Aigetsu Tettou

This is the translation of the short story included in SolidS's "Tide - Hikari no Sasu Hou e -".

Pardon for rigid English. Please don't re-post or re-translate without asking for permission.

Suddenly waking up from his slumber, for some time Shiki just keep staring vacantly at the ceilings as he stayed on his bed.

(This is...)

He can move his body despite feeling half faint, but his muscles are aching so bad that he can't simply ignore it.

(Could it be, fever attack?)

Trying to get rid of the conclusion that popped in his head, he ended up shaking his head and making his dizziness grew incessantly stronger, causing him to slowly rest his head back onto his pillow.

(I'm screwed.)

His schedule is arranged with the premise that he's healthy enough to do it. There are irrecoverable subjects and the other day there was a project that suddenly showed a rapid development――facts that he can't just accept came pushing into him in a rush, and it felt like his vision is growing dark.

(Calm down, I need to think about what I should do next.)

If it comes to this, contacting Haidzuki, their manager, should be the most appropriate option.

However, he can't find his smartphone, which supposedly he placed on his bed before he slept.

That being said, straightening up the position of his body, which was facing down, is pretty troublesome. Just as he thought dejectedly about it,

"Oi~, Shiki~. Wake up~"

Suddenly Tsubasa's voice could be heard from across the room.

"... What do you want since so early in the morning? At least knock the door."

"I did, many times~. And while we're on the topic, it's not morning anymore~"

As he said it with sarcastic tone, Tsubasa went to the shade curtains beside the bed and pulled them back.

"More importantly, I've read through the sheet music of the new song that you gave me yesterday. Can I have you listen for a bit?"

To what? Before he could ask, Tsubasa had already started singing.

The new song, which only us knew about.

"About this part, the last one that goes 'fufu~n fu~n', you see, don't you think it'll be better if the pitch goes higher at 'fu~n'? ... Shiki?"

Having his name called, he found himself a little startled.

"Hey, so what do you think?"

I got charmed listening to it, is something that he doesn't want to say, so he sluggishly started getting up and heaved a sigh.

"... Sing it again from the start of B verse, in full."

"Eeh~? Can't help it~"

Mumbling 'good grief' as he shrugged his shoulders, Tsubasa once again sings.

(My writing tools are...)

Digging the mountain of documents on his bedside table in a hurry, he took out one of the print-outs he's no longer using and flipped it, then grabbed the ballpoint that was lying on the floor.

(If I want to make the best use of Tsubasa's voice,)

There's no need to ponder about it. I just need to catch the tunes that became visible before me. However, my scribbling hands aren't quick enough to catch up to it.

I need to catch it, fast. Else the tunes will escape.

(So you're going to sing that part with that sort of nuance?)

Be it during practices or during on-air, be it during recordings or during real lives. The fingers of both hands and legs are no longer enough to count the amount of times he heard it. Thinking that the one who understands this guy's singing voice the most is himself makes him puffs with pride. As he keeps writing, in his head, Tsubasa's voice rings just like a musical instrument would.

However, there's still a tune that they don't know about.

"... Wait a sec, Shiki. Are you really listening to me singing?"

"I am."

"Can you listen properly while writing like that?"

"Don't mind me and just sing the rest of it."

Saying it with a tone of hurry in his voice made Tsubasa's eyes widened in surprise, but once he regained his composure, he started singing again.

(That tune, more-)

He filled the simple scores with drawings of tadpoles. Atop the copy sheet, the tip of the pen glided excessively and resulted in shaky lines. But now isn't the time to pay attention to its looks.

"So, what do you think?"

He felt a strong gaze hit his temples. Just as he almost finished it writing it, he tilted his head up and saw Tsubasa looking at him as if he's going to eat him, because he's growing impatient waiting for his answer.

Noticing the eyes that seemed to wanting to say, it's definitely better like this!, he ended up letting out a laugh.

"... What is it?"

"Nothing. If you want to raise the pitch of the last 'fufu~n fu~n', at the start, it should goes 'fu~fun, fu~n fu~n'."

"Ah... in other words, after 'fu~fun, fu~n fu~n', it'll be 'fufu~n fu~n'?"

"That's right."

After writing down the last musical note, he showed it to Tsubasa. Tsubasa then read the paper in his hand.

"Uwaah, your letters are messy~"

"Shut up. It's good as long as you can get the meaning."

"Well, I do, but..."

After saying that, Tsubasa mumbled a soft, "Damn, it's cool".

Pretending not to see the bitterness on the other's looks, Shiki tried to sound as calm as possible while fighting hard to prevent the corners of his lips from slackening and forming a smile.

"Yosh. Sing it again from the beginning."

When he realized it, the heat that draped his body had gone before he knew.

It's probably get sucked into the intervals of the scores.

Allowing the music to live. Living in the music.

Today too, his heart is immersed in joy.

--

* Aigetsu Tettou (愛月撤灯): Yojigo, or four-letter proverb. Literally means 'loving the moon so much to the point of wanting to extinguish other source of lights'. Used to describe the act of treasuring and favoring something to the point of extremity.