Konto ga Hajimaru (Life's Punchline / Tale Begins / コントが始まる)

Life's Punchline Skit Begins Translations: neet21 tsunaideiku

The skit is titled Water's Trouble.

Yukai Ramen Shop. This must be the place I was called to.

Welcome!

You can sit here.

I'm Ikeyama from Water's Trouble 777, we got a call from you a moment ago.

Oh, the plumber I called! Thanks for coming.

Let's just get straight to the point, how can I help you?

Are you sure you can handle any kind of water issues?

Of course.

Our company's motto is to accept and repair anything water-related: toilets, waterworks, bathrooms, roof leaks, anything.

- You can't. - Excuse me?

I said you definitely can't!

I don't mean to boast, but

there hasn't been a single request that I've turned down so far.

- We're in serious trouble. - What's the problem?

When he touches water,

the water turns completely into melon soda.

What? Melon soda?

Try drinking the water from that glass, then you'll see.

It's melon soda.

See?

When he takes the cups of water I poured to the customer's table,

it will all turn into melon soda!

Was this really just water?

I put all of my effort into making delicious ramen

but when he takes it the soup will turn into melon soda!

When I turn on the faucet, the water is melon soda!

I got him to go clean the toilet,

but now the water in the toilet bowl is ...

melon soda!

You drank it?

Look!

- It's changed! - What's changed?

- Look, the word "Water." - What?

Melon soda's trouble 777.

Even the word for water changed?

Ah, look at this!

The Ike (pond) in Ikeyama has changed into melon soda.

Ponds are made of water too, right?

Why do you look that happy?

Let's see, will this change too?

What do you mean?

My name also has characters in it related to water.

- Oh, it changed. - Unbelievable!

Look at this!

Melon soda, melon soda, melon soda Taro?

Now the question is, what exactly are the 3 kanji characters

that have been changed to melon soda?

What's so interesting about it?

I don't think it's that funny.

I just like it.

Aren't you supposed to like comedians because they're funny?

It's not as simple as that.

Is it because they're your type?

No, they are not.

At least one of them must be your type, right?

It's not like you think.

Then why are you so into them?

Huh? Does it look like I'm that into them?

I mean, you watch those comedians' videos whenever you're free.

Don't you dare call them comedians, they're Macbeth.

Macbeth?

The play by Shakespeare?

Well, I don't think it has anything to do with that.

How did you become their fan?

They meet every week at the restaurant I work in, to plan their performances.

So, that's how they sold themselves to you.

Nah, it's more of a one-sided interest, on my part.

Then how did you know their group name?

I just happened to hear it when I took their order.

Seriously?

I only told her one lie.

I lied about accidentally overhearing the group's name.

They talk about it, though.

They do talk about it, or rather, they talk about it a lot.

The story goes back to one year ago.

The three of them came to our restaurant for the first time.

Three days after the restaurant opened.

It was the night of a new moon.

- Welcome! How many people-? - How many does it look like?

- Excuse me? - Is she tuned in with spiritual things?

- Stop it. - For three people, please.

Got it.

After that, they started coming to the restaurant at a set time each week.

We'd like to order, Miss!

You've got a ding-dong (ring bell) here, use that.

But it sounds kinda bossy and unpleasant.

Have you decided your order?

Calling the waitress Miss sounds more bossy, right?

I don't mind if you call for me either way.

See?

- Three cups of hot coffee, please. - Noted!

I'll take your menu.

Junpei, do you call this ding-dong?

- What else would you call it? - It's a buzzer.

No but, a buzzer goes “buzz.”

You really think it's different because they sound different?

- It says Summoning Bell. - See? You're wrong too.

But I feel like calling it a bell doesn't really describe it properly.

Right? If you're asked to ring the bell, wouldn't you understand it?

It should just be called a buzzer.

No, a buzzer should be more, you see, like this,

like being grabbed by the collar, like this.

Since then,

I've been seeing the three of them around the neighborhood a lot.

- Name? - Oh, it's changed!

Incredible! Look at this!

Junpei, could you look a little more surprised in that scene?

And the thing that most surprised me ...

I found out that the three of them were living together

on the same floor of the next-door apartment building.

Punch, punch, punch. You should use your left too.

My curiosity about them slowly grew out of control.

I wondered what their comedy group's name was.

It was a real challenge to find out who they were.

I searched through all the major comedy companies one by one,

but I couldn't find them.

I finally found them on a corner of a company's homepage, home to many musicians.

It was after a week of searching,

that I figured out their group name.

Macbeth.

They are called Macbeth.

Whether it was from the sense of accomplishment that I had finally found the group name,

or from the futility of the time I wasted,

I cried for a some time.

It was the first time I had cried in a year

since the day I quit the company.

- Nakahama! - Yes?

- You've been looking so cheerful lately. - Have I?

I was worried that you might quit sometime soon.

I won't quit, my apartment rent costs me a lot of money.

How much is it?

- I'll take the order! - Rina it's alright, I can do it!

I couldn't get used to having my part-time job at first

but thinking that I'd be able to see Macbeth once a week made me feel more positive.

- Have you decided on your order? - Yes.

No way!

This apartment ...

How is it?

Well, the building is quite old, but ...

Even I felt I had gone too far, though.

I took a look at the apartment next to theirs.

Why? You okay?

I'd like to praise my courage for managing to stop myself from moving into that apartment.

In the past six months,

Macbeth has become a part of my life.

Cheering for the three of them in secret

has become my current source of emotional support.

I realized that recently.

And today,

I'm going to see their show live, for the very first time.

I wonder what kind of look they'd give me if they knew I came to see their show.

Has that poster for that comedy group Macbeth always been there?

Yeah, it's always been up there.

Why do you ask?

Nothing, just my sister said she's going to see their show today.

Why?

She seems to like them.

Those kind of people exist, though.

Have you ever seen Macbeth at our place?

What? They come here often?

The blonde guy called Shunta comes often.

He said he'd come for a drink after the show, so I'll introduce you.

You don't have to, I'm not that interested in them.

I'm so glad you changed your mind!

Why don't you come over here and have a drink with us?

We've chilled the champagne we bought to celebrate our move.

Thank you so much.

Where the hell did you get in!

I don't like it!

Thank you very much for coming to Macbeth's independent show “Phases of the Moon” Vol.14 today.

If you have the time, we would appreciate it if you could take a moment to fill out our questionnaire.

We have one final important announcement to make.

After our next independent performance in June,

Macbeth will be disbanding.

- Seriously? No way! - What!?

- You guys are quitting? Disbanding? - What? It's not true, right? No way!

What should I hold on to as my source of emotional support after this?

Nakahama?

How do you know my name?

I saw your name tag, at the restaurant.

I see.

Shunta often talks about you.

Really? What kind of talk!?

“She seemed to be in a good mood today," or "Her voice sounded bouncier than usual,” etc.

Well, it's really just trivial things like that.

- We live together, though. - Oh, is that so?

I was surprised.

I didn't expect you to know about us.

I thought I might be bothering you guys by coming to see your show.

It wasn't a bother at all, we were happy that you came.

Why are you guys planning to disband?

Well ...

It's because of a promise we made. - A promise?

Yeah, from 10 years ago.

The three of us met 12 years ago.

We went to the same high school,

And Junpei was the one who first suggested we perform comedy.

Haruto!