xxxHOLiC 163

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xxxHOLiC
Chapter 163
[insert text: You have truly changed. // And you are moving forward...]
[insert text (left): Doumeki's grandfather, Haruka, tells Watanuki of his feelings. The path that he is moving along will become a great one... Resonating with the world, and with other people, what kind of future is Watanuki moving towards?!]

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[side text: A pleasant conversation with Doumeki's grandfather, Haruka-san. "Do you have any interesting stories?", he asks, and naturally, a certain guy comes to mind...]
Haruka: Is Shizuka really such a glutton as all that?
[sFX: fume // fume]
Watanuki: I think his stomach is some kind of pocket dimension... // I mean, he eats four-layered bento boxes like it's nothing... / And not only is he a drunkard, he's always scoffing down sweets as well!
Haruka: I'm sure it's only because you make such delicious food.
Watanuki: Nah... / I mean, that guy...
[sFX: wave, wave]
Watanuki: I'm pretty sure he'd, like, eat anything that was put in front of him...
Haruka: Oh, I don't think so. // That kid doesn't eat a single thing... / ...unless he really approves of it.
Watanuki: "Approves"?

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Haruka: I remember, I always used to take him along to a favourite restaurant of mine... // And true, he did always have a good sense for the good stuff... / ...but he would never, ever eat anything unless it was something he really wanted to eat.
Watanuki: ...You mean he was a picky eater?
Haruka: Not really...

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Haruka: He just doesn't like to put anything in his mouth unless he's properly satisfied with it.

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Watanuki: Satisfied with eating...?
[sFX: tap]
Watanuki: ...ah... // ...ahh.
Doumeki: Don't go falling asleep in a place like this, idiot.

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Watanuki: WHO ARE YOU CALLING IDIOT?!
[sFX: open]
Watanuki: And you're eating the second you sit down?! / Don't get the food out until Himawari-chan gets here, dammit!
[sFX: munch]
Watanuki: ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?!!
[sFX: GRAB // pu~~~ll]
Watanuki: [aside]If you're not gonna use them, get rid of them![/aside]
[sFX: AGH!!]
Watanuki: Himawari-chan!
Tanpopo: Pi! / Pi!
Himawari: [aside]hehe...[/aside]
Watanuki: Wh - Why are you standing there like that?
Himawari: Oh, it was just so funny... / I didn't want to go over and interrupt you!

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Watanuki: Himawari-cha~~~~~n... // [aside]I really don't see what's so funny about this guy...![/aside]
[sFX: munch]
Himawari: But it really is funny. / Like a little conte comedy skit.
[sFX: THUD~~~~~]
Doumeki: [aside]I prefer rakugo, myself...[/aside]
Yuuko: [aside]ahahahah![/aside] / Oh, I would've liked to see that little skit too!
Watanuki: It was NOT a "skit"...

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Mokona: If you're doing conte skits with Doumeki, why not do some manzai with Mokona?! / [aside]we could enter M-1![/aside]
Watanuki: [aside]like hell![/aside]
Yuuko: But aren't you pleased? / That Doumeki, with his distinguishing sense of taste, loves your food so much...
Watanuki: What's so "distinguishing" about it...?
Yuuko: Well, when he brings drink around, doesn't he always bring something suited to our tastes, or what we're eating at the time? / And the same goes for his presents. // It's proof that he's always been particular with his food.

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Watanuki: Come to think of it... / ...Haruka-san was saying something like that.
Yuuko: Ohh~?
Watanuki: He said that Doumeki never puts anything in his mouth unless he's properly satisfied with it... // I mean, I thought he was just talking about picky eating to begin with, but...
Yuuko: That's not it.
[sFX: munch]

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Yuuko: It means he won't eat anything... // ...unless he trusts in it.
Watanuki: ...Huh?

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Yuuko: To eat is a very important, and very pleasurable thing... / ...but it can also be very frightening.

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Watanuki: Ehhhm... / According to the map she drew, it should be somewhere around here...
[sFX: glance, glance]
Watanuki: But man, I'm still not sure about teaching cookery to someone I don't even know... // (I can't even recall the flavour of my own cooking...)
Mokona: Turn left right there!
Watanuki: Huh?!

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[sFX: pop~]
Watanuki: Ahh! / When did you...?!!
Mokona: Ahhh, you can't find your way even with a map? / I don't know that such incompetence is fitting for Mokona's partner... / [aside]we'll never win the M-1 like that, you know![/aside]
Watanuki: I'M NOT YOUR PARTNER!!
Mokona: Come on - you're going to be late! / Get moving already~!
Watanuki: [aside]aaagh, why does this guy have to tag along?![/aside] // You'd better stay put in that bag!
[sFX: step]

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Watanuki: WHOA! / [aside]is this what you'd call a "mansion"...?![/aside]
Mokona: I bet they have some tasty drink~!
Watanuki: Oi! You'd better not go stealing alcohol from people we don't even know!
[sFX: creak~]
[sFX: shove]

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Client: Thank you very much for coming all this way!
Watanuki: Oh - oh, no, no, no, that's fine!
Client: Well, I hope this session goes well for both of us!
Watanuki: Y - Yes...

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Watanuki: (...Huh?)
[side text: An unexpectedly large mansion awaited him. Is chaos somehow lurking in this little cookery trip with Mokona...?!]
[bottom text: Watanuki feels a strange sensation... what exactly is this woman?! To be continued on 1st September.]