Living With My Mother's Ex-Girlfriends Vol 02by Miyagi Michi TL by boke ### TL notes indicated by hash tags like this: ### ### Page numbers indicated by — for example, page one is: —1 ### Panel numbers indicated by - for example, panel one is: -1 ### Unless otherwise noted, panel and text balloon flow is from upper right to lower left. ### Sometimes my comments are snark or color, so feel free to ignore those. ### Page numbers are out of sync with file numbers. This TL uses file numbers. —01 Living With My Mother's Ex-Girlfriends —04 -1 Chapter 10 Thank You For All Your Help Up Til Now Chapter 11 The Convenience Of Adults And What Yuu-kun Really Wants Chapter 12 Oden and Awamori, A Memory of Udon Chapter 13 Even Boys Want To Wear Skirts Chapter 14 What Did My Mom Pray to Hinekan for? Chapter 15 The Connections Harumi Linked Together Chapter 16 Everyone’s Adolescence Chapter 17 Everyone’s Dream. Shared Dreams. Final Chapter Time To Depart —05 -1 Chapter 10 Thank You For All Your Help Up Til Now —07 -3 Wha…? You’re taking Yuu-kun? —08 -1 I don’t know the details, but… Looks like my daughter caused y’all a load of trouble. -2 That much, at least, I know. -3 Harumi was self centered. Got away with a lot. At first, I didn’t even know she had gotten married or went to Tokyo. -4 But even though Harumi wasn’t much of a good daughter, Yuu’s my precious grandchild. -5 This is my way to make thing right. —09 -1 Yasuko-san… -2 I understand… -3 Please take care of Yuu-kun. -4 Oh, hey. That was fast. —10 -1 Yasuko-san…? Ah, welcome home, Yuu-kun. -2 Thank you for everything up till now. —11 -1 sfx- Tmp Tmp Whoa! I haven’t smelled the scent of your house for a long time, grandpa. -2 Yuu, go pay respects to your grandma. Yup! -4 Be sure to offer incense and put your hands together in prayer. I knoow! —12 -1 Yuu 10 years old Yuu 4 years old Yuu 3 years old sfx- Caress -2 I’ve got gold fish crackers. I’m not a kid anymore. -3 Big talk for a shortie! I’m gonna grow, you know! -4 Ah! -5 I remember this! This is the model kit you bought me! It’s still here! —13 -1 Yer mom would get mad at me when I bought you toys. ‘Cause you always bought too many! -2 And then she died. Never had any respect for her elders. -3 Vrrm… -4 Oh, right! You still go out to the ocean, right? Take me with your next time. Ahh… -4 I don’t do that anymore. Wha? —14 -1 Bee Dee Beep Beep -2 Let me go take this call. -3 Hello… yes… -6 Yeah, I know. But I’m not going to Henoko anymore. ###Henoko is a harbor in Okinawa, where Okinawan people are protesting the creation of a new Navy base. When grandpa talks about leaving a clean ocean, he’s talking about stopping the development of that base. —15 -1 Even if I wanted to, I’m not going to do it. Back when I was behind bars, I couldn’t even go to my daughter’s funeral. -2 I lost my wife, my daughter… All I have left is my grandson. —16 -1 Well, we finally heard from Yuu… He’ll come to get his stuff this weekend. -2 I just can’t let this grandfather thing go. sfx: Whump It’s too sudden! -3 You’re right! Why didn’t you stop him?! Grr We’re already like family after all. ###bold or italicize “we’re” -4 Gimme a break! He has a life there, how could I say no? I’m not his relative or anything! I don’t have a leg to stand on! Stop making excuses already! Taking responsibility is the legal guardian’s job, right?! —17 -1 And… -3 I know this makes you lonely. I’m going to go check it out. Hey! Sayuri… -4 Whenever I was lost about things, Harumi always came to get me! —18 -1 I’m going to! You’re not going, Yasuku-san? -3 We still have the oden left. Wha? —19 -1 I thought he might eat a lot, so I made this. Okinawan style oden, with pig’s feet. —2 He hasn’t had a chance to eat it yet… —20 -1 Let’s go! -2 Grandpa, I can’t fall asleep. Can I sleep next to you? Sure. Feeling homesick? -3 My home is here. -5 Yup. C’mon over. I’ll get the futon out. Okay. Chapter 10 The End —21 -1 Sayuri, what the hell are you doing? -2 Quiet! When you’re tailing someone, the main thing is stealth! sfx- Whisper -3 We have to recapture Yuu-kun without alerting his Gramps! sfx- Spin Chapter 11 The Convenience Of Adults And What Yuu-kun Really Wants —22 -1 Ding Dong Whaaa! -2 What are you doing? There’s nothing to hide, you know. Aren’t you worried about how Yuu-kun’s doing? Hey. Keep it down when you’re in front of other people’s houses! -3 Sliiide —23 -1 Ah… -2 Yuu-kun! Whssh -3 Heya, Yasuko-neenee. Ah… -4 You’ll come in, right? —24 -2 I see. Came to check up on Yuu, huh? Thanks! -3 No, it’s ok… sfx- Glance -4 Yuu-kun… So, Yuu-kun? Doing well? —25 -1 It’s close to school, so that’s no problem. Since Grandpa is here, I’m doing good. -2 So don’t worry about me. -3 I see… -5 Yuu, why don’t you go to a different room for a sec. Huh? Oh, ok…. —26 -1 Yuu looks just like Harumi, right? -2 But he’s the exact opposite of her. Harumi had a face that everyone was taken with. Since she was the type to follow her whims. -3 She was easy to fool, but didn’t leave a trail. Everyone loved Harumi. -4 I couldn’t do anything for Harumi. —27 -1 Do you love the ocean? -2 Huh? -3 Harumi… She loved the ocean. That’s why I wanted to leave a legacy of a clean ocean to the kids. -4 But when I think about it, Just what can I leave to Yuu, I wonder? -5 …I’m taking responsibility and raising Yuu. So for today, why don’t you just go back home? —28 -2 Hey! -3 Why did you just leave without saying anything? -5 What did you want me to say?! That even thought you lost your daughter, I want to take Yuu-kun away and live together with him? —29 -1 What the hell am I supposed to do here? -3 Hey, Yuu… —30 -1 Hey… You think your existence here is a pain, right? -2 Well, you’re right. It is a pain. Eh? -3 But right here… There’s three people who will take care of you. So rest easy. -4 We will never Leave you alone. —31 -2 Spaced out -3 Yuu-kun, you seem out of it today. -4 Ah… We have to change rooms for our next class. -5 What? You’re living at your grandfather’s house now? Yeah. —32 -1 What do you want to do, Yuu? -2 I… To be honest, I waffle back and forth. -3 I know my grandpa has things he wants to do, but he’s holding back because of me. But I don’t know if it’s really ok to stay with Yasuko-san and the others… Um, look… -4 My family divorced, y’know. I couldn’t choose anything. I wanted to live with my mom, but… —33 -1 You have people all around you who will care for you. Frankly, I’m really envious. So if you are able to choose, it’s ok to lean on those people for support. -2 To be honest with myself. I already know what I want to do. —34 -1 Vrrrmmm -2 Squeeee -3 Whew —35 -2 Ah -3 Why are you… Ah, Why are the two of you here? —36 -1 School’s about to get out, so I thought I come get him. -4 Someone here to pick you up? —37 -3 Oh crap. I… I want to live with they. —38 -1 Dash -3 Lucky guy. -4 Tap -5 Way to support him, Chisato-chan! Chapter 11 The End —39 -1 He’s just going to shoo us away next time we show up. -2 Gramps is a pain. How are we going to explain this to him? -3 Well… -4 We wait for the right opportunity and then kidnap Yuu! Find his weak spot and force him! Your ideas are rather frightening. Chapter 12 Oden and Awamori, A Memory of Udon ###Awamori is a kind of alcohol —40 -1 Um… I might have an idea… -2 About his weak spot. -3 Sometime later. Evening. -4 Ding dong. Yeees? —41 -1 You again, sister? You don’t give up. No, no. That’s not why I’m here. -2 I heard you like oden, so I brought you some. -3 How about having it together? -5 Hurry up ’n get in here. sfx- Sliiide —42 -1 Hey, seems like we’ve done it. sfx- Whisper Whisper No, he’s still on his guard. -2 I bet you heard about what I like from Yuu. Well, it’d be a shame to let that oden go to waste. -3 So then you’ll hear us out? sfx- Grump That’s a different story. -4 I have some special awamori I’ve been saving. —43 -1 So hungry… I’m home, grandpa. -4 You get it right?! Harumi grew up so spoiled rotten! She didn’t get disciplined at all! -5 I get you! Tell it like it is! —44 -1 Ah, welcome home, Yuu-kun. There’s oden. -2 What’s going on here? We opened the awamori and are having a good time. We’re bonding over shit-talking your mom. -3 In any case… Hahaha ###lower right So you’re a famous activist! That’s so cool! ### upper left -4 It’s no big deal. Just what an adult needs to do. But now I’ve got Yuu to take care of… —45 -1 Raising Yuu is my way of making amends. I made a lot of mistakes when raising Harumi. -2 Because I ignored Harumi, she grew up spoiled like that. And then she died before we knew it. -3 Hic Maybe it was mistake… —46 -1 But compared to her, you really have your act together, Yasuko-neenee. She was lucky to have a good friend like you. Hahaha Oh, come on… -2 Seems like she had an ex-girlfriend, though. Spt -3 Harumi… That’s a good example of how she had to try everything. She kept everything private. Even though she could have just told us. —47 -1 S-s-s-sexual minorities are pretty uncommon, huh? B-but it’s not as rare as it used to be… No, not uncommon at all. They’re around, they just can’t speak up. -2 He seems more literate about this than you. Whaddya gonna do? sfx- Th-thump ###repeat And you’re one of them, you know? ###handwritten I got sober in a flash. -3 I see. -4 So from your point of view, she seemed like she was free, huh? —48 -1 My parents were super over-protective. When I wanted to move out, they threw a fit! That’s why I’ve always fought appearances and doing the family thing. -2 So when Harumi-san showed up in my life, she was my hero… -3 Yeah, yeah! She totally was free! A total airhead, and a total natural a causing people trouble. -4 Well… Harumi also had her serious side too. She’d talk about saving the world so seriously you couldn’t help but laugh. —49 -1 For us, that Harumi was… —50 -1 I see… I never would have though the day would arrive where I could talk about Harumi like this. -2 That goes for us too. -3 HotHotHot! -4 How about some udon noodles to finish off the oden? The oden didn’t fill me up. ### Is pretty typical to boil udon noodles and eat them with the oden broth as the last part of the meal. What a courteous young Middle School student you are! —51 -1 Ta-dah! Kake-udon! ###udon no toppings (other than green onion) When my mom was in the hospital, this was all she ever ate. -2 I see… -4 Hey, grandpa, listen… This is what my mom taught me. —52 -1 The way you make kake-udon is super simple. -2 You just warm up the broth, nuke the noodles and you’re done! -3 Yeah… C’mon, Harumi… You could have learned to cook a little better than that. -5 It’s for the days when you can’t take it anymore. That’s what mom said. Yeah? —53 -1 Even when you’re alone, no matter how hard things are… You need to eat. So that’s why when things got hard, she ate something. -2 sfx- Slurp But when I was hurting so bad I couldn’t even eat… -4 Everyone made something delicious for me. —54 -1 Mom left me her bonds with Yasuko-san and the others. -3 You really like them, huh? Yeah. -4 So what… What can I leave you? —55 -1 You have something you really want to do… Right, grandpa? -2 I’m ok. —56 -2 Yuu, just wait for me a bit, ok? Yeah. -3 I’ll be sure to come get you. And then we’ll go to a beautiful beach in a neighboring area. —57 -1 Please take care of Yuu. -2 We will. -3 Well, gramps finally folded. Fufu Well, Yuu-kun’s udon was the final blow. -4 Ah… I got drunk and I have work tomorrow. Let’s hurry on home. —58 -1 Oh, right, Yuu-kun… I haven’t said it yet. -3 Welcome home! Chapter 12 The End —59 -1 Hey! Takeda! -2 Ugh -3 Yeesh, you totally look uncool looking like that. But, Sensei, I’m cold! -4 Then just wear slacks! Whaa?! Chapter 13 Even Boys Want To Wear Skirts —60 -1 C’mon! None of the girls wear slacks! -2 Starting last year, our school also introduced a genderless uniform. -3 In addition to the traditional uniform, there’s a unisex gathered jacket that pairs with both. For the bottom you can choose either a skirt or slacks. -4 Getting cold, huh? Yer slackin’ off, losers! -5 Boom -6 Ba-boom —61 -1 You’ll warm up if you run laps! -2 Lookee here! I’m just back from morning practice! My body’s steamin’ hot! Hateruma… sfx- Bam -3 Put something on already. Why aren’t you wearing your top? ‘Cause I’m proud of my muscles! -4 Look here! Look at Ishiyadou! He’s totally wearing a muffler even though it’s Okinawa! ###Okinawa’s is tropical ‘C-cause it’s cold… -5 Hateruma! Do you have any idea what the temperature is today?! —62 -2 Hey, Ishiyadou! If you’re man, don’t flinch from the cold! Uh… Ah… -3 How about this? My hands are warmer than a muffler any day, right? —63 -1 Would you look at that… -2 Uh… -3 Yeah… Good morning, everyone! sfx- Sliiide -4 It’s cold today, so I’m wearing slacks. —64 -1 Good morning, Chisato-san. It’s cold today too, huh? I’m not sure how this happened, but you managed to take the lead! -2 Crap! Akamine! You are to be feared! sfx- Th-thump ###repeat -3 Ever since that day, There was a boom in the amount of girls wearing slacks. Huh? You’re not going to wear slacks, Chisato? -4 Girls wearing slacks is blowing up! Ishiyado, please let me borrow a pair of slacks! You’re the one closest to my size, so… -5 No way. The slacks for boys and girls are different anyway, right? C’mooon! Just until I can buy some for myself! I’ll go to your house to get them, even! —65 -1 And I’ll let you borrow my skirt in exchange! N… -2 Cough -3 Ok, ok. You can borrow them. But I don’t need your skirt. My extra pair ###handwritten Yaaay! -4 Ok, let’s go after school, ok? Yeah, yeah. -6 Ishiyadou —66 -4 Ishiyadou… You’ve really gotten used to putting on makeup, huh? Mm -5 How do I look? Wig ###handwritten You rock it! I know, right? —67 -1 I wish someone could see me like this. -2 Yeah. I mean, you’re so cute and all! -3 I-if I did go out like this… What would everyone think? Mmm, I don’t think they’d notice. -5 Let’s do it! Let’s go out! —68 -2 sfx- Th-thump ###repeat If we go to karaoke, I think we’ll be fine since it’s a private room. -3 It’s ok. People just see us as good friends. -4 Karaoke —69 -1 So, then… -3 Takeda? -4 H-hey! What are you doing here, Hiteruma?! sfx- Urk Why…? We came to do some singing. What else? -5 Are you going to Karaoke with your friend, Takeda-san? Ah…! -6 Uh… Yeah… sfx- Stare ###repeat —70 -3 Ishiyadou? —71 -1 W… -2 Wow, Ishiyadou-kun! You’re so cute! -3 That looks great on you! What’s going on? sfx- Cute! Th-th… Thank you… Takeda lent it to me… -7 Let’s hurry up and get checked in. Yeah. —72 -2 I’m… I’m so sorry, Ishiyadou… —73 -1 I’m the one who said we should come to karaoke… Takeda… -2 It’s ok. I’m fine. -3 But I’m not going to do this anymore. Ishiyadou! -5 You didn’t do anything wrong, Ishiyadou! —74 -4 Sliiide —75 -2 Hey, Ishiyadou… Did ya know…? -3 Skirts are frickin’ cold. —76 -3 Good morrrnnn.. But uh, uhhhh? -4 Hiteruma, what’s what that? I have the right to choose my uniform too, y’know. When have you been like… Sniff Hmph ###lower left —77 -1 I don’t care if people don’t understand. Event guys have day where they wanna wear a skirt. -2 Hiteruma… -3 Thank you… Men don’t cry, so… It’s fine. You cry all manly, like. —78 -2 Gah! Gotta hurry! I’m late! Yuu-kun! Did you eat breakfast? -3 sfx- Stompa Stompa I did! See you later! —79 -2 What the hell…? -3 Good morning, Takeda-san. Ah Good morning, Yuu-kun. —80 -2 What the? Oh, you’re wearing one today as well. Ehehe -3 Wha? What’s going on? Some sort of special day? After that, for a little while… There was a boom in the amount of boys wearing skirts. But that’s a different story. Chapter 13 The End —81 -1 Chapter 14 What Did My Mom Pray to Hinekan for? ### Hinekan is the Okinawan fire god. See: https://www.onookinawa.com/2016/09/03/hinukan-fire-god-ヒヌカン-火の神/ -2 O University -2 Culture Lecture Okinawan History A Lecturer: Shiroma Yasuko And so… originally, down through the generations, Okinawan mortuary tablets were given into the care of the eldest sons who inherited the role of family head. ### ihai are mortuary tablets honoring the dead ancestors that are placed in the family buddhist altar. The role of caring for the altar was the responsibility of the head of the family line, and was symbolic of the ancestor’s acceptance of whoever was family head. -3 And even though nowadays people say there’s gender equality… Back in the Ryukyu dynasty age, it was said it that women were forbidden from inheriting the ihai. ### Ryukyu is the original name for Okinawa, and was the dynasty of kings that ruled the country before Japan invaded and took it over. -4 Shiroma-sensei… —82 -1 Wasn’t there anything women could inherit in Okinawa? There was! -2 It was Hinukan, the god of the hearth. There’s still an alter in the kitchen in some people’s homes, even today. They would put up an offering shelf in the kitchen, with leaves from the Chagi tree, incense, sake and salt. Haven’t you seen one? -3 There’s one in my house. Right? I have one in my family home too. —83 -1 Women in Okinawa would pray for the health and safety of their family. They went to Hinukan for pray for exorcisms, and to announce auspicious events. -2 Ok, next week we’ll continue with Hinukan. Alright, everyone, we’ll stop here today. sfx- Tap Tap sfx- Clatter -3 We’re lucky Yasuko-chan always ends her lectures before the bell. sfx- Whisper sfx- Whisper Let’s hit the cafeteria. -4 I can hear you guys… —84 -2 Wha? WHA? Mom Get your ass home. -3 Whaaaaa? “Get your ass home”? What the heck? From your mom, Sayuri? -4 My brother’s gonna get married… What the? So congrats, right? -5 No! Not congratulations! I’m gonna have to go see all of my family, right?! Uh, don’t ask me. —85 -1 All the awful, shitty relatives of my awful, shitty parents? They’re totally gonna slam me! Pretending to be nice? At some wedding that may or may not be nice? Without knowing if they’re gonna rake me over the coals?! Yeah, my folks too. All family is like that, right? -2 It’s for sure that old bitch will be there! Yuu, she really hates her family, ok? This is a bad influence, so head upstairs. Oookay! -3 So the whole world revolves around the gatcha pull of your parents?! So fucking unfair! Oh, come off it! -4 You keep going off about how unfair it is, But put yourself in your parent’s shoes. At least a bit. Can’t do it. —86 -1 Your parents grew up in turbulent times. Back when they were kids, thanks to America, everyone was way poorer than now. ###post war Your parent’s didn’t grow up in the same era that you did. -2 Of course their values are going to be different! Fine! I got it! I’ll go to the damn wedding! -3 Yasuko-san, you can get along with your parents, so you don’t understand! Way to throw it back in my face… -4 But come to think of it… I haven’t talked with my mom in a while… —87 -2 Well, what an unexpected turn of events! Just when I was thinking you never bother to show your face! -3 It’s been a such a long time since my daughter has asked out for a meal. Just wondering if you’re doing ok, mom… -4 In any case, I’m so hungry! I haven’t eating anything since breakfast. I mean, it’s your dad’s golf day, right? Ah… yeah. sfx- Rattling on My! The prices at this place’s menu are really high! Well, it looks delicious. Maybe I’ll post it to my instagram. Yeah?! —88 -1 Here’s your doria and spagetti with tarako ###tarako are fish eggs. sfx- Katunk -2 You probably don’t know this, but… back when I lived in Yambaru I couldn’t afford to just wolf down this kind of food. H-here it comes! All the talk of her old days! -3 And then I snuck out recently to see that fortune teller… You always make fun of my spirituality, but you can’t make light of it! Ugh… Hates woo woo stuff ### handwritten -4 Now I remember… This is what it’s like to talk with my mother… -5 Ah, right. You’re living in that house with your roommates, right? Huh? —89 -1 I guess that Harumi’s dad didn’t tell her about Yuu. Are you getting along? -2 Ah, yeah… Doing fine. Well, I’ll just avoid going into the details. -3 Are you praying to Hinukan? Mm-nn. I’m not. Geez, I can’t believe you. After I set everything up for you when you moved in. -4 Ah, yeah, she did something… ‘Cause she so superstitious. Making offerings of miso and salt, and stuff like that? Right! Right! —90 -1 I really hate doing that… Eh? -2 Eh? Huh? -3 C-crap! I went and did it! You’re always like this… -4 Even though I did it for your sake. Aaah —91 -2 Welcome home, Yasuko-san. I’m back… sfx- Droop -3 Slam -4 Siiigh -5 I went and left the window open when I left. —92 -1 The deep green curtains my parents bought me. -2 White?! They’ll just get dirty soon. Use these ones! -3 Get your act together already. You seriously are such a slob. Back then, I couldn’t even decide the color of my own curtains. -4 Even now I choose clothes based more on if they’re acceptable than if they’re fashionable. ###both sentences in box All the things my parents drilled into me are still like curses. —93 -1 They did their job and raised me up. I didn’t particularly have any awful experiences. I can’t give Sayuri shit… -2 I’m home! -3 Sayuri? You’re back/ sfx- Sliiiide I’m hooome! I’m baaack! -4 Ah, geez. You’re drunk. Go sleep it off in your room. Nope! Gonna sleep here. —94 -1 Yazuko-san, I went to my brudder’s wedding, right? Yes, yes. And your dress is all wrinkled now. -2 I brought some water. Thanks, Yuu. Ok, drink this. -3 Everyone… Wuz just th’ same… -4 Geez! I can’t believe you…. —95 -3 Sigh -4 Well don’t you look all depressed. sfx- Whish -5 How about a glass? —96 -1 Hey… -2 Hm…? Oryou-san… -3 What’s the story with your parents? -4 Both gone. How many years now? Argued with them. Left home. Studied cooking and went to China. And when I came back… Both of them had already died. -5 Are you lonely now that you can’t see them? Not really. You can call them parents, but a stranger’s still a stranger. —97 -1 But once they’re gone, they’re gone. -3 Have you ever thought about what your parents went through? Never… What with you all the sudden? -4 Since forever, in my family home… There is an altar to Hinukan. —98 -1 When every something good happened, or there was a celebration in the family, My mother goes and tells Hinukan. -3 On the flip side, whenever something hard or sad happened… She’d pray to lighten the burden of her heart. -4 When I came out, she prayed like crazy. Ever since then, I’ve held a grudge… -5 Back then, it really pissed me off, but… I think I also pity my mother who has lived through so much hardship. —99 -1 But I’m not a kid anymore. I know I can choose my own way of living. -3 Well, because you’re you, you can get along with your mom. Yeah. -4 Your mom might be praying to Hinukan at this very moment. Eh? -5 She might being crying out, “I raised a wonderful lesbian!” Ah, shut up, already! —100 -1 Tak -2 Crack Siiigh -4 Mother —101 -1 Ring Ring Ring Ring -2 Ah, hello, Mom? Sorry about last time. -3 Huh? When we last saw each other! When we ate together… Yeah. Sorry about that, ok? -4 Right now, for the class I’m teaching, I’m putting together an outline on Hinukan. I was wondering for if you could tell my about how you pray. —102 -1 Ah, just a second! I’m going to take notes! -2 Chapter 14 The End —103 Chapter 15 The Connections Harumi Linked Together -1 I can’t believe this. You are always so selfish. I hope you have a good life… -2 So you’re choosing a guy after all, Harumi-san. You suck. I… I thought I could create a new life with you… -3 You want a kid? I know you’re polyamorous… But that’s going too far for me. -4 Harumi would always go farther than any of us could predict. And then she’d force her self-centeredness on us. That’s what we couldn’t forgive. —104 -2 Hey, Yasuko… I heard something about Harumi… -3 Word is that she died. And that her husband’s gone missing. -4 She had a kid, yeah? -5 I wonder what’ll happen. Yeah, Harumi always… —105 -1 Ding Dong Dang Dong -2 Suspicious person! Caution! Town Council meeting Notice —106 -2 What business do you have with Yuu?! -3 Hey, hey. What’s the commotion? It’s a suspicious person! No clue who he is, but… -107 -1 No! I’m not… So you say! -2 Just look at you! You totally look suspicious! No, I’m… -4 Ah… -5 I’m this guy’s father! —108 -1 Y-you’re totally lying! -2 I knew I’d seen him somewhere… Oryou-san… -3 This guy… Really. He is my father. -4 Whaaaaaa? —109 -2 Ahhhh sfx- Smile Smile I’m just so glad to see you doing so well, Yuu! -3 My father’s a cameraman, and travels all over the world. Sooo good! ###handwritten Whoa… That’s a pretty fancy job. -4 Sorry that I haven’t been able to come see you, Yuu. Father has wives in a couple countries, so he’s pretty busy. Eh? ###handwritten And I have half siblings too… —110 -1 So this is the asshole she married? sfx- Whisper Whisper In some sense, he’s a perfect fit for Harumi. -2 I see… Well, Harumi was polyamorous, after all. -4 Polyamorous? It’s a style of love where in addition to people loving other, they also commit to multiple partners as well. —111 -1 I couldn’t hang with that, though. -2 Having multiple partners? It’s not sincere. sfx- Hmph -3 Skritch -5 So, then… So who did mom really love? —112 -4 What do you mean? Ah… -5 Let me tell you about Harumi’s dying words. —113 -1 It was right before Harumi died. ### well, duh. -2 Ahaha! That’s so funny! -3 And? So you’re living with your wife from France along with your wife from Vietnam? Yeah, yeah! And they seem to have more fun without me! What the…? That’s hilarious! That rocks! -4 Ah, that’s really funny. -5 Yeah, I guess that’s the only way you can live, huh? —114 -2 Well, you too, right Harumi? Yeah! -3 Y’know? I’ve never regretted giving birth to Yuu. But, yeah. It’s different. -5 Yeah, It wasn’t my husband… —115 -1 After that, I had to get right back to work. And then I heard that she died soon after. -2 Just as I heard about it, the funeral was already over. Yuu was taken in by you, Yasuko-san. And I was so happy to hear that. -3 Harumi always was thinking of you three right up until her death. —116 -1 She always wanted to build a family with all you you and Yuu. -3 When it comes to polyamory, There are some who say “it makes light of love.” But when two people have a kid… Almost nobody says a kid raised by just one of them only receives half the love. —117 -1 For Harumi and me… Love is limitless. —118 -1 Thanks so much for having me. -2 Dad! Wait up! I’ll see you off. —119 -1 Harumi. -2 When she told me she was polyamorous… I thought it meant she didn’t love me. -3 That because I was a woman, she thought she couldn’t make a “real” family with me. -4 But… Harumi would always go farther than any of us could predict. And then she’d force her self-centeredness on us. —120 -2 When it came to her style of love… Being honest with the ones she loved… -3 Was her own form of sincerity. I guess, huh? -5 But geez did she lack tact. sfx- Snicker —121 -2 You’ve grown a bit, huh? Yeah. You eating ok? Yeah. -3 Yuu, thanks, but this is far enough. Ah… yeah. -5 Haha! sfx- Scrub Scrub —122 -1 I’m sorry, ok? That I can’t be around. -2 Mm-nn. -3 I like my life right now. It’s a connection my mom left to me. -4 So I like the fact that my mother loved all of them. -6 Yeah. —123 -2 sfx- Wave I saw him off halfway. -4 Such a sucker for that face, huh? You said it, girl. —124 -1 Ok, it’s getting cold. Let get inside. Yeah! -4 Chapter 15 The End —125 -1 Spring The season to move up a grade. -2 Sfx- Stomp Stomp -3 Hateruma, don’t they get mad are you for wearing your uniform that way? You don’t get it at all. It floats along right behind my shoulders when I walk! We’re all smack in the middle of puberty. Oh, zat so? ###handwritten Chapter 16 Everyone’s Adolescence —126 -1 Gonna take vids that scream “youth”! And represent for my twitter followers! sfx- Peace! Ishado-kun’s totally influenced by the net and talks in memes. -2 The Spirit of Destruction lives in my right eye! Gyahahaha! Yuu-kun’s influenced by popular manga and is kinda cringy. -3 You’re into that huh, Yuu-kun… Takeda-san, are you reading Enhau? -4 Yeah… It’s pretty interesting. sfx- Clatter Right?! I’m so into it! —127 -1 Enhau? You haven’t heard of it, Akamine-san? -2 No way, it’s super popular. I don’t read manga at all… ### she just stars in a yuri manga -3 Yeah, you seem the type to only read books, Akamine. What do you read? Philosophy? Ahaha Nothing so advanced as that. -4 What music do you like? Yo Yo Ma. Your favorite book? Hesse’s Beneath the Wheel ### see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beneath_the_Wheel -5 Ah… so uh… You liked Anpan-man, right? ###see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anpanman Getting closer! —128 -1 Akimine doesn’t get influenced by anyone. -2 She manages to be totally herself. Why… -3 Is she into me…? ###bold or italicize “me” -5 Ding Dong Dang Dong —129 -1 Ah… Akamine. Going home now? Yeah. -2 Would you like to go together? -3 Ah… sure. —130 -3 Akamine, are you a les? -5 If you said that to anyone else, it’d be rude, ok? Ah… Sorry. —131 -2 I… Just love the people I love. -3 You could call me pansexual, but… ###italicize “pansexual” I don’t think I need to label myself. I just love people for the qualities that they have. Falling in love with people just based on categories like sex or gender is stupid. -4 Pan…? I don’t get it, Akamine. I… —132 -1 I just love how “Chisato” you are. I don’t… -2 Understand how to “be myself”. -3 I’d like to hear your answer, ok? sfx- Nod —133 -2 You’re Yuu-kun’s friend, right?! -3 What an amazing scene that was! So what? Tell me! Tell me! Is it love?! Was that a confession?! Girls these days know how to go for it! -4 Kyaaa You’re Yuu-kun’s… —134 -1 Kya… -3 Tap -4 How about some tea? —135 -2 To tell the truth, I’m puzzled. I’m not smart like Akamine. She has that metropolitan refinement. -3 Akamine was in Tokyo through elementary school, so she’s more sophisticated than an Okinawa girl. That’s why she gets along so well with Yuu-kun. Me, in comparison, I got no style. -4 I thought I had a thing for Yuu-kun, but I think I just liked that he came from the big city. I don’t really get this love thing anyway. -5 I’m embarrassed about having the country stink on me. There’s nothing about me that would make Akamine love me. —136 -1 Y’know… -2 I alway felt imprisoned on Okinawa. Suffering setbacks, because I didn’t get into the school I wanted… I was embarrassed about my family finding out. -3 They say they are all about helping each other, but for me dealing with them was heavy and confining. I always want to run away somewhere far, far away. But recently my brother got married, and I talked with them for the first time in a long time. -4 They’re all getting older. Having problems and setbacks of their own… The weren’t just living for their own sakes. —137 -1 So, since then, I’ve change my own definition of helping each other out. -3 I even now like living in Okinawa. -4 In the first place, mainland Japan and Okinawan culture and lifestyles are different. People from Tokyo are almost like foreigners. Even if you try to compare, their different people. —138 -2 Please don’t ever compare yourself to someone else. -4 Got it. —139 -2 Day Duty Takeda ###vertical on right Akamine ###vertical on left —140 -1 Y’know… I think you and I are too different after all. -2 You’re amazing, Akamine. You’re so mature and have your own way of thinking. -3 I was a little jealous of that. -5 But… I’m not comparing anymore! —141 -1 And so, I think I’ve come to understand you just a bit, Akamine. -2 When you came here from Tokyo, I was the first person to reach out to you, right? -3 Oh, so you just moved here! -4 You’ll be fine, everyone here is nice, ok? —142 -1 You seem really reserved, but you really have a hard time connecting. -2 You said your mother forbids you from reading manga, right? -3 You don’t have much normal chit chat with the others. It makes you look aloof. -4 I always thought you were just fine on your own. —143 -1 Okay. I’ll go out with you. -2 So let’s get to know each other better. -3 I’ll lend you manga on the low down. —145 -2 Whoooooa! sfx: Ba-ding Ba-ding The video I uploaded yesterday is blowing up! The likes won’t stop! -3 Yuu… Come look! My social approval meter’s charging up! You can hear it, right? sfx- Ba-ding ### repeat I don’t get why you’re so into that. -4 But, hey! Did you read Enhau last week? That climax! Amirite? sfx: Ba-ding Ba-ding —146 -1 Ah, I haven’t read it yet, so no spoilers! Ahaha -2 Huh? What’s up Akamine-san? sfx- Approaches cautiously Ehem -3 The Spirit of Destruction… Uruprait! -5 Ahahahaha Hyaaa Huh? Did I get it wrong? sfx- Shock Chapter 16 The End —147 -1 Future plan questionnaire? -2 You still haven’t turned it in, Yuu? sfx- Ding Dong Dang Dong Hateruma, you submitted yours? -3 ‘Cause I know what I wanna do in the future. sfx- Tap Wha? I wanna know! -4 You betcha. But you gotta tell me yours too. Y-yeah! Sure! Ishadou-kun’s workin’ it! Chapter 17 Everyone’s Dream. Shared Dreams. —148 -1 I’m thinkin’ I want to go on to high school. ### School is only mandatory through Junior High in Japan, although almost everyone goes to some sort of High school. I know my grades might not be up to par, but… I think I wanna study computer science. -2 I’m gonna be a fire fighter. Since I have’ta go to a special school for that, I’m just choosing the closest High School. -3 I-I kinda knew it, but we’re all gonna scatter to the fours winds. Hahaha What’s with that? You gonna be that lonely without me? ###bold or italicize “that” -4 …yeah. —149 -1 The fact you have stuff you wanna do is just too cool! Hateruma, I know you’re deff gonna be a fire fighter! -2 What’s with you Takeda? You overheard that? sfx- Totally. Your voice is soo loud! -3 I’m aiming for nursing school! I wanna have a job with a secure income. I didn’t ask you. -4 Akamine’s already been accepted into a High School! Riiiight? Why are you acting all proud about that? ###bold or italicize “you” -5 In the future, I’m going to a Tokyo University for Studies in Culture and Representation. See, there’s this fascinating book that… sfx- Fixated —150 -1 What about you, Yuu-kun? Ah… Um… -2 I kinda wanna go to college, but… But it’s all still mostly vague… Everyones’ got their shit together ###handwritten I see. -4 So… Everyone’s goin’ their own way. -5 Yeah, for all of us going our own way… -6 Middle School’s the only time we’ll be together. —151 -1 sfx- Pomf Wha? -2 We can meet up anytime after graduation. If we don’t move, we’ll all be close enough. -3 Hey! Once we’re all grown up, let’s all meet up! I wanna see how everyone turns out! -4 And… If someone’s lagging behind, I want to lend them a hand. So, be sure to show up for that, ok? —152 -1 I think you just said something astounding. You can see the possibility of a future where someone has a setback, and can’t join us. I totally promise to meet up again! The way you care about people… I love that about you. Whoa, was Akamine always this cringy? -2 Hah? What’s cringy about that? You two! That’s what! “Once we’re all grown up”… -4 I… —153 -2 Future Plan Questionnaire -4 Ah, um… Yasuko-san… Can I talk to… sfx- Tromp Tromp Tromp Eeeh? -5 Sayuri! What’s the the change of heart?! —154 -1 Like I said. I want to live on my own. Here in Okinawa. -2 You said you were saving money to go live in Tokyo, right? You hate Okinawa. What’s going on? -4 You got a girlfriend?! sfx- Gyaaa No way! -5 Sigh —155 -1 Look, I’m an adult already! I was just forced to deal with my family that I had been avoiding. And surprisingly, everyone’s mellowed. Not in my face as much. -2 And I kind feel bad for them… Even my past self is feeling more warm and fuzzy towards them. -3 And I know I’m going to be sad to leave behind everything I’ve gained here. -4 But that’s why I’ve got to make my own way in Okinawa… -5 sfx- Squeeze H-hey! —156 -1 I’m rooting for you, Sayuri. I’m always in your corner. -2 I’m rooting for you too. -3 Dummies. It’s the same for me, ok? —157 -3 Ah… Yasuko-san… You’re still awake? —158 -2 Ah… Sorry. I’m just so, so sad… -3 Sayuri says she wants to live by herself. Yeah… -4 Oryou is saving up money. She says she wants to open a restaurant, and will live wherever that is. —159 -1 It’ll be lonely, just the two of us. Um… I’ll get you some water… -2 I… Worry about the two of us. Whether we’ll be able to make a go of it. sfx- Shhhhaaa -3 Th-thump -4 Squeek -5 I’m sorry to dump this on you. I guess I’ve been drinking too much. —160 -2 Drink some water, if you want. Thanks. -3 I… have to turn in my Future Plans Questionnaire. -4 I’m thinking about trade school or manufacturing school. I want to work right away… -6 So… I’ll support you. —161 -2 I had been trying not to show this side of me to Yuu-kun… But I blew it. -4 Geez… —162 -2 Oh my my my my my! Hehe We came to give you the news, Sayuri-san. -3 Thanks for helping Chisato back then. From now, we’ll pool our forces and support each other. Ah, great! -4 Sayuri-san, listen! Despite appearances, Akamine’s shy and a brat. sfx- Fufufu Oh, c’mon! Behave in front of other people! I… I have got to get me a girlfriend! ###bold or italicize “got” —163 -1 Ah, right. Our homeroom teacher asked us to give this to Yuu-kun. It’s a brochure for a high school. Ah, thank you. -2 This is… sfx- Flip Sensei told us that Yuu-kun should be able to get accepted anywhere. -3 This is a college prep school. But Yuu-kun said he wanted to work right after college… Whaa? -4 Yuu-kun said he wanted to go to college, though… Yeah. Right? —164 -1 I’m home… Yuu! -2 Come over here. Sit yer butt down. -3 Sfx- Slide NK High Brochure N High Brochure —165 -1 You have options for the future right? Why didn’t you talk to us? -3 If you want to go to college, I can stay here for a while longer. -4 And I’m quitting smoking and seriously saving money. So don’t worry about money. —166 -1 I… -2 Please don’t… Sacrifice your own lives for me… -3 Dummy. -4 We all have the same dream. -5 The three of us are going to watch you grow up. It’s the same as when we took you in. Nothing has changed. -6 It’s our dream. —167 -3 Chatter Chatter -4 Ah, Chisato… —168 -1 A! Ka! Mi! Ne! Glomp Come with me, and let’s tell everyone! -2 Gyaaa Gyaaa —169 -1 I see! So that will be your first choice for High School. Yes. I want to go to college. Future Plan Questionnaire ###booklet -2 Have you talked everything over with your guardian? Yes. Everything’s ok. -3 I’ll go a national university where the tuition is cheap. I want to study social work. Social work, huh? Why that? —170 -1 Since everyone’s supported me, I want to support others. Chapter 17 The End —171 -1 Final Chapter Time To Depart -3 Hokay, then. Clothing ###box at top sfx- Thud Books. CDs. ###box at bottom —172 -1 Yuu-kun! It’s this everything? -2 Whew Yep! Thanks so much! -3 Jingle I’ll take care of everything else, so it’s ok. -4 You just got your license. You ok to drive? I’ll be safe, I promise! —173 -1 You’ll love living on your own! Come see me, ok? sfx- bip bip bip -2 Brrrring -3 Hello! Wassap? So moving day already? -4 Oryou-san, Isn’t it cold there? Believe it! It’s still snowing in Yokohama! ###Yokohama is famous for it’s Chinatown. —174 -1 Since I don’t know the region, finding commercial space is busting my ass. Well, I’ll call once things settle down. -2 Hey, Yuu… -3 Congrats, ok? You made it into college! -4 If things get tough, lean on me anytime. And not just us, ok? -5 In hard times, it’s ok to want some help from people. Make those kind of relationships. If you can, it’ll all be good. —175 -1 Ok, ok! Stop lecturing him already! Ok, I’m hanging up, Oryou-san! Ah, hey! Wait! -2 I still had all sort of good advice to give him… sxf- Beep -4 Ok, then! -5 So then, your parents… They’re coming to live here, right? Yeah. That’s the plan. —176 -1 If I get tired of my mother, I’ll start living alone too. Ahaha That would be awesome! -2 Sayuri-san, what are you up to now? I’m still at the office while I work on being a manicurist! -3 That’s cool. You’ll really skilled at that. sfx- Ta-dah! Yeah, I’m thinking it’s about time to change careers. —177 -1 Will you… stop by every once in a while? Yes! Of course! Don’t look so down! Yeah! I wanna practice on your nails, ok? Yasuko-san? -2 We’ll all splitting up, huh? —178 -1 Whssh -2 Hm? M… -4 Mom —179 -3 You don’t have to force yourself to call me that. I did try my best to take on Harumi’s role, but… Mother? Father? We don’t have to be limited by words like that. Because we’re already family. —180 -1 Yes… Slam -4 Vrrrrmm —181 -1 But that’s exactly how I feel ### this combines both pieces of text -2 About you three. —182 -2 Ok, I’m going to head home too… -3 Pour -4 Whyyyy?! Stay the niiiight! sfx- Aaaah! No! You’re scaring me! Let your kids leave the nest! —183 -1 And after that… Two years later… -3 Spit Roasted Over Charcoal Pub ###sign right of door. Same as sign over door Beer ###narrow horizontal sign off left edge of panel -4 Um… sfx- Flip Recommendations Raw Shrimp ###top bubble Mix Stir Fry ###left bubble Sweetmeat Stew -5 A draft, to start with. Recommendations Raw Shrimp ###top bubble Mix Stir Fry ###left bubble Sweetmeat Stew ###bottom right Chicken Nuggets ###top left Tenpura ###bottom left —184 -3 Well, hey everyone! -5 We made it to adulthood! —185 -1 Ishadou, you’re totally the most girly out of all of us here. I-I thought that dressing this way would be ok given that it’s you guys! -2 But, uh, you two are still going out? Whaddya mean “still”? sfx- Be-woop -3 It’s been long distance since I went to Tokyo. Can you believe that she goes to 2 chome when she has a girlfriend? Unbelievable! ### the gay bar district in Tokyo -4 Yuu-kun, what’s with Hateruma? Can he come? Mmm Might not make it. Sorry, Yuu ###text —186 -1 Might be tricky… I see. -2 Well… We’ll just get together again, right? We’ll make it happen. -3 Eh? Why can’t Hateruma-kun make it? sfx- Pause -4 He said he wanted to be a fire fighter, right? I guess he’s now in training, then? Hey! -5 Read the room, Akamine! sfx- Shh! Huh? —187 -1 Um… -2 Hateruma-kun… After we last saw each other, his father collapsed and he had to quit high school. He’s working someplace his parents connected him to. -3 He’s busy, so… I’m sure it’s hard for him to swing by. -4 I… —188 -1 But I wanted to see Hateruma. -3 I… since we all last talked, I’ve been thinking about things a lot. ###Ishadou switches from using masculine to feminine pronouns here. But every time I do, I keep remembering what Hateruma did for me. I had to live though a lot of shit, but it reminds me that sometimes something nice happens in life. —189 -1 So that why I want to see Hateruma again. So I can be the one to help him out this time. sfx- Earnest -3 Hateruma! Heya… —190 -1 S-sorry… I was just about to tell everyone… That I got word from you this week… -3 You… You’ve sure gotten pretty! -4 Yuu! Why me?! —191 -1 Ok, once more then! -2 Cheers! —195 -1 Blink -2 Yuu-kun I’m coming home tomorrow —196 -1 Welcome home! —198 ### for the 4-koma section it will be right column then left column -1 Akamine Erika -2 Akamine! Akamiiiine! -3 Akamine… -4 We’re going out, for goodness sakes! You can call me by my first name, ok? -5 Don’t tell me you don’t know my first name.. -6 2 chome ### that’s the district in Tokyo with the gay bars -7 And! And! At the gay bar, everyone was all whooping it up and clapping along to Nakamori Akina’s song Desire! That place was on fire! Yeah! ###handwritten -8 Ever since moving to Tokyo, Akamine’s been encroaching on the sexual minorities there… Well, as long as she’s having a good time. -9 I think Okinawa’s too small for Akamine. She’s better suited for a place where she can meet all sorts of people. -10 But for now, this is how it’s gotta be. C’mon, why you so clingy? Geez! ###handwritten Doesn’t want to say she’s lonely ###under panel —199 -1 Graduation Ceremony -2 Can I have your 2nd button? ### This is a common-ish thing to ask someone you admire or like when they graduate. Must be nice to be a girl. They can say they like someone without any problem. Wha? You should go ask for someone’s button too, Ishadou. sfx- Snerk -3 My 2nd button? Already gone. You want some sort of parting momento? Geez, you’re popular, huh? -4 You can have my jacket. I don’t need it anymore. sfx- Flumph -5 I’ve never been this happy to wear a Uniform jacket. I sweat a lot, so it may stink. -6 Caught in the middle -7 You look like a proper lady! Hateruma ###handwritten -8 You’ve liked this since way back when, huh? I-I don’t normally wear this. Today’s special. -9 I wanted to show you, Hateruma… -1 Yuu-kun, aren’t you drinking a little fast? Drink some juice, dude! ###handwritten I’m a little jealous. —200 -1 Granny -2 Oh, my… What a cute little guy! Wha?! It’s Harumi’s boy? You’re taking him in? You’re so stupid! You should have told me earlier! -3 Yuu-kun, some allowance. It’s ok! I’ve given up on having my own grandkid already. No, I can’t… ###handwritten When an adult says it’s ok, it’s ok! -4 I’m home! Some years later ###box Yuu-kun, how do you like living alone? I’ve prepared the bath for you. -5 I came back to have some of your home cooking, Granny! Goodness! Isn’t she more fond of him than me? -6 Nails -7 Sayuri, I hear you’re making good money with the nail salon? Heh… ###handwritten With my exceptional business skills. -8 I’ve got some time now. I’ll give you a special discount on your nails. Not gonna do it for free? Forget it then. I wanna go out for a drink. -9 Ok, ok. I’ll give you a pedicure. And hey! Nail printers have gotten pretty awesome! Let’s try it! -10 That bitch… Just this one is normal. ###handwritten —207 -1 My mother is dead. My father is missing. Without any living relatives, Yuu-kun gets taken in my his Mother’s three ex-girlfriends. As he slowly deepens his relationships with them, suddenly his grandfather appears and makes a sudden declaration to take care of Yuu-kun! Leading to a decision that Yuu-kun, just a junior high school student, must make!