Tsukiuta. Boys’ 5th Season CD 4 – Hakudou to Étoile Drama

[nebulancer]

Summary – Kai’s job suddenly gets called off. As a result, Haru and Kai end up having the same day off work.

The two of them are always working for their units, never missing out on background prep or adjustments, but if they’re all on their own, that’s a different story!

Let’s forget about planning for a while and go on a relaxed rantrip!

 

“I’m a junkie for journeys I can experience physically. Haru’s a junkie for journeys of the knowledge type!”

“A junkie for knowledge journeys, huh? I like how you phrased that.”

1.  Drama – “On the Car”

 

Kai: ♪ Six Gravity is unstoppable~♪

 

Haru: Get down! ♪ ...Hey, wait. Why are you singing a Gravi song? Why not a Procella one?

 

Kai: Nah... I feel like my driving’s going to get rough if I do ONE CHANCE? instead...

 

Haru: Ahh... I understand... somehow? But also, I don’t...?

 

Kai: Procella’s always going at things aggressively, so. If I get in the vibe of ONE CHANCE? when I’m driving, I’ll start trying to cut corners~

 

Haru: Safety first, please.

 

Kai: *chuckles* Sure thing. I know~

 

[The navigation system beeps.]

 

Kai: Oh?

 

GPS: In about 600 meters, turn left at the intersection.

 

Kai: I’ll turn left~ after this~!

 

Haru: Please do~

Hmm, let’s see. It says we have about thirty minutes left before we get to our destination.

 

Kai: Really? The car’s GPS says it’s only twenty, though.

 

Haru: Your car trusts you too much...!

 

Kai: I’ll prove worthy of your trust, partner~

 

Haru: Yet at this point in time, he still didn’t know... of the tragedy known as traffic lying ahead...!

 

Kai: *laughs* Stop it! Does it look like there’ll be traffic ahead?

 

Haru: I don’t know. I just said it randomly.

 

Kai: It was random, was it! Hehe.

 

Haru: Here, want to drink some coffee?

 

Kai: Thanks. I’ll take it.

My, how thoughtful you are, Haru-san~

 

Haru: I’m aiming for the spot of “Number One Shotgun Passenger.”

 

Kai: Huh? What’s that?

 

Haru: It describes a man who provides helpful functions such as preparing water, food, backup navigation, buying necessary items, and more. All while supporting the driver with all sorts of necessary aid, such a man also strikes up tasteful conversations to help beat the drowsiness away!

It really is me ☆

 

Kai: Heh! You sure are a perfect fit for the position.

If a flame’s lit under the trivia you have stocked up in that brilliant mind of yours, you’d be able to get talking for an hour, easy.

 

Haru: One hour? Two hours is but child’s play.

 

Kai: Gosh, how reliable~! Hehe. I’ll be counting on you if I get drowsy.

 

Haru: Feel free to ask anytime. Oh, the traffic light’s about to change. I’ll take care of the bottle.

 

Kai: Here you are.

Actually, whenever I let other talents ride when I drive, I don’t typically recommend that they sit shotgun. But in the end, having someone sitting next to me feels nice, since we get to chat like this.

 

Haru: Right now, we’re off work. It’s a relaxed, two-person trip, after all!

Wouldn’t it be fine if we forget the formalities and stuff for now?

 

Kai: So true. A long-awaited advisors’ drive! Let’s have fun while we’re at it!

 

Haru: Yeah!

 

-

 

[flashback.]

 

Haru: Then, would it be okay if we set up this intermission to focus on Gravi?

 

Kai: Sure. Counting on you.

So in return, we’ll have the second half’s MC portion to focus on our guys.

 

Haru: Got it. Then we’ll get Kakeru and Koi to keep the talk going, based on the details about the survey on those attending.

Kai: You know an entire corner’s going to build itself from the ground up, just by asking them to keep the talk going. Their reliability’s off the charts!

 

Haru: I couldn’t have phrased it any better myself.

Kakeru and Koi will be developing the commentary, Aoi-kun drops in phrases to back them up from time to time, Arata pumps the crowd up, Hajime interjects a proper number of times to show he’s paying attention, and I get a word in by playing up my response. Isn’t Gravi’s balance so nice?

 

Kai: ...Hmm...? Aren’t the seniors slacking?

 

Haru: It’s called having the right person in the right place!

 

Kai: Haha! Let’s see... Next, there’s...

...Oh?

 

Haru: A message?

 

Kai: Yeah. From Kurotsuki-san.

Hmm... Ah.

 

Haru: Ah?

 

Kai: My photoshoot tomorrow got called off.

 

Haru: Oh, jeez. What went wrong? Did some trouble happen?

 

Kai: Luggage from overseas didn’t make it in time, apparently.

 

Haru: It was work for a foreign brand?

 

Kai: Yeah. I was supposed to wear cool suits and jackets and stuff.

 

Haru: These are the only types of things we can’t really do much about. It’s easy for unexpected things to happen when it comes to physical distribution of goods from overseas.

 

Kai: I know, right~? There are times planes don’t set off, or ships don’t leave... And there are also times that trains are late two or three hours on the regular.

 

Haru: You were preaching to the choir just now.

 

Kai: No, listen. Japan’s diligence in keeping things moving according to plan is lovable, but I vibe with the broad-mindedness of how foreigners do things, too.

I haven’t been going outside the country at all recently, so I’m seriously getting in the mood to leap right out...!

 

Haru: Kai, your frustration’s...! ...Wanting to leap out, huh?

Me too. I haven’t gone traveling around the country, let alone globally. I buy things locally, and I occasionally go on eating tours, so the going out aspect is fulfilled.

 

Kai: Being in Tokyo can make up for a lot of different things. But still...! I love! TRAVELINGGGG!

 

Haru: Kai’s roaring! ...Ah! I have an idea. Wanna go with me?

 

Kai: Huh? Go? Where?

 

Haru: Isn’t it obvious? On a trip, a trip!

My job’s really early tomorrow, but in return, I finish in the morning. I have the whole day off the day after tomorrow, so I can even stay a night.

If memory serves me correctly, you don’t have work on the day after tomorrow, either.

 

Kai: Eh? ...Ahh. Oh, yeah, that’s right!

Can’t believe you’ve put in the effort to remember someone else’s schedule.

 

Haru: It’s like a hobby of mine. Anyway, putting that aside, don’t you see? The two of us can go on a two-person trip and stop for the night.

 

Kai: And here we have a rare sight: a Haru-kun acting proactively.

 

Haru: Well, why wouldn’t I be? It’s not like we get coincidences like this every day!

I mentioned this before, but I haven’t been traveling recently, either. The season’s bursting to the seams with spring, and I was just thinking that I’d like to go somewhere.

Plus...

 

Kai: Plus?

 

Haru: Aren’t there times you want to forget about planning or whatever, and just go in, guns blazing, with only the natural course of events leading us?

It’s time for a rantrip here!

 

Kai: Rantrip?

 

Haru: Mmhmm. Random trip. A rantrip. I made that word up just now.

I was just thinking that if it’s you and me, things will work out even if we make this optimistically snap decision right here, right now.

 

Kai: Hehe. A rantrip sounds great.

Then I’ll bring out the car. We won’t need prep work like checking the timetables or the tickets for the bullet trains. Let’s just go at it and give it a shot!

Haru, do you have anywhere you want to go?

 

Haru: Um, let’s see... Since we’ve got the chance, somewhere with nice nature, that makes you feel like it’s spring!

 

Kai: *chuckling* That’s an ex~treme~ly~ vague choice right there~

But that’s good, right? Mm, nice. It’s shaping itself up to be one legit rantrip.

When it comes to places we can get to by car and stay for one night... it’d have to be in the Kanto prefecture, huh?

 

Haru: As for places that we’ll be able to see the change in seasons with our own eyes... the mountains, instead of the beaches?

 

Kai: Mountains... mountains... Ah. Four or five years ago, there was a place I went to when I was filming for TV. It was in Gunma... no, Tochigi?

In this wide open space in the mountains, which weren’t too highly elevated, there was this single cherry blossom tree, standing right there.

But I do remember it blooming really beautifully...

 

Haru: Cherry blossoms, huh? That sounds nice.

 

Kai: Mmhmm. We filmed around two or three cuts there, and we immediately moved afterwards, but oddly enough, it’s still lingering in my memories...

I thought to myself, “I’m definitely going to come back here again!” But since it’s just cherry blossoms, I couldn’t really make all that much time to spare for it.

It’s an opportunity I’ve been waiting for, so I want to go there! ...That okay with you?

 

Haru: If anything, I’m more than okay with that! Cherry blossoms... cherry blossoms, eh? Do you think they’re already blooming? It’d be fine even if they weren’t!

All right! *claps* That’s settled!

 

Kai: Got it~ Where’ll we be staying?

 

Haru: We’ll decide on the way. And if the worst happens, we can stay the night in the car!

 

Kai: It’s a two-dude trip, and we settled our plans with nothing but snap decisions. I guess that’s fitting!

 

Haru: It’s just one night, so that’s totally enough! Definitely.

All right! I’ll go gather up my luggage in a flash. Ah—just to be safe, I’ll go get permission from the office.

 

Kai: Hehe. Counting on you. It’s the bare minimum, right? Because we’re adults.

 

Haru: It’s a snap decision-based trip for adults! Later, I’ll send you the address of where I’m working tomorrow, so I’m counting on you to pick me up.

 

Kai: Sure thing! See you tomorrow.

2. Drama – “The Path I Go with You”

 

Kai: Oh... hoh...! It’s shaking, it’s shaking~ *giggles*

 

Haru: Ever since we made that turn, the path’s suddenly gotten so narrow.

 

Kai: Just for the record, we’re on a national highway...

 

Haru: It’s said that highways with three-digit numbers are incredible, but...

 

Kai: I don’t think it’s at the level of that “incredible” just yet~

 

Haru: Well, yeah, there’s still two car lanes, at least. ...Ah. There are boulders rolling.

 

Kai: Huh? ...Ahh. It was raining around a week ago, so maybe a small landslide could’ve taken place?

Still, compared to roads in foreign countries, Japan’s roads are tidy and neat. Our roads make me realize we put a lot of attention into caring for ‘em.

 

Haru: You’ve driven on foreign roads before, huh?

 

Kai: Several times before. If you apply for an international driver’s license and go through the procedure, so it’s surprisingly low effort to get one.

 

Haru: Even if the process means it’s low effort, the mental strain means it’s high stress for me...! I think you need courage to drive in foreign places. You’re not scared or anything?

 

Kai: It’s not like I had that much opposition to the idea, anyway. ...You’re a driver on paper, huh?

 

Haru: Yes. A golden paper driver, in fact. I haven’t driven for so long, I think I’ve forgotten how to turn on the engine.

 

[T/N: A golden license is when you’ve gone five years without an accident or breaking the law. Haru is referring to how he is only a driver on paper, and he’s driven so few times that he’s gone for five years without an accident, not particularly that he’s a safe driver.]

 

Kai: Well, yeah~. If you don’t keep doing it, you’ll forget.

Anyway, you have the image of being so smart, yet being oddly clumsy in the weirdest of ways, but...

 

Haru: That’s an undesirable image, if you ask me!

 

Kai: How’s your driving? Are you good at it? I’ve never seen you driving.

 

Haru: I already talked about it. I just have the license itself, but the number of times I’ve driven have been few and far between... *laughs wryly*

Well, yeah, I did pass my driving test on the first try, but driving for real...? Who knows? I don’t even know my own level of skill.

 

Kai: Ahaha. I guess that’d be natural. Did you run up onto the sidewalk while parking when you were still learning?

 

Haru: I didn’t. They said I was good at parallel parking.

 

Kai: Ooh! ...That’s surprising.

 

Haru: Hey, hey! Isn’t that sort of thing amusing to do? Like a puzzle?

 

Kai: That’s a Haru-core response, I’d have to say.

 

Haru: Still, you’re really good at driving. I’ve never thought that it’s dangerous when you’re driving. The car doesn’t shake, and I don’t get carsick...

 

Kai: Right now. We’re shaking right now, though.

 

Haru: Haha! That’s the road’s fault.

 

Kai: Oh...? I see a sign. Road closed due to traffic?

 

Haru: Eh? Really?

 

[The two of them get out.]

 

Kai: Aw, darn. Looks like the road’s all broken into pieces.

 

Haru: You’re right. Boulders bigger than the one we saw back there are rolling around. I wonder if the landslide was pretty large.

 

Kai: Sounds right. But we just needed to get a little further past this mountain to get to our destination...

 

Haru: Hrmm...

 

Old man: Hey, you boys! What’s the matter?

 

Kai: Ah! Hello, sir!

 

[They walk up to him.]

 

Haru: Hello, sir.

 

Old man: The path past this point is blocked.

 

Haru: Are you a local?

 

Old man: I sure am. I’m the owner of this here mountain. There was a landslide last week, and I came over here to check out how things were.

 

Haru: Oh, is that the case? It must have been terribly upsetting.

 

Old man: Well, upsets are upsets. Glad it wasn’t in a place where people live. It’s a relief that no one got hurt.

If you’re looking to go into town, turn back down the road, and if you go down a little bit, you’ll see a bridge to your left...

 

Kai: Ah, we’re not going into town. We wanted to get past this mountain...

 

Old man: Past the mountain? For... what? There’s no towns, no hot springs, no nothing. Until you get to the dam, it’s just endless mountains as far the eye can see.

 

Kai: On the way there, is there a cherry blossom tree? A single cherry blossom tree in an open spot located midway through the mountains?

 

Old man: Cherry blossom...?

 

Haru: We came here from Tokyo to see it.

 

Kai: It’s something I remembered from around four or five years ago, so I don’t remember the particulars...

 

Old man: Cherry blossom... cherry blossom... cherry... Aah! You’re talking about that?

 

Kai: Ah! It’s actually there?

 

Old man: I dunno if it’s the same one you’re talking about, boy, but there is one. No one knows who planted it, but that lovely cherry blossom tree, all on its own, has got around three hundred years on it.

 

Kai: That’s great to hear!

 

Haru: Um, did that tree get affected by the landslide in this area...?

 

Old man: Oh, heavens no! This whole time, it’s been blooming in a place where it wouldn’t get touched by that sort of thing.

 

Haru: Ahh. Now that you mention it...

 

Old man: Ah, I see, I see. You came all this way from Tokyo to see that cherry blossom tree? Good work getting here this far. Aah, nice effort.

 

Kai: Haha! We came here partially for the drive itself, so it was fun.

 

Haru: But we decided on the spur of things and came here on a snap decision, so we lacked a thorough checkup of this area prior to it. We didn’t know about the landslide and all...

 

Old man: *chuckles* I doubt you would’ve gotten any details even if you had done a checkup. It’s this far out into the boonies, and the road’s this small.

Ah, but... Mm. Then, would you like to go walking there?

 

Kai: Oh!? Walk?

 

Haru: We can get there by walking?

 

Old man: Sure you can. It’s like an animal trail, since the locals in this area use the path for fieldwork. I can guide you to the entrance.

There’s only one way to go, so you won’t get lost. It goes around in a different direction the landslide came from, so you don’t need to worry about that, either.

A one-way trip’s around a thirty-minute walk... like a bit of a hike, if anything.

 

Haru, Kai: *gasp*

 

Kai: ...Haru, you’re fine with that, right?

 

Haru: Way more than that! I prefer it that way!

 

Kai: For sure! It’s nice getting there in a flash by car, but it’ll definitely be fun getting there on our own two feet!

 

Haru: Excuse me, sir. We’d very much prefer to walk there in person. Would it be fine if we took you up on your offer and had you guide us to the entrance of the path?

 

Old man: It’s no problem at all.

 

Kai: What’ll we do with the car...?

 

Old man: You can just leave it in my place’s garden. It’s right next to the entrance, anyway.

 

Kai: Is that fine?

 

Old man: Not like I mind. There aren’t any tourist spots around here, so there’s no parking lot. The only thing my garden has going for it is its space, so it can handle one or two cars getting parked in it.

 

Haru: Wow! You’re a great help!

 

Kai: We’re in your care, time and time again!

 

Old man: Gahaha! It’s fine, it’s fine! I like that tree, too. I got a bit happy hearing some boys from the city complimenting it.

Then, let’s go.

 

Haru, Kai: Yes!

 

-

 

[Haru and Kai walk through the forest path, surrounded by birds chirping and their shoes crunching on the ground.]

 

Haru: Mm~! The mountain air tastes so delicious!

 

Kai: Right with you there. The atmosphere’s smell is completely different from the city’s.

Mmm... Haah~

 

Haru: Is it the smell of dirt? Or plants?

 

Kai: All of it, probably? It’s said that there’s a city smell, but varying regions like the beach, the mountains, or even nature itself have their own distinct smells, don’t they?

 

Haru: Mmhmm! There is! Though they’re both mountains, the Tohoku and Kyushu mountain ranges are totally different.

 

Kai: Definitely. If we were to compare Canada’s and Brazil’s forests, they’re like completely different worlds!

 

Haru: The locations you’re using in your comparison are really... They make me realize that you’re the one saying them~.

 

Kai: *chuckles* And, you know? When I breathe my lungs full of that air, I think... “Aah! I really am alive...!”

It’s like I can feel myself breathing inside nature itself. It’s like I can feel myself living!

 

Haru: Hmm, hmm. Breathing’s a natural process of living that we do subconsciously, but it has a deeper meaning than that to you?

 

Kai: I guess so. I like taking deep breaths in different places ‘round the globe, all while feeling that sensation of being alive!

 

Haru: When I think of Fuduki Kai, I get the image of journeys and traveling. But you’re also making realizations and discoveries by meeting all kinds of people and things in the destinations you reach.

You aren’t afraid as you leap out into the vast, wide world; fill your lungs full of the air; and feel yourself. You’re celebrating life as much as you can!

 

Kai: Mmhmm! I think the same way ‘bout myself. I love living! Every single day’s fun!

I have so much fun that I overdo things, those around me get shocked at me, and sometimes they get upset at me. And then I reflect on my actions.

But it doesn’t stop me from getting excited~ You’re the same way, aren’t you, Haru? Hehe~

 

Haru: Me? You think so?

 

Kai: I think so~ Despite being in the position of an advisor or a big brother, and having to look after the others, reading the room and acting seriously... when it comes to Yayoi Haru, the person, you’re pretty reckless... put another way, you head directly for stuff and don’t look any other way.

And phrased differently, you’re the type to get totally absorbed in things.

 

Haru: I... do get absorbed, that’s true. You’re right.

I could even say that, right at my core, ever since I was a kid, I’ve always had such a strong curiosity for things. I’d be unable to put books down, I’d get immersed in new discoveries.

I’d forget how much time had passed and enter my own little world.

 

Kai: That’s what I’m talking about. Similar to me, right?

I’m a junkie for journeys I can experience physically. Haru’s a junkie for journeys of the knowledge type!

 

Haru: A junkie for knowledge journeys, huh? I like how you phrased that.

 

Kai: Hehehe~ It’s often said that Shun and Hajime are opposites, but in that case, you and I are also opposites that come in a pair.

We’re polar opposites. But we have the same roots inside of us.

 

Haru: We sure do. There are times I understand you so well, it’s like I’m understanding myself!

 

Kai: Same here.

 

Haru: In the end, it becomes sooo easy being with you.

 

Kai: True, true! It’s easy. It’s like there’s a sense of trust I have with you, where, even if I leave you alone for a while, you’ll be fine handling it. Also... I have this sense of security where I know I can treat you informally.

 

Haru: Oh, true, same here! Even if we haven’t talked for a month straight because we keep getting busy with work and passing each other by, we can head right into a conversation with a, “Long time no see! Hey, you know?” Like it’s the most normal thing ever, I guess?

 

Kai: I know~! We’re in sync? Our vibes match up? Anyway, in my mind, you’re already in the hall of fame.

 

Haru: Eh? What sort of hall of fame is it?

 

Kai: Part of the category of guys I can treat informally. I mean that in a good way, of course.

 

Haru: Can it... be taken in a good way?

Then, in return, I’ll enroll you in my personal hall of fame.

 

Kai: Go ahead. Even after we’ve become grandpas in our eighties, let’s keep up our snappy conversations that start from just a, “Hey, there!”

 

Haru: I get the feeling that even in your eighties, you’ll still be energetic as can be.

...Ah.

 

Kai: Oh!

 

[The wind blows, and the cherry blossoms rustle.]

 

Haru, Kai: ...It’s here.

 

Haru: ...You were right. This spot’s wide open.

 

Kai: Right? There aren’t any tall trees around it, and it’s bright here.

 

Haru: Mmhmm. It really is bright! It looks like this white path’s stretching directly towards the cherry blossoms, and it’s... incredibly beautiful!

And... *breathes in and out*

...It smells great!

 

Kai: *breathes deeply* ...It’s the smell of spring.

 

Haru: It really is spring...

 

Kai: ...Ding-dong! You’ve reached your destination.

 

Haru: *laughs* Turning off the GPS.

 

Kai: *chuckles* ...Haru.

 

Haru: Mm?

 

Kai: Let’s go on another rantrip, ‘kay?

If it’s you and me, even trackless paths aren’t a big deal. Nothing to worry about, right?

 

Haru: And if I were to phrase it pretentiously, it’d be... Wherever we walk becomes a path, huh?

 

Kai: *laughs* Yeah, for sure! Wouldn’t that be nice?

 

Haru: *laughs* It is nice!