Dark Night's Passing - Prologue

[bakemonoremy]

Location: Resting Area

- Early September, in the Resting Area of the ES building -

Kohaku: — Yeah, yeah.

I get it already, no need ta keep remindin’ me over an’ over.

Unlike Rinne-han, I’m not the type ta try an’ outwit others an’ deceive ‘em. I generally obey the higher-ups.

But I don’t like being thought of as a chess piece or slave ya can just use t’yer convenience forever.

This’ll be the last time I’ll do your biddin’, and if ya don’t keep your end of the deal, I’ll have no mercy — Vice Prez-han.

Seems like ya underwent a good bit of training yourself, but it’s impossible t'be on your guard 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

We know just how ta stab someone with a poison stinger the moment they get careless.

Make sure ya treasure the one and only life yer parents gave ya.

Uh huh. Gotcha. ...Uh, my acquaintance just got here, so I’mma hang up on ya.

We’ll talk again when I give ya the periodical report, as accordin’ to the rules. — See ya.

Aira: He~y, Kohakucchi~♪

Kohaku: ……...♪

Aira: Hm? What’s up, you’re grinning ear to ear — Did something nice happen?

Kohaku: Nah, I was just thinkin’ 'bout how I actually got real used ta bein’ called “Kohakucchi”.

Couldn’t help but laugh at myself for that, I guess — I usually consider myself a real bonehead, y’know.

Anyhow. Sorry for callin’ ya over here when you’re so busy… Rabu-han ♪

Aira: Uu. Stop it, I just can’t seem to get used to that “Rabu-han” nickname — or, like, it reminds me of a dark past I’d really like to forget!

Kohaku: Ko ko ko ♪ It's a good name 'cause it's cute; it suits ya well, Rabu-han.

Aira: Uu~, you’re the only one who praises me like that, Kohakucchi~...

I’ve been so useless lately — I almost think that I peaked back at MDM and it’s all gonna be downhill from there.

Kohaku: Hmm, what’s that all about? Are ya saying you've tasted all life has ta offer, with that adolescent body of yours?

Aira: That’s not what I’m saying… It's just that everyone in Alkaloid hasn't been attending school since forever, but now we’ve finally gone back  to Yumenosaki and Reimei and stuff.

They told us that as long as we pull off our idol activities, they won’t see our lack of attendance as a problem, but it’s a given that we’ve fallen behind on our studies…

For what it’s worth, Yumenosaki’s an “Idol Training School”, so the difficulty and quantity of normal classes there are pretty low.

But y’know, I just don’t have the braincells for it.

I failed, like, a whole bunch of exams the other day during the periodic testing. It's not like they’re gonna suspend me for that, but —

Even Isara-buchou, who always smiles so gently no matter what may happen, got kinda exasperated and told me, “Dude, this goes a bit far…”.

What a shock~, guess I’m an underachiever as a high schooler as well…

Kohaku: Isara? Ain’t that the guy from Trickstar? Why’re ya callin’ him “buchou”?

Aira: Ah, it’s because I joined the Basketball Club at school. He’s the club captain there.

How about you, Kohakucchi — what club did you join? Actually, did Crazy:B even go back  to school at all?

Kohaku: Well, our Rinne-han’s already an adult, and Niki-han has the kinda constitution that'd make him starve ta death before he could even get any studying done…

HiMERU-han apparently skipped grades and already graduated from university a long while ago, so we don’t got that kinda “back to school” feeling goin’ on.

Aira: Huh, is that so?

I don’t remember HiMERU’s profile saying anything about that, but I don’t stan CosPro hard enough to know their profiles by heart —

Ah, of course, Kohakucchi is ra~vely* though ♪

Kohaku: Thank ya kindly. ...T’tell the truth, I do wanna see what it’s like ta live a normal high school life for once.

But even if I enrolled, they’d probably just stick me into one of the schools that have connections ta my agency, like Reimei or Shuuetsu.

Back when I was troubled ‘cause I didn’t have anywhere t’stay, the agency put in a good word for me so I could stay at Reimei’s dormitory, y’see.

Aira: Eh~? Just come to Yumenosaki instead! I’m sure every day would be super fun with Kohakucchi around ♪

Kohaku: Ya make it sound so easy. In this world, there are a great many things ya can’t go up against no matter how hard ya wish ta, y’know.

More importantly. Much as I’d like ta keep chit chattin’ with ya like this, you're livin’ the busy high schooler’s life — Mind if I jump right into business?

Aira: Ah, right! Sorry, sorry!

Talking to Kohakucchi always makes me feel relaxed — like, it kinda heals my soul — so I just couldn’t help myself ♪

Guess I can’t be like Hiro-kun, who’s a moron but still somehow ended up getting some of the best grades in his year through what must’ve been some kinda mistake.

He’s the enemy of all kids who suck at studying!

Kohaku: Hiro-kun? Oh right, ain’t that yer sweetheart, Rabu-han?

Guess that kid’s more clever than he looks, huh? As expected from Rinne-han’s lil brother.

Aira: He’s not sweet**, he’s an evil that must be defeated! How dare he call himself an “underachiever” like the rest of us!

And he even dared to recite the one magic spell that hurts my feelings, like, “If there’s anything you don’t get, do you want me to teach you?”!

— Well, putting that aside. With how many exams I flunked, I’ve got remedial lessons going on now. It’s a shame, but we’ll have to finish up here quickly.

First things first; I compiled all the materials I had at home and brought them here… Does this help?

The person in question went on a hiatus for a while, so as you might expect, there aren't a lot of records about them from that time —

Kohaku: Gotcha. No worries, this is more than plenty. I don't have any contacts in that field, and while I could’ve asked Bon*** or Vice Prez-han…

I don’t really wanna indebt myself to either of ‘em, so I had no choice but t’rely on ya, Rabu-han.

I know you’re goin’ through a busy time right now, so I’m mighty sorry for causin’ ya trouble like this.

Aira: No worries — we’re friends, after all ♪ And it makes me happy to know that my hobby's  finally doing somebody some good… Feels like it hasn’t all been for nothing.

But what are you gonna use Tsukinaga-senpai’s activity records and his fan’s chatlogs for, anyway?

This is all public info, so normally I’d just think you’re researching him out of curiosity.

But, Kohakucchi, you were kidnapped by Tsukinaga-senpai — or rather, by Knights — back during MDM, weren't you?

It doesn't really feel like you're looking into them just 'cause you like 'em, so I'm a little uneasy, y'know?

Kohaku: Right. Well, let’s just say it’s a work-related necessity.

Aira: Work?

Kohaku: Yep. ...And as usual, it’s a dirty job, befittin’ of me.

—————————

* In case you missed it, Aira’s catchphrases all have to do with the word love (Aira-bu (I love), Raburi (Lovely)) and so on. He uses the katakana word “Love” for it. In this case, he said “Kohakucchi is love!” and I tried to keep it consistent with his other catchphrases that have received a localization in Main Story already.

** Kohaku calls Hiiro Aira's "良ぇひと" which literally means "good person" but means boyfriend when used in this context, but Aira likely misunderstands him as saying that Hiiro is a good person in general and he refutes this and calls him evil instead. In my opinion he either misunderstood Kohaku or purposely plays off the expression he used.

*** Bon (坊) (boy, son, sonny) is what Kohaku calls Tsukasa.