Devils - bright complex 1

[bakemonoremy]

Location: Library

Rei: Excuse me ♪

Tsumu-… Aoba-kun, are you in? I’m almost done with the “Easter” proposal I consulted with you about, so I came to have you look it over.

The theme for “Easter” will be as the name suggests.

The plan is a rehash of what Switch did for “Easter Night”, so we will be riding your coattails.

In order to differentiate us… I’d like to hear your opinions and brush up the proposal.

I would have asked Sakasaki-kun, but for some reason that child will just affirm anything his “Nii-san’s of the Five Oddballs” tell him…

He’s usually levelheaded, but I don’t think he would be impartial…

That’s why I’d like to request Aoba-kun to look it over. It might be a bother, but knowing you, you’ll tell me what you think objectively, without mixing in self-interest.

So for this matter, I look forward to working with you.

Tsumugi: ………….

Rei: Hey, Aoba-kun. If you’re there, at least give me a reply. You’re making me look like some kind of suspicious person who talks to themselves.

Tsumugi: Fufu. I don’t know if you’re aware of it, but Rei-kun does have that side to him, in a way.

Or rather, everyone in the Five Oddballs always seems like they’re putting on a play even when no one’s around.

Rei: Kukuku. There’s no helping that, last year has turned into quite an awful tale after all. Now that the new year* has begun, I must smoothly turn over a new leaf.

That’s exactly why, I shall reboot myself from the Sakuma Rei of the Five Oddballs, to the Sakuma Rei of UNDEAD…

For that, a turning point for my rebirth is needed. And that shall be “Easter**”.

Now, to skillfully return to the original point I was making… If you have the time, I’d like you to review my proposal for “Easter”, Aoba-kun.

If you are busy at the moment, I can leave the proposal right here and you can look it over when you have the chance.

If there’s any points you’re concerned about, I’d like you to whisper them into my ear sometime later.

Since we are classmates, there’ll surely be many opportunities for that.

Tsumugi: Ah, no need to be considerate. I was just doing my job as a library committee member and stacking the returned books back into the shelves.

I’ll be done in just a moment, since it’s not a large amount of books. Young people these days don’t really like to read, after all.

Rei: “Young people”, you say… You’re still young yourself, aren’t you, Aoba-kun?

Tsumugi: Ahaha, may I take that as a self-deprecating joke… Rei-kun?

Why did you suddenly start conducting yourself like an old man?

Rei: Hm~. There’s several reasons, but because of a certain someone, I’ve become rather exhausted.

I can no longer move the way I could in my prime, therefore I’ve taken on the behavior of a senile old fool.

If I show this broken down condition to those people who expect the old “me”***, the shock will surely be huge.

Well, because of that, I try to demonstrate from the start that I’m just a grandpa with no energy whatsoever~, and the like.

But truth be told, behaving and speaking like this is a lot of fun.

It’s like that question of whether the egg or the chicken came first, but it’s because I don’t have the vigor to behave myself like a young man, and as such choose to act like a senior citizen.

And since it lowers the amount of energy I spend, it helps.

Tsumugi: Ahaha. Certainly, compared to the previous Rei-kun, the current one feels a lot more natural.

Er, we shouldn’t be chatting away like this. Please give me a moment, I’ll just put back these books I’m holding, and then look over your proposal for “Easter”...-

Awawah, uhyah!?

Rei: ...Watch out!

Be more careful, ya idiot! You almost fell off the damn stepladder, if I hadn’t supported ya right away, you woulda gotten hurt!?

Tsumugi: Your tone has reverted, Rei-kun.

Aah, I guess the prescription for my glasses is off~… I am totally turning into a clumsy girl**** lately.

Rei: Hmpf. If you’re aware of it, do something about it, you’re making me anxious.

Tsumugi: Fufu. I’m sorry. No… Thank you very much for saving me, Rei-kun.

Rei: You’re welcome.

…For the time being, the two of us, as former Oddballs and former fine, are historically opposed to each other.

There’s kids out there who would throw everything into chaos if they saw you needing assistance, so watch out.

Tsumugi: Yes, yes. That’s true~, everyone is honest about their feelings to a shocking degree.

Ritsu: Sh ~ u ~ t ~ u ~ p ~...

I was just sleeping so cozily here, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t make a fuss right next to me.

Tsumugi: Ahaha. I’m sorry, Ritsu-kun. The library should be a quiet place, after all.

Rei: Ritsu! Why are you sleeping in a place like this, you should go home properly and sleep in the same warm bed as me.

Tsumugi: Fufu. These days, it’s pretty noisy here at Yumenosaki~

While he was looking for a quiet place to sleep, it appears Ritsu-kun found his way into the library.

Since there’s no harm in it, I brought over blankets and such and made a bed for his exclusive use.

Now he’s settled down here, and I often see him here after school.

Rei: Ooh… In that case, my little brother is much obliged to you…?

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*Rei is talking about the academic year, not the calendar year here.

**Easter in Japanese is written as Rebirth Festival, which makes this whole thing very fitting.

***He uses “ore” here to signify his old self

****”Dojikko”, referring to the moe girl archetype of a cutesy but clumsy girl who keeps getting into accidents.