Sket Dance 40

1
[insert text: Himeko in a rage!!]
Himeko: What the hell did ya go an' do that for?!! / I freakin' loved that mug, dammitall!!! // You better fix it!! / Go on, put it back how it was!!!
Bossun: No... it wasn't me who did it, honest!! / You've got the wrong guy!!
Himeko: Yeah, sure, like I'm gonna believe a big fat lie like that!!! / Who was it, then, huh?!!!
Bossun: Uhh... a stray dog? Yeah, a stray dog must've come in and...
Himeko: Yeah, like hell there was a stray dog!!
Bossun: Hey - ! / Just - just put the bench down, okay?!!
Himeko: YOU BET I WILL~~~~!!!
Bossun: GUAAAAHH!!!

2
Bossun: Don't you even know when to stop?!! / You can't go around breaking benches...!! // Fix it!! Make it back how it was!!
Himeko: Ehh, that was an old, useless bench, anyway! It creaked like hell, an' all!! / Besides, it only broke 'caus you dodged it!!
Bossun: Oh, yeah, and if I hadn't dodged it?! I would've been smashed to pieces instead!! // ...Gawd, what're we going to do with this now...?
Himeko: Well, since it's broken now, we can use our club funds to buy a replacement. A sofa would be good!
Bossun: Yeah, sure, 'cause we totally have the cash to buy a sofa. After that kamishibai was a total failure and everything...
Switch: Speaking of which, the principal wanted to see us about something today.
Bossun: Oh, yeah... / I guess we might as well head over there now.
Switch: What could he be wanting, I wonder?
Himeko: Another kamishibai, y'think?
Bossun: Nah, maybe he wants us to, you know, entertain his kid directly this time or something. / Heheh, yeah, as if...

3
Sket Dance
Chapter 40: Running Home Run
[insert text: He... kind of looks like a real brat...]
Principal: My request for you today is a simple one. // I'd like you to look after my grandson, Yoshihiko, for the day.
Yoshihiko: Huh.
Himeko: ...Mr. Principal, sir?
Principal: Hm?
Himeko: Would you mind if I hit Yoshihiko-kun?
Principal: Whaaat?!!
Himeko: Well... he's kind of pissing me off already.
Principal: A - Absolutely not!! What kind of grandfather would say "Sure, go ahead" to a thing like that?!

4
Principal: [aside]wahahah![/aside] / Well, anyway, that's the deal. // I'm looking after Yoshihiko myself while my daughter and her husband are off on a business trip overseas, but today he has a day off school. // He'd be bored if I just left him at home, so I brought him to school with me, but it looks like hanging around with me isn't much better. // It would only be until my meeting finishes at five o' clock. / So, can I leave Yoshihiko to you?
Bossun: Hell.
Himeko: No.
Switch: Desu.
[TN: The whole thing reads "iya desu", which means "hell no", but, uh, as you can see from looking at the RAW, Switch takes "desu" as a pun on "death".]
Principal: Eeeehhhh?!! // But - but why?!!
Bossun: Well... he doesn't exactly look like he'd be very cooperative, does he...?
Principal: W - Well, I suppose you're right... but that's just because he hasn't got to know you yet! He's not too good with strangers! // Hahah... like I said last time I saw you, he can be a little stubborn sometimes, and the truth is, even I've never actually seen him smile. / So if I'm being honest here, what I'm really hoping is that you might be able to actually make him happy. // I know it's a tough job, but... I'd be very grateful.
Bossun: ............

5
Principal: Well, I'll see you at five o'clock.
Bossun: Well, apparently his parents run some big company or whatever, so he's like a proper little rich kid. So please don't get all violent with him or anything, yeah? // You listening to me, Himeko? I'm talking to you here!
Himeko: Yeah, yeah, all right, I get it!! // Ahh, but you know, I really do love kids...
Bossun: Yeah, you said that about the monkey, before you beat the crap out of it!
Himeko: Don't worry... there's nothing to be scared of. // Hohoho... making a kid happy, that should be no problem. / ...I've got just the thing! // Here! / Have some candy!
Yoshihiko: Oh... / No, thanks. // My dad always tells me I should never accept candy offered to me by suspicious people.
Bossun: Ahh... oh, crap...

6
Bossun: Th - That's right, Himeko: You keep control of yourself!! / But the kid's kind of right, you know, if you ask me!! You really do look like you could be some kind of kidnapper!!
Himeko: Hahah... Listen, Yoshihiko-kun, there ain't nothing suspicious about us, okay? // And this Pelollipop Candy stuff's re~al tasty, you know. // It's corned-beef flavour.
Yoshihiko: No, thank you. I have always been told that high-class people such as myself should never sink to consuming the kind of cheap, vulgar sweets that commoners enjoy.
Bossun: Good going there, Himeko!! / ...Actually, that's pretty amazing!! / How did you even manage to tie that?!!
Switch: Ah, this is simply too painful to watch. // I know what children these days enjoy. Computer games.
Bossun: Ah, c'mon. We don't have any games that are suitable for a kid like him.
Switch: I have just the thing on my computer.

7
Switch: First of all, you need to enter your name like this...
[Text: Yoshihiko]
Bossun: Huh. / Does he have to defeat some kind of demon lord or whatever?
Switch: Now, you take the role of the main character. / Just go with the flow of the game, and you should be all right. // ...You seem surprisingly popular already.
[Text: Yoshihiko-kun... could I maybe... see you after school?♡
Himeko: Aw, hell no!!! // What kind of game are you showin' this kid?!!!
Switch: It's a dating simulation entitles "True Heart Graffiti".
Himeko: That ain't the kind of game a primary-school kid should be playing!!
Switch: You have some kind of problem with True Heart Graffiti?!!
Himeko: What're you gettin' all angry for?!! That's just creepy!
Bossun: Oh, stop it already, you two! Switch, don't you have any other games he could play?!!
Yoshihiko: Ehm... // Just so you know, I already played True Heart Graffiti to completion a long time ago. Not that it exactly presented much of an interesting challenge. // After all, it's only a program; nothing like real-life human interaction. Once you figure out the basic principles behind it, it's a simple matter of activating the various "flags" and the whole thing becomes rather tedious.
Sket-dan: [aside]is that right...[/aside]

8
Switch: Oh, and I suppose you unlocked all the bonus images as well, did you?!!
Bossun: Don't you get all pissed off too!!
Switch: Well?! Did you?!!
Himeko: Man, Switch is on edge today...
Bossun: Ugh, you guys really are no use whatsoever! You don't know the first thing about entertaining kids!!
Himeko: Oh, and you do, I suppose?
Bossun: Sure. You just leave this to me. // C'mon, Yoshihiko, let's head outsid -
Yoshihiko: Oh, just go on your own.
Bossun: ......Wha?
Himeko: Whoa... he got seriously rejected. / It's an "instant-kill".
Switch: His face is rather amusing, though. If a little painful to watch.
Himeko: Ahh! / I think he might actually be cryin'! Aw, this is no good!
Bossun: .........
Switch: As ever, he breaks down rather easily.
Yoshihiko: ...Could you perhaps just be quiet and stop all this?
Sket-dan: ?

9
Yoshihiko: Look, I'll just read a book or something and behave myself. That should do nicely, right? // I'll tell my grandfather you were all very entertaining and everything. // I'd really rather not go through the rigmarole of going and playing outside. My clothes and shoes would just get dirty. / And I have to be careful with my clothes; they're rather expensive. // I don't really go in for playing with friends usually anyway. / I'll be much happier if you just leave me to my own devices.
Bossun: ............ // Wait a minute. You never go outside and play with friends or anything?
Yoshihiko: That's right. // My father always tells me I shouldn't spend too much time with those sorts of inferior people. / He says it's best to start being careful who I associate with at an early age. // Whaaa?!!

10
Bossun: WE'RE GOING OUTSIIIIIDE!!!
Himeko: YEEEEEEEEEAHHHH!!!
Yoshihiko: Huh?!
Switch: Graaaahhh!!!
Yoshihiko: Wait a minute -
Bossun: LET'S GOOOOOO!!! // I don't give a crap what your dad thinks you "should" be doing, all right?!! // What do YOU want to do?!!
Yoshihiko: Honestly, I don't particularly want to -
Bossun: ALL RIGHT!!! // We're going to the park~~~~~~~!!!
Yoshihiko: Wait... // Are you even listening?
Switch: WWWRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!

11
Bossun: Are you ready? I'm gonna show you how this is done, so make sure you watch closely! // ...Owww! // Come on, Himeko! Throw me a decent ball!
Himeko: Sorry, sorry!
Bossun: How'm I meant to show him how it's done like that?
Himeko: Here goes...!
Bossun: Oww! // Hey...! // TIME OUT!!

12
Bossun: That's some great aiming skills you're got there!!
Himeko: R... Really...?
Bossun: Oh, don't look all happy!! It wasn't a compliment!!
Switch: Four Dead Ball.
Bossun: What kind of rule is that?! Stop making stuff up!! // Well... whatever. Look, I'll throw you the balls, and you see if you can hit them, yeah?
Yoshihiko: I'd... rather not...
Bossun: Oh, come on. Take the bat and see if you can hold it properly.
Yoshihiko: Hm.
Bossun: Look, you're holding it backwards. I guess you've really never done this before, huh?
Yoshihiko: Look, like I said, I'm really not interested in baseball -
Bossun: That's it, lean in a little. // You ready? I'm gonna throw it dead centre, so just swing!
Himeko: You sure about this? What if you hit the kid an' hurt him?
[bubbleSFX: thump // thump // thump // thump // thump]
Bossun: I'm not like you, I don't try to hit people when I pitch!

13
Bossun: If it's just a straight throw, I can pull it off perfect every time!
Bossun: A~nd strike! // You're not going to hit it if you don't swing, Yoshihiko! / C'mon! I'm gonna throw it in exactly the same place again!! So swing this time!
Bossun: Ooh, almost! // Right, one more time! Same place again, okay?!
Yoshihiko: (The same spot... // If I just swing there... // I'll hit it...)

14
Yoshihiko: I... // I did it!!!
Himeko: Eheheheh.

15
Bossun: Now you run, Yoshihiko!!
Yoshihiko: Huh?
Bossun: Go for the first base!!
Yoshihiko: Huh? // Huh?
Bossun: Quick, before the glasses-guy gets the ball!! // Through the first base and on to the second!
Yoshihiko: (Second base? // Past the second base to the third...)
Bossun: That's it!! // Keep running!!
Himeko: Throw it over here!!
Yoshihiko: *pant* // *pant* // (The home plate...!!)

16
Bossun: How d'you feel? Scoring your first ever point in baseball!
Yoshihiko: ......... // I feel... worn out.
Bossun: Hahahah! // 'Course you do. // You earned that point with your own strength. // 'Course it wears you out. // Gets you dirty, too.

17
Principal: Yoshihiko~~~~~!!!!

18
Principal: What kind of state do you call this?!!! // Aahhh!!! You're bruised and everything!! // I certainly hope you can explain yourselves!!
Bossun: Ah... / Well, uh... the game ended up turning into a sort of tag match...
Himeko: We just kind of... got caught up in the moment.
Switch: Since he's so light, we ended up using him as practice for a Kinniku Buster, so his hips may have been damaged a little.
Himeko: You just shut up already!!
Principal: A - Are you all right, Yoshihiko...? / I suppose you didn't have any fun after all...
Yoshihiko: Nah, it wasn't fun at all. // I got all beat up and everything. // ......... // But... // I did manage to score... // ...a point.

19
Principal: Ahhh... // ...I see. // Did you, now. / You'll have to tell me all about that!
Bossun: Huh. / You could just admit it was fun, you know.
Principal: Hahahah.
[Text: A few days later... a large parcel was delivered to the Sket-dan clubroom.]
Himeko: Ahhh!! / What's this, now?!
[Note: You can have this, since we had one spare. / -Yoshihiko]
Bossun: It's from Yoshihiko!
Himeko: Whoa... what's this, now?!!
Switch: Apparently his father's company was a major furniture manufacturer.
Bossun: Heh. / Practical sort of kid, isn't he. // Hahahah...
[insert text: Proof of the stubborn little kid's gratitude!]
[bottom text: Next issue, a shocking development?! That character is about to reveal an incredible secret...!!]