Kizuna Book 4 Part 14 translation KIZUNA by Kazuma Kodaka Book 4 Part 14: pp. 111-133 unofficial translation by Katherine Conventions: regular text: name of speaker and spoken lines italics: thoughts bold: descriptions bold and italics: translation note Tashiro gets on his bicycle as Kai stalks away from the police station. Tashiro: Hey! C'mon, wait up a minute, bottchan! Tashiro: I'm here at Araki-san's request, okay?! Tashiro: He said not to leave your side, bottchan! Tashiro: Hey! Are you listening? Kai: Shut up!! Quit following me!! Tashiro: I'm gonna follow you -- I've been hired as your bodyguard. Kai: ..... Kai: My bodyguard...? Tashiro: Yep, starting around tonight there's gonna be trouble within the organization, so I'm supposed to protect you. (page) Kai: I don't need a bodyguard!! I can protect myself!! Tashiro: Bottchaaan! Kai: Don't call me bottchan!! I'll fucking kill you!! Kai: Who the hell is this goofball? A guy like this, working as a bodyguard?! That's ridiculous! Kai: Masa, you fool, why'd you send a guy like this?! Tashiro: As a call comes in on his cell phone. Yeah... this one's gonna be a challenge to work with. Tashiro: Hello! This is Tashiro speaking! Yes, I'll put him on. Bottchaaaan, telephone! Kai: I'm reeeally gonna kill you!! Tashiro: I bet you'll listen to Araki-san, won't you? (page) Tashiro: Offering the phone. Right? Tashiro: I'll wait over there. Kai: Looking at the phone. ..... Kai: As Tashiro listens in through an earphone ...Hello? Masa: Sorry to bother you. We had no choice but to go back to Osaka. Masa: Despite his appearance, Tashiro is a trustworthy man. Masa is writing in a book as Kyousuke carries in another big stack of books. Masa: Just be patient and listen to him for the time being, please. (page) Kai: ......! Masa: Bon...? Kai: ...No... Kai: ...This isn't... what I wanted to hear... Kai: What's going on...? You haven't hardly called me at all lately... Kai: As Masa closes his eyes. And now you call all the sudden... and you want to talk about this...? Kai: I don't want to hear this...! (page) Kai: Shaking. You've... forgotten all about me, haven't you...? Masa: ...I've never forgotten about you for one moment. Kai: Liar! All you ever think about is the organization!! So what if I get taken away by the police... Kai: Whatever I do, it's no concern of yours, is it?! Masa: ...Anyway, for now, please do as Tashiro says. We can talk more later... Tashiro: As the phone disconnects. What? (He hung up?!) Tashiro: Sweatdropping. Ahh, that was cold, Araki-san! Kai: Still clutching the phone. ..... (page) Tashiro: Umm... Did you finish talking? Tashiro: As Kai attempts to smash the phone on the ground. Waaah! Stop! That's my cell phone!! Tashiro sees that Kai is crying. Tashiro: Ah, sorry, didn't mean to intru- Kai throws the phone in his face. (page) Tashiro: Holding his face as Kai runs off. Ow. Tashiro: Ahh... Couldn't he have been a little more persuasive for me? Tashiro: Yo! Bottchan! I said I'm sorry! Tashiro: As Kai hails a cab. Damn. Tashiro: On his bike, pursuing the taxi. Hey, hey!! Tashiro: Man, this is the worst! Tashiro: We're playing chase from the first day. (page) Kai just gets in his apartment when Tashiro arrives, out of breath. Tashiro: You mustn't go home by yourself. It ruins the whole point of having a bodyguard, you know? Kai: !! Kai: Fighting to close the door on Tashiro. You're not my bodyguard! Go away somewhere, idiot!! Tashiro: Hmm, well, you may say that, but it's still my job, huh? Tashiro: If you get badly hurt or killed, I won't get any money. Tashiro yanks the door open and Kai falls into him as the neighbor looks out. Kai: Why should I care about that?! Tashiro: To the neighbor. I heard you helped this boy out with your testimony. Thank you! Neighbor: Uh... It was nothing... (page) Tashiro: If we argue out here, the police will come back. Kai: ! Tashiro: Herding Kai into the apartment. Forgive our commotion! Neighbor: ..... Neighbor: This time it's a guy... What's going on over there? Tashiro: Hmm. (page) Tashiro looks over Kai's apartment. Tashiro: It's a mess, but you have nice things in here. Tashiro: Is this Araki-san's taste? Kai: What's he got to do with it?! Don't touch anything! (page) Kai: With a phone to his ear. Huh? How come it's not connecting...? Tashiro is using Kai's other phone. Phone in Tashiro's hand: Tokyo's weather forecast for tomorrow will be sunny... Tashiro: You're were done talking with Araki-san, weren't you? Kai: Grabbing the phone away. Leave me alone! Didn't I say not to touch my stuff?! Tashiro: Can't you be a good boy even for a little while? Tashiro: The reason I'm here by your side is that he couldn't leave you by yourself. I'll bet this isn't the first time you've been in a situation like this. Tashiro: If you don't listen to me, you'll make Araki-san's life more difficult. You understand that, right? (page) Kai: Why should I care about making Masa's life easier? Kai: All he ever thinks about is the organization. Whatever happened to me, his concern would just be for the organization. That's the kind of guy he is. Tashiro: Hmm... Tashiro: Well, just put up with it now, and when it's all over with and things have calmed down, Tashiro: then give him hell for it, huh? Tashiro: That's the best way, I tell you. Kai: You, of all people, have no right to be telling me what to do. Tashiro: I have a name, you know. It's Tashiro. Note: Kai keeps calling Tashiro "you" when it would be more friendly to use his name. (page) Tashiro: Holding out his hand. Nice to meet you. Kai slaps his hand away. Tashiro: Ow! Tashiro: As Kai runs into his bedroom. Owww... Tashiro: He's like a kitty that's wary and doesn't care who knows it. Tashiro: I thought he was going to be a pampered pussycat of a bottchan, but it turns out he's a real wild cat. (page) Kai: Hugging his pillow. That's right. The organization is the most important thing to Masa. Masa: In flashback. I've never forgotten about you for one moment. Kai: Liar... (page) Tashiro is cooking breakfast. Kai emerges from his room rubbing his eyes. Tashiro: Ah, good morning. Tashiro: Although it's really noon. Tashiro: Wash your face and have some breakfast. Kai: Peeling off his bandages. Are you a maid, too? Tashiro: My name's Tashiro. I'm cooking today, but starting tomorrow we'll take turns. (page) Tashiro: From looking inside your fridge, I'd say you hardly ever cook. Tashiro: And you have a big pile of laundry accumulated. Kai: How I live is my own business! Leave me alone! Tashiro: If you're not doing a good job of living on your own, you can't make one complaint to Araki-san, right? You are aware that this is why people treat you like a child? Kai: Angry, but with no good comeback. ...That's... Tashiro: Taking his chin. Huh? You're red under your eyes. Tashiro: Ah, you were crying last night. (Your injuries don't look bad at all, though.) Kai: ......! Tashiro: There, there, don't get violent. (page) Tashiro: Patting him on the rear. Be a good boy and go wash your face. Kai glares at him and slams the door. Tashiro: Calmly eating toast. Don't break the door. Tashiro: What do you put on your eggs? Soy sauce? Kai: Worcestershire sauce. Tashiro: Me too! (page) Tashiro: If you put it on the yolk and then dip bread in it, it's really good, isn't it? Kai: ....... Kai: Hey, you, what's your relationship to Masa? Tashiro: Dreamily, as Kai spits out his toast. It's a physical relationship! Tashiro: Just kidding, did I surprise you? Kai: Are you gay?! Tashiro: Yep. Kai: Backing away in alarm. M- Masa knew that, and sent you here...? Tashiro: He knows. Don't worry, I'm not attracted to children. (page) Kai: Do you... like Masa? Tashiro: Yeah, he's my type, pretty much. I like that stoic aspect. Kai: Ah well, it'll never work out. Too bad for you, Masa's not gay! Tashiro: He's not completely averse to men though, is he? You'd know more about that than I would. Kai: Y- you better not be trying to get Masa involved in something weird! Tashiro: Why not? Tashiro: It's something between me and Masa, so it's none of your business, Bottchan! (page) Tashiro: Grabbing Kai's wrist as he angrily stands to leave. Wash the dishes that you used. Tashiro: As Kai looks ready to explode. You can do that much, can't you? Kai is in the kitchen wearing an apron and washing the dishes. Tashiro: Calling cheerfully from the doorway. Make sure you don't use too much soap! Kai: Shut the fuck up!! Tashiro: Snickering. He's such an amusing bottchan. Kai: All men who are attracted to Masa are no good! (page) Tashiro: In flashback. He's not completely averse to men, though, is he? Kai: ........ Kai: I really don't know Masa that well... Kai: It's not like he can't keep his hands off women... But I don't think he really likes guys either. Kai: Making no progress on the dishes. But then, Masa's surrounded by guys... Within the organization, Kyousuke looks after him like a wife. There was a woman a long time ago. But I don't even know what her name was. Kai: Come to think of it, I've never talked with him about stuff like this... He remembers Masa kissing him, and blushes. Kai: Touching his mouth. A strange memory just came back to me... Kai: A long time ago... we did that, didn't we? (page) Masa: In flashback. I'm sorry. I guess that joke was a little harsh. Kai: ...A joke... Kai: Yeah, I guess I don't know much about Masa... Tashiro comes up behind him and sees Kai staring into the sink. Tashiro: Pretending concern. Cheer up, I'll sleep next to you tonight. Kai: I'm really gonna fucking kill you!!