Kei: Uhyaaaaa!?
My body crimps with a start at a ring tone blaring enough to rip the curtain of night to shreds.
After I’d finally brought my booming heartbeat under control, I feel it come back with renewed vigor.
Who in the world would call at this time?
Except, this ring tone is assigned to one person, so I already know.
Kei: Hello!? Youko-chan!?
Youko: Geez, I fi~nally got through!
Kei: ……Talk about finally, it’s really late.
Youko: Uh-oh, Hato-chan, you in a bad mood?
Kei: A little.
Youko: I’m so happee~ whee! If you were so itchin’ to hear my voice, you should’ve given me a call, Hato-chan. Look at you, always so bashful! ♪
Kei: ……Not quite.
Kei: I mean, it might’ve been my fault to sleep without turning it off, but there’s no sense in calling someone at this time of night, Youko-chan.
Youko: Ah— is this another space case of yours……?
Kei: I guess I just woke up a moment ago, and wasn’t really having a good dream, either, so I don’t really mind, but…
Youko: You were sleeping? At a time like this? It was evening, and you slept?
Kei: At a time like this, of course I was sleeping.
Youko: Hato-chan, you have a watch?
Kei: I have my cell, but…
Youko: Have a look-it.
Kei: …………
Well, it is something you could call nighttime.
Prime time television is over, but, it’s not the kind of time that would make you worry about calling people.
Also, where Youko-chan’s concerned, with the “early to bed, early to rise” rooster livelihood as her motto, I at least never had to worry about her beating me awake in the middle of the night, did I?
Youko: Being on the phone like this, it drives me crazy that I can’t go nuts and bop you on the head.
Kei: Uuu! Sorry.
Youko: Like those pig tails of yours, wind them up and give ’em a good pull, gui, gui!
Kei: Stop, stop! Please, that really hurts. If I go bald in the future, it’ll be your fault, you know.
Youko: Ah~haha, when you do, I’ll be there to take the blame—
Youko: ……So, are you just reeeally tired, or what?
Kei: I’m tired…… kind of. I’m staying in one heck of a place, that’s for sure.
Youko: Like a park or station bench? Did you run out of juice before you found your papa’s house?
Kei: Uh-uh. I got to the house just fine, but…
Youko: Oho?
I summarize and relate the events since my arrival at Hemidzuka.
Youko: Well now, that was one heckuva bumpy road. And that would be why you slept at this time, huh?
Kei: Uh-huh, that’s how it happened.
Youko: By the way, are things really gonna be all right with that Tsudzura kid?
Kei: “All right”?
Youko: Like when you wake up, she’s run off with your suitcase! ——or something like that.
| 大丈夫だよ | 気をつけるよ |
| It’ll be fine. | I’ll be careful. |