Chapter 6 (Ribon 9/2002)
Mom: Well, I’ll read it.
Mom: I’m kind of nervous.
Kippei: Uh
Mom: It seems she’s in Fukuoka right now.
Neechan: Huh?
Kippei: Fukuoka!? Why at a place like that?
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Mom: She says she can’t come home right now.
Mom: I wonder if I should go look for her.
SFX: *SMACK*
Kippei: .. eh..? smack?
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Neechan: You don’t have to!!!
Kippei: Kyaa!
Neechan: What are you going to do? Persuade her and hand Yuzuyu-chan over to her? You can’t do something so risky. It has to come from her to come back to Yuzuyu-chan as a mother.
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Neechan: If she says she doesn’t have enough money to cover the cost of bringing up a child, I’ll give it to her.
Neechan: Kippei will take care of Yuzuyu the way he has been up until now. RIGHT?
Kippei: Right.
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Neechan: All right, I’m done.
Kippei: Neechan… scary…
Mom: Kippei
Kippei: Huh?
Mom: There was a letter for Yuzuyu-chan too, so please give it to her.
Letter: "To Yuzuyu" ("Yuzuyu He")
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Yuzuyu: Ah! Hi, Mister Rabbit. Oh, hi, Mister Bear.
Yuzuyu: Where should we go from here? Let’s go to that weird fishmonger over there.
Kippei: Yuzuyu
SFX: *surprised*
Kippei: Here. It’s a letter from your mom.
Yuzuyu: Mama!?
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Yuzuyu: Uh! Yaay!
Yuzuyu: [reading] "Yu-zuyu-heh" ["To Yuzuyu"]
Kippei: It’s not "heh," it’s "eh."
Yuzuyu: "Eh"?
[Note: In Japanese, the particle "he" (meaning "to") is written with a Hiragana character that’s usually pronounced "heh." However, when used as a particle, it is pronounced "eh."]
SFX: pacing
Kippei: What’s she doing?
Kippei: Did you read it already?
Yuzuyu: Yeah.
Kippei: Were you able to read it okay?
Yuzuyu: Yeah, it was in Hiragana. All done.
[Note: Hiragana is a phonetic syllabary used in combination with Kanji (Chinese characters) in Japanese writing. It’s the first writing system taught to children.]
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Yuzuyu: Yuzu’s going to the bathroom.
Kippei: Eh.. what!? Eh…
Kippei: Hey, is that all? Aren’t you going to tell me what she wrote?
Kippei: But I’m worried!
[Box: "Drawing Box"]
Motoki: All right, I, Motoki Shusai, am holding a seat drawing. Draaw a tiiicket. Quickly, I’m standing here for your benefit.
Guy: You’re not really, are you?
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Girl No. 1: Waah! I’m all the way in the back! I can’t see the board!
Girl No. 2: You should be glad! I’m behind Kameda!!
[Arrow: Kameda]
Someone: I’m number 3.
Kippei: Hmm… Number 11.
Kippei: I’m next to Kokoro-chan!!!
Kokoro: Are you serious?
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Teacher: Hey, you guys, hurry up and take your seats. Let’s begin.
Kippei: Uum… Kokoro-chan.
Kippei: Can I look at your textbook? I forgot mine.
Kokoro: *muka* [sound of anger]
Kokoro: Do you feel like studying? You forgot your book.
Kippei: Do you?
Kokoro: I do.
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Teacher: Yamano, answer this.
Kippei: Hey, hey, you’re not busy, are you, Kokoro-chan? You’re free, right?
Kokoro: How’s Ponzu doing? [Ponzu: "juice pressed from a bitter orange."]
Kippei: Pon… ponzu!? Are you talking about Yuzuyu-chan!!?
Kokoro: Uh.. yeah, that.
Kippei: That’s totally different!
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Kippei: She’s doing great, and she’s really cute! ‘Cause I’m raising her! Look how cute.
Teacher: Hey, Kataruka! Be quiet!
Kokoro: …. not really
Kokoro: Make sure you play with her lots.
Kippei: I will. Why don’t the three of us go play together sometime?
Kokoro: I don’t play.
Kippei: Hmm…
Kippei: Ah, what am I gonna do! Lately when I look at you, my heart starts pounding!
*kyun*
Kokoro: Huh?
Teacher: Kippei, don’t sit there half asleep. Answer the next one!
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Kippei: Sensei, I don’t know what I don’t understand!
Teacher: That’s enough from you, now.
Kippei: No, Sensei!!
Kippei: Yuzuyuuu, I’m taking you to the park today!
Yuzuyu: Today Yuzu’s playing with Ken-kun and Marika-chan.
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Kippei: Eh…
Yuzuyu: I’m going, I’ll be careful!
Kippei: O.. okay. Be careful.
Satsuki: Oh, is Yuzuyu-chan going out?
Kippei: What am I gonna do!!! She’s going out by herself! I’ll miss her too much!!!
Satsuki: Uwah!
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Satsuki: Maybe you should go play yourself. Quit it.
Kippei: And on top of everything, she’s going with a boy! Man, I can’t believe it!!!
Satsuki: What are you staring at?
Ken: All right! Go get ‘em! Toaa
Marika: Today I’m playing tennis with my boyfriend.
SFX: silence
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Marika: Hhmm, I don’t know if we can play together.
Marika: Ken-kun is a boy, so it can’t be helped that he doesn’t have the same interests as me. But why do you have a bear? Even though you’re so big now, you couldn’t hold a conversation about whether you belong to the Jenny clique or the Rika clique.
Yuzuyu: But the bear’s cute. He was a gift from my mama.
Lady: Everyone, come have a snack downstairs.
Kids: Yaaay
Lady: Be careful not to fall down the stairs, now.
Lady: You come too, Yuzuyu-chan.
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"Here, Yuzuyu. A present from mama."
Yuzuyu: Yaay, a bear!
Yuzuyu’s Mama: Hey, Yuzuyu! Don’t feed the bear!
Yuzuyu: But I want to feed him! Can I feed the bear? Eat!
Yuzuyu’s Mama: I told you bears don’t eat!
SFX: *crying*
Yuzuyu’s Papa: I’m home. What’s the matter? Huh?
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Yuzuyu’s Mama: Yuzuyu tried to feed the bear a carrot even though I told her he wouldn’t eat it. She got him all dirty… he was really expensive!
Papa : Mama was being a crybaby, so Papa comforted Yuzuyu, didn’t he? Now it’s Yuzuyu’s turn to comfort mama.
Yuzuyu:
"Mama"
"Mama"
"I’m sorry."
Yuzuyu: Yuzu loves Mama very much.
Yuzuyu’s Mama: I know. Mama’s sorry too.
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"Mama loves Yuzuyu very much too."
Lady: Take care, you two. Come again sometime.
Ken: See yaa!
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Letter:
Dear Yuzuyu,
How are you? Are you eating well? Are you being strong ["are you not crying"]?
I’m sorry mama’s such a wimp.
Can mama come see you when she gets stronger? Will you be waiting for me?
I’m sorry, Yuzuyu.
Mama loves you very much.
Mama
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Yuzuyu: Mama!
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Yuzuyu: Hurry back!
Yuzuyu: Or Yuzu will forget mama’s face…
Yuzuyu: Come back soon…
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[arrow pointing to Kippei: "free" ]
Kippei: That’s right, the light bulb in the bathroom burned out.
Kippei: Which one should I get? What are Watts?
Kippei: Huh?
Clerk: Looking for something? [writing next to her: "store clerk"]
Kippei: Oh!
Kippei: A Light bulb!
Clerk: A light bulb, huh? These are all the ones we have.
Kippei: Well… just one would be fine.
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Kippei: Hm, I think this is fine.
Clerk: I’m glad you found it!
Kippei: Hm
Kippei: Are you hitting on me? [well, he’s saying, "are you asking me out?" And he’s calling her "oneesan."]
Clerk: Yes. It’s just that you’re so cute. Just my type.
Clerk: So, are you free? You seem to be.
Kippei: I’m going home! We’re in a store! Please do your job!
Clerk: Oh, I’m sorry.
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[Writing next to sand castle: Made by Kippei (plus stuff in parentheses)]
Kippei: Lately all I’ve been doing is taking care of Yuzuyu, so when she’s not here I have nothing to do. I wish I had a girlfriend. That’s right, a girlfriend…
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Yuzuyu: Kippei-oniichan!
Kippei: Oh!
Yuzuyu: Nyaa!
Kippei: You’re back already?
Yuzuyu: Yep!
Kippei: What? After you abandoned me and acted all spoiled…
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Kippei: Just kidding, just kidding. Did you have fun?
Yuzuyu: Yep!
Kippei: All right, let’s go home! I’ll carry you on my back!
Yuzuyu: Can you make pancakes for Yuzu’s lunch tomorrow?
Kippei: HUH!? Pancakes?
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SFX: *stare*
Kokoro: Hey! What are you staring at? Stop it.
Kippei: It’d be nice if you were my girlfriend. You’re cute. When you smile.
Kippei/SFX: Oh!
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Kippei: Wanna go out with me!? Wanna go out with me!?
Aki: Kippei, don’t seduce Kokoro-chan! We won’t allow it!
Motoki: Kokoro’s too good for you!
Teacher: All right, take your seats. Class is starting.
Kippei: Huh? Kokoro-chan?
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Kokoro: My dad ["parent"] is calling me, so I’m going home.
Teacher: Eh?
Kippei: Did something happen at Kokoro’s house?
Girl: Kind of. It seems her dad remarried and Kokoro’s been forced to live by herself.
Kippei: Oh. And her mom?
Girl: She doesn’t have a mom.
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