Refuge 1

Kuro: ......

Souma: I beg thee pardon! Kanzaki Souma hath arrived ♪

Kuro: Jesus... try openin’ and closin’ the door a li’l more softly next time. Your monster strength’s gonna bust it.

I’ve fucked up some doors once or twice, and it sucks havin’ to pay for ‘em.

Souma: Hm? I appreciate thine advice! Though my circumstances demand... nay, I ought not make excuses! I cry you mercy!

Kuro: Whoa, hey, no need to go all seppuku over it... Seriously, it’s not something to apologize over. Don’t grovel over shit so easily, you’re a guy.

Souma: I see! Thy wisdom is profound, Kiryuu-dono! As one would expect from Akatsuki’s second-in-command... ☆

Kuro: Haha, there’s nobody else higher up than me, after all. I’m just workin’ as Hasumi’s assistant ‘cause I gotta.

...Huh? Hey, whatcha got there?

Souma: Ah! ‘tis the transfer student! We are in the same class; thus, I thought to have her accompany me!

I do assume thou wilt participate in the Flower Festival as well?

Then we share a common aim: And therewithal I carried her in my arms to this practice room.

I had my reserves to touch a woman with no due discretion, but true to th’ point, I made greater haste by carrying her.

...Though, could I have been rude after all?!

Kuro: I don’t think that’s the problem, man. You just gotta treat girls with more respect. Look, now li’l miss transfer student’s eyes are spinnin’.

Souma: Alack the day, I wondered why thou wast quiet! Oh, that I am careless!

Kuro: Yeah, well, ‘s long as you make up for it on stage we’re good.

Hey, li’l miss? You okay over there? Still kickin’?

Yeah, you’re all there. Mornin’. You went through some crazy shit, huh? How bad can you feel it?

Hey, Kanzaki. Lay her down on the floor—gently.

Souma: Understood! La, transfer student-dono! I’ll lower thee gently to the floor... ♪

Kuro: Uh-huh. You really do exactly what you’re told.

But why can’t you do anything without being told? Why not try usin’ your head a li’l to think for yourself?

Souma: Ay! I will exert myself to this end: I can do anything I set my mind to ♪

Kuro: You’ve always got some kinda remark on your tongue, don’tcha. Damn, I feel like your babysitter.

Well, whatever... Sorry to make you come all the way here after gettin’ knocked around by the Kanzaki roller coaster, li’l miss.

It doesn’t look like there’s much for a producer to do today, either.

Yeah, you heard from Hasumi-danna all about the Flower Fest thing, right?

Well, long story short, there’s a festival goin’ on downtown, and we’re performin’ there to make things exciting, or whatever.

It’s an easy gig, nothin’ real special about it. We’re just doin’ our usual song and dance.

I’ll be making the costumes special for it, but this is all more like a warm-up before the S1 for Akatsuki...

Just a bog-standard live to get back in the game.

There’s no face-off against any other units or anything, so we’ll be good as long as we do our jobs. Whatcha call that, like pre-established harmony or somethin’?^[1]

‘Course, we ain’t cuttin’ corners, either.

So, yanno... a producer don’t really got any business with us.

Just be on standby if anything unexpected pops up, basically. It’s your job to watch over us.

I rented out this practice room, but today I’m mostly just workin’ on the costumes for Flower Fest.

...You got something you’re making too, right? Wanna go at it together?

Souma: Hum? Hast thou a project, transfer student-dono? I do recall thou sewest often in our classroom.

Kuro: Yep, she’s makin’ some costumes. I’ve been helpin’ out with the more difficult stuff.

Souma: Haha, needlework is thy greatest strength, Kiryuu-dono. To be a producer must incur difficulties, that thou must engage in this, as well.

Good cheer, what admirable work! I’ll support thee ♪

Kuro: How’s about you focus on practice first? I’ll join you after I’m done with these costumes.

Here, lemme play the songs we’ve got lined up for Flower Fest. If you don’t get something, lemme know. You too, li’l miss.

Souma: Understood! I feel at ease with thee here, Kiryuu-dono! Th’art none other but Akatsuki’s great pillar ♪

Kuro: Haha, but don’t get too reliant on me.

C’mere, li’l miss. How far’ve you gotten with those costumes? Damn, they’re lookin’ good... you must be workin’ hard ♪

...Hasumi-danna’s crazy busy right now. The student council’s organizing both Flower Fest and the S1.

The newbies there haven’t come into their own yet, so all the work’s falling on his shoulders.

I doubt he’ll even show face at practice until the last minute. You can work on these here without worryin’ that he’ll catch you.

...So basically there’s no problem with you bein’ here.

Yep, and I’ve got my own shit to take care of, so this is all the help I can really give ya.

I’m seein’ good things for you guys, but I’m in Akatsuki... which is backin’ the student council.

Souma: Kiryuu-dono, speak’st thou in private with transfer student-dono? Am I excluded from it?

Kuro: Nah, it’s nothing. Just focus on practice, Kanzaki.

Keep growing up free and easy. Don’t worry about stupid things like obligations and crap.

Keep on the straight and narrow... The life of a flower is short. I wanna protect it best I can so it doesn’t snap in half.