resurrection sunday of the undying ( reincarnation 3 )

[mandytl]

Location: Underground Live House

Koga: ...

Kaoru: Heee~y. ♪ Kid with the super bored expression. Could you just beat it if you're going to get in the way of my totally gloomy cleaning job?

Koga: Aahn? Who the hell're you, actin' like you know me! I'll bite ya to death!

Kaoru: Scaaary... is that really the attitude you want to pull? Not to brag or anything, but I'm kind of in charge here.

Keep it up and I'll have you banned from the premises, okay?

Koga: Tch... now I kinda recognize you. What, you work here?

Kaoru: Not by choice, though. I'm not in the mood for mistakes when my Dad's counting on me to manage the place. Well, I meet a ton of girls here too, so it's not like it's the worst.

I plan on doing this properly, so I'll nip any trouble in the bud.

Koga: Hmph... that makes me a guest, then. So show me some courtesy already. I won't let ya toss me out after I paid the fees, got it?

Kaoru: Oh, yeah... weren't you the apprentice of the band that's up on our billboard?

Huh? Aren't they traveling the world right now on some world tour?

Koga: I ain't their apprentice... even if I owe 'em, now's a critical time. Their major debut.

A half-assed guy like me stickin' with 'em would just be a pain, so I left the group.

We were goin' in different directions anyway. An idol and a rock band... — I was ready for the eventual split.

Kaoru: Ahah. So they ditched you before you were a problem? Poor thing~. ♪ Even though being in a rock band suits you more than being an idol?

Idol, though... huh. Speaking of which, isn't that our uniform? So you go to Yumenosaki Academy?

Koga: Aahn? Yeah. What, you too? You're wearin' one, but ain't you more like a host or something?

Kaoru: Not really. I don't have the time to go around spreading love everywhere. I want to be loved more than I want to love, so that's why I chose to be an idol.

Koga: Keh... enough with all the tedious love crap. Ain't you one of those punks who don't actually want to play any music?

Kaoru: Ahahah. You wouldn't chose to be an idol if that's alll you wanted to do, am I right?

The guys at Yumenosaki are just endlessly repeating themselves as they try to reproduce past idols on a limited scale, anyway.

There's no point in working hard when a machine can do the same, don't you think?

Koga: Don't know about them... but I'm different. I'm the real deal, just like Sakuma-senpai.

Oh, yeah... Sakuma-senpai. Why the hell hasn't he shown up yet? I heard that he'd finally come back and was so freakin' stoked to see him.

Kaoru: Don't ask me. Like I know what that stuck up guy's up to.

Hmm, well. If he's back... then that means things are about to get wild in here. And since you're here, that must mean DEADMANZ is up to something again, huh?

He's more than welcome, then! We'll make a killing with him on stage. Sakuma-san really brings in the guests. ♪

You should've told me sooner! He's one of our most valued clientele. I'll have the whole place back him up if he's holding a performance. ♪

You thirsty? I'll get you a drink~. ♪

Koga: Your switch totally flipped... a real freak for cash. I'm not feelin' it.

Kaoru: Heheh. I'm living a life away from my family, in line with my own desires. ♪  

Rei: I'm baaack~. ☆

Ahah, you guys're lookin' chummy over there. Don't have all the fun without good ol'¹ me. Lemme in, lemme in... ☆

Koga: Sakuma-senpai!

W-welcome home! Thank you for always working so hard..!

Rei: Eh~? Could you not make it sound like I just got outta prison... ?

Well, whatever! Theeere, there. You been good, Puppy~? ♪

Koga: Don't pat me on the head! Or call me Puppy! I mean, don't you remember my name?

Rei: Ahahah. Like I'd forget someone's name that easily. I'm not old enough t'be that senile yet.

It's a real cool name like Oo~gami Ko~ga-kun, yeah? I totally remember.

... you were just standin' here lookin' all sad. Were you that lonely while I was gone?

Koga: Of course!

Wait, no! I wasn't that sad, dammit, I'll kill yaAAGH!

Rei: Ahahah, your character's all over the place like usual. Real hilarious. ♪

Kaoru: ...

Rei: Oh? Hakaze-kun! How you doin'? Here's a souvenir for ya. Macademia nut chocolates. ♪

Kaoru: Could you not talk to me like we're friends... ? You're in a strangely good mood. Was going overseas that fun? Where'd you go this time?

Rei: Mmh. Feels like we had to travel through the Seven Seas. What am I, a pirate²? It wasn't all that fun, really~. It was hell, real hell.

There were problems no matter where I went. Havin' to clean up each and every mess ate up all my time... a strange, desperate situation. Almost feels like some kinda tall tale with all I did out there.

I'm close to believin' in conspiracy theories. Well, for me this is just normal.

Kaoru: Ahahah. I don't really get it, but it sounds tough. Like you're a main character or something.
____
¹ Rei refers to himself as "Oresama-chan" (俺様ちゃん) here. To keep things consistent with other stories, this is the way I'm going to be translating it.
² UNDEAD participates in a similarly themed concert titled PirateFes just a year later. This is most likely a cute reference to that.