nazunyan427

Chapter 7

High Jump

-The next morning. Starmony Hall Common Area-

Hajime:

… And that’s more or less the gist of it. It seems like our agency just doesn’t have the funds to allocate to Ra*bits at the moment.

Nazuna:

Ah, so that’s the situation. Thanks for the explanation, Hajime-chin. Now I finally understand what’s actually going on.

Seems like Anzu’s in a position where it’s hard to get specifically involved with certain agencies, and so isn’t privy to some of our agency’s more hush hush information either.

Tomo-chin was kinda all over the place, so I wasn’t able to follow a word he was saying, and I couldn’t really wrap my head around the chain of events.

Hajime:

Haha. Tomoya-kun’s never been the best at explaining things in the most logical way.

But for some reason he’s able to recite all that complicated dialogue onstage without missing a beat. Why is that, I wonder?

Nazuna:

I guess he just finds it difficult to explain things in his own words. Wataru-chin is the same. I was in the same class as him last year, so I’ve seen first hand how he can be.

This one time in class we were supposed to submit a book report, but the only thing written on his paper was the word “Amazing!” in giant, bold letters. Our teacher got so mad...

I asked him afterwards why he’d do something so dumb, and he told me it was ‘cause his mind drew a total blank.

And yet, if all he had to do was spout off a bunch of dialogue after just one read through of a script, he could probably get through the whole year doing nothing but that.

Hajime:

Whoa… It really feels like theatre kids’ brains work differently to ours.

Nazuna:

I think it’s all down to the training. Tomo-chin was a total newbie to theatre at first.

Mitsuru:

Nii-chan, Nii-chan! Nii, Nii, NiNi, NiNiNi...

Hajime:

Mitsuru-kun! Stop getting up in Nii-chan’s face and trying to hog all of his attention to yourself!

Nii-chan is talking to ME right now—I mean! We’re in the middle of a serious conversation here!

Nazuna:

Nah, it’s fine! You come on over here too, Hajime-chin. I’ve got two hands, so I can hug both of you just fine.

Hajime:

T-There’s really no need! I’m not a little kid looking for cuddles; I’m in my second year of high-school, and I’m a big brother myself!

Nazuna:

Ahaha. Just ‘cause you’ve gotten older doesn’t mean no one’s gonna be there to comfort you any more. Adults still need hugs too sometimes.

But more importantly, just in case anything’s been misunderstood, I’d like you to double-check the details with our agency staff. If anything was misunderstood you can let me know right away, Hajime-chin!

Mitsuru:

What about me? What should I do? I’ll do anything you want, Nii-chan!

Nazuna:

A job for Mitsuru-chin, huh? Heheh, all you need to do is sit there and smile as sweetly as you can!

Mitsuru:

Woohoo! Sounds like a piece of cake! You got it, Nii-chan—no problem at all!

Nazuna:

Oh, but. I haven’t seen Tomo-chin at all, and I’m kinda worried about him. Do you think you could find out what he’s up to?

Based on what I saw yesterday, he seemed just about ready to crack. I’m a little concerned that he might be doing something stupid, y’know?

Mitsuru:

Got it! Wahaha, these days it feels like all I’m doing is searching for Tomo-chin! It’s the total opposite of last year, hahaha! Off I go; dash, dash, dash!

Hajime:

Mitsuru-kun, please! People might still be sleeping, so you can’t go making such a ruckus!

Nazuna:

Ahaha. Hajime-chin, you’re scolding him more than you usually would. Is this what you’re like with your family? Since you have a little brother and sister and all.

Hajime:

Ah, yes… That’s kind of embarrassing… Back home I’m the eldest, so I tell myself I’ve gotta act like it.

Nazuna:

It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I think it’s great! Now I can see a whole new side to you; what kind of person you are in your private life too.

Once everything calms down, I’m thinking about moving into this dorm myself.

Hajime:

You’d be very welcome! Though the room splits are kind of all over the place, and in some cases it can get a little awkward.

I’m in the same room as Hokuto-senpai, so Tomoya-kun is a bit jealous.

Our other roommate is the dorm head, Hasumi-senpai. Not that it’s something that particularly bothers me, but I do get the feeling he worries about my physical well-being far more than necessary.

If I so much as cough, I’m bombarded with a sea of questions like “Are you feeling okay? Could it be a cold? Do you need some cough medicine?”...

Hokuto-senpai is Hokuto-senpai; he often shares his Grandmother’s words of wisdom with me.

—And then ends up getting into arguments with Hasumi-senpai, who tells him to quit butting in.

Nazuna:

Whoa. Seems like the atmosphere between Hokuto-chin and Keito-chin’d be kinda tense.

A member of last year’s student council, and one of the main culprits behind the rebellion... What were they thinking when they decided to shove those two in a room together?

Hajime:

I’m not really sure… But recently, I’m becoming a little braver, and I’ve even mustered up the courage to ask them if they’d like to play board games together, so we can start to get along better.

We can’t be on edge around each other forever, or it’ll be exhausting.

Nazuna:

I see! Still sounds pretty tiring as it is.

Anyway, uh… What were we talking about again?