Watashi to Kanojo no Synesthesia

Chapter 1 Watashi to Kanojo no Synesthesia

“uu…”

Potsun Potsun.

Kotsun Kotsun.

The noise resounds about the room as though it is trying to cause disorder. (TL note: Cause of her synesthesia)

…I hate the rain.

I’ve always been bad with the rain.

The rhythm of the raindrops always gives me the feeling as though it is slowly blotting out and corroding my existence. I especially hate it when it is like this, with the sound excessively reverberating about the room.

“Nn…”

On days like this, I will burrow into a futon without fail. Shutting my eyes in the darkness and focusing on the fragrance of the pillow.

The thick futon cuts off the sound, shutting my eyes allows me to disregard the colours, and immersing myself in the smell causes my awareness of the synesthesia to slip away. (TL note: unsure here 匂いに没頭することで音色を意識から外す)

By taking refuge in this futon capsule, I can protect myself from decaying. I won’t survive otherwise.

“…nyafuu”

Lured by the comfort, I spontaneously leaked out a sigh.

…..aa, so warm naa…

Yielding myself to the warmth in an experienced manner, I was just about to properly indulge myself when I feel my body getting shaken from outside. This is obviously an attempt to hinder my sleep. And this hindrance comes with a loud voice as a bonus.

“What are you doing? Fugaku Kisara chan?”

“Why the full name, Rinne Kokone chan”

“No reason in particular. By the way Kisara chan, isn’t this my futon?”

Of course I know that, that’s why I’m enjoying it. My own smell isn’t interesting at all. That’s why Kokone’s is good.

Nevertheless, her voice is as fluffy and sweet as ever. When I hear her slow “orange voice”, I feel super sleepy…

“…..gu”

“Aan Kisara chaaan, please don’t fall asleep?!”

“Ha….This human lullaby music box!!”

“What does that mean!?”

Although I can’t see her face, her expression is bound to be one of extreme bewilderment right now.

Having known her for so long, I can tell this much even without seeing it myself. Yet for the same reason, I also end up knowing stuff I don’t wish to know.

“As for why I’m sleeping….that’s because Kokone is here….”

“Please don’t say such ambiguous words with that look on your face!”

“There’s no evidence of me making that look when I’m completely covered by the futon…”

“I’ve known you for such a long time, of course I can tell what look you have right now!”

Tch. It seems we share the same advantage. With her words and shaking intensifying, my sleepiness was driven away. Reluctantly, I crawled out of the futon.

As light illuminated the room and restored my vision, I grimaced.

“Aa—-”

—–The world is so ‘gray’.

An alarm clock with the design of a character popular with girls nowadays, a wardrobe with dresses that are meaninglessly decorated with frills, a dresser littered with cosmetics and a contrastively neat study desk.

Anything and everything reflected upon my eyes are black and white, a monochrome world.

An unpleasant sight isn’t it.

Everything has been completely swallowed up by the rain.

The world before my eyes that’s been devastated by the colour of gray seems as though it is trying to break me apart.

“Good morninggg, Kisara chan”

In this world of gray, only Kokone has a vibrant colour.

Soft and full lips the colour of sakura, sleepy looking softly drooping blue eyes and a smile that gives off a fluffy feeling like cotton candy.

Her fluffy and wavy blond hair extends past her shoulders, and shakes with the tilting of her head as though it is dancing.

Good complexion, a gentle vibe, sufficiently bulging soft looking chest, and a cute dress with many frills.

From top to toe, a complete bishoujo. (TL note: pretty girl) Flawless beauty as though she is a well made french doll.

The girl before my eyes, fluffy and extremely adorable is completely different from me, with my pallid skin, nasty expression and flat chest.

The difference in girl power is evident. She stands on the opposite end of the spectrum, with her unmatched beauty.

Without any feeling of envy, I called out to her.

“Morning, Kokone….do you need something?”

“No no, that’s my line….why are you in my futon?” (TL note: Kokone uses “boku” to refer to herself which is less feminine compared to “watashi” that Kisara and most girls use)

“I thought you knew but….I hate the rain. That’s why I was in your futon to block my sight, hearing and smell.”

“Somehow the last one seems new…ehehe”

Breaking out a smile like soft boiled eggs once again, Kokone laughed. (TL note: Don’t ask me why orz 半熟の卵みたいな笑顔)

A sweet smile that seems to have plenty of sugar added in. A warm orange-coloured laughter that sounds like birds chirping—–

“——upu”

“Kisara chan?”

“Sorry, I feel sick….”

“….again?”

Orange mixed with a little blue , the result of worry added to amazement.

Her “voice” paints over the gray colour, and it really does put me at ease. However, my mind can’t handle the sudden change to the world, making me nauseous.

…..A troublesome body, same as ever.

My legs got tangled but Kokone caught me and I somehow managed to avoid falling down.

In my current posture, while thinking to myself that the black hair that entered my field of vision looks so gloomy, I shake my head.

“Are you alright?”

“Un…thanks Kokone”

While wringing out a word of gratitude, a single word comes to mind.

…..’Synesthesia’

The triggering of a different sense organ in response to a stimulus. For example, seeing the colour red and getting the feeling pain. For example, eating something sweet and getting the feeling of a round shape. For example—–hearing the sound of rain and seeing the colour gray.

“…..too much gray”

Even amongst those with this condition, mine is special. Due to extreme sensitivity, it’s at the extent of overwhelming my very soul.

The sound of rain, the sound of thunder and even human voices—–they swallow up my heart, the sight before my eyes.

The type of synesthesia where sound invokes a colour is known as ‘Chromesthesia’, while it seems that many who suffer from this have perfect pitch, I do not have such an ability.

It’s just that I hear colours.

It’s just unpleasant.

It’s just that.

“Kokone…..speak, continue….let me hear your voice….?”

Imploring, entreating her.

The only one I can rely on now is her.

Even my own voice is a muddy blue—-as though I’m drowning.

While gathering up Kokone’s soft, fluffy hair and fragrance as well as embracing her, I called out to her.

“Nee, Kokone…please….”

“U–n…..if you give out more sweetness, I’ll think about it ♪”

“Fuyu?!” (TL note: Probably short for fuyukai desu, Kyoukai no kanata’s Kuriyama Mirai catch phrase. It means unpleasant.)

“The current Kisara chan is so sweet….just a little more, okay..?”

“U,uu….”

I give up.

As seen, this is her shortcoming.

The current voice, a transparent orange colour—-truthfully and seriously so.

I am feeding her synesthesia.

Kokone’s synesthesia is “Lexical-gustatory synesthesia” (TL note: sound to taste).

To her, all sounds are food.

Every sound is able to trigger her sense of taste.

In other words, to her, hearing is the equivalent of eating.

“….Kokone”

“Eeh~ The current voice is bitter~ Are you making fun of me, Kisara chan?”

Narrowing her deep blue eyes, her voice drops by one octave.

Even without relying on the colour of red I feel, it’s evident that she’s discontented.

“Y, you don’t have to get mad with that super red tone of voice! Don’t you normally like eating this voice as well?!”

Kokone and I differ in that she doesn’t have like nor dislike any sounds. She’ll eat all sounds with relish.

In comparison, I get sick from hearing stuff, with the exception of a certain range of sound.

One who’s a glutton for sound and one who’s weak to them. That’s how the two of us are like.

“Kisara chan’s normal voice has a tasty bitterness, the sound of rain has a sweet cider-like taste but….for now, I want to hear Kisara chan’s sweet voice…?”

“The rain has a cider taste….I imagined it to a more water-like taste though.”

“Ki~sa~ra~cha~n~?”

Changing the topic to delay things was my plan but it didn’t work.

The colour I feel from the voice has left from the red zone and has the colour of black mixed in.

That which I hate most, black sounds.

“Hik….”

“Ah…sorry, Kisara chan.”

“Th, this, glutton devil….baka….gusu…”

“Ah, this verbal abuse, the bittersweetness is delicious….”

“…..the worst”

I’m really frightened over here yet she’s in ecstasy over my voice. Really the worst.

But, this is why Kokone—-there is a balance, and we are together like this.

Her gluttony is dangerous.

That’s why my existence is necessary.

I am terribly unstable.

That’s why her existence is necessary.

She will nibble at even screams and killing intent.

Should she feel inclined to——-the thought ’wanna eat’ entering her mind, she may end up hurting someone. Kokone stays true to her appetite, making her all the more dangerous.

In comparison, I dread both screams and killing intent.

Voices filled with negative emotions have always seemed to be like the pitch black colour of the bottom of wells.

Hence I act as Kokone’s restraints, and in compensation, I receive her pure—–transparent desire-filled voice.

This is our abnormal relationship.

Codependence—-abnormal codependence.

Synesthesia—-abnormal senses.

Duet—abnormal sonata. (TL note: 共奏曲で――狂奏曲。 Help D:)

“….♪”

I hear a song.

While being embraced tightly by Kokone, I hear a humming next to my ears.

“Nn”

Her breath brushes against my ear—-

“Ha, a…..”

—–The world is trembling with brilliance.

Her singing is adding colour to the world.

Painting out the gray, swallowing it completely.

The colours of the world are increasing, becoming vibrant.

“Nn…Kokone”

I called her.

My voice is a sakura colour mixed with blue.

Proof that this is the only way for me to get some peace of mind.

A colour that Kokone would feel sweet.

“….♪”

With sweetness acting as fuel, her humming got louder, releasing vivid colours.

Tempo changes and vibrato, every time ‘shakuri’ and ‘kobushi’ takes place, the scenery becomes ever more vivid and beautiful. A magic-like transformation.

(TL note: テンポの変化やビブラート、『しゃくり』や『こぶし』が起きるたびに、景色はより鮮やかに、美しくなる. Are shakuri 『しゃくり』 and kobushi 『こぶし』 musical terms?)

More.

I want to see more.

“Nn, Kokone….please, more—-”

—-Give me more of this beautiful world.

Fill my heart up with colours.

Since I will sate your appetite as well.

Let your voice resound more.

In this manner of painting out the rain, continue humming.

◇◆◇

“Nn….Kokone, I’m alright now…”

The sound of rain can still be heard.

While the sight of raindrops striking the window still brings about a feeling of depression, it is now way way better.

In front of the monochrome filter, I believe a beautiful world has spread out.

So I raise my head, in this grey world, for the sake of living.

“Ehh~ I still want a little more~?”

While shaking her hair and frills, Kokone tilted her head.

Truly a glutton, this troublesome girl.

“It’s fine to eat sounds, but you have to properly eat your meals as well.”

Synesthesia is after all just a sensory input.

While sound can stimulate her palate, it can neither fill up her stomach nor can it provide nourishment.

At the end of the day, her synesthesia is only just a linking of senses.

For the sake of living, she has to eat actual food.

My existence is also to ensure that she eats actual food that she is indifferent to.

“Che. Alright….It’s fine if I properly eat my meal righttt?

“Yeah. I understand that you dislike it….but you have to eat, okay?

The reason Kokone doesn’t like eating actual food is because of the sound of eating. Chewing, swallowing, and scraping of cutlery, the cacophony of such sounds evokes different tastes.

Even when she eats chocolate, the sound of chewing triggers a different taste due to synesthesia. This causes mayhem in her mind it seems.

Even so, she gave a nod to my words.

Despite the reluctance, she agreed with the movement of her head.

This is why I move for her sake.

In this colourless world.

“Ne….is there anything you wanna eat?”

For the sake of seeing her warm voice colours.

It might be unusual, but it’s mutual.

We, are together for the sake of sharing sounds.

◇◆◇

“Kisara chan, this tamagoyaki is salty…” (TL note: rolled omelette that’s supposed to be sweet)

“….That’s because of the synesthesia. Eating something changes the taste.”