Junk Record of the Last Hero Volume 6

Author's Foreword

Releasing JUNK Volume 6.

I intend JUNK to be the last superhero story I'll ever write. The decision isn't entirely my own, I guess. It probably has to do with me wondering about what my readers might be thinking. Objectively speaking, Hiro hasn't transformed all that much since the problem with Ryouko, and his issues have become completely different in nature. This might have come off as a disappointment to some.
From that point of view (the lack of sustained superhero activity) this story might not really qualify as superhero fiction at all.

Modern society's interest is roused by the irrational, or unimaginable events. JUNK was placed in a modern setting as an attempt to tap into this field, and see what came out of it.

We're heading towards the last volume at last. When it's over, I wish you could read the whole story again from the beginning. Please.

003
Justice 26: JUNK Education

004
Hiro: What's that about?
Ayano: What?
Hiro: What do you mean, "what"?//How come you became a teacher out of the blue? Does JUNK Systems have that much influence?
Ayano: Not quite.//I've always had a teaching license./My real job is the one with JUNK Systems but it comes in handy every once in a while.
Hiro: Ah. I see. You're here to keep an eye on me, then?
Ayano: Come on.//Can't you feel my tender gaze upon you? Protecting you?//We could get it on here at school if you like. Sounds exciting, doesn't it?
Hiro: What are you talking about? Sounds risky to me, more like. And what kind of teacher has sex with their students?

005
Ayu: .....//!
Hiro: I haven't had the chance to transform since Okinawa.
Ayano: That's right. You'd better not use your power unless necessary.
Hiro: Unless necessary...?/And when would that be?
Ayano: That's for the user... the one entrusted with this power to decide./It's not meant to be used at somebody else's discretion.//Everything is left between the user's hands./And they're held responsible too.//But that doesn't apply only to JUNK.
Hiro: ?

006
Ayano: People's entire lives also qualify./Don't you think?
Hiro: ......
Ayano: JUNK is certainly not about being a superhuman.

007
Ayano: But about being human.

008
*wwoooooooo*
*splish*
Suzuki: Phewww./Work is over for today.//It's been a hard day.//If someone's been using the JUNK suit at 100% of its capacity it's gotta be me, right?
Natsuki: Yeah, probably.

009
Suzuki: I guess it won't be long before JUNK Systems acknowledge me as the only legit suit user./Haven't heard much of the other two lately... Why, they haven't done anything at all.
Natsuki: True.
*Dash*
Suzuki: Well if that wasn't the case/I might have had to talk them into it personally.//There's no need for a flock of supermen./Hahahaha.

010
Hiro: (Coming to school every day to take classes.../is every bit as tedious as I thought)/YAAAAAWN
*whack*
Hiro: Ow.
Teacher: .....
Ayano: (Pay attention in class, will ya?)
Ayu: .......

011
Hiro: Aaaah.//(I think I didn't even notice when I made my home here on that rooftop./Oh, no matter.)
Ayu: I hope it's alright.
Hiro: !
Ayu: Looks like the rooftop is your base of operations. Entry forbidden?
Hiro: Ayu...
Ayu: Ah! You've remembered my name properly this time.
Hiro: ........ You do come a lot on that rooftop yourself./We're in the same boat, aren't we?

012
Hiro: So you aren't exactly in a position to call me on it.*flomp*
Ayu: Yeah, yeah, alright, then.
Hiro: .....*flick*
Ayu: Erm./Can I ask you something?//What kind of relationship do you have with Hoshi-sensei?
Hiro: Eh?
Ayu: Are you guys acquainted?/Huh?
Hiro: Well... acquainted...... ahem...
Ayu: I've seen you and Hoshi-sensei/You were both here... Kissing.

013
Hiro: !//She...//She's my cousin.*swip*
Hiro: And a returnee child at that.//She kisses people all around the place, which is quite troublesome./I wish she hadn't landed in my class. [tn: A returnee child is someone from Japanese descent who was born or raised outside of Japan and came back afterwards.]
*slam*
Ayu: She's. His. Cousin... Yeeeaaaah, okay.

014
Ayu: !
Yasuoka: Oh, my, what a coincidence./I wasn't expecting to chance upon you here... Ayu-san.
Ayu: Pffff.
Yasuoka: Ah, yeah. Maybe now I'll be able to convince you?

015
Policewoman: Fujiwara-san. Fujiwara-san. Some people came for an interview with you.
Label: Reception
Fujiwara: Interviewers? For me?
Policewoman: Over there...
Fujiwara: Uh?
Kayo: Thank you for your time.
Fujiwara: ........
*grin*
Kayo: Pleased to meet you.

016
Fujiwara: You're an announcer? ... Sorry, but I don't have the time to watch TV.
Kayo: Don't worry, it doesn't matter.//On the contrary. It makes things easier for me.
Fujiwara: Ah yeah?
Kayo: I wanted to ask you a few questions./I'm not going to reveal my sources, of course.//It's about the superman case./You've been involved in the affair since the first appearances...
Fujiwara: .......//I'm not in charge of the case anymore. The investigation team has been disbanded./There's nothing can tell you.

017
Fujiwara: Sorry I can't be of help.
Kayo: Ah!//Wai... please wait! Don't you want to know the supermen's identities?!*vlam*
Fujiwara: Uuuh?//I doubt you have that specific bit of information yourself.
Kayo: ......
Fujiwara: An announcer like you must have a lot on her plate.*trample*
Kayo: And so do you, Fujiwara-san, right?
Hanafusa: What?
*swip*

018
Fujiwara: You...
Hanafusa: It's been a while, Fujiwara-san./Thing is, I've put my hands on something really big.//This girl here and myself happen to have a few interests in common./Hehe.
Fujiwara: ......

019
Fujiwara: Phewwww./I have no idea where this is heading.//And here I was, thinking that affair was behind me...
Hanafusa: Hehehe. You can't have really meant that?
Fujiwara: You don't mind bearing with me a little longer, then?

020
Ayu: Wha... What's this? ...
Yasuoka: Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure it's called "money"./2 millions. [tn: About 195.000 dollars.]
Ayu: 2 millions? Where does that come from?!
Yasuoka: Where? Why, it's mine. Now won't you go out with me?
Ayu: Are... are you kidding me?! I'm not going out with you for that...!
Yasuoka: 2 millions aren't enough? Very well.//Here's another one.*flap*

021
Ayu: .....//Wait a minute. A high-schooler with 3 millions?! Now that's shady!!
Yasuoka: Nothing shady at all. It's my money alright.
*grab*
Yasuoka: Now c'mon. I think you can show a little bit of patience./I can settle for a one-evening date.
Ayu: .....

022
Ayu: This is bullshit!! Don't give me that crap!*slam*
Yasuoka: Ayu!
*step step step*
Ayu: (What the hell! 3 millions!!/No normal high-schooler has that kind of money!//That gives me the creeps!)
Nomura: Woops-a-daisy. She's gone.
Oota: What now, Yasuoka?
Yasuoka: I'll get my chance some other time./I'm not short on money either.
Nomura: I see you weren't lying about the cash!/That's the real deal!!

023
Nomura: That's really a lot.
Yasuoka: You guys can have it./150 each.
Nomura: You mean that?
Oota: That okay?
Yasuoka: Yeah.
Nomura: Hehehehe. How you gonna use your share?
Oota: I've always fancied a bike.
Yasuoka: If you want money that badly, how about I let you in?/Koufuku group is hiring.

024
Hiro: ......//Niiyama Ayu, uh.../She's kinda weird.....//Compared to Ryouko.../She might as well be coming from another planet.
Ayano: What are you thinking about other girls for? .../You meanie.//Pheeeeew...

025
Hiro: Um. Weren't you supposed to leave the place?
Ayano: Uuh?//It's not like your teacher's gonna shuttle between her student's house and school./This isn't manga, you know.//But dropping by from time to time should be okay./Especially with a troublesome child like you.
Hiro: You're not without a couple issues yourself.
Ayano: We're in the same boat, then.
Hiro: Mh...
*flap*
Ayano: Talk about a home visit. [tn: "Katei houmon" (家庭訪問) or "home visit" is when a teacher makes a round of her students' homes to meet the parents and see how they live. In Japan, that happens to be part of the job... Except maybe the humping. :hahaha:]

026
Fujiwara: That apartment again?//No security system or bugging to worry about?
Hanafusa: I'm done checking.//The network isn't exactly brand new, at that./On the other hand that means we're safe here.
Fujiwara: Pheeeeew./Then pray tell me everything./That JUNK thing...*clang*
Fujiwara: What is it exactly?

027
Hanafusa: It's the supermen's actual names./Those costumes they wear...
Kayo: They're called JUNK suits.
Fujiwara: JUNK......./JUNK suits...?

028
PC: Ta-daaaaa.
Lisa: !
Screen: Sender|Subject/JUNK Systems|Notification about upgrading the JUNK suit./Yahoo Customer Ser...|(Yahoo Mail) Notification about basic[the rest is illegible]
Lisa: It's a notification from JUNK Systems about the upgraded upgraded version.
Shanlan: Ah yeah?//A new version of the JUNK suit?/Which is to say
Lisa: They've found something wrong with the current one./I know.//But for the time being let's download this and go for the upgrade.

029
Lisa: Speaking of which, did you know?/The red JUNK is killing people for money.
Shanlan: Yes. This spells trouble for the organization as well.
Lisa: I'm wondering what they'll do.
Screen: Downloading.
Shanlan: Well... I don't know that much.
Lisa: That's right.
Shanlan: But I find it strange they've let it slide for so long.
Fujiwara: Uh-huh.

030
Fujiwara: You sure that story's true?/I hope you have some solid evidence.
Hanafusa: I'm still investigating. It's pretty tough, you know./Always is.//See, the person responsible for the leak is dead.
Fujiwara: !//Killed?
Kayo: Traffic accident./Or so they say.
Fujiwara:: Wut?/Well, the answer to that one is easy.
Hanafusa: Here. Everything the employee left behind is in there.*swip*
Hanafusa: You'll find everything on this portable hard-drive.

031
Fujiwara: Still, that JUNK Systems company is a hard bit to swallow.../Even if we make it public and gather enough proof... And time would still be of the essence.
Hanafusa: It's really important. The Parliament received a fake mail earlier, and confusion ensued./I had no intention to work on anything that big.//Anyway, let's take care of that company first./We need to investigate and come up with some evidence.
Kayo: That company...//Could it really be a society founded by some retired members of the government's top brass for their personal use?
Hanfusa: Beats me.

032
Ayu: ...//They were kissing.../And it was on the mouth, too...//Returnee child or not, in what country do people kiss everyone like that?/That's so fishy.//And why am I so worried about that, by the way?*rustle*
Ayu: Sigh. Feels like something's really wrong with me...

033
Ayano: Your... Your cousin?/And a returnee child, too?!!
Hiro: What choice did I have?/Someone's seen us kissing.//So please try to behave, for consistency's sake.
Ayano: All the same, you could have thought up something else...//Niiyama Ayu, is it... I'll have to be cautious around her.
Hiro: Now we're even, aren't we?//I do no more reckless transformations./And you/you keep your sexual urges in check!
Ayano: Humph.

034
*toc toc*
Suzuki: Hamaguchi Takako-san?
Takako: Yes?

035
*stomp stomp stomp*
Suzuki: I've been required to kill you./Sorry.
Takako: No.../NOOOOOOO.
Suzuki: I don't really have a choice./Business is business.*BAF*
*WHABAM*
Suzuki: Ugh.

036-037
Suzuki: Wha...*gwooooooo*

038
*wooooo*
Blue!Junk: Your days of wanton savagery are over./JUNK!![/End

039
Justice 27: Junk Purge

040
Suzuki: The hell.../What's your problem, dude?
Blue: You've been using your power for all the wrong reasons./That's my problem.....//This must be corrected!!*bah*
Suzuki: Say wuuut?!
*BOOM*
*BRROM*
Takako: Aaagh!!

041
*CRASH*
*vlam*
*BAOM*
Takako: Ha...
Suzuki: Hh...*pam* *tchrr* *tchrr* *pshhh*

042
*BRRRRRR*
Woman: ?
Old guy: What's that?
Blue: Phewwww./That was dangerous.
Suzuki: I take it.../you're another JUNK... You're blue. That makes you the Blue JUNK, I suppose.
Blue: ...../Yeah.

043
Blue: The testing period is over.*trample* *trample*
Blue: This is what we'll be functioning with from here on out.//The JUNK suit./Article number JS--001BFS.
Suzuki: Heh. We JUNK are every bit like the demons./Red Oni, Blue Oni. Hehehe. [tn: Oni=ogre, monster... Simply put, the Red Oni character is hot-blooded, the Blue Oni character is more collected (at least outwardly). I recommend this site for a better explanation.]
Blue: Which makes it clear which one of us is going to cry to mommy.

044
Suzuki: What the hell?/You asshole...
Blue: Does the tale "And the Red Oni wept" ring a bell?/Anyway. The trial period for the three of you is over.[tn: Basically, it's the story of a red ogre (Red Oni) who wanted to befriend humans. He succeeded, but lost his best pal Blue Oni in the bargain. Yes, I am aware this has little to do with the situation here. I didn't write this manga.]
Suzuki: Then I should return this suit to you?
Blue: I'd appreciate it. I would sooner refrain from taking life pointlessly.
Suzuki: (Then I guess if I don't return it, we fight.../What now? What should I do? Should I just hand over the suit... Let go of the power?//Becoming normal again... Not happening... In short, I'll be fine if I defeat the guy, right?/If I don't I'll be jobless again... A little bit more and I could've afforded a Ferrari at long last...//If he's got the mass-production article. That makes me a prototype, yes?/Which means I'm the one with the greatest ability, right? That's how it is. How it's always been.)

045
Natsuki: NO... NO WAY?!/THEY'VE RELEASED ANOTHER ARTICLE?!
*bah*
Natsuki: That means... They'll be recovering the prototypes...?//Hey! Run for it...!!/I mean, hand over that suit!!//This way everything can be settled peacefully!!//If you don't...
*WOOSH*

046
Suzuki: Uh...
Blue: I see. That's your answer, then...
Suzuki: Eh?/AGH
*WHACK*

047
Suzuki: Wah.
*bom*
*brrrrooommmm*
Suzuki: Shh... Sshhit!!*crash*
*buzz*
Suzuki: A commercial product? Now I'm pissed!! I'm gonna show you...

048
Suzuki: The power of the prototype.//!!
Man: Wah...//A... A superman?! What is it doing in the Government Office? [tn: Tokyo Government Office.]
Suzuki: Why, you!!*bzum*
*zap*
Suzuki: Heh...

049
*BROM*
*buzz*
*buzz*
Suzuki: !!*KABOOM*
Blue: Can't you see? This is what we've used your data to build.*grrr*
Blue: Furthermore, it also accounts for the possibility of a fight between JUNK suits.
*ssss*

050
Blue: Too bad, but you cannot win against me.*baf*
Blue: Because you don't know about the JUNK suit's true nature!!
Suzuki: Wha...
*BOM*
Suzuki: GASP*SBOM*
Blue: You just think JUNK is a superpowered suit like what you see in anime and manga, am I right?*clasp*
Suzuki: It... it isn't?*rubble*
*woosh*
Blue: No it's not.

051
*THUMP*
Suzuki: Agh.
*BBRROMM*
*RUBBLE* *BROMMM*
Suzuki: Uh...
Blue: JUNK is not a superpowered suit./At most, it is little more than a bodily protection.//In other words, when it comes to efficiency, it's the wearer's physical ability that makes the difference.//Which is to say since you don't work out, mistaken as you are about the suit's power.
Suzuki: Uh...

052
Blue: You cannot defeat me!!*BAOM*
Natsuki: What?*KABOOM*
Suzuki: Uh...//!!

053
*KABLAM*
*BAAAOOOM*
*SBOM*
Suzuki: Argh.
*brrrr*
Blue: You thought you'd be stronger...? Is that it?

054
Blue: Sorry, but you are little more than a test subject for data retrieval.*brrrrr*
Blue: This blue JUNK suit here has been perfected thanks to the data from you, the Red JUNK, as well as the Black and the White ones./Don't make light of the mass-produced article. This is the product that has been approved for public release.//And about the prototype being better or more powerful, despite your utter lack of physical training./How naive... How overly naive.//You need to understand how the world works...... how life works./Which means merely staying confined at home, hoarding some freaky knowledge just ain't gonna cut it.

055
Suzuki: Say what......?*teeter*
*baf*
Police: There's a couple of supermen running amok inside the Government Office!*wail wail*
Police: Orders are to evacuate the civilians as well as the Office's staff!!//Blockade all the roads in the vicinity!!/Regarding the information, make sure you collect all the available data before any official announcement...
*BOOM*
*grr*
Blue: Simply put.......

056-057
Blue: Break out of your shell and get outside./You got that, lad?*wooooooo*

058
Suzuki: Wah... Waahaah.*crush*
Bleu: How much longer do you plan on wearing that carapace?/Let me pry it open for you.
*BZUM*

059
Suzuki: S... STOP THAT!! I... I GIVE IT BACK!! I'M GIVING THE SUIT BACK!!*buzzzzz*
*bzzzz*
Blue: Too late.
Suzuki: No!! I don't wanna die!!/Spare meee!!
Blue: Life and fate are no game. There's no "Reset" button./That's another fact of life.//You get that, right? [tn: Way to go out like a bitch.]
*BAOOM*

060
*Hah*
Hiro: ......
*creak*
Hiro: Uh?
Ayano: Sssss.
Hiro: Ummm./What was that?

061
*wail wail wail*
Reporter: There's no more noise coming out from the Office!/The police is currently inside, inquiring about the situation.
*tromp* *tromp*
*tromp*
Cop: Mh?

062
Reporter: A dead man has been spotted inside the building!!/The police is presently busy searching for his identity...*wail wail wail*
*beep*
Natsuki: Ow my... You've croaked, haven't you?*bof*
Natsuki: (Suzuki.//Wait a minute.../Now what's the company gonna do...?//Suzuki's been causing way too many problems./That can't be good...)*vlan*
Natsuki: (What about me?/They're probably gonna put me through an inquiry...)*baf*

063
Natsuki: Oh, crap! An inquiry in name only./Are they gonna kill me? Or leave me crippled?!!//I can't have that!!)*slam*[tn: Okay, now I feel bad for Tsujidou... :yabai:]
Natsuki: (What, then?!!//Run for it!/But where to?)*step*
Natsuki: (Just in case, it's gotta be near someone with enough power to fight off a JUNK suit!)*slam*
Natsuki: (Run for it!//I've got to run away from JUNK Systems!/Suzuki's gathered a healthy little sum. I'll use that.)

064
Ayano: Did you hear?
Hiro: What?
Ayano: The guy they found dead in the Government Office was the Red JUNK owner.
Hiro: The Office? Yeah. I saw it on the Internet news.
Ayano: I've been contacted by the organization./Looks like he's been trying to go against their wishes.
Hiro: Eh?/If you go against the Org, they kill you? Wooow.//JUNK Systems is one scary organization.
Ayano: Indeed.
Hiro: But I'd like to know whoever killed that Red JUNK guy...

065
Ayano: A new JUNK./I suppose.
Hiro: You suppose?/What's the deal?
Ayano: The organization doesn't let me know everything./Certainly they've been able to come up with the commercial version.
Hiro: Commercial version?/So what does that make the JUNK suit I have?

066
Ayu: .....//Those two again...//What on Earth could they be talking about?/Uumm. This is suspicious......//....../Hey... It's not like I'm Hiro-kun's girlfriend...//Sigh. This is silly.*stap step*
Ayu: That's right. I'm not his girlfriend.//So what's my problem?

067
Kaji: Uh? Where's Fujiwara-san?
Cop: Surely he's still in the reference room? Though he's been using this here room in a similar capacity. Like forever.
Kaji: The reference room.......
Sign: Reference room.
Fujiwara: .......//(So....../that's what JUNK is about...)*gulp*

068
Kaji: Fujiwara-san. There you were, after all.
Fujiwara: That you, Kaji? What's the matter?
*clap*
Kaji: It's about the supermen. Last night, in the Government Office.
Fujiwara: Yeah, thought so. So what of it?
Kaji: The dead man they've found was the only casualty./His house is currently under investigation.
Fujiwara: No clues about the JU... I mean the supermen...?/The specialized anti-superman team must be rather busy.
Kaji: Well about that, an acquaintance of mine happens to be part of the police force that broke into the place yesterday.//He told me things weren't all that special in there...
Fujiwara: What?

069
Fujiwara: Say, Kaji.
Kaji: Yes?
Fujiwara: Do you think there's a specialized anti-superman squad out there for real?
Kaji: Well. I guess nobody's ever gotten to see it.//Though in the police's official announcement, that's who's been credited for containing the damage done to the Office's building.../and the supermen's rapid withdrawal as well.//Fujiwara-san, are you suspecting something?
Fujiwara: Yup......//Something's going on alright.

070
Nomura: He... Hey. You think we're gonna be alright?
Oota: Maybe we should back down?
Yasuoka: No need to worry./Once you're admitted, you can get as much money as you like. There's nothing weird at all about that company. [tn: You'd think anyone who just hands out money for no distinguishable purpose would be suspicious by definition, but that's just me...]
Juura: Yasuoka-shi. [tn: Mr. Yasuoka. Like the suffix "-san", but more formal.]//I assume those two behind you are supposed to be the new recruits?
Yasuoka: Yes sir.
Juura: Yasuoka-shi. I am pleased with your efforts.

071
Nomura&Oota: .......
Yasuoka: Thank you very much.
Juura: Kindly state your names.
Nomura: Ah.../Um... Nomura Yukio, sir.
Oota: Oota Akira........
Juura: Congratulations, Nomura-shi and Oota-shi./You may consider yourselves admitted into the Koufuku group, and this with our heartfelt blessings.

072
Juura: It is our wish that from this moment on, you make the spreading of our kinship one of your goals, sparing no effort in increasing the number of our recruits.
Oota: Ye... Yes sir.
Juura: Now to present you with your working capital*bzzzzz*
*clank*
Nomura: He... Hey.
Oota: Yup...
Yasuoka: .......
Nomura&Oota: THA... THANK YOU VERY MUCH!/WE'LL WORK OUR HARDEST!!

073
Hiro: (My JUNK suit was a prototype?/Oh, well... That's more or less what I thought it was.//Which brings the question as to what they could have been collecting all the data for.//Wait a minute... If the commercial version is out......./What happens to the beta versions?)
*rustle*
Hiro: !//Who's there?

074
Ayu: Good evening./I've been waiting to ambush you.
Hiro: Eh? How did you find my apartment?
Ayu: I checked out the school's register.
Hiro: I. I see. What's the matter?
Ayu: What's the matter indeed.//Regardless. I wanted to see you, Hiro-kun.
Hiro: Eh?//Oh... Oh, well. Now that you're here, I might as well invite you in.
Ayu: Yup.//Thanks.*grin*

075
Shanlan: I've been contacted by JUNK Systems./They'll be recovering the suit within the month...//By the same token, I'll be relieved from my duty towards you.
Lisa: I see...//I thought so... I always knew it would come down to this.../The Red JUNK was disposed of by... the Blue article, was it...?//Now, though... How do we deal with this?
Shanlan: Indeed...

076
Lisa: It could be a problem.
Natsuki: Rrrr. Fssss.[/End

077
Justice 28: JUNK Farewell

078
Ayu: ......//......
Hiro: What's the matter?
Ayu: Ah...//No. Nothing... It's just that you'd barely expect somebody to be living in that room...
Hiro: Ah yeah?

079
Hiro: Maybe. There isn't much stuff in there.
Ayu: And it's kept pretty clean, at that.
Hiro: So. Why did you want to see me?
Ayu: Why indeed. Ummmm.....//Maybe because I have a thing for you?/Why not?

080
Hiro: Uh?/Tha... That sorta came out of nowhere...//And it's not like we wouldn't have met again...
Ayu: It couldn't wait.//And you know.
Hiro: Mh?
Ayu: I can't help but think about you, Hiro-kun.
Hiro: Hey... Hey there...
Ayu: It's not my fault./My feelings for you are what they are.//You know what?*tilt*
Hiro: Uh-huh? Uh-huh?

081
Ayu: I think it's passion.
Hiro: Uuh?
Ayu: I can't help it.
Hiro: Uh, right.
Ayu: It's not my fault.
Hiro: .......
*clank*
Ayu: Tell me... What's really going on between you and Hoshi-sensei?
Hiro: Eh?

082
Ayano: Um.
Ayu: Ho... Hoshi-sensei?
Ayano: Well well well... What's going on?
Hiro: ......//(Woo-haaa...)

083
Shanlan: What now, Lisa? ...
Lisa: "What now?" Well, she's clearly tired.//And it's rather late right now./Let's leave her alone until tomorrow morning.
Shanlan: Alright.
Lisa: After all, she's gonna have a lot of explaining to do once she's awake..
Shanlan: Indeed.
Natsuki: ........

084
Ayu: .......
Ayano: What did you bring that girl in here for?!!
Hiro: I didn't!! She was waiting for me. I didn't ask for anything!!
Ayano: And here I was, coming with some important information from the company!!
Ayu: Excuse me.
Ayano: Uh?
Ayu: What's going on between you and Hiro-kun, Hoshi-sensei? You must be very close, to come to his place this late at night.
Ayano: Tha... That's right. We're very close./You wanna join in, Ayu-san?
Ayu: Pardon?/Join in? So it's not about you being related?

085
Hiro: He... Hey.../No. It's not what...
Ayano: Now that our secret's been exposed, we might as well share it with her.
Ayu: Eh?/What?
Ayano: That way, she'll have no choice but to keep quiet about it.
Ayu: Whaaaat?//Er...

086
Announcer: Good morning. Today is June, the 18th. Time for the "Morning Standard".
Womannouncer: Our first subject covers yesterday's fight between supermen in the Tokyo Government Office, and the ensuing damage.
Announcers: Today, the room has been opened to our reporting teams./Official business is still going on in the second Office building as well as the parts of the edifice that have escaped destruction.//Look at this disastrous scene./This is horrifying.//And it took only a couple of supermen to do this.../After witnessing their deeds, it wouldn't be inappropriate to put their strength//on par with that of an entire army./A woman was there on the premises when it happened, but we've been unable to get an interview.
Natsuki: Yep.

087
Natsuki: "Showy" doesn't begin to cover it.
Lisa: Here's breakfast.
Natsuki: Ah...//Thanks.
Lisa: You're welcome.//What was your name again?
Natsuki: Natsuki.
Lisa: That's right. So Natsuki-chan, what are you going to do?
Natsuki: No idea.
Lisa: No idea?/Aren't you going back to JUNK Systems?//The Red JUNK you were in charge of is dead, isn't he?
Natsuki: Precisely.//Suzuki's been causing too many problems. Things would've gone smoothly if only he'd returned the suit without making a fuss./And I'm not quite ready to die just yet.

088
Natsuki: Assuming the company tries to dispose of me, I'll be fine with the White JUNK around.*slurp*
Lisa: Eh?
Shanlan: Aren't you a naive one.
Natsuki: What?!
Shanlan: Lisa shall be returning the White JUNK suit shortly.
Natsuki: Uuuuuuuh./You can't be serious?! Why?!!
Lisa: Why? Because the company asked me to.//Because... Even if I no longer have the suit, I get to keep my life.

089
Shanlan: ........
Natsuki: Wait wait wait a minute!! Let's think it over again, shall we?/You've got the White JUNK suit. You should be fine!!
Lisa: Thanks for sharing the meal.*clank*
Natsuki: Erm...
Lisa: Judging from the situation, I wouldn't be able to defeat the Blue JUNK./So there's no point in looking for a fight.
Natsuki: I know, but all the same...

090
Hiro: Someone explain to me.../which part of "sharing the secret"...//involves sleeping "river"-Kanji style?[tn: This: 川 ...is the character (Kanji) for "kawa", which is Japanese for "river". Makes sense, now?]

091
Ayano: You're awake?
Hiro: Ah...//Well, um...
Ayano: The company told me you'd have to return the suit within a few days.
Hiro: Return the.../What if I refuse?
Ayano: You'll probably share the Red JUNK's fate.
Hiro: ......//I see./Got it... I'll give it back.

092
Ayano: What was that?
Hiro: Eh?
Ayano: I didn't expect you to fall in line so easily.*baf*
Ayano: I was waiting for a barrage of "NO" in response.
Hiro: I just don't wanna die.
Ayano: That also means you'll never get to see your Ayano again.
Hiro: Stuff happens.
Ayano: I see.//Say... You wanna do it?
Hiro: Uh? Here? Now? But Ayu's right here you know.
Ayano: Not to worry, not to worry. On the contrary. Doesn't it make things all the more exciting?*rustle*
Hiro: Hey th......Mh........
Ayu: ......

093
Natsuki: Today's Sunday.//It's been a while since I've last had that much time for leisure.
Lisa: I see...
*shuu shuu shuu*
*wahahahaha*
Natsuki: Something's bugging me, though. Why do you have the same face as Hiiragi Manami?
Lisa: ......

094
Lisa: Why am I so much like Manami?/Why indeed.//I'm the shade that is cast by Manami's light.
Natsuki: Shade? What do you mean?
Lisa: I am...//The Lisa you see now is a being fabricated in Manami's image.
Natsuki: Fabricated? What's your point?
Lisa: The first time I saw Manami, it was like staring at an overwhelmingly bright and shining light.
Natsuki: Uh-huh.

095
Lisa: So such fantastic individuals could exist in our world? I was awestruck./I could feel her aura even through my monitor. I was taken with Manami in no time.
Flashback!Lisa: A... Awesome........//Splendid...
Lisa: I gathered it all. Her songs, her items, and everything else./But that just didn't cut it. I wanted to be closer to Manami, if only a little.//I wanted to become Manami.
Natsuki: Eh?! So your face! You did surgery?!!
Lisa: It was the easiest shortcut.

096
Lisa: 2 years ago, I met Manami for the first time./Since waiting for her after her concert didn't work, I figured she'd taken another route to go home. So I started to go get back myself.//That's when it happened. It was sheer coincidence...//Whatever we talked about, I can't remember it at all./But there was no doubt those 1 minute and one second would mark me forever.//By the time I got to see Manami again, I'd gotten ahold of the White suit's power./A power I swore to use to become her "double" and thus protect her.

097
Lisa: I am Manami's shadow. Wherever light is found, shadow will be there, close by./Supporting it. Protecting it.//But.......*splash*
Lisa: Now it's almost over.
Natsuki: .......//Aren't you unhappy you'll no longer have the White JUNK suit?
Lisa: ........

098-099
Lisa: I'm merely going to revert to my old self./Nothing to be afraid of.

100
Natsuki: Humph./I wasn't expecting that.......
Lisa: What?
Natsuki: Nothing. Nothing at all...//Suzuki would still be alive/If only he'd had the same grip as you on himself.

101
Ayano: Now the three of us are in the confidence.
Ayu: ......
Ayano: Let's be on our way, Ayu-san.
Ayu: Yeah.//Can I... come and see you again?
Hiro: ?
Ayu: Then you can try those things you did to Hoshi-sensei on me.
Hiro: He... Hey.
Ayu: Well, see ya./Tomorrow's Monday. Don't be late!

102
Narrator: 1 month later.
Sign: Hiiragi Manami.
Lisa: You're here early, as always.
Manami: !

103
Manami: Lisa...
Lisa: I'm here today to bid you farewell.
Manami: Eh? How come...
Lisa: The time has come for me to give this power back./I can no longer protect you...
Manami: And you're fine with this./You don't have any regrets?
Lisa: None./It's time for me to break out of my shell.

104
Lisa: All those days spent using the suit.../and you, Manami, have given me the strength to do so...//Until this point... I've been complexing about myself.../That's why I disguised myself as you... and why I used this power to become somebody else.//But I understand now. Even though the power did let me be something else, nothing really changed about me./I still hadn't come to the surface.//But now the time has come for me to get out./Thank you, Manami.//Thank you for everything.[tn: This is getting preachy.]
Manami: That's......

105
Lisa: Release.
*PAAH*
Manami: .......//So that's the real you?
Lisa: It is. I wanted to revert as much as possible to my old self...
Manami: You're so pretty.*step*
Lisa: Thank you.[tn: All hail the almighty Yuri gods! Praise be!!!]

106-107
Lisa: Farewell, Manami.
Manami: Thank you, Lisa.

108
*dodom dodom* *wooooo* *wiiishhh*
*step step*
Shanlan: It's been a pleasure working with you, Lisa.
Lisa: Shanlan...//Here.
Shanlan: Thanks.
Lisa: No more turning into the White JUNK, now./Same goes for protecting Manami.......

109
Lisa: And for seeing you, Shanlan.......
Shanlan: Lisa.
Lisa: Farewell, Shanlan.
Shanlan: Farewell.......//Lisa.../Farewell.......*gwoooooo*

110
Signboard: KTN/Kantou Television/Network
Journalist: Hey there. What do you mean, a scoop about the supermen?!!/Forget that. The only ones who know what it's about are the director, an undetermined number of people in the top brass//And Kayo?
Cameraman: 10 minutes to airing!!
Kayo: Hhhhhh.

111
Fujiwara: Now... What will it be?
Hanafusa: People are gonna fall off their seats./Hehe.
Natsuki: This is the only place left, then.

112
Announcer: You are watching News Tonight 10.
Kayo: Good evening everyone!//First, tonight's breaking news.[/end

113
Justice 29: JUNK Expose

114
Kayo: This is a News Tonight 10 exclusive scoop./One year ago, an individual possessed of inhuman power became the cause of much public unrest and continued destruction in town...//It was called a superman./We have obtained some information regarding its true identity. The public knows it as a "superhuman"//but its real name is...../......//JUNK!/It is our understanding that it can also be referred to as a JUNK suit.

115
*vlan*
Hiro: Wh...//They're talking about JUNK on TV?!/How come?
*ding dong*
Hiro: Eh?//Who could it be, at this time of night?
Announcer: Then whoever's inside the suit, they are human, after all?
Kayo: Yes. They're the ones wearing the JUNK suits.//This enables them to display power on a superhuman scale./This technology is well beyond our comprehension...//But we can tell it's been manufactured somewhere./JUNK...

116
Natsuki: Good evening./E-he.
Hiro: Who.../Who are you?

117
Kayo: ...is an article from JUNK Systems. Established under the aegis of the government-based J-Project, this society is an organ composed of retired high-ranking officials./On one occasion, JUNK Systems has denied such implications, but the truth is the duty they fulfill inside J-Project is one of critical importance. In other words...

118
Kayo: JUNK is a creation of the Japanese government./And in fact, everything from its development to its fabrication has been paid for with our taxes!//That's right! That suit is the product of the money levied from our blood, sweat and tears!/We present the government and J-Project with our staunch disapproval, and demand that everything be revealed to us citizens.
*gwoooo*
Man: What...?/The supermen... The government was behind it?
Headband: Wow wow wow. Are you kidding me?

119
Pencil: That superman thing is called JUNK...
Woman: And it's paid for with taxes?/Jesus.
Headphones: Any truth to that story?
Director: ......//No idea.//But true or false.../It's gonna cause one huge commotion.
Kayo: Some refer to the supermen as superheroes. They may be right./But we could add that those superheroes have been created with our taxes.
Hiro: .....

120
Hiro: The government is behind JUNK?/And it's paid for with taxes? Geez.
Natsuki: It's true.
Hiro: Eh?
Natsuki: JUNK Systems is an effort between retired officials. A special, intra-governmental phantom organization./It's under the Prime Minister's direct control, and doesn't answer to any branch of the government...//Now you know what JUNK Systems is.
Kayo: Social Insurance and various other expenses have been pointed out as wasteful money sinks./But actually, the funds were all collected behind our backs and invested into JUNK's development. This financial waste amounts to no more no less than camouflage and duplicity.

121
Kayo: The government has been bleeding us of gold for the sake of developing those aberrations under the guise of innovation.
Fujiwara: ........
Hanafusa: Hehe...
Kayo: From what we've been able to see until now, a single one of those JUNK suits is no doubt capable of impressive battle prowess!//When the word gets out that the Japanese government possessed such power, we may expect intense investigation and questioning from foreign countries./What is the current administration's purpose in using the suits? The day these are manufactured en masse...
Fujiwara: The government... taxes... the country?/Like me? Wait... Because of him, my brother...
Kayo: Japan will be possessed of enormous power./Assuming it's meant for military use, it is clearly unconstitutional and cannot be tolerated!

122
Narrator: The next day.//Telephone Center.
Secretaries: Yes! Yes!/About the affair, yes./Yes. At the moment...
Paper: [...]fense Project!/JUNK Suit meant for the Self-Defense For[...] [tn: Self-Defense Force = Japanese "army".]
Signboard: [...]nment denies any involvement in the JU[...]
Journalist: Minister!! One word about yesterday's news!!/Minister!!
Reporter: The Prime Minister hasn't answered any of the press' questions at all...
Demonstration: Look at what the government did to us!!

123
Nose: This a huge setup from the government.
Lady: Assuming it's true at all./This might be another sham, like that mail not so long ago.
Glasses: We would do well to submit KTN's information sources to further investigation to verify their authenticity.
Blur: Really? I can't say I approve.
Kaji: People are all over the JUNK's case.
Fujiwara: Yeah, I guess so. What with a governmental project being behind the repeated bouts of destruction.
Kaji: Is that really true?
Fujiwara: Assuming it is.......//A lot of things would make sense./Like the specialized team.......

124
Kaji: Which ultimately might not exist at all./Yes?
Fujiwara: How much truth is there to the information that's been released to the public?/How much of it has been fabricated... Now or later, we might never know.
Kaji: You think so? Don't they say things get settled with time?
Fujiwara: Stoooopid.//What do you make of Kennedy's assassination? The public still doesn't know what really happened.
Kaji: It wasn't Oswald?
Fujiwara: Ooh, boy!........

125
Ayano: Yuukiii./Yuuki isn't there?
Ayu: ......
Ayano: ....../Uh?//(The little prick.../He's playing hookey or what?)
Ayu: Sensei!
Ayano: Eh?

126
Ayano: Niiyama-san.
Ayu: What happened to Hiro-kun? Should I drop by his place on my way back?
Ayano: .......
Ayu: Uh?
Ayano: Oh, well. Go for it. I'll be busy somewhere else tonight anyway.
Ayu: Ye... Yeah...
Ayano: Oh.//And he can dine on snacks./If he wants to, I mean... 'Kay?
Ayu: Dine on snacks....../...... [tn: Yes, Ayu-chan I confirm it. You have just been insulted.]

127
Phone: Papparapaa-paapapa.
Ayu: Ah.../A message......./From Masami?
Message: Ayu! It's me, Masami! I've got something really important to tell you. I can't speak of it before everybody else, so meet me at the Renault Karaoke! There will be a room at my name there, starting at 4! I'll give you more details in due time!
Ayu: Something important to tell me... What could it be...?/Masami.
Ayano: What the heck...

128
Hiro: "What the heck" what?
Natsuki: Who's that? Your mom?
Mrs Robinson Ayano: His mo.../When did you develop a taste for prepubescent girls?[tn: Look who's talking.]
Hiro: Wh... No.../She's...
Ayano: Eh? She's from JUNK Systems?//A counselor?
Natsuki: Humph.

129
Ayu: Room number 17./Number 17. Let's see.......//Ah. Here we are.//Masami./Here I am.*creak*
Ayu: Uh?

130
Ayu: Masami?/I'm here. Are you hiding somewhere?//Masami?
Masami: Ayu...*TODOM!!*
Ayu: Ma... Masami!! You took me by surprise.
Masami: Huhu.
Ayu: What's the deal? Why did you call me here of all places?
Masami: Ahem./See Ayu, today I have something really great to tell you.
Ayu: Uh-huh?

131
Masami: I'm really, really happy. Just thought I'd share some of that happiness with you.../Alright? Why don't you come with me?
Ayu: Wai... Wait a minute, Masami./What are you talking about? You look strange. What happened to you?
Masami: Why Am I doing this? Because you're my good friend./It's only natural that I share some of my joy with you.//Let's be happy together.
Ayu: I'm off!*baf*
Masami: I don't think so.
*step*

132
Ayu: !!//The.. The entire class?//What's going on?
Class: Ayu. You're the one who isn't quite right./It's an opportunity for happiness, you have there./Why don't you come with us?/Eh?//There's no problem if we're going with you, right?/Come on. I'm so totally happy right now. There's just nothing that we can't do.

133
Ayu: Wait, guys!!/ Wait a minute!!//Stop it!!/Don't touch me.//No!!
Yasuoka: Hehehe.
Ayu: Noooooooo!!

134
Sign: President's Office.
Director: Uh... A reassignment?
President: That's right.//Concerning all the people involved. I have no other choice./You aren't fired. Think of it as a gesture of compassion from the company.
Kayo: You must be under pressure from somewhere?!

135
Kayo:: The government? Or else...
President: I have no obligation to answer that question.
Director: The government is pressuring the media?/Wouldn't that be the definition of a huge affair?!!
President: No need for misplaced suspicions!/The decision comes from within. Plain and simple.
Director: That's just...
President: You are to apologize for everything on tonight's news./You can tell you've been fed some kind of fake and unverifiable information.
Kayo: No w...
Director: .........

136
Ayano: I see./So you were the red JUNK's counselor.../Didn't think you'd be such a kid.
Natsuki: Hem!//I may not look like it, but I'm 18!! You hag!
Ayano: Shut up!!
Hiro: (18... She's about my age, then...)
Ayano: I see. You've come here because the main office is after you.
Natsuki: So what of it?!
Ayano: Anything happens, the black JUNK will be around, that's it?
Natsuki: Humph.
Ayano: That was naive thinking, though.
Natsuki: How so?
Ayano: The boy won't be able to turn into JUNK over something like that.
Hiro: !

137
Ayano: In addition, he'll be returning the suit within a few days from now.
Natsuki: THAT'S THE PROBLEM!!
Hiro&Ayano: Uh?
Natsuki: Why are you so quick to give back of the power?/You get your hands on some superhuman abilities at long last. Don't you think it's a waste to let go of that?
Hiro: A waste?
Natsuki: Yeah! It's got “wasteful” painted all over it!!
Ayano: The company equals the Japanese government. There's no going against th at./Plus if you don't give it back, you get punishment from someone with the same powers.

138
Ayano: In other words, death./It isn't worth following the red JUNK's example.
Natsuki: Sheesh.
Hiro: .......
Ayano: Anyway. Be sure to hand over that suit quick, Hiro-kun./Then, the snotty brat can get away from here.
Natsuki: You called me a kid again!/Why, you!!
*kwash*
Natsuki: Hh!

139
Ayano: Come to think of it. Has Ayu come around?
Natsuki: Damn you./You crone.*bat*
Hiro: Eh? Ayu? I haven't seen her today.
Ayano: Ah yeah? That's weird./She said she'd drop by on her way back from school.
Hiro: She did?
Ayano: She was worried that you didn't come at school./Not like there was anything to worry about. You weren't alone. What with having the child here to keep you company.
Natsuki: I keep telling you I'm not a child!!
Ayano: Hah./That's exactly what you'd expect a child to say.
Hiro: Ayu.../Guess she's found herself busy somewhere else.

140
Ayu: Ah.../Where am I...? Where's everyone...?//!//Mo... Money?/That's........

141
Ayu: Uuuuuuh?!!/What the heck is all of this?!!//A pile of banknotes?/Uh?
Yasuoka: It's all yours.
Ayu: ......

142
Ayu: Y... You!//Again? What are you trying to pull?!! And why did you drag the whole class into it?!!
Masami: That's not it.
Ayu: Masami...
Masami: You were the only one, Ayu...
Ayu: Uh?
Masami: The only one who was yet to join the Koufuku Society./Now the whole class is in.
*rustle*

143
Class: And here you were, shouting and saying you'd go right back home./Some bad manners you got there./But now everyone can be happy.
Masami: The Koufuku Society is really about bringing happiness. Do you know what the most powerful force of attraction is?/Money. Join in, and you'll get as much of it as you want. You can use as much of it as you want in order to bring in new converts.//You can buy whatever you want! Clothes. Accessories. Even a car!/One can't get any happier!! Ayu!! Join the Koufuku Society, why don't you?
Ayu: Something's wrong! With everyone!!/There's no way one can get that much cash so easily!*baf*
Ayu: The notes got to be fake or something!!/We can't go around using them!!

144
Monk: What rudeness! They're the real deal. Printed in honest to goodness Japanese mints.
Ayu: !//And you are.......
Monk: Niiyama-san, is it?
Ayu: ......
Monk: Welcome to the Koufuku Society!/Let the Red Light wash you in a neverending flow of happiness...

145
*clap clap*
*clap clap clap clap*
Class: Congratulations!/Congratulations!/Congratulation, Ayu!*clap clap clap clap clap*
Monk: Congratulations, Niiyama-shi!*clap clap clap*
Ayu: No...//NOOOOOOOO.

146
*CLANG*
Monk: She's changing. To think her heart wouldn't be moved by the money./I'm wondering if I should leave things to you, Yasuoka-shi.
Yasuoka: Yes sir.//I've had one of my friends tell her parents she wouldn't be spending the night at home./Before long, everyone in the class will be a member of the Koufuku Group... We can't let even a single defector out in the open.[tn: And of course, the evil traitor turns out to be the ugly, pig-faced school bully. Can we get any more obvious?]
Monk: Privacy is another means to contemplation.
Yasuoka: You really think of everything./Looks like she's calmed down.

147
Ayu: ....../It feels so weird to be surrounded.../with so much cash...//They said if I needed anything I was free to use the change to order and buy it...//I've never cared all that much for money./Aaah. Papa and Mama must be worried.*flomp*
*vroooaar*
Ayu: !

148
*vroar vroar*
Ayu: Uh?[/end

149
Ayu: A... A dirigible......../Uh...//Two of them?//I wonder if they're from the Koufuku Society...
Dude: I've spotted two dirigibles coming from Koufuku's Tokyo branch office.//They're headed towards the town center. I am done taking the pictures.
Headphone: Roger.
Justice 30: JUNK Propagate

150
Hiro: Here...
Ayano: Uh?//You're really giving it back?
Hiro: EH? Aren't you the one who told me...
Ayano: Oh well... That's right./Just thought what the girl said might have made a difference.
Hiro: That's one of the reasons actually.
Ayano: Listen.//If you give this back that means you can't turn into JUNK ever again.

151
Hiro: I kinda feel like now, I'm not gonna need to.../And probably not in the future either...
Ayano: Oh, nevermind./It's still a pity, though.*clap*
Hiro: Uh?
Ayano: Think about it. If you stop being JUNK//that means my job as your counselor is over as well./You understand?[tn: In full-lettered English in the original text.]
Hiro: Ah...
Ayano: We still have this term, mind you./Let's have fun!
Hiro: How so?
Ayano: Try a guess...

152
Hiro: Uh?/Ayu is skipping class again?//That's like the 3rd day she hasn't come to school.//Hey, you. Any idea what happened to Ayu?/You folks get along pretty well, right?
Masami: Yep. I think she's gone on a trip abroad with her parents, for a month or so.//Ayu said something about studying overseas./Certainly the trip's a preparation for that.
Hiro: Abroad?//(She never told me a word about that/Well, I guess she doesn't need to tell me everything...)
Teacher: Stand up!*vlan vlan*

153
Narrator: Police Headquarters.
Saeki: Now this.*clank*
As you can see, these are ￥10.000 bills.[tn: About 975 USD.]//One of them is real. The other one's a fake.
Cop: What's the difference?
Saeki: Take a good look at the two.//You see no difference because there is none./In other words......

154
Saeki: The two of them are perfectly identical. Paper, ink, watermark, hologram. Everything./All the same, one of them is real. The other one's a fake.
*chatter*
Saeki: I've tried an up close inspection, without even the flimsiest of results.//It might have been a mistake from one of the mints./But when I asked the relevant authorities, they told me it was nothing of the sort.
Cop: How did you obtain those bills?
Saeki: One of them comes straight out of my purse...
Cops: Hahaha.
Saeki: And the other one/

155
Saeki: From the Red Cult of Blissful Longevity.
Jura: Japan is ailing. Its people looking for salvation.
Monk: Yes sir.
Jura: This is where we come in. And forthwith extend our help./The kind of assistance that befits a great catastrophe./What of the preparations?
Monk: We are ready.//Jura-sama.

156-157
Narrator: Sapporo.//Tokyo.//Nagoya.//Osaka.//Kyoto.//Fukuoka.

158
*BOOM*
*SBAOM*
*brrom brrr*
*KABOOOOM*

159
Voice: Early this morning, dirigibles exploded in several major Japanese cities, causing much destruction by fire. The likeliness of an act of terrorism is very high. The government has reacted with measures of strict vigilance.../The places touched are Sapporo, Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka and Fukuoka.../The extent of the damage is currently unknown!! Eye-witnesses mention large animal illustrations on the balloons' sides. This is reminiscent of those ad-balloons in the capital, several months ago...*brrr brromm brrr*

160
Narrator: One month later.
Monk: Calm down! Calm down!/There will be enough food for everybody!
*flap flap*
Monk: For those who wish to join the Koufuku Society, please follow the line!
TV: This is the Koufuku Group's Tokyo branch. Today as usual, they are flocked with people who come seeking assistance...
Fujiwara: .......//Koufuku again...
Kaji: Yeah. They're distributing lots of food and blankets and other stuff, too. And there's no shortage of new converts either...

161
Kaji: It's only a rumor, but I heard they gave out money, too...
Fujiwara: Uuh? That kind of thing never happens./A religious group giving out money?//No way. No way at all.
Monk: Here...
Dude: AH...//Tha.../Thank you so much!!
Monk: Next!!//......

162
Hiro: Simultaneous acts of terrorism, right after everything about JUNK is revealed to the public.../Nobody talks about JUNK anymore. TV broadcasts are all about finding whoever's responsible for the destruction.
Ayano: People are easily distracted from one center of interest to another.
Hiro: I guess you're right.
Ayano: For now, their primary concern is to restore the people and the places that have been damaged./The Koufuku group has been very vocal about salvation throughout Japan.
Hiro: A cult?//Didn't pay them much attention. I'm not the religious sort.
Ayano: Regardless. Humans are feeble creatures. If they think they can find aid and support somewhere...../From God, Man, or material things. Then it's probably not without importance.

163
Ayu: Hiro-kun.
Hiro: Ayu!
Ayu: It's been a while.
Hiro: Ayu, you're back!
Ayu: Yep. Sensei, you must have been so worried.
Ayano: Not at all...//Now if you'll excuse me.
Ayu: Um. I'd like you to come with me after school.
Hiro: Eh? Where to?
Ayu: Huhuhu.

164
Shades: We have the proof.//The First JUNK Team will include 13 people./The first mission starts tomorrow midnight.//You have 60 minutes to act. You are to eliminate the target within that time./Withdrawal from the premises is to be conducted in the span of 5 minutes. Your respective partners will be in standby. They will have markers. Make sure to identify them.//Now the distribution: 1 agent in Sapporo. 1 in Sendai. 3 in Tokyo. 2 in Nagoya. 3 in Kyoto. 2 in Osaka. 1 in Fukuoka.//You are to wrap things up before Public Security gets on the case.[tn: (Japanese) Public Security Investigation Agency.]

165
Shades: A great number of clients will also be watching. Do not fail them./The objectives are...//the Koufuku group's branches./The Tokyo branch and their headquarters in Kyoto in particular must be taken.*vlan*
Shades: Show them that JUNK is a force to be reckoned with.*clunk*
Shades: Dismissed!

166
Natsuki: I'm so bored./I hope Hiro-kun gets back soon.
Hiro: Wha... What is it...

167
Hiro: You wanted to tell me...?
Ayu: Hiro-kun... Don't you wanna be happy?
Hiro: Uh?
Ayu: I want us both to know happiness.*frush*
Hiro: Thanks, but no, thanks... I'm just fine the way I am.......*gulp*
Ayu: Naaah. I'm talking about becoming even happier.*slip*
Hiro: He... Hey........

168
Ayu: C'mon. You don't wanna?*flomp*
Hiro: Hey there. Wait a minute.
Ayu: Come with me. I'll take you to happiness.
Hiro: Ayu!! You're freaking me out!!//You...*tilt*
Ayu: Uh-huh?

169
*BOM*
Hiro: Wha...//goin...//on...*thud*

170
Yasuoka: Good job, Ayu.
Ayu: It was nothing.
Yasuoka: Now everyone from the class... and from the school is in.//Now to warn his parents and take him to the office...
Ayu: Yes.
Yasuoka: You have done well./Jura-sama will be pleased.
Ayu: Mh.../Ha.../Humph.../Ha...

171
Blue: It's currently 11 pm. Mission starts in 1 hour./This is my last report.
Partner: We are to destroy the establishment and make sure to get the branch office's head. If we happen to find Jura - the guru - we make sure to get him too./Well, that's easy to understand, but...
Blue: What?
Partner: What if we bump into the devotees?
Shades: For now, leave them untouched as much as circumstances allow. Otherwise, accidents happen.
Ponytail: Roger.
Shades: Also. I don't wanna hear anything about guru or devotees./The Koufuku Group

172
Shades: Is no cult at all!

173
Attendant: Mister Secretary. The operation will start at 12 o' clock tonight.[tn: Chief Cabinet Secretary. Simply put, one of the most influent men in Japan after the Prime Minister, or close enough.]
Secretary: Yes./I've told the Prime Minister./The Koufuku Group really went overboard this time.//Starting with that sale, and those fake bank notes...//Then the balloon explosions... Going through students to drag in entire families.../The simultaneous acts of terrorism all over Japan particularly were way too much...
Attendant: Yes sir.

174
Secretary: All of it for the sake of the next elections./Inflation, catastrophe, terrorism... To seize the ballots. And topple the current government.//The opposition's come up with such unorthodox methods. We just can't let it slide!*slurp*
Secretary: The Koufuku organization has been created by the Democratic League and their ilk![tn: See translator note in JUNK 05 p.55]//The governor who authorized this so many years ago also bears a great deal of responsibility.[tn: Prefectural governor.]
Attendant: Shall we reveal this to the public immediately and squash the Democratic League?
Secretary: Well. This isn't my decision to make./But I should still be able to give a nudge in the right direction.//Regardless. Soon enough, the Koufuku group will be no more./We'll have all the time we need to think things through afterwards.

175
Ayano&Natsuki: Uh?
Ayano: What's going on? Hiro-kun hasn't come back yet?*peek*
Natsuki: I thought you'd be the one to know.
Ayano: Cell phone?
Natsuki: I've been trying that for a while, now. He hasn't answered at all.
Ayano: Where is he?/Well, if anybody knows//I guess it's Ayu.../He can't have made off somewhere with her, now, can he? ...
Natsuki: Dang.

176
Hiro: Where am I?
*teeter*
Hiro: I was in the Karaoke, and I fell over./Now I wake up on a pile of bank notes?//Aaah. Gotta admit, that's awesome, though./All that money.//I don't have that much myself, and every time I've seen it/it was a figures on my computer screen.
Ayu: You're awake?

177
Hiro: Ayu...//What is this place?/Did you bring me here all by yourself?
Yasuoka: Of course not. She wasn't alone.
Hiro: You...
Yasuoka: The entire class lent a hand.../Anyway. We need to tell your parents where you are, so give us their phone number.

178
Hiro: You want my parents' address...?/What for?
Yasuoka: You'll be joining the Koufuku Society. Starting today./You're gonna live here for a month. Then, we have your parents join in too.//Cooperate, and all the money here is yours!/If you join Koufuku with your family, you can all be happy!
Hiro: My parents are dead./And I live off the money they left behind for me.
Yasuoka: I see.../So you have no parents...//The Koufuku group has no use for a guy who can't vote./You're free to go.

179
Yasuoka: Assuming you can, that is.
Hiro: Ayu!
Ayu: !//.....
Hiro: What's going on...?/Dang it.......

180
Blue: It's time.
*click*
*schlack*
*schlack*
*clip*
Blue: Change!!

181
*Kiiiiiii*
*PSHHHHH*

182
*BAOOOM*
*BRRROMM*
*crack crack crack*
*brrrr*
People: Aaaaah. Nooooo.
*brrrr* brrromm*

183
Hiro: Wh... What the.../What's that?*brrrr*
Girl: Ah... Aaaaaah. The money!! The money's burniiiiing.
People: Wah.
*bom*
Hiro: This isn't just an ordinary fire...?*brr brrmmm*
Hiro: A... AYU!!//He... Hey. Are you alright?!!
Ayu: Ah... Hiro-kun?
Hiro: !!

184
*BRRROOMMMMM*
Blue: !