Hanasakeru Seishounen 2.3

Reserved for Marimo-Box Scanlations.

<49>
Kajika: This looks like a place where spirits would settle...
I like it here.

Eugene: It really isn't that great.
My father built it when he had a mistress in New York.
It's been empty ever since they broke up.

Kajika: Do you come here often?
Eugene: Sometimes.

Eugene: I feel at ease in this dusty darkness.
It's as if I become one with the shadows.

Kajika: Leopards are nocturnal animals, afterall.

Eugene: My...
You're still hung up on that absurd concept?


<50>
Kajika: I believe it.
I always have.

Eugene: So it's because of that idea,
That you came here with me at this late hour?

Kajika: You, on the other hand, brought me out here because you couldn't stand giving in to Li Ren, right?

Eugene: Oh...
I wonder.

Eugene: In any case,
I can imagine how furious Mr. Burnsworth must be.

Eugene: Let down by incompetent guardians,
While his beloved daughter makes off with someone as notorious as myself.


<51>
Kajika: Notorious, you say... Are you talking about the murders Li Ren mentioned?
Eugene: "Murders"?
Everyone just dies at their own convenience.

Eugene: Why do humans crave so much to be in sole possession of another...?
Everyone chants in unison...

Eugene: "I love you, so let's be together."
"I love you, so don't look at anyone but me."
"I love you, so I want you to love me."
Breaking up causes miseries greater than death...

Eugene: It's like some sort of incantation.
For me...

Eugene: I find it sickening.
They hold on to the word "love" as if it pardons all sins.
And so...
I occasionally tell them...


<52>
Eugene: "Then..."
"Maybe it's better to die."

Eugene: And, from time to time...
Some actually choose to do so.

Eugene: I'd always watch them with an air of disbelief.
If someone asked me what I proposed to do, I'd be stumped.
My mind would merely go blank...
As I bore witness to their deaths.

Kajika: You didn't actually tell them to die, did you?
I'm sure you phrased it in a way like you did with that woman...

Kajika:Telling them to choose between you ---
But, in the end...
All of them still chose to take their own lives, right...?


<53>
Kajika: You...
It's as if you've been waiting all this time.....!!
Waiting for a person who'll kill you to appear.

Kajika: Why!?
Despite the fact that life is such an amazing thing...!
Despite the fact that we were granted life against the most unfathomable odds.
Why don't you treasure it!?

Eugene: "Amazing", you say..?

Eugene: You express it with such a simple word...!


<54>
Eugene: Where do you find such confidence?
Because you're Burnsworth's only child?
Certainly, there's nothing that the Burnsworths can't do.

Eugene: Money can buy everything, afterall.
All things imaginable in this world, physical or emotional, can be purchased.

Eugene: Love,
Prestige,
Even a reason for people to exist.
If you want me to be Mustafa, you could buy me over,
All you'd have to do is ask your father.

Kajika: I don't understand...
Eugene...


<55>
Kajika: I like you, Eugene, that's all...
Why do I have to buy you?

Kajika: Really...
Do you think I'd ever do something like that......?

Kajika: Eugene...

Kajika: I was raised on an island ---
Giveaulie island belongs to Father, but...


<56>
Whenever the waves went wild from a storm, Giveaulie would become isolated from the world.
Planes couldn't take off, and boats wouldn't be able to approach.
Day in, day out...

Kajika: During those times, I remember Maria telling me that the island was in God's hands.

Without electricity, even the phone lines wouldn't connect.
All around us, there'd be nothing but pitch-darkness, and the howling of the raging winds.

Kajika: Under such cirumstances,
Having money...
Means nothing at all.


<57>
No matter who you are, the winds will continue to blow.
At the mercy of the heavens, the earth, and the sea...
We can only gaze into our fates -----------


<58>
Kajika: At times like those, Mustafa and I would often watch from my room, waiting for the storm to pass.
I'd continue to ponder "what-if"s.
Eugene: What-ifs?

Kajika: What if the winds never stopped raging,
What if the waves never ceased to crash upon us...
What if we ran out of food...

Kajika: I'd think about a lot of things,
Partly as a game, partly in earnest.

Kajika: I wondered... if I'd be willing to die for Mustafa.

Kajika: Li Ren, Father, and even Maria. I'd never be able to see them again.
It'd be painful.
But...
I loved him too dearly.


<59>
Kajika: Because I loved him so much I could cry,
I wouldn't hesitate to give my life for him.

What a strange voice...

Like a young boy's, or a young girl's ----------
Truthful and forthright, yet unbelievably warm...
Kajika: As long as Mustafa could live,
I'd do anything -------
I always came to that conclusion in the end.

I couldn't help but be mesmorized.
By that voice that could sway any heart...

Eugene!!


<60>
Man: So you were here, afterall!
Messing with a child this time, no less...! You've gone too far!!

Eugene: These are... my older brothers.

Brothers!

Eugene: Have you come to preach again?
Text: Unbelievable... they aren't alike at all!
Eugene's brother: No matter what I say, you'll never go back anyway.

Eugene's brother: Not having you under watch was a big mistake.
You've stirred up a disaster again, haven't you!

Eugene: About what happened with Liz, you mean?


<61>
Eugene's brother: She was the daughter of the previous national ambassador, you know!
The man's furious!
Eugene: She's the one who chose to get close to me,
I've told you many times - I never said anything to lead her on.

Eugene's brother: Forget it. Whatever I say to you is futile.
Hurry back to your apartment and make preparations at once. We're leaving for Paris at dawn!

Eugene: You didn't have to come specifically for that, I was planning to set off anyway.
The day after tomorrow is my birthday, afterall.
Father would want me back home.

Eugene's brother: Oho...
So even a guy like you doesn't forget his own birthday.

<61 - side panel>
Title: One day in the life of Itsuki Natsumi...

I worry about many things sometimes.
Pointing arrow: Itsuki
Thing such as whether my readers are reading my mangas properly, for instance...

For example, with fan letters...
-
Letter on top: I'm a big fan of Shimo-kun (霜くん) from passion parade, LoveLove
Top arrow: It should be "Nagame" (霖)
[TN: passion parade is another manga written by Itsuki Natsumi. Itsuki is pointing out a miswritten character from the letter. The character for "nagame" (霖), meaning "a long spell of rain", is similar to that for "shimo" (霜), meaning "frost".]
-
Letter at the bottom: Out of sensei's works, my no.1 favourite is "Entachi wa Warau" (奄たちは笑う). It made me cry!
Bottom arrow: It's "Hotaru" (蛍)!
[TN: Hotarutachi wa Warau (lit. The Fireflies are Laughing) is the title of the first volume of tokiiro triangle, another manga by Itsuki Natsumi. Here, the fan has written "奄" (cover) instead of "蛍" (firefly).]

Itsuki Natsumi: Well then, let's have a "Hanasaskeru..." quiz right now.
What's the heroine, Kajika's full name ---?

SFX in bubble: *stareee*
Arrows at the bottom: Assistants
Bold text on top: You guys...
Non-bold text on top: You've got to be kidding me...


<62>
Eugene: Yes, especially not this year.
It's worth remembering one's 20th birthday, afterall.

Eugene's brother: You're considered an adult now.
Let's hope you start acting more like one.

Eugene: I might as well go through with plastic surgery, it'd give me some peace for once.
As long as Father consents.

Eugene's brother: What nonsense!
As if he'd let you!

Eugene's brother: That face...

Eugene's brother: Is one of Father's most finely crafted masterpieces...!!


<62>
Kajika: Finely crafted ----!?

Kajika: What do you mean by that?
Eugene's Brother: Xavier!!

Eugene's brother: I'll personally escort you, so please return home quickly.
Children shouldn't be out this late.

Kajika: I'm not a child.
Daddy says 14 is the age when you start taking responsibility for your own actions.
That aside, old man, today was ---
Eugene's brother: Old man!?

Eugene's brother: Eugene! Who is she!?
If you picked her up from somewhere, break up with her already!!
Eugene: She's well backed up.
Are you sure you want to be speaking that way?

Eugene's brother: What are you saying?

Eugene: If I revealed her true identity, your blood pressure would ---
Eugene's brother: Stop screwing around!


<64>
Eugene: This girl is...
Kajika Burnsworth, Brother ---

Eugene's brothers: Wha... What...?

Eugene's brother: Eugene... Don't tell me you...
That...

Eugene: That's right.

Eugene's brother: Ahh! Brother!
Assistant: President! Pull yourself together!
SFX: Thud!
Small text: I told you...

Eugene's brother: Eugene!


<65>
Eugene's brother: You... you bastard!
Of all people, I didn't think you'd seduce the daughter of the Burnsworth family!
Do you intend to destroy the Volcan Group!?
Assistant: Mr. President!

Eugene's brother: I'll beat you to a pulp!
Seeing that face of yours sickens me!!

Eugene's brother: Behind that empty perfection, you're nothing but useless sludge!
Remember this well! Eugene!

Eugene's brother: Father's getting old. Once he passes away...
You'll no longer be under his protection.
When that happens, you'll realize that your position as the successor might as well be built on sand!

Eugene: Is that so...?
Eugene's brother: What!

Eugene: I'll live longer than Father, you say?
What makes you so sure about that ---!?


<66>
SFX: Bara bara bara
Eugene's brother: What's that!?
A chopper!?

Assistant: Mr. President, we're in trouble!
Police troops have surrounded the mansion!!

Eugene's brother: What did you say -----!?

Kajika: Don't worry, I'll go settle this.
Li Ren must've called the cops.
Eugene's brother: Li Ren...?
From the Fang Family!?

Li Ren: Settle this, you say?
I'm afraid that's impossible.
Kajika: Ah!


<67>
Li Ren: You're from the Volcan Family, am I right?
Unfortunately, we've decided to press charges against your younger brother.
Kajika: Li Ren!
Eugene's brother: Press charges!?

Li Ren: Abducting an underaged, 14 year old girl in the middle of the night.
That's against the law.
Eugene's brother: Can we work this out somehow? Despite everything, he's still a member of the Volcan family...!
Li Ren: Is that how you covered up the previous incidents?

Eugene's brother: We're terribly sorry. Our brother lacks basic integrity.
He's ignorant to the workings of society.
I'll keep a close eye on him from now on,
I'll take responsibility...

Li Ren: Why should I believe you?

Li Ren: If Kajika hadn't been there to stop things yesterday, Liz would've died then and there.
And with Kajika in the state she's in now...
How can you Volcans ever hope to compensate?
Kajika: Li Ren!!


<68>
Eugene's brother: Please... hear me out! Fang Li Ren.
As the eldest son of the Volcan Family, I'll try my best...

Li Ren: Why don't you just lock him up from society altogether?
All that's already happened couldn't have been pure coincidence.

Eugene's brother: I understand.
If I... If I was the head of the Volcan Group,
I'd have gotten rid of this shinigami --- [TN: shinigami = death god]

Kajika: STOP!!


<69>
Kajika: You've gone too far!! Eugene hasn't done anything!
I accompanied him here of my own free will!

Eugene: Mmph

Eugene: Ahahahaha!!
Kajika: Eugene!!

Eugene: Pardon me. This is just... too amusing.
We have both plaintiff and defendant...
It feels as if I'm already in the courtroom!

Eugene: Meanwhile, my brothers want nothing more than for my death sentence.

Eugene: It's not like I care.
Even though I never actually got my hands dirty,
I guess it still counts as my doing.


<70>
Eugene: Liz and the four women in Europe, they all had a latent potential for suicide.
One way or another, I seem to intrigue these types.

Eugene: So... with their inner desires unleashed, they set out to accompish what they've yearned for.

Eugene: I guess, on some levels...
I really am a shinigami.

Eugene: Well then...
We should be going, Brother.
Eugene's brother: Ah... yes...

Eugene: If you're going to press charges, please do so quickly.
I'll be leaving for Paris in 4 hours.


<71>
Kajika: Eugene!
Eugene: Farewell, Kajika.
It was fun.

Eugene: I also wished to see Giveaulie in a storm.
However...

Eugene: I'm not your Mustafa.

Eugene: One mustn't be deceived by appearances.
Beneath a puppet's magnificent silver hide... is nothing but sawdust, afterall.
It's the same with me, too...

Kajika: Eugene...!!