bakemonoremy

Location: Inside the Night Club

- Reminiscing. One week before the opening of the Antique Market, in Crazy:B’s new gathering spot, the night club “Beehive” -

Kohaku: Ahh, it’s been so nice an’ peaceful lately...♪

(Oops, I went an’ spoke aloud.)

(It may have been fine when I was by my lonesome in my zashikirou*, but here on the outside I shouldn’t be mutterin’ ta myself unless I want folks to eye me suspiciously — An’ here I was tryna be careful, too.)

(But that just goes ta show that I’m finally able ta let down my guard an’ live free of care. An’ that’s a good thing too, since I can’t go bein’ on edge day in an’ out.)

(Well, in any case, this is the “peaceful everyday life” I’d been wishing fer from the bottom of my heart. Better enjoy it while it lasts.)

(My lil’ peabrains — Crazy:B — have also somewhat fixed their reputation with Hot Limit, an’ we’ve been steadily gettin’ jobs since then.)

(‘Course, some people still frown on us, but at least our idol activities’ve become stable.)

(Whenever we don’t have anything goin’ on Rinne-han brings in new work fer us, an’ HiMERU-han recently seems ta have turned that into a competition, seein’ how even he’s been more proactive about work himself.)

(Niki-han’s the only one actin’ his usual self: eat, sleep, rinse, repeat. But I reckon that’s fine in its own way, ‘cause life ain’t only about keepin’ yerself busy with nothing but work.)

(An’ so we work enough on the daily fer it ta be fulfilling, an’ spend our time in leisure on our days off.)

(Reckon that’s the kinda regular everyman happiness anyone should be granted. Ko ko ko ♪)

(If at all possible, I’d like fer this peaceful time to continue on an’ on fore—)

Madara: Kohaku-saaaaan!

Kohaku: ………

Madara: Peel those eyes and ears, and turn that frown upside down! Here to knock your socks, shoes, hat, and tie off, it’s your dearest partner Mikejima Madaraaaaa! HOW ARE WE FEELING TODAAAY?!

Kohaku: ………

Madara: Now, now, it’s too late to try and crawl under a table to hide from me! My Mikejima ears hear the hellish screams! My Mikejima chop will blow you to smithereens!**

Kohaku: ...Sheesh. Alright, what is it.

Ain’tcha just happy as a clam, Madara-han. Did somethin’ good come about, or what?

Madara: Hahaha! The jury is still out on whether this is gonna be a good thing or not, actually!

We’ve been given a new mission of yet-unknown classificatiooon! Double Face, reporting for duty...☆

Kohaku: Double Face, reporting out of duty.

Madara: Now, now, now! I really wish you wouldn’t try to run away from me! If we got into a serious game of catch here, the people in the vicinity would likely become collateral damage in the ensuing carnage.

And then you’d end up getting banned from this place, which you seem to have taken such a liking to!

Kohaku: Here comes the coercion again. Why’re all the folks I get involved with always like this… Either way, this place happens ta be indebted ta me, so I reckon they’re not gonna issue a house ban fer me if I go an’ cause a lil’ fuss.

But alright then. I didn’t get the dessert I ordered yet, so I’ll at least hear ya out fer as long as it takes me ta dig inta that. ‘S not like yer a stranger to me or anything.

Really, though, what’s this all about…

Didn’t we have a deal that we’d generally give precedence to activities in our respective units, Crazy:B and MaM?

We were forced inta this unit against our will by the bigwigs from our agencies an’ all.

Reckon they really want us — well, mostly you, since yer usually so insistent on doin’ solo activities — to work as a duo.

Even more so since ya said something like… wantin’ ta increase yer activities as MaM ‘cause it peeves ya havin’ ta follow orders from the higher-ups.

I wouldn’t piss off the bigwigs so much if I were you. They’ll crush ya like a bug, y’know.

Madara: Hahaha! Sure, that’s what they’d do to you guys, but I’m different! In my case, I figure they’ll just move me out of the way somewhere when I’m being too much of a nuisance.

To tell you the truth, they’re already treating me like an outcast right now anyway.

Our wicked Double Face deeds must’ve given the people lurking on the dark side of the industry a good fright, ‘cause no one’s touching me with a ten-foot-pole anymore.

Kohaku: Well, no one’s gonna go outta their way ta purposely work with someone who’s gonna cut their head off while they sleep if things go south at any point.

And anyone who’s been in the industry long enough has likely done some questionable stuff at some point or another.

Madara: Yup, and as a result, I’m more incapable of doing any MaM activities than I ever expected. It’s a real pinch, I tell you.

At least Anzu-san is kind enough to throw me the odd job every once in a while, but that’s all I’ve got going for me.

But I’ve gotta say I’d prefer if someone as kind as her didn’t get too involved with me now that I’ve dirtied my hands this much, I guess.

Kohaku: Hmm. Well, considerin’ yer origins an’ disposition, ya must’ve known you were gonna find yerself in deep shit sooner or later. The formation of Double Face was nothing more than an impetus for that.

When it comes down ta it, we’re both filthy creatures who can’t live anywhere but the back alleys. We live in a different world than the sparkly frontstage that good citizens inhabit.

In fact, it’d be fer the best if we faded away an’ cut off all our connections with those innocent folks before we get our mud on ‘em.

Madara: Hahaha. You’re a strict one, Kohaku-san. Or rather, you’re not one to mince words—

But that’s exactly why I like you, and why I so strongly feel that we can grow even closer ♪

Kohaku: I refuse. I’ve got my share of troublesome friends-slash-acquaintances in Crazy:B already.

—————

* Time for your regularly scheduled zashikirou TL note:
Zashikirou is a word for a tatami-matted room (used in the Edo period) that was turned into a cage by the use of wooden bars in place of sliding doors for the purpose of domestic confinement of criminals and lunatics, usually when they were considered a danger to the community or family itself. Kohaku often refers to this concept when talking about his life back home.

** Madara is referencing the Devilman theme song (Devilman no uta), where the lyrics talk about “Devil ears” and “Devil chop” instead of the Mikejima powers he speaks of.