Kobayashi ga Kawai Sugite Tsurai [Chapter 28]

Narration: “Causing our miraculous love to sink into a vortex, the shocking true encounter is coming closer.” Holding her sketchbook, Mego is about to pass by Uesugi when she turns to the side to see Shino at a bookstore. Mego decides to go see Shino to check out what kind of book she’s buying. In the bookstore, Shino is surprised when Mego lightly slaps her back and asks what book she is reading. Shino has accidentally dropped the books that she is holding. It is books about becoming a novelist. Holding the book, Mego asks if Shino wants to become a novelist. This made Shino blush and nod. Gesturing, she ‘tells’ Mego that ever since before, she really likes reading novels and writing essays[/manuscripts] though she also knows that becoming a novelist isn’t an easy thing to do. Shino is surprised when Mego suddenly holds both of her hands and exclaims that is amazing, a terrific dream. Pointing to her sketchbook, Mego says that she too, really likes drawing and right now, she already started to practice drawing and even if her skill is still lacking but she really wants to continue on striving hard. “By the time Shino-chan becomes an author, it would be great if I can draw the illustrations for your novel!!” Shino blushes and smiles. She ‘tells’ her that it is really great and she hopes that it can come true. Shino ‘asks’ if Mego wants to be the first to read her manuscript even if she hasn’t finished writing it. At the streets, Mego happily holds Shino’s manuscript. She is quite happy to have Shino’s novel and she’ll be the first to read it. Thirty minutes later at the park, Mego is crying over the manuscript. She exclaims that it is such an exquisite thorough story about healing the human heart and she really wants to quickly read the rest. “Is Shino-chan a genius!? I also should strive hard!! I shouldn’t let myself fall far behind her.”

As she starts to draw on her sketchbook, embarrassed Mego thinks that she shouldn’t have mentioned about drawing illustrations for Shino since she’ll just lose face[/humiliate herself]. Staring around the park, she thinks that she must first properly observe people and scenery then more practice.. And, she hears a bird chirping. She looks down to see a small bird on the ground. She bends down to it and exclaims that it is so cute. This frightens the bird. Mego observes the bird’s shape in detail. She apologizes to the bird for frightening it. She tells it that she won’t touch it, nor deliberately go near it so don’t be afraid. Drawing on her sketchbook, Mego says that it is so cute so it should be her model. Then, Uesugi is walking towards Mego. The bird notices him. With ♡ and chirping, it quickly flies toward Uesugi and lands on the back of his hand that Uesugi has held out. This surprises Mego that she blurts out, “Who are you..?” Meanwhile, at Toushou High’s shoe lockers, Azusa grumbles over what’s wrong with Mitsuru for she heard that he brought her cellphone that she left, to the photo shoot but for some unknown reason, he only gave her cellphone to the staff member and left. Angrily grinding her teeth, Azusa thinks that he should have at least gone to see her before leaving and does he have any interest towards her. Blushing and pouting, Azusa believes that until now, Mitsuru doesn’t have any girls within his sight except for Shino. Then, she notices a thick envelope on top of her shoes with a heart sticker. She wonders if it is a love letter but then, it is quite thick. She opens the letter to find pictures of herself when she’s changing her clothes [probably for PE class], and there is a note filled with the word ‘Azusa’[梓]. This shocks her that she threw the pictures and note on the floor. Shaken, Azusa wonders what’ up with that, how disgusting. And, from behind the shoe lockers, a male figure, who seems amused, is watching her.

Back at the park, Mego looks nervous for she suddenly asked who he is. Since he is using the hood to cover half of his face, could it be that he is a suspicious person, how scary. Holding the bird on his finger, Uesugi asks Mego what she is doing with this fellow. Thinking that he is the owner, Mego apologizes and says that she’s only practice drawing it. And, Mego shows him the picture of the bird. He tells her that her drawing is roughly similar to it, such as that timid expression. “It’s very good for you have captured its special trait.” Being very naïve, Mego tearfully thinks that he praised her and sorry for thinking that he’s suspicious since it turns out that he’s a good person. Then, the bird walks toward Mego and sits on her lap. While holding the bird on her finger, Mego is moved that it started to get close to her and it’s so cute. While tickling the bird, Uesugi says that it’s quite rare for this fellow is such a coward and its alertness [/be on guard] is quite strong so it never get close to other people except him. Uesugi tells Mego that animals would only go near kind-hearted people and that means, she is a pure girl. Thinking that she got praised again, Mego timidly thanks him. As the bird flies to Uesugi, Mego giggles and says that also means he is also a kind-hearted person because this kid [bird] and him are very close. Just when Uesugi is saying that is the first time someone said that to him, Mego suddenly shouts for him not to move for this is a key moment, the bird is sleeping and this is the opportunity to draw its sleeping face. Mego quickly draws then shows it to Uesugi. Mego drew the bird and Uesugi’s face perfectly except for the body. Uesugi praises her for the drawing except for the body’s proportion which is weird. Mego apologizes and says that it is because her drawing is good yet bad. Uesugi laughs and says that he really doesn’t know if her drawing is good or bad, it’s quite interesting. This made Mego somewhat happy for her drawing had generally made him smile so it is like her drawing isn’t particularly skilled yet not particularly awful. Mego happily thanks him and says that he is the second person to praise her drawing to be good. “The first person who praised me can be said to be a bit similar to you. Animals like kitties and doggies would happily go close to him.”

Just when Uesugi says that it is an interesting person, Mego’s cellphone is ringing. Speaking of the devil, it is Aoi. Mego excuses herself to Uesugi, who is holding her sketchbook, since she’ll answer the phone. She walks away a bit and answers the phone. At some stairs, Aoi tells Mego that it is break time right now at his work. Being polite, he apologizes for the trouble yesterday when he went to her house. Then, there is silence. Wondering if the phone is defective, Mego asks hello, is he still there, and does he have anything more to say. Mego is heartbroken when Aoi bluntly says no, nothing else, and there’s no special thing he has to say. Mego tearfully asks why he called then. Blushing Aoi mutters that he only wants to hear her voice, and don’t make him say that, stupid.. This made Mego blush and she is very happy over it. She claims that she didn’t hear what he just said, can he say it again. Aoi exclaims that she’s lying, and stupid, she definitely heard it just now. Thinking that Aoi is definitely blushing right now, Mego giggles and apologizes to him. “I’m also very happy that I get to hear your voice.” While Mego continues to talk with Aoi, Uesugi looks at the other drawings. There is Tomo with an idol fan and Shizu with a BL book. Uesugi lets out a laugh and thinks that except for the face, all of the drawings are like that. Just when Mego is telling Aoi that she bumped into Shino at the bookstore and she is currently at the park to practice her drawing, Uesugi sees the drawing of Aoi and Mego. Holding hands, Mego says that she likes Aoi-kun while holding a rose, Aoi says, me, too. Uesugi’s eyes widen while staring at the drawing of Aoi. To Mego’s surprise, Uesugi punches a hole on her sketchbook. Uesugi smiles and says, “Finally found [you]..” He suddenly grabs Mego’s wrist and pulls her to him. This made Mego’s hairpin fall on the ground. Aoi nervously calls out on the phone, “Kobayashi!? *Uesugi holds surprised Mego’s chin and leans to kiss her* Mego..!?” Blurb: “Su..sud...sudden kiss..--?? Next chapter, huge commotion!!”

Comment: Okay, that is a fast..an unexpected almost kiss all of a sudden. And, I guess it is to provoke Aoi since Uesugi saw that ‘love-love’ drawing and he didn’t seem to do it out of any romantic interest towards Mego. I wonder what Uesugi’s motive is for doing that. Is it the ‘I won’t make you happy and move on with your life’ thing? I get a feeling that he would pull Aoi back to be haunted by his past. Aoi might get violent over that. Strangely enough, it is hinted that both are ‘kind-hearted’ so what could have happened between them? Former friends? It is amusing though that Uesugi has birds and Aoi has cats and dogs..guess who wins if it is a fight between ‘their’ animals? =P There is a possibility that Aoi might break up with Mego to protect her from getting involved with his past/enemies. But, I hope that the mangaka would go on a different route from that one or at least, make things interesting. Since Mego is a ‘pure-naïve’ girl, I think she’ll react adversely if her kiss was stolen by Uesugi. Perhaps, she’ll lose a bit of that naïveté since she thought Uesugi is a ‘good’ person just because he praised her drawing and approachable to birds. I like how the mangaka used the seemingly not important drawings of Mego into something important. Just when I thought it is just for the typical ‘lead characters should have a dream/ambition’. It would be nice if Mego would also be illustrating Shino’s novel in the future. I wonder if Shino’s story is related to her brother’s life =P Well, Aoi is quite sweet to call her just to hear her voice ^^ I wonder if he’ll be rushing to the park soon and find that hair clip...if Mego suddenly rush home or ‘kidnapped’ by Uesugi. I guess there will be a ‘showdown’ between the two soon. As for Azusa, I guess that pervert stalker will be the reason for Mitsuru to get close and reveal his emerging feelings for her. Azusa is a strong girl so I’m somewhat hoping that she can do something about that stalker by herself but then, Mitsuru would most probably help her out on this one. I guess it is different if a strong girl is against a pervert stalker. Hm..okay, I hope for a teamwork between the two against the pervert stalker. ^^ Scans by 夜莺工作室 

Quote of the day:

The only way to obtain perfection in any field is constant learning and practice. ~ Author Unknown