Hayate no Gotoku! 281

Chapter 281

01

Top: Volume 25 and a collection of Hata Kenjirou's early works will both be released on 8/18!!
Text: It's the one truly special day in the year.
Title: Chapter 281 "My birthday is October 19th. I'm a Libra."
Bottom left: For information on DVD, Blu-ray and other Hayate goods see http://hayatenogotoku.com
Bottom right: Hata Kenjirou

02

Margin: A normal day has normal worries, but a birthday has special birthday worries. Whatever those may be, have a happy birthday.

SFX: Chirp Chirp

Ayumu: Today, Sunday May 15th...

Ayumu: Is when I...
Ayumu: turn 17!!!

Ayumu: My birthday.
Ayumu: It's the one day in the year...
Ayumu: where I unconditionally get to have the lead part.

03

Mother: Here's your birthday present.
Mother: It's a 500 yen book card.

Ayumu: Um...mom. I'm not trying to say I'm not satisfied with this gift...
Ayumu: but couldn't you have put a bit more love into what you got me?
Mother: What are you saying? There's plenty of love in that.

Mother: You can use that to buy reference books to study with. We don't have much choice since your father went to such a mediocre college.

Mother: Oh!! And that present's from your father, too!! It's from both of us, okay!? So don't go demanding a present from him!!

04

Ayumu: My birthday.
Ayumu: It's the one day in the year...
Ayumu: where I unconditionally get to have the lead part.

Box: But there's one problem...
Ayumu: Does anyone know today is my birthday?

Souya: Yo!! Nishizawa!!

Ayumu: Oh...Souya-kun...
Souya: How ya doin'? You look kinda down.

05

Box: Minamino Souya. 16 years old.
Box: The only thing he's good at is swimming, so it's like he's a fish wearing human skin.
Box: I wonder if he actually knows it's my birthday.

Ayumu: Hey, Souya-kun.
Souya: Hm? What is it?

Ayumu: T-today is...
Ayumu: 5/15!!

Souya: Eh?
Souya: 5/15?

SFX: Heartbeat heartbeat heartbeat heartbeat

06

Souya: That's a lotta fives!!
SFX: Smile

Ayumu: Goodbye, Souya-kun.
SFX: Depressed
Ayumu: I was an idiot to expect anything from a fish.
Souya: Wha-...!?
Souya: Whadya mean by that!?

Box: But...that isn't Souya-kun's fault.
Ayumu: In fact, it would be odd if he did remember a girl as unremarkable as me.

Ayumu: So...I guess Hayate-kun wouldn't remember either...

Ayumu: So I...
Ayumu: have no choice but to be proactive about this!!!

07

Hayate: Hm hm hm hmmm
SFX: Place

SFX: Crunch
Hayate: These are good.

Maria: Oh, Hayate-kun.
Maria: What are you making so early in the morning?
Hayate: Oh, good morning, Maria-san.

Hayate: Today is Nishizawa-san's birthday...
Hayate: so I'm baking her some cookies as a present.

Maria: Oh, you're as handy as ever.
Hayate: Well, I couldn't get her a present that cost very much money...
Hayate: so I'm going for something I can put my feelings into. Do you want to try one?

08

Maria: Oh, this is good.
SFX: Crunch
Hayate: Good.

Maria: Hayate-kun, I have one question.
Hayate: What is it?

Maria: When is Segawa-san's birthday?
Hayate: June 21st.

Maria: Asakaze-san's?
Hayate: July 13th.
Maria: Hanabishi-san's?
Hayate: September 9th.
Maria: Isumi-san's?
Hayate: September 24th.
Maria: Katsura-sensei's?
Hayate: November 11th.

09

Hayate: Do you...
Hayate: need anything else?
Maria: No...

Maria: You really...
Maria: must be popular Hayate-kun.
Hayate: Hah?

Nagi: Oh, so today's Hamster's birthday?
Hayate: Oh, good morning, milady.

Hayate: You were almost up until dawn working on your manuscript last night...
Hayate: did the smell of the cookies wake you up?
Nagi: You id-...!! No, it didn't!!!

10

Nagi: A-A birthday present...
Nagi: isn't something you can just give to someone!!
Hayate: Ehh!?

Nagi: Well, your home-made cookies are a bit much for Hamster...
Nagi: but since you've made them, you must want her to be as thankful as possible.
Hayate: I-I suppose.

Chiharu: Then how about you...
Chiharu: throw her a surprise party?
Hayate: Oh, Chiharu-san.

Chiharu: I don't know who this Nishizawa person is...
Chiharu: but she'd be happy about that, right?

Nagi: Hmm...
Nagi: A surprise party, huh?

11

Nagi: B-but won't she be a bit...
Nagi: embarrassed about that?

Chiharu: She'll be happy by the very act of overcoming that embarrassment!!!
Nagi: B-but we have no obligation to go that far.

Chiharu: Don't try to weigh friendship and obligation against each other!!
Chiharu: Don't you want to see the smile on your friend's face!?
Nagi: B-but...!!

Nagi: What if she doesn't like it!?
Nagi: That would be horrible!!

Chiharu: If you're friends...
Chiharu: she'll like it as long as you put your feelings into it!!

12

Chiharu: And if something happens, your butler can just do something about it.
Nagi: That's right!!
Hayate: Eh? Why are they putting everything on me?

Hayate: Okay, let me run through the plan with everyone.
Sign: Cafe Donguri

Hayate: First, Nishizawa-san will leave the cafe after we close up.

Hayate: Then we'll quickly get the decorations up...
Hayate: and prepare the cake and presents in about 10 minutes.

Hayate: Once we're ready, we'll call Nishizawa-san.
Hayate: We'll tell her she forgot something so she has to come back to get it.

13

Hayate: And once she gets back...
SFX: Pop
On "Ayumu": Hamster
Hayate: we yell "congratulations".

Hayate: It'll go something like that.
Hayate: Does everyone understand?
Miki: Yup!!
Hina: Yeah, that sounds great.

Hina: Nagi, it's wonderful that you're planning a party like this for Ayumu.
Nagi: H-hmph. It's nothing.

Hayate: Okay, Nishizawa-san is going to get in for work soon...
Hayate: and it would be suspicious if everyone were here.
Hayate: So everyone needs to leave the cafe now. Including you, Hinagiku-san, since you're not working today.

14

Ayumu: Huh?
Ayumu: Why's everyone here?

Hayate: Crap!!
Nagi: She's already here!!

Hayate: What should we do!?

Nagi: We've already...
Nagi: hit a major snag!!

Ayumu: I don't know why, but everyone's here!!
Ayumu: This is my chance!!

15

Ayumu: T-today is May 15th!
Ayumu: Do you know what the significance of that is!?

Hayate: Oh, no!!!
Nagi: She's completely on the offensive!!

Hina: M-May 15th is the day in 1701 when the War of the Spanish Succession began.
Hina: It's also the day Okinawa was returned to Japan, so it's an important date in history.
Nagi: Oh!! Nice one!!

Ayumu: N-no, I don't mean things like that.
Ayumu: I'm asking if anything was born on this day.
Nagi: No!! It didn't work!!

Nagi: What do we do!?
Nagi: Hayate!!?

16

Hayate: Oh, that's right. May 15th...
Hayate: is the day CoroCoro Comics was born.

Ayumu: Eh...!?
Hina: Seriously!?
Box: At that moment, time stopped for everyone there.

Hina: W-well, I have somewhere I need to be, so...!!
Someone: Oh, me too!
Ayumu: Eh!? Wait...Hina-san?

Ayumu: I-I won't lose!! I'm going to at least make Hayate-kun remember my birthday!!
Hayate: Ah, what am I going to do?
Box: And this bizarre psychological battle will continue.
Box: By the way, CoroCoro Comics really did launch on that day.

Left margin: That isn't the date on the issue, but the first issue of CoroCoro Comics came out on May 15th.

Bottom: To be continued in Issue 35 coming out on Wednesday July 28th.

Right margin: Can Hayate preserve the surprise of the surprise party with Nishizawa-san being so aggressive!? Next time!!