Namaikizakari [Chapter 23]

So, Shizuka looks angry, Shou unamused and Yuki aghast after Shizuka saw them. Yuki wonders why it became like this. [<- it is because you two are flirting around outside] Yuki also wonders why Shizuka came out from the thicket..why would in this terrible time, he would-- Shizuka asks Yuki if she is going steady with Shou. As aghast Yuki is pushing Shou from her, she says no, not going steady..ah.. She asks Shou to temporarily let go of her. Shou asks, ‘temporarily’, is temporarily okay, then they’ll still continue that a while ago? This irks Shizuka that he pulls up one of Shou’s hand from Yuki. Shizuka tells Shou that Yuki dislikes it so quickly get release her already, you stinky hoodlum. Shou asks, “Ha? Who is the hoodlum when you were always peeking at us from the start.” Shizuka is speechless while Yuki asks what Shou meant by ‘from the start’. Shou tells her that it is from the time she said, ‘I don’t hate you’. Yuki and Shizuka are shock for he already noticed yet he did that -> hug tight. Shou tells her to forget that, let’s go. Shizuka angrily shouts for them to wait. “..really..it is better to give up that guy.. That guy.. That guy..during grade three, he intertwined fingers with all of the girls in class by playing thumb wrestling [/war]!!” There is a scene of shocked Shizuka upon seeing fangirls flocking around with Shou to play thumb wrestling with him.

Yuki thinks no, even if that basically doesn’t matter, but there is this subtle feeling..what is going on, probably it is because of the wording of ‘intertwine fingers’ isn’t quite good. Shizuka tells her that no matter how he thinks of it, she isn’t a match with that guy. “He basically doesn’t suit you, Machida-chan.” Shizuka gets angry when Shou imitates him, ‘he basically doesn’t suit you, Machida-chan’. Pointing at Shou, Shizuka shouts, “No matter what happens, only this guy- please Abso-lutely do not go steady with him!!!” Yuki looks surprised-something. And as the cicadas are chirping on a bright sunny day, it is the end of school before summer vacation. Yuki’s friend screams that summer vacation is here, and afterwards, summer vacation cram classes. Dark haired friend says no, but there is still going to the beach. She asks about Yuki. Yuki says that after summer vacation, they will immediately go to the club’s camp. While her friends are saying camp-what, Nasure-what, Tonomura-what, camp-what, Yuki looks at her notes and thinks that the all of the scheduled itinerary plans has already been decided so next, she only have to get the club [teacher] adviser’s approval and afterwards, today and tomorrow, these two days, she’ll start packing her things. It has been a week ever since Shizuka warned repeatedly in rage.

Before leaving, Shizuka would always shout to listen, it is for real, please absolutely do not go steady with him, for real. She hasn’t seen him since then. And lately, there is no other particular terrible rumor spreading around lately so it seems that Shizuka didn’t tell anyone about what happened that day. By the way, it is a fact that they are not going steady so that is really just a joke, that’s all. She is very thankful to Shizuka for treating as if he didn’t see that but then, like this, it is still very awkward. In short, right now, she must change her [mental] state since the camp will start on the day after tomorrow. At the sports faculty room, Yuki finds the coach and the adviser playing thumb wrestling. The adviser greets her and the coach says that there’s no afternoon training today, right? Yuki wonders why it is like that when she just prepared herself for a change of state, she sees them playing thumb wrestling. The adviser says that the coach’s hand is very big and it is because he is formerly a basketball athlete so he has a huge strength. The coach asks what it is. Handling to them the papers, Yuki says that these are the list of the camp’s everyday practice specifics and how much time is allocated for it. As well as their diet so please confirm it a bit. The adviser is shock for this is so amazing that it’s terrifying.

Yuki calls him Miyoshi [guesswork from 三好] that in any case, he is their adviser so if like their usual practice, he is always lazing around, she will be very troubled. Scratching his head, Miyoshi says that it is because with her around, he doesn’t have anything to do and even if he goes, the others would have this ‘ojisan [/uncle] why are you here’ facial expression primary Amamiya and Shou. The coach notices the slippers that Miyoshi is wearing. Miyoshi says that he forgot about that, during the regular meetings, he carelessly took it along. He must quickly bring it back but then, there will be a meeting he has to go to. Yuki offers to do it for him and asks him where the slippers are from. Yuki looks dark when Miyoshi holds up the slippers and says, “Misuzu.” After closing the door, Yuki thinks that it is really bad luck, for things to reach that stage, she couldn’t tell him, ‘please go by yourself’. Calling from the room, Miyoshi exclaims that he’ll buy her ice cream tomorrow. She says that she doesn’t want it. Yuki is startled when Shou is standing beside her and asks if she is going to Misuzu. Yuki nervously explains that it is because Miyoshi-sensei mistakenly brought back the slippers and she is just going to bring this back. Shou says oh, and passes by surprised Yuki.

From the faculty room’s door, Shou calls out to Miyoshi to give him the key to the club room for he left his wallet in the locker during morning practice. Miyoshi scolds him for coming here again and pay attention a bit [about leaving his wallet]. Yuki thought that he would definitely be like before wherein he’ll noisy say, ‘I’ll give it back’.. She wonders if he already doesn’t harbor hostility towards Shizuka and for Shizuka to tell her that she doesn’t suit Shou, Shizuka’s hatred of Shou is truly scary but to force Shou to become a person who’ll give out his all-out effort, it isn’t anyone else-- it is definitely just Shizuka. Outside the school building, Himiko is busy with her cheerleading practice with the cheering squad by shouting some Tonomura-inspired chants. Looking from above the building, Tonomura, together with Nishiyama, says that he wondered what it was and it turns out to be the cheering squad. They greet Himiko and tell her that her voice has become loud and clear, and it isn’t easy to have an afternoon practice break so relax a bit. The cheerleaders greet them that Nishiyama feels that the group has a lot of terrible guys [<- delinquent types]. Blushing Himiko towel herself and is glad that her performance has revealed a good result. Shouting in a loud voice isn’t the same with practice, and no one would get hurt..it feels that she is gradually becoming more relaxed.

Just then, someone screams that a ball is coming. One of the cheerleading squad guys got smacked with a soccer ball on the face. While Himiko is nervous that he is injured, the others are worried about Shikanosuke’s bleeding nose. Some of them want to get back at the scared soccer club members who realized that they hit the basketball’s cheering squad. Himiko is startled when one of the guys suggests that Shika [<- nickname of Shikanosuke] hold his head up. Himiko recalls Yuki telling her that if it is a bleeding nose, she must hold the head down at 45 degrees. Everyone is scared of seeing blood so they hold their head up so pay attention to that, especially with Abe. The guys get irritated when Himiko shouts for them not to hold the head up. Himiko holds Shika’s head down at 45 degrees. Shika stares at nervous aghast Himiko’s face. Then, Himiko runs off and shouts that she’ll get an ice bag. Shika’s friends say that his nose bleed is really amazing [<- nosebleed over a girl? =P] and in the end, isn’t it better to hold his head up. Shika isn’t listening to them for he is in lala land. And, at a different gym, a basketball comes flying and smacks Shizuka on the face. One of the guys scolds Shizuka for doing that again. Shizuka apologizes. The guy reprimands him not to be lost in thought and wash his face first. He says okay. Kira is watching him.

As Shizuka wash his face at the sink, he recalled Shou hugging Yuki and she told him that she doesn’t hate him. Shizuka mentally curses over his endless confusion that he couldn’t concentrate. “No good, right now, I have to quickly forget.” Then, he spits out the water in his mouth upon seeing Yuki returning the slippers that their teacher mistakenly took. The woman thanks her for specially coming to bring it back. While puzzled Shizuka is watching her from behind a post, Yuki is glad for it is mission complete, so she must quickly go back before she meets up with Shizuka. She is startled when someone calls out to her. It turns out to be Kira. He asks her if something is up that she came over. Getting ready to go out the door, Yuki tells him that she had just finished it and is he currently practicing. Kira says that they are on a break. He offers to help her open the door since it is heavy. Just as Kira is holding the door handle, he says that there is something that he’s always very curious about. Yuki asks what it is. Smiling Kira says, “Machida-chan, do you have a boyfriend?” This freezes Yuki and peeking Shizuka looks surprised. Thinking that Kira is that kind of person, puzzled Yuki faces him and says that she doesn’t have [a boyfriend]. Kira says is that so, then, he should have talked with her earlier. “In short, can we first exchange contact information?”

Shizuka suddenly comes out and grabs Yuki’s arm. He tells Kira that Yuki is no good [/she is off limits]. After looking surprised at serious Shizuka, Yuki wonders what to do for how is she going to explain herself about this. Smiling Kira asks why it is no good when she said that she doesn’t have a boyfriend. Shizuka shouts that one shouldn’t use that way of casually fooling around with this girl. “Machida-chan is a very amazing person!!” This surprises Yuki and it made her decide that she must tell him. She apologizes to Shizuka for she isn’t that amazing person as he imagines. “Before you said that the one who changed Naruse is me. But the one who is giving him the most support is you, Hakamada-kun. So, Naruse is also definitely not that kind of depraved person that you imagined.. This winter, I’ll be retiring then I’ll graduate on spring. I hope that you’ll always be that guy’s rival. *smiles* I can only ask you, regarding this thing.” Shizuka looks surprised as Yuki leaves. Kira tells Shizuka that he’ll be very troubled if Shizuka is distracted. “Quickly figure it out, okay. Actually, what are you dissatisfied about, Hakamada? Is it because the one who made a move on her is me? Or, is it because the one who made a move on her is Ryuhoku’s trump card? Or is it some other unknown person? –or perhaps, you only do not want her to be snatch away by someone else--?” Shizuka is blushing really red and looking tense.

While walking, Yuki wonders after all, why, it is really baffling when obviously, she only mentioned that guy to someone else but she now wants to hear his voice. Looking at her cellphone with Shou’s contact number, she thinks that obviously this kind of feeling has never arisen before. She wonders if he called would that be a headache. She tells herself that it isn’t necessary to call him and mention, ‘right now, I’ve finished what I have to do at Misuzu and I’m already near my house’ something since they aren’t going steady. For her to specifically inform him, it would be very strange. Then, her cellphone rings. She becomes nervous over what to do and he’s so fast. She answers the phone and asks if he already went home. He says that right now, he is near the house and what about her. She says that she is waiting for the train because she is very idle (lie). He tells her that she hasn’t ride the train yet, she’s so slow, is the train coming soon. She says yes. Yuki thinks that it is baffling for she obviously just wants to hear his voice, and want to see his face. She looks up to see Shou sitting on the bench in front of her and he’s looking at her. After they hang up, Shou says that isn’t she at the station. She exclaims that isn’t he ‘near the house’. He tells her that he is near her house.

Realizing that this is indeed near her house, she nervously wonders if her younger sisters are still at school. She tells Shou that no matter what, this is very terrible so quickly go back.. Shou holds her hand and asks if she went to Misuzu. She says yes. He asks if she met Shizuka. She says yes. While he holds her finger, Yuki thinks that he’s like a kid, unable to cover it up and letting her see him being difficult with her. She wonders if this is his plan, and she can understand this kind of thing. He asks if they talked. She says that they did. Caressing her arm, he asks what they talked about. Yuki angrily says that’s ticklish. As she tries to pull her hand away, she tells him that he’s noisy to death, it isn’t some big issue. “I have told you so many times, Hakamada-kun only evaluates me too high and he harbors a hostility with you that is why he is being difficult, that’s all there is to it. There is to-tally nothing other than that regarding how he thinks of me..” Shou pulls her resisting hand and kisses it. He tells her that while waiting here for her, he always feel very uneasy and he particularly wanted to see her.

Yuki blushes and thinks, but during times when he is piqued like this, she always totally want to stroke his head and tell him, ‘it is alright’ ‘are you an idiot’- “If we are going steady, is it possible that there would be no hesitation in making the other party feel at ease..” Then, a couple of gossiping housewives talk about some wife at that house. This made Yuki immediately push him away and thinks that no, she forgot that they are outside, and near her house, she doesn’t want a repeat of that disastrous situation. [<- Shizuka seeing them] Yuki tells him that in short, first go home before he is seen by her siblings since they would be noisy to death about it. Shou stands up and says that he came to hear the FOLLOW-UP. She asks ‘follow-up’. He says about what she is saying that *cough cough by Yuki* that thing. Aghast Yuki thinks that she also forgot about that thing. He tells her to forget about it today because anyway, starting from the day after tomorrow, in three days and two nights, they will be spending the night together. Yuki looks dark and says that it isn’t spending the night, it is a camp. Shou says that camping is under [/another name for] spending the night. She says no, camping is under devil special training. Yuki thinks that summer has started.

Comment: And, Shizuka is finally getting close to realizing the reason why he is acting like that with Yuki. And Yuki is somewhat the same with him for she dismisses those acts as ‘admiration’ and not ‘love’ for her. I guess she ought to be shock if she realizes it and Shou might tell her, ‘told you so’. For a while there, I almost wondered how it will be if Kira is also one of her suitors. It is amusing though that Shizuka’s proof that Shou is a playboy is because he plays thumb wresting with the girls in his class during elementary. ^^; For now, it seems that Shou is controlling his jealousy and possessiveness that he decided to wait for her to come back rather than following her or offering to return the slippers himself. Growing up a bit? Just like Yuki is starting to show more signs of falling in love with him ^^ Apparently, a new couple might be born based on Shika’s reaction to Himiko who is also getting used to her work. And, it seems that one has to be always alert in places that involve ball sports. ^^; So, what are the chances that Misuzu will also have camp near where they are going? Scans by 红莲汉化组

Quote of the day:

Patience and understanding are two rarest virtue humans could have today. ~ Wazim Shaw