June 1, 2013

Koi dano Ai dano [Chapter 22]

[Free Talk: This chapter turns out to be quite nice and I managed to shorten it a bit ^^ So, I’ll continue summarizing this for now.]

Cover page: “Yesterday’s enemies are today’s friends!? New Student Council activity starts!” When Kanoko was 5 years old, her mother would always want her to make friends but she refuses to do so because she doesn’t believe in ‘the more friends the better’. This made the adults worry about her. And now, as a high schooler, she unexpectedly got in the student council and had many friends. She writes about this to her mother.  She isn’t lying because after getting in the student council, her friends are like springtime bamboo shoots sprouting out after the rain. Upon arriving in school, a lot of people start to greet her and offer their help about her bed hair. Kanoko refuses so they would ask why she is so cold when they are friends. In class, Kanoko grumbles about they just want to be introduce to the president and girls cannot be trusted. It is like getting a top company offer then the ex-girlfriend starts to act friendly. Tsubaki takes a picture of Kanoko’s hair that is standing up because it defies gravity. After the school bell, Kanoko tells Tsubaki to go home ahead for she is going to infiltrate some research organization. In the idol research meeting, Kanoko asks some nerds about the price of Yabuki’s picture. As the nerd shows her the list, he is envious of Kanoko being with the top 3 – Yabuki, Tsubaki and Sayuri in every week’s meeting, and it is a miracle that all three are together in the student council. Kanoko looks at the list and sees that a picture of Yabuki smiling in uniform has the highest price. During the school meeting, Yabuki says that about the issue of third years retaining in the club, he will decide every weekend for the specifics so everyone participate in the consulting before the written report is published[/distribution]. The others mention the issues that concern them and end with ‘for the details, everyone participate before the written report is published’. Yabuki asks if there are any questions, raise your hand. No one did so Yabuki is about to end the meeting when Mitsuki says that they have an icebreaker game next. Yabuki ignores him and tells everyone that they are dismissed. Everyone say their greetings ‘good work’ and prepares to head out the door. Just when Tsubaki is opening the door, Mitsuki suddenly closes the door. Aghast Tsubaki shouts over his hand almost getting sandwiched between the door. Mitsuki says that it is alright since he knows that Tsubaki can evade it since his reflex is good. Kanoko tells Tsubaki to take a seat because Mitsuki will use everything to attain his goal. Tsubaki asks isn’t he a nice guy, according to rumors. Sayuri calls him naïve for he is called ‘quell the crisis’ guy. Tsubaki is surprised when Mitsuki addresses him that it is too sad that the meeting would end just 15 minutes after it started. He laments that it is because Kanoko and Tsubaki’s report are perfect so there’s no questions. Before, it is Yabuki’s sister, who writes awful and since Yabuki’s standard is high, she didn’t join the council again = she always got called stupid by Yabuki. Mitsuki comments that these three are quite outstanding that they were able to satisfy Yabuki’s request. Kanoko thinks that Mitsuki kept on saying ‘outstanding’ and she agrees with Mitsuki is a ‘nice person’ since he always smiles, likes to praise other people and very lenient with incapable people, so in the end, his skill is quite high.

Taking out a deck of cards, Mitsuki says that they play ‘Old Maid’. Yabuki tells him that if their relationship becomes too close, this will diminish their work efficiency. Mitsuki ignores him and says that this game will end if Yabuki wins. Kanoko tells Mitsuki that if she wins, she wants a favor. Mitsuki agrees with it and tells everyone to gather in a circle and sit alternate between guys and girls. Approaching Kanoko, Tsubaki asks what she is planning. To his shock, Kanoko wants a smiling picture of Yabuki which she can sell at top price in order for her to exchange it with 100 meal coupons. If it is taken in the council room, it might cost 300 meal coupons. Tsubaki recalls Kanoko telling him that she has been busy with the election that she always eat outside since making her own meal is troublesome. Tsubaki realizes that Kanoko’s living expense for this month isn’t enough that she totally lost her cool. Meanwhile at the faculty room, a teacher asks Masao-sensei to check up on the council meeting because he is worried about timid Kanoko [based on the broadcast] blending in with the others that he even told Mitsuki to help the first year become accustomed to it. Masao eagerly went. In the council room, everyone is serious and quiet. Kanoko thinks that she cannot win. Even if she believes that her ‘Old Maid’ skills is quite good since she can easily read the others she played with before but Yabuki totally has no expressions. While staring at Yabuki, Kanoko tries to get a card from him. Tsubaki is furious jealous over how they are always staring at each other. Mitsuki notices this and Sayuri thinks that Tsubaki is an idiot. After Kanoko takes a card, she looks delighted. She turns to face Mitsuki who thinks that he can easily read this cute first year. Since Kanoko sighs in relief, Mitsuki believes that Kanoko didn’t get the joker card. And to his aghast, he just got the joker card from Kanoko. Pulling up the joker among his three cards, Mitsuki whispers to Tsubaki that only the student council members can go in the council room but it is forbidden for just a guy and a girl to be alone together but what if three people go in and it is totally possible that the third person would suddenly go out for an emergency. Tsubaki imagines making out with Kanoko in the room while the other guy is away. Tsubaki immediately picks the obvious joker card from Mitsuki’s deck. Kanoko is shock and wonders if Mitsuki knows of Tsubaki’s weakness. Yabuki recalls that he forgot to mention the rules of what’s forbidden in the council room. Even if she hasn’t heard it but Sayuri knows that Tsubaki is thinking of something lewd. Sayuri takes a card from Tsubaki and it is the Joker. She wants Yabuki to win so that this game will end because she doesn’t know what the others are thinking especially Kanoko and Mitsuki. Masao arrives with some drinks. Tsubaki exclaims to him the situation why they are playing. Everyone is thinking of all sorts of things like Mitsuki realizing that Tsubaki likes Kanoko, Tsubaki thinking that the conference room is too extreme, and Sayuri continues to think of the worst case card game scenario.
Just when Masao thinks that everything is okay, he sees Kanoko really troubled. Kanoko is actually wondering what Mitsuki told Tsubaki and they shouldn’t played this game. Just when Yabuki is about to take the joker card from Tsubaki, Masao suddenly exclaims in surprise. Yabuki takes the ace diamond card and wins the game. Grabbing Kanoko’s arm, Masao says that it is time for a break but Yabuki tells her that the meeting is dismissed. Masao makes up some excuse to get Kanoko out of the room. Outside, he tells her to go to the toilet since he knows that her stomach isn’t too good. Apparently, Masao thinks that she has a stomach ache so he helped he get out. Kanoko thinks that it was because of what she told him before. While walking downstairs, Tsubaki asks if she is depending on getting that picture of Yabuki for her expenses. Kanoko refuses to borrow money from him and she mentioned to her mother about ‘increase friends = increase expenses’. Tsubaki says that he didn’t mean that, just sell his picture since if someone will buy Yabuki, someone will buy his. Realizing that Tsubaki isn’t in the same world as she is, Kanoko says that his picture is actually priced high but she doesn’t plan on selling Yabuki’s picture, it is just in case for at least, she won’t starve to death. Tsubaki offers his picture to her again. Kanoko says that it won’t do, because to fetch the same price as Yabuki’s, he has to cosplay or be half-naked. Tsubaki tells her that it is totally okay for if she needs it, whether he has to cosplay or be half-naked, it is fine with him if it can be exchanged for meal coupons..and it is better compared to some other guys.. To Tsubaki’s surprise, Kanoko hugs him tight. She tells him that there are times she doesn’t know if he is cat-like or dog-like. Tsubaki asks which side she likes. She happily tells him that she likes both. Tsubaki pulls her to him and calls her a devil [since she can make his ‘endurance’ that he is striving hard at, to instantly collapse]. To repay him, Kanoko tells him to treat her like a cute animal. Soon, Kanoko is shouting that it hurts. At the train station, Mitsuki says that was fun. Yabuki says that he’s the only one who had fun and why did he held that game. Mitsuki says that it is a request from the teacher so he sat between Tsubaki and Kanoko. He is also worried about Sayuri who is receiving some backlash over what she did from Hijiri’s fans. Yabuki asks if he is really happy about helping others. Mitsuki says that he’s a nice person. Yabuki asks what he is goal. Mitsuki asks instead what Yabuki’s opinion of Tsubaki. Yabuki says that he is good looking so he is popular with the girls. Contrary to what he thought, Tsubaki is sincere and cute. Capability and attitude are quite excellent. Mitsuki comments that it’s quite common. Yabuki tells him that after praising a lot, it is still common. Mitsuki comments that he has his eye on Kanoko and Yabuki isn’t like the teachers who are baffled by her external appearance. He had experience it today [= being tricked by Kanoko to get the joker card]. Yabuki asks if Mitsuki will also like her after Otabe did. Mitsuki laughs and says that he doesn’t have that perverted nature. Yabuki tells him to relax because from the very start, he doesn’t belittle her, and he won’t let her have her way. Mitsuki is about to protest but he stops upon recalling that Yabuki telling him that he doesn’t care if Kanoko is rare or not, he needs people who can flexibly use their creativity. He thinks that he hasn’t cleared things out with Tsubaki or [Yabuki] doesn’t need this kind of Kanoko, only wants an ordinary student who gives advice. Meanwhile, Kanoko successfully got her mother to increase her living expense because she agreed to make friends. They are sending her 5000 yen. So, until midnight, she thinks over her budget from today on.
Comment: Once again, the Tsubaki x Kanoko scene at the end is nice. Unfortunately, Kanoko thinks of it as friends and not something more. Another person realizes that Tsubaki likes Kanoko and Kanoko is still quite clueless over it. ^^; It does seem that Mitsuki is thinking of something else with Kanoko which isn’t exactly in line with what Yabuki wants. I somewhat think that Mitsuki wants to make Kanoko go out with her all-out potential or something like that. I don’t quite understand why he is asking about Yabuki’s assessment of Tsubaki. I guess Mitsuki is the type who is seemingly like a friend but he seems to be up to no good at the same time. That type can be a bit dangerous but then, so is poker-faced Yabuki. I’m amused with Kanoko’s musings at the start of the chapter. She obviously isn’t the type who get carried away by popularity, praises from people with ulterior motives, and so-called friends. She most probably believes in ‘quality over quantity’ regarding friends. And just like her, even if she already laid out a plan for an increase of her living expense, she wants a back-up in case it fails. I do wonder of the scenario of actually making Yabuki smile..or rather, what if Kanoko won the game. Anyway, things are just starting..everything at the council is going smoothly caped with an amusing game of cards. Scans by 红莲汉

Word of the day:
Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. ~ Proverbs 13:20 (NIV)