Q

Vocals: Romonosov?
Lyrics: Romonosov?
Arranged by: Coro
Album: LiFESICK 【Official Site】
Circle: TAMAONSEN (魂音泉)
Event: C89
Original Themes: Flowering Night [フラワリングナイト]

Requested by: Rachel Lee

Update [12/12/2017]: Minor change to chorus [fixing 彼方]

This track’s intimidating because of how long the lyrics are, but it all flows together quite well. There’s one or two sections where single letters are used instead of proper words. my interpretations of these are directly next to them in brackets.

The final line is an extra line that appears in the ‘original’ (non-Touhou) version of this song. Watch the official video here.

(Also, this sounds a lot like Dreamy Noise and I really want to hear Yuu Kanade sing it.)

何故禁断の果実は美味なのか 短い時間で芯まで齧った
悴んだ時間は未だ止まったまま 蟠りは凝固し慢性痛を生む
縦横無尽に体を覆う呪縛
ムーンウォーク 藻掻く程遠ざかる
気持ちの行き場失くした為 泣く泣く認める 文房具
因果律は自業自得と既に答えの出た
自問自答みたいな問答は間違いを招くだけだ ダイヤモンド 砕けた
賑わう街に散り散りばらばらに降り注ぐクリスタル街を彩れば 疼くスティグマータ
疑問が尽きるなら 明日はgood day 夢 夢見よう

naze kindan no kajitsu wa bimi nanoka mijikai jikan de shin made kajitta
kajikatta jikan wa imada tomatta mama wadakamari wa gyouko mansei-tsuu wo umu
juuou mujin ni karada wo ou jubaku
muun uooku mogaku hodo toozakaru
kimochi no yukiba nakushita tame naku naku shitatameru bunbougu
ingaritsu wa jigou jitoku to sude ni kotae no deta
jimon jitou mitai na mondou wa machigai wo maneku dake da daiyamondo kudaketa
nigiwau machi ni chiri jiri bara bara ni furi sosogu kurisutaru machi wo iridoreba uzuku sutigumaata
gimon ga tsukiru nara asu wa good day yume yume miyou

Why does forbidden fruit taste so delicious? In just a few short moments, I munched it to the core.
Numb time remains stopped. My worries freeze and deliver chronic pain
Curses freely cover my body.
Moon walk. I get further away the more I struggle.
Because I lost a place for my feelings to go, I cry and cry and write it up with stationery.
The law of cause and effect is karma. That answer has already appeared.
Answering my own questions will only lead to misunderstandings! The diamond crumbled.
When its crystals, scattering down upon the busy town, colour it, the stigmata will throb.
If my doubts have been exhausted, tomorrow will be a good day. I shall dream.

今夢にまで見た夢に手が届きそうだから
難しいこと 全部払拭したいのにあの日の言葉離れない
揺れる 揺れる just the two of us 求めるものはきっと彼方
毛布の中に答えはないような気はするけど

ima yume ni made mita yume ni te ga todokisou dakara
muzukashii koto zenbu fusshoku shitai noni ano hi no kotoba hanarenai
yureru yureru just the two of us motomeru mono wa kitto kanata
moufu no naka ni kotae wa nai you na ki wa suru kedo

Now, it looks like my hands can reach the dream within my dream
So though I want to sweep away everything difficult, words from that day won’t go away.
Swaying, swaying… just the two of us. What I want must be over there
Though I feel like an answer won’t come to me in my blanket.

非現実だったら忌わしい敵も居ないし
今は恣意的に遊弋する執行猶予
いつから自ら作り出した方程式の中
盥回してきっとずっと
一方通行 メビウスの輪 ぐるりまわり同じ場所に来る
自己完結出来ないで自家撞着
暗中模索して約束の場所に行く
夢で見たネバーエンディングストーリーは
溜まったレジストリに過ぎない
只の変に都合いい現実逃避
それでも減っていく鉛筆の芯
苦しんで何故生きる？失くしたkey
朝起きると浮かぶQは全部杞憂？
なら

higenjitsu dattara imawashii teki mo inai shi
ima wa shi’i-teki ni yuuyoku suru shikkou yuuyo
itsu kara mizukara tsukuri dashita houtei-shiki no naka
tarai mawashite kitto zutto
ippou tsuukou mebiusu no wa gururi mawari onaji basho ni kuru
jiko kanketsu dekinai de jika douchaku
anchuu mosaku shite yakusoku no basho ni iku
yume de mita nebaa endingu sutoorii wa
tamatta rejisutori ni suginai
tada no hen ni tsugou ii genjitsu touhi
sore demo hette iku enpitsu no shin
kurushinde naze ikiru? nakushita key
asa okiru to ukabu Q wa zenbu kiyuu?
nara

If this isn’t reality, then unpleasant foes shouldn’t be here.
For now, I cruise about arbitrarily. It’s a stay of execution
Among an equation I once created myself
I hand my problems around. Surely, then,
I’ll end up in the same spot after circling around a one-way Moebius strip.
This is a self-contradiction without self-sufficiency.
Groping around in the dark, I go to that promised place.
The never-ending story I saw in my dream
Is nothing but an accumulated registry.
It’s just a weird, convenient escape from reality
But the lead of my pencil keeps decreasing.
Why live while suffering? I lost the key.
Are the Q(Questions) that float in my mind every morning needless anxiety?
If so…

俺は生意気に生きる
アスファルト蹴る
向かい風を切る

ore wa namaiki ni ikiru
asufaruto keru
mukaikaze wo kiru

I’ll live brazenly.
I kick off the asphalt
And cut through the headwind.

今夢にまで見た夢に手が届きそうだから
難しいこと 全部払拭したいのに あの日の言葉離れない
揺れる 揺れる just the two of us 求めるものはきっと彼方
毛布の中に答えはないような気はするけど

ima yume ni made mita yume ni te ga todokisou dakara
muzukashii koto zenbu fusshoku shitai noni ano hi no kotoba hanarenai
yureru yureru just the two of us motomeru mono wa kitto kanata
moufu no naka ni kotae wa nai you na ki wa suru kedo

Now, it looks like my hands can reach the dream within my dream
So though I want to sweep away everything difficult, words from that day won’t go away.
Swaying, swaying… just the two of us. What I want must be over there
Though I feel like an answer won’t come to me in my blanket.

夢にまで見た夢に手が届きそうな夢
瞼に焼きついたフライデーナイト 俺を彩る思い出を忘れない
濡れる濡れる just the two of us 求めるものはきっと貴方
何をしていても 誰と居ても 忘れられない いつまでも

yume ni made mita yume ni te ga todokisou na yume
mabuta ni yakitsuita furaidee naito ore wo irodoru omoide wo wasurenai
nureru nureru just the two of us motomeru mono wa kitto kanata
nani wo shite itemo dare to itemo wasurerarenai itsu made mo

In this dream, it looks like my hands can reach the dream within my dream.
The Friday night seared into my eyelids is a memory, coloured by me, that I’ll never forget.
Getting wet, getting wet… just the two of us. What I want must be over there
No matter what I do, no matter who I’m with, I will never forget that.

苦しんで何故生きる？失くしたkey
朝起きると浮かぶQにAを求
俺は生意気に生きる アスファルト蹴る
向かい風を切る All I need is kill 自分に指切る
なのに弱いままだ 足りない未だ
またとないチャンスはまたない
掴む藁 きっとそれは罠
I wanna change your mind (夢は叶わない)
報われる人生なんてそれ程多くないよ
人はそれをカルマと呼ぶけど
分かるわけねぇよ 全部くたばれよ
人の答えはひとつとは限らないさ
苦しくたって生きる 見つけるkey
朝浮かぶQにUを代入
俺は 生意気に生きる アスファルト蹴る
向い風を切る All I need is kill 君に指切る

kurushinde naze ikiru? nakushita key
asa okiru to ukabu Q ni A wo kyuu
ore wa namaiki ni ikiru asufaruto keru
mukaikaze wo kiru All I need is kill jibun ni yubi kiru
nanoni yowai mama da tarinai imada
mata to nai chansu wa mata nai
tsukamu wara kitto sore wa wana
I wanna change your mind (yume wa kanawanai)
mukuwareru jinsei nante sore hodo ookunai yo
hito wa sore wo karuma to yobu kedo
wakaru wake nee yo zenbu kutabare yo
hito no kotae wa hitosu to wa kagiranai sa
kurushiku tatte ikiru mitsukeru key
asa ukabu Q ni U wo dainyuu
ore wa namaiki ni ikiru asufaruto keru
mukaikaze wo kiru All I need is kill kimi ni yubi kiru

Why live while suffering? I lost the key.
I search for A(Answers) to the Q(Questions) floating in my mind when I wake up.
I’ll live brazenly. I kick off the asphalt
And cut through the headwind. All I need is kill. I cut my finger
But I’m still weak. Still lacking.
This unique chance won’t come again.
I grab some straw, which must be a trap.
I wanna change your mind (my dream won’t come true.)
There aren’t that many lives out there that’ll be rewarded.
People call it karma
But as if I understand that! It can all go to hell!
People don’t always have just one answer.
I’ll live while suffering. I found my key.
I replace the Q(Questions) in my head every morning with U(You).
I’ll live brazenly. I kick off the asphalt
And cut through the headwind. All I need is kill. I cut your finger.

今夢にまで見た夢に手が届きそうだから
難しいこと 全部払拭したいのに あの日の言葉離れない
揺れる 揺れる just the two of us 求めるものはきっと彼方
毛布の中に答えはないような気はするけど

ima yume ni made mita yume ni te ga todokisou dakara
muzukashii koto zenbu fusshoku shitai noni ano hi no kotoba hanarenai
yureru yureru just the two of us motomeru mono wa kitto kanata
moufu no naka ni kotae wa nai you na ki wa suru kedo

Now, it feels like my hands can reach the dream within my dream
So though I want to sweep away everything difficult, words from that day won’t go away.
Swaying, swaying… just the two of us. What I want must be over there
Though I feel like an answer won’t come to me in my blanket.

導き出したAnswerが新たなQuestionをうむなら一歩一歩進むしかないでしょう？

michibiki dashita Answer ga arata na Question wo umu nara ippo ippo susumu shika nai deshou?

If the answer I derived just produces another question, I guess I’ve got no choice but to keep going, step by step, right?

幻灯花
gentouka
Magic Lantern Flowers

Vocals: Alilem (アリレム)
Lyrics: Alilem (アリレム)
Arranged by: Coro
Album: LiFESICK 【Official Site】
Circle: TAMAONSEN (魂音泉)
Event: C89
Original Themes: Oriental Dark Flight [オリエンタルダークフライト]

Requested by: Rachel Lee

Though translating TAMAONSEN’s stuff is rewarding, it always offers up its own unique challenges. This song was particular tough, since I couldn’t quite string together an overarching story. The speaker is definitely comparing the one they love to a flower, but after that it seems to transition into some sort of stream-of-consciousness narrative… I’d be interested to hear what you think of it, so feel free to leave a comment!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

吹き抜ける風の向こう側　とうに忘れた景色がオーバーラップ
放っておいてくれ　放っておいてくれって何回　頼んでも
どうか咲き誇りますように　だけど枯れてきたラストシーン
いつまでも待ってくれたキミに水をやれなかった

fukinukeru kaze no mukougawa tou ni wasureta keshiki ga oobaarappu
hotte oite kure hotte oite kure tte nankai tanondemo
douka sakihokorimasu you ni dakedo karete kita rasuto shiin
itsu made mo matte kureta kimi ni mizu wo yarenakatta

A landscape I had long forgotten about overlapped with where the wind blew.
Leave me alone. Leave me alone! No matter how many times I asked,
I prayed for my flower to bloom. Still, it ended up withering at the last scene.
You were always waiting for me, but I didn’t water you.

気が付いたら　いなくなってくれるかと思えば甘い香りで誘い出して
棘の数は増すばかりなのに傷付く度に刻み付けたり
また後悔　もうどうしようもないな
そうやってただ日が暮れるまで語り掛ける本当の言葉

ki ga tsuitara inaku natte kureru ka to omoeba amai kaori de sasoi dashite
toge no kazu wa masu bakari nanoni kizutsuku tabi ni kizami tsuketari
mata koukai mou dou shiyou mo nai na
sou yatte tada hi ga kureru made katari kakeru hontou no kotoba

I realised that when I wondered if you’d leave me alone, you lured me in with a sweet scent.
My thorns kept increasing, but each time I wounded you, you’d be carved into me.
I feel remorseful, but there’s nothing I can do about it now.
Like that, I just speak until the sun goes down, saying nothing but the truth.

来た道戻れば草木が嗤い　下向けば籠り歌にならない
無駄に高いプライドで咳払い　話題は大体他愛もないプランで
足場なら不安定　崩れ落ちる瞬間に観念
なんでって問い　肩透かすから進展無し　知らねえよの一点張り

kita michi modoreba kusaki ga warai shitamukeba komori uta ni naranai
muda ni takai puraido de sekibarai wadai wa daitai tawai mo nai puran de
ashiba nara fuantei kuzure ochiru shunkan ni kannen
nande tte toi kata sukasu kara shinten nashi shiranee yo no ittenbari

If I turn back, the plants will sneer. If I look down, my song won’t protect anyone.
I cough uselessly, feeling so prideful. The subject is basically a childish plan
And I have no firm foothold. When it crumbles away, I’ll accept it.
But why? I’m avoiding the question, so I’m stuck. I stick to the same story: I don’t know.

現状はどうだ　架け橋が無いと渡れないと我儘だらけ
結局はそうか　飛び越えた者に湧く感情はどうやら黒く
それはやがて網膜に焼き付いて　臆病の根も足に巻き付いて
キミがどんな色で咲いていたのかも忘れる

genjou wa dou da kakehashi ga nai to watarenai to wagamama darake
kekkyoku wa sou ka tobikoeta mono ni waku kanjou wa dou yara kuroku
sore wa yagate moumaku ni yakitsuite okubyou no ne mo ashi ni makitsuite
kimi ga donna iro de saite ita no kamo wasureru

What’s the situation like now? They’re just selfish. They can’t cross without bridges.
Is that how it ends up? The emotions of those who crossed over seem dark.
In the end, that was burned into my eyes. The roots and feet of cowardice twined around me.
I forgot all about what colour you were when you bloomed.

夢で終わらぬ旅の定めは　水面に浮かぶ花弁の如く
いつだって　ただ描いて　破り棄てたのだろう
咲かない花だと隠すように
胸で焦がれたあの美しさ　全て幻と目を伏せてた
もう灰になっても　灰になっても　灰になっても構わないから
その花の名を飾ろう

yume de owaranu tabi no sadame wa minamo ni ukabu hanabira no gotoku
itsu datte tada egaite yaburi suteta no darou
sakanai hana da to kakusu you ni
mune de kogareta ano utsukushisa subete maboroshi to me wo fuseteta
mou hai ni nattemo hai ni nattemo hai ni nattemo kamawanai kara
sono hana no na wo kazarou

The fate of my journey, which continues in my dreams, is like a petal floating on a lake.
I just picture it in my mind—I wonder if it was torn off and thrown away
So someone could pretend that its flower couldn’t bloom.
I yearned for that beauty and cast my eyes down, thinking it was all an illusion.
Even if I turn to ash, I don’t care.
I’ll decorate the name of that flower.

現状　まだ辛抱
その代わり足りぬあと一歩
撒かれた種の成長
咲く場所はどこだろう
アスファルト　笑われる雑草
だが誰よりも満たされた表情

genjou mada shinbou
sono kawari tarinu ato ippo
makareta tane no seichou
saku basho wa doko darou
asufaruto warawareru zassou
daga dare yori mo mitasareta hyoujou

I’m still patient.
But I’m missing just one last step instead.
I want to see how the seeds I scattered are growing
But where are they blooming?
Asphalt is all around. I’m laughed at by the weeds.
But I seemed more fulfilled than anyone else.

聞いてくれ　道端の名も知らぬ者
蓋したって煮え滾って釀し出す本能が
とうとう喉元から暴走し本性曝け出して
制御出来ぬかも知らぬ状況
一時の財産で人生を決めるか？
反吐が出るくらいの「やめとけ」って言葉　知ったことか
待った　まだ待った　そればっかだった頃
だからいつの間にか零れ落ちてったバックパッカー

kite kure michibata no na mo shiranu mono
futa shitatte nietagitte kamoshidasu honnou ga
tou tou nodomoto kara bousou shi honshou sarakedashite
seihyo dekinu kamo shiranu joukyou
hitotoki no zaisan de jinsei wo kimeru ka?
hedo ga deru kurai no “yametoke” tte kotoba shitta koto ka
matta mada matta sore bakka datta koro
dakara itsu no ma ni ka kobore ochite tta bakkupakkaa

Listen, one who knows not the name of the roadside:
Your instincts boil forth, though you put a lid on them
And now, your true nature is exposed, running wild from your throat.
I guess you just can’t control it anymore.
Is life determined by one’s former fortunes?
“Stop it!” I have nothing to do with those nauseating words.
I waited and waited. That’s all I did back then.
So before I knew it, that backpacker spilled forth from me.

時間が経ったせいか蜜のような劇薬
狂気染みた性格で企んだ計画
花壇の中で咲いた素晴らしき集団も
そこに立った瞬間に自分だけが死んでた
机上の有権者　理解出来ぬクーデター
投げる言葉全部差し戻されてブーメラン
どうやら犠牲が無けりゃ覚悟すらも出来なかったようだ

jikan ga tatta sei ka mitsu no you na gekiyaku
kyouki shimita seikaku de takuranda keikaku
kadan no naka de saita subarashiki shuudan mo
soko ni tatta shunkan ni jibun dake ga shindeta
kijou no yuukensha rikai dekinu kuudetaa
nageru kotoba zenbu sashimodosarete buumeran
dou yara gisei ga nakerya kakugo sura mo dekinakatta you da

This powerful medicine is like honey. Is it because time has passed by?
Those plans were drawn up by a madman.
A magnificent group bloomed in the flowerbed
But when I stood in there, I was the only one who died.
Academic voters couldn’t understand the coup d’état.
All the words they threw out were returned, like a boomerang.
It seems like they weren’t even prepared unless there were casualties.

夢で終わらぬ旅の定めは　水面に浮かぶ花弁の如く
いつだって　ただ描いて　破り棄てたのだろう
咲かない花だと隠すように
胸で焦がれたあの美しさ　全て幻と目を伏せてた
もう灰になっても　灰になっても　灰になっても構わないから
その花の名を飾ろう

yume de owaranu tabi no sadame wa minamo ni ukabu hanabira no gotoku
itsu datte tada egaite yaburi suteta no darou
sakanai hana da to kakusu you ni
mune de kogareta ano utsukushisa subete maboroshi to me wo fuseteta
mou hai ni nattemo hai ni nattemo hai ni nattemo kamawanai kara
sono hana no na wo kazarou

The fate of my journey, which continues in my dreams, is like a petal floating on a lake.
I just picture it in my mind—I wonder if it was torn off and thrown away
So someone could pretend that its flower couldn’t bloom.
I yearned for that beauty and cast my eyes down, thinking it was all an illusion.
Even if I turn to ash, I don’t care.
I’ll decorate the name of that flower.

ゆらりゆらり揺れる流れ　定まらぬ様を趣だと
波の仕草に纏われて　優雅に舞う　それだけで良い

yurari yurari yureru nagare sadamaranu sama wo omomuki da to
nami no shigusa ni matowarete yuuga ni mau sore dake de ii

Since the river flows this way and that, it means that its destination isn’t fixed.
Dressed in the movement of the waves, dancing gracefully… that’s all I want.

夢で終わらぬ旅の定めは　水面に浮かぶ花弁の如く
いつだって　ただ描いて　破り棄てたのだろう
咲かない花だと隠すように
胸で焦がれたあの美しさ　全て幻と目を伏せてた
もう灰になっても　灰になっても　灰になっても構わないから
その花の名を飾ろう

yume de owaranu tabi no sadame wa minamo ni ukabu hanabira no gotoku
itsu datte tada egaite yaburi suteta no darou
sakanai hana da to kakusu you ni
mune de kogareta ano utsukushisa subete maboroshi to me wo fuseteta
mou hai ni nattemo hai ni nattemo hai ni nattemo kamawanai kara
sono hana no na wo kazarou

The fate of my journey, which continues in my dreams, is like a petal floating on a lake.
I just picture it in my mind—I wonder if it was torn off and thrown away
So someone could pretend that its flower couldn’t bloom.
I yearned for that beauty and cast my eyes down, thinking it was all an illusion.
Even if I turn to ash, I don’t care.
I’ll decorate the name of that flower.