Chinchikurin (fantranslation)

Episode 3 - Returned Emotions

[AN: Same introduction again and likewise it has been skipped out. In terms of Nora's age, the direct translation was that she is 16, although recently her age has been changed to 25. Bare that in mind when reading.]

TW: profanity, abusive language, and slight mourning/loss

It was early summer. The rice planting had been finished and the villages Tanabata Festival was due to be held. Posters were plastered around the village saying: 'Bring your lovers and lets dance!'. They were made by Nichiteru and Seito's cousin - Koro Nanjin, a 10 year old prodigy.

Every year they would sing a song that says for them to bring their lovers together, but there are no young women in the village. It's much too small and, with its declining population, the only way of bringing women to the village would be through forced marriages - much like they did almost 30 years ago. When they say 'send for your lover' they rather mean 'get a woman from the city'.

"The idea is terrible and outdated," Toru huffed, "I could never do it."

Toru was much more sympathetic and thought about it ethically. He completely rejected the idea of forced marriages.

"I couldn't bring Funny, could I?" smiled Seito, thinking about his selfish fantasy.

Boron sighed, "It's inevitable... some places just can't sustain themselves unless they do."

"I don't care about the method! What really matters is if they love me or not," Hanabishi said selfishly, although he had no intention of falling in love anytime soon.

It was just another summers day cooling off by the riverbank, thinking of pointless love. It was all useless to them if it didn't end in marriage. All the talk of it only kept a lingering emptiness alight in their hearts.

-----

After all, there were only three single young women in the village.

Mariha Kuruwaya, Hanabishi's younger sister. She was only 13 years old and had supposedly lost her mind after falling into a waterfall in fifth grade. She now sits like a doll, eyes glazed over, and rarely speaks. The villagers believe that the Dragon God has taken her soul, whereas her doctor just believes she hit her head at the bottom of the river when she fell in.

Hanabishi was heartbroken by her illness, but is unaware of her true nature. In fact, others know its a ruse, especially Keita, and she is partially relieved by it. Mariha is much like her brother, but considerably worse. She's known to be wicked and selfish, so much so that she often scares the villagers with her carefully planned out behaviours. However, she acts sweet in front of her brother, so he is non the wiser to her devious ways.

"Oh if only the Dragon God would give her soul back," he would cry, his friends hands on his grieving shoulder with thin smiles.

However, Mariha's act is just an act. She hasn't actually lost her mind, but rather uses her 'illness' as a way to silently observe and overhear what everyone says and does. From it, she knows everything. It was only a little later that Hanabishi began to understand the true horror of her entire performance... but that won't be told in this story.

Nora Kisumi, a 16 year old girl and neighbour of Boron. She's incredible kind and good-natured but not considered particularly pretty. She sometimes makes lunch for Boron, who lives alone with his father. Despite her kindness, Boron doesn't see her as a potential partner because they are childhood friends.

And finally, her 20 year old sister, Dagomi Kisumi. She's much bigger in comparision to Nora and doesn't talk much. She's known to attack young men by trying to put their heads in her mouth, like some sort of giant. Nora keeps a keen eye on her to stop her from doing so, yet her presence still frightens the villagers - even Hanabishi.