Densen Complex 7

P145

Moon River

P146

On graduation day / we all walked on the riverbank like they did in Kinpachi Sensei.* // That was just last year…
*An old TV show

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And already, I’m being told about my entrance exams to be taken next year.

I’m so tired of hearing it / but I keep being told the same thing…

P147

“If you don’t start studying now, you’ll never make it into I University.”Yeah, I know.

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If I waste my entire high school life studying non-stop… / I’ll get into a good college, but so what?

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Plus, if I get rejected, who’s going to take responsibility for my wasted time?

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It’s a student from Matsunogawa Girl’s Academy… They’re so lucky their school follows the escalator system so they don’t have to study. // They’re born lucky and so they’ve got fewer troubles…

P148

Oh no / our eyes locked… [*cough*]

Girl: Um…

P149

Girl: Do you have // a cell phone?

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Guy: No…I don’t. // Sorry princess, I’m poor.

Girl: Aw…

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Girl: Then / uhh // can you go call this number from a nearby phone booth?

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Girl: Can you tell them I need to be picked up?

Guy: Uh… I would if you were sick or something / but if you’re feeling fine, can ya do that yourself?

P150

Girl: [Hmmm] I would if I could… // But this it the situation…

Guy: Her leg…

P151

Girl: But whatever. / If you’re in a hurry, I’ll just wait for the next person who walks by.

Guy: Uh / no / sorry…

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Guy: Crap / I panicked… // Uh // sorry // if that’s the case…

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Guy: Wait / where’s / the phone booth? // A phone booth… // Act cool. / Act normal.

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Guy: I’ll go find one!

Girl: Uh…

P152

Guy: Pheww / that was crazy.

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It’s / not my fault. // I didn’t notice it at first. // It wasn’t like… // I was a jerk on purpose…

P153

Girl: Who were you going to call?

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Guy: I’m… [*pant*] // an idiot… [*pant*] // sorry.

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Guy: Thanks.

Girl: [Oh] wait a second!

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Girl: Why don’t you rest a bit? / I know you’re in a rush // but you’re all sweaty…

P154

Guy: Okay… // But…

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I don’t know // what to talk about…

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Or where // to look…

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Uhhh…

Girl: You know…

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Girl: If my leg is bothering you / it’s fine. It’s only natural to be surprised by it.

P155

Girl: I’m Haneda Maiko. / A first year at Matsunogawa Academy. / And you are?

Guy: Uh… / I’m a second year at Yanagawa Kita High. I’m Matsuda Mizuki. [yup]

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Maiko: Second year!? / So I have to speak honorifically…

Mizuki: Uh no / don’t.

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Maiko: Do the girls and guys get along in a co-ed school?

Mizuki: I guess… / but not especially.

Maiko: Are you preparing for the cultural festival yet?

Mizuki: Some of it… I think…

Maiko: So soon!

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Maiko: By the way… / You can ask me questions too. // Even about my leg.

P156

Mizuki: She… / sees right through me! // Uh… // yeah // ok? // Um…

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Mizuki: Um… When I was trying to explain things on the phone, I was stuck… // how did you end up all the way over here?

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Maiko: I walked.

Mizuki: Huh?

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Maiko: Yeah / really. // I have an artificial leg so I can walk. // But… / it…

P157

Flashback:

Girls: Haneda-san!

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Maiko: What?

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Girl: Is it true you received a letter from Kenji?

Maiko: A letter? // Yeah, I did…

Girl: Why!?

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Maiko: Why…? / I don’t know, he gave it to me with the book I lent him. // Maybe it’s about the book.

Girl: It can’t be!

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Girl: It’s not fair… / Trying to steal him away… [*sob*]

Girl: Don’t you know? Yuka like Ken-chan.

P158

Maiko: I know… / I do know! // But I don’t plan on doing anything with him…

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Girl: Liar! // We let you in our group because we pitied you!

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Girl: I bet you used your leg to make him empathize and like you!!

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Maiko: Take that back!

Girl: No way / why would I? // You’re the wicked one.

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Maiko: Apologize!

Girl: NO / way! // I’m leaving!

P159

Girl: OW… / WHAT // Miki! Hold back her arms!

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Maiko: Stop! / Stop it! // What are you doing!?

Girl: What is this… / how do you remove it? // I don’t know.

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Girl: It came off!

P160

Maiko: So // it’s somewhere over there.

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Mizuki: What // what the hell? // That’s terrible…

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Mizuki: Aren’t you in trouble?

Maiko: Yeah… / It was hard getting used to it… // And it’s not cheap to make either.

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Maiko: But it’s too dark now. / And it’ll be washed away by tomorrow. // I’ll just stop thinking about it…

Mizuki: NO!!

P161

Maiko: Wha / wait… // Wait / it’s okay!

Mizuki: It’s better to look now!!

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Maiko: Oh / noo…

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Mizuki: Ughh / it’s dark and I can’t see… // and it’s gross…

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Mizuki: It’s… / kinda // gross in here. // And I bet there’s glass in here… / oh boy.

I’m regretting this a bit.

P162

Mizuki: Around here?

Maiko: Yeah. // It fell around there / but you can stop.

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Mizuki: This / is going to be harder than I thought.

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But I didn’t want to quit.

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She’s a girl that can’t walk // and I didn’t want to feel guilty by just walking away.

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I didn’t want to be like those girls / that just “pitied” her.

Am I just stubborn? / Or a show off?

P163

But

Mizuki: [Squish] AGH! // I stepped on something!! // What is it?/ It’s definitely not what I’m looking for…

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This is tough.

Maiko: Uh… / you should take a break. // Well no, / you can stop.

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Yeah // maybe I should just stop.

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Mizuki: Are you mad? / At those girls? // I can help you get revenge. / Do you want me to threaten them?

Maiko: No! / Don’t worry about it.

P164

Mizuki: But / they’re so horrible… // They’re just jealous // and take out their anger this way. // And saying they only hung out with you out of pity…

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Maiko: It’s okay. / Those girls think they’re better than the girl without a leg / but can only truly “win” by doing things like this. // I’ve never wanted to trade lives with anyone / and I’ve never felt sorry for myself.

P165

Maiko: I am sad that my friends were not really my friends. / But I’m the winner out of this if they’re so low they can only attack my disability. // Right?

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Mizuki: I’m going to look again.

Maiko: No! / It’s fine! / So you can stop. [It’s dangerous!]

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Maiko: What if you get hurt!? [I can’t help you, you know!]

Mizuki: It’s okay! // I’m responsible for myself.

P166

Mizuki: It’s not raining so it shouldn’t have been washed away too far. // Is it around here?

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Mizuki: Wow! / Who threw the bottle in here? // It would have been bad if it was broken!

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Mizuki: Wow! // What’s that? / It was moving! // It slid by / my legs…

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Question: // Note all the ways in which that girl is better than you.

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Mizuki: OH!?

P167

Mizuki: I found it. // I found it!!

P168

Maiko: Ooph. // Okay…

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Mizuki: Oh / you can’t tell at all.

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Maiko: Right? / Look, I can walk normally.

Mizuki: Oh / wow, you’re right.

Maiko: I can even run too!

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I study // because I’m told to…

Maiko: But / it was hard to get this far / you know.

P169

Everything I’ve been doing was because I was told to.

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Mizuki: Can you swim too?

Maiko: I’m practicing.

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Maiko: Aren’t there other things you want to ask / aside from questions about my leg?

Mizuki: Huh!?

I think there are plenty of things // she can teach me.