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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 5 Chapter 8.1

EPISODE 8: YAMA JUUGO’S EVIL DEEDS

「I’m home. 」

「Oh, welcome home Shiki. 」

Nanana, who was eating pudding in room 202 of the Happiness Dorm, smiled at Shiki Maboro as she slowly entered the room.

「I was watching. You looked great again this year. 」

「Nonomiya-chan has been very annoying lately. ‘It’s a once-a-year thing, so you have to make sure you get it right.’ Ehhhh, I’m tired. I mean what was with that wish? Why do I have to go on a date with a girl? I’m the one who needs an escort. 」

Despite all that they somehow managed to laugh together.

「Oh yeah. Nanana, I’ve received presents from everyone for you. 」

「Whoa, I’m so happy. 」

「Saito says this is an instant pudding cooling device. 」

「It looks like a rice cooker. 」

「Put the pudding in it and in no time at all a cool pudding will be ready. But be careful with it because it uses liquid nitrogen. 」

「Oh that’s really nice! …But with Juugo and the others around, I guess it’s not a good idea to use hazardous materials. 」

「Well it might be dangerous to leave it where there are living people. I’ll bury it in the garden then. And this one is from Koma. It’s replica of delicious puddings you have had recently. Please enjoy looking at them, but you can’t eat them because they are just replica. 」

「Jeez, that’s not cool Koma! But they look so good I’ll leave them up! 」

「And from me, the usual pudding. Nothing from Ikkaku or Utsuki. I don’t know why. 」

「Well that’s to be expected. I’m grateful to Saito and Koma though. And of course you too Shiki. 」

Seeing Nanana’s bright face made Shiki smile too.

「It’s pretty quiet. Were you watching TV alone today? 」

「I was watching it with Tensai-chan until about midway through. She left around the time the last wish was being granted. 」

「Well, at least it was the very end, I guess. 」

「I think you know why Shiki…」

「Don’t look so scared. Even without you asking, we aren’t going to touch them. We have rules to follow. 」

「I see. Thank you very much. 」

「Don’t worry about it. 」

After that Shiki lays on the floor and her and Nanana silently start eating pudding.

The moment of silence continues.

「Hey Nanana? Haven’t you told those kids? 」

「Not really, I didn’t say anything. 」

「Why not? 」

Shiki asked and Nanana hesitated.

「Well… there’s nothing really to say. I’m already an earthbound spirit, so it doesn’t really matter. 」

「What do you mean? Even though you used to pester us so much when you were alive. 」

「I..I was young back then! 」

「You still look young now. Why do you hesitate to tell Juugo? 」

「I guess I’m holding back… It’s weird to say that myself though…」

It seems that the girl who is a spirit bound to this room might also have some feelings for him.

「OK here. 」

Shiki hands Nanana a piece of paper.

「What is this? 」

「It’s Juugo’s wish on the strip of paper. I thought it was interesting so I took it. 」

「You shouldn’t do that. 」

「Yeah yeah. Just take a look. 」

Nanana already holding the paper felt like she had no choice but to look.

And she was surprised.

「What is this? 」

‘The issuance of a caramel card. It will have a cool design in like gold, silver, or black. When shown it will allow the owner to get pudding for free at any store. On Nanaejima only of course.’

The sound of someone running of the steps echoed from outside.

「Gaaa! 」

Nanana is surprised to see juugo and the others rushing into room 202 out of breath.

「Hey, what time is it now? 」

「It’s about 11:58 P.M. 」

「We made it…. Wait! Cake, cake! Go get it from room 203! 」

There is Juugo, Tensai, D’ark, and two faces I’m seeing for the first time.

「Get out of the way! 」

Tensai came into room 202 and placed the tray she was carrying on the table.

It is a large wobbly pudding. It has been decorated as intricately as a cake.

「One and two and…」

「HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANANA-CHAN! 」, says everyone all together.

The clock hits midnight and the date changes as everyone says this.

「That was close, we made it just in time. 」

Nanana had to ask everyone who were all still winded.

「Um, how did you guys know? 」

「I knew that your birthday was on the 7th day of the 7th month. 」

1

 Nanaejima has an island-wide festival called the Tanabata Festival. This festival, with a 9 year tradition, is related to a certain girl.

Ryuugajou Nanana is the girl who built Nanae Island with the wish of ‘creating a place where young people can challenge any dream’.

When she was alive, she always smiled while trying to help others and make everyone happy.

10 years ago that girl died mysteriously.

That girl is now gone.

However that girl’s will must be carried on.

In order to continue to remember this sentiment, the GREAT7 decided to hold a Tanabata Festival on July 7th( Ryuugajou Nanana’s birthday), and vowed to make someone’s wish come true to bring a smile to their face each year.

That is the origin of this Tanabata Festival.

2

「Ok so let’s try again. 」

「Happy birthday, Nanana-chan! 」, says everyone again.

Everyone sets off their party poppers and claps.

The first time we were running out of time and couldn’t set everything up.

And then Shiki, who was in room 202 for some reason says, 「Sorry」 and left without looking at us.

Nanana-chan still seems confused.

「Well, I’m surprised because this is a surprise but… why did you do this? 」

Nanana-chan is unusually flustered.

「Well you didn’t tell me your birthday. If you would have told me I we could have celebrated normally. 」

We all learned Nanana-chan’s birthday together when Yumeji-san told us about the origin of the Tanabata Festival. So that night I tried to bring up the subject of the Tanabata Festival and say that it was Nanana-chan’s birthday, but the person in question dodged the issue. So I planned a surprise birthday party with Tensai

Nanana-chan is still confused as we celebrate.

「But I’m already dead, so birthdays don’t really matter. 」

「It’s fine. Even if you already died, it’s an anniversary that will make you happy. 」

「But, but…」

Somehow Nanana-chan doeesn’t seem like herself. That wasn’t the only thing, tears started welling up in her eyes.  I was very surprised by this.

「Hey Juugo! Nanana-dono is crying! I TOLD you we should have done it sooner!「

Tensai grabbed me by the neck in a panic.

「N..no, we made it in time. It was still the Tanabata festival. 」

「Idiot! That’s not what I mean! This isn’t something you do at the end of the day, it should be the beginning of the day! And ideally you should give a present at the same time! 」

「…Sometimes you say the cutest things Tensai. 」

Tensai’s face suddenly turns red.

「Y..you idiot! I was just speaking in general terms…」

Nanana-chan who was watching our back-and-forth shook her head.

「No Tensai-chan, that isn’t right. I can’t help but to cry because I’m so happy. 」

My jaw dropped after hearing Nanana-chan’s words.

So I say it again.

「Happy birthday, Nanana-chan. 」

「Yes, thank you. Thank you so much everyone. 」

Nanana-chan smiles. A smile suits her best after all. I’m so happy to see you laugh like this.

So I’d love to say ‘and we all lived happily ever after’, but there was one problem.

「That’s right. Nanana-chan… we have a present」

The original plan was to have the free pudding ticket called the caramel card (instead of like a platinum card) made in the Ryuugajou Nanana slot at the festival, and give it as a gift. But thanks to that masked girl… Thanks to M’s commercial, that plan was ruined.

In other words, we have no present. It was a worst case scenario. And since we were busy trying to get the password for the 《game》 we didn’t get a replacement yet.

How lame.

As I was in a panic, D’ark offered Nanana-chan a box that was big enough to have to hold with both hands.

「Happy birthday Nanana-san. This is a homemade pudding made by me and Tensai. 」

Nanana-chan was overjoyed when she received the box from a smiling D’ark.

「Wow, thank you D’ark-chan and Tensai-chan. 」

「I hope this suits Nanana-dono’s tastes. 」

Even Tensai who is bashfully looking away seems to be happy. 」

「…Wait, what is this!? You didn’t tell me you were making something like this! 」

「Hmph, there’s no need to tell you Juugo. This is a present from me and D’ark. 」

Great Detective and her assistant! I can’t believe they prepared these things in secret! This makes me look even worse for not having a gift!

「Hey Nanana-chan. I’ll get something for you. 」

「Well, that’s good to hear…」

Ah fine. Don’t care about my present. It doesn’t hurt my feelings or anything…

「….Um, so who are those two? 」

Nanana-chan points to the corner of the room. Tensai brought them there and Nishi-san and Taisei sat there not knowing what to do.