Lament of the Lamb (羊のうた)

Song of the Sheep Hitsuji no Uta Chapter One

You know, you've been sleeping in class a lot lately.

Really?

Hmmm... my body... it just seems so tired these days.

Heh... is that so?

Isn't it about time for the turn of the seasons? Maybe that's it?

I wonder...

Eh? Kazuna, is that all you're having?

Yeah... my appetite's gone bad somehow.

Are you serious?

You should exchange places with my sister then.

She said she needs to diet, but she keeps eating even though she's already so overweight...

So, have you talked to your parents about what university major you want to take?

Nah, I'm not going to a university.

Eh? For real?

Well... it's not like you don't know about my "family"...

It's OK, isn't it? You don't need to be shy with them.

I can't do that...

No matter how well my father knows them, it's not like we're related by blood.

Even if you say that...

You're uncle... he's planning on officially adopting you, isn't he?

Yeah, but...

Your dad, what is he doing now?

Who knows.

He's a rather famous doctor, maybe he's starting up a new practice somewhere.

I don't really know.

My uncle doesn't say anything...

...and I didn't want to ask either.

You haven't seen him for a while now, have you?

Yeah, how long has it been... ten years or so since my mother passed away?

I'm sure he has his reasons and all, but...

...I don't really bother anymore.

Damn! Must be great to have such a unique family environment.

We call people like you "guys with a history".

Let's go home.

Ah, sorry, but I can't. I have club activities after this.

Well, do your best then.

Art Room

Eh? How come you're alone?

It's always like this.

The teacher rarely comes by.

The bin and the can seem very red.

Crimson lake.

It's my favorite color but...

...it's too red. Guess this is a failure.

Yaegashi, will you be going to art college?

Yes I will, are you?

I didn't even think about it.

You didn't think about it last year, either.

You came here to attend the club activity didn't you?

Eh?

Aren't you going to paint or something?

Um...

Now that I think about it, I've never seen any of your drawings.

Why did you join the art club anyway?

It seemed right, since I have so much time.

(TL Note: A haunted school is sometimes used as an excuse for not attending any clubs.) Wouldn't it be better if you just said the school is haunted and not join anything?

It's no good. Maybe I should just give this up and start over.

Yaegashi... your fingers...

...blood is...

Oh, I cut myself with this just now.

An older sister?

You may not remember this, but you have a sister who is a year older than you.

Uncle, where is my sister now?

I think she's living with your father.

She was a weak child.

With my father...?

Ah, you're still alive. Phew, that's good.

Looks like I fell asleep.

I had a dream.

What of?

A dream of when I was still a kid. I'm having it a lot these days.

Are you sure you don't have a fever?

I think you'd better go home.

Yeah, I think I should.

Will you be coming by again tomorrow?

Yeah.

Yaegashi seems rather unfriendly and rarely smiles.

That's fine but...

Kazuna, your father just lost your mother.

And with your sister who's weak, he didn't think he could properly raise the both of you by himself.

By tracing my memory from when I was in elementary school, I went back to see my old house.

There wasn't anybody there...

...and I felt as if I wasn't just left in somebody else's care, but that I was unwanted and abandoned.

Beware! Railroad Crossing!

Why am I remembering things about my old house now...

To suddenly remember all this after such a long time, what is really going on?

Even if I may have lost my family...

It's still here.

Takashiro

The nameplate is... still as it was.

The garden... is still being tended to.

Who?

Who are you?

Uh... Um... I'm from this...

...who are you?

I belong to this house.

So you remembered?

I came here once before.

Do you remember me as well?

Yeah.

Do you come here often?

I live here.

You came back? So, father as well...?

Father passed away, half a year ago.

Eh? I didn't hear about that...

Why!? Why didn't you tell me? Am I not his son as well?

I did tell Uncle Eda about father, though.

Even today, I still cannot recall what father looked like.

So I don't really feel sad or anything even though I hear that he's passed away.

After all, I was as good as abandoned.

But, to not inform me of something like that...

Don't you think it's overly strange?

Looks like the wind has stopped.

Kazuna, you weren't abandoned.

So please don't hold it against father.

It was father himself who asked Uncle Eda not to tell you about us.

He wanted for you to lead a normal life.

From generation to generation, we Takashiros have always lived a self-respectful life.

We talked about our intentions yesterday.

If it's alright with you, we'd really like to adopt you.

Although, I may not be as good a mother.

Well now, I'm going.

The Takashiro family is of a vampiric line.

You expect me to believe that!?

And here I was seriously listening to you!

I'm just saying vampiric as an example.

You could say that it is an illness that is passed within our bloodline.

When you get spasms, it means that you're craving for blood.

This is a regular occurrence among those of Takashiro descent.

Those with this so called heart-sickness...

...when they feel the craving for blood, they feel the need to bite into a person's neck.

Kazuna.

Ah, good morning, Uncle.

Where's Natsuko?

She already left. She said she was going to be late.

I see.

Uncle...

Hmm?

Lately, has my father contacted you or anything?

Not really, no.

Why do you ask all of a sudden?

No, it's nothing.

I just felt like asking, that's all.

Everyone's hiding something from me...

Huh? What's so funny?

Nothing. It's just funny that you're so clueless.

But that's to be expected, since everybody is trying to make sure that you are.

Ah, Takashiro-kun, what are you doing?

Nothing in particular. Just spacing out.

You seem to have a lot of time, Takashiro-kun.

Yeah well, I've already said I'd come today and all...

Why don't you become my model?

Eh? Your model? Me?

Oh, all you have to do is sit on that chair over there.

It's fine if you don't want to.

No, that's not it... I'm fine with it.

Her hand is so white...