Maison Ikkoku - (c) Rumiko Takahashi Translated from the Hunter Comics Chinese manga by Andrew Chen, 08/93 Revised 11/93 Volume 12, part 4 (Chinese manga vol. 14, part 6) (background: Godai has just lost his job at the nursery, and is starting to look for another job.) At the nursery, the kids are happily dancing around Godai while a lady plays the piano. It's Godai's last day. Godai Thanks everyone! Godai Having this kind of going away party, just for me... Godai Really, thank all of you! Lady Everyone! Let's all say good-bye to Godai! Godai Thanks for taking care-- Godai Huh? The kids gather around the lady, who is Kyoko! Kyoko Good bye, Godai! Godai Kanrinin-san? Kyoko waves. She and the kids float away... Godai Kanrinin-san... RRRIIINNNGGG! Godai is in his room. It's morning, and his alarm clock is ringing. Godai Phew! Godai [This thing's loud as hell!] Godai [This is really terrible.] Godai [From today on, I'm unemployed.] Godai [....] Kyoko walking in the hallway. Kyoko [How can Godai still be sleeping?] Kyoko (knocking on #5) Godai, you should get up. Kyoko You're going to be late. Kyoko Godai! Godai opens the door. Godai Kanrinin-san. Kyoko You... Kyoko Why aren't you dressed yet? Godai (gulp...) I... Kyoko .... Kyoko Is... is today a holiday? Godai No, it isn't. Kyoko Then hurry up. It's already past eight. Narr [How can I tell her I was fired?] Narr [Arrgh!] Outside Ikkoku-kan, Godai is leaving. Kyoko Be careful! Kyoko Work hard! Godai (smile) I'm going. Godai [But...] Godai goes to the the office of the nursery. Boss Godai, these are all of the nurseries that I know of. He gives Godai a list. Godai Thank you, sir. Boss I guarantee you'll be re-employed very soon. Boss I wish you good luck. Godai [I hope it turns out that way.] Godai [Right now I'll just have to try it.] Godai [If I tell Kanrinin-san that I'm thinking about getting a new job, that will do.] Outside Ikkoku-kan... Voice Good afternoon. Voice Is Kyoko in? Kyoko Oh! Father! Otonashi I want to talk to you about something. They go inside and talk. Kyoko Really? Kyoko You need a temporary substitute teacher? Otonashi It's at the high school that a friend manages. Otonashi Can Godai do it? Kyoko This... Otonashi Why is it so? Otonashi Because a teacher took leave for childbirth... Otonashi They probably need the substitute for four or five months. Kyoko Is it so? But... Kyoko Godai is already working at the nursery. Kyoko Also, he's preparing for the certification exam. Otonashi Oh. I see. Voice So he can't do it. That's fine. Voice Then forget about it. Godai inquires at another nursery. Lady Then, you still haven't obtained credentials? Godai Correct. Lady Then I'm very sorry. Here, we... Lady ... don't need student-teachers. Disappointed, Godai walks back... Voice [Student teacher.] Godai [Because the present economy isn't prosperous.] Voice [I'm sorry.] Voice [....] Godai stops on a bridge and leans on the rail, looking depressed.] Godai [Nobody wants a student-teacher.] Godai [Damn!] Godai [I may not be able to find work now.] Godai [If things are like this...] Godai daydreams... Godai is homeless and sleeping on the sidewalk, covered with a newspaper. A lady approaches. Lady Oh! How pitiful! Lady (hands him a bill) This is for you. Godai Uh... Godai Kanrinin-san-- Kyoko (yes, it's her!) Who? Mitaka Kyoko! Don't pay attention to that kind of people! Kyoko Okay. (goes to Mitaka) Godai Mitaka! Mitaka and Kyoko walk away. Mitaka Do you know him? Kyoko No, I don't. I just think he's really pitiful... Godai Wait a minute! Kanrinin-san! Kyoko (smiles) Good bye. Waving to Godai, the image of Kyoko floats up and away. Godai reaches toward Kyoko... Godai Wait for me! I'll get a job very soon! Reality... Godai is standing on the rail, reaching forward at thin air! A policeman is holding him back. Person (yelling from below) Hey! Don't let it bother you THAT much!! Godai (still reaching for Kyoko) Wait!! Officer NO! Officer Absolutely NOT!!! Godai (wakes up) Is something wrong? Officer Please come with me to the station. At Ikkoku-kan, Kyoko answers the phone. Kyoko Ikkoku-kan... Kyoko Oh... Kyoko You're Godai's granmother. How are you? Kyoko Every day he works very hard. Kyoko Eh? What's the matter? Yukari Nothing's the matter! Yukari This morning I dreamed he was weeping and crying out in hunger. Yukari Has he been eating lately? Kyoko Yes, he has! He eats all of his meals. Kyoko Okay... Kyoko Don't worry. Kyoko Good bye. (click) Kyoko [Strange... recently...] Kyoko [Godai seems like he lost his vigor...] Kyoko [Is it because he's not eating lunch?] Kyoko [Breakfast isn't a problem.] Kyoko [But if I make lunch for him...] Kyoko [Would that be too intruding on his private matters?] Godai is walking back to Ikkoku-kan. He's still depressed, and holding a jobs magazine. Godai Aarrrgh! Flashback: Officer You're still this young, and just because you lost your job you want to commit suicide?! Godai I already told you... I wasn't trying to commit suicide... Godai [I wasted more than two hours in the police station.] Godai [I can't do any more today. I'll start searching again tomorrow morning.] Godai enters. Kyoko runs to greet him in the hallway. Godai I'm back. Kyoko (looking cheerful) Oh! You're back early today! Godai (hiding the magazine) Right... Kyoko Oh, that's right! Kyoko My father-in-law visited here today... Godai What! High school substitute teacher? Kyoko I already gave him a reply for you. Kyoko Since the nursery is very busy... Godai drops his stuff and gets on the phone FAST! Godai Hello! Mr. Otonashi, I'm Godai. Godai I'd like to ask about that substitute... Kyoko [....] Kyoko [What a mess...] Kyoko [I'll put his stuff away.] Kyoko notices the jobs-magazine. Kyoko "!" Otonashi Mmmm... substitute? Otonashi You mean the substitute teacher? Otonashi That job... it's been given to someone else. Godai Uh... Otonashi I asked Kyoko, she said you want to be a nurse. Otonashi So I introduced someone else for the job. Godai Oh... (click.) Kyoko Godai, Don't you want to be a nurse? Godai Eh? Kyoko Why are you reading this employment magazine? Kyoko I thought you wanted to be a nurse... did you get tired of it? Godai No. Godai I want to be a nurse, but... Kyoko .... Kyoko That's fine. Kyoko You scared me for a minute. Godai It's just... I... Godai I... Kyoko [....] Kyoko Just don't be half-hearted. Godai Huh? Kyoko Being a nurse is pretty good! Kyoko You should act quickly and make yourself independent. Godai Uh... Nighttime. Godai is laying down, looking at the magazine. Godai [This won't work.] Godai [I can't keep on hiding it.] Godai [Tomorrow...] Godai [I will tell Kyoko.] The next morning. Kyoko Godai, you should get up! Kyoko You're going to be late for work. Godai (opens his door) Kanrinin-san. Kyoko Why aren't you dressed yet? Godai (lowers his head.) Actually, I... Kyoko Take this lunchbox. Kyoko gives him the lunchbox. Godai Huh? Kyoko This is your lunch. Kyoko Your grandma worries that you don't have anything to eat.] Outside Ikkoku-kan Kyoko Be careful! Kyoko Work hard! Godai I'm going. Godai [I didn't get a chance] Godai [to tell her I've been fired.] Voice1 Sorry, we... Voice2 We don't need a nurse. Voice3 I'm very sorry. It's lunchtime. Godai sits on a park bench, next to an old lady. Godai [....] Lady It's very warm today. Godai Yes. Lady Did you come here to take a rest? Godai No. Godai [Kyoko...] Godai I... lost my job. Lady Then just look for another job and you'll be fine. Godai [....] Godai opens his lunchbox. Everything is made into cute shapes! Godai [Wow! How cute!] Godai [If the kids saw this, it would make them very happy.] Godai (sniff...) Four little children run and gather around Godai. Godai wipes his eyes. Meanwhile, Kyoko eats lunch in her room. Kyoko [Right now, Godai must be getting stormed by the kids.] Kyoko [Tomorrow I'll do penguins!] (fin)