Wa! 14

[Scanlation with this translation reserved for otakami]

WA!
Chapter 14


p.01 (109)
Chapter 14


p.02
Kangaroo Bumper

MIZU: These rugged bumpers that are on many recreational vehicles are apparently called “roo bars.” [1]
KIKU: Wow...

KIKU: It doesn’t really look like a kangaroo at first glance...
KIKU: I wonder why they’re named roo bumpers.
MIZU: That is...

MIZU: Because they were created [ b]to make it so your precious car won’t break[ b] even if it hits a kangaroo or something.
Guy: Oh!
SFX: bam
SFX: graah
Guy: My car was fine thanks to the roo bar!!
SFX: whine~ whine~

[none]


p.03
Cows are Mammals Too

MIZU: “I couldn’t care less if a kangaroo that’s a mammal like us humans were to die or whatever if it’s to protect my precious car.”
MIZU: ...Maybe that’s what the people who created it thought?
KIKU: Well... even if you ask me...

MIZU: By the way, in the country the roo bar was created in, kangaroos are treated as vermin,
KILL
MIZU: And I hear the meat of the kangaroos that are killed is chopped up and sold at supermarkets like it was normal.

[none]

MIZU: ...And they talk about whales... [2]
KIKU: S...stop it!
KIKU: Stop the statements that could make enemies!!


p.04
This is an Individual’s Opinion

TEACH: When I was in elementary school, they served fried whale for school lunch like it was normal.
TEACH: There were a lot of guys who said it tasted bad, but I liked them quite a bit. I was happy whenever they served it at lunch.

TEACH: But now it’s a luxury from scarcity...
It’s become a food that can’t be reached by commoners.
SFX: blow
TEACH: You’d have to give it up if there “isn’t any,” but it’s tough if there “is” but you couldn’t get it...

[none]

TEACH: ...So basically what I want to say is,
TEACH: You don’t have to get whales if it means having other countries complain about it.
※ This is an individual’s opinion
KIKU: ...I see...


p.05
What Are You Saying?

TEACH: It doesn’t really matter, but are you guys okay with spending your precious after-school time idling around in a place like this?
TEACH: As highschoolers, aren’t there other things you should be doing?
KIKU: Oh... Umm... I was thinking I could study after getting home...

TEACH: [ b]What was that!?[ b]
SFX: crash

[none]

TEACH: Studying after getting home...
SFX: rawr
TEACH: [ b]Are you stupid!?[ b]
KIKU: Huuh!?


p.06
High School Girl

TEACH: You guys’re on-duty now so you may not realize it yourself,
High school girls have value just by being “high school girls.”
KIKU: I... I see...

TEACH: They are always at the center of youth,
Always at the center of trends—
TEACH: An existence that draws in people’s hearts just by virtue being there————
That’s what a high school girl is!

[none]

TEACH: .........
SFX: depressed
SFX: sigh...
TEACH: I’m the pathetic shadow of a woman who squandered her high school days...
KIKU/MIZU: [ white bold].........


p.07
Lost Generation

At that time, I rigidly believed “the me before 20” shapes “the me after 20~~”
And I rejected and repelled all sorts of temptations and desires and completely immersed myself in my studies each day.

Was that really the right thing?
I obtained a secure income and social status as an instructor at the best prep school in the prefecture.

KIKU: Wow...
MIZU: You used to do your best, huh, sensei.
TEACH: .........
TEACH: “Used to”?

MIZU: ...It doesn’t seem like you’re working hard now, no matter how you look at it...
KIKU: Mi...Mizukichi!?
TEACH: .........


p.08
A Lost Age

TEACH: ...It’s true that I’m living aimlessly now.
SFX: shock
KIKU: Sh...she’s admitting it, this person!!

TEACH: Thanks to having worked hard in my years as a student, I’m able to live a stable life even in this recession... I’m able to live like that, but there’s always...
Something empty to these days...

Whenever I feel like that, you high school girls that I see look bright like the sun to me...
And I can start to cry from that brightness, thinking “I should have had a time like this”...

TEACH: ...Heh
TEACH: A laughable story, right?
KIKU/MIZU: ...We can’t laugh.


p.09
They Said It’s Mao Zedong’s Words

TEACH: If you guys also do nothing but studying, you’ll turn into a boring adult like me.
SFX: blow
TEACH: Learn in moderation and play in moderation.
I’m saying it’s important to keep everything in balance.
KIKU: Sensei...

TEACH: Well, this is a real [ b]teacher by negative example,[ b] [3]
SFX: bam
TEACH: Am I right!?

[none]

TEACH: ...What’s wrong
TEACH: Laugh.
KIKU/MIZU: ...We can’t laugh.


p.10
Break 34

UME: The third that happens corner!
UME: This time’s theme is “common lines in battle manga”!
SAKU: Yay~

UME: [ b]Fast!
SAKU: [ b]Slow!

UME: [ b]Did I do it!?
SAKU: [ b]It’s useless!

UME: [ b]C...could it be!?
SAKU: [ b]It’s exactly what you think!


p.11
Photo of Memories

KIKU: Whatcha looking at Riko?
RIKO: Oh, Isana-chan
RIKO: It’s an old picture.

KIKU: Wow, that’s cute!
The girl on the right’s you, right Riko? Who’s the one on the left?
RIKO: It’s Onii-chan.

[none]

KIKU: Annie-chan?
RIKO: It’s Onii-chan!


p.12
Do Not Abuse

KIKU: Uum... by Onii-chan, you mean [ b]that one[ b]...?
Box: That one.
RIKO: Yeah, that’s right.
RIKO: He’s cute, right? Kouta onii-chan.

KIKU: ...Why’s he dressed like this...?
Mutter: It looks good, but...
RIKO: Kouta’s mom actually wanted a girl but after Onii-chan was born she couldn’t have any more kids,
RIKO: So she always had him dressed up as a girl.

KIKU: Really... So...
RIKO: Onii-chan doesn’t like it when I look at this picture even though it’s so cute.
RIKO: He always takes it from me and tries to delete it.
KIKU: That’s, well...
Mutter: Not like I don’t understand...

RIKO: Even though you can always duplicate digital data.
SFX: ahaha
KIKU: You say some scary things nonchalantly, Riko-san...


p.13
Substories Suddenly

Box: One day 11 years ago
KOUTA: ...Oh
Box: Kouta Kakitsubata, 5 years old

KOUTA: [ b]Welcome home Daddy!
SFX: flap flap
DAD: .........

DAD: ...Kouta...
KOUTA: ?

KOUTA: What is it Daddy...
SFX: snip


p.14
Barber Papa

DAD: ...This one too.
SFX: snip
KOUTA: Aaaaah!?

KOUTA: Wh...what’re you doing Daddy...
SFX: grasp
KOUTA: !?

DAD: ......
SFX: squeeze~
KOUTA: [white bold]......?
KOUTA: [white bold]......??

DAD: ...I’m sorry for everything until now, Kouta...
KOUTA: ...?


p.15
Madman Papa [4]

DAD: You were forced to look like this even though you’re a boy...
It must’ve been difficult up until now.
KOUTA: Huh? No, not really...

DAD: [ b]But that ends today!
DAD: [ b]Daddy will be divorcing Mommy!!

[ b]Huh?

DAD: You don’t have to listen to that damn woman anymore!
You can live like a man from today!!
SFX: Fufufu hahaha
SFX: rumble [all over]
DAD: No! In fact, you must live like a man!!!
KOUTA: .........


p.16
People Have Histories

Daddy and Mommy divorced and I’m going to be living with Daddy.
Bag1: sep [cut off]
Bag2: burnable trash
Daddy says to throw away all the girl’s clothes and stuffed animals so I’m throwing them away.

Daddy says to live like a man so I’m going to be living like a man.
DAD: I’m home, Kouta~!
KOUTA: Oh! Welcome home Daddy...
SFX: snivel
KOUTA: ...Wait,

KOUTA: Mommy...!?
MOM: I’m home Kou-chan!
Oh, short hair looks good on you too!
SFX: Hi~ <3
SFX: hahaha
DAD: Hey Kouta! I’m sorry for worrying you, but we got back together again!!
DAD: Couples gotta have a good fight every now and then!

DAD: Well! You’re in elementary school starting next year, so it was a perfect opportunity, eh!?
SFX: kya!
MOM: I’m sorry for everything until now, Kou-chan!
SFX: grip
MOM: Be manly from now on, ‘kay!!
KOUTA: ......
Kouta Kakitsubata, he is a boy that was at the mercy of others.———


p.17
Riko-tan Quiz

RIKO: They say “to look for with eyes like plates,”
It’s a quiz
RIKO: But what kind of eyes do you think “eyes like plates” are? [5]

RIKO: Why don’t you try doing it?
SFX: glare
KIKU: Like this?
SFX: stare~
MIZU: Is it... like this?

[blank]

RIKO: Both of you have funny faces~
SFX: ahaha
KIKU: What’s the answer!?


p.18
All Okay

RIKO: [ b]Isana-chan is correct![ b]
SFX: stare~
Plate
RIKO: Opening your eyes to be as big as plates is “to make your eyes like plates.”

KIKU: [ b]I did it![ b]
MIZU: ...I cannot accept this.
SFX: hrmph
RIKO: Huh?

MIZU: Isn’t the plate’s primary characteristic “being flat”?
Plate
Bowl
Square plate
Long plate
MIZU: And there are square plates and long plates as well...

MIZU: [ b]I won’t accept this![ b]
MIZU: ...However, since it’s a quiz Riko-tan gave, I’ll accept it!!
[ b]Riko-tan’s the best~!!![ b]
SFX: grip
RIKO: Ehehe
KIKU: .........


p.19
[none]


p.20
[none]



~~notes~~
[1] These are called “kangaroo bars” in Japan, while they are called “roo bars” in Australia and “bullbars” in other countries. The name bullbar comes from cattle (as opposed to kangaroos). In fact, according to Wikipedia, “‘roo bars’ generally refer to a light-weight bullbar, suited to sedan vehicles; however, both ‘bullbar’ and ‘roo bar’ are somewhat interchangeable.”

[2] Well, there’s been a huge controversy with Japan hunting whales. I don’t know how much I should say... Uh, what I could find out was that Japan started whaling in reduced quantities (mostly minke whales) for “scientific/research purposes” once whaling was banned by the International Whaling Commission (which seems to have little actual authority).

[3] 反面教師 is a term used by Mao Zedong, referring to how instead of correcting or evicting someone who was wrong, he would be kept in the organization and assigned to a trivial post with no status or authority as an example for others to not follow.

[4] Just a note saying these papa titles were sort of puns, バーバーパパ baabaa (barber) papa and “puttsun papa.”

[5] Oookay, well, in English it’s “eyes like saucers,” but in Japanese it’s just “plates”... so I had no choice but to leave this section like it was in the original...