xxxHOLiC 162

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xxxHOLiC
Chapter 162
[insert text: The memories of the heart may be important... // ...but the memories of the body are extremely important, too...]

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[side text: A new customer arrives at Yuuko's shop, the shop that can only be entered by those who have wishes. What could her wish be?!]
Customer: Pleased to meet you. // I'm sorry for coming here out of the blue. // I was told that you would be able to help me...
[sFX: raise]
Yuuko: Enough of that. // The fact that you were able to enter this shop... / ...means that you have a wish.

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Customer: Yes. / I do.
Watanuki: (This scenario feels almost nostalgic...)
Yuuko: And what is that wish?
Customer: The truth is...
Watanuki: (What kind of wish could it be? // She seemed like such a smiling, pleasant sort of person... / ...but most of the people who come here with wishes turn out to be odd in some way...)

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Customer: I want to learn to cook.
Watanuki: An ordinary wish like that?!
[sFX: splosh~]
Yuuko: You're acting weird. Also, you're about to spill that.
[sFX: aaaahhh!]
Watanuki: Ah - I'm sorry!
Yuuko: ...There will be a price.

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Customer: I will of course pay for any tutoring you can provide!
Watanuki: (...Wait, can Yuuko-san actually teach cookery?! // Wait... Yuuko-san?! Cooking?!! // [aside]Too scary! I don't even want to think about it![/aside])
Yuuko: Indeed... // Then I shall grant your wish.

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Yuuko: Well, Watanuki will.
[sFX: GAH]
Watanuki: I KNEW IT~~~!
Yuuko: Mmmm, delicious~!♥
Watanuki: Ugh, I can't believe you just decided to start teaching cookery...
[sFX: fume fume]

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Yuuko: Is it really all that bad? // I mean, you certainly made an excellent teacher for Kohane-chan, did you not?
Mokona: Wow, this really is good! / Kohane's amazing~!
[sFX: switch]
Watanuki: Isn't she, though?! // She always puts so much work into everything...
[sFX: aaahhhhhhhhhhh]
Yuuko: So there we have it - that customer can be your second pupil.
Watanuki: But still... // I don't know about going all the way to some stranger's house to teach cookery...

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Yuuko: Watanuki, there's not enough drink~!
[sFX: boom]
[sFX: ba-boom]
Mokona: Bring us some brown-rice shōchū! / [aside]we need about ten bottles of cold sake![/aside]
Doumeki: Make some more of this fried tofu.
[sFX: ba-ba-boom]
Watanuki: SINCE WHEN WERE WE TALKING ABOUT THAT?!!

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Watanuki: Good evening, Haruka-san.

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Haruka: Oh? // It looks like you're no longer surprised to see me.
Watanuki: Well, I'm kind of used to it by now...
Haruka: And it looks like it's not just seeing me that you've got used to. // You have truly changed. // And you are moving forward.
Watanuki: Moving forward?

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Haruka: There are two ways a person can change. / Moving forward, or moving backward. // It's impossible to state absolutely which way is the better of the two, / but for you, I think moving forward is what you needed to do. // You keep on moving forward, through involving yourself with all kinds of people. / Particularly with one particularly strong-willed person.

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Watanuki: ...You mean Yuuko-san.
Haruka: And she is leading you... / ...to take the next step, along another great path. // But she will not force you. This is a choice for you to make.

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Watanuki: A great path...
Haruka: You need not know what that is. // Choices are being made all the time. / Although much of the time, people fail to notice that they are making them.

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Haruka: Only afterwards do they look back and say to themselves "I made a decision there..." / And then they realise, "It was because I made that choice that I am here now..."
Watanuki: ...Yes.
Haruka: Now then... // Since we're here and all... do you have any interesting stories to tell me?
[side text: The weighty, yet kind words proffered by Doumeki's grandfather, Haruka. What is going through Watanuki's mind right now... what will he tell?!]
[bottom text: To be continued next issue - see you in Young Magazine #38, on sale August 18th!]