Sugar*Soldier [Chapter 27]

Cover page: “What kind of dream would these two have? I’ve become Iriya-kun’s girlfriend!! My heart beat frequency is in its highest value, everyday is quite new” Text message: “Good afternoon Kisaragi-chan✽ Are you okay since then? During that time, I have so many things that I’m grateful to you. After that, Watase had successful persuaded the teachers. He had smoothly transferred to the ordinary-type class. Even if there are times when he isn’t quite lively, but I think if I can be his support, and it would definitely be alright. Please greet Iriya for me. Good luck [/gambatte] to you, too! Toyoda Shiho [guesswork 志帆].” Makoto is glad over this outcome. She wonders how she is going to reply and it is nice if she can see those two with a smile. Her thoughts are interrupted when Yusa is shouting he hates it, hate, hate, hate for he cannot approve of them going steady-whatever!!! Iriya tensely tells Yusa not to shout out loud and don’t cry. Yusa angrily shouts that they are totally incompatible for Makoto is like that. The fangirls overhear this that they start to ask Iriya if it is true that he is already going steady, got a girlfriend, no way, it is Makoto. WHY-!? Makoto becomes timid for it is an avalanche of thorough exposure. The girls ask why Makoto since if it is Iriya, he can find someone better and they couldn’t accept it. Hiding at the side, Makoto thinks that she always knew that Iriya’s ‘girlfriend’ should have a very high position but then, what should she do, it really hurts to go out. Iriya notices Makoto hiding at the corner. Walking towards her, Iriya tells the girls not to ask him that why-type of questions again. He pulls up Makoto and tells them that he was the one who confessed to her. The girls are shocked. The other girls decide to let it go since it is mutual feelings. Yusa still looks displeased. Iriya calls out to him but he turns around and leaves. Makoto overhears some girls that say that even if it cannot be helped but they have no way of accepting it. Makoto wonders what she must do to make everyone approve of her.

At home, while blow drying her hair, Makoto thinks that she is Iriya’s girlfriend and what should a girlfriend do. Then, she notices her sister’s expensive hair conditioner on the cabinet. She thinks that her sister even told her before that she can use it but she’s an idiot for using all her strength to refuse by saying that it is a waste on her. She takes the bottle when Rika enters and asks her if she has finished taking a bath. Makoto nervously grabs the bottle tight before it falls down. Generous Rika tells Makoto again that she can use that hair conditioner which can make her hair look elegant [/light floating]. Blushing Makoto thanks her. Rika observes her and asks if something happened between her and Iriya for she’s acting quite suspiciously. So, Makoto tells her sister about it. Rika is delighted to hear that they are going steady. She happily grabs Makoto’s hands and congratulates her. Makoto sheepishly tells her that even if they are going steady, she totally doesn’t know what a girlfriend does. Rika suggests that she try making a bento. She tells Makoto that most guys like a girl who is good at housework so she should seriously do it every morning. While Makoto thinks that her sister looks quite happy, Rika tells her to also write a ‘love’-type of message using the nori [seaweed sheet]. Makoto thinks that is right for if she does her best, possibly.. Imagination: Makoto proudly shows her bento. Iriya exclaims that is amazing. Tearful Yusa says that it is inevitable, he recognizes her as Iriya’s girlfriend. End imagination.

Makoto thinks, yes just like that then using the nori to make a message and be careful [not to burn things?] but what she should put in a guy’s bento. “Meat? Fried chicken pieces? Hamburger? *puzzled* Isn’t it quite childish to make octopuses using sausages? It shouldn’t be too cute for it is for a guy, right? Should I make the tamagoyaki [egg roll] sweet or salty? *uneasy* Or should I make boiled chicken egg!? Half-cooked or thoroughly cooked? Or maybe quail eggs? *tense* For the decoration, I’ll use tomato and broccoli.. Hm..radish and corn.. If I do that, it feels like I’m skimping on work and ingredients, right!? How about putting some carrots.. ah, does he eat carrots. Rice, how about onigiri [rice balls].. but it seems there are people who don’t like onigiri done by outsiders [not by one’s family], so ordinary rice is okay, right!? How about some toasted seaweed in it!? *dizzy* How about the bento box!? It’s not good to use plastic wrap, right!? *Tsukkomi rabbit has fallen asleep* What is the right one!? But, no matter what the priority is MEAT!! I have to go buy something! *Rika happily goes in to take a bath* What time does the supermarket closes!? I must wake up at 4:30 tomorrow!!” The next day, nervous Makoto sits in class. She looks the paper bag with the bento inside beside her table. She wonders when she is going to give it to Iriya and she kept on thinking about it that it is already noon. She spots Iriya with his friends. She takes the bag to give it to him quickly. She calls out to him when his friends tell Iriya that they go to the canteen to eat where the others already went. They tell him that they would be lonely if their relationship suddenly becomes bad because he has a girlfriend. Overhearing this, Makoto thinks that is right, friends are very important. “If I go right now then suddenly tell him don’t go to stop him when he obviously already had an appointment with the others, he would feel I’m an annoying girl, right!? And in the first place, I didn’t make anappointment with him.. Ugh, I should have told him from the start..” Uki happily tells Makoto that they go eat lunch. Nanami comments that Makoto looks awful and is it because she didn’t sleep from being too happy.

Then, Makoto sees that Iriya has already left. While Yusa is glancing at Makoto, Uki comments that Makoto’s bento is quite big. Makoto sheepishly tells them that she made a lot and everyone can eat it together.. To her surprise, Yusa takes the bag from her. Yusa proceeds to go out of the classroom so Makoto calls out to him and tells him to give it back. She is shock when Yusa holds up the bag to throw it. To her utter shock, Yusa throws the bag at Iriya’s head. While Iriya and friends are puzzled by it, Yusa angrily tells Iriya that he forgot something, the bento!! This surprises Makoto and Iriya. While Iriya is puzzled over this bento, Yusa angrily looks at Makoto and shouts for her to at least also go and stop him. Aghast Makoto apologizes and tensely says okay. As Yusa angrily leaves, Iriya holds the bag to Makoto and asks Makoto if she made this for him. Makoto nervously says he can say that..yes.. Iriya seems moved. While Makoto is quite embarrassed, Iriya says that he’s going to open it. The two are surprised for the food are somewhat messed up [because of the throw; hehe, it is tsukkomi rabbit design ^^;]. Makoto nervously tells him that she’ll do her best next time so please wait for the next bento. Then, she tearfully suggests that they exchange bento instead. She stops when Iriya feeds her with a cherry tomato. Then, he eats [what seems to be] a meat piece then happily says that it is delicious. Iriya pats her head and smiles. He apologizes to his friends that he’ll eat in the classroom. Uki tells Yusa that he can also do something good and don’t cry. Wiping a tear, Yusa angrily says that he isn’t crying. Uki continues to tease him about his snivel[nose mucus] to which Yusa denies that it is dripping. Nanami smiles while watching them. Narration: “Bit by bit, whether season or all around, it seems that change is starting.”

Comment: This is a good chapter of starting to go steady when the couple isn’t quite sure about what is involved with ‘going steady’. Usually, in other series, this kind of scenario is easily dragged out and the friends not helping at all. It turns out that Watase stayed in his school so we would probably not see him again unless they double date or something. Iriya standing up for Makoto to the fangirls by telling them that he was the one who confessed is good since they cannot really protest over it. Even if there are mean girls, they cannot exactly bully Makoto either since she has very strong and confident friends. I wonder if aside from solely not approving of Makoto, Yusa is more like a ‘father who cannot let go of his ‘daughter’. =P I think he doesn’t quite approve of Makoto is because of her timid and lack of self-confidence when Iriya would probably need someone the opposite of her especially after what he had gone through before. Hehe, maybe someone like him? =P I almost thought that Yusa is going to throw that bento on the ground but amusingly, it is at Iriya. Good aim ^^ And, it helped those two to be together for lunch and Makoto’s effort didn’t go to waste ^^ Makoto is starting to be more conscious of her looks and her nice sister also helps her out with this ‘girlfriend’ thing. It is nice to see how everyone is supportive of the couple in their own way. Lastly, about Makoto overthinking about what to make for Iriya, that is amusing though I do not think Iriya is picky with food because after all, he almost died of starvation before. Scans by all★wink汉化组

Word of the day:

 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share ~ 1 Timothy 6:18 (NKJV)