Hirunaka No Ryuusei [Chapter 50]

At the house, two hot pots are set on the table. While Yukichi helps out in the kitchen, Susume’s mother tells them not to be shy and eat a lot. Susume and friends exclaim, “Itadakimasu-![/let’s eat]” Susume quietly eats as her friends enjoy the food. Yukichi tells his sister that he’ll add chicken in and she says okay, thanks. Susume wonders how come things ended up this way, but in short, they came to pay her a visit at her house. She also wonders if it is okay to ask them ‘why did you come?’. Then, she glances at Mamura and wonders what he is doing here. Just as he is eating a mushroom, Mamura notices that Susume is looking at him. He asks what it is. While thinking that his mouth is quite big, Susume says that it is nothing. Susume’s mother tells her to bring over everyone’s futon[/quilt]. Someone apologizes for the trouble since she even prepared dinner for them. Susume’s mother says that it is alright, for anyway, Yukichi also hasn’t arranged for their lodging. “So, I’m saying that everyone just freely have fun.” She says that because there’s only one guy, he’ll sleep at the guest room by himself. In Susume’s bedroom, Tsurutani exclaims that Susume’s family is really good, because her mother is not only nice but can cook really well. While bringing some blankets, Susume says that her mother is scary when she’s angry. Kameyoshi is surprised over the amount of blankets that Susume says that it is because it is snowing here. As Susume puts down the blankets, Tsurutani says that it’s really good for everyone is quite worried about her. Kameyoshi nods in agreement. She tells Susume that at first, they thought that she had a cold so they only planned to visit her, but upon arriving at her house, her flustered uncle came out the house. There is a scene of Yukichi tearfully asking if Susume had come back. After they ask him, he told them that after Susume went to her hometown, there has been no news about her. So, they also dragged along Mamura who just came to bring her class notes. They rode the Shinkansen there and sorry, if it is quite sudden. Susume thinks that it is 100% chance that Mamura just suddenly got involved in this. She imagines Tsurutani telling Mamura to also come and he asked why, to which Kameyoshi asked if he isn’t worried. Tsurutani says that she understands that because Susume saw her mother, she doesn’t want to come back since it is quite a loving family.

While Tsurutani and Kameyoshi talk about food, Susume realizes that except for Yuyuka, the others didn’t know. Coming in the room, Yuyuka asks how come they are not yet sleeping so quickly go to sleep. Kameyoshi says that it is still 10:30pm but Yuyuka retorts that Cinderella time has already passed a whole 30 minutes. [<- probably refers to beauty sleep] Susume suddenly tells them that actually, there is a person she always like. The two girls are surprised by this. Kameyoshi asks if this is night exposé/scoop meeting which she really likes and afterwards?? The two girls’ smile froze when Susume says that actually, she got rejected not long ago. Susume continues to say that even if there was a time when she felt that it is progressing smoothly but in the end, she doesn’t know why that it becomes bad. “I don’t want to think of anything and I’ve come to hate everything so I ran away to this place. *pause* I’m sorry that I’ve always haven’t mentioned this. Because..of this nonsense reason, I’ve made everyone worry. I’m truly really sorry.” Tsurutani and Kameyoshi tearfully cry how could such a painful thing happen. Susume and Yuyuka are stunned over their reaction. While Yuyuka goes to moisturize[?] her face, Susume goes, ‘huh?’ The two other girls exclaim in apology that they didn’t notice it and as friends, they are truly unqualified. Scratching her head, Susume says no, for normally in this situation, shouldn’t they be angry at her. Tsurutani exclaims how they can be angry at her. Kameyoshi says that even if they are also very worried but right now, the one who is suffering the most ought to be Susume and right now, isn’t she the one who is the most hurt. They tell her that she is saying the reason that she is hurt is nonsense, but there’s no need to force herself that it is alright because for Susume, it is already quite painful that she couldn’t express it. Susume thinks that is right, she is truly hurt. She starts to cry that the other girls got surprised by that and ask if she is alright. Susume thinks that she is really in pain that she always couldn’t say it for she felt that if she were to say it, she would have to admit that everything has happened which she couldn’t do. She starts to describe everything that has happened and about Shishio - how he calls her Chunchun, aquarium, his gift, smell of cigarette, made her heart beat fast for the first time, etc – to abandon everything that she couldn’t forget.

Yuyuka tosses a pack of eye mask towards Susume. She tells Susume that she’ll lend that to her today and right now, put it on her eyes to cool it down and it should help a bit even if her eyes are already swollen. Tsurutani pats Susume’s head and asks if she is alright. Kameyoshi angrily shouts that it infuriates her so what section is that guy, and which high school for next time, everyone go find him together to settle an account[/revenge] and she is really good at fighting and she has many friends. Yuyuka says that is quite barbaric but she will assist[/approve]. Tsurutani is surprised that she will also. Kameyoshi says that it is alright and Tsurutani also come together. Yuyuka says that if they will do it, it should leave a lifetime wound[/trauma]. Tsurutani is shock over what Yuyuka is suggesting. Kameyoshi says that she has an iron bar at home. Susume tells them that it is alright and she’ll definitely stand up [from this] and it is no problem. Yuyuka comments that’s really boring. Kameyoshi goes tsk. Tsurutani thinks that these two girls are really dangerous. Susume thinks that she thought that it is already bad[/over] but because the important thing she sought after, isn’t only sensei/Shishio and nothing more. Later on, the girls are sleeping. Susume is sitting by the porch and looking out the courtyard that is covered in snow. Then, Mamura passes by the hallway and says that she still hasn’t slept. Susume asks if he took a bath and her father’s pajamas are small when he’s wearing it. Sitting beside her, Mamura asks about the others. She tells him that everyone is asleep. He asks her what is that jacket she’s wearing. She says that it is a happi coat [/traditional 

Japanese straight-sleeved coat. Source: wiki] and does he want one too. Mamura declines. Then, he comments that it is a large amount of snow. Susume apologizes to him for getting him involved. Mamura looks at her and says that it is nothing for he can give her class notes anytime. Susume says that a nice Mamura is quite disgusting. Mamura angrily says, why you.. Susume apologizes for she’s just teasing. She wonders out loud that it seems that they always bicker before and where did that come from. Mamura looks at her and asks if she isn’t coming back. “Without you, it’s quite boring. You’ll come back, right. *standing up* Then, I’ll also go to sleep.” Susume says okay and good night. She watches him leave, and then she blushes.

Comment: And after a broken heart, it is really great to have friends like Susume’s. I wonder how serious they are in beating up the guy who did this to her. Except for Yuyuka, I also wonder how they will react if they knew who it was. Of course, Susume has to first tell them her problem rather than keep it to herself for others to comfort her and this would somehow bring about healing. And, the last part, Mamura subtly tells her that he misses her. It does make one wonder if there is some other meaning to Susume blushing which would make Mamura fans happy and Shishio fans nervous..well, among the Chinese readers. ^^ Scans by all★wink汉化组

Quote of the day:

A friend is one with whom you are comfortable, to whom you are loyal, through whom you are blessed, and for whom you are grateful. ~ William Arthur Ward.