November 16, 2016

Futsuu no Koiko-chan [Chapter 1]

[Free talk: This is Nanaji Nozomu’s new series. Based on the chapters available in Chinese, this looks good. Hopefully, the mangaka doesn’t go with the usual love rival stuff which she did on her two previous series that I’ve summarized =P ]

Young Koiko [戀子; means ‘love/feel attached-child’] writes the kanji word for ‘average’[/ordinary; I’ll at times interchange these two words] instead of ‘happiness’ during calligraphy class. She thinks that ‘average’ should be pronounced as ‘happiness’.

Fast forward. Now in high school, in her room, Koiko looks at the ‘average’ calligraphy that she wrote during grade three. It is posted on the wall with tape. And another ordinary day has started. Downstairs, her mother is reprimanding her sister Aiko [guesswork from 愛子; means ‘love-child’] that she is dressed up in such a perfectly law-abiding way that it seems that today, she doesn’t plan on talking about love.

Aiko tells her not to mind her for she said so many times already that she isn’t interested in love. Her mother sighs to forget, after all, there is a market for someone like Aiko who is rigid, old fashioned and doesn’t know about love since there are many ‘men who needs a virgin’ story plot. Aghast Aiko asks how she knew whether she is a virgin or not.

Her mother says that she knows through her underwear which isn’t a bit feminine. She thinks that it is no good to have no flaws, or else, one won’t have fate with men. Aiko exclaims so what if one doesn’t have fate with men whereas her mother always fell for men that she has been divorced like how many times.
 Her mother says twice. She tells Aiko that if she continues being like that, she won’t get registered over even once. [<- family registry I presume] Aiko shouts that even if she doesn’t get married, she’ll still be registered. Her mother just stupidly laughs for Aiko’s so cute. This irritates Aiko. She shouts that in short, she doesn’t want to become like her mother! Koiko comes out and says that she doesn’t want to become like their mother and she isn’t prepare to emulate her sister either.
 
Koiko says that she’s going out. Aiko goes after her as their mother bids them to take care. Aiko shouts at Koiko that having a relationship with boys is against school rules. Koiko says that that was decades ago, and quickly go to work already. The mother calls out to Aiko to help out for today’s dinner since she accepted the reservation of a company’s annual meeting. 

Koiko’s mother is a continuously blooming, healing bishoujo [beautiful woman] store owner. In the morning, when she has spare time,  the family home cooking restaurant is made into a cooking school. At night, it is set up for business. Since Aiko doesn’t have fate with men, she also never experienced being in love. She is a teacher by profession.

There is a scene of flower delivery for their mother, Natsume [guesswork from 夏目; surname]. And, there is a scene of Aiko greeting everyone a good morning. As for Koiko, she’s very ordinary. While smelling the bouquet of flowers, Natsume thinks that Aiko is such a foolish child when love is obviously such a joyous thing. As for, Koiko, there is actually nothing to specially worry about. Or how should she say this, things are going smoothly.
 While walking, Koiko thinks that she isn’t showy nor she is overly rigid. “Even if I couldn’t be called as a bishoujo but I (ought)not to be ugly either. From my appearance, I’m roughly very ordinary. My school grades are also average. Even if it isn’t an encounter-type, but at least, it isn’t like I don’t have any love experience.”

Seeing a guy at the corner, Koiko calls out to Satou [guesswork from 佐藤]. Koiko thinks that talking about an ordinary romance, she also have an average boyfriend. Satou calls out to Koiko who thanks him for coming all the way there for her.

Satou says that it is such a small thing since they can only see each other in the morning. Koiko says that it cannot be helped for he has club activity and she has work. He tells her that she’s very considerate. Koiko replies at this degree, it’s very ordinary. Koiko thinks that what suits her is pretty much an average boyfriend. After looking around, Satou kisses her.

And as usual, an ordinary kiss. They smile at each other. She says that like this, it is quite blissful. Koiko thinks perhaps, she ought to say, this is so-called happiness. The wind blows the autumn leaves down from the tree. When Koiko looks up, she sees a handsome guy looking at their direction. Just when Koiko tries to think who this guy is, the guy apologizes for seeing that [kissing scene]. This shocks the two.
While Koiko remembers that this guy is from section 7, he is staring at Satou who asks, what’s up. The guy seems to be thinking of something which irritates Satou. Koiko asks Satou if this guy is his friend and their relationship isn’t that good. Satou says no and they basically hadn’t talked with each other.

Koiko thinks that she thought so, not the same hierarchy. The two are puzzled for it seems that the guy wanted to say something but hesitated. He walks pass Koiko and casually removes a dried leaf from her hair. After he left, Koiko muses that he’s such a mysterious guy but forget it, he has nothing to do with her. She tells Satou that they’re leaving.

She tells herself that this is an average everyday and it is blissful. After arriving in school, Koiko notices some girls surrounding a girl who is crying. Rino [guesswork from 梨乃; ponytail] and Sara [guesswork from 咲良; bob-cut] call out to Koiko so she takes the opportunity to ask her friends what’s going on.
They tell her that they heard that Miyama [guesswork from 宮山] and her boyfriend broke up. It seems that the boyfriend, whom she stole away, was stolen away by someone else. Koiko says that’s hard to accept. Her friend says that’s right, and before, they really look that they were in love. Koiko pities Amamiya.

Then, she bumps into someone. She apologizes and offers to help pick up the things but the glasses girl exclaims no, she ought to apologize and don’t help, don’t look! It is some BL manga. Quickly getting her manga, glasses girl quickly join her friend and talks about how can they let an outsider look at that, but then, it’s just the cover so it’s alright.

They continue to rave about BL which they love even if it might be terrible for others, but they can live on with just 2D [guys]. Koiko finds them really pitiful. Then, she talks with her friends about a borrowed CD. At the hallway, some guys are asking if Tsurugi [; guy from section 7] is first in this exam again. Tsurugi says not-really.

The other starts praising him for being lovable, handsome, good height of 183 cm, good personality, intelligent, athletic and popular but then, how come he doesn’t have a girlfriend. As they tease him that maybe he has a boyfriend, Koiko passes by with her friends and thinks that it is unexpectedly that he doesn’t have a girlfriend...even if it has nothing to do with her.
Tsurugi tells the others that he doesn’t have someone whom he super likes and he doesn’t want to casually find someone just to go steady with. Koiko wonders what he is saying when he is basically the most popular king in the whole school who sits on top of the pyramid. “Ah, what’s going on with me? Why am I thinking that? Anyway, there will be a day when you’ll also definitely have...

...At that time, the sound of that guy taking off the dried leaf echoed in my ear. *Tsurugi looks at Koiko who meets up with her boyfriend* Those girls talking about love, and falling into a hopeless relationship. Then, afterwards, they’ll utterly be in pain due to that. I don’t need that kind of love.”

While walking home, Koiko overhears some kids balance walking at the sidewalk while shouting, smooth and steady, first! Then, one of the kids lost the competition for falling off the side of the sidewalk. At an apartment, a woman asks Tsurugi if he went to see his [paternal] grandmother this morning.

While hanging the laundry at the balcony, he says that granny is feeling a bit better and gramps is quite happy. But then, they were startled when he went there so early in the morning. His mother laughs and tells him to go visit them again. He tells her that it is okay but he’ll do it during the evening for he might bump into them again during the morning. This puzzles his mother.
Then, he looks out the balcony to see a guy and a woman standing near a car. He shouts, “It turns out...!” Koiko has just finished her part time work. While walking home, she thinks that today is another ordinary day. Next, what’s left is for her to go home and sleep then welcome another ordinary day again.

Her cellphone beeps. It is a LINE [internet messaging app] message from Ninomiya [guesswork from 二宮] Tsurugi. She wonders who this person is. Then, she realizes if it is that Tsurugi and did she add him in her contacts, ah, it is because during before school opening, all of the same grade are added.. But then, why is he contacting her.

Tsurugi writes that this is Ninomiya. He asks if she is the one whom he saw kissing this morning. He tells her to quickly go to this address. She wonders if he is going to con[fess]... Then, she looks surprised over the next newly sent message, ‘Your boyfriend is currently cheating on you.’
From behind some bushes, Koiko, together with Tsurugi, watches Satou kissing a woman near the car at a parking lot. Satou says that the timing is bad for they came during the passionate play. While kissing, the woman says that she anticipates the overnight next month and they have been going steady for a year already.

Recalling what Tsurugi wrote that her boyfriend is cheating, Koiko says, cheating, when they were only going steady for three months. She is actually the other girl of the affair. Turning to leave, Koiko thanks Tsurugi for specially telling her this. He tells her to wait. He grabs her arm and asks how come she isn’t going to expose him.

Koiko tells him that it isn’t necessary. Tsurugi protests that she likes Satou, right and she is obviously going to cry soon. Teary-eyed Koiko says that she won’t shred tears for him. Koiko thinks that this isn’t because of Satou, rather, she is crying for herself. And, Koiko quickly leaves.

There are many people at the family home cooking restaurant. Natsume apologizes to Aiko and asks her to take care of the store for a while as she takes a 10 minute nap since she might be anemic. Aiko wants to complain but her mother is already asleep.
Putting the blanket on her mother, Aiko tells her not to talk about love and honestly, if she were together with father, she obviously doesn’t have to suffer this much. “Such an idiot.” Then, she turns around to see that Koiko is standing behind her. She says that that she’s back. Koiko says that she’s home.

As she goes upstairs, Koiko thinks that in the end, she doesn’t want to become like them. “Average is good. Living an ordinary life is happiness. But, I thought that what’s between me and Satou-kun is simply an ordinary romance. In the end, it isn’t like that.” As she takes a pair of scissors and cuts something, she thinks after being jilted, there’s nothing she ought to do. “That’s right! This is an ordinary feeling!”

She writes a message to Satou, “Satou-kun, you have another woman. How the two of you were kissing, I had seen everything. Let’s break up.” Koiko thinks that like this, from today on, she can once again return to becoming average. “Back to an ordinary life. Afterwards, one day, I can once again start an ordinary romance. Average. Smooth and steady. Blissful.”
The next day, Koiko and Aiko exclaim that they’re leaving. Aiko is puzzled why Koiko is going towards this direction, too. “What about your boyfriend?” Koiko says that it’s alright. Aiko exclaims if she was already jilted and that’s why her hair is cut short. Just then, Satou calls out to Koiko.

At the park, Koiko is surprised when Satou says that he doesn’t want to break up with her. He tells her that he wanted to break up with that woman before. Koiko asks what he is saying, and weren’t they going to spend the night again next month. Satou exclaims that he is saying that he'll break up with that person before then.

“I guarantee you. I only like you, Natsumie-chan! Please wait for me! *holds Koiko’s shoulder* From today on, I also want to be together with you.” Koiko thinks, is that so, since he said it like that, she’ll just have to forgive him and things can return to how they originally were.

She can continue on, and it isn’t good to keep on picking on him [after apologizing]. If she forgives him, she can once again return to her ordinary everyday. Koiko tells Satou to make her happy. There is a scene of Tsurugi eavesdropping on them from behind.
In the classroom, Koiko laments over cutting her hair for no reason. She is surprised when Tsurugi suddenly grabs her arm and tells her to come over. At the stairs, Tsurugi is at first puzzled over her new hairstyle before realizing the reason for it.

He says that she obviously already did that but in the end, she’ll still forgive Satou. She asks if he saw them again at the park but forget it. Tsurugi says that he felt that he had seen Satou somewhere before. He tells her that previously, those two are also together and they went to that coffee shop.

Koiko says to forget about the past since Satou said that he’ll break up with that woman. Tsurugi shouts if she’s an idiot. This made her flustered. Turning to leave, Koiko thanks him for informing her but it is already alright. He shouts what is called alright.
Turning to him, she shouts that she’s saying not to mind her anymore. “By the way, what are you up to? Don’t meddle with us commoners, okay! We, commoners also have a commoner’s way of life!” Tsurugi is puzzled that he asks, commoner...!?

Koiko exclaims that’s right, commoner! “But it isn’t the lowest layer of that kind! It’s a happy country!” Tsurugi asks, “Happy..? Ah--..so you’re... we are not friends. I also do not like you but I unexpectedly wanted to meddle with your affairs.”

Thinking he is right, Koiko stiffens over ‘not friends’ and ‘do not like you’. Recalling all those times he had seen her with Satou, Tsurugi continues, “It is because your current expression doesn’t look quite happy at all.” Koiko looks surprised that she asks, “I don’t look..quite happy..?” Tsurugi says, “Yes. I always feel that it looks strangely pitiful.” Koiko mentally tells him not to say such baffling words.
Comment: Because of her family background, Koiko is really stubborn with her philosophy, ‘Average is Happiness’. She is even willing to forgive Satou just to keep up with that kind of lifestyle. Interestingly enough, she wanted to stay with him for that rather than because she still loves him after he admitted the affair.

So, is Tsurugi just doing this because he is bored or something? Or, is there something else that he isn’t aware of? What he did is kind of like stalking since it is too much of a coincidence that he decided to visit his grandparents in the morning again. Perhaps, he is curious over what happens next.

Nevertheless, Koiko ought to really shock by what he said. After all, she always thought that she wasn’t like those pitiful girls. What he said is indeed baffling for her because it is opposite of what she believes, and that she is happy with this set-up. Scans by 正宮汉化组

Quote of the day:
Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. ~ John Adams   

2 comments:

  1. I don't really have words for it .....it's the just the beginning the next few chapters will determine if the manga is any good . As of now the girl is really boring...hope she will change soon .

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    1. Indeed, Anjali. I also think the first few chapter are so-so but, past chapter 4, I start to find it interesting and cute.



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