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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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