My Female Friend Comes Home to Me Every Now and Again 1
by Agu

Page 1

	うたこ
	Utako

	あきら
	Akira

	「あきちゃん」
	"Aki-chan"
	「うた」「うたこ」
	"Uta" "Utako"

	安定できない　オンナ　（２４）
	定職なし、常に国から国へと移動。
	３０まで生きればジューブン。
	楽しければいい。バイ
	Can't settle down
	female, 24
	No steady job, constantly traveling from country to country.
	Would be fine just living to 30.
	Just wants to have fun. Bi.

	安定を愛すオンナ　（３２）
	彼氏持ち、そろそろ入籍。
	ザー 働きすぎ。休めない。
	常にクマある。人生はルーティーンさえあればＯＫ。
	Loves stability
	female, 32
	Has a boyfriend, will get married sooner or later.
	Workaholic. Can't take a break.
	Constantly has circles under her eyes.
	Happy as long as her life follows a routine.

Page 2

	Top Panel
		Bubble
			？分発急行　発車いたします
			??? Minutes till express departure [all these are typical station announcements and are fragmented]
		SFX ピ "beep"

	Middle Panel
		SFX カッ　カッ "clack clack"

	Bottom Right Panel
		Upper Bubble
			ご乗車ありが
			Thank you for 
		Lower Bubble
			っぎは
			riding with

	Bottom Center Panel
		SFX カッ　カッ "clack clack"

	Bottom Left Panel
		SFX ぐ "grip"

Page 3

	Top Panel
		SFX バアン　"slam"
		Right Bubble
			せんぱーいっ　例の案件の　資料なんですけどー
			Sempaiii! Asy, about the materials for that case we're looking at―
		Center Bubbles
			東さんなら　帰ったよ
			Azuma-san went home.
			定時で
			Right on time.
		Left Bubble
			えっ　うそぉ！
			Huh? No way!

	Bottom Right Panel
		Writing
			どう　どう
			Whoa there
		Upper Bubble
			え～～～　Ｓ社のプレゼン　見てもらいた　かったのにぃ
			Uggggh. I wanted her to look at this presentation for me.
		Upper Left Bubble
			まぁまぁ　それ来週でも　間に合うでしょ
			There there. That can wait till Monday, it'll still be on time.
		Lower Bubble
			てか珍しいスね　東さんが慌てて　帰ってのなんて
			Hey, it's like, weird, right? For Azuma-san to hurry home like that?

	Bottom Left Panel
		Bubbles
			アレっスかね
			Gotta be, like
			記念日とか
			an anniversary or something.

		[No clue how this is gonna fit. Any other way to say "anniversary"? Or even to refer to that kind of event?]

Page 4

	Top Panel
		Text
			やっと　ルーティーンが　できてきた３２歳
			At age 32, I've found my routine at last.

	Middle Panel
		Right Text
			入社して８年以上の　会社もやっとなんだか　身についてきて
			I've been at the same company for 8 years and finally learned everything.
		Left Text
			タイトなスケジュールも　上から目線な担当者にも　慣れてきた
			I've gotten used to the tight schedule and my condescending boss.

	Bottom Right Panels
		SFX どさ "thud"
		Box
			そんな　安定した私の　毎日も
			But my stable, everyday life
		SFX キュ "yank"

	Bottom Left Panel
		Text
			年に数回　完璧に乱される　ことがある
			is thrown into chaos a few times a year.
		SFX ガチャ "click"

Page 5

	Top Panel
		Bubbles
			あーきーちゃん
			Aaakiii-chan,
			ただいま！
			I'm home!

	Middle Panel
		Bubble
			うたこ
			Utako!
		Box
			この子の　おかげで
			All thanks to her.

	Bottom Right Panel
		Right Bubble
			つくの　早くない！？
			You're here early!
		SFX パタパタ "walk"
		Left Bubbles
			そー　フライト３０文　早くついて
			Yeah. The flight got in 30 minutes early.
			一本早いバス　乗ってきちゃった
			I made the earlier bus.
		[any other way to say early? I don't like all this repetition]

	Bottom Left Panel
		SFX あた　ふた "flustered"
		Bubbles
			どっ
			Wh―
			どうしよう　まだ全然片付いて　なくて
			What do I do? I haven't cleaned at all.

Page 6

	Top Panel
		Right Buble
			あきちゃーん
			Aki-chaaan.
		Center Bubbles
			今トイレから　掃除してたんだけど
			I'd just started cleaning the toilet...
			最近残業続きで　家居る時間　あまりなくて
			Lately I've had back-to-back overtime, so I've barely been home.
		SFX ばた　ばた "bustle"
		Center Left Bubble
			あきちゃ
			Aki-ch―
		Far Left Bubble
			やっぱり一回　外でてもらってた　ほうが…
			I should've had you meet me somewhere else this time―

	Middle Panel
		Bubble
			あきちゃん！
			Aki-chan!
		SFX は "gasp"

	Bottom Right Panel
		Bubbles
			あきちゃんの　トイレは
			Aki-chan, is your toilet
			地面に掘った　穴ですか
			a hole in the ground?

	Bottom Left Panels
		Right Bubble
			…　ウォシュレット　です
			It's a washlet.
		Left Bubble
			そっか、　なら
			So. In that case...

Page 7

	Top Panels
		Upper Right Bubbles
			私にとっては　ゼータクすぎる　トイレです
			it's far too luxurious for me.
			はい　掃除やめやめー
			Okay, stop cleaning.
			わたし　あとで　やる
			I'll do it later
		Lower Right Bubble
			で
			So,
		Left Bubble
			おかえりは？
			welcome me home?

	Bottom Right Panel
		Bubbles
			渡り鳥
			My bird
			私の
			of passage.

	Bottom Left Panels
		SFX ガタガタ "clatter"
			すー "reach"

Page 8

	Top Right Panel
		Right Bubbles
			わーい
			Yay!
			半年ぶりの　あきちゃんだ！
			It's been half a year!
		Left Bubbles
			「私の」　とか
			I say "my",
			思ってるのは　私だけだな
			but only I think that.

	Top Left Panel
		SFX スー "sniff"

	Middle Left Panel
		Upper Right Bubble
			…吸わなくても　いいでしょ
			... Do you have to smoke?
		Left Bubble
			こうしないと　日本に帰ってきた　かんじしないの
			I don't feel like I'm back in Japan unless I do.
		Lower Bubble
			なにそれ…
			What the heck?

	Bottom Panel
		Upper Bubble
			今日はやく　帰れたの？
			You managed to get home early today?
		Lower Bubble
			だって急に　うたが帰国するって　いうから…
			Well, you suddenly told me you were coming back, so...
		Box
			時々ふらりと　帰ってくる　この２４歳に
			What can you say about a 32 year old woman

Page 9

	Top Right Panel
		Box
			ルーティーンを崩される３２歳　なんているのかどうか
			whose ordered life is thrown into chaos by this 24-year-old showing up?
		Bubbles
			あきちゃんの冷蔵庫　毎回バターと期限切れの　ジャムしかないから
			I stopped at the market by the bus stop since you never have anything in your fridge
			バス停近くのスーパー　寄ってきたんだけどー
			except butter and expired jam.

	Top Left Panel
		Bubble
			さーどーで　しょーかっ
			Well, let's see what you've got.
		Text
			…いや
			... No,

	Bottom Panel
		Bubble
			…大当たり
			... Called it.
		Text
			崩させてるんだ
			I *let her* throw my life into chaos.
			[italicize "let her"]

Page 10

	Top Right Panel
		Bubble
			焼けたね　うた
			Uta, looks like it's done.

	Top Left Panel
		Right Bubble
			今度は　どこ行ってたの？
			Where'd you go this time?
		Left Bubbles
			えーっとねー
			Hmm, well,
			フライトは　カトマンズからで
			the flight was out of Kathmandu.

	Middle Panel
		Right Bubbles
			それまでは　中東通ってー
			Before that I went through the Middle East.
			あっ　そうそう
			Oh, that's right.
		Center Bubble
			生まれてはじめて　イラン行ったよ
			I went to Iran for the first time in my life.
		Left Bubble
			え…　すごいね
			Huh? Wow.

	Upper Bottom Right Panel
		Bubble
			普段全く　連絡取れないから　幻かと思っちゃう
			Since I usually have no way to contact you, I start to wonder if you're just a figment of my imagination.

	Lower Bottom Right Panel
		Bubble
			生きてますよぉ～　失礼な！
			I'm real, and alive. So rude!

	Bottom Left Panel
		Upper Bubbles
			あきちゃんところは　変わんないね
			Your place hasn't changed a bit.
			いつもの心地いい　無造作な感じとか
			Always has that nice, casual vibe.
		Lower Right Bubble
			…　汚いってこと？
			... You mean, it's a mess?
		Left Bubble
			ぎゃー　ちがうちがう
			Gah, that's not what I said.

Page 11

	Upper Top Right Panel
		Box
			数年前うたこと　出会ってから私は　数週間単位で　彼女を家に泊め
			Ever since I met Utako a few years back, I put her up in my place a few weeks at a time.

	Lower Top Right Panel
		Box
			またどこかを　目指して　飛び立っていく　彼女を見送る
			Then I see her off again as she flies away again, heading out somewhere.

	Top Left Panel
		Text
			ただそれだけの　友人関係
			That's the extent of our friendship.

	Middle Panel
		Text
			このマンション　一室という　小さな籠から
			A window that takes me out of this tiny cage

	Bottom Panel
		Text
			外へと　連れて行ってくれる　窓
			of a one-room condo.
		Bubble
			イランの前に　あきちゃんのこと　知りたい
			Before we get to Iran, I want to hear about you.

Page 12

	Top Right Panel
		Right Bubble
			最近どんな　モンスター　クライアントと　戦ってるの？
			What kind of monster clients have you been battling?
		Left Bubble
			モンスターって　あなたね…
			"Monster", you say...?

	Upper Top Left Panel
		Bubble
			ちょっと前まで　少し落ち着いてた　んだけど
			Up until a little while ago, things had calmed down a bit.

	Lower Top Left Panel
		SFX チ "tch"
		Right Bubble
			自分でも　言ってるじゃん　モンスター（笑）
			You're the one who called them monsters first, haha
		Writing
			東さん　よろしくねが　多い
			More and more, I hear, "Azuma-san, I'll leave it to you"
		Left Bubble
			これがまた　Ｓランクの　モンスターを　ハントさせられてて…
			And then they force me to hunt an S-Rank monster once again...

	Bottom Panel
		Right Bubble
			一番最近のは　マツ○とスター・○ォーズの　○ャバ・ザ・ハットを　足して２で割った　みたいな担当者で…
			The latest is my manager who's like a cross between Matsuko and Jaba the Hut...
		Writing
			メール？　見えないです　ちゃんと送りました
			An email? I can't see it. Are you sure you sent it?
		Upper Left Bubble
			あはは　なんだそれ　全然ピンとこない
			Ahaha! What the heck, I can't picture that at all.
		Lower Left Bubble
			それチームの　千田くんにも　言われて、
			That's what Senda-kun from my team says about her.

	[Note: probably Matsuko Deluxe, a Japanese media commenter and columnist.]

Page 13

	Top Panel
		Bubble
			…それで？
			... What else?

	Middle Panel
		Bubbles
			…あ
			... Oh.
			話せてくれてる
			She's letting me talk.
		Text
			私が甘やかしているようで
			I think I'm taking care of her,

	Bottom Right Panel
		Text
			本当は　私のほうが、
			but in truth, she's the one who―
		SFX ウー　ウー "vrrr vrrr"
		Bubble
			…あ
			... Oh.

	Upper Bottom Left Panel
		Phone
			慎二くん
			Shinji-kun
			ＬＩＭＥオーディオ
			LIME Audio
		SFX ウー "vrrr"

	Lower Bottom Left Panel
		SFX ウッ "vrt―"
		Upper Bubble
			…いーの？　出なくて
			... Don't you have to get that?
		Lower Bubble
			うん
			No.

Page 14

	Top Right Panel
		Bubbles
			いいの
			It's fine.
			今は
			For now.

	Lower Top Left Panel
		Right Bubble
			…そーだ　そーだ
			... That's right!
		Left Bubble
			忘れる前に　これ！
			Before I forget!

	Bottom Right Panel
		SFX ズモモモモモ　"menace"
		Right Bubble
			ハイッ
			Here.
		Upper Left Bubble
			ネパールのからの　お土産です♥
			It's a charm from Nepal♥
		Lower Left Bubble
			でた…
			There it is...

	Bottom Left Panel
		SFX うわあ "woah"
		Upper Bubbles
			ありがと…あの
			Thanks...
			確認なんだけど　毎回どんどん　派手になっていかない？
			Umm, just checking, but aren't these getting gaudier and gaudier every time?
		Lower Bubbles
			派手なほど　魔除け効果　ありそうじゃん
			The more extreme, the more effective they are against evil spirits, don't you think?
			だし、あきちゃん　そう言いながら　絶対会社のデスクに　飾ってくれるっしょ
			And whatever you say, you're totally going to put it on your desk at work, aren't you?

Page 15

	Top Right Panel
		Bubbles
			…はは
			... Haha.
			飾るよ
			Yeah, I will.

	Top Left Panel
		Bubbles
			…なんか
			... Now that I've eaten,
			ご飯食べたら　タバコ吸いたく　なってきた
			I kinda want to have a smoke.

	Middle Panel
		SFX ガタ "clatter"
		Left Bubble
			ベランダ　借りてもい？
			Mind if I use your balconey?

	Bottom Right Panel
		Right Bubbles
			あ
			Oh,
			うん…
			sure...
		SFX ウー "vrrr"

	Bottom Center Panel
		SFX ウー "vrrr"
			ガララ "slide"
		Bubble
			出てあげなよ
			Go ahead and answer it.

	Bottom Left Panel
		Bubble
			え？
			Huh?
		SFX ウー "vrrr"

Page 16

	Upper Bubble
		電話
		Your phone.

	Middle Bubble
		彼氏さんでしょ
		It's your boyfriend, right?

	Lower Bubble
		…うん
		... Yeah.

	SFX カチ "click"
		ボ "fwoosh"
		ふ "haaah"

Page 17

	Right Bubble
		…なーんだ
		... What the hell.

	Upper Left Bubble
		ないじゃん
		Some charm...

	Lower Left Bubble
		魔除け効果なんて
		it didn't work at all.

	SFX どん "stare"

Page 18

	Top Right Panel
		Bubble
			…なんか
			This...

	Top Left Panel
		Upper Bubble
			東さんと　トーン違いません？
			doesn't fit her at all.
		Writing
			ふえた…
			They're multiplying
		Lower Bubble
			みんな　私のデスクで　何やってるの…
			What're you all doing at my desk...?

	Bottom Right Panels
		Writing
			さあ　仕事　しよー
			Well, let's get to work
		Upper Bubble
			せんぱぁい　なんか危ない　集会とか呼ばれて　ません？！
			Sempaiii, are you getting dragged into some weird cult!?
		Lower Bubble
			ないない
			Not at all.

	Bottom Left Panel
		Bubble
			友達からの　お土産だから…
			It's just a souvenir from a friend.

Page 19

	Top Panel
		Bubbles
			「友達」って…
			"A friend,"
			あれ
			huh?

	Middle Panel
		Right Writing
			にあわなーい
			It really doesn't suit you
			はたらこうね　三木さん
			Let's get to work, Miki-san
		Bubble
			どう見ても　マーキングだろ
			That's totally some territorial shit.
			/Looks more like someone marking their territory.
			[The word used here is "marking" (the English word spelled out phonetically), which refers to the way animals mark objects and places they consider their own (think dogs pissing on things). I'm pretty sure the idea is that he thinks Utako's giving her all this crap so that other people will see she's taken. See here for an illustration https://woman.mynavi.jp/article/150127-15/ I don't know how to best convey that.]
		Left Writing
			ジュンさーん　今日の打ち合わせ　オンラインでしたっけ
			Jun-san, was the briefing gonna be online today?

	Bottom Panel
		SFX クシュン "achoo"

Page 20

	・バリキャリ
	・照れ屋
	・キレイ好き（でも片付ける時間なし）（よって散らかる）
	・物静か
	・母性（？）

	・Career woman
	・Shy
	・Likes it clean (but she has no time to clean so her place is a mess)
	・Quiet
	・Motherly (?)

	あきら（３２）
	Akira (32)
	オーバーワーク様
	When she's overworked
	ホクロエロい
	Sexy beauty spots

Page 21

	ピアス多い
	Lots of piercings
	うたこ（２４）
	Utako (24)
	プカア "puff"

	・ガサツ＜－ＢＵＴバックパッカーなので生活能力　高
	・ビッチ
	・軽い
	・自由
	・マイペース
	・ぺらぺらしてる

	・Rough-mannered <-But as a backpacker, she's good at taking care of herself
	・Slutty
	・Easy
	・Free-spirited
	・Self-confident
	・Talkative

END