Nanako-chan SOS: Prerequisite 2
Ramen would be good.
Kohaku-san makes Chinese food, too, but hers is too classy.
A growing student needs pig bone stew with fat floating on top or mustard ramen with tons of garlic.
Music: Play Track 14
When eating ramen, I choose a place that offers nothing else.
If there's dumpling or fried rice, my mind gets swayed. So I go to a place I know.
"So, I thought I'd change up my taste today, so I ordered these toppings."
"Kuuu!@ What is that?! That sunflower-like ramen?!"
"Oh, you said it well, Tohno. Mmm... I tried eight eggs instead of pork, but now it tastes only like eggs."
In Arihiko's bowl is ramen on which a big yellow flower has bloomed.
The eggs are enough to cover the noodles. He's eating it as if it were tasty. Sometimes... I want to know what's going on inside his head...
"But what's gotten into you? You never came to Mark II since you left the Arimas."
"There's no particular reason. I just wanted to eat ramen at this place."
Plop goes the pork into the stew.
"Eh? I didn't order pork."
".................."
Tadaka-kun's older brother and the owner of the shop says it's 'service.'
"Ah! Unfair! It's discrimination! Discrimination!"
".............................."
'Next time,' the owner indicates with his chopsticks.
--------This is the mobile restaurant Mark II.
It's pops up everywhere with its bike tuned beyond its limits.
It's classmate Takada Yoichi-kun's brother's hobby. Of course, since it's in such a state, the brother doesn't even have a license.
"Tsk... one service per day... Fine, I'll yield to you today."
Arihiko stuffs many eggs into his mouth. Doesn't his stomach explode from so many eggs?
"But to turn the topic around, why are you eating out today? Did you do something terrible so you can't stay in the mansion?"
"Mmm... if I do something like that my life would already be over... No, there really is no reason. I just wanted to have a meal with you.
But what about you? Ichigo-san's back, isn't she? Is it okay to be out during dinnertime?"
"Ah, a little... there's something complicated in my house... If I'm alone I think I'll go mad. I'm so glad you called."
Arihiko's talk just now doesn't sound definite.
"Hmm, what... Is it trouble with women, again?"
"Idiot, how could that... hmm... maybe it is... It's a female, but it talks back unnecessarily and puts me in a weird situation."
He munches down on his eggs.
"Heeeh? You can't stand a woman? I thought your motto was that women are lovable no matter what they do."
"Idiot... that's only when I've fallen for her. But, I do like most women."
And he eats his eggs again.
Even after so much eating, the noodles don't show up... Has there only been eight eggs?
"Hmmm... Then the one bothering you right now doesn't suit your taste?"
"That's... it's really weird and complicated. I don't really want to even recognize it. Tohno, do you believe in spirits and ghosts?"
Uuuh... such a question is difficult to answer...
If I, who already has a foot in that other world, answer truthfully, it'll sound like a lie, and if I lie, it'll sound sincere...
"Right... I don't think mysteries are all bad. For example, it's another word for romance and the unexplained."
"Romance?! You're really something. You call that idiotic horse romance!"
Arihiko chuckles like a madman.
"Horse? What, is it a ponytail this time? I didn't see anyone with a ponytail recently. I personally like ponytails."
"Mmm... I don't. But her hair's short. And she definitely has a tail. See? It waggles like this."
"Hee? It's cute, like a cat."
"That's because animals are only lovable when you look at them."
And he digs into his eggs again.
Judging from his frown, he's getting tired of the yolk.
"But, maybe it's a luxurious worry. It's nothing like yours, so it's a relief."
"Nothing like mine? What do you mean by that, Mr. Arihiko?"
"Hehehehe... anyway, let me have a grilled pork sheet."
Swoosh! He invades my bowl with unbelievable speed.
And I reply in kind and invade his bowl for an egg.
Play Track 2
"Arihiko, I need to ask you something weird..."
When I ordered my second bowl and Arihiko his third, I suddenly feel like asking that question.
"If I say that yesterday's dream feels like today, can you believe it?"
"--------"
He contemplates. One of his positive qualities is that he can tell a joke from an important matter and turn serious at a second's notice.
"I can't answer either way, as I'm not you. Well... if you're talking about deja vus, I get those from time to time."
"Yeah, I thought it was that at first, too, but I think it's different from a deja vu. If you actually encounter the situation, you usually realize it's a dream, don't you?"
"Right, that's correct. It's instinct."
"But the thing that's weird about my case is that what's happening today becomes yesterday's dream..."
"? That's paradoxical..."
"I know, that's why I'm confused. And in addition, I only think that during the night. When I wake up in the morning, it's all happy and good, and I forget yesterday's dream."
"Heeh... you're dreaming something weird again... I personally dream only old dreams nowadays."
Slurp. Arihiko drinks the soup.
"Old dreams...?"
"Yeah. I don't really want to think about it, but I can't help it. Like when we were young we used to fight a lot and go on top of people's roofs and talk about boring stuff.
Such traumatic events."
"Traumatic? They're nightmares?"
... Nightmare. I didn't even think about it, but some of my dreams of yesterday probably contain what people call nightmares.
"Mmm... like trauma or fear of death... I thought I was more resistant to these things than people around my age.
And then I became classmates with a certain someone even more messed up than me, and we fought often. Then I found out that I didn't really accept the fact that human lives can end suddenly as well as I had thought I did. Rather, I was doing my best to deny the truth.
Well... those are the things that come up in my dream. They're pathetic memories, so I don't want to reminisce about them, but I suppose they could have their value."
"Yeah... this isn't related, either, but about that classmate... I'm sure he's thinking the same thing as you."
"Heheh. That's good. He has a bright future. If I treat him well now, I'll be sure to reap the rewards later."
Arihiko smiles.
------------Ah| I really have been treated well.
If I didn't have Arihiko, then I probably would have spent my teenage years in loneliness...
Trying hard to isolate myself from others as if I've reached enlightenment.
I was about to spend the only time in my life when I would be allowed to smile freely with such childish thoughts.
"Then, let me ask something, too. Tohno, did your answer to the question I asked earlier change?"
"--------"
His eyes are the same, but his words are extremely kind.
When was I asked a question with such a kind voice...
It was in elementary school, the last day of our hating each other.
"Mmm, it probably won't change. How about you?"
"Ah, it's the same here."
"What, we haven't made progress, neither of us."
"Haa... it's been such a stubborn relationship. I guess the only way to cut it now would be to die."
"What? If we really die, then we never can cut it."
"------------"
Arihiko opens his mouth widely, then...
"That is so... That part about you is scary."
Laughs a laugh from the bottom of his heart.
Play Track 4
"Haha... haha... wow... I haven't laughed this hard since afternoon today."
"What a way to say it... There's a limit to being cliche."
"Yeah, right? It's the same with being too cooped up."
Our laughs resonate.
This act of his is to hide his embarrassment, but I think I'll keep silent about that throughout my whole life.
"Well, don't think too hard on it. Life will only go its intended path."
"What, I thought you were going to say something magnanimous, but that's it?"
"Oh? Then I'll try again. Humans, no matter how hard they try, are just like this ramen."
"Heeeh?@ What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's good when it's hot, but it's trash when cold."
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
"It's not all nonsense. It's just something so obvious. No matter how hard you try, it'll eventually become cold, so you need to eat it up when it's still hot.
All life's that way, isn't it?"
(scene change to Shiki's room)
Play Track 14
"Huuuaaah! That was good!"
Swayed by Arihiko's pace, I ended up finishing four bowls.
It'll soon be twelve.
We talked about idiotic things for four hours, so I don't think I even have energy left to dream tonight.
Plop, I fall on my bed.
"... Mmm?"
A feeling as if my consciousness is scrunching up.
Right before rapidly falling into darkness.
Maybe Takada-kun's brother liked what we were talking about, but we ended up paying for only about half of the meal.
Kohaku-san makes Chinese food, too, but hers is too classy.
A growing student needs pig bone stew with fat floating on top or mustard ramen with tons of garlic.
Music: Play Track 14
When eating ramen, I choose a place that offers nothing else.
If there's dumpling or fried rice, my mind gets swayed. So I go to a place I know.
"So, I thought I'd change up my taste today, so I ordered these toppings."
"Kuuu!@ What is that?! That sunflower-like ramen?!"
"Oh, you said it well, Tohno. Mmm... I tried eight eggs instead of pork, but now it tastes only like eggs."
In Arihiko's bowl is ramen on which a big yellow flower has bloomed.
The eggs are enough to cover the noodles. He's eating it as if it were tasty. Sometimes... I want to know what's going on inside his head...
"But what's gotten into you? You never came to Mark II since you left the Arimas."
"There's no particular reason. I just wanted to eat ramen at this place."
Plop goes the pork into the stew.
"Eh? I didn't order pork."
".................."
Tadaka-kun's older brother and the owner of the shop says it's 'service.'
"Ah! Unfair! It's discrimination! Discrimination!"
".............................."
'Next time,' the owner indicates with his chopsticks.
--------This is the mobile restaurant Mark II.
It's pops up everywhere with its bike tuned beyond its limits.
It's classmate Takada Yoichi-kun's brother's hobby. Of course, since it's in such a state, the brother doesn't even have a license.
"Tsk... one service per day... Fine, I'll yield to you today."
Arihiko stuffs many eggs into his mouth. Doesn't his stomach explode from so many eggs?
"But to turn the topic around, why are you eating out today? Did you do something terrible so you can't stay in the mansion?"
"Mmm... if I do something like that my life would already be over... No, there really is no reason. I just wanted to have a meal with you.
But what about you? Ichigo-san's back, isn't she? Is it okay to be out during dinnertime?"
"Ah, a little... there's something complicated in my house... If I'm alone I think I'll go mad. I'm so glad you called."
Arihiko's talk just now doesn't sound definite.
"Hmm, what... Is it trouble with women, again?"
"Idiot, how could that... hmm... maybe it is... It's a female, but it talks back unnecessarily and puts me in a weird situation."
He munches down on his eggs.
"Heeeh? You can't stand a woman? I thought your motto was that women are lovable no matter what they do."
"Idiot... that's only when I've fallen for her. But, I do like most women."
And he eats his eggs again.
Even after so much eating, the noodles don't show up... Has there only been eight eggs?
"Hmmm... Then the one bothering you right now doesn't suit your taste?"
"That's... it's really weird and complicated. I don't really want to even recognize it. Tohno, do you believe in spirits and ghosts?"
Uuuh... such a question is difficult to answer...
If I, who already has a foot in that other world, answer truthfully, it'll sound like a lie, and if I lie, it'll sound sincere...
"Right... I don't think mysteries are all bad. For example, it's another word for romance and the unexplained."
"Romance?! You're really something. You call that idiotic horse romance!"
Arihiko chuckles like a madman.
"Horse? What, is it a ponytail this time? I didn't see anyone with a ponytail recently. I personally like ponytails."
"Mmm... I don't. But her hair's short. And she definitely has a tail. See? It waggles like this."
"Hee? It's cute, like a cat."
"That's because animals are only lovable when you look at them."
And he digs into his eggs again.
Judging from his frown, he's getting tired of the yolk.
"But, maybe it's a luxurious worry. It's nothing like yours, so it's a relief."
"Nothing like mine? What do you mean by that, Mr. Arihiko?"
"Hehehehe... anyway, let me have a grilled pork sheet."
Swoosh! He invades my bowl with unbelievable speed.
And I reply in kind and invade his bowl for an egg.
Play Track 2
"Arihiko, I need to ask you something weird..."
When I ordered my second bowl and Arihiko his third, I suddenly feel like asking that question.
"If I say that yesterday's dream feels like today, can you believe it?"
"--------"
He contemplates. One of his positive qualities is that he can tell a joke from an important matter and turn serious at a second's notice.
"I can't answer either way, as I'm not you. Well... if you're talking about deja vus, I get those from time to time."
"Yeah, I thought it was that at first, too, but I think it's different from a deja vu. If you actually encounter the situation, you usually realize it's a dream, don't you?"
"Right, that's correct. It's instinct."
"But the thing that's weird about my case is that what's happening today becomes yesterday's dream..."
"? That's paradoxical..."
"I know, that's why I'm confused. And in addition, I only think that during the night. When I wake up in the morning, it's all happy and good, and I forget yesterday's dream."
"Heeh... you're dreaming something weird again... I personally dream only old dreams nowadays."
Slurp. Arihiko drinks the soup.
"Old dreams...?"
"Yeah. I don't really want to think about it, but I can't help it. Like when we were young we used to fight a lot and go on top of people's roofs and talk about boring stuff.
Such traumatic events."
"Traumatic? They're nightmares?"
... Nightmare. I didn't even think about it, but some of my dreams of yesterday probably contain what people call nightmares.
"Mmm... like trauma or fear of death... I thought I was more resistant to these things than people around my age.
And then I became classmates with a certain someone even more messed up than me, and we fought often. Then I found out that I didn't really accept the fact that human lives can end suddenly as well as I had thought I did. Rather, I was doing my best to deny the truth.
Well... those are the things that come up in my dream. They're pathetic memories, so I don't want to reminisce about them, but I suppose they could have their value."
"Yeah... this isn't related, either, but about that classmate... I'm sure he's thinking the same thing as you."
"Heheh. That's good. He has a bright future. If I treat him well now, I'll be sure to reap the rewards later."
Arihiko smiles.
------------Ah| I really have been treated well.
If I didn't have Arihiko, then I probably would have spent my teenage years in loneliness...
Trying hard to isolate myself from others as if I've reached enlightenment.
I was about to spend the only time in my life when I would be allowed to smile freely with such childish thoughts.
"Then, let me ask something, too. Tohno, did your answer to the question I asked earlier change?"
"--------"
His eyes are the same, but his words are extremely kind.
When was I asked a question with such a kind voice...
It was in elementary school, the last day of our hating each other.
"Mmm, it probably won't change. How about you?"
"Ah, it's the same here."
"What, we haven't made progress, neither of us."
"Haa... it's been such a stubborn relationship. I guess the only way to cut it now would be to die."
"What? If we really die, then we never can cut it."
"------------"
Arihiko opens his mouth widely, then...
"That is so... That part about you is scary."
Laughs a laugh from the bottom of his heart.
Play Track 4
"Haha... haha... wow... I haven't laughed this hard since afternoon today."
"What a way to say it... There's a limit to being cliche."
"Yeah, right? It's the same with being too cooped up."
Our laughs resonate.
This act of his is to hide his embarrassment, but I think I'll keep silent about that throughout my whole life.
"Well, don't think too hard on it. Life will only go its intended path."
"What, I thought you were going to say something magnanimous, but that's it?"
"Oh? Then I'll try again. Humans, no matter how hard they try, are just like this ramen."
"Heeeh?@ What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's good when it's hot, but it's trash when cold."
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
"It's not all nonsense. It's just something so obvious. No matter how hard you try, it'll eventually become cold, so you need to eat it up when it's still hot.
All life's that way, isn't it?"
(scene change to Shiki's room)
Play Track 14
"Huuuaaah! That was good!"
Swayed by Arihiko's pace, I ended up finishing four bowls.
It'll soon be twelve.
We talked about idiotic things for four hours, so I don't think I even have energy left to dream tonight.
Plop, I fall on my bed.
"... Mmm?"
A feeling as if my consciousness is scrunching up.
Right before rapidly falling into darkness.
Maybe Takada-kun's brother liked what we were talking about, but we ended up paying for only about half of the meal.