BBBE Chapter 1: Contact
Part 1
Somewhere, far off into the distance, a piercing noise echoes. The sound fuels an impending sense of crisis, it's loud and jarring despite being muffled by various structures like how a wall acts like a protective membrane to the actions of one's neighbor; despite such distance and protective membranes, the noise is still hard on the ears.Rather than crisis, this feeling is more akin to how your alarm clock disturbs your pleasant rest, screaming until you must act to silence it making you want to destroy it. Who doesn't hate that noise, a certain boy knows he can't stand it?
Anyway, the boy immediately wanted to be freed from this sound that was offensive to the ear. Thus...Naoto Kurogane's arm reluctantly left the warm cocoon of blankets atop the futon, reaching for the detested alarm clock alarm switch above his head. Said clock is an elliptically shaped non-digital type.
".......Stupid bastard..."
Following a light touch, the cruel cries cease from the alarm. He is left with a small satisfaction akin to smashing one of the world's evils. Then, motivated by victory, Naoto slips into the warm embrace of my futon.
But shortly after accepting the lullaby of drowsiness' advances, the front-door's bell beyond the bedroom door chimes. And it's not only once or twice, it rings over and over.
Too loud... Despite lacking the strength to voice his irritation, he wraps the futon around his head in resistance. This act serves to muffle the disturbance's noise, making the problem feel distant and irrelevant. However, soon the doorbell goes silent, as if in response to Naoto's shallow and lazy resistance, and soon the melodies of metallic mechanisms and tumblers enters the bedroom. It is the familiar sound of a key entering a lock and turning. It is followed by groaning sound of the door in the entrance not complying with Naoto's resistance.
(...again?)
Subsequently the sounds of someone entering his home reaches Naoto's ears. That familiar presence stirs Naoto, a look of resignation rather than confusion or annoyance on his face while he gives up in his rebellion, as he crawls out the warm confines of his cocoon. In a simple T-shirt jersey and night clothes, he performs an large awakening stretch as he rises from his bedding in the center of the purposely and simply furnished bedroom.
Naoto's apartment is described as a Japanese'1LDK' or an apartment with a single separated bedroom and another large combined kitchen, dining room, and kitchen (includes a single bathroom). It takes Naoto only a few short steps from the bedroom to reach the front door. But as he slowly rubs his drooping eyelids in his drowsiness, the door to his bedroom swings open with excessive force in quiet blur.
"Oh my. He's already up..."
Standing in the doorway peaking at the drowsy boy, is a long-haired girl in a pleated skirt sailor uniform with a blue ribbon and white base color. She voices her thoughts, tinged with a faint, vibrant sound of disappointment, as her hair sways, there being a white hair clip to complete the refreshing, uniformed look.
The intruding girl's name is Haruka Hayami. She is Naoto's childhood friend and also a classmate attending the same high shcool...She also happens to be the daughter of the apartment building's owner where Naoto lives.
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| Haruka |
Although he did not intend to get up while the door-bell was ringing, he decided to avoid such a familiar scenario. Haruka lifted her shoulder mischievously, giggling as she entered Naoto's bedroom, with an overly familiar confidence, teasing her childhood friend.
"It's not like I was going to come over everyday. But I'm disappointed. Just like the childhood friends in Nao-kun's favorite games, I wanted to lovingly wake you up with a 'Nao-kun, wake-up~.' I thought that would help fill your affection meter."
"What are you saying, idiot? That's a template! A cliche trope! There's no way genuine childhood friends really do that! What respectable Japanese girl enters a man's room suggestively saying 'I don't like to be apart from you~<3~<3'! Seriou-......Wh-what game?"
Naoto only comprehended Haruka's earlier words just now, too rushed to contest her 'template' words and deeds to act with more discretion. At that moment, Naoto's drowsiness and clouded mind was grimly awoken by Haruka's words.
Wh-Why did Haruka suddenly bring up the topic of games and childhood friend templates? Before Naoto could contrive an answer, Haruka's eyes teasingly met his now alert gaze.
"Or, is 'Hurry and wake up, Onii-chan!~' your preferred route's princess?"
"Th-that's not something I know about!"
"No, it's okay; Nao-kun is a growing boy. It's not particularly weird or abnormal. Rather, having lots of girls come out just to suit a boy's fancy, isn't everyone satisfying their urges that way? I thought having just the game was a little lonesome..."
"O-Okay! I admit I have those games, but I didn't buy them myself! Fukuda forced those games on me, okay!?"
Naoto exaggeratedly shakes his head in denial, but it can't be helped the self-evident truth that such an excuse sounds shallow and superficial; wouldn't anyone see it that way?
"Suuure~, of course~. I'll see my way out, but get changed and wash your face."
"Saying it like that...you absolutely don't believe what I am saying!
Hey, don't start fiddling through my dresser!"
Naoto moved like his life depended on it, similar to a child desperately
trying to keep an overzealous mother's prying fingers from a secret.
Even Naoto's voice quivered clearly in desperate opposition.
"I can dress myself, So I'm begging you, please wait outside my room."
"Is that so...? Well I'll go fix breakfast then~ !
Don't go falling back asleep now, or I'll get mad~. "
"I know better than that at least..."
Giggling, Haruka slowly trotted out the room, yet ever so slightly,
her shoulders sagged sadly similar to parting from a loved one at an
airport on her way to Naoto's kitchen.
Naoto was left with no other ultimatum
but to go to the bathroom like he was instructed.
Slogging his way atop the wooden floor paneling,
Naoto was only greeted by the frigid bathroom tile and that all
too common early October morning ambient temperature that forces you
to straighten your back; a stark contrast to the futon's warmth and
liveliness brought by Haruka.
Such was a typical morning in Naoto Kurogane's life...
A drowsy Naoto struggles to wake up, overbearing Haruka gets her hands on a key
and forcibly enters, invading his privacy and managing his morning routine.
This morning ritual has been going on for a long time.
(So even today is the same...)
Drenching the towel in cold water and wiping his face with both hands, Naoto
stood in front of the mirror , reflecting on the monotony of it all.
Naoto's corporeal reflection showed a cowlick/ahoge atop his head
that stubbornly springs straight up no matter what measures are
taken to comb or smooth it down; his eyes lacked any sense of tension
Although he wasn't brawny or muscular, Naoto his body was firm and tauter than
an untrained one.
And...above his head were a row of strange alien symbols visible on that same
reflection.
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| Set of 'numbers' Naoto sees. In order9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-0, allegedly. |
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| Example of 'numbers' above someone; as depicted in BBCF |
Somehow he knows its a number. However, Naoto makes sure to check it on a daily
basis. But it's not just a simple replacement for regular numbers.
Rather, just because Naoto can interpret numerical values from 'them' does not
mean they are only 'numbers'; the truth is they can also possess other meanings
beyond that.
These 'numbers' can be seen above other people's head as well, but only Naoto
can see these alien symbols.
Only that fact is known for sure.
"The Hunter's Eye[Kariudo no me]...huh"
(TN: Start
CF localized it as Eye of the Hunter
Zedar/Amatsumugi localized it as Hunter's Eye in 2014 I think though...If this was
CT/CS when they cared about localizing terms instead of direct translations
, it would have been
1.) [Kuriduo no me] (since it's not Engrish)
2.)[Jäger Auge] for a German motif
or
3.) [Venator Oculo] if they got lazy and used Latin for all terms
rather than just reserving Latin for the Engrish ones.
For reference,
From CF Glossary Eye of the Hunter: The ability to scan, process and quantify a
person's life force.
TN: End)
The 'number', if it can be called that, floated above the head like a price-tag
, yet Naoto forced out a grumble as if he found the idea loathsome.
The number is currently translatable to [9810].
(TN: Yup...Go ahead and make the joke...It's more like Death Note Shinigami Eyes though~)
 |
| Most probable inspiration for Naoto's power. Source is Death Note |
Actually, an accurate meaning, as mentioned earlier, is yet to be figured out, but
verifying a guess was impossible. For as long as he can remember, it has been
such an enigma to him.
It is a number that measures some aggregate of vitality, strength, or condition;
no matter how you express it, the 'value' is reflective of a person's remaining
life-force all things considered.
For instance, for someone healthy like an athlete or martial artist will have
a comparatively higher value than a person lacking such physical condition, and
those who suffer from an ailment, disease, or sickness have a generally lower
than normal number. In the course of a given day, the 'number' may actually
fluctuate about [100] depending on events of the day.
Put more simply, if one's condition is bad, the number is low and vice versa
a good condition means the number is the high, at least that is how it appears
to work...
There is a simple reason Naoto is confident the number represents
life-force rather than just fighting ability or energy levels, even if
he still has yet to fully comprehend it...
He once saw someone who had their 'price tag' expire to [0]...
That day he saw the 'number' drop to [0] right in front of his eyes
...and that moment marked when his mother breathed her last breath...
He finally understood this power at that painful moment...
"Naoto, rice is ready~!" shouted Haruka from the kitchen.
"Oh, I'll be right there!"
Just as Naoto heard the voice of Haruka from the direction of the living room,
Naoto hurried out of the washroom having been lost in his recollections, returning
the towel to it's rack.
Once back in his room, he rushed to change his clothes, tossing off his sleeping
clothes in the process before heading to the living room, now not taking notice
of how cold the apartment still was. The closer Naoto got to his breakfast, the
more he realized how hungry he was, his stomach aparrently finally awakening as
well; the fragrant smell wafting within was the impetus for finally pulling Naoto
from his drowsy stupor.
Of course Naoto was greeted by the sight of the demure Haruka standing behind the
small kitchen counter. Within her hand was a tightly grasped spatula, her figure
clad in the female uniform of their high school,
New Kawahama First High School (TN: Shin Kawahama Dai-ichi Koko).
What she was balancing on that spatula was freshly made bacon and eggs that she
was carefully transferring to a white plate.
In addition to that, Haruka had already prepared a plate of thinly toasted toast
and a mini salad with lettuce, tomato, and broccoli set on the dining table.
To Be Continued
