Final Ceremony, Chapter 3
A partial translation of the Final Ceremony main story. Inflections in this translation are based off of the live reading of the chapter from the 4piece final ceremony livestream.
In Chapter 2, Ibuki leaves the final ceremony early after learning that he isn't selected for the Nice Dream Unit.
Final Ceremony 3
(Yaaaawn…)
Ahh~ I haven’t been able to reel in anything big for a while now~.....
And the times I do catch something, it's just some lil’ small fry like a sardine. Hard times~
That bein’ said, who woulda thought that behind the audition venue was such a vast ocean?
It was hidden by that ginormous structure, what a waste, y’know~ If they were gonna set up a venue, they should have made it so that there’d be a full view of the ocean.
Why don’t those from the mainland cherish the sea~? The ocean is the mother of all life~
I think it's wild that Nassan built such a ginormous building just for the sake of the audition, though.
Well, the people of this country are show-offs, so maybe it's necessary to set the stage like that~
(Yaaawn…) … Still, not catching any fish like this is boooring~....
Besides, if things keep up like this I’ll end up going hungry. That’s no joke~
The venue has quieted down a lot, hasn't it? I wonder if the final ceremony has ended.
I really only joined the audition ‘cuz Nassan asked me to — but it was actually pretty fun for me~♪
I don’t see how I wasn’t selected for the Nice Dream Unit, though.
That Nassan, telling me "I just wanted to guide your talent to this country and help it grow," to woo me over, and yet…
You got my hopes up, and now you’re not gonna choose me, huh?
So cruel of him~ No one likes a man who won’t feed the fish he’s caught, y’know~
Or maybe Nassan’s eyes were going bad when he spotted me.
Well, it doesn’t matter~
As far as I’m concerned, there were other encounters that were more meaningful to me than being selected for the Nice Dream Unit~
Hm~mm… Liiike, you know?
I’d say I had a lotta fun with Hasumi-san during the audition~? We even said "see ya later" to each other at the end.
But, when is “later” gonna be? Another thing I can’t grasp, huh~
Anyhow, conflict's all I’ve known, after all~... I wanna keep from sparking any conflict with Hasumi-san and the guys in AKATSUKI the best I can.
Nyahaha, while I was thinking about aaall that, I missed the perfect time to bring my reel in~ My loss ☆
Well, whatever. Don’t worry, be happy~
Now then, maybe I’ll catch a big one next…?
……
Mm~mm. He’s not here either…
I looked around all the notable places in and around the venue, but he’s nowhere to be found. Figures, he must have already gone home. That Taki…
Honestly… Leaving in the middle of the final ceremony…
The recent recruits are too free and loose, with that guy protesting the results and all… How incorrigible…!
I’ve already gone out of my way to talk to Kiryu and Kanzaki too. I should have been quick to speak with Taki, but I didn’t expect him to be this hard to find.
I should’ve exchanged contact information as soon as the audition concluded.
On the other hand, if I were to get his details through the agency or Anzu at a later date, It’d seem like I’m coercing him into it which would feel a little dicey, so—
… Gh!?
That huge gust of wind startled me… The winds are really strong here, huh?
Hm? There’s a little path right here. I never noticed it during the audition.
Where does it lead to…?
Oh…? So this little path leads out to the ocean, huh… The gust of wind must have come from the sea.
… Hm? Somebody’s humming a song…?
♪~♪~♪~
Wh–Taki!? What are you doing here?
Nyahaha~ This is the big catch I’ve been hoping to come my way...♪
The big catch? What are you talking about?
Taki, I’ve been looking for you for a while now. There’s something I need to talk to you about. Lend me a second of your time.
Oh~ That right~? I had something I wanted to say to you too~
……
I think there are some moments in this world that we just can’t let get away. Those so-called “chances” and “golden opportunities”, so to speak—
And, I think that those who can grasp onto them will be able to find success.
Yeah, I get it. I think the same.
Is that right? What a coincidence.
What a coincidence indeed~
I believe that golden opportunity for me must be… right now.
— Taki. Why don’t you perform a live together with us AKATSUKI? 1
Nyaha-haaa~ I was gonna ask you the exact same thing~
From me too…
Hasumi-san, let’s do a live together, me and AKATSUKI. 2
Yes— that would be great. I look forward to working with you…!
— For the sake of finding out what this true “Japanese-style” is…3
Hm? What did you say just now? I couldn’t hear you very well over the seabreeze.
Nah. Don’t worry about it~
Translation Notes
- ↑ The live-reading includes some gestures. Here, Umehara (Keito's VA) extends his hand out, offering it.
- ↑ Kobayashi (Ibuki's VA) then extends his hand out.
- ↑ 和風 (wa-fu), Japanese-style, literally meaning "tranquil wind". The kanji used here to indicate "Japanese-ness", 和 (wa), actually means "harmonious"—the second meaning of "Japanese" being one the Japanese chose for themselves, basing off the Chinese Confucian and Buddhist philosophies that Japan as a nation should have a framework of "harmony valued and quarrels avoided". This kanji representing "Japanese-ness" is also present in 和人 (wa-jin), also known as the Yamato people; a term that came into use to distinguish the (colonialist) settlers of mainland Japan from minority ethnic groups, such as the Ryukyuans.