^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Jiraishin: File 14 Thrill and Real ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Original Copyright (C) Takahashi Tsutomu/Koudansha Translation Copyright (C) Hikirin Studio 1995 English Translation: Alex "Alekusiel" Wong ( awong@eecs.tufts.edu ) Proofreading: Iain Sinclair ( axolotl@socs.uts.edu.au ) ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Version 1.1 To maintain the quality of this translation, any part of this translation cannot be changed, or modified in any way during distribution. If this translation is being used in any form of distribution or publication, all the credits of this translation must be included. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Translator's Notes: The page number used here are from July/1995 issue of Afternoon. Lines in []: Thoughts of characters ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 169 Computer Screen: I insist on my existence. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 172 Shimizu: Please don't answer questions and get into the car. Tokura: Aa. Shimizu: Get going. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 173 Journalist: Tokura-san, please say something about your son's suicide. Journalist: It hurttss. Journalist: Hey! Don't push. Journalist: Is it because he was bullied? Journalist: What is the reason? Shimizu: Move it! Driver: Yes. Newspaper: Suicide with a Rifle!! Mr. Tokura Yutaka (43)'s Son Famous Newscaster Bear his sadness and cast in "News `95" ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 174 Newscaster: It has been two days and now the reason for his son's death is still unknown. Phone: Toubibibi toubibibi. Phone: Bii. Nakahara: This is Nakahara of the Police Hospital. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 175 Iida: Iida speaking. Nakahara: I want to see you for a second, do you have time today? Iida: What's your business? Nakahara: You know about the suicide of that newscaster Tokura Yutaka's son? Iida: Yeah, it's on TV now. Nakahara: That "Takashi" kid was sent to my place yesterday. Nakahara: He blew off his head with his father's rifle, and died instantly. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 176 Iida: So what about that? Nakahara: There's something about this case that makes me feel a bit uneasy. I want to talk about the details when we meet. Iida: Okay. Nakahara: Sorry for this, please come over at one then. Iida: You don't mean to say it was a "homicide", right? ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 177 Nakahara: I don't mean that. Nakahara: After I did the death certification of that newscaster's son yesterday, a 3rd grade primary school girl came to visit me. Nakahara: All of a sudden that girl asked... Nakahara: "What's the cause of death?" Girl: Nice weather, isn't it --- Girl: Its spring, spring!! Girl: Gushun. Nakahara: Indeed, even I was a bit confused. Nakahara: But don't you think... Nakahara: Normally how could an 8 or 9 years old kid asking about the cause of death with a straight face? Crow: Gaagaa. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 178 Nakahara: And then... Nakahara: She asked, "did he throw himself off from somewhere, hang himself, or use a rifle, which out of these three?" Girl: Is it hay fever? Girl: Yeah, it is horrible. Iida: Then what did you say? Nakahara: From that time being I smiled. Iida: Smiled only? Nakahara: I did a bit of *investigation*. Nakahara: This girl goes to the same cram school as the deceased Takashi-kun. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 179 Girl: Achoo. Iida: I don't have much free time. Nakahara: I know... but Iida. Nakahara: Now that we mention it... Nakahara: That girl... isn't a normal kid. Girl: Aa. Crow: Gaa. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 180-181 Narrator: Koike Aya, 9 years old. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 182 Iida: Want me to tell you the cause of death? ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 183 Aya: I know about it, saw it in the news. He shot himself on the head, right? Aya: For Takashi-kun it was the coolest way to die. Aya: By the way. Aya: Who are yo---u? Nakahara: He is my friend in the police force. Nakahara: Aya-chan, I have something to ask you. Aya: Okay. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 184 Aya: I was the one that killed Takashi-kun. Nakahara: Wh... Nakahara: What do you mean? Aya: Because of that I probably will get killed... Aya: Mr. Policeman... will you protect me? Iida: We will see. Aya: Oh yeah... The police won't do anything until the case have happened, so that's probably impossible, isn't it? Aya: Because the person who is aiming for me still didn't even made an attempt yet... ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 185 Iida: Going to get killed by whom? Aya: Won't it be by Mr. Policeman? Aya: If you investigate. Iida: Then the conversation can stop here. Iida: As you said now, the police will move after the crime have committed... Iida: Missy, if you got killed then I will go and catch the criminal. Nakahara: Hey Iida. Nakahara: You're talking to a kid, watch what you're saying. Iida: Nakahara, didn't you say it yourself also? Iida: She is no ordinary kid. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 186 Aya: Kyahahaha. Aya: You aren't treating me like a child, are you... Aya: I have decided. Aya: I will be protected by you. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Page 187 Aya: See ya. Television: Hey hey hey. Aya's Father: Fuu fuu. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Page 188 Aya's Mother: Zuzuzu. Aya's Mother: Kachakacha. Aya: Hey mom. Aya: What are you going to do if I die? ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Page 189 Aya's Mother: Zuzuzu. Aya's Mother: There is no way that you are going to die. Aya's Mother: Since Aya-chan is still a kid. Aya's Mother: You will die after you become an adult. Aya: Oh yeah. Aya: I should think about that when I became mom's age after experiencing different things in life. Aya's Father: Yawn. Aya's Mother: Hey Aya-chan. Aya's Mother: You aren't eating dinner? ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 190 Paper: After all I don't get what is Thrill and Real. Takashi ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 191 Computer Screen: I know what is Thrill and Real. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 192 Shimizu: Yesterday the TV station called and said "how about taking a break for 'News `95' for a while starting from next week?" Tokura: Is it because of the fact that they can't use a newscaster whose son committed suicide? ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 193 Tokura: Kuu. Tokura: How hard do you think I had to work in order to do this show? Tokura: Call the producer. Tokura: I will meet him and talk about it soon. Shimizu: The problem is a problem, so let's go slowly with this. Shimizu: Let's make a decision about how long it will take for calming down and returning. Tokura: What am I going to do if this keeps on and I lose my job? Tokura: Who do you think you are working and living upon? Tokura: So... Tokura: Sorry. Shimizu: I will say okay to the producer for taking a break then. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 194 Tokura: Okay. Shimizu: And... looks like Naoko-san wants to see you. Tokura: She doesn't have any right to criticize anything about Takashi. Tokura: Tell her to hide herself properly so that the mass media can't find her. Shimizu: Why don't you tell her yourself? Tokura: Why is that? Shimizu: Not even allowing her to attend her own son's funeral is way too much. Tokura: I mustered all I have to raise Takashi. Tokura: I have no interest in talking to a wife like her that goes out and makes a man outside. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 195 Shimizu: I understand. Tokura: Shimizu. Shimizu: Yes? Tokura: To tell the truth. Tokura: I don't know anything about Takashi. Shimizu: It is not Tokura-san only. The parents of the world generally think that way. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 196 Journalist: What is happening to Tokura-san? Journalist: Has the reason of his son's suicide been known yet? Tokura: [ Even I don't know what the reason is. ] Journalist: There were even rumors that he is quitting "News `95". Journalist: Shimizu-san, please say something about it. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 197 Tokura: Hikuu. Aya: Good evening. Tokura: ! ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 198 Aya: Thrill-kun. Tokura: What. Aya: Nice to meet you. Aya: I am Koike Aya, I go to the same cram school as Takashi-kun. Tokura: How did you get in? Aya: You probably didn't know about it, but since I was Takashi-kun's close friend... Aya: I have a duplicate key for this house. Tokura: Eh... eh. Tokura: E-h, you go to the same cram school as... Aya: I am Koike Aya. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 199 Tokura: Then Aya-chan, why are you here? Aya: Since Takashi-kun died. Aya: I am thinking of returning the key. Tokura: Is that so? Thanks. Aya: And after that. Aya: Even aunt Naoko kindly bought me this... Tokura: [ Naoko... ] Aya: Since I don't like things like this, I am returning it. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 200 Tokura: What... aunt Naoko, you mean Takashi's mother? Aya: Aa --- You didn't know about it? Takashi met his mother very often. Aya: Even I have met her once also, she bought me this that time. Aya: Looks like aunt Naoko gave birth to a baby. Aya: So please give this to that baby. Tokura: [ A baby... ] Aya: You don't know aa--nything about Takashi-kun, do you? ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 201 Tokura: Yeah. Aya-chan, can you tell me about him? Aya: Takashi-kun's diary. Aya: If you take a look at it... Tokura: Diary? Aya: I think it is probably in the computer floppies. Tokura: Is that so, thanks. Aya: Okay, I am going home then. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 202 Computer Screen: January 6th First time talking to Aya. She is awesome, she knows about anything. Computer Screen: February 23rd The first time we kissed. It was wet and slippery. Even it was Aya herself who did it, she seems bored. What was it then? ( At that time Aya looks scary. She was looking at me like I was naked.) ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 203 Computer Screen: March 1st Mom gave birth to a baby. Will he become my younger brother? But since dad and mom divorced, this is probably something mistaken. Then, who is the father of that baby? Computer Screen: March 5th Mom gave the baby a name. How come his name is "Takashi" also, same as mine. Why is that, she has me already...... I feel really bad. Does that mean mom doesn't want me any more? ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 204 Computer Screen: March 20th Straightened myself up and asked for advice from Aya. Aya said "there isn't anything else in this world beside Thrill and Real", and she said because I am not Real, that's why mom isn't recognizing me. Speaking of that looks like dad doesn't care about me also. ( I probably am not Real after all...... ) Computer Screen: March 30th Aya said in order to exist as Real the only thing to do is to die. She said the only way to insist on my existence to dad and mom is to commit suicide. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 205 Computer Screen: She told me three methods. (1) Jump from mom's apartment. (2) Hang myself in my room. (3) Use dad's gun to shoot myself. Using the gun is probably the most painful, but in order to insist on my existence there isn't any other way. Computer Screen: I insist on my existence. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 206 Aya: Kyaha. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 208 Door bell: Dingdong. Naoko: Y... you. Naoko: Wa, wait a second. Naoko: What are you... ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 209 Tokura: So this baby is the *new* Takashi? Naoko: ...... Tokura: You... are insane, are you. Tokura: How can you name the new kid with the same name as the old kid? Naoko: You are saying that I am not sane? Naoko: Aren't you the same as me? Naoko: Didn't you take away my son by hiring good lawyers? Tokura: That's something natural! How can I leave my son to a woman with no income? ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 210 Naoko: What are you talking about? Naoko: Takashi committed suicide because he was with you! Naoko: If he was with me he wouldn't have done something like that. Naoko: Because Takashi liked me!! Tokura: Takashi didn't commit suicide. Tokura: He was murdered! Naoko: He was murdered? Naoko: What are you saying that who he was murdered by? Tokura: By everything surrounding him! Naoko: What? I have no idea what are you talking about. Naoko: For the time being it wasn't me for sure... ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 211 Tokura: ! Shimizu: I am home--- Shimizu: To... Shimizu: Tokura-san. Baby: Suu. Baby: Suu. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 212 Tokura: So this is what's going on....... Tokura: That means I am the only one who doesn't know anything. Naoko: I didn't mean to hide this from you particularly. I was thinking of telling you about it. Naoko: I really am. Naoko: I just haven't tell you about this. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 213 Shimizu: Kee... Shimizu: Tokura-san please stop! Shimizu: We love each other! Shimizu: Tokura-san! ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 214 Aya: A---Ah. Aya: He did it. Baby: Fugyaa. Baby: Fugyaa. Baby: Fugyaa. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 215 Paper: To Thrill-kun You were pretty cool. Character holding a gun in the paper: Kyaa kyaa. Character on the ground in the paper: That is--- ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 216 Police: As reported, male and female, one each were shot. Police: Their identification are? Police: The male is Shimizu Kengo, 37 years old, an employee of the office that Tokura Yutaka belongs to. Police: The female is the former wife of Tokura Yutaka, Naoko, 36 years old. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Pg. 217 Aya: I have been waiting for you. Iida: Were you the one what made the report? Aya: May be. Aya: But uncle Tokura will come to kill me for sure. Aya: Probably with a rifle. Aya: So you will protect me, right? Aya: Real-kun. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^