Nameless Doll 2

Natsume: Good afternoon ♪

Pardon me, Shu-nii-san. Might I consult with you about our costumes...?

Shu: Non! It’s no use; my fingers have rusted over...!

Natsume: Well, then...

You’re in a worse mood than usual, Nii-san. It’s dangerous to throw things; you ought to take care of your belongings.

You’re not usually the “art is an explosion!” sort, where creation follows destruction.

(Well, it’s still better than being so depressed that he can’t even move, like he’s more doll than human.)

(You are someone who can transform your feelings of frustration and discomfort into art, Shu-nii-san.)

Shu: ...Boy. You should knock before entering a room. Or do I need to give you lessons in basic etiquette?

Natsume: If there is something I can learn from my nii-sans, I welcome it, no matter what it may be.

For the record, though, I did knock. I know how particular you are about that sort of thing.

You simply didn’t notice because of all the noise you were making, correct?

Shu: That’s some nerve! Do you mean to tell me that it wasn’t you in the wrong, but rather me?!

Natsume: I don’t need this right now... What’s actually going on, Nii-san?

You’ve always been quick to anger, but if you keep losing your patience over such trivial things, you’ll shave years off your life.

Shu: I have no intention of living a long life.

Once I feel satisfied with my art, I will tie a noose around my neck and hang from a tree somewhere.

No, hanging isn’t a very elegant way to die... and neither a car accident, poison, or electrocution would give me a beautiful ending.

Certainly, it is considered a magnificent thing to grow senile, but I reject it on the grounds of becoming unattractive and unsightly.

Hm, it’s worth it to consider freezing to death... I would die with no loss to my beauty.

Ah, I have an idea. Wait just a moment while I think of what to do with it.

Natsume: I’ll wait, but don’t keep prattling on about death. You’ll worry the people around you...

If you die now it will be in vain. I’d rather you die in glory, roaring with laughter.

Shu: Hm... in that case, I suppose I’ve forever lost the opportunity to die that ideal death you speak of.

I am in the midst of a downhill fall as we speak.

...All right, I’ve gathered my thoughts. So, what on earth is it that you want with me, boy? You were saying something about costumes?

Natsume: Yes. Switch has been getting more active, and we’ve found that we can’t keep up with costume production. We were hoping to outsource the work.

We don’t exactly participate in official Dream Fests, so we don’t have enough in-school funds...

But if you know anyone who can make them at an affordable price, that would be helpful.

From the looks of it, it doesn’t seem right to ask you to do it, Shu-nii-san...

I suppose you’re still in your slump, hm? Or rather, I feel like you’re worse than ever today.

Shu: I am loath to admit it, but as vexing as it is, you guessed correctly.

I’m struggling with producing any ideas, my fingers simply refuse to move, and once I just barely finished a costume, it was too dreadful to even look at.

It’s utterly dispiriting. I’ve worked myself up to the point of crashing into a wall.

Natsume: Tearing down walls won’t raze the world to the ground; it will only injure the hand you used to hit them.

Shu: Hmph. I know that already. Don’t try and provoke me.

In any case, you have Aoba, do you not? Why not have him make the costumes?

Setting aside his personality and appearance, his skills at least are nothing to sneeze at.

Natsume: Mm. That may be, but Senpai is also very slow.

When the workload increases, he can’t keep up with it. And if it’s left in his hands, he’ll work himself to the point of breaking down.

It’s not that I’m particularly concerned about him, but I thought it would be better if we could entrust some of it to another source.

But that seems difficult for you, Shu-nii-san. I’m doubting if you have any room to help at all.

Nothing to do about it, then... We’ll keep getting busier and busier with work, so perhaps I’ll ask the little kitten instead.

Shu: The little kitten? Yes, that girl would be of great help to you, since she learned under Kiryuu’s tutelage.

Natsume: I hate the idea of relying on the pity of someone from Akatsuki... I just don’t know how you can get along with him so well, Shu-nii-san.

Shu: No. Whenever we meet, I have only curses to say to him...

...Fufu. Thank you, boy. Talking with you was a good diversion.

Natsume: If you want to thank me, you could stop calling me “boy.” You keep treating me as if I’m lesser than you.

Hm, but at the same time, it’s not often you give someone a nickname. Should I consider this an honor?

Shu: What? That’s just... oh. It’s another call from that girl.

I don’t know if she’s thick-skinned or just dull, but no matter how harshly I treat her, she always comes trotting back, entirely unperturbed.

Just like Kagehira, really... It may be strange to hear this from me, but I really don’t understand why he’s so attached to me.

Natsume: Ahaha. Unlike me, who was just there to fill out the numbers, you are truly one of the Five Oddballs.

You have a charisma that fascinates and attracts people.

Shu: Nothing will come of your sweet talk. Besides, neither I, myself, nor Rei, Wataru, or Kanata see you as just an extra body filling out the numbers.

Ah, excuse me. Hello, little girl? What do you want? Are you looking to be yelled at again? What strange tastes you have!

...What? What does that mean? You aren’t making any sense. Even if you are an idiot, you ought to at least try to use your head and speak in your own idiotic way.

Wait—little girl! Hello...?

...Non! Ohh, how irritating! She only said her piece and hung up!

Natsume: What is it, Nii-san? Did something happen? Is the kitten okay?

Shu: No, it’s not about the girl. Kagehira is... urgh, umm?

She must have been joking. But she said that Kagehira has been abducted.