Mirai No Utena [ Tower of the Future ] by Hiwatari Saki Translation Key -- within a line indicates a different part of the same word bubble (when they are fragmented into parts) one carriage return indicates a separate word bubble in the same panel. two indicates a new panel. a "-" surrounded by blank lines indicates a new page. "" indicates speech. {} indicates thought. () (sometimes within "") indicates cursory speech or noises that are handwritten instead of printed. [] indicate translator's notes. // // indicates other written material. Volume 2 Hana to Yume Comics Mirai No Utena -Look in the Future- Volume 2 Hiwatari Saki - Table of Contents Mirai No Utena 2... 5 Utena Club .... 175 Cover Page Collection.... 183 - Mirai no Utena Introduction to Characters Appearing so Far Takeru: A boy with a rich imagination and a lot of worries. Ichigo: An energetic, light-hearted girl. Takeru cares about her. Zen: A mysterious kindergartener. Hyoujuu: Takeru's half-sister by a different mother. Kento: Takeru's father. Kimie: Takeru's mother. Died in an accident. - Mirai no Utena. Level 1 - The Birth of a Heroine - Q: Zen-kun, tell us. Are you Takeru-kun's child!? (Tamami in Kawasaki) (what's with that sweatdrop!?) "WHUAOHUHHHHHT!??" - //staaaaaare......// //whap// "Yo! -- Still in a fantasy world with 'Ichigo-chuwan'!?" "Ah.. -- Daigo..." - "...What." "...What's the matter?" "...Well, you see..." "Dad..." "said to me yesterday..." "that he wouldn't -- bring Hyoujuu into our house." - "Hunh -- well, there's a victory for you!" ".................." "...Well... - yeah, I suppose." "The aftertaste is bad, huh?" "....Yeah, that must be it - after all, you've bent your mom's last words." "For you, you decided for some reason -- to make your mom's last words -- into 'Go to Honami'." "Well, she really did want me to go to Honami!" - "But you know - I wonder why your mom wanted you go get into Honami so badly." "I don't know. She kept going on and on about me being bilingual from now on..." {Well, that's because you can completely absorb yourself in studying English there!} {Why don't you go to one of those language schools?} - Ah.................. "I see........!" I'd need to know English... if Hyoujuu was going to live with us! - Mom was already, from that long ago, getting ready to welcome Hyoujuu into our family! "D... don't cry, Takeru..." "I'm not crying!" The dream I had that night... was a dream of Mom, hanging up many, many bright white sheets that she had just washed. - When I turned around, as far as I could see, bright white sheets were spreading out, over the surface of the earth.... {"You see, Mom [referring to herself in third person] is washing and drying sheets for everyone, for every day from now on."} {"Takeru's, and Dad's, and Hyoujuu-chan's... we need many, many sheets!"} - {"And your mom's really busy - I have this to do, too!"} [she's holding up an iron] {If I just hang them out to dry, they'll go up with wrinkles that won't go away. So I'll spread them out nice and flat, and then I'll tuck them onto your beds."} The sheets, flattened by the iron, melded into one, and the bed they enveloped was round. They continued all the way to the horizon. - As Mom became smaller and further away, I waved my hands to her, and shouted out in the dream. {"I understand, Mom. I understand."} It'll be okay now.........! - When my eyes opened, I felt kind of refreshed, somehow. - "Good mor.... ah! -- Dad... you made breakfast." "Yup. -- I can't guarantee the taste, but..." [this is something standard you say in Japanese when you make a meal.] "Um, you know..." "Hm?" "You said to me -- that Hyoujuu wouldn't come to live in our house, right?" "The breakfast is so-so." "Oh.. I see." - "And by saying that..." "you really mean -- that even though she won't live in this house -- you want to let her live in Japan, right?" (flap flap flap flap) ".....I thought so." "And if I were to say 'No' to that, too?" - "...I'd quit." - "...Heh, heh." "It's okay, Dad. -- I'll live with her." - "EH!?" "With Hyoujuu." "And you," "here, together." - "Takeru.....!!" "However! -- that's only if she takes over all the household chores... that's why!" "After all, I am going to get into Honami. -- So I don't have any time for that!" - "I'm leaving!" (Kashan) Dad.... he thought he was in real trouble for a minute. (snicker) And still he went and said "I'd quit." I feel like I... want to overthrow the sin of not letting Hyoujuu come live with Dad... at least -- that's how I'm going to try to thnk! - Besides, despite all of this I really am busy. I can't keep moping and mucking about around this place. "...A sister, huh..." "Onii-san, good morning!!!" - "My goodness, the weather is lovely this morning. -- Even so, it has been getting gradualy colderlaterly." "So, may I ask how your entrance exam studies are going?" "Zen-kun." "Yes? "Zen-kun, do you have an older sister?" "....Uh............................." (gulp) "...Why do you ask?" "Do you?" "Um, yes." "Huh. Only one?" "No... I have four older sisters..." "Four!?Wow - that kind of reminds me of the four Pooky Sisters from the commercial." - "Introduce them to me one of those days." "EH!!!!!? No, that won't work! I can't!!" "Why?" "To have you meet with them would be so-so-so-so-so-so-so very very very frightening...!" "It's better for you if you give up the idea!" "If you're going to go that far to deny me, that just raises my interest instead...!" ([doppyu]) "Please forget it! I'll be heading home for today!" - //I am the teeeecher// "Honami... you say..." "It'll be... close." "............." "Hey, 'close' is still good! -- For me, it came down to one word. -- That word was 'Quit!'" "Hunh, Daigo. Did you really want to try for Honami anyway? -- Does Rikitake know about this?" - "It's not good for you, Take-chan!! [lit. not safe] -- Why don't you go to Tennendou with me?" "Tennendou?" "It's great, Tennendou is! -- They've got tons of sports, and the grounds are huge." "And as a plus, I hear the girls' school uniforms are cute!" "You did swimming until your second year. Are you not going to, anymore?" "Tennendou, huh...." "Um -- excuse me!" - "I'm sorry to interrupt you in the middle of your conversation." "Um... could you be... Matsuyuki Takeru...kun?" "Uh.... yeah -- that's right....?" "Eh? Who's that, who's that?" "I don't know!" "I'm sorry to appear so suddenly! To tell you the truth, my name is Uchigaki Junna..." (spread) "and this is who I am." - "Huh!?" "In other words, I'm a good friend of hers from a pen-pal relationship. -- Hyoujuu's, that is." "Could we possibly talk, just the *two* of us? -- Is that all right? I'm sorry." "You can eat more of whatever you like -- Takeru-kun." (smilesmile) ".........." - "...And... what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" "Well. -- I wanted to say thank you. -- So, thank you." "Huh?" "About the matter of Hyoujuu's living with you. You allowed it, right? I heard on the phone from Hyoujuu..! -- I'm so happy, you'd think it was happening to me!" "And Hyoujuu, too... on the other end of the receiver she was crying..." "...saying she was so happy she couldn't believe it -- and that it was a miracle." - "Ah! I'm sorry, I'm talking nonsense. -- I should start the story from the beginning." "I'm 20 years old, a year older than Hyoujuu. -- We started exchanging letters when I was thirteen." "I applied to get a pen pal because I wanted to improve my English. And Hyoujuu wrote that she was trying to learn Japanese on her own... -- Ever since we've been steadily corresponding. On the phone, of course, and we've met a number of times too." "We taught each other our language and hit it off very well.... -- And Hyoujuu can already speak incredibly well. She's really fluent in Japanese!" "Also, thanks to that, I have a job having to do with English translation." - "So that's why ... I've come to understand Hyoujuu's side of the situation." "Hey -- have you ever seen -- a photo or something of Hyoujuu?" "Uh.... -- No..." "I have one on me right now! -- Take a look. She's so pretty." "Don't you think?" - "Y.... -- yeah..." "I'm sorry to surprise you. -- But I wanted to do something. -- At least I wanted to help you understand Hyoujuu some..." "She's a really good girl. She's tenacious." "Her personality is sort of simple and grounded -- as though if you had to pick one, the Japanese side of her nature were stronger." "I'll give you that picture. -- Take it." - "....And? -- What else did she say?" "Hm... she talked a lot, but -- I guess I don't remember it very well...." "Hrm.... -- What a weird woman." "In any case, the one thing I do know from listening to her is this -- ...you see...." "Junna-san knows Hyoujuu verrrry well." - "And as for me, I don't know" "one-single-thing" "about Hyoujuu....." "Not a thing." [jp. sae ne-no] "I've made my decision... but still.." "...to have this... unusual [lit. heterogeneous (!?)] thing -- come into my life all of a sudden this way..." "into the lifestyle I've had up until now..." "It's like this realism that's suddenly coming at me -- and I kind of... don't like it..." - "...Yeah." "I can understand your feelings..." This strange sensation... "Yeah..." kind of reminds me of the time Mom was in the accident. - Why does this sort of thing have to keep running at me at top speed all of a sudden? "Takeru....!" "Right now... I'm on an international phone call with Hyoujuu.... but I guess she... wants to talk to you." ".....huh...." ([gyo]) - "Ah... it's okay. Hyoujuu speaks Japanese." "S...ure." "'Moshi...' erm... 'Hello'?" [spoken in English'] "Is this Takeru-kun!?" - "This is Takeru-kun, isn't it? -- Ah! ... I'm so happy.... what should I do..." "Uh... um... yes, that's me -- um, nice to meet you." ([shidoro modoro]) "I.... Um....." "..............." "...What's wrong?" "...I think -- she's kind of... well... crying..." - "I..." "I don't want you to... cry." "Ah.... I'm s... sorry...." "Um...... uh........... w... would you let me hear the truth, please?" "Is it really -- truly all right for me to go to Japan...?" - "Ah...." "....yeah." "It was my mom's... last wish and all..." For a moment, I was confused. "Really...? -- Thank you -- Thank you so much, Takeru-kun!" - "Wow -- what a beautiful 'onee-sama' she is..." "How did you know she was my 'onee-sama', I wonder...." - "HUH!?" "No, no, no, that's not it. It's just that a person call all older women 'onee-sama'!" "Isn't that right, onii-san!!!" "Ohhhh? So I'm 'onii-SAN' but she's 'onee-SAMA'?" [the sama indicates a knowledge that it is the older sister of the person one is talking to.] "It-it-it-it was a slip of the tongue!! -- B... But never mind that, onii-san. -- So when will you be going to meet that onee-sama!?" "You'll be meeting her when she finally comes to Japan, isn't that ight? -- I would love to meet her as well!" (snap) - "How come you know all of that?!!!!" //hiccup// //fwump// ":sniff:..." (hah) "hiii-c" "A!" //UWANNNNNNNNNNH!! WAAAA!// "(Now I've done it!)" - What am I doing?! He's just a kid!!! //WAAAAAA// "Ah... my bad -- I'm sorry, Zen-kun." //WAAAAAAGH// "You're okay.... right? -- Hey, I'm apologizing, so..." "could you stop crying? For me?" "(I'm begging you!)" //AAAAAAAAAAAA!// Aa-u-g-h! I'M the one who wants to cry here! "(*sob*)" //WAAAAAAAAAH// "Oh my. -- You're crying so much." "Did you fall down or something?" - "I'm terribly sorry. I suppose my little brother did something...." "Ah... -- Uh, no. I'm the one who should apologize." "That is.... I didn't mean to make him cry, but..." "My brother is usually all right around people he doesn't know, but -- he is a child with a tendency toward imagining things..." "He will perceive things the way he likes to think of them -- until he has it all jumbled in with reality. -- He causes his neighbors a lot of trouble because of this too. It's difficult." - She's beautiful.. "I... I see..." "Kiyu-oneesama, I..." "It's just as Shia said. -- You've been coming all this way, alone..." So he likes fantasy... I'm the same way... I guess it was my fault for making him cry. "Now, Zen-san, let's head home." "Ah... your photograph." "You dropped it." - "Ah... th...thanks." "You're welcome. Well, then..." "Onii-san." "I'm sorry!" "Me too.. I'm sorry." "Later!" - "You mustn't do this, Zen-san." "You promised, after all....." - When I showed Dad I was willing to understand about Hyoujuu, Dad really went off on it. In the end, Hyoujuu's plans to come to Japan and meet us were decided on - and they were rather soon. "Takeru." "What?" "About Hyoujuu coming in next week..." "It looks like I won't be able to take the day off from work that day... -- and I'll be home late... it seems." - "I'm sorry, but could you please go... and pick her up?" (hmph!) "Thanks but no thanks!" "I'm kidding.... what about Junna-san?" "Ju... Junna-san said she'll head toward Narita when she's done with work for the day -- but the plane's scheduled for a 5:15 PM arrival, so..." (okay?) "I get the feeling Junna-san will probably be late too..." - "These are tickets for the express to Narita... -- one for you to get there and ... at least three .. to return." "Hmmh... -- Friday, right?" (Dad's really pounding this in) "You'll go.... won't you?" "Who are you?" (copyright Suchadara [anyone know what this is?]) "I'm joking already. -- But I may not get there on time myself. You okay with that?" "Yeah. I thought that might be the case -- I told Hyoujuu 'He'll probably be late, so wait.'" "She's the sort of girl who'll wait for hours if you tell her to wait. -- And I've given her a picture of you, so I think she'll recognize you." - "......" "Hmmm...." By the way..... It turns out Junna-san and Dad already were acquaintances. But still, it wasn't so great when Junna-san said... "Hey, Takeru-kun. --About Hyoujuu's room..." "The second-floor room you're using as a hobby room. -- Could we empty that out for her?" "EHH!?" - "What does it matter? Are you going to tell me you need a 9-mat room for your video game system?" "That 4-mat room on the second floor should be plenty, don't you think?" "My goodness, you only children have it lucky. -- You get as many rooms as you want and as many things as you want to fill them." "Wha..!" "How come I have to hear you tell me all of that, Junna-san?! -- That's prejudice against only children! I won't overlook that!!" (Ah, but that's right, you won't --) (BE an only child from now on!) "Oh, well i'm sooo sorry. It's just a bias of mine, then." //Matsuyuki House, 2nd Floor// (Ah, this is like heaven...) "But... -- You've grown up blessed with such an environment..." //Takeru's hobby room / Free Room / Takeru's Room// "...It makes me worry a bit." - "About what!?" "Well, look! You're so intense about people coming into 'your' territory! People like you just get mean and exclusive so quickly!" "Wha..." "I'm not being mean!!" "Oh, really? -- I heard you say that, right?" "No matter what!" "After all, this is really going to be an international society from now on. -- You must take at least the first step towards mutual understanding!" (This woman is the worst! Someone do something with her!) "Riiight?" - The next day, Hyoujuu's belongings all arrived on one flight. Junna-san, who took a paid vacation, went all out to get everything unpacked. "I'm done! -- If I do say so myself, nice!" "Laaaaa-ter, Takeru-kun." The room that was my hobby room... before my very eyes... ...has become somebody else's room! "TELLLLLLLLLL" "Argh!" "Dad, get it!" - "I'm in the bathroom, Takeru, you get it, please!" "ARRRRGH! Enougggh!" I was kicked out of my hobby room and my GameSoft is all in a corner. I'm busy too! "YESSSS -- This is the Matsuyuki household, although we are all tied up at the moment!!" "Uh... -- um..... -- hello? -- It's me... Hyoujuu." "Eh" "A... are you busy?" "Ah, um... -- no, not really... heh, heh." - "But, well, Dad is -- kind of -- in the bathroom right now..." "Ah..." "No, actually today... -- I wanted..." "to talk to you, Takeru-kun." "Wh... what is it?" "I thought it was important... -- to ask you one more time... before I left." - "Is it really..." "really -- really..." "...really... okay for me to go to Japan?" - "Takeru-kun... let me hear how you really feel about it, please." "...And if... I were to answer 'No, it's not'?" ..I think I'll.... "What would you do then?" ...tease her just a bit.... - ------ Ah.... ".... -- Oh, come on. It was a joke, a joke." - "I was just teasin..." "If you really felt that way..." "I'd..." "give up." "Sorry, Takeru. Is that Hyoujuu?" (zipp) (clatter) - "...Hm?" "Eh... oh. Yeah." "Hi. Hyoujuu, is that you? -- Yes, it's me." - "Ah... the weather's nice today." "Good morning, Takeru. -- The day's finally here. Don't forget your tickets." //clatter// "I know." "....Takeru." "Hm?" "Are you really... all right?" "With this..." - "Why are you asking that now?!" "Uh, no, sorry. -- I just wanted to make sure..." "Listen, Dad. -- The other day, when Hyoujuu called here..." "...did she say anything... about me?" - "Huh? No, not particularly. Why?" "Um.... No, no reason... it's fine." "?" "All right, everybody! It's time for Teacher to take a look around! -- What sort of things did you build with your building blocks?" - "I wonder who built this one? -- This one." "Ah. Zen-kun? -- Zen-kuuun." "Stop looking outside and tell Teacher, okay? --What did you make here? Is it a tower, I wonder?" "What sort of tower?" "Ah. It's an... 'Utena.'" "Utena? -- ...What's that?" "Onii-san will be climbing it soon." - "Huh?" "It's a little difficult until you get to the top [jp. noborikiru]" "I'm worried." "He'll be climbing it when it gets to be four o-clock." - //Narita Airport// //Airport 2nd Building// - {"I'd..."} {"give up."} - {"If you really felt that way..."} My feet... aren't moving. They've stopped. My thoughts are telling me I have to go (he's turned to stone) but my feet are so, so heavy. What on earth do I really, truly, want to do after all? What... - ...am I thinking!? //Terminal// - (slap) - In the dream I had that night, I told my mother, "It's all right!" And when I woke up, I felt so relieved. (ah, what a relief) But still... "Onii-san." - "Eh-heh-heh-heh." - "Pu..please don't make that face." "I just happened to be passing by." "P-p-p-passing by?" (that's why I'm wearing my school uniform as you can clearly see!) "It's on my way between kindergarten and my house." "Then where on earth is your house!? This is NARITA, you know! -- Be..be..besides, what time do you think it is right now!?" - {"The plane's scheduled for a 5:15 PM arrival, so..."} "Onii-san." "Are you okay with not going? -- To the terminal." - "For someone like you, Zen-kun -- the future is really just one big blank. -- I doubt you could really understand my feelings." "Even if I tried to explain them to you, it'd be in vain." "I'm -- scared." "And I don't want the life I've had..." "to change." - "I've tried to live my life looking ahead." "Even I never thought that my feet would freeze and I'd be stopped in a place like this." "This sort of thing..." "...is called 'cowardice,' Zen-kun." "I was frightened too, before I started kindergarten." "My heart was pounding." - "But something in that pounding, just a little bit..." "...made me feel like I wasn't 'scared' so much as I was 'expecting' something." "They say the future creeps up from behind you, Onii-san." "And that time, once it passes, disappears right before your eyes." ......huh...? "They say that's why you can see the 'past' -- but you can't see the 'future'." "I think it's probably only natural that you would be scared to go backwards into something." Th.... "But..." This kid.... - "I only know of one way -- to turn around and face the 'future'." "In the interval between time and time -- there is sometimes an 'utena.'" "If you climb that Utena..." "the 'past' and the 'future' will spread out before you." "(oh! this is quite amazing!)" "People who have climbed it without noticing -- experience an internal phenomenon known as 'deja vu.'" - //past// //future// "If you purposely climb it -- you will see that the 'past' has only one road." "But the 'future' -- you will see that there are roads leading out into all corners of the world in all directions, 360 degrees around you." "When one looks around and sees this -- anyone could surely compare the roads and choose one." "And if you want to avoid one, I think that there is some mysterious rule that you can turn your back on it..." "But the truth is..." (scowl) - "I'm going to tell you, Onii-san." "I really shouldn't, but I will." "A person can take all those roads that spread out behind them -- and spin them tightly into one thread." "So..." "In the end, whatever 'future' that person experiences -- depends on how he spins that thread." "And that means he is completely free." - "Onii-san, the reason your heart is pounding now..." "...is because you have the feeling that something special is going to happen -- I understand this." "It's natural to be scared." "And it's not surprising that you freeze in your tracks." - "But -- Onii-san, you haven't tried to go home from here." "That means that at the same time," "you're feeling like you don't want to run away. -- That's what I think you are doing." "And in that case..." - "you're not a coward, Onii-san." "oo!" //HUG// "Thanks, Zen-kun." "That got to me just now." "It really, really got to me." - "I'm -- off to go pick up Hyoujuu...!" "Okay!!" "Please go do that!!" "Onee-sama is surely..." "waiting for you, too!" - "Here!" "Over here!!" "Takeru-kuun!" - "Junna-san! -- I'm sorry I'm late..." "Where were you and what were you doing to be this late! God, i can't believe this. It's 8:40 now!" "Um... -- where's... Hyoujuu?" "That's what I'd like to know! -- I got here at 7 and her belongings were here but Hyoujuu was nowhere nearby!" "When I tried calling you, no one picked up -- and even so, Hyoujuu's not the type to leave her things and go looking around for you. Argh, I'm in a panic right noww!!" - "But I honestly can't believe that Hyoujuu would take this course of action. -- That girl is the type of girl who would wait for hours if you told her to wait!" "Never mind how safe and secure I've told her Japan is -- She's not the sort of girl who'd leave her things behind and move around, no matter what!" "I can't help but think something's happened to her!!" - "...There's a place to deliver luggage home on the way here, right?" "Huh? -- Y... yeah." "Let's send Hyoujuu's things home... that will at least give us some mobility -- and after that shall we split up and search for her?" "Ah... yes, let's!" - //Home Delivery Service// "Hey, Takeru-kun..." "Yes?" "It wasn't... on purpose, was it?" "That you were late." "...Why aren't you saying anything...?" - "To tell you the truth..." "I was... confused..." "Thinking 'Should I go or shouldn..'" (SLAP) - "Let me give you an idea of what kind of girl Hyoujuu is...!" "She learned about you when she was seven years old." "And ever since, for twelve years," "She's prepared birthday presents for you that she's never given you." "That's what's inside that trunk we just sent out. Odds are nine out of ten that's all that's in there!" - "She prepared them, believing -- that one day she'd be able to give them to you in person." "So she was so very happy -- and she brought every last one of them to Japan." "Because she wanted to see your surprised face, and your pleased face -- she told me she would bring them all with her today!" "She told me not to tell you -- but if I don't say something, who will!?" - "Maybe I don't have the right to say this... " "But if something happens to Hyoujuu..." "I'm sure as hell not letting you off the hook!" The cheek she slapped... - hurt so badly at that point... //roaaarrrrrr..../// - Now I finally realize how horrible I've been. I've been thinking like crazy, only about myself. I never once really thought about Hyoujuu the way I should have. - Even though Hyoujuu's uneasy too.... "Takeru-kun! -- Was she there...!?" "No..." "Oh... I didn't find her either." "It's already -- 9:30!" - "Ah, that's right! What time is your father coming home? - I wonder if he isn't worrying... -- Why don't you give him a call?" "It's okay. I'll find her!!" "Ah -- Hey, wa..." "Oh, well..." (You dropped your cap!!) (sigh) "I guess I'll call him... (I'm tired and all.)" "He... your Japanese is really good." - "I guess ... I..." "shouldn't have come here -- after all." "Takeru-kun..." "surely..." "hates me." - ".........Umm........." "Well, then --- what..." "..will you do for tonight?" - "Do you have a place to stay?" "I'll stay at a hotel tonight..." "and then return to London." "Hm-mmm..." (sneer) "In that case, if you'd like, why don't you come stay at my place? -- I live alone, and hey, this meeting could be fate too --" "What do you think?" - //smile smile smile smile// "Um..." "Are you, perhaps, what they call a '[komashi-san]'?" "Eh!? No..! -- No way!" "Who's been teaching you that Japanese slang? Oh, man...." "Let's have some tea." [this is basically the japanese equivalent of 'can-i-buy-you-a-drink'] "Um, 'No'!" - "Then, some sake -- let's drink. Go crazy. -- Well?" "I... I'm sorry -- I don't want to drink." "Aw, you don't have to say that. Let's deepen this new acquaintance! -- Come on, come on...!" "No..." "No! I don't want to!" "Don't shout so loud!" "No! NO!!" "S...Someone...!!" "HELP ME A....ANYBO..." //grab// - "Do you have some business with my _sister_?" - "If you do, I'll hear it on her behalf..." "...Ah..." (ka-THUMP ka-THUMP ka-THUMP ka-THUMP [etc.]) "The little... brother." "No... if you've come, then that's fine. -- Well, see ya, honey. I'm happy for you!" //super-lucky// "Byyyye! (wave wave) - "...I'm sorry I'm late." "I was even more..." "...of a brat than I thought I was." - "You and I" "have just met now for the first time." "And we don't know anything about each other..." "But from now on, and forever..." "...let's live together...!" - After I said that, I thought, 'damn!' (gasp) Th-th-th-that sounded just like a p-PROPOSAL!! Augh! I'm so embarrased!! - All the way to the meeting point where Junna-san was, Hyoujuu and I held hands as we walked. Apart from the occasional "You should be careful" and "Are you all right?" we were just silent, holding on. I wonder if... I've ever really held a girl's hand before... - "....Hyoujuu!!" "Junna.....!!!" - On the Narita Express on the way home, Junna said, "So, so... where did you two meet? -- What did you talk about?" to Hyoujuu, and ... (gulLpp!) What'll I do if she finds out about the proposal [modoki]? "Well -- I'll tell you." "Takeru-kun -- called me his sister!" - "Hey....!" "(tee-hee)" "But still, you know, walking around and leaving that trunk -- that's really not like you, Hyoujuu!" "Besides, that trunk is particularly special, isn't it?" (I'm sorryyy) "I... kind of told Takeru-kun... what was inside." "Eh..." "....Ah...." "It's just that..." "I started to have the feeling I was pushing too hard." "If I were to give him all of that... -- what if he hated me even more? ... I thought..." "I started not knowing what I should do." "But" "Takeru-kun... came for me." "I was a fool..." "to even doubt him a little bit." - When I heard those words, my chest suddenly squeeeeeezed... as though it was being pressed on. It's the first time... I've ever felt that. "Ah - cool -- What's that!" "Wow -- how cute!" "Eh? Wow, for real. Is it an ad?" And just when my eyes were going to start streaming to boot, an animated lights display on an advertisement turned the conversation away from the subject. - After parting with Junna-san, when we reached our house, Dad had come out in front of the entrance and was waiting. When I thought he was going to reach out and hug Hyoujuu, He encircled Hyoujuu and myself together, hugging us both... and that's why... - Even though I'd tried so hard to hold myself together... I just started crying. - Mom, This is the way it should be, right? The sheets you prepared for Hyoujuu won't go to waste now. - When I got to bed, I looked back at this day in which so much had happened. Even though he's just a kid, Zen-kun really had a mysterious way of persuading me with his words. He's an amazing little kindergartner. And a weird kid. I'd like to ask him again for the details of that story he told me today. If that was just an overactive imagination, it's still quite something. My new life that begins tomorrow... and my high school entrance exams. In the middle of countless vague worries... the face of "Ichigo-chan" wavers. - I decided on "Ichigo-chan" as a heroine in "The Activation of Zero." But on the other hand, I'm thinking of letting one more heroine make an appearance. I wonder if that's Hyoujuu's influence? But, in any case, what happens now... will be something I'll spin after a good long sleep. LEVEL 1 - THE BIRTH OF A HEROINE - THE END ---- //Protagonist Matsuyuki Takeru// //Preview Special Presents// -and after that, Matsuyuki Takeru safely(?) made the transition to high school. - -He meets Ichigo again. And new characters, be they enemies or allies, are wandering in!! - "Um... it was so cute... I mean... -- it was unique, and I remembered it." "Suzunari Ichigo... that name is -- also nice because it's so easy to remember...!" (frown) ...Hunh? "--What?" "I just realized something VERRRRRRRRRY important!!" Th... this guy... (smirk) might just be a total jerk! - "Matsuyuki-kun might go out with Ichigo!" "Oh, my. My condolences to you." "Forget about Suzunari Ichigo" "What'll I tell Matsuyuki-kun?" "Hm... well, tell him that [text obscured]" "Well you've got a pretty fast pair of legs to go running away!! You DAMNED li'l BRATTT!" (GodDAMNit!!!!) "That girl Itou Miyabi..." "...is apparently Matsuyuki-kun's [text obscured]" - Don't give up, Takeru! Don't [susamu], Takeru!! Don't cry, don't falter, just stand strong!! - - And then this guy, the one we least understand. Is the five-year-old Zen an enemy!? An ally!? "(Uh..um)" "Ichigo. You go over there for a sec." "Matsuyuki-kun.. you've gotten taller." "You look kind of like you've gotten more refined." "Onii-san -- onii-san, you (BEEEEEEP) Ichigo-onee-san, don't you?" - "Onii-san -- you've just got to (BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP) Ichigo-oneesan as soon as you can, please!!" //Mirai no Utena - LOOK IN THE FUTURE// //COMING SOON// - LEVEL 2. My Beloved HONEY - Wednesday, April 12 I wasn't able to see Onii-san or Onee-san today either. Things just aren't going the way I want them to. There is nothing betraying me quite so well as the future is. [jp. mirai hodo boku wo uragitte kureru mono wa hoka ni nai desu.] I am trying so, so hard, day after day [text cut off] but it just won't go the way I'm [text cut off]. 'Fate' is [text cut off] I think surely [text cut off] At this rate [text cut off] I'll have to be prepared for the worst to [text cut off]. //Illustrated Diary [text obsured] Zen// (thump) (siggggh) "...But." "I will not give up...!" - "Hey, Hyoujuu-chan, g'morning --- doing the sweeping and cleaning, huh? That's the spirit!" "Ah, Rikitake-san. Good morning." "So how's it going? Gotten used to Japan yet?" (Phew. It's getting to be summer.) "Rikitake-san, you ask that every day. I keep telling you, I'm fine." "Time flies. Since you came here, with this and that it's been, what, a half year?" "It's already April and all." "Speakin' of which, Take-chan took the Honami exam..." (twinge) "and failed it miserably!" [there is a cute Japanese-ism here that doesn't translate -- the word for failing a test is the same as dropping/falling... and Rikitake says he dropped - PLOP - with the sound of a big fat raindrop.] - "Wa-haa-haa-haa-haa! I predicted it, didn't I, Hyoujuu-chan? I saw it clear as day! -- he failed out of Honami, PLOP!" "....." "Rikitake-san!!" "Rikitake...... you bastard." "Don't say 'failed, failed' over and over again..." "Heh-heh...! That's because you're going so nuts writing that 'Something-or-other of Zero' so you got soft, ya damn kid!" "H.. -- how do you know th--" - "Ooooops! I didn't see it, ya know -- It was Ken-chan. Ken-chan told me." (? What is it? Huh?) "Da..........." "Sorry, Takeru, thanks for waiting." "I overslept." "..." "We're leaving!" (? What are you talking about, Rikitake?) "Relax!! He told me he only saw the title. Wa-hahahah!" I can't say anything about it, because it's true I failed the Honami exam. But... In the middle of all the clamor of bringing Hyoujuu into the house, I figure I just did the best I could, and that's all I can aim for. (self-rationalizing) And the result is, right now, I'm going to the public high school, Tennendou High. - As for Tennendou... When I finally came to see it, the tradition and the atmosphere felt really good to me. Despite myself, I really have to say that this place suits me much better than Honami. So I'm satisfied. //TEN// [beginning of name of school written on building] That's right... if you leave out the one factor of 'Ichigo-chan' not being here... everything but that... {I guess my only remaining path is to try and bump into her outside the Honami gates...} "(Later!)" (clack) "Oh..!?" (flutter flutter flutter) - //Matsuyuki Takeru-sama// [sama is how you address an envelope regardless of who you're sending it to in Japan] (huh) This.. this couldn't possibly be one of those so-called... "Ho, ho! -- Amazing! -- A love letter your fifth day at school!" (gulp) "Ah... No... Noda..." (turn) "That's my shoe locker there." "Ah... sorry." (swish) "Many thanks, Casanova." - (frown) "Ah!! Good morrrning, Matsuyuki-kun! -- Hey, hey, did you do the lesson preparation in our English reader?" "Yeah, why?" "All right! Show me, show me! Lucky!!" Nishizawa, who got the seat next to me in the seating arrangement, is cheerful and easy to talk to. "You're so lucky, Matsuyuki-kun. Your dad's half British -- so you don't have any problem with English at all!" "That's not true. Even when I show him our textbook, my dad says he doesn't understand it." "What the heck does that mean? -- AH!!" - "Eh? What?" "I just realized something VERRRRRRRRRY important!! -- And that is..." "Matsuyuki-kun, you're a QUARTER British!" "I always thought of you as pure Japanese [jp: janiizu] but that's right, if you've got that in your lineage then of course! -- Girls like you, don't they. I bet you'll be really popular with them here too! Sure!" "Eh...? I dunno..." "I saw it. This morning, there were three love letters in Matsuyuki's shoe locker." ([hero]) "....." "Eh, for REAL!?" "That's it, Noda... are you trying to pick a fight wi...!?" //bolt!// "SEIKAaaaaaaaa!!!!" ....EH!? - MNU Volume 2 translation con't - That voice just now... "Ah - Ichigo-" Huh.....!? "E-eek!" "Wh-whoa!?" //thud// "Anhyaa~~I'm sorr-eh." .........HUH!? "You OK?" HUNNH!??? "Uh..." "Y...yeah..." - "Watch out, would you, Ichigo!" "But...! All of a sudden this guy was standing in my way." "Sorry, I'm sorry, Matsuyuki-kun." "No -- no problem." "So you're cold's gone for sure, Ichigo. Good for you! -- Yoru's still at home sick with it." "Huh? Really..." "Don't 'huh-really' when you're the one who gave it to her in the first place! (cackle)" I.... "The one I gave it to was Miya. I don't know how Yoru got it." "They're twins! They probably catch each other's colds in seconds!" "But besides that, besides that, boo-hoo!! I've got no friends! It's so boring....! -- I feel like an idiot, having to take five days off right when I start school. -- I get the feeling that all the groups have already been formed, and it's too hard to getinto one nowww!" Ichigo-chan!! No mistake... it's her!! "Ah - really?" - "...but hey, wait a sec - what about Miya? Isn't she in your class?" "She still hasn't shown!" "Oh, really? She's not better yet, I guess." Well..! So that's how it is! So that's how things were!! //diiinng-donnnng-diinnng// "Ah, it's the first bell already! -- Augh! I'll come back again!" So she's at Tennendou!! So THAT'S how it is!! So my failure to get into Honami... wasn't a mistake after all!! (selfish conclusion) - First Period, Current Events (Self-study) So, Nishizawa's first name is Seika. I never even noticed what her first name was, even though Ichigo-chan called it back then. I'm such an idiot. Even though I've fallen into this lucky situation... "Hey... Nishizawa." "Hm?" "You guys... erm -- weren't by any chance... looking at Honami, were you?" "Huh -- uh... yeah. How come? -- How did you know that?" "In the auditorium -- weren't you guys talking about something to do with Laura Ashley?" - "Uh, yeah. We did talk about that!! -- Why? How come?" "I was there too, then." "Really....!!?" "You guys made an impression on me. -- Especially.. that friend, I guess, of yours just now?" "Yeah -- Ichigo?" "Yeah. Her voice - it really stuck in my ears somehow." "Ahh-ha!" "Ichigo's voice did -- Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!" - "Why are you laughing?" "Ah, sorry, nothing." "Does her name - 'Ichigo' - mean 'strawberry'? The fruit?" "Yep, that 'ichigo'! The kanji for her name's the same, too!" "Hmm.... what a cute name." "Her full name is even cuter. She's 'Suzunari Ichigo!'" [takeru's next line explains the meaning:] Strawberries... like ringing bells... (pfft) "Wa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha" (why?) (frown) "Ah!! Noda-kun, your ears were pricking up. That's creepy...!" - And then, by lunchtime, Ichigo had gotten restless and had made her way back to Nishizawa. (Lucky!) And in that time, I saw all the things that really were cute about her. //Gya hee ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha hee!// How charming her laugh is... and how her elastic expressions change all the time... And how her school uniform looks so great on her... and how she's exactly my type with the style I like... All these unbelievably cute little behaviors, one by one... Oh...! With all the input pouring in, one piece after another, my brains are churning and bubbling and on the verge of boiling over! - In that spartan period of entrance exam panic, I endured it having met the madonna called 'Ichigo-chan.' But I hadn't learned a single bit of information about her. And at the end of those days, Like an obscene bonus, this massive load of information... and seeing the real Ichigo-chan in living color right before me... "You know, Matsuyuki-kun..." When I never caught up wit her even in my daydreams.... - "...was there when we were at Honami. -- He says he remembers us." "Right, Matsuyuki-kun?" (thump) Ack! Nishizawa suddenly turned the conversation to me! "Uh..." "Y... yeah." "Suzunari-san, your voice was so cu... I mean... -- unique, and I remembered it." "And the name 'Suzunari Ichigo' - is nice because it's so easy to remember...!" (twinnnge) ...Hunh? (turn) "Seika.. I'll come back and see you later!" {Hunhnh!?} "Ah - Ichigo!" "I'm sorry... -- the truth is, she sort of has a complex about her name and her voice..." "EH!? For real!?" 5th-6th period: Athletics assembly "Everybody run!! -- Three laps around campus!!!" Sob....! Failure!! It was my one chance to make a deliberate first impression and I hit Ichigo-chan where it hurts... - But how could she have a complex about her voice? ...It's such a cute voice! "Matsuyuki." "Maaaa-tsuuu-yuu-ki." "Hm..." "Huh?" (smirk) Weirdo. "What?" "You..." "You've fallen for Suzunari Ichigo, haven't you?" (ka-BOOM) - ....Calm down! ....Don't let him see it! "...Heh." ([pusupusupusu]) "What are you talking about. No way! Are you stupid?" "Oh.....?" (frown) This guy just gets harder and harder to stomach... "I know... where her house is." "...Huh?" "I know where it is. You ask why?" "Because I never knew someone our age would have an idiotic name like Ichigo." - "and a weird last name like Suzunari isn't that common either. [jp. so-so-nee(nai)shi]" "So it has to be her house, I figure." "(twinge)" "I don't... really want to know.... that badly..." (hmph) "Three days' worth of lunch money." "...I don't mind telling you.. in exchange for that...sir." [he uses a polite ending when he's being sneaky... it's subtle.] Th... this guy!? (smirk) - //Suzunari. Kakigakoku-cho 1-7 Sachi-ku, Kawasaki// "Seee?" "I.. I haven't..." "said I'll pay.. yet..." "Oh, then you don't need it?" If... if I can memorize this completely right now... "Uh-uh, it won't do you any good to memorize it now -- I left off the first number in the town code." [in other words it should be #-1-7] "I'll write it in for you when you pay... sir." This guy..... might just be a first-class jerk!! (smirk) - "Thanks fer yer business..." (in the end, he got it) {GodDAMNit!} "Takeruuu! -- Would you wait? Let's go home together." "With everything else, we don't have to go home together on top of it, Daigo!" "What's with you? Why are you so mad? -- Aren't you forgetting Charlie?" "Ah..." "~~~~~" (turn) "But never mind that, I've got big news!! -- You want to know what's so big? Well, she's in my class! -- You know! -- Ichigo-chuwan!" - "She says she's been absent until now with a cold. -- Today was her first day back in school, so I didn't realize she was there!" "She was late, and so she had to stand up in front of the class all by herself and introduce herself. -- And then bam, there it came: her name was Ichigo!" "But Takeru, that can't really be her, can it? -- It's someone else -- right?" "Wh... why!?" "Because, you know-- she's got one of those hysterical voices -- I can't stand that sort of thing." "It's weird, that voice. Like she's trying to sound childish." "Think whatever the hell you want!!" - "Whoa..!?" "I don't care if she sounds childish or anything else. That voice sounds super-cute to my ears!!" "So don't you talk badly about her!!!!!!!" "...so?" "It's too late, damn you, Daigo!" "Damn it, I lost 1500 yen!!" "Huh?" [takeru's ravings really don't make much sense to me...] - "I'm ho-ome!" "Ah, welcome back -- Takeru-kun." "Shall I fix you some scones and tea to tide you over before dinner?" "Sure." (thud) What should I do... It looks like it ought to be fairly close to here. It's past the station, but it's not that far if I take Charlie... - "....Ah." "Oh... that's... right." "These were here this morning." I can't believe there's a girl who can send a letter like this after only five days of school. //Matsuyuki Takeru-sama// They've sure got guts to do this without knowing anything about me at all... - //I like you!// If I were to confess too quickly, Ichigo-chan would feel the same way I'm feeling right now. If I said "I like you," I'd get asked, "What about me do you like?" 'What about me?' .... I wonder what... (My heart's really pounding...) (there's nothing I can do about it!) ...I don't know.... It's just my heart starts pounding.... - But.... "All right!" "I'll try heading over there." Just for a bit of searching... i mean, just for a stroll! [there is a pun here in Japanese that doesn't translate.] "Where are you going, Takeru-kun? -- The scones..." "Yeah. I'll be back soon." If we meet, what will I do!? - I want to see her, but I'm scared at the same time. If I do see her, will my brains explode!? Will I be okay!? I have a reason to be there... I could be looking to apologize for making her angry today... (glance) {It should be... right around here...} "Hold it!! -- You wait right there. I'm not letting you run off!" - I... Ichigo-chan's voice!! (thumpthumpthump) (can't turn around) "O... onee-san, please don't glare at me with those frightening eyes!" Th-th-th-th-th-th-that voice was..........!!? - WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!? ZEN-KUN.....!? "This time for sure I'm calling your house -- and I'm gonna tell your parents to come out here for you!" "Give me your backpack!!" "(Kyaa!) I don't want to!" "I SAID, GIVE it!" "no!" "GIVE it!" (swipe) (thud) (AUGH) - (uwa...) "Hokuouin Zen? -- What a weird name." //waaaaaaa!// "...But Onee-san, you also have a weird name..." //ROAR// "WHAT did you just say!?" (waaaaaanh!) "...Wait..." "Wait a sec -- Stop!!" [he said 'sutoppu' - english] (waa...) (ah...) - "Who're you?" (onii-saaaan!) "Um... you don't remember me? -- I'm Matsuyuki, in the same class as Nishizawa..." (huh) "Ah... oh yeaaah! That's right, Matsuyuki-kuun! You know this kid?" (squeal) {Okay, so she might really be incredibly childish...} "Uh, yeah, a little -- ...So did he do something?" (sniffle sniffle) "'Do something,' huh..." (sniffle) "I don't know what he thinks he is, but he's always wandering around in front of my house -- and he just keeps picking on me about little things. [jp. ichiichi atashi ni ichamon tsuken no yo]" - "Picking on you about things?" "Yeah. One after another." (sniffle sniffle sniff..) "Like how?" "A for-instance? Let's see. Like, how I'm dressed." (blink) "Like telling me I should wear a warmer coat -- saying won't my hips be cold..." "And he says things I don't even understand -- and just keeps getting in my way!" "Before, he even knew one of my test scores -- and he keeps finding fault with me even when I tell him to leave me alone...!" - (pfft) "E...even your test scores?" "You laugh, but it's no laughing matter! It pisses me off!!" "Y..yeah, you're right." "AHHHHH!!" "He's gone!!" "Eh?" "He ran away!!" "He ran away AGAIN!" //obviously// "Ah, his backpack's gone too!! When did he...!!" - "ARRRRRGH!! That's so FRUSTRATING!!" "He's sure a fast runner on those little legs! When it comes to running away!! That damned little kid!! -- Every time I run after him, he just disappears!!" "I've got faster legs than he does, but it's so weird!!" "He's not a bad kid. He is a little odd." "Odd? That word's too easy on him. It's weird! WEIRD!" "COMPLETELY WEIRD!" (pfft) - (hah) (hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee) "...Ah...." "Oh, god... I went and blew my top again!" "I'm really not like this usually...." (tee-hee) {It's a little late to say that now!!} (pffffffffffffttt!) She's so cute!!! "Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha - just a -" She's TOO cute!!! "...I c-can't... aha ha ha ha ha..." - "(a ha ha ha ha...) I... I'm in trouble, Ichigo-chan..." (snicker) "I'm falling for you so hard..." - //HUH// --Oh, NO...!!! ~~~~end of Volume 2~~~~~~~~~`