Freesia 70

Freesia, Chapter 70 (Monthly Ikki, September 2008)


<1>
Chapter 70: Personal Inquiry (2)

=Ah!


<2>
=Ahhh!
SCREECH

GRUCK

[bubble]SCRIT

=Are you all right? Ms. Higuchi...
=That was definitely on purpose, wasn't it?


<3>
[bubble]GACHUK

[bubble]SHUK

=I-I-I might not look it, but I have a third-degree black belt in karate!
=We're gonna be okay—Right, Ms. Higuchi...? Are you listening—?


<4>
=You guys...
=Stop right there.

=See? I told you.
=You shouldn't have gone.

=Shunpei...

=Hey... It's Mr. Okada.


<5>
=Tomita and Kitaguchi, right?
=I can totally recognize you through the masks

=What the hell are you doing here?

=I was worried those two were heading for your hangout.//So I came to check on them.

=Ah-hah!//So you really are gonna testify.

=Huh?//What are you...

=Don't play dumb.
=We don't take shit from traitors!

=W-What are you talking about. I'm not gonna testify.
=Shut up! Acting all high and mighty and shit...


<6>
=We'll fuck your chin up so bad, you're never gonna eat again!
=You'll regret crossing the Tanaka Family...

=Sorry.
=Couldn't muster the courage to come alone.


<7>
=What the hell, got us all pumped up for a rumble but there's only two of 'em.
=Uh...
=Let's just bury these bastards and hit it back to the bar.

=Run!

=Wait up fuckers!
=W-We're saved.
=We're gonna bust your ass!

=Motherfucker!
=You better watch your ass back in town, Shunpei!
[x2]WHACK
VRRRR


<8>
=All right let 'em go.
=Don't chase 'em any further.

=You alright?

=Wow—I never though,
=You'd come and rescue us—

=Sounds like you knew I was gonna come
=And what was that bullshit Tomita said about me testifying?

=So you'll do anything to get me to testify, huh?//One hell of a samaritan you are.

=Fine by me—
=I'm just doing my job.


<9>
=But I don't intend to forcefully obtain a testimony.
=I'm just yanking your chain.

=What...?
=Let's move, Shunpei—

=I shall return tomorrow.
=Farewell.

=M-Ms. Higuchi, the radiator's all screwed up.
=We're walking back.
=Huh!?

=We're still 15km away from the hotel...
=We're walking.


<10>
=Huff.

=Huff.


<11>
=Early bird.//It's still before dawn

=My workout.
=Can't screw up today's game.

=Don't you guys have anything to do besides baseball?
=What else we got to do in these parts.

=Hey—
=I heard from Taka-kun.

=Those two aren't insurance people.
=They're from a vengeance enforcement agency, right?

=Yeah... I told all the guys on the team yesterday.//I dragged 'em all into this mess...
=Can't cover it up any longer...


<12>
=And? Taka-kun and the guys.
=They tell you to testify?

=Bro said to do whatever.
=Tomita's got the mafia backing him, so they're not gonna go out easy... We gotta crunk it once or twice no matter what.

=Thing is, they were all down with it... Started cleaning out their shotguns...
=They got the crazies from playing baseball all this time...

=Isn't there any other way...?
=I'm scared.

=Easy.
=I just gotta leave this place.


<13>
=Huh?

=I'm the only one they're after...
=I just gotta get out of town.

=No!
=You need to stay, Toshi-chan!

=We've always sorted out our problems together.

GWUU—SH

=So we're gonna be okay!
=Everyone's gonna protect you, Toshi-chan!//Nobody wants you to leave...


<14>
=And the baby's gonna be born soon.
=You have to help raise the baby with everyone else.

=Yeah...
=Guess so.

=Knew this was gonna happen.
=Knew it all along.


<15>
=Last chance, Shunpei!
=It's all down to you, man. Got it?

GUCK


<16>
=Right.
=I got this.

=Hm?

=Huh.
=Those two...


<17>
=Michiko's a childhood friend of mine.
=She's been hanging around with me and my brother ever since when we were little.


<18>
=So it was only natural,
=For Mr. Okada to fall in love with Ms. Michiko and marry her.

=Get married, have kids,//Raise them,
=Then shrivel up and die here.

=Gotta take her to the hospital...
=She's gonna die.

=It's the equivalent to destroying your own identity.


<19>
CRICK

=I'm just yanking your chain.


<20>
[bubble]BAP
=Steeerike yer out!
=Wha... Wait a sec...
=Gaaa—me set!
=No waiting, fool.

=Oh.
=Crap.

=What the fuck you doing!?
=That pitch was outta the strikezone.
=Die!
=Right—Off we go—
=You idiot.
GRUCK
WHACK


<21>
=Okada—!

=Why didn't you answer the phone!?
=Forget about baseball!

=Ms. Michiko's water just broke... She's at the hospital!
=They got it, the baby...

=It's a boy—

=Wha...

=Wow dude—
=Right on, now you got a kid to keep up that liquor store


<22>
=Congrats Taka!

=Hurry up, go see what your kid looks like.
=Everyone skip work today, we gotta celebrate—

=Oh—So Ms. Michiko,
=She wasn't your wife after all.

=Cut the crap.
=You knew I was lying all along.


<23>
=We did run a background check on you beforehand...

=Right—?

=This little elf totally fell for it though.
=*sigh*

=We're off to the hospital, Shunpei...
=You head on over after you finish cleaning up, okay?

=Sure...//Congrats, Bro.

=Thanks.


<24>
=I'm stating my conditions,
=So listen up.

=Ensured work and residence in my new environment. Improving on my current circumstances, of course.
=And living expenses... Protection of privacy.

=Certainly.//We'll do our absolute best.

=Don't get me wrong.

=I don't give a damn about the truth,
=And I don't want moral obligations or anything like that.


<25>
=I just can't stand having my life go on like this forever.
=If this place isn't gonna burn up into ash, then I'm the one that's gotta go.

=Basically, I'm a shit-headed Samaritan.//Same as you.

=Me?
=Never.


<26>
=I don't ever wanna see your face again.
=You make me wanna puke.

=Thank you for your cooperation.
=Mr. Okada.