Melancholic Blue part 1
「We’ll deal with Kou’s lecture later. He really did it now. I’m not helping him this time, he can go get chewed by the women for all I care. Kelly, what about that revision from earlier?」
「I actually want to give that guy some praise. Anyway, let’s go with it, Barry. But seriously, Robin is going to pay for this treason, but those Brits are the worst! You can never know what to expect with them.」
Kelly was seething at BAS Corporation, which had been secretly maneuvering behind the scenes to establish an organization like Aubade Force, an organization created just for Kou. If such a fun organization existed, Kelly would have wanted to join it first.
「I’m heading to the Astraea right now, I’ll go in the Tachycineta. I have to twist Kou’s cheek off.」
Jenny declared, veins bulging with anger. As expected, she couldn’t endure it anymore she had to scold Kou right that moment.
Everyone agreed that Kou was in need of some hard scolding.
「I’ll go with you. There’s a saying: if you twist the right cheek, make sure to twist the left cheek too. While we’re at it, I’ll twist off some of his belly fat as well.」
Blue’s eyes when she said this had lost their light, her tone was calm but ominous. Those who knew Blue well understood the situation. She was furious. All the old members of Metal Iris knew that when Blue was in this state, she was the most terrifying.
「There’s no such saying!」
Barry hastily corrected her, but the two were already sprinting toward the Tachycineta.
「Kou, can you hear me?」
「Barry… sorry about that. Listen, I—」
It was the usual Kou speaking, and for Barry, that alone brought a slight sense of relief. But the situation was too urgent for pleasantries.
「Now’s not the time for that. Blue and Jenny are angry and are heading your way, and let me warn you in advance: an enraged Blue is far scarier than Jenny. This is your own fault!」
Barry wasn’t joking—he was dead serious. His gaze was sharp and unwavering.
「Why is Blue so furious?」
Kou was taken aback, completely surprised by Barry’s attitude.
「What you did isn’t just being a little distant or secretive. You’ve earned this. Take the scolding. They’re going to rip your heart out, but I have no intention of stopping them. You really deserve a good scolding. Know this: their anger represents all of us.」
Barry’s usually playful demeanor was nowhere to be found. His piercing blue eyes locked onto Kou, and that alone was enough to make Kou feel like his soul was being carved into. This might leave a lasting scar on him.
「What am I supposed to do…?」
「Don’t ask me! Good luck! We’re about to have an emergency meeting on how to deal with your mess. See you!」
With that, Barry cut off the conversation, leaving Kou to his fate.
The transmission was mercilessly cut off. It was clear that Barry wanted no part in dealing with the two enraged women heading Kou’s way.
「Why is Blue so furious…?」
Kou muttered in stunned disbelief, unable to process the severity of the situation.
「I gave you the answer yesterday.」
「Huh?」
Voy spoke in exasperation, while Aki and Nyanta averted their eyes, their gazes hollow and distant. Kou’s cluelessness was beyond frustrating.
「We might need to prepare for regenerative treatment… mostly for his cheeks.」
「Just in case, Astraea, please stand by.」
「Understood, Aimer.」
Even Aimer murmured sadly, a rare note of melancholy in her voice. She understood all too well why Blue was so enraged—it was painfully obvious.
「Kou, you’ve been too dense.」
◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
Kou lifted Asia from his lap, and utterly exhausted, sank deeply into the commander’s chair.
Though Asia seemed a bit dissatisfied, she soon vanished from sight. There was no doubt she was about to become extremely busy.
「Kou, prepare yourself!」
「Huh? Already?! You’re here already?!」
With the force of someone about to kick down a door, Jenny burst into the combat command room. Without hesitation, she reached out and began pinching Kou’s cheeks.
「Ow, ow, ow! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! You don’t have to get this mad!」
「You don’t get it at all! Time to twist harder!」
「Stop! That hurts, that really hurts!」
Standing behind her, Blue loomed over Kou with an expressionless face. Her gaze was icy, sending chills down his spine.
「That’s enough, Jenny. Now it’s my turn,」
Blue said in a voice so cold it made Kou want to flee on the spot.
「You’re right. You are the one most slighted after all, you should be the one to deliver the final blow.」
Jenny replied, stepping aside with an unsettling calm.
Changing positions with Jenny, Blue lowered herself to meet the seated Kou at eye level. Without a word, she stared at him, her gaze unwavering.
「B-Blue…」
Kou couldn’t even finish her name. Without hesitation, she grabbed both of his cheeks with her hands and pinched them as hard as she could.
「Gah—!」
The pain was so intense he couldn’t even form words. Her gaze grew even colder, sending a deep chill down his spine. Barry hadn’t been exaggerating—this was genuinely terrifying.
「Do you really not know why I’m angry?」
「…Ugh…」
At that moment, Kou froze. He noticed tears welling up in Blue’s eyes.
「Damn blockhead…」
Blue said this, her voice trembling with emotion. Then, as if to punctuate her frustration, she began pulling on his cheeks even harder.
「Help me…」
Kou whimpered.
「Sorry, nya. I understand how Blue feels, nya. I can’t help you right now…」 said sympathetically.
「I have to agree…」
Nyanta and Aki both looked at Kou with pained expressions, but it was clear that their sympathy didn’t absolve him of responsibility.
「Yeah…」
Aimer, too, offered no help, leaving Kou utterly abandoned.
Meanwhile, Voy stood off to the side, licking honey as if to emphasize his desire to stay uninvolved.
The sound of Kou’s cheeks being pinched almost seemed audible—on the verge of snapping. Blue, her eyes brimming with tears, showed no mercy as she continued her relentless assault.
Her silence, more than anything, conveyed the depths of her despair and anger.
「Wha…」
Kou froze. Blue’s beautifully shaped eyes shimmered with tears. The droplets falling down her cheeks were stunning, and their beauty made her silent reproach even more piercing to Kou’s heart.
Unable to understand the reason for her anger, Kou could do nothing but endure the pain. He had no idea what words to say to a crying girl.
「Hah, this blockhead really can’t be helped. Blue, that’s enough already. Jeez, don’t go making girls cry.」
It’s funny how someone else’s anger can make the person in question start to calm down. This time, Jenny was able to calm down thanks to Blue’s anger.
「Listen, you included Blue as one of your women, didn’t you?」
「Ah, I apologize for that…」
「That’s not the issue! That part is fine! Actually, don’t apologize for that! Just listen to me until the end!」
Jenny shouted at Kou, cutting off his premature attempt at self-defense. His cluelessness was so frustrating that it made even Jenny feel some of Blue’s pain. At this point, Blue seemed far too pitiable.
「Y-yes.」
Kou stammered, overwhelmed by Jenny’s terrifying intensity.
For the sake of her friend, and for Metal Iris, Jenny resolved to make Kou understand, even if it meant hammering it into his thick skull.
「Why after going so far as accepting Blue as one of your women in a transmission broadcasted to all the world, she wasn’t included among the founding members of Trireme? Even Aimer-chan was listed in it!」
At last, Kou began to faintly grasp the reason behind their anger.
「Ugh… th-that’s because… Blue is part of Metal Iris, and I didn’t want to drag you all into it…」
「You’re part of Metal Iris too! So are Aki, Nyanta, and Voy! And yet! Blue’s name isn’t there! And neither is mine!」
Even Kou, as dense as he was, began to fully grasp why they—and Barry—were so furious after hearing that.
「Blue has been with you longer than Nyanta and the others, even if it’s just a matter of days! Same goes for me and Barry! Of course, it’s heartbreaking enough to make her cry! You’re way too cold!」
Aki and Nyanta exchanged glances, both realizing that if the roles were reversed, they would also be devastated. Even Aimer likely felt the same way. This was undoubtedly Kou’s fault. He simply didn’t understand the emotions at play.
「I-I’m sorry…」
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