Kedamono Kareshi [Chapters 40-41]

Himari heads downstairs and tells her mother that she’ll also work today so she might be late at coming home so there’s no need to prepare her dinner. Her mother worriedly asks her if she is okay with work and won’t she be too tired. Himari assures her that she is fine. She tells her that it is fun so no need to worry. Her mother wonders what’s up with her lately. Then, she meets up with Ryou at school. He invites her out for some fun with the others. Himari declines as she assures him that she is already okay. She thanks him and the others for worrying about her. She informs him that she’s working at that place again where she worked during summer vacation. She invites him to come over if he’s free. At the diner, Himari stares at the table and is satisfied with her perfectly cleaned table. While hoping that she’ll properly pull herself together, Kuroda appears behind her and points out that she missed a spot there. This irks her. Then, he points out that the male customers are coming, opps, he forgot that she couldn’t receive them. Himari tells him that he said that she is already okay so she’ll go and receive them. Amused Kuroda thinks that a pure[/naïve] idiot is really interesting.

While Himari takes the customers’ orders, she thinks that even if lately, her conversation with Kuroda isn’t few but it is always this kind of feeling. She still feels that Kuroda and Keita have that same kind of aura. To her anger, he snorted at her. Then, there are new customers coming in. It turns out to be Keita and friends. After freaking out over it, she realizes that she hasn’t told him about her working there. Feeling awkward, she goes to receive them. Kuroda notices that she is having a ‘stage fright’ again with the male customers. He decides to receive them until he heard them exclaiming that Himari works here. Kuroda wonders if Himari knew these people. One of the guys tells Himari that they are all six. While walking them to their table, Himari is quite stiff for she is nervous just thinking that Keita is looking at her. Keita calls out to her and asks if she started working here again. She timidly says yes, for a change of mood. A girl calls out to Keita and tells him to sit beside her. Then, she asks him what they are going to eat. She starts asking how come Keita doesn’t know that Himari is working there when they obviously live together so could it be that their relationship as siblings isn’t good. Himari is at a loss for words.

Keita tells her that it isn’t because of that, but rather, he had moved out. This surprises everyone that they ask where he lives now. Keita says that it isn’t that astonishing and right now, he’s living with his mother. The girl says but that is still quite good and a bit of a relief since she couldn’t be at ease even if she knows that Himari is his family member. The others tease over how scary girls are. Himari looks flustered over this. She thinks that obviously she is family with Keita but right now, for her to stand here, she feels that she is quite far from him compared to the others. Kuroda wonders why Himari kept on standing there. Himari snaps out of it when Kuroda tells her that she’s taking too much time taking the orders so go serve some other table. Keita glumly watches Himari follows Kuroda. Carrying the food for the customers, she sighs over feeling dejected over that. After serving the food, the guy suddenly grabs her hand and puts something on her hand. It is a note with the guy’s phone number. The guy says that lately, she’s working here and he’s paying attention to her so if it okay, please contact him. Thinking that he’s hitting on her, Himari starts to become nervous. Keita and Kuroda notice this.

Himari manages to put on a smile and apologizes for she cannot accept. She returns the note and quickly leaves. Himari quickly hides in the staffroom. Looking at her trembling hand, she thinks that she barely able to deal with that and how she did it ought to be okay. She hopes to pull herself together. Then, Keita starts walking and looking around. He worriedly thinks that idiot started working here again and it seems that it is here. He notices the staffroom. He is about to open the door when Kuroda tells him that only staff members can go in there. Keita apologizes and just now, Hi..Kiritani started working here and since she is acting a bit strange in that situation, so he wants to see her. Kuroda wonders if this is the guy whom Himari likes. To Keita’s surprise, Kuroda tells him to leave the staff members’ issue to him and what is she to him for he doesn’t seem like her boyfriend. Keita couldn’t answer. Just then, Himari had pretty much recovered. She stands up and opens the door. She is surprised to see Keita there with Kuroda. To her shock, Kuroda points to Keita and asks Himari if this is the guy whom she referred to as the one very similar with him.

Surprised Keita looks at Himari who also looks surprised. This made Kuroda asks if he is right on mark. Himari couldn’t believe what Kuroda is recklessly saying right in front of Keita himself. She grabs Kuroda and shouts for him to come with her. After going in the staffroom with him, smiling Himari comes out and tells Keita not to misunderstand that incident just now, he [Kuroda] just had a misunderstanding. Keita isn’t too pleased to hear that they are similar. Inside the room, Himari scolds Kuroda over what he is doing. He tells her but actually, the one whom she constantly says is similar to him is that person. Flustered Himari admits that it is him but then, it isn’t what he thinks. He asks if he isn’t her boyfriend. Himari exclaims that it isn’t that kind of relationship. Then, Kuroda asks what kind of relationship is it then. She mutters that they are siblings. Kuroda says that they don’t seem like siblings for they are at the same age and they don’t look alike.

She explains that it is because his father married her mother so they are siblings. Kuroda thinks that it is more complicated than he thought. Himari exclaims that it isn’t related to ‘like’[/love] and don’t mention this issue again. After she left, Keita doesn’t feel that they are like siblings at all. Going back to dining hall, Himari thinks that Kuroda is an idiot. She bends down in disbelief over how he could bluntly say that in front of Keita. She also finds it hard to say it out while explaining formally. Then, she sees Keita and others are leaving. Deciding not to waver over that small thing, Himari pulls herself together and formally thanks them for their patronage. Keita tells her that she’s quite fast in knowing some other guy. He tartly says that it seems that she is already alright, and that’s really nice. This surprises Himari. While grabbing her skirt, she answers back that doesn’t he also have a lot of girls at his side, and he seems to be quite happy. Keita couldn’t answer back.

Then, the girl asks what he is doing and they’re leaving. Keita says he’s coming. Himari looks glum as Keita leaves with the others. And, Kuroda is watching her. On her way out of the diner after work, Himari sighs over what happened when she overhears some people talking. She sees that it is Kuroda with another girl and immediately thinks that it is a confession. Kuroda tells the girl that right now, he doesn’t want to go dating so what’s the point for her to confess. He tells her not to wait for him again. He bids her goodbye and turns to leave. Shocked that he made a girl cry, Himari calls out to him. Having a bad feeling, Kuroda turns around and see Himari trying to comfort the girl. She tells Kuroda that she doesn’t mean to eavesdrop but he’s too mean and awful to make a girl cry. He tells her to shut up for she’s an outsider. Himari says that even if she is, but.. Kuroda tells her that from the start, he doesn’t have that way of thinking so even if they talk more to each other about it, it has no point to it.

The girl looks flustered so Himari continues to protest that even if it is like that, the girl will be the one to decide if it has a point or not and he shouldn’t deny her way of thinking. Himari thinks that for her to say those words, it isn’t for the girl, but what she thinks, since liking someone isn’t a pointless thing. After looking surprised, Kuroda relents and calls Himari being too annoying. And, Kuroda heard what the girl has to say. The girl thanks him for listening and left. Himari is glad that the girl is feeling much better. Kuroda asks so what if he heard what the girl had to say. Himari says that it’s great, to be able to confess to someone one likes for even if refused, it felt that just by telling the other, one can continue to move on. She wonders if she’ll also continue to move on. Kuroda flicks her forehead. Smiling while he leaves, he says that she really loves to meddle, an annoying girl. Himari smiles and hopes that everyone can become happy. Then, Ryou and friends pass by the Margaret diner and he seems interested in going inside.

Comment: Is it just me or of all the three guys, it is with Kuroda whom Himari can be herself? She doesn’t fear him, be stiff or anything like with Keita. She isn’t overly nice and does not have to pretend that everything is okay, like with Ryou. Himari seems to also speak her mind with Kuroda and insists on it. I guess it helps that Kuroda can be very blunt with his words and he’s also sharp. Of course, with that, maybe he’ll be her ‘best friend’ =P Though, most likely, he might end up falling for her. Himari is slightly getting used to dealing with guys especially with that admirer and becoming more vocal. Aside from with Kuroda, she also manages to talk back at Keita for hinting that she’s some flirty girl. Like most nice girls, Himari has to intervene over that. In a way, she is insisting on Kuroda to hear the confession but not bothering to ask the girl if it is okay for her to say it when Kuroda isn’t interested. ^^; Well, I guess it is already assumed that it is okay since the girl happily went her way after telling Ryou about it. I think it is some formality type of thing for Japanese since I see this often in shoujo. It is like ‘I’ve said it and be rejected so I can move on’ rather than regret for not saying it and wonder what the outcome was. Of course, in this case, ‘wonder what the outcome was’, is already obvious since Kuroda already stated that he isn’t interested in dating right now. If it were me, I don’t think I would still want to say it to someone who isn’t interested and had already given his answer before the confession. ^^; Anyway, it seems that Ryou is going to make his move soon. Scans by all★wink汉化组

Quote of the day:

When you allow things to bother you, you are giving them power over you. Keep your positive attitude, and keep moving forward- that's where the real power is! ~ Nishan Panwar