Freesia 62

Freesia, Volume 10, Chapter 62 (pp. 57~82)


<57>
=We'll submit the note of protest as soon as we're done eating.
=You'll be on SS Radio at 2:30, then two more interviews back at the agency.
=The tailor is coming at 4:00. You'll be having dinner with your siblings at 7:00.
=After that, we'll meet to discuss your upcoming lecture.

Chapter 62: Labor Management

=So basically, I'm not getting any sleep again?


<58>
=I haven't gotten a single day of rest this month.
=Are you trying to kill me, Kusaka-kun?

=We've still been turning down pretty much every single TV offer...

=This is the final stretch before the House election, remember—?

=You shouldn't smoke in public, Tanaka-kun!
=Yes, it's a nuisance.

=Huh? Why? This isn't a non-smoking section, Bobby.
=No, I mean...

=You announced it last week when you were on "Jump Out Healthy Lifestyles."
=You said you're gonna stop smoking.

=I said I wish I could stop smoking...
=It's the same thing.
=It's not the same, alright—!?


<59>
=Damn it—

=Let's just eat and get outta here quickly.
=But don't forget to chew before you swallow.
=Yeah, you'll choke if you eat in a hurry.

=I quit.

=Huh?
=What was that?

=I'm quitting this job if I'm not getting any sleep today!
=You're driving me around like an animal!

=I don't care about politics and vigilante corps anymore—!
=Calm down, lower your voice...
=Here we go again...
=I just wanna spend a day smoking grass and having sex—!


<60>
=People are gonna hear you, Tanaka-kun.
=Who cares—!? I don't!

=It's too loud in here, nobody's gonna hear me anyways—!
=Pussy—!
=Wha... Tanaka-kun!

=Be quiet, Tanaka-kun.

GATHUCK
=WHOAA!
=What's wrong, Tanaka-kun?

=W-When did this guy...?
=He was here the whole time...


<61>
=Huh? Oh, is that right?

=GLUB

=Sorry for surprising you like that,
=Hah-hah-hah.
=You were the one that was surprised, Tanaka-kun.


<62>
=Huh? This guy...

=Hmm—?
=It's impolite to stare, Tanaka-kun.

=He looks like someone I know—

=Just my imagination, I guess...
GATHUCK

=Can you move?
=I have get back to my workplace.


<63>
=Oh... My bad.

=Hey,
=Hold up a sec.

=PLIP
=We were lucky enough to get to know each other.

=Take a look.
=It's a pamphlet for our organization.


<64>
=Pamphlet?
=What's a pamphlet?

=C'mon, haven't you seen my face on TV before?
=Our motto is "The Future is Ours."

=Hmm...
=Doesn't ring a bell.

=Wait, do you not have a TV in your house?
=You have one right?


<65>
=I have one,
=But I've never heard of you before.

=Well then,
=Excuse me.

=W-What the hell...?
=GACHUK
=He's such a weirdo...


<66>
=Tanaka-kun,
=I don't think you want to get involved with that guy.

=Huh?

=Just my intuition, but...
ZZUP..
=I've got a bad feeling about him.

=And I've got pretty good intuition.
=It worked wonders for me on the battlefield.

=Anyways, can you please hurry up and finish eating—!?
=R-Right...
=We're already half an hour late—!

=But still,
=He definitely looks like someone I know...


<67>
[bubble]CLACK

=That building's the agency, right? ...Which means,//He's an enforcement proxy?
=Who was it—?
=What's wrong, Tanaka-kun?

=Yeah right...

=A little past 1:30 today, in a room packed with journalists and reporters, Asia League Freedom Alliance representative Keita Tanaka,
=Handed a note of protest to the director of the enforcement proxy agency, along with 50,000 signatures of people demanding an explanation of the incident.


<68>
=Over here, please—!
[x3]KASHUCK
=Man, this is nervewracking...
=Move in closer, Mr. Director—You're not getting in the shot.

=It's often said that the reason proxy agencies have never been searched, is because the proxy association has close ties with the police force.
=We will continue to pursue the truth through activities like this, and we urge the authorities to do the same.

=We're in a hurry! Any further comment will come from our agency—!
=That guy looks kinda pretentious—

=What about your rumored relationship with former Pussykitten Girl YO-KO, who hasn't had a hit song since "Love Terrorist...?"
=Can you tell us more about that—!?
=Please, make way.
=Are you still smoking—?
=Is it true that you don't like natto—?

=Is this another campaign tactic before the next House election?
=Have you spoken to your father lately—?
=You're good at Tetris, aren't you—?


<69>
=You've gotten pretty popular, huh...
=Saw you on TV again.
[x3]*boiling*

=You were just a crybaby when you were a kid...//But now you're a big celebrity...

=I haven't changed much from before.

=But man, you've got it easy, being the youngest and all—


<70>
=Honestly, I was pretty skeptical
=When the old man said you were gonna be the face of the new organization.
[x5]*boiling*

=But he got it spot on.
=Yeah, that is one sharp old dog.
=Hah-hah-hah.

=Well, we also went around begging people, so the old man doesn't get all the credit.
[x3]*boiling*

=Hey, wait a sec, big bro.
=You make it sound like I haven't done anything.
[x3]*boiling*

=I get less than 2 hours of sleep each night!
=But you guys still...

=So you stayed up all night playing on your Game Boy?

DWA-HAH-HAH-HAH


<71>
=What the hell! I'm just...!
=Right, sorry—We're just kidding around.

=Well, we did get a ton of younger supporters thanks to you. Especially women...
=You've got a ton of charisma in that department.

=Yeah, getting women is your one specialty.

=Heh, guess I got that from the old man.
=We're all half brothers anyway.

=Hey hey, don't you dare talk badly about the old man.

=He accepted you and even got you into college.
=You should really be thanking him.

=If he hadn't taken you in...
=You might've died a dog's death like that woman, hah-hah-hah.


<72>
BLAM

=Hey, Keita.
=Where you going?

=I'm going home.
=I'm too fucking busy for this kinda shit.

=W-Wait are a sec, are you...

=Going home to play Game Boy?
BABOO—
DWA—HAH-HAH

=Assholes...


<73>
=Listen, Keita. You've got it all wrong.
=The old man didn't pick you because he's counting on your ability.

=He's counting on those looks, and the "brand name" of the Tanaka family.
=You try anything stupid, and everything we've built up goes down the drain.

=You just keep following orders from us.//The next election's gonna be crucial.

=Remember, the old man took the trouble to cover up all that shit you pulled.
=You'd better not let him down, Keita.


<74>
VR—

ROLL

=Wonder if something happened at the meeting.
=He looks a little down...

WHOOSH


<75>
=Gosh—I thought you were never coming again.
=You said so last week—

=Well yeah, I did, but...//Sorry 'bout that, YO-KO-chan...

=Huh?
=What the heck...?

=You still have this crap...?
=I told you to stop doing this stuff.

=Yeah, but—


<76>
=Yes, we kinda lost our way... Huh? GPS?
=G-G-GPS seems to be broken too...!
=I'm not lying, Kusaka-san!

=T-Two more hours... No, maybe three.//We're lost in the woods right now...
=That's a pretty big stretch—

=I'm the one that's gonna be yelled at for this.
=We can kinda tell which way we're going from the stars, but...
=Hurry up, Tanaka-kun—


<77>
=Ahh...

=It feels so good, Kei-kun!
=You're so big—!

=Ahh, heaven...!
=I can see heaven—!

=Harder!
=Do me harder—!

=Keep going...! Forever!


<78>
=Mom,
=Where are you going...?


<79>
=HUFF

[x3]=HUFF

=Wh-What's wrong, Kei-kun?

=Gone...!
=It's gone!
=Huh?

=The bracelet's gone!
=What bracelet?
=The one Mom gave me!


<80>
=Where'd it go!?
[bubble]URP
=It's a keepsake from my mother!

=I have to find it!

=Is this what you're talking about?
=You just left it on the desk.

=Oh...

=Maybe you need to get some rest, Kei-kun...
=You were tripping pretty badly.


<81>
=Now I remember.

=Huh?

=Oh, just this guy I met today.
=I thought he looked like someone I knew...

=The kid I bullied during high school.//Don't remember his name.
=He stopped coming to school 2nd-year. Never saw him again...


<82>
=He looks,
=Exactly like him.

=The Future is Ours!
=C'mon, let's achieve peace among our Asian comrades and the rest of the world...!
[caption]Asia League Freedom Alliance

=Ohh—
=This, huh...