Active Happiness Theory
<…I’m putting my life on the line to restore HAMA.>
<Does our lack of large retail facilities and developmental investments mean that our city is unappealing? The answer is, of course, no.>
<Even with our limited resources, if we can add value to them and present them in a meaningful way, we will see a difference. That is our duty to you as HAMA Tours.>
<Ward 15, Ward 16, Ward 17, and Ward 18, of which many of the people here today reside in, are absolutely indispensable to HAMA, and they will be vital in our strategic planning.>
<As you witnessed earlier, these five have all been awarded their titles as our newly-appointed mayors…>
……
Nagi, take some deep breaths.
Hey, hey, do you think I can eat some Gari Gari Candy?
I think it should be fine as long as you don’t make any noise. Right, Brother Dearest…?
No, it won’t. Put it away.
(The inauguration ceremony… This is our fourth time doing one, but I always get so nervous…)
Well, we ain’t got no fancy Chinatown or anythin’ in our ward, so it’s a bit calmer than the others. I’m a fan of that myself.
But it’s a bit sad that we haven’t gotten any mayors for our area until today.
All of the other HAMA Tours projects worked out really well! So I think we can trust them.
Right! This new batch of mayors looks pretty interesting too, especially the idea of having twin mayors. And both of them are just so adorable!
Not many folks in the audience, but it looks like everyone here’s a local resident hopin’ to see their wards grow.
Right… Hang in there, Night Team…! We need to let the citizens know that they can trust us first and foremost!
<With the addition of our new Night Team, as a representative of our ward mayors, I hereby declare to you all that we swear to meet your expectations of us and fulfill our duty to you as mayors.>
*applause*
<And now, a word from the Night Team leader and Ward 16 mayor, Hachinoya Nagi.>
Yes!
*feedback ringing*
<Um… Hello. My name is Hachinoya Na—>
*thump* *feedback ringing*
He just hit his head on the mic…
<Ow… Ah… I’m so sorry. Uhh…>
<……>
<……>
<……>
Technical difficulties? Should we tell them about it?
N-Nagi-kun, calm down! Actually, I think you might be too calm right now!
He is frozen in plaaace.
Yes… Just watching him is making me feel anxious.
How the hell is this guy allowed to be our leader…?
Th-The cue cards, Nagi-kun! The ones you made yesterday! In your pocket…! Your cue cards!
Oh, right. I have cue cards. Um…
Oh, he finally moved!
<……>
He’s frozen again…
(Why are my cue cards wet? I can’t read anything on them.)
(Oh… When I was in my room drafting my speech yesterday someone called for me so I put the cards in my pocket and took them with me when I left my room but I forgot to take the cards out when I did my laundry and also on the way here I used the water fountain—)
*crowd clamoring*
…He’s been silent for a while. The crowd’s gettin’ pretty antsy.
What if Nagi-kun leaves a bad impression on them…?
(Oh, well. Time to give up on these.)
Hm? He put the cards back in his pocket…
<I was wondering to myself if I’ve really done everything I possibly could up to this point.>
He started talking, but…where is this going?
At least think about the damn context…!
<Things don’t usually go well for me, so I constantly find myself hesitating to do things.>
<To me, life has always been like a river flowing in front of me, and all I do is stand there and watch the water run past.>
<But I sprinted up a long hill to chase after someone, and clung to his legs with all of my might… I jumped into that flowing river, and finally did everything I possibly could, and things started to change for the better.>
<So I want to keep doing everything I possibly can.>
……
He just stiffened up. Is it over?
<Um.>
Naw, he’s got more in ‘im!
<A washing machine / renders both stains and cue cards / completely stark white. That’s all.>
<HAMA NICE TRIP.>
I think I did a pretty good job on the speech.
Fucking HOW?! We were literally dyin’ from secondhand embarrassment up there!
Ah— Urngrgnh… Don’t shake me around…
Let go of Nagi-shaaaan!
Both of you, calm down, yes!
Yes!
Um, well, you all did a great job today. Eat and drink as much as you’d like tonight, so you can restore your energy for tomorrow.
You did very well on the speech, Nagi.
I was very Impressed.
You did your best up there!
It was amusing!
Yeah. But everyone in the audience left as soon as they could.
Yeah, an old guy passin’ by was all like “Oh, the future seems bleak for my neighborhood.” It was pretty funny.
Manager Daniel…!
What? I’m not all that nervous about anything.
(Maybe you’re not nervous, but the other team members might be…! If Nagi-kun gets upset, then—)
Chief, the future is bright.
Huh?
I’ve always thought that I was powerless to do anything in this world. But I was able to stop Ryui with my own two hands—
Not figuratively, but literally.
And it made Toi smile. The happiness from that moment gave me newfound strength that I still feel to this day. It glistens from within me.
Doesn’t look like it does.
Danny, let him speak.
I’ve always been afraid that happiness would hurt me, so I’ve let go of so many things.
But now I hear a voice whispering to me. It’s telling me to take all of it back.
Is it a spirit guide?
Hmm, I don’t really feel like—
There’s nothin’ you can do if you don’t got confidence.
Then that means I can do anything now.
(Nagi-kun’s never said something this optimistic before…!)
Yeah! As long as you’re still alive, you have to be happy.
…! You “have to be” happy… Yeah.
Happiness is derived from a chemical reaction in the brain, therefore, anyone is able reproduce the emotion. Would you mayhaps like to know my sources for this fact?
Yes, please. I’ll read all of them. And…
I will become happy.
That’s the spirit!
And after I become happy, I’ll scatter flowers everywhere, and make the whole world happy.
That’s a wonderful idea!
The hell do you mean by scattering flowers? Sounds creepy as all fuck.
Oh, by the way, Ryui. Y’got a business or anythin’…?
Oh, I need one to be a ward mayor, right?
Right. The concept of the Night Team is “small business owners connected to the local community”.
Toi and I are lookin’ for a place to set up.
We found one with wonderful feng shui! Its direction and layout provide the perfect balance of yin and yang… But…
The owner ain’t the greatest.
He’s an old friend of the great master… Our grandfather.
Someone must be pullin’ the strings behind the curtain, ‘cuz I can’t get through to the guy.
I tried asking him myself, but…
Ya didn’t need to go outta your way. But thanks.
(I do remember how Toi-kun told us that Ryui-kun wasn’t on great terms with their family…)
It woulda been easy if he weren’t there… Dammit.
Is he a nuisance?
Pretty much.
Then perhaps I can take control of his brain signals and change his mind. Human brains are quite ea—
He said that we can take control of his drain signals and change his pipes as a free plumbing service to deepen our friendship.
Or I could make an exact clone and fake the registry documents—
He said that we can take an exact loan and partake in the registry documents.
The fuck you talkin’ about?
Oyoyo?
Thank you, Netaro-san. You’re always trying to help us out.
That is because you are a very important human to me, Toy.
Huh…? Y-You’re important to me too, Netaro-san…
We should watch the next episode of AI Belly Landing when we arrive home.
Yeah! And we should get lots of Gari Gari Candy on the way back too!
Yaaaayy!
Looks like Studio Ghizli really kicked off their friendship.
…HUH?
(Ryui-kun looks really mad…!)
Have you decided on what kind of business it will be?
…I ain’t gonna tell you.
Oh, my… Haha, you’re very secretive, aren’t you? Or perhaps you just like to keep things a surprise.
…Tch.
Aww, it’s still a secret? You haven’t even told me yet…
……
Brother Deareeest, can you tell me?
…Fine. I’ll let you in on it.
Yay!
(He’s whispering to him… They’re so cute. He sure does dote on him a lot.)
A mysterious boy with an eyepatch who refuses to reveal the name of his domain… That sounds somewhat romantic.
We’ll find out eventually anyway.
Let’s leave the topic alone until he’s ready to tell us. Just for now, okay?