Tokyo Crazy Paradise
Hana to Yume
1997 vol. 6, episode no. 16
Translation by Yuki-chan

Lately, there's been a lot of stress between the younger kumiin of Kuryugumi. Why, you ask...

Two yard management machines collide. (One's a lawnmower, the other is a turf vacuum like thing.) The two men running them glare at each other.

Man 1: "You bastard, where the hell are your eyes!? You're in the way, can't you see that?"

Man 2: "What!? That's exactly what I have to say about you!!"

Tossing their machines aside, they move to start a fist fight.

Suddenly, Tsukasa comes in with a flying kick, knocking them both to the ground.

Tsukasa: "I'm telling you not to fight among your fellow members!! Shigaraki! Muko!"

[Shigaraki is a last name, as is Muko.]

In short, their source of stress is Tsukasa.

Tsukasa: "Aaah! Why are you guys so untidy!?" She buttons up Muko's shirt, and makes Shigaraki tuck his shirt in his jeans. "Listen up! I won't have you guys act like yakuza until the winter holidays are over okay!?"

Shigaraki: "What the hell!? Up until now he treated us (gokudo) like pests!"

Muko: "And now he's acting like some teacher!"

Muko and Shigaraki: "Man I want him dead!!" They turn to each other. "...You too?... Hmmmm." They smile slyly.

Inside. Ryuji and Tsukasa are sitting on separate couches while Bun-san and Kamo-san serve tea.

Kamo-san: "Tsukasa-san, you ask for the impossible when you ask the yakuza not to act like yakuza."

Tsukasa: "Is it that impossible?"

Kamo-san: "Well yes. At that age, one will fight over anything, and on top of that, it seems that those two see each others as rivals, and that they just don't get along with each other."

Tsukasa: "That! That's it! Why do they want to fight among people they live with?"

Ryuji: "With this many people it's normal to find a few who don't get along."

Tsukasa: "...If it were me, I wouldn't like it... I'd want to be in good terms with fellow members..."

Kamo-san: "Well times have changed~~~ While I was younger, there was more emphasis on duty to the kumi, and people acted for the kumi, but lately, most of the younger ones are just thinking about their own advancement. It is a time that only the stronger survive these days." [Doesn't he make himself sound old...]

Tsukasa: "...Hmmmmm."

Ryuji: "...Hey..."

Tsukasa: "N?"

Ryuji: "You shouldn't stick your head into business regarding the kumiin."

Tsukasa: "Why? Have you forgotten Ryuji-kun that if we cause some kind of commotion, we'll be expelled from school!? I just have to watch myself from getting into a situation, but in your case, if the kumiin cause trouble, it'll be your fault."

Ryuji: "I'm saying that's it's impossible for the gokudo not to cause a commotion."

Tsukasa: "So let's just have them cooperate just for winter holidays."

Ryuji: "...Don't worry. If our kumiin causes some kind of problem, I'll take all the blame. I won't trouble, you or your brothers."

Kamo-san, looking a bit worried: "....."

Ryuji: "I should have dropped out as soon as I gained the title 'Sandaime' anyway... Unlike you, I have no ties with 'school'...."

Tsukasa: "...Then why have you been going to school up until now...?" {...If it's so simple for you to break ties with school...} "You weren't absent that much since elementary school..."

Ryuji: "...There was this... baka and amusing organism I saw that always had a seat next to me so I went every day to observe it..."

Tsukasa starts walking away in a huff.

Bun-san: {The baka and amusing organism has fast legs... I didn't see it.} There's a lump on the back of Ryuji's head where Tsukasa had delivered a roundhouse kick.

Ryuji: "...Don't forget what I said earlier."

Tsukasa, thinking: "....."

Ryuji: " 'You shouldn't stick your head into business regarding the kumiin'." {Baka, did you forgot already!?} "There's plenty of those who aren't keen on the idea of (someone like) you (who's led a clean life) suddenly becoming my bodyguard."

Tsukasa: "...You're worried for me?" {By any chance.}

Ryuji: "...Though it's probably not necessary."

Tsukasa, smiling: "...Thank you....." She leaves.

Bun-san: "Sandaime, Sandaime, it's okay now. The baka and dense organism is now gone." {Hurry and lie down.}

Kamo-san: "Aaah! You didn't have to act so cool and calm with a bloody nose~~~"

Ryuji, holding his face, blood dripping between his fingers: "....."

There's a bandage mark on the coffee table in front of Ryuji where his face had made contact with it when Tsukasa kicked him in the back of the head.

Tsukasa's walking down the stairs, thinking.

Tsukasa: {...There's many who don't think highly of me... Is it that Ryuji's worried that I might be killed some of them... I'm happy to hear that, but I can't help but butt in like that. 'Cause after this break, if we're promoted to the next grade, there's the graduation trip!! Me being the way I am, and Ryuji's family being like that... we've never been on any of those trips...}

Voice: "Hey, are you really going to do it?"

Tsukasa creeps around the corner to see Shigaraki and Muko. Both of them are carrying shinai [bamboo swords used for practice in kendo] and are crouched, discussing something.

Muko: "What, you're getting freaked!?" Tsukasa, thinking there's going to be a fight creeps up behind them.

Shigaraki: "What!? Why would I get freaked over some little kid!? I'm just warning you. Don't you forget that the kid's Sandaime's favourite. If we kill him, we have to make sure that Sandaime won't figure out who did it. If not, we're going to see a life that's so bad that you'd rather be dead. I've heard from my brother that a kumiin who previously betrayed Sandaime is living a life like hell. So if we're going to do this kid in, we have to lure him away from others....."

Tsukasa, getting impatient: "...So who are you talking about?" {Who's this kid!?}

Muko and Shigaraki turn to see Tsukasa crouched behind them.

Muko and Shigaraki: "Get him!!!!"

They both swing their swords, but Tsukasa jumps up, and they hit each other.

Tsukasa: {...Are they talking about me...!? ...I don't have the confidence to say that I'm Ryuji's favourite, but it looks like I'm just in the type of situation that Ryuji was worried about.} She's thinking all of this while they're trying to get at her. Muko drags a throw net out of nowhere, but sidesteps it easily while avoiding Shigaraki's sword. Shigaraki gets caught in the net instead.

Muko: "You bastard! Get the hell out of my way!"

Shigaraki: "What!? You're the one in the way. I made the first move!!"

Tsukasa, looking back at them: {...What bad teamwork.....} She starts walking away.

Shigaraki: "Hey! What are you going to do!? That kid's gonna tell Sandaime for sure!"

Muko: "Shut up! I'm telling you not to get freaked!!"

Shigaraki: "Who are you telling not to get freaked!?" He punches Muko in the face.

Muko: "You want to be killed!?"

Shigaraki: "I'd like to see you try it!!" They start yelling and got into a major fist fight.

Another kumiin: "Aaah! You guys again!? Stop it will you!!?"

Tsukasa, from the other side of the doorway: {...They really have bad teamwork.....}

In one of the many hallways of Kuryugumi's main house.

Kamo-san: "Sandaime, you really have no regret even if you have to quit school?"

Ryuji: "Of course not. But if this was one year ago, I don't know...." {Up until now, I thought it was enough to just watch her, but now she's always at my side. I don't have to bother to go to school.....}

Kamo-san: "...But Sandaime, you didn't go on the graduation trip after elementary school right?"

Ryuji: "Ah? What about it."

Kamo-san starts pouring lies into Ryuji's ear, saying that it will probably be a public type bath, and with few people sharing the same hotel room. "Maybe since Rokuo is such a rich school, the students might be divided up even more, maybe two people to a room."

Ryuji is instantly interested.

Kamo-san: "And then you could bathe with Tsukasa-san and sleep in the same room as her... and maybe something H..." [What's this guy trying to brainwash him with?]

Bun-san: {...Yeah right, with that Tsu-bo.... Just think for a second and you'll realize that... Sandaime!! Oh my god! He's thinking over it!!} He's freaked, unable to believe that Ryuji would fall such a statement.

Ryuji's very interested now, and has nasty thoughts going through his mind.

Kamo-san, on the other hand doesn't look surprised. {You don't want to quit school now do you?} He laughs to himself and smiles.

Somewhere else in the halls.

Muko, holding his head: {...Owwww. That bastard! Taking out his stress on me~~~~} He starts all of the sudden. {Sandaime!! If that kid ratted on us...} He pictures himself getting shot by Ryuji. {I hear he would do it too, as a warning!!} He stops and makes way for Ryuji and company, keeping his head low. His heart's racing a mile a minute, but Ryuji just walks on. {...Huh?}

Muko: {...That kid... he didn't snitch on us...?} "......For a straight kid, he has guts..."

Tsukasa, popping out of nowhere: "...Well~~~ not really..."

Muko is freaked, and throws a punch. Tsukasa ducks though, and he hits the wall. He then tries to kick at her several times, but she avoids them all.

Tsukasa: "Ah! You didn't tend your wounds~~~ What are you going to do if they get infected and you're scarred for life?" She ties him up with her chain and drags him off screaming.

In some other room, Tsukasa is lecturing.

Tsukasa: "This is a world where you could be killed for just making eye contact! With such a scary looking face covered with cuts and scrapes like that, you know that you'll be attacked by some hoodlums who love fighting. And since you guys love fighting too, I'm sure you'll fight back. And if it's reported to the police it will get me into trouble." {Hey, are you listening?}

Muko and Shigaraki are sitting with their heads lying on the table, out of breath. Their wounds were tended to. [Shigaraki had been dragged the same way Muko had.]

Tsukasa: "If you could just keep from getting into fights during the winter holidays~~~~ Ryuji's never participated in school events, and nobody has ever led him by the hand. Since then, looking at him made me think that his life was boring, that he was wasting his life. Don't you think it's a good idea for someone to have good memories of being a student!?" Muko and Shigaraki turn their heads to look at her.

Muko: "How would I know? I was disowned by my parents before finishing elementary school, and after being passed around to various relatives, I ended up being a street kid at 13."

Shigaraki: "Same with me."

Tsukasa: "..... I'm sorry." She bows her head down. {I must be lucky to have a place to go home, as well as family to go home to.}

Muko and Shigaraki: "'A man shouldn't be so quick to bow his head down'." [There's a second sentence, but it doesn't translate well. Literally, it's "It loosens the string/chord]

Muko and Shigaraki, lift their heads up and glare at each other: "!? Bastard---! That's Sandaime's......" They point fingers at each other accusingly.

Shigaraki's flashback.

Shigaraki: "...That was one year ago. Out of hunger, I happened to see Sandaime passing by, and went to rob him of money. But then his bodyguards pointed their guns at me. I immediately, apologized, down on my hands and knees.

Sandaime said: "A man shouldn't be so quick to bow his head down. No matter what happens, if you don't at least be strong minded, you'll never manage to keep even the luck that comes your way..." [Sorry, but that's the best translation I can do.]

Shigaraki: "Those were Sandaime's words of advice that saved me from a life of hell."

Muko, getting pissed off: "... You... ...You're always copying everything I do! I've finally figured out what it is about you that pisses me off, you copycat!"

Shigaraki: "What!? Who the hell is copying you!? You're the one that's copying!!"

Muko: "What!? Want to make a deal out of it!?"

Shigaraki: "Let's take it outside then!"

They start another fight.

Tsukasa: "Sto-----p fighti---ng!!"

Next morning, Tsukasa appears with dark circles under her eyes.

Tsukasa: "So we talked to dawn, and they've decided to help us to avoid getting into trouble until the break is over. But I don't know if anyone would take orders from the lower ranked, so Ryuji-kun, we need you to go around to all the kumiin to ask them this favour." She's accompanying Ryuji in the car, with Bun-san driving.

Ryuji: "You're telling me to request such a worthless personal thing like that?"

Kamo-san: {...After a night's sleep, he's cool again...} (T_T)

Tsukasa: "It's not worthless! Those two understood! They said that you always put things for the kumi before anything else, and while you're a student! And that the you function well as the kumicho!! So they have nothing to complaining about you!!" {Everyone else will understand too!} Suddenly serious, she goes on. "...Ryuji..., you'd better make the memories you can only make now..... Memories are not things you can make by yourself but.... you have me now....."

Ryuji looks a bit stunned.

Tsukasa: "---You have to live a life where every so often you could look back, and feel glad to be alive or..."

She recalls Muko's and Shigaraki's words from last night. 'He gave us a chance at life. Just meeting him made us glad to be alive.'

Tsukasa: {You'll be like those two....} "...Those two..." She glances out the car, and sees Shigaraki and Muko. "Sto-----p!! Bun-san, Bun-san, BUN-SAN!!"

She gets out of the car.

Tsukasa: {What was that atmosphere I just saw!?} She had seen the two being confronted by 3 men. "They're gone!" {I hope they're not getting into a fight~~ No way! You promised not to get into trouble!!}

She starts running, looking for them, and spots them, just as they're about to make a charge. "Shigaraki! Muko!"

The guys pause in mid charge, and get knocked to the ground.

Tsukasa: "...Hey, are you okay...? I told you not to get into a fight..."

Muko and Shigaraki: "....."

Man 1: "Hey hey~~~ is that all?"

Man 2: "Aren't you Kuryugumi's kumiin?"

Man 3: "And what were you saying earlier? It's just like we said."

Tsukasa turns to take Muko and Shigaraki away from the scene.

Man 3: "Even if the kumi's big, since the kumicho's a kid, the kumiin have no guts. Well if it weren't like that then there's no way that a young kid can be the kumicho...."

The man is suddenly knocked to the ground by Tsukasa's flying kick.

Tsukasa, with her fists clenched: "...Bastards... I dare you to say it once more...."

Shigaraki, ready to explode: "I'm not willing to hear the same thing for a third time."

Muko, also ready to explode: "Agreed."

Tsukasa looks at them both, and notes they're honest. Then glancing at the men, she makes up her mind. "Get 'em!!!"

Muko and Shigaraki: "Yeah!!!"

But before the two parties make contact, there's the sound of police sirens.

Muko: "They're coming closer."

Shigaraki: "Who the hell called them!?"

The men make a hasty escape.

Tsukasa, Muko and Shigaraki turn to see Ryuji and his bodyguards.

Tsukasa: "Ryu... Ryuji-kun...?"

Kamo-san is holding a portable boombox (playing the noise of the police siren) and Bun-san has a flashing light on his head.

Bun-san, not looking pleased: {...What's the meaning of me doing this.....}

Ryuji: "Aren't you the one that told me not to get into trouble? I'm responsible for everyone remember?"

Tsukasa: "...Ryuji... Then...?"

Ryuji, sighing, turns to Muko and Shigaraki, who start.

Ryuji: "...It's... my first and last whim... Will you help me....."

Muko and Shigaraki, smiling: ".....Of course!!"

The next morning.

Tsukasa: "What's this... Weren't there 8 clans in Kuryugumi!?"

She's looking a piece of paper that has all the clans laid out. Below Ryuji is the head clan (Silver Dragon Clan) which controls the other 8 clans. Under each clan are 5 other groups.

Ryuji: "There's 8 Clans, but under each Clan are kogumis." [kogumi = small kumi]

Tsukasa, laughing hysterically: "So what if there's many Clans. So what if there's kogumis. Let's do it!!" She stands up all of the sudden, all charged and ready to go.

Ryuji: "Oh yeah. Since you're making me do something I wasn't planning on doing, I'll have you take responsibility...." He catches hold of her left arm from behind and unfastens her protector.

Tsukasa: "...What are you doing? Ryuji-kun..."

Ryuji, still holding onto her arm puts his other arm around her waist. "Practicing for the graduation trip."

Tsukasa looks totally confused, with a huge question mark on her face. "What the hell are you saying. Stop playing and let's get going!!"

Ryuji's looking up at the ceiling with a bandage on his chin from where Tsukasa punched him.

Kamo-san walking up by Ryuji's side, looking serious: "Sandaime, have you told your feelings? ...To Nidaime..."

Ryuji: {---These emotions are new to me... I don't know how to handle myself being like this. ---Father, this is the first time that I've been looking forward to my life.}

Kamo-san smiles, as Ryuji does, answering with a yes.