Pseudo blog:Cheironyx/Drama CD 3

**Potential spoilers:** up to episode 10 / chapter 22

S: An emergency evacuation manual...?

V: Yes. Please check it over.

S: O-okay...

V: Ahh! You musn't break the seal!

S: Huh?

V: See, here, look here! Please remember this. You should only open it "if directed to do so by the principal or his representative", "if an A-1 alert has been issued", or "if there has been no communication from outside for ten days or more". All right?

S: I'm sorry!

V: As long as you've confirmed that it's there, I don't mind.

S: Ah... okay. Er... So what is this about?

V: Well, it's the rules, so I have to ask everyone. Sorry.

S: Ah, that's fine.

V: We're a foreign-owned company, see? Apparently it's got something to do with that, and they're strict about contracts over there.

S: So that's how it is...

V: Yes, that's right. Okay, I've put it in here, so, heh... come and get it if there's an emergency, okay?

S: Okay, understood! If there's an emergency, right?

V: Yes, yes. An emergency.

**My School Living**

S: It's already been more than ten days since that day. There's still no sign that help will come.

My name is Megumi Sakura. I am the Japanese teacher at Megurigaoka Gakuin Private...
Y: Megu-nee!

S: What is it, Takeya-san?

Y: Megu-nee, do we have classes today? Or don't we?

S: It's not Megu-nee, you know? Let's see, today is...

R: Yuki-chan, the school's still on holidays today. The only ones in the school are us School Living Club members. Right, Sensei?

S: That's right.

Y: Really? Thank goodness! I hadn't finished my literature homework yet, so I was getting worried...

S: Huh? Takeya-san?

Y: Hmm?

S: You haven't forgotten what subject I teach, have you...?

Y: I haven't forgotten! You're the Japanese teacher, right, Megu-nee?

K: Morning patrols complete! ...Hey, you do know literature is a part of Japanese?

Y: Wahh?

S: The other teachers may not be holding classes, but I'm continuing the Japanese classes as private lessons, so you need to do all your homework, okay, Takeya-san?

Y: Uuuuu...

K: Do you hate literature?

Y: I don't hate it! After all, Megu-nee's teaching it!

S: Heehee...

R: In that case, you need to do your homework too, okay?

K: Ahaha! That's right!

Y: Uuuu... okaaaay...

K: ...So. What are we doing today? About securing and restoring this place?

Y: "Restoring"?

R: The School Living Club's campus activities, right?

K: Ah, yeah, yeah! That's it!

R: We've already progressed quite a bit, haven't we? I think we'll be able to completely secure the third floor soon.

K: The barricades are having an effect, huh? It really was worth making those...

S: We all worked hard on them, didn't we.

Y: By "barricades", you mean those desks?

S: Yes.

Y: The big piles of them?

R: We did pile up a lot, didn't we.

Y: Making those was fun! But is it okay that we just went and made them? Won't they get in everyone's way when classes start?

K: Errr... that's true... errrr... hey, Megu-nee?

S: Y-yes... Takeya-san, I told you earlier, didn't I? The vice principal asked us to make them over the holidays...

Y: Oh, really?

R: There's going to be construction work. Of course, proper construction work is done by tradesmen, so we did this so that students won't go in there by mistake.

Y: Huh?

K: And for the moment, it's mission complete!

Y: Oooh... That sounds kinda cool!

K: Really?

Y: Yeah!

S: We've secured the third floor... Amazing work, everyone.

R: It's because you're here, Sensei. And so is this club...

S: The School Living Club was your idea, wasn't it, Wakasa-san? And thanks to that, Takeya-san's cheered up so much...

Y: Did you call, Megu-nee?

K: I don't think Megu-nee was calling you.

S: Come on, you two! It's not Megu-nee, it's Sakura-sensei! Right?

S: My name is Megumi Sakura. I am the Japanese teacher at Megurigaoka Gakuin Private High School, and I serve as the advisor to a new club, the School Living Club.

K: 'Sup!

R: Don't you mean "excuse me"?

K: Yeah, yeah. Excuse me! ...Anyway, the staff room's in an awful state too, huh...

R: All the rooms are, apart from the student council room and the School Living Club room. We may have ensured that they're safe, but it's still going to be some time before we can turn them into living spaces...

K: I know, right? Most of the windows are broken, too... Cleaning up the entire third floor like we did with the club room is gonna be a pain.

R: Perhaps we should focus on ensuring safety more than restoration.

K: Completely securing the third floor, huh...

R: Yes...

K: Anyway, I wonder if there's any food or stuff left in the staff room...

R: Who knows...

K: Maybe the teachers brought in some sweets or something... Nah, they probably wouldn't.

R: Maybe not the staff room, but you might have a chance in the staff break room or the staff corridor?

K: I see... ...Hmm? Huh? This one desk is unusually clean.

R: Yes, that desk is...

S: What's the matter, you two? Did you find something? Ah... is it something about my desk?

K: Oh, so it's Megu-nee's desk.

S: I was actually wanting to clean the staff room... Also, it's not Megu-nee, you know?

K: Yeah, yeah. Sakura-sensei.

Y: Hmmmm, what's going on? Are we exploring the staff room?

S: Ahh! You startled me!

R: My, Yuki-chan's here too? You mustn't scare your teachers, you know.

Y: If you're all doing something together, you should call me too! The staff room... I wonder if they have the end of term questions...

R: Are you saying that in front of your teacher?

Y: Aaaaah, I'm sorry!

R: Honestly... I'll pinch your cheeks!

Y: Waah, aaaah...!

R: Squeeeeeze!

Y: Owowowow, I'm sowwy!

K: Don't go too far...

S: Yes, not too far, okay?

R: Okay.

S: The staff room... I wonder what happened to Kamiyama-sensei? We haven't seen her while securing the third floor. The vase is broken... the one on Kamiyama-sensei's desk. The vice principal... Come to think of it... Ah... Why did I forget it until now? The thing that the vice principal put away on the bookshelf.

This is an "emergency", right...?
K: Megu-nee? Find something?

S: Huh? Th-there's nothing over here! And also...

K: Yeah, yeah. Sakura-sensei!

R: Kurumi, you mustn't tease your teachers too much. Or else... I'll pinch your cheeks!

K: Th-this isn't the kind of thing to pinch my cheeks over...

Y: Kurumi-chan should get pinched too, once in a while!

K: Why should I!?

R: What shall we do about the staff room, Sensei?

S: Well, I think we should leave the restoration until later...

R: Okay, understood.

Y: Bleh, I wanted to do something, since we're in the staff room with no-one else around.

R: Yuki-chan...

Y: Ah, ahhh, I was kidding! Just kidding!

K: Hahahaha!

Y: Claaaassrooooms! Nobody's heeere!

K: Because it's the holidays.

Y: And no claaaasses!

R: It's the holidays, after all.

Y: Hmmhmmhmmmmm!

K: What's up? You're in a really good mood. Do you like the classrooms that much?

Y: Yeah! I wonder if everyone will come back soon! Lately, I just love school! I wonder why? Maybe it's because I joined the School Living Club...

K: Huhhh?

R: Maybe so...

Y: Yeah!

K: Hey, why are you sitting in a chair?

Y: This is my seat!

K: Ah, that's right... You have classes with Megu-nee. What to do now... I'd like to look around a bit more, but...

R: Yes. It's not long until lunchtime, so I think...

Y: Huh? Are the Japanese classes in the afternoon? Megu-nee doesn't have any in the morning, does she?

K: Heeey! Megu-nee!

R: Sensei?

S: Huh? Ah, um... that's right... wh-what to do...

Y: Geez... What's wrong, Megu-nee? You're zoning out.

R: If you're not feeling well, then...

S: No, I'm fine. I was just thinking about something. ...That's right. Since Takeya-san's in the mood, I need to give her classes properly...

R: Could I ask you to take care of her for a little while?

S: Certainly!

R: I'll go back to the club room and prepare some lunch.

K: Okay, it's settled. We'll all split up here for now, and meet up in the club room at lunchtime!

Y: Okay!

S: It had already been more than ten days, so why didn't I check that file immediately? It was just evacuation instructions. It couldn't have anything to do with all this. That's what I hoped. But I was also convinced that that wasn't true.

Y: Hmm, this is hard...

S: Tell me when you're done and I'll explain it in detail, okay?

Y: Okaaay!

S: Making sure Takeya-san couldn't see me as she answered the literature questions, I stared wide-eyed at a line written in the file. It said, "Those with high infection rates have low mortality rates, and those with high mortality rates have low infection rates. If a product under research is leaked, this may not apply." Many things were written in the file, but this line had a particular impact on me. In other words, it was written. It was written in there. The reason why those things had happened on that day, why things had turned out this way.

I didn't know. I didn't know. It had nothing to do with me. It's not my fault. ...No. That's not true. That's not true. It was us who got those children involved. Us adults. If someone, if I had just looked through this... There are no adults any more. Only me. So all of it... all of it is my fault.

Y: Hahhh! Morning classes finished! I used my head so much, I'm starving!

S: Heehee, good work today!

Y: You too, Megu-nee! Thanks for always doing this!

S: Ah... it's nothing! And also, it's not Megu-nee, you know? It's Sakura-sensei!

Y: Okaaay! Sakura-senseeei! ...Huh? Something smells tasty! Ooh... what is it... maybe it's curry!

S: Ah! You're right!

Y: I wonder if it's curry rice...

S: I wonder? Maybe retort curry? Or something using curry powder...

Y: The smell's so strong...

S: Yes, it is.

Y: Even this end of the corridor is full of the nice smell!

S: The School Living Club's club room doesn't have any ventilation equipment like the home economics room, after all.

Y: When classes start and everyone comes back to school, I wonder if they'll be surprised if it's full of nice smells like this?

S: I wonder?

Y: I'm back! Luuunchtiiime!

K: Oh! Welcome back!

R: Welcome back. How was your class?

Y: Listen to this, Rii-san! Literature was really hard! It was all "thou, thee, thy, thine"!

K: Heheh, you remember it pretty well!

Y: Hmhmm!

S: Takeya-san, you don't remember all the meanings yet, do you?

K: I see...

Y: I do remember them! Anyway, what's lunch? ...Ahh! Yay! It *was* curry!

R: That's right. It's retort curry, though.

K: See? We were right to dish out the rice and add the curry already.

Y: Hmm?

R: I was thinking of waiting for Yuki-chan and Sensei to come back, but Kurumi said...

K: "If they smell it, they'll come running!" And I was totally right!

R: Heehee, shall we eat it before it gets cold, Sensei?

S: Yes. Let's enjoy it! Thank you for always doing this, Wakasa-san!

R: No no, I'm just doing what I can...

Y: I'm starving!

R: There are seconds, you know?

K: Great!

R: Sensei, if you could.

S: Okay. Is everyone ready? In that case... thanks for the food.

All: Thanks for the food! \*munch munch munch...\*

Y: Mmm! I love this curry!

K: Is Fukure Curry your favourite, Yuki?

Y: This is Fukure Curry?!

K: What, didn't you realise?

Y: It's tasty, it's so tasty! Curry rice is the best! It's the greatest of Japanese foods!

K: But it's Indian...

R: I'm not so sure... The fundamentals of curry are Indian, of course, but if we're talking about curry rice, it might be British...

K: Really?

R: Indian curry culture spread to Britain, and curry with rice was born as a British home cuisine. Apparently back then, it was already almost the same as modern curry rice.

K: Hmmmm...

Y: Mmm, ooh, curry rice is amazing!

S: Takeya-san! Don't talk with food in your mouth!

Y: Ah... Okay, Megu-nee!

S: Hmph, it's not Megu-nee...

Y: Sakura-sensei!

S: \*sigh...\* honestly...

R: Sensei?

S: What is it, Wakasa-san?

R: I was talking with Kurumi earlier. We think rather than restoration, maybe it would be better to secure the third floor completely first...

S: Yes... With the staff room and classrooms in that condition...

K: Hmm... Once we're done securing the third floor, next is the second floor, right?

R: I'd like to secure an escape route, but the first floor is still a long way off.

S: Yes... The first floor is still a long way off.

S: It's dangerous to force ourselves to aim for the first floor right now. When we do make it to the first floor someday, I'll talk about that file. Will I... be ready to talk about it by then? Yes... I have to be.

Y: \*munch munch munch...\* Heheh, ahhhh! I'm full! Thanks for the meal!

K: You're a fast eater, Yuki!

Y: Heheheh, but Kurumi-chan's beating me in the amount of food!

K: That's because I do so much physical work, you know?

Y: You're so brawny, Kurumi-chan!

K: I'm not brawny!

R: Heehee, come on, don't get so excited during a meal, you two...

Y: Okaaay!

K: I just got pulled into this...

Y: What are you going to do once you're finished eating, Kurumi-chan?

K: Huh? Hmmm...

R: You mustn't talk with food in your mouth, okay?

Y: Ahaha...

S: Yuki-san... Kurumi-san... Yuuri-san...

How long has it been since then...? Ten days... no... much, much longer... We secured the third floor... and then... and then... I'm... hungr...
Open... the... door... S-sensei... loves you... all... hAHHhh... so... why... won't you... open... the door...?
Y: Megu-nee!

S: Ah! No... no... no...! I can't... stay here... even though... I'm hungry... no... because... I'm hungry...

The shutter's... open... Thank goodness... If I'm in here...
Yuki-san... Kurumi-san... Yuuri-san...
I'm... sor... ry...
I'm sorry... everyone... this is as far... as Sensei can go... so...
I wonder... if I'll... see them again...? Someday...?

Y: ...Hey? Megu-nee? How long are you going to stay asleep? Come on, Megu-nee! Me-gu-ne-e!

S: Mm... mmmm...

Y: Ah! She pulled up the quilt... You can't, Megu-nee! Today's the day everyone comes back! School's starting!

S: Just a little longer... Mum...

Y: I'm not your muuum!

S: Waaah...! ...Ah... uh... huh? What? A quilt? Where... am I... er, huh? The school... didn't I...?

Y: Good morning, Megu-nee!

S: Good morning, Takeya-san...

Y: Rii-san and Kurumi-chan are up and getting breakfast ready! And you know, school reopens starting today! This is the day we get to see everyone again!

S: Yes... (A dream?)

Y: Quick, quick! Let's go eat breakfast! Ah, should you wash your face first?

S: Ah... yes...

Y: I know, how about I brush your hair, Megu-nee... Should I do it before breakfast? Or after?

S: Hmm...

Y: Megu-nee?

S: In that case, would you mind doing so before breakfast?

Y: Heeheehee, okaaay! I'll make Megu-nee all pretty, and then have breakfast! Heehee! This'll be the first time since the School Living Club started that five of us will be eating together, won't it? Or maybe six... Five and a half?

S: You have someone new?

Y: Mii-kun and Taroumaru are there too. You know how we went on a field trip earlier? That's when we met Mii-kun, she's a second-year...

S: Is that so?

Y: I'm sure you'll love them too, Megu-nee! Mii-kun and Taroumaru are really cute!

S: Is Taroumaru a puppy?

Y: Yeah!

S: Ah... I thought as much... Takeya-san?

Y: Huh? What is it?

S: Are you spending all your days happily together?

Y: Yeah!

S: There aren't any nasty or scary things?

Y: Even if there are, I'll be fine!

S: I see... You've grown stronger, Takeya-san.

Y: Ehehe...

S: I'm so glad... I really am.

Y: Oh! Never mind that, hurry up and get changed, Megu-nee! Classes are going to start! Everyone's going to come back to school! Um, let's see, let Megu-nee get changed, brush Megu-nee's hair, let Megu-nee wash her face...

S: My name is Megumi Sakura. I am the Japanese teacher at Megurigaoka Gakuin Private High School, and the advisor to these girls, the School Living Club.

### **Translation notes:**

* The "literature" class is classical Japanese literature.
* I'm not certain about Yuki's line "Are the Japanese classes in the afternoon? Megu-nee doesn't have any in the morning, does she?" Any help would be welcome.
* In the original Japanese, Yuki's comment about "thou, thee, thy, thine" is "ari ori haberi imasokari", a list of irregular verbs that conjugate in the "ra-hen" pattern.
* In Japanese, instead of saying "five and a half", Yuki uses counters to specify "five (people) plus one (animal)".
* See the C88 drama CD notes for explanations of retort curry, Fukure Curry and "quilts" (futons).