Hell Teacher Nube 139

Finally back in her adopted home of Doumori, Yukime may think that her problems regarding winning over Nube is finally over, but just like she has changed, so has Nube's love life situation...

#139: Doumori Elementary: The Great Love Melee!

159.
Nube’s Caption: Indecisive
(TN: The term used in Japanese for Nube in this chapter the Japanese word “Yuujuu Fudan”, which has a literal translation of “Consistent Indecisiveness” but also has a meaning of the slang term “shilly-shaly”. Since “indecisive” is a general term used for it as well, I just used that, but considering that “yuujuu” is “indecisive” on its own and “yuujuu fudan” emphasizes the consistency of the indecisiveness, it feels stronger to think of it as Nube being constantly indecisive…which in his case in this chapter, is just going to be trouble)

160.
Narrator: Yukime has come home to the town of Doumori. But Yukime, who has died once and been reincarnated, is, so you say, a different person…like long ago, she worries on how to love Nube.
Sign: Casa Ooyuki
SFX: Ju--…ju--…
Yukime: Fufufu: the Yukime of long ago couldn’t make hot cuisine, but the powered up me can do as such. Well then…I’ll take this bentou and go intrude on Nueno-sensei’s place. (heart)
(TN: Yeah, Yukime does literally say “intrude on Nube’s”; the verb “oshikakeru” is used here, which is “to intrude on”)

161.
Yukime: If I think about it, Nueno-sensei made a confession of love to me…he’s already earnest for me.
Nube: Yukime, you like me. You love me.
(TN: I really don’t know whether or how to approach the “confession” here considering that Nube merely seemed to acknowledge Yukime’s love in that chapter, but here it seems like Nube is saying that he loves Yukime. I may have to look back at the original chapter to take the approach…but for the moment I made it how it was in vol. 13…though knowing Yukime’s mind, she could have adjusted the confession to make Nube literally say “I love you” instead of “you love me”.)
Yukime: Even my heart is returning to the former Yukime and…
Yukime: It’s a matter of time until the two of us return to our former passionate couple.
Voice: Ara, Nueno-sensei, just a moment.
Nube: Eh? Ah, OK.
Voice: Don’t move.

162.
SFX: Gan!
Nube: Ha ha
Ritsuko: There, that’s it. You had a rice grain attached…you’re like a child, uhuh. (heart)
Nube: Ah, th…thank—you, Ritsuko-sensei.
Ritsuko: Let’s go quickly. We’re late.
Yukime: Fu: he’s not earnest for me…
SFX: Piki piki

163.
Nube: Hmm hmm
Page: 0 Points: Tateno Hiroshi
SFX: Sura sura
Miki: A—ah, Nube is just so cheerful.
Kyouko: Well that seems like it, it’s because his beloved girl has come home.
Kyouko: Invite us to the wedding.
Nube: Hahaha, the congratulations tip will be a 10,000 yen a person.
(TN: Nube is speaking of a phenomenon known as a “shuugi”, which translates into a “congratulatory tip”, a traditional monetary amount given by people at a ceremony to congratulate someone for their new, better position in life)
Miki: Chie, that’s an uninteresting development—
SFX: Gara
Kyouko: Ah, she’s here.
SFX: Tsuka tsuka tsuka

164.
Nube: What’s wrong? Ah, bentou? Thank you. Eh? It’s piping hot?
(TN: Sort of strange but basically Nube uses a word here that Yukime used earlier in a different context: “atsuatsu”. When Yukime used it, it referred to “Passion” as in a “passionate love”, but the “atsuatsu” used here by Nube refers to the piping hot meal that Yukime made for him….due to her passionate love)
Nube: That’s—right—Yukime-kun has come to make warm meals…I’m glad, it’s really…piping…
SFX: Paku paku
Nube: Hoot--!!
(TN: This bit was just too good to do in English: Nube literally goes from “atsuatsu”, which is “piping hot” to “achia”, which is him screaming out literally “hoooot” akin to the word “atsui”)
SFX: Goooo
Yukime: A-ra, did I put in a bit too many condiments? It’s difficult to figure out human tastes, fufu…why, because I’m a youkai.
SFX: Kyari
Packages: Karashi | Wasabi | Tougarashi
(TN: While quite a few people know about the various seasonings, I’ll be going through all three of them to make sure we know what they are:
-Karashi: mustard based on the crushed seeds of the Brassica juncea (mustard greens/chinese mustard), generally used as seasoning and for pickling flavors.
-Wasabi: the notable Japanese horseradish also known as Wasabia jabonica, generally seen and known for its heated flavor akin to hot mustard.
-Tougarashi: Also known as Capsicum annuum, it is a perennial notable for it’s growth in southern North America and northern South America; it includes many varieties of peppers, including chili peppers and hot peppers that are grown such as anaheims, cherrys and jalapenos, as well as the Japanese pepper used in Kung Pao chicken and the non-hot bell pepper. While it obviously is some hot pepper that Yukime used, it’s tough to tell from its name which type of pepper it was, thus I kept it in Japanese)
Miki: This has become somewhat interesting.
Ritsuko: Ah…
SFX: Basa basa

165.
Ritsuko: Yu…Yukime-chan…you’re alive…after all…
Yukime: It’s been a while…you’re actually Ritsuko-sensei…are you…
Ritsuko: Well…that’s good…
Ritsuko: !
Ritsuko: Wh…what’s wrong, Nueno-sensei, you have lips like Hasedon…hold on, my Nueno-sensei!
(TN: “Hasedon” refers to the lead character of an anime released in 1972-1973 by Soueisha (a company formed my members of the original Mushi Productions established by Osamu Tezuka and which would ultimately evolve into the modern anime studio Sunrise) about a “Hase” (a type of goby fish in the suborder gobioidei) who makes a promise to be “become the strongest fish in the world and head the southern seas.” He was notable for his large lips and for palling around in his adventures with Shiiran the mermaid and Buuyan the fugu)
Yukime: Hold on…Ritsuko-sensei said “my”…? Nueno-sensei told you that he liked me…
Ritsuko: I understand…but I thought about it afterwards…in truth, I realized the merits of Nueno-sensei later than you did but…I intend to not lose my feelings of love for him.

166.
Ritsuko: Because I like Nueno-sensei…even if he doesn’t turn around for me…I plant ot not give up until he’s married to you.
Yukime: That’s sly! In spite of you being harshly cold up to now, at this point you’re…
SFX: Gya—gya—gya—
Ritsuko: What are you saying! I…Ah—this has gotten serious!!
SFX: Za—
Miki: Here, get out there, Nube.
Nube: Al—right.
Yukime: Hey, teacher, say it to her! “I love Yukime; I’m not interested in other women”.
Nube: ? Ah…alright.
Ritsuko: Nueno-sensei.
Nube: Eh—we…well it’s like that.
SFX: Jiwa--…

167.
Ritsuko: No, that’s…what are you saying,? With that…
SFX: Shiku shiku shiku…
Nube: Ritsuko-sensei, please don’t cry. It’s not like that I hate you…well…
SFX: Ira ira ira (irritate irritate irritate)
Kyouko: Nu…Nube
Miki: This is fun, this is fun.
Yukime: Clear this up!! Which do you like: me or that woman? Because I’ll go home to the mountain immediately dependant on the answer!
SFX: Byuoooo
Yukime: Well, which is it!? Which is it!?
Nube: Ah, ah… (um…well…)
Yukime: Me!? Ritsuko-sensei?

168.
Nube: Uh
SFX: Bi!
Yukime: ?
Yukime: ?
Nube: Ah, huh?
SFX: Kaku kaku kaku
Mami: Agamemnon Ogamemnon, Nueno-sensei will cling all over me, Nueno-sensei will cling all over me.
SFX: Ooooh…
(TN: Yeah…there is her…)
Nube: He…hey, Mami-sensei, pl..please stop this.
SFX: Beta beta beta (cling cling cling)
Mami: Aah, stop it, no, you’re so dirty Nueno-sensei, more!
Yukime: Wh…what: that random woman whose like some generic character is…
(TN: Yukime really doesn’t call her a “generic character”; she uses the expression of “henohenomoheji”, which is in reference to seven characters used to create a “normal/random” sketch face in Japanese. The name refers to the characters used for the face: “heno heno” (two eyebrows and eyes made with “he” and “no”); a “mo” for a nose, another “he” for a mouth, and “ji” for the face)
Miki: It’s terrible! His mid-day liaisons with Kuroi Mami-sensei have been made public--!
Kyouko: Miki!

169.
Yukime: I…don’t believe this…you’ve been making good friends with extremely various women; what about your confession of love to me? I had come to continued to think about this man for five years…
Yukime: I’m going home to the mountain! And I’ll return to an atrocious youkai who attacks humans again! You indecisive man!!
SFX: Byuuuu
Nube: Yukime!
Mami: ?
Miki: Fu…happiness is a fleeting thing…
SFX: Hyuuu…

170.
SFX: Hyuuu
Yukime: Hmph…that Nueno-sensei…these humans…
SFX: Bari bari bari
Yukime: I hate them—
SFX: Don! Doon
People: Waaa

171.
Narrator: Regarding here…even though Yukime’s soul had returned to before after a long time, it again returned to cruel yukionna that was indoctrinated by the Mountain God.
Yukime: Haa…haa…
SFX: Shuuu
Yukime: Right; it seems I’ll return to the mountain. I’ll go home by freezing men and bringing them with as a souvenir.
Yukime: Ah, I found some nice men. Ah I like this one here too!
“Man”: I’m in danger—
“Man 2”: Uwa!
“Man 3:” Wh…what is this!?
Yukime: Waa, it’s the style of Kimutaku.
(TN: As mentioned before, “Kimutaku” refers to SMAP member Takuya Kimura)
Yukime: And that’s Nakai-kun
(TN: Another SMAP reference, Masahiro Nakai is known as the lead member of the band and is also well regarded and notable for his film and TV roles)
Yukime: Ahahahaha: I’ll go home taking all of you with!

172.
Men: Aaah… | Uuuh… | Hii~~~… | Save me~~~…
Yukime: So then…well, shall I genuinely freeze all of you?
SFX: Suta
Yukime: A yukionna…freezes men she sees suitable and makes a collection of them on a snowy mountain…all of you will live for eternity within ice…well, with this technique…
Yukime: Take the pledging kiss…when you do, both your body and soul will freeze at once…and you will be mine for eternity…
SFX: Hyuuu…

173.
Nube: Hold on, Yukime! Don’t kill people not connected to this!
SFX: Za
Yukime: What!? You indecisive man!
SFX: Giro!
Nube: Ah…no, in truth I…well of course but…
Nube: I love only you! Believe me!
Yukime: Enough; I won’t be turned to you no matter how much you say it.

174.
Yukime: !!
SFX: Ba
Nube: Do it to me!
SFX: Kashi
Yukime: Hmph…understand? If you kiss the me of now, you will become frozen and be in my collection.
Nube: As you wish: I’ll become frozen…and live with you on the mountain.
SFX: Hyuuu…
Kyouko: Nu…Nube, do you want to die!?
Miki: Well

175.
Yukime: !
Yukime: ………
Yukime: Nueno-sensei…

176.
Yukime: Nueno-sensei…
Miki: He didn’t freeze…
Kyouko: Yukime-san, you understood Nube’s true feelings and your warm heart has returned. Thus, even your technique was interrupted.
Nube: Di…did my feelings get transmitted a bit?
Yukime: Yep!

177.
Yukime: Teacher’s love really was for real…I’m sorry that I doubted it…
Ritsuko: Nueno-sensei—are you alright!?
Ritsuko: Kya
SFX: Baki baki baki
Nube: Watch out!
SFX: Baki—n!
Ritsuko: Te…teacher…
SFX: Po…
Yukime: You’re indecisive after all! You lecher, Don Juan, I’ll freeze you!!
Nube: No, um, I was…..
Miki: Hey, this reborn Yukime-san has a violent personality.
Kyouko: They’re a couple who bother other people…
(TN: The “couple who bother other people” is acutally in Japanese “hatareiwaku na kappuru”, with “hatareiwaku” literally being “a nuisance to other people”)

TN: So...is this finally the end of "fickle, evil, Mountain God-controlled Yukime"...or is this something we're going to have to put up with from here on in? I know that Yukime has somewhat changed due to the Mountain God screwing with her when reviving her and making her more like a typical Yukionna, but somehow some of these measures, particularly in this chapter, just really bugs me. In particular, the one factor that I really can't stand is that Yukime now is choosing certain moments when she can "be a typical yukionna" alongside her moments where she has her devoted passion for Nube. My problem is that...well, some of what she's doing now is more deliberate than what she did when she first showed up way back when. When she first arrived, she did know of yukionna lore and what she should do, but that was merely a misunderstanding of her concepts of love due to how well Nube treated her as a kid, which was merely fixed with a stern approach by Nube. But now, whether it being Yukime herself or just the "other side" that the Mountain God implanted into her when bringing her back, she seems to at times prefer to actually do these cold, callous things in order to "be herself" even though she knows otherwise. At this point, it makes me feel like Yukime knows but was just being defiant to her loyal, gentle nature just for spite and because of how heartbroken she gets when Nube does ignore her or go around with other women.

And speaking of that...somehow this chapter just never felt right to me, like it felt like something that would come from a second-rate romance-comedy manga than from Nube...well until the end, but we'll get to that. We know that since Yukime died, everything changed from how it had been prior due to certain aspects of story that were good, such as Ritsuko-sensei finally realizing Nube's value and coming to like him for it...not to mention sillier aspects like Mami-sensei. I like this and sort of figured it was going to lead to a more interesting storyline...but instead, we now have two pushy females going after Nube, a third running amuck in obsession, and Nube just stuck in the middle with a wishy-washy attitude that makes me think he's Ranma Saotome. The worst of it in some ways is just Yukime just refusing to admit or acknowledge that anything has changed and that she has more work to do to fully win Nube for herself. She thinks that either Nube was already hers thanks to the incidents that have previously occurred or that "if she can't have Nube, she'll turn evil again and just do what yukionna should typically do". As much as I love Yukime, this just makes her seem selfish and over-possessive, let alone fickle for not caring what everyone else is doing or that Ritsuko-sensei is now a legitimate rival who knows Yukime loves him but still wants to try for him until their legally married. For the most part it nearly made me worry about her depiction and that it was all just a set-up for more Ranma-esque chaos that could get old quick...(the only funny part of which is Miki's reactions watching things rapidly fall apart and getting enjoyment from chaos)

But somehow...the chapter was saved at the end with the way Nube finally approached calming Yukime down. While some would say it was just an excuse to have Nube and Yukime kiss, the way it was done was with class and cool: Nube knew that Yukime still cared and that by forcing her to kiss him with her "yukionna freezing kiss", she would not freeze him due to the reawakened emotions within her. It shows that even with the stupidity and the moments that feel like a much worse series, it finds a way to restore itself to a interesting and emotional ending that allows for things to fix it's problems and bring about the charm this series will have. (well outside the weird punchline but it sort of shows that this isn't quite over yet...well with Ritsuko's interest and Yukime still obsessive...)