New Year Event

[bethrevel]

01

[“In a few nights sleep, it will be New Year’s.”]

[Before I realized, I no longer had to count the days.]

[The New Year transformed from something that was waited for into something to be challenged.]

[I could feel I was slightly different to the person I was yesterday, changing into the person I’d like to be.]

[However, during a few hours before I could welcome the first morning of new year overflowed with such positivity—]

 

-End of the Year, The Inn (?)-

Sugano: Rei!

MC: ….Hm?

Sugano: It’s boiling over!

MC: Huh? Whoah!

[In front of me was a giant kotatsu surrounded by familiar people.]

[Right at the centre sat a hotpot that boiled over onto the portable gas stove.]

MC: Something I can use to wipe! A cloth, or a hand towel…

Shindou: There’s none left. Miyase used it all up because he stepped on the miso that was on the tatami mat.

Miyase: I’m sorry…

Rei: Why is there miso on the tatami…? That aside, we aren’t making any progress with the hotpot prep! We won’t be able to make it for the year-crossing noodles!
(I’ve gotta hurry!)

 

02

MC: (Huh? Come to think of it, what hotpot are we having?)

Seki: There’s no need for you to get worked up alone.

MC: Huh?

Seki: Yosenabe [1] is a hotpot that is made together with everyone, after all.

Aoyama: I’ve prepared the best dashi [2] and fish balls. You can just watch from there.

MC: O-oh. Thank you very much.

Makoto: Don’t do anything unnecessary. I believe we agreed on having mizutaki. [3] You also agreed on it, didn’t you?

MC: Uh? Ah, is that right? Certainly, I like mizutaki, but…

Kyosuke: Ah. The dashi’s in.

MC: Ah!!

Makoto: …Rei Izumi, why didn’t you stop them?

MC: I-I’m sorry…?

Hiyama: It appears that the ingredients for this hotpot are a little bit lacking.

Ootani: Rei-chan, do you like seafood?

MC: Pardon me? Seafood? Let’s see… If it’s prawns, or crabs…

Maki: It may splash a bit, so stay back.

MC: Huh? By splash, what is—

[All of the sudden, the four members of Revel stood up and simultaneously clicked their fingers. In that moment—]

[Crabs and lobsters fell out of nowhere into the hotpot, lined up lavishly and took up most of the space.]

MC: !! Wha?! What is this!?

Hiyama: …Seafood?

 

 

03

MC: No, no, isn’t this a bit too much?!

Natsume: That’s what bothers you?

Kagura: What. We prepared it for you, and you’re complaining?

MC: Oh, no… I’m happy! I’m happy, but!!

Sugano: Yosenabe is good too, but… In winter, you gotta have pork kimchi, right?

Aoyama: ! Hey, what are you doing? Stop—
If you add pork in the clean broth…!!

Watabe: You heard him, so can we stop adding kimchi on top of the crab?

Hattori: Even if you’re trying to sound friendly, your eyes aren’t smiling. We’ve got the approval from Matori-chan anyway.

MC: Huh? But we’re having yosenabe… today…

Hattori: …Hm? What is it? Did you say you don’t want to eat?

MC: …N-no. Pork kimchi is appealing just as much, but…

Hattori: That’s good then. Sousei, add the meat in.

Arakida: Roger.

Imaoji: Could I ask you to refrain?

Arakida: …Could I ask you to move?

Imaoji: If I don’t, what will you do?

Arakida: Well, I’ll move you aside.

 

 

04

MC: W-wait… Everyone, please calm down!

Kujo: It seems we don’t have enough of the most important thing.

MC: Huh? (Don’t tell me…)

Kujo: Kirishima.

Kirishima: Gotcha! Leave it to me. In you go!

[What fell in big amount from the big plate Kirishima-san brought in was…]

MC: (Liver, as I thought!!)

Kaname: …What is this hotpot going to be?

Kyosuke: There’s a lot in it now, isn’t there?

MC: Rather than a lot…

Seki: Wait a minute. Yui, what are you adding?

Yui: Soy milk. With this, the hotpot is one step closer to be a dish that isn’t missing any nutrients!

MC: Soy milk hotpot…

Seki: I believe I said we’re having yosenabe today.

Makoto: It’s mizutaki. I’d like to ask you not to disrupt the prerequisite of a hotpot.

Sugano: Gotta be pork kimchi, right?

Kirishima: If Kujo-san says liver, it’s liver hotpot!

Hiyama: Aah, the crab should be ready soon.

MC: (Aargh, I can’t keep up!)

 

 

05

MC: W-wait… Wait! Please! This is just yaminabe! [4]

Asagiri: Isn’t this because you have the looks that say you don’t mind anyone?

MC: Huh? I-I don’t mean to—

Aoyama: Well, he has a point.

MC: Huh?

Sugano: Certainly, she sort of has that side to her.

Kyosuke: If you ask, she’ll listen to pretty much anything.

Maki: …Which is why she’s getting pushed around.

Kaname: She’d poke her nose into anybody’s business too.

Natsume: A meddlesome one, yeah?

MC: W-wait!! (It's my fault? Somehow… I’m dizzy…)

Watabe: Rei-chan? Are you okay?

MC: No… It’s not my fault…
(It’s you guys who somewhat abuse your excessively good looks!!)

 

-MC’s Room-

MC: *Gasp*
(A…dream?)
…Having a hotpot while being surrounded by hotties. If you sum it up like that, it sounds like a good dream…
*Sigh*

 

06-midway of 10

Rei looked back at the past year and realised that she had been indeed getting pushed around.
She realised what Asagiri said in her dream may hit bull's eye.
She resolved to change and stop getting pushed around.
She got a phone call from Kyosuke who invited her to a "date"... which, in truth, is to accompany Makoto to the year's first shrine visit. She got to refuse the invitation.
She went to the shrine anyway... and met Shindou and Kaname.
Kaname was like, he was about to go home but would like to accompany Rei with a condition that she buys him amazake.
Rei was like, what a cute price. As Kaname was about to pull her by the arm... she remembered her resolution and refused. She did it so awkwardly Kaname asked her if she was okay, Shindou asked her to go to the hospital if she ate something strange. With a genuine caring smile.
And she went.

 

 

10 (halfway)

[The two showed expressions of doubt on their faces. I made a sharp bow, and left quickly.]

MC: (Aah, that was close… But I’m safe, somehow!)

[And as I walked around, sruveying the stalls…]

<Bump>

??: …Ow…

MC: Ah, I’m sorr—

Kagura: …Haah? What are you doing?

MC: !? Ka, Kagura-san!

 

 

11

Kagura: When I thought I bumped into an idiot who isn't looking up the front because their head is up in the clouds... It’s you?

MC: I’m sorry for being a walking idiot whose head is up in the clouds…

Kagura: Just unbelievable. I’m not moving an inch to where I want to go…

MC: (Whoah, he’s in the worst mood possible…)
(I have a feeling I should excuse myself as quickly as possible, otherwise…)
B-by the way, happy new year! Please take care of me this year too. Well then, if you’ll excuse me…!

Kagura: What kind of greeting is that? So fake.

MC: !

Kagura: The year had only started, and you’re this rude already?

MC: P-pardon my rudeness! Please let me rephrase… I wish you a happy new year. Thank you for everything you did for me last year!

Kagura: You don’t say.

MC: …Please…take care of me this year too, if you are willing to…

Kagura: I don’t have the will to, though?

MC: …
(This is… cold attitude in its truest form… so cold…)

[When asked, he explained that he got separated from Maki-kun and Hatori-kun, and was about to meet up with them…]

[But there were way too many people he couldn’t move. Moreover, he was unsure of where the meeting point was.]

MC: Ah, if it’s that park, it’s quite close from here. Take this path and after that turn, go down the stairs. Go left, and then…

Kagura: …

MC: …I understand. I...I’ll show you the way…

 

 

12

[I lost to Kagura-san’s pressure, and aimed for the park while trying to get through the sea of people.]

MC: …Ah, excuse me, please give us way…
..Ah, excuse me. Please give us way…

Kagura: …Hey.

MC: Huh?

<Pull>

MC: !

Kagura: Can you not disappear without telling in the middle of guiding?

MC: Ah… I’m sorry. Thank you.

Kagura: … *smile*

[Kagura-san, who perhaps was about to lose sight of me, grabbed me by the arm from some distance and pulled me back. For some reason, he pulled me back even further, closing the distance between us even more.]

MC: Huh!? (Ka… Kagura-san!?)
…Hm?

Kagura: Okay. Start walking, quick.

MC: …Umm. Kagura-san, this is?

Kagura: It’s going to get narrower from here. We aren’t moving anywhere because there are idiots who would walk side by side in a place like this.

MC: Indeed, what you said is absolutely right, which is why we are walking in a file. …If I may ask you a question, just in case. Why am I at the front?

Kagura: No one can move forward without a shield in a place like this.

MC: Well I figured it was something like that! But, isn’t this a bit unreasonable!?

Kagura: It’s fine, isn’t it? You’re literally going to poke your nose anywhere, any time anyway, right?

MC: …!

Kagura: Come on, walk already. Those guys are waiting.

 

 

13

-Later, at the Park-

Maki: And so, you came with him. Sorry for what you have to go through.

MC: It’s okay…
That aside, is Hiyama-san not with you?

Ootani: Hiyama always have guests visiting him for new year greetings, so he can’t go outside. We were planning to go visit him after this, but…

Kagura: But?

Maki: Sorry. My family summoned me.

Kagura: Didn’t you say it’s going to be in the evening? Did something happen?

Maki: My old man said he’s got to go to a banquet with a trade partner. He said he’s gonna go in the evening so he told me to show up before then.

Ootani: Junichi-san seems busy like always, huh?

Kagura: That means… You can’t come over to my place today either, huh?

Maki: Sorry. Can you tell the president I’ll go see him at another time?

Kagura: Mm, okay. But I bet he’ll sulk if it’s just Hatori. *Sigh* What a bother…

Ootani: So. Since the president will be lonely if it’s just me and Kagura, Kagura’s saying he would be pleased if you can come with us, Rei-chan.

MC: I beg your pardon?

Kagura: …Haa?

MC: (I wonder why he’s giving me the glare..!!)

 

 

14

Kagura: No freaking way.

Ootani: Then you can just bring her along. Or do you really like it to be just the two of us?

Kagura: What about you go home too then?

MC: No no, please wait! I never said I’d go—

Maki: Izumi, do you have plans after this?

MC: Huh? Well, I don’t have anything I can call a plan, but…

Maki: …If you have the time, can you go with them? The president will probably like someone like you anyway.

MC: Huh? What does that mean?

Maki: The president likes absurd people, after all.

MC: Seriously, what does that mean!?

Ootani: That’s true, I think you guys will get along. I find him a bit difficult to deal with, though.

Kagura: Which is why you want another person to go with us to create a diversion, right?

Ootani: You get the idea. I’ll reward you properly, Rei-chan. What do you want to have for dinner? And where?

MC: E-even if you’re baiting me with food—

Ootani: Baiting? As if. I’m inviting you to a date.

Maki: Hatori, that’s enough. Izumi, if you don’t want to go, of course you can refuse.

 

 

15

MC: I…I’ll refuse!
(I feel sorry somewhat, but I’ve decided to change this year! No matter what people say, I will stand firm!)

Maki: Okay.

MC: …Huh?

Ootani: There’s nothing we can do if you turned us down.

MC: Ah…yeah.

Kagura: You’re not invited anyway.

MC: !

Maki: Well then, see you.

MC: Ah, okay. See you…

Kagura: Oh, if Kei-chan’s going home I’ve gotta call a driver from home.

Maki: It’s okay. I’ll drive you to Hiyama-kun’s.

Ootani: I expect nothing less from you.

 

[Thus, the three left as they are.]

MC: …

MC: (I’m the one who indeed declined, but this feeling of being turned down so unnecessarily…)
(…No, this is another victory! I should get a grip and visit the shrine!)

 

After this, Rei met Arakida and Sugano who were running away from Asagiri.
So Rei ran away with Arakida and Sugano...since Asagiri was so intense at chasing.
Turns out Sugano was playfully throwing a snowball to Asagiri but it hit Asagiri's golden retriever, Kreiner.
They ran away far, and Sugano invited Rei to eat anmitsu but Rei refused. Before long, Asagiri caught up and when Rei was about to run, she slipped, although Asagiri caught her just in time. Sugano and Arakida were already gone.
Rei got to see Kreiner, then Rei and Asagiri got to talk...
Note: Added the dialogue cos I feel it's a cute development for Rei. No more Revel past this point though.

 

19 (midway)

Asagiri: He’ll stop when I say stop. Wait if I say wait. He’s calmer than you are.

MC: That’s just too much…! Or…not really.

Kleiner: Kuun?

Asagiri: …

MC: Ahaha. It’s not good to be pushed around like this all the time, is it?

Asagiri: …I suppose.

[“It’s because you have a face that says you’re fine with anyone,” I recalled the line from that dream.]

MC: …
(I also feel that I’m not fit to have a cold attitude anyway… I have to think of another way.)

Asagiri: It’s also a good thing about you.

MC: …Huh?

 

 

20

MC: A good thing?

Asagiri: While you’re getting pushed around, you complete the tasks you’re assigned to. That forms trust and rewards you. “Getting pushed around” means that’s just how much trust has been built for you.

MC: …

Asagiri: The Investigation Planning Division, Natsuki, Sousei, and the other Stand members too… They’re not so free to gather around you and push you around out of mischief.

MC: Asagiri-san…

Asagiri: Then again, I think there’s nothing to lose with being mostly meddlesome and being too nice to other people.

MC: …Ahaha.

Asagiri: This is no laughing matter. It’s about you.

MC: No, somehow… The way you’re giving me a warning at the end is so much like you, Asagiri-san.

Asagiri: …You appear to have returned to your usual self.

MC: Yes! Thank you very much!
(…I suppose my strong and weak points are two sides of the same coin, huh.)

 

[It’s a good thing to be able to avoid getting pushed around and move forward with steady steps and constant calmness.]

[But, there also shouldn’t be a need to drive myself into a corner, where I can’t let myself being pushed around.]

MC: …Alright! I’ll go pray!

Asagiri: You haven’t done that?

MC: Ahaha… Something or rather, I got to greet all kinds of people without planning to, and before I realized it’s already this late.

Asagiri: I am astounded. Go now.

MC: Yes. I’ll be going! See you, Kleiner.

Kleiner: Woof!

(Ending) 

The long line continued forever and ever… It took some time after that when I finally had the chance to say my prayers.

I became slightly greedy with my prayers, loading them into the 500 yen coin I threw with all my might.

I prayed for purging off bad luck, for safety, for health. And another thing—

“I pray that the person I deem important is smiling this year too.”

---

Notes:

1.       Yosenabe: mixed hotpot, adding in everything such as vegetables, seafood, meat. The broth is usually miso or soy sauce-based.

2.       Dashi: broth made out of kombu kelp and katsuobushi (preserved, fermented skipjack tuna).

3.       Mizutaki: a hotpot with simple stock, adding in chicken and vegetables.

4.       Yaminabe (lit. dark nabe): a hotpot where each person brings their own ingredient and adds it into the hotpot. Usually the ingredients are added with lights out; usually for fun.