Rin (HAROLD Sakuishi) 2

*For ryColaa Scanlations

p0:
[left side]: Destiny has just begun!

p1:
<no text>

p2:
Norito: My father works at a paper manufacturing plant, / so I’ve got access to all the paper I could ever want.

p3:
Norito: I’ll draw, draw…

Norito: And draw some more…

Norito: And I’ll never run out of Kent paper… / OK, so that’s how a person’s knee curves.

p4:
Norito: I’ve been sketching the human form… / It feels like I’m drawing nothing but women… / And then …

Norito: I’ll start trying to reproduce images from my favorite manga…

Norito: I’ll do everything as precisely as possible, even the inking. / My favorite dip pen.

Norito: So I can get closer to the pro level…

Norito: And I’ll draw it over and over again!!

p5:
Norito: All so that I can engrave the method / into my muscles and my very cells!

Norito: Like a pro baseball player doing fungo drills in February, / who carefully moves his feet and lowers his hips as he goes to get a grounder.

p6;
Norito: Augh!

Norito: No, no! I started imagining myself as the Athletic’s Hino. / 32 errors in a single season… He should convert to the outfield.

Norito: Haaaaaaaah. / I didn’t take a step outside today, too.

p7:
Norito: I haven’t turned on my phone in 13 days… / I guess it might be good to undo the seal right about now.

Phone: Inbox / No new mail

Norito: Two… Two emails in 13 days… / I’m such an isolated 16-year-old… / I cut myself off from the world, and that’s it? What a shock.

Norito: One of them’s from the phone company to boot, / and who cares about the other.
Phone:
--From: Nakata Katsuo
Subject: (no subject)
Body: The Athletics are on a 17 game losing streak now… They / lose to kids at the park.

p8:
Norito: Fine! Until the end of summer break, / I’ll draw, draw, and draw some more!

p9:
Editor: What? She’s withdrawing?

Sign: Third Editorial Division / Taurus / Editing Department

Editor: Didn’t she come in first in the readership poll?
Assistant: Yes, by a wide margin.

Editor: What a waste… So, does that mean she’s leaving the world of stardom?

Assistant: Well, I don’t think the girl really wanted in in the first place.

p10:
Assistant: To top it off, it seems she’s from some small island in the middle of nowhere, / and her school wasn’t too happy with her becoming a model.
Picture: Ishidou Rin (16)
Box: I’ve dreamt of being an idol ever since I was little. I’ll do my best! o(^o^)o

Editor: Could we get her to transfer to Tokyo and keep going, then? / Her comment seems so positive.
Assistant: I wrote that myself, actually, as the guy in charge of the pin-up.

Assistant: I heard the agency chief saw her photo in a local information magazine and scouted her himself. / But the only reason her photo was even in that magazine was because a friend had gone and sent in the picture without her permission, or something.

p11:
Editor: Ah… I wish I could see her once more, though.
Magazine: Taurus

Assistant: Hagi-san, you’ve met her?

Hagi: Yeah. Summer of last year. Would’ve been a little over a year after I became editor. / Kimura, her manager, brought her to meet us.

Hagi: She’s got such fair skin; she’s so much cuter in person than in a photograph~.

Hagi: Man, but I wish she could’ve made her debute in a small, one-size bikini…
Assistant: You do like young girls, don’t you, Hagi-san?

p12:
Akane: Rin-chan!

p13:
Akane: Tsuji-kun from the baseball team is waitin’ for you over there.
Rin: Huh?

Akane: He’s been sneakin’ glances at us for a while now.

Rin: That is sick. I came here wearin’ my school swimsuit, too. / It’s embarrassin’.

p14:
Akane: Well, yer gonna be a star, and yer probably the most popular girl in school, too.
Rin: Because you went ‘n sent in my photo, Akane-chan. / I ain’t no star! / And I quit, too!

Akane: Why would you go and do that? You could’ve become so famous! / How many people you think are out there who wanna be famous but ain’t gonna? / Even I wish I could go to Tokyo!

Rin: I gave it a shot, didn’t I? / That sort of thing ain’t for me.

Akane: Hey, Rin-chan! / Is it true Tsuji-kun asked you out, and you turned him down?
Rin: It’s true.

p15:
Rin: When I think of why he asked to talk to me behind the sports building, / it sickens me.

Akane: It—it sickens you?! / You tryin’ to get every other girl ‘round here to hate you?

Akane: He’s the baseball team’s ace, and probably most girls’ favorite…

Akane: He’s got a 130 kilometer fastball that holds up till late in the game and a curve that just sneaks up on a guy. / In the prefectural qualifiers, he recorded a whole 19 strikeouts, and they say even the pros are givin’ him a look!
Cursor thingy, left to right: Control C / Stamina D / Fastball / Curve

Rin: You sure know a lot, Akane-chan.
Akane: He even got a no-hitter in a practice game!

p16:
Akane: Then who in the whole wide world do you like, Rin-chan?

Akane: Rumor has it Kobayashi on the basketball team, Suzuki-sempai on the soccer team—basically everyone’s got a crush on you! / <aside: At least, accordin’ to what information I’ve managed to procure. > / Who can you see yourself goin’ out with?!

Rin: I really don’t have a crush on anybody.

p17:
Rin: ‘Sides, I ain’t ever even fallin’ in love!

p18:
<no text>

p19:
Meteorologist: Today might be the last day of August, / but hot days are going to continue into September.

p20-21:
News: Up next, sports. / Our man of the summer, Hino of the Athletics, has hit his 14th homerun this month, and…

Norito: ALL RIGHT!

p22:
Norito: I’m a completely different person / than the man I was when summer began!

Norito: And now that it’s September, I can finally lift my ban!

Norito: I’ll submit a new manga to Taurus!
Magazine: Shounen Taurus

Norito: Though I still haven’t gotten many texts…

p23:
Second trimester…

Sign: Morishige Prefectural High School

p24:
Teacher: Umm, so therefore…

Teacher: After being defeated by Shingen, it is said Ieyasu fled with his tail between his legs. Blackboard: December 12, 1572 / Battle of Mikatagahara

Teacher: As Ieyasu’s forces attacked in a crane wing formation, Shingen countered with a fish scale formation…

Norito: I may look like I’m paying attention, but what I’m really writing…

Notebook: idiot / opping out of school, Masuda / became used to in soc / One night, at a conveni / gument started, and a figh / What Masuda had learned / KO’d. The report said / Masuda gym

p25:
Norito: Is the plot to a new manga.

Norito: This time, there won’t be scenes in Boli, no Muay Thai champion, no Ukrainian prostitute, and no machine guns.
Hagi: This isn’t very realistic. / Have you ever been to Boli? / Would a Thai really know Japanese proverbs? / Have you ever done it with a Ukrainian prostitute? / How would a machine gun be brought into Japan?

Norito: It’s called “IDIOT”. / It’s the story of the modest interactions between a young man in a martial arts gym and a former champion. / It’s kind of plain, but I’d rather not face the same criticism again…

p26:
Norito: I’m aiming for Taurus’s Sawamura Eichi prize, a prize bearing the name of a great manga artist given twice a year to up-and-coming artists…
Magazine: Sawamura Eichi Prize / Grand Prize: 1,000,000 Yen / Second Prize: 700,000 Yen / Newcomer’s Prize: 500,000 Yen / Runner-up Newcomer’s Prize: 300,000 Yen / Honorable Mention: 200,000 Yen / Showed: 100,000 Yen
Girl: I’ll be waiting! <3

Norito: But first, I should aim for the monthly newcomer’s award. / The bar for the Sawamura Prize is just too high.

Norito: Dammit all! / Since we had gym class today, I wasn’t able to write as much as I’d hoped.

Honda: What are you writing?

p27:
Honda: Is it a novel?

Norito: Um, well, you see… / Honda Asuna!!

Norito: I haven’t spoken to her since that day over summer break…
Flashback Norito: Honda-san!!
Flashback Honda: Ah, Fushimi-kun!

Honda: Or is it a diary?
Norito: W—well, it’s something like that…

p28:
Honda: But it’s still noontime; / isn’t it weird to be writing so early?

Norito: W—well, I’ve just got a lot to write about, so…

Honda: Hey, Fushimi-kun, have you ever read this manga? / If you liked Happy ☆Annals of the Three Kingdoms, I’m sure you’ll like this! / <aside: It has the same sort of time slip plot. > / If you haven’t, I’ll lend it to you.

p29:
Norito: Huh?

Norito: C—can I?
Honda: Sure. I had been lending it out to Asami, and she finally returned it.
Manga: With Charles, You, and Henry

Honda: It’s a bit old-school; my mother loved it, too.

Teacher: OK, everyone take your seats!

Honda: See ya!

Honda: Feel free to return it whenever!

p30:
Norito: Yeaaahhhhh!!

Norito: Everything’s looking fantastic!!

Norito: I feel more motivated than ever! / One / Two / Three / Four / Five / Six

Norito: Seven!!

p31:
Random: H—hey, you all right? / Your elbow’s bleeding…
Norito: It’s fine, as long as my right arm’s not broken.

Magazine: Monthly Newcomer’s Prize: 800,000 Yen / The Sawamura Prize is the path to serialization! The Monthly Newcomer’s Prize is the path to the Sawamura Prize!

Norito: All right! I’m gonna finish up the panel layout tonight!

p32:
Norito: This paper bag’s from a clothing store, right? / I wonder if Honda-san shops there.

Norito: I’ll have to make sure it stays clean.

p33:
Manga: Jeanne, you must be the daughter of Astrea, goddess of justice. / Oh, Charles. <aside: Hah > / For the sake of the kingdom, I require your aid.

Norito: To be honest, this manga is really weird. / A girl whose heart wavers between the King of France, the King of England, and her childhood friend… / Historically, the setting makes absolutely no sense.

Norito: And moreover, this protagonist who time slipped into the body of Jeanne Dark / keeps kissing the French king, the English king, and her childhood friend—so who does she like?

Norito: I can’t stand this woman… / Shibusawa Aya-chan from Happy ☆Annals of the Three Kingdoms was much more straightforward.

Norito: No, no! / This is a one of Honda-san’s (and her mother’s) favorite manga!

p34:
(?): Honda-san, a visitor!

Norito: Th—thanks for this.
Honda: Fushimi-kun, you’re finished already?!

Norito: That was some twist at the end, huh? / I never would have thought the childhood friend was the lovechild of the King of Napoli. / Well actually, I thought it was kind of obvious…

Honda: Wasn’t it great? / My mother cries every time she reads it.

Norito: I’m glad the English King Henry turned out to be a good guy.
Girls: I was cheering for Henry, too. / Henry was really nice.
Honda: Ah, then maybe you’ll like The Red Rose and White Rose Emblems, too.

Norito: Huh?

Honda: It’s the sequel to With Charles, You, and Henri, and is Nishigaitsu Hanako’s life work! / I’ll lend it to you next time. It’s 17 compiled volumes in all.

Norito: R—really? / 17 volumes? / And Nishigaitsu Hanako has tons of small panels with lots of text. / <aside: And it’s longer than The Silent Service. >

Norito: Oh, also… if you’re interested, I brought something I thought you might like.

p36:
Norito: It’s by Mizuho Tooru, my favorite manga artist!

Honda: What’s this? Just its cover looks awesome!

Honda: Have you ever heard of The Shunpei Chronicles? / Currently, he’s working on Gunners; it’s being serialized in Taurus. / Though he takes a lot of breaks…

Honda: His manga have even become anime! / Though the show takes a lot of breaks, too.

Girl: Maybe Holly would know of it? / HOLLLLYYYYY!

p37:
Hori: Hm?

Honda: Have you heard of this manga?

Hori: …. / I can’t make it out.
Honda: It’s Dopamine Hyena!

Hori: Oh, you mean Doping. / Mizuho Tooru’s… surreal gag manga.

p38:
Honda: Is it good?
Norito: It’s not that surreal…
Hori: Yeah, it’s OK.

Honda: Did you know? Holly draws manga!
Norito: Huh?

Norito: H—Hori draws manga?!

Honda: Yep! / Holly’s a really good artist. His father’s a professor at an arts’ college!

Norito: Wow…
Girls: Look at this! / Me too!

p39:
Norito: Whoa! / Hori drew these?

Norito: He—he clearly spent the most time on this one… / He—he really does seem skilled…

p40:
Girl: Holly’s really talented! / He let me see the manga he’s drawing in his notebook; it looks really good!

Norito: Yeah, but drawing manga’s kind of gross, isn’t it?

Honda: You think so? I have a lot of respect for people who can draw.

p41:
Norito: Hori Daiki… I have gym class with him, but we don’t interact that much…

Norito: The only time we communicated was back in June…

p42:
Norito [inset, black text]: Ow!

Norito [inset, black text]: Ouch…
Hori: Stop fucking around!

Hori: You could’ve dodged that!

p43:
Norito: Oh… sorry.

Girl: Fushimi!

Girl: Asuna told me to bring this to you. / She said thanks.

Norito: Ah…

Norito: Too bad she didn’t bring it herself… / That really, really sucks…

p44:
Girls: Seriously? / That guy is unbelievable!

Norito: M—maybe I should ask her impression… / Oh, but what if they’re talking about something sensitive...

Honda: Oh, Fushimi-kun! / Thanks for lending me Doping Hyena. It was super funny!

p45:
Norito: Ah, that’s great. If you want, there’s some other stuff I can…
Hori: Honda, / I’ve brought you back your copy of With Charles, You, and Henry

Honda: Ah! What did you think?

Hori: It was sublime! Henry has a really great sense of humor.
Norito: So she lent the manga to Hori, too.
Honda: Henry’s great, isn’t he?

p46:
Hori: I’m sorry it took me so long to get it back to you. / I’ve been working on a manga to turn in for Shounen Beatle’s Christie Prize, so I didn’t have much time to spend reading.

Norito: You’re—you’re submitting to the Beatle?

Hori: … / Yeah.

Honda: Holly entered once before, too.

p47:
Hori: That’s right. / Last year, my name was on the list of people who made it past the first round for the Christie Prize.

Norito: Really?!

Norito: The Christie Award, named for Christie Sakuishi, the author of Happy ☆ Annals of the Three Kingdoms, which is serialized in the best-selling magazine in Japan, / is an award for newcomer manga artists offered twice a year.
Manga: Shounen Beatle

Girl: My big brother reads Beatle every week.
Hori: I considered submitting to some other magazine, / but in the end, I wanted revenge.

p48:
Norito: According to my life plan, / I was supposed to debut as a manga artist when I finished middle school.

Norito: That’s why, during my second year of middle school, I took the first manga I had ever carefully inked… / and submitted it to my favorite publication at the time, Shounen Beatle.

Norito: But my submission was rejected without even a reply! / I was so confident, too… Well, good thing I didn’t tell anyone.

Norito: … This means Hori’s got a better track record than me right now.

p49:
Girl: Wow! That looks amazing!
Honda: It’s a copy, but I think it has a lot of intensity.
Hori: That’s just the cover page, but when I’m done, I’ll bring copies of the whole thing.

Honda: Wow, your work looks really professional!

Norito: Th—this is…

p50:
Norito: To be honest, it’s about the same level as my work from before this summer!

Norito: My father might not be the professor of some arts college, / but my father does work for a paper manufacturer.

Norito: I’ve got tons of paper. / No matter how much I draw, I’ll never run out!

p51:
Norito: I’m unsociable, bad at sports, / and can’t even talk to girls…

Norito: Manga’s all I’ve got!!

p52:
Manga: Don’t tell me you were Japan’s former light heavyweight champion? / Well, that’s all in the past, now. / Hey!

Norito: I feel fantastic! / I’ve finished all 28 pages of IDIOT faster than I anticipated!!

p53:
Magazine: Sawamura Eichi Prize / Grand Prize / Deadline (Postmarked by): 9/30

Norito: I—I’ve made it in time for the Sawamura Prize! It’s the prize most everyone in currently serialized in Taurus has won, / named for Sawamura Eichi, a giant in the manga world, offered to up-and-coming newcomers twice a year!

p54:
Sign: Post Office

Norito: P—please take this.

Letter: Bunkyo, Tokyo / Koudansha / Taurus Editing Division / Sawamura Eichi Prize

Norito: That look of his… He probably thinks I’m disgusting because I draw manga….

p55:
Honda: You think so? I have a lot of respect for people who can draw.

Norito: Maybe if I’m accepted for the Sawamura Prize, I’ll tell Honda I draw manga!!

p56:
Girl: See ya!

(?): Rin!

p57:
Rin: Kimura-san?!

Rin: … Why would you come all this way from Tokyo?

Kimura: I’m sorry this is so sudden, / but I had the feeling that there was no other way I could see you.

Kimura: Could I have just a little bit of your time?

p58:
Sign: Japanese Cuisine Shiosai

Kimura: I’m really sorry / I brought you there last time.

Flashback Kimura: Rin, there’s no need to be afraid. / This is Hatano-san, the owner of this dining establishment.
Kimura: My boss wasn’t very happy when he found out what happened… / Long story short, I was forced to resign.

Rin: It’s best you stay away from that “dining establishment owner”. / At least unless you want to be involved in strange affairs.

p59:
Waitress: Excuse me; which one of you ordered the black rockfish?

Kimura: The fish from your island are really good. / You can’t get fish this good in Tokyo.

Rin: Kimura-san, what brought you all this way from Tokyo?

Kimura: I understand your personality very well, Rin. / I know that, no matter how skillfully I beg you to come back to work, it would all be a waste of time.

Kimura: But if you ever change your mind one day, I want you to call me. / You have a very special talent, Rin.

p60:
Kimura: This is my new business card.

Rin: Ah—it’s from Nanami-chan!
Kimura: Hasebe Nanami?

Rin: Nanami-chan’s so persistent. / She keeps asking me about her boyfriend, her job, everything…

Kimura: It’s because Nanami-chan’s nearing the end of her days as a sexy-type comedian. / And these days, people prefer more well-built girls, rather than those with giant boobs.

Rin: She keeps telling everyone about me, so now more people know… / I’m starting to get phone calls from people I’ve never even met. / I’ve been ignoring them, but…

p61:
Kimura: It’s the proof of your accuracy. / I’ve introduced you to tons of people, too.

Rin: [inset] Shhh

Rin: Not many people on this island know.

Kimura: What would you say to becoming more open and turning it into a business? / You might become famous, start appearing on TV, or become a medium.

Rin: I want no such thing. I have no intention of becoming famous.

Kimura: … / You said the same thing before, didn’t you?

p62:
Rin: Thanks for the meal.

Kimura: Rin, what would you say to coming to Tokyo once more, just for fun?

Kimura: We could go to an amusement park, or a concert, or see an Intercity Baseball League game?

Kimura: Do you remember Hagi-san, the editor from Taurus you met last year? / If you asked, I’m sure he could give you a complementary ticket to Destiny Land. You could skip all the lines, and enter VIP-only restaurants.

p63:
Kimura: Guess you’re not very interested.

Rin: I’ll go—if I can bring a friend with me.

Rin: Her name’s Akane-chan. She’s wanted to go to Tokyo for a while. / She always helps me out whenever I’m ill.

Kimura: Of—Of course you can bring her!

p64:
Norito: I have again set aside my cell phone. / Well, it’s not like anyone’s going to try to contact me.

Grandmother(?): Norito, there was a call for you.

Grandmother(?): He said he was from Koudansha!