ReZero Extra: Natsuki Rigel
Speaker Color Code: Subaru, Rigel, Rem, Spica
“Rem’s birthday and Setsubun are here once more! By our powers combined, let’s make these days amazing!”
On February 2nd (self-decided), the first signs of a storm brew in the Natsuki household. And as usual, the one brewing it is the head of the household, Natsuki Subaru.
“We’ll do it as a family! You’ll help me won’t you, Rigel!”
Subaru gives a thumbs up, flashing a blindingly bright smile.
The young boy sighs deeply at his father’s pose, an unchildlike sternness on his face.
Bearing his mother’s beautiful blue hair and his father’s menacing eyes, nine year old Natsuki Rigel laments his very existence.
As he tries focusing on homework, Subaru anxiously shifts about, awaiting his reply,
“Dad’s lost it again….”
“That’s way too harsh! You skipped past ‘Huh, that’s kinda weird,’ and went straight to ‘My dad’s borderline insane’ territory! Plus, my request isn’t too hare-brained this time, is it? If anything, it’s brimming with love!”
“That blinding love of yours is what terrifies me. After living here for almost ten years, even I know to avoid it.”
With a cold stare and an even colder tone, Rigel pushes back an encroaching Subaru. “In the first place,” he continues,
“Mom’s birthday aside, all I’ve gotten out of that Setsubun thing is crippling trauma! Isn’t it just bean-tossing and sushi-eating? What’s so great about that weirdo fest….”
“Hey, don’t call it a weirdo fest. Yeah, on the surface it’s kind of a weird event, but like I said, there’s kind of a meaning and purpose to it. You could say it’s the Setsubun that’s kept our family safe from misfortune, afterall.”
“What about all my suffering? What about that misfortune?”
“That’s not misfortune, that’s called ‘daily life.’ You know, you’ll never get anywhere if you focus too much on all the bad things in life. Your stress’ll add up too.”
“Don’t say it like it’s my fault! I’m just a victim of my shitty Dad’s nonsense!”
Rigel slams the table and flies up. Fuming, he points outside the window with a finger.
In front of their house, numerous flyers with the headline [Come Celebrate Setsubun!] are pasted onto a magic streetlamp. They list date and time, details, and the organizer’s name----,
“That weirdo fest, you’re the one drumming it up into some bizarre town-wide event, right? Your name’s even listed as the organizer…. I-, I thought I would die of embarrassment at school today.”
“Well it’s a natural extension of my talents as a Producer. C’mon, now you can proudly boast something like ‘My Dad’s the HERO of my household!’”
“Maybe if the event wasn’t about smashing beans into my face!”
Rigel rips yet another flyer off a nearby wall. He points to a section below “Practices,” “Purpose,” “Details,” and the event date of February 3rd (self-decided). According to the flyer, [Oni] will run around the neighborhood being chased all day. And acting as their representative, will be [Natsuki Rigel].
“Don’t sell out your son without permission! What are you, an Oni!”
“You’re the Oni, and so is my wife. And well, I can’t let Rem do something this crazy. That’s why, I’ll swallow my tears and send off my dear son….”
“What are you, an Oni! No, you’re definitely an Oni!”
“Calm down. It’s not like everyone’s out for blood. Plus, you might be the representative, but there’ll be other Oni. I’ll be helping out too.”
Seeing Subaru’s bold, undaunted face, Rigel gives in.
In the first place, they’ve already fought this battle countless times since the event’s announcement. Each time, Rigel was utterly defeated, and the day of the event creeped ever closer. Now, there was simply no running or turning back. While his role was forced onto him, Rigel felt obligated to fulfill it.
----Such is the level-headed Natsuki Rigel’s harsh way of life.
“An event’s an event. Just take it like a man. But that’s not what I wanted to talk about.”
“....Mom’s birthday, right?”
“Exactly.”
As Subaru snaps his fingers, Rigel turns away.
By some twist of fate, the hectic Setsubun and the birthday of his mother, Natsuki Rem, are only a day apart.
----Grandly celebrating with his mother on the first day, then tasting a glimpse of hell on the next. This was their annual schedule.
“We can’t properly celebrate Mom’s birthday like this….”
“I won’t deny that it’s a jam-packed schedule, but enjoying two great days in a row is a blessing. Come on, be more optimistic. POSITIVE THINKING!”
“....We can’t properly celebrate Mom’s birthday like this….”
“Huh? Déjà vu?”
Déjà vu my ass.
Unmoved by his father’s speech, Rigel’s answer remains the same, right down to the syllable.
“I know you’re pretty tense about the Setsubun. But that’s no reason to make light of Rem’s birthday. It only comes once a year, you know. Won’t Rem be sad? So let’s switch gears here. I know you can do it.”
“-----. ----------. -----------------. ----------------------------ahh.”
Rigel takes some time to accept.
But arguing won’t get