Ah Itoshi no Banchou-sama 16

*Only for use by Evil Flowers

tl by JinHea

39
- Happy new year!! Banchou!!!
SFX: doom
- Aa Itoshi no Banchou-sama
- Chapter 16

40
- Banchou…?
Box: 1st of January

- Okay, let’s pray, Banchou!
Text between bubbles: Sweet sake, Banchou!
Text above crowd: Banchou…?
Souka: Don’t be so loud. Everyone is staring. [aside] Shhh
Shun: That’s cos “Banchou” is rarely heard.
Text beside head: wahaha~~
Box: We, everyone of Toku High,

SFX: chatter chatter
Souka: Wow—
Box: came for our first shrine visit of the New Year.

- Brief talk / Souka-chan
- Her hair’s gradually growing
- Also, she’s big-chested.
- (what am I saying?)

41
Text beside arrow: Loves events
Souka: There are so many people.
- There’re lots of motorbikes for some reason.
- New Year’s delinquency— [aside] aha—

Box: And so, I’m able to spend the first day of the New Year with everyone.
- Wow— A performing monkey! Lovely—
- This is my first time seeing it—

- Each with their own monkey face mimick.
Katou: Quit it! It’s disgusting.
Text beside arrow: chocolate banana
Souka: ahaha
Box: I feel blessed.

SFX: bwatchoo
Katou SFX: stare

Katou: You didn’t come wearing a scarf?
Souka: Actually, I overslept today [linked] so I hurried out…
Box: Watched Red and White till the very end. [NB. Red and White is a TV show broadcast every New Year’s Eve in which singers perform]

Souka: Waah! I’m fine! This is your… [aside] It’s wrapped around me!
Katou: Somehow I’m already reconciled with the idea of you having exclusive use of my scarf.
- This is the 2nd time, you know.

42
SFX: tug
Katou: Geez. [aside] Here, straighten your hat too.

Katou: It’s slipping off. [aside] What am I to do with you?

- This year, too,

- Kya— it’s an engagement scarf!!
- Ugya— scarf love
Katou: Shut up! What the heck is that? [linked] We’re gonna go pray soon!
- I want to spend this time happily and rowdily together with everyone.

- I wish for this with every fibre of my being.

43
- It was decided for them to pull fortunes.
Mirai: It’s mixed up, huh—
Souka: Ah, I’ll take this one.
Container label #1: Fortunes
Container lable #2: Fortunes [with an S beside it]

Katou: Whoa— Great luck.
Shun: Show me—
Shun: I thought you’d get that, Yuu-chan. [aside] Cos you seem the type.

Mirai: Yuu-chan’s amazing—
Reichi: What about Banchou? [aside] Reichi got small luck~~
Arrow text: coin purse
Souka: I got…
SFX: thump thump

Bold text: Terrible luck
- Isn’t it just no good anymore?

- Terrible luck—!!?
- Eeh!? Terrible luck? This is my first time seeing it.

44
Shun: Change your environment. Give up on love. Start everything over. [linked] No health, well-being or happiness for you.
Text beside Shun’s fringe: hmmm
Souka: Everything’s denied—!!!
SFX continuing to panel bottom: eeeeeeeeek

Souka: It even says to give up on love…!
- E…eeek~~ what do I do
Katou: How come you’re on the verge of tears? [linked] Let me see tha—

SFX: fwoosh

- What!?
- Crows!
Souka: Aah— they stole my purse!

SFX: flap flap flap
- It’s mine.
- No, it’s mine.
- Vying for it.

SFX: fwmp

45
- It came back, but it feels like it was reduced to a terribly wretched state.
- Suddenly, bad luck…!!

Souka: Terrible luck…!? Is this terrible luck—!?
SFX: kyaaaa
Reichi: Scaryyy! I’ll put a metal plate in your bag as protection!

Souka: Eeh, that again this year!?
- Cuz we dunno what might happen…
SFX: slip
- crow feather

Souka: Okya—
SFX: trip
- A sudden tumble—!!
Text on Mirai’s head: This always happens! But could the cause be terrible luck!?

Author’s sidebar: Chapter 16 / “Banchou and the first shrine vist of the New Year” / I drew a story about the first shrine visit of the New Year, despite never having done it myself… My health always breaks down without fail around the time one year ends and another begins… When not laid up sick I’d often go to various shrines and loiter around. I really like pulling fortunes. You could even say it’s my hobby. / Once I went to the Tsuruoka Hachiman-guu [NB. A shrine] in Kamakura and there happened to be a couple having their wedding there. It was really lovely. American, English, Chinese tourists, Japanese middle school students who were there on their field trip, as well as people who lived nearby, everyone gave them their blessings saying Congratulations! Congratulations! The blushing bride was really adorable.

46
Katou: Be careful! [aside] What’re you doing? [linked] Come on, Banchou, stand…
SFX: waaah

- Powerful gust.
SFX: plap
Souka: Buh
Katou: Banchou—!?

SFX: konk
- [aside] Waah [normal text] She fell again!
SFX: dmp dmp dmp
- Gya— It’s really crowded here!
- Banchou—
- What’s a banana skin doing there?
SFX: konk
- She fell again—
Box: A lot also happened afterwards…

- I…
SFX: wheeze wheeze

- I got separated from everyone…!!
SFX: chatter chatter
- Are you alright? You came tumbling…
Arrow text: And I was there just a moment ago…!!

47
SFX: rise
- I’m alright. Sorry. Thank you for worrying.
- Is that so?
- Could this really be terrible luck…!?

- What do I do? I’d better return to where everyone else is first… [aside] I’ll put the fortune in my bag.

- [linked] Voices?
SFX: rustle
- Something’s on the other side of the trees…

SFX: rush
- I simply have to buy a protection charm—
SFX: bonk
Souka: Wah!

- Huh? Did I bump into something?
- Nothing’s there though? [aside] Did you imagine it?

Souka: Owww. I got pushed. [linked] And fell. [aside] So there’s a step here.
- Geez, seems I’m plagued by

48
- Ill fortune—
SFX: woooo

Souka: Eh…
- Squashed

- Souji—!!
- What’s that chick doing—!

- B… biker delinquents—!!!
Box: Landed in the parking lot.

49
- Damn! [linked] Where did Banchou go?
SFX: clack

Katou: She won’t pick up her phone.
SFX: eeeeeek
Reichi: Maybe she’s in a situation where she can’t pick up!?

Katou: I’ll go search once m… [linked] —What the… there really are a lot of motorbikes. [aside] Ah, I got snagged. The little~~
Mirai: So I was saying. Isn’t this New Year delinquency?

Mirai: There’s a ramen place nearby that starts doing business on New Year’s. [linked] It’s a frequent hang-out for biker gangs.
Mirai: They park their motorcycles in this parking lot.

Mirai: And fights start when one gang happens to bump into another at the lot.
SFX: hahahaha
Aside: Eeh— sounds like you were in one of those gangs. Was it a neighbouring gang?
Box: Former gang members’ heart to heart
Text on clothing: Now that I think about it, how come we started fighting on New Year’s?

SFX: hahaha…

50
- Bad luck!!!
SFX: crash
Box: Why

Arrow text: The one hounded by bad luck
Souka: Uh, um, I’m sorry I…
Box: Why did I have to run into a biker gang?
- The b**** attacked our Souji! You’re a bold one!!

- Souji!
- You’re feverish again.
- Why the hell are you so sickly?
Word on mask: sick
Box: Why did I have to fall on top of one of their members?

- A sudden attack from behind…! [linked] That ain’t got “sincerity”! That ain’t got “sincerity”, little lady!
Box: And they’re really angry.

SFX: zff
- In the face of such insincerity, we are…

SFX: flap
Flag text: Sincerity

51
- Kanagawa Alliance – Shinsengumi!! [NB. Shinsengumi written with characters meaning Newly Selected Group. Fans of Gin Tama should recognise the names Souji, Hijikata etc.]
SFX: doom
- …you must know about us, hah—!!?
Box: Commander in Chief – Kondou Isami (18)
Text to right of box: Souji Reiko (16) / ~currently running a fever~
Text to left of box: Hijikata Toshizou (17)

- Is this also the doing of terrible luck—!?
Aside: Eeek! I didn’t know—!

Hijikata: Kondou-san, might that woman [linked] be one of these guys?
SFX: grip
Text between the two: Ugh…
Arrow text: Were just fighting another gang they bumped into.

52
Souka: !! A fight!?
Kondou: What~~~? So the women are as detestable as their men.
- That explains they’re so angry…

Kondou: They got us from behind too. [linked] I despise that kind of thing. This little lady also needs to be tought a lesson.
SFX: grip
Souka: Wah! Wait a…

Souka: Gya—!! You touched my chest…
SFX: clang
Kondou: Whoa!

Sword SFX: fwip fwip
SFX: stab
Souka: Ah

- Hijikata-saaaan!
- Toshiii!!
- Dead
- Gya—!! I’m sorry!

SFX: rmmmmb
Kondou: Within a few minutes of your appearance, you instantly crushed our number 2 and number 3 (and with surprise attacks)…
Text on collar: Seems Hijikata and Souji were the gang’s number 2 and number 3

53
Kondou: Who sent you, assassin—?
SFX: rvmmm
Souka: Gya—! It’s a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding—!

Souka: Are fortunes this spot on!?
SFX: eeeek
- Change your environment. Give up on love. Start everything over.

Kondou: The little!
SFX: grab
- If I don’t do that, I’ll be unlucky forever!?
Souka: Wah!

SFX: rip
- Does that

54
- “This year, too… together with everyone.”

- mean
- I have to
- abandon everything, even my wish?

- There’s…
Souka: Wh…

55
Souka: What are you doing—!
SFX: screech
- no way I can do that!!

- If that’s the case, I’m
SFX: ri—ng
Souka: Please, just listen to me.

56
Souka: Please allow me to apologise to number 2-san and number 3-san!
- determined to battle this terrible luck to the end!
Souka: I have to resolve this myself!

Kondou: You…
- Katonk

- Katonk?
- Ah, my bag fell.

- Metal plate (super weapon)

Kondou: You think I’m stupid—?
SFX: clang
Souka: Gya—! My bag—

Kondou: What’s your objective!? Tell the tru…
Souka: Ouch!
- I have to do something.
- This is the one wish

57
Katou: Let go.
- I cannot cede.

58
Souka: Eh! Kato…
Katou: Just hurry up…

Katou: and let go, you ass!
SFX: fling
Kondou: Whoa!

Kondou: What do you want?
SFX: shff
- That’s our line! Just you try to harm our Banchou again!

- We, Tokugawa Technical High will be your opponents—!!
SFX: ba—m
Souka: Everyone!

59
Souji: Toku High, the one with that really strong Banchou…!?
Hijikata: Then she’s…!
SFX: koff
Mask: sick
- Hijikata and Souji, resurrected

Kondou: I get it. That explains the instant-kill ability. [aside] You’re strong. [linked] You came to conquer new turf, huh? You’re one scary little lady.
Souka: Eh? You’re misunderstanding things!

Kondou: Alright! We’ll buy the fight you’re selling. We’ll settle the numerous acts of insincerity you’ve committed!
Souka: I said, you’re misunderstanding things!!
Katou aside: They’re probably type B…
Box: Not listening at all

Kondou: The side that gets defeated will be absorbed by the winning side, that fair!?
Kondou: With the flag of sincerity beside us!

- Huh? Wait just a moment!

60
- Now, let’s have us a proper showdown!!
Shun’s book: Traffic Legislation
SFX: ba—m
- Yokugawa Industrial High VS Shinsengumi

Souka: Eh? W-wait! Please stop!
SFX: ba
Katou: Ah! Banchou! [aside] Don’t rush forward
- Unwittingly,
- I’ve dragged everyone into my streak of terrible luck!

Kondou: Do or die!!
SFX: rmm
- I want to be with everyone.
Souka: I have to do something!

Souka: Something—!!
- I was “determined to battle”

- in order to be with them, yet
- that determination
Katou: Banchou!

61
- is causing such trouble…
SFX: bash

- Eh…
Box: Metal plate inside

- It got flung up…
SFX: clang
Crow aside: Let go! / You let go!
- was fought over by crows…

62
- and dropped down right then—!!?
Box: “Something” was done.
SFX: crash
Crowd: Eeeeh / dug his own grave!?

- Gya—
- Are you okay—?
Paper SFX: float float
- Wah—
- Gya—

Shun: Ah, Banchou’s terrible luck. [aside] It fell out of the bag.
Katou: Hm? It’s peeling off…
Slip: Terrible luck / Isn’t it just no good anymore? / Change your environment. Give up on love. Start everything over. No health, well-being or happiness for you.
Arrow: here

SFX: peel
Bottom slip: Minimal luck / Well, that’s about alright isn’t it? / Be deeply grateful for your current environment. The most important thing is to cherish your individuality.

Box: Sales booth
Partially cut-off sign: -tune
- We pulled them here.

63
Signs on containers x 2: Fortunes
Sign: S Fortunes / Those who want to try pulling scathing fortunes, roll on up! (The real fortune is on the 2nd slip)

- Scathing fortunes—!!?
- There was a sign in a place like that!? It’s awfully inconspicuous!
Souka: Eh… then it wasn’t terrible luck…

Arrow: merely blunders that caused a huge commotion
- Then with overwhelmingly strong luck, she crushed Kondou ~The reason Banchou is Banchou~

Souka: Gy…gyaaaaaaaaa I’m sorryyyyyy
Aside: Ah-ha-ha scathing fortunes~~ (emphasis)
- Happy New Year’s. This year’s Banchou-sama also feels pretty much like this.
Box: Fin.

Box: Went back to Shinsengumi.
Souka: I really am very, very, sorry.
Souji aside: Scathing fortunes - what’re they!? (intrigued)
Mask: sick
Souka: What should I do? I’m been such a huge bother to everyone!!
Crowd aside: Eh— you’re apologising? But they were the mean ones.
- Despite having caused them trouble…

64
Katou: It’s not all your fault. [linked] In any case, it’s good that you’re not injured. [aside] right?
Aside: What, you’re that worried about it?

- I don’t have to take back my wish.
Souka: Even though I was thinking that I’d become someone who can protect Katou-kun…!
SFX: wibble~~
Souka: I…

Souka: I’m sorry.
Katou: How many times are you gonna apologise?
Slip: Minimal luck / Well, that’s about alright isn’t it? / Be deeply grateful for your current environment

Souka: I’m sorry.
Souka: It’s just as the fortune says.

- “I’m able to spend the first day of the New Year with everyone. I feel blessed.”
- When I feel this way from the bottom of my heart,
- it’s no longer empty thought.

65
- Thank you.
- Even if it’s just a little at a time.
SFX: hah
- Ah, he’s awake
- Kondou-san~~
- Is your head okay?
Book: Traffic legislation

Box: Afterwards, term 3.
Text below box: after class.
Katou: What’s going on, Banchou?

Katou: Dragging me here.
Souka: Uh, um, there’s something I want to pass along to you…

Souka: I’m still thinking about what I should get everyone as a token of my apology… [aside] I wonder what’d be good?
Katou: You’re still hung up on what happened on New Year’s? [aside] Just forget it, geez.
Souka: But I thought Katou-kun’s definitely had to be this.

66
Souka: If you don’t mind… [linked] please make use of it…
SFX: fwuff

Katou: A scarf?
Aside: Ah, I see. It’s like the one I lent you…

Katou: Is this hand-knitted!?
Souka: [aside] Gya— [normal text] Don’t look so closely at the knit! [aside] How embarrassing!
- Even if it’s just a little at a time.

Souka: The scarf you lent me [linked] got ripped, so… [aside] I made one that looked the same.
- If I can repay everyone

Katou: I…

67
Katou: I am
SFX: blush—
Katou: very much [linked] obliged.
- If I can bring everyone happiness

Souka: Why so formal?
SFX: stare
Aside: Cos he’s blushing.

Katou: Quit looking at me.
- Hide
Souka: Wah! [aside] Why!?
Aside: Cos he’s blushing.
- “This year, too”

68
- Wellll— this is truly joyous.
Text above Shun: Right—[heart]
Souji: Little lady, you’re talented. [aside] Did you get your mom to help? [arrow text] spot on
Mask: sick
- Ogya—!!

Katou: You guys! [linked] And why’re Shinsengumi here too!?
- Well, we arranged with Mirai and them to have some fun today.
Katou: Hah—!? [aside] Wearing battle gear!? [aside] That’s way too conspicuous.
- “I want to spend this time happily and rowdily together with everyone.”

Box: For some reason Shinsengumi was assimilated into the gang. (Souka-san’s current subordinates number 3071)
Souka: Why!?
Kondou: Cos I said the side that gets defeated become underlings to the winners.
Kondou: “Keep your word.” Now that’s sincerity!
Katou: Just a feeling, but isn’t your definition of “sincerity” a bit off!?
- I wish for this with every fibre of my being.