Happy Negative Marriage 2

Happy Negative Marriage, Chapter 02.

Alright everyone, after much delay, here's my translation of HNM Ch. 02 sans arrogance and bombast.

As always, please get my permission before using this TL, especially while it still has the TL check banner on it. I'm planning to redo some portions of this chapter based on feedback I've received, so please stay tuned.

Raws for this chapter may be found here. Note: The page numberings are w.r.t. the downloaded raws, NOT the online reader or page numbers in the images!

Conventions: Names are spelled out the first time, abbreviated thereafter. Sentences that break across bubbles are continued with lowercase letters and properly punctuated as though they were a complete line. Sound effects are translated with SFX. Translation notes to the editor (not for publication) are marked with "Ed:" Other "TL notes" may be published if you want to edit them in.

01
Top: The Good-for-Nothing Bachelor's Larger-Than-Life Love Story
Box: No matter what, it's certain that
Box: the other party is going to turn me down.
Box: “Her partner, after all, is me,”
Title: Amazume Ryuuta presents “Happy Negative Marriage”
(Summary box not translated. Read chapter 1 instead.)
Box: I kept telling myself.
Woman: This is Keitarou Satou-san.
W: He is 30 years old.
Box: I have to put up a good fight.
Box: Because
W: Satou-san is your uncle Hatsuhiko's employee. / Hatsuhiko couldn't make it here today.
W: But...oh well. He's a busy man. / But! He's wants to hear how it goes. Isn't he such a wonderful person?
Keitarou: The boss...That's right. / Even if she were to refuse me...
Kei: I have to complete the interview so the boss won't / think less of me...

02-03
Box: So / No matter how beautiful she is,
Box: I can't lose my nerve.
W: Alright then, Satou-san, / this is...
Box: That's all.
Box: Just this one time so that
Box: this person I'll never meet again
SFX: Gulp
Box: This person...
Shimako: Nice to meet you. / I'm Shimako Akio.
Title Happy Negative Marriage
(Bottom text not translated. Just an advertisement.)
Tagline: Won't this marriage interview be a struggle?!
Box: That photograph / doesn't do this hottie justice!!
Kei: I mustn't get d-d- / drawn in by her!!
Kei: Y-Y-Y-Y-
Kei: Y-Y-
Kei: You / ...too.

04
W: Well then, this is where I... / stop being a fly on the wall.
Kei: Huh? Already...?
Kei: Oh!! Uhh, thank you very much.
Mako: Thanks a lot, Auntie.
W: Mako-chan, contact me when you get back to the hotel. / ...oh, and,
Kei: So she's / ...called Mako-chan, / then...hm.
W: ...take care...k?
Mako: Of...course...
W: Ok, from now on... / It's just the young couple. / OHOHO
Kei: She's actually saying that aloud...
Box: ...Sooo
Box: What now...
Box: Keitarou...huh?

05
Box: I'm TOTally
Box: clueless!!
Kei: If I lose my cool, they'll... / say...loser.
Kei: They'll go on and on about it. / And the boss's impression... / In order to prevent that...I must
SFX: Jingle (Ed: An earring, maybe?)
Kei: take the lead.
Both: So, um!!
Kei: Ahh!! / Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-You first.
Mako: Oh...no / It's ok.
Kei: I-I am so screwed!!
Kei: Guh...
Kei: Awkward silence...
Box: Calm down, man!! / She looks nervous too.
Roommate: What is your annual income, Satou-san?
Box: Didn't I practice this stuff last night?

06
Kei: Are you trying to get married to my annual income? / ...Sempai, do you really expect me to say this?
RM: OF COURSE!! / She'll definitely ask!
RM: They only think of marriage interviews like finding a job. Throw away your dreams, Keita!!
Kei: That's right! / I at least wrote down a few safe questions.
Kei: Now... / To get my cheat sheet
SFX: Crinkle
Kei: There. / Now, nonchalantly, without exposing them...
Kei: Ummm...
Box: Non-cha-lant-ly (Ed: This is pre-hyphenated to prevent confusion in typesetting the narrowest bubbles. Others will be marked similarly below.)
Box: Let's...see...
SFX: Crinkle
SFX: Crinkle
Mako: Huh!?
Mako: Uhh?
SFX: Squeeze
SFX: Crunch

07
Mako: You too...
Mako: We both made up a
Mako: cheat sheet, huh.
Kei: Yeeep <3
Box: Things...just got
Box: suddenly...
Mako: I-I don't really / have many chances to talk to guys.
Mako: Last night I asked my little sister about what to say. / I mean,
Kei: Yeah, me too.
Box: more...enjoyable.
Mako: So, um! / What did you write on yours, Satou-san? / Let me see it.
Kei: Huh? / Uh...Uhhh
Mako: Ah, oh, well then. / Shall we swap lists?

08
Mako: This is the first time I've done a marriage interview. / Mama...
Mako: No! I-I mean, my mother!! / suddenly wanted to talk with me and...
Box: But I'm still...
Kei: Is that so. / I-I feel like I'm the same.
Kei: My folks are really stubborn!
Box: I see...So even Akio-san, who's
Box: new to this too, seems...
Mako: Ah! Satou-san, your family is from Niigata, aren't they.
Mako: I live in Niigata too, you know. <3
Mako: Hm? / Ummm
Kei: Ah... / Her lips...
Mako: Hm? Just now
Mako: Did I...have an accent? / Awww...
Kei: are so / glossy...
Mako: To be honest / I'm not actually from Niigata.
SFX: lick
Mako: ...Oh? / Satou-san?
Mako: Umm
Mako: What's...up?
Box: interested...I...think.
Kei: I just spaced out...
Kei: Watch where you're looking, Keita!!
Kei: A-Ah! / It's getting kinda...warm.
Mako: Oh! Yeah, you're right!

09
Kei: Whoa? Hha?
Mako: Me too!! / Probably because I'm tense... / I'm all sweaty now.
Mako: I shouldn't have worn long sleeves.
SFX: Flap (Ed: 3x)
Kei: Gha? / Sm... / Smells good...
SFX: Sniff Sniff
Kei: Perfume? Sweat? / Citrusy...Eh?
SFX: Ba-dump (Ed: 3x)
Kei: Uh oh!! / I finally calmed down... / What am I thinking!? C'mon!! Calm down!!
SFX: Sigh <3
Mako: Let's see... / Ah! <3

10
Box: Haah...Well,
Box: Good.
Mako: So your job...you work in manufacturing, huh?
Box: Akio-san stated that gently.
Box: She seems so nice.
Kei: Well...It's a sort of plain job.
Box: I guess the report the boss gets from her
Mako: How nice.
Mako: I admire stuff like in-dustrial work. (Ed: Pre-hyphenated)
Box: At this rate, / when the interview is over I might even...
Mako: I'm just a dental assis-tant, so I don't know / much about other occu-pations. (Ed: Pre-hyphenated)
Mako: Now / open wide and say ahhhhh <3
Box: Akio-san's
Box: nurse outfit?
Box: Nurse Outfit
Kei: Whoa / GAH!!
Kei: Wh-What am I imagining here!?

11
Mako: Umm, Satou-san?
Kei: Ha!?
Mako: I noticed something...written on your note sheet. / What's this “Ask about video games.”?
Kei: GAH!! / Uh...Umm
Mako: G-Games are my only real hobby. / Em-bar-rass-ing. (Ed: Pre-hyphenated)
SFX: Ohhhh <3
Mako: Is that so. / I was told that English conversation was your hobby... / Games, huh...
Kei: Dammit, mom!! Stop being so fucking pretentious!! / What kind of hobby is English conversation anyway?
Mako: PYOING!!

12
Mako: If!! / If you like games,
Mako: What about Maruo? (TL Note: I think this may be a play on Mario Bros.)
Kei: A...HHA!!
Kei: Ma...Maruo imitation? / Uhh...
Box: ...Wait.
Mako: Ah!!
Mako: I-I give up!!
Box: I'm...
Kei: Ohh, I'm-I'm sorry.
Kei: Uh...Umm... / Do you like Maruo?
Box: You mean I'm
Mako:Yep! / Maruo's awesome, isn't he. <3
Mako: I mostly just play that series!! / Oh, and RPGs with my little sister...
Box: having a totally normal
Box: con-ver-sation with (Ed: Pre-hyphenated)
Mako: But I'm really bad at it... / It always turns into a Maruo massacre.
Kei: Speaking of Maruo,
Kei: you know there's a movie coming out soon?
Box: ...a...woman?
Mako: A Maruo movie? / Is it an anime?
Box: Me? ...But...
Kei: No...Unfortunately, I'd be pretty surprised / if it turned out to be an anime.
Mako: Whaaaa!? Now I'm interested.
Box: since when did I...

13 (Ed: Starting here, I'm combining consecutive bubbles that form complete lines as long as nothing else seems to be interrupting. I trust you're smart enough to know what goes where. Just keep reading everything in the Japanese order: top to bottom, right to left.)
Box: ...That's not it.
Mako: Awesommmme! <3
Mako: How cool!!
Box: Akio-san is
Box: enjoying this...too.
Mako: It's Hibiya Park <3 / I've only ever seen it on
Mako: TV! <3
Kei: Is this... / a date...? / A date... / Me? On a date?
Box: This girl...even with someone like me
Box: who's never...

14
Box: felt like this with a woman...
Kei: I want / to feel this / forever...
Kei: Hm? Forever!? / W-What am I thinking!? / It hasn't even been four hours since I met her!!
Kei: This is bad. But! But in such a short time / Akio-san has been so kind to...
Kei: Forever...
RM: A woman's kindness / is fake! / Keita!
RM: It only looks like they're being kind to you!! / It's their survival tactic.
Kei: C'mon, sempai...
RM: There's a dark side to their kindness. / They expect you to get roped in by it.
Kei: You're just trying to persuade yourself of that... / Some-thing prob-ably happ-ened. (Ed: Pre-hyphenated.)

15
Roommate2: If a woman's being nice to Keitarou, / there's probably “sales” involved! / Let's be real.
Box: Well...even if some evil woman were trying to
RM2: It's not a question of possibility for me... / Alright! Uncle!! Uunnncle!!
Box: deceive a worthless guy like me, / it's not like I have anything to lose.
Box: Nothing...but, / but...I still look
SFX: clench (Ed: as in teeth)
Box: ...like I'm terrified.
Mako: Ah!
Box: Expecting to be double-crossed, / or being made to expect betrayal / really sucks.
Mako: That's right, I forgot all about it!

16
Mako: Here! Take this!!
RM: At a marriage interview, the guy.../ pays the bill even if it kills him!! / It might appear fine to go Dutch at the time, but later on, your reputation will...women are horrifying!!
Kei: Huh? What's this for?
Mako: This is for the restaurant we were at! / I noticed that you paid for everything earlier.
Kei: Ahh! No!!
Kei: It's fine, really!! / Y-Yeah.
Kei: We should go get dinner soon.
SFX: ba-dump
Kei: Ahhhhh, seriously...
SFX: ba-dump
Kei: I don't have any skills with, or resistance to / women at all...I can barely even make conversation. / This has got me... / totally confused.
Kei: Ah...oh well, after dinner
Kei: the interview will at least be...

17
SFX: STUFF <3
Box: So...Soft
Box: A hand?
Box: Feels like...
Box: Huh?

18
Mako: Satou-san! / The money in your pocket...
Box: Ahh...
Mako: is sticking out. <3 Better take care of it!
Box: Oh...c'mon
Box: Gawd...
Box: ...da-
Box: dammit!! Akio-san...Gah!!
Kei: Right!!
Host: Satou-sama's dinner reservation / was set for 6 PM, however...
Host: I'm very very sorry, but / it was moved to 8 PM. / Another customer already had that time reserved...
Box: Good grief...
Box: This is what happens when you're not used to going to fancy restaurants...

19
Box: So the place Kawakami told me about is no good.
Kei: Y-Yeah, that's right... / There ought to be a suitable place on this scene street. (Ed: scene needs to be X-ed out in your typeset.)
Box: I'm just...out of options now...
Kei: ...A grown man should know these things...but this is my first time
Mako: Wow / This is great. / Tokyo is so amazing. / So much night-life. <3 / Wowww <3 (Ed: Pre-hyphenated.)
Kei: For now I guess the marriage interview is,
Kei: well...I can say it concluded. / It's only facing the boss.
Box: ...But
Box: ...Yeah, this is
Mako: Cool <3
Box: This is where it comes to...an...end.
Box: So...now I have to / ...part ways with / ...Akio-san?

20
Box: It's time...
Mako: Hakkai-ten (TL Note: Name of the sake on the sign)
Mako: ...Uonuma (TL Note: Probably another sake)
Box: to say good...bye
Kei: Huh?
Box: I just want
Kei: Uh...Umm / A-Akio-san?
Mako: AH!? / Y-Yeah!! Wh-What should we do?
Kei: U-Umm...
Box: just a little bit more
Kei: Akio-san...d-do you happen to like bar hopping?
Box: time / together,
Mako: Ah!? Well!! Not really!! / ...Just, I-I was just thinking / th-this looks like a Niigata local sake...
Box: ...that's all.
Kei: It-It looked kinda like you were interested in it. / Sh-Should we go for a drink, then?
Kei: Can you have a marriage interview / ...in a bar?

21
Mako: Ah, B-B- / But we can't!!
Box: Akio-san...wants to go home...maybe?
Kei: No, I mean, / just a little. / How about it?
Mako: Uh... / Y- / Yeah...
Box: Is she going to hate me because / I'm...stalling for time?
Mako: Ye-Y-Yeah. Let's do it. / Just a little.
SFX: Gleam
Mako: If / If it's just a little bit, / then it's fine!
Barkeep: Come on innnn!

22
Mako: W-Well then...umm / May I?
Box: Today was quite
Kei: Yeah! / Please. Please.
Box: a day...to spend with someone like me.
Mako: Bottoms up! <3
Mako: MMM...
Mako: Ahhh <3 / So del-icious... (Ed: pre-hyphenated)
Mako: It's been so long...
SFX: Sigh...
Kei: She's so happy she's crying?

23
Boxes: Thank you, / Akio-san. / I'm happy you're enjoying this. / She even...seems to feel thankful / Just wanting to drink... / wanting to be with me, / this is / a pretty good way to end a marriage interview / ...or so I thought.
Barkeep: Um / excuse me

24
Barkeep: I'm afraid it's last call.
SFX: Gulp
SFX: Zzzzz <3 (Ed: 2x)
SFX: Grip...
Kei: Alright. / Check, then, please.
Endline: Keitarou...Now what are you going to do!?
Bottom: Happy Negative Marriage

HNM 02 END