Hirunaka No Ryuusei [Chapters 56-57]

[Free Talk: I’ll temporarily continue to summarize this series until the English scanlation catches up to the latest chapter.]

It has been three days since the proposal of posing as a girlfriend has been turned down. Fangirls continue to bug irritated Mamura by greeting him a good morning. He fails to ward them off even if he darkly glares at them. Watching him from the shoe lockers, Suzume and others somewhat pities him since he is still popular as always. Nana comments that it isn’t easy for Mamura. Monika comments that actually Mamura is quite popular and she thought that it was a joke. They talk about how Mamura looked like he is in a super bad mood and it is his fault for rejecting their plan but then, those first year girls are quite lively. Frowning Suzume thinks that it turns out that it is quite hard to be popular. A first year calls out to Mamura and asks where he bought those headphones because they are very cute. Mamura angrily tells her not to touch. The girl says that it is alright, she also wants to buy one. Suzume feels something odd after seeing that – what’s going on, it feels a bit. Then, there are more scenes of fangirls: 1. wanting senpai Mamura to taste their baked cookies, 2. they follow him on his way home and think, ah so that’s the direction of his house, 3. they watch him buy a drink on the vending machine and say that it turns out that he likes cola, so cute, and 4. they watch him play basketball and says ah he likes to play ball. All through out Mamura just has his popped veins increasing. =P While Suzume is walking the hallway with her friends, Yuyuka is still infuriated. She complains that Mamura is too naïve and like that, he definitely should thoroughly reject[? those girls] and it’s so annoying. Monika says that is enough, calm down for isn’t it quite cute to be chased around from behind. Nana says that it will be just for some time and later on, they’ll give up so don’t mind him. Yuyuka mutters that they are too patient. Suzume tells Yuyuka that right now, she can understand a bit this feeling of Yuyuka’s about it. This surprises Yuyuka that she says that is quite rare from her when obviously before she always has this it is ‘none of my business’ kind of thing. Suzume says that even if it is like that, she felt that upon truly seeing it in front of her, it makes her feel uncomfortable about it. Perhaps, in her heart, it is a ve-ry suffocating lie-something but it is like, just by seeing him talking with other girls beside her and Yuyuka, her heart feels..somewhat a bit complicated. Yuyuka’s words stabs Suzume when she said that Suzume’s opinion is considerably selfish and willful. “Obviously you yourself dumped Mamura by telling him ‘we are friends’-something. And this friend became popular with other girls and you feel out of sorts. Like this, isn’t it because you’re willful and your nature quite awful.” This made Suzume aghast and depressed with herself for she is still truly a hateful person. Yuyuka giggles for this is quite fun. She asks gloomy Suzume if she knows what it is called for Suzume to be like that. She asks awful? Yuyuka exclaims no, it is what people call as jealousy.

Suzume says no, no, it is impossible because look, if it is like that, then for Yuyuka to be so fretful, it would also be jealousy. Yuyuka tells her that for her, it is a problem of pride which is different from Suzume’s, and before, when Mamura talks with other girls, she didn’t feel anything, right. While walking the hallway alone, Suzume ponders on what Yuyuka told her for it seems like that but being jealous, how could she. Is it a desire to monopolize? The possibility is quite small but isn’t that a feeling towards a friend. Also, she is always helped by Mamura and she is just thinking that this time around she’ll help him and it was thoroughly rejected so generally it is related to that, right? It is definitely not like what Yuyuka said, it is impossible that it is like that because ‘that kind of thing’ should be a more painful feeling. Then, Suzume spots a couple of Mamura’s fangirls by the bushes that she wonders if they are catching bugs. A girl is telling her friend that she took a picture and it is quite clear so should she post this up in the blog. Since Suzume’s vision is 2.5, she sees that the picture is Mamura fixing his tie. A stolen picture!! Suzume angrily shouts at the two girls that taking pictures secretly is a crime. While the other one is puzzled what’s up with her, the girl says that she is Mamura’s classmate. Suzume exclaims that has nothing to do with it and quickly delete that picture. The girl asks why when it has nothing to do with her. The other girl says that’s right and she isn’t Mamura’s girlfriend. Suzume says that even if she isn’t but she really hates it when her friend has been photographed secretly. While the girl says that isn’t persuasive, Suzume grabs her phone and deletes the picture. The girls freak out for it was very hard to take that picture. While the girls are making a fuss with Suzume, she is startled when a familiar voice calls out and asks what they are being noisy about there, when classes have already started. When Shishio asks what the first years are doing there, they say it is nothing so they quickly left after Shishio tells them to go to their classroom. Suzume looks at Shishio who tells her that it has been a long time. Suzume looks slightly flustered. Meanwhile, Mamura and friends are talking about buying something from the vending machine since it is hot. Mamura turns to the side and sees Suzume with Shishio. Suzume couldn’t control herself from becoming hot and obviously it is a gentle nostalgic voice but she finds it hard to breathe and if she didn’t answer, she couldn’t raise up her head. Shishio asks if she’s still okay. Clenching her fist, Suzume says that she feels she’s doing okay. He says is that so. Looking down, she thinks that is a lie for actually she isn’t totally okay, it isn’t completely. Just when Shishio calls her name, Mamura calls out, hey, what are you doing there. Seeing Mamura, Suzume has a bright idea that this is great she’ll ride on this current mood and quickly leave. Suzume says nothing at all and actually, she’s getting ready to go to class. She urges Mamura to quickly go, too. Mamura calls out to Shishio. He suddenly grabs surprised Suzume by the neck and tells Shishio not to mind [/bother] this girl again for they are going steady.

While Suzume is thinking that it isn’t like that, blushing Mamura pulls Suzume closer to him. Suzume tries to call out to Mamura when Shishio smiles and congratulates Suzume. This surprises Suzume. The school bell rings so Shishio tells them to quickly go to their class. After Shishio left, Suzume pushes Mamura away. Blushing Mamura asks what’s up with that. Suzume asks him why he said those words. Mamura says that he changed his mind for in the end, he is accepting what she mentioned before. Suzume protests that even if that is so, why only at this time. Mamura claims that she’s the one who proposed it so time [he accepts it] shouldn’t matter. Suzume continues to protests that even if he say that. She wonders why only..(recalls Shishio’s congratulations) and there’s no need to say it at that time. She pushes Mamura again and he becomes red again. Just when Mamura is saying that is enough, flustered Suzume mutters, idiot. She thinks that no matter what is said, the timing is really awful. While walking at the hallway, she wonders why Mamura chose that time to tell her about it..when Shishio is there. Suzume realizes that it is because Shishio said those words, she was quite startled that she is recklessly venting her temper on Mamura. She feels sorry for hitting Mamura but no, she ought to be angry that he decided on his own about doing this posing as girlfriend tactic. Recalling the congratulations again, she thinks that she is a bit startled since she thought that she forgot about those things. At the faculty room, Shishio notices that he has no more coffee. He puts the mug down and continues to type. He picks up to drink again and remembers that it is empty. He looks at the mug and wonders if it is true that they are going steady. At some tea room, Suzume glumly informs her friends that the plan is currently in progress. Monika asks a question on what does a ‘fake [girlfriend]’ do. It turns out that they have no idea. The others say that it would be like going home together, studying together and hanging out together at some place. Suzume thinks that she already did all of those things with Mamura so that means, it would be the same as before and there’s no need to do something special. She wonders if it is like that, wouldn’t it be more difficult. At the shoe lockers, she ponders what to do for it not be the same between a friend and a (fake) girlfriend. She spots Mamura waiting. He tells her that she’s so slow. Puzzled Suzume asks what he is doing, why hasn’t he gone home yet. Mamura says of course, he’s waiting for her. She asks why. This irks him that he says that it is because they are going home together, stupid.

Suzume looks surprised that she says ah is that so, she forgot, sorry. He tells her to remember it a bit. Suzume thinks that this is no good for like this, it is a bit different between ‘occasionally go home together’ and ‘waiting for the other to go home together’. She thinks that like this, it feels that it has been a long time since she went home together with someone. While the fake couple is walking in the residence area, a couple of fangirls are watching them from behind. Suzume asks if it is always like this lately. He says pretty much. She says that it isn’t quite easy. He says pretty much. Then, Suzume’s super sharp ears overheard the girls asking if they are going steady but it seems that Suzume said that they are only friends so which is it, aren’t they simply friends. This made Suzume nervous and wants to do this properly. To Mamura’s surprise, Suzume suggests that they hold hands while walking home. Mamura asks what she is saying this all of a sudden. Suzume says that if they continue on like this, those girls would doubt them so if they directly hold hands right now, those girls will immediately believe. Holding out her hands, Suzume tells him to come and treat this like some kindergarten playing house. Mamura angrily protests that even so, there’s no need to hold hands. Suzume scolds him that he is the one who wanted to go with this plan so is he going to hold hands or not. In the end, he holds her hand and blushes really red that he is covering his face with his hand. Mamura seems to say that they’ll do it until they reach that corner. Suzume says okay. After a pause, she calls out to him. He looks at her and asks what. She says that it is nothing. While continuing to walk, Suzume thinks that Shishio’s hand and Mamura’s hand feels totally different. The fangirls cannot believe that they are holding hands that they wonder if in the end, they are going steady and Mamura’s taste in girls really sucks. They reach the corner and let go of their hands. Mamura is almost at his limit. Suzume quickly bids him goodbye and left. Suzume thinks that she obviously wanted to tell Mamura that he’s ‘doing it at all costs’ too much. She thinks that the temperature and the way of holding hands are also totally different [of each other]. Shishio would always tightly hold her hand but Mamura seems like he is protecting an extremely fragile thing that he would lightly envelop her hand. Mamura’s nervousness has passed on to her and just like that, she totally didn’t know what’s the best thing to do. Blushing red, Suzume thinks that this is bad, she came to not know what to do. And, there is a scene of blushing Mamura and somewhat flustered Shishio.

Comment: From the looks of things, I guess the main selling point of this series is the love triangle since they are already in second year and this isn’t resolved yet. Would it be too much to think that maybe the second year belongs to Mamura, so the third year would be when they’ll determine who is ‘the one’? There were fangirls being depicted in other series but in this series, they are terribly annoying and somewhat creepy like stalkers. They are clearly passing the boundary of privacy. I guess Mamura is too nice that he would just glare at them and well, he cannot exactly touch them either because of his issues with touched by a girl. Actually, I think that what Mamura is doing would have an opposite effect on the fangirls since they seem more attracted to him that way. ^^; I guess for Yuyuka she is infuriated over how cheeky they would show their ‘love/infatuation’ for Mamura. Is the mangaka hinting on something when Yuyuka mentioned that for Suzume it is jealousy? Since Suzume didn’t feel the same thing as before, maybe Yuyuka is right. Maybe her disappointment with Mamura’s rejection about the fake girlfriend plan is more on this rather than being rejected as a friend. Well, she is also disappointed with Shishio’s congratulations to her. Perhaps, she’s expecting more from him. I guess she still has some feelings for him. Anyway, thanks to the plan, we got to see how red can Mamura become. And it is just holding hands for a little bit of time. =P It seems that Suzume ran away at the last part over her sudden confusion on what to do. For Suzume x Mamura fans, Suzume blushing there is a good sign. It will be interesting what more they’ll possibly do during their ‘fake girlfriend’ plan to totally get rid of those fangirls. Actually, how long should they do it? If they stop it, would those fangirls start bugging Mamura again? For now, it seems that this ‘fake girlfriend thing’ is like their trial in going steady, somewhat like ‘living in/together’ before marriage. =P Well, we’ll see where this goes..would things progress between them or Shishio will start pursuing her again. Scans by all★wink汉化组

Quote of the day:

Things happen in life whether you're ready or not. Seize the moment and take a chance or watch it walk away. It's simple. ~ Author Unknown