Baton Pass - Climax; Prologue

Kanata

~.......♪

Kanata

Bubble, bubble......♪

Kaoru

Hewooos! I had nothing to do, so I came to hang out☆

Kaoru

You seem like you're in a good mood, Kanata-kun~♪

Kanata

Hewoooos! Um, not really. I'm not in a particularly good mood or anything, Koaru.

Kanata

It's loud and noisy outside. So, I'm actually kind of annoyed.

Kaoru

Oh yeah, seems like the Basketball Team are having a Farewell Party for the third-years. I saw them on the way over here.

Kaoru

I mean, the basketball court's right outside of our club.

Kaoru

But they're really partying it up, huh? I didn't think we would be able to hear them from in here. Can't be helped, I guess. Mori-cchi does have a crazy loud voice!

Kanata

Mori-cchi.....you're talking about Chiaki, right?

Kanata

Hehe, I bet you didn't even notice you started calling him that. It's a wonderful thing that you two are so close~, I'm a little jealous, even!

Kaoru

Oh-ho-ho? Then should I start calling you Kana-cchi? ♪

Kanata

Please stop screwing around.

Kaoru

Whoa? S-sorry, there....Did I overstep my boundaries? Man, I really can't tell with you....

Kanata

*Laughs* I'm just kidding~ Kao-cchi~♪

Kaoru

Heeey... Stop teasing me already~*pout*

Kaoru

You know people aren't exactly dying to be friends with me. It'd be nice for a change if you could just call me "Kaoru."

Kaoru

People around me have always kept their distance from me. But I guess you reap what you sow.

Kaoru

Even people in my own family don't call me by my first name.

Kanata

But what about your girlfriends? Surely they call you Kaoru, don't they?

Kaoru

Well, yeah, but that's just cuz I tell them to call me that. I wonder if there's some deep psychological meaning about that.

Kaoru

But anyway, I don't know if you've noticed but I kinda stopped playing around with girls lately.

Kaoru

Now, when I want comfort, I just go to you and Anzu-chan.

Kanata

Ehhh......Coming to me for comfort? Well, that's kind of a pain.

Kanata

If you want comfort, then all you need to do is look at all the fishies, or jellyfishies! Aqua is life! Aqua C'est La Vie! *Bubble. Bubble*....♪

Kaoru

You're right. Beyond the glass of these aquariums is exactly where I want to be right now.

Kaoru

As we're nearing graduation, I think I'm starting to understand how you feel.

Kanata

Is that so? It's nice to have others understand me. It makes me feel like I'm not alone.

Kaoru

Yeah....Gosh, it's really loud outside. They're getting way to rowdy.

Kaoru

Well, that's Mori-cchi for you. He must be bawling his eyes out from the thought of parting with his teammates.

Kanata

Chiaki doesn't cry.

Kanata

With that said, should the Marine Life Club have a Farewell Party of our own?

Kanata

I want to make sure we properly pass on the aquarium tanks to Souma.

Kaoru

Speaking of Souma, I haven't seen that kid in a while. In fact, Hasumi-kun, who's in my class, is quite worried about him. Did he go missing?

Kanata

Oh no, Souma. I wonder what happened. I'm a bit worried now. He's always overthinking things.

Kaoru

He's a tough kid, yo! He'll be fine. Besides, he has senpais like us to support him through any problems he might face.

Kaoru

Hah. Listen to me, saying senpai-like things for the first time.

Kanata

Heh heh. Yeah, let's try to pave the way for him to become a good senior. Besides, it's going to be tough for him to take care of all these tanks by himself.

Kanata

But I'm entrusting them to him, so I want him to take good care of them.

Kanata

But thinking about it now, it might be too much for him. We should probably kill off at least half of these fish.

Kaoru

Whoa, there. Did you just say, "kill off?" That's a bit cruel, don'cha think? We're talking about living creatures here. You can't just kill them off!

Kaoru

Gosh, Kanata-kun. You can really surprise people sometimes by being so cold-blooded.

Kanata

Hehe. They're the children of monsters.

Kanata

These marine animals are living on land right now. That's not exactly what you can call them natural.

Kanata

If people have to go through the trouble of taking care of them, isn't it better for us to say goodbye instead of them becoming a burden?

Kaoru

No, that's not right. It's perfectly normal to take care of others and to be burdened. That's just the normal way of life. You and I live this way, too.

Kaoru

People can't so much as breathe without stepping on someone else's toes.

Kaoru

You're not really good with tense situations like these, are you, Kanata-kun?

Kanata

............................................

Kaoru

Yeah, I get it. Well, if you think it'll be hard on Souma, why don't we come back from time to time after we graduate? That way we can help him with the animals.

Kaoru

I mean, I'll probably be busy working then, but it'll be fun to come back once in a while.

Kaoru

Until the Marine Life Club finds some new members, we, shameless old grads, will have to come back to do the work!

Kaoru

That way, the fishes won't become a burden and we don't have to say goodbye to them.

Kaoru

I guess I'm just trying to put our affairs in order, but it's going to be easier said than done, huh?