Itsumo Issho ne "Always Together" Originally appeared in Nakayoshi, April 1987. Written by Takeuchi Naoko. Translated by Alex Glover. Version 1.0, June 2000. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Yumiko-chaaan!" The girl turns around and sees two boys. "Oh! Toshi-chan! Kuboi-senpai!" she says. "I don't believe it, high school gets out early." "Oh!" says Kuboi. "Yumiko-chan, you brought your dog to school again? Err..." "Acetanilide." The dog barks. "Acetanilide," says Yumiko. "That's the name Toshi-chan picked out. Right, Toshi-chan?" "Well," says Toshi, "there's road work on my way home, so..." He turns to leave. "Toshi-chan!" says Yumiko. "You can't forget today! Kuboi-senpai, I have to go." "Go?" says Kuboi. "Is something happening today?" "Toshi-chan is coming to my house," says Yumiko. "Today is a very important day," she thinks. "The day Toshi-chan comes to see Aniline. Today is the anniversary of Aniline's death. Precious Aniline who I loved. She was the first dog Toshi-chan gave to me. That takes me back... That was when Aniline was still healthy. Before I met Toshi-chan again, precious Aniline..." [Note: The sex of the dog is never mentioned, so for no particular reason this translation assumes it's female.] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [In the past...] "You brought Aniline to school?" says the girl. "I don't believe you, Yumiko." "But Aniline hasn't been feeling well lately," says Yumiko. "I'm worried, I can't leave her at home." They go outside the school building for lunch. "Aniline," says Yumiko. "So this is the dog senpai was talking about," says the girl. "What do you mean?" "Kuboi-senpai," says the girl. "He said somebody you loved was sick." "That's not nice!" says Yumiko. "But Aniline is the precious dog you got from 'Toshi-chan', right Yumiko?" says another girl. The other girl tosses away a ball. "Isn't Toshi-chan the boy you played with when you were little? But not since he suddenly transferred to this school, right?" "I always believed...," thinks Yumiko. The dog looks at the ball, then walks in the other direction. "Yumiko, what are you teaching your dog?" "It's no use, Hiromi!" says Yumiko. "Apart from me, Aniline can't distinguish objects." "That if I happened to meet Toshi-chan again..." she thinks. She hears a scream. "He would know it was me with a glance..." she thinks. "Hey," says a boy. "Sorry, but would you keep this thing over there? I hate dogs." "Why?" says Yumiko. "What do you mean, why..." he says. "Say, umm..." says Yumiko. "That uniform, are you a new student? You must be, we have blazers here. Hey, umm... This dog! Don't you recognize her? From a long time ago..." "No." The boy turns and walks away. "I felt an inspiration," thinks Yumiko. "No, it was the first time I met him, but I wonder why I thought it was Toshi-chan. With just a glance..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Wow! How cute!" "It's great. Where did you buy this cloth?" "Hey, hey, senpai said he'll also be taking the municipal exam." "Yumiko," says the girl, "why don't you make an exam charm for him too?" "I hear Kuboi-senpai wants one of yours," says Hiromi. "I'm too shocked now," says Yumiko. "That's out of the question." "What do you mean, shocked?" "I know! Yumiko, is it the boy Aniline jumped at the other day? Wasn't he Toshi-chan after all? Aniline looked so happy." "Yeah..." says Yumiko. "I was sure it was Toshi-chan..." she thinks. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Yumiko!" says Hiromi. "Kuboi-senpai came to class 3 looking for you during lunch, Yumiko." "Well now," says the other girl. "He must be after one of your charms." They walk away from her. "If senpai accepted one of mine, I could die happy!" "How great," says Hiromi. "I'll give him a charm, too!" "A charm, eh..." thinks Yumiko. She goes to ninth grade class 2. "Kuboi-senpai please!" Kuboi comes to the door. "Yumiko-chan," he says. "Just who I was looking for. Wait here a second." "Wow, the ninth grade all has exams," thinks Yumiko, looking at the class. "You've been bringing Aniline to school every day lately, right?" says Kuboi, carrying a wrapped box. "Oh! Hiromi must have told you," says Yumiko. "She's not feeling too well. She's an old dog now." "You're going overboard taking care of her," says Kuboi. "I'd like to be treasured like that. Here! Happy birthday!" He gives the box to her. "H- Huh!?" says Yumiko. "What is this!? My birthday isn't until..." "No, you see," says Kuboi. "It's my birthday." "Th- This must be him pressing for one of my charms," thinks Yumiko. The boy from the other day brushes past Kuboi as he leaves the classroom. "Oh, sorry," he says. "Toshi-chan!?" thinks Yumiko. "You seem to have some free time," says the boy. "Sounds more like you, Hamao," says Kuboi. "It's Toshi-chan, from before!" thinks Yumiko. "Oh no, he's leaving!" "S- Senpai!" she says. "Thanks a lot!" She starts to leave. "Oh, what am I doing, following him," she thinks. "What should I do..." "T... Toshi-chan!!" She grabs Hamao. "Huh!?" he says. "Me? What?" "Haven't you ever been called that before?" says Yumiko. "I'm sure I'm Toshio," he says. "I was just admitted to this school, but I did live here a long time ago." "I knew it!" thinks Yumiko. "Well, well, do you remember..." she says. "Do you remember a girl you played with a long time ago? And then you found a puppy, Toshi-chan..." "And... He's the one who gave you the dog?" "Yes!" she says. "That's right, that's right. It's me, from then, Sako Yumiko..." "Oh? Is that so?" says Hamao. "And?" "What?" says Yumiko. "Nothing," he says. "I thought you might want something..." "Well..." "Sorry! I have to get to class..." He leaves. "I don't believe it..." thinks Yumiko. "What was that curt reaction...?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yumiko sits at her desk in the classroom. "What, isn't Yumiko going home?" says Hiromi. "She's really depressed about Toshi-chan," says the other girl. "Oh, being treated so curtly," thinks Yumiko. "Toshi-chan... I thought we had finally met, but... So this is how it is. I feel kind of listless. Toshi-chan didn't place any weight at all on me and Aniline. It was just me dreaming of a dramatic reunion. I'm such a fool..." She leaves the school building. "Aniline," she says. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Let's go home..." She sees an empty leash tied outside. "It can't be!" she thinks. "She's gone! Oh no, where is she? I'm sure I tied her. Did somebody take her? Aniline, Aniline!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yumiko grabs Hamao. "Toshi-chan!" she says. "Hey, umm... You know Aniline? Have you seen her? The puppy from back then, I tied her behind the north building." "I don't know," says Hamao. "Would you stop calling me Toshi-chan? I'm kind of in a hurry. Would you mind letting go of me?" "Aniline..." says Yumiko. "She's the dog I got from you, Toshi-chan. Come on, have you forgotten the past completely!? You found her, and we always played together. You found her yourself, but you often teased her..." "What!" says Hamao. "What the hell are you talking about? I don't remember that anymore. Sorry, but I have an entrance exam tomorrow." Yumiko walks away from him. "Fine," she thinks. "I can look for her by myself. If Toshi-chan has forgotten, fine. I have Aniline, so I'm fine." She turns down a hallway. "Aniline...?" She trips and falls on the ground, dropping the box from Kuboi. A head pops out of the box on a spring. Yumiko screams. She runs away, running into Hamao. He looks at the box. "Haha, stupid," he says. "Being surprised by your own jack-in-the-box." "Did Toshi-chan come back...?" thinks Yumiko. "Come with me," he says. He takes her to the janitor's room. "She was very weakened," says the janitor. "Since it was cold, I brought her here. You might want to have her seen by a doctor." "Aniline..." says Yumiko. Hamao bows. "Thank you for your trouble," he says. They leave the school. Yumiko carries the dog in her arms. "Are you taking the JR line?" says Hamao. "Umm..." she says. "No, the subway." "Don't you have any gloves?" he says. "Oh, no," says Yumiko. "Since my hands get warm when I hold Aniline." He takes her hand and places it in his coat pocket. "Toshi-chan..." she thinks. "Toshi-chan, Toshi-chan..." "Umm..." she says. "Are you mad...?" He lets go of her hand. "No!" he says. "See you!" He walks away from her. "T- Toshi-chan!" says Yumiko. "Hey, umm, in my class now, we're making exam charms for the seniors." "Yes, this is good," she thinks. "Sorry, Kuboi-senpai." "Umm," she says, "could I make one for you, Toshi-chan?" "If you want," he says. Yumiko smiles. "Err, the exam is around nine, right?" she says. "I'll be at the gate before it starts." "Good night," he says. "Good night..." thinks Yumiko. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamao stands at the school gate. "Hey, Hamao," says a boy. "What are you standing around for? It's going to start." Hamao looks at his watch. The bell rings. "Hmph." He takes off his scarf and ties it to the gate. "I don't understand girls." The boy holds up a puppy. "Oh, how cute!" says the girl. "It's a dog!" She takes the dog in her arms and laughs. The boy watches the girl laughing with the dog. He kicks the dog. "Why is she always just playing with you," he says. The dog barks and swipes a paw at him. "Ouch!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yumiko approaches the school. "Toshi-chan's muffler..." She brushes it against her face. "Toshi-chan, I was really late," she thinks. "Sorry I wasn't in time to give you the charm. I'm sorry..." She leaves the charm with a note of apology at the gate. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamao stares out the window. "Hey," says Kuboi, "what's with the sad face?" "I'm just dazed now that we suddenly have free time," says Hamao. "And since entrance exams are over." "Senpai!" call some girls outside. "The graduation ceremony is starting!" Hamao thinks of Yumiko. "Hey, hey, isn't that Toshi-chan!?" says one of the girls. "Yumiko's guy!" says another. "Toshi-chan?" says Kuboi. "No way, it is him!" says one of the girls. "It's Toshi-chan!" says another. "Huh?" says Kuboi. "Toshi-chan, isn't that Yumiko-chan's first boyfriend? Who she said gave Aniline to her a long time ago..." "Yeah..." says Hamao. "What!?" says Kuboi. "You!? You were Toshi-chan!?" "What is with you," says Hamao. "Aniline is the dog Yumiko-chan raised with care in place of you," says Kuboi. "You did hold a memorial service for her, didn't you?" "Memorial service...?" says Hamao. "A memorial service!?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The dog barks. "Ouch!" The dog bites his foot. "What are you doing, you jerk!" he says. "I'm the one who found you!" "But, but, Toshi-chan! You kicked him away!" "I don't need this from a dog!" he says. He throws the dog at her. "I hate it!" He runs away. "Toshi-chan..." Yumiko wakes up. "A dream...?" She hears barking outside her window. "Oh, Toshi-chan?" she thinks. A dog nuzzles Hamao's foot. "It followed me," he says. "This dog, looks like it's a stray." "You knew where my house is," says Yumiko. "I remember," he says. She goes outside to meet him. "Was it the night we last met that Aniline died?" he says. "Um, no..." says Yumiko. "The next day." "Where is her grave?" He holds a bouquet of flowers. "You hate dogs," says Yumiko, "but you brought flowers?" She picks up the dog, which wears a ribbon. "Is this ribbon the charm I made for you?" she says. She pets the dog. "I'm sorry, Toshi-chan," she says. "For letting precious Aniline who you gave to me die..." she thinks. "What are you crying for?" says Hamao. "I'm sorry, Toshi-chan." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Back to the present.] "Yes," thinks Yumiko. "I lost Aniline, and now it's been two months since Acetanilide came to my house..." A hand grabs her from behind. "Toshi-chan!" she says. "You're late!" says Hamao, holding a bouquet of flowers. "You're the one who said to come to Aniline's grave. What took you so long?" "Oh, well.." says Yumiko. "There was road work on the way..." "Here," says Hamao. "Flowers for Aniline." Yumiko smiles. "What's this," she says. "I wanted to go together with you to the florist." They walk off together. "Since then, with Aniline..." she thinks, "With Acetanilide, who looks like Aniline, and with Toshi-chan, we're always together." The end. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naoko's note for "Itsumo Issho ne". Original manga copyright © 1987 Takeuchi Naoko. English translation copyright © 2000 Alex Glover. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Manga of Takeuchi Naoko | Miss Rain