Stage Battle "TRUST" - Part 1
Interviewer: Thank you for giving us to interview you today!Nayuta: Yeah.
Kanata: Sure, whatever.
Interviewer: Our interview today will be published in a magazine covering the Paradox Live next month. Is it alright if I record us?
Kanata: No.
Nayuta: Sorry, but being recorded is a no-go.
Interviewer: ... Understood. Well, without any further ado, shall we get started?
[sfx: paper flip]
Interviewer: cozmez managed to pull out an amazing victory in the previous Paradox Live. Can you share your feelings about that?
Kanata and Nayuta: ...
Interviewer: Not only did you go up against Buraikan, but you also took home 10 billion yen in prize money! I have no doubt that this has had quite the impact on you two's day to day lives, right?
Kanata: I mean, it's made things easier.
Interview: What a humble answer! Even though you're some of the most popular rappers in the world!
Nayuta: That's overselling it.
Interview: Even though you've got popularity, raw talent, and money, one would expect you to live more of the life of celebrities.
Kanata: Hah?
Interview: As I understand it, the two of you are still living in the same slums as you were before?
Nayuta: And what about it?
Kanata: You got a problem with that?
Interviewer: Oh, no, um...
Kanata and Nayuta: [sigh]
[sfx: paper flipping]
Interview: Moving on to the next question...
Kanata: Oh, fuck this. This interview is over. Let's go home, Nayuta.
Nayuta: Kanata.
Kanata: Every time anyone opens their mouth, the only thing they want to talk about is the money. It's so stupid. What business is it of theirs?
Nayuta: Are you surprised? Sit down, Kanata.
Kanata: Hah? Why should I?
Nayuta: We're the ones who agreed to do this interview. We can't just bail on it.
Kanata: ... ... then you do it yourself, Nayuta! I'm going home.
Nayuta: --! Kanata!
[sfx: footsteps, door opening]
Kanata: Hmph!
[sfx: door closing]
Interviewer: Um...
Nayuta: [sigh] ... you had another question?
*
Zen: Have this suit and tie always been so tight... ... mm... It's tight in the shoulders too. Maybe I should've bought a new one...?
[sfx: footsteps]
Satsuki: Yo, Zen-nii, are you going somewhere?
Zen: Ah... yeah.
Reo: You meeting up with someone? Is it work stuff?
Zen: Ah, no, it's not work related... just a personal business I have to attend to.
Hokusai: Will it take you all day?
Zen: I shouldn't be gone too long. ... hm? What's up? You guys look like you want to ask me something.
Reo: ... uh, nope! Nothing really!
Zen: If you say so.
Hokusai: We were just curious.
Satsuki: Don't worry about it!
Zen: Hm...
[sfx: sliding door opening]
Zen: Alright, then. You guys hold down the fort for me here.
Hokusai, Satsuki, Reo: See you later!
[sfx: sliding door shutting]
Reo: ... he was totally acting weird.
Satsuki: He even wore a suit today. His arms were all tense and wound up.
Hokusai: And he wouldn't tell us where he was going...
Satsuki: How often has he gone out to take care of "personal business" lately?
Reo: This is the third time this month, isn't it?
Satsuki: It can only be one thing...
Reo: Right?
Hokusai: Satsuki. Reo. Today is the day.
Reo and Satsuki: Yeah!
[sfx: sliding door opening]
Reo: Which way did Zen-nii go?
Hokusai: That way, I think. Towards the station.
Satsuki: Alright! Let's tail him!!
*
Kanata: What's gotten into him? Answering every stupid fucking question like a dog trained to bark, where's his damn spine gone?
Woman 1: Um, excuse me...
Kanata: What?
Woman 1: I knew it! You're Kanata-kun! From cozmez!
Woman 2: Oh, wow! It really is him!! He looks like a doll up close! He's so cuuute!
Kanata: ...
Woman 2: Is Nayuta-kun not with you today?
Kanata: ... just because we're twins doesn't mean we're joined at the hip...
Woman 1: Ah! A picture! Can I get a picture with you?
Kanata: No way.
Woman 2: Eh? But I was super excited to get the chance to meet you!
Kanata: ...
Woman 1: Pleaaase! Just one photo is all!
Kanata: Wh--
[sfx: camera]
Kanata: Knock it off!!
[sfx: shove, the women gasping, phone hitting the ground]
Kanata: ...
Woman 1: Kanata-kun...
Kanata: ...
[sfx: approaching footsteps in geta]
Woman 2: ...?
Iori: You've gotta excuse him, ladies! Don't take it personally, he's just always like this! He's not very friendly and he's got a real bad attitude.
Women: ...!
Woman 2: No, no, it's not like that!
Woman 1: We were being pushy.
Iori: Ah, and you even dropped your phone. Hup! Ah, that's good, the screen didn't break or nothin'. This belong to you, little lady?
Woman 1: Y-yeah.
Woman 2: ... by any chance, are you Kashira-san from Akan Yatsura?
Iori: Oh! You've heard of lil ol' me?
Woman 2: Of course we have!
Iori: Well, the pleasure's all mine!
Woman 2: Could we...?
Iori: Y'want a photo? [laughs] Sure thing! I'd be more than happy to!
Women: [exclamations of excitement]
Iori: Kanata, make it up to these nice girls by takin' the photo for them, alright?
Kanata: ... fine.
Woman 1: You don't have t...
Kanata: Give it.
Woman 1: H-here you go.
[sfx: Iori getting into position for the photo, women exclaiming]
Iori: This'll make for a great photo! A pretty girl on each arm! You gals ready?
Women: Yes!
Iori: Alright! Say cheese!
[sfx: camera]
Women: Thank you so much!
Iori: I oughta be the one thankin' you! Get where you're goin' safe now, a'ight?
Women: Yes!
Woman 1: [walking away] That was insane--!
Iori: That's no good, Kanata. You oughta treat fans a little nicer.
Kanata: They're not even heads. They just wanted a photo of someone famous. They didn't care who I am.
Iori: Even so.
Kanata: ... [sigh]
Iori: What's crawled up your ass? Somethin' troubling you?
Kanata: ...
Iori: ... hey, d'you like pudding?
Kanata: ... What?
*
Interviewer: ... and that will bring our interview today to a close. Thank you very much for your time!
Nayuta: Thanks.
Interviewer: Um... I'd like to apologize for what happened with Kanata-san earlier...
Nayuta: It's fine.
[sfx: footsteps]
Nayuta: I was pissed off, too.
[sfx: door closing]
Nayuta: Kanata, you dumbass... leaving me to deal with everything. Would it kill you to be a little more patient?
[sfx: footsteps]
Nayuta: ... huh? Aren't those the guys from Akan Yatsura...?
Satsuki: Shouldn't we be getting closer? We almost lost him at the last crosswalk!
Reo: Don't be stupid, Satsuki-chan. Haven't you ever watched a police drama? If we get too close, he'll spot us!
Satsuki: Stop calling me Satsuki-chan, you little shit.
Reo: Don't call me a little shit!
Hokusai: Shh! Be quiet! Zen-nii will hear us.
Nayuta: What are you guys doing?
Hokusai, Satsuki, Reo: --!
Satsuki: Wha--!! ... ah, it's just Nayuta... don't scare us like that!
Nayuta: You guys all look sus as hell all slinking around corners and hiding in the shadows like that.
Hokusai, Satsuki, Reo: ...
Nayuta: What are you doing? Are you following someone?
Reo: Shhh! Keep your voice down, you idiot, he'll hear you!!
Nayuta: Hah?
Satsuki: Shit!! Zen-nii's looking this way!
Hokusai: We have to hide. Nayuta, you, too. Come here.
Nayuta: Since when am I a part of this?
Nayuta: Hah? A lover?
Satsuki: No doubt about it!
Hokusai: He's been lost in thought a lot lately.
Reo: And he keeps sighing deeply.
Satsuki: And that can only mean one thing...
Satsuki, Reo, Hokusai: He's in love!
Reo: Today is the day we find out who he's in love with.
Hokusai: It's not good to keep secrets.
Satsuki: And if he thinks he can keep them from us, he's got another thing coming!
Nayuta: And that's why you're following him?
Satsuki: Yep!
Nayuta: So you're creeping on his date? Isn't that kind of lame?
Reo, Satsuki, Hokusai: ...
Reo: I mean, if it were Kanata going on dates without telling you, would you be okay with it?
Nayuta: ...! That's...
[sfx: crosswalk beeping]
Hokusai: The signal has changed.
Satsuki: Alright! Let's go, Nayuta!
Nayuta: --! [sigh]
[sfx: footsteps]
Restaurant Hostess: Hello and welcome!
[sfx: footsteps]
Satsuki: Alright! Zen's going in!
Reo: Noo! Zen-nii, you can't go on a date at a family restaurant[1]!
Satsuki: What's wrong with a famires? You can eat whatever you want.
Reo: But it's an adult date! There's plenty of way cuter cafes and restaurants around here.
Hokusai: But. There's big windows and we should be able to see into the store easily. For our purposes, it's a convenient choice.
Nayuta: [sigh] Why do I have to be a part of this?
Reo: Nayuta, get your head down! Otherwise Zen-nii will spot you!
Nayuta: --!
Hokusai: Ah... Zen is raising his hand to greet someone. I wonder if it's the person he's meeting up with.
Satsuki: Hah! What kind of cutie is it?
Reo: I wanna see, I wanna see! I bet it's a really cute onee-sa-- ... ah?
Hokusai: Eh?
Satsuki: ...
Satsuki, Reo, and Hokusai: [loud sigh]
Nayuta: Tch. He's meeting up with some old dude, then?
*
[sfx: music]
Iori: So, what's up? You fightin' with Nayuta?
Kanata: We had an argument.
Waitress: Sorry to keep you waiting! Here you have our store's specialty pudding.
Iori: Ah, here we go!
[sfx: silverware]
Waitress: Please enjoy.
Iori: Ah, thanks much! ... well? Looks good, don't it?
Kanata: Ha?
Iori: Check it out. It's handmade stuff. You can taste the egg in the custard comin' through, and it's set just a little bit firm, and s'got the whipped cream and bright red cherry on the top. It's legit stuff.
Kanata: ...
Iori: What a chilly reception. [laughs] Well, we can talk about it later, after eatin'.
[sfx: silverware]
Iori: So that's what's up. After winnin' the last tournament, things started changin' and you're having trouble adjusting.
Kanata: Yeah.
Iori: I mean, it's true that people are treatin' you a lot different now. After all, now you're cozmez, the real popular rappers!
Kanata: [sigh]
Iori: Is it not what all you were hoping it'd be?
Kanata: ... Before we won. We were going to make money, we were going to rise to the top and get out of that hellhole. We were going to get revenge on everyone who'd ever fucked us over. That's what I thought, anyway.
Iori: And yet you're still livin' in the same slum, yeah? And you wanted to stay anonymous when you donated all that prize money!
Kanata: ...
Iori: ... [laughs] But that's where your roots are. That hungry spirit is what makes cozmez what it is.
Kanata: I know that. You understand that. If I can do music with Nayuta, that's all I need. But, recently... he and I have had a bunch of different ideas about things. We're not seeing eye to eye.
Iori: ... hm. [laughs] Is that all?
Kanata: Hah?
Iori: You may be twins, but Nayuta's his own separate person, right? It's perfectly normal to have different opinions about things. Silly to be worried about that.
Kanata: ...
Iori: Not to mention, all through that last tournament, we were dealin' with the phantom Nayuta. Isn't it natural for the real thing to be a bit different?
Kanata: ...
Iori: I'm sure that there's things that Nayuta thought about when you weren't around to pay witness to it. He's gonna think differently from you. S'only natural to for that to happen as you grow.
Kanata: But...
Iori: But you're still worried 'bout it?
Kanata: ...
Iori: [laughs] Don't be an idiot about it! I wasn't hearin' a bit of that uncertainty when you two were on stage last time!
Kanata: --!
Iori: You hit us with all you got! You showed off that powerful bond'a yours by singin' it out! The two of you got absolute trust in each other. The two of your souls resonatin' like that gave rise to an overwhelming vibe.
Kanata: ...
Iori: You got nothin' to worry about. Don't worry about things you can't control. Just screw up your courage and take it a day at a time. If you put yourself out there, you'll figure somethin' out.
Kanata: ...
Iori: So the same goes for yer relationship with Nayuta. A couple little fights ain't the end of the world. If your goals are aimed at the same place, you can take your own paths there. The two of you can keep on livin' together and supporting each other.
Kanata: ... yeah.
Iori: [laughs] You sure don't talk much. Wouldn't kill you to be a little more sociable.