The Chrysalis and the King 1

Title: Sanagi to Ousama (The Chrysalis and the King) by Natsumi Rin
Volume: 1 (of 2)
Chapter: 1
Translated by: Oceansportrait
Translation Completed: Feb 12, 2007

Legend:
// - action
[] - translator's notes
() - character's thoughts

Pg 1:
Sanagi to Ousama (The Chrysalis and the King)

Natsumi Rin
Shocomi Flower Comics

Pg 2:
[no text]

Pg 3:
Teacher: Tsumura.
Teacher: Tsumura Sekina?
Teacher: She's skipping AGAIN?
Teacher: Does anyone know why she's not in class?
Well, it looks like SOMEONE doesn't care about what happens to her future.
//whisper whisper//
//rub//
//squish//

Pg 4:
Sekina: You're so lucky.
//squish squish//
Sekina: You never have any problems.
All you have to do is eat all day---
//flutter//
[paper reads "Mid-Course Questionnaire" It's a form that students have to fill in listing what their top choices are for high school in terms of which school they want to go to.]
[second comic panel has most of the sentences cut off, so I'll list what's still visible:

list the top 3
discuss with your parents
You have until the

ce | Number 2 choice |]

Sekina: I don't have time to think about stuff like this.
Sekina: And it's not like I could talk about it with my mom....
//rip rip rip rip//

Pg 5:
Sekina: I haven't even...
talked to her in over two months...
Ageo: Hey, what's with you and school?
[SL: Ageo: You skipped AGAIN?]
Ageo: You're not going to go anywhere in life if you don't manage to get into high school.

Pg 6:
Sekina: Geez! Not you too--!
Who are you to say anyway? YOU didn't even go to high school!
//pissed//
Ageo: At least I managed to get IN. [SL: I quit half-way, but still..]
Ageo: That's exactly why I'm worried about you. You have this habit of relying on people too much.
[SL: Ageo: I was once your age too, so I know what you're going through.]
Sekina: But school's so boring...
Sekina: and my teacher's the type who has his "favorites"...
Sekina: I hate people like him, so once, I told him exactly what was on my mind...
Sekina: but the only thing that came out of it was him glaring at me...
Sekina: (I know everyone felt the same way, but they didn't back me up at all.)
Sekina: (I was more shocked over that than anything else.)
Sekina: I don't see the point of studying anyway...

Pg 7:
Ageo: What about your parents?
Ageo: Aren't they worried about you?
Sekina: Who knows...
Sekina: I can never tell what she's thinking...[she said "she's" on purpose. She's the daughter of a single mother.]
Sekina: Hey, let's just forget about it. I'm hungry, Ageo! [SL: Whip me up something to eat!]
Ageo: Whatt---? Fine, fine. [SL: Yes, princess.]
Ageo: I'll be stopping by the bank on my way to the superstore. [SL: You're in charge while I'm gone!]
[SL: Sekina: Okay--!]
Sekina: (I'm just tired...)

Pg 8:
Sekina: (of being hurt...
No one ever understands my feelings anyway...)
Sekina: But...
I wonder if I'll have to live my whole life like this...
Sekina: (Having to live...
with a lid over my feelings forever...)
[paper reads:

Looking for New Band Members!
Guitar/Drums
Anyone who wants to enjoy music!

Ask for "Ageo" at the Rave.]
//creak//
Sekina: Ah..
Sekina: I'm sorry but we're closed--

Pg 9:
Yanagi: Is Ageo here?
Sekina: Ah!
Yanagi: "Ah"?
[SL: Yanagi: What?]
//stare//

Pg 10:
Sekina: Yup. You pass on the looks scale!
//squeeze//
Sekina: So what's your name?
Yanagi: Yanagi...[SL: Er..]
Sekina: What can you play?
Yanagi: Some guitar...
Sekina: Wow! This is awesome! You're just what he's looking for! How old are you?
//grab//
Yanagi: 21...
Sekina: Double wow! You're the same age as Ageo! Then what, you're in college right now?
Yanagi: Yeah, I am. What's it to you?
Sekina: I'll put in a good word to Ageo for you if you want to be in the band!
But don't even think about slacking off!
[SL: Sekina: You have to be serious about it too!]
Sekina: Ageo's really serious when it comes to music.
Yanagi: ...Okay..

Pg 11:
//creak//
Ageo: Hey, Yanagi!
Long time no see! What's up?
Ageo: When did you get back?
Sekina: (Eh..?)
//blank//
Yanagi: Just today.
Ageo: Oh, Sekina. He's a friend of mine from high school.
Sekina: (Whatt...then why didn't he say anything earlier?! [SL: I completely thought he was--])
Ageo: What were you guys talking about?
Yanagi: She was trying to hit on me. [SL: She suddenly grabbed my hand.]
[arrow reads "He's not lying"]
Ageo: Way to go, Sekina!
//glance//
Yanagi: Haha..
She was pretty bold...I like that in a woman.

Pg 12:
Yanagi: But I'm not going to fall for you that easily when you're lacking in some departments.
//pull//
//snicker snicker//
//blush//
Sekina: (Who died and made him king---?!)
Sekina: (Why is a guy like HIM friends with Ageo?!)
Ageo: Sekina, could you make the salad? [SL: Coleslaw please!]
Sekina: Whatttt! Why?! [SL: You're better at cooking than me!]

Pg 13:
Yanagi: Make something worth eating, okay?
//smile//
Sekina:(What an..)
//pissed//
Sekina:(...ASS!)
Sekina: You can't have any!
//stalks off//
//snicker//
[SL: Yanagi: She's pretty amusing..]
[mangaka's message:

Hello, I'm Natsumi Rin!
This time around, with "Sanagi to Ousama", I was aiming for a more serious storyline.
To tell you the truth, the original story I had in mind was really really dark.
But I tried to make it so that it wasn't so different in terms of atmosphere from my other works.
What do you think? (laughs)

I have this personality that makes me hard to write a story that's inbetween genres.
So it has to be either a super serious storyline, or a super comedic storyline.
That's why people are always telling me: "Why don't you write stories in the middle of the two?" Haha.
But it's always impossible for me to do so so I always end up wracking my brain over it!

Anyway, I hope I can one day be able to write serious and comedic stories.
As long as I have two elements in me whether it be between genres or otherwise,
I don't want to have to decide on just one, and I don't think I have to.
Because by leaving both options, it just opens up a whole new field of opportunities!]


Pg 14:
Ageo: Can you make it tonight?
Yanagi: Yeah..but I won't be able to stay long.
[SL: Yanagi: I still haven't unpacked.]
Ageo: I heard you're going to stick around for a month.
Did you go back home yet?
Yanagi: ...no.
Ageo: ...okay...
Ageo: So anyway, I didn't know you were into girls like her.
Yanagi: Oh, you mean, Sekina? [SL: Are you worried for her?]

Pg 15:
Yanagi: Don't worry. For the whole time, I was just thinking how great it is for people like her. People without problems.
[SL: She could probably live off of her energy alone.]
Ageo: Haha, aren't you being a bit harsh?
Ageo: Even though she gives off the vibe that she does, she has problems of her own too.
Ageo: I can't understand what she's feeling because she never talks about anything serious.
Ageo: But deep inside, she probably feels depressed and worried, just like the rest of us.
Only, she's the type to never show her weaknesses.

Pg 16:
Ageo: She's kind of like you, in a way.
Yanagi: ...
Sekina: Hey, Ageo!
Sekina: Could I steal some of the left-over lettuce?
Sekina: I want to give it to the caterpillar at school!
Ageo: She skips school to feed the caterpillars. [SL: Did she get hit over the head when she was a kid or something?]
Sekina: You make it sound like it's a bad thing! [SL: So what? He's cute!]

Pg 17:
Ageo: He lives in a tree, doesn't he? [SL: He doesn't need extra leaves.]
Sekina: You don't get it at all!
Sekina: Lettuce is something even humans think is good!
Sekina: Wanting to feed something you think is good is called "being a parent"!
//h--//
Yanagi: [SL: HAHAHAHA] So that's why you're feeding them?
[SL: Yanagi: She looks so serious.]
Yanagi: You're cute, you know that? Ageo, give her the lettuce or whatever.
Sekina: (What's his problem...)
Sekina: Hey, you! If you were a caterpillar, what would you think? Wouldn't you want lettuce too?!
//tap//
Yanagi: Eh? Me..?

Pg 18:
Yanagi: Let me think...
Yanagi: Maybe...I would want some.
//thump//
Yanagi: What I want most of all though
might not be lettuce...

Pg 19:
Yanagi: but rather...the warmth of a person reaching out to me...
//swish//
Yanagi: He's doing pretty good for someone who's looking for new band members.
Yanagi: He always looks happy when he's up there singing. It's been that way for a long time.
//exhale//
Sekina: (He surprised me.)

Pg 20:
Sekina: ("It might be the warmth of a person reaching out to me that I would want most of all")
Yanagi: What?
Sekina: N-Nothing...
Guy: AHAHAHAHA
//snickers//
Guy #2: And listen to this--
Guy: Whoa! Seriously?!

Pg 21:
//pissed//
Guy #2: And then---
Guy: Geezuz!
//crackle crackle//
Sekina: Hey! Don't talk so loud, you're ruining it for the rest of us!
[SL: You're being rude to the people up on the stage too!]
Guy: Hah?
Guy #2: We paid good money to get in here.
We can do whatever we damn well please.
Guy: And then---
//hahahah//
//stomp//
Guy: AH!
Guy: What the hell---
//push//
Ageo: Sekina!!

Pg 22:
//mumble mumble//
[SL: Girl: What's going on?
Girl #2: What happened---]
//grabs//
Sekina: Hey! What do you think you're--
Yanagi: This isn't your place to start a scene.
//tense//
[SL: Guy: Hey!]
Sekina: (Wow...
...he didn't even say much and they...)

Pg 23:
Sekina: (Ah.)
Ageo: Hey, are you okay, Sekina?!
Sekina: Ah, yeah!
//hides//
Sekina: I'm 100% A-OK!
Sekina: Sorry to cut in like that!
Ageo: Geez. Be careful, okay? [SL: You scared me.]
//slap//
Sekina: Hahaha, got it, big brother!
Ageo: We're going to keep at it, so don't even think about leaving, everyone!
People: Ahahahaa

Pg 24:
Yanagi: Why are you hiding it?
//thump//
Sekina: ...hiding what?
Yanagi: Your hand...
Yanagi: you hurt it, didn't you?
Sekina: (How did he
know?)
Yanagi: You don't have to hold it in.
Yanagi: It hurts, doesn't it?

Pg 25:
Sekina: ..Ye..ah...
Sekina: (How)
Sekina: But
I can't make Ageo more worried than he already is.
Sekina: (can you understand that I "hurt"?)

Pg 26:
//pull//
Sekina: (Eh...)
Sekina: W--WHAAA!
You don't have to! Look! You've got blood on your lips!
//blush//
//slap//
Yanagi: Oh? Yeah..
//thump//
//thump thump//
Sekina: (Why..)
Sekina: (am I...)
//tie//
Yanagi: This is just a quick fix. Make sure to bandage it once you get home.

Pg 27:
Yanagi: I'm going. I'll see you around.
//chuckles//
Yanagi: Don't overdo it.
//thump thump thump//

Pg 28:
Sekina: I'm home---
//click//
Sekina: (My mom's been working day and night ever since the divorce.)
Sekina: So she's working overtime again...
Sekina: or maybe she's seeing HIM...
//close//
Sekina: (I'm)
(alone.)

Pg 29:
Sekina: (In the world enclosed in darkness,
I'm alone...)

Pg 30:
Teacher: You'll be teaching the grade 9 div. 2 class.
I think you might find it a bit tough as a substitute teacher during the exam season, but you'll learn alot.
Teacher: I should warn you though about a bothersome student in that class named Tsumura Sekina...
Teacher: I don't know if it's because she doesn't have the drive, but lately she's been skipping most of her classes.
Teacher: Keep in mind though that at this important time of the year, there's no time to be wrapped up caring for one particular student.
Man: Tsumura...
Man: Sekina...?
Teacher: I should show you your classroom.
Teacher: The morning class should be starting soon.

Pg 31:
Sekina: So you've finally become a chrysalis...
[SL: It's no fun when you're not moving at all!]
Sekina: And after all the trouble I went through to get you the lettuce...
Sekina: When you're just looking at a chrysalis...
you can never be sure if he's alive or dead...
Sekina: (It's the same...
for...)
//rustle//

Pg 32:
//slide//
//tie//
Sekina: Hehe.
Sekina: I wonder if he'll come to the shop again...
Sekina: (Now that I think about it...did he ever say what his name was..?)
Man: What are you doing, Tsumura Sekina?
//tense//
//slip//

Pg 33:
Sekina: Kyaa--!
//grab//
Yanagi: I told you to bandage your hand up.
Yanagi: How long are you planning on leaving it like that, idiot?
Sekina: Y-
You!
Sekina: W-Why?!

Pg 34:
Yanagi: I'm going to be teaching your class for a month.
Yanagi: I'm here as part of my teaching program. My name's Yanagi Akiya.
Nice to meet you, Tsumura. [he makes an emphasis on "Tsumura" as noted by the dots beside the name.]
Sekina: (Eh?!)