Published at 10th of April 2020 02:39:15 PM
Chapter 18
A Clasped Hand
One day, when Lynn and Theo were walking down a corridor to get to their next class, they passed Yuven, who was walking in the opposite direction to them .
This kind of thing happened quite frequently .
Yuven was taking lots of different classes from them, but because all three apprentices were still only able to take beginner classes, most of their classrooms were fairly close to each other .
That day, like any other day, Yuven made a snide remark as she was about to pass them .
“If it isn’t Theo . You seem in a good mood today, I see you’re accompanied by your ever present underling” [1] .
Theo cast her a bored look, as if to say ‘not this again’ .
“Yuven, Lynn is not an underling . He’s my friend” .
“Oh really . You have it rough too, don’t you . Having to be Theo’s friend and whatnot” .
“Huh?”
Lynn, caught off guard, didn’t know how he should respond . He wasn’t expecting her to directly address him .
“But it must be hard, surely . Every day you’re dragged around all over the place . Because of that you’re not allowed the freedom to make any friends . The reason your academy life is so boring is Theo’s fault . C’mon now, you think so too don’t you, Theo’s friend?”
“I’m not exactly dragging him around . We’re roommates, and we have the same classes, so it’s only natural we’re together a lot” .
“Don’t be ridiculous . You have a rough way about you, so you probably don’t realize it, but Lynn’s frightened of your vulgar manner of speaking and the way you conduct yourself . Without realizing it, you’re bossing him around and using him . Isn’t that right, Theo’s friend?”
“Like I just told you, I’m not bossing him around,” Theo growled back, “And besides, what I look like is besides the point! Give it a rest now, Yuven” .
“What are you saying, of course your look is relevant . More or less you’re always-” .
At this point the two of them began furiously arguing over whether or not Theo was using and bossing around Lynn . Both were talking over each other .
Lynn, flabbergasted, could do nothing but watch as they argued .
“Hey, what do you think, Theo’s friend? You agree with me don’t you?” .
“What?”
Lynn, addressed directly again, didn’t know how to respond .
Why did this girl always bring him into the conversation in such a blunt way, he thought to himself in frustration .
“Hey, Yuven . Shut it and listen, quit calling him ‘Theo’s friend’ . Call people by their names” .
“What now? Why are you angry Theo? The person I’m trying to speak to is your friend, not you” .
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“Maybe because you’re being rude to my friend? Do you think I’ll stay quiet as you mock him?”
“Isn’t that just your own one-sided misunderstanding? Your friend doesn’t think I’m being rude . Hey, Theo’s attendant, you’re not mad are you?”
“Huh?”
Lynn was caught in a panic, and the fact that he was now being called a different name didn’t help . He didn’t know what to do .
“Hey Lynn, how about saying something? It’s you who’s being made fun of,” Theo pressed Lynn, frustrated .
Lynn tried to speak but stuttered his words . He felt put on the spot .
His eyes swam around and around as he considered what he should do and say .
He didn’t know how to act when being teased by her . This was the first time something like this had happened to him .
What would Elios do if he were in this position? Would he be able to come up with a good retort?
Yuven’s eyes flashed with a malevolent light as she watched Lynn squirm . Her eyes almost screamed ‘what a fun toy I’ve discovered!’ .
By teasing Lynn, she found, she could easily get under Theo’s skin .
Yuven clasped both her hands around Lynn’s right hand, brought it close to her face, and whispered softly “hey, Theo’s lover boy, you’re my ally” .
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“What? Huh? Lover?” .
Lynn was dumbfounded, and to make matters worse not only had she held his hand, but she had changed his name yet again .
Her uncharacteristically sweet voice wasn’t helping either, and on top of that her beautiful face was inches from his .
“Hey, tail boy,, don’t be silent, say something . You’re not angry, are you?”
Another name change…
“So what is it? Are you angry?”
She looked at him with wet, seductive eyes .
“Huh, angry? I’m really not-”
She suddenly broke away from Lynn and turned to face Theo again .
“See, you heard that didn’t you . He says he’s not angry . Looks like I was right” .
Her sweet voice had returned to its normal, thorny and provocative tone . Lynn returned to his senses .
Wait, what on earth did I just say?
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Theo gave Lynn a reproachful look .
Lynn realized that, unintentionally, somehow, he had taken Yuven’s side .
Yuven turned back to face Lynn and half-sang, melodically, “Theo’s underling, Theo’s attendant, Theo’s lover and Theo’s tail” .
“How wonderful for you to have so many nicknames, right? You’ll be his slave for ever . As long as I have these nicknames for you, I suppose I don’t need to bother to remember your name . Well then, see you around, Theo’s thing . If we have time I’ll tease you again if you like” .
At that, Yuven promptly took her leave . In the end she managed to reduce him to simply ‘Theo’s thing’ . [2]
Lynn timidly looked over to Theo to gauge his expression . Usually he kept his cool no matter how angry he might be, but right now he seemed unable to contain his anger .
“That bitch!” He shouted, and kicked a nearby bin over, spilling its contents all over the floor, then stormed off angrily by himself .
Lynn, feeling helpless, simply bent over and set about tidying the floor, returning the scraps of paper and other waste back inside the bin .
Next time… Chapter 19, ‘The Hermit’s Advice’ .
TRANSLATION NOTES
[1] ‘舎弟’, or as I have translated it, ‘underling’ is a term that refers to a low position within the Yakuza . Basically someone who follows orders .
[2] Yuven called Lynn a bunch of names in this chapter, but the last term she called him by was ‘テオの’, which if translated as literally as possible, would mean ‘Theo’s’ . What she’s doing is calling him Theo’s property, or ‘thing’ as I have chosen to translate it . In the original Japanese there’s a sentence drawing attention to the fact that Yuven had abbreviated his name, but due to the way I translated this section it wouldn’t have made sense, so instead of ‘abbreviated to’ I have chosen ‘reduced to’, which adds a sense of further degradation . Poor Lynn!