Hatsukoi Limited 15

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Hatsukoi Limited
Chapter 15: Let's Kiss
[insert text: Believing that even if you are walking at different speeds, that person will slow down to match your pace.]

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Dream!Rika: You know, I've been thinking recently. // I've come to the decision that I don't actually like you after all.
[sFX: SMASH]
Terai: Wha -?! // W - Wait a moment, Dobashi-san -
[sFX: I can't even tell what the background SFX is. Just general chaos, I guess ~_~]
Dream!Rika: Let's give it up. // I hate you. // You're useless... // You're an idiot... brainless...
[TN: All the balls say "I hate you" on them.]

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[sFX: AAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHH]
[sFX: bonk]
Terai: N - Noooo!! // I - I may be all that - but, Dobashi-san, I still love - // - you - // ...................
[sFX: chirp chirp // chirp]

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[Last issue: The brave hero faced the final boss... and was defeated.]
Terai: (Ever since my first dream of the year, I've kept on having that nightmare. // Aghhh... I went and had it again~~~~! // I know why it keeps on happening. // During the holidays, at Christmas, and then the temple visit... // Well, on Christmas Eve, we finally managed to have our first real "date"... // ...but I never even managed to hold her hand. // And then the temple visit... we were so close the whole time, thanks to the crowds... // ...but Dobashi-san kept her hand inside her pocket the whole time.

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Terai: And so this is the prayer I made! // "Please, God, let me hold Dobashi-san's hand~~~~~~~~~~!!!"
[sFX: squee~~ze]
Terai: Ahh... // Snow...
People: Maaaan... just indoor training today, huh? // Muscle work is a real pain... [aside]ugh...[/aside] // But you know, we get to go home as soon as we're finished...! Come on, Yokoyama!

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People: Right, come on, people, push-ups!
Terai: (Praying to God for something like that... I'm just an idiot. // I've just gotta think this through. What do I need to do to be able to hold her hand? // First comes courage!)
[sFX: o~~~ne!]
Terai: (And after that... agility?)
[sFX: two~~~!]
Terai: (Ma~~~n... I wonder if just thinking so hard about this makes me a terrible person? // At this rate, that nightmare's gonna come true... I can't bear it~~~~~~!!)
Terai: Nnnnnnnnngh~~~~!
[sFX: Forty-three~~~~~~~]
[TN: Okay, I can't actually tell whether it's forty-three or thirty-three, the first character's covered up by the bubble. So sue me :p]
Guy: Hey, Terai, you're really keeping up!
Girl: Hey, check out the guys over there!

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Girls: Check out Terai-senpai! He could never do that many press-ups before! // That's right! / He always had trouble doing even one... I'm kinda impressed!
Teacher: Girls, stop slacking off!
Girls: Oka~y!
Rika: The forecast predicted rain... but I guess it turned out pretty cold today, huh?
Terai: Yeah...
Rika: If it keeps on falling like this, it could be piled up pretty high tomorrow...
Terai: Yeah...

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Terai: (Dobashi-san's hand... // She's got it in her pocket again... // H - Hey, Dobashi-san? // Why don't be go to a vending machine and get something warm to drink?
Rika: ? / No, thanks.
Terai: Well, then... a meat manju! How about one of those?
Rika: No, thanks.
Terai: Then maybe we should head somewhere and wait out the rain... uh, I mean snow...
Rika: Terai... // Sorry, but we're at my place here. // See you, okay?

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Terai: ...Well, I tried using a little courage... // ...but I guess in the end it just wasn't enough... // (That "prize" she gave me... // I'm beginning to wonder if I just imagined the whole thing.........)
Girls: Whoooooa! // There's so much snow!!

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Koyoi: Whee!
Ayumi: Whee!
[sFX: splat / splat]
Koyoi: ......!
Ayumi: ......!
[sFX: wave~ flail~ / wave~ flail~]
Koyoi: Angel!
Ayumi: Angel!
[sFX: ya~~~y!]
[sFX: point / point]
Rika: I don't know how they can be so lively in this cold...
Kei: They're really just like kids... / ......... // Hey... // Dobashi... Back on the last day of term, you know you went home with that one guy, with glasses... // I've been wondering for a while now... That guy... is he your...?
Rika: Yeah, he's my boyfriend.

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Kei: .................. / Th - that right...? I see~~~ Must be nice~~~
Rika: ...I guess...
Kei: But I guess it must be pretty hard on that guy, huh...
Rika: Huh? // Look, we've been through a lot of -
Kei: What I'm saying... // ...is, well, you know, you just don't really let your guard down, do you?
Rika: ...My guard?
[sFX: pou~nce // smack!]
Kei: Ummmm... How to put it... // You're not really the sort of person who can depend on someone else... you always kind of take control, right? / I think guys can get a little uncomfortable with that sort of thing.

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[sFX: oho...]
Kei: Not to mention, that guy kind of seemed like the more reserved type! / If he was having trouble, he's probably keep it all inside...
[sFX: so~~rry~~!]
Kei: I don't think you'll really get anywhere if you don't give him a little scope to act, you know?
Rika: *mutter* Not that you even have a boyfriend...
[sFX: raaaargh]
Kei: DID YOU JUST SAY SOMETHING?!! [aside]I am popular, you know!!
Rika: .........

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People: Hey, it's snowing again! // Not as much as yesterday, though... // Kona~~~yuki~~~♪ [aside]too old?[/aside] // Hey, stop that, it's embarrassing! // Well then, Dobashi, Terai, bye-bye~!
Terai: Hahahah... Yokoyama's really tone-deaf, huh?
[sFX: drift... drift...]
Terai: ?
[sFX: drift...]
Terai: What's up, Dobashi-san...?
[sFX: dash dash]
Dobashi: There's a juice vending machine over there... / You want to go get something warm to drink?

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Terai: Huh? // (That's what I said yesterday......)
Dobashi: You want a coffee too?
[sFX: ka-chunk]
Terai: Oh, no, I'll have a cocoa...... / Don't you find can-coffee kinda bitter? [aside]eheheh...[/aside] // (I don't know what could have brought this on, but...)
[sFX: ka-chunk]
Terai: (Could this be... my chance?! // Dobashi-san's hand... / ...it's holding the can-coffee... // ...no... my problem is that I keep trying to take it unexpectedly... / That's right... I should just ask her properly...) // Do...

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Terai: Dobashi-san! / If you wouldn't mind, would you please take my hand?!!
[sFX: place]

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Terai: (I... I did it!! // ?! // Wh... // Whaaaaaaaaaa?!!)
[sFX: clunk]

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Terai: D - Dobashi-sa - ?!?!?!
Rika: Of course! // The glasses are in the way...
Terai: Aaahhhh!!
[sFX: slip]
Rika: Thank you for trying so hard, for me... // So I think... I ought to try a little harder too.

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Terai: (My first ever kiss...)

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Terai: (It tasted like coffee... // ...it was bitter, but somehow sweet as well...... // Doba - Doba - Dobashi-san's lips... on my lips...
[sFX: ahhhhhhhhh...]
[sFX: fwip]
[sFX: ahhh...]
Terai: N - now I should be able to take her hand properly - // Ahh!! [aside]why?![/aside]
[sFX: walk, walk]
Terai: Come on...!! / Why do you always run away when I try to take your hand~~?!!
[sFX: mutter mutter]
Terai: Huh? I couldn't hear that...
Rika: I said, it's - it's just kinda embarrassing, okay?!!
[insert text: A step forward...?]
[bottom text: Next issue, the Swimming Club in a crisis... but then the class rep...?! To be continued in "Hesitant Diving"!!]