Princess Takeuchi Naoko's Return-to-Society Punch!! Round 3 As appeared in Young You, February 1999. Written by Takeuchi Naoko. Translated by Alex Glover. Version 1.0, 8.99. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Narration: On October 30, 1998, the prince made the formal booking for the reception hall. Because the prince is busy with his weekly serial, and my head is spinning from the wedding preparations... Naoko: I haven't decided on a dress or the food or the flowers or the seating arrangements or the progression or the reception or the honeymoon! Narration: To confirm our love for each other even in times when we can't meet, we began "The Prince and Princess' Diary of Love Exchange". Yoshihiro: I'll start! Narration: The prince suddenly began a vacation that week. Naoko: Somebody do something! I have such anxiety! What am I going to do, I can't decide! Narration: He came to the living room in my house to do his drafts. They both sit at a table, writing and sniffing. Books stacked behind Naoko: Spain Turkey Book of Dresses Book of Dresses How to Write Letters The Wedding Ceremony Book Naoko: Your turn, Prince. She hands the book she's written in to him. Yoshihiro blushes. Naoko: Ehehe... Yoshihiro writes in the book and hands it back to her. Yoshihiro: Your turn, Princess. Naoko blushes. Yoshihiro: Ehehe... Narration: We produced a new journal called our domestic exchange diary. What kinds of things do we write, you may ask... Yoshihiro: I've got it! Boasting about how we love each other! (There are naughty things written, too!) Comment: It's a pink Chibi-Usa-chan diary with a key, and it's not sold in Japan. The prince chose it, saying this one would be good. It's all full of writing and heart marks and drawings. It's loaded with pictures of me puckering up for kisses, and pictures of me in yukata and dresses! Naoko: Want to see? Want to see? Narration: Our domestic exchange diary was halted after twelve pages. Yoshihiro: So, princess, what happened to our love exchange diary after that? *sniff* It's your turn, princess. (I made sure to write in it.) Comment: The Princess saw hell with the preparations for the ceremony, the new office, and the honeymoon. Naoko: Now that you mention it, that was another thing I had to do. (At this time when I'm so damn busy.) Somebody help me!! Comment: We're doing this, too. Narration: A countdown calendar! The prince made it for me. Naoko holds up the calendar with tear-off pages for each day. Comment: Twenty days until the wedding! (As I write this, it's December 17, 1998.) Comment: The page for the day of the ceremony. The page has a drawing of Naoko and Yoshihiro kissing. Narration: The prince is truly devoted. Naoko: I love you, Prince! Sorry about keeping the diary! (But it's not a writing day!) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Propose Punch Narration: When did he propose? When did you decide to marry him? I'm often asked that, but... Naoko: I don't really remember how many times he proposed before I decided to marry him. Yoshihiro: What!? You didn't decide to the first time I proposed to you?? Isn't it normally like that? Narration: Winter. The first time was one or two months after we started seeing each other. Naoko and Yoshihiro are in bed together. Naoko: Hey, hey, how about you say, "Please become my bride in Yamagata-ken?" Yoshihiro sweats. Yoshihiro: You marry me... Me get married... Narration: I was interested in Yamagata-ken, so I asked him as a joke. Yoshihiro: What!? But I was serious about it! Narration: Spring. The second time, it was my first birthday after we started seeing each other. Yoshihiro opens a bottle of wine. Yoshihiro: I'm breaking my promise! I've been serving some sake! Narration: He boasted of being in a drunken frenzy. Yoshihiro: I'm drunk after all! Naoko: The prince said he was going to celebrate for me, but I'm the one who wants to get pissed. Yoshihiro approaches her with bloodshot eyes. Naoko: A drunken frenzy, eh... Yoshihiro: Please, start seeing me again with the assumption of marriage. I want to get married! I'm sorry! Narration: Winter. The third time, after we were engaged, we had a big fight. Yoshihiro: Will you be my bride? I'm sorry! Narration: The fourth time, again after a big fight. Yoshihiro: One more time, will you please marry me? I'm sorry! Narration: Repeat times three and four. Yoshihiro: Seems like every time we fight, my desire to propose influences my words of reconciliation. Naoko: Besides that, there was when we went to pick out an engagement ring, and when I accepted it, and when we watched the Leo meteor shower, and... I wonder if it will be normal for me to get lots of proposals, even after I've decided to marry him. Ehehe! I'm so happy! I want us to fight every day! Yoshihiro: I wonder if it will be normal for you to reject engagement rings again and again, even after you've decided to marry me. Naoko: Huh? What are you talking about!? Yoshihiro: Really, for trivial reasons... The first time, when we went to the Korean restaurant that's always crowded with lines in Azabu Juuban. Naoko: You said, "Since I'm a prince, lines are no good", it's only natural I'd reject it. Yoshihiro: The second time, when you scolded me after being in a car accident because I was speeding. Naoko: But I'd be worried if you got hurt in an accident. I don't want that. Yoshihiro: The third time, about the resolution for 1999 and the day Jump went on sale. Comment: Actually, this was yesterday's big fight. Naoko: That really was trivial. Yoshihiro: The fourth time... Naoko: Wasn't that because you were bragging about leaving the wedding preparations, the matter of the new house, and everything, to your wife?? (I want to do my story serial too! I have a terrible lack of sleep!) So why don't you help me! Why don't you go to Mitsukoshi and buy me dinner! Yoshihiro punches Naoko into the air. Yoshihiro: I love you, Princess! *sniff* I'm going to give you a wedding dress and a reception dress as presents, too! I'm serious! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Original manga copyright © 1999 Takeuchi Naoko. English translation copyright © 1999 Alex Glover. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Manga of Takeuchi Naoko | Return-to-Society Punch!!