(Natsume Sakasaki) Beyond Guidance

Natsume: (...Ah, a TEXT.

It's from Shu-niisan... Isn't there an eight-hour time difference between Paris and HERE? I wonder if he just woke UP.

"I'll make time for you next I visit"...

"I'll remember THAT. Don't forget it yourSELF." And... SEND.

He left Japan as quickly as he CAME… It's difficult to spend time together - we're in different agenCIES, and I'm just as busy as he is on top of THAT.

HmmMM? That person walking with an armful of sketchbooks IS...)

Mika: What am I gonna doooooo...

S'no good... I'm all dried up. This is right where my life ends~

Natsume: (No matter how you look at IT, he seems trouBLED... Or more preciseLY, his true thoughts are creeping OUT.

But that's none of my busiNESS, so I'll just stay in my own LANE...)

Mika: There's no way I could do somethin' like that... I wanna get Oshi-san's opinion, but it might just make me even more anxious...

Nnnahhh, I'm in a real doozy of a pickle...

...Oh, Nakkun! Ya sure got some good timin'!

Natsume: (Oh... He noticed ME.

Well, whateVER. He's connected to Shu-niisan, so I suppose I'll hear out what ails HIM.)

What's the matTER, Mika-kun? You seem trouBLED; a penny for your THOUGHTS?

Mika: Sure am! T'tell ya the truth, well...

...Nnnhuh? How'd ya know I was worryin' about somethin'?

Natsume: It's my job as a fortune teller to listen to the misfortunes of oTHERS. It's a sixth SENSE...♪

Mika: Alrighty then~. Ya sure are amazin', Nakkun.

T'tell ya the truth, I'm tryin' to be a bit of an artist, but... no matter how many sketches I do, none of 'em come out right.

On toppa that, I keep thinkin' like, "This is how Oshi-san woulda done it~," and "There's a mistake right here~", stuff like that.

I'm never gonna be able t'make my own art if this keeps up - I'm just gonna be copyin' Oshi-san's instead.

That ain't gonna make me an artist! Just yer everyday faker! ...That's what I was thinkin' 'bout...

Natsume: So you can't help but be aware of IT...

Could I see your sketchBOOK? I'd like to see how much of an influence Shu-niisan's had on YOU.

Mika: Sure thing, though I'm kinda embarrassed 'cause they're just rough sketches...

Natsume: Let's take a LOOK...

(Shu-niisan's definitely influenced him, BUT...

There is nothing shameful about imitating those you've set as your standard - it's only human naTURE. The same applies to both the fine arts and maGIC...

I can see his own sense of style in the finer details and the accessoRIES, so he's certainly groWING. His problem is actualLY...)

...Rather than being trouBLED, isn't your self-esteem the real issue HERE?

Mika: My self-esteem...?

Natsume: Yes. Don't you have a tendency to denounce yourSELF?

Mika: Ugh, I guess I do... but I really feel like a good-fer-nothin'...

Natsume: Fufufu. Just as I SAID, you live and breathe self-deprecaTION.

I'll give you a suggestion via hypnoTISM. With a little pressure on your subconsCIOUS, I'll guide your ideal self to the surFACE.

Mika: S'that stuff really work?

Don't knock it 'til ya try it though, huh? Lemme have it ♪

Natsume: Alright THEN. Just keep a clooose eye on this five yen COIN...

And bit by BIT, the only thing you'll hear is my VOICE...♪

Mika: ...

Natsume: 《Put your worries aside.》

AlRIGHT, that's IT. I've finished your hypnoSIS.

Mika: ...Zzz, zzz ♪

Natsume: ...Huh? It's not supposed to put you into such a deep SLEEP...

Wake UP, Mika-kun.

Mika: ...Nnnahhh.

Sorry 'bout that, I dozed right off without a second thought.

Natsume: I finished the hypnoSIS. You should...

— Hm? Something feels OFF… Maybe it's my imaginaTION.

Here's your sketchBOOK. Good luck in your artistic endeaVORS.

Mika: Thank ya kindly~♪

— What the heck is this! This design's totally non-non!

It's way too plain - ya'd get laughed out the Louvre if ya presented this as fine art!

Ooh, I'll put a croissant on this hat. That'll turn this fine art into the crème de la crème!

Yep, that's the ticket! Me an' the arts are blastin' off!

Natsume: ...It wasn't just my imagination after ALL.

(My intention was to boost his self-esteem, BUT... That's out of the question NOW.

If Shu-niisan knew about THIS, he'd colLAPSE, frothing at the MOUTH...)

Mika: Ahh, my creativity's runnin' wild as a river! The god of fine arts must be laughin' his head off too~!

I'm lookin' at somethin' you really could call "fine art"! Nnahh~ kakaka! ☆

Natsume: Hold ON, Mika-kun.

Mika: Wh-whoa…!

What's up, Nakkun? Why'd ya shake my shoulder all of a sudden...

Hm...? Why am I posin' like Oshi-san...?

— Oh, yeah, the hypnotism! Nakkun, didja do it?

Natsume: Nope, you've nothing to worry aBOUT. You're the best as you ARE.

I don't think Shu-niisan'd like it if I tampered with you eiTHER.

Mika: Whether I like it or not, it ain't a problem of Oshi-san's, it's mine... Am I gonna have t'get over this on my lonesome?

Well, s'alright. I don't really know why or nothin', but I'm feelin' light as a feather now! I think I got a pretty good design in mind too ♪

Thanks fer all the help, Nakkun~

Natsume: Yep. Bye-bye, Mika-kun ♪

(...The hypnotism seemed to work to some exTENT, but it didn't exactly have the effect I intenDED... I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't stopped IT.

...Ah, another text from Shu-niisan.

"We haven't spoken properly in a while. Has anything unusual occurred as of late?"

...Well, something strange did just happen, BUT…)

"Things are the same as alWAYS." ...SENT ♪