idolpro | Kino's Heart Game

I mean, they ain't wrong.

If you're doing it for fun, it's just fun, right?

[The child nods, clearly satisfied Hurricane gets it.]

Jobs are hard. They're not fun. But we must do them to live on. If there's fun in it, then traveling is not a job.

"I dunno..."

That's why tomorrow-- No, the day after! The day after tomorrow, I'll be getting an operation.

"Operation for what?"

For me to turn into an adult. That's why this is my 'final week'.

Wait. For real? But operations don't turn you into an adult.

You just grow up.

[Now they're looking over at Hurricane, expression surprised and confused. He seemed like he understood?]

Huh? No. When you turn twelve, they give you an operation to take out the child in our heads and leave behind only adults. That way we can become splendid, hard-working adults who do our work without fail, even if we don't want to, and even if we think it's not the right thing to do.

[At some point their words sound like they're repeating what an adult said rather than something they actually understand on a personal level. Kino, for his part, looks disturbed upon hearing this.]

[Hurricane also looks disturbed,]

What, like - a lobotomy or something?

[They still look confused.]

Lo-bo-to-my?

[And then, realization:]

You didn't get the operation? Even though it's thanks to that any child can become a proper adult?

[Kino pauses for a moment before answering.]

"I don't know what a 'proper adult' is. Is one a proper adult for being able to do things they don't like? To keep on forever doing things they hate-- is that what makes life fun? And to be forcibly made to do so through operations... I don't really understand."

[The child is just growing more and more puzzled with this.]

But... aren't you two adults?

"Not really. If we're going by your definition of adults, then absolutely not."

Super not.

That's - what you're describing sounds real bad, dude.

[Their brows knit together. Huh???]

But... doesn't that mean you're children? Like me?

"Not really. Going by your definition of children, then I guess I'm not."

Then... what in the world are you?

[The look between Hurricane and Kino, mystified.]

I mean... I'm a teenager.

Where I'm from, we say it's between kids and adults.

Teenager?

[The child doesn't seem familiar with the word.]

"As for me... I'm Kino. A guy named Kino. I guess that's it. Oh, and I travel."

Doing things you like to do?

"That's right. I like to travel, so I travel. I won't be able to make a living by doing just that, of course, so I sell medicinal herbs and other unusual stuff I find on the way. I suppose that could be considered a job. But fundamentally, I travel-- Doing things I like and want to do."

Doing things you like...

[...Now the child seems kind of put off, as though only just now realizing such a thing was possible.

They look between Hurricane and Kino again.]

What is it that you like to do the most?

I dunno.

Just, like... messing around, I guess. Doing whatever, whenever I wanna, without anything serious business to worry about doing.

[Kino smiles, watching Hurricane and the child.]

"What about you?"

[The child's expression lights up.]

I like to sing!

[Perhaps seeing a good avenue to change the conversation, Kino grins.]

"I like to sing, too. I often sing during my journey."

[Taking a breath, he warbles out:]

I’ll give you some flowers
Some lovely, colorful flowers.
So that you might be happy.
So that you might smile.

[It's... bad. It's really, really bad. The child starts giggling before it's even over, and even Kino smiles apologetically before saying:]

"I did bad, didn't I?"

Yup. Very.

Hey, long's you're having fun with it, that's the important part, ain't it?

[Kino nods cheerfully.]

"Exactly. Even though I don't seem to be improving, I have fun when I sing."

[The child gets an excited glint in their eyes, and takes in a breath and begins to sing.

Kino looks surprised. But when the song ends, he's clapping immediately.]

[Clapping, too!]

Whoa! That was awesome!

"You're good! I'm surprised. You're the best singer I've ever heard."

[The child seems embarrassed, and when they speak, it's shy:]

Thank you.

"You like to sing, and you're this good at singing, so how about becoming a singer?"

I can't become a singer.

"Why not?"

Because my mother and father aren't singers.

"......"

Adults give birth to children so that they would have someone to take over their jobs, right? Things have always been this way.

I mean... that ain't how it is other places, no.

Other places, you can do what you want, or what you're good at.

[The child's brow furrows, and Kino shoots Hurricane a warning look.]

"It seems that's just the way this country is."

[Simply and firmly, with the tone of ending a conversation, Kino returns to his work on the motorrad.]

Yeah, but okay, if they're for real gonna do surgery on a kid to cut out all the fun, maybe it shouldn't be?

[Kino glances Hurricane's way, shaking his head a little in warning, before wordlessly continuing to work on the motorrad.

The child, realizing that he probably isn't going to talk anymore, just frowns and gets up to go back inside.]

What? It's the truth, dude.

Even if it is, we can't tell them to just cut it out while we're staying as guests in their country.

You could be killed if you aren't careful.

And that kid could get killed if we don't say nothing.

Or - as good as killed.

Edited 2022-02-18 05:28 (UTC)

[He sighs, stopping his work to cross his arms.]

Then what? How do you plan to save them?

Ask if they wanna go and take off in the middle of the night.

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