Cover page: “Sho slightly hits Chihiro’s head and says ‘Men’
[<- helmet in kendo so it is like she got hit on the head]. In terms of
feelings, I already totally lost to you. ..I basically cannot say out these
words.” While Chihiro runs off, she thinks that Sho has definitely noticed her
feelings. She obviously do not want him to notice her feelings but saying those
kind of words [earlier] was clearly like venting out her anger on him (when he
doesn’t even deserve it). She felt disappointed with herself since she was
obviously very happy that he saved her. She stops running and thinks that she
obviously like him-- When Rino comes back, Chihiro is no longer at the shoe
lockers. She notices that Chihiro had left her shoes in the locker. She tried
contacting Chihiro on the cellphone but there is no answer. She wonders if
Chihiro went to the toilet. While Rino tries to look for Chihiro, she spots a
couple of guys tossing more kendo uniforms on the sink. The guys tell Ren that
their senpai said that he also wash these. The other guys are talking that
those Kagamido [鏡道] brothers are
bullying Ren again, and those guys are obviously also first year students so
how come their senpai aren’t saying anything about it. One of the guys says
that didn’t they know that those two siblings are the younger brothers of the
team captain. The two asks if that is true, then that no wonder.. Continuing to
wash the clothes, Ren says okay. The Kagamido brothers start taunting Ren about
his fans crying to see Ren doing laundry and how about they help him with that.
With a smile, Ren tells them that there’s no need. Since they don’t have a
manager, it is inevitable that first year students would do this. “Anyway,
guys,who wanted to help but has no enthusiasm, are very much of a hindrance.”
This irritates the Kagamido brothers. Black [hair] brother asks what did he
just say. Ren just tells them that the captain will quickly come back so he
thinks that it is better for them to leave early. Black brother angrily says
that Ren would even order them about. White [hair] brother calms the other and
says that things might be far from good so before their older brother comes
back, they should leave. Preparing to leave, black brother tsks and says that
this side [about Ren’s] hanging around with Sou, it is enough to infuriate him.
While Ren continues to wash the clothes, he is surprised when Rino asks him if
he is going to wash all of those. Rino says that would be quite tiring so how
about giving her some and she’ll help him out. Ren suddenly looks stunned that
he quickly holds up his hand from her. After Ren is surprised by what he did,
he just says that this is his job and he cannot bother other people about it.
Embarrassed Rino says is that so. She stands up and apologizes for being
meddlesome. Preparing to leave, she wishes him good luck with his club
activity. Ren quietly sits and thinks that he only didn’t want her to notice
that he reeks of sweat. While sad Rino is walking at the hallway, Chihiro finds
her and asks where she went. Rino apologizes and says that she failed in that
again. Chihiro is puzzled. Rino asks where Chihiro went because when she came
and she’s not around. Aghast Chihiro says that it is nothing, just a little
incident. The two girls simultaneously sigh in depression. Flustered Chihiro
wonders what kind of expression she would use to face Sho tomorrow.
At school, Chihiro glances at Sho who is happily talking
with some girls. She thinks that from his facial expression, it seems that
nothing has happened so could it be that she’s the only one who is thinking
about yesterday’s incident. Flustered, Chihiro looks away. And just then, Sho
glances at her to watch her walk away. After school dismissal, Chihiro tells
Rino that the teacher asked her to help him out so she’ll be going to the
faculty room. Rino says that she’ll just go somewhere and pass the time.
Chihiro teases her that she can go to the kendo club. Rino is embarrassed.
While walking at the outer hallway, Chihiro thinks that she didn’t see Sho eye
to eye today but then, she is also avoiding him. She wonders if after they got
all involved with each other and everything, it will just end like this. Just
like that time with Nanjou, wherein it ended before anything happened. Then,
she sees Sho walking. She quickly hides behind a tree and wonders what the heck
she is doing. She glances from the branches and realizes that Sho is looking at
the kendo dojo. Notcing that Sho is going to turn around, Chihiro quickly hides
and shapes her arms with the tree.. “I’m a tree.” When Sho is looking at the
dojo again, Chihiro peeks out and watches him again. She wonders if Sho always
goes there and just like the time when she saw him before, he always gazes at
the kendo dojo with a trace of loneliness. “Actually, he really wants to join
the club, right? Because the Hinase at that time in the gym looked so happy.. I
know. Except from looking at him like this, there’s nothing I can do..” She is
surprised when someone says, “Isn’t that Hinase?” She quickly hides and sees
two guys [the Kagamido brothers]. She starts to wonder where she has seen those
two before because just seeing them makes her angry. She finally realizes that
those two are the guys who caused trouble with Hinata in last year’s assembly.
She couldn’t believe that they are now in the same high school and what could
they be planning to do with Hinase. When she hears the bell ringing, she
remembers that she has to go to the faculty room. Preparing to leave, she
wonders what to do for even if she is concerned, she must go. “Those two
wouldn’t be doing anything, right?” As she leaves, the brothers head towards
Sho who is standing at the corner. Sho is holding a paper regarding his
application to enter the kendo club. He wonders if it is time to do so. Suddenly,
the paper is snatched by black brother and says that Sho wants to join the
club. White brother tells Sho that it has been long time no see. After a pause,
Sho says what, he wondered who it is, but it turns out the guys who really like
him last summer and they are his fans. The brothers exclaim in disbelief. White
brother says that Sho really infuriates them. Black brother says that they never
forget what he did and don’t think that it will be easy for him to enter the
club. Sho says ya, ya, he also doesn’t have any special desire to join so they
can relax. Black brother exclaims what he meant by that, as if the two of them
are afraid of him. He calls out to Sho who is starting to walk away. Suddenly,
Sho grabs black brother’s collar and says that even for a moment, he also
hasn’t forgotten what they did. Sho lets go of him and bids them goodbye. After
walking away some distance, Sho berates himself for being an idiot.
At the faculty room, the teacher thanks Chihiro for her help
and says that she can go ahead. As Chihiro rushes out of the room, the teacher
warns her to be careful or else, she’ll slip if she is in a hurry like that.
While tensely walking at the corridor, Chihiro wonders if Hinase is alright and
it would be good if he didn’t get into any trouble. Then, she bumps into
someone. White brother scolds her to be careful for that hurts. Chihiro
apologizes then she recognizes that it is the Kagamido brothers. She notices a
piece of paper on the floor. She picks it up and it is the Sho’s application
form to get into the kendo club. Black brother quickly grabs the paper from her.
And, he quickly leaves with white brother who tells him to hurry. Chihiro
thinks that it is Sho’s application to go in the kendo club but then, why is it
with those two guys. She wanted to get it back but she stops and decides not to
because she already apologized to that senpai from the kendo club yesterday and
it made Sho unhappy. “If I do more unnecessary things, it is possible that
he’ll hate me more.. but..” She recalls Hinata saying that it is because of
last summer’s competition and Sho isn’t at fault. Chihiro looks somewhat
determined. Soon, everyone is tired after a kendo drill at the dojo. A senpai
says that after a 5 minute break, everyone will do a quick paced swinging of
the sword 1000 times but Ren will do it 1500 times. Ren is surprised by this.
The Kagamido brothers are saying that senpai is cool and luckily their older
brother isn’t around. This is their payback at Ren for answering back at them
yesterday. The senpai calls out to Ren to reply. Ren says, okay. While Ren and
others are practicing, Sho watches them outside and wonders why they are so
strict only with Ren. Sho looks flustered. Later on, Ren walks at the corridor carrying
some clothes [probably for laundry]. He spots Chihiro who is waiting at the
corner. She comes out and apologizes to him for asking him about something when
he is quite tired after just finishing club activity. The next day in class,
Chihiro sadly glances at Sho who is happily talking with his friend about a
manga. Flashback: Chihiro asked Ren what happened to Sho after the summer big
competition because it has something to do with her. Ren told her that he
wasn’t there when it happened but from their other teammates, he learned that
those two from Sanjou [山城]
got involved with Sho and did something to him so Sho fought back. But after
the competition, those two guys wantonly publicly declare that it was Sho who one-sidedly
attacked first and this raised a tempest in school. Flashback 2: The teacher
asked Sho how come he hit the students from the other school. He told Sho to
tell him the reason because if he kept silent, how would he [teacher] know what
happened. Sho lied by saying that it is all his fault and he only got irritated
and hit them. Hinata asked how come Sho didn’t tell them about what happened to
him. That it is because those two got him that this disturbance had happened
and it is strange that only Sho is made as the bad guy here. Sho told him that
it is alright because they are already in third year and he is going to leave
soon but Hinata and others still have many other competitions to participate
in. End flashback 2.
Ren said that Sho thought that doing that would settle the
problem but Sanjou Junior High won’t easily give up. As punishment, the
principal ordered the kendo club’s activities suspended for half a year in
regards to that incident. Sho is stunned to see this notice. Ren and others
went to the teacher to beg but they were told if they [kendo members] think
that just by informing them about it, it will be settled. The teachers won’t
listen to their pleas. “I think that Hinase ought to feel that he is the one to
blame for this incident so after going to high school, he hasn’t joined the
club.” Chihiro said that she thinks that the current Sho ought to really want
to join. Ren told her that even if this is the school that Sho’s mother wants
him to get in, and until now, Sho himself also really yearns for it. Chihiro
asked Ren if he didn’t tell Sho something like let’s practice kendo together to
get him to join the club. Ren asked why, for it has no meaning if Sho himself
didn’t say that he wanted to join. While walking home, Chihiro thought about
what Ren said that Sho has to have a desire to enter the club or else, it is
meaningless to do something. But, that kendo entrance application form has a
lot of folds on it that has been formed earlier on, so Sho must have been
thinking of it for a long time before. One side longing for kendo [dojo], and
at the other side, unceasingly hesitating.. Chihiro looked determined. End
flashback. At the corridor, Chihiro calls out to the Kagamido brothers. She
holds out her hand and shouts, “Give it back!” Black brother asks who this
person is and what does she wants them to give back. White brother exclaims
that it is that annoying girl from last year. Chihiro says that they ought to
have it, give back Sho’s application form. After looking surprised, the
brothers look at each other and smile. Black brother scolds her for being
stupid for who would always have that thing around and he threw it away earlier
on. Looking away, Chihiro sighs and says as expected. As the brothers turn to
leave, black brother says that is boring, and don’t call them over for such a
nonsense thing. Biting her lip, Chihiro calls out and says that she’ll change
how she says it. “Please promise me.. that you guys would absolutely not hinder
Hinase’s entry to the club! Please..” Black brother says who cares about her
and why would they listen to her. White brother asks if this girl likes Sho.
Chihiro blushes. Black brother smiles and says so that’s it. White brother also
smiles and says that this is interesting so speak up. Flustered Chihiro thinks
that she knows..that everything she said is of no avail but.. “I don’t want to
see Hinase to have that kind of [sad] expression again.” She glares at them
that black brother asks Chihiro what it is. White brother comments that the
people around Sho are infuriating people. Black brother says that they still
haven’t answered her. He tells Chihiro that they can agree to that and she only
has to be the manager of the kendo club. This surprises Chihiro. Chihiro asks
if she did, would they really respect the agreement that they promise her that
they won’t hinder Sho. Black brother says, yes. Chihiro says okay, she agrees
to be the manager. Narration: “It is possible that I’m doing unnecessary things
again and provoking Hinase to anger.. ..but, even if that is so, I still like
Hinase.” Blurb: “Entering, into the vicious atmosphere of the kendo club..”
Comment: I find
what Chihiro is doing quite admirable. She is willing to do this, be put in a
difficult situation by these guys who have a known history of bullying, just
for someone she likes. She isn’t even going steady or anything with Sho and she
thinks that it is an unrequited love. There is even a high chance of it not
being appreciated based on what happened last time. With that kind of attitude,
it makes me wonder what Chihiro is capable of doing for Sho if they become
lovers. As for Sho’s situation, I guess he must be regretting that he didn’t
tell the whole truth to the teacher. He must be also thinking that he’ll be the
only one punished. Since he is hesitating about going in the kendo club, I
guess he plans to keep on punishing himself about what happened but then, his
love for kendo makes him want to move on from that incident. The thing is I
think what happened might have stained Sho’s reputation so even if he gets in
the club, he might still have ‘troublemaker’ attached to him. That will make it
easy for his ‘enemies’ to make life difficult for him. Actually, not just for
him but those related to him. It seems that Sho and Ren are a bit different in
dealing with bullies. For Ren, he would just accept what they want to keep the
peace as much as possible. Of course, Ren isn’t exactly very timid for he can
talk back a bit with a smile. For Sho, he would instantly retaliate which irks
the bullies to want revenge. It is hard to say which one is the better way of
dealing with it since the end result seems to be the same. I do tend to dislike
bullying themes but with this mangaka, I can hope that those bullies will get
just what they deserve just like in her previous series. Also, making things
hard for Ren might be good for him in the long run since he would be ‘better
trained’ than others. Too bad for him, his reaction with Rino might make her
think that he isn’t interested in her. Scans by 深雪汉化组.
Quote of the day:
No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of
another. ~ Charles Dickens