Hanafuda
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Chapter 1
Excuse me, I’m coming in.
Good Afternoon, Lieutenant Vice President. 1
Do you have business with Class-2A?
Don’t call me that, it makes me sound like I’m in the yakuza. I’m aware that you hate me, but you’ll have an easier life if you concealed your malice a little more.
Yes, yeS, I don't want a lecture…
But it's really unusual for you to come to our classroom, isn’t iT? Since you're such a distinguished vice president, why don't you just invite the underclassmen to your citadeL?
I have an errand for a guy who doesn't have the means for me to call him, so I have to walk there myself, don’t I?
AhhH… So you’re here for Sohma-kuN?2 That boy doesn’t carry a phone with him– a pretty rare habit these dayS.
That’s why there’s no choicE but to use old-fashioned means of communicatioN.
It helps that you’re quick to the point. Is Kanzaki here?
YeP. LooK, he’s playing in the corner of the classrooM.
Now, now, it’s about time for our match…☆
Hmm. He's unusually riled up, though it's fitting for a high school boy.
I'm glad he’s having fun... He's an odd guy, so I was worried he'd stick out like a sore thumb in class.
Ahaha. It's not unusual to see "odd guys" at Yumenosaki Academy nowadayS, since it's become a breathable environment, you knoW.
Especially for Sohma-kuN. He’s mellowed out since he became a second-yeaR.
Well, whateveR. I’d hate to see people think I’m buddy-buddy with the vice president because we talked for so lonG, so I'M going to go noW.
Right, right, go off now. I'm sorry for interrupting you as you were leaving the classroom, Sakasaki.
Don’t worrY, it was just bad timinG. No, it was bad lucK... I wonder if I've contracted Senpai's misfortunE?
( ... There he goes. Peculiar as always, just what you'd expect from a former member of the Five Eccentrics.)
(But before, every time we met, he’d harass me in some way, like pelting me with beans3...)
(Compared to that, I feel that we've been able to interact much more amicably.)
(I don’t think it means he’s forgiven us… But maybe it shows that Sakasaki is changing too.)
(I figured he was the type of person who had little room to grow since he had such a high level of perfection to begin with, but look at him now.)
(Heheh. The good changes and remarkable improvement of the underclassmen always manages to surprise me.)
Alright! This Kanzaki Souma is the parent! I’ve finally got parental rights…☆4
… Hm?
Hmhmm, my hand is quite excellent, too. This match shall be mine to take, Anzu-dono~♪
... Kanzaki. What is this, what are you and Anzu talking about? I may have to lecture you for an hour or so depending on the situation.
Oh, Hasumi-dono! What a surprise; what brings you all the way to my classroom?
In the event of an emergency, I’d have gone anywhere if you had simply called for me!
Even for me, I think it's inefficient to come find you every time I need you for something, but...
I don't have any other choice. No matter how many times I tell you to, you don't carry your smartphone on you.
Smartphones these days are easy to operate, even for people who aren’t accustomed to modern appliances. Kiryu and I will show you how to use it thoroughly if you need us to.
Ahaha. A sermon right out the gate; that is truly just like you to do, Hasumi-dono.
Let us leave that aside for now; what really brought you here?
Mm. I’ve received a small job to do over the weekend… so I want you to come to the dojo after school today. I’d like to discuss the matter with the three of us together– Kiryu included.
But today was supposed to be a day off from AKATSUKI activities, so if you have other things to do, you can prioritize those.
A-ha. Right, I understand. I’m humbled by your concern, but I have no matter nor training to conduct today, so I can attend the meeting.
Is that right? That's good to hear. It’d be tiring to have to repeat the same explanation over and over again, so it’ll be easier if I do it all at once.
Well if that’s the case, I'd like you to come to the dojo after school. I don’t mind if you take your time.
Understood. Ahh, I apologize profusely for making you come all the way here just for that.
However, considering how Hasumi-dono operates, I believe you could’ve chosen to call me by broadcast or the like.
Wouldn’t you hate that and say something like, “It’s disgraceful of me…”? Being called over the intercom doesn’t give a good impression to everyone around you, after all.
It’s easier to walk to the second-year classroom than to ask a member of the Broadcasting Committee to call for you anyways, so don't worry about it too much, Kanzaki.
I feel like I gained something by seeing how you usually behave in the classroom. I’m glad to see you’re enjoying yourself much more than I'd expected.
Chapter 2
I see. I was shocked to hear such a suspicious remark from you earlier, but now I get it... You were playing with hanafuda cards.
That's why you were talking about parental rights, right? Are you playing Koi-Koi by any chance?5
Having fun and making merry with classmates in the classroom is typical of high schoolers. But I feel like hanafuda card games as a choice of game are too complicated.
Hahaha, how embarrassing of me. Personally, I am more familiar with this game than games like “Toranpu”6, but…
It seems like everyone my age doesn’t know how to play, which makes me feel a little lonely.
Adonisu-dono showed interest, so I’ve taught him all sorts of things, but he still hasn’t memorized the “ruuru”.
......
Hm, Otogari? Come to think of it, you’re in the same class as Kanzaki, and you’re close friends, aren’t you?
Ahh, Hasumi-senpai… Lend me your help. I’d like to play a hanafuda card game with Kanzaki and Anzu too, but the terminology is too complicated.
That’s not surprising. I only understand the simplest and most familiar card game, Koi-Koi. But I haven't played it in a while, so I only vaguely remember the hand combinations.
Ahh, yes… No matter how many times the combinations are explained to me, I can't connect them to the words that I do know, so I look up the meaning of each word in a dictionary and write them down in my notebook.
Umm… This one with this one would be sakura ni maku7... Which is “Cherry Blossom” and “Curtain Call”…?
You’re starting to sound like Suou, Otogari.8
Uu… Oogami likes card games in general, so we usually play together… so I’m sure that if I could just remember the rules, I could play with you guys too.
Heheh. Adonisu-dono, you might not be confident with the language yet, but you’re quite clever, aren’t you?
Instead of getting trapped by the actual meaning of the terminology, I think it's better to memorize words through intuition by looking at them.
All hanafuda cards have pictures on them, so it's better to memorize them by the pictures than by the meanings of the words.
Generally, the more extravagant the picture, the stronger the card… or rather, the higher the score.
Here, this is a picture with the moon on top of a mountain, correct?
When you combine it with the sake card, you get the “moon-viewing with a drink” hand.9
It's like having a glass of sake while looking at the moon: getting tipsy and feeling good.
This one is sake? So this red part wasn’t… erm, a UFO of some sort?
Hmm. It certainly does look like an unidentified flying object, but it's actually sake.
So, the object behind this strangely pessimistic-looking bird... Is it also sake? 10
Heheh. Since you know such an advanced term for the meaning of “pessimistic”, 11 you’ll surely be able to pick up the terms used in hanafuda quickly.
It just so happens that this is the moon. A crescent moon, to be exact.
So this is also a moon…? Alright, when you combine this with the sake card, do you still get “moon-viewing with a drink”?
No. Unfortunately, it doesn’t become a legible hand unless the sake card is matched with this full moon card.
It’s so hard… Hanafuda’s so hard…
Don’t say that, I’d like you to try your best to learn it.
There are games like “Hachi-Hachi”12 that are meant to be played with three people, so if Adonisu-dono grows to understand hanafuda, it will be more fun.
Hahaha. Looks like you're having a hard time, Kanzaki.
No, no, talking with Adonisu-dono is beneficial for me as well.
I think that trying to explain difficult things in an understandable way also fits with AKATSUKI’s principles.
Like traditional performing arts… When it comes to things like Noh and Kabuki, many people don't understand the meaning of the words, and thus can’t understand the fun behind it.
We AKATSUKI will be the ones who translate and provide that “fun” in a modern way.
That is another one of AKATSUKI’s principles that I resonate with.
Even when I perform on stage for an event related to my household, I find it a shame that small children look at me in confusion, due to it being incomprehensible to them.
Yes, that sounds about right. At my temple, we try to explain the meaning of sutras in an understandable, modern way too.
Heheh, being born and raised in such a house is truly why Hasumi-dono is the linchpin of AKATSUKI’s founding principles.
… Oh, it isn’t really the time to casually chat, is it?
At this rate, we may not have time to cook, Anzu-dono.
So far, I’ve been in the lead this round, so is it alright if I'm in charge of cooking today?
? What do you mean by that?
Right. Anzu-dono and I often eat together at the cafeteria, choosing the “koosu” where we make the meal ourselves.
We do so especially when “Torikkusutaa” is away for work and such.
Ah, now that I think about it, there isn’t a noisy pack of guys hanging around. I guess they're busy taking their preparation seriously for SS.
Mhm. This time they seem to be doing a magazine interview that wasn’t organized by Anzu-dono, so she is left to “house-sit” at school, so to speak.
It seems like she’d like to accompany all of “Torikkusutaa”'s activities if she could, though.
Don’t. If you’re always hanging out with those guys, you won't be able to attend class properly.
Since they’re specifically out for a job, Trickstar is still considered as attending school, but for you, Anzu, it’d be considered as cutting classes under the rules.
It's not a good idea to end up in a situation like that vampire where you have to repeat a grade because you didn’t attend enough days.
… Hm, the producer course will properly start next school year, so the rules regarding attendance will need to be adjusted a bit.
Chapter 3
At any rate, if I recall correctly… As the name suggests, the DIY course at the cafeteria gives you the experience of making your own food.
And since the ingredients are available in advance, it’s cheaper than ready-made meals.
Mhm. It helps with learning how to cook as well, so I can kill two birds with one stone.
Normally, Anzu-dono and I cook separately or cook together, but…
Lately, she seems to be busy taking care of “Torikkustaa”.
So the meals she cooks have been visibly meager… or to be more specific, it looked as though she was cutting corners with the recipe, and I could not stand to watch her do that to herself...
That is when I offered to cook for Anzu-dono every day if she wanted.
But she firmly declined, saying she’d feel guilty about it...
Anzu-dono ended up insisting that it was her duty to take care of us “aidoru” and that she would even make mine every day.
By the end of a heated discussion… We decided that there would be a competition and the winner would be the one to cook.
Is that right… The fact it’s not “the loser” who cooks is just like you guys.
I feel like there were other options, like ordering regular food instead of making it yourself, but…
Well, if you guys are satisfied with that then I have no right to speak on it. Anyways… That’s why you two were playing hanafuda?
Mhm. Well, I’ve enjoyed hanafuda since I was a child so I have the advantage.
It would be more fair if we compete in Anzu-dono’s area of expertise tomorrow, huh.
… Hm? You’re disappointed that you lost and want to keep playing until you win?
You’re surprisingly competitive, Anzu-dono. Or perhaps I should say, you’re manly every now and then~♪
When it comes to girls, I don’t think you should be making comments about how “manly” they are...
Well, the truth is, she has become much more resolute compared to when she first entered the school.
Hm? Anzu-dono said, “Shishou praised me!” with delight… For some reason Anzu-dono’s started calling Hasumi-dono Shishou since the other day, mm? 13
Don't look too deeply into it, Kanzaki.
U-... Understood… I am not sure why, but your eyes are scary, Hasumi-dono.
Putting that aside, I’m sorry for talking for so long, you all. It's a bad habit of mine…
I suppose you're going from here to the cafeteria to cook, so you’d better get a move on before lunch break is over.
Hmm, that's true too.
Well then, Hasumi-dono, please excuse us for now. Let us meet again at the AKATSUKI meeting after school~♪
Mhm. See you after school.
...
… Hm? You aren’t going with them, Otogari?
I already ate.
I bumped into Tenma a short while ago. He said he bought too much bread and gave me some... I tend to eat quickly when I can.
What are you, a wild animal?
… Although, compared to when we first met, you’ve become much more human-like. Or rather, your demeanor has become softer.
No, I suppose it’s that you’ve become more like an idol.
Thank you. You're praising me, aren’t you, Hasumi-senpai?
That aside, I've been reading the hanafuda instruction manual for a while now, but there's something strange about it.
Kanzaki and Anzu didn't seem to notice, but I feel like there's one card missing.
While I was watching them play, I counted their cards, but…
It seemed like the number of cards Kanzaki and Anzu were playing with didn’t match the number in the instruction manual.
Hmm, is that so?
They’ve already put the hanafuda cards back, so we can't check, but… You said there's one hanafuda card missing?
Hm~mm… I feel like I remember hearing something about a card like that somewhere...?
Come now, dig in to your heart’s content~♪
I was able to display my skills to the fullest today as well!
It might be too much for two people to eat, but…
To be honest, I thought I would treat Adonisu-dono to a meal as well, so I had prepared extra ingredients.
Fresh fish is likely to spoil even if you choose to take it home, so I ended up cooking all of it right now.
I make a bento for Adonisu-dono now and then. But these days, I’ve been making food in the cafeteria myself more than before.
Still, it would feel strange for me to eat fresh cooking while Adonisu-dono eats a bento, so...
I thought it would be more efficient if I prepared meals for Adonisu-dono all at once.
But today, Adonisu-dono received some “bu-read” from his junior...
Apparently he was already full, so I did not need to treat him to a meal.
Adonisu-dono eats a lot, so he could probably make quick work of another meal, but… I don’t really intend to force him to eat.
Hm? What is it, Anzu-dono? "You're really close friends, aren't you?"
Indeed. Adonisu-dono is my irreplaceable best friend. Besides, seeing him enjoy the food makes it well worth the effort to cook.
Starting tomorrow, let’s reach out ahead of time and have lunch with Adonisu-dono.
He’s great at cooking as well, so it’d be nice to have him make us something as well.
We decided to play hanafuda to decide who would be in charge of cooking so...
Until then, we need Adonisu-dono to memorize the “ruuru” of hanafuda.
Heheh. Playing, cooking, and sitting around the table with friends from the same "kurasu"...
If I was asked if this is truly something typical of a high school student, I wouldn’t be sure how to respond, but I personally find it very refreshing and comfortable.
Ahh, this is truly our springtime of youth.
Chapter 4
Content Warning: Mentions of self-harm
Kanzaki-dono~! Anzu-dono~!
Oh, Sengoku. I’ve been seeing you around often, are you catching frog food again?14
Ah, no no. Lately, Shinkai-dono has been giving me some, so! I don’t have to swing around the flypaper on my own anymore~♪
I see. That’s wonderful news. Buchou-dono is truly a kind, honorable man as ever, isn’t he?
Yeah! His eccentric behavior frightened me a little at the start, but now I’ve come to really rely on him!
More importantly. Kanzaki-dono, I overheard your conversation but… if you made too much to eat, could I have some?
I’m actually a little short on money this month…
There was a ninja exhibition going on at a museum that was pretty far away, and I kept going all the time while ignoring the costs. I ended up pretty much emptying my wallet.
Hahaha. You truly do love ninjas, hm?
Yes, yes, come here... If anything, you’re a godsend, I’d appreciate it if you’d eat it for me. It's good to eat plenty and grow up properly.
You’re quite small after all, Sengoku. You should get proper nutrition and grow taller.
Ahaha, I’ve partially given up on my height, but…
RYUSEITAI involves a lot of vigorous action, so it’ll be tough on me if I don’t build up some stamina.
Thank you, I’d be happy to join you. I’ll eat lots to build muscle.
Mhm. I hope it suits your taste. Anzu-dono has been looking weary these days, so I decided to make her a nutritious, supple fish dish.
Fish is good for your health. They say that solely eating red meat makes it easy for you to develop shortness of breath.
Yaaay! Thanks for the meal! I’m the kind of ninja that isn’t picky, so I’ll enjoy anything!
Yes, eat, eat.
… Oh? Is something wrong, Anzu-dono? Why the long face?
Was it something about the ingredients you didn’t like? I was under the impression you’d eat pretty much anything, though…
Hm? You felt something was off, counted the hanafuda cards, and found that one was missing…?
Let me see which one. One… two… three… Ah, indeed, there’s only one card missing.
The one-point willow card is the one missing, perhaps. Since it’s a low-scoring, junk card, I didn’t notice it was missing while we were playing.
A junk card…? It’s not like you to say something so harsh, Kanzaki-dono.
No, I say that because that’s how it’s officially called…
However, regardless of its moniker, no card is unimportant enough to be excluded from a hanafuda deck. We can’t really play with this set.
Hmm? What’s the matter, Anzu-dono. Y–... You look like you’re about to cry for some reason?
Hm… This hanafuda set was entrusted to you by Kiryu-dono while you were working on organizing Quarrel Festival?15
I had thought it was odd that you had something so unusual for a delicate high school girl, Anzu-dono. I see, so it was a borrowed item.
Thinking back on it, Quarrel Festival’s stage did have decorations that harkened back to hanafuda, like boars and deer and butterflies…16
The music composition and staging resembled a match of hanafuda too.
Mm. Speaking of which, Hasumi-dono tore into the Quarrel Festival preparations extensively, so it underwent intense reworks.
Sometime then, you borrowed some of the outfits and accessories from AKATSUKI to serve as reference…? And eventually, you forgot to return the hanafuda cards?
Today, you found them in your bag, and it ended up being used for our duel…?
Mm, I’d thought it was incredibly refined of you to have such a hobby, Anzu-dono, but…
So that was the reason? I see…
Now I understand why Anzu-dono looks pale. The missing card is from a borrowed deck.
If you lost it, it’d be a gravely serious offense... that’s what you were thinking.
But, Kiryu-dono was the one to lend it to you. I don’t think that honorable man would be the type to get angry with you for it.
For example, after a rigorous lesson, I nearly slashed him with my sword in my fatigue…
But he let me off with a pinch on the cheek, even though I was more than willing to commit seppuku17 should the occasion call for it.
You committing seppuku would just put him in a bad spot, so he probably had no choice but to laugh it off…?
… Uwawa, Anzu-dono? Why did you suddenly stand up?
Eh? “Maybe I dropped the hanafuda card somewhere on my way to school, so I’ll search for it on my way home”...?
Mm. If that brings you peace of mind, I can’t particularly stop you, Anzu-dono… But before anything else, please eat. It’s said that there’s a proper order for everything.
We’ll eat, and then we’ll go search for it until the very last moment lunch break ends.
If we still can't find it then, we can try another time like after school, or speak to Kiryu-dono about the situation and apologize.
If you don't follow the proper steps and just act off of the heat of the moment, it won’t end well. That too is another important thing I learned from my seniors in AKATSUKI.
That's right, Anzu-dono. Although I understand the feeling of wanting to relieve your anxiety as quickly as you can... Searching for things is my bread and butter, so I'll help you look for it.
If you're searching for something, it's better to have assistance, right? In return for the meal, I’ll give it my all to help you.
Ah, if you dropped it on school grounds, someone might have picked it up and brought it to the lost-and-found box in the student council room. I'll go and check later.
Heheh. Isara-dono asks me to hunt down the owners of lost items often, so I’m no stranger to this sort of thing.
You're so reliable, Sengoku. How admirable… Good, good (Pats), there’s plenty to eat.
Wow~ It kind of feels like I’m a small animal being hand fed~!
Hehe. Anzu-dono, you too, please eat your fill before anything else.
You can’t fight if you’re hungry18, and hurrying can only lead to mistakes, you know.
Chapter 5
~...♪
… There we go. Maybe somethin’ like that?
(Mn…~ I can’t pin down why, but somethin’s off about it. It shouldn’t be too flashy like an idol outfit is.)
(Thanks to bein’ in AKATSUKI, I’m gettin’ familiar with good ol’ traditional styles ‘n designs, but…)
(It feels like I’m losing touch with the latest trends or somethin’.)
(I seriously gotta get my antenna up a lil’ more to keep up with what’s new in fashion.)
(But, I guess I’m better at givin’ off a more manly vibe in the end…)
(I could get in the know faster if I just ask Lil’ Miss Anzu to tell me her thoughts on girly stuff, but she seems pretty damn busy lately.)
(And my lil’ sister too… Maybe it’s my influence ‘cuz we’re siblings or somethin’, but she tends to like manly stuff, so...)
(Man, I think I’ve got no choice but to ask Itsuki then, huh. —That guy’s the type to go against what’s popular too, but…)
(He’s always liked girly things since forever, so yeah.)
I’m coming in! Is Kanzaki here yet?!
Nn-oh? What’s got ya wound up, Hasumi-no-danna19... It isn’t like ya to be that way. Also, don’t just barge in, I got needles ‘n shit spread out.
If you step on a needle, it’ll be a big problem, be careful.
S-... Sorry... Are you making outfits again, Kiryu? You really like making things, huh.
Well, it’s partially just a hobby.
Like, y’know how next year, there’s gonna be all sorts of changes kickin’ up, especially with the producer course?
New courses are gettin’ set up, and it seems like they’re gonna need new girls’ uniforms.
Looks like there’s gonna be a competition, so I wanted to try throwin’ my hat in the ring.
It’s the real deal— pros outside the school can take part too, so I dunno if my design’s gonna be good enough. Still, I thought I’d give it my all anyways.
Ahh, I’ve heard talk about that. The reason we’re assembling today is to take part in a small-scaled job somewhere along those lines too.
Along those lines?
Yes. It's about time for exam season, so we’ll need to show up to events like orientation sessions and perform exhibition shows and the like.
We’ll be doing a light performance in front of the new students.
Hmm, so that's the kinda thing that goes on these days, huh? We didn't have orientation sessions back in our day… Seems better times have come upon us.
Sometimes, I just can’t tell how old you are. You sound like an old man, Kiryu.
You shouldn’t be the one sayin’ that to me, y’know. You’re the guy who gives “sittin’ by the window with a cup of tea”.
Hmph. At any rate, it’s because other schools have been rising in prominence recently.
The management of Yumenosaki Academy is desperate to attract new students. It seems they’re trying everything they can to get students to enroll in our school.
That right? But if they’re doin’ exhibition shows, is it fine that we’re the ones doin’ it?
Sure, we came outta Quarrel Festival as the unofficial victors, but is it really okay if it's not fine or Trickstar?
Those guys are all busy. When it comes to giving a sense of stability, naturally, we AKATSUKI have the upper hand. It may seem self-congratulatory, but I believe we’re qualified.
Well, it wouldn't be good to cause some kinda scene, and I can’t say for sure that Tenshouin or Trickstar wouldn’t try somethin’.
Our role is to stand strong ‘n come up with steady, consistent results.
Haha. It feels like we’ve become total government dogs, helpin’ out with propaganda.
Don't say that. If we can attract enough new students who are suitable, we can rest easy even after we graduate. It’ll save Kanzaki and your precious Nagumo trouble.
You're pretty damn overprotective, arentcha?
But what’s got you in a panic then? From what you told me, it doesn't seem like it's particularly urgent.
Ah, that’s right….. Errr, Kanzaki hasn’t shown up yet, has he?
Nope. Well, he's a punctual guy, so he'll turn up when the time comes.
Hmm. I agree with that point, but that doesn’t leave me with enough time... Kiryu, let me borrow some tools.
Haahh? What's goin’ on? Didja suddenly wake up to the joy of sewing or somethin’?
Beginners tend ta poke themselves on their fingertips ‘n stuff, so it's not really somethin’ idols should do, but…
If you're interested, I'll show ya how to do it.
You guys always leave the costumes to me, so it'd be better if you could learn to do simple repairs an’ adjustments whenever I can’t be around to do it myself.
No, I’m not saying I want to sew. I figured you had a toolbox and materials you use whenever you needed to do building repairs— I’d like you to lend me something of that sort.
Ahh… It’s not like I mind, but you gotta tell me what’s goin’ on, man. Did the archery hall collapse or somethin’? That building’s startin’ to show its age in all sorts of places.
This dojo’s still a new building, but it seems that the archery hall’s been around since Yumenosaki was built.
Every so often the roof leaks and stuff, and I get sent to patch it up.
Jeez, sometimes I don't even know the kinda person I am. Sewing, carpentry... What should I do next, start up a lil’ home garden?
Don’t be that way. You never know what sort of skills you’ll need as an idol.
Chapter 6
……
Mm. Alright, all done.
? What’s that you’re doin’? Looks like you’re painting somethin’... I thought you stopped drawin’, though?
Yes. But it’s unavoidable this time around.
Now then, all that’s left to do is let it dry. I’ll dry it with one of our stage fans.
This thing’s pretty handy huh, since it can also be used as an everyday item. I’ll take one and do it with ya, flap flap… ♪
Mn~? The hell is this, a hanafuda card?
Yes. This and that happened, and it seems that there’s a hanafuda deck with just one card missing.
There’s a likelihood that it could turn into a bit of a problem if Kanzaki detected a card was missing, so I tried making a fake.
I was wonderin’ what you were drawin’...
Well, I guess AKATSUKI’s stages does tend to need props like that, and there’s lots of paper lyin’ around so makin’ a real-lookin’ fake would be possible, yeah..
Right. I tried to replicate it from memory, but I think it turned out well enough all things considered.
Haha. Those cards you’re talkin’ about are the ones I lent Lil’ Miss, yeah? Pretty sure I bought it cheap at a convenience store, actually.
It’d be pretty tough to make a fake if it were a genuine luxury set, but...
The designs on hanafuda sets are all basically the same in the end.
Kanzaki doesn't know about the card that’s missin’, so he won't get suspicious if you hand this one over as the real thing.
That guy’d believe it in an instant, even if it’s a total lie. Especially if it’s you tellin’ him that.
Yeah. I get worried every now and then… Will he be alright? Won’t he get tricked by bad actors?
What are you talking about, Hasumi-dono?
Whoa!? K-K-Kanzaki– When did you get behind me?
Just now, a moment ago. I greeted you, but I suppose you didn’t notice since you were in the midst of conversation with Kiryu-dono.
I didn’t notice either. If you were an assassin, we’d be finished by now. Pretty impressive, huh. Is the way you take your steps some kinda swordsmanship thing? Or is it from Japanese dance?
Hahaha. Perhaps it’s because I’m typically noisy... On the contrary, I get surprised: no one notices me when I conceal my presence.
That’s seriously the coolest, Kanzaki-dono! Pleaaase teach me how to do it– if anything, it’s a skill more necessary for a ninja than a martial artist…☆
Ohh? Anzu and… if I remember correctly… Sengoku? You guys were pretty imperceptible too, huh.
Heheh, ninjas are specialists in covert operations, after all~♪
Is that right? Hm, how amazing… Well, I get why Kanzaki is here at the dojo—I asked him to meet up after school—but what brings the two of you here?
Right! As a matter of fact, we ended up hunting for a hanafuda card that was missing from its set!
You see, Anzu-dono was worried because she lost something that was lent to her.
Ahh... Fwoo~ Fwoo~ooo! (Blowing to dry the hanafuda card)
What are you doing, Hasumi-dono? Are you imitating a Hyottoko?20
Haha. AKATSUKI’s got such a formal vibe, he’s gotta get some good practice in makin’ silly faces.
I wouldn’t call it a weakness, but Hasumi seems to mind it a lil’.
I see… As you’d expect of Hasumi-dono, always doing his best to try and overcome his weaknesses.
And so, for Hasumi-dono, Kiryu-dono, Anzu-dono… My duty is to relieve my honorable lords of their worries.
With that duty, I diligently searched and found… the missing hanafuda card~♪
...!? What, are you serious? How did you find it?
By exhausting any and all means necessary. I was blessed to have Anzu-dono and Sengoku, they were immensely outstanding.
We borrowed a dog that was nearby to track it down by scent.
We looked at the lost-and-found records in the student council room, and asked all sorts of people if they knew anything about it.
I would never have been able to do so on my own. – My, we truly went to such great lengths… I thought I would be late to the briefing.
Gh… This rascal’s competent at every fundamental level after all.
(Pat, pat) Theeere, there, there. Wonderful, Kanzaki~!
You sure went and rendered all of my concerns and fears useless, didn’t you! You truly have your days where you’re like that, huh~♪
? It’s an honor to receive such praise, Hasumi-dono
Oi. I’m feelin’ a lil’ left in the dark here. Or I guess, I don’t get what you were so worried about… Hasumi.
Is it somethin’ you can’t talk about right now?
… I’ll explain later.
More importantly— All of the members of AKATSUKI have gathered, so I’ll begin the briefing as planned.
If you’re free, Anzu, you can join in too and give us your thoughts. You’ve become relatively dependable lately.
Ahh… While yer at it Lil’ Miss, gimme your insight on this new uniform design too.
Wh-...What about me? What should I do? Should I go home since it doesn’t concern me?
… No, it looks like Kanzaki depended on you for some kind of favor. If you don’t have any other plans, stay and give us your thoughts.
We’re all upperclassmen here, so our opinions may be skewed. I’d like a first year’s perspective as well.
Epilogue 1
Wahoo! The briefing was efficient and pretty quick to finish, so we can play as much as we like~☆
Yes. As long as we are still children, plenty of sleep and plenty of play is our duty.
Now now, everybody, show your hand!
Hand? Kanzaki-dono~ I don’t know the rules of hanafuda very well!
Ah, I’ll explain thoroughly as we go, so please rest easy.
Hachihachi is a variation of hanafuda that needs three players to play it. However, that means you, Anzu-dono and I are the ones who will have all the fun. I’m sorry that the other two will have nothing to do.
It’s not like I mind. I dunno the rules of hanafuda that well either, so it’ll be hard for me to play. Watchin’ you guys’ll be the fun for me.
Really? … Heheh, I ended up collecting the autumn leaves set. Autumn is quite befitting for AKATSUKI.
Ahh, these are autumn leaves? I know bits and pieces about hanafuda, but don’t the flowers painted on the card correspond to the twelve months of the year?
Yes. Though, that’s why I’m not too sure whether you could call all of them “hana” fuda cards. There are paulownia, willow, pampas grass and the like– things that don't really give the impression they’re flowers.
Well, plants usually produce flowers, but…
Now that you mention it, the flower-ish parts of autumn leaves in general aren’t flowers. They’re leaves, huh…
Nihihi, earlier, I had a steamed bun21 outside. It was the same shape as the maple leaves on the card~♪
You have bits of food sticking on your cheek, Sengoku. Don’t move, I’ll get it.
Haha. When you do something like that, it makes you look like close brothers.
Hmm... My younger brother back home is still young. Sengoku seems almost like a child, so perhaps it’s because they’re similar that I treat them the same way.
Even though in reality, Sengoku is actually around the same age as me.
Ahh, y’got a little brother? Too bad it’s not a lil’ sister, eh, Kanzaki?
No, I wouldn’t say there is anything “too bad” about it in particular... Younger brothers are wonderful too, though it does get harrowing having to watch him while he’s in his prime of mischief.
Is that right? It gets harrowing for us when we watch you too.
Mmnm… It’s a little regrettable that I am seen as a little brother. I’d be pleased beyond belief if you were to see me as a fellow companion you can stand beside and count on in the battlefield.
Ahh, right... I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make light of you.
As a companion, huh. If that’s the case, I think you need to know too.
Kanzaki. You can play hanafuda while you listen to me.
Mhm... But is it really okay to play around right now? I am having fun, but…
Yes. After our light briefing, we’ve made our decision on what direction to take for that “small job”, so it’s fine.
We came to the conclusion that we are AKATSUKI, no matter the occasion — And so, we should just do our usual routine.
There's no need for us to make some kind of spectacle about being original. That's not our duty anyway. Though of course, it is necessary to make various considerations and adjustments to attract the interest of the examinees.
Yes. As for me, the overwhelming victory of Quarrel Festival is fresh in my mind, so... I would like to do a performance based on that— without the loincloth22, of course.
Forget the loincloth. How incorrigible…
… Quarrel Festival was a large-scale event that involved other units, so I’d say it’d be difficult to do something like that again and again.
And if we storm into the venue with a fighting mikoshi23, we’ll probably put off the examinees.
We’re fine as we are.
But it seems that Kanzaki’s taken a liking to hanafuda, so it might be good to use it as design inspiration or something exactly like Quarrel Festival.
Yes. In hanafuda, inoshikacho — the boar, the deer and the butterfly — are three-of-a-kind. There are many times that those three, in combination with the red tanzaku cards and blue tanzaku cards24, are significant.
I feel that as a trio unit, there are still a lot of elements left that AKATSUKI can take advantage of.
RYUSEITAI could do a similar hanafuda theme for their own stage concept… Sengoku. Look, the best card combination is gokou– the five lights.25
Ooh, the five lights become one and form RYUSEITAI! Ahaha, judging by the look of it, the patterns are completely distinct from each other, just like us...♪
It might be good to try suggesting a project to everyone at some point… Well, no, I'm only a first-year, so that might be too forward.
Still, Taichou-dono asks, “Is there anything you'd like to do?” pretty frequently, so I don’t think anyone would be particularly angry if I came up with a project either.26
Oh? Well, I imagine so. In the past, the environment around us made it difficult for people to do what they wanted, so…
I imagine Morisawa doesn't want you all to go through the same troubles he did.
In the old days, Yumenosaki Academy was a much more oppressive environment than it is now. We wanted to reform that situation, so we desperately clawed our way to do so.
Of course, it doesn’t mean that everything we did was right.
We wanted to create an environment where everyone could make their dreams come true– no... an environment where people wouldn’t have to give up, at the very least. But in the process, we took away many dreams.
We AKATSUKI were not the first to base our work on the concept of Japanese style.27
Kanzaki still hadn’t joined at that point, so I imagine he likely doesn’t know that.
You see, as we rose to prominence, other Japanese-style idols gradually changed course or simply disappeared…
This hanafuda set with a missing card was left behind by one of those idols.
He abandoned his props and the like and dropped out of school.
It would have been a waste to dump it all out, and he never came back to collect them either, so we kept them for safekeeping.
Either way, he left after his dream fell apart. It might be self-centered to think things like “It’s our fault. We chased him away”, but…
I can’t help myself from thinking about it even now.
If only I was able to write a script where nobody was left unhappy, but I just didn't have that kind of skill.
Epilogue 2
When that Japanese-style idol was about to leave, he hurled the one-point willow card at me and Kiryu while we were singing on stage.
The song was playing so insanely loud, I couldn't hear whatever parting words he had for us, but…
Kanzaki seems to be familiar with hanafuda cards, so he probably knows this, but the one-point willow card has a strange picture drawn on it.
Hanafuda cards are fundamentally beautiful and elegant in design, but compared to that, this card has a distinct, ominous design.28
There are various theories, but it looks like a stage that was destroyed by a great disaster… that’s what I think, at least.
I imagine the act of throwing it was a curse, like hoping that our stage would be destroyed in the same way.
Because of all that, one single card was missing from this hanafuda set. I thought it’d been thrown out with the garbage when the stage was emptied out, but…
I never expected it would actually be found.
It reminded me of unpleasant things. Right now, we’re living on good momentum with just about no complaints, but…
Sins committed in the past will never disappear just like that.
I imagine there’s nothing else to do but carry it and keep moving forward.
It was a pretty shocking incident for me at the time… And I thought Kanzaki would be upset if he knew, so I couldn’t get myself to mention it.
I even made a fake hanafuda card and tried to deceive him.
I’m a coward for trying it… But, all I wanted to do was give you something as pure as I could.
You have a brilliant, promising future. It doesn’t need such heavy, gloomy things in it.
It seems I was a fool to have thought that. There was no way I could’ve just kept it hidden from you forever…
You're genuine and reckless, and you're a good kid who believes what others say without question, but you're not stupid.
……
… What is it? You look displeased, Kanzaki. If you don't follow what I’m trying to say, I'll go back and rework it and explain it any number of times you need.
No, there’s no need. It’s just… what you’re saying doesn’t match up, Hasumi-dono.
The missing one-point willow card... Where do you think we found it?
Hmm. I am pretty curious about that, since I was so sure it had already been tossed and burnt to ashes at the landfill.
I’m shocked it still existed at all.
Mnn~... So this is that one-point willow card, huh.
Hasumi’s talkin’ about it reminded me of it too. I feel like all sorts of things have changed since then.
Here I thought I could walk around proud under the sun. Guess things aren’t that peachy, huh?
Mnn~... The one-point willow card’s a lil’ dirty. It's just that it got worn out over time, it's got some grime on it. Don’t tell me it got buried underground, did it?
Indeed it did. To be more precise, it was buried in something like a jar underground. Since the only thing we were looking for was the card, we buried the vase itself back in the ground.
With all of the digging and burying we did, the mud stuck to it. But, well, you can’t tell it’s there unless it’s pointed out, so I didn’t consider it a hindrance to playing the game.
Hmm? There was a jar underground? Why was the missing card in such a place...?
Ah... Isn't that called a time capsule or somethin’? What else was in the jar, Kanzaki?
Hmm. I didn’t look for more details, but there were papers of all sizes inside of it... that is to say, it mainly consisted of letters.
The jar itself was tightly sealed, and it was difficult to open it.
That’s right... Now that you mention it, it is what you call a “taimu kapuseru”.
A game where you write letters and the like to your future self, bury it in the ground, dig it up years later, open it, and see what it says…
If that's the case, I did something bad by digging it up. All of the things they buried were something they were looking forward to unsealing someday.
But at the same time, everything makes sense now. This card was bundled in note paper, which had a short entry written on it.
The contents didn’t seem like a curse against Hasumi-dono by any means, nor did it seem to be anything like a grudge. That's why I said that it didn't match up a moment ago.
... What was written on it?
Right. In summary, it said, “Do you and your spouse still live together happily?”
Spouse... Was that guy married? And that’s possibly why he dropped out of school?
Mhm. At the same time, there were some very small impressions of Hasumi-dono’s stage performance too. It said something like, “I couldn’t perform on a stage like that myself, and I was envious of how wonderful and shining he was”.
On those grounds, well, it's probably true that he had reservations about Hasumi-dono and threw the card at him.
I feel as though it’s that… when he saw you, men of high rank, going down the same path as him, he might’ve lost heart and given up on his dream.
Perhaps it can be said that it was your fault, Hasumi-dono, but… whether it can truly be called a sin is something I’m not so sure of…
On that note paper, there was something else to the last sentence too—
“This card is me. Engrave that in your memory”... What on earth does that mean? Is he comparing his broken dreams to the merciless pattern of the willow card?
… Who knows. The person in question isn’t here, and I don't know his contact information, so there’s no way to confirm it.
Hmm. The willow card is versatile; it can change into other forms if it wishes.29
But after it changes, it’s called a junk card.
When he says, “This card is me,” he might have been comparing himself to the one-point willow card, the lowest and weakest of them all… A card considered junk even if it changes.
Hm~m, even so, there’s the “Engrave that in your memory” part... I don't get what he wants to say, it's too difficult to understand. While that does sound very much like how hanafuda works, the real truth is still obscured in the dark.
We have no choice but to interpret it our way and move forward, carrying all of the pain, scars, and curses with us.
I can't turn back the hands of the clock, and I’d rather avoid pinning my worries onto my future self in a time capsule.
At the very least, I'll never forget it again... I'll commit the one-point willow card to heart.
No. I’ll never forget the dreams that didn't come true, the ones that we stole away with no return.
Translation Notes
- ↑ Natsume says "Good Afternoon" in English. As for "Lieutenant", インテリヤクザ ("intellectual yakuza") is a title for members of the yakuza that are highly intelligent or good at making money. In fiction, they tend to wear glasses.
- ↑ Natsume pronounces Souma's name like ソーマ (so-ma).
- ↑ Keito has a disdain of soybeans. During Setsubun, it is tradition to throw beans in order to drive evil spirits away. In Setsubun Festival, Natsume creates a soybean machine gun to pelt Keito with them.
- ↑ In Koi-Koi, being the "parent" means that you get to go first, so Souma's parental rights (親権, shinken) are the right to go first (an advantage). However, 親権 also means "custody", which is what Keito mishears.
- ↑ Koi-Koi is a popular Hanafuda game for two-players, where the goal is to create combinations of cards with high scores. At the bottom of the page, I've included a chart of the main cards mentioned in this story to label listed combinations.
- ↑ Trump (トランプ) refers to standard western card decks.
- ↑ This is Card 2 (Flower Viewing Curtain; Cherry Blossom Suit) on the chart below.
- ↑ Adonis imbeds English words ("Cherry Blossom", "Curtain Call") into Japanese speech like how Tsukasa speaks.
- ↑ 月見酒 is a combination formed with Cards 6 (Full Moon; Susuki Grass Suit) and 7 (Sake Cup; Chrysanthemum Suit)
- ↑ This is the unshaded card to the right of Card 2 (Cuckoo with Crescent Moon; Wisteria Suit; will add next update).
- ↑ 厭世的 (enseiteki, lit. world-weary) is a complicated word for "pessimistic" in Japanese.
- ↑ Hachi-Hachi is game for 3-6 players. While Koi-Koi is the most well known hanafuda game, Hachi-Hachi is the most played.
- ↑ Shishou (-師匠) is an honorific used for a master (usually in a specific craft). Anzu calls Keito Shishou once she finds out he secretly draws managa under the name Mizuhanome.
- ↑ Souma has come across Shinobu hunting for frog-food in Samurai and Ninjas and their Management Talk.
- ↑ During Quarrel Festival, AKATSUKI had to challenge fine in a B1 Live to fight for their status as a unit.
- ↑ Inoshikacho (猪鹿蝶, lit. Boar, Deer, Butterfly) are a combination made up of Cards 3 (Butterfly; Peony Suit), 4 (Boar; Bush Clover Suit), and 7 (Deer; Maple Suit). It's an iconic combination.
- ↑ Souma's running gag is regularly resorting to performing seppuku to make up for trouble. 切腹 (seppuku or harakiri, lit. belly-cutting ) was a form of ritualistic suicide samurai used for a variety of reasons. For Souma, that tends to be shame.
- ↑ Another saying for this is "an army travels on its stomach."
- ↑ Kuro often refers to Keito as 旦那 (danna, lit. master), or "boss". He'll also use Hasumi-no-danna.
- ↑ Hyottoko is a Japanese comedy character. Usually depicted with masks, the hyottoko's lips are puckered and skewed to one side (like it's blowing).
- ↑ 紅葉まんじゅう (momiji manjuu) are steamed buns that are shaped like maple leaves.
- ↑ 褌 (mawashi), a loincloth sumo wrestlers wear in competition.
- ↑ 神輿 (mikoshi) are portable Shinto shrines that are carried at festivals. Fighting mikoshi is a festival activity where people push mikoshi-carrying poles into each other.
- ↑ The red and blue tanzuku cards are along the second row, unshaded.
- ↑ 五光 is a combination made up of Cards 1 (Crane with Sun; Pine Suit), 2 (Flower Viewing Curtain; Cherry Blossom Suit), 5 (Full Moon; Susuki Grass Suit), 8 (Rain Man; Willow Suit) and 9 (Phoneix; Paulownia Suit)
- ↑ Shinobu ends up coming up with his own project in Scroll of the Elements, a collaboration between AKATSUKI and RYUSEITAI.
- ↑ 和風 (wafu, lit. tranquil wind), or Japanese-style. 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".
- ↑ The Lighting card, also known as the Willow Chaff or 鬼札 (おにふだ) (onifuda, lit. “demon card”). Designs of this card tend to have details like cyclones, drums, windmills, or demon claws. This is Card 10 (Lightning; Willow Suit).
- ↑ The Onifuda is a wild card.