nhp | (Sutamai) Short Story, B’s Log July 2018

Title: You’re a Princess!? Or are you……

Characters: Shindo Kiyoshi & Kirishima Koya

Summary: This month’s original illustration is of Shindo and Kirishima in a pirate getup! What’s this dream that Kirishima saw of you and everyone else in the Kujo Household……?

“I know that you also treasure her.” - Kirishima Koya

“…… Love? You sure can say that without a hint of embarrassment.” - Shindo Kiyoshi

Having finished up with the day’s worth of medical examinations, Shindo returned to the mansion. Upon catching sight of a haphazardly sleeping Kirishima, he let out a sigh. And Kirishima, completely oblivious to such happening, was right now hardbound to come face with a most joyous moment inside his dreams…...

Kirishima: Alright!! It’s our victory!!!

Shindo: !!???

Kirishima: ………………

………… Huh? Oh, what, so it was just a dream then.

Shindo: Oi. You’re not going to tell me that that false alarm of a shout just now was you talking in your sleep, are you?

Kirishima: Huh? What, so you were there, Shindo. That means you also heard me sleep-talking just now, right?

Shindo: It’s not as if I was listening because I wanted to hear it.

Kirishima: But you did hear it so it’s making you wonder about what I was dreaming!

Shindo: Not at goddamn all. I’ll say it now, but I have no intention of hearing you out either.

Kirishima: And that’s the thing. It was a damn realistic dream, like, what was happening was super intense—

Shindo: Is that so? Good for you then. I’m off to do work.

(Alright, I guess I’ll organize the documents for the time being.)

Kirishima: —and I dunno why but we all became pirates and were sailing aboard Captain Kujo’s ship.

Shindo: …………

Kirishima: I was a brawler who fought with his fists, Miyase was an all-rounder cook, Kaname was a damn smart navigator… and I think you were a swordsman.

Shindo: Oi. Why the hell am I the only one to be oddly assigned a role that’s far off from reality? The appropriate choice there would have been a first-class doctor.

Kirishima: Even if you say that man, it’s not like I was the one who decided everyone’s parts.

Shindo: It’s your dream so who else besides you is going to do it?

Kirishima: It’s that though, ain’t it? You know, like how you’re always cutting up people’s stomach with a scallful or scapel or whatever so aren’t you a swordsman?

Shindo: I seriously wasn’t thinking that you were equating a scalpel to a sword in your subconsciousness.

Kirishima: Huh? So conchos next? Are you gonna give me a present?

Shindo: …………

(I knew what I was dealing with but even humoring him is a waste of time. Let’s just get back to work.)

Kirishima: Well, whatever. So with what happened next, right—us Kujo Pirates were out to rescue that person.

Shindo: That person? ………… Are you talking about “her”?

Kirishima: Yeah! Dunno why but she was like a princess who got captured by the last boss and we were heading out to rescue her.

Shindo: Her? A princess? That casting is also off mark.

Kirishima: You think so? And then, after beating the rough waves, we got aboard the enemy ship, and well, we took out all the underlings with no sweat and all that was left was the last boss.

Shindo: What great news.

Kirishima: Man, what’s with you? You’re being a downer. Aren’t you interested in what happens next?

Shindo: At any rate, we likely end up defeating the last boss without a hitch as well.

Kirishima: How did you know that…… Shindo, you… Could it be that you have superpowers!?

Shindo: You were nice enough to mention it in your sleep before, remember?

Kirishima: Huh? Oh yeah, that did happen. But wait, the story ain’t as simple as that.

We weren’t able to rescue her.

Shindo: Pardon? Wasn’t it “our victory”?

Kirishima: …… A win is a win. But we didn’t save her.

Shindo: Did we not make it in time?

Kirishima: …………

Shindo: …… Was she thrown into the sea or something?

Kirishima: No, she was full of life……

Shindo: Oi. I can’t follow along with this story at all. Where was she and what happened to her?

Kirishima: After me and you took out the last boss, we went to free her from her cage.

We were meant to look super cool saving her…… and it was supposed to be an awesome ending scene.

But what do you think we saw when we got there?

Shindo: …… What…… did we see?

Kirishima: We saw her getting out of her cage on her own and beating up the prison guard then escaping……

Shindo: …… Hmph, it’s eerily similar for just a dream.

Kirishima: We wanted to show off in front of her but we failed big time. You and me both.

Shindo: Don’t lump me in there as well.

Kirishima: It doesn’t change that it was still our victory though so all good. But something doesn’t feel right, you know……

Shindo: Hey, you don’t particularly need to get so down just because you weren’t able to rescue her yourself.

If that same situation actually happened in reality then there’s no mistaking it, she’d probably try to escape from her cage with her own strength.

Kirishima: Haha, that’s some strong will.

Shindo: It just means that even if she’s unsuited for the role of a princess, she’s still got that same likeness to her even within a dream.

Kirishima: Yeah. More than a princess, it feels like she’s a comrade who fights beside you.

Shindo: But the fact that you became that desperate means that, to you especially, she’s someone that you wish to protect.

Kirishima: Guess so. I love her after all.

Shindo: …… Love? You sure can say that without a hint of embarrassment.

Kirishima: I’m just saying that I love what I love so why should I feel embarrassed?

Shindo: …… Kirishima, don’t assume that everyone has the same sensibility as you.

Kirishima: Huh? I don’t really get what you’re going on about, but I know that you also treasure her.

Shindo: Excuse me?

Kirishima: My hunch is always right!

Shindo: …………

Kirishima: Why are you shutting up? You feeling shy?

Shindo: Don’t kid yourself. There’s absolutely no reason for me to feel that way.

Kirishima: Alright then. Actually, thanks to that dream, I can’t hold back wanting to move my body.

Shindo, join me for a bit.

Shindo: Working out again?

Kirishima: Yeah, so let’s fight!

Shindo: What are we staking?

Kirishima: Of course, it’s gotta be her.

Shindo: …… I see. Fine by me. I accept your challenge.

Wagering not on a “princess” but a “fellow comrade”, the two men faced each other with an equally burning fighting spirit. Incidentally, the sight of them when seen from the outside could just as well be perceived as one of “fellow comrades” in itself......