[Morning...]
-Beep- -Beep- -Beep- -Beep- -Beep- -Beep-
[At 6 AM, a hand swathed in flower-imprinted cloth reaches out to switch off an otter-themed alarm clock labeled "Ottokei." (1) The scene pulls back, and we see Kozue drowsily rubbing her eyes.]
Kozue: ...
[Kozue, still half-asleep, shuffles absently down the walkway to the women's bath. There, she disrobes and turns on the showerhead. As the hot water beats down on her upturned face, she heaves a contented sigh.]
[...Outside, Tamami--ear pressed to the door--heaves a contented sigh of her own, while Shiratori looks on in puzzlement.]
14. Her
Kozue: Well, we're off!
[Kozue and Tamami are leaving for school. Momono waves to them from the door.]
Momono: Bye! Study diligently, you two!
Kozue: We will!
Tamami: Even if we're told that by Momo-san the social recluse~
[Momono angrily tosses one of her sandals at Tamami's head.]
Momono: Don't call me a social recluse!
Tamami: It's the truth~
[And then, they're gone.]
Momono: ...Now, then--
[She stretches out as she ambles along the walkway.]
Momono: What should I waste my free time on today? Should I catch Bara-san for a light party, or...hm?
[In the courtyard, Sayoko stands in front of her noose, while Asami watches her from behind a bush.]
Momono: That's...
[As she watches, Sayoko begins to shiver...then shake...then tremble, violently...]
[Box: "Withdrawal Symptoms" (2)]
Asami: [whispering] Mom, fight!
Momono: ...?
Asami: [whispering] Fight! Fight!
Momono: [thinking] I don't really understand what's going on here...but I probably shouldn't interfere...
[On to the kitchen, where Shiratori is having breakfast.]
Shiratori: Ah, Momono-san, good morning!
Momono: Huh? Shiratori-kun, don't you have school?
Shiratori: Today's class is after lunch, so I'll be leaving around 11.
Momono: Oh, really?
Shiratori: Yeah.
[Momono slumps into a chair and rests her chin on the table.]
Momono: Hnn...
[Shiratori continues to eat. A moment later, Momono blinks.]
Momono: Hey~...
Shiratori: ...? What is it?
Momono: Nothing...It's just, that's a cute rice bowl you're eating from, isn't it?
Shiratori: Eh?
[Shiratori holds up the rice bowl Kozue got for him back in Chapter 9.]
Shiratori: Ah...Er, this is...well...
[Now he begins to get flustered. (3)]
Shiratori: Kozue-chan went out of her way to buy this for me the other day, so I figured I should use it, you know...?
Momono: Hnn...
Shiratori: [laughs nervously] She got one for everyone else, too, right?
Momono: ...Hey, Shiratori-kun...What do you think of Kozue-chan?
Shiratori: ....eh?
[Shiratori freezes.]
Shiratori: Wha...what is this, all of a sudden...?!
Momono: Do you like her? Do you dislike her? Which is it??
Shiratori: ...Th...
[Shiratori turns red.]
Shiratori: That's...
Momono: Ah--no need to say anything more!! Onee-san understands your feelings plenty!!
[Momono jumps onto the table and pumps her fist in the air.]
Momono: ALL RIGHT! THIS ONE WILL BE A BANG! LEAVE IT ALL TO ME!!
Shiratori: What?
[Momono crouches down and pats Shiratori's head, cackling all the while.]
Momono: I'll definitely make your relationship with Kozue-chan 100 times more intimate!!
Shiratori: EEEH?! What are you saying?!
[Momono is no longer listening; she is kneeling on the table, fists clenched before her as she stares into the distance, while a blazing aura springs into life around her.]
Momono: Hereafter, this will be called "Operation Fall In Love!!" (I'm really pumped!)
Shiratori: W...wait a...?!
Momono: Now then! Since that's decided, let's strike while the iron's hot! COMMENCE OPERATION!!
[Box: "Finding ways to waste time"]
Shiratori: I don't know what you're planning, but please stop!!
[Box: "Unhappy premonition"]
And thus, Momono-san's secret operation began!!
[At Shiratori's class...]
[In the front row, Short-Haired Girl tries in vain to get Ponytailed Boy to stop reading an erotic magazine, while Shirogane-sensei looms over him. One row back, Long-Haired Girl looks on in puzzlement as Shiratori shivers uncontrollably.]
Shiratori: [thinking] Don't...Don't wanna go home...
[Meanwhile, at another school...]
[An ominous ring tone echoes through the yard. We open on an open cell phone embossed with a skull. The caller ID reads "Momo (Social Recluse)."]
Tamami: Ah~?
[Like the phone could have belonged to anyone else. Tamami sits on a stairway outside, dressed in gym sweats, while a classmate in T-shirt and bloomers looks on.]
Tamami: It's from Momo-san~
Classmate: As usual, you have such awful taste in ring tones...
[Tamami answers.]
Tamami: Yes~? ...Cooperation for your plan? Huh...Sure, that's fine~
[She smirks as she hangs up.]
Tamami: Momo-san's shallow wit is planning something again~
Classmate: What was it?
[Some distance away, a teacher begins walking towards them, waving a wooden kendo sword.]
Teacher: Chanoata!! We're in the middle of class--are you making light of that?!
Tamami: [thinking] Well, at any rate, I have some free time, and hanging out with Momo-san isn't so bad~...
Classmate: A guy? Was that from a guy?
Teacher: Are you listening to me, Chanohata?!
Tamami: ... [thinking] Kozue-chan...
[Kozue glances up from where she's playing ball, beams, and waves to Tamami. Tamami waves back with a contented sigh.]
Tamami: [thinking] Aaaah...Kozue-chan's figure in gym is so cute, it ranks with the national treasures~
Classmate: Hey, Tama--who was it? Hey, come on!
Tamami: [thinking] I'm really glad I could be in the same class as Kozue-chan~
Teacher: CHANOHATA!!
Tamami: [thinking] Aah~...
[The teacher storms over, still waving the sword.]
Teacher: Hand over the cell phone! It's forfeit!! Chano...?
[He trails off as Tamami holds up a photo for him to see. The sword clatters to the ground, and the teacher's face turns pale.]
Teacher: WHEN...?! A PHOTO LIKE THIS--WHEN DID YOU...?!
Classmate: Sensei?
Tamami: [thinking] The other day, I said that I'd support those two, but~...
[The teacher runs off, waving his sword behind him as he flees.]
Teacher: I...I won't let you off next time!
Tamami: [thinking] It looks like my resolution is already wavering~...
[Late afternoon...]
[Shiratori waves uneasily to his classmates (Ponytailed Boy showing all the signs of having been punished today) then turns and begins to trudge home, sighing heavily.]
Shiratori: [thinking] Oh, man...what's going to happen to me when I get home...
[He totters uneasily as he walks.]
Shiratori: [thinking] And it's that person, too--she has a tendency to do some pretty absurd things...she's certainly not a bad person, but...
Voice: Hey~...
[Tamami and Kozue stand nearby.]
Tamami: It's Shiratori-san~...
Kozue: Ah--you're right. Shiratori-san!
Shiratori: Ah...
[He waves uneasily as Kozue and Tamami walk up to him.]
Shiratori: H-hi...
Kozue: Are you on your way home now?
Shiratori: Uh, yeah...Kozue-chan, are you two also--
[He glances over at Tamami--and freezes.]
Tamami: ...
[You can see Tamami's eyes swirling as she stares at (through?) him.]
Shiratori: ...?! [thinking] Wha...what's this face...??
Kozue: If it's all right with you, shall we go home together?
Tamami: Yes, let's~
[The eyes vanish, and Tamami is all smiles...]
Shiratori: Ah...yeah...
Kozue: Well, then--let's go!
Tamami: ...
[Only to return to staring at Shiratori as soon as Kozue turns her back.]
Shiratori: [thinking] Wha...WHAT IS WITH THAT FACIAL EXPRESSION?!
[Shiratori stares at Tamami as she moves to catch up with Kozue.]
Shiratori: [thinking] Did I do something to Tamami-chan...?
[Shortly thereafter...]
Kozue: We're back!
[Asami looks up at the entrance, holding a box.]
Asami: Ah--welcome back!
Kozue: Hm? Asami-chan, what's that?
Asami: This package came for Onii-chan.
Shiratori: For me?
Asami: Uh-huh!
[She hands over the box.]
Asami: I was taking it over to your room.
Shiratori: Thanks again!
[He leans over, and lowers his voice.]
Shiratori: Ah...by the way, Asami-chan--not to change the subject, but do you know where Momono-san is?
Asami: Momono-san was doing something in the courtyard.
[And in the courtyard...]
Momono: This is for Kozue-chan--EEEEYARGH!
Sayoko: ...
Momono: Heave-ho, heave-ho, heave-ho!
[Sayoko crouches down, looking on silently...as Momono digs away at a hole roughly waist-deep.]
Momono: Phew--after this, I should take a break!
Sayoko: ...
[Shiratori and Tamami come up to the edge as Momono resumes work.]
Shiratori: Why are you digging a hole like this?
Momono: It's a pitfall, of course!
Shiratori: A pitfall...?
Momono: That's right! Shiratori-kun and Kozue-chan will fall in here!
[She pumps her fists.]
Momono: A crisis like this will make their relationship immediately heat up! What's more--they'll be stuck together, body to body! With this, their relations will become MUCH closer!! (Even for me, this is brilliant!! [4])
Shiratori: ...you were thinking of something like that...?
Momono: ...GYAH?! SHIRATORI-KUN, WHEN DID YOU...?!
[Shiratori slumps his shoulders and turns away.]
Shiratori: ...Thanks for your hard work...
[Momono falls to her knees in the pit.]
Momono: AAAAAAAAAAH...MY WHOLE DAY'S WORK...
[Tamami crouches down by the edge.]
Tamami: Now, now, Momo-san. At this point, let's bravely give up and move to the next plan~
Momono: Eh?
[Momono blinks.]
Momono: ...next?
Tamami: Yes~
[Tamami stares down at Momono.]
Tamami: ...
[Momono stares up at Tamami.]
Tamami: You have thought of a backup plan, right~?
Momono: ...
[Then...]
Momono: AAAAAH! STOP, STOP! DON'T BURY ME! DON'T BURY ME!!
Tamami: I sentence you to be foie gras~ (5)
Shiratori: [thinking] I shouldn't have worried... (6)
Operation Fall In Love: COMPLETE.
[That evening...]
For now, it turned out not to be anything to worry about, but...
Shiratori: ...but...
[Shiratori ambles down the walkway, carrying his package.]
Shiratori: [thinking] If I really think about it, Momono-san spent the entire day giving her best for my sake, didn't she...
[Shiratori looks at the opened box, and the fruits inside...]
Shiratori: ...
[...then knocks on the door to Room 3.]
Shiratori: Momono-san, are you there? My mother sent me some apples, so...Momono-san?
[Inside, Momono is fast asleep.]
[Box: "Tired, so she crashed"]
Shiratori: ...
[A little later, Shiratori walks away, leaving a bag hanging on Momono's doorknob with the note: "Thank you for your hard work. If you'd like, please have these. -Shiratori"]
Shiratori: ...Come to think of it, Tamami-chan was angry (?) with me about something, wasn't she...
[Another bag, another doorknob, another note: "I'm sharing these. Eat them if you'd like. -Shiratori"]
[...Asami accepts a bag with wide, sparkly eyes, while Sayoko looks on behind her with fork and knife in hand.]
[...At the pond, Johnny spins one apple on top of his head while Shiratori offers Haibara the bag.]
Shiratori: And that leaves...
[As Shiratori walks past the women's bath, the door opens and Tamami peeks out.]
Shiratori: ...Kozue-chan...
Tamami: ...
[A little later...]
Kozue: Wow! Apples?
Shiratori: Yeah. I'm sharing them with everyone, so if you'd like...
Kozue: Thank you so much! I love apples! I'll eat these right away!
Shiratori: Well, then, I'll head back now...
[Kozue turns back to her room, then stops.]
Kozue: ...Ah!
Shiratori: Eh?
Kozue: Um...Shiratori-san, if you don't mind...
[A little later, Shiratori and Kozue kneel before a table in her room.]
Shiratori: ...
[Shiratori looks around as Kozue peels an apple.]
Shiratori: ...
[Shiratori looks at the door--closed--and blushes.]
Kozue: ...Shiratori-san?
Shiratori: Eh? Wh...what is it?
Kozue: Is something the matter?
Shiratori: N-no...I was just thinking, this is a cute room...very girlish...
Kozue: Huh...really?
Shiratori: Y-yeah! Ah--
[He reaches into a lineup of stuffed animals and pulls out a familiar-looking cat.]
Shiratori: You had this guy earlier, didn't you?
Kozue: Eh...? Earlier...you say?
Shiratori: ...Ah-- [thinking] Come to think of it, she was Nanako-chan then...
Kozue: ...?
Shiratori: S-sorry. It was my mistake.
[He replaces the cat.]
Shiratori: Still, there are certainly a lot of them, aren't there?
Kozue: Whenever I see a cute stuffed animal, I end up buying it...
Shiratori: I see...they're all cute ones, huh? [thinking] Her hobby is collecting stuffed animals, huh...nice, girlish...
[He picks up another stuffed animal.]
Shiratori: This one, too...
[He trails off, as he gets a good look at what he's picked up--a stuffed animal dressed up for breaking and entering.]
Shiratori: (A burglar cat... [7])
[He stares at the stuffed animal, then looks up at Kozue.]
Shiratori: It's...cute...?
Kozue: Very cute!
Shiratori: [thinking] ...but, as I thought... [out loud] Yeah, it's cute, huh?
Kozue: Yes!
Shiratori: [thinking] ...her tastes seem to be a little...off...
[He turns to replace the cat--and jerks back, as he spots an eight-tentacled thing, mouth wide, veins bulging.]
Shiratori: GYA?! WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?!
Kozue: Ah...that's a doll to ward off evil that Tamami-chan gave me. She said as long as I had it, I wouldn't get sick or injured!
[She squeezes the doll, and an ominous voice emerges.]
Doll: HOUSEHOLD SAFETY SOUND HEALTH...
Kozue: It talks, too!
Shiratori: [thinks] Like the opposite of a curse...
[A little later...]
Kozue: Shiratori-san, I've finished peeling your share. (Go ahead and start eating.)
Shiratori: Ah...yeah, thanks.
[Shiratori watches Kozue peel another apple as he eats.]
Shiratori: ... [thinking] As usual...whenever Kozue-chan is like this...she looks so...familial...
Kozue: ...? Is something wrong?
[Shiratori turns red and looks away.]
Shiratori: N-no, nothing...huh?
[As he looks away, he spots two large glass jars, each filled to the brim with...]
Shiratori: Are these...dried plums?
Kozue: Ah--yes. I love dried plums, so...
Shiratori: You have a lot of them...
Kozue: Really? This is about a week's worth.
[Shiratori's jaw drops.]
Shiratori: [thinking] A WEEK'S worth...
Kozue: I have more, too. For example...
[She opens a cabinet, and pulls out a small treasure chest.]
Kozue: These are special dried plums that I only eat on days where something good has happened. They were made with great care by an old farmer--"The finest Southern Kishuu plums, dipped in honey and lightly salted!"
[She beams.]
Kozue: They're really good!
Shiratori: I...see... [thinking] Why in a treasure chest...?
Kozue: ...
[She sets the chest down on the table and opens it up.]
Kozue: ...I wonder if it's okay to eat one today...
Shiratori: Huh? Did something good happen today?
Kozue: [beaming] Oh, yes! Something very good!
Shiratori: [thinking] ...
Kozue: Shiratori-san, would you like one too?
Shiratori: Ah...thank you... [thinking] I don't know what happened, but...
[He watches as Kozue eats her plum. Her eyes scrunch up, and she begins shivering in delight.]
Shiratori: [thinking] Seeing Kozue-chan so delighted makes me happy, as well...
[Shiratori eats his plum.]
Shiratori: ... [thinking] Ah...this really IS good...
[Kozue picks up another apple.]
Kozue: Now, then, to skin the next--ah...
Shiratori: What's wrong:
Kozue: Um...I got a bit excited, (8) and cut my hand a little...
[Shiratori bolts to his feet.]
Shiratori: WHAT? ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?!
Kozue: Ah, I'm fine...it's only a little cut, so...
Shiratori: B-but...
[Kozue shows him her hand.]
Kozue: I'm pretty careless, and I cut myself a lot. So I'm used to cuts like this.
[Shiratori takes her hand in his and looks at it more closely.]
Shiratori: Still, just in case, you should probably disinfect...
[Then he freezes.]
Shiratori & Kozue: ...AH...
[They've just realized that they're holding hands.]
Kozue: ...
Shiratori: ...
[The two freeze, looking at each other.]
[Outside, the crescent moon rises in the sky...]
[The walkway is empty...]
[And back in Kozue's room, Kozue and Shiratori haven't moved.]
[Kozue's face turns red...]
[As does Shiratori's...]
[They STILL haven't moved...] (9)
-BAM!-
Shiratori: UWA?!
[Shiratori starts at the loud pounding on Kozue's door.]
Shiratori: Ah...?!
[Belatedly, he lets go of Kozue's hand.]
Shiratori: S-Sorry...
Kozue: ...
[Shiratori hurriedly gets up and goes to the door.]
Shiratori: Um...d-did someone come here, I wonder...?
[He opens the door, and peers out.]
Shiratori: ...Huh? There's no one here...
[Around a corner, Tamami crouches, chomping away at one of Shiratori's apples.]
Tamami: ... (You're ten years too early~)
[Back in Kozue's room...]
Shiratori: I...I wonder what that sound was just now...?
[Kozue looks straight ahead with heavy-lidded eyes and a flat expression.]
Kozue (?): ...
Shiratori: Um...
Kozue (?): ...
[Without answering, she pulls her bell hair ornaments loose.]
Shiratori: ...?
[She puts her hair up in two pigtails.]
Shiratori: ...Kozue-chan?
[She doesn't answer, instead looking left and right around the room.]
Shiratori: ...? [thinking] Th...this is...
[She lurches to her feet, arms dangling limply at her sides.]
Shiratori: [thinking] Possibly...no way...by any chance...
Kozue (?): ...
Shiratori: [thinking] For the first time in a while...?
[She ambles over to a bookshelf.]
Shiratori: [thinking] And yet...
Kozue (?): ...
Shiratori: ... [thinking] A type I haven't seen until now...?
[He walks over to her.]
Shiratori: Um...
Kozue (?): ...
[Suddenly, she pivots and darts past him...]
Shiratori: Ah?!
[...over to the other bookshelf.]
Kozue (?): ...
Shiratori: ...
[He tries again.]
Kozue (?): ...
Shiratori: Uh...um...
Kozue (?): ...
[Again, she pivots, and darts past him...]
Shiratori: Ah--
[...straight out the door, shutting it behind her.]
Shiratori: ...
[He opens the door and looks out, to see her lurching zombie-like down the walkway.]
Shiratori: ... [thinking] ...somehow or other...
[Tamami, still crouched in her hiding place, looks up as Kozue (?) shuffles past.]
Tamami: Ah~?
Shiratori: [thinking] No mistake--her personality has changed...
Tamami: ...
[Shiratori and Tamami look on as Kozue (?) opens a door down the walkway.]
Shiratori: ... (The Lumber Room...?) [thinking] But what in the world...?
Tamami: Good grief! Shiratori-san, you did something again, didn't you~? (Kozue-chan looked wounded~)
Shiratori: Eh...? Tamami-chan?
[Tamami goes back to gnawing on her apple.]
Tamami: And it's Her, of all things, isn't it? (Boring~)
Shiratori: Her...Could you possibly mean...Chiyuri-chan...?
Tamami: Bzzzzzt~! (If it were Chiyuri-chan, it would be more fun~) She is Her~
Shiratori: Her...?
Tamami: No one knows her name~ And that's because...
[Inside the Lumber Room, She sits against a wall, knees pulled up to her chest...]
Tamami: ...No one's ever seen Her speak~
[...looking down at an opened book. (10)]
I knew it...
[Outside, the crescent moon and the stars glitter.]
It doesn't look like this day is over just yet.
Sayoko: ...to be continued...
Asami: ?
1 Kojima once again gives his punning tendencies free rein. "Otter" blends with "Tokei" ("clock"). BACK
2 禁断症状 ("Kindan shoujou"): Lit. "Prohibition symptoms." BACK
3 You'd think he'd realize by now that's a mistake around Momono. :) BACK
4 パーデキ ("Paadeki"): 出来 ("deki"--"smart, quality") appears the most likely root of this one. I'm guessing that Kojima blended "deki" with the English "perfect" (hence the katakana, which remain the bane of my existence :P). BACK
5 フォアグラの刑 ("Foa gura no kei"): Lit. "The penalty/punishment of foie gras." As foie gras preparation involves force-feeding poultry, I'm guessing this is Tamami's rather colorful way of saying, "Eat dirt~" :) BACK
6 心配して損した ("Shinpai shite son shita"): Lit. "I worried and I lost." BACK
7 I shouldn't even need to explain the pun on this one, should I? :) BACK
8 ちょっと手元が狂って ("Chotto temoto ga kurutte"): Lit. "My usual skill got a bit out of order." BACK
9 Hey, give me a break--I'm trying to narrate half a dozen frames of them doing absolutely nothing, here. :) BACK
10 Your guess is as good as mine how she can read at night without any lights on. BACK