Opposing the Present

[nebulancer]

 Eichi: Sorry to keep you waiting. Here’s the tea.

Shu: Ah, thank you.

Issei: Thank you.

Ichiru: Hrm…

Issei: Ichiru?

Ichiru: Eh? Ah, thanks, Eichi.

Eichi: Uh- uhuh.

*cup clanking sounds*

You know, this is a tea I got from the president when I bumped into him in the hallway a while ago.

He’d just come back from an official business trip in India and said, “This fateful meeting is a miracle; I’ll give this to you,” so I got it.

It’s a really rare and really uncommon tea, see?

For him to give it to me so easily, the president’s strange as always, isn’t he?

Hahaha! Heh! Heheh. Heh. Heheh… Uh…

*clears throat* Um… The atmosphere around everyone is so heavy…

Did something happen?

Ichiru: Hrm.

Eichi: Shu?

Shu: Mm.

Eichi: Isse?

Issei: Hm…

Eichi: All right then, Icchi?

Ichiru: Hm.

Eichi: I understand. Let’s drink some tea first.

*sipping sounds*

Eichi: Um, Horimiya Eichi will declare something he has to say!

Ichiru: Eh?

Issei: Huh?

Shu: Eichi…?

Eichi: You know, I’m the only one in QUELL who has a really average family life.

I was raised in one of those common, normal families.

I have both my parents, an older sister, and a younger sister.

My father’s a salaryman, and my mother’s a pharmacist.

I technically am the only son, but since my older and younger siblings are girls, it’s pretty… actually, a very weak presence as the only son.

I went to elementary, middle, and high school, and in college, I worked with TVs behind the scenes at a part-time job.

At that rate, I went, “This is my life calling!” And found work.

Ichiru: W-what’s with you all of a sudden, Eichi?

Eichi: Just listen, Icchi.

Compared to me, everyone else has really dramatic family lives…

Full of people who have a sense of detachment from reality, you know?

Ichiru: Hrm…

Eichi: Shu, you don’t know your father, your mother passed away, and your aunt, who’s your mother’s older sister, is your only blood relative.

Shu: Mm.

Eichi: For Icchi and Isse, you two are from an orphanage, and you don’t know about your parents.

Issei & Ichiru: Hm…

Eichi: I always want to say, “I understand you!”

Even so, all of you must have gone through hardships and troubles that I wouldn’t be able to imagine.

When I think about that, I know that's how it is, but it’s also something that upsets me.

Issei & Ichiru: Mm.

Eichi: But despite that… That’s why I don’t want to feel down because of my normal self and my normal life!

Other people might think, “You’ve walked an easy road,” but that’s a result of my father and mother working hard for their child.

That’s not something bad at all.

And also… even if it looks like an easy road, free of obstacles, I had my own hardships and troubles to live through, and I got here on my own two feet.

But that’s how I met you all!

That’s what I want to think.

I don’t want to reject my normal self. I don’t want to think I’m wrong!

That being said… I’ll listen as many times you need from the same position, from the same place you’re in!

What’s wrong? What happened?

You can talk to me too. Let me be your strength.

Okay?

Issei: Eichi…

Ichiru: Eichi…

Eichi: *laughs nervously* Of course, there might be things you don’t want to tell me the details of, so when that happens, you can just say, “It’s tough,” or “I’m tired,” or “It’s difficult,” and that’s enough!

What I want to say is—

Shu: Eichi.

Your normalness is the reason why you're a strong person.

Eichi: Shu…

Shu: You’re strong, straightforward, and very kind.

That’s why I’m drawn to you, and that’s why I admire you as well.

Eichi: Uh, ah…

Thank… you.

Shu: *chuckles*

…William Spencer is my biological father.

Eichi: Eh? Wow~ Is that so? He’s your dad? Wow~

Wait—

Eichi & Issei & Ichiru: EEEEH!?

Issei: Your… dad? Shu’s?

Ichiru: Wait, who the hell even is William Spencer?!

Eichi: A famous composer from England!

Ichiru: Oh, I got it. YEAH, RIGHT!

Eh, seriously?! You seriously found your dad?

And he’s English, on top of that?!

Shu: Yeah. My aunt heard it from my mother, but was told she wanted to keep it a secret and kept it hidden from me.

Issei: Shu… So you’re half?

Shu: That’s right. It’s as I expected, like we said before.

Ichiru: This isn’t the time to be calm!

H-H-H-H-He’s your dad! Your old man! He’s your father! PAPA!

He’s your papa!

Shu: That’s what I’m saying. It seems when my mother died, a letter was delivered to him telling him of her death.

That was when he first learned of me and contacted my aunt in secret.

He’d come to Japan once before, too.

Eichi: Wha- then what did your aunt do?

Shu: She proudly insulted him, saying that he’d get what was coming to him with his death.

Eichi: Sh-she’s a tricky and powerful aunt as always.

Shu: Sounds like she’d do that.

To her, he was a man who threw away her pregnant sister, after all.

Eichi: Ah… I see. That’s right.

But I can’t help but think it would’ve been better if she’d said something about it to you.

Like, maybe when you came of age or when you had more knowledge.

Shu: Apparently, Spencer was expecting that as well.

But, since that clearly didn’t happen, he got impatient and ended up doing it himself.

Eichi: S-so that’s how it is… It had to deal with that appointment, right?

Shu: I guess so.

Issei: “That appointment”?

Shu: A call came through the agency that he wanted to meet me in person. I can’t ignore that.

Eichi: Whoa… Spencer is… Shu’s… Hwahhh…

Ichiru: Anyway, don’t let some kind of desperateness get across.

I can’t… even imagine what kind of things you’d talk about after all this time.

Shu: *sighs* That really is… also another thing I’m a bit worried about.

Ichiru: Usually, “a bit” wouldn’t even begin to describe that!

Your parent, who you’ve never met, just appeared out of nowhere.

Shu: Honestly, I was really uneasy just back then, too.

But talking this way… It’s strange.

It’s as if it wasn’t that big of a deal after all.

There’s no mistake that Spencer is my biological father.

My life hasn’t had his influence until now, though.

It’s because I’ve walked here with my own two legs that I am Izumi Shu.

Even though he’s here after so long, I don’t think that could change.

But I feel I have a deeper understanding of who I am now, at least.

Issei: Shu…

Shu: Even still, if— if I meet him and waver on that, you guys will accept it…

Right?

Eichi: …Of course. *opens up arms*

Come flying into my chest, Shu!

Ichiru: *opens up arms* I’m gonna accept what comes flyin’ at me, too!

Come at me, Shu!

Issei: Me too. *opens up arms* Come flying at me!

Shu: *laughs* I see. How reliable.

Ichiru: All right. It’s time for us to let out what’s been bothering us!

Issei: Ichiru!

Ichiru: It’s fine, Issei!

It’s because we can’t do anything about it that we have to let it out.

Issei: Mm. I understand.

You’re right.

Shu: Can’t do anything about it?

We can’t ignore that, then.

Ichiru: More correctly, we’re talking about something that we can’t do anything about, so that’s why we want to do something about it.

Issei: Yeah.

Shu: I don’t know what you mean…

Ichiru: Shu, you know, about that project where young idols face off in a test to see their knowledge?

The offer that came to the agency for us?

If there’s talk whether we should accept or refuse it… about that…

Issei & Ichiru: Accept it.

Eichi: …Eh?

Issei: Today, when we went to get the documents for the job, we heard people from the agency talking about it by chance.

They said it’s a job that we can be exposed in the golden type of variety, but it was apparently offered to us in hopes that we’d fail.

Ichiru: Since, you know, we’re… Going by our history in school, we only graduated from middle school, remember?

That’s why.

Eichi: Wh-what’s up with that… And to use that to make people laugh…?

That really is in bad taste, isn’t it?

Issei: *laughs* Thank you, Eichi.

The people at the agency got angry on our behalf when they said that, too.

They’re very kind.

Shu: Even though the two of you know that, you still want to accept the job?

What made you not refuse it?

Ichiru: Hmm… I can’t put it into words well, but at first we were depressed.

We thought it’d be best if we refused. But—

Issei: While talking about it, we got irritated.

Ichiru: Nrah! That’s it! That’s right!

It kinda… irritates me.

Issei: If we refused, it’d be like we were running away.

I don’t like it.

Ichiru: Yeah, that’s right.

I don’t wanna run away!

Issei: It’s true that, going by our records, we only graduated from middle school.

That won’t… change in the future, either.

I want to challenge it upon taking responsibility for our past fair and square.

Ichiru: And we’re gonna get back at anyone who tries to laugh at us!

Issei: So, Shu… We want you to accept the offer.

We’ll study between lessons.

Ichiru and I will get points higher than the average.

Ichiru: Yeah, yeah, we’ll study— wheh?

Uh, uh, that’s right.

Studying…! Is something we have to do, huh…?

Of course…

Eichi: *chuckles* Icchi…

You were so cool up until halfway through, but you couldn’t hold that up to the very end.

Do your best!

I think I can teach you a bit, and Tsubasa-kun’s an active college student, so he’s smart.

And, and… Ah, that’s right!

Gravi and Procella have active graduate students, too!

Ichiru: I’m really hoping my case isn’t that bad…

Shu: You can rely on me, too. I’ll clear up some time for you.

I might be laughed at for being an optimistically foolish leader, but I can’t see a future where you guys lose if you’re getting serious.

Count on me to accept the offer.

Ichiru: Yeah! I’m countin’ on you, Shu!

Issei: Ichiru, let’s work hard with studying!

Ichiru: Yeh.

Eichi: *chuckles* Icchi, you’re faltering at the end again, aren’t you?

Ichiru: It’s a natural reflex!

I really suck at studying in school!

It’s… because I’m dumb.

Issei: No, you’re not. You’re not dumb, Ichiru.

It’s just… your way of using your head is incredibly bad.

Ichiru: Ehhh?

Shu: I’ve never thought that Ichiru isn’t smart.

Even so, were your test scores that bad?

How many points would you get?

Ichiru: Eh— You’re asking about that?

Right now? No! I’m definitely not telling you!

You’re definitely going to regret it!

Issei: Ichiru.

In order to study, you have to understand the subjects that you’re weak in.

Shu: That’s right, Ichiru.

Ichiru: I— Don’t— Want— To—!

You two are enjoying this, aren’t you!

*the three of them walk out*

Eichi: Do your best, Shu. Do your best, Isse, Icchi.

It’s because I’m normal that I can support everyone.

Because I’m always going to encourage you.

Do your best… everyone!