Short Program 5

Short Program, Volume 1, Chapter 5 (pp. 127~166)


<127>
[box]Melons
=Whoaaa!

=Hip,
=Hop.

=Wait!//You bastard—
GWISH


<128&129>
Change


<130>
[bubble]SHUCK

=Hum.

=*spit*
=Here I am.

=Y-//You brat—!

=I'll bash you're head in!


<131>
=Whoa.
=Hi.
TAP

CRACK


<132>
=Oh.

=Hah-hah.

=Wah-hah-hah!

=Hah.


<133>
THUD

VROOM


<134>
=Oh,
=Hi there.

=He—y.
VRR...


<135>
=Remember these?
[bubble]GUSH

=These aren't real men.//They had one girl surrounded and they were all teasing her.
[bubble]You!

=Couldn't even work up the guts to talk to her if they were alone.

=Destruction of evidence—
GONK
[bubble]SHUP

[typeset as one big bubble]=I was gonna go apologize after I finished beating them up!
TH-TH-THUD


<136>
=You wouldn't need editors if an apology fixed everything.

=Alright fine, I'll pay for it!

=Hah.//A kid in grade school doesn't have that kinda cash.
[bubble]Hey, get up
=Who're you calling a grade schooler!?

=I'll be 14 next month!
=Yeah right. Your voice hasn't even changed.
[bubble]Melon fee

[typeset as one bubble]=Not even close.
=I told you'd I'd pay the damages!
=WHOA
VROOM


<137>
=That hurt.//You didn't need to hit me.

=Your scooter's working okay.
[typeset as one]=That's why that face of yours is still okay.

=What an ill-mannered employee.

=Haven't learned about corporate heirs in school yet?

=Ohh,//Right right.
=It was in the history textbook.//But I never imagined one would look like this.
=Hey!

=Wait,//Why're you riding on back!?
=Don't worry! You're going in the right direction so far.


<138>
=—But,//Mr. President, your supermarket is that way.
=I'm getting some coffee!

=Oh, thanks.
=Whaat!?

[sign]Coffee Time

SCREECH


<139>
=Get off.

=Oh, well. I'll be going now.

=Hey.
=Not to worry.//I will definitely pay you back for those melons.

=What's with the change of attitude?
=C'mon, I don't mind buying you some coffee.

=Oh, no.//It's against school regulations.
=Yup.
=Yup.

=Weirdo.

[bubble]CLANG


<140>
=Hi there, Minato-kun.

=Hi.

=Oh,//Over here Minato-chan.

=Uh—Lettuce, cucumbers, and lemon.
=What else was there, Et-chan?
[bubble]He—y

=You can do that stuff over the phone.//I didn't come all the way to take your orders.

=He's right, owner.


<141>
=Oh, sorry.//We're just about running low, so I couldn't help it.
[bubble]HEE

=What would you like, sir?
=Hot coffee.

[letter]To Minato Akatsuki

=What's this?
=Ah,//I don't need an answer right now...

=A love letter...?
=Huh?
=Ah,//Yes.

=Then I've got my answer already.
=Look for someone else.
[bubble]Here


<142>
WAHHH—

=—Geez.//That's what I hate about girls.

=Sob sob, tear tear.//They just think it's cute to cry.
=Hah,//Makes me sick.

=Ah, Master Minato.//I'll carry your bag.

=Where'd you get my name?
=Just now, from Madame President.


<143>
=Anyways,//That was no way to refuse her.
=Huh?

=Men need to be thoughtful.//At least tell her you want to think it over.

=Think over what?
=My answer's not gonna change.

=It wouldn't hurt to let her dream a little bit,//Would it?

=Yes or no.//This or that.
=Hope and anxiety—
=Worrying.//That's how women enjoy making themselves into damsels in distress—

=You seem to know this stuff awfully well.


<144>
=—That's what I hate about women.

=Look, I hate not being honest.

=When I say I want to think it over.//It means I'm really gonna think!
=Got it!?

=Hmm,//That was quite manly, too—

[sign left]Market & Grocery
[sign right]Akatsuki Store


<145>
=Mom,//What's with that guy?
=Oh,
=That Kei-chan?

=You hired a brat like that!?
=Wouldn't call it hiring.//It's free labor.

=Told me,//Just say nothing and let me help out for 2 hours until you close shop.
=A brat like that won't even get anything done!

=Don't be stupid.//Works harder than you do.
Thanks for stopping by!

=And besides,

=What?


<146>
=It's cute {heart}
=What the hell is wrong,//With this woman's mind.

[bubble]Hup

=BFFFT

=What the hell is this!?


<147>
=There's a dead fly in the bottom of the coffee!//This a secret ingredient or something!?
=Huh?

=How much are you making me pay for drinking this!?//Huh!?
=Oh, sorry.//No need to pay.

=Damn straight.//I'll have you pay my medical bills if my stomach goes bad!//You've gotta be kidding me!
=Hey!//Wait!

=Huh?
=Oh, no.//I'm terribly sorry.

=Hah!
CLANG

=Why'd you stop me, owner?//Falling for an old trick like that!
=How would anyone not notice a fly till they drank the whole thing down!


<148>
=That asshole put it in himself!
=Oh,
=You saw him?

=Who needs to see anything! It's totally obvious!

=Then there's no proof.//We do get flies here once in a while.

=Owner!
=I don't want any trouble, okay?//It's been 3 years since I quit my office job and thing are just starting to pick up.

=Owner, a call from the landlord.
=Oh,//Thanks.

Ah yes
Definitely by tomorrow

=No wonder no one's married him.
=He's a good person, though.


<149>
=Arrrrgh!

CRICK

=Oww.
=Moron! What're you doing!?

=Hurt your hip?

WHUP

=Not to worry.
=See?

=Look at those thin arms!//You don't need to try so hard.


<150>
=I'll carry this stuff,//You go clean up the empty bins in the back or something.

=What?
=Heh-heh.

=Looks like I'm still a long ways off,//From my melon debts.

=Is your hip really okay?
=Hup.


<151>
=You're free tomorrow, right Etsuko-san?//Let's go see a movie!
=Hey hey.//You're trying to pick up an older woman?

=Only by a year and 10 months.

=Not tomorrow. I have plans.

=Plans?//What plans?

=Oh, look.//It's a rainbow, Minato-kun.


<152>
=He—y, Kei!//C'mere a sec.


<153>
=You're late.
=Phwee—

=Ahh—//So tired.
=—And?

=Be a man.//You've got no chance.

=What does that mean.

=What I just said.


<154>
=Just tell me everything you saw!
=—Gosh!//You're such a sore loser.

=The girl from that cafe,
=Is dating the owner.

=Yeah yeah.
=Save the jokes for later.

=I'm serious.//I even saw them kissing in the park.

=Look, dude. Do you even know what that owner's like?//If you're gonna lie, at least try and think of a better one.
=I'm about to get angry.//Really.

=What're you looking at?

=You're not observant enough.//You've never taken a glance at her ring finger?//The wedding band that the owner gave her is—


<155>
=That's enough!//Don't think you're fooling anyone!

=Then just wait and see. In three months,
=You'll be seeing them at their wedding.

=Ohh—//So you got all that from just following them.
=Quite a talent.

=Look, it's pathetic.//Having someone else spy for you...
=You're not being a man!

=You asshole!//I knew you weren't actually following them!//Spewing crap from that mouth of yours!
[bubble]OW

=Fine, you don't have to believe me!//Just keep clinging to that little bit of hope and worry your ass off!
=Like a rotten woman!
=Why you...!


<156>
GONK


<157>
=Yo, girlie! Sit down and serve me my beer.//Make some amends and I'll forget all about that fly in the coffee.

=Ah!
=Yo!
[bubble]HEH
=Oh,//Customers.


<158>
CLANG

=Bastards!

=Hey! Wait up, bro!
=Asshole!

=Take him outside.
=Heh-heh.
=Let go!

CLUCK


<159>
=W-Watch it.//You could've stuck me in the head with that thing!
=Oh, don't worry.//I've got another one right here.

=What's up,//Ya little wimp!
=Can't do anything without your little weapons, huh—?

=Think so—?
GLOT

WHAM


<160>
CONK

=I don't think so.

=No fly in your beer this time?
=Ah,//Nope.

=Thank you very much—
CLANG

TRRR...

=Owner, it's the landlord.
=Ah.


<161>
[x2]*bow*


<162>
=What do you think happened?//To Kei-chan...?

=Probably got fed up and took off.

=Without even saying anything?
=Not the type for that.


<163>
=Owner.

=Hm?
MUNCH

=Refill.
CLACK
=Sure thing.

CLANG

=Oh? Kei-chan.


<164>
=Oh my. You're dressy today.//What happened? You never wear a skirt outside of school.
=Shaddup.

=You had me worried.//So you're my little sister after all.

=Coffee.
=Gotcha.


<165>
=Picture of my sis from 5 years ago...

=Can't promise I'll be like her in 5 years.
=But I've got a chance, right?


<166>
=I'll try hard, so...

=Go out with me.

=Let me think it over.

Change (END)