Keito’s Lecture (Chapter 1)
May. 10th, 2023 08:37 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alkakurei_my_worldWritten by: Yuumasu
Season: Summer
Location: Meeting Room
Keito: —so, for today’s “Keito’s Lecture”, we’ll end it on “About Traffic Laws”.
Aira: Uhueh?!
Keito: I heard that. What’s that “Uhueh?!” for?
Aira: Ah, sorry! It’s just, I can’t help but remember something…
Mika: Nnah? Shiratori-kun, what did ya do?
Aira: Uh, you know how there’s a road in front of Seishoukan1? There weren’t any cars, and I was in a hurry, so I crossed—
Until I made eye-contact with Hasumi-senpai, who was walking on the crosswalk while I was walking across the street…
Keito: Ho, so you do remember about it. Do you feel guilty about it?
Unfortunately, traffic violations are hard to avoid and forgive, so be sure to reflect on it. Carelessness tends to lead to accidents.
Besides, we’re idols. It matters where, when, and who that sees us, so we should follow the rules at all times.
Aira: Yeah…That’s true. Even when you know in your head that idols have their own private lives, if you see one of them ignoring traffic rules, you’d surely be disappointed.
I’ll be more careful in the future. I’m really sorry.
Keito: You don’t have to apologize to me. Just knowing what you did wrong is enough.
Now. Does anyone have any questions about traffic rules and etiquette? If nothing comes to mind, then I’ll start from traffic laws at the intersection.
You’re raising your hand, Amagi. Let’s hear it.
Hiiro: Umu! I’d like to take this opportunity to ask about the mystery of the traffic lights.
Why do we call green lights “ao shingou”? Wouldn’t it make more sense to call them “midori shingou?”2
Aira: Hiro-kun, that has nothing to do with traffic rules, though?
Mika: That’s true, but I don’t really get it myself. Now that ya mentioned it, I’ma bit curious.
Keito: Hm. The origin of “ao shingou”…
Yuzuru: ….if I may, I can explain and talk about it.
When traffic lights first began to appear in Japan, it was considered as “midori shingou”, or “green light”, by law.
However, in an article that introduced the traffic lights, it was referred to as “ao shingou” instead. The name eventually become popular, and it stuck.
The custom of calling green things “ao”, or “blue”, also seemed to have played a part in the process. For example, “aojiru”, “ao ringo”, “ao yasai”; we use “ao” in the name, but they are green in color: “green juice”, “green apple”, “green vegetables”, and so on and so forth.3
Eventually, it seems that even the law adopted “aoshingou” to refer to the green lights.
Keito: Hm, you seem familiar with this subject?
Yuzuru: I’d have to give my thanks to the Young Master. When he was little, he wanted to walk outside on a whim often…
We’d walked around the mansion on a slow pace while keeping up with each other as we hold hands.
The colors of traffic lights, the shape of street signs, the significance of road reflectors……Like Hiiro-sama just now, he’d asked me this and that with this sparkle in his eyes.
Oh, I’m really sorry for talking about unrelated things. Anyways, were you able to understand why traffic lights are called “aoshingou”?
Hiiro: Umu, I understand now. Both about the traffic lights and about how much Fushimi-senpai cares about Tori-kun.
Yuzuru: Fufu, isn’t that a bit embarrassing. Keito-sama, please continue.
Keito: Sure. Any other questions?
…it doesn’t seem like there is. Alright, let’s start with traffic laws at the intersections.
Keito: —That’s all for today.
Mika: Thank ya for yer hard work~. I learned a lot today; even though I’m a bit confused, it’s really useful information.
If yer on tha walking side, ya can see tha car lights even from a distance. However, it’s hard for tha people drivin’ inside ta see dark clothin’~
I’ll also see if I can buy some reflectors ta attach ta my bag.
Hiiro: I will as well. Hasumi-senpai, thank you for opening “Keito’s Lecture”. It’s fun coming, learning, and obtaining new knowledge!
Keito: Hm…. I admire your attitude of actively trying to learn, Amagi, but your lack of common sense is a bit worrying.
Don’t you have any obstacles in your daily life?
Hiiro: Umu! I’m getting quite familiar enough with the common sense of the city.
Aira: Compared to when we first met, you’ve became a lot more used to life here, but you’re still a bit senseless, aren’t you?
Hasumi-senpai, I’m sorry about my unitmate4.
Hiiro: Why is Aira apologizing….?
Ah, Fushimi-senpai, I’ll help you clean up. Is there anything I can do?
Yuzuru: Ah, thank you for your thoughtfulness, but it’s no problem. Please leave the cleaning to me and have a chat, everyone ♪
Hiiro: Mu…but you always say that and won’t let me do anything.
We’re friends who belongs in the same circle. Even occasionally is fine, so please let me help you.
Yuzuru: But…
Keito: Take advantage of Amagi’s kind offer, Fushimi. We all promised to have lunch together after this, didn’t we?
It’ll be more convenient if we split up the work. I’ll help.
Yuzuru: …Very well. Keito-sama, please return the equipment.
Hiiro-sama, could you throw away this stack of papers?
Hiiro: Umu. No matter what happens along the road, I’ll be sure to throw these away!
Aira: The trash can is literally right outside in the corridor, though, it’s not like anything’s gonna happen…? Anyways, what about me and Kagehira-senpai?
Yuzuru: Well…maybe you could head to COCHI first and secure seats for the rest of us?
Mika: Gotcha. See ya, then~
Yuzuru: Yes, see you later
Hah. Cleaning is my hobby, so I don’t really need help in doing so.
But I suppose it’s not unfortunate to share this joy every once in a while…♪
Notes:
1 Seishoukan, officially translated as “Starmony Dorm” in the ENG server, is the dorms that the idols of Ensemble Square lives. I debated with myself a bit, before deciding to stick to “Seishoukan” for both consistency and my sake. I might change this later as I translate more stories, but that’s what it’s gonna be for now. ↑
2 Green lights in Japan are called [青信号]/(aoshingou), which, translated literally, would be “blue signal”. “Green” in Japanese is (midori), while “blue” is (ao). The reason why it’s called (aoshingou) instead of (midori shingou) is already explained by Yuzuru. ↑
3 Adding on to what Yuzuru said, the reason why Japanese people call green things “blue” is because the word “midori” didn’t appear in the Japanese language until the Heian Period (794-1185/1192). This may seems like a very long time ago, but considering that Japan and it’s language was founded in 660 BC, that’s actually pretty late for “midori” to appear, especially for a word so commonly used. Plus, “midori” wasn’t even used as a adjectival color at first, instead as an adjective that means “pure”, “verdure”, and/or “freshness”. (Source: From Japanese | The MIDORI Press)
Who would’ve thought that I would research the origin of a word in the process of translating an idol game story lol. ↑
4 Aira actually refers to Hiiro here as [うちのひと]/(uchi no hito), which is a fond and familial way of referring to someone who is close to you. Basically, it’s kinda like saying they’re “my people/my family”. It’s so sweet in the original text, but there’s no exact translation of the term in English, so I decided to go with “unitmate” instead, since ALKALOID is kinda like a family for Aira. ↑
Chapter 2
Season: Summer
Location: Meeting Room
Keito: —so, for today’s “Keito’s Lecture”, we’ll end it on “About Traffic Laws”.
Aira: Uhueh?!
Keito: I heard that. What’s that “Uhueh?!” for?
Aira: Ah, sorry! It’s just, I can’t help but remember something…
Mika: Nnah? Shiratori-kun, what did ya do?
Aira: Uh, you know how there’s a road in front of Seishoukan1? There weren’t any cars, and I was in a hurry, so I crossed—
Until I made eye-contact with Hasumi-senpai, who was walking on the crosswalk while I was walking across the street…
Keito: Ho, so you do remember about it. Do you feel guilty about it?
Unfortunately, traffic violations are hard to avoid and forgive, so be sure to reflect on it. Carelessness tends to lead to accidents.
Besides, we’re idols. It matters where, when, and who that sees us, so we should follow the rules at all times.
Aira: Yeah…That’s true. Even when you know in your head that idols have their own private lives, if you see one of them ignoring traffic rules, you’d surely be disappointed.
I’ll be more careful in the future. I’m really sorry.
Keito: You don’t have to apologize to me. Just knowing what you did wrong is enough.
Now. Does anyone have any questions about traffic rules and etiquette? If nothing comes to mind, then I’ll start from traffic laws at the intersection.
You’re raising your hand, Amagi. Let’s hear it.
Hiiro: Umu! I’d like to take this opportunity to ask about the mystery of the traffic lights.
Why do we call green lights “ao shingou”? Wouldn’t it make more sense to call them “midori shingou?”2
Aira: Hiro-kun, that has nothing to do with traffic rules, though?
Mika: That’s true, but I don’t really get it myself. Now that ya mentioned it, I’ma bit curious.
Keito: Hm. The origin of “ao shingou”…
Yuzuru: ….if I may, I can explain and talk about it.
When traffic lights first began to appear in Japan, it was considered as “midori shingou”, or “green light”, by law.
However, in an article that introduced the traffic lights, it was referred to as “ao shingou” instead. The name eventually become popular, and it stuck.
The custom of calling green things “ao”, or “blue”, also seemed to have played a part in the process. For example, “aojiru”, “ao ringo”, “ao yasai”; we use “ao” in the name, but they are green in color: “green juice”, “green apple”, “green vegetables”, and so on and so forth.3
Eventually, it seems that even the law adopted “aoshingou” to refer to the green lights.
Keito: Hm, you seem familiar with this subject?
Yuzuru: I’d have to give my thanks to the Young Master. When he was little, he wanted to walk outside on a whim often…
We’d walked around the mansion on a slow pace while keeping up with each other as we hold hands.
The colors of traffic lights, the shape of street signs, the significance of road reflectors……Like Hiiro-sama just now, he’d asked me this and that with this sparkle in his eyes.
Oh, I’m really sorry for talking about unrelated things. Anyways, were you able to understand why traffic lights are called “aoshingou”?
Hiiro: Umu, I understand now. Both about the traffic lights and about how much Fushimi-senpai cares about Tori-kun.
Yuzuru: Fufu, isn’t that a bit embarrassing. Keito-sama, please continue.
Keito: Sure. Any other questions?
…it doesn’t seem like there is. Alright, let’s start with traffic laws at the intersections.
[After a while]
Keito: —That’s all for today.
Mika: Thank ya for yer hard work~. I learned a lot today; even though I’m a bit confused, it’s really useful information.
If yer on tha walking side, ya can see tha car lights even from a distance. However, it’s hard for tha people drivin’ inside ta see dark clothin’~
I’ll also see if I can buy some reflectors ta attach ta my bag.
Hiiro: I will as well. Hasumi-senpai, thank you for opening “Keito’s Lecture”. It’s fun coming, learning, and obtaining new knowledge!
Keito: Hm…. I admire your attitude of actively trying to learn, Amagi, but your lack of common sense is a bit worrying.
Don’t you have any obstacles in your daily life?
Hiiro: Umu! I’m getting quite familiar enough with the common sense of the city.
Aira: Compared to when we first met, you’ve became a lot more used to life here, but you’re still a bit senseless, aren’t you?
Hasumi-senpai, I’m sorry about my unitmate4.
Hiiro: Why is Aira apologizing….?
Ah, Fushimi-senpai, I’ll help you clean up. Is there anything I can do?
Yuzuru: Ah, thank you for your thoughtfulness, but it’s no problem. Please leave the cleaning to me and have a chat, everyone ♪
Hiiro: Mu…but you always say that and won’t let me do anything.
We’re friends who belongs in the same circle. Even occasionally is fine, so please let me help you.
Yuzuru: But…
Keito: Take advantage of Amagi’s kind offer, Fushimi. We all promised to have lunch together after this, didn’t we?
It’ll be more convenient if we split up the work. I’ll help.
Yuzuru: …Very well. Keito-sama, please return the equipment.
Hiiro-sama, could you throw away this stack of papers?
Hiiro: Umu. No matter what happens along the road, I’ll be sure to throw these away!
Aira: The trash can is literally right outside in the corridor, though, it’s not like anything’s gonna happen…? Anyways, what about me and Kagehira-senpai?
Yuzuru: Well…maybe you could head to COCHI first and secure seats for the rest of us?
Mika: Gotcha. See ya, then~
Yuzuru: Yes, see you later
Hah. Cleaning is my hobby, so I don’t really need help in doing so.
But I suppose it’s not unfortunate to share this joy every once in a while…♪
Notes:
1 Seishoukan, officially translated as “Starmony Dorm” in the ENG server, is the dorms that the idols of Ensemble Square lives. I debated with myself a bit, before deciding to stick to “Seishoukan” for both consistency and my sake. I might change this later as I translate more stories, but that’s what it’s gonna be for now. ↑
2 Green lights in Japan are called [青信号]/(aoshingou), which, translated literally, would be “blue signal”. “Green” in Japanese is (midori), while “blue” is (ao). The reason why it’s called (aoshingou) instead of (midori shingou) is already explained by Yuzuru. ↑
3 Adding on to what Yuzuru said, the reason why Japanese people call green things “blue” is because the word “midori” didn’t appear in the Japanese language until the Heian Period (794-1185/1192). This may seems like a very long time ago, but considering that Japan and it’s language was founded in 660 BC, that’s actually pretty late for “midori” to appear, especially for a word so commonly used. Plus, “midori” wasn’t even used as a adjectival color at first, instead as an adjective that means “pure”, “verdure”, and/or “freshness”. (Source: From Japanese | The MIDORI Press)
Who would’ve thought that I would research the origin of a word in the process of translating an idol game story lol. ↑
4 Aira actually refers to Hiiro here as [うちのひと]/(uchi no hito), which is a fond and familial way of referring to someone who is close to you. Basically, it’s kinda like saying they’re “my people/my family”. It’s so sweet in the original text, but there’s no exact translation of the term in English, so I decided to go with “unitmate” instead, since ALKALOID is kinda like a family for Aira. ↑
Chapter 2
