Suki-tte Ii na yo [Chapters 37-39]

Originally posted @ tatsukida.pitas.com on November 3, 2012

[This is just a teaser so, consider this as a fan service for those who read this series. For the details, just wait for the English scanlations and full summaries by bxsmanga.]
Chapter 37: It all started from just a small thing. Yamato invited Mei to a Christmas party together with their friends. It seems that Mei wasn’t able to go last year because she has a high fever. There are flashbacks of Mei celebrating Christmas together with her mother. She feels a bit uneasy about spending it without her mother, who always gives her two gifts. While still walking, Yamato overhears some guys asking each other what to give the girlfriend so Yamato asks Mei what she wants. She says nothing special. At school, Mei’s friends talk about the party before wherein Yamato is lonely without Mei and they exchanged gifts. Then, there are more flashbacks of her past when no one invites her for their Christmas parties. During breakfast, she informs her mother that she’ll spend Christmas with her friends. Her mother says that is good and just exclaims over how happy she is to be able to work during holidays for extra salary. Later on, Mei buys something with her friends for the exchange gift. Yamato is busy fixing his house up together with his younger sister. His younger sister already has a date/party with a glasses guy so she won’t join their party. On Christmas day, Mei is awaken up by her white cat. She gets two presents from her mother just like before. She reads a greeting from her mother. She goes in her room and put a hand lotion and bead bracelet for her mother on the table. It is her first Christmas gift to her mother and she hopes her mother likes it. Mei brings her cat along to the party. At Yamato’s house, his cat is freaking out over Mei’s cat. Everyone eat and have fun. Then, they exchange gifts. Mei got a perfume. At some shop, an assistant[?; short haired woman] informs something to Yamato’s brother about Mei. [I think they had some beauty contest in the last arc which involves Yamato’s older brother so that is why they have Mei’s bio data]. While Mei and others are playing Wii’s bowling game, Yamato answers a call from his brother. Yamato is shock that it turns out that today is Mei’s birthday. =P He confirms it with Mei who just made a strike. And, she timidly says that it is true.

Chapter 38: Everyone asks Mei why she didn’t tell them that Yamato looks quite shock about this. Mei says that it is because she didn’t think much about it and her birthday isn’t important, compared to the Christmas party. Her friends scold her about it. The guys ask Yamato if there is some cake left and candles. And, they manage to find one slice of cake with a candle on it. Yamato apologizes that the candle is used for their grandfather’s temple worship. Soon, they sing her a happy birthday on her 17th birthday. She blows the candle. Then, another flashback of Mei trying to thank the one [father?] who gave her a birthday cake by eating all of it, but ended up feeling ill from overeating. While everyone is having fun, Yamato is quietly taking pictures. Then, the scene changes to Yamato’s brother wherein some guy exposed that his assistant likes him hence, she turned down the guy’s confession. They close the shop since there are no customers coming. The assistant suggests that they buy a gift for Mei. They got cat-designed mittens for Mei. Then, while they are talking about Mei, the brother confessed to the assistant who cried in the streets because she is so happy. Back at the party, a girl asks Yamato what he is doing at the side when this is the party that he is hosting. Yamato is fixing the photos that he has taken and they comment over how cute and gentler Mei looks. Yamato’s brother calls him again and tells him to pick up Mei’s gift at the station. The couple left their friends for a while and went to get the gift. While walking, Yamato says that it is the first time that they are alone today. He asks her why she didn’t tell him that it is her birthday and he would have spent it alone with her if he knew. They get the mittens from his brother and Mei really likes them. She remembers last year’s note from her mother about thanking her for growing older and she wishes her to be happier everyday. She wonders why everyone is thanking her when she is suppose to be the one saying that.
Her mother arrives home. She finds Mei’s gifts and a note. In the note, Mei apologizes for not eating with her today. She thanks her mother for spending both Christmas and her birthday with her, and preparing a cake. This year, she also prepares a gift for her mother. She asked the bracelet to be made of stones for health and happiness. And, a hand cream because her work always makes her touch water and the cream is said to make the hands look younger. Mei writes that it is great that she is her mother and she wishes her good health. Mei’s mother is touched by the letter. Soon, Mei’s eyes are red from crying. Yamato teases her about it by saying her face looks awful and is she that happy. She says yes, and apologizes. Yamato asks why she is apologizing for it is fine for her to be honestly be happy. They arrive back to Yamato’s house but no one is there. Everything also tidied things up. Mei notices a note. They all wrote some notes and the main note says that they won’t disturb the two. Yamato is a bit happy about this. Mei is teary-eyed and says that she likes everyone. Yamato says that it is because she is nice to everyone. She feels crying again that Yamato says that she is crying again. This made her embarrassed that he tells her that she is actively crying today. He holds her hand and says that he also likes the kind and cute Mei the best. They kiss. Yamato makes her lie down. Mei thinks that her 17th birthday is her first warm Christmas.
Chapter 39: Cover page: “Thank you for patiently waiting for me. Even if this is ‘first’, I’m also not afraid. If it is about you, everything is quite adorable.” Mei thinks that for her to look at Yamato and for him to kiss her, her mind would go blank. Now, she is going to do that thing that the other girls did. She looks aghast and tense that Yamato burst into laughter over her expression which he saw for the first time. He pulls her up and kisses her. Then, he lightly bites her cheek. He tells her that his kisses are full of ‘like’ for her and he’ll be a bit patient. He goes close to her and closes his eyes. She lightly kisses his cheek. He kisses her for a long time that she pushes him away and says that it is too long and she knows already [that he likes her]. Yamato says that he is a bit frustrated for he is the only one who touches her and she won’t touch others. He thinks that is the reason why she fears others touching her. Then, he remembers something. While taking something from the cabinet, Mei removes her coat and thinks over some things. She didn’t reach to touch him, not because she refuses to do so, but it is because she would want more of that warmth of his. Yamato holds a small album for her Christmas gift. She isn’t reacting that he asks if she hates it. He apologizes that it isn’t expensive but he doesn’t know what to buy. Mei says that it is because everyone has already exchanged gifts. He tells her that is something he wants to give her and he did this to commemorate this Christmas so that she won’t forget it. Mei is flustered because she didn’t prepare anything for him. He tells her that there’s no need to do so, even if she always wants things to be fair. It is enough for him to have time together with her. He shows her the pictures of her during the party and his younger sister preparing for the party.
While Yamato is looking at some juice in a bottle, Mei thinks that ever since meeting him, she isn’t the same as before. To Yamato’s surprise, Mei suddenly hugs him from behind. Blushing Yamato is freaking out over this that he asks her what had happened. She tells him that it is because he won’t touch her that she got afraid, so she comes to touch him. Yamato holds her hands around his waist and asks if she’s cold. She says no. She thinks that it will be today, from finger tips, back of the hand, whole body to the other, everything will be conveyed. Yamato blushes when Mei says that she can hear his heartbeat from his back [since she is still hugging him from behind]. He tells her that it is because he is a guy and there is a scent from her. She breaks it off and says that it is from the perfume. He sniffs at her and kisses her. He tells her that it is okay, if she is afraid, she can just kick him away. Mei asks how he can be so calm. He calls her stupid for he is saying that because he isn’t calm and he doesn’t want to hurt her. Mei says okay, she’ll kick him if she’s afraid. And, during this time, it is only embarrassment. When they are undressing, Yamato comments over it being a miracle for it is stripes-designed underwear. She shouts at him not to stare and she didn’t know that things will turn out this way. Yamato apologizes. He holds her and says that she’s really cute even at this kind of thing. She starts to touch him and he encourages her to do so. Then, while/after doing it, Mei cries and thanks Yamato for liking her and she’ll continue on liking him from today on. She will say ‘like’ no matter how many times. Today, she realizes the strength of that word, for the biggest degree of like has been conveyed with one’s utmost strength. And, they kiss.
 Scans by 離境漢化組.