Tokyo Crazy Paradise
Hana to Yume
1999 vol. 17, episode no. 65
Translation by Yuki-chan
Image scanned by Minako

The episode title page features Tsukasa sitting on the edge of some railing. She's wearing pinks shorts, pink shoes, large runners and a white tank top.

Asago: {---The reason for my existence was to protect a single man. I believed that the life I lived up until now would be of use to him. ---...But the routine life I had lived until now was all destroyed. ------It was just that single moment in time---------} She remembers seeing Ryuji fall after being shot several times. {Ever since that day, I've been haunted by the words that run through my head.}

Asago watches in horror as 3 men close in on Munakata, who's backed into a stack of large canisters.

Asago, looking away: "......!" {---...Again...... again, because of me being here......!!}

Asago: "...!" {...No...... I don't want to live so that I can only be cumbersome to others...... that I can only get in other people's way------...!!} She spies the gun close by on her right.

One of the men sneers as he points his gun at Munakata.

Munakata, looking calm: "......"

The men suddenly open fire.

Munakata blocks with his right arm [!? against bullets!?] and flips back over the canisters using his left arm. He curses as he lands behind them.

Asago: "!! ......!" With tears in her eyes, she reaches out with her right arm. {...There's a gun right in front of me......!! But ...my right hand...!!}

One of the men knocks over the canisters and knees Munakata in the abdomen.

Asago: "......!" {...Move......} Pain lances up her arm. She shuts her eyes against the pain. Asago looks up in horror at the sound of several gun shots.

Munakata takes 2 shots to the chest.

Asago's mouth opens in a silent scream. {------...HURRY...!!} Pain continues to lance up her arm. {...Move...! MOVE...!! Please...!!}

Munakata is now backed up into the wall and still the men are closing in on him, shooting.

Asago: {Hurry!! Hurry------!!} Her right hand slowly edges towards the gun. She suddenly yells out loud. "MOVE------------!!"

A gun fires.

Men: "!!"

One of the men collapses.

Asago's eyes are open wide when she realizes she's now holding the gun in her hand.

Munakata too looks on in wonder.

The guy holding Asago down: "...Y..." He aims to shoot her in the head.

Asago then fires directly over her head. Sitting up, she downs the other 2 men in front of Munakata.

Men: "!!"

Munakata looks surprised.

A trail of smoke is released from the barrel of the gun Asago's holding.

Asago is sitting there numbly, with tears in her eyes. "------..."

Munakata: "......" He approaches her. "...You're pretty good."

Asago starts. The cop crouches down in front of her. He points at her hand.

Munakata: "...... ...Your right hand... you can use it after all."

Asago: "......" She looks down at her right hand holding the gun. {...It's healed... ---...It's healed------..." Tears of relief flow from her eyes.

Munakata watches in wonder. "---..."

Asago, suddenly noticing: "...A...! BLOOD!!! Hey!! You're covered in blood!!" She's back to her usual thorny self.

Munakata: "A? ...Aa."

Asago: "What do you mean 'Aa'!?" {Why do you look so calm about it?}

Blood is starting to stain his jacket. He's also nicked on the face. [Another scar...?]

Munakata, calmly: "Just as usual."

Asago: "You were shot elsewhere too!" {Show me!}

Munakata: "The rest are mostly just nicks. The vital areas are guarded." He shows the protector he's wearing. The area protecting his heart is ridded with bullets. The weapon on his right arm used to catch escaping criminals also has 2 large cracks in it [from the first attack when he blocked with his right]. He taps the weapon. "Because of that first attack this became useless. ...The rest ...was thanks to you...... ...Thank you......"

Asago is staring in wonder with large eyes.

Munakata's SD looks cute. "... ...What...... Hey... Is it that unusual to be thanked like this?" He pokes her in the cheek. {If your eyes are open that much they'll fall out.}

Asago starts. "You don't have to thank me! It was my fault that I was caught in the first place!!" {...T... ...To... be thanked like this...... I was never thanked for fighting ...for somebody...} She blushes.

She suddenly changes the tempo. "Forget about it! We have to stop the bleeding."

Munakata: "There's a first aid kit in the cruiser......"

Asago starts tugging on his arm to drag him along.

Munakata: "It's not like it's life threatening or anything."

Asago: "What if you do die because you're so calm like this!? It's possible to die from losing too much blood you know!" She blushes even harder. "~~~!" She looks down. "......... ...If you die... ...I'll die too......"

Munakata slowly smiles... slyly. "...Hee~ ...Seems like you're trying to pick me up..."

Asago, bright red in the face: "!!? ...W...!? What are you saying!!?" {Why would I do such a thing!!? And to you!? Don't joke around like that!?} She whips Munakata's arm away violently.

Munakata: "...You can't live without me right?"

Asago has large spheres for eyes popping out of her head and her mouth is hanging open. Very unlike Asago. "NO------!! That's not what I mean------!! I, I was thinking that if you died then that would leave a bad aftertaste!!" {And it seems like you would curse and haunt me!} "And since I don't want to have to return a favour, I'm saying I don't want to let you die here alone---!"

As she's venting her anger, Munakata catches sight of something.

Munakata: "... ...H~~~~m... ...Thanks---- but...... That will be a problem........." He takes Asago's right hand as if they were dancing. "I only live to protect women."

He twirls Asago around.

Asago: "!? !?" She finally sees what's behind her. {...A!! No way...!!}

Munakata keeps twirling her until she's at his back.

Asago: {No way...!! No way!! There's more of them...!!}

A car had just pulled up and 4 guys were approaching.

Munakata: "...Get away while I distract them." Munakata takes out his gun from his jacket.

Asago: "You've got to be kidding!! I don't want to be protected by some injured person!!"

Munakata, looking back at her: "...Didn't I just say... that I only live to protect women? ...Let me protect you."

Asago: "...!" She blushes again. "...You! You've got to be kidding! I wasn't raised to be the type to sit back and be protected by someone else!! Move! I'll get them...!" She moves in front of Munakata.

Munakata: "Baka! Stay hidden!!"

Asago: "Let go of me!!"

Munakata: "I'm saying leave it to me!"

Asago: "No! I'll do it!!"

Munakata: "I'll do it!"

Asago: "I'll do it!!"

The 4 men are approaching and reaching for their guns. They watch with curiosity the argument that's taking place in front of them.

Munakata: "I will!"

Asago: "I will!"

Munakata, showing fangs: "I WILL!!"

Asago, showing fangs: "I WILL!!"

They both start when they hear the sound of someone loading his gun with a new cartridge.

Munakata: "...... ...You hard headed...!"

Asago: "What!? You stubborn...!"

The men suddenly aim towards Asago and Munakata.

As one, the pair whirl, guns aimed.

Four shots ring out.

A cartoon is running on the TV.

In short it's something like the 'Ugly Duckling', a white young bird among yellow chicks.

Tsukasa, looking dark and gloomy is pointing at the TV screen and talking towards it. "...Pyonta (the name of the 'Ugly duckling') is so baka and laid back. That he doesn't wonder why he's white when his siblings are all yellow...... ...But Pyonta... you'll soon realize...... that it means good bye to the longs days of happiness. ------...That you aren't related to the others~~~~~~~~~"

The parents with their young kids are looking at Tsukasa suspiciously. Seems like Tsukasa wandered into the children's ward of the hospital.

Tsukasa is pointing at the TV screen with an evil laugh.

A voice behind her: "......So gloomy......"

Tsukasa slowly turns around: "......"

Ryuji: "...You're so gloomy......" {...I come here and see you cursing the TV......} "...I'll listen to you so stop it..."

Behind him, the mothers and their kids glance nervously at Tsukasa.

Tsukasa: "...... ......Ryuji......"

Somewhere on the hospital grounds.

Ryuji: "...I heard the story between you and your brothers......"

Tsukasa, looking down: "---..."

Looks like they're sitting on the steps to one of the buildings.

Ryuji, expressionless: "...Do... ...What are you so gloomy about?"

Tsukasa, in confusion: "......!? ......? ......!?" She points a shaking finger at Ryuji.

Ryuji: "A? ...What? Something wrong?"

Tsukasa: "...Y... You heard......?"

Ryuji, expressionless: "Yeah, that only you are not related to the others right?" {I was thinking it was strange from the beginning but that you really weren't related...}

Tsukasa is seen as a black shadow and does the scream again. Then she slumps to the ground with her back to him.

A dark sky hovers over Tsukasa.

Ryuji: "------... ...I don't get it... ...Why do get so depressed just because you're not related...?"

Tsukasa: "~~~~~~~~~! Because! That we're not related means...! I'm no longer......!"

Ryuji: "...Siblings with them...?"

Tsukasa startles.

Ryuji: "...Does that mean that because you're not related by blood, the 14 years you've spent with them as siblings didn't happen...?"

Tsukasa, with a tear stained face. "------..."

Ryuji: "...To me, being blood relations means nothing... ...Even if it did exist, there are relationships where people are colder to each other than if they never knew each other. ...Father and I were just such an example..."

Tsukasa: "..."

Ryuji: "...But... on the other hand, there are people that are tied to me as fathers and brothers because of a single cup of wine and would throw their life away for me. That's because of a bond that's deeper than blood relations..."

Tsukasa turns her face to look at Ryuji.

Ryuji: "...I think that 'parents' and 'siblings' are ties that can both strengthen and weaken... ...What's important is that if you think of the people you truly feel as your 'parents' as your 'parents' and your 'siblings' as your real 'siblings' and that's fine......"

He lifts a hand to wipe away her tears.

Ryuji: "...Am... I saying something ...complicated......? ---...N...?"

He touches her cheek.

Tsukasa closes her eyes and thinks back.

"---...Kise-san... ...Will you protect all of us------...?"

Tsukasa recalls Taku's request to Akira.

Tsukasa: {...I'm probably......... the only one who's being targeted by Garyukai------...}

Ryuji notices something in front of him.

Tsukasa turns to look. { ...but still Taku-nii------...}

Her brothers, Kamo-san, Bun-san, Tsubaki and Azuma are standing in a group.

Tsukasa freezes: {tried to protect our bond as siblings------... ...If this was going to involve everyone...}

Taku holds his arms out.

Tsukasa: {------he could have........}

Taku: "...Tsukasa...!"

Tsukasa: {------thrown me out------... } More tears spills from her eyes.

She runs to embrace her older brother. Toshi and Sho cling to her as well.

Tsukasa: {---...It was the first time that I learned that families aren't just bonded by 'blood'.}

Ryuji and the rest watch on. Behind him, Kamo-san is crying as well.

Kamo-san: "Yes. A~~. That was a good scene."

Tsukasa: {...This is the place I can return and call home---...}

Tsukasa: "...I... don't know the details behind this but......" {I don't get it but it sure moved me......} "Azuma, you're weak when it comes to these types of stories right~~~?" {You always watch those documentaries and cry...} He looks up at his bodyguard.

Tsukasa: {---I won't be moved no matter what I hear from anyone else anymore.}

Tsubaki looking confused: "...Azuma...?"

Azuma is staring at the scene in front of him with a hard look.

Tsukasa: {No matter what comes along, it won't change the fact that I'm Kozuki Tsukasa------...}

The last pic shows Tsukasa embraced by her brothers.