Kei: Wah, that’s strange.
(Kei): Hm?
Kei: I’m also a Kei, actually. Mine is the “kei” from “keima.” (TN: Keima – knight in Shougi, or Japanese Chess.)
(Kei): —!?
Huh? That reaction’s a little strange.
Kei: Is there a problem with my name being the same…?
(Kei): ……Ahh, no, nothing.
For calling it “nothing,” he certainly seemed to take it with quite a shock. And he still looks like he’s thinking about it, even now.
……Geez, what’s the problem?
Of course, Youko-chan always said, “Since it’s ‘katsura’, if you added a ‘ko’ to make it ‘Keiko,’ then it’d be a good name for you,” and whatever else she wanted to say, but… (TN: Though her name is read “Kei,” it’s also the character for a type of tree called “Katsura.”)
(Leaving it “Kei” makes it sound strong, and smart, and it apparently doesn’t fit my image. Honestly, how rude can you be?)
(Kei): …………
Kei: Excuse me…?
(Kei): I see, so it’s “katsura,” the Mokusei Tree, then.
Kei: What? The tree of Jupiter?
The first thing that bubbles up in my head is the planet surrounded by rings— but, that’s Saturn. Mokusei is Jupiter, the biggest one.
But, in this case, I get the feeling it doesn’t matter which one…
Kei: ……Tree of Jupiter?
(Kei): You know, Kinmokusei and Ginmokusei— In China, “katsura” refers to a type of olive tree.
Kei: Ah, so it’s Kinmokusei?
Misconception dissolved.
Kei: That’s the one often planted on roadsides, right? The flowers bloom in autumn, and the scent is kind of strong.
(Kei): Right, right, the one you often see in bathroom potpourri.
Kei: …………
Wah, could this person – Kei-kun? Kei-san? – have been aiming for this punch line the whole time!?
Kei: Uuu, that’s mean……
(Kei): Hahaha! Sorry, sorry.
Kei: In my house, we use it as a floral scent, okay?
(Kei): Well, “floral” means “like a flower,” so even if it’s a tree, the Kinmokusei flower is still a flower.
Kei: …………
Oh mother in heaven, is our house all right like this?