Azami Izumida/Nacht of Beloved Ones

A Kotatsu is Essential for Snow Huts

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Azami	…Geez, what’s with askin’ me to come get the pomelos?
	Getting Sakyo to take somethin’ like that would be fine, that shitty old man of mine.
Sakoda	Azami~!
	Lookie here, it’s this year’s snow hut no. 1!
Azami	Ken-san.
	You made a really nice one this year too, huh?
Sakoda	I was able to make it this huge thanks to Makita-san for lendin’ me a hand! It’s amazin’, right!
Azami	Yeah, it’s impressive.
Makita	But we still plan to make more.
Sakoda	Got that right!
Azami	Why such a large amount…
	Do you have a quota for makin’ snow huts?
Sakoda	Ah no, kids come to play sometimes so I thought it’d be better to have lots of ‘em!
Azami	Do kids really come here to play?
	This is a yakuza’s house, y'know?
Makita	Even so, a good number of ‘em came durin’ Halloween too, right?
	—Alright, we’ll get back to work now.
Sakoda	Aye!
Azami	You’re makin' them now?
	Then I’ll help too.
Sakoda	Seriously?
	Thanks a bunch, Azami!
Makita	We’ve finished piling the snow up and packing it down over here, so now we just gotta dig out the space inside from the entrance. We’ll be countin’ on ya.
Azami	Got it.
Sakoda	They’re done~!
Makita	It really is faster with 3 guys, eh?
	Thanks, Bon-chan. You saved our skins.
Azami	Nah, it’s nothin’.
Sakoda	After, we gotta put a kotatsu inside!
	Azami, ya gonna rest inside the finished snow hut?
Azami	I’m good, so you rest, Ken-san.
	I was just forced to come back today to pick up some pomelos, so I’ll head back home.
Makita	Pff…
	The Chairman used the pomelos as an excuse since he wanted to see Azami, right?
Azami	Hah? It’s not like that.
Makita	Haha, I wonder ‘bout that.
Azami	‘Kay, I’m going back now.
	See ya.
Sakoda	Azami, thanks for today!
	Next time, bring Shifuto along with ya!
Azami	Yeah, I’ll tell him.
Taichi	A-chan, welcome home!
Azami	I’m back.
Izumi	Welcome home!
	How was the Chairman doing?
Azami	Like usual I guess.
	He was naggin’ me like always.
Izumi	(Fufu, that means he was doing well, right?
	I’m sure he felt happy to be able to see Azami-kun.)
Azami	Oh yeah, here.
	I received some pomelos, so eat it with everyone whenever.
Itaru	Ohh, they’re huge.
	Was it cold outside?
Azami	Well, compared to here…
	Err rather, are you guys leavin’ the space heater on without airin’ the room out?
	It’s freakin’ dry in here.
Taichi	But if we air the room out, it’ll get cold!
	Itaru-san said he doesn’t wanna open the window either…
Itaru	Indoor warmth is supreme bliss during winter holidays.
Sakyo	Director-san, I’ll be heading out for a bit now.
Izumi	Yes, have a safe trip.
Sakyo	But… Chigasaki, Nanao.
Taichi & Itaru	Huh?
Sakyo	You guys, haven’t you just been lazin’ around over there for hours already?
	Don’t take your slackin’ too far.
	*beep*
Taichi	Ahhhh, Sakyo-nii!
	That’s so cruel turning the heater off~!
Itaru	I-I’ll freeze to death…
Sakyo	You’ll heat up if you move.
	Quit screwin’ around for as long as you’d like and go shovel the snow in the courtyard!
Itaru	Ehhh~…
Taichi	No way~!
Azami	Don’t mind it, you two.
Sakyo	Bon, you go shovel too while they’re at it.
Azami	Hah?
	Why do I have to?
Sakyo	It’ll be finished faster with a large number of people, won’t it?
Azami	The hell—.
Taichi	A-chan! Please, help out!
	I don’t feel like I'll finish with Itaru-san!!
Itaru	Taichi, that’s kind of savage, but valid…
	I’m begging you too, Azami.
Azami	Haa…
	I’ve got no choice.
Sakyo	Director-san, sorry ‘bout this, but can you watch over those guys for me?
Izumi	Ahaha, I’m already done with my work over here so it’s fine.
Taichi	Alright, let's go to the courtyard, the 4 of us~!

Itaru	It’s too cold…
	I can’t do this.
Taichi	Itaru-san, don’t turn away!
	Please take your shovel~!
Azami	Omi-san 'n Tasuku-san are only missin’ at times like these, huh?
Izumi	It seems those two had plans today.
Azami	It can’t be helped.
	Lamenting won’t change anything, so let’s start.
Itaru	Heave-ho, heave-ho…
	…Ahhh, I’m exhausted.
Azami	Uh, you’ve only done one shovel-full.
Taichi	Itaru-san, you get tired too fast!
Itaru	My base stamina is different from you youngins, ok?
Izumi	Let’s do our best for a little bit longer, alright!
Azami	With this, it’s much easier to walk now.
Itaru	It’s fine if we finish up here, right?
	Our snow dumping ground has also turned into quite a mountain.
Taichi	Hey, hey, if we have this much snow, doesn’t it seem possible to make a snow hut?
Izumi	Oh, nice, that sounds fun!
	But how do you go about making one…?
Azami	A snow hut, huh…
Itaru	Won’t there be plenty of results if we search the net?
	“How to make”, “Snow hut”, and search.
	Oh, got it.
Taichi	As expected!
	What should we do first?
Itaru	Hmm, we’ve finished piling up the snow, so…
	Next it looks like you form the shape.
Taichi	Like this?
	Wahhh, it collapsed!
Azami	…
Itaru	No, it’s a little more like this…
	Huh, that’s weird.
Izumi	Isn’t it something like this?
	Huh, that’s not it…
Azami	………
	Ahh, that’s enough, I can’t watch this—!
	You’re never gonna be able to make it well that way, ya know?
Izumi	Eh?
Azami	First, pack the snow on the outside like this and then…
	…Look, it’s complete.
Taichi	A-chan, you’re amazin’!
Izumi	It was finished in no time thanks to Azami-kun!
Itaru	You really know how to build a snow hut, huh?
Azami	Ken-san’s been makin’ ‘em in our yard whenever it snowed since a long time ago. I just helped him today.
Izumi	Oh, is that so?
Azami	Anyways, in our case, we always put a kotatsu inside our snow hut though.
Taichi	I really wanna do that!
Itaru	That’d be the best.
	But did we have a kotatsu here at the dorm?
Izumi	Well, Homare-san had one but it’s kind of large so I don’t think we’ll be able to put it—.
Manager	Hum hum~m ♪
	It finally arrived…
Taichi	Manager, what’s with that huge box!
Manager	Smaller sized kotatsus were available online for cheap!
	So I bought one for myself~.
	—Wait, a snow hut in the courtyard!?
	What’s up with that?
Taichi	All of us made it while we were shoveling the snow!
	A-chan was a huge help!
Manager	Oho, it’s pretty nice.
Troupe members	*Stare*~…
Izumi	*Stare*~…
Manager	W-what is it!
Izumi	Actually, we were just talking about how we'd like to place a kotatsu inside the snow hut…
Manager	Are you guys possibly eyeing my kotatsu!?
Itaru	It seems like it’ll fit if it’s around that size.
Azami	It’s just right.
Taichi	Manager, just one day is enough, so please lend it to us~!
Izumi	Everyone worked really hard shoveling the snow, so can’t you do us this favour?
Manager	Uh… I don’t have a choice, do I? Then I’ll lend it to you for just one day.
	But please let me in the snow hut too, ok!
Taichi	Yayyy! Thanks, Manager!
Itaru	Then Azami, we’re ready for your lecture on how to install the kotatsu.
Azami	You got it.

Kumon	It’s a snow hut! That's sick!
Omi	Heh, the 4 of you made it?
	That’s amazing.
Tenma	You even put a kotatsu inside; you guys went pretty all-out, huh?
Citron	A snow hut plus kotatsu is splendid!
	It’s a yuzo of Japanese culture!
Tsuzuru	Um, this has nothing do with with Yuzo-san.
	It’s fusion!
Taichi	It’s popular like I thought it’d be!
	I’m glad we made it~!
Itaru	It’s all thanks to Azami knowing how to make it.
Izumi	Thanks, Azami-kun.
Azami	I just happened to know, but it’s all originally thanks to Ken-san.
Izumi	(I expected this, but I guess no one's here at this hour…)
	(Huh, there’s someone inside the snow hut?)
Azami	Ah, Director.
Izumi	So you were here, Azami-kun.
Azami	I just came.
	Since it was always full of people til now.
	Taichi-san told me to take some time usin’ it by myself since I’m the one who made most of it.
	Omi-san also made hot chocolate for me.
Izumi	Oh, I see.
	Fufu, that’s so like those two.
	But in this case, I think I’ll go back since I feel bad for interrupting you.
Azami	…You came all the way here, so why don’t you come in too?
	Director’s the same, right—even though you made it yourself, you couldn’t enjoy it properly.
Izumi	Well, if you put it that way… I’ll take up your offer and join you!
Azami	Yeah.
Izumi	Anyways, the snow hut was really popular, right!
Azami	It’s not like they’re kids, but every single one of ‘em were way too excited over it.
Izumi	It’s fun so everyone feels like they’re children again.
Azami	I guess that’s it.
Izumi	Ah, but…
Azami	Hm?
Izumi	It’s supposed to rain all day tomorrow, right?
	I wonder if the snow hut will melt away.
Azami	Ahh, it probably ain't gonna last, huh?
Izumi	Yeah.
	Even though we put so much effort into making it…
Azami	Well, either way, this hut’s gonna disappear sooner or later.
CHOICE 1: I’m glad I could come in. [+] Izumi That’s true. In that case, I’m glad I could come in before it melts. Azami Me too. This kinda quiet time is also real calmin’. Izumi Fufu, so true. It’s quiet inside the snow hut, so it might feel kind of soothing. Azami Director, you always seem so busy with the Theatre company. Izumi I do? Azami Yeah. That’s why if this snow hut’s become somethin’ that heals you, then it was worth makin'.
CHOICE 2: It feels a bit lonely. [+] Izumi Having just one night to enjoy it feels a bit lonely, right? Azami I think I get that. In the past, I felt depressed whenever the snow hut Ken-san made melted too. But every time it disappeared, he said he’d make another one, so I felt reassured with that. Izumi So that’s what happened. I can just picture Sakoda-san working hard to make them. Azami Well, he made too many ‘n got scolded too though. Izumi Ahaha, that’s very like Sakoda-san too…
Azami	…I’ll make another one when it snows again.
Izumi	Fufu, thanks.
	I’ll help again too when that time comes!
Manager	It’s been raining since morning…
Azami	Manager, I’ve evacuated the kotatsu for now.
Manager	…Izumida-kun.
Azami	W-what?
	The kotatsu’s safe—.
Manager	Didn’t I say that I wanted to go in the snow hut too!
	I couldn’t enter yesterday since it was so popular with everyone, so I thought I would use it today—!
Azami	It can’t be helped, y’know, since it said it’d rain.
Manager	Don't say that~!
Azami	Quit it, don’t cling to me!
Manager	Izumida-kun!
	Please make a snow hut for me some day~!!
Azami	I get it, so let go, Manager!

Anna