Short Program 29

Short Program, Volume 3, Chapter 29 (pp. 91~118)


<91>
Memory Off: Part 1

BO—NG

=The old year passes, and the new year begins...

[sign]Toshino

[book title]The Monkey's Guide to Getting into College


<92&93>
Memory Off: Part 1


<94>
=BOO—M//B-BOO—M
=BOO—M

[x3]TICK

=Happy New Year!
VRR...
=Oh, Mrs. Shimizu.//Making your new year's visit to the shrine already?
POP
=Oh my,//It's chilly tonight, isn't it.
[x2]RATTLE
=Hey, Mr. Tanaka.//Happy New Year to you too.
[x2]SCRAMBLE


<95>
[bubble]RABBLE RABBLE//RIFFRAFF RIFFRAFF

=Look,//Toshino-san's place still has their light on.
=Toshino-san's place

=I thought they went on a game show//And won a free family vacation to Hawaii over the holidays.
=—Yes,//Hajime-chan's alone doing some extra studying.

=Ohh—//I didn't know Hajime-chan was applying for college!
=Hajime-chan

=He seemed pretty carefree, though.
=Hah-hah,//He always leaves things to the last minute.

=Yes, during preschool, he got locked inside the classroom while he was getting ready to go home,//And in elementary school, he got left behind on the roof and stayed the night.
=He even missed a school field trip because he was taking a morning shower.


<96>
=Hey hey,//You make it sound like he's just a...
THUD
=Happy New Year!

=Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful holiday!

BATHUMP

=—But,//Hajime-chan really gets going once he's in the hole, doesn't he.
=Oh, absolutely!
=He's got great comeback skills.//Wakanohana can retire with a clear conscience.
[note]Wakanohana; Famous sumo champion.

=Looks like the sumo industry is all set for the 21st century.
HAH YEEHAW YEEHAW
=What the heck?


<97>
[bag]Rental Videos

=A quick look at those anime videos wouldn't—

GRIT...

=—No.//Just one last push.
GRIP
[bandanna]Victory
=2000 A.D.—

=The Environmental Crisis,
=The Population Crisis,
=The Food Crisis,

=The Educational Crisis,
=Time Crisis 2...
=Even with all these crises at hand,

=Mankind is about to enter the 21st century...


<98>
=—Or something.

=*snore*
[bandanna]Defeat

=DING-DONG—

[bandanna]Awakening

=DING-DONG—

=A visitor?
=This late...?
=Who is it?

=Who is it?

=Huh?


<99>
=Who am I?
=Where am I?
=Who are you?

DING-DONG—


<100>
=Who is it?
=Look...

=Hey,//What's this?

=Look, I'm gonna have to call the police,

GACHUK
=If you don't—

[bubble]CLA—NK


<101>
=Would you like some tea...?

SWOO—P

=Who am I!?
CHUK
=Oh,//L-Look!

=I really don't remember seeing you before,//It's probably the first time we've every met.


<102>
=Then why am I here?
=You're the one that rang the doorbell!

=I was just standing in front of the door to this house.

=What about before?
=I don't know!//I have no recollection of anything before that!

=What about that gun?

=Is it real?

=—It//Looks real...


<103>
=Maybe if I shoot it...
=Don't point it over here!

=Let's just calm down and think for a sec.

=You really can't remember//Your name, your age, or where you came from?
=That's what I've been telling you this whole time.

=Oh yeah, Check the stuff you're wearing.//You might have an ID card or something in your coat pocket.

=Oh,//Good idea.

WHIP


<104>
=My name's not written on that.

=...You're right.
=I found a wallet, but...//There's nothing in it besides money.

=—And,//A handkerchief and a pack of tissues.
=Girls usually carry around a cell phone or a card or something, don't they?

=What about this?
BZZT

=A stungun... I guess?

=What do you use it for?
=Dunno...//Depends on the person.


<105>
=No name on the coat...

=Hey hey.

=There might be a name written on my underwear—
=Oh,//Right.
=Kids in elementary school usually—

=—I mean,//You don't look like you're in elementary school...
=Huh?

=Why do I have a knife hanging here—?


<106>
=Hey,//There's nothing written on the back?

=...Nothing's written there.
=Ohh—//That equation I just memorized got completely...

=Ohh—//What should I do?
=What should I do...

=Well, anyways. It's a bit late tonight.//We can go talk to the police tomorrow.

=Really...?
=The police don't take New Year's Day off.

=No, I mean...


<107>
=A gun,//A knife, and...
=A stungun...

=Isn't this a bit weird?
=No kidding.

=Does this mean I'm...
=Fuj*ko Mine?
[note]Fujiko Mine; Female thief from Lupin the 3rd.
=Probably not.

=I'm//...Kinda scared.

=Don't worry.//This thing looks totally fake—
=Never seen a real one though...

=Oh.

=Did you remember something?


<108>
=You,//Got this problem wrong.

=Oh,//And this one.
=And this one.

=Alright,//That's enough!
=It's late tonight, okay?
=Come.//Come.

=You can use my sister's bed.//The door locks from the inside, so you don't have to worry.
=Okay,//Good night.

PATHUMP
[note]Imoto; Japanese word for "younger sister."

=Phew—

=I'm starting to feel woozy...
=What the heck is going on so early in the year!?//...Gosh.


<110>
=A thousand years for the crane, tens of thousands for the tortoise.//3 years for peaches and chestnuts. 8 years for the persimmon.
=40 years for Shounen Sunday.

=You've learned too much,//Hajime Toshino.

=About what?

=You can watch the New Year's sunrise from the great beyond.


<111>
=No way.

BLAM

TI—NG


<112>
=So white...

=Pure whiteness,
=Everywhere I look...

=So this is the great beyond, huh.

=This is real heaven for a manga artist.

We're paying you by the page, thief—!
=So quiet...
=I hear nothing.


<113>
=ZZT...

BOO—M


<114>
*whoosh*

=Are you okay?
=Sounded like a pretty bad nightmare.

=A cold?

=Looks like it.
BZZ—T
[bubble]Thanks

=Hey,//What time is it?
=PIP

=It's twelve o'clock. Time for the daytime news.
=Whaat—?


<115>
=I tried making some stew with the stuff in the refrigerator.
=Why,//Thank you.

=—First, here's an update on last night's snowstorm.

=—So?//You remember anything?
=Nope.
The Kanto region has already been—

=Oh yeah,//We have to go the police.

=It's okay. I can go by myself later.

=No way. //No one's going to believe a story like that.

=You believed me,//Didn't you?


<116>
=Well,//Either way, it's a snowstorm out.//No transportation.
=No point in getting hasty.

=You wouldn't want to be left alone in this condition, right?

=And it looks like your family isn't coming back till the 3rd.
=—Yes,//They went on a game show and won a free trip to Hawaii...
[calendar title]January: Toshino Family Weekly Schedule
[top row]Father//Mother//Hajime//Sister
[row1]Sat.//Hawaii//Hawaii//Studying//Hawaii
[row2]Sun.
[row3]Mon.
[row4]Tue.//Golf//Karaoke//Movie
[row5]Thu.//Party//Pachinko//Date

=Oh yeah,//Where's your medicine cabinet?
=Oh.

=Let's see...

*whoosh*
=Are you okay?


<117>
=I'm totally fine, but...
=Lend me your shoulder.

=Sounds like,//Something's going on in Yomogi Park.

=You really don't know anything about me?

=I'm not lying.

=Okay.

=You really don't know, huh.


<118>
=Here,//Watch the stairs.
=Oh,//Thanks.

=—Next up is,//Our follow-up on the murder that occurred in Yomogi Park late last night.

=The victim died on the scene after being shot in the temple—//The police believe this was the work of a professional killer,
=And are searching for witnesses in the surrounding area.

=We'll be bringing you the New Years news from around the country. Right after the break.

Memory Off: Part 1 (END)