Track 10

Tuesday–!

Are you okay!?

…pii……

Wha…! T-that bird just flew into me! It’s not my fault!

Oi, stop right there!!

Dammit, he’s too fast. He’s already so far away–

Ah~ My feet are soo tired~  I can’t even raise my arms.

All you did was walk with me.

!

(Great timing–!)

Yowa! Old man! Grab that guy!

!!

…Shit! Their buddies!?

A bad actor I can do anything to!

Wouldn’t put it like that.

Take this! Birdlime¹ trap that even babies can use makes its appearance once again~!

Ugh! My shoes are stuck in the birdlime…!

C’mon now, just let yourself be caught nice and easy.

Gh…!

Secured~!

Nice one, old man! Make sure you don’t let go, old man!

That’s a lotta "old man"-s.

Even though I was the one who did all the work.

Tuesday… Tuesday…

……

(His wing is bent unnaturally, and his body is starting to go rigid…)

Yodaka-san, can you get a car ready? Sonia, call the pet hospital.

Will do.

Yesh…!

Oi, we caught the shady guy—

Anisama… Tuesday is…

Ah…

(That bird’s…)

( As good as dead.)

Anisama, please tell me, Tuesday’s gonna be okay, right…?

…Maybe it’s just a concussion. I-I’m sure if we wait a bit, his eyes will open soon, right…?

…Toi.

Anisama, tell me this isn’t happening. Please, help him…!

……

What’s “special” to you, Nagi-kun?

Yeah! I’d pay any price as long as I get to be with Anisama… He's that “special” to me.

You say you care for everyone, but that is the same as caring for no one.

At this rate, a shoftie like you will end up dead.

(Right… Then the prince gave away everything he had, becoming a sorry sight… and so the prince and the dead swallow were forgotten by all.)

Tuesday’s owner will be coming to pick him up soon.

It’ll be lonely without him, but it’s a good thing he’ll be able to see his family again.

Yep. I’m an orphan.

When I was around 3 years old, I was abandoned at the coin-laundry. Maybe someone just forgot about me, like how people forget one half of a pair of socks.

…I’m truly blessed.

(—I had nothing—)

(I didn’t have a single thing I could consider “special.”)

(If someone like me could grant a wish, I would do anything.)

……

…Nagi-kun…?

!

What’s happening?

That was… too quick to be a power outage, right…?

Ah…

…pi.

…!!

*panting*

Phew…

(What was that just now? I didn’t even get the chance to take off my eyepatch to check.)

(Just now… Was that Nagi-kun…? It was a little different from spiritual power, so I’m not sure…) 

Kyu…?

…ello…

Hello, hello—!

I-I’m so glad…

Tuesday–! You’re okay…!!

What? Why is the bird healthy now? I’m unable to follow this logic.

Well, I suppose all’s well that ends well.

*sigh* Scared me shitless for a second there…

Seriously… I’m so glad…

Nah, you’re still in trouble buddy. C’mon.

Okay…

Ah…

(The adrenaline rush is wearing off…)

Excuse me, is the workshop still going on?

Oh my, it seems we have a customer. Nagi, are you good to go?

Ah, yes, welcome—

Nagi-kun…!

Thank you, Toi…

It’s okay, I’m glad I caught you before you fell.

(His hands are shaking… He looks like he could fall over any second…)

Nagi-kun, let’s take a break, okay? You seem really tired.

Right, he got a huge shock just now. Let him sleep in his room.

Yowa, help carry Hachinoya.

……

Oi, didn’t you hear me?

(What was the phenomenon that just occurred? The lights flashed, then the bird became healthy, and all the flowers inside the shop are in full bloom now…)

(The speed exhibited is unlike that of a usual elongation. Zephyranthes, under special conditions, might exhibit such growth, but what is the causal relationship with that of the lights—)

Oi! Move your ass already!

Gwah, this is workplace harassment!!

Toi-shan, are you sure you’re not going back home tonight?

Mm? …Y-yes, I’m sure…

You look shleepy… You musht be really tired.

If you’d like to stay over, we have a futon you can use on the second floor.

Mhm, thank you…

(But, if I don’t stay up, I’m worried that…)

Ah, are you worried about the Queen of the Night?

It bloomed at shome point today~ Even though it showed no shigns of blooming at all till now…

This flower only blooms for one night, right?

Yesh, that’sh right. That’sh why I wanted Nagi-shan to shee it too, but he’sh been ashleep shince noon.

But he’s started groaning a bit, sho he should wake up shoon.

Then I’ll help Nagi-kun when he wakes up. You should go rest now, Sonia.

You’re right… My battery ish about to run out shoon. I’ll go ahead and resht now.

Goodnight, Toi-shan.

Goodnight, Sonia.

(...It’s almost midnight…)

(Ani-sama has been messaging me every 3 minutes… I need to tell him I’m okay…)

*yawn*...

(Hey, Aachama…)

How much longer do you plan on holding out? Relinquish control of your body and slumber.

Aachama, I heard that you’ve been eating flowers now.

…Hm. I do not know what you speak of.

This Queen of the Night might be “special” to Nagi-kun, so I’m keeping guard so you won’t eat it.

Oh? I thought Hachinoya Nagi did not have anything “special”?

He possesses such a great benevolent spirit, it is only natural he would bestow this Queen of the Night to me.

I’m sure it’s just because Nagi-kun hasn’t realised it himself. But you already know that, don’t you?

......

Don’t eat this one, okay? Promise me…

...He has finally slumbered.

(Ah… The scent of the holy spirit fills this space… The flowers in this shop have all become holy flowers.)

Let me partake in one…

…!

(How decadent… The depths of its flavour rivals that of the last one by the thousands…! My mind cannot help but go numb with pleasure, even the sensation of air grazing the tips of my fingers feels so delightful…!)

Mm, carnation… nemophila...

Ahh, the viola tastes so exquisite…!

……

…What?

…..., ——......

(Someone is… calling out to me…)

(! My head—)

No… No! I have abandoned that name!! Do not call me by that name!!

I have changed… I have become a devil who prefers suffering over fortune…!!

…Yes, the Queen of the Night! I’m certain, if only I could eat that, then…!

Don’t eat this one, okay? Promise me…

No, why must I care? I could not care less!

Because, I am a devil—!

You can’t have that.

!!

…So, you’ve awoken.

You ate all the flowers in the shop… I can see petals all over the ground.

…...

Was the robbery from today your doing? Like the customer you brought in last time?

So what if it was? Will you too, loathe me, as Shiramitsu Ryui does?

…I’m not gonna do anything. It’s fine. Tuesday was saved, and you’re one of the people who’ve been nice to me, so.

…If that is the case, surrender that Queen of the Night to me.

Sorry, no can do.

And why not? I thought you were Ivan the fool.

……

…Or have you found that “special” something?

…Maybe I sound impertinent to someone like you but…

I can’t give this up for you.

You lowly human…

I have to go now… Before that person goes to sleep.

I’m taking the Queen of the Night with me.

Hachinoya Nagi…!

(Gh… My head, it throbs…)

(Preposterous, do not tell me these flowers have a severe side effect…?)

Curses…

If you’re okay using my bed, go ahead and sleep.

Kh…

…Ah. That’s right, can I ask you something?

…Spit it out.

Will I run into any trouble on my way back?

……

…*sigh*.