Sugar*Soldier [Chapter 26]

[Free Talk: To Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun readers, sorry but I won’t be summarizing the side story. It is just Sasayan’s point of view regarding his relationship with Natsume from not so interested into liking her. Then, in the end, during their third matsuri/festival, she lets him hold her hand before they meet up with the others, and he tells her to quickly fall in love with him. It is a one-shot chapter because the next side story will be about Iyo.]

Narration: “Cannot forget this pain that always encircled my heart.” By the river side, Iriya walks ahead of Makoto. He glances at Makoto who is still lost in thought. He asks her what should be done [next]. Makoto is puzzled that he repeats his question. Makoto goes into shock and remembers what he told her before. She tries to say something but is lost for words. Iriya thinks that she’s nervous. Then, she tells him that she always feel that she seems to have lost her self-confidence. Iriya goes huh. Makoto says that this always happens like in this incident. “Seeing Toyoda-chan.. doing things for Watase as if her life depended on it. She’s really such a good girl. So-called ‘girlfriend’ is pretty much like that kind of girl. I get the feeling that as a newbie, for me that term is not being able to attain that even for a 100 years..” Iriya sweatdrops over that. Iriya tells her that she really strived hard regarding him before. [<-clearing his name when he was accused] Makoto says that during that time, she didn’t do quite well and in the latter half, she would only think of that snail designed t-shirt. “So..I should say that I want to train again or rather, I’m saying that I hope that you can wait for me again. I’m sorr..” Iriya pats her head and says that he understands. “It’s alright. No problem at all. At first, I’ve always made you wait for me. There’s no need to be impatient. *smiles* So, no matter until when, I’ll wait for you.” Iriya starts walking again. Makoto thinks that he’s so nice. “He would always, always dote on[/pamper] me. If this goes on, I would really make him loathe me--” Makoto calls out to him to wait. She rushes to him and grabs his waist tight. This surprises Iriya and he loses his balance. Then, they fall down near the river bank. Makoto mutters that hurts, then she is shock that she fell on top of Iriya. She sits up and tearfully apologizes to him for she exerted all her strength [in grabbing him]. “Are you okay!?” Silence.

Then, Iriya burst into laughter which surprises Makoto. He turns around to Makoto and asks what it is. Makoto exclaims about that, in the end, there’s no need to wait for her. “Please don’t wait for me!!” Iriya wonders if it is to wait or not to wait. Iriya asks what she meant by that. Makoto tearfully asks if she is an idiot. “Just like this, I’m always hesitating when obviously it only makes me regret endlessly. So..I might fail again. I might make you disappointed. But, I’ll do my best, so..!” Iriya sits up and tells her not to cry, it is alright, it’s okay.. Makoto calls his name then asks him to wait for she’s going to sniff on some tissues first. After Makoto wipes her nose, Iriya tells her that once again, about that.. Lying again on the grass, Iriya complains that just now, that guy has stolen the first ‘benevolent saying’ [<- I like you, please go steady with me] and unexpectedly, he isn’t the first so this makes him feel a bit frustrated. Sweatdropping Makoto tells him that if he were to say that, for him, everything isn’t a first..but she understands, it is alright. Iriya forgot about that. Then, he realizes something. He tells her that there is still one ‘first’. Makoto asks what it is and it shouldn’t be some crazy thing. Iriya turns around and says, no, he won’t say it, he feels that it’s embarrassing. Makoto exclaims that she’ll be very curious about it and she really wants to know. Iriya waves for her to come closer. He whispers to her, “It is the first ‘confession by one’s own initiative’.” Iriya touches Makoto’s face as she also lies down the grass. As Iriya removes his hand from her face, they look at each other. Iriya says, “..Kisaragi, I like you. Please go steady with me.”

Makoto becomes teary-eyed. She recalls all the things that they have gone through. She touches his hand that is holding her other hand and says, “Yes..” Later on, they walk with holding hands. Makoto thinks that it is like a miracle, this scene of being together with Iriya as their two shadows reflect on the gleaming reflection of the waves at dusk. She’ll engrave this in her memory forever. At school, Makoto’s friends are pleasantly surprised by the news. They congratulate timid Makoto for they are finally officially together. Uki asks if that is the reason why she is confused lately but *holding imaginary mircrophone* express her thanks first. Makoto says not really for she hasn’t felt that special frolicking happiness yet because there are still so many things that that she’s uneasy about and she totally has no self-confidence that she can do it well. “..but, I’ve already decided to try and properly strive hard to see [if I can]. ..yoroshiku[/I’m under your care so bear with me] and it’s quite strange to say this.” Nanami smiles and tells her that even if she has just learned of this, but her grandmother told her before, that even if one is afraid and feels uneasy, but want one’s relationship with someone to go smoothly, in the end, it would work if the two of them do it together. “Even if there are some failures, the most important thing is having mentality of forging on ahead. It will be alright. *smiles* If it’s Iriya-kun, the two of you would definitely slowly forge on ahead together.” Makoto is moved by what she said that she gives Nanami a very tight hug. Makoto tearfully says that she likes everyone. Uki laughs and says that isn’t it because she’s happy that it’s spoiled[?]. Nanami is surprised that Uki also hugs her along with Makoto and Uki exclaims that she also likes. Then, the door opens. It is Iriya who is greeting someone back. He sees Makoto and brightly greets her a good morning. She happily greets him back. Narration: “Iriya-kun, I like you the most.”

Comment: I’m actually surprised that the mangaka didn’t drag it much longer. The confession is nice especially where and when it was done. These two are so patient and understanding of each other. In a way, their timing is a bit off because when one is ready, the other isn’t and vice-versa. Thankfully, Makoto decides to go on ahead for who knows if with all that waiting, Iriya would loathe/get tired of her. I doubt that Iriya will, but the future is unknown. Actually, her hesitation is quite understandable. Aside from her issue regarding her self-confidence, I feel that Makoto is a bit of a perfectionist. She wants everything to be perfect and go smoothly without failure. After all, most would want the first relationship to be the last one. And, since she isn’t ‘perfect’ yet, she feels that the chance of failure is high and of course, Iriya might be disappointed again for not finding THE girl for him. But then, until when would this ‘waiting to be perfect/have high confidence’ come and how long would that wait would be especially if one is doing it alone rather than with someone? So, pretty much like what was mentioned earlier about ‘the other person making one change’ and Nanami’s advice from her grandmother, the two are going to try and do their best to make this work amid their ‘imperfections’. So, I wonder if the future chapters would be more on that or probably potential relationships for the other characters along with that. I do wonder if the GL-like angle will be pursued =P Scans by all★wink汉化组

Quote of the day:

Go for it now.  The future is promised to no one. ~ Wayne Dyer