Sudden Death - Romanticism Chapter 2
Aug. 5th, 2022 08:18 pmSeason: Winter
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Location: Airport - Shopping Area
(Several minutes later, in a corner of the airport shopping area)

Leo: Hah... Whew!
Wow, I really ran! Feels good to get exercise!
I think I get why Mama joined the track and field club! My brain cells are all lit up and workin' up some inspiration!
Kohaku: ......
Leo: ? Hey, you're lookin' down! You okay? Cheer up! I'll listen to your worries if you're okay with me? You're really important to Mama after all!
Kohaku: ......
Leo: You're—uh, what was it? Wait, don't say it! I got it! You're Suo~'s little bro and your name's really similar, uh... O... O... Orca!
Kohaku: What's up with "orca"? They say the orca's the killer o' the seas—did ya call me that on purpose? How much do you know?
Leo: Huh? It's not Orca? Then how about a dolphin! I love dolphins! They have such pretty singing voices!
Kohaku: Why's it gotta be a sea creature, huh? Oh, now that ya mention it, though, I ain't even introduced myself yet. The name's Kohaku Oukawa.
Leo: Kohakuja! Got it! Sounds like a real hero name! Awesome~♪ [1]

Kohaku: ......
Leo: Ah, wait, don't go! Don't leave me! I got Sena mad now and you're the only one I can rely on, Kohakuja!
Kohaku: Why?! Don't be a pest. And ya don't need the "ja", it's just "Kohaku".
Leo: Oh yeah! Right, right, I remember now! Wahaha! ☆
Kohaku: It ain't polite t'get somebody's name wrong. Even worse if you're makin' a joke out of it.
In a different era, people would hold grudges, y'know. Somebody out there would come get rid o' ya, and nobody'd blink an eye.
If ya wanna make fun o' people or make ironic jokes, all up to you. But be careful who ya pick on, 'cause ya jus' might get burned.
Even now, there's all kindsa stories from overseas about folks who slandered the mafia and got 'emselves killed.
Deep down in the underground where nobody's lookin', the law o' the jungle still reigns supreme. Make somebody lose face, ya die. Step foot on their turf, ya die.
Leo: Wahaha! Man, I do not wanna know what you're trying to say, but wow, you sure do remind me of Suo~!
Whenever I forgot his name, he'd always fly off the handle at me! Brothers really do take after each other... ♪
Kohaku: Sounds like some wires got crossed somewhere, but the Suou boy and I ain't brothers by any means. We're jus' blood-related; he's the head o' the main family and I'm way at the edge of a branch family.
We're two different ranks, see. He's like a whole different beast from me.
Sayin' we're the same would be like claimin' a tiger and cat were the same animal.
Leo: I love cats, too~☆

Kohaku: ......
Leo: Wait, wait, don't go! I actually wanted to talk about something! I just remembered!
Kohaku: ...What. I got nothin' t'say to you.
Leo: But I've got something to say to you! Let's talk! Come on! Please? It's the only thing I'll ever ask from you!
Kohaku: (Oh lord, logic don't work with this guy... Pretty rare to see a type like this at ES—not just child-like, but literally a little kid in a big body.)
Leo: Wahaha. ...Hey, I've been meaning to tell you this, but...
...Thanks for helping Mama, Kohaku.
Kohaku: ...?
Leo: I love him lots and I really think of him as a friend. But y'know even though he's always helping out people in need, he always looks like he's the one who needs help the most.
It was always hard to watch him like that.
It's a good thing to save other people, and I'm sure that's what he's always wanted to do. But I started to wonder who would save him...
I just couldn't stand it. All this time.
Kohaku: ...Are you talkin' about Madara-han?
Leo: Yeah. My—our beloved Madara Mikejima.
He's been helping us all out, and that's why we love him and want to give back to him... but he's never accepted our feelings.
It always made me so sad. I mean, I've always been stupid and thoughtless, and because of that I messed up and got all caught up in my own problems.
I thought he wouldn't want someone like me trying to save him. I was helpless.
I wrote so many songs I thought he might like, but they won't ever reach the heart of someone covering their ears.
But that's why I'm glad you're here.
Kohaku: ...I didn't do nothin'.
I never wanted t'save Madara-han. I jus' saw him stagger when we were fightin' together in the underground, and I lent him a shoulder to lean on.
Leo: Yeah, and you're exactly what he needed.
That's why I want to thank you. I don't think he's honest enough to say it himself, so I'll tell you in his place.
Kohaku: Ain't nothin' to thank me for. Maybe it looks like I saved him, but truth is, that guy done saved himself.
He got his reward for how hard he struggled 'til now. That's all.
Pretty sure those fifty no-name helpers runnin' to his aid jus' wanted to hurry an' return what they owed him...
But what saved him is what he did. Sure, I could go 'round tellin' people it was all me, but I ain't that shameless.
Leo: Fifty? Whoa, that sounds interesting! Tell me more—wait, wait, don't! I'll imagine it!
Kohaku: Mmm... Might not be on TV quite yet. Just happened the other day, after all.
(Wait, he's gonna think I know somethin' I shouldn't. Whoops, slip o' the tongue.)
(Gotta keep it a secret that I was runnin' around Shikoku and Kyushu with my big sis actin' in my place.)
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[1] In the same vein as the "Kohakucchi" joke with Aira, Leo misunderstands that the "ja", part of Kohaku's heavy Kansai accent, is instead part of Kohaku's name. Also, this is just my interpretation, but it kind of sounds like the "ger" on "ranger" when said in Japanese, which might be why Leo says it sounds like a good hero name.↑
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< Romanticism Chapter 1 || Masterlist || Romanticism Chapter 3 >
---
Location: Airport - Shopping Area
(Several minutes later, in a corner of the airport shopping area)

Leo: Hah... Whew!
Wow, I really ran! Feels good to get exercise!
I think I get why Mama joined the track and field club! My brain cells are all lit up and workin' up some inspiration!
Kohaku: ......
Leo: ? Hey, you're lookin' down! You okay? Cheer up! I'll listen to your worries if you're okay with me? You're really important to Mama after all!
Kohaku: ......
Leo: You're—uh, what was it? Wait, don't say it! I got it! You're Suo~'s little bro and your name's really similar, uh... O... O... Orca!
Kohaku: What's up with "orca"? They say the orca's the killer o' the seas—did ya call me that on purpose? How much do you know?
Leo: Huh? It's not Orca? Then how about a dolphin! I love dolphins! They have such pretty singing voices!
Kohaku: Why's it gotta be a sea creature, huh? Oh, now that ya mention it, though, I ain't even introduced myself yet. The name's Kohaku Oukawa.
Leo: Kohakuja! Got it! Sounds like a real hero name! Awesome~♪ [1]

Kohaku: ......
Leo: Ah, wait, don't go! Don't leave me! I got Sena mad now and you're the only one I can rely on, Kohakuja!
Kohaku: Why?! Don't be a pest. And ya don't need the "ja", it's just "Kohaku".
Leo: Oh yeah! Right, right, I remember now! Wahaha! ☆
Kohaku: It ain't polite t'get somebody's name wrong. Even worse if you're makin' a joke out of it.
In a different era, people would hold grudges, y'know. Somebody out there would come get rid o' ya, and nobody'd blink an eye.
If ya wanna make fun o' people or make ironic jokes, all up to you. But be careful who ya pick on, 'cause ya jus' might get burned.
Even now, there's all kindsa stories from overseas about folks who slandered the mafia and got 'emselves killed.
Deep down in the underground where nobody's lookin', the law o' the jungle still reigns supreme. Make somebody lose face, ya die. Step foot on their turf, ya die.
Leo: Wahaha! Man, I do not wanna know what you're trying to say, but wow, you sure do remind me of Suo~!
Whenever I forgot his name, he'd always fly off the handle at me! Brothers really do take after each other... ♪
Kohaku: Sounds like some wires got crossed somewhere, but the Suou boy and I ain't brothers by any means. We're jus' blood-related; he's the head o' the main family and I'm way at the edge of a branch family.
We're two different ranks, see. He's like a whole different beast from me.
Sayin' we're the same would be like claimin' a tiger and cat were the same animal.
Leo: I love cats, too~☆

Kohaku: ......
Leo: Wait, wait, don't go! I actually wanted to talk about something! I just remembered!
Kohaku: ...What. I got nothin' t'say to you.
Leo: But I've got something to say to you! Let's talk! Come on! Please? It's the only thing I'll ever ask from you!
Kohaku: (Oh lord, logic don't work with this guy... Pretty rare to see a type like this at ES—not just child-like, but literally a little kid in a big body.)
Leo: Wahaha. ...Hey, I've been meaning to tell you this, but...
...Thanks for helping Mama, Kohaku.
Kohaku: ...?
Leo: I love him lots and I really think of him as a friend. But y'know even though he's always helping out people in need, he always looks like he's the one who needs help the most.
It was always hard to watch him like that.
It's a good thing to save other people, and I'm sure that's what he's always wanted to do. But I started to wonder who would save him...
I just couldn't stand it. All this time.
Kohaku: ...Are you talkin' about Madara-han?
Leo: Yeah. My—our beloved Madara Mikejima.
He's been helping us all out, and that's why we love him and want to give back to him... but he's never accepted our feelings.
It always made me so sad. I mean, I've always been stupid and thoughtless, and because of that I messed up and got all caught up in my own problems.
I thought he wouldn't want someone like me trying to save him. I was helpless.
I wrote so many songs I thought he might like, but they won't ever reach the heart of someone covering their ears.
But that's why I'm glad you're here.
Kohaku: ...I didn't do nothin'.
I never wanted t'save Madara-han. I jus' saw him stagger when we were fightin' together in the underground, and I lent him a shoulder to lean on.
Leo: Yeah, and you're exactly what he needed.
That's why I want to thank you. I don't think he's honest enough to say it himself, so I'll tell you in his place.
Kohaku: Ain't nothin' to thank me for. Maybe it looks like I saved him, but truth is, that guy done saved himself.
He got his reward for how hard he struggled 'til now. That's all.
Pretty sure those fifty no-name helpers runnin' to his aid jus' wanted to hurry an' return what they owed him...
But what saved him is what he did. Sure, I could go 'round tellin' people it was all me, but I ain't that shameless.
Leo: Fifty? Whoa, that sounds interesting! Tell me more—wait, wait, don't! I'll imagine it!
Kohaku: Mmm... Might not be on TV quite yet. Just happened the other day, after all.
(Wait, he's gonna think I know somethin' I shouldn't. Whoops, slip o' the tongue.)
(Gotta keep it a secret that I was runnin' around Shikoku and Kyushu with my big sis actin' in my place.)
---
[1] In the same vein as the "Kohakucchi" joke with Aira, Leo misunderstands that the "ja", part of Kohaku's heavy Kansai accent, is instead part of Kohaku's name. Also, this is just my interpretation, but it kind of sounds like the "ger" on "ranger" when said in Japanese, which might be why Leo says it sounds like a good hero name.↑
---
< Romanticism Chapter 1 || Masterlist || Romanticism Chapter 3 >