May 14, 2016

Kasane [Chapter 73 - Awakening]


Nogiku wakes up. She groans and sees a chair in front of her. Then, her eyes widen. She is gagged. Both her hands and feet are bounded by tape. She starts to become nervous. She tries to free her hands and feet but it is of no use. She mustered up her strength to sit up.

Nogiku realizes that she is in a room with a bed, a cabinet shelf, a table and chair and a heater[?]. There are no windows in the room. She starts to panic and recalls her own mother whose feet are chained. She loses her balance and falls down. She wonders why and what had happened!? “Where is this..?”
Nogiku is startled when someone calls out, “Hey, don’t be so afraid.” It is Kingo holding a mug. He assures her that he isn’t after her life. “Ah..it is also normal for you to be so confused. *Nogiku glares at him* That facial expression is asking me to explain the situation on what had happened...

...*puts the mug on the table* ..it cannot be helped. *pulls the chair to sit down* Then, I let me explain it to you from the start. It is because you said that line. *sits down and cracks open some peanuts* I heard it from Kasane. In order to cheer her on and give her support, you said this line—
‘Even if the past and sin won’t disappear- you also should be able to walk on- Because I will accompany you in that hell, and we’ll walk in it together-’ ..isn’t that right? *Nogoku looks nervous*...

...-I also heard that line from Kasane’s mother. It’s truly quite nostalgic. That had made the young me at that time feel quite unwell [/nauseous] so even if I want to forget it, I couldn’t. Although, it is thanks to you that Saki came back to life...

..but, *eats peanut* generally speaking, in giving someone encouragement to do one’s best, would one use the words that was said by a man whom one hated so much to the point of killing him? Besides, the most important is this ‘Even if the past and sin won’t disappear’ part...
...Because Kaidou knows his own wife’s ‘past’ and ‘sin’ so he said that line. *cracks open another peanut* So, you also felt that line will be effective in resolving Kasane’s worries.

..that also means, you actually always knew Kasane’s sin of ‘causing Tanzawa Nina’s death’. *Nogiku looks surprised and tense* ..if it is so, then it is very strange. *stands up* I had been meticulously planning all the way because I do not want you to know about that matter...

...Then, how come you know about that matter? Thus, I suddenly thought of it. Basically..it is like you are simply always waiting for Nina’s death. Also, the time when you appeared [at the beach] is also too coincidental. Then, what does all of this mean.. I immediately went to investigate.”
Flashback: After dropping Kasane off, Kingo told Kasane that he’ll go somewhere. Somewhere else, Kingo apologized for suddenly coming over and disturbing her. Narration: “I went to a FARAWAY NURSING HOME where Nina’s mother is living after she moved out from the city to the countryside--”

Nina’s mother says that it is fine and because the weather today is quite good..her mood is also a bit better.. Holding a small bag, Kingo said that this is the thing/s that he mentioned to her on the phone. “Even if it has been such a long time already but these are your daughter’s personal item/s that she left at the rehearsal place.”

While holding a piece of paper, Nina’s mother looks at a piece of glove. Kingo said, “Although it isn’t a clue regarding your daughter’s whereabouts..” Nina’s mother replied that it is alright. She tearfully holds the glove and repeated that it is alright. “I’m already quite grateful to you..!!” Kingo observed the room.
Then he said, “..by the way, this place..even if it isn’t quite bad but isn’t it almost a bit lonely. (There is totally no television, radio or even newspaper-type of thing. I reckon that it is for her not to think of anything related to Nina that she deliberately kept away from anything that is related to news [about Nina])...

For you to be like this right now, it is better for you to be able to talk with someone.” After a pause, Nina’s mother said that it is because no one would listen to what she says.. Kingo looked surprised.
He asked, “No one? How about your husband? *no reply* About that.. But, it is also impossible that there is totally no one, right. *slightly nervous* No matter what, there is also ONE PERSON WHO WILL..”

After some pause, Nina’s mother said that thinking about it, before she moved to this villa, there is actually a girl who enthusiastically listen to what she said. “But, I don’t know why.. Afterwards, I can no longer contact her.. Right now, I don’t know if she’s doing well or not, NOGIKU-CHAN..” End flashback.
Bending down to Nogiku, Kingo says that Nina’s mother moved to the villa after Nina’s death. “The time when you contacted her and the time of Nina’s death.. and also the time when you propose to help out Kasane. The above mentioned things exposes the fact.. [/Even if it is all a coincidence but] I’m afraid that Nina was..”

The door clicks open. Kasane arrives and looks at nervous Nogiku. Kingo greets Saki ‘good work’ [/otsukaresama]..but Kasane quickly passes by him. She goes to Nogiku to remove her gag. While Kingo watches them, Kasane hugs Nogiku and says, “It turns that you are my younger sister.” Nogiku looks surprised and nervous.
Holding Nogiku’s upper arms, Kasane whispers, “Nogiku, were you the one..who killed Nina?” After knitting her brows, Nogiku says, “..it’s Nina..she herself wished for it..” Kasane suddenly pushes Nogiku away from her and slaps her really hard. It causes stunned Nogiku to fall back on the floor.

While Kasane glares at her, Nogiku sits up and says, “Do..do not..don’t come near me!” Kingo smiles over this and thinks, “That’s good. It is like that. It is also good for you to properly hate Nogiku’s plot. Everything will become a nutrient for the perfect [/completion of] ‘Saki’--”
Comment: That was really sharp of Kingo. That line turns out to be the thing that caused the failure of Nogiku’s plot. Nogiku has every reason to be scared and everything. That place is definitely some sort of basement. It does seem that she will end up with the same fate as her mother’s.

The same goes with Kasane. She had become quite cold here. I guess that slap is because she still believes that Nogiku is lying to her. That is also understandable for it will be very hard to believe ‘comatose’ Nina to have wished that. One can even assume that is Nogiku’s alibi for killing Nina. And of course, Nogiku’s plot was just exposed and it would be very foolish for Kasane to suddenly believe what she’ll say.

I feel uneasy with Kingo looking happy like that and seemingly want Kasane to cross the line by being filled with hatred. It seems that the two women are repeating their mothers’ paths. And, Kingo is acting like Atae as the one who was goading Izana on at the expense of Nogiku’s mother. Scans by RAD汉化组

Quote of the day:
Two people don't see same event as opportunity. When one see it a problem; other look to capitalize it for optimum benefit. ~ Ashish Patel

8 comments:

  1. This manga is getting more and more interesting.. thanks for the summaries and thoughts
    although.. it shouldn't be hard for Sukeyo Fuchi/Izana to gather money for plastic surgery both for her and her daughter. she's a big actress.. Kasane can pull it off too if she chose to cooperate with Nina only until she's capable to go under the blade. unless if her monstrous face is a curse.

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    1. Yup and thanks for reading, TSL ^-^

      Hehe..that is one of the usual questions in this series. Why didn't they get plastic surgery? How come no one would invest on them? Maybe there is no plastic surgery in that world? Some Chinese readers argue that they might not become so beautiful as the faces they 'use' while others refute that plastic surgery these days can fix that =P

      Well, that didn't end well since Nina realized that she is only after a guy so she wanted to become a popular/great actress and it doesn't help that Kasane is able to make him fall for her, iirc. Also, Nina couldn't face the future after the amazing performance Kasane did using her name and face.

      Hm..a curse..that's an interesting idea.

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    2. Well, outside the lipstick, this is a pretty grounded/cynical series, so cosmetic surgery wouldn't be the magic wand it's usually depicted as in fiction. Here's a short list of problems Kasane and Izana would have:

      1. It's painful and the recovery period is longer the more extensive the surgery is.

      2. Death and complications are always a risk of surgery.

      3. It's extremely expensive, and neither of them have access to that kind of money until they've already started using the lipstick.

      4. (Izana-specific issue) Izana doesn't legally exist, which would make obtaining legal surgery almost impossible.

      5. (another Izana-specific issue) Cosmetic surgery was much, much more primitive in the 80s than it is today.

      6. Outside of one or two countries, there's still a widespread stigma against people who have had cosmetic surgery, and there would be medical records and telltale signs/scars in various areas of their faces that people would probably still notice.

      7. Ignoring all of those issues, there are limits to what cosmetic surgery can do. It's unclear exactly how Kasane and Izana would look in real life, but judging that most people seem unnerved, at the very least, by their faces, they would probably be considered at least mildly deformed. Their heavy jawlines and brows could probably be fairly easily reduced through bone shaving, which is pretty routine these days, and Kasane's scar could definitely be made much less obvious and Izana's skin blemishes could probably be reduced through photorejuvenation/IPL, but that's pretty much it. I don't think any conventional cosmetic surgery exists that could do something about their deepset/bulging eyes or their over-wide mouths. Maybe there are techniques that are used for burn/accident victims that could minimise them, but they definitely wouldn't be able to make them "beautiful". So, best-cast scenario, they could be "normal-ish but still pretty strange-looking".

      So, between that long, painful, uncertain road and an instant magic solution that immediately grants them their hearts' desires, it's not surprising that the lipstick seems like the better option. Wouldn't you be tempted? On top of that, I think part of the point of the lipstick is that it's supposed to be very Faustian. It's an easy solution that comes with a heavy moral price for their souls/humanity.

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    3. Thanks for the interesting information, Pomelote ^-^

      Regarding 3, I would think that Kasane should have money for it through her father. I think the aunt is from his side and she wanted to get Kasane's inheritance, iirc.

      4 is interesting..I didn't realize that one has to legally exist to obtain surgery..maybe do it underground? Though, very risky...hm..I would assume her husband should have connections.

      Is that so...I also suspect that. They can be somewhat normal looking but definitely not a beauty.

      Definitely so. That's right. ^^

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    4. Thanks for replying! :)

      3: Kasane's aunt, Mineyo? She's the real Sukeyo's sister. It's been a while since I've read the early chapters, but I think Kasane accuses her of wasting Kasane's inheritance before she could come of age.

      4: Well, you need a lot of identification for legal surgery, and in most places, some kind of insurance. There are a lot of legal hoops to jump through! And underground surgery would be super risky, wouldn't it! (゚ペ)

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    5. No problem ^^

      Is that so. I thought she was Atae's sister due to being rich and the awful personality. ^^; True and won't hesitate to take all of it if she can.

      I see. Hm...I guess I never thought of it because in our country, in most cases, there is no need for identification or insurance. ^^;; The important thing is money to pay. I assumed plastic surgery is the same.

      Hm..since Atae is a shady type of guy. Can't he hire some amazing plastic surgeon to do it privately without the need for legalities? I recalled playing a game wherein a plastic surgeon was forced to change the face of some criminal in some abandoned place =P

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  2. Yay thanks for the summary! I really wonder whether Kasane really cares about Nina or not...She might care more about the life she lost as Tanzawa Nina the actress (Nobuhiko was the lover of 'Nina'. Kasane was really pained when she saw him again.) Winning her lover back would be easy but dangerous as Nobuhiko is quite sharp and will probably realise what is going on. I also think that Nina's coma solved the problem of Nina and Nobuhiko ever meeting. I kinda think that it would have been awkward..
    Also I don't get it,now that the lipstick is gone,how will Kasane have a beautiful face...maybe Kingo has a plan...he might have taken something from Nogiku's house for example.
    And thanks again. I am sad that an amazing manga like that is not licenced in english...it is licenced in France though. Another amazing psychological manga is Aruosumente..which is not also licenced.

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    1. Thanks for reading ^-^

      I think Kasane somewhat cared for her..it does seem to be a complicated feeling. After Nina went into a coma, Kasane would still talk to her and iirc take care of her but Kingo doesn't like that. I recall him pushing Kasane in front of the mirror to remind her of her real face and something like quit being nice. It is after that time, Kasane no longer talks to Nina, etc. Yet, she also 'needs' to use Nina for her own goal/dream.

      True..and I don't think Nina knows Nobuhiko.

      I would suspect that the one Nogiku destroyed is actually a fake.

      You're welcome ^^

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