Rin (HAROLD Sakuishi) 5

Rin chapter 05:

*Reserved for ryColaa Scanlations

p1:
<no text>

p2:
Fushimi: In the blink of an eye…

Fushimi: The year drew to a close…

p3:
<aside: One! Two! Three! Four! >

<asides>: Asuna, you were late! / Huh? I was? / Once more, from the top.

Fushimi: I haven’t really talked to her / since I gave her the autograph from Nishigaitsu-sensei…

p4:
SFX: Kya hah hah!

Fushimi: I keep writing more and more storyboards, / and I send every one of them to Mutou-san,

Fushimi: But I’ve never heard back from him

Fushimi: Even when I gather up my courage and call the editing department, they say
Box: Mutou hasn’t shown up for work yet today.
Fushimi: or
Box: He’s already left for the day.
Fushimi: or the like.
Fushimi, lower left): I haven’t managed to contact him even once.

p5:
Fushimi: Brrrr, it’s cold. My ears feel like they’re gonna freeze off.

Fushimi: I was so motivated / and on fire back in Tokyo,

Fushimi: but now that fire / is nothing more than a spark.

p6:
Katsuo: Hey, Nori! I figured you weren’t up to anything good and were just wasting away your winter break.
Fushimi: Shut up.

p7:
Katsuo: Let’s go to the shrine for New Year’s! / But before the start of the New Year!

Fushimi: That makes absolutely no sense.
Katsuo: Once the year actually starts, the shrines will all be packed, so now’s our chance!

Fushimi: But can you still call it going to the shrine for New Years?
Katsuo: Whatever; just get on. / You’re free anyways.

Katsuo: Next year, we’ll both be high school seniors. It’s an important year.

p8:
Inset: I have to admit, he’s right…
Katsuo: It’s a little far, but I found a shrine that’s supposed to be really potent. / Hold on tight!
Fushimi: That sounds creepy, coming from you.

Inset: Next year’s super important. What happens then will decide our entire futures.
Katsuo: Listen up, Nori. Lemme tell you how to pray at a shrine properly.

Katsuo: You bow twice…

Katsuo: Clap twice…

p9:
Katsuo: And then bow once more.

Inset: It’s supposed to be an important year, but…
Fushimi: Katsuo, what are you praying for to that shintai? / It says this shrine is effective with regards to fertility.
Katsuo: Isn’t it obvious?

Katsuo: I wanna get laid before I graduate!

Katsuo: I’ve heard rumors of another shrine where there’s a shintai of a girl’s pussy; you wanna go there at the start of next year?
Fushimi: Err, I’ll pass.

p10:
Boys: Mister, two gyouza and two large rice bowls, please.

Chef: Coming up.
SFX bubble: *Pouring water*

Katsuo: He’s using the same hose he used to wash the floor.
Fushimi: His klutziness seems like something from decades ago.
Sign on the right: It’s back!! Taiwan Ramen 700 Yen
Sign on the left: All-you-can-eat Kimchi

p11:
Katsuo: By the way, what are you doing once you graduate?
Fushimi: Huh? I haven’t decided yet.

Katsuo: Still? Shouldn’t you have made up your mind by now?
Fushimi: What about you?
Katsuo: I’m gonna try college. / There’s tons of mixers at college!

Chef: Hey, I’ve just brought back my Taiwan Ramen. / This is the first time it’s been offered in three years. You wanna try it?

Boys: We’re good.

p12:
Boys: So good!
Katsuo: Mustache man’s gyouza is still good enough to kill!! / Strictly speaking, it’s the secret sauce that’s great!!

Katsuo: Want another? / It’s my treat today.

Fushimi: Of course you’re treating me! I went along with your New Year’s thing. / There’s snot hanging out of your nose.

p13:
Katsuo: You’re an impertinent bastard! / It’s not like you’ve ever been laid, either!
Sign: New year’s hours:
30th: Normal Hours
31st: Until 8:00
1st }
2nd } Closed
3rd}

Katsuo: I hope that old man figures it out soon. / It’s supposed to be a ramen shop, but the ramen itself is disgusting.
Fushimi: If he could just fix that, he’d have a line out the door in the blink of an eye.

Katsuo: I’ll call you again after New Year’s. / It’s not like you’ll have anything better to do.

p14:
Fushimi: I don’t know if this quite qualifies as a “chaser”…

p15:
Fushimi: Unlike that dick shrine, / this is a cozy local shrine where only locals come. / Well, not even the locals come here.

Fushimi: Back when I was in elementary school, the older kids would always bully me with all sorts of techniques…
(?): Listen up, Nori—this is called the Omoplata.
Fushimi’s bubble: I give! I give!

p16:
Fushimi: Ummmm, bow twice… clap twice… / what was next? / Well, whatever.

Fushimi: I’m sorry my breath smells like gyouza.

p17:
Sign: Tatsuno Shrine

p18-19:
<no text>

p20:
Parent: Norito! The zouni’s ready; wake up and come down!! / And how many mochi do you want?!!

People: Happy New Year!! / These celebrity food-lovers will compete to make the best osechi!!

p21:
Fushimi: These are my first dreams of the new year… / What will happen during my senior year?

Mutou: Nishiguchi-kun, you always do give it your all. / You put a lot of work into these storyboards.

p22:
Nishiguchi: Thank you! I want to spend all of January working hard, without ever heading to my parents’ home!!

Mutou: A jobber boxer is chosen to be the opponent of a second-class ruler looking to improve his defense record… / This is a clichéd story with no novelty whatsoever, but…

Mutou: This protagonist is great! A guy late in his 20’s with no punch, speed, or sense and who has never had sex without paying for it reminds me a lot of you, Nishiguchi-kun.
Nishiguchi: Uhh…. I’m not sure whether that was a compliment or an insult, but thank you.

Mutou: You should go ahead and start inking this.

p23:
Nishiguchi: AWW YEAH!!

Nishiguchi: Hey, Taki-kun! / Are you on your way to a meeting?

Taki: I am. / I wrote three storyboards over winter break!

p24:
Nishiguchi: Th—Three?!
Taki: It’s hard for me to focus on drawing when I’m not on break.
Nishiguchi: Whoa… Good work… / And I just spent all my time in high school playing around.

Nishiguchi: It took me seven tries, but I finally got one of my storyboards accepted.

Nishiguchi: Oh, yeah. You want to meet up afterwards? / We can look at each other’s storyboards. / And then we can have a feverish conversation about manga theory!

p25:
Nishiguchi: ….

Nishiguchi: You—you did all three of these over winter break?

Taki: Yes. I expected only one of these would be chosen to be printed, / but I got the OK on all three.

Taki: Nishiguchi-san, may I see your storyboard?

p26:
Taki: Ah! Nishiguchi-san! / What about manga theory?

Nishiguchi: Dammit!! / Meeting with talented people is making my confidence vanish like smoke!!

Nishiguchi: At times like these, I’ve got to call those lower on the totem pole than I.

Fushimi: Oh! It’s from Nishiguchi-san—I haven’t heard from him in a while.

p27:
Phone: Nishiguchi-san / This is Nishiguchi! / Long time no see! I know it’s a little late, but happy New Year’s! How’ve you been lately?!

Fushimi: “Happy New Year’s!” / “I haven’t managed much; none of my storyboards have been accepted.” / “Lately, I haven’t even been able to contact Mutou-san.

Fushimi: “I feel like the deadline for the Sawamura Prize just snuck up on me. / I’m really nervous.
Background: All entries must be postmarked by March 31st.

p28:
Fushimi: And send.

Fushimi: Whoa, that was fast.

Phone: Re2: This is Nishiguchi! / I just got the OK for my one-shot to appear in a special issue. It was all thanks to my hard work, so you work hard too, Fushimi-kun!!

Fushimi: Wow… He cares so much about me and used such warm words to cheer me up. / “Thank you very much. Good luck to you too, Nishiguchi-san.”

p29:
Nishiguchi: No matter how low you are, there’s always someone lower. Now I’m pumped! / All right! Time to pull an all-nighter!!

p30:
Akane: Rin-chan, d’you think we’re gonna be in the same class next year?

Rin: I sure hope so.

Akane: Well I am worried.

p31:
Akane: You’re the kinda person who’s like to collapse durin’ warmups.

Akane: Who sent ya that long e-mail?
Rin: Nishigaitsu-sensei.

Rin: He came home.
Akane: Huh? Who did?

p32:
Fushimi: Their dance seems more complete now. / Their repertoire has grown, too.

Fushimi: Meanwhile, I…

p33:
Paper: Title: “A Transfer Student from the Favela” / The story stars a poor young man who has entered a school in the rich part of town that many rich girls attend. / The school is ruled by a four-person gang called the Million Dollar Four.

Fushimi: I feel like I don’t even know what’s funny or interesting anymore.

Guys: Oh! It’s snowing. / Wow…
Fushimi: Oww… I headdesked too hard.

Guys: I wonder if it’ll build up? / Maybe after-school activities will be cancelled?

p34:
Sign: Ginsburg Bookstore

Magazine in panel 4, right side: Loser
Fushimi: Wow… it’s in a special issue, and it has color pages.

p35:
Fushimi (inset over all the panels): And this manga… / It’s so good it hurts.

Manga: Huh? Who are you even talking to?

Manga: … / Are—are you going to bully me?

Manga: If that person learns of this, / you better believe I’m gonna kill you.

Manga: You’re pathetic. / You’ll regret it the second it starts to hurt.

Fushimi: And moreover…

Manga: Turnabout Boxer Takuto / Nishiguchi Shuuhei

Manga: Take this!!
Fushimi: Nishiguchi-san really did give it his all…

Ref: One!

p36:
All entries must be postmarked by March 31st. / The deadline’s almost here!!

Fushimi: The Sawamura Prize, the gateway for newcomers, / is only offered twice a year……

p37:
<no text>

p38:
Manga: So—so you’re the Million Dollar Four who rule this school!!

Manga: Heh heh heh heh.

Manga: We, the Million Dollar Four, will make you our butler.

p39:
Incoming call: / Taurus Editorial Department / 03-5395-XXXX

Fushimi: Ah!

Manga: Take this! The Million Dollar Kick!!

Mutou: Fushimi-kun—long time no see! How’s it going?
Fushimi: It’s—It’s going well, thanks…

p40:
Mutou: Sorry. I got your calls, but I never had a chance to call back.
Fushimi: I—It’s fine, it’s fine. I figured you were just busy, Mutou-san.

Mutou: Mizuno-san’s been in a bit of a slump lately, too… It’s hard, being her editor.

Fushimi <aside>: What?!

Fushimi: Mutou-san, you’re Mizuno Tooru’s editor?!
Mutou: That’s right. Didn’t I tell you?

Fushimi: That’s amazing… I am a super huge fan of hers!!
Mutou: Huh, really? I’ll tell her next time we meet.

p41:
Mutou: By the way, what have you been up to lately?
Fushimi: Ah… working on manga…
Background: A Transfer Student from the Favela

Fushimi: I haven’t been able to get in contact with you, / and before I knew it the deadline for the Sawamura Prize was closing in…

Fushimi: So I started working on the manuscript before you gave the storyboard the OK...
Mutou: Ah, I see. My bad, my bad.

Mutou: By the way, I know this is sudden, but could you come by tomorrow?
Fushimi: Huh?

p42:
Mutou: You’re on spring break currently, right? / I want you to assist Taki-kun.

?!

Fushimi: Ta—Taki Kaito?!
Mutou: Yep. He’s getting really tight on the deadline for his one-shot in the next special issue.

p43:
Fushimi: If I leave now, I’ll never finish in time for the Sawamura Prize…
Background: All entries must be postmarked by March 31st.
Mutou: Hello? You still there?

Black square with one character in it: But

Fushimi: If Mutou’s telling me to go, then I’m obliged to go!!

p44:
Fushimi: But why me? / There should be plenty of skilled artists in Tokyo.

Fushimi: And I’ve never had any experience as an assistant, so why go so far as to even cover my traveling expenses?

Fushimi: And what do I do with my manuscript? / I’ll have to work 24-hour days once I get back…

SFX Bubble: Rumble Rumble

Katsuo: Hey, Nori! I figured you weren’t up to anything good and were just wasting away your spring break.
Fushimi: W—Well, actually…

p45:
Fushimi: Right now, I’m in Yokohama!
Katsuo: What?!

Katsuo: Wh—why are you in Yokohama?!
Fushimi: I’ll call you when I get back.
Katsuo: Ah….
(Lower left SFX): Click
Aside (in the middle of the panel): But like, there’s no way that’s true.

Fushimi: Damn, all the girls near the capital are hot…

Fushimi: Unlike me…… / I’m sure Taki Kaito must be popular with all the ladies in his class.

p46:
Sign: The station is currently under renovation. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Taki: Hey.

Fushimi: Taki-kun?

p47:
Fushimi: It—It took me a second to recognize you, / what with that unkempt hair, those glasses, and that jersey…
Taki: I’ve been drawing manga non-stop. I didn’t get any sleep last night.

Fushimi: But why does this granny bike have such loud breaks?
Taki: Because I stole it.
Fushimi: WHAT?!

Taki: What’s wrong? Not hungry?

Fushimi: Am—Am I really good enough? / I don’t really get perspective and stuff, and I’m not much good at removing tone.

p48:
Taki: No worries. I’ve already sketched out most of the backgrounds, / and you can just use solid tone.

Taki: We’ll focus on the harder parts of the manuscript once Nishiguchi-san joins us tomorrow.

Taki: For now, I’m just relieved to have someone my age around.
Background: Café Restaurant GUEST

Taki: Older people are completely useless.

Fushimi: Huh?

p49:
Taki: The deadline was growing dangerously close, so the editorial department introduced me to a 10-year veteran assistant to help me out.

Taki: That man was rather troubled: He couldn’t debut, couldn’t get a girlfriend, and had no money. / He seemed to think this was his chance at a fresh start.

p50:
Fushimi: The… The world’s a harsh place, huh…
Taki: So he brought a copy of his manuscript with him. / He asked me to read it and give him my thoughts.

Taki: To be frank, you should probably quit. / I can’t feel even an ounce of talent in this!

Taki: Is what I said.

p51:
Taki: So then I had you come, Fushimi-kun.
Fushimi: I—I see…… / That sounds like something you’d say.
Taki: I thought I’d tell him the truth for his own good, but…

p52:
Taki: Anyways, that’s how I want you to do it.

Taki: I’m going to take a nap for two hours. / Wake me up if something happens.
Fushimi: Roger!

Fushimi: He said he had mostly sketched in the backgrounds, / but this feels really finished.
Back of his shirt: I’ve hit puberty!

p53:
Fushimi: His work is even more powerful in the raw manuscript … Is this really something drawn by someone the same age as me?!

Fushimi: The protagonist, bullied at school, writes a will and goes to commit suicide…

Back of his shirt: I’ve hit puberty!

p54:
Manga: !

p55:
<no text>

p56:
Fushimi: Then his eyes meet those of a girl on top a building across the street. She too is about to commit suicide… / The two head back down and decide to go out to dinner together… / This is amazing! It’s perfect!

Fushimi: Where does he get his inspiration?

Fushimi: I swear, Taki-kun, / I will overtake you!

Fushimi: I mean, I sounded cool at the time, but…

p57:
Fushimi: Compared to this, my “A Transfer Student from the Favela” is just… / I mean, even I don’t think it’s that interesting.
Background, in a circle: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Fushimi: Taki-kun.

Fushimi: It’s already been two-and-a-half hours.
Taki: Mng….

Taki: Thanks. / I guess I overslept…

p58:
Fushimi: So this is Taki Kaito’s room…
Taki: Don’t stare so much; it’s embarrassing.

Fushimi: “Blood and Mud,” “Loser,” and now “Jump”…

Fushimi: I guess he gets his ideas in here.

p59:
Fushimi: You really have been busy. / You’ve written all over your calendar.

Taki: …..Yeah, I guess.

Taki: I’ll go take a shower.

p60:
Nishiguchi: Hey!! / I’ve brought refreshments!

Fushimi (tired voice): Thanks…

Nishiguchi: What’s wrong, Fushimi-kun? Where’s your energy?

Fushimi: Well, this is the first time I’ve pulled an all-nighter working on manga. / I didn’t realize it was this hard.
Nishiguchi: You thought it would be easy?! A pro like Nishigaitsu can go three nights without sleep like it was nothing!!

p61:
Nishiguchi: So then, have one of these refreshing drinks made to knock the drowsiness out of an artist!

Nishiguchi: Oh yeah!

Nishiguchi: It seems Rin-chan’s coming to Tokyo.

Taki: Yeah, / I’ve heard.

Nishiguchi: Oh, you knew?
Taki: Yes. Nishigaitsu-san told me in an e-mail.

p62:
Nishiguchi: Still, though, I’m really surprised. / Rin-chan was right. / Nishigaitsu-sensei’s little brother really did come back during the winter.

Taki: It looks like she’s here this time on Nishigaitsu-san’s invitation, / and she’s showing her appreciation by treating her as a VIP.

p63:
Nishiguchi: Fushimi-kun, are you the type to believe in that stuff?

Fushimi: What are you talking about?

p64:
Sidebar: Neither Rin nor Norito yet know how greatly their destinies will sway when they reunite in Tokyo.
Bottom: To be continued in the June issue.