Preview: Shuriken to Pleats [Chapter 3]

Flashback: Mikage told Rod that death penalty is imposed on rouge ninja/s. He told her that he won’t let that happen to her. End flashback. Mikage thinks that her master always wishes that she can abandon her status as a ninja. She was able attain the privilege to act freely. He had asked her to go to an ordinary school in peaceful Japan. That is his willful request on his last days.. She cannot ignore it because that is the long cherished wish of her master, wishing that she’ll have a smooth and steady life. But she.. what is she doing.. And, currently, in a small apartment room, Mikage is talking with the man. Mikage says, so he’s saying that he wants her to get the antidote from some people. Still on an IV, the man says yes, he can only ask her, a ninja. Looking at some id card, Mikage mutters his name as, Wakashimatsu Mahito. Mahito tells her that this thing by itself isn’t common. Of course, it is enough that her employer didn’t give her a mission in the meantime but only..he still doesn’t know the incubation period of the poison so he doesn’t know when it will flare-up and kill him. Without the antidote, he cannot ease the symptom. He begs her [to help] since she is his hope to live on. Mikage thinks that those guys retreated to confirm the effect of the poison. Putting down the id card, Mikage says but then, didn’t he say that she only have to listen to what he has to say and that’s all.

On cue, Mahito starts to cough viciously. As if dying, he reaches out his shaking hand to her and pleads for her not to abandon him. As he continues to beg her, Mikage checks up on him and thinks that the poison is acting up. While Mahito is looking away smiling [secretly] from her and panting, Mikage thinks that this isn’t the same as her master’s wish..what must she do. Mikage sadly tells Mahito that didn’t she just said, she has a master whom she is serving and she cannot ignore his wish. Looking ill, Mahito looks at her and asks wish, isn’t it a mission..? This startles Mikage for it wasn’t a command – go to an ordinary school and study. Then, she cannot believe that she didn’t realize it until now, that last night [with him], what master told her is his last mission for her. She must go to school.. Now! She starts to leave so Mahito immediately grabs her shoulder and tells her to wait..school!? Then, they were interrupted by Mikage’s cellphone. It is the president who learned that the house he prepared got burned down. He asks if she wants to come back first. Mikage says no, she’ll go look for some other place. After she hangs up, Mahito tells her that he can provide her residence and even pay her monetary reward. Tightly gripping her shoulder, he pleads her again for right now, he still cannot die. Mikage starts to wonder if her master is here, then, definitely, he cannot just watch this man die and not save him. She tells Mahito that there’s no need for the monetary reward but contrary, she wants to study in a Japanese school so is there a school she can go to.

He will be her guarantor and will help her with the procedures [for the enrollment], and it is enough for him to provide her a place to stay. She tells him her name and asks him not to ask further as she assures him that she also won’t investigate further about him. Scowling Mahito says that he still hasn’t explained who he is or why he is being targeted. She says that in case, he is her master’s enemy [or working under his master’s enemy], it will be troublesome so it is better not to know. She asks where she is going to stay. He tells her HERE, his 201 room in this [run down] apartment. He apologizes for it is the only one that hasn’t been discovered. And, soon, she’s off to school. Why walk when she can hop on roof tops. Behind the wall of a school, some guys are forcing a smaller guy to hand over the English translation notebook. Holding his bag tight, the small guy refuses to do so. Just when the guys are grabbing his bag away, Mikage flies above them. After landing, Mikage asks where the school office is. The small guy offers to lead her to the place but the other guys say that they are not finished. While the small guy tells them to let him go, the guys tell Mikage to look for it on her own. And, Mikage decides to save the small guy by hitting the two guys’ hand and forehead with small pebbles. After they let the small guy go, she quickly grabs some dirt. She grabs the small guy from the guys and hinders them by throwing the dirt into their faces.

While running off with Mikage, the small boy looks at her in amazement then he blushes. And, they arrive at the office. Mikage thanks him for showing her the way or else, she wouldn’t have been late. The small guy asks if she is a new transfer, then, that is inevitable. He smiles brightly and thanks her for the big help. Mikage finds him so dazzling that she drops her bag. This surprises the small guy that he asks her if she is alright. She says she is okay. Then, the bell is ringing. The small guy bids her goodbye and introduces himself as Suzuki Kotarou. He asks her name. She tells him that it is Kiriu Mikage. Kotarou happily flashes a smile and gestures an ok sign. Ah..so bright that Mikage has to cover her eyes. She thinks that a high schooler makes one dazzled. Then, a teacher comes out from the office and tells her that from today on, Mikage is a student of Sakura Fubuki High so do her best and she’ll lead her to her class. While walking at the hallway, the teacher tells Mikage that she must have been informed during the interview with the principal that in their school, starting at the second year, they will separate students into different classes in accordance to their aspirations. So it is very important to have an awareness for future aspirations in the first year and also, from today on, cellphones.. Mikage looks out the window and thinks that she doesn’t have aspiration for without a command, she doesn’t know what to do. She had only realized this about herself and in the end, she only can be a ninja.

As she opens the door to the classroom, she thinks that perhaps, as her master said, living together in this country, and going to school, maybe something will sprout from her. After classes are over, Mikage passes by the gate to be told that her expression is still quite tired. After frowning, she asks why he came for isn’t it better for him to quietly don’t come out. He tells her that it is because she didn’t bring her cellphone. She informs him that it is prohibited to use the cellphone in school and did he find the whereabouts of the person who has the antidote. Mentally chuckling over how serious Mikage is, Mahito tells him no, just by following her, he would be able to find the other ninjas. After all, those guys are ninjas so they ought to be quick in getting information. They immediately infiltrate the residential area when she went to school. Mikage starts to wonder who Mahito is to be able to unexpectedly know the trend [/tendency] of those guys but she suppresses her curiosity. She asks if he came to help her. Mahito says that he’ll be troubled if she dies. She calls him stupid for he hasn’t found a trace of them, yet they had already targeted him. Mahito apologizes for the trouble. He tells her that if they continue this road, there will be an ambush at the fork, three at the left. Giving him her school bag, Mikage says that it is okay to ambush them from that side.

She jumps over the wall and quickly hits the back of the foot of the ninjas with shurikens. She tells them that is right, she helped that guy once but she doesn’t understand why they keep on targeting her. The one of the ninjas shout that it is because she is Rod’s subordinate. This surprises her. The ninja says that she came to Japan in order to take the ‘seed’ that was seized by his master, and it is also Rod’s order that she came to help Mahito-sama. Mikage mutters that she got news for them, Rod, her master, is already dead. Then, one other ninja hit the two injured ninjas with blowdarts. Mikage thinks that it is a spy, and those two were killed to keep them quiet. The spy attacks Mikage but she uses her scarf to block. At the same time, she also grabs for a shuriken from her pocket but the spy is already running away. The spy stumbles upon startled Mahito who is leaning by the post. Jumping down, the spy addresses him as Mahito-sama and comments that he still has the strength to walk. The spy asks if his lung start to become painful but thankfully he [spy] still sympathizes him.. The spy blows his blowpipe at Mahito but Mikage successfully grabs the blow dart with her bare hand. She stabs the spy on the neck with it. Breathing hard, Mahito tells her that they are leaving, and just leave it to their group to clean this mess up. Mikage says that guy said, ‘seed’ and that is the reason why her master lost his life. It was a preparation for a food crisis. She says that if Mahito has something to do with it, then he’s also doomed [/die], right..?

Comment: So, there’s the fate thing. She seems to be fated to be a ninja again..or at least, finish some business regarding Rod’s assassins and the mastermind. Considering her background, it is understandable that she has no decision on her own since she is always ordered around and shouldn’t question orders. Though I think her priorities in some way are kind of messed up. ^^; Normally, one would help a poisoned probably dying man first before fulfilling the wish of going to school. ^^;; Was that for comedy? I feel that the mangaka is trying to be funny in some parts but maybe it is Japanese humor or something since I got the point though I’m only slightly amused over it. ^^; Mikage only got the priority right when she put Rod into consideration if he is still around. So, her life pretty much revolves around Rod and continue to do so..probably until the end of her life unless something else happens. Not really surprising for he did a lot for her than anyone else in her life. Ah, probably more flashbacks about him all throughout?

I think Kotarou would be her friend who’ll teach her about things in Japan or at least, school life. The bullies are after his English translation notebook and she ought to know English because she is from England. So aside from being saved by her, English might be their connection. I don’t quite get why she finds him dazzling. Because she is a ninja = always in the dark or always with gloomy people? ^^;; Maybe because he is a naïve smiling type of guy? And for Mikage to help him, is it because he’ll show her the way or because it is more okay to help a bullied boy rather than a poisoned guy? ^^;; I hope it is the former. Back to Mahito, I guess the guy has some status to be called –sama. For the ninjas to address him like that, maybe the one who is out to get rid of him is blood related to him of some sort and those ninjas probably used to serve him. As fate has it, he had a connection to Mikage’s beloved Rod. Because of it, I guess Mahito won’t be doing those fake acts anymore to get her to do what he asks. They are actually somewhat effective with gullible Mikage =P About the ‘seed’, I guess the one who wanted it probably wants to get its benefits by using it to become rich and pretend to created it by killing the original owner/creator or anyone else knows about it. Or, perhaps, some greedy business-person type in the food industry who doesn’t want anyone, solving any food crisis. Scans by all★wink汉化组

Word of the day:

As we seek to serve those in need, may the grace of God that reached us in our need move us to reach out to others in theirs. ~ Our Daily Bread