Aoba:

Fuaah…it looks like there’s just two more destinations left. The destinations this time were close enough that I could take it easy, but it really ate up my time. Hah, plus it’s starting to get dark…

Ren:

There were a few places where the receipt of the goods took some time as well.

Aoba:

Right? “Please wait a moment,” they said, then they made us wait half an hour. Eeh, well, after these two we’ll be done. Let’s keep it up. The next destination is…aha! Mizuki’s place!

Ren:

That’s very close to here.

Aoba:

Yup. Let’s head right over.

(walking)

Hello! Heibon Courier Service!

Part-Timer:

Thank you for your hard work.

Aoba:

Huh? Where’s Mizuki?

Part-Timer:

Mizuki-san is in the bar.

Aoba:

Ooh, he really is. That’s rare. Oh, and next to Mizuki there’s… (walking, then in a high-pitched voice) How could you, Koujaku-san? What are you doing in a place like this??

Koujaku:

(sputters)

Mizuki:

Well if it isn’t Aoba.

Aoba:

That’s right~ It’s Aoba~

Kou:

Aoba-san! You’re working hard!

Hagima:

Thanks for the hard work!

Aoba:

Ah, Kou and Hagima you’re here too.

Kou:

Yes, pardon the intrusion.

Koujaku:

So it was you, Aoba.

Aoba:

Oh! He’s healed!

Koujaku:

Don’t startle me so suddenly. I almost wasted my sake.

Aoba:

Eh? I didn’t startle you. It was just an impersonation of earlier. I think I got it pretty spot on.

Koujaku:

Hmph, what part was that?

Aoba:

Tch. Ah, that’s right. Mizuki. This is what you ordered, right?

Mizuki:

Right. Thank you.

Aoba:

Thank you for your business! Anyway, what’s going on? Is Benishigure having a drinking party here today?

Koujaku:

That’s right. I closed up shop a little early today and came over. I was thinking that it’d be a good idea to go out drinking as a distraction every once in a while.

Kou:

That’s right. Today it’s Koujaku-san’s treat.

Hagima:

That’s right!

Koujaku:

Of course!

Mizuki:

I’ve let Benishigure use my store, at least the bar half, for quite a while. Thank you for your continued patronage~

Koujaku:

Not at all, my thanks to you as well~ The team is indebted to you~

Aoba:

That’s nice…I want to join in too…

Koujaku:

Are you still working?

Aoba:

That’s right. There’s still one delivery left.

Mizuki:

Is that right, that’s rough.

Koujaku:

It seems like you’ve been really busy lately, Aoba.

Aoba:

The store’s flourishing a little bit right now. Plus tamaokuri’s coming up soon.

Mizuki:

Ah

Koujaku:

Oh…

Aoba:

Haga-san’s busy with preparations for that as well. So it’s sort of like I have to do my best at deliveries.

Mizuki:

It looks like this year’s tamaokuri is going to be pretty extravagant.

Aoba:

Looks like it.

Mizuki:

Up until last year both tamaokuri and the shrine festival were actually suspended. But when Platinum Jail was completed it seems like there were a lot of people whose ancestor’s graves were smashed. So it seems like even though we haven’t done it up until now there’s a lot of people who want to make it a grand event.

Koujaku:

Mm

Aoba:

Hm? Koujaku, what’s wrong?

Koujaku:

Hm? Ah, no. It’s nothing.

Aoba:

Hmm? Just now you were making a reaally scary face.

Koujaku:

Is that right? Must be your imagination.

Aoba:

Really~?

Koujaku:

Of course.

Mizuki:

Are you guys going to participate in tamaokuri?

Aoba:

Yeah, I was planning to help out the day before the event.

Koujaku:

I’ll do the same.

Hagima:

The same as well.

Kou:

Me too!

Mizuki:

Oh, so everyone’s doing their part. It’s great that Midorijima has so many young people who keep the island in their thoughts.

Aoba:

Mizuki, you sounded like an old geezer just now.

Mizuki:

Ahah, is that right.

Koujaku:

Hm…

Aoba:

Mmh? Koujaku?

Koujaku:

Hm?

Aoba:

Somehow…it really seems like you’re not feeling well. What’s wrong?

Koujaku:

No, it’s not really anything.

Aoba:

You liar. It’s been bothering me since a little while ago. You’re drinking for a distraction, right? Who said that? Wasn’t it you?

Koujaku:

Yeah.

Aoba:

What sort of distraction is it? Anyway, isn’t it sort of rare for you to suggest something like that?

Koujaku:

Mmh…hah…

Mizuki:

Aoba…you’ve really got a good eye for that.

Kou:

Amazing…

Aoba:

Eh??

Mizuki:

It wasn’t bothering me at all.

Hagima:

Me either!

Koujaku:

To be honest, me either.

Aoba:

Eh? Ah…did I say something weird?

Koujaku:

Not at all…it’s just as you’ve said. There’s no point in hiding it, but I don’t have anything to hide. When I said distraction…I meant from all of this tamaokuri stuff.

Aoba:

From tamaokuri…?

Koujaku:

Yeah. Today, or rather…ever since the shrine festival finished it’s been that way. I keep on getting invited to go out to tamaokuri by my customers.

Mizuki:

Ah, it really is different for popular guys.

Koujaku:

Don’t poke fun at me. Anyway, starting this year I’ve stopped taking my customers out in private. So I’ve rejected all of them. I rejected the girls who wanted to go with me to the shrine festival as well. Because of that…

Kou:

Ahh, so it’s like that, isn’t it? But it’s really something, ain’t it? The tenacity of ladies who like Koujaku.

Aoba:

Tenacity?

Hagima:

Some of Koujaku-san’s customers are girls who’ve really fallen for him. The more they’re rejected, the more tenacious they become.

Mizuki:

So it’s the sort of mentality where they’d go as far as chasing after him?

Koujaku:

Well, it’s probably something close to that. At any rate, there’s been some girls who, when I’ve told them that I can’t go to tamaokuri, even though they’re right in the middle of a haircut they’ll burst into tears or they’ll hold the chair and refuse to switch with the next customer until I say that I’ll go.

Kou:

Some of them even tried to ambush you, didn’t they?

Mizuki:

I see how it is. If the shrine’s festival was a no go then they’ll just try for the next one, or something like that.

Koujaku:

Aah, it’s continued on like that. So of course I’d be worn out, right?

Aoba:

I see. It’s hard work.

Mizuki:

But, Aoba said it about right. There’s something sort of strange about that.

Koujaku:

What is?

Mizuki:

Since it’s Koujaku who’s in the top 100 for most perfect, up until now you’ve been in a position where you have to reject a girl time after time, right?

Koujaku:

Well, yeah…

Mizuki:

Even still, I haven’t really seen you looking so serious. I haven’t heard you say you’re tired of it either. That’s why it’s kind of strange.

Koujaku:

There’s different reasons, even for me.

Mizuki:

Is that right…

Ren:

Aoba, my apologies for interrupting you in the middle of a conversation.

Aoba:

Oh, Ren.

Kou:

Ahaha, Ren-kun!

Ren:

Wouldn’t it be best to resume our deliveries before too long?

Aoba:

Daah, r-r-right! Deliveries! Then, I’ll be heading out!

Koujaku:

Right! Do your best!

Mizuki:

Once you’re done come back and have a drink with us.

Aoba:

Right! Koujaku, don’t look so disheartened.

Koujaku:

Aha…thank you very much.

Aoba:

See you!

Koujaku:

Later!

Hagima:

Keep up the hard work, Aoba-san!

Kou:

Keep it up! Ren-kun, see you!

Ren:

Arf arf!

Kou:

Ahaha!

Hagima:

Come on, Kou…

~interlude~

Aoba:

Then, I’m heading out for today! Haaah. Aaah, I really worked hard today.

Ren:

Aoba, thank you for your hard work.

Aoba:

Thank you, Ren. Right, let’s head home. Haah…hmm…nnh.

Ren:

What’s wrong, Aoba?

Aoba:

Ah, well…I’m just wondering if I should head back.

Ren:

To where?

Aoba:

To Mizuki’s shop.

Ren:

I think that it would be best to return home and rest for the day.

Aoba:

Mhm…

Ren:

Alcohol functions well when your body is fatigued. It would be best to refrain from drinking.

Aoba:

Ah, I don’t really want to drink. It’s about Koujaku…I guess I’m really worried about him. I don’t know if he’s still there or not but I could at least…I don’t know, stop in for a bit or something.

Ren:

He said that he was tired due to matters with his customers…

Aoba:

Yeah, of course there’s that to as well…but is that all there is…it’s like he was kind of weirdly vague about it…hah. I wonder if I should just try to sleep it off.

(the sound of a woman and a man talking)

Aoba:

Hm? I hear something. Some drunks fighting?

Ren:

It seems like a man and a woman.

Aoba:

Then, a break up. In the middle of the road, at that. That must be a mess.

Ren:

Aoba.

Aoba:

Hm?

Ren:

That voice is….

Koujaku:

That’s why…I’m glad to hear it, but like I told you today, I can’t answer.

Customer:

But I want to go with you to tamaokuri no matter what, Koujaku!

Koujaku:

I’m sorry. I’ve decided at least that much in my heart so I can’t go back on my word.

Customer:

But you weren’t like that up until now, were you? I’ve never been rejected after asking you out. Why are you like this, all of a sudden?

Aoba:

Uwah…so it’s Koujaku fighting? It looks like he’s sober…but is he all right?

Customer:

I thought that we could go to the shrine festival together as well but that was no good. But then maybe you’d go with me to tamaokuri! Now that the festival and tamaokuri have started up again I decided I could at least have fun this summer!

Koujaku:

Anyone would understand how you feel. Even still, tamaokuri isn’t like the festival. It’s a time to quietly honor your ancestors. That’s why wouldn’t it be better to go with your family or someone more important than me?

Customer:

Who cares about them! I want to go with Koujaku-san! My family’s going to take care of the memorial service for my ancestors so even if it’s afterwards I think I’ll make it in time…

Koujaku:

That’s not true.

Customer:

Eh?

Koujaku:

Try to compose yourself a little. And then think very carefully about what it is that you should value. The way that people treat it may be different, but at least for me…I don’t think that I’d want to go along with anyone who treats tamaokuri so lightly.

Customer:

That’s…

Koujaku:

It’s an insult to your ancestors to think the way you do. Don’t you understand?

Customer:

Why are you so angry?

Koujaku:

I’m not angry.

Customer:

You’re angry, aren’t you! And what’s more…you’ve never spoken to me that way before! It’s like…you’re scary, Koujaku-san!

Koujaku:

Ah…I’m sorry. Anyway, I can’t go with you to tamaokuri. No matter how persistent you are that won’t change.

Customer:

Fine! I get it!

Koujaku:

(sigh)

Aoba:

Ah…Koujaku…ah–uwa-wah, he’s coming this way! Wh-what should I do?

Koujaku:

Hm? Ah… Aoba.

Aoba:

Nnhaah…ah…um…ehehe…we really are running into each other a lot today. What a strange coincidence, or something…

Koujaku:

Were you here the whole time?

Aoba:

Aah, umm…ah…mhm. I think so.

Koujaku:

Hah…hehe…you really saw something embarrassing, didn’t you?

Aoba:

Ohh, no. You told me about it at Mizuki’s place today, right? About your customers. So…I listened in. How do I say it…it looked really rough.

Koujaku:

That’s to be expected when it’s an everyday occurrence.

Aoba:

You’re telling me. Ah…hey, Koujaku.

Koujaku:

Hm?

Aoba:

Do you want to come over for dinner now? I was just about to head home after work.

Koujaku:

Ah, I’d like to say that I’d love to, but not today. I’m going home and sleeping.

Aoba:

Is that it…got it. Then, I’ll see you later.

Koujaku:

Right. Aoba?

Aoba:

Hm?

(Koujaku grabs him and kisses him)

Koujaku:

I’ll see you. Good night.

Aoba:

Y-you…in the middle of the road…nngh…good night. (he takes a few steps away) Koujaku…are you really all right?