May 5, 2014

Skip Beat [Side Stories]

[Free Talk: The first two are found in baidu. Little Secret  from volume 33 and Dream Contact from volume 34. The third one is of course, the recent one from The Hana To Yume magazine last month.]

Little Secret: At that time – chapter 198 – He has decided to take this fact[/secret] up to the grave. Cain is looking at scared Manaka who is carrying drinks that she bought from a vending machine. Ren sees her as a hamster. Then, he recalls various scenes of squirrel Kyouko. This made him let out a laugh. Cain smiles and pats Manaka’s head. So, that is the fact, and he absolutely won’t say it out. Cain asks Setsuka if he couldn’t pat Manaka’s head [chapter 199]. It is because just last night, he told Setsuka that he won’t do anything that would disappoint her and he’ll only live as ‘her me[Cain]’. He just made such a solemn vow and the words are still ringing in his ear but he did that kind of thing.. Cain < Ren. So..since he has no way of saying it, Cain tells Setsuka that he only has thoughts of protecting[/cherishing] an animal. Narration: “Even if my mouth got torn off, I won’t say it!”
Dream Contact: This plot and situation is absolutely impossible to happen. So, this is a ‘imaginary’[/dream] little story. While waiting for the elevator[/in the elevator], Kyouko is telling herself that she is Setsuka and her brother is the first and second in her heart, the others are outsiders. And, even if those who know her as Kyouko, were to see her now, they absolutely won’t be able to recognize her. This is something that she’s quite confident of. Ding. The elevator door opens and she sees Shou. While the two are emitting dark aura, Shou is thinking of Setsuka as some stupid wild woman who is emitting a huge [I want to] kill [you] aura. He feels that she wants to kill him and he finds this quite scary. He hopes that the elevator would quickly reach the lounge since this freak is invading his imagined [personal] space. Kyouko is telling herself to calm down and even if she encountered difficult humiliation/s, she’ll endure it. [<- she seems to be thinking of her past events with Shou] She reminds herself that she’s Setsuka and she absolutely won’t let this person find out her true identity. Ding. The elevator reaches its destination. Setsuka takes a step out. [I think] Shou let out about wanting her to quickly scram and get off. Setsuka stops and darkly stares at Shou. Shou starts to scream his apology and believing in freedom. [<- of speech?] Setsuka kicks him on his left shin. Then, he recalls how Kyouko kicked him at his PV before. While holding his shin, Shou is wondering if it is Kyouko. While walking, Kyouko thinks that in the end, she couldn’t just do nothing and quietly leave since she is still immature. She thinks that at least, she didn’t wring his neck using her grudge. Demon kyoukos are proud of themselves that they were able to restrain themselves and want Kyouko to praise them. And, Kyouko is thinking of herself as Setsuka again, an identity that she won’t let anyone find out. Demon kyoukos sudden hide inside for Reino appears from behind her and whispers to her ear about her way of dressing is not bad at all. As he walks away, he says that she is most beautiful while acting out other roles, but the one he likes most is the one with black hair and a scar. Kyouko shouts that he’s a repulsive freak. And, this is a story about no matter she’s disguised, she’ll be recognize by these guys.
Side Story: At a bookstore, Kyouko looks at a fleur magazine that has Ren inside ‘Private of one day’. There is also about fashion, how to lose weight, something about beautiful ON makeup vs love OFF makeup, wedding ceremony is great, and about ‘his favorite food’. Kyouko starts grabbing a copy for reading and two copies for safe-keeping. She looks surprised and scowls to ask herself what she is doing. She tells herself that like this, she totally hasn’t changed at all from before. Putting back the magazines, she tells herself no, she won’t do that kind of thing again and even if she conceded to have feelings for Ren but the current her and the past her is already not the same. She won’t particularly buy a magazine that she won’t be reading and she won’t inquiry on the exclusive interviews that he did. She won’t record the television [program] and she won’t cut the contents of the magazine that has anything related to him and collect them. She shouldn’t look at other things and just buy what she wants to buy and get out. <- accounting[/tally] book and a schedule record book. At the streets, she takes out the fleur magazine from the bag and laments over her weak willpower since she ended up buying it. She tells herself that it is okay for it is a fashion magazine and it isn’t like others would think that she bought it because of Ren even if it is a mature women magazine. She convinces herself that it isn’t out of the ordinary for her to have such a magazine that she can even hold it out without the bag for she is a girl who is very sensitive on popular fashion. Then, she overhears a woman holding the same magazine, exclaiming over how cute it is and they didn’t imagine that Ren likes that. Her friend exclaims what it is. Kyouko starts to eavesdrop on them. The woman says that there is question here on if he is in a deserted island, what would be the three things he’ll bring. It would be a military [Swiss?] knife, a wristwatch and the third one is..  The women laugh and squeal over Ren unexpectedly having that kind of interest and it’s very interesting. Looking at her magazine, Kyouko is puzzled on what’s inside. She reads the part about what he would bring in the deserted island. The third one is a pillow that no matter when[/where] will provide him with a high quality and peaceful sleep. Ren is holding a cute sheep-shaped pillow. Kyouko is freaking out over it. Then, there is a picture of Ren showing how he sleeps with it while in the bus for a recording. Kyouko thinks that it is her birthday gift offering [to god], a regretful, remorseful apologetic thing.
It is because she now has a deep realization that she shouldn’t use the standard of giving things to others, based on what she likes. [<- in chapter 154, Kyouko had already realized the mismatch between a cute thing with Ren so before that realization, the pillow is most probably what she likes..so it is a cute sheep.] Kyouko wonders why Ren would bring that thing out. She is aghast for the two women are laughing about it for it seems like a mismatch. Kyouko is worried about its effect on Ren’s ‘mature’ and ‘graceful’ image. While walking at the halls of LME, Yashiro assures Kyouko that there’s no need to worry about that since from the internet, there is good criticism about it from the girls who aren’t interested in Ren. Yashiro says that he anticipated this reaction so he agreed to Ren’s request to bring it out. Yashiro thinks that he is also anticipating that there would be a lot of cute sheep delivered later on to Ren so he has prepared himself for it. Kyouko is relieved over this. Kyouko tells him that if it caused a bad influence on Ren then please, quickly kill her. Thinking that he couldn’t do that scary thing, Yashiro nervously laughs over this. Kyouko starts to ask him where he is going to meet up with Ren. Yashiro says that it might take a while before Matsushima finished talking with a guest earlier, and if Ren wants to kill time and not be disturbed, he thinks that Ren should be here. Yashiro points to the LOVE ME room. Kyouko freaks out over Ren using the room as his resting room, and he would be like a ghost member. After knocking, they look inside to see Ren sleeping soundly with his sheep pillow by the sofa. Kyouko blushes for he’s really there. Yashiro says that he’ll buy something to drink and does she want tea. She tries to protest that Yashiro gestures for her to be quiet. She apologizes and thanks him. She tells him that she’ll pay him later. After he left, Kyouko looks at sleeping Ren. She trembles for it is really a mismatch but..even so.. She looks at him lovingly. She thinks that even if she won’t deny her feelings for Ren again, but the current her and the past her is already not the same—  Ren hears a sound that he wakes up. He looks around and wonders if he was mistaken for he just heard the sound of a [camera] shutter. Outside the room, Kyouko was really startled by that shutter from her cellphone camera. It is the first time she used it and she was almost found out by Ren. Looking at her cellphone, she gloomily thinks that maybe it is better to get newspaper clippings than this for the past her won’t do this kind of thing. <- that is because she didn’t have a cellphone before. She tells herself that she won’t carry things that would make others notice her feelings for Ren, she won’t keep [things], only THIS. She wants to secretly, carefully breed, it like a feeling. “I will treat it as a treasure. *A picture of Ren sleeping with the sheep pillow* I will treat it as *giggles* a secret treasure-- So cute..”
Comment: Based on these side stories, it does make one wonder how they would react when they see each other again after fairy tale/Corn kissing Kyouko arc. Obviously, they sometimes make slip ups. In a way, it is amusing how they try to cover those slip ups but unlike before, what happened the last time is something that has a bigger impact than what they have done before. =P It turns out that for Kyouko, it is a very thin line between fangirling and love. From how she is acting there, she really does seem like a fangirl and no wonder she really feared doing the same thing with Ren like what she did with Shou to the point of not wanting to admit that she’s in love again. I think that even if it is irrational to think that someone else would do the same thing to her but that is the effect of trauma. It is sometimes hard to distinguish if she is going to make the same mistake even if it isn’t the same person. It is also trying to guard oneself from getting hurt again. It is like are you going to be naïve and let the same thing happen to you even if it is a different person, or maybe, this one is going to be different? So far, Ren is different ^^ It turns out that Kyouko got him a cute sheep pillow which she regrets later on why she bought a cute-looking one. She remembered when he said/lied about not being able to sleep without a pillow thus he requested her lap to be his pillow. I guess she regrets it even more since Ren is showing it to everyone and might ruin his image. For her to ask Yashiro to kill her if she caused that, she really looks highly of him. In a way, it is really nice how Ren is showing it off. Lol, if Shou knew! Also, in a way, it would be like how Kyouko is going to show off the jewel that Ren gave her in her Box’R drama. ^^ It is interesting that Ren is like a ghost member of Love Me and actually, based on their past trauma/problems, he is one of them =P And, just like Kyouko and the others, it seems that this is also somewhat like a ‘last mission’ for him to finally ‘graduate’. ^^ And so, both secret-themed side stories make me think, ‘what if they knew’ – if she learns why he pat the hamster-looking girl and if he learns of that picture on her cellphone ^-^ On a side note, based on the three things he mentioned, the knife is probably for survival purposes, the pillow since it is from Kyouko but the wristwatch..from Rick? Edit: After re-reading the previous chapters..chapter 165, the wristwatch is Ren's when Rick got hit by the car. Scans by dearstatin and 淚若水 for baidu, and Scans by 红莲汉

Quote of the day:
Memory is the treasure house of the mind wherein the monuments thereof are kept and preserved. ~ Thomas Fuller

39 comments:

  1. Wahhhh~!! I really love the side stories. I wonder what will Shou's reaction after confirming that the girl he met is Kyoko.

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  2. Loved them all�� I want that cute sheep pillow so badly��O(≧∇≦)O
    You made my day. Thanks for your hard work Kat-Sama.

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    1. Here is it;)
      http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aunt-Merry-Rosy-Sheep-Plush-Aroma-Scent-Pillow-Cushion-RRP-30-/200666037223?pt=UK_Collectables_AnimationCharacters_Anime_SM&hash=item2eb8a0bbe7

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    2. Kyaaaaaa, cho kawaii o(≧∇≦o) hontoni arigatoo gozaimashta Anonymous-San, taskattana~
      I'll work hard to save some money to buy one of these cute soft fluffy cushions(⌒▽⌒ゞ
      Wish me luck and thanks again(●⌒∇⌒●)

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    3. Thanks for reading and glad to hear that, Lolli ^-^

      Wow, it actually exists in real life.

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  3. Thanks for side story summaries! The encounter of Sho/Reino and Kyoko made me laugh. Kyoko almost give herself away by kick Sho's left shin. Of course, Kyoko can't disgust herself away from Reino's "super powers" LOL.

    Finally, I know what kind of gift Ren received from Kyoko for his birthday. Its a cute gift!

    <3 Tika

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  4. Thank you for the summaries!

    I am really happy that we finally get to learn what she gave Ren for his birthday. I'm surprised so many people actually got it right back then. I completely agree about Ren being kind of a rogue member of the Love Me group, and I thought it was so cute that he would go there to rest. In a way, he is also being a bit fanboyish by wanting to rest in a place that is connected to her, even when she's not around, with a pillow that serves as a replacement Kyoko's lap... that is rather adorable.

    It's too bad those two idiots would be able to recognize her even while she's in character.

    Also, I foresee a lot of misunderstandings in Ren's future if he is compelled to be sweet to any girl who acts a little bit like Kyoko. That poor natural playboy. Then again, I suspected as much.

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    1. Ren is naturally a playboy... perhaps just a nice, flirty guy..... Yashiro said as much.

      Sometimes, the autjor does not really have to be straightforward about it. But coming from Yashiro, who knows so much of Ren';s schedule and whereabouts, I can believe it. Though, Yashiro thinks the Press does not know about it. Ren has been very discreet. We do know Ren has had several lovers, don't we ?

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    2. Thanks for reading, Claudia ^-^

      Yup ^^ It is somewhat like that, too. Really nice ^-^

      True.

      Ya..

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    3. Yup, megaworthit and I believe Kyouko also knows it..'emperor of the night' thing, etc.

      Ah..wasn't that when he was Kuon? After that incident and he went to Japan, I got the impression that he didn't entertain any lovers or stuff because of guilt that he doesn't deserve happiness. He is only nice, charming, etc but I do not think that it is up to the point of lovers.

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    4. LOL, Kat ! You are right now reading the comment of the most cynical manga reader in the world. Anyways, I own 28 volumes of Skip Beat, and omg, I think I have reread them 3 x. especially those parts where yashiro has been teasing Ren about him being a playboy. Ren even got teased about his " techniques". Anyways, Kat, Ren has never, ever denied it, and I tell ya, when an issue is not denied, it's up to readers to ignore what it implies.. But it's highly nuanced. Yashiro even commented at one point that Ren had been discreet, that
      s why , no one in the Press knows. I understand that Ren's idea of happines is the real happines of true love and being with the girl he loves. It's highly nuanced. I think having " temporary happines" is not included, if you know what I mean. I don't know if you recall this.... do you remember those times when yashiro has asked Kyouko to go to Rens apartment ? So, anyway, Kyouko goes there, right? And take note, ren isn't exactly shy in seducing Kyouko, but he manages to not force himself on Kyouko, aware that she is a minor , inexperienced, etc. Kat, Yashiro is always with Ren, he knows his schedules, and who comes to his apartment. etc. The only thing that Ren denies is how yashiro knows his kissing techniques. Ren says there's no way yashiro will know that.

      But don't mind my ideas, he he he.

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    5. True..megaworthit..I've assumed that Ren didn't deny or anything because Yashiro doesn't believe him and he usually let Yashiro say whatever he wants. Hm..something like not making the issue bigger. That was what I thought. =P

      It's possible that he would entertain 'temporary happiness' but I would rather think he didn't while he is Ren and I didn't get that impression that he did =P And, I don't think Yashiro knows all..when Ren invited Kyouko for maui rice, which I've recently re-read, I don't think he knows that. ^^

      Nevertheless, whether he had lovers or not before, it doesn't really matter to them since Kyouko still loves him even if she has a hint on it and Yashiro isn't exactly using it as a 'bad thing' and supports Kyouko with Ren. ^^

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    6. Also, it's amazing all these chapters ( and years , at least from Kyouko's birthday in December, Ren;'s birthday, and February 14 event have encompassed just one month ! ! Unbelievable ! Of course, White day has passed, and it looks like Kyouko does not get anything from Ren. Nothing is said about it, right ?

      By the way, he came home to japan at age 16, right ? If he came from the US, that means, he was a second year or 3rd year high school student in the US. And yes, he did have lovers /girlfriends in the US. He even counted how many he had.... although his problem was, he had been dumped by them, and according to him, not because he was not good in bed, his exact words were , " they were all satisfied with him ," but the women did not feel any love coming from him, or something like that. ( and in fact, there were drawings of him and a woman in intimate situation ).... I presume all that happened when he was still in HS, or maybe middle school. Ugh. He started very young, didn't he ? So yeah, Ren had such extensive " experience". I love Ren, but he's no greenhorn. He is, in fact, quite manipulative. I mean, he has been manipulating Kyouko, and has taken advantage of Kyouko's innocence mind. , " You have to remain pure, Kyouko. " LOL Of course, he didn't say that exactly, but that's what he implied when Kyouko got her first kiss from Shou. "Only in acting, Kyouko, but not out of it. Okay ? " He he he

      I love Ren. In fact, on my website, I'm called Ren.

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    7. True..actually, megaworthit, in their time, it is just a year and probably a few weeks/a month. Nope, nothing is mentioned on it since then.

      Yes, I get the impression that he started young. Hm..for experience or to find happiness/acceptance-something because of what he's going through? Yes, Ren is manipulative and not only with Kyouko, I recall, even with the other actresses. After all, wasn't he able to make them act the way he wanted them to? =P In a way, needed as an actor if the other co-workers are giving him a difficult time? And, well, since he has that, at least use it for his advantage ^^

      Hehe, is that so ^^ I also like him very much. ^^

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  5. thank you for the summary! :D
    I always look forward and love to read your comments afterwards, your thoughts/analysis sound pretty logical and convincing :)

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    1. Thanks for reading and the comment ^-^

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  6. FINALLY!!!!, we find out what she got him!! i have been dying to know for, what felt like, years. :'D, so happy. thank you!!

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    1. Yup, r21e09d92 and well, isn't it years? ^^ You're welcome ^-^

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  7. Finally ! Now we know what Kyouko 's bday gift was. Cool !

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  8. Thaaaaaaaaank you so much!!! You are just awesome kat! I was wondering if i would ever know these side stories!
    Thanks again
    Kya~

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    1. You're welcome and thanks for the comment, Irene ^-^

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  9. I've been wanting to know what she got him for so long. SQUEEEEE! I love it. I love that he's unashamedly using it, publicly, even. So funny. And that Kyouko would take a secret picture of him. I was surprised, but her giggling over how cute it is is priceless. Thanks so much for summarizing these!!

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    1. Indeed, Tohru13 ^-^ Those are <3

      Thanks for reading ^-^

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  10. Waaaahhh!!! Kawaii sugiruuu!!! Both of them are so cutee XD hahaha Ren does not bother in hide Kyouko's present, rather he brags about it as much as he can LOL.

    And Kyouko is so adorable taking Ren's pic while he's asleep, her reaction all blushy and fangirly!!!
    Maaan i love those two so much and c'mon Nakamura sensei get them together already!!! LOL XD
    As always an awesome work on your part Miss Kat, thanks a lot :D

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    1. Yup, alita8205 ^-^

      Indeed, thanks for reading ^-^

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  11. thanks, Kat for the side-stories translation. OMG, I also have a sheep pillow!!! Finally we knew of Kyouko's bday gift.

    No brainer that Ren will show off the gift from his Kyouko! ^_^

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    1. Thanks for reading, fangorn ^-^

      Wow, you do. ^^ Yup.

      Hehe..is that so..I didn't expect it though. Nevertheless, very nice ^^

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  12. Ok, first, Thanks Kat for the side stories, i didn't know that both Reino and Shou saw her as "Setsu" and I was wondering if that would ever happen. Of course I'm soooo happy we finally know what she gave him that could make her embarrassed if Ren opened the gift in front of her. But we still have one more mystery don't we... What did Ren tell her in chapter 200(p.31) to make her turn so red!!! I can't wait to find out.
    Thanks again Kat

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    1. Thanks for reading, Evie ^-^

      Well, it is just a 'what if' thing - meeting those two guys.

      Indeed..what could it be. ^^

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    2. Huh wait. They already said that. Well, they didn't really saaaay it out loud, but they implied it right overr.. here, chapter 209, page 9 http://www.mangahere.co/manga/skip_beat/v31/c209/9.html
      He said "I love you" at that time to Setsu, didn't he? That's why she took more time than needed to come back to her role, since she was at the aknowledging point.

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    3. Oh..quite possible. I missed that. I just assumed that she is referring to keeping her composure regardless of what he said. Because if it is Cain whom she knows is Ren said 'I love you', I think she won't react with just blushing and stuff..more like here, it was like a knockout and that was just Corn having the looks and voice of Ren. Actually, even more than that like her demons screaming that it is the light..and they become angels again or something =P

      Also, looking at chapter 200 again, Kyouko/Setsuka is already blushing when Cain hugged her. What he said didn't seem to make any great changes in her reaction so it didn't occur to me that it is 'I love you', maybe more of an assurance that no one/nothing else is more special to him than her.

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  13. I am so glad you were able to summarize these. I had only known of the recent special side story, not the other two, so it was a super sweet update for me. Many thanks, Kat. Your work brings satisfaction to so many!

    Be blessed,
    May

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    1. Well, the other two were uploaded in baidu only recently because of the recent side story.

      You're welcome and thanks for the comment, May ^-^

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  14. OMG thank you for showing us this Kat, if it weren't for you I would have never seen it. I knew it! I knew it that girl reminded Ren of Kyoko. Why else would he have broken character? Normally, he would have probably walked right past her. As for his birthday present, I never would have thought Kyoko would get him something like that. ^ ^

    Thanks again, Brittany.

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