Brush Up Life (ブラッシュアップライフ)

Administer poison.

Poison?

What? Are you serious?

Yes.

We're going to poison Nakamura-san to death?

No, we won't kill him.

We're just going to make him unable to move for a while.

Look, Ah-chin, you graduated from pharmacy and medical schools, so

- don't you know that kind of things? - That kind of things?

Isn't there some kind of drug that would make him unable to move for half a day or so?

- Like food poisoning? - Yes, something like that.

Is that something you can concoct?

Oh... it's not like I can't do it, but...

- we won't get away with it, will we? - What do you mean?

Because if something like that happens to the captain,

they'll be sure to check what he put in his mouth just before.

I'm sure they will.

Then we'll be the first to be suspected.

- We'd be the prime suspects. - Right?

We'll get called back immediately, and they'll arrest us.

I guess that's what will happen.

- Are you okay with that? - No, I'm not really okay with that, but

isn't that better than 180 people losing their lives?

I guess.

Well, but you know,

we haven't decided for sure that we're going to do it.

- That's right, huh? - Yeah.

If you go ask more more time, and he still says no...

- then we'll do it. - Okay.

By the way, how does this work virtue-wise?

- Ah~ I wonder, huh? - I mean,

I was told I was going to be a human next, but I declined and came back, so

I'm prepared not to be a human, but

that's not to say I don't mind being just anything.

That goes for me too.

- Eh? Wait a minute. - Hm?

- Ah-chin, were you told you were going to be human?

Yes, I was.

By the way, what were you told the last time?

The last time?

- Sea slater... - Oh, sea slater, huh?

It's that one. The one that's called "cockroach of the sea."

No, it's just called that, but it's a completely different creature.

Yes, you're right.

So Ah-chin, you declined to be a human and started over again.

- That's admirable. - No, no.

But Maririn, if you were told that you'd be a human next,

you would've started over, wouldn't you?

- I suppose so. - Hm?

- What? - There was a strange pause just now.

No, no... I'll start over.

- You wavered for a second, didn't you? - I did not waver.

- You wavered, you wavered... - I didn't, I didn't.

- That's not true. - That's terrible...

- No wonder you were told sea roach. - Please don't shorten it.

It's a different creature.

- Excuse me. - Yes?

Horiguchi-san, excuse me. It's about that Flight 937, but

is there anything you can do within your power?

I know you're always helping me out, so

I'd like to be of help to you too, but

this is one thing that's impossible even for me.

I see. For example,

if he could take my place on a different flight to Taipei that I'm on,

Nakamura-san's airport license won't have to expire.

If it was a more junior pilot,

it would be possible to make such a request, but

to ask that of Captain Nakamura would be a little...

- Impossible? - I think so. For the time being,

in the event Captain Nakamura has to cancel out,

I'll make sure you get called in.

- I see. - I'm sorry.

That's the best I can do in my position.

That's all right. I'm sorry for the unreasonable request.

It's true that no matter how much of a career I had built up,

compared to Nakamura-san, I'm still a nobody.

But still, I have to make him let me take his place.

Nakamura-san.

Excuse me. It's in regards to that Flight 937.

Is there any way you can let me take your place?

Like I said, that's impossible.

If I don't fly that flight, my airport license will expire.

In that case, before your license expires,

you can take my place on a different flight to Taipei.

No, I have my schedule too.

- It's not that easy to do. - That's why I'm begging you please.

- For your fellow hometowner's sake. - Look.

- Yes? - Aren't you misunderstanding something?

Pardon me?

In the first place, you can't ask for a specific flight. That's the rule.

But everyone's submitting requests for one reason or another.

In fact, the reason you got on this flight is because...

I've had enough of you!

Mine's because my airport license is about to expire. It's a work-related reason.

But you want me to give up my spot for a personal reason

like because my childhood friends will be on that flight.

Don't you think your request is over the top?

I'm sorry...

- For real? - He was utterly unmoved.

I see.

Then we have no choice but to resort to our extreme measure.

Let's do it.

Let's see...the route Nakamura-san takes is

Uh~ um... uh...

Hey, why don't we move this to the side and spread it out?

- Oh, the table? - Yeah.

Uh, Nakamura-san

oops... every time...

comes in through this service entrance, and

- takes this route, right? - Yes, he does.

By the way, for Flight 937,

it's this boarding gate 61 here.

Don't you have a smaller version of this?

A small one?

And Nakamura-san

goes into the crew's lounge 2 hours before every flight

and has a cup of coffee at this table.

So I'll be in the crew's lounge by 9:50 and

- waiting at the table by the window. - Okay.

And when Nakamura-san sits down,

I'll ring you once, so can you come in then

and start talking to Nakamura-san from the other side?

I'll talk about things like the weather.

And, while Nakamura-san is looking towards Maririn,

I'll lace his coffee.

How effective is that?

Within 30 minutes at the most, he'll be overcome by diarrhea and vomiting,

and he'll be in practically the same condition as food poisoning for at least half a day.

Soon after, I'll get a call, and I'll go on board as the captain

- and Maririn, you'll board as the copilot as scheduled. - Okay!

We're finally turning into criminals, huh?

We'll certainly be criminals.

I guess we won't be able to go back to our hometown, huh?

Well, if that happens,

the two of us can live somewhere far away.

But first, let's make sure our plan succeeds.

All right.

And...

the day of the fateful flight,

two and a half hours before departure,

we're finally going to be carrying out the plan.

I'm going to mix toxic substance in my superior's drink

and cause food poisoning.

Who would've thought I'd be using the knowledge that

I learned in my previous rounds of life for something like this.

Needless to say, this is a criminal act, and

upon our return, we will be arrested.

That would probably cause trouble for my family,

and Nacchi and Miipon will distance themselves from us too.

Even so, none of that

will replace the lives of the 180 passengers on board, including...

Kondo-san?

- How have you been! - Eh~!

- Kawaguchi-san? - Yes! We finally get to meet!

- Why?! - After we talked last time,

I told myself that I'd try to do something new if I have a next time.

Then in my next life, I just happened to be thumbing through a magazine,

and you were on there as a pilot

- You saw that? - Yes.

After I saw that, I thought the airline industry may not bad,

- and applied to this company where you were at. - Is that right?

But now that I'm here, it's a pretty tough job.

Of course, it's rewarding, but

the hours are irregular, and it's hard to maintain good physical condition.

- I guess so. - Also, I found out that

- there's an obnoxious boss in any profession. - That may be so.

Of course, there are nice people too, but...

Listening to a long bitch session at a time like this is tough.

If I don't break this up soon, Nakamura-san will be here.

But listen to this.

I have a flight after this, but

yesterday, I was told by Captain Nakamura that

"Tomorrow there will be a passenger who's a friend of mine named Oukouchi so take good care of her."

"Does that mean give her preferential treatment?", I wondered and when I looked into it,

I found out that this passenger was Captain Nakamura's mistress.

Isn't that disgusting? He's going on an illicit trip with his mistress on board.

I really don't give a hoot about other people's illicit affairs and things, but

when I was working for the City Hall, that guy

gave me a really bad time at the counter once.

He was seriously nasty, so I remembered him clearly.

- Oh, really? - Yes.

After all he said about how I'm stealing the taxpayers' money,

there he is, mixing official business with personal matters, which got me pissed off.

I immediately called his wife anonymously and snitched on him.

Then he got suckered into getting his flight canceled.

Isn't that hilarious? He's probably getting chewed out at home right about now.

It seriously serves him right! I feel like telling him to go to hell.

Wait a minute...

Would that be...Flight 937?

Eh... that's right.

Nakamura-san got canceled?

That's what I heard.

Hello.

How's it going?

Yes, of course... Of course!

Thank you so much. Yes, I'm on my way.

Yes! Thank you.

Kawaguchi-san!

You're a savior~!

Thank you...