Gate 7 1

1
top left: A new series

p1
Kyoto that I have always yearned for ever since I was little

p2
But I, Takamoto Chikahito, have always lived in Tokyo
//And have never had a chance to visit Kyoto
Even our class trip was to Hiroshima and Shinshuu

p3
But in the fall of my second year, I convinced mother and finally came to Kyoto
Where I experienced something that can only be described as mysterious

p4
Moreover, how come it was decided that I would transfer to a high school in Kyoto?
At a sensitive time such as the end of my second year!

p5
Today, I came to Kyoto once again while looking
For an apartment where I would be living on my own for the first time

2
Kyoto's hidden beauty---
Will now reveal itself vividly---

3
big letters: New Series
to the right: Three months have passed since the highly acclaimed oneshot in the December issue!!
bottom left: {in 3 circles}: Chapter 1 {oval}: Chikahito and Hana

4
p1
For now, I've looked at all the likely places on the net
//But finding something close to school has proved to be difficult
sign: Rent Info

p2
Most importantly, I'm a high schooler living alone
There are practically no places where minors are accepted
//And if there are, my budget doesn't let me come to terms

p3
When my transfer to a school in Kyoto was decided, mother didn't even kick up a fuss in opposition
...I never expected her to cry though

p4
box: But even then, she kept asking if I could possibly move to some other prefecture
This is the place I love, so I'm happy here
//Kyoto
box: But it ended up being Kyoto
//box: For some reason

p5
Although I would really like to avoid the experience I had here on my first visit

5
In the end, I had no idea what exactly was going on
Besides

6
p1/2

p3
W... Well, I'll never meet her again... right?
//Although she was a really cute girl

p4
Yeah right!

7
p1
I haven't eaten anything since I came here on the Shinkansen first thing in the morning
sfx: *rustle*

p2
There's a place close to here I wanted to go to from before-
sfx: *beep* *beep*

p3
Err, the main branch is that way
This is where the northern branch is

p4
There it is!

p5
box: Although it's a little lonely to be eating by oneself
Welcome!
box: But the nishin soba I always wanted...
http://www.kyoto.travel/dining/soba_nishin.html <<< if you're curious

8
p1/2
Whoa!!

p3
You're too noisy
nb: Ehhh!?

p4
You're very loud, as usual

9
p1
Wh... Why are you here!?

p2/3/4

p5
*Clap*

p6/7

10
p1/2

p3
Four nishin soba---
Chika: Eh?
waiter: Thanks for waiting-

p4
Eh?
Eh!?

p5

11
p1
Chika: How come there's my portion too?
It's Hana's portion
She always eats two

p2
One more nishin soba
waiter: Yeees

p3
Don't eat in such a rush, Hana
It's too hot

p4/5
Now then
Itadakimasu

12
p1

p2
nb: Howawa
It's tasty

p3
sfx?: chop chop {fits with chopsticks, doesn't it? XD}

p4
Wait
//Isn't this like the last time's development!?

p5
Don't yell inside the shop
Chika: I... I'm sorry
The soba Hana shared with you is getting stale

13
p1
Y- Yes

p2
Thanks for the meal--
Thank you

p3
Huuuh
//So that's what nishin soba tastes like

p4
Your first time eating nishin soba?

p5
Chika: Yes
//Chika: But since I'll be living here, I'll come again
Living here?
Chika: I'm going to transfer to a school here
//Chika: Plus, I'm in the middle of a search for a place where I can live on my own

14
p1/2
...What about your mother?
Chika: Well
//Chika: She suddenly got transferred overseas
//Chika: And she just couldn't turn it down

p3/4
Hana
//Don't tell me...

p5
Ah
//That's how it worked out
Chika: Umm, is there something...
...

15
p1/2

p3
We're here

p4

p5
Wawawa

16
p1

p2
I've
//Seen this place on TV
It's famous for marriages and separations

p3
There!!

17
p1
As I recall, anyone who crawls through the hole in this monument from the front to the back can break off a bad relationship
Anyone who crawls from the back to the front can tie a knot in a good relationship

p2
First time here too?
Uh
//Yeah

p3
Hana: Are you glad?
//Hana: That you came here?
Chika: This is a shrine I wanted to visit
//Chika: So yes

p4
Oh- So many ema, as usual
*tl note: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ema_%28Shinto%29

p5
They somehow look different from the normal ema

18
p1/2
It's their shape
But take a look at all the requests

p3
"Please make my son open his eyes and break up with his lover"
below: "Please make him break up with his wife and marry me"
going left: "Please get my boss demoted immediately and that he never comes back"
"Please break my bad marriage with my cousin who keeps asking for money"
"Please prevent the vengeful spirit of my boyfriend's former girlfriend from haunting us."

p4
Wow
//Some are naming names

p5
This is the main shrine for reaping benefits from piety
They're being quite explicit

19
p1/2
It's easy for them to accumulate at a place like this
//And that's exactly why they call people like us

p3
D-
//Do you mean
Is
Is this
//Like what happened last time...?

p4

p5
Form a circle

20
Yeah

21-22

23
p1
It's something weird again!!

p2
Tachi: How do you keep entering here?
Saku: I did make sure to exclude Chikahito-kun
Chika: So where is this place!?
//Chika: Or rather, what in the world is going on!!?

p3
I knew it

p4
Eh?
What...?

p5

24

25
p1
Waaaa!!!

p2
I told you, you're noisy

p3
So
At a glance?

p4/5
Yin
Water
Lion

26
p1
Not a komainu, a lion
//That's something
*tl note: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komainu

p2
It's a single prayer congealed in proportion to the fuda
//It can turn into a lion
*tl note: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ofuda

p3
Every time this becomes filled with the fuda, you have to peel them off and burn them
//With all the prayers attached to them

27
p1
I wonder if this is "Toyotomi" being excited

p2
I'll make sure
//To exact a payment

p3
How can you be relaxed at a time like this!
When there's that inexplicable thing slithering around!

28
p1
Hana: Slithering
Saku: Please wait a moment
Saku: We're in the middle of work now

p2
Alright
If it's yin, then the weapon maker this time will be...

p3

p4

29
p1
Chika: Last time it was...
Saku: I did it
//Saku: Because that one was of the yang kind

p2
Yang??
Hana: Slithering

p3
People, and everything that's not them
//All belong to either yin or yang

p4
So in order to negate something
You need a weapon that's the opposite of their kind

30
p1
I am yin

p2
Tachibana is yang

p3
Hana

31
It's dangerous!

32
p1/2/3/4

p5
Saku: You're the one in danger, Chikahito-kun
Chika: But she'll...!!
Tachi: What can you do even if you go?

p6
B...
//But!

33
p1/2
Hana will not fall short
//Against that kind of a beast

p3

p4
Myouhou
*tl note: Literally "mystic law", a Buddhist term meaning something unfathomable that underlies all phenomena
Chariot of Fire

34-37

38
p1

p2
Hana: You should come live with us
Chika: Eh?

p3
Tachi: I knew it, back then
Eh?
//Eh?

p4
You put your jutsu on him
//You used Myouhou
Hana: Yes
Hana: I did

39
p1
Hana
//Sucked on your mouth, didn't she?

p2
Myouhou
Modori-dori
*tl note: Literally, "going back bird"

p3
Saku: It's a jutsu that makes the one it's placed on return to the one who places it
Chika: Then!
//Chika: Me coming to live in Kyoto was also...!?

p4
You don't like it?

p5
I- It's not that I don't
I really do love Kyoto

40
p1
Then
//Live with us

p2
B- But!

p3
Saku: Chikahito-kun, you can cook, can't you?
//Saku: Then you'll be a big help
Tachi: ...If Hana wants it

p4/5
At that time
//I felt it very strongly

41
box: That I want to be by this girl's side
bubble: Then I'll be in your care

42

43
p1/2

p3
Once again
I'm Sakura
This is Tachibana

p4
And

44
p1
Slithering

p2
Huh?

p3
Hana: Slithering
Saku: You like him, don't you--- Hana?
Chika: Huuuh

p4
I was thinking
Perhaps I was too rash and might be starting to regret it

p5
box: Will I be alright!?
nb: The strange life in Kyoto begins...!?

GATE 7 will continue in the April issue