Homunculus Volume 13

Homunculus
Volume 13
Translator: Ars Magna
_____________________

02
Volume 13

09
Bank of Manhattan 東京支社 Bank of Manhattan Tokyo Branch
名越 進 Nakoshi Susumu
ななみ Nanami

10
Oh right.
Aya introduced her to me
at that high-rise.

Her name was...
Nanami?

11
Are you awake?

Ah.

I'm at your place...

12
I can't believe
you did it by yourself.

I've warned you so much about this.

I couldn't stich your wound completely,
but "luckily" the suppuration only caused an inflammation and fever which knocked you out for two days.

13
I've slept...
for two days?

More importantly!

Why would you try doing a self-trepanation?! If you had made a single mistake, you were dead by now!
What were you thinking by that?!

14
I can see
the homunculi again.

Thanks to my "second pair of eyes," my ability is back.

Sheesh...

15
Is this woman
the homunculus you have been talking who changes her face?

Yeah.

16
What do you think she's doing in that hotel?

She's a mistress.
L'amant.

A mistress?

17
From what I've seen in the past two days,

she was together with a stock company's executive,
head doctor of a hospital,
a company president...

These three are her sugar daddies.

18
There are more.

Huh?

I saw her going out with other men too.

Oh...
So she's just a slut.

But...
Isn't it kinda dangerous to meet her sugar daddies "secretly" in a hotel?

19
Although it looks careless at the first glance,
she's pretty wary.

I ran a background check on her,
but I ended up nowhere.

Her name, age, residence...
I couldn't find anything about her.

Nanami...

Pardon?

20
Nanami.
I think
that's her name.

I remembered a bit of that night.

21
What happened?

Although I said
that she didn't leave an impression on me,

even without being able to see the homunculi,
she was the only one that looked like an homunculus.

It's normal
to think that something must have happened then.

22
I can only remember that someone introduced her to me at a party of my coworker.

Did you sleep with her?

I don't know.

Oh, come on...

23
By the way,
had she always that "face"?

What do you mean?

Just like you,
she had a plastic surgery.

24
You'd call her a "cyborg."
You know, a cyborg.

That's the reason why her face changes.

Despite the plastic surgery,
she's lost between a woman who could enjoy real love and a prostitute what we call a "lover."

25
She's just like you, Nakoshi-san.

Your ex who only looked at you...

26
The ex you saw in a homunculus...

What is she
doing right now?

I've no idea.

What does she look like?

I can't remember...

27
What?!

I can't remember her face at all...

Did you forgot about your ex's face just like you forgot yours?

I just...

remember that she was completely ugly.

28
U-Ugly?!

You...
Love between two ugly people?!

Shut up!

An ugly woman who can see the homunculi.
The only one who could see you.

29
You know,

this woman had some heavy surgery.

It's possible that she was an ugly woman just like your ex.

30
Up's-a-daisy.

Your wound should be fine now.

Your suit and shirts were on the cleaning.

I left your car in the parking lot in a good shape, too.

Thanks.

31
I've left some drugs in your car. You should take them for a week.

Ah.
Okay.

Bye then.

33
Oh, car boy.
Ah.

Ken-san.
Hi.

I couldn't see you lately.
Where were you?

You know, I had some business with ladies.

Hahahaha.

34
In the past few days, more and more tents disappeared.

I see.

Where would I have to go if all the homeless are gone from the park?

35
I can't return
to the hotel again.

36
It's possible that she was an ugly woman just like your ex.

37
He face is completely different, but...

I think she was about the same height.

38
Oh.
Nakoshi-sama!

Welcome.

Ah.
Thanks.

45
What's wrong?

Is there something on my face?

No, it's nothing.

Nothing...
...at all...

49
I think
this gloss will look lovely on your lips.

Why don't you try it?

Do you always
carry this along?

52
Hey...
Hey!

We aren't alone here...

54
She...
She has no mouth!

58
Tanaka-san

61
She...

She's staring at me. {lit looking into the car}

65
Ah...

66

Th...
This is...

67
Not a dream!

The nopperabou
wasn't a dream...

Na...

68
Nanako?

70
What are you drawing,
Nanako?

78
Hm...

Is this supposed to be a cloud?

80
Hamburgers?

What's the meaning of this?

81
I bought more than I needed.
You can have them if you want.

Are you showing me mercy?

What?
Is there a reason for me to pity you?

82
Is your life so pitiful that you need my mercy?

83
What do you see?

Sorry?

What do I look like?

84
What does my
"current self" look like?

86
A homeless.

Are you really homeless?

87
Don't be silly.
Just on a journey to look for myself.

ニコ = Smile
Oh, I see.

So...

Are you a "lover"?

88
What's a "lover"?

You go to that hotel and meet up with different men.

"Papa"?

Oh...

They are
important clients.

89
Hold on.
What kind of job are you doing?

Does your job require kissing in the elevator?

Kissing?

Is kissing passionately your job?

Who are you talking about?
Didn't you mistake me for someone else?

Hey...
Can't you even try coming up with better lies?

90
Do you mean my sister by any chance?

We're siblings. I'm the younger one.

No...
No way...

91
What?

You didn't know,
Nakoshi-san?

You're lying.

92
Haha.

I'm serious.

Don't lie to me!

93
Then...
Did your older sister...

Also undergo plastic surgery?

What do you mean
by plastic surgery?

A plastic surgergy
is a plastic surgery.

94
Are you talking about yourself?

95
Anyway,

I've to get back to work.

Are you still drawing?
Sorry?

You are drawing, aren't you?


96
Yes, I am.
I'm good at drawing.

What kind of pictures do you draw?

From sceneries to people, from simple sketches to oil paintings, I draw pretty much anything.

Should I draw
your portrait?

97
Hmph.
I'll pass on that.

Nakoshi-san!
Are you taking your drugs?

98
Oh.

ニコ = Smile
I'll be going then. Bye.

99
Why did that ex-ugly
woman come here?

She isn't my ex.

She isn't that kind of woman.
Nanako would never lie.

100
One of these hamburgers is 280 yen.

27 of them
make 7560 yen in total...

101
So?

It's impossible to eat them all.
Yeah.

It's not like you're going to eat it for the next few days either.
So, they'll spoil.

I know that.

You're being stubborn. I can't see your point.

You returned to the person when I just met you.

102
Well, I might be over-interpreting this.

Your ex could "see through you," right?

So in other words, she could see your "homunculus."

103
Plus,
she was always straightforward,
right?

So, what kind of homunculus did she see?

104
In which form would she see people's distortion and true natures?

Did she see
deformed, inorganic forms like you?

She's a bit different.

She could see it as organic substances.

105
Like flowers, wind or fire...
She could see with her imagination.

Flowers?
Wind?
Fire?!

People who can tell a person is "like a flower" are dime a dozen.
Most of the women are like that.

That's what I thought at first, too.

106
Unlike me,
Nanako could see clear patterns.

Well yeah, you seem to suck at drawing.

She'd hold the pencil like this,
and would show me "people's hearts" as she sketched.

107
She'd a rather avant-garde way of sketching.

First, she paints the blank page of her sketchbook all black with her pencil.

And there
she'd add expressions with her rubber.

"It's more human" when you paint a black page into white.

By sheeding a bit light to the pitch-black darkness of humans, you can see the form of their souls.

108
For example like this.

One day when we were at the park, she drew a flower.

Well it was a flower, but...
it was still premature.

109
Right in front of her was a girl who was probably still in elementary school,
and an old man who was probably her grandfather.

And that "premature flower" was that girl.

I can understand the flower part,
but why premature?

When I asked Nanako, she quickly frowned.
Her eyes wre locked on the old man who was walking with that girl.

110
That old man with her...
He deflowered her
against her will.
What?!

He's a bad person.

What are you...
No way...
I doubt that.

111
When I looked at the girl, I noticed that she had burst into tears

as blood flowed down between her legs.

112
Her first menstruation came too quickly.

That was the meaning of Nanako's "premature flower."

The sexual abuse part was Nanako's misinterpretation.

The picture standed for the early bloom of the flower instead of the first menstruation..

113
Hm...

I'm fine with the one half, but the other half is just...
"Hmm" I'd say.

That's what happened. Nothing more to it.


And?
And?

114
How did Nanako draw your homunculus?

116
A cl...
A cloud.... Yes.

A...
Cloud?!

Not a "spider" you'd think of but
the "cloud" that floats in the sky?

*Kumo can mean spider (蜘蛛) or cloud (雲).

Ye...
Yeah...

117
And?
And?

What about the heart?

That's why I didn't want to talk to you about this.
Oh, I totally understand you.

When you say "cloud," you'd think of a pure heart,
a lovely prince who'd protect his love as if he'd gently caress her. ♪

Isn't that your selfish wish as an ugly, amorous escapist?

118
Nakoshi-san,
my credibility-o-meter has changed from 50:50 to 2:8.
Yeah, I guess.

Nakoshi-san,
do you seriously believe that?

Yes.
Just like you "believe" iny my homunculus.

It's...
It's 25:75 now!

Besides, does "I saw my true self," "I'm a cloud" even make sense?
This sounds like that you, who used to be ugly and ran away from reality just made everything too convenient for yourself.

119
And?
And?

Why did you broke up
with that lovely and ugly girl

after three months?

Did you jilt her?
Or was it the other way?

Don't wanna talk about that.

I can imagine.

120
Can you tell me more about Nanako? Like her surname, where she's from or her age?

I'll take a look at it.

You're the one who ruined my talkative mood.

But if I investigate her, I might find out if that woman who "transforms her face" is your ex.

Are you deaf?

She's someone else.
Nanako would never lie. Ever.

121
Okay, okay.
Let's say she's not your ex.

But there must be something
about the transforming face woman.

Nakoshi-san, even when you lost your ability, she was the only one who looked like an homunculus, right?
Besides, your memories of meeting her are so vague. You don't even remember whether you have slept with her or not...

There has to be something you're trying to fill the gap unconsicously.


123
Guess I'll hit the sack.


125
Yeah?

126
Can you give me a ride?

It's Friday night,
and not a single taxy in sight.

127
Oh is this
not enough?

Or...
Do I have to pay
with my "body"?

Do you want to bone her?
She's the only one who looked like a homunculus.
Something must have happened back then.

128
Get in.

To Higashi Nakano please.

130
Pardon me. {actually Don't mind me (not literal) would work better for situreisimasu}

Mm.

131
I can't kiss lips that lie.

132
It'll rub on me.

So you would kiss
if they don't lie?

Perhaps.

133
You're the liar...

Excuse me?
Ah...
Nothing.

What happened the day I met you?

134
Sorry?
"What happened?"
Well...
I think I used to spend some time with you before...

Hmmmm...

I think it was only once.

*Close*

Her face doesn't change.

And...
That time...

135
Did we do it?
Sorry?

Did we have sex?

Whaaat?
You really don't remember?
Y-Yeah...

136
Disgusting...

No way we had sex...

Oh gosh...
This is so embarrassing...

Her...
Her face transformed.

137
Another lie?
What is the truth?

You really irritate me.

138
Nakoshi-san,

what happened to your lovely porsche?

139
I still have it.
I left it in a garage at Hiroo.

Oh.
So your consulting business is doing fine.

Yeah.

There'll be a recession in the near future.
This means that business like mine will make more profit.

Wow!

*close*

140
Nakoshi-san, you're so amazing! ♪

Wait.
Then why did you leave your car there,
and started living in this car?

141
Just like the old days... It's the quest to find myself...

Sometimes I remember the zeal I had in my youth. But being homeless is kinda cool too.

I've been asked to be the consultant for that hotel to collect some data.

There's been an increase of homeless people since the downsizing, so I was doing my research based on own experience.

142
M...
Mymymymymy...

143
My...
My...
My work...

wa...
wa was... a total failure...

I-I-I was deprived of my job... Lost all the perks...
And then I got fired of course...

The stocks I invested all my money are gone too.
I've just debts now.

144
Therefore I lost my house,
and my porsche was pawned too.

All that's left is this Carol {mazda carol}
and my suit.

145
But you said your porsche was in a garage in Hiroo, and your business was doing well just a moment ago.

Huh?!

That was a lie, duh.

146
This is the place.

Thank you for the ride.

Don't mention it.

I bet this appartment
is another lie anyway.

*giggle*

Yeah...
There's nothing common with her.

She's full of bullshit.

148
Would you like to come up for something warm? {lit tea but later she says coffee}

150
Step in.

151
I'll prepare the coffee.

152
Dirt?

153
Debt?

154
You want
it with milk?

156
Why did you invite me to your place?

Why do you approach me?

Hah.

Hahahahhaa.

You're still
as self-conscious as ever.

157
"What" happened between us?

Uhmmm...

Something must have happened,
otherwise you wouldn't be following me!

Oh come on...

Di...

Did we kiss?

158
Give it a rest already!
Hey!

160
Did we sleep?

Are you
trying to

seduce me or what?

161
It sounds like you just want to have sex with me.

N...
No!

That's a really weak pickup line, you know.

I'm not trying to seduce you.
I just want to know what happened between us.

Or are you saying
that you want to sleep with me for giving me a ride?

I already gave you 5000 yen.
You're so petty...

162
*Tap*

Enough with your lives.
Give me an answer now!

Did you sleep with me?

163
You're the liar here.

164
If you really want to do me,
then just say so.

What's with your act?
Will you stop calling me a liar?

So?

Well?

165
How much are you paying?

168
Why are you
staring at my face?
It's not your face.

I'm looking at you,
Nakoshi-san.

Nakoshi-san,
what
do you see?

169
Yep.
That gross

fits perfectly to your lips.

Heh.

Oh dear...

So you are
looking at my lips?

170
Well...

171
I was looking at your mouth that only spoke what's really
on your mind.

Huh?

Just like your
ears only hear the truth,
and your eyes only see the truth
as you perceive me...

172
I'm trying to look at your heart.

173
My...
heart?

Yeah.

That's...

How can you
see how I feel...

174
Your heart is
pure, pretty and clean, right?

But maybe it's too clean which leads to misunderstandings
and of course you end up getting hurt. You also have a part that's as frail as a glass.

I want to cherish your fragile heart, you see?

175
I'm serious.

I don't want to go back tonight.

Come on, open your heart to me.

176
Whoa.

177
*smile*

I told you earlier.

I can't kiss lips
of a liar.

Haha...

You think I'd do you just because you have money?

178
I haven't even laid a finger on her!

179
Hm?

What's this smell?

180
It's coming from here.

He...
Hey...
What are you doing?

That's it!

181
Hey...

183
She went home...

Heh.
Why did she come to my room then?


185
Wha...

What the hell...

is this?!

187
Sheesh,
that's so embarrassing...

You
You are...

189
I knew it.
You're Nanako.

190
Nana who?

You don't have to lie to me.
I can see it.

You can see "them," right?

That's why you drew me like that!

191
Are you sure you aren't mixing me up with someone else?

Oh I know.

Wh-What are you doing?

Where's the sketch where you drew me?
Please, will you cut this out?
There's nothing there!

192
on bags: Remains

Wait!
Don't open that!

193
What are they?
Can't you tell?
It's face lotion.

Will you stop that?

Here are
napkins...

194
Whoa.

Why do you
hoard all the same stuff?

They are the leftovers
of what I bought

text: Remains

Are you an impulse purchaser?

That's none of your business.

195
Anyway,
where's the sketch?

Can you leave now?

199
Nakoshi-san, are you nervous?

Are you just sorting out your feelings?

You're more profound than usual. You're trying to make that "cloud" grow bigger...

200
It's so pretty...

Thank you.
What?

201
This was the first place
where we kissed.

203
Whoa, this is good.
Where did you get them?
I made them myself.

I switched to vegetarian cuisine since yesterday.
These sandwiches are all made from organic compounds. Absolutely vegetarian.

Aha...
Speaking of which, I think you lost some weight.
What?
Re...

Really?

204
Last night I went to her place.
What?!

Did you sleep with her?

Nah, I didn't.

I remembered eevrything that happened that time.

205
What happened?

I hadn't laid a finger on her.

I took her to the hotel room,
but she didn't let me do anything to her.

Are you serious?

When I woke up next morning,
I found a sketch of my sleeping face.

A sketch
of your sleeping face?

206
She painted my "face" as pitch black.
In other words the sketch of a faceless ghost. {nopperabou}

A pitch black faceless ghost, huh?

207
Only Nanako
would draw such pictures.

She is "Nanako."

H-Hold on.
Slow down.

Something must have happened. From painting black into white
she switched to paint white into black.
There's no mistake it's her painting.

But Nakoshi-san,
weren't you a "cloud"?

208
That time when my face changed into a cloud, I thought it was a sign. But I didn't look like a cloud.

It's completely different than now where I threw away everything.

And that's why she approached me now.

Are you saying she approached you
because
you look like a c loud now?

Listen, Nakoshi-san.
That's just what you want, it's your fantasy.

That's not all!

209
Her homunculus
changes her face with a swirl.

It turns into a faceless ghost.

Into a faceless ghost?

Lately I've been dreaming of Nanako a lot.
A dream where she has no face.

210
You just forgot the face of your ex,
and now it lingers in your brain without a face.

That's the reason why she appears like a faceless homunculus.
So you think she's your ex.

Yeah.

As I said, it's merely a product of your own desires, dreams and imagination.

211
Don't you have any solid evidence?

Something on her body like a scar or a mole?
A picture from the past, a driving license or a health insurence card?
Has she anything particular to verify her identity?

She's as tall as I am. I don't remember any other details.
And there wasn't really anything I could call a proof in her room.

I got it.

For now let's focus oh physical things we can find.

Tell me anything that comes to your mind.
I'll jot down all the information about your ex.

212
Her name is Nanase Nanako.
Currently 31 years old.
The name of the cafe she was working at was "Marimo".
Location, Narimasu.

That's all I remember.
OK.

That's enough for me.

I think this will keep me busy for a while,
but I'll do my best to dig out everything about her.

213
Looks like
they are at it on broad daylight.

It looks like
they are headed to a hotel.

214
She...

That woman had her place full with lotions, napkins
and all that crap.

Oh...
She has to be an impulsive purchaser.

Considering that she's prostituting herself, it has to be caused by the stress.
If she doesn't give out the money she has, she'll feel like some object. That's why she would buy all the trivial stuff.

Well, I guess you get stressed
if you that kind of job.

Haha...
Even if you can't see it, she's a human after all.

215
Her homunculus...

The fact that her face changes
is a symbol for a change of herself.

Depending to her sugar daddy, she changes her face and lies to him.
She puts up everytime a different act.

Since she doesn't have her own personality she sticks with,
she herself doesn't know who she is.

216
Then,
how do you explain the faceless ghost?

Hmm...

Unable to act,
she can't lie either.
That's why her facial expression cannot be read.

In other words
she is the closest
to her self she appears to be.

Well that's just my analysis.
But I told you before...

217
The homunculi you see are merely a product of your imagination?
That topic again?

Don't get me wrong. I'm not poking fun at you.
Just hear me out, okay?

The face of the homunculus changes. All the "faces" are the ones of the women you know, correct?
Yeah.

So in other words, the faces you remember are surfaced in front of your eyes and change.

This means something that isn't part of your recollections cannot emerge as a homunculus.

218
Then again it doesn't mean what you see is just hallucinations or delusions.

The memories you link with a person
become a message for you that appears as a homunculus in front of you.

Either way, talking to that person about this is pointless.

You have to talk with yourself.

219
That would be the fastest solution.

Talk to myself...

220
Whoa...
It's cold...

221
Nanako...

*slurp*

222
It wasn't locked.

223
Homunculus Volume 13 END