Hatsukoi Limited 21

1
[Text: A single unfinished picture. // Like the budding sakura outside... // ...your own colour is very kind and fresh...]
[sFX: plop]
[Text: I stand... // ...and remember...]
Nao: Aahh......

2
Hatsukoi Limited
Chapter 21: Konohanasakuya 1/3 (A Single Bud)
[insert text: The winter of Chikura Nao's fourteenth year. A story of love that never began.]

3
[sFX: whooosh]
[sFX: ughhhh...]
Kei: Jeez, you guys... // Do you actually understand what you just did to the guys you like?!

4
[side text: Last issue: The "bomb of love"... really was a bomb.]
Kei: Koyoi, you hurt your brother...
[sFX: mutter]
Koyoi: Kei-chan's let her hair down at school...
Ayumi: This is bad, she's really getting serious!
Kei: ...and Ayumi, you hurt Zaitsu-kun. // Though to be honest...
[sFX: flinch]
[bubbleSFX: aah // ahh]
Kei: ...It doesn't look like you've properly grasped the situation in the slightest. // How about you try putting yourselves in their positions! / Like, say, Ayumi, if somebody was trying to make you give up on Zaitsu-kun, and they showed you Zaitsu-kun giving Yamamoto-san or whoever a present...
[sFX: lecture, lecture, lecture, lecture, lecture]
Kei: Not if you just happened to see it... if somebody actually showed it to you...! / I'm sure you can imagine what a shock that would be, right?!
[sFX: aahhhh...]

5
Kei: Now, I know you two didn't actually mean any harm, but...
[sFX: WAAAAAHHH!]
Ayumi: What should I do, Koyoi-chan?! I went and hurt Zaitsu-kun like that...!!
Kei: [aside]hmph[/aside]
[sFX: WAAAAHHH]
Koyoi: And I did a terrible thing like that to Onii-chan... I'm horrible...!!
Ayumi: I need to go and apologise to Zaitsu-kun!! / He'll be in the Art room about now!
[sFX: dash]
Koyoi: Me too, to Onii-chan!!
Rika: Looks like you actually got through to them...
Nao: Will Ayumi-chan be okay, I wonder... Maybe I should head down to the club, too...

6
Nao: Oh, yeah, Kei-chan... how was your Valentine's?
[sFX: ugh...]
Kei: I gave it to him... or maybe more like threw it at him... / He always manages to piss me off with every little thing, so...
[sFX: gloo~~m]
Rika: Yeah, I'll take care of her, you get off to your club!
Nao: ?

7
[sFX: peek...]
Ayumi: I'm really sorry... so sorry... [aside]*sniff*[/aside]
Mamoru: Oh, don't worry, I'm not all that bothered, really... / Come on, don't cry, Arihara-san...
[sFX: sigh...]
Ayumi: Bu~~~~~t...!
[sFX: guaaahhh!]
Mamoru: A - Arihara-sa... / Ahh! // Ch - Chikura-san!! / Sorry, I kind of have my hands full here.........!
[sFX: waaahhh!]
Nao: Yeah, I know, it's all right. // Anyway, where are the other members?
Mamoru: Ehmm... / They all kind of ran away when Arihara-san burst into the room crying...

8
Mamoru: ...Well, I think I'll walk Arihara-san home and then head home myself. / You don't mind if I leave the key with you?
Nao: 'Course.
[sFX: ah - ah - ahh - ahhh]
Ayumi: W - Walking home together with Zaitsu-kun......!♡
Nao: Lucky you, huh, Ayumi-chan!
Mamoru: Well, then, Chikura-san... you'll be locking the room up.
Ayumi: Bye-bye, Chikura-chan!
[sFX: clunk]
Nao: Now then... // Hm.
[sFX: tie, ka-chunk]

9
Nao: (...Every time I look at that picture... // ...it feels like I'm being sucked right into it...... // Soft watercolour pinks depicting a row of sakura trees... // Renjou Yukito...san. I wonder when he was a student here... / With pictures this good, I guess he must have gone on to some art school...) // Me, though... I'm just useless.
[sFX: ugh...]

10
Nao: Hm? // What's up? Did you forget somethi -

11
Yukito: Forget something? // I suppose... you could say that.
Nao: Ah... and who might you -
Yukito: Are you the only one in the Art club?
Nao: ? // Oh - oh, no... I just happen to be the only one here today...

12
Yukito: Oh... / I'm sorry... I'm not just some weirdo, honest. It's just, I was a member of this club, once. // When I looked in and saw you there all on your own... it made me a little sad, you know?
Nao: (...Wow, he's amazing... // That uniform... He goes to the famous Kaitei High School. // I'd heard there aren't many people at all who make it into there from our school...)
Yukito: So... what're you painting?
Nao: Ahh! // I - I've only just started it -
Yukito: Looks like you're drawing a sakura tree there.
Nao: Y - Yes!
Yukito: With a natural subject like that I can't say for sure, but it certainly looks like you're pretty good.

13
Nao: Oh, no... // My pictures... / Compared to that one up there, they're just...
Yukito: ! // That one of the sakura trees?
Nao: Hm? Yes...
Yukito: That was one of mine... Wow... // I never thought they'd display it up there like that.

14
Nao: (No way............!!)
[sFX: shuffle shuffle]
Yukito: Hm? What is it?
Nao: (But - But I... // Ever since I first came to this school, I've stared at that picture so much... // I've always kept on painting and painting in an effort to get closer to you... // You have no idea... // Renjou... Yukito-san...)

15
Nao: I - I... // I really like that picture... I've - I always look at it... // ...It's an honour to meet you... // Renjou...senpai. // But... // No matter how I try, I just can't get anywhere near... // I've always wondered how I could possibly draw a picture so warm... so soft...
Yukito: Well, then... / How about we try and finish up this picture... together?

16
Nao: A - Are you sure?! / I - I mean, you're in high school -
Yukito: Oh, I'm graduating this year. / I just have to decide what to do next, so I'm basically free... And it's not like I'd have to come every day... // ...Could I have a go at the sky? // Cobalt Blue and Ultramarine... Cerulean Blue might go with the sakura...
Nao: Oh - yes!
Yukito: And the clouds should probably go on once the paints are half-dried... // We can do the clouds together... // ......Ahh...?

17
Nao: Chikura... / Chikura Nao......... // (He painted the sky a beautiful clear blue... / The clouds he painted were wonderful, but mine looked a little off...)
Yukito: I'll be back tomorrow, okay?
Nao: (I didn't really want to place too much faith in those words, but...)

18
Nao: (But...)
[sFX: step...]
Yukito: Hey.
[sFX: ka-thump]
Yukito: I'd completely forgotten... you don't have club activities on Thursdays here, do you?
Nao: ......
Yukito: I thought you might not show up, to be honest, but...
[sFX: smile...]
Yukito: Thank you, Chikura-san.
Nao: ......Ah... / Um... How would you handle something like this...?
Yukito: Hm? / Let's see... first you should mix up a dark brown...

19
Nao: Something... like this?
Yukito: Uh-huh. / The darker colours should go down before the lighter ones. // That's right! You're really good, Chikura-san.
[sFX: thump]
Nao: Huh? Oh - no, I'm not... / But hearing you say that makes me... // ...so happy, Senpai...
[insert text: What colours are welling forth in that heart...?]
[bottom text: Next issue, Chikura-san feels the soft touch of love...? To be continued in "Naming The Colour"]