#the start of everything

[shunin-gumis]

Designs of Happiness - Track A07

L4mps Main Story Translation

Title: The Black Cat of Good Luck

Characters: Daniel, Nagi, Toi, Netaro

Summary: After fishing out Nagi from a trap in Cafe369, the protagonist asks him why he was there in the first place. Nagi claims that a certain piece of food was the start of all this… 

JP Proofreading: aca @463ce6 on twt EN Proofreading: jes @arcanecrayonn on twt

Location: Cafe369

Momiji: Ok, get him down slowly… Right, just like that.

Daniel: So. You tellin’ me this fella ended up like this because he got caught up in a trap meant to… catch bees? That’s some luck.

Momiji: I’m so glad we have your muscle around for this, Daniel-san— Ah, that’s a good place to stop.

Momiji: Nagi-kun, are you alright? Can you hear me? …Is he unconscious?

Nagi: ….. 

Toi: Is he ok? He’s still alive, right? Oh no, what will I do if this puts an end to my guidance…? 

Momiji: Calm down, it’s ok, he’s still breathing. Looks like he’s just fainted.

Toi: R-Really? Thank goodness…!

Momiji: Let’s just lay him down on the sofa… There.

Toi: Then, I’ll go and wet my handkerchief for him! 

Cafe owner?: Good grief, is there really any need to cause a big fuss over this?

Momiji: I mean, it’s clearly not a bee, but a human you caught in your trap! That’s not what you said earlier!

Cafe owner?:  It was indeed a bee that was ensnared in my trap, initially. Well, I don’t think humans make for a bad substitute, if I’m to be honest.

Daniel: Hm~?

Daniel: Oh, you’re that fella who came by the dorm the other day.

Cafe Owner?: Oh~? Was there a handsome face like yours there back then?

Daniel: Oh, wow, did I just get a compliment?

Momiji: You did say you couldn’t think of anything but green peas back then, I’m sure he must’ve slipped your mind in the meantime.

Daniel: I’m Hiroshi Daniel Iwabuchi. You’ve got a good eye on ya, I wouldn’t mind recommending a guy like you to our ol’ Boss if ya want.

Momiji: Oh, that’s right. Sorry for the late introduction– I’m Hamasaki from HAMA Tours.

Netaro: I am named Netaro Yowa. I’m pleased as punch to acquaint myself with more humans~♪

Netaro: I am quite fond of the visage I have on now, but yours is quite pleasing to the eye as well~

Momiji: (…Visage?)

Toi: Ah! I think Nagi-san is waking up!

Nagi: …Ugh.

Nagi: …Where am I? …Who am I?

Momiji: (Amnesia…!?)

Nagi: Um, that was just a joke, sorry. You are…?

Netaro: I am the owner of this fine establishment. I was just about to turn you into fresh ingredients for my new meat bun recipe. 

Nagi: Oh, okay… 

Momiji: Yeah, I can’t blame you for being surprised. I’ll try and explain it to you one by one… 

Nagi: More importantly, are you alright?

Momiji: Huh?

Momiji: (...Is he asking about the trap getting springed?)

Momiji: Don’t worry, no one else got… entangled in that trap that was set up in here.

Momiji: I mean, you’re the one that got fished up… 

Daniel: Fished up? Seriously?

Nagi: I see. I’m glad, then. I shouldn’t let anyone get dragged into my misfortune… Oh, that’s right… 

Momiji: (...? Nagi-kun just unclenched his fist…)

Daniel: Woah, a bee just popped out.

Nagi: It looked like it wanted to get out, so I offered a hand. Good, it’s free now. I’m glad.

Netaro: All’s well that ends well!

Daniel: In what way… So, you’ve met this guy before right?

Momiji: Ah, yes. Nice to see you again, Nagi-kun. The last time we met was at Renga-kun’s garden, right?

Nagi: Yeah, it’s nice to see you again too. HAMA Nice Trip!

Momiji: I’m glad to see you’re the same as always… HAMA Nice Trip, too!

Toi: Um, you can use this handkerchief, if you’d like.

Nagi: Oh, thank you very much– Woah, an angel? I swear I see wings… 

Toi: Fufu, I don’t have wings, silly~

Momiji: So, how’d you get caught in that trap anyways? Were you delivering flowers?

Netaro: I don’t remember requesting any.

Nagi: Oh, are you the owner… I sincerely apologize for the trouble that I caused.

Netaro: Aha, how amusing indeed. You were the one caught in my trap, and yet you are the one to apologize? Perhaps I should sue you for damages as well?

Laika: Well!

Nagi: Sure, I’ll spend the rest of my life paying you back.

Momiji: Stop, you don’t have to pay for anything, okay? More importantly, why were you here if not for a delivery, then? 

Nagi: …It all started with an ordinary piece of chocolate. 

Nagi: So, I got it from a kid when I completed my last delivery. I thought I’d enjoy it as I took a break on a bench nearby, but I ended up dropping it. That’s when I thought, oh, a stray dog or cat might end up trying to eat it, and that’s poisonous to them, so I couldn’t just leave it there. But when I tried to get up from the bench, it turned out it was freshly painted and my clothes were stuck to it. Oh but, don’t worry, I already apologized, and I’ll go back after buying some paint to fix it up. I have to drop by the supermarket anyway, there’s gonna be a sale later. And I made sure to throw away the chocolate too.Then I headed to the washroom at the park so I could try and clean up my paint-streaked clothes, but there wasn’t any soap. So I thought, okay, I’ll at least wash it, but there wasn’t any water either. I noticed the time, and realized that the sale was about to start, so I gave up on cleaning my clothes. But then I was attacked by a bunch of crows out of nowhere. I must have done something at the park to set them off, though I have no idea what it could’ve been. So, in a panic, I ended up running into this shop to get away from them.

Momiji: (He went off on a tangent and all I got is that he somehow managed to get himself into one mess after another…!)

Toi: I can’t believe all that happened within such a short time… 

Netaro: Ahaha! What an amusing fellow indeed!

Laika: Hihihi!

Daniel: He’s like one of those clumsy heroines or somethin’.

Momiji: Please cheer up! We all have days like these… 

Nagi: In my case, it’s all the tim—

Momiji: Hm?

Nagi: Sorry, don’t mind me. 

Nagi: Oh, are your clothes fine? I’m worried I might’ve gotten paint on you while you were trying to get me down… 

Momiji: I’m not sure, is there any on me?

Daniel: Nope. What ‘bout me?

Netaro: Not a speck! And how about myself?

Toi: Well, there shouldn’t be any, since you didn’t even go near him, Netaro-san… 

Nagi: I see, that’s great then. And to the angel with no wings, I’ll return your handkerchief to you after I get it cleaned back at my shop.

Toi: Oh, yes, sure! 

Nagi: —I’ll be off now.

*phone dialing*

Sonia: Hello! You’ve reached Flower Laundry!

Nagi: I’m sorry I didn’t call you sooner. I’ll take about 50 minutes to get back as I drive within the speed limit.

Sonia: Geez~ Where did you find yourself this time? I was very worried, you know!

Nagi: Oh right, I’ll have to get some trash bags for flammable waste. Tomorrow is garbage day but we’ve run out. I’ll make sure to buy us your favorite treat, two of them, specially. 

Sonia: I’ll forgive you for being a little late if you’re bringing shnacks. 

Nagi: Great. I’ll see you soon.

Momiji: …..

Daniel: Oi.

Momiji: Ah!

Daniel: You sure you wanna let him go like that?

Momiji: Oh geez, I was swept up in the moment, I didn’t even realize– Nagi-kun, wait!

Momiji: Don’t leave yet—!

Nagi: What’s wrong?

Nagi: …Also, it’s dangerous to approach a moving vehicle, please back up a bit.

Momiji: Sorry about that! Um, I’ve been searching all over for you because I had something to talk to you about!

Nagi: Talk?

Momiji: I wanted to ask if you’d like to join our Night Team or not.

Nagi: What do you mean?

Momiji: I had this thought when I saw you back at Renga-kun’s garden, explaining the process to him.

Momiji: About how you pay attention to small details, and how you're very thorough with your job. I thought of how amazing it’d be if I could offer hospitality to tourists alongside someone like you.

Nagi: ……

Momiji: And that’s why I wanted to recruit you for the Night Team… Or rather, I want you to be the leader of the team, actually.

Nagi: …..

Nagi: Huh?

Momiji: So, um, I’d like you to be the leader… 

Nagi: What?

Momiji: The… leader… 

Nagi: Who?

Momiji: You.

Nagi: …..

Nagi: Does that mean… I’d work with other people, live with them, and even go on trips together?

Momiji: Yes.

Nagi: Me.

Momiji: That’s right.

Nagi: ….. 

Nagi: …..Um.

Momiji: (He… He’s blushing?)

Nagi: ….. ugh!

Momiji: (And now he’s shaking his head with a stern expression….)

Momiji: (From what I can tell, he doesn’t seem to be against the idea but… How do I take this reaction…)

Momiji: Um, what do you think? I’d be really happy if you’d accept… 

Nagi: …..

Nagi: I’m worried.

Momiji: R-Right, of course you’d be worried, I understand!

Momiji: That’s why, um, maybe you could just give it a try first! See for yourself if it’s something you can work with… 

Nagi: ……….

Momiji: …..

Black cat: Nya~

Momiji: Oh, it’s a black cat.

Nagi: …Cute.

Nagi: The cat approached us when we were standing still. So it shouldn’t count as bad luck.

Momiji: Ahaha, I was thinking about that too. In the first place, the myth that a black cat brings bad luck really depends on the country. Some places even consider them a symbol of good luck! 

Nagi: …I see. That should be a relief to the black cats too.

Nagi: Okay.

Nagi: I think… I’ll give it a shot. 

Note:

Black cats are considered bad luck because of superstitions but that's all they are: superstitions. Here the black cat symbolizes Nagi's luck turning around.

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Masterlist

[astralhope]

Rank 3: Astral!!

[absolutebl]

Rose's Day of Asks

Ok. So you get a lot of asks and have a bunch of lists so it's really hard to come up with an original ask for you. But I just couldn't really not ask you anything. So I have no idea if you've answered this (you probably have) but here it goes.

What was your first contact with yaoi?And what was your first live action bl?

Have a great Day💜

Aw, thank you for an ask! I hope you have a great day too!

Hummm, my first contact.

Honestly, I can't remember but I do know the first one I bought from Amazon, because I opened my Amazon account to do so.

2005 Desire by Maki Kazumi

But I had found a publisher who sold direct online at least 2 years before that, back in the days of Loose ID. I just can't remember the name of it. I wanna say it had Cow or Milk in the name.

But something must have pointed me at yaoi, probably some other form of manga? I wanna say one of my Japanese friends send some to me. But they wouldn't have sent me yaoi. Was definitely something one didn't talk about back then.

In one of my MANY house moves I got rid of 99% of my collection of yaoi (probably about 50 books) . In my defense I had no idea BL would become a thing and I was migrating reading to all digital. I just assumed I'd be able to get them that way eventually (silly me).

Yes, I'm still sad about that decision.

Ah well.

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and then.

along comes galinda. who - after spending an entire night attempting to give her a makeover - settles on: ‘actually, you’re perfect just the way you are. i wouldn’t change a thing. except maybe to tuck a little piece of myself in with you, just there.’

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Telemachus asks, “Am I like you? Am I strong like you? Will you embrace me? Will you love and accept me as yours?” He says, “I’ve felt so alone.”

And Odysseus claims him in a heartbeat, answering, “My son. My boy. My sweetest joy I’ve ever known. I embraced you twenty years ago. I’d do the impossible for you. I’d die for you.” He says, “Seeing the men here today, I can only wonder what you’ve been through for twenty years. My son, you’re already strong. You’re my own. You’re not alone. I’m home.”

And then they fucking embrace.

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to sum up kabru's situation via a self-contained modernized metaphor:

kabru is like a guy who lost his entire family in a highly traumatic car accident. years later he joins a discord server and takes note of laios, another server member who seems interesting, so they start chatting. then laios reveals his special interest and favorite movie of all time is David Cronenberg's Crash (1996), and invites kabru to go watch a demolition derby with him

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I take an extremely laissez-faire approach to baby clothes because like, they are constantly being thrown up on and grown out of and so on, what matters is that they are clean and easy to put on and I am not spending $$$$$ on them. as long as the colour/design is not directly offensive, it's fine. what this means is that people are quite frequently 'misgendering' the baby and then falling over themselves to apologise about it.

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Part 9 Part 10 Part 11

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Don’t ask me how did they get in this room. I have no idea. They escaped the battlefield somehow haha

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