Sket Dance 22

1
[insert text: Uchida wanted to be popular... but what lies in his past?]
Flashback!Uchida: It's the truth! / I have plenty of friends, okay?!
Mother: Really? You never do talk about your life at school.
Uchida: Th - that doesn't mean anything... // I may not look it, but I'm really the most popular guy in my whole class! // Hey, you know what? Our school newspaper's running this popularity contest-type thing. / I bet once the votes from my class are in, I'll end up as Number One Mr. Popular!
Mother: Are you su~re? You're not just bragging, now, are you?
Uchida: I'm sure of it! When I win, I'll show you the medal to prove it!
Mother: Oh, my. That would make me so happy, my illness might just clear up all by itself!
Uchida: That's right! You don't have to worry about me at all! / So you just get better soon, okay? // Mother...

2
Sket Dance
Chapter 22: So Many Friends
Memory: (Her condition seems to have stabilised for the moment. There should be no immediate problems. / Of course, we still cannot relax completely.)
Mother: Oh, my... // You came to visit!
Uchida: How are you feeling? / Mother...

3
Uchida: Oh, that's right! You know that popularity contest I told you about? Well, it's my class' turn now. // Everyone seems to be talking about it non-stop...
Mother: Well, things like that can be quite fun to have once in a while...
Uchida: It looks like it's going to be pretty tough contest for Number One Mr. Popular... / But I'm still hoping I have a good chance! // Heheh...
Mother: Number One Mr. Popular, huh... / I would have thought you more the type to put in lots of hard work behind the scenes, though. // Well, perhaps everyone appreciates you for that very reason. / I have to do my best, too...
Uchida: ............ // Yeah.

4
Bossun: So that's the deal, huh... // It wasn't really that you wanted to be popular... / You were just after that medal from the start.
Himeko: But what're we gonna do?! There's only two days left till the voting! Maybe we should just talk to everyone in the class, tell them what's goin' on, and get them to give him a Number One that way? // It's not perfect, but it ought to work!
Bossun: You're saying we should get a fake medal... / ...and use that to raise his mother's spirits...? // That's just useless.

5
Bossun: If you ask me, I'd say his mother probably kind of knows what's going on. // I think she'd be able to understand what sort of life her own son has at school. // After all, that's just how parents are, don't you think?
Himeko: But then what do we do?! / Isn't there anything we can do for the guy?
Bossun: I'm prepared to do whatever we can... // But it's up to Uchida himself to decide whether or not we carry on. // Well, I'm sure Uchida knew from the start, really, that he wouldn't be able to really change anything in the space of a single week. // But... // Even so, he did his best to change himself. / We know that much for sure, even if we're the only ones who do.

6
Takako: Okay, if you've all finished writing, come and place your forms into this box! // The results will be announced after school today! // Well, then, excuse me!
Chuu: Hey, hey, is the homeroom teacher included in this thing? / I was thinking maybe I could be Number One Mr. Popular -
Takako: Everybody look forward to the results!
Students: Hey, hey, who did you put down? // That's a secret! // I wrote down your name! // Huh, really?

7
Bossun: Hahah... hey, Uchida. / I guess in the end, we didn't do anything after all.
Uchida: Bossun... / Thank you. // I had a lot of fun with you guys helping me out. // But doing all that just made me realise... // It was just no use me trying to stand out like that. // I think I'm better off like this... that's just who I am. // Still... / Thank you for everything.
Chuu: Right... / Ahh, there aren't really many notices for me to give out... / Class dismissed!
People: Doesn't that mean there are notices...? // Stand!
Chuu: Oh, by the way... I'm keeping a few unstable explosives in the classroom closet with the cleaning stuff, so watch out, yeah?
People: Bow! // What the hell's with that?!! // That guy really shouldn't be allowed to teach...

8
Bossun: Hm? // Heading home already? / They'll be announcing the results soon, you know!
Uchida: Mm... I'll take a look tomorrow. / I'm going to the hosp - I mean, there's somewhere I have to be. // See you later.
Bossun: Hey, everyone... // If I could just say something...

9
Mother: Oh, and you know, I think there's something a little odd about this one nurse...
Uchida: Haha...
Mother: Oh, dear... / They do say my condition's improving, but... // Seeing your face like that just makes me feel bad all over again! // Is there something wrong?
Uchida: Mother... // I...

10
Uchida: I was lying. // I don't... / I don't really have many friends. // I've never really stood out in class. // I'm not the sort of guy who could get that medal... // I was just scared that you might worry about me... // So I kept on lying...
Mother: You're so silly... I knew all that already.
Uchida: Huh?
Mother: You're so obvious. How many years do you think I've been doing this mother thing for, hm?

11
Mother: And since this is you we're talking about, I'll bet you've been putting in plenty of effort trying to get that medal anyway, right? // I'm not worried about you, you know. // Well, it would be nice for you to be able to have lots of friends... // But there's no hurry. I'm sure you'll find some sooner or later. // I'm sure there's somebody out there who recognises the good qualities you have.
Uchida: Mother...
Classmates: Oi!
Uchida: Hm?
Classmates: Uchida! // O~i!
Uchida: Who's there?

12-13
Classmates: Uchida~~~! // Get out here~! // Uchida-ku~n! // He~~y!! // Hey there~! // We're all here! // Uchida~~~~!!
Uchida: !! // All you guys...!! / But... but why...?!
Classmates: We came to give you your medal! // So you better take it, you hear?!
Uchida: Medal?! // But why...?
Bossun: Eheheheh.

14
Bossun: That's the deal. // So I figure even if he doesn't get a medal... / We could all do this to help cheer up his mother. // So how about we all head over to the hospital? // ...Well, that's my idea, but... // How about it? / Are you all free?
Classmates: I don't mind! I'll go! // I'll go, too!
Yabasawa: Sounds just awful!
Bossun: Hah, that's our Class C! Everyone's up for it! // ...Wait, "awful"? *sweatdrop*
Classmates: Hey, by the way... Are you sure Uchida didn't get any medals? // Truth is, I actually put in a vote for him. // Yeah, I put one in for Uchida-kun, too! // Ahh! / Me too! // Huh? When did that guy get so popular with the girls...? / Oh, yeah, I put him down too, though...
Bossun: Huh? // What...?
Takako: Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone! / I'm ready to announce the results!

15
[TN: The four categories visible on the sheet are, in order, "Miss Nice-Guy", "Mr. Nice-Guy", "Miss Otaku", and "Mr. Otaku" (although you can only see the "Mr."). The name next to Mr. Nice-Guy, of course, is Uchida Takaaki-kun. Miss Nice-Guy and Miss Otaku aren't people we've seen before, so I'm not 100% on their names, but I think it's Inoue Chika-san and Miura Youko-sanm, respectively. I certainly wouldn't be able to tell you the bottom name just from the top of the kanji... but unsurprisingly enough, it's a name we've seen before: Usui Kazuyoshi. (The -san/-kun isn't visible. And that's Switch's real name, in case you didn't know or guess :p)]
Bossun: Number One Mr. Nice-Guy...!
Classmates: I mean, you always see him changing the water for the pot plant, don't you? // Yeah, and since Honda-sensei's pregnant, he always pulls out her seat for her before her classes start! / We can't help but notice he's always doing that sort of thing! // All right!! / Everyone who's got a moment, let's head down to the hospital! // I'm sure nobody'll mind if I don't go to my club this once! // Ahh! Wait up! // D'ya think Uchida'll cry? // I'm coming too!

16
Bossun: Class 2-C's Number One Mr. Nice-Guy, Uchida Takaaki! // Please accept this medal!
Classmates: WHOOOOOO!!! // A~nd... // WELL DONE, UCCHI~!! // Thanks for everything, yeah, Uchida?! // I hope your mum gets well soon! // I know you don't talk much... / But you know, you don't have to be so quiet! // Don't cry now, Uchida~~!!
HospitalStaff: Hey, you there!! Stop making a ruckus outside the hospital!!
Classmates: Aahhh!! Run for it!!!
Mother: That was quite the racket... was somebody out there?
Uchida: ......... // Yeah... // That was...

17
Uchida: My friends...! // So many... // ...So many...!
[box: Since that day, I hear Uchida's mother's condition has improved no end.]
Himeko: What the hell're you narratin' for, eh? / It's kinda annoying...

18
[Text: And as for the 2-C Number One Contest results... // Number One Mr. Popular and Number One Mr. Otaku were both taken in a double coup... // Usui Kazuyoshi! // Miss Strong was taken by... what's this?! But of course - the decision was unanimous!!! // Onizuka Hime! // Number One Mr. Sportsman was taken by the hardest worker in the Basketball Club... // Sugihara Teppei! // Number One Miss Nice Vocals has a surprisingly good singing voice - everyone's talking about it! // Yabasawa Moe!]
Himeko: Ahh... / Bossun, don't...
Bossun: Eh?! / What? What?
Himeko: Don't get all depressed -
Bossun: No, no, no, no!! I'm not - I'm not - I'm not - what? Eh? Eh? / Oh, just stop that, why don't you!

19
Bossun: I - I'm not depressed or anything! / Hm, I'm not feeling too well today, so I think I'll head home... No, no! It's got nothing to do with the results, not at all!! // After all, it's not like I'm shocked or anything! // Besides, it's not like anybody would ever vote for me anyway!! It was never going to happen!
Himeko: ......... / ...You know, I did put you down for Mr. Nice-Guy...
Bossun: WHAAT?! / What did ya do a thing like that for?! I'd be better off with NO votes!! // Ahh - sorry! I seem to have raised my voice... I guess I just got caught up in it... eheh... // ............
Himeko: ...Could ya just give him one of yours?
Switch: I shall never relinquish them.
[insert text: But it's just so sad......]