Present Volume 1

Title: Present
Volume: 1 (of 1)
Mangaka: Ikuemi Ryou
Translated by: oceansportrait
Translation Completed: January 5, 2009

p3
I'm going to come and see you.

p4
-Part "The Spring of Youth of my 13th Year"-
Kawata: (Yocchi, Inomata, and Sumiji
all ended up in div. A.)
Kawata: (That might not be such a bad thing though.
Things weren't going that great between me and them lately anyway.)
Rena: Hey, Kawata-san, is that you?
//YAY!//
Rena: let's sit together!
Rena: I'm Sakura Rena!
Kawata: Err...hey, nice to meet you.
//AHAHA//
Rena: What's up with the politeness?! "Nice to meet you"? Ahaha, you're a riot!
Rena: I live in the same apartment complex as Sumiji.
I've known her since like, forever!
Kawata: Oh, really?
Rena: Yeah, anyway, I've been waiting for a chance to talk to you for like, ages!
Kawata: Why?
Rena: //giggles// Oh yeah, you sometimes like, stay after school
and read, don't you?
Kawata: Ah, yeah....
Kawata: I've got a pretty big family,
and it's noisy at home so...
Rena: That's sooo cool!
//AHAHA//
//hey hey!//
Kawata: I'm super good at mimicking other people!
You know, like copying their movements and stuff?
I'm in the acting club!
Wanna see? Wanna see?
Rena: Later.
Kawata: What was your first name again?
//noise noise noise nosie//
Kawata: Aki.
Rena: Exactly when is "later"?
Kawata: (She's pretty interesting.)
Teacher: Okay, listen up! Just sit wherever you want for now!
I'm going to take the role call!
Oumi!
//clatter clatter//
Oumi: WHOA!
Teacher: What kind of reply is that?
//giggles//
Oumi: It's just, it's my first time being called first!
//ahaha//
Teacher: Oh, well, congratulations then.

pg 6
Kawata: (Hey---he's the guy Yocchi was gushing over.)
Teacher: Katou
Teacher: Koike
Teacher: Shouji
Teacher: Takahashi
Teacher: Okay then, let's decide on your class representatives!
Any volunteers?
Girl: Hey, isn't it usually the person with the highest grades who does that?
Teacher: I'd rather have someone who actually wants to do it!
Teacher: Anyone?
Teacher: Oh, you're interested in doing it,
Sugiura Yoshiko?
Sugiura: Yes...
Sugiura: ...since I'm the oldest one here.
Teacher: Okay, well then. Great!
What about the guys? Any takers? If not, I'm going to just randomly start picking!
Let's see here...
Kawata: (She's older than us?)
Kawata: Hey---
what did she mean when she said she's the oldest one?
Rena: Oh...
Teacher: Well then, to commemorate being the first on role call, let's have Oumi be the other class representative!
//snicker//
Kawata: (It was a small world, but it meant everything to us.)

pg 7
Rena: It was a gas explosion.
//noise noise//
Kawata: ...That ruined the bus?
//You eat a lot, don't you?//
//This is my breakfast//
Rena: No~ I'm talking about Sugiura Yoshiko!
Rena: Around the same time last year,
she took a day off from school 'cause she was sick.
She was sleeping all day, but she got up to heat up some water to drink,
and she fell asleep. That's when it happened. KABOOM!
Girl: No way! That's so scary!
Kawata: (Yeah, that really is scary...)
Rena: She got like, serious burns all over her body, and I heard she almost DIED! BUT she got better, and now she has to re-do grade 11.
Girl: Wow....
Rena: It was like KABOOM!!! RIP RIP!
Girl: What`s that?
Rena: It's the sound of her clothes being ripped apart!
Rena: YOSHIKO, RIP RIP!
Kawata: (Err..)
//Ahaha, you're too much, Rena!//
//clatter clatter//
//school chime//
//Wait! Don't erase it yet!//
Oumi: Hey!
Oumi: I never knew you wore glasses.

pg 8
Kawata: It's just for when I'm reading what's on the blackboard.
Oumi: Why not contacts?
Kawata: I dunno, I guess I'm a bit scared to try those out.
Oumi: There's nothing to be scared about.
I use 'em.
Kawata: Really?
Oumi: Yeah, see?
//stares//
//AHAHAHA//
Kawata: What are you, a retard?!
Oumi: Ow, I bit my tongue!
//AHAHAHA//
Rena: Hey, they're having PE outside!
It's Div. A!
Rena: SUMIJI!!!
//ahahaha//
//giggles//
//tap tap//
Rena: Look, Sumiji!
Kawata: Oh no, my glasses are all bent!
Rena: You should've kept them in their case!
Kawata: But I lost it.
Sugiura: Kawata-san
Sugiura: Um...
Sugiura: Do you have your homework for Japanese...?

pg 9:
Kawata: Oh shoot! When's it due?
Sugiura: Um...by the end of lunch time....
Kawata: No way! But...that's like, right now!
Oh no, I've only got five minutes!
Rena: Just copy mine,
here.
Kawata: Thanks.
//rustle//
Kawata: Um...
Kawata: It's kinda hard to finish it when you're just standing there waiting for me to finish...
Sugiura: Ah...ah!
Sugiura: I'm sorry!
Sugiura: You're right, I'm sorry!
Rena: Hey, you know, Yoshiko, right?
Rena: Don't you think she's like, I don't know, kinda annoying?
Girl: Yeah, I can see where you're coming from.
Rena: She volunteered to be our class representative, right? But she's like, I don't know...like, slow?
Girl #2: Oh yeah, the other day,
I saw her changing in the change room!
Rena: Huh?
Girl #2: Her burns were like, really bad!
Girl #2: With burns like that all over her body,
that's GOTTA mean like, a 180 in your life. [SL: It's really sad]
Rena: Hey, you know how
Sakuma sits next to Yoshiko, right?
He always has his desk like, moved away from her.
Rena: Don't you think that's kinda mean?
Teacher: Hey, you there!
//Sakuma!//
Teacher: Why do you have your desk moved into the aisle?
//straighten it up!//

p 10
//out of it//
Kawata: (Geez...
that's so cruel....
it's not like
her burns are contagious or anything...)
Kawata: (But that mushroom cut of hers...
is pretty wacky...)
Kawata: (I wonder if she's hiding...you know, with it...?
//rustle//
Oumi: (Are you Miki Norihei or what?)
//click click//
//rustle//
Kawata: (Who's "Miki Norihei"?)
//scritch scratch//
//rustle//
Oumi: (That old guy who says "It's time for dinner")
Kawata: AHAHA!
Teacher: Hmm? What is it, Kawata?
Kawata: Err...nothing.
Teacher: Oh really?
//slide//
Kawata: (Grr, Oumi, you midget!)
//school chime//
Oumi: It's 'cause you always keep it in your pocket that it slides down your face like that!
Kawata: Shut up! I like it this way!
Guy: ...Are you really a chick?
Guy #2: Ahaha, there's no way she's a girl!
Kawata: Whaddya just say?!
Guy #2: Back in elementary school, there was this fad where all the guys went 'round just like, flipping all the girls' skirts up
Kawata: (...Ah)
Guy #2: And you'd never guess what she was wearing!
Kawata: (Stop it. Don't)
Guy #2: She was wearing these striped boy briefs!
//AHAHAHA//
//No way!!//
//Seriously?!//

p 11
Guy #2: Yeah, it seriously freaked me out when I saw it!
//AHAHHAA//
//What the hell?//
Guy #2: It was a "whoa" moment, let me tell you!
//What are you, a pervert?//
Kawata: I-It's 'cause my mom did the laundry,
Kawata: and I could only find my brother's....
//hahahaha//
//so what, you wore them?!//
Girl: There's no way I could ever wear my brother's underwear!
//Ew!//
Girl #2: It's probably better than wearing your dad's though
//Stop it!//
Kawata: (Noda, you jerk!)
Noda: I bet you're still wearing 'em. Why don't we check?
//The underwear police, reporting for duty!//
Kawata: (I'll friggin' kill you!)
//SLAP//
Oumi: Noda,
you're a riot!
//AHAHAHA//
Announcement: ---We will be commencing the---
All class representatives, please gather at the audiovisual room---
Announcement: I repeat---
//Ahahah!//
//Stop it!//
//AhAHAHA//
//step step//
//AHAHA//
Sugiura: ...Ah.
//AHAHAHA//
Sugiura: Ah...by--

pg 12
Sugiura: Bye....
Rena: Yoshiko, RIP RIP!
Girl: //snickers//
[sign reads: Music Room]
//school chime//
Boy: Now that's what I call a good class! Got to grab a few Z's---life doesn't get any better than that!
Boy #2: Tokumaru, you're drooling.
Boy: I love this class! I always get to sleep through it.
Boy #2: The teacher doesn't really seem to care either.
Girl: Arrggh, this class is such a waste of time!
//AHAHA//
//Ahaha, Ume-chan's such an old hag//
Kawata: It was...
Kawata: so pretty...

pg 13
Guy: I'm starving!
Oumi: Yeah it was, wasn't it?
//cicadas crying//
Mother: AKI!
If you're just going to be lazing around the house all day, you might as well take Mai and Yuuta to the pool!
//AHAHAHAHA//
//WAHHH!//
Kawata: But I don't wanna~
Mother: Then clean your room!
Kawata: It's so hot. Can we turn the air conditioner on?
Mother: Suck it up!
Mai: Aki, Aki Aki!
//Ugghh be quiet!//
//rattle rattle//
//SLAM//
//cicadas crying//
//Fight-o! Fight-o!//
Kawata: Sugiura-san?
Sugiura: Ah...
Kawata: What're you doing here?
Tending to the flowers?
Sugiura: Yeah....
I'm in the Gardening Club....
Kawata: (Oh...I never knew our school had a Gardening club.)

pg 14
Kawata: It must be a lot of work though, having to come take care of 'em even during summer break
Sugiura: Yeah, but I like doing this, so I don't mind.
Sugiura: What about you, Kawata-san?
Kawata: Huh?
Sugiura: You're not in any school clubs...are you?
Kawata: Nah, I just hang out at the school library.
Sugiura: Oh....
Kawata: It's nice there, you know---all cool?
And it's closer than the city library.
Sugiura: Yeah...
//giggles//
//cicadas crying//
//splash//
Kawata: I....
Kawata: feel really happy when I'm reading...
Kawata: (What am I saying?)
//cicadas crying//
Sugiura: Oh.
//thud thud thud THUD//
//splash splash//
Kawata: Oumi?
What're you doing here?
Oumi: What do you think I'm doing? I'm here for my club practice!
//snap//
Kawata: What club?
Oumi: Tag Club!
Kawata: (Oh really...?)
Sugiura: He's really fast at running.

pg 15
Kawata: (Huh...)
//snore//
Paper: (---and reading---
Grade 11, Division D. Kawata Aki.)
Principal: And the top honors for the book review essay goes to, Kawata Aki-san, a grade 11 student in Division D
Kawata: (No way!)
Paper: (---someday, I want to be like---)
Kawata: (Whoaaa!)
//clap clap clap//
Kawata: (Whoaaa!)
//clap clap//
Rena: Arrgh, this pisses me off!
Girl: What's up,
Rena?
Girl #2: You know that play that the acting club's doing for the school festival?
The lead went to this girl in grade 10.
Girl: Whoa, really?
Girl: That sucks!
Kawata: Yeah, but it's not like the lead's the only one who gets to shine!
Girl: Yeah, you're right!
Rena: Well you might think that, little miss bookworm.
Girl: C'mon Rena, that's not fair.
Rena: Ugh, isn't there anything INTERESTING going on in this world?!

p 16:
//AHAHAHA//
Rena: Sakuma! You came into the classroom with Yoshiko!
//snickers//
Sakuma: What?!
//AHAHAHAHA//
//clicks tongue//
Sakuma: Stop it, Sakurai---
//hehehe//
Rena: Yeah, but you were like, side-by-side with her when you came in!
//snickers//
Sakuma: Retard!
Girl: That's so mean...
//giggles//
Rena: Now's the time,
Rena: for me to show off my pantomime skills!
Rena: "Oh...it's so hot..."
Rena: "but my fever seems to have gone down..."
//waver waver//
//giggle giggle//
Rena: "I'm so thirsty..."
Rena: "step step step"
Rena: "No one's home yet?"
Rena: "I guess I'll make myself some tea"
Rena: "Click"
Rena: "Swoosh"
Rena: "I'm getting so sleepy..."
Rena: "I guess I'll sleep a bit more while I'm waiting for the water to boil"
Rena: "bubble bubble bubble bubble"
//What's going on?
What's she doing?
giggle giggle//
//Bubble bubble//
Rena: "...bubble
bubble...
SWOOSH"
Rena: "BUBBLE BUBBLE BUBBLE....
BUBBLE
BUBBLE"
Rena: "RATTLE RATTLE RATTLE"

p 17
Rena: "KABOOOMMMM!"
Rena: "RIP RIP RIP RIP!!"
Rena: "Huh?!"
//SWOOOSHHH!//
//That's so mean!//
//ahahaha//
Kawata: (I thought back to Yocchi, Inomata, and Sumiji.)
Kawata: (We were so close,
but one day, I didn't agree with them on one thing and I spoke up about it.
They started saying I was stuck up after that, )
Kawata: (and they stopped talking to me.
I pretended I didn't care,
but in reality, it hurt real bad.)
Kawata: (If I have to go through that all over again...)
Kawata: ...Ha...
Kawata: Hahaha
//My pride and glory! My mushroom cut's---//
//thud//

p 18
//silence...//
Oumi: Have you no shame?
//What's his problem?
What a dick!
Geez
I was just--//
//ahahaha
see you!
byee!//

p 19
//rustle//
Kawata: What're you gonna plant here?
Sugiura: Fall flowers...
Kawata: What kind are those?
Sugiura: Cosmos...and Daisies...flowers like that.
//pat pat//
Sugiura: It's okay...you don't have to.
Sugiura: You're just going to get your hands dirty.
Kawata: ("I'm not scared of anything!
Sakuma, you're too much!")
Kawata: ("Yeah it was, wasn't it?")
Kawata: ("Have you no shame?")

p 20
//rustle//
Sugiura: Ah...
Sugiura: Thanks.
Sugiura: Thank you
Sugiura: for helping me.
Kawata: (I never talked to her after that.
I still talked to Oumi sometimes, but halfway through the year, he transferred to another school.
Once grade 12 started, me and Rena ended up in different classes, and we stopped saying hi to each other.)
Kawata: (It was a small world, but it meant everything to us.)

p 21:
-"The Crossroads of my 18th Year"-
Kawata: (I've been dating Ihara since the summer of this year.
He's my fourth boyfriend.)
Kawata: (It's my first time dating someone who goes to a different school, but things are going pretty well, if I do say so myself)
Ihara: Aki...
do you like me?

p 22
Kawata: Yeah, sure.
Kawata: I like you.
I really do
Uh-huh.
Ihara: I sentence you to the death penalty.
//tense//
Ihara: I sentence you to death by suffocation!
//Grrr//
Kawata: Stop it! It's that time of the month for me!
//THUD//
Ihara: Whoa!
Ihara: Then why'd you come over!
Kawata: WHAT?! What do you mean, why did I come over? Is that all you ever think about it?
Ihara: W-Well..it's cause you're reading manga without paying any attention to me!
//Wahhh!//
Kawata: (I do like you, Ihara.
Ever since you came up to me with your face all red
telling me that you liked me.)

p 23
Kawata: I heard Yuu-chan got a job. Where at?
Ihara: Oh, some sports shop somewhere.
Ihara: Those peeps who're in school clubs've got it made.
Kawata: Why don't you take over your parents` business?
Ihara: Who'd wanna take up that dump of a place?
And anyway, my sis says she's gonna take over.
Kawata: Hey, you shouldn't call it a "dump"---
Kawata: Stop it!
//SLAP//
Ihara: Whoa!
Kawata: Your lungs are probably black by now! BLACK, I tell you!
Ihara: So what? My heart's black already anyway~
Kawata: What if you become even more stupid than you already are?
Ihara: Ouch.
Yeah yeah, I'm an idiot, so what?
Ihara: If that happens, I'll just become a homeless bum!
Kawata: (Geez!)
Kawata: (I like how his face scrunches up when he smiles. He smiles as if he doesn't have a care in the world.)
[sign reads: Ihara Flower Shop]
Kawata: See ya!
Ihara: Ah, wait!
Kawata: What?
Ihara: I'll see you home.
Kawata: Huh? But why?
Ihara: 'Cause it's dark out.
Kawata: That's okay, don't bother. I always go home this late.
Ihara: Yeah, but just because you always get home safe doesn't mean today will be the same!
Kawata: Okay...?
Ihara: Well, see ya! My stop`s over there.
Kawata: Huh?
Okay...see ya.
Ihara: Byeee!
Kawata: (So what? He just wanted to go to 7-11? Is that what it was?)
//Why didn't he just go right out and say it then?//

p 24
Kawata: (High school was fun.
I got interested in new things and I spent all my time hanging out with friends.
So much in fact that I stopped reading the books that I loved so much (but I still read manga)
Kawata: (I made lots of friends, and I found out about all sorts of stuff that I never even knew about before. It was really fun.)
Kawata: (I'm graduating in three months.
I decided to go to a 2-year college.)
Girl: It's almost Christmas!
Girl #2: Not for a while though.
Girl: Still, it'll go by in a flash.
Girl #2: Aki, are you going to be doing something with Ihara on that day?
Kawata: Yeah, probably.
Girl: Ahaha, you don't sound too excited.
Kawata: No, I am---
Girl: Hey, it's Ihara!
//Yo//
Ihara: Um yeah,
I might not be able to see you for a while.
Kawata: Why?
Ihara: I got a part time job.
Kawata: What?
Kawata: (Why'd he suddenly take up a job...?)
Kawata: Where?
Ihara: At this Karaoke place.
I got them to cram me in lots of hours [SL: It's gonna be killer, I tell ya]
Kawata: All righty...?
Ihara: Why don't you stop by sometime?
Kawata: Yeah, sure...
but why the sudden job?
You planning on buying something?
//poke//

p 25
//I'll set up a trap//
Kawata: ...I don't need an expensive gift, you know that, right?
//Bulls eye...//
//whoops//
Ihara: I-I just felt like working, that's all!
Kawata: Then wouldn't you be better off finding a more...I don't know, a job you can turn into a career?
Kawata: (Ah.)
Kawata: I'm sorry,
that came out wrong---
Ihara: Fine...
Kawata: Ihara!
Ihara: Anyway,
Ihara: I got the late shift tonight, so let's head over to my place until then.
//Ihara!//
//SMACK//
//ahahaha!//
Kawata: (Ihara,
never gets mad, no matter what I say.
Even when I call him an idiot, he just laughs.
In all honesty, I think he might be the grown up here....
at least some of the time, anyway.)

p 26
//beep beep//
//beep//
Kawata: (But sometimes)
//beep beep//
//click//
Kawata: Ihara...
Kawata: It's time.
Ihara: Nnn....
Kawata: Bye~
Ihara's Mom: Hey, Aki-chan!
Kawata: Yes?
Ihara's Mom: Here, have this!
//pat//
[it's some Mandarin Juice]
Ihara: What's that old hag thinking giving you something like that anyway?
Kawata: I think
your mom's pretty cute, personally.
//Wow, this is sour!//
Kawata: (I wonder
if I like him
as much as he likes me.)
//See ya!//
Kawata: (I can't sleep.)
//roll roll//
//beep beep//
//rustle//
Kawata: Hello?
Girl: Aki? Were you asleep? Hey, wanna come hang out with us right now?
These people from G-High are here. You don't know what you're missing out!
Kawata: Ah, yeah sure. I'll be right there.
Girl #2: Ughh....be quiet, do you have any idea what time it is?
Kawata: Sorry. I'm just going out for a bit.
//slam//
Girl #2: You rebel!

p 27
Kawata: Ah,
Kawata: we're going Karaoke-ing?
Girl: Yeah!
//Yayy!//
Guy: We're going to go and visit your boyfriend!
//Let's goo!//
//You're in grade 12? Seriously?
We're in grade 10.
No wayy!//
//ahahaha
You look so...old, though!//
[paper reads:
----Course
All you can drink---
Weekdays----]
Ihara: Hello---
Guy: Hey
Guy: is that him?
Is that it?
Guy #2: It's him!
Girl: For five, please!
Ihara: ...whoa.
Ihara: Please write down your name here---
Kawata: Hehe.
//ahahaha yeah, and like---//
Ihara: Who're they?
Kawata: Ah,
they're friends of Aya's.
Ihara: Idiot
Kawata: Huh?
Ihara: Which model would you like?
Kawata: Err...the "Hyper Joy," I guess.
Ihara: Please have a seat over there. [SL: Idiot]
Kawata: (Err...did I do something I wasn't supposed to?)
//I wanna eat some yakisoba!//
Ihara: Right this way.
Ihara: And here is your room.
And let's see---
this is where the ladies will sit.
Guys: Wha?
Ihara: And this is where the guys will sit.

p 28
Ihara: No switching seats.
And this will be the menu.
Kawata: Err...okay...
Guy: Um...
//thud//
//Okay...?//
Ihara: If you do switch seats, we will be charging you three times your bill.
Guys: WHAT?!
Ihara: Enjoy!
Girl: Ahaha, he's actually checking in on us!
//AHAHAHA//
//That's scary!//
Guy: Whoa, you're right!
//Ahahaha//
//What's his problem!//
Kawata: (Ahaha, what a weirdo.)
Kawata: (I'm sorry.
I never mean to
hurt you,
but I really can be clueless when it comes to stuff like this---)
Oumi: Yo,
this "Kawata Aki,"
is she your girlfriend?
Ihara: Yeah.
Ihara: You go and check up on them next.
Oumi: What, why?
Ihara: If I go too many times,
then you know, it'd be kinda annoying, and plus it's like...yeah, you know...
//ahahaha ahahaha//
Oumi: Excuse me!
Guys: Whoa!
//rattle rustle//
//aahahaha//
Guy: (Oh, false alarm. It's not her boyfriend.)
Oumi: Who ordered Oolong tea?
Girl: Ah, I did!

p 29
Oumi: Enjoy.
Ihara: Yeah, and this guy I'm working with,
he goes to S-High,
but he said he went to the same middle school as you.
Ihara: Do you know him? His name's Oumi.

p 30
Kawata: Yeah, I know him,
but he switched schools midway.
Ihara: Yeah well, he said he came back in grade 11.
Kawata: Oh...
now that I think about it, he used to be the class representative of our class. How is he?
Ihara: He was the one who brought you guys your drinks. Did you see him?
Kawata: ...Oh really?
Kawata: I didn't realize it was him.
Kawata: (The role call list.
The contact lenses.
The striped boy briefs.
The music class.
The school club.
The book review essay...)
[sign reads "Let's sing!"]
Oumi: Hello!
Oumi: Ihara's got the late shift tonight.
Kawata: I know.

p 31
Kawata: ...Oumi
Kawata: your face....
Kawata: it's gotten...bigger
Kawata: And what's with
that growth spurt anyway?
Kawata: What are you, an idiot?
Oumi: Haha.
Oumi: What's it to you?
[sign reads: 30 Minutes for 1 Person]
Kawata: Long time no talk!
Oumi: Yeah.
Kawata: Does everyone know that you moved back here? Like Noda and Tokumaru?
Oumi: Tokumaru's in the same class as me.
Kawata: No way!
Kawata: Are you still doing long jump?
Oumi: Nah, I realized I wasn't cut out for it, you know?
Kawata: Oh.
Oumi: And anyway, I would've had to quit sooner or later anyway.
Kawata: Yeah, I hear ya.
Are you going to college?
Oumi: Yeah.
Kawata: What! And you're still working?
Oumi: Yeah, I've been working here for a while.
Kawata: You don't seem panicked about it, the exams I mean.
Oumi: I'm planning on quitting soon though.
Kawata: Oh.
Oumi: What about you?
Kawata: Ah,
yeah. I'm going to the local college.
Oumi: Oh...
Oumi: Kawata,
you noticed it was me the other day,
didn't you?
Kawata: ...ah...

p 32
Oumi: You're such a loser.
Kawata: W-Well, what about you then?! Why didn't you say anything?
Oumi: 'Cause I didn't want to disturb you guys!
//giggles//
Kawata: When are you quitting?
Oumi: The day after tomorrow.
Kawata: "090-xxxxxxxx"
//beep beep//
Oumi: Okay.
//click//
//ahahaha//
//see ya!//
//byee//
Girl: Hey, it's Ihara!
Kawata: I thought we wouldn't be able to see each other for a while?
Ihara: Yeah.

p 33
Ihara: That's why I thought we should at least go home together!
//See you, Aki!//
Kawata: Ah, see ya.
Kawata: Wanna go somewhere to eat?
Ihara: Sure, let's go to Mickey D's.
//AGAIN?//
Kawata: Your mouth is like, all red
Ihara: Oh, this?
Kawata: Is it really itchy?
Ihara: I fell asleep in class
Ihara: And when I woke up, there was drool all over the place, and my notes were like, seriously messed up
Kawata: Ahahaha
Ihara: And I guess my drool just kinda, dried out all over my mouth.
Kawata: Ahaha
Kawata: How's your job going?
Ihara: Not bad.
Just the other day though, this drunk guy came in and you should've seen it!
He threw up all over the place
Kawata: No way!
Ihara: Yeah, it was friggin' disgusting.
//I bet//
Kawata: (His hands
are so warm)
Ihara: Can I ask you something?
Kawata: What?
Ihara: Why
did you go there when I wasn't working?
Ihara: And
why
Ihara: did you say that you didn't realize it was
Oumi?
Ihara: Why would you tell me a stupid lie like that?
Ihara: It's so stupid....
Ihara: that it pisses me off...

p 34
Kawata: (What happened in the past, is like a book that you've finished reading. Everything's done and over with.)
Kawata: Yeah!
And it's all your fault
that we got into a fight!
//ahaha//
Kawata: Yeah,
I guess...
yeah...
//ahaha//
Oumi: My bad.
Kawata: Huh?
Oumi: I think it was because of what I told him.
Kawata: What? What'd you say to him?
Oumi: I told him I liked you back in middle school.
Kawata: You know...
you shouldn't keep that kind of stuff...
a secret...
Oumi: haha.
Kawata: (Even when I get nostalgic for it and I flip through the pages again, the ending's always the same.)
Kawata: You know,
Kawata: I got really depressed when you went off on me like you did.
Kawata: ....Hello? Hello?
//Earth to Oumi~//
Oumi: Kawata,
do you have time to meet up someplace?
Oumi: There's something I want to show you

p 35
Oumi: First off,
I want to apologize.
Kawata: Huh...but why....
Oumi: Well, it's like....
Oumi: When you said I got mad at you, you were talking about THAT time, right?
Kawata: Ah...
Kawata: ("Have you no shame?")
Oumi: I can't believe I said that to you.
Who did I think I was anyway?
Why did I act like some big-shot?
//Wahhh!//
Oumi: I'm the one who should be embarrassed,
argghhh~
Kawata: Um...err...
Kawata: (Oumi...)
Kawata: (It's Oumi...)
Kawata: What did you want to show me?
//rustle//
Oumi: "Sugiura Yoshiko"
Oumi: I kept in touch with her by mail.
Oumi: Part way through though, we switched to text messaging.

p 36
Oumi: This isn't all of what I got from her,
Oumi: but I chose all the ones that mentioned you
Kawata: She...
mentioned me in her letters...?
Kawata: But why...?
Oumi: Why don't you read it and find out?
[letter: ---To: ---]
//rustle//
[letter:

To Oumi-kun.
How are you? It's gotten very cold--
My cat snuggles into my bed everyday---
I haven't gotten much sleep lately--
How is your dog doing?
The dog that our neighbors keep---]
[letter continued:
I'm a year older than everyone else---
I tried my hardest to blend in---
but I don't think I---
The other day, someone I used to be classmates with---]
[letter continued:
I'm not really that good around people I don't know,
but my intuition is pretty good, at least I think so anyway---]
[letter continued:
I've believed in myself ever since I was a kid. Is that weird?

I couldn't help but think Kawata-san wasn't like the others. I really really wanted to talk to her, but I thought if I went up to her out of the blue, that she might not like that.)]
[letter continued:
One day, I gathered up all my courage to say bye to her, but I messed up.
When I was tending the flower garden during the summer break, Kawata-san came up to me out of nowhere. (You were there for your sports practice, remember?)
I thought my heart was going to jump right out of my chest. I kept thinking how I should say something, but I couldn't think up of anything interesting to say.
Looking back on it now, it's become a precious memory of mine.
Sometimes, at night while I'm lying in bed, I think back to it.]

p 37
[letter continued:

When you got mad that one time, I really wanted to run away. I couldn't help but think, "why me"?

Kawata-san won't even look at me. I'm really sad. I don't have the courage to go up and talk to her.

Oumi-kun! I`ve got a great idea!

I came up with a great idea!
To thank her for helping me fix up the flower garden that someone ruined, I made something for her. Can you guess what it is?

Well it's a...

ta-da! A case for her glasses! (ala Doraemon!)

I saw how she always put hers in her pocket, so....
I'm going to make it with this puffy fabric so that her glasses won't get damaged
Do you think it's a good idea?

[arrow reads "You can pull the strings to close it"

I'll use this opportunity
to talk to Kawata-san!
]

[letter continued:

Oumi-kun...I couldn't do it. I'm scared of the people around her.

I'm scared of being hurt.

If only I was stronger...]

p 38
Kawata: That is so...stupid!
Kawata: What the hell is that anyway...
a "case for my glasses"?
Kawata: What a joke!
[the letter in the background is a repeat of the letter on the previous page]
//splash//
[letter reads:
--if only I was stronger..]
Kawata: I don't even wear...
glasses anymore..
//splash//
Kawata: What's her problem anyway...
What's wrong with her...
Kawata: A "precious memory"? Hah!
Kawata: What does she know...
She doesn't even---
Kawata: And YOU!
//Huh? Me?//
Kawata: And what's with this penpal shit?
What is your...
Kawata: This is so stupid...
Kawata: I was the one...
Kawata: who messed up her flower garden.

p 39
Kawata: (It was because I thought...."why did I
have to be told that and have to be looked at him like that
because of her?")
Kawata: It's because...
Kawata: I liked you...
Oumi: Yeah...
Kawata: (Ah...my contact fell out.)
Oumi: Kawata

P 40
Oumi: Let's go visit
Oumi: Sugiura together next time.
Kawata: (When I realized it,
in front of me was Ihara, who had saved up his money to get me a gift for Christmas to make me happy.
I don't know why, but I couldn't accept it. I just couldn't.
Ihara had this serious look on his face for a long time,
and I remembered back to what Ihara had said as a joke a while back.)
Kawata: ("Just because you always get home safe doesn't mean it'll be the same today.)
Kawata: (Ihara disappeared from my life.)

p 41
-The 21st year of my....-
Kawata: (I never knew sexual harassment actually existed until now.)
Kawata: (I quit the company I started working for right after graduating from college because of some jerk who couldn`t get it through his thick skull that I wasn`t interested in him.)
Kawata: (I set my mind on moving to Tokyo, and it's been a year since I moved here.
I lead a hand-to-mouth existence.)
Kawata: (I'm working at a puny publishing company right now.)
//Ambient//

p 42
Kawata: Hi, I'm back!
//puff puff//
Guy: Welcome back~
//cough cough//
Kawata: We need some serious ventilation here!
//ring ring//
Guy: Hello, this is Ambient Publishing Firm.
Kawata: I'm opening the window!
//rattle//
//WOOSH//
Kawata: NOOOOO!
//scrunch//
Kawata: I'm so sorry!
Guy: Oh, yes, yes. That won't be a problem.
I'll get someone right on it. Yes, thank you.
Guy: Aki-chan, would you mind going to pick up Nagasaku-san's manuscript?
Kawata: (Ew.)
Oh, sure!
Guy: Sorry to make you do this. I know you just came back.
Guy: Just pay no heed to him! Let's just focus on getting through the New Year!
Kawata: (Okay okay, whatever.)
//clank clank clank//
[spine of the book reads: The Blue Flower
Nagasaku]
Kawata: (I wanted to stay connected to literature by any means.
Even though I'm mostly doing their odds and ends,
I don't mind this job. In fact, I kinda like it.)
Nagasaku: I'm not giving this to you.

p 43
Kawata: Please give me your manuscript.
Nagasaku: Will you marry me if I do?
Kawata: No.
Nagasaku: Then I'm not giving it to you.
Kawata: Please...?
Nagasaku: Marry me then?
Kawata: ...
Nagasaku: Forget it, I'm not handing this over to you!
Kawata: If you don't hand that over to me right now,
I'm going to have to resort to extreme measures!
//Ta-da!//
[package reads "Dried Persimmons"]
Nagasaku: NO!
//Looky here! Looky here! It's all wrinkled! Its' powder's gonna go all over you! It'll stick to you!//
//Nooo! Stop it...STOP IT!//
Nagasaku: Damnit!
Nagasaku: Do you even know what day it is today?!
Kawata: Excuse me?
Nagasaku: It's Christmas!
Kawata: ...So what?
Nagasaku: What's so bad about marrying me then, huh?!
Kawata: How do the two go together? I don't get it.
//beep beep//
[SL: Please treat your food with care.]
Kawata: 'Yello?
Oh, Oumi?
//Gotcha!//
Oumi: Are you going home this year?
Kawata: Ah, I'm not sure.
I've got some stuff I have to do here, so...yeah...//heh//
Oumi: Sugiura's getting married

p 44
Kawata: Whoa, really?!
Oumi: Yeah, and she's marrying some Turkish guy! She said she's going to go and live in Turkey!
Kawata: Are you serious?!
Oumi: She was saying how she wanted to see us before she left, so she's in Tokyo.
I'm thinking about going to see her before she heads off to Turkey.
Kawata: Oh...huh...
arrgh....
I'd really like to go, but....
Oumi: Huh?
Kawata: I'm really tight on cash right now though, so I don't think I...
//poke poke//
//poke poke//
Nagasaku: Want me to
Nagasaku: foot the airfare?
Oumi: Hello?
Kawata: I'm definitely going!
Nagasaku: Now will you marry me?
Kawata: (I feel)

p 45
Kawata: (really at ease with him.)
[sign readS "Katawa"]
Kawata: Yo!
Kawata: Hey,
whose ride is that?
Oumi: My bro's.
Oumi: We better get her something.
Kawata: Ah, I already did.
I got her some cookies.
Oumi: You're always one step ahead of me.
Kawata: (He goes to a college in Tokyo,
so ever since I moved there, I hang out with him sometimes.)
Kawata: (He's become a drinking buddy of mine.)
Oumi: Sugiura
Oumi: said that she had a couple more surgeries,
and even though there are still some scars left,
she's more or less back to normal.
Kawata: ...Oh,
Kawata: I'm glad.
Oumi: Yeah,
ditto.
Kawata: Ah,
hey Oumi!
Turn the corner here!
Oumi: Huh?
Kawata: Flowers!
Let's get her flowers too!

p 46
[sign reads: Ihara Flower Shop]
//slam//
Kawata: (The Ihara in my mind,
is always smiling. Even though he's smiling, it looks more like he`s about to cry.)
Kawata: He's probably...not here.
Oumi: Yeah, probably not.
//rustle//
Ihara: Hello---
Oumi: Yo!
Ihara: NO WAY!
Kawata: Ah...
Oumi: Hey...
Kawata: Long time no see...

p 47
Ihara: What's up, you guys?
Ihara: Is that you, Oumi? Ahaha.
So what, you two are going out now or what?
Kawata: Nah,
Kawata: we're just friends.
Ihara: Huh, is that right?
So what's this? Some kind of hidden-camera prank?
Oumi: Ahaha, nah,
we just came to buy some flowers.
Ihara: Oh right...
you came to buy flowers...
Ihara: Ahaha,
but you really did scare me!
Ihara: What the heck's going on...
Kawata: You've got a nice shop going here.
Ihara: Yeah~ my sis got married,
and she moved to Shikoku....
Ihara: So yeah, I'm working part time here...
Ihara: So what, you're looking for a bouquet?
I can't do it, if you are.
//Mooommmmm! Mommmm!//
Ihara: I pretty much stick to the dirty work, you know, moving heavy boxes. Stuff like that.
Ihara's Mom: Oh, Aki-chan? You've grown so much!
Kawata: Long time no see!
Ihara's Mom: So you two
live in Tokyo now?
Oumi: Why don't you come and hang out with us sometime?
Ihara: Sure, if you'll pay for it.
Oumi: Cheap-o.
//ahahaha//
Kawata: Thank you,
Kawata: it's so pretty.
//rustle//
Ihara: This is a freebie.

p 48
Ihara: Aki,
you've gotten prettier.
Kawata: (Ihara,)
Kawata: (what did you try to give me
that time?)
Kawata: (I want to ask....
---but...just forget it.)
//slam//
Kawata: Ihara
Kawata: Are you happy right now?
Ihara: So-so,
Ihara: I guess?
Kawata: (You---)

p 49
Kawata: (and you....
and you....
I'm coming to see all of you.)

p 50
[sign reads: Arrivals Exit]
Kawata: Hello?
Kawata: Nagasaku-san?
Kawata: I sent you some crab.
Did you get it yet?
Kawata: Hello?
Nagasaku: ...I got it.
Nagasaku: I got it...
but my bride....
Nagasaku: still hasn`t arrived...
Nagasaku: I'm so lonely...
Kawata: Fine!
I'll head over there right now,
so wait for me!
//chirp chirp chirp//
//beeeep beeeep//

p 51
Kawata: (Geez, what a guy_)
//rustle//
Kawata: (To me----
and to you---)
Kawata: (I present, these precious days.)

[THE END]


p 52
[SL: The Whereabouts of the Prince]
//ahahahaha//
//FLASH//
//ahahahaha//
//...haha...//
//rub rub//
//opens eyes wide//
//SPARKLE//

p 53
[The Whereabouts of the Prince]

p 54
Guy: ---Anndd...
Guy: just one last question...
Girl: What's he doing?
Girl #2: Dunno, some kind of survey.
Girl: Huh?
Girl: Why's he not asking us then?
Guy: What`s your idea of the perfect guy?
Girl: Someone who's
Girl: like a prince.
[paper reads [from left page to right page]

Grade 10 Division 3
Kawakita Ami

Birthday: May 13th
Height: 156 cm
Weight: It's a secret
Hometown: Sapporo
Family Members: A Dad. A Mom. An older sister.
Middle School Attended: S-High
Interests: Movies, Books
Special Talent: Nothing in particular
Boyfriend?: None
Idea of the Perfect Guy: Someone like a Prince
Dreams for the Future: Day-care worker
A Bride?
//noise noise//
//ahahaha//]

Sumita: What does she mean by someone "like a prince"?
Guy: Well, obviously someone who's Prince-like.

p 55
Sumita: (Since I fell hard for her,
I decided from this day on, to live my life for Kawakita Ami-chan.
The reason why I don't use that many Kanji, is because I'm not that smart.
Sumita Haruka. Grade 11.)
//stamp//
[stamp reads: Sumita]
Sumita: (To: My Amigo.
Ever since I saw you in the school grounds, my heart's been struck by the cupid's bow. I can't get you out of my mind. Please please say you'll go out with me. Please come and see me after school at the school rooftop.
Grade 11, Division 5: Sumita Haruka.]
Ami: I'm sorry,
//bows//
Ami: I can't go out with you.
[envelope reads: To: Kawakita Ami
Return to Sender]
//slam//
//wind whistling//
Sumita: She's just shy.
//chuckles//
//pat//
Guy: You gotta face the facts, my man!
Sumita: What did I do wrong?!?!
Guy: Well where do you want me to start? [SL: Want me to whip you up a list?]
Your biggest fault though, is probably that,
the truth of the matter is, you're no prince.
Sumita: (How could that be?!)
Girl: How'd it go? Did you turn him down?
Ami: Yeah.
Girl #2: Aww, what a waste!
I know girls who have a major crush on him!
Ami: No wayy!
But his sweater's like...all stretched out!
//Ahahaha//
//No way, seriously?//

p 56
Ami: Anyhow, I haven't even seen Shimazu-san ONCE today.
Ami: I wonder if he's gone home already?
Girl: Why don't you just go right out and tell him how you feel already?
Ami: Nooo~ there's no way I could do that!
Girl: Then will you just like, stop gushing about him all the time?
Ami: Hey, don't be mean!
//crows kaw-ing//
//rustle rustle//
[books read:
"Cinderella"
"---Prince"
"A Sleeping Forest---"]
Sumita: (I'm not trying to brag or anything,
but girls dig me.)
Sumita: (Yeah, so anyway,
I've never really had to, I don't know, do much to get a girl up `til now.)
Sumita: (Now that I think about it, I've led a pretty lucky life so far.)
Sumita: (But I'm finding myself smacking into a wall now.)
Sumita: (Who is this "Prince"
that has captured her attention so?)
Sumita: (Oh? They're all blondies.
Wait---so if I wear blue contact lenses, would that make me one of 'em?)
Sumita: (Well yeah, I have to draw the line somewhere---there's no way I'm wearing tights,
but hahaha! Wait for me, my amigo, I'm coming!)

p 57
Sumita's Mom: Hey! No fighting!
Sumita's Mom: HARUKA!
//WAHHHH//
//thud thud thud//
//hehe, idiot!//
//retard!//
//pourrr//
//slam slam slam//
//Maaaaaaamaaaa!//
//swish swish//
//KABOOM//
Sumita's Mom: Make sure to keep an eye on them!
Sumita: Ma,
Sumita: from this day on, I'm gonna be a prince!
//bleehhhh! blehhhh!//
//WAHHHH!//
Sumita's Mom: Prince,
we've run out of miso. [soybean paste]
Sumita: I'll get right on it.
If I may, your wallet, madame.
Boy: Prince!
Boy: Prince!
//YAYYY!//
Sumita: Yesiree!
//Morning! Morning!//
[envelope reads: SECOND TIME'S THE CHARM!]
//thump thump//
[letter reads: Please come to the school rooftop! Sumita Haruka]
//Caw! Caw!//

p 58
//Caw! Retard! Caw!//
Sumita: Hi, Honey!
[arrow on the right reads: Blonde Hair (He already had it bleached)
arrow on the left reads: Blue eyes (Color Contacts)]
Ami: Sorry, if you'll just excuse me...
//bows//
Sumita: WAI----
//dashes//
Sumita: Wait!
Sumita: Ami-cha----
Sumita: KAWAKITA-SAN!
//grabs//
Sumita: Tell me what it is about me that you don't like!
Ami: (Wahhhh!)
Ami: I have someone else I like!
//Err...//
Sumita: Ami-chan.....
Sumita: There are no Princes in Japan [SL: Comprehende?]
Ami: I like Shimazu-san, the student council president!

p 59
Speaker: And now, we will commence our student body meeting
Speaker: First off, an announcement from the student council president---
//rustle//
Sumita: Don't know him....
Guy: Huh?
//mumble mumble mumble//
[arrow reads "He's back to normal"]
Sumita: Never seen or heard of 'im....
//And anyway, what's he got that I don't?//
//How's he any different from me?//
//glance//
//smiles//
//noise noise noise//
Girl: Haruka!
Sumita: Yoo~ long time no talk.
Girl: 'Sup?
//heh//
Sumita: Not bad. How's you?
Girl: I'm doing great!
Sumita: What's with that grin?
Sumita: (She's my ex-ex-girlfriend.
We broke up 'cause she started going out with some guy in college who she met at her part time job.
She cried a bit, but I wasn't really bummed out over it.
Maybe that meant I never really liked her that much in the first place? I don't know.)
Sumita: How's your boyfriend?
Kao: I heard
Kao: that you fell for some girl in grade 10?
Kao: I think I saw her just now.
Kao: She was the one with her hair in pigtails, right?
Kao: I never knew you went for plain girls like her.
Sumita: (Hmm?)

p 60
Sumita: ("Plain"? Really?
To me it looked like a halo was surrounding her.)
Sumita: Kawakita-san.
//Err..what's with that reaction?//
Sumita: I promise I won't try to pull anything funny anymore, so will you let me take you home, just this once?
Sumita: Pleasee?
//Come on//
Girl: Why don't you let him,
Ami?
Sumita: (Nice friend you got there.)
Sumita: What do you like to eat?
Ami: ...Rice Omelette.
Sumita: What do you like inside it, ketchup rice or rice with butter in it?
Ami: ...Ketchup rice.
Sumita: Do you watch horror movies?
Ami: ...No.
Sumita: What do you sing when you go Karaoke?
Ami: Um....Hamasaki Ayumi....and...Shiina Ringo...
Sumita: Which do you like better: Dogs or Cats?
Ami: ...Both.
Sumita: What do you like about Shimazu?
//blush//
Ami: ...Everything about him.

p 61
Sumita: ...Everything?
Ami: His sparkling eyes,
his strong-willed eyebrows,
his intellectual nose,
his well-shaped lips,
his silky hair,
his long arms and legs...his kind voice...
//in a trance//
Sumita: AHAHAHAHA
//eyes snap open//
Sumita: So all you like about him is his looks?
Sumita: Well that's a relief!
Ami: Well, if looks didn't matter, then I'd fall for even an elephant!
//uh....//
Sumita: (Whoops. Screwed up big time.)
//WAHHH! Ugly! What'd you just call me?!
THUD THUD WAHHH
AHHH//
Sumita: (Okay, so what's my next line of action gonna be?)
Boy: Shut the hell up!
Sumita: Repeat what I say, okay?
Boy: "Repeat"?
Sumita: That means, to say what I say.
Got it?
Sumita: "My brother is very kind"
Boy: My bwathaa is vewwy kinnnd....
//hehe//
Sumita: "and he's very cool"
Boy: And he's vewwyy kewww...
Sumita: "he's someone who puts his family first"
Boy: He's sawmwon who puts his fwamiwee fawst....
Sumita: "and he buys me whatever I want"
Sumita: ...Now say it.
Boy: I don't tell lies.
//SMACK//
//WAHHHH!//
Sumita's Mom: HEY! You two!

p 62
[sign reads "Grade 11 Div 1"]
Sumita: Yo, is Shimazu here?
Shimazu: Yes?
Shimazu: Can I help you?
//pissed//
Sumita: Um... yeah...
so I'm in grade 11, div 5....
//stare stare stare///
Sumita: the name's Sumita....
do you mind if I...
ask you a few q`s...?
Sumita: Do you have a gf?
[SL: Straight shooter]
Shimizu: Why should I have to answer that kind of question to you?
Sumita: Good point,
Sumita: Good point
//pat pat//
//tense//
Sumita: (I have this friend,
who's REALLY cute...)
Sumita: (and she really likes you.)
Sumita: (So~ I was just wondering
how it was with you,)
Sumita: (you know?)
Shimazu: If that's the case,
Shimazu: I think it makes more sense for me to hear that from that person herself.
//swish//
//hair rustles with the wind//
//What the?!//
//blink blink//
//rub rub//
Sumita: (Prince?!)
Shimazu: Bye now.
//swish//
//errr....//
//okay...//
Sumita: (Okay okay, don't feel down.)
//exhales//
//turns//

p 63
//THUMP//
Ami: What...
Ami: Were you two talking about...just now...?
Sumita: Ah...
um....
Sumita: err...
Sumita: we became buddies!
//does a twirl//
//ta-da//
Ami: LIAR!
Sumita: All I did---
Sumita: was tell him there was someone who liked him! I never told him once that it was yo---
//THUD//
//Mbfdsj?//
Sumita: I...

p 64
Sumita: never told him it was you...
Sumita: I swear....
Ami: your sweater's all stretched out...
Sumita: Ah....
Girl: Ami!
//nods//
//fading footsteps//
Sumita: (Don't tell me)
Sumita: (that I messed up big time?)
//wobble wobble//
Girl: Did someone run over your dog or what?
Sumita: Shut up.
Sumita: Go away
//Go! Go!//
Girl: What's your problem!
//sits down//
Sumita: (Aya-chan here, is my ex-ex-ex-girlfriend.
She always seems to appear out of nowhere when I'm feeling down. She's really kinda annoying. Maybe she still likes me?)
Aya: Yeah, and like, I just broke up with someone lately....
Aya: He was cheating on me,
it sucks...
Aya: Poor me, right?
Aya: Ever since I broke up with you, I can't seem to meet any decent gys.
Sumita: (Err...well we're more like two people who use each other when we're feeling down out of convenience more than anything.)

p 65
Sumita: NO!
NO NO NO NO!
Forget it!
Now go away!
Aya: Hey!
That's so mean!
Aya: What's so great about a kiddy girl like her, anyway?
//Are you a retard or what?//
Aya: Well, I`m off.
Sumita: ("Kiddy"?
Really?
To me it looked like a halo was surrounding her.)
//WAHHH! WAHHH!//
Sumita's Mom: HEY!
//thud thud//
Boy: My bwattherr....
Boy: is vewwy kind....
Boy: and vewwy kewww...
Boy: he puttss his famiwee's fweet...
Sumita: ("Feet"?)
//snickers//
Sumita: (I gotta tune into my inner man.)
Sumita: (Suck it up---and apologize!)
//thump thump//
[sign reads "Sumita"
the name plate underneath that one reads "Takahashi")
Sumita: (I'll apologize again and again until she has no choice but to accept my apology!)
//flip//
[letter reads: Please come to the school rooftop during lunch Kawakita Ami]
Sumita: (I'll apologize, even if I have to get down on my knees and do it...)

p 66
Ami: I'm sorry!
Birds: Kaw kaw!
Bird: Pow pow
Sumita: ...Excuse me?
Sumita: Eh...
...um...
but....
why?
I'm the one...
who...
Ami: No, you've got it all wrong.
Ami: You've got it all wrong.
Ami: I'm a coward
Ami: ...who can't even
Ami: ...gather up the courage...
Ami: to tell him how I feel...
Ami: I'm the one who should be apologizing...
Ami: I took out...my frustrations on you...
I'm sorry...
//pow pow! pow pow!//
Ami: I knew about you before all this.
Sumita: WHAT!!
Ami: I mean, I didn`t know your name,
Ami: but I always saw you walking with these really pretty girls by your side
//thump//

p 67
Ami: That`s why I had a hard time believing that someone like you would...you know, feel that way about someone like me.
It was so strange...that I felt like, this was some kind of prank...
but I do admire...how you had the courage...
to tell me how you felt...
Sumita: ("In that case,")
Sumita: ("I think it`s only right if I hear that from the person herself
Heh")
//tense//
Sumita: ----That`s
what the Prince said.
Ami: Ah...
Sumita: Why not just tell him how you feel?
Sumita: He probably doesn't have a girlfriend
Sumita: He looked like he even WANTED you to tell him how you felt
Ami: You...
Ami: You really think so?
Sumita: Yeah, I do.
Ami: So...should I?
Sumita: Yeah, I think you should.
Sumita: And to be honest with you, when he said that, he really did look like a prince.
Ami: REALLY?
Ami: You think so too?
Sumita: Yeah...
Sumita: And his hair was like, flowing with the wind, you know?
//ahaha//
Ami: Liar
Sumita: Yeah, seriously!
Then he was like "Bye now!"
//giggles giggles//
Sumita: "Bye now!"
//haha//
Sumita: ...Why do you want someone who's like a prince anyway?
Ami: Um...
because it's been
Ami: a dream of mine ever since I was a little kid....
Sumita: Why...?

p 68
Ami: Because...
guys can be....
rough and crude...alot of guys are like that...
so they're like...I don't know, kind of scary....
Sumita: Do you think that way about me?
Sumita: Are you scared of me?
Sumita: Want me
Sumita: to tell you
Sumita: something interesting?
Sumita: Princes should just go fuck 'emselves.
//pow pow!//
//gets up//
//stalks off//
Bird: POW POW
//SLAM//
Bird: Pow pow

p 69
//school chime//
Sumita: (I can`t believe I just said that...!!!)
//falls over//
Sumita: (A Prince would probably never wear a stretched out sweater.)
Sumita: (Since I'm no prince, I should've just pushed her down right then and there and kissed her. If she's scared of me anyway, I might've well just proved her fears right.
Prince? Hah! There is no such thing.
Why did she have to smile like that when she was talking about him?)
Girl: Wait for me!
Girl #2: Miho,
hurry!
Girl #2: The school bell rang already!
Girl: Waiit!
//Hurry, Miho!//
Sumita: (Miho-chan was my last girlfriend.
I was pretty serious about her.)
Sumita: (But who gives a shit anymore?)

p 70
Guy: Latest update on Kawakita Ami!
Guy: Ta-da!
//Phew! I thought I wouldn't get a chance to show up anymore before this story ended!//
Sumita: Okay, let's hear it.
Guy: Ahem!
Guy: "I heard Ami's finally gonna tell him how she feels!"
"What! Really?"
"That's awesome!"
[paper in the background just repeats the dialogue he mentions ^^]
Guy: That's it. I just heard this from girls who I passed in the hallway
Sumita: WAIITTT!
Sumita: Ami-chan's friend!
//wheeze wheeze/
Sumita: There's...
something I want...
//wheeze wheeze///
Sumita: ...to ask you...
Sumita: (Could this get any worse?
It's like I tightened the noose around my neck.)
//Don't go, Amigo!//
Guy: Don't go out there!
He's gonna come!
Girl: Any minute now!
Girl: He's here!
Shimazu: Kawakita...
Shimazu: san?

p 71
Ami: Yes, that's me!
//smirks//
Ami: Um...I'm sorry to call you out like this out of the blue...
I've...
admired you from afar for a really long time...
Ami: and um...
Ami: I was just...
wondering if...
Ami: you would be willing to be friends with me?
Shimazu: Sorry.
I have a girlfriend.
//rustle//
Shimazu: Bye.
Sumita: ...Hey....
Sumita: "Friends"...?
Girl: Ah...

p 72
Sumita: I'll leave Ami to you guys.
Sumita: (What are you, a retard?
You third-rate actor!)
//grabs//
Shimazu: WHOA!
Sumita: Student...council...presidentttt...
Shimazu: ...What're you doing?
Sumita: Remember....how I askked you...
the other dayyy...
if you had a girlfriend....
you lieed....
Shimazu: Well, I told her the truth---
Sumita: But she askked....
if you would be her friend....
she didnntt ask to be your girlfrienddd...
//drag drag//
Shimazu: Yeah, but that wouldn't be fair to my girlfriend.
Shimazu: Couldn't you...have let her down...in a nicer way...
Sumita: You came to rate the goods, didn't you?
Girl: Ah
Guy: Ah.

p 73
//chirp chirp//
//ahahahahaha//
//ahahahah//
//chirp chirp//
Sumita: (Well well,
what a lovely Spring day--)

p 74
Sumita: (On days like this,
it makes me think back to the day when I broke the Prince's nose, and got suspended.
It's almost as if it happened yesterday....)
Sumita: (Well yeah, it was yesterday, but still...)
//ahahaha//
//ahaha//
//throws down//
//scrunch scrunch//
Ami: You're a jerk, you know that?
Ami: You guys were snooping in on us...
Ami: ...you snapped...
Ami: and you broke...the nose of the person I liked...
...and you even ended up getting yourself suspended...
//chirp chirp chir//
Ami: But still, I felt a bit guilty about it all, so I went to your house...
and what do I find...? You smoking on a bench...
//chirp chirp//
//sob sob//
Ami: You're such...
Ami: a jerk...
Sumita: Yeah...

p 75
Sumita: Have you gone and visited Shimazu-san?
Ami: AS IF I COULD!
What am I supposed to say to him, huh?!
//Err... right, right...um...
well...you've got a point there...//
//sigh//
//rub rub//
//pat pat//
//wobble..
//sob//
//hicc//
Sumita: ...I hope
Sumita: they can put his nose back together okay...
//dashes//
//lies down//
Guy: Come onnn~
let's playyyy
Sumita: Later, okay?
Ami: Is he your brother?
Sumita: Ah,
Sumita: yeah.
//rustle rustle//
Sumita: Oh,
Sumita: and that one over there,
Sumita: and that one,
and that one,
Sumita: are my brothers and sisters.
//ahahaha//
Ami: ...You have four siblings?
Sumita: No,
Sumita: actually, I have one younger brother in middle school, and a baby sister...
so seven in all, including me.

p 76
Boy: Come onnn~
let's go playyyy~
Boy: Come onnnn!
//pull pull//
//strettchhhh//
Boy: Come onnn!
Sumita: I'll be there in a sec,
so here, take this,
Sumita: and go get some water.
Ami: Um...
Sumita: Yes?
Ami: I've wanted to ask you this for a while now...
Ami: ...what is it that you like about me anyway?
//thump//
//sparkle//
//Um....because of your...uh...halo...//
//sparkle//
//she'll just think I'm a retard...//
//thinks back//
Sumita: (Kao-chan)
Sumita: (Aya-chan)
Sumita: (...)
Sumita: I-I guess...
Sumita: it's your plainness..?
Ami: I'm going to go and play in the sandbox too!
Sumita: (Oh shitt~)
Sumita: (I've finally done it this time...)
Sumita: (It's all over...!)

p 77
Boy: My bwatther is kind and cool and he puts his fwamiwy fawst, and he buys me anyfwing I want!
Ami: ...Did he tell you to tell me that?
Boy: Yeah!
//Oh no...//
Sumita: (You idiot..)
Sumita: (I'm going to kick the Prince out of the picture,
and I'm gonna get you someday, Ami-chan!
Sumita Haruka, Grade 11. //stamp//)
[stamp reads "Sumita"]

THE END

There's Something I Want to Ask You

p 78
Girl: (Until that moment,)
Girl: (there was never a time when I thought of you.)
[letter reads: Kojima Sae]
[back of the postcard reads:

Shuuei High Grade 12 Division 1
Class Reunion

Time: March 12th
Place: ----]

Sae: Hey,
mom?
Sae: Wasn't the 12th when Kazumi-chan's getting married?
Mom: It is. Why do you ask? Is there something you have to do that day?

p 79
Sae: I've got a high school class reunion on that day
Mom: Oh, but I've already told them you were going to attend.
Sae: Yeah, that's okay...I'll go to the wedding [SL: I wanna eat something fancy for a change too anyway]
Mom: Are you sure?
Sae: All the people who I was close to in high school I still see anyway [SL: Like Maru-chan and Aiko]
And plus, it's only been two years. I hardly think anyone's changed THAT much since then.
Mom: You're probably the only one who hasn't changed
Mom: Now come on, get up, and help me!
Your father's going to be home soon.
//Bleh//
Sae: Okay!
//clatter//
Sae: (I graduated from my two-year college this year,
and from this April, I'm becoming an official OL!) [OL = office lady]
Sae: (I still have some doubts about whether a kid like me is ready to go out into the real world,
but I am 20 afterall. I'm the same age my mom was when she had me.)
Sae: (---And so, apparently, my mom thinks I'm a bit immature for my age.)
Sae's Mom: Come on now,
Sae's Mom: you're snacking on junk food, AGAIN?
Sae: (I've known a couple of people my age who've gotten married already,
but as for me,)
Sae: (I'm not even in a relationship. Figures.)
//crunch//
Sae: (Maybe what I need to do, is make my room look more grown-up?!)
//gets up//
Sae's Mom: Sae-chann!
Phonnneee!

p 80
Sae: (Who would call me at my home phone anyway?)
Sae: Yes, hello?
Girl: Sae-san?
Sae: Yes?
Girl: Ah, it's me, Takagi.
Sae: Excuse me?
Girl: Long time no talk!
Sae: Umm....
Takagi...who?
Girl: //chuckles//
Girl: It's Takagi Ayumi.
I was in the same class as you back in grade 12.
Sae: (...Oh, right.)
Sae: Ah...
well,
hi...
Ayumi: Sorry to call you out of the blue like this.
But I started to get all nostalgic when I got that letter for the class reunion.
Sae: Oh...
I see.... //heh//
Ayumi: You are going, right?
Sae: Ah...I want to,
but my cousin's wedding's on the same day...
Ayumi: Oh...I see...
Ayumi: Well that's too bad. I was looking forward to seeing you.
Ayumi: I guess I'll see you around then.
Sae: Ah, yeah, sorr---
Ayumi: Bye.
//click//
//beep beep//
[under the photo reads "Takagi Ayumi"]
Sae: (The first feeling that came to surface was one of discomfort.)
Sae: (What did she mean by "nostalgic"?
Were we that close..?
Errr...I don't remember her at all...)

p 81
//munch//
[photo reads:
[snack box reads: Wafers]
Sae: (What made me decide to attend the class reunion instead)
Sae: (was the sudden phone call that I got from a classmate who I didn't even remember that well,)
Sae: (along with the curiosity of finding out what happened to Hayata-kun, this guy who I had a bit of a crush on back in high school.)
Sae: (I wasn't that close to my cousin anyway.)
Sae's Mom: Oh, come on now Sae...
//rustle rustle//
Sae's Mom: She's got crumbs littered throughout her room!
//honk honk//
Sae: Hello?
Sae: Maru-chan?
//vrooom//
Sae: You're late! Where are you?
Maru: I'm so sorry~
but my boyfriend suddenly showed up~
Sae: Huh?
Maru: So I don't think I'll be able to make it today. [SL: Tell everyone hi for me]
Sae: (Well, I guess I have no choice but to go at it alone.
I can't really complain, since they have a long-distance relationship going on....
but it's just not the same without Maru-chan being there to liven up the convos)
//honk honk//
//vrooom//
Sae: (I don't know why...but my heart's beating like crazy.)

p 82
Sae: WHOA!
Hayata: What're you doing, Kojima?
Sae: AHH!
Sae: (Hayata-kun...)
Hayata: Allrighty, let's go in together.
//noise noise//
Guy: Ah.
Girl: Heyyy!
Hayata: Yo, everyone!
Guy: Hayata---!
Girl: No way, Sae?!
Girl: I never knew you guys were going out!
//What's with that outfit? You haven't changed at all/
Sae: No, no. We just bumped into each other just now.
Girl: Oh, bummer.
//You scared me for a sec there//
Hayata: Yo, 'sup?
Whoa, you've gained weight!
//ahahaha//
//Saee! Long time no see!//
//What's with all this blubber, huh?//
//AHAHAHA//
Ayumu: Kojima-san!
Ayumu: I thought you said you weren't going to come!
Ayumu: You surprised me.
Sae: (Ah...)
Sae: Takagi...san?
Ayumu: The one and only! Long time no see!
Why don't you sit here?
Sae: (Eh...but...)

p 83
Sae: (I must've had a really strange expression on my face)
Ayumu: I went under the knife.
Sae: Huh?
Girl: She got her eyes done
Sae: Ah....
Girl: But you really have gotten prettier
Sae: Oh....really...
oh....
...have you lost some weight?
Ayumu: Yep, I went on a diet.
Girl: I'm so jealous~ I wish I could be lose a few pounds too~
Sae: (Oh...no wonder...)
Sae: (But....I don't know...is it just me, or has her bone structure changed?
Was her jaw shaped like that...?
She probably wanted to show off
how pretty she's become.
So that's why she phoned me....
Oh, no wonder...
...um....did I come off as really mean just now?)
Ayumu: So Kojima-san, I heard you went to college?
Sae: Ah, yeah!
Ayumu: Where're you working now?
Sae: Ah, um...
for S-company.
Guy: WHAT! How'd you get into a top-rate company like that?!
//No wayy!//
//Wow!//
Sae: Eh....
um....
Sae: through...connections that my dadd---I mean, my father, has.
Guy: Ohhh~ connections, I get it.
//Wow, that's soo nice!//
Sae: I-I'm...
Sae: sorry...
//silence//
Hayata: AHHAHAAH
Hayata: What're you apologizing for?
//AHAHAHA//
//There's no need to apologize!//
//hehehe//
Sae: Ah...um...
Sae: what about you, Takagi-san?
//Yeah, and she was like---//
//ahahaha yeah~//
Ayumu: I`m working part-time as a cashier at a supermarket, and training to become a homemaker [basically, learning all the things a bride would have to know]
//splash splash//
Girl: But Takagi-san...
Girl: wow...
Sae: I think it's great how open she is about having some work done.
Girl: Yeah,
but she wasn't like that back in high school!
Girl: She used to be alot more quiet...
Girl: and I don't know...kinda depressing?
Sae: Yeah...
Sae: Hey, did Takagi-san phone you?
Girl: What? Why would she call me? Did she call you?
Sae: Yeah...
Girl: Really?
Girl: But like, she wasn't really that close with anyone was she?
No one really hated her, but like, yeah....
//creaakk//
Ayumu: They said they're gonna start round two at another place.
//AHAHAHAHA//
//AHAHA//
Hayata: Are you gonna go?
Sae: Yeah.
Sae: (Was he...
waiting for me just now?)
//tense//
Ayumu: Back in high school,
Ayumu: I didn't have confidence in myself, no matter what I did.

p 85
Ayumu: School work,
relationships,
friends,
Ayumu: I was scared to take a step forward.
I always kept on running away. When I realized it, I didn't have anything to remember my time in high school.
Ayumu: I really regretted it then.
Ayumu: To be honest with you,
I always wanted to
talk to you.
Sae: Why...
me?
Ayumu: I can tell
Ayumu: who's on the same wavelength as me
Sae: (It was as if
she was singing)
Sae: (a soothing lullaby into my ear)
Sae: You don't have to call me "Kojima-san".
"Sae"'s fine.
//Hey you two! Cut the lovey-dovey crap!//
//ahahaha//
Ayumu: Ayu.
Sae: (The warmth of your hand, erased the feelings of discomfort that I first felt,
and I was really glad I chose the class reunion over my cousin's wedding.)
Sae: (I do feel bad for my cousin, but I really did feel that way.)

p 86
Ayumu: Hello.
//slide//
Ayumu: WHOA!
Sae: Hi...
Ayumu: I can't believe you just showed up without telling me!
Sae: I wanted to see you working~
Ayumu: But don't you live far away from here?
Sae: Yeah, I came here by taxi.
Ayumu: WHAT?!
Ayumu: Ahaha, I give up.
Sae: Hey,
remember how you were saying you were training to become a homemaker?
Ayumu: Yeah
Sae: Do you have a boyfriend?
Ayumu: No, do you?
Sae: Nope.
//pat//
Guy: (Jackpot! They're both hot!)
Guy #2: If you guys don't have boyfriends,
why don't you come and hang with us?
Sae & Ayumu: No thanks.
Guy: Ah!
Hey!
Wait!
Guy: Just give us---
Guy: a minute of your time!
Ayumu: We SAID no, you jackasses! Now fuck off!
//...Fuck you! Dog face! Go to hell!//
Sae: (Ayu standing behind the register,
was as tall and straight as a lily.)

p 87
Sae: Yeah, you too?
You don't remember much about her either?
Yeah, but she's really nice.
yeah.
She's going to stay over at my place tonight.
Heh.
Oh yeah, how's your boyfriend? How's he doing?
Maru: I don't even want to talk about him! We got into a fight a couple of days back
Sae: No wayy~
//beep beep//
Sae: Sorry, someone else is calling me. I think it might be Ayu.
Yeah, sorry about that. I'll talk to you later.
//click//
Sae: Hello?
Hayata: Ah, it's me,
Hayata.
Ayumu: That's awesome!
Ayumu: Good for you!
Sae: You think...?
Ayumu: Well, you don't have a boyfriend, right? So why not?
Sae: Yeah...but he seemed to be really casual about it...like, you know he was just like all "Let's go out drinking"...
Ayumu: Well, what's wrong with that?
Sae: ....Well...
Sae: I....was really hurt...
by my last relationship...
Ayumu: What did he do?
Sae: He was two-timing me!
Ahaha, I know this kind of stuff happens to people all the time, but still...
//heh//
Sae: I felt like such a loser.
Ayumu: So you're never going to go out with anyone ever again?
Sae: ...Don't say that...

p 88
Ayumu: Yeah, you're right.
Ayumu: If it were me,
Ayumu: no matter what kind of pain I had to endure, I'd just get right up and go on with my life.
Ayumu: I'd live my life as best as I know how.
Sae: (It was strange.
But in the back of my mind, the old "Takagi Ayumu," the one from high school, floated to surface.
She always walked with her shoulders hunched.)
Sae: (She wasn't disliked by anyone,
but she wasn't liked either.
It was as if she was like the walls of the classroom,
or the desks, or the chairs...)
Ayumu: ...Sae
Ayumu: You've got a stray eyelash
Ayumu: on you.
//blush//
Sae: Ah...
Sae: hahahahaha....
Ayumu: You've got a great place here.
Your room's cute too.
Ayumu: The bed,
and the bed sheets,
Ayumu: they really do suit you.

p 89
Ayumu: You've got a really nice garden too.
Sae: What's your place like?
Ayumu: Oh, just your normal apartment.
Ayumu: I don't know why, but I can't seem to keep any plants there, they keep dying on me.
Sae: Oh, I wonder why?
Ayumu: Oh wow! These bring back memories! I used to have them all the time when I was a kid!
Sae: Oh, those are old.
Sae: I have a new box over here
if you want some...
Ayumu: No, that's okay.
[box reads: Biscuit]
Ayumu: This is delicious!
You're very talented at cooking!
Sae's Mom: Why thank you! Have as much as you'd like!
Sae-chan's always complaining about my cooking
//ahahaha//
Sae: Stop it, mom!
Ayumu: Even your bathtub's big! It felt so amazing!
//Thanks for lending me the bathrobe//
Sae: If it`s okay, I'm going to take a bath too.
Drink anything you want.
Ayumu: Thanks.
//click//
//slide//
Sae: (Haha...)
//rattle rattle//
Sae: (Oh stop it...)
//click//
Sae: (I can`t get this grin off my face)
//splash//

p 90
Sae: (Hey Ayu, I'm really glad
we got to know each other.)
//exhale//
//rustle//
//beep beep/
//beep beep//
//beep beep//
//beep beep//
Sae: (I made plans to go see a movie with Hayata-kun)
Sae: (It's almost scary)
//honk honk//
//vrooom//
Sae: (how great things seem to be going lately.)
Sae: (He's late...the movie's going to start soon...)
//beep beep//
Hayata: Kojima? I'm really sorry!
Sae: Hey, what's up? The movie's---
Hayata: Sorry, I got a call saying I have to fill in a shift for someone at work
Hayata: They really needed me so I couldn't say no...
I'm REALLY sorry.
Sae: Oh...
Hayata: Sorry.
Hayata: I'll call you later.
//vrooom//
Sae: Yeah, sure.
See you....
Sae: (What...should I do now...)

p 91
Sae: (I couldn't really absorb the contents
of the first movie I ever watched alone.)
Ayumu: I'm the type
Ayumu: that likes to go to movie theatres alone.
Sae: Really?
But don't you like...feel lonely?
Ayumu: You`re such a kid.
Sae: But don't you want to like, talk to other people about what you thought about the movie afterwards?
Ayumu: Well...
Ayumu: that's nice too,
Ayumu: but personally, I like to just take it all in on my own, you know?
Sae: (Oh...)
Ayumu: Hey, why don't we try calling Hayata?
Sae: Huh?

p 91
Ayumu: He was the one who was a no-show at your date, so you should have the right to make him come out here.
Why not call him?
Sae: (When I told him the name of the place we were at, he said "I'll be there!" and hung up)
[phone reads: "Got it! I'll be right there! Wait for me!"]
Sae: (He really did come right away)
Guy: Hello!
Sae & Ayumu: Sit down.
//sits down//
Hayata: What the hell is this?
I don't know why, but I feel nervous all of a sudden....
//ahahaha//
//giggles//
Ayumu: Are you making sure to go to school?
Hayata: What? Yeah, I go.
Ayumu: You're probably working all the time, aren't you?
Hayata: It's spring break right now, so I have the time.
Hayata: Could I have a Gin Lime?

p 92
Sae: (...Hmm?)
Hayata: So what,
you guys are best buds now or what?
Ayumu: Yep, you got it.
We're tight now, haha.
Hayata: Is that right?
Ayumu: Hey, what kind of comment is that?
//You suck!//
Hayata: You know,
I don't remember much about you from high school,
Hayata: but you've changed.
Not just your looks,
Hayata: but your personality too.
Ayumu: If you don't remember me, how would you know that my personality's changed?
Sae: (He doesn't seem to be in a good mood...)
Sae: Hey, why don't we get some desserts to eat?
Ayumu: You want to? Want to order some chocolates?
Ayumu: Oh yeah, now that we're on the topic of chocolates,
Ayumu: White Day's passed already--- [White Day is when the guys who got something on Valentines Day give back to the girls ^^]
Ayumu: did you make sure to give something in return?
Hayata: What?
Hayata: To who?
Ayumu: Oh don't act dumb.
Ayumu: You do get stuff on Valentines Day, don't you?
Hayata: I don't.
Ayumu: Well then,
how sad of you.
Hayata: What're you being all quiet for?
Sae: Huh...?
Hayata: Say something...
Ayumu: Oh Sae's
Ayumu: been burnt by love lately---
Ayumu: so be nice to her, won't you?
//jerks away//

p 93
Hayata: Will you just shut your friggin' trap?!
Ayumu: Sorry Sae,
Ayumu: I'm gonna leave now.
//thud//
Sae: Wh...
Sae: What was that...
Sae: That was so mean...
Sae: Why did you say something like that to her....
Hayata: I came all the way out here
Hayata: because I thought I was meeting you. ALONE.
Sae: B-But...that doesn't give you the right to---
Hayata: I really didn't want to say this, but--
Sae: (What!)
Hayata: when we were in grade 12
Hayata: I got this letter from her.
[background reads "I like you.
Takagi Ayumu"]
Hayata: It was kinda creepy so I just ignored it.

p 94
Sae: (Ayu's house, was in an apartment complex lined by other apartments that looked just like it)
Boy: Sis~
Boy: it`s for you.
Ayumu: What?
//cough cough//
//slam//
//thud thud//
//creeak//
Sae: Ayu....
Sae: I'm sorry to just barge in on you like this...
Sae: maybe I should've called...
Ayumu: You came because you were worried about me, right?
Ayumu: I'm really happy you came.
Ayumu: Sae,
don't get mad at Hayata, okay?
Ayumu: I was the one who was talking too much.
I`m fine. Really.
Sae: Ayu...
I...
Sae: It's not like I like him THAT much, you know?
Ayumu: ...Oh?
Sae: So yeah...
if...
if....
Sae: If you're holding back
your feelings for him
because of me,
then----

p 95
Sae: (I might've been a bit pretentious,)
Sae: (because the path she went down after changing her looks and becoming more confident in herself happened to be "me.")
Ayumu: ...so you're willing to give him up?
Ayumu: How nice of you...
Ayumu: Then why couldn't you have given me Kougami Ryuusei?!
Sae: (I couldn't figure out...)
Sae: (what she meant right off the bat...)

p 96
Sae: (Oh, right right.)
Sae: ("Kougami Ryuusei" was the guy I used to date.)
Sae: (I don't know why, but his name came out of Ayu's mouth.)
Ayumu: If you were going to break up with him anyway...
Ayumu: why couldn`t you have let me have him...
...I didn't care if he cheated on me....
Ayumu: I became this pretty...
Ayumu: ...just so I could get him...
//rattle//
//GRABS//
Ayumu: Where are you going?
Ayumu: I'm not done with you yet.
Ayumu: Haha
//smiles//
Ayumu: Sa-e!
Sae: ("Discomfort")
Ayumu: I was ecstatic when I thought
how I'd be able to see you at the class reunion.
I thought up of all these mean things I could do to you.
But when you said you weren`t going to show,
I thought, "oh well, what can you do?"
I decided, well then, I guess I might as well go show off my pretty new self to the guy I used to like back then.

p 97
Ayumu: But what do I see?
You came into the place
with his arm over your shoulder!
Sae: (This feeling of discomfort)
Ayumu: What's wrong with this world?
Sae: (was something I had from the very beginning.)
Ayumu: You have everything! You've probably never had to lift a single finger to get everything that you wanted!
You're cute, you're loved by everyone. You even have your father's connections!
Sae: (Maybe I didn't trust my instincts enough.)
Ayumu: You were "hurt" because he cheated on you?
Ryuusei chose YOU over me!
No matter how much I pleaded...no matter how much I cried....
Ayumu: You'd never understand what I...
Ayumu: (You could never understand what I went through...)
Sae: I...got pregnant...

p 98
Sae: But...there was no way I could have the baby...
I couldn't, I just couldn't...
so I went...to the clinic alone...
Sae: Ryuu-chan...was just like...
"oh".....
All he said was "Oh"....
I just couldn't....be with him anymore after that....
so I...
Ayumu: ...You're
Ayumu: such an idiot.
Ayumu: You can't even go to the movie theatres alone.
Ayumu: What made you think you could do something like that on your own?
Sae: ("I know"
"Sae")

p 99
Sae: (Everything was a lie)
//closes//
Sae: ("Your bed....
and bed sheets...
they really do suit you")

p 100
Sae: (The edges of my bedsheets that usually faced the wall
had numerous cigarette burns.)
Sae: ("No matter what kind of pain I have to endure,
I'd just get up and go on with my life"
"I'd live my life as best as I know how.")
Sae: (If this is her idea of how to live her life as best as she knows how,
then I can't hold back my pity for her.)
//rustle//
Sae: (Thanks to her though, I'm starting to see what I'm lacking.)
Sae: (In the near future, I'm planning on telling my mom about my abortion.
My mom's probably going to cry.
Tomorrow's the day I officially start my job at the S-company.
I'm going to turn a new leaf in my life, and do my best!)
Sae: Uu...
Sae: .../hicc//
Sae: Uuu.....
Sae: Uuu.....

p 101
Sae: Bye everyone!
Woman: See you!
Woman #2: Bye!
//beep beep beep//
Sae: Hi, Maru-chan?
Yep, I'm just heading home.
Ahaha, really? Yeah, yeah.
Sae: Oh, sorry. I've already made plans.
Huh? No, I am working! I really am! Haha
Sae: Yeah, talk to you later. Bye.
//click//
Sae: (I haven't seen Ayu since that day.)
Sae: (I still think about her sometimes,
but there's nothing I can do about that.)
Sae: (I wonder though)
Sae: (what it was)
Sae: (that she wanted to do to me---)
//THUD//
//grabs//

p 102
Guy: Hey, sorry.
//THUMP THUMP//
//thump...//
//vrooom//
//honk honk//
//noise noise//
//vrooom//
Hayata: I'm starving!
Hayata: What do you want to eat?
Sae: Yakitori! [Basically shish-kabob (sp?)]
//Yakitori, huh?//
Sae: (Was everything)
Sae: (really a lie?)
Sae: (That)
Sae: (and That?)
Sae: (Even that?)
Sae: (So there's no such thing)
Sae: (as a "see you later" for us anymore?)

THE END