Disclaimer
I don't have a lot of time for translation work although I like to do it because it's good practice. I'd love to translate all of the Sotsugyou manga, but I don't have the time to properly focus on it, sadly. So this is my compromise.
Since I translated the other Arai/Kawazoe segment, I thought it fair to do this one and let people decide which rendition they prefer. I like this one, personally - but it's each to their own...

I also think this one is a better translation than the other, because my Japanese has improved somewhat since I did the last one, but anyway;)

All characters are referred to in the manga order of surname first. I've also left in the honorifics because translations of these annoy me. Please also be aware that I have certain ways of referring to the characters - so they are typed in the script below as follows:

Arai Tougo - Arai
Shimura Mikimaro - Mikimaro
Katou Yuusuke - Yuusuke
Nakamoto Shou - Nakamoto
Takagi Shimon - Takagi


Text in italics is narration/thought text. Text not in italics is speech.

I cannot scan my manga properly without damaging the spine of the book, so a text type-up is as good as I can do :) I have done occasional scanlations for key scenes but for the most part I'm not willing to wreck these books since they were troublesome enough to come by in the first place (and in any case, my scanner is not very good quality at the best of times). Any scenes that are scanlated are linked from the translated text.

So for that fact, I'll say in advance, "Gomen nasai". It's also sometimes difficult to tell who's speaking - usually Nakamoto is easy to identify from his polite speech, but sometimes off-scene characters are difficult to identify (these are marked with a ?).

This story is copyrighted to Arisugawa Kei and the Sotsugyou M team. I have translated it for fan reasons and it is not for profit or redistribution. If ever this series becomes licensed and translated into English, this translation will immediately be removed from this website and deleted. I do not own any part of Sotsugyou M. Or, sadly, E.M.U.

[Page 115]
(Scene: Inside Arai's dream)

Kawazoe: Tougo...
Arai: Hehe...yeah, I like you, Kawazoe-san
Kawazoe: But that's not what I mean...
Arai: Huh?

[Page 116]

Kawazoe: Where you're concerned, I...
Arai: (reaching out his hand) Kawazoe-san!
Kawazoe: I...

(Arai wakes to find Nakamoto bending over him)
Nakamoto: Arai-kun? Are you all right?
Arai: ...Yeah...

[Page 117]

Arai: Why...that dream...

(flashback scene: Arai and Kawazoe)
Arai: I've heard...is it true that you're going to Africa? Why all of a sudden?!
Kawazoe: Because right now there are only things that I can't do here. For that reason, I'm going. Even if that means I have to leave you behind.
Arai: N..no way...

[Page 118]
(Back to the present. Arai is in the bathroom)

Arai: It's been a year and a half since that...At that time there were so many things I wanted to say - so many feelings I wanted to express. But I couldn't say anything. What on earth was I wanting to say, anyway?

Scene:The classroom.
Yuusuke: The weather's good and I'm feeling good, too!
Takagi: Katou, why do you have to say the same things in your stupid loud voice every morning...
Yuusuke: Don't say such harsh things, Takagi!

[Page 119]
Nakamoto: Katou-kun's really wound up this morning, isn't he?
Mikimaro: That's because yesterday he had a date with Mayumi-san.
Takagi: DATE?!
Nakamoto: Mayumi-san...ah, that was the girl that Katou-kun saved from drowning when we were away on the school trip, wasn't she?
Yuusuke: That's right! And, it was a great chance to get to know her better and spend time with her. You want to hear the story, right, Nakamoto?
Nakamoto: Er...not really...
Yuusuke: There's no need to be tactful! Ah, there's no help for it. I guess this isn't the kind of story you go in for, is it...
Nakamoto: Erm...
Takagi: You know, we've got better things to do up to lunchtime than just listen to you babble on...
Mikimaro: Agreed!

[Page 120]

Mikimaro: I have to share a room with him too, remember? I've had this same story all night long - I haven't had any sleep since yesterday!

(Arai enters)

Mikimaro (suddenly full of energy). It's Arai-kun! Good morning! You;re early this morning, aren't you? Is something up?
Arai: Not really.
Mikimaro: But it's not like you not to turn up late for class.
Arai: You know, Mikimaro, you could be less blunt...

(Yuusuke grabs Arai's shoulder)

[Page 121]

Arai: Hey, Yuusuke...?
Yuusuke: (laughing)
Arai: (pulling back): You're giving me a bad feeling...
Mikimaro: He's been like this since last night...
Arai: What happened?
Yuusuke (attacking Mikimaro): Well, that's...you know...Tougo! You've slept with a girl, right?

(Editor's note: The verb...if you can call it that...that Yuusuke uses is "DABURU-BEDDO suru". Er. To do a double-bed? It doesn't translate, and from the tone and context of the scene I'm 99% sure that this is what Yuusuke is trying to say...so I'm going to translate it as such all through this chapter)

Yuusuke: Listen, your girlfriend's called Yuria-san, right?
Arai: I...guess...
Yuusuke: Next time I want you to tell me everything that happens between you, all right?!

[Page 122]
Mikimaro: (throwing Katou off him in his anger): You mean, Arai-kun is seeing someone? (to Arai) Didn't you tell me that you weren't seeing anyone at the moment?
Arai: Mm...So...?
Mikimaro: You lied to me?
Arai: Huh?
Mikimaro: Wah! You've been secretly fooling around with someone behind my back!
Arai: Don't say such crazy things!
Mikimaro: But my Arai-kun is seeing some woman...!
Arai: Ah, shut up, will you? It's nothing to do with you!
Nakamoto: (Laughing to self)
Takagi: Hrm?

[Page 123]
Takagi: What's so funny?
Nakamoto: Nothing...just...Takagi-kun, you...if its like usual, you should say something sarcastic to Arai-kun in the middle of all of this. Something like "That's a tall order because of his low blood pressure" would cause a lot of trouble, right?
Takagi: ...Nakamoto.....
Yuusuke: Getting back on topic, Tougo, tell me some stories about bedding girls!
Arai: Why do you want to bed this girl so much? Isn't it good enough just spending time with her as a couple?
Yuusuke: (embarrassed) Well...yeah...it is...but...I'd still like to get your advice on the subject...erm...
Arai: I see...you're aiming high, huh?

[Page 124]
Yuusuke: (clapping his hands together as if to plead): Somehow, help me to get there..
Arai: Guess it can't be helped then.
Yuusuke: Yes! I did it!
Mikimaro: Hey, add me too!
Yuusuke: I guess it can't be helped that you're going to come too...
Mikimaro: Can't be helped?
Yuusuke: Nope.

(Class starts at this point, with the teacher yelling at them to be quiet. Arai's sitting at his desk, looking troubled).

[Page 125]

Scene: Narita Airport. Kawazoe has just landed back in Japan.

Kawazoe: Tougo. I've arrived back home...to take a new step forward. However, before I can do that, I need to ask you one thing...and hear your answer.

[Page 126]

Kawazoe: Tougo...I might not get a second chance to meet with you again.

Scene: Classroom
Arai: What? The Photography Club is being closed down?
Mikimaro: Mm. The teacher who acts as advisor for the Cultural Clubs said so. It's activity has slowed right down - there's not even been a single new member sign up for it this year.
Arai: No way...
Nakamoto: Come to think of it, Arai-kun, you were in the Photography Club in the first year, weren't you?
Arai...Yeah
Mikimaro: But it was a different thing then. Kawazoe-buchou had even won competitions, too.

(Editor's note - the suffix here, "buchou" means "Club Captain" or "Club Leader". But I didn't want to make him sound like a boy scout, so I left it as it was...I guess you might translate it as Club President...but that sounds a bit grand for a simple Photography Club!)

[Page 127]

Takagi: Kawazoe-buchou?
Mikimaro: Yeah. He was a senpai two years above us. At that time he was Captain of the Photography Club and the Vice President of the School Council, too. Even though he was a student at this school, he looked more like he should be at a girl's school. He was extremely popular, too.
Takagi: So he was something like me, then?
Mikimaro: Flattering yourself as always...
Takagi: Hey, it's true!
Mikimaro: Well...maybe so, you know...Kawazoe-san was also mixed race. That's right, actually. You're half English, Takagi-kun. Kawazoe-san...I think he was half American.

[Page 128]
Takagi: You really know a lot about this guy...
Mikimaro: Yeah...I'm good at inputting into my brain the kind of data that covers stuff within school. (He taps his head). It's all in here, you know.
Although...it's a strange story, actually. Just before his graduation, Kawazoe-san mysteriously left the school in the middle of term. Even though he had a high class average, and a place at the University of Tokyo all arranged...
Nakamoto: You really do know a lot about this. Is there really any point in knowing quite so many things about it?
Mikimaro: It's okay. It's a particular interest of mine. (he brightens up)
Ah! That's right! If anyone knows why Kawazoe-san left mid-term it'll be Arai-kun! The two of them were really close friends back then.

[Page 129]

(Arai is lost in his own thoughts)
Mikimaro: (Concerned): Arai-kun? Is something wrong?
Arai: Ah...not really.
Yuusuke: Hey, hey! What's bugging you? You look really serious. And that aside, Tougo, I want to talk to you about the girl thing...
(Arai gets to his feet and leaves the classroom)
Yuusuke: Hey! Listen to everything someone has to say before disappearing!

(Arai has gone to the room where the Photography Club used to meet. He looks haunted. It holds a lot of memories for him).

[Page 130]

Arai: That's right. In this place my High School life really began. Back then, nothing could get through to me. I was fighting everyone and everything that came my way.

(Flashback)
Arai: If anyone has a problem with me I'll take them on!

[Page 131]

Arai: If you have a problem with me, then tell me to my face! I'll take anyone on who fancies it!
(There is a pause, and the sound of footsteps. Then,)
Kawazoe: I have something to say to you.
(Arai casts him a quizzical look)
Kawazoe: I'm Kawazoe Haruka. I'm the captain of the Photography Club.
Arai: Arai Tougo.

[Page 132]

Kawazoe: Let's take it outside.
Arai: Heh. Sure. If that's what you want.

(Back to the present)

Kawazoe: Tougo.
(Arai looks startled, for a moment not knowing if he's imagined it or if it's real)
Arai: K...Kawazoe-san?

[Page 133]
Arai: Why...why are you here? Am I dreaming?
Kawazoe: (Smiles): I'm home.

(The two go out into the city. Kawazoe lights a cigarette and they walk. Heaven only knows what's happening about Arai's classes...but that's beside the point)

Arai: You know, your straight-talking back then was pretty effective.
Kawazoe: (Laughs): Well, even though you were a newly enrolled student, you were shooting your mouth off rather a lot. Somehow you got me worked up enough to react to you and take the fight into my own hands...why do you think that was?
Arai: I...lost that fight. It was the first time I ever did.

[Page 134]
(Flashback, Arai and Kawazoe are fighting. I mean full on fighting...blood included)
Kawazoe: You've lost.
Arai: Urgh..
Kawazoe: As I promised, I'm going to make you listen to me.

(Back to the present)

Arai: That's when I joined the Photography Club.
Kawazoe: (Amused): A rebel like you who desperately tried to do everything you could to be trouble...you were forced to join the club against your will.
But the Photography Club is folding, huh...it's a pity.
Arai: After you weren't here any more, the club lost a lot of members and interest. And me, too...

[Page 135]
Kawazoe: I thought that you might be my successor in running the club, you know.
Arai: You have to be kidding?! Something like that would've been impossible.
Kawazoe: I wonder about that. After your orientation day, you seemed to settle down peacefully with the other members of the club and they even came to acknowledge your skills, too, didn't they?
Have you given it up, then? Your camera?
Arai: Mm...these days...I hardly ever use it. The only reason I got involved in the club was because of you in the first place.
Kawazoe: It has a sad feeling...I guess it can't be helped.
Arai: Aside from that, Kawazoe-san, your dream of becoming a photographer hasn't changed, has it?
Kawazoe: Mmm.

[Page 136]
Kawazoe: The day after tomorrow...Sunday...will you come to Akigawa Canyon?

(Editor's note: The canyon's name is 秋川渓谷 - Akigawa-Keikoku, or Autumn River Canyon. I'm leaving the first part in Japanese, however, because it seems more fitting that way).

Arai: Huh?

(Mikimaro arrives on the scene. Unseen by Arai or Kawazoe, he's looking for his classmate).
Mikimaro: Ah! There he is! Arai-kun!

Mikimaro stops dead at the sight of Kawazoe.

Mikimaro: Kawazoe-san? Why is he here? And what's this strange atmosphere? This...this tense, strained atmosphere?

Arai: That's the place we went for the orientation day, right? I remember it, because of the horrible things that happened that day.

[Page 137]

Kawazoe: I'd like to go there with you one more time. There are still some things I'd like to find out the truth about. I need to, in order to let myself move forward.
Arai: Find the truth about...? Surely we don't need to go to Akigawa Canyon for you to do that?
Kawazoe: But to me that place was the start of everything.

Mikimaro: (Seeing Kawazoe's ear) A piercing? As I suspected, this is...the one in his right ear matches the one in Arai-kun's left...
AAAH! My Arai-kun!

[Page 138]

(Arai's phone rings)
Arai: (Answering it): Yes? Oh, Yuria...
I'm sorry, now's really not a good time...You're going to be there soon? But....All right, I get it. I'm on my way. But it'll only be for a short while, okay?
(he hangs up)
Kawazoe: Your woman, was it?
Arai: Mmm...sort of...
Kawazoe: She wants to keep hold of you, huh?
(Arai looks rebellious)
[Page 139]

Kawazoe: Maybe that was a foolish question.
Well, it doesn't matter. That aside, I think I'll come with you too, and meet with this "Yuria" girl.

(They leave, with Mikimaro trailing them at a distance. Yuria is waiting for them at the appointed place.)

Yuria: To-o-u-go! Sorry for calling you at such short notice, I...huh?
Arai: This is my senpai from two years above - Kawazoe-san.
Yuria: How do you do! (she clings all over Arai) I'm Yuria. I've been Tougo's girlfriend for a few months now!
Arai: Hey, hold it, saying things like that...
Kawazoe: (Smiling): Good afternoon.
Yuria: (Looks annoyed)

[Page 140]

Yuria: More to the point, Tougo, you can come out with me today, right?
Arai: Today's no good. I'm busy today.
Yuria: You're being really cold to me right now, Tougo. Normally you wouldn't say things like that...you're usually a lot nicer.
(She tries to kiss him but he pulls her away)
Arai: That's enough already! You're acting really weird today!

(Kawazoe finds all of this very amusing. Meanwhile in the bushes, Mikimaro is still agonising)

Mikimaro: Could it be...these three...are a love triangle?

[Page 141]

Mikimaro: What on earth kind of relationship do Arai-kun and Kawazoe-san have, anyway?
Are they really just good friends?
Arai has one in his left ear...Kawazoe-san has one in his right ear...a piercing...
Surely they're only...

(He hallucinates Arai and Kawazoe in a fond pose, holding hands and meeting each other's gazes lovingly)

Mikimaro: Ahhh! This is really bugging me! I'm not going to sleep at all tonight!

Scene: The Next Day, Mikimaro and Yuusuke's room. Mikimaro is looking determined.

Mikimaro: I've made my decision. I'm going to get my ear pierced!
Yuusuke: What are you babbling on about so early in the morning, Mikimaro?

[Page 142]

Mikimaro: I'm going to get earrings to match with Arai-kun.
(Pause. Yuusuke looks flummoxed. Then...)
Yuusuke (laughing hysterically):
Mikimaro: (Indignant): What's so funny?
Yuusuke: If you got your ears pierced, you'd look like a woman - people would mistake you for a fashion obsessed teenage girl.
Mikimaro: No I wouldn't! I'm a man, after all!, right? I have to do my best! I'm not going to lose to Kawazoe-san!
Yuusuke: (Looking clueless): Kawazoe-san? But...what do you have to do your best with exactly?
Mikimaro: Shut up! It's nothing to do with you, Katou-kun!

[Page 143]

Mikimaro storms out of the bedroom, leaving Yuusuke pretty bewildered.
Yuusuke: Hey...Mi...ki...ma...ro? I wonder what's got into him...

Takagi's room. Takagi is inside sorting music when Mikimaro bursts in on him unannounced.

Mikimaro: Takagi-kun!
Takagi: (Startled) Wha...?
Mikimaro: Hey, today, are you free?
Takagi: I don't have anything especially planned, but...
Mikimaro: In that case, I want you to come out with me.
Takagi: Where to?
Mikimaro: Nowhere in particular, but I have something that I want to buy.

[Page 144]

Takagi (Patting Mikimaro on the head): Shimura...first at least tell me what you're talking about.
Mikimaro: Well, you see...I'm going to get earrings to match with Arai-kun! I'd like you to come with me and look, Takagi-kun!
Takagi: (nonplussed): Hehh....what did you just say?!

Scene: Evening. Arai and Nakamoto's room. Nakamoto is studying. Arai is...well...not. Mikimaro has gone to show Arai his prize.

Mikimaro: Hey, Arai-kun, look!

[Page 145]

Mikimaro: They're pierced earrings! I went and bought them today! One is for Arai-kun to wear and the other one is for me.
Arai: (Amused): You're having a laugh, aren't you?
Mikimaro: (Indignant): I'm serious! I want us to have matching earrings, Arai-kun.
Arai: (Losing the humour as he realises Mikimaro is in earnest): You can't just decide things like that all of your own accord. To begin with, your ears aren't even pierced!
Mikimaro: (producing a safety pin): But they can be, with this! I thought you might pierce them for me, Arai-kun.
Arai: (looking suddenly startled): This is like...?

[Page 146]

Flashback: Kawazoe and Arai. Kawazoe is holding a safety pin, with the intention of piercing Arai's ear)

Kawazoe: This is my birthday present to you. Will you let me...pierce your ear with this?
Arai: Like...you have?
Kawazoe: (sterilizing the pin in the flame of his lighter). Yeah.
Arai: I'd like to...but...won't it hurt?
Kawazoe: Only for a brief second....

[Page 147]

Kawazoe:  (he holds the pin out towards Arai): Are you scared?
Arai: (indignant) As if! Of course I'm not scared! You just startled me with this, that's all!
Kawazoe: Then let's do it.

(Back to the present and Arai/Nakamoto's dorm room. Arai is spacing out)

Mikimaro: Arai-kun!
Arai: Huh?
Mikimaro: What are you spacing out over? Hurry up and pierce it!
Arai: (Giving him an evil look): It hurts, you know.
Mikimaro: Uh...
Arai: (Leaning over Mikimaro intimidatingly): It re-e-e-eally hurts. The night I had it done it hurt so much that I didn't get any sleep at all.
Mikimaro: I...I...I'm prepared for that!

[Page 148]

Arai: Hrm. Well, if that's the case, Nakamoto should do it.

(Nakamoto, who has paid no apparent attention to Mikimaro so far, suddenly drops his pen - proving that he's been listening to the conversation all along)

Arai: I'm not at all good at things like this. Nakamoto's much more skillful with these things - it would be mu-uch better if he did it.
Right...Mikimaro?
Mikimaro: (blushing) Ah...
Nakamoto: (Getting up from his desk and looking peeved): That's no good, Arai-kun.

[Page 149]

Nakamoto: Noone except a doctor or a specialist should even think about doing that kind of thing to anyone. It's against the law.
Arai: Ah, you always say such inflexible things.
Nakamoto: It's the truth. Besides, something like deliberately creating a wound on another person isn't something that I'd be able to do anyway.
Arai: You're exaggerating, aren't you? Mikimaro wants it done, after all. Don't you want to help him out?
Nakamoto: In that case, it shouldn't be me doing it...it should be you, Arai-kun.
Arai: Why...?
Nakamoto: Because you're the one Shimura-kun asked to do it.

[Page 150]
Nakamoto: It's easier to resolve yourself to deal with the pain of it if it's done by the person you like, after all.


Owari: The End :)

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