Mirai no Koibito Tachi Oneshot : My Little World

[boke's comments in brackets like this]

[ver 1.0 oct 8, 09]

[This is a story from a collection of Inukami Sukune's one-shots called Mirai no koibito-tachi]

Page 51 panel 1

Ok, hurry up and say something!

51-2 If I don't do it today... now...

51-3 I'll...

To...

52-1 I'll regret it for the rest of my life

Tokito-kun!

53-1 Oh

Nakayama... Saori, was it?

53-2 It's been a while. What're you doing?

Just back home. Until the day after tomorrow, anyway

53-3 Ah, so you're not around here anymore.
Where are you now?

Oh come on

I already know that

53-4 Ah, Tokyo

Hmm

54-1 Ah, come to think of it, where's Tasaki-san? [bubble]

Calm down

Just act nonchalant and listen

How's she doing? You two still close? [bubble]

54-2 Ah, Mina?

54-3 She's fine
She graduated from junior college and is also working in Tokyo

She lives pretty close to my place now

54-4 Aah

Oh...?
That so? [bubble]

I knew it

55-1 It's not like I have to ask about stuff I already know

I also moved out of prefecture
Osaka [handwritten]
I'm going back tomorrow [bubble spans two panels]

55-2 But somewhere in my heart, I still wanted to preserve some chance

55-3 But this is great, meeting an old classmate here in the home town like this

55-4 Just do it!

Don't be discouraged,
go on and say it!

So I can have my heart's desire finally granted

Hey, Tokito-kun
You have some time today?

You wanna go get something to drink?

56-1 With me?

Yeah

56-2 Well,
I don't have anything to do, and I have the time

56-3 But are you sure you're fine with just me?

Eh?

56-4 Look, Nakayama
You're

In love with Mina, right?

57-1 She'll be here first thing tomorrow morning
What time are you going back to Osaka, Nakayama?

If it's in the morning, I think she's got some time

57-3 Nakayama...?

58-1 What's wrong?

58-2 How can you just say that...?

Aren't you the littlest bit upset?

58-3 But...

Was I wrong?

58-5 Mm-mn...

You're dead on

59-1 I've always loved Tasaki Mina

59-2 Oh
We have more girls

59-3 We'll need two or three, um...

Nemoto, and
Saito

59-4 Also Nakayama
Sorry, but can you take the boy's side?

Ok

60-2 Let's do it, Nakayama-san

60-3 Yeah...

60-4 Classmates, but one class over

Until that moment, that's how I knew her

You're tall, huh? [handwritten]

We did folk dance together in P.E.

60-5 And then

61-1 Before I knew it, I was always watching her

61-2 But at first I perplexed myself

I tried so hard to cover up my feelings

61-3 But

62-1 Hey, that's Tokito and Tasaki from class 6?

Oh, so they're going out?

What? You didn't know that?

62-3 At that time
I finally figured out my real feelings

62-4 But when I did, It was like being shot down at the same moment

63-1 Pretty cruel, right?
Not even time to think that love may bloom

But because it was that kind of love, I wanted even a moment of happiness

63-3 I'm sorry
Tokito-kun

I really tagged along with you, huh?

63-4 But I was desperate back then
I mean, the only time I could see her was during P.E.

Since I didn't know her, the only way was to insinuate myself with you since we were in the same class

64-1 Ah, come to think of it, whenever Mina came into our classroom, you'd always come over

64-3 I knew the girls were talking about me behind my back

64-4 What does Nakayama think she's doing? She's always hanging on Tokito-kun

Poor Tasaki-san

64-5 Those girls sure had it wrong

64-6 Well, I didn't care if they got it wrong, but

sfx: shake shake
What bothered me was due to that misunderstanding, Tasaki-san got wind of it

65-1 Man

I had it hard

65-2 But it's strange

Everyone else didn't get it
But you did, Tokito-kun

That the one I was interested in was Tasaki

65-3 Didn't you ever think that I was interested in you?

65-4 Ah
Yeah, I wondered about that in the beginning, but

65-5 But I figured it out.
I mean, you weren't making eyes at me, it was like you were glaring

What the hell is that!

65-6 But it really hit home that time

66-1 Winter, back when we were juniors

Behind the gym
You hugged me, right?

66-3 Way to dig up painful memories

66-4 But as much as I want to forget, I can't

What happened that day
Was the definitive event that put a nail in it

67-1 Tokito!

67-2 Hey, let me see your homework for 4th period classics

We're going to the science lab, and you're worried about a class more than two periods away? Way too serious, dude...

But Kuraji won't notice if I copy during lab

His eyes are bad, so...

67-3 Look, it's ok, right? You're copying from Tasaki, right?

Tasaki's class is ahead of ours, right?

67-4 Ah, could that be the notebook?

68-1 Oh, Tokito, you bad boy! You're doing the same thing as me, hmmm?

Lemme borrow this

Hey! I haven't even copied that!

68-2 Give it back!

Don't worry! I'll give it right back

Don't give me that...

68-3 Hey!

68-4 If you are going to discuss copying, do it away from teachers

Ku... Kuraji...

69-1 I know you two lovebirds are close, but keep it under wraps!

Okaaay

sfx: stomp stomp stomp

69-3 See!? You got us in trouble!

That's 'cause you were all yelling and stuff

69-4 sfx: whip

70-4 Whish

70-5 Whoosh

Ta...

71-1 Briiing

71-4 Takito's...

Not back

71-6 Tasaki-san

72-1 Her face

She's definitely got the wrong idea

About me and Tokito-kun

72-2 Oooh, I'm so stupid!

Because I went too far with it

72-3 Why doesn't she get it

That the one I love is...

72-4 Whenever Tazaki-san would come to our class, I'd come over

And we finally started to get closer

72-5 Was that all in my imagination?

73-1 Is Tasaki-san really thinking the same thing as everyone else in her heart?

73-2 That's too cruel

73-3 It's harder than if I were dumped

That I couldn't tell her how I feel

If she always thinks that, then...

73-4 sfx: clatter

I'm gonna tell her!

73-5 I'll say it!

To her!

sfx: whoosh

73-6 My real feelings

74-1 And then I saw it

You and

74-2 Tasaki-san. Kissing.

75-6 sfx: th-thump th-thump

76-1 Nakayama...?

76-2 Geez, I was totally freaked out then

76-3 Rage... and sadness... and jealousy... all mixed together

and

77-1 When I hugged you

It was like a surrogate

77-2 All the times Tasaki-san had hugged you and touched you up 'till then
I just wanted to feel that

77-3 heh...
Your face back then

I can still remember it clearly

77-4 That finally convinced me that something was up with you
That I wasn't the one you were after

77-5 That was our first kiss, y'know

78-1 Tasaki!

78-2 I said wait! Hey!

78-3 Ta...

You two are close, huh?
You and Nakayama!

78-4 She's always butting in on our conversations recently

78-5 And you always seem to enjoy talking to her!

79-1 Look, you're close to her too

79-2 What!

79-3 Oh, forget it!

79-4 Forget what?

Whatever!

"Whatever"? What the... Hey, face me!

80-2 ...do you like Nakayama-san?

80-3 Are you stupid?

80-4 But

Nakayama-san likes you, Tokito-kun!

80-5 Eh?

81-1 Nakayama-san? Me?

81-2 No...
That's no it

Nakayama likes...

She

81-3 The one she likes is...

82-2 Mina

82-5 C'mon already

83-1 And right after that I got a special prize

For me, it's a kiss that I'll never forget

83-2 Oh?
So that was your first kiss!

No way!

83-3 Surprised?

Yeah
I thought you'd gotten that far a long time before

Nah, nah

But, y'know
It was tough

83-4 Look
Back then, I was pretty popular, right?

Whaaa?

84-1 Sure, sure, whatever you say

No, I'm serious
Even though I'm like this, I got lots of love letters

84-2 I see. That pisses me off...

Well, the first Valentine's day after I started high school...

Tokito-kun

84-3 He was popular after all

So that's why

Those other girls, who didn't even have the courage to cling to him, despised me

84-4 But even so, she's the only one who didn't notice

84-5 She was seriously a late bloomer, and had zero interest in guys

85-1 Little by little, I did things to make an impression on her
But I did it so that I didn't scare her off [spans two panels]

85-2 Here

85-3 Thanks...

I was desperate!

85-4 Seriously, there were any number of girls hitting on me

I was cursing myself - why would I fall for her of all people!?
Totally seems like a waste, right? [handwritten]

sfx; clench

85-5 Well, anyway
There's no telling why you fall in love

86-2 Yeah

86-3 Totally.

There's no telling.

86-4 Just because your heart starts pounding when you hold her hand

Painfully

Unable to express your emotions

Deplorably

87-1 But

I was happy just being in the same place as her

Even just a tiny bit

I felt like I was included in her world

That's right

87-2 Ah, but it's a big relief
being able to talk to you about this

87-3 To tell the truth, ever since I've been back, I've been wandering around here

I thought I'd run into you if you were back in town

87-4 Of course I knew the two of you were in Tokyo

88-1 I wanted to be able to tell you how I felt back then. Just to you.

But since it seemed it'd bring an end to things, I really struggled with telling you
But you already seemed to have figured it out

88-2 Nakayama
Do you really have to go back tomorrow?

You should meet with Mina

88-3 Really. I've got work

88-4 And
I've got someone waiting for me there

88-5 My girlfriend.
She's two years older.

89-2 We met
through a trading partner of my company

She told me she loved me the day after we met
"I love you", she said

89-3 She totally looked me straight in the eye
and said that
without any hesitation

89-4 I was blown away, of course

89-5 And so we started going out

90-1 It's so funny
She's way shorter than I am, thinner and has a gorgeous body
But I'm the one alway leaning on her

Every time we meet, she's always taking care of me
She really cares for me

90-2 I'm really happy

But

90-3 I just can't forget Tasaki-san

90-4 Every time she treats me so nicely
I think "Ah, I wish I could be doing this for Tasaki-san"

It makes me disgusted with myself

91-1 Your first love
It's a pretty strong thing, huh?

91-2 If I meet Tasaki-san, I'm pretty sure I'd get confused

I want to avoid that
I know it's gutless, but...

If I tell her my feelings, and get all crazy inside, it's better not to do it

91-3 I see

91-4 But, seriously
You've really hung in there

It's about the time folks are getting married
I thought you'd be broken up by now

92-1 Aaah
I've got to give this up already

92-4 Tokito-kun
I have request

92-5 If you can do this for me
I think I'll be able to get over Tasaki-san once and for all

93-1 I want to kiss you

93-2 Ah, don't get the wrong idea
You understand, right?

93-3 Just like when I hugged you in high school

I want to use you as a surrogate to feel her

93-4 All the hundreds of kisses you've had with Tasaki-san, I want to feel them too

94-2 Ah
Sure

94-3 Really?
Really? Thanks!

sfx; scritch scratch

Well, even if you're happy about it
It's just a pass-through for me

94-4 What are you talking about!?
It'll be a problem if you take a casual approach like that

Look, I want to kiss Tasaki Mina, ok?
You've got to pour every ounce of your being into channeling her lips

95-1 Whaaa?

You're what they call a conduit
You don't exist from this point on, got it!?

95-2 Tokito-kun, you stand there

95-3 The difference in our heights is about this

95-5 I've always

96-1 Always...
Always

Loved you

96-2 And then
Nakayama's eyes, not looking at me at all

96-3 Looking at the Kana just past me, confessed her love

And kissed for a long, long time

97-3 Step

97-4 squeeze

Hey

97-5 Thanks

98-1 Ahhh

It would have been great if Tasaki-san had stumbled upon us and gotten the wrong idea
We'd both be done for

Hey... you're still saying that after this?
Didn't you say you'd be able to give up after this? [handwritten]

98-2 Ok! It's time
I'm putting an end to this

So no part of your hope remains
My duty as a warrior

98-3 I'm going to marry Kana

Tomorrow, when she comes, we're going to see both our parents

99-1 No way...

99-2 It's true

99-3 That's...
Mean!
Unfair...

What is?

I've always, always loved her more!

As if I care

Nooo
Don't take Tasaki-san

Winner takes the prize. Too bad.

99-4 Even so, that's....

100-1 Mina....

100-2 Nakayama

100-3 Nakayama, give me a break

100-4 Look, I love Kana
Enough that I'm even impressed myself

You said you've loved her more...
And it could be true

101-1 But, she...
the one she loves the most

Is me
I think. No, certainly.

101-2 It's embarrassing to have to say it, but

101-3 I want to spend the rest of my life with her

101-4 And I think she feels the same

I have no idea what's going to happen in the future, but

101-5 But it's pretty unusual to find two people that think that
Don't you think?

101-6 So that's why
I want you to congratulate us

102-1 If
I hear my rival congratulate me

I'l be able to try even harder to make her happy

102-2 ...rival?

102-3 Yeah

102-4 Umph [handwritten]

You were way more threatening than any of the guys

sfx: whumph

102-5 If you had been the one to say "I love you" to Kana first, and had the same kiss with her

I'm sure I would have been turned down

103-2 You suck...
That's just the pity of a winner

Eh?

Yeah
You just go ahead and register your marriage in this wonderful nation with everyone looking on in approval, so that a pervert like me can't touch her

103-4 No, listen here!
You're twisting things!

What I wanted to say was...

103-5 Heh

104-1 No, I'm sorry

It's ok
I knew it all from the start

104-2 Rivals, huh?
That means you took me seriously, huh?

104-3 Even though I was afraid and unclear myself

104-4 He understood

104-5 So I've got to say

104-6 As a rival

Tokito-kun
Congratulations

I'm only saying it once, ok!

105-1 Be happy
with Kana, ok?

105-2 Kyahahaha
That is so forced! Totally forced! [italicize "so"]

Shaddup!
This is the best I can do!

105-4 Congratulations

105-5 That one's for Tasaki-san!

105-6 Put your heart and soul into it when you tell her...

106-2 Got it

Thank you

106-4 Back then

107-1 What's wrong, Nakayama?

107-2 Eh?
What?

107-3 Look, you
Just how long you gonna cry for?

sfx: ruffle

Really

Just for the briefest moment

Eh? No!
I'm not crying!
Ow [handwritten]

Na - Ka- Ya- Ma

107-4 A strange thought floated up

It's true

107-5 Somehow it made me embarrassed

Tokito-kun

108-1 Back in high school

Thanks for that
It really was like it was Tasaki-san's lips

I loved Tasaki-san, and was always thinking about her

108-2 I mean...
Um, well I know it was my imagination, but
Oh shit, I'm... [handwritten]

108-2 Really?

So it was like I was passing it through to you?

And at the same time

108-3 I loved Tokito-kun too, just a little

Yeah, yeah

109-2 Tasaki-san

109-3 I'm sorry

109-4 But that was because

I loved you and you loved him

109-5 Because he was someone that loved you, just like I did

110-1 Thinking that, my heart feels lighter

And finally

110-2 I can put away my feelings from back then