A Harmony that Can’t be Created Alone
The performance and the race end with great reception, and the ‘Dark Purple Rabbit King Contest’ that closes off the event is being held—
Takara Wow! There are so many customers present!
Mikio I’m happy to see that everyone has stayed behind even though there’s been a break for the live stage.
Yahiko Cheers had erupted at Maruyama’s magnificent shot at the egg rolling, and at Kuramoto-kun’s overwhelming victory for the egg hunt.
Yahiko That passion has not yet cooled down, I’m sure. It appears that our work as the event’s planners has bore fruit.
Takara The guests look like they’re having fun as well, don’t they. I’m starting to get more motivated for this already!
Takara I’ll transform into a Rabbit King with the best of my abilities, so that everyone can enjoy themselves until the very end of the contest!
Mikio Yep, I’ll do my best too. I have no confidence, but I’ll have no chance at winning if I don’t give it a try.
Yahiko I will be the final contestant for the contest. I shall be thoroughly enjoying your gallant figures.
(Mikio appears onstage.)
Izuru Th-The next performance is…th-the very kind clarinetist who is good at making desserts, Kannoto-senpai…!
Mikio (Okay, it’s my turn…! I’ve got to focus so that I won’t be cursed by this contest!
Mikio ……
Mikio (But even if I think so, I really still am nervous… I suppose I’d be, with everyone’s eyes trained on me like that.)
Mikio (Takara came up with an image of his Rabbit King right away, and Nanri-senpai clearly declared that he won’t be preparing…)
Mikio (Both are performances that only they can pull off for themselves. Ones that I can’t imitate.)
Mikio (I wasn’t able to form a solid image of a Rabbit King on my own, so I showed everyone in the clarinet section, but…I wonder if it’ll go well.)
Mikio (…No, I’ve already come so far. I’ve just got to do this!)
Mikio “I-I’m the 15th King of Monochrome Easter, Rabbit Mikio. I pledge to do everything in my power, to make this country a better place.”
Mikio (Everyone seemed to be going for Rabbit Kings with personalities, so I’ll fight them with a kind one…!)
Mikio “I-I first promise that I will distribute a hundred carrots and a hundred tsukimi dango for free!”1
Mikio “I require everyone’s power, for us to make this country a better place. Please, my beloved rabbits, I urge you to lend me your power…!”
(The audience applauds.)
Clapclapclapclap!
Mikio (Haha…I managed to pull through somehow. The audience is smiling brightly too…what a relief.)
(Takara appears onstage.)
Izuru N-Next up is…th-the diligent hard-worker…who always continues to push forward…the tubist Kuramoto-kun…!
Takara (Izuru…so that’s what you think of me. Somehow…I’m really happy about that.)
Takara (Everyone was so cool in all of the rabbit performances up until now. I’ll have to be just as good, myself.)
Takara (For Izuru too, after he’s praised me in that way…I’ll show everyone the results of my practice with my sisters!)
Takara “I want the secret treasure of this country… The Monochrome Easter Egg.”
Takara “The pure white eggs, the pure black eggs, and the speckled eggs of both colours, too… I want them all.”
Takara “I’ll get my hands on it. For certain.”
Takara (The rabbit king that I have in mind is…Minato.)
Mikio Haha, Takara’s doing good, isn’t he! It’s an image that’s kind of like Minato, just as he said.
Yahiko The image of the king that Kuramoto-kun has imagined must correspond to the self-centred impression that Iizuka-kun gives off, I’m sure.
Takara (His strength of will in being fixated on the things he wants, and pursuing them to the very end…)
Takara (And the mysterious charm he has that attracts those around him…)
Takara (If Minato were a king… No, no matter what he may be, he’ll definitely never give up on anything for sure.)
Takara (Because I believe…that I would like to follow a king just like Minato, who would devote his passion to what he likes, with all his heart and soul.)
Takara “You all want the treasure too, right? Then let’s go. Together.”
Takara “It’ll be fine. We’ll get our hands on it, if you’re with me. I’ll show you that we will.”
Yahiko Heh…not bad. It’s an expression that only someone who’s been by Iizuka-kun’s side, like Kuramoto-kun has, can pull off.
Takara “Come, and take my hand. Because I won’t let you regret this.”
(The audience applauds.)
Clapclapclapclap!
(Yahiko appears onstage.)
Izuru Finally we have…th-the unique flautist Nanri-senpai, whomRyotaro-senpaialsoagrees is brimming with curiosity…!
Yahiko ……
Yahiko (All of the performances up until now have differed by person, but I could catch a glimpse of how they form relationships with people through them.)
Yahiko (Mingled with the considerations of others, a harmony that can’t be created alone spreads out, and strengthens one’s own personality…)
Yahiko (I’ve gotten to see some deeply intriguing things. And now, I—)
Yahiko …We have been shown many Rabbit Kings in a variety of forms until now.
Yahiko The performances, to “act as a Rabbit King that you conceive of yourselves,” were all deeply intriguing.
Yahiko Acting is not all there is to a performance.
Yahiko A performance is constructed by a combination of many different factors, from the beliefs and experiences of the performer, to their relationships and emotions.
Yahiko And that will etch the image of a human in the eyes, and hearts, of those watching.
Takara Huh…? Rather than a Rabbit King, this feels like the usual Nanri-senpai…
Mikio Yep…it’s just the typical him, isn’t it. He’d said that he wouldn’t be preparing, but…I wonder if he’ll be fine.
Yahiko I had no need to search for my ‘Rabbit King’.
Yahiko I exist right here, and right now, not as an imitation of anything.
Yahiko In other words…I, am the Rabbit King.
Audience ???
Takara Uhh…so the Rabbit King is Nanri-senpai himself, so he’s also performing as Nanri-senpai himself?
Mikio I think that’s what’s going on, but I’ve no clue why Nanri-senpai is the Rabbit King…
Yahiko MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Yahiko Those expressions of yours that have transformed from confusion to shock…how deeply intriguing they are!
Yahiko You, and you, and you as well! You’re all making such great expressions! Allow me to hear of the transitions of your emotions from start to finish later on!
After everyone’s performances have ended, the members are engulfed in applause—
Yahiko I was able to see interesting things that were far beyond my imagination today. Contests aren’t that bad, I see.
Mikio Ahaha…your performance at the end there had way too much impact, you know. But I had fun, too.
Takara It was fun for me as well! I’d love to do this with everyone from our band sometime.
Izuru W-Well then we will now…be calling the names of…th-the participants, and decide on the winner, b-by the loudness…of the applause…!
Clapclapclapclap!
Yahiko Come, the king of this evening is about to be determined. Let us see the finale of the battle before us to the very end for now.
Mikio Got it! Ah, it’ll probably be fun to all perform together again after the Rabbit King has been decided, won’t it.
Takara Sounds nice! I wanted to perform again. Let’s have fun until the very end of the event ourselves, too!
Translator’s Notes
1 Tsukimi Dango: (月見団子, lit. ‘moon-viewing dango’): A type of chewy riceball that is often eaten during Tsukimi (月見, tsukimi, lit. ‘moon-viewing’), also known as Harvest Moon or the Japanese Mid-Autumn Festival. It is often associated with rabbits, due to a piece of folklore related to the day and the belief that rabbits come from the moon. Here is a summary of it:
Once upon a time, a monkey, a fox, and a rabbit encountered a starving old man while eating around a fire. Although the monkey and fox were able to spare the old man some food, the rabbit was unable to, and in its concern, it attempted to jump into the fire, in the hopes that the old man could eat it. However, the old man transformed into his true self— A deity known as The Old Man of the Moon, and, feeling sorry for the rabbit, brought it back to the Moon and revived it as a reward for its kindness.
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