Underdoctor - 1

[verdantgrove]

 Location: Dojo

Souma: Excuse me! Kiryuu-dono, may I have a moment? It was requested of me that I deliver this document to you…

…!? W-what on earth is this!? There are clothes scattered all about the dojo; how very disorderly it is!

Oh my goodness!? Over there, collapsed and covered in clothes—  is that Kiryuu-dono!?

Kuro: …

Souma: Could it be that he was attacked by bandits or hoodlums or something of that sort!?

Kiryuu-donooo! Please return to your senses, Kiryuu-dono! Just what on earth happened!?

Kuro: ...Mm? Mmm… Yaaawn. Sorry ‘bout that… Seems like I was out like a light.

Oh. Kanzaki, what happened? Why do you look so shocked?

Souma: Kiryuu-dono…! I am so glad that you are safe!

To think that I would come across such a terrible spectacle within this dojo— Kiryuu-dono, collapsed at its heart. I was convinced that someone had caused you harm!

Kuro: Hm? Oops, did I miss something crazy? Gotta make sure not to be too focused; otherwise I’ll end up missin’ what’s goin’ on around me.

My bad for making you worry, Kanzaki. Nothing happened. I was just makin’ costumes as usual, but seems like I ended up dozing off in the middle of it.

Souma: Making costumes, you say… I am glad that my interpretation was but a misunderstanding… Speaking of which, Kiryuu-dono. What is it exactly that you are making?

Did you not just make a considerable number of costumes for the “Harowiin Paati” the other day, Kiryuu-dono?

Moreover, I recall that there were no plans for the academy to host a significant event for quite a while after the conclusion of the “Harowiin Paati”…?

Unless perhaps I am forgetting something entirely?

Kuro: Nope. You’re right on the nose, Kanzaki. There shouldn't be anything to do with events for a while.

Souma: Well, then why? There are far too many outfits here for it to simply be for amusing oneself...

Kuro: Ah, these costumes aren’t for an event.

Y’know how I played that small part as a teacher in a drama before?1

Souma: Hm? ...If I remember correctly… Was it that job in which Nagumo and the others assisted you with practicing?

Kuro: Yeah. When I showed the director the costumes I made at the drama’s filming location, they loved ‘em. This time, I’m making some for that same person’s request.

They said they wanna use these for the next drama. So it’s a job I was formally commissioned for.

Souma: Just as one would expect of Kiryuu-dono! What wonderful news indeed!

Kuro: I don’t really know whether it's all that wonderful, but… Ah, whatever. I appreciate that they took a liking to my costumes..

Souma: Be that as it may, it is still wonderful indeed to be recognized by a “puro”! Kiryuu-dono, your costumes are magnificent, rare creations, and thus I, too, am delighted ♪ 

Kuro: Haha, thanks. Anyway, that’s why I was working, but… Looks like I went and dozed off without noticing.

You coming and waking me up was a big help, Kanzaki. If I stayed passed out on the floor like that, it woulda been too awful to look at.

Hm? Come to think of it, why’d you come here anyway? Need somethin’?

Souma: Aah. I had almost forgotten. It was requested of me by a teacher that I bring this to you, Kiryuu-dono.

Kuro: Hm? Ah. Is this the expenses form from the Halloween Party?

We went way over budget then, huh. I was in a pinch, but it looks like the academy arranged for some of the costs to be dropped. That’s a big help.

Thanks for bringing this to me, Kanzaki.

Souma: Nay, it was nothing. I would like for you to pay it no mind!

However, “Harowiin” was quite a strange event, hm? Donning the costume of a spectre, demanding that you be given either sweets or deceit, and so on...

Kuro: Huh? Kanzaki, was that your first Halloween?

Souma: Yes. We have never participated in such a thing in my household. I had never celebrated it at school, either...

Kuro: Ahh, I see. The academy was a mess before, so we never had anything like that, did we? Huh. You were surprisingly good with entertaining, so I thought you were used to it, but turns out it was your first time.

Souma: Truly? That time was frenetic, but… The prior instruction of the customs that I received from Hasumi-dono seems to have been effective.

And you, Kiryuu-dono, have you participated in “Harowiin” before now?

Kuro: Kinda. Well, I just went with my sister for it, though. My mom used to make her costumes and stuff like that.

After our mom died, I took up the mantle and managed to keep making costumes every year.

Souma: Fufu. How fun.

Kuro: But, well, I was too busy this time around, so I couldn’t really make her costume too complex.

Souma: You were inundated with work, after all.

The academy requested that outsourced “sutaffu” or the Handicrafts Club assist in the costume making, and yet it seems as though it was still the case that you were short of hands.

Both Hasumi-dono and I were quite concerned for you. Every day you were so haggard...

Kuro: …? Was it that bad?

Souma: It truly was! You began to resemble a ghoul more than any student who costumed themselves to take on the appearance of one. Still, I could not stop you from working, either...

Kuro: That’s really how it was? My memories of that time are fuzzy...

Er, that had to have been when…?

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TL Notes:

1: He’s referring to the Tough Guy gacha.

Proofread by 310mc and Silvie.