Chapter 41: Like Before
Translated by : Kaori Hasegawa
Sponsored and brought to you by : Alberto Mazzetto
Story and Art by : Masakazu Katsura
<87>
Youta: The day broke again. Recently, I haven't liked the
morning. Because, I've been attacked by fear.
Especially, this morning.
Yesterday's Nobuko-chan.
Nobuko: If you don't scold me, I might run away somewhere.
Youta: Those words weigh heavy on my heart, and I don't
want to wake up.
I want to exist in dreams forever.
As I become conscious, the dull pain in my heart
Gets clearer. And clearer.
Um?
<88>
Youta: Uwaaaaa.
That's right. Starting today, I'm going to live with
Ai-chan.
Haa haa haa.
Ai: Umm.
<89>
Ai: Um?
<90>
Ai: Awawawa.
G'morning.
Youta: Not g'morning. When did you come to this bed!!
I told you to sleep in the other room!
Sound: Pan pan.
Ai: I wanted to sleep with you. Don't be so serious.
Anyway, didn't you do something weird when I was
sleeping?
Youta: You!!
Ai: Ah.
<91>
Ai: You're kinky. You must be imagining something while
you watch me sleeping. Becoming like that.
Youta: Ah.
No!! It's just a wrinkle, the wrinkle made it look
like it got bigger!!
Ai: Oh yeah.
Youta: Bad expectation.
Ai: Then!! Let me see if it's true or not, take off your
shorts!!
Youta: Wuwa, stupid. Stop!!
Ai-chan doesn't worry like usual. This mood. as
contrasted with it. The old man's face looked so
serious yesterday.
<92>
Sign: [Yesterday]
Youta: Would you tell me what happened up until now.
Gokuraku: Yes.
After you were kicked out, our resistance continued.
Gokuraku: Why are you doing this!!
Rolex: Because you are against me.
Ai: The old man, please help me!! I don't have to marry
him or be with him forever!! But, until my playing
time ends! I want to be with him! I don't want to be
separated like this!! So, please!!
<93>
Gokuraku: I thought that that was love, and I wanted to help
this pure love along.
When he started to give her a hard time. Secretly, I
dubbed Ai with the ready-made VCR I rebuilt. The one
with the built-in battery for one week.
Gokuraku: Now, I'll help you!!
Sound: Gagaga. Bachi. Bachi. Bachi.
Ai: The old man!!
Rolex: You're really going to betray me! You can't just be
like that!!
Gokuraku: I can get away now if I turn this switch off.
Rolex: Wait! If you do that, you'll be expelled from
Gokuraku!!
<94>
Gokuraku: When I woke up, we had been thrown on the road.
Maybe it's because of that shock that Ai lost her
memory.
Sound: Wiiiii.
Gokuraku: For the moment, I dubbed the tape which is playing
now. But, Ai lost her memory, so there might be
something wrong with the tape.
Youta: Even though, the longest time is a year.
Gokuraku: We rented the apartment and lived secretly, but.
Finally, the man started to erase Ai using another
Video Girl.
Youta: Another Video Girl?
Gokuraku: This old man is too unreliable to protect Ai, so I'm
asking for your help, but.
<95>
Gokuraku: I know you have your own business, so I don't want
to force you. When Ai finishes her playing time and
disappears, then she'll never be on the shelf at
Gokuraku. So, then if she's going to disappear
anyway.
Youta: No! Even if it's just one year of life, she can live
until then, right! Then she should live as long as
she can! .To have one's life stopped by another.
I'll take care of Ai and protect her!
Gokuraku: I see.
Ai: What a big house! Good! Good!
I like it. Please look after me from today!
<96>
Youta: Ai-chan hasn't changed. I heard she met with many
painful things, but it's like nothing happened,
she's so normal. She' stronger than she looks, and
doing her best.
If I can spend time like before, then I might be
able to get over this hard time. If I enjoy my time
with her.
-- Nobuko-chan! Why. Nobuko-chan's face.
Ai: Hey.
Sound: Giku.
Youta: Wh-what?
Ai: I fixed food, but, do you want to eat?
Youta: Sure. .Happy to.
<97>
Ai: Good! It has to be like that!!
Sound: Kuru.
Youta: Wait! Wait!! Wait!!!
Sound: Byu.
Ai: Gee, you saw it.
Youta: What do you mean, I saw it! You dressed to be looked
at!! What are you doing!
Ai: The underwear felt so bad because I sweated, so I
washed them. I don't have a change.
<98>
Youta: Even so.
Ai: Here.
Youta: Ga--.
Ai: Oops.
Sound: Doki.
Youta: I have some change! This way!!
Ai: Yes sir.
Youta: .If you walk around like that, I'll tackle you!
<99>
Sound: Pita.
Youta: What? Was it a bad joke.
Ai: Good! You have permission! Anytime you want!
Sound: Suta suta suta suta suta.
Youta: .What a girl.
You can wear anything in that drawer.
Ai: Let me see.
<100>
Youta: Ai-chan came back to this room again. How I wished
for that when she disappeared. But now, even though
Ai-chan looks at this room, she doesn't say she
missed it or anything, and just looks at her own
clothes like they're new.
Ai: Why do you have so many girl's clothes.
Youta: It doesn't matter, right!
I feel so lousy about her losing her memory about
when she was with me. I feel so sad that Ai-chan
doesn't even know it.
Ai: Hey, hey!
Youta: Um!? What is it.
Ai: Can I really wear all these clothes?
Youta: She seems to know that she lost her memory, but I
won't talk about it.
Whether you know it or not, you'll live here from
today.
yeah. you can have them all.
Ai: Neat!
<102>
Ai: Now, eat.
Youta: Okay. Itadekimasu!
It's been a long time since I've eaten her horrible
food. I can be here naturally, without any
hesitation or embarrassment. It's just like the old
days are back.
Sound: Paku.
Ai: How is it?
Sound: Mogu mogu.
Gokun.
Youta: Delicious.
<103>
Ai: Good.
Sound: Niko.
Kyun.
Youta: Wha-What was that sweet feeling I had just now. Not
good.
Gokuraku: I heard you have a girlfriend now. I made up my mind
to let you take care of Ai because of that. Just
like the old days, even if you get to like Ai,
she'll disappear anyway. Even if that time comes, I
can't help you anymore. But, I don't have to worry
since you have a girlfriend.
Youta: No, no! Because I missed her, my mind just moved a
little bit.
Your cooking has improved! Hahaha.
<104>
Sound: Saku saku.
Ai: Oh. I see, you've eaten my food before. This isn't
the first time.
Sound: Goku.
Youta: Shit.
No. Well. I mean!
Ai: It's all right. You seem like you're trying not to
touch on the fact that I lost my memory, but it's
okay.
I felt like I had been with you before, too. My body
wants to do this and that at this house. So, I did
exactly what I wanted, like sleeping with you.
But you didn't seem like, "Who's this person," but
like, "Can't help it, every time."
So, I thought, "Oh, I see."
<105>
Ai: I don't care about losing my memory, so I'm not
trying to remember either. I think it's better that
I lost it.
It would be a pain to remember now, the old days
wouldn't come back even if I remembered them, so.
Youta: She's rude, violent, and funny, but she's also
pitiful. This girl. These sweet feelings came out,
and I couldn't stop them. Nobuko-chan, be nice to me
right now! Otherwise, I'll be overcome.
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