Paradox Live Stage Battle "LOVE" - Part 1
Yohei: ... there.Saimon: [sniffing] ... mm, that smells good. What are you cooking, Yohei?
Yohei: Vegetable risotto. Shiki went and skipped dinner, so I'm giving him something that'll be easy on his stomach.
Saimon: [chuckles]
Yohei: What.
Saimon: Nothing.
Yohei: What's with the smile?
Saimon: Nothing at all.
Yohei: Oi. You were thinking just now that I look like a mom. Weren't you?
Saimon: Ah? [chuckles] ... ah, no, nothing like that. [laughs]
Yohei: Laughin' ain't gonna get you off the hook here! You should do the cooking now and then.
Saimon: Thank you for all you do, Yohei.
Yohei: I told you not to say shit like that.
Saimon: [chuckles]
Ryu: Shikki is~ Ryu-kun's gloomy little toy~! [humming]
Shiki: [shuddering breath] Ryu-kun...
Ryu: What's up?
Shiki: Even if I were... a terribly cruel person... would you still be my friend?
Ryu: Mmhm! Shikki likes Ryu-kun, right? Then: Ryu-kun likes Shikki too! So they'll be friends forever!
Shiki: Y-yeah... ... the truth is... the reason I got so scared when we were in that slum... I'm... I'm not afraid of ghosts.
Ryu: Oh?
Shiki: No... I was... I was scared. I really was scared. . I was scared of facing the truth... because if there really was a spirit in that tall building, like you said there was... [breathing heavily]
Ryu: Shikki?
Shiki: [sniff] Then I think... that must have been... my friend.
Ryu: Eh?
Shiki: ... see, Ryu-kun... that was where... I... I killed a very precious friend...
Ryu: Ahaha! Hahahaha! Shikki is bad at telling jokes!! Ahahah! Ryu-kun's sides are splitting!!
Shiki: I-I'm not joking...! I really did...
Ryu: Did you kill him? Is that a ghost that you made?
Shiki: --!
Ryu: There really was a ghost. Ryu-kun saw it. On the rooftop of that building. There was the ghost of a boy, looking up at the sky.
Shiki: ... at... the sky...?
Ryu: Mm! Maybe he likes the view from there!
Shiki: --!
Ryu: Hey, Shikki. If you only look at the things you want to see, you're gonna miss everything.
Shiki: ... Ryu-kun...
Ryu: Ghosts are only scary because you can't see them properly.
Shiki: What... do you mean?
[sfx: approaching footsteps, door opening]
Yohei: Oi. You up?
Ryu: Ah! It's Master! Uwah! Whatcha got, whatcha got?
Yohei: Bit of a late night snack. S'for Shiki-- ah, good, he's awake.
Ryu: [sniffing] Mmmm~! It smells good~! Is it ojiya?
Yohei: Risotto.
Ryu: Ojiya! Ojiya! Hot hot ojiya!
Yohei: I said it's risotto!
Ryu: Made with bits of Shiki's shins~!
Yohei: Shiki. You doin' alright?
Shiki: ...
Yohei: You look pale, and like you're carryin' a lot of tension.
Shiki: I... no...
Yohei: ... mmm. Shiki. I don't know what shit you got goin' on, or what you see when you're having a trap reaction. That's not my business. But, just so you know...
[sfx: setting plate down]
Yohei: When you're goin' through it, don't feel like you're gonna be a bother. For Saimon or for me. Ryu's... ... kind of a special case. But you can talk to us any time.
Shiki: Master...
Yohei: Ah, don't give me that look. Heh. We went and picked up a stray cat, and it's our responsibility for life now, y'know? Whenever you wanna talk, feel free.
Ryu: [humming]
Yohei: Ryu. You come down to the store to eat.
Ryu: Eh!?
Yohei: I don't wanna hear no bitching! C'mon! [grabbing Ryu by the collar]
Ryu: Ow! Owowowowow! Aaaauagh! Master is bullying Ryu-kuuuun!
Yohei: I'm not bullying nobody! If you don't wanna be scruffed like a cat then walk on your own! Oi, come on!
Ryu: Uuuu, don't wanna don't wanna don't wanna!
Yohei: What a pain in the ass...
Shiki: Ryu-kun... ... did you really see him there...? No, that can't be... he's... but... ... "If you only look at the things you want to see, you're gonna miss everything"... "Ghosts are only scary because you can't see them properly"... I... I have to go... I have to face it... what happened that night... what really happened...
*
[sfx: passing train]
Kanata: [shuddering and gritting his teeth as he has a nightmare]
Nayuta: Kanata? Hey, Kanata! Are you okay? Do I have to punch you?
Kanata: A-aagh! [sitting up in a hurry] ... Nayuta?
Nayuta: Huh?
[sfx: Kanata grabbing Nayuta]
Kanata: Nayuta? You're Nayuta, right?
Nayuta: What? Is something up?
Kanata: You're still here, right? You didn't disappear, right?
Nayuta: Huh? What are you on about? ... and, that hurts. Let go of my arm.
Kanata: A-ah... [sigh] ... s...orry... had a nightmare...
Nayuta: A nightmare? [sigh] Did you dream you got chased by debt collectors?
Kanata: No, nothing like...
Nayuta: No?
Kanata: Nayuta... you disappeared.
Nayuta: I disappeared?
Kanata: Yeah... in. My dream, I mean... I was looking all over for you...
[dream sequence begins]
[sfx: running footsteps, train crossing siren, Kanata breathing hard]
Kanata: Nayuta! Where are you, Nayuta!?
[sfx: footsteps slowing, Kanata trying to catch his breath; siren continues and begins to distort]
Kanata: Fuck... what the fuck is going on...? This isn't the slums... why the fuck would you be in some building on some god-forsaken street!?
[sfx: train passing]
Kanata: This isn't funny anymore! Where did you go, Nayuta?! If you just ran off without saying anything to me, I won't forgive you!!
[sfx: all other sound cuts out]
Nayuta: ... Kana...ta...?
Kanata: Nayuta!? ... this is where you were... oh, thank god... ... hey, is something wrong? Are you not feeling good again?
[sfx: footsteps]
Kanata: I mean, come on, don't tell me you ran off to this dump of a building like this just to take a nap... or-- did you get into a fight without me and have to hide here!?
[sfx: running]
Kanata: H-hey! You're bleeding all over! The hell is going on, Nayuta!? What happened!? Who did this to you!?
Nayuta: ... Kanata...
Kanata: Hah?!
Nayuta: ... I'm sorry...
Kanata: ... hah? What are you saying?!
Nayuta: I...
Kanata: Nayuta?!
Nayuta: ... I... really did... want to be... with you... forever.. and ever, Kanata...
Kanata: Nayuta?! Hey, Nayuta! ... Nayuta?! Hey!! What-- what's happening to your body!? Why can't I touch you!?
Nayuta: Thank you... for... living... with me...
Kanata: ... Nayuta...? No, come on, you can't leave!! You can't leave me alone!! No-- please, Nayuta!! Nayuta!!
[sfx: train siren]
[dream sequence ends]
Kanata: ... tch... it was... a really shitty nightmare... no matter how much I tried to reach out to you, your body just kept slipping through my arms...
Nayuta: Hm.
Kanata: Don't just 'hm' me! Don't you have anything else to say to that?
Nayuta: We~ll. I promise I won't run off and get into fights by myself, Kanata. I'll only do it when you're around.
Kanata: Hey--!
[sfx: gentle THUNK]
Kanata: -- why are you headbutting me?!
Nayuta: I'm not headbutting you, I'm trying to check your body temperature. S'easiest doing it with our foreheads. Ah. ... figured.
Kanata: What?
Nayuta: You've got a bad fever.
Kanata: Huh? For real?
Nayuta: For real.
Kanata: ... now that... you mention it... I do feel kinda crappy... and my vision's kinda swimming... ... and I dunno if I can... stand...
Nayuta: Huh? Ah--! [sigh] It's fine. Just go ahead and sleep right there where you are.
Kanata: Eugh... my head hurts...
Nayuta: That's probably why you had that weird fever dream.
Kanata: Maybe...
Nayuta: Seriously... hup.
Kanata: Where are you going...?
Nayuta: I'm going to go get you some medicine.
Kanata: I'm fine. I just gotta sleep it off. Sleep's free, anyway...
Nayuta: Even if you say you're fine, it's for my sake, too. If I catch your fever that's gonna be a pain in the ass.
Kanata: ...
Nayuta: And besides... once in a while, you should let me take care of you.
[sfx: door opening]
Nayuta: Now stay here and be a good boy, alright, Kanata-ku~n?
Kanata: Hey...
Nayuta: [giggle] Alright. I'll be back soon.
Kanata: Nayuta...
Nayuta: Hmm?
Kanata: You... are coming back, right...?
Nayuta: [laugh] What the hell's with that? I'm always gonna be with you, Kanata.
*
Ryu: Ba-ba-bang!! It's an attack from the outer galaxies!! Bang! Bang!
Yohei: Oi, Ryu! Can't you mop up the store quietly?
Ryu: Hah? First enemy spotted! What a scary face!! Just try and dodge this~! Take that and that and that!
Yohei: ... [completely flat] Ah. It hurts. Oh, the pain.
Ryu: [verbal sfx continue]
[sfx: door opening]
Shiki: Master... I finished cleaning up the pantry.
Yohei: Ah? Thanks.
Shiki: Um...
Yohei: Somethin' up?
Shiki: Is it alright... if I go out for a bit?
Yohei: I mean... I got no problem with it. Just get back before we open shop.
Shiki: Alright.
Ryu: What's up, what's up? Is Shikki going out?
Shiki: Yeah... just... for a bit.
Ryu: Then Ryu-kun will go with him!!
Shiki: N-no! Ryu-kun, you can't come!!
Ryu: ... Shikki...?
Shiki: ... I'm sorry, Ryu-kun... but, today, you can't come with me... I'm sorry...
Yohei: More to the point, Ryu, you're not finished with your to-do list of chores yet. The floor's still a mess! Mop again!
Ryu: Grr... Master is bullying Ryu-kun again!! He must be a demon! Trying to pick a fight with Ryu-kun, Galaxy Knight of Justice, are you!?
Yohei: Don't mind him, Shiki. Go on.
Shiki: Y-yes... excuse me.
[sfx: door opening and closing, bell ringing]
*
Shiki: [breathing heavily] I knew it... it's still here... this high rise...
[sfx: door opening creakily, with some effort]
Shiki: It's open... ... I want to run away... but I've made up my mind... I have to face it properly... "If you only look at the things you want to see, you're gonna miss everything... ghosts are only scary because you can't see them properly"...
[sfx: door creaking open]
Shiki: Right... I have to... see it with my own two eyes. What happened that day... what I did here...
[sfx: footsteps]
Shiki: (Two years ago... I was on the roof of this building... and I killed my friend.)
[sfx: roof door opening, wind blowing]
Shiki: Hey... is anyone there...? Nayuta-kun, are you...?