Desire 24

Every once in a while, there is a day that's a cause for celebration. But what starts out as an ordinary day that comes once a year for Takashi...may be more celebratory than usual!

File: 24: BIRTHDAY PRESENT?

122.
Takashi: Yesterday, my father sent me a Rolex, which I usually use.
Takashi: Today I'm 28. It was a birthday present from my father.
Takashi: Well...since it is my birthday, it's not really a special day but...

123.
Takashi: ...!
Takashi: It's lucky that I'm sitting on the morning train.
Takashi: I'm lucky again! I'm surrounded by young women in mini skirts. The flowers are blooming just in this car.
Takashi: If I always had this sort of priveledge, the train commuting to work would be interesting.

124.
Takashi: A college student.........?
Takashi: ...!!
Takashi: Somehow today is lucky.

125.
Woman: I'm sorry!
Woman: Kya

126.
(PANTY SHOT!)

127.
Takashi: Whatever I've gotten with this morning's commute, I feel great.
Voice: Good morning.
Takashi: Good morning!!
Man: Are you in a good mood? Your face is grinning.
Takashi: Ah...well, a bit.
Man: Ah, something came for you at the reception desk.
Receptionist: We've received the materials from the PR of Shueidou.
(TN: An obvious parallel to "Shueisha", the manga company who published "Desire"...though there is a Chinese camera sales company called "Shueidou" so take as you wish)
Takashi: Thanks.
Receptionist: Ah...um

128.
Receptionist: There's something in your hair......
Takashi: Huh?
Receptionist: It's trash.

129.
Takashi: .........
Receptionist: Pardon...me.
Takashi: Thank you.
Takashi: All these stimuli in succession has made me in a weird mood since this morning. Shouldn't I calm down for a bit?

130.
Voice: I'm so--rry.

131.
Takashi: ........
Woman: Thank you!

132.
Man: Fujii.
Man; Hey, Fujii!
Takashi: Huh...!?

133.
Takashi: Are they making an AV film here?
(TN: Rather important term to remember: A.V. is "Adult Video", basically Japanese porn with actresses who become notable by which)
Man: AV?
Man: The AV film is...where?
Takashi: ...
Takashi: Um, no, it was nothing.
Man: Hey, you've been strange since this morning. Is this spring fever?
Takashi: Really, what exactly is wrong with me today?

137.
Takashi: So I could regain my mind, I immersed myself in my work that afternoon.
Receptionist: What floor?
Takashi: Um...first.
Takashi: ......

138.
Takashi: In truth, she was rumored to have graduated from a mission-type university and with good pedigree. Miss Receptionist, who is the face of HQ, may truly be shy towards bawdy delusions.
Receptionist: Ah, um...
Receptionist: I've...been strange today.
Takashi: Huh...?
Receptionist: How do I say it...I've been worried about a man since this morning...
Receptionist: It was seen by a man I didn't recognize on the train. My...shy imagination has......
Takashi: .........

136.
Receptionist: Even if it was......that sort of man.
Takashi: Well...that's natural.
Receptionist: I...I'm going to take a break for thirty minutes. I'll be breaking in the Receptionists Break Room in B1.
Takashi: The reason I've been informed of this invitation is that today I......

137.
Receptionist: I...I...haven't...always been a bawdy woman but...

138.
Receptionist: AAH......
Receptionist: AAH!! I'm...so embarrased...
Receptionist: No, I'm already dying.

139.
Takashi: Hey, we're being filmed. Are you stimulated in seeing yourself?
Receptionist: Huh...Th...this is...!!
Receptionist: If it's me.

140.
Takashi: I'e had too good a day...
Takashi: And yet it's my birthday...it's as if it's a present from god.
Takashi: .........
Takashi: It can't be: was this arranged by Rikako, a long time after she's dissapeared...she could have done (out loud) Fu...
Takashi: --THIS EASILY

TN: Yeah...it's rather unknown whether Rikako was manipulating things once again (for the first time in forever but perhaps the last) but it did seem really coincidental that all this happened in one day, whether it was the subway train or the whole receptionist bit...well OK, I could see Takashi daydream of naked girls playing badminton but only because of what happened in the stewardess chapter. I guess that this chapter, which considering "Desire" is in a bi-monthly magazine would have celebrated a year by this point, was just sort of a little fantasy where Takashi had a nice day for himself instead of a whole lot of psychological mumbo-jumbo and manipulations. And I guess that's all we can say about this chapter: cute fluff, nothing more...though I wish we did get more BG on the receptionist.