Karin/Wakaba's birthday 2019 - 2

Power of laughter, overflowing with happiness - 2

[Sanshuu Middle - rooftop]

Fuu: Okay, it's time to start practicing our manzai! By the way Mebuki, do you like comedy?

Meb: I don't watch TV much so I don't know, but me and Miroku-san did something like a manzai duo before.

Fuu: What, really!? Then this should be a piece of cake.

Meb: No, that only worked because Miroku-san was there. I'm not sure I can make it work this time.

Fuu: Come on, no need to overthink it. Easy, easy. Let's start our practice by reading this script in turns.

Meb: Understood. Well then, *cough*. The nearby house set up a fence.

Fuu: For real!?

Meb: Hold on. You were supposed to ask "For defence!?" here.

Fuu: Whoa! Ad-libbing lines not on the script right away! Great job, Mebuki!

Meb: That's not it. Look at the script better, please. The response to "set up a fence" is "for defence".

Meb: The response to "put up a rail" is "for real". [1]

Fuu: Oh, you're right. I messed up.

Meb: (I'm worried about our future, but for now, we just have to keep practicing.)

[Next day]

[Hallway]

Fuu: Alright, time for more practice. Got to sneak to the rooftop so that nobody notices...

Kar: Hm? Fuu, what are you sneaking around for? Where are you going?

Fuu: Wah, Karin! D-Don't just say I'm sneaking around, how rude of ya. Well, see ya!

Kar: What's with her? Suspicious... There's clearly something going on..

[Passage]

Suz: Huh? Mebu, you're not going home with us?

Meb: Y-Yeah. I have some business to take care of today, so go back without me.

Aya: Mebuki-senpai, you seem busy lately.

Shi: Where are you sneaking off every day?

Meb: Uh, that's, well...

Wak: Hm? What's wrong with you all?

Suz: Wakaba-san! You see, Mebu's...

Meb: I-It's nothing. Don't worry about it, you girls. Specifically, Wakaba...

Yum: Mebuki-san, not only are you suspicious, you are also incoherent.

Meb: A-As if that could ever be, ya dolt! ...Ah! N-Nothing. I'll be going now.

Wak: Haah... I'm curious... What could they be hiding?

Hin: Wakaba-chan, what happened?

Anz: Sighing isn't like you, Wakaba-san.

Tam: Did you eat a spoiled mandarin or something?

Wak: T-That's not it. I'm not you, Tamako.

Tam: Tama wouldn't eat something like that either! Seriously though, what's with the long face?

Wak: You see, it's about Fuu-san and Mebu. There's this and that...

Hin: Ehehe, I see. That is intriguing.

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Notes:
1 - Original wordplay - "kakoi" (fence, enclosure) - "kakkoii" (cool), "hei" (wall, fence) - "hee" (exclamation of surprise)