月と花
Moon and Flowers


I guess if it falls with that much force, even such a huge storage of rainwater will be quickly exhausted.
The phrase "gone with the wind" seems to apply, for by the time we lined up for our evening meal, the sound of rain hitting the roof had ceased.
As the clouds lifted briskly, like a donchou, the layout of the stage shifted, and lay in wait for spectators. (TN: Donchou - stage curtain.)
The moon, floating in a pitch dark night sky...
Perhaps from the unyielding strength of its shine, stars close by seem to dodge its passing, twinkling as if to reserve their light.
Saving its peak for a few days hence, the moon's face knows nothing of the stars behind it. Bathing in the vapor of the passed evening shower, it gives off a cool light.
And so, to speak of the audience glancing up upon it...

Sakuya: Uzuki, why the hell're you here?

Uzuki: Because I'm staying at the lodgings, here.

Sakuya: Well, so am I. And I find it unpleasant, so stop showing your face around here.

Uzuki: And I would return those words, unchanged, straight back at you.

Uzuki: To wit, the one who came on board this sojourn was you, If I'm correct. I'm not in any position to warrant a complaint from you.

I can't really say the situation is proceeding in a refined manner.
Moon-gazing after eating delicious food, when you think about it, is quite extravagant, but...

Kei: Hah...... If only I came here with mom......

Seeing as she collapsed from overwork, even if just a little, we should have come here to let her relax.
Rather, if we just lived here we could come anytime. And we own a house, so the apartment was just extra...
Of course, there's nothing here, so I'd feel like going back if we lived here, but mom......
......Actually though, even if my mom was here, her work might've been more troublesome.
In a home job like translation, you're fine with just e-mail and fax, but the lack of transportation would be a problem with oral translation, I guess.

Kei: Hah~~~

My drawn out sigh echoes through the steam.

Kei: ......Huh?

Somehow, it had become quiet.

Kei: What's wrong? Uzuki-san is one thing, but even Sakuya-san is being so quiet.

Sakuya: Kei, what exactly do you mean by that?

Uzuki: I imagine it's exactly as it sounds.

Sakuya: You......

Kei: Ahaha...... let's try to get along, you two.

Sakuya: I'm telling you that's impossible.

Uzuki: I wouldn't mind, as long as Sakuya-san didn't get in my way.

Kei: Sakuya-san, have you been doing that?

Sakuya: Who knows. All I'm doing is acting on my moral principles, though...

It's certainly magnanimous and splendid to act with morality, Sakuya-san.
But things like ethos or justice differ according to birth, education and religion among other things. If you push your code globally, it only bears frustration.
Stoppu, I'm being self-righteous.

Sakuya: What's with the critical look, Kei?

Kei: ......But whale meat is so delicious...... and we used it without waste, from the oil to the whiskers...... so cruel.

Sakuya: ......Huh?

Uzuki: Indeed, the meaning is unknown......

Uzuki: Sakuya-san, perhaps your behavior has gotten to her nerves.

Sakuya: I don't wanna be told that by some bunch like you who push their anachronisms on other people.

Uzuki: As if you had room to talk.

Kei: That's right. She's passing down an important family tradition, so it can't be helped. I even have someone named "Okoto" in my class, you know.

That "Orin-san" also uses strange expressions, such as "sou desu wa." (TN: Kei's classmate and an "ojou-sama," or rich girl.)

Sakuya: Ookaay, I get it. I'd imagine you want to side with her and slander your elders, just because she's the same age as you...

Sakuya: To think that Kei, who stuck to her mother like glue, would side with some fresh-faced lass over her mother's long-time best friend.

So placates Sakuya-san, with her unconvincing difference in age, and shrinks away.
Or, more accurately, pretends to shrink away.
This kind of personality must have worked with my mom, but......

Sakuya: If you're gonna treasure tradition, don't you think you should emulate your elders?

Kei: And by "elders" who do you mean?

Like one would in the west, she gives a thumbs-up and indicates her breasts.

Kei: ............

Uzuki: ............

Ah, so this is what it means to be "struck speechless."
With not even a hint of decline, they're so substantial, it's unfair.
To drive even me, from the same sex, to admire her so, one can only imagine how the world's other half would react.
The composure of adults is, truly, an explosion.

Kei: ......Fine by me. We little girls are still in development, after all.

I submerge into the hot water, hidden below the chin. *zapo*
I slide my vision over the rippling water's surface, or rather, towards the similarly-aged Uzuki-san.
Uzuki-san, also, is unfair.

Kei: .........

Her waist isn't much different from mine... why does she have to be different, too?
Wait a minute. Considering the ratio and difference in stature, it could become a contest. Ahh... in that case, her waist...

Uzuki: ......Kei-san, is something wrong?

Kei: Nope, nothing.

Uzuki: If that's the case, good. I was thinking our childishness might be causing unpleasantness for you, even though you aren't involved with this dispute at all.

Kei: No, no, you're very adult-like, Uzuki-san.

Uzuki: Oh? Okay...?

As I glance at the moon, it continues shining brightly...
Kachoufuugetsu, setsugekka. (TN: The first includes flowers, birds, wind, moon. The second is snow, moon, flowers, in that order.)
In both of these words that symbolize elegance are "flowers" and "moon."
The role of the flower petals are missing here, but the Japanese really do like the moon and flowers.
Although this isn't the season for sakura blossoms, on a moonlit night like this, those Enju flowers might fit well.
Now that I think of it, the one who told me about the name "Enju" was...

Kei: Fuu......

Sakuya: What's up, Kei? Feeling dizzy already?

Kei: No, not that, but......

That boy with the same name as me... I wonder if it's really okay to tell Uzuki-san about meeting him...

会ったことを話してみる 話すのはやめておこう
Tell her about meeting him. Let's not bring him up.