-pg41-

Tale #35

Smells of the Evening

-pg42-

Sign

K Takatsu

Kokone

C-come in.

Alpha

Hope it's not too much trouble...

-pg43-

Kokone

I'm afraid it's a little cramped...

Alpha

Sorry; I shouldn't have dropped in on you without warning...
.....
It's cramped like a cocoon, right, Kokone?
[*cough.* The original was an even worse pun on Kokone's name, which, were
it not a name, could mean I'm here, aren't I? My pun sucks too, and isn't
even very close to her name. Ah well.]
Ack.....never mind.

-pg44-

Kokone

My room's sort of dull, isn't it...

Alpha

Unh-unh.

Kokone

Here you go...it's Soba tea.

Alpha

Thanks.

-pg45-

Alpha

Ahhhh...so nice.

Kokone

Eh?

Alpha

I mean...when you got home...
You didn't really react.
So I thought...I sort of wondered if I'd come at a bad time.

Kokone

Oh....
No, my mind was just still caught up in my day at work.
So I was just stunned.

Alpha

Ah ha.

-pg46-

Kokone

......
That's right, the first time I met Alpha-san we...
Augh, why am I thinking about this now...
But...augh!

-pg47-

Alpha

Er....ummm....

Kokone

Eh!

Alpha

I know I invited myself over on awfully short notice...
But do you mind if I stay the night?

Kokone

.......

Alpha

I-I can't?

Kokone

No! Complete opposite! Absolutely, you must stay the night!
I...even have the day of tomorrow!

Alpha

Oh...that's a relief.

-pg48-

Alpha

Noo, I was looking and looking.

Kokone

I thought you might have been...

Alpha

This isn't my home turf, so I don't know my way around.
Musashino has so few hills...

Kokone

It is sort of flat around here.
When it's winter, even the seas of susuki lie flat on the ground.

Alpha

Wow....

-pg49-

Kokone You said you came on your bike...it must have been a long trip!

Alpha

Yes!
It's a good thing I found your house when I did!
I was in Yokohama for a few things and thought it might be fun.
Oh...
Want a moon cake?

Kokone

Sure!

-pg51-

Alpha

Looks like I made a mess...

Kokone

Nah.
Just let it be.

Kokone

I hope the futon's okay.

Alpha

Of course.

-pg53-

Alpha

-----It's quiet.......

Kokone

......yeah.
At your house you can always hear the sounds rising and falling...

Alpha

.....
Yes....you can....

-pg54-

Alpha

.......Kokone.
Did you have plans for tomorrow?

Kokone

Not at all...

Alpha

......
We should go somewhere.

Kokone

Then let's go somewhere.

-pg56-

The smells of the mountains come to far off Musashino in the evenings.

Tale #35: Closing