Tatsuo asks her about her grades
in school. Holding some exam papers, Anna tells him that there’s no problem at
all, her term exams are pretty much in the grade of 90s. She shows him her exam
papers and Tatsuo comments that he wasn’t able to tell that she is actually
quite intelligent. Anna proudly says that fundamentally, she just guessed right
what the teacher is going to ask in the exam and it also depend to her feeling
out the teacher’s character. Tatsuo says right, that is really her expertise.
Then, an exam paper, with a score of 69, falls down. Tatsuo grabs it and says
she got 69 in English. This shocks Anna. She tries to grab it and tells him not
to look at it. She is surprised when Tatsuo says in English, “The Commerce
Department said that spending on public..” She says that his pronunciation is
quite good and his English is very amazing. Tatsuo asks if he didn’t tell her,
his work is translating novels and medical documents. Anna exclaims in surprise
that he is a translator. He starts to tell her that first of all, the second
question’s ‘because’, even if it sounds good if said but in the book, it cannot
be simply used that way so perhaps adding at the start, ‘This is because’..
Anna tells him to wait, please teach her the basics first. This made Tatsuo
smile and says, okay. This made Anna blush that she wonders if she is unconsciously
being led by the nose again. While Tatsuo is reading to her in English, Anna
thinks that this is too strange for she wanted him to be crazy over her but on
contrary, she is becoming [more] crazy over him. “On my ear.. using that
magnetic low voice in saying fluent English.. My ear will become pregnant..!!
How come it is only when the other party is Tatsuo-san that I would always drop
the ball [/fail at the critical moment]. How come I’m the only one whose heart
is beating fast. *She didn’t notice that Tatsuo blush upon seeing her blushing*
It would be nice if the one I had fallen in love with has a pure[/naïve]
personality. *At the convenient store, the manager introduces Anna to the staff
Anna* When I’m with such a pure guy, I don’t have to consolidate at every
step[/advance gradually]. *Anna happily talks with the customer as she punches
in the goods into the cashier * Right, it would be someone like Takumi--”
Takumi drops by the convenient store and asks her for a soon-to-be-expired
bento. Anna speechlessly glares at Takumi. Takumi asks her what’s up lately
since she isn’t paying attention to him when they bump in school. Recalling
Tatsuo telling her that he heard it from her childhood friend, Anna says that
it is nothing and she is still working so please don’t talk to her. Takumi puts
his elbows on the cashier and happily asks her if work is tiring. Anna is
irritated for she just said..
After a pause, Anna says work by
itself is very easy but fundamentally, earning money is quite tiring and this
is the first time she realized it. “Because father is always be engrossed with
work that he doesn’t come home.. *Scene of young Anna looking out the window
and wondered if her father hasn’t come back yet* I got the impression that ‘work’
is enemy that I would shout at my father, ‘what do you like, me or work’ when I
was young. But for a big man like him to raise me up all by himself, right now,
I sincerely want to thank him.” Takumi looks surprised. He smiles and says that’s
good and he felt that lately she had changed. This surprises Anna. He tells her
that for a time, she would give him a feeling that she’s thorny all over but
now, she became smooth. Anna laughs over what he is saying about being thorny
all over. She smiles and finds it scary that her temperament became smooth.
After getting off work, she is surprised to see Tatsuo waiting for her outside
the convenient store. Looking away, slightly blushing Tatsuo tells her that it
isn’t [what she is thinking] and he just happen to stroll by that he came over.
Anna happily smiles. Then, while he is tutoring her, Anna fell asleep on his
shoulder. Tatsuo carries her to the bed and watches her sleep. He is startled
when she starts to talk in her sleep and calls out his name. This made him
blush really red. Soon, after work, Anna happily greets out to Tatsuo. And, he
greets her ‘good work’ back. Narration: “Ever since then, after I get off work,
Tatsuo-san would come and fetch me.” While they are walking, Anna gloomily asks
if it is worrying and taking care of her on behalf of a parent or perhaps..
Then, someone riding on the bicycle rings behind them. Tatsuo takes her hand
and pulls her to the side for the bicycle to pass by. This surprises Anna. She
looks at Tatsuo to see him blushing yet he is looking away. She wants to say
that he obviously took the initiative to hold her hand so what’s up with his
blushing face. “If it is the usual me, I might possibly say that. But, right
now, I don’t want to ruin the mood-- *The blushing two continue to walk holding
hands.* In order not to give you an opportunity to let go off my hand, I will
hold my breath and be silent. I don’t know if it is revealed that my heart is beating
quite loudly. Slightly clammy hands, not knowing whose perspiration it is. The
more I think of it, the more I’m affect by it. Until now, the things that I inevitably
do, I couldn’t do it-” She is surprised when Tatsuo let go of her hand. He
looks at his watch and apologizes to Anna that he unexpectedly thought of
something so she should go home first. “We will soon arrive at the house so it
is also fine for you to go walk by yourself.” Wondering what she did, Anna
exclaims that she also wants to go with him. They were suddenly interrupted by
an old policeman. He says that they were holding hands just now so are they father-daughter.
While Anna looks a bit nervous, Tatsuo says that they aren’t father-daughter.
Anna gets irritated when the policeman is asking what their relationship is and
in the end, is Tatsuo a sugar daddy [Enjo-kōsai].
Anna shouts, “Hey, ojisan!! *Tatsuo and the
policeman are surprised* Even if the age gap is a bit quite big so what if we’re
holding hands. For you to suddenly say that kind of words, what do you mean by
that!? Don’t act so damn snobbish. So gross!! *Tatsuo is speechless while
policeman says, ‘what’* Our relationship isn’t like what you think it is.. (‘What
relationship’ Something heavy is pushing down inside my heart. ‘Other people’s
view’ Why. I obviously know that this is something that I basically don’t need
to mind. Hey, Tatsuo-san. The truth is- very, very cruel) ..it is only.. he and
my father are friends.. we are only..but.. only just..” The policeman asks
what, he can’t hear it clearly so speak up. Tatsuo tells the policeman to calm
down and apologizes for making him misunderstand their actions. The policeman
asks if he isn’t going to bring this high school girl home to spend the night
with her. Tatsuo says no so they are not father-daughter nor that sugar daddy
thing. Anna looks flustered and sad. The policeman asks what it is, what is
their specific relationship. Tatsuo laughs and says, “Definitely it isn’t
either of those. For we are.. *holds surprised Anna’s hand* a pair of lovers.”
Back at home, Tatsuo is walking ahead at the hallway while Anna is walking
after him. She shouts, “Wait, Tatsuo-san. Wait up, why did you say that!? Is it
to deceive that policeman!? Hey!! Answer me!! Tat-” And, Tatsuo bumps his head on
the doorpost. Anna worriedly calls out to him as he slides down on the floor. Tatsuo
says, “..so I thought that we should.. go home separately.. I want to.. calm
down my head.. a bit.. ..Unexpectedly.. *covers blushing face* I’ve fallen in
love with a 16 year old girl.. *Anna blushes, calls out to him and reaches out
to touch him* ! Stop! No, don’t touch me right now! ..I won’t be able to control
my feelings.. so..” Anna still went ahead and touches his arm. He looks
surprised over her loving expression towards him. Tatsuo scratches his head and
mutters geez, he doesn’t know what’s going to happen. And, he holds her to kiss
her. Anna recalls wondering what would happen if they touched [during the bath
scene] and her declaration of making love with her [at the restaurant]. “At the
very start, it is only like that, only being seduced by his scent.” In the
bedroom, Anna tells Tatsuo that she wants to take a shower first because she
just returned from work. Half-naked Tatsuo asks if she thinks of everything[/whatever?].
Anna pouts and thinks that for him to say that. While holding up her leg,
Tatsuo says, “It’s fine. Anyway, I like your scent.” This made Anna blush in
surprise. She thinks, “Tatsuo’s hand, breath, and even skin penetrate though my
body.” Anna tells him, “Tatsuo-san.. I like you. Towards Tatsuo-san, I..”
Tatsuo replies, “—Me, too. I like you.” This made Anna teary-eyed with
happiness. Just when she holds his face to kiss him, they were interrupted by a
cellphone ring. Tatsuo reads his cellphone message from Daisuke, “I’m on
vacation today. And, I went fishing! I caught a huge fish! By the way, is Anna
doing fine?” While Tatsuo nervously thinks that he felt that it is Daisuke, Anna
wonders what’s up with that ‘by the way’ by her father when asking about her. To
Anna’s dismay, Tatsuo tells her that’s it for today. “..I might.. be sent off
flying [by a punch].. but, next time, let’s see Daisuke together.” The two
smile at each other. Narration: “16 years old. Winter. I knew what love is.” The
End.
Comment: I like Anna’s strong personality. It
only took her one night to get over the rejection and try again the next day. Hehe,
well, it is a short series. =P Because of getting a job, she learns to
appreciate her father more though I think her ulterior motive is to make Tatsuo
think of her as a responsible, mature girl. Hehe, love obviously changed her
for the better that even her childhood friend noticed it. Apparently, Tatsuo
unintentionally made himself fall for her more when he tutors her and walks her
home from work. I don’t think they would have any much problems regarding what
others would think of them based on how they faced that policeman. If Anna knew
of his feelings, I think she could have confidently mouth that policeman off
instead of hesitating because of her fear in facing the truth. I guess the next
obstacle would be Anna’s father and the author will leave that into our
imagination. After all, the point of this short series is for Anna to realize
what true love is. Thanks for reading this short series. ^^ Scans by 深雪汉化组.
Quote of the day:
The greatest discovery of all time is that a
person can change his future by merely changing his attitude. ~ Oprah Winfrey