Dramatical Murder - After Dinner with Koujaku and Fixing Ren

After Dinner with Koujaku and Fixing Ren

Aoba: ...Whew.

I take a shower after the meal and cover my half-wet hair with the towel on my shoulders and proceed to the living room.

I peep inside to see Granny watching TV while drinking tea. Koujaku isn't there.

Aoba: Where's Koujaku?

Tae: He went upstairs. He's probably in your room.

Aoba: I see. ...Ah, by the way, Granny.

Tae: What?

Aoba: Whenever I have a headache I take my medicine like normal, but lately it's not as effective as it used to be.

Tae: ...Hmmm.

Granny, who was watching TV the whole time, turns towards me.

Granny told me to report anything regarding the headaches no matter what it is.

Tae: It hasn't worked at all?

Aoba: Umm, not like that, but feels like it's not as effective as before.

Tae: Is that so? Then let's try changing the formula a bit.

Aoba: I'm counting on you.

When I bow deeply, Granny snorts and returns to the TV.

Well then...
Apparently Koujaku is in my room.

I leave the living room and go upstairs.

Multiple places in my body throb in pain even when lifting only my foot.

Aoba: Ow, ow...

Though there are no visible cuts or bruises, the very core of my body posesses a dull ache.

Is it because I took damage in Rhyme...?

Aoba: Even though the fighting happened in my head, it still hurts pretty badly...

When I fought with that weird rabbit head, Ren said that there was control over the damage level.

Is that even possible?

I endure the pain, make my way up the stairs, and go into my room.

...Huh?

Koujaku's not here. Neither is Ren.

I thought that was the case at first, but then I found the door leaving to the veranda is slightly open.

When I look out at the veranda, I see Koujaku leaning on the handrail.

He looks down at the nightlife with a calm expression.

He holds a thin cigarette between his fingers while white smoke escapes from his slightly narrowed lips.

Koujaku would never smoke in my room... For some reason, he would only ever do it on the veranda.

He doesn't smoke in front of girls or during work, or even when he's at a bar, he only smokes here.

I don't know the reason, but maybe he feels like he can actually relax here.

Koujaku would never show such a dim expression outside. He's always confidently smiling. That's how he presents himself.

He seems like he's usually having fun with women, but I wonder if that itself is unexpectedly exhausting.

Koujaku's hand carries the cigarette to his lips. In the dark, his fingers look extremely long and beautiful.

He does hair every day, so he should be skillful with his fingers.

They look bony and masculine: it's strange that I find them beautiful.

Koujaku holds Ren, who has Beni on his head. Both of them seem to be in sleep mode.

I'm afraid that they'll fall off the handrail, but I trust Koujaku to hold on to them.

I pick the ashtray in my room and open the door to the veranda.

Koujaku: ...Hm?

Koujaku's absent-minded eyes catch me and a loose smile appears on his mouth.

Koujaku: Yo. Finished with the bath?

Aoba: I thought you were in the living room.

Koujaku: Aah. Felt like having a little of this.

Koujaku lightly raises the hand holding a cigarette.

Aoba: You really like it here, don't you?

Koujaku: Really? Maybe.

Aoba: Even though you can't see anything.

Koujaku: I guess... but does it really matter if you can see anything or not?

Aoba: ? Does it? I don't really get you sometimes.

Koujaku exhales and laughs unexpectedly.

Aoba: Here.

I hold out the ashtray and he puts the shortened cigarette into it. I lower it next to my feet and lean on the handrail next to him.

Koujaku: Aaah.

As soon as Koujaku sees me next to him, he frowns.

Koujaku: Aoba, not again...

Aoba: Hm?

Koujaku: Your hair. I keep saying you have to dry it a little better.

Koujaku reaches out towards me.

Is he going to touch my hair...?
I flinch back reflectively.

But instead of catching my hair...
He grabs my nose.

Aoba: Guah!

Koujaku: Really, with the line of work I'm in, I can't help but care about your hair.

Aoba: Stop it!

When I shake my head to escape, Koujaku smiles happily.

Koujaku: Your hair's grown a lot. Are you still cutting it on your own every once in a while?

Aoba: A little, yeah. I don't want to have to see a professional. Doing it myself is enough.

Koujaku: Well, it's not that bad? Everything seems to be in the right place.

Aoba: Really? Kyaa, Koujaku-san complimented me, I'm so totally happy.

Koujaku: Why the sarcastic tone?

Aoba: An imitation of your fans.

Koujaku: Oh, you.

Ever since I was born, there's been a sense of feeling in my hair.

That's why cutting my hair with scissors hurts, so I don't do it. Or anyone else.

Ever since I was a kid, I was teased that I looked like a girl because of it.

Since I could also feel when it was being touched, they would pull on my hair as a joke... It was hell.

They bullied me because they thought it was funny. But when they did, Koujaku always saved me.

Though, it seems Koujaku thought I was a girl in the beginning.

When he found out I was a boy, he was considerably surprised.
But Koujaku's attitude didn't change after that.

And I was pretty happy about that.

Koujaku: You have such a beautiful hair, so you have to take care of it.

Aoba: ...I've always thought so, but you say that so often and so easily. That hasn't changed about you from the old days at all.

Koujaku: I only say it because I mean it. And you used to be so bashfully happy when I complimented you...

Koujaku makes an overly dramatic glance off into the distance, and I throw him another glare.

Aoba: That's when I was a kid. I don't remember.

I wipe my wet hair and a blunt pain runs all the way down to my shoulders.

Aoba: Ow...

This pain...
Is it still from what happened in Rhyme...?

Koujaku: What's the matter?

Aoba: No, it's nothing.

Koujaku: It doesn't look like nothing. Come to think of it, you looked pretty tired a while ago, too.

Aoba: Ah...

Koujaku: What is it? No need to go putting up a front.

Aoba: It's not like that.

What should I do? Should I tell Koujaku about Rhyme?

A little bit of hesitation pops up.

In these kinds of situations, Koujaku has a strangely sharp sense of intuition.
He's already watching me with doubtful eyes.

Even if I try to lie now, he won't buy it...

Aoba: Well, about today. I had a strange experience. Well, how should I say this? Like I was pulled into Rhyme...

Koujaku: Pulled into Rhyme?

Aoba: It happened suddenly. I was on a delivery, and before I knew it I was standing on a Rhyme field.

Koujaku: You're not talking about a dream, right?

Aoba: No.

Koujaku: So in other words... Wait, is that even possible?

Aoba: I didn't really get it either, but it was close to your territory. That narrow alley there.

Koujaku: I haven't heard anything like that before...

Aoba: There were some other strange things too. Usui wasn't there either.

Koujaku: That's strange. It's responsible for holding Rhyme games, right? That strange devicce appears with it and all.

Aoba: Isn't it? And...

I tell Koujaku about the rabbit head... I also include the fact that he knew my name.

After earnestly listening to my story, Koujaku groans.

Koujaku: What he did to you, was it... Wasn't it like a Drive-By?

Aoba: A Drive-By?

Koujaku: I've only heard this from my team mates, and I don't know the details but... there seem to be guys who are able to set up a Rhyme game without Usui. Because their Rhyme games don't have rules or limits, there seem to be cases where the pulled-in opponents are left half dead.

Aoba: Then, was my opponent one of those Drive-Byers too?

Koujaku: There's the possibility. However... ...It makes me sick.

Aoba: What does?

Koujaku: I'm relieved that you managed to escape this time, but what happens if you get pulled in again? Wouldn't that be extremely dangerous?

Aoba: But I haven't even done Rhyme so why... Why did he mistake me for someone else?

Koujaku: There's also the possibility that he didn't care who he challenged. Or it might've been someone who held a huge grudge against you.

Aoba: No way. I'm not you.

Koujaku: How cruel. But he knew your name, right?

Aoba: Well... that's right.

Koujaku: .....

Aoba: Koujaku?

Koujaku keeps silent with a troubled face.

After a while, I hear a small sigh.

Koujaku: ...Sorry. I think I'll just go home for today. I remembered I had to do something.

Aoba: Oh? Okay, I see.

Koujaku pushes off from the handrail and stands in front of me.

Koujaku: Are you really okay?

Aoba: Yeah.

Koujaku: I'll believe you, then. If something happens, tell me right away.

Aoba: I know.

Koujaku: Good.

Koujaku smiles at our agreement and gently hands Ren over to me.

He then picks up Beni, who is resting on Ren's head, and puts him in his pocket.

Koujaku: See ya. Good night.

Aoba: Yeah.

Koujaku raises his hand in farewell and leaves the room.

I shut the door leading to the veranda and return to the room, lower Ren to the bed and lay down next to him.

Aoba: Rhyme... huh.

Did I encounter a Drive-Byer after all?

When it happened, Ren appeared in his online mode form. He also fought according to my instructions.

Aoba: ...Something, set. ...What was it?

During the Rhyme, my mouth moved on its own like somebody had taken over my body. What was that?

But that feeling... I feel like I know it.

I don't know why I think so but, it's like...

It resembled a feeling that I have when I invite customers to the store...

That feeling when I know what to say to make the other do what I want.

Have Drive-Byers always appeared so frequently? Let's fo a little research.

Although I don't want to get involved too deeply...

...A message.

Aoba: The latest Allmate models, huh?

It was a direct message.

New Allmates appear one after another.

I briefly look over the contents and close the Coil screen.

I've always been so attached to things that I never want to give them up, but not everyone else is like that.

...That's right, I have to check Ren's condition.
I'm worried about the damage he took in Rhyme.

I get up and reseat myself on the bed, put the blue lump on my knees, and start him up.

Ren: Aoba.

Aoba: Good morning.

Ren: Good morning.

Aoba: I'll examine you a bit now.

Because Ren is an old model, restoration would be trouble if full-scale malfunction appeared.

He has to be frequently maintained and checked.

I hold a long cable starting from the deskop computer and push aside Ren's neck fur to connect the cable to the port.

I start up a touch browser with the Coil and the interface that supervises Ren's engine is displayed.

Aoba: Hm... Maybe the reaction speed of the reflection's decreased a bit.

I grab a tool box that I'd thrown on the floor, remove the lid, take out a 10cm square screwdriver, and push aside Ren's neck fur again.

Although Allmates can fundamentally be fixed through the touch browser's control panel, Ren is an old model, and I need to look inside of him too.

I take a stock of new chips out of the tool box and use tweezers to replace Ren's old chip with a new one.

Aoba: This should be enough.

I close the lid and control panel, remove the cable and lift Ren into my arms.

Aoba: How is it? Any place you're not feeling well?

Ren: There is some sense of incongruity. However, it's within the allowable range.

Aoba: I see. Well, I only changed the chip. Tell me right away if any malfunction appears.

Ren: Understood.

I stroke Ren's back as he answers me, and I place my forehead to his tiny one.

I forgot how long it's been since we started to do this, but I make sure to do this every time I do maintenance on Ren. It's like a charm.

Aoba: Thank you, as always.

Ren: The pleasure is mine.

Aoba: I'll count on you in the future, too.

Ren: The pleasure is mine.

Aoba: ...You always answer like that.

Ren: Is it strange?

[Choices]
-> It's not strange
-> Not really