From Five to Nine [Chapter 42 -Private Lessons 1]

Narration: “Junko-sensei and Hoshikawa-san are having a hot night.. amidst the calm before the storm. At the same time..I, Yamabuchi Momoe is currently forced to confront for the second time today--..my life’s most important decision!!” Opening a door, Arthur tells Momoe that from this exit, they can go straight to the stairs to his room.

He warns her not to be too loud or else, it would be quite a hassle if the other customers (perhaps the women) would find out. He tells her that even if the toilet is for shared but right now, the others [his roommates] are below at the party so it is also okay for the two of them to be quietly resting in the room.

Looking tense, Momoe wonders if Arthur is feeling her out. She imagines princely Arthur holding a rose saying, “You are going steady with me, the number 1 below the heavens, right? According to normal comprehension, resting in the room means- I want THAT, right--” Standing below a high mountain, Momoe thinks that she is finally going to take that step. The goal = top of the mountain = losing her virginity.

Then, in an imaginary courtroom [based on the game Ace Attorney], the prosecutor shouts, “I object! Your honor! No matter what is said, I would like to remind that it is only approximately one hour ago when things progressed for them to have a going steady relationship. Right now, that thing can be said.. isn’t it a bit too fast!”

The defense attorney shouts, “Objection! Even if it is like that, considering the age and the values, and based on the other party’s condition in matching her, this is not bad at all.” The prosecutor admits that is so and even if it is better than losing money, she’ll definitely rely on him without letting go.. End imagination.

Momoe wonders if she should take this first step... Arthur looks at her and says that he’ll guess what she’s thinking. “Taking a step into the room’ is like taking advantage of the situation and asking for H[/sex] and how should [I] refuse.” This startles Momoe. She tells him no, it isn’t so, it isn’t definite that she’ll refuse. This in turn surprises Arthur.

Holding his chin, he asks her what she meant by that, is she feeling him out. Waving her arms, she exclaims, “IT ISN’T SO!! You’re mistaken, I’m not at all feeling you out!! I, I’m only thinking that for an adult woman, this is a very normal progress. And to do it is also inevitable.”

Arthur asks, “Inevitable?” Looking away with her hands up, Momoe says no, wrong, she is already 28 years old and she realize early on what that is.. She hopes that he won’t ask anymore than that, and the stupid him ought to know what she’s referring to.

Flustered Momoe is saying out loud that in short, this kind of problem, she can calmly deal with it, anyway, she is an adult and this is also essential. Arthur is somewhat dumbfound over this ‘in short’, and ‘calmly deal with it’. He takes a deep breath and tells himself to calm down since he earlier on anticipated that doing the normal way with her isn’t applicable [/effective].

Arthur tells her that she’s thinking too much. He pats her head and says that he doesn’t have any other meaning to it, he only wants to lend her the toilet and that’s all. “Also, it isn’t necessary for us to be like others and quickly DO it. Didn’t I say that it is okay to go about it slowly.” Momoe says, “Yes.. is that so..” Narration: “But to say it like that is like..”

Frowning Arthur thinks that there’s also no need for her to be quickly relieved by that. Momoe thinks that in the end, her feminine charm is not enough. Momoe is really happy when her cellphone starts ringing [for her to get out of that situation]. Taking out her cellphone from her pocket, she says that it is her phone for work and she got a message, ah, probably because a number of students are going to have exams soon. It is from Nogami.

Arthur tells her that she’s too serious and if it is a question about the course, just reply on Monday or else, it would be too troublesome. Arthur is surprised when she says that it isn’t about the course, but Nogami. Arthur is frowning. When she says that she’ll call Nogami first, Arthur goes into disbelief WHAT?! Arthur angrily asks what happened and is it urgent.

The message from Nogami is an apology for disturbing her but she mentioned before about a place in Akihabara where people who are interested in games would gather together. “I currently couldn’t contact my daughter and I’m a bit worried. I’ll wait for your answer when you’re no longer busy. Thank you very much. Nogami Kiichirou [guesswork from 貴一郎].”

Momoe says that right now, Nogami is worried about his daughter and maybe, she ought to help him out since it isn’t far from this place. Going into What!? disbelief again, Arthur exclaims why, why would she worry about the daughter of a middle-aged guy. Looking away, she hesitantly says that it is because they have the same interest.  

Momoe thinks that even if he already knew that she really like BL but she couldn’t tell him that she specifically likes BL that has a ‘fleet’[/kantai/navy-type] background story since this will shock him. Glancing at Arthur, Momoe thinks that it is a rare opportunity even if she doesn’t know why he [Nogami?] would come to consult her. To her shock, Arthur says, okay, he understands, he was brought up not to allow himself to let a woman go out alone in the middle of the night without a care.

At Akihabara Station, Momoe calls out to Nogami. Nogami apologizes for interrupting her during her break but he truly didn’t think that she’ll come to see him herself. Momoe says that it is because she just so happen to be nearby. Nogami apologizes that he doesn’t quite know Akihabara and even if his daughter made him come there to fetch her but it has already been two hours and there has been no message.

He tells her that whether it is calls or texts, there are no replies. As frowning Arthur stands behind Momoe, Nogami says that Arthur-sensei also came. He apologizes again for disturbing them. Nervous Momoe says that it just so happen that he’s nearby. Smiling Arthur says, “No problem. Encountering a difficulty, one should mutually help each other, Nogami-san.”

Doubting his intention, Momoe looks at him and thinks that things aren’t good since she has to be more careful in order for her special interest not to be exposed while searching for Nogami’s daughter. She asks Nogami if she has any clues about her daughter like saying something else aside from meeting here. 

Nogami tells her that it seems that his daughter really anticipates tonight’s yakiniku [/grill] meeting so she canceled some 3D [real life] meeting with her gaming friends but when he told her that Momoe will also come and eat together with them, she got angry.. Arthur looks at him with raised eyebrow.

With that 3D meeting, Momoe takes out her cellphone and tells them to wait a moment, she’ll investigate for a while. Looking at Nogami, Arthur tells him that he doesn’t know if Nogami is cautious or proactive. Nogami is puzzled. Arthur tells him that whichever it is, he can choose an effective method to involve [Momoe] and he can only say that no wonder he’s a mature man.

Puzzled Nogami asks what he meant by that. Momoe asks to see a picture of his daughter on his cellphone. Nogami shows her a picture of his timid eyeglasses daughter during the school entrance ceremony. He recalls that his daughter is wearing a hair accessory, and it is shaped like a peanut as if it is some lucky-item thing. 

Momoe exclaims that it is Misopi[misobean]-kun = a peanut mascot with a miso paste on its head. Nogami tells her that is the one, and she seems to be wearing two of them. Sweatdropping, Momoe says that it seems that she really likes it. Momoe mutters that apparently, she and his daughter are in synch since she also really likes it. Nogami is puzzled over what she is talking about.

Momoe tells him that she got a bit of clue so he and Arthur continue to stay here. Nogami complies with her wish. Momoe tells him to leave it to her and she’ll immediately contact him if she sees a girl who looks like his daughter. While walking, Momoe is shock that Arthur is following her. Waving her arm, she exclaims why he is following her and didn’t she ask him to stay and wait together with Nogami.

Arthur says that even if he is all alone with that guy, he also couldn’t do a thing. “I’m obviously your knight.” Momoe scowls and exclaims that he’s too close and for the time being, she’ll warn him. Arthur says that she obviously said that she has a clue but this street is quite bustling. He asks her if she already knows where to look but then, it is impossible since there are too many targets. 

Momoe tells him that actually, not at all, compared to Ikebukuro, there aren’t much merchandise for women in Akihabara so roughly summing it up, there are two places where she could have gone. She just researched that tonight, a store is holding a gathering for Collabo Café of her favorite game. When Arthur asked about the Collabo café, Momoe knowingly tells him that refers to the staff doing a cosplay of the game characters and the special menu is only offered for a limited time so they should go first to that place.

At the café, Momoe sweatdrops for it has already closed for the night. Arthur asks if there are other places holding a collabo café. Momoe mutters that she recalls that it is only one in Akihabara whereas if it is in Ikebukuro, it was once held not so long ago [since she went on the first day of the store’s opening].

Looking at the poster, Arthur comments that it is a military uniform series. Momoe quickly grabs his sleeve and tells him that they quickly go to the next store since that store is going to close soon. While walking in the street, Arthur comments that he always felt that she’s very excited and it seems that compared to the party, she is happier here. She tells him of course, that is a different turf [/a game-away venue] and this is her turf [/home court].

She thinks that so-called ‘romantic mode’ is basically not her mode and for her, even if she doesn’t hate that situation, but she has a subtle feeling that she couldn’t adapt to it. Pointing at a store, Momoe tells Arthur that this store is very narrow so she’s going in and he’ll wait for her here. Arthur tries to protest but she orders him to please go at the backdoor behind the street.

Thinking that this time she wont’ let him find out about it, Momoe goes in the store and looks around. She thinks that at this time, except for the popular items, there aren’t that much customers and there is no junior high student who looks like Nogami’s daughter.

Then, she sees the section on Appare fleet men. She spots a book. It is a sailor seme x vice captain uke which is a very rare CP [coupling] and the drawing is very good. She unconsciously reaches out her hand and goes into shock when Arthur asks COULD IT BE that she came to this place to buy something for herself. Momoe looks aghast as she turns around to face Arthur.

She claims that she is just trying to straighten it up..ha..ha..and compared to that, about the backdoor. Arthur tells him that it is full of displayed merchandise that he couldn’t get in. Momoe is shock when someone gets the book. A girl exclaims that it is the last one. It is a girl who looks like Nogami’s daughter, grinning over her find.

As Momoe points out to Arthur the girl wearing Misopi-kun, the girl’s friends exclaim over her Appare book find that has a sailor seme x vice-captain uke. Momoe calls out to the girl and asks if she is Nogami’s daughter. Back at the station, the friends of Nogami’s daughter are all eyes on Arthur.

While holding down his daughter’s head to Momoe, Nogami bows and profusely thanks Momoe. Being polite, Momoe says that there’s no need and it is only through luck that they’ve met. The daughter blames her father for fussing over nothing when obviously her cellphone’s batteries only went dead yet he would call out someone unrelated to them. 

Nogami tells her that even so, it is also late now. He urges Yayoi to say her thanks. His daughter is about to say something but Momoe tells her that actually, there’s no need.. To Momoe’s surprise, Yayoi asks her if that foreigner is her boyfriend. Nogami scolds Yayoi for being rude when she should thank her first. 

Yayoi starts lecturing Momoe about already having a handsome boyfriend yet she would agree to her father’s invitation to eat together with them for yakiniku and isn’t that too strange. Realizing that Yayoi has misunderstood him and Nogami, Momoe starts to mutter that no, she doesn’t want to eat with her father, but rather, she wants to chat with her. 

Yayoi shouts in disbelief and accuses Momoe of lying and could it be that she likes girls. Arthur interrupts by saying that Momoe isn’t lying. Holding Momoe’s shoulder, Arthur tells Yayoi that book she just bought, Momoe wanted to buy it from the start. With her soul coming out of her body, Momoe mutters that it was exposed and he saw it.

As Yayoi realize her misunderstanding, Arthur says that probably because they have the same interest, Momoe wanted to chat with her. “Besides, *kisses Momoe’s head* She is MY LOVE (my girlfriend). *leading her inside the station* It is alright, nothing will happened between her and your father. Then, we are going ahead, bye.” Embarrassed Momoe apologizes. Nogami bows and thanks her again. Yayoi looks flustered.

As they are heading the fare gate, Momoe wouldn’t dare look at Arthur since he unexpectedly [mentioned it] at a public place but if she were to struggle.. After looking at her, Arthur lets her go. He says that it is okay for looking at that situation, that girl won’t continue on doubting her. “Geez. That father-daughter can really give trouble to others.”

After he passed through the fare gate, he apologizes that they have to ride the train when he obviously planned to drive her since he didn’t drink [<- ah, maybe after taking a nap he is already okay or it is a typo that he drank so he couldn’t drive her] but then, they also sneaked out. Noticing that she didn’t go through the fare gate, Arthur turns around and asks Momoe what it is.

Holding her other arm, Momoe says that she felt that the him today..how could she say it..seems to be treating her really nice.. “From...start to end, you didn’t say anything spiteful, very mature.. Even accompanying me in searching for Nogami-san’s daughter.. And..and, this is very important.. that..that book..didn’t it shock you..”

Looking surprised, Arthur says for her to still mention that small thing. Arthur thinks that it turns out she’ll be embarrassed if that kind of interest is found out. <- because he isn’t an otaku guy so he doesn’t pay attention to those details [about what kind of BL she is into]. Arthur tells her today, he experienced ‘my turf’ and ‘your turf’ one after another and he had such fun.

“Even if you still seem to be feeling me out, and trembling in fear, but actually going steady is a very simple thing, Miss Momoe. *holds out his hand to touch her face* It is like this, two people gradually experiencing all sorts of things for the first time together.” She looks at him and says that he really can talk.

Slightly smiling, Arthur tells her that he told her before that in the field of teaching, he is quite gifted. Holding out his hand to her, “Come, let’s go. I’ve promised your mother that I’ll bring you back home in one piece.” Momoe passes through the fare gate and takes his hand. Narration: “..Yes. Now, I ought to take the first step.”

Comment: This chapter is nice and even if there isn’t much lovey-dovey or anything, the couple is quite cute ^-^ Apparently, Momoe is indeed thinking of that when she got invited inside his room. Because of her amusing imagination, it is obvious that she isn’t ready for this even if she reasons to herself that she should be ready for it.

It is nice all throughout how Arthur assures her that he will indeed take things slowly as he told her earlier. He didn’t have any tantrums at all when Momoe went to help out Nogami and his daughter to be reunited. That is a plus point for Arthur since it shows that he can be very understanding of her and lessen his jealousy that tends to create tension and misunderstanding between them.

It does make me wonder if Nogami realizes that Arthur is jealous of him because of Momoe. Momoe is really at ease at her turf that the way she is leading Arthur in trying to find the missing daughter, it somewhat made me think that it is like Sherlock Holmes with Dr. Watson following him around. ^^; Yayoi is somewhat of a spoiled rude brat.

I’m not sure if I want her to be a ‘same interests friend’ with Momoe but then, who knows maybe they can be great friends after getting over that first bad impression. Thankfully, Momoe has no romantic interest at all with Nogami or else, Yayoi would probably make things miserable for her.

The last part is really nice and Arthur is quite good in convincing. And, it is very convincing on how he assured her that going steady isn’t something scary or anything. I like how Arthur puts it. ^^ Arthur pretty much shows his gentleman-side here and he is at his best behavior that it is no wonder that with a guy like that, Momoe has become willing to take the first step. ^^ Scans by 深雪汉化组

Quote of the day:

Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.