Hajimete No Aku 55

Odd that this series has just crossed a year's threshold, and no color pages or celebratory banners have popped up anywhere....I guess it's up to me and the scantlators to celebrate.

HAPPY NEW YE----FIRST YEAR!!

(Top black box- The protagonist and his premier products comedy!!)
HAJIMETE NO AKU
(Left text- The item that allows shiftless students to slide without studying appears..!!)
(Side text- While preparing for your final examinations, remember to find time to relax and read Volume 4!)
Chapter 55: Head withdrawal.
FUJIKI SHUN

002
{The night before finals…..}
(Middle text- In a rare display, Kyouko goes to beg for help….?)
Kyouko: C’mon, you have to help me!
(Sfx- Pan *clap*)
Kyouko: I need an item that’ll make studying easier!
Jiro: I see, you weren’t able to study properly because of an abundance of chores? I suppose it cannot be helped….
I’ve got a device that should suit your cunning needs….
(Sfx- Papapapapapapaaaa *dadadadaddaaaa*)
Jiro: Memory withdrawal Z!!!
In essence, people remember things well after seeing them once.
However, the problem lies in accessing this information again on command.

003
Jiro: However by consuming one of these, it is possible to access memories from before….although you can only do this for a single day.
However you should be able to obtain the information needed to study for finals.
Kyouko: Oooh! That’s awesome!
Jiro: I wanted to use it to peek into a person’s memories…
But as of now it’s an incomplete product that cannot be used on people’s brains.
Kyouko: Um, yeah….I don’t think I need all of that.
Thanks Jiro! I’ll go use it right away!
Jiro: Hey, Kyouko…
You really should just study on your own.
Wouldn’t you feel better with a grade that you earned?
Kyouko: Geh!
I don’t want to be lectured by you.
Jiro: Besides, one night isn’t going to help you much, you should study during the day.
Kyouko: Fine!! I’ll study more later!

004
Kyouko: All right, here goes…
Let’s see if this thing works….
Huh? Drawers inside of my head….?
I guess I should open this one….right?
It looks pretty new…
All right! It’s the page from the textbook I read yesterday! I totally see an A+ in my future!!
This is awesome! I wonder what else I can remember?

005
Kyouko: This is great! I’m gonna ace this!
Not bad, Jiro!
Jiro: Did it succeed? Kyouko.
Kyouko: Like a charm!! You’re a lifesaver! I remembered everything from last night!
(Sfx- Wai wai)
Kyouko: It was great! Just when I thought I had forgotten the answers, I’d remember it!
Jiro: Heheh, of course! You should understand my genius by now!
Kyouko: Hm?
Yuki: Oh, this totally isn’t good…
I know I left it in the school somewhere….but I can’t find my handkerchief…
Aki: You think it’s in the clubrooms? Maybe you forgot it there.
Yuki: I couldn’t have….we were testing all day.
(Sfx- Suraa *sliiide*)

006
Kyouko: Weren’t you using your handkerchief in the fanclub’s room?
(Sfx- Hah *gasp*)
Yuki: I found it!!
Aki: Wow, you’ve got one awesome memory…
(Handwritten- Thank you!!)
Kyouko: Heheh…!
(Sfx- Suraaa *sliiide*)
Kyouko: Ah!
I forgot!! There’s a special sale on tofu today!! Let’s go Jiro!!
(Sfx- Datsu *dash*)
Jiro: O---okay!!
Kyouko: I’m sure glad I used your invention!
It was thanks to it that we got these cheap!
(Sfx- Dosa *thump*)
(Sfx- Pata pata *tmp tmp*)
2.0: Welcome back!
Kyouko: Who knew you had it in you to make something useful?
Jiro: Okay, how about you give me some congratulatory krokket?
Kyouko: We’re having boiled tofu.

007
Kyouko: This is great! With his invention, I can even remember stuff I wanted to write!!
(Sfx- sura sura *slide sliddde*)
Kyouko: It’s all just a matter of opening the right drawers!
It’s so easy..!
{January 24th….I went skiing.}
(Sfx- Suraaa *slide*)
Kyouko: Ah…that’s right, I did that way back in elementary school….this brings back memories…!
Wah?!
(Sfx- Zoku *crack*)
Kyouko: Now that I remember it….I did break my leg then…
That pain and fear isn’t something I really want to remember again…!

008
Kyouko: I suppose I should have figured that while remembering this much,
I’d come upon some things I wish I could forget….
What?
Why don’t you leave me alone?
(Sfx- Fuwaaaa *fwibble*)
Kyouko: Gah!
Crap! I DEFINANTELY don’t want to remember that dark age, better known as middle school!!
(Handwritten- Don’t get any closer to me.)
Kyouko: Uuugh…go away!!
I don’t want to remember something so embarrassing!
Go! I don’t want to see you!!
(Sfx- Bata bata *wave wave*)
Jiro: Is anything the matter Kyouko? Why are you thrashing about wildly?
(Sfx- Gacha *clack*)
Kyouko: Uwahhh!! Jiro!
The invention is working too well!
Can’t you find a way to stop it….?
(Sfx- Sura *slide*)

009
Kyouko: WAH!!!
Now it’s the horrible memories of this guy!!
There’s even a naked one!
Jiro: You need to calm down Kyouko, it’s the only way to stop the drawers….
Kyouko: Although there are some tough times in my memory….
There are some pretty happy times….heck, there are plenty of them!
(Sfx- Kata kata *tack tac*)
Kyouko: Huh? There’s something deep within me that wants out…?
It seems to be reacting to Jiro…?

010
Kyouko: Hold the phone for a second though…is this thing broken…?
How could I possibly have memories of Jiro that are this old…?
(Sfx- Kata kata *tack tack*)
Kyouko: I’ll open it…!
(Sfx- Suraaa *sliddde*)
(Sfx- Zaaaaaah)
Kyouko: Ah….this house in the mountains….!
Jiro’s place…?!
???: Yaay!!
(Sfx- Tatt *tmp*)

011
Kyouko: Let’s play Jiro-kun!
Jiro: Why? I’m in the middle of a book….
Kyouko: That’s me…..and Jiro?!
I actually knew Jiro when I was a kid…?!
Whoa…I really don’t remember this….
But mom and the others are here…
(TN- …..Wait wait wait. There are three girls there. Kyouko’s an only child (at least that’s whats been presented to us…) And Jiro’s got TWO sisters…..So where’d the third girl come from? Kyouko doesn’t seem to be fazed by her either…..food for thought…..food for thought….)
Kyouko: Jiro-kun, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Jiro: Neptune!
He’s strong!!
Kyouko: Heh! Jiro was an idiot even back then!
Or should I just say that he’s just overly serious…?
Kyouko: Ooh…!
Then I’ll be….

012
Kyouko: Jiro-kun’s bride!
Jiro: And what on earth is a ‘bride’?
No matter! Are you prepared to be Neptune too then?!
Kyouko: Uh, Okay!
(Sfx- Ban *thud*)
Kyouko: Wha….
Wha…whaa…
WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!
(Sfx- Kuwaaaa *ROAR*)
(Sfx- Bikuuu *poit*)

013
Kyouko: Jiro, did we really meet each other as kids?!
(Sfx- Katsu *roar*)
Jiro: Why ask that all of a sudden…
I really can’t recall something like that….
Kyouko: Right! That’s right!!
{Yeah, I mean that totally can’t be one of MY memories after all!}
{‘Cause if it was…it would mean that my first kiss…was…was….with HIM…!!}
(Sfx- hyoi *toss*)
Kyouko: Wh—what the heck are you doing?! Why are you taking one too?!
Jiro: Just be calm…
Something has been tampering with your memories…
I’ll confirm this by searching my own for a match….okay?

014
Jiro: It’ll prove if what you saw was genuine.
So just rest easy.
Kyouko: Nonononono!! You don’t have to confirm anything!!
Jiro: Hm! So I did meet you as a child Kyouko…!
(Sfx- Dokii! *Throb!*)
Jiro: How old were we…? 4…? 5 years old?
Kyouko: C---crap….
What if it really did happen….?!
If Jiro does remember it then….!
I won’t let myself be overcome by weakness!!
(Sfx- Gashiii *grab*)
Kyouko: I’ll have to kill him…!!
(Sfx- Goooooooooooo *roaaaaar*)
(TN- Yeah, that’s totally a normal way to deal with this.)

015
{I’ll erase his memory and replace it with physical pain!!}
{Farewell, Jiro!!}
(Sfx- Kuwaaaa *fwisssh*)
(Sfx—Gatsu *grab*)
Jiro: I remember clearly now, Kyouko.
Kyouko: Wha?!
Jiro: Hehehe….you certainly were an honest child Kyouko!
You told me exactly how you feel back then!!
Kyouko: Uugh…!!
We were just kids back then! It has nothing to do with here and now!!
Crapcrapcrap!! He does remember! It really did happen!!
Jiro: Heheheh…
No need to fear Kyouko…
Its fine if that’s how you feel even today…..
Kyouko: Wh---
What are you….

016
Jiro: You want me to modify you right?!
Kyouko: Say what?
Jiro: You asked about my plans as an adult, and I answered ‘to become Neptune.’ You replied to this that you would become him as well!
This means that you ARE interested in modification!! Just tell the truth!!
Kyouko: I didn’t do anything to you back then?
Jiro: You mean…the biting? Oh I remember that.
You were violent back then too….
(Sfx- Kabuuu *bite*)
(TN- I love the bottom panel. Icon please? Anyone?)
{Ahh….I was mistaken after all….it wasn’t a first kiss, but a bite to the cheek!}
{I’ve never been gladder that this guy has continued to be a moron through the years…!}
(Sfx- Haaah!)

017
{Well, they are old memories, I didn’t think I’d remember them that well…!}
Jiro: Hmm, there’s still more playing.
I recall you crying when you had to go home…something about ‘I want to be with Jiro-kun’....at least that’s what I think you said.
Kyouko: WHAT?!
Wait a minute!! Why don’t I remember that?!
Jiro: I guess there are some things only I know?
There’s still more….you continued to hold on to me and ask me not to go…
You tagged along with me everywhere, to bed, to the bath…my you were a clingy one back then…
(Sfx- Kaaaaaaaa)
(Sfx- Gashiii *graaab*)
Kyouko: MEMORY DELETION IT IS!!
(Sfx- Dokyaaa dokyaaa *biff bamm*)
Jiro: NGAHAHHHH!!!
Dad: Hm? Kyouko when she was little?
Yes, she often gave kisses as greetings back then!

018
Dad: I don’t think they meant anything though…
It’s probably just something she saw on TV.
(Sfx- Hahahahah)
Eiko: Oh!
So she’s much different than she is now huh…?
Kyouko: Good, and I’m never becoming that guy’s bride…ever!
{Knowing the truth about her childhood put Kyouko’s fears at ease.}
{However she became much too scared to ever use Jiro’s invention again.}
(Handwritten- Seal.)
{And as for Jiro…}
{The shock to his cranium caused him to regress to memories of a previous life.}
2.0: What are you doing Jiro-sama?!
(Handwritten- I want to flutter around….)
{Apparently, he was a bug in a former existence.}
(Bottom text- Hopefully this chapter encourages everyone to open the doors to their greatest desires…)
TO BE CONTINUED IN ISSUE 15.