Ougonten / Chronicle of Dragon's Ascent Chapter 2
Characters: Mitsuru, Mika, Nagisa
Time: The next day.
Mika: Hah... It really is cold outside. Even jus' goin' out into the hallway fer a lil' bit makes my skin all shivery.
Ritsu: Mikarin, welcome home~. It's still cold, huh? That's why we should relax by the kotatsu today.
Ritsu: Hey Mikarin, hurry up and get in here. Aren't you cold?
Mika: Oh man! I can already tell that if I get possessed by the kotatsu's supernatural powers, I'll end up not bein' able t' do anything.
Mika: It's a valuable day off, and I gotta focus on my art, or I'll be too ashamed t' look Oshi-san in the eye.
Ritsu: You say that, Mikarin, but you don't do very well in the cold either. If you don't keep yourself warm, you'll get sick, and I don't think that would be very efficient~
Ritsu: Come on, there's nothing better than snuggling up by the kotatsu while drinking some warm tea~ ♪
Mika: Ugh, if it was jus' fer a lil' while... But I know just that lil' bit can be fatal.
Mika: But... It is real cold! Maybe jus' fer five minutes or so...
Mitsuru: Hm-hmm. Mika-nii~chan and the supernatural powers of the kotatsu? It looks like he can't resist it after all.
Mika: Uwah?! Why's Mitsuru-kun under the kotatsu?!
Mitsuru: Woah?! Mika-nii~chan found me! I'll dash away~!
Mika: So fast?! What the heck was that...?
Ritsu: He came while you were out of the room, Mikarin, so I decided to let him in. I figured he might want to get under the kotatsu with me.
Ritsu: But to escape from the evil clutches of the kotatsu with that kind of speed... It's quite a good job~
Mika: He jus' wanted t' use the kotatsu? I wonder if that's really true. I feel like y'all were talkin' about me...
Time: Another day.
Mika: I get real emotional when thinkin' about how I'll only get t' work in the clubroom for a lil' while longer.
Mika: Would it be a good idea t' try an' come up with a design based on graduation or the beginning of spring? Well, I haven't brought my sketchbook back home yet...
Mitsuru: Sta~re...
Mika: I feel someone lookin' at me from the entrance?! Who's there?!
Mitsuru: Tch...?!
Mika: Ah, they ran away!
Mitsuru: Dash dash! Today, Mika-nii~chan was working hard on designing again~!
Mika: Aah, I can't see them fully anymore. But the voice jus' now sounded like Mitsuru-kun.
Mika: Lately, I feel like Mitsuru-kun's been hangin' out around me a lot. I wonder why...?
Time: Yet another day.
Mika: (I came here t' buy some art supplies that I needed, but...)
Mitsuru: (Whisper) ...I'm gonna start investigating, I hope Mika-nii~chan doesn't find me.
Mitsuru: (Whisper) Hm-hmm. Looks like he's going out today. I wonder if it'll be to anywhere fun?
Mitsuru: (Whisper) But playing by yourself would be boring. Maybe he's just going shopping...?
Mitsuru: (Whisper) I'm curious either way! Looks like I'll get some good intel on Mika-nii~chan. ♪
Mika: (Ugh... It really is Mitsuru-kun. I wonder why he's been followin' me?)
Mika: (It's makin' me nervous bein' followed around with no end in sight. Okay, if things go as planned, I'll ambush 'im around that corner over there...)
Mitsuru: Oh, I lost him! I've gotta hurry and catch up with—
Mika: Mitsuru-kun! Caught'cha!
Mitsuru: Uwah?! Mika-nii~chan, you were waiting to ambush me?!
Mika: I noticed that you've been followin' me around. More importantly, why would ya do somethin' like that?
Mitsuru: Th-that's...
Mitsuru: O-over there, it's Oshisan-senpai!
Mika: Huh?! Why'd Oshi-san be here?! He never said anythin' about comin' back...!
Mika: Huh? I can't find Oshi-san anywhere...
Mitsuru: Sorry, Mika-nii~chan! I gotta run now, zip-whoo~sh.☆
Mika: Wait, ya tricked me! I can't let ya get away, but yer already that far...?!
Mika: As expected of someone in th' track and field club... I don't have the energy t' run after 'im.
Mika: (In the end, Mitsuru-kun always runs away from me, and I still dunno the reason he keeps chasin' me around.)
Mika: (It's like I'm on the lookout fer Mitsuru-kun all the time, so I can't dedicate myself to my creative work...)
Mika: Fer now, I'll drink some tea an' calm down...
Mika: Haah, seriously. If I did somethin' to Mitsuru-kun, I jus' wanna apologize properly.
Nagisa: ...You seem extremely worried, Mika-kun. If something has happened that's troubling you, I'll listen to you.
Mika: Nnah?! Ran-senpai, ya started talkin' t' me outta nowhere! I got real surprised.
Nagisa: ...Sorry. I was in the room first, but I guess you didn't notice me.
Mika: Oh, I see. I'm sorry fer intrudin' on ya while ya were relaxin' in here?
Nagisa: ...It feels like there is a slight undertone to that apology. Should I take that to mean you don't actually want to apologize to me?
Mika: ...Ugh, forgive me. Whenever I think about an old member of fine, I instinctively put my guard up.
Mika: When ya said ya'd listen t' me talk jus' now, I know ya said it with goodwill, but...
Nagisa: ...The fact that I've hurt you all in the past cannot change. It's expected that you wouldn't be able to accept my help without issue.
Nagisa: ...This is because of my nosiness. You are free to reject or take my hand. I don't mind either way.
Nagisa: ...Judging from your soliloquy earlier, it seemed that Tenma-kun was also involved in your troubles, Mika-kun. I wonder if I should listen to his side of the story too?
Mika: Wait, wait a sec! Jus' now, did ya say yer gonna talk t' Mitsuru-kun?
Nagisa: ...Because I'm good friends with Tenma-kun. If he's in trouble, I'd like to help him.
Mika: Nnah~, it's hard t' say no when ya put it that way. I don't want ya t' do anythin' unnecessary, but...
Mika: (Sigh)... I'll talk with ya honestly this time. I also wanna hear what Mitsuru-kun has t' say.
Mika: To tell ya the truth, what's troublin' me is how Mitsuru-kun's been followin' me around lately.
Mika: Even when I ask him why, he jus' runs away, an' I can't do anythin' about it.
Nagisa: ...I see. Even if I tried to guess the reasoning behind his behavior, I wouldn't have enough information and could not deduce an answer.
Nagisa: ...It would be faster to ask Tenma-kun personally. Right now, he should be in the library.
Mika: Really? Isn't it a bit surprisin' fer Mitsuru-kun t' be in the library?
Nagisa: ...He looked to be writing something. If you want to corner him so that he can't escape, now may be a good opportunity.
Mika: Doesn't it sound kinda dangerous when ya say it like that...?