Paradox Live Opening Show -Road to Legend- - 1Nm8
Rokuta: We're back~!
Kei: We're back.
Itsuki: We're back.
Kei: [sigh] ...!
Rokuta: Wah! Kei-chan! Are you okay?
Kei: ... no, sorry. I'm fine. I'm just a little dizzy. ... it just seems that today the sounds outside were a little overwhelming...
Itsuki: What happened to the earplugs you usually wear? You can't use them while you're onstage, but there shouldn't be an issue with using them outside of that context.
Kei: After the performance, I felt good enough that I thought I would be alright without them...
Rokuta: If you're tired, let me carry you to bed! If it's just you, Kei-chan, I can carry you one-handed!
Itsuki: Do not do that. You'll injure your shoulder again.
Kei: He's right, Rokuta. And I'm fine. Shall we begin preparing dinner?
Rokuta: Heh? Only starting it now? I'm starving, I'm gonna waste away before it's done! I'm gonna need a snack first!
Kei: Hold on. Before any of that, your nails.
Rokuta: Hm?
Kei: They've grown.
Rokuta: Oh, they have!
Kei: Shall we trim them first?
Rokuta: Okie dokey!
Kei: Let's see... the clippers should be...
Itsuki: In the rightmost closet, third shelf from the top. There are two clippers, next to the cotton swabs. The silver one is the sharper of the two.
Kei: Mm. Thank you.
Kei: Rokuta, I brought the nail clippers.
Rokuta: Yay! Hehehe, well then, at your leisure, please-and-thanks!
Kei: Sit here.
Rokuta: Okie dokey!
[sfx: nail clipping continuing in background]
Itsuki: Kei. I've put all of the perishable items in the fridge.
Kei: Thank you.
Rokuta: Hey, are we having karaage today? Karaage sounds like a great idea, right?
Itsuki: This is the fourth time you've said as such.
Rokuta: Aha, is it?
Itsuki: It is.
Kei: Rokuta, you've always enjoyed karaage, haven't you?
Rokuta: Huh? Have I?
Kei: ... mm.
Rokuta: I never had anything as tasty as karaage until after I met you, Kei-chan. And now I'm addicted!
[sfx: Rokuta humming]
Kei: Alright, there you go. Your nails are all trimmed.
Rokuta: Thanks!! Yay, my nails are all prettified! Alright! And now I'll help out with making dinner!!
Itsuki: It's difficult to maintain order when there are three people doing one thing. Therefore, Rokuta, you should--
Rokuta: I'll be on karaage duty! They oughta be bigger! I'll cut the chicken into big pieces!
Itsuki: Hey, Roku--
Rokuta: I'll have it finished in a jiffy~! Hehe!
Kei: Rokuta, wait--
[sfx: cutting board breaking]
Rokuta: -- ah!
Itsuki: ... ah... he broke another one... how many cutting boards do you intend to go through?
Rokuta: I didn't mean to... I'm sorry...
Kei: It's alright. You're not hurt, right?
Rokuta: No...
Itsuki: I'll handle throwing out the pieces of the cutting board.
Kei: Alright. Can I ask you to cut the vegetables, Itsuki?
Itsuki: Understood.
[sfx: vegetable chopping]
[sfx: setting dish down]
Kei: Here you go.
Rokuta: And, all together now--
1Nm8: Let's eat.
Rokuta: I'll eat the biggest one first! [eating noises] It's so goooood~! Karaage is the best~!
Kei: I'm glad to hear that.
Rokuta: How many pieces are you gonna eat, Itsuki-nii?
Itsuki: I will be content with three. Eating any more than that will upset my stomach.
Rokuta: Ah, ah, ah! If I'm gonna eat karaage, I wanna eat some rice, too! Here I go!
[sfx: Rokuta portioning himself off a shitton of rice]
Itsuki: I've been thinking for a while... what's the point of putting this much effort into making food? As long as you get the proper nutrients, the form shouldn't matter.
Kei: Maybe so.
Itsuki: It used to be that we received all we needed in the form of supplements.
Rokuta: They gave us tons of supplements, didn't they? I remember that! They were shiny and kinda pretty, and they came in colors like red and blue... but I don't think I enjoyed meal time there as much as I do here.
Itsuki: It wasn't intended to be fun. Meals were simply one part of a pre-set schedule. They're simply something you have to do. ... but the meals we eat together here are different.
Rokuta: They're super fun, right?
Kei: That's right. They're fun.
Rokuta: And speaking of fun, the Paradox Live today was super fun too, right?
Itsuki: The Paradox Live... Kei.
Kei: Hm?
Itsuki: The members of VISTY kept staring at you today. Do you know them?
Kei: I do.
Itsuki: What is the nature of your acquaintance?
Kei: They are the members of a group that I used to belong to, but it became difficult for me to be with them, so we went parted ways. It was a pity, but it was necessary for me to break away.
Itsuki: Necessary for you to break away... then--
Rokuta: Hey, hey, hey! Aren't you guys going to eat your karaage, Itsuki-nii? Kei-chan? If you're not, then don't worry, I'll take it! [eating noises] Other peoples' karaage is really good too~! [swallowing] I'll have another helping~!
Itsuki: Your body is as fuel-inefficient as it ever is.
Rokuta: Right~? It's super inconvenient!
Itsuki: It doesn't seem to me like you have any problem with it.
[sfx: Rokuta laughing, fading out]
*
[sfx: plate clattering]
Rokuta: Thanks for the meal~
Itsuki: Thank you for the meal.
Kei: Thank you for the meal. I'm going to work on some music in my room for a while. I have some tracks I've been meaning to tweak.
Rokuta: Eh?
Itsuki: If there is anything that I can do to counteract any problems, please share any notes for improvement with me.
Rokuta: No way, was there something wrong with our performance today?
Kei: Nothing of the sort. Our performance today was wonderful.
Rokuta: Really?
Kei: Both of your sounds are always very straightforward. That's why they hit people directly. That has always been apparent since the day we met.
Rokuta: I'm glad. Hehe, and Kei-chan's performance was great, too!
Kei: Was it?
Rokuta: It was! Didn't you see how surprised everyone looked? Everyone was totally enthralled by your amazing phantom illusion! Together we're super strong, so I'm sure we'll win! Right, Itsuki-nii?
Itsuki: If we do not win, then we will never be able to rest. Therefore, we...
Kei: The place I belong is with you, Rokuta, Itsuki. That's why we're certain to win.
Itsuki: Indeed. And then the three of us can continue to be together going foward.
Rokuta: For sure! We won't let anyone get in the way of that! We'll blow them away~!
Kei: [laughs]
Rokuta: Alrighty~! Let's practice lots tomorrow, too! But for tonight, let's sleep~! ... oh, but Kei-chan said he was gonna make music...
Kei: Mm.
Rokuta: I wanted to sleep together...
Itsuki: Don't be too self-centered, Rokuta.
Rokuta: It's just that, I thought, maybe if Kei-chan slept beside me, I wouldn't have those nightmares again...
Itsuki: Are you having nightmares?
Rokuta: Yeah, sometimes, y'know? There's a big white building, and people I don't recognize keep pulling me deeper and deeper into it. I don't like it, but I can't run away...
Kei: Rokuta...
Rokuta: That's the kind of dream it is.
Itsuki: I see. ... Kei.
Rokuta: Then I'll stay beside you today.
Rokuta: Ah? Yay!
*
[sfx: Rokuta throwing himself into bed]
Rokuta: Yaaay! The futon feels good!
Itsuki: There's no need to roll in all directions. Hurry and decide where you want to sleep.
Rokuta: Okaaaaay. Alright! Decided! I'll be in the middle! Being in between Itsuki-nii and Kei-chan is the best! [patting the bed on either side] Itsuki-nii is here and Kei-chan is here, alright?
Kei: Alright.
Rokuta: This is what they call... cosleeping[1], right?
Kei: Rokuta.
Rokuta: Hm?
Kei: Have you heard that if you hold hands while sleeping, you're supposed to have the same dreams as the other person?
Rokuta: Whaaat? I've never heard of that before!
Itsuki: I've never heard of such a thing, either.
Kei: Would you like to try?
Rokuta: Yeah!
Kei: Itsuki, you as well.
Itsuki: Alright.
Rokuta: I'll take Kei-chan's left hand~!
Kei: And Itsuki, it would be your right hand, yes?
Itsuki: Yes.
[sfx: Roktua taking their hands]
Rokuta: Haha! Our hands are warm.
Itsuki: Warm, huh...
Kei: So they are.
Rokuta: ... that reminds me. At the venue. Zero was there.
Itsuki: He was.
Kei: Who's "Zero"?
Itsuki: A member of the team known as The Cat's Whiskers. The one named Natsume Ryu. We are familiar with him. We encountered each other at the facility.
Kei: I see.
Itsuki: Indeed.
Kei: ... then we'll have to save him.
Itsuki: Yes.
Rokuta: I wonder if Zero is happy right now?
Itsuki: It's hard to say. How does it seem to you, Rokuta?
Rokuta: Hmm... I... dunno... [snoring]
Itsuki: He seems to have fallen asleep.
Kei: Heh. It was a very busy day, after all. He must be tired.
Itsuki: I suppose so.
Kei: ... I'll go now, then.
Itsuki: Goodnight, Kei.
Kei: Goodnight, Itsuki. ... goodnight, Rokuta. Sweet dreams.
*
[sfx: clock ticking, keyboard typing]
Kei: [sigh] ... nightmares, is it...? Poor thing. Both Rokuta and Itsuki, and that child, Zero, as well. Everybody is a victim. Music that causes unhappiness is not music at all. ... I won't accept it. The entire system is self-destructive. I don't want those kids to experience memories of pain ever again. I won't let anybody steal these precious days from us. There is no need for them to have nightmares ever again. We... 1Nm8... that's what we're protecting. That's why we'll put an end to the Phantom Lives with our own hands.
[1] Literally what he says is "川の字", literally "the shape of the 川 kanji", refers to three people sleeping side by side, often but not exclusively a child sleeping between their parents, so this isn't a perfect translation but I'd rather approximate it than leave it as-is.