Butterfly Dream - Chapter 4

Izumi

. . . Hmm? Did you two really get to know each other that well?

Izumi

It's hard to imagine you two being such good friends. Kasa-kun, I thought you hated Trickstar.

Tsukasa

No— I mean, I don't think that's the case.

Makoto

Right. Trickstar and Knights―we're just rival units. That's all.

Makoto

We've had to compete against each other so much, it's only natural to be guarded about each other.

Makoto

But we got a chance to talk after our nap and were upfront with each other.

Makoto

Yeah. I was the one who unloaded my feelings at first.

Tsukasa

But then the conversation took a turn, and we both started complaining about Izumi-san.

Izumi

What? Excuse me, but what do you have to complain about. Or rather, if you have something to complain about you should just tell me to my face.

Izumi

Talking about me being my back pisses me off. How annoying!

Tsukasa

That's exaxtly the kind of reaction we anticipated. That's why it's so hard to talk to you face-to-face...

Tsukasa

Sure, we're frustrated with you, but it's not like we want to start a fight.

Makoto

And the more we complained the more excited we got.

Makoto

Then, before we knew it, we came up with this thought.

Makoto

Thinking back on it now, I guess we were both still half-asleep.

Makoto

Yeah. In our half-asleep state, we thought that would be such a good idea!

Tsukasa

Mhmm. And we never thought that it would actually work. We were really just playing with the ideas

Izumi

Huh? What do you mean by "this" and "that?"

Izumi

You two are really bad at explaining things. You do know that it's part of your job as an idol to be clear to your audience, right?

Izumi

You have such a bad habit of lecturing people when you're stressed out.

Izumi

Even If what you're saying is true, no one wants to be nagged at.

Tsukasa

Yeah! You gotta do something about your nagging. It makes it hard to want to listen to what you have to say.

Izumi

Okay, okay, I get it. As you wish, I'll stop nagging. But your horrible explanations are beating my brains out.

Izumi

From what I've gathered, when you say "that" you mean "switching bodies," correct?

Makoto

Yes. Well, it seems that Ritsu-senpai's beloved pillow is a family heirloom that's cursed.

Makoto

I heard that it was once used by a yokai that was like a dream demon or a makura-kaeshi or something like that.

Tsukasa

Yeah. There are many rumors surrounding the pillow. For example, if someone other than the rightful owner, Ritsu-senpai, uses it, they'll break out in a rash.

Ritsu

Mhmm. You'll get cursed if you use my pillow without asking....

Makoto

Yeah. Or if two people use it at the same time, their bodies will be switched.

Makoto

We heard about that rumor and were hoping that would happen.

Izumi

Yokai? Are you guys idiots? You expect me to believe this?

Izumi

I'm not a kid who still believes Santa, you know.

Makoto

Right, and we were like you, too—we weren't fully convinced either. So, we tried it out as a joke...

Makoto

We thought by switching our bodies, we could release our frustrations.

Tsukasa

Like Suou-kun mentioned earlier, we were still in a half-asleep state. Even though it's pretty dumb, we thought it was a great idea at the time.

Izumi

Hmm. I can sort of relate to that.

Izumi

I remember one time, as a kid, I woke up in a daze. I thought that my eyebrows looked funny and almost ended up shaving them off.

Izumi

I thought that plucking the hairs out one by one would be such a pain and shaving it off in one go would be so much easier.

Izumi

Luckily, I came to my senses right and stopped myself before I went ahead with it.

Izumi

But whatever. Anyway, back to what you were saying, you two are frustrated with me?

Izumi

What do you have to be frustrated about that you would go to the extent of switching bodies to vent out your frustrations?

Makoto

Yes. Allow me to express our feelings clearly.

Makoto

Yuki-senpai does not like how you are so overbearingly clingy and constantly stick your nose in his affairs.

Makoto

He even told you his feelings straight up during the Halloween event, but it seems you haven't changed at all.

Makoto

You say that you understand and respect his feelings,

Makoto

But, at the same time, you're obnoxious when expressing yourself. Yet it seemed like you took in what he had to say without any hesitation.

Makoto

And just when you were starting to change, you decided all was forgiven and were back to your overbearing ways.

Makoto

And that is why Yuki-senpai is upset at you.

Izumi

Oh, I didn't mean for that to happen. I'm sorry. I'm not good at changing, you know.

Izumi

I was expecting you to be more cold to me. But when that didn't happen, I was ecstatic. I guess I got carried away.

Izumi

Trust me when I say I was really trying to be more careful.

Izumi

I mean it's not so easy to suddenly start putting distance between us and treat us like we're strangers.

Izumi

Maybe I didn't fully understand the scope of what Yuu-kun meant before.

Makoto

....I mean, he tried to understand from your perspective, and it's not like he's not thankful for all the things that you've done....

Makoto

But there is only so much he can handle, is what Yuki-senpai is trying to say.

Tsukasa

And Suou-kun is also upset, too. As Knights members, Izumi-san should be treating Suou-kun as a part of the family. Yet, you chew him out all the time and treat him like a dog.

Tsukasa

I'm more or less a stranger to you, but you're always doting on me, yet there are people around you who actually what your guidance. I don't think that's fair treatment at all. I just don't get it.

Izumi

What? But I've been trying to treat Kasa-kun like family.

Izumi

I mean, doesn't it make more sense that I'm nice to strangers, but I'm tough with those I'm closest with?