TOXIC × NEIGHBOR - Track 2

Estonia - Tallinn

1

Kuguri

Hey, don’t be mean.

Shop Owner Buried In Marzipan

……!

So, you can speak English after all, huh?

Kuguri

You don’t expect me to know Estonian. But you used English for our sake, right? Thank you.

Ten

(This guy must have lived abroad, judging from his pronunciation. Whatever, though, not like it matters to me.)

Kuguri

Ten, lend me your translator.

Ten

Yup, all yours.

Kuguri

≪We just landed in this beautiful country not long ago, and we’re completely lost. We did descend here from foreign skies, after all.≫

≪We were just about to rest our weary wings before we found you… and you were an unexpectedly captivating sight.≫

Ten

(True. He was literally buried in marzipan, after all.)

Kuguri

≪Will you be the Virgil to my Dante… and guide us through the paths of Hell and Purgatory, towards the gates of Paradise?≫1

2

Kuguri

≪I’d love for you to tell me… somewhere private, where we won’t be disturbed⁠—≫

Shop Owner Buried In Marzipan

≪O-Oh… I…≫

Kuguri

≪A chair and a drink would be nice. Red wine is my usual drink of preference, but if you don’t have any then I suppose I’ll have a dark roast espresso⁠—≫

Owner’s Son In Law

≪Father-in-law…?≫

Marzipan Shop Owner Whos Seen The Light

≪AT LAST! DESTINY HAS BROUGHT US TOGETHER! AFTER DEDICATING 50 LONG YEARS OF MY LIFE TO MAKING MARZIPAN, IT’S BROUGHT GOD TO ME!!!≫

≪As you have brilliantly guessed, we also run a cafe. Won’t you stay for a while? I guarantee we’ll get you a drink to quench your thirst and hearty meal!≫

Kuguri

Well?

Ten

Wow, amazing. Thanks a lot.

Estonia - Cafe

3

Ten

…Thanks for the meal.

≪Man, that was good. This cake and coffee… Are you sure it’s alright if we have it for free?≫

Marzipan Shop Owner With Sparkles In His Eyes

≪This level of hospitality is only natural! If you’re satisfied, then I’m happy…≫

Owner’s Son In Law

≪Oh, Kuguri-sama. I refilled your coffee for you. Please enjoy it before it goes cold.≫

Kuguri

Mhm, this is the perfect temperature.

Owner’s Son In Law

≪What’s going on… I think I hear the faint sound of Kuguri-sama’s coffee cheering with joy when he brings it to his lips… I want to be reincarnated as coffee in my next life so that I can be consumed by him…≫

Marzipan Shop Owner With Sparkles In His Eyes

≪I understand your situation now. If there’s anything I can do to make your study trip more successful, please let me know!≫

≪To start off, why not try to make some marzipan? It’s quite a relaxing activity, and I’m sure it’ll be an excellent addition to your report!≫

3

Kuguri

Being stared at like that makes me want to refuse, but… what should we do?

Ten

Let’s take him up on his offer. It’ll make a nice souvenir too, right? Easy.

Kuguri

A handmade souvenir, huh? That does seem like something they’d like.

Ten

Right~? Maybe we’ll get a bonus too.

Marzipan Shop Owner With Sparkles In His Eyes

≪Kyaaa… I can’t believe our humble little shop is going to become a part of Kuguri-sama’s memories…!≫

Owner’s Son In Law

≪Something holy is definitely going to come out of this!≫

≪Alright, please pick the style that you want and add a bit of color to it!≫

Marzipan Shop Owner With Sparkles In His Eyes

≪All these years of running this shop have finally paid off… (hic… sob) I’m getting choked up…≫

Ten

Wow, there’s a lot of different kinds, huh? I guess I’ll go with… this dog.

Kuguri

Any of them are fine with me. Which is your best piece? Bring it here.

Marzipan Shop Owner With Sparkles In His Eyes

≪This one, the parakeet! I paid extra attention to the detail in every single feather!≫

Owner’s Son In Law

≪That one was going to be entered into the Best Marzipan Competition…!≫

Kuguri

I’ll take it.

Marzipan Shop Owner With Sparkles In His Eyes & His Son In Law

≪Thank you very muuuuuch!≫

Owner’s Son In Law

≪Here are some brushes and some food dye for painting. If you’re unsure of anything, please don’t hesitate to ask!≫

≪We gotta cherish and stow away all the tools Kuguri-sama uses forever…≫

Ten

Ahaha.

…For some reason, doing this kinda thing really makes me feel like I’m on a trip.

Kuguri

I suppose so.

Marzipan Shop Owner With Sparkles In His Eyes

≪Kuguri-sama’s side profile while he’s painting is so stunning… and his hand movements are so graceful… I can hardly believe it’s his first time doing this! He must have some innate artistic talent!≫

Kuguri

……

≪…My arm’s getting tired. Finish this for me, will you?≫

Marzipan Shop Owner With Sparkles In His Eyes

≪Hehe, as you wish!≫

Kuguri

≪I’m counting on you to make it into something beautiful. I want to take it back to JPN with me.≫

Owner’s Son In Law

≪I want Kuguri-sama to order me around too…! I’m so jealous of you, father-in-law. Switch places with me in a bit!≫

Marzipan Shop Owner With Sparkles In His Eyes

≪No way. This is something Kuguri-sama personally ordered me to do, so just sit back and watch.≫

Ten

(…Haha)

(So this is how he captures people’s hearts and gets them to do his bidding.)

Kuguri

Those colors you chose, are you painting Gyoza?

Ten

Yup, you’ve got it. HAMA Tours’s other mascot dog.

Making something like this’ll earn me brownie points, y’know? Something like, “Look at me, I’m overflowing with company spirit.”

Kuguri

Look at you being a model student. I’ll make sure to tell cica all about it when we get back.

Ten

Hey man, that’s not very nice.

Kuguri

……?

That… piano playing…

5

Kuguri

……

Owner’s Son In Law

≪Please take a look! That phonograph2 has been around ever since my grandpa’s time!≫

Ten

Records are pretty rare~

Marzipan Shop Owner With Sparkles In His Eyes

≪I put on a famous classical album in hopes that it’ll help Kuguri-sama relax, even if only a little bit!≫

Ten

Wow, classical music? That’s pretty high class. Feels like I’ve heard this song before.

Kuguri

……

Polonaise No. 5…


Translation notes

Footnotes

  1. This is a The Divine Comedy reference.

  2. For anyone unaware, a phonograph is one of those old record players with the large tube on top.