully.
Hah… Huh, wait, where’s Shino-kun…?
He’s helping out with making the food. He looked eager to make a delicious cabbage hotpot.
I see… That’s just like Shino-kun, but he could’ve just let my mom do everything…
You haven’t been all that energetic for a while now, have you, Takamine-kun? Is it because of all the pedaling we did?
No… Having people in my room… is just so embarrassing, I wanna die…
Is it really that big of a deal~? Don’t you also live with other people at the dorms?
A dorm and your own house are completely different…
I don’t see a difference. Servants are always coming in and out every day for me!
You should visit my house one day! I’ll do the honors of welcoming you!
Ehh, no thanks… We’re not that close…
……You think it’s gross how my room is full of yuruchara merch, don’t you? It’s fine, you don’t have to hold back…
I’m well aware it doesn’t suit how I look…
…I don’t really know much about those so-called “yuruchara”, but — Takamine-kun, you love these sorts of things, yes?
Y-Yes…
Then you should take pride in your own ‘likes’. It’s simply a waste to hold back just because of your appearance. You should be more honest with yourself!
Just look at this place, it’s brimming with so much love! You can tell it’s a wonderful room filled with care and affection for yuruchara.
Yup, yup. I like your room quite a lot, y’know~? You’ve got good taste, in my opinion.
Like this cushion! I bet it’ll be so comfy to hug~♪
…Whoa!? It made a “pyururu~” sound!
Fufu… That cushion makes its very own personal call when you hug it.
The way its voice sounds so lazy is to die for, isn’t it…♪
How lovely! I’d like to try hugging a cushion that lets out a sound, too!
It’s not a cushion that lets out a sound, but… How about this plushie?
It parrots back anything you say to it in a hoarse voice…
I’m intrigued, let me try!
Hello, I’m Tomoe Hiyori! A pleasure to meet you!
…Haha! It sounds so vulgar, doesn’t it? It’s completely different from my beautiful voice! It’s saying the same thing as me, yet the difference is like night and day!
The homes of common people can be so interesting, hm? With so many different things here, it’s like a place full of treasure.
Nazuna-kun, what’s that merchandise? Why don’t you show it to me, too~♪
(Treasure… As in, this room…? I mean, that’s how it feels for me, but…)
(I thought he’d say how plain and boring my room is, since he lives a much better lifestyle than me…)
(…I really expected him to look down on me and say stuff like, “it’s so cramped, there’s worthless junk everywhere”… So I didn’t want to let him in my room…)
(But… that was just what I thought would happen. In reality, he’s actually enjoying himself… I think.)
(Tomoe-senpai… I always felt like he sparkles an awful amount, like he’s someone from a different world than mine… so I kept my distance…)
(But maybe he’s easier to talk with than I thought…?)
I’m sorry I kept you all waiting. I’ve brought over the cabbage hotpot~♪
Oh, Hajime-chin… And Midori-chin’s mother, too.
M-Mom, you’re here too…? It would’ve been too much on Shino-kun alone, so you brought the plates and drinks…?
I would’ve come and picked them up if you just called for me… Jeez…
Haha. I’m sure she wanted to see us getting along as friends, yeah?
…I think so. Since she had such a big grin on her face…
So this is cabbage hotpot? How do you eat it?
Alright, so for starters, I’ll serve each of you a portion of it. After that, everyone can have whatever they’d like.
So I simply just have to wait? Very well. ♪
Today was a lot of fun, wasn’t it? If I ever feel like it, I could help you out at the store again.
Next time, with Jun-kun doing the job…♪
Ehhh, Sazanami-senpai’s doing it…?
Mhm, mhm! Manual labor is suited for Jun-kun, after all. You’re free to work him to the bone in my stead. ♪
Hah…
(This guy’s basically saying he’ll send over someone completely unrelated to the job, isn’t he? I feel bad for Sazanami-senpai…)
(I really don’t get nobles at all… But that part of him is actually—)
…Tomoe-senpai, you’re like a yuruchara, huh.
Mm? What’s that supposed to mean?
Ah, I got it! You mean to say that I’m like a mascot character, don’t you?7
I’m the central piece of Eden, after all! I’ve got no objections to being regarded as such. ♪
Oh, you know what— How about I ask a toy company I know to make a yuruchara based on me?
We don’t have to stop there, we could make yuruchara merchandise of Eden and the rest of the CosPro idols! Fans would love that, wouldn’t they?
Huh!? You’ve got connections, or well, means of contact like that…?
Mhm, mhm! I’m well-known in all sorts of places, and I can just throw any of the minor details at Ibara!
I-I see… Someone I know as a yuruchara…
I can’t imagine it at all, but… I’m kind of curious…♪
Ooh, Midori-chin’s completely into it!
His eyes are sparkling like a little boy~♪
(Fufu. I’m happy to see Takamine-kun smile at last. Smiles and love are always number one, after all.)
(I was right on the mark to think this was a great sign. Today is such wonderful weather…♪)
Translation Notes
- ↑ Referring to what happened in Bogie Time. Translation to the story.
- ↑ In Japanese, it’s called dosukoi kyabetsu kun, dosukoi being a sumo chant.
- ↑ Yuruchara; yuru meaning “loose,” “soft,” “laid-back,” + the word “character”. Yuruchara are a type of mascot characters, with their defining feature being that they have very peculiar designs, ranging from bizarre-cute to adorkable. As shown in this story too, they’re well-known for being used all across Japan for PR purposes for companies, prefectures, etc… For more information read more here.
- ↑ Nazuna switches from his usual way of speaking to speak in polite language (keigo) with the customers.
- ↑ This is shown in Midori’s management story with Hajime.
- ↑ Fun fact, Midori’s room was first revealed with this story, and the background can be unlocked through his card!
- ↑ Hiyori literally says “mascot character” in Japanese here. Although similar, it’s a different term from Midori’s favorite type of mascots, known as yuruchara (which are known to have odd but cute designs, unlike the typical mascot characters)