Nijigahara Holograph
	 Chapter 4

 - Page 91 -

Sign: Art Institute

Professor: Arakawa.
	Are you expecting to find work with oils right out of school?
	If all you're going to do is graduate and work in an office,
	I can give you a passing mark.

 - Page 92 -

Professor: But your painting is all detail and nothing else.
	It's just... boring.
	I want some emotion, some feeling.
	I want you to show me SOMETHING!!

Arakawa: ...I'm sorry.

Friend: C'mon Arakawa, don't get bummed out.

Arakawa: Mmmmm.

Friend: You know him, he's trying to be some motivational artiste, all "Throw your emotion onto the canvas!"
	But all he has to do is collect a paycheck each month.  It's a joke.

 - Page 93 -

Friend: Look, your boyfriend's waiting in the hall.  Why don't you have him cheer you up?

Arakawa: Ugh.  If that horny dipstick tells me to "hang in there" one more time, I'll sock him.
	Tell him I already left.

Friend: Yikes.  You DO get tired of them quickly.
	What a waste!  He's young and rich.

Arakawa: You can have him, then.

Chapter 4

 - Page 94 -

Higure: You look put out.
	What's wrong?

Arakawa: Huh?
	Oh no no!  I'm fine.
	I'm just a little upset about one of my classes.
	Plus, I was up early this morning.

Higure: If you're tired, I can close the store early.
	Nobody's coming, anyway.

Arakawa: Sighh...
	I feel bad about this, boss...

Higure: Ha ha ha.

Officer: Good evening.

 - Page 95 -

Officer: Isn't it hot?  And it was so chilly just days ago.
	You see funny weather every year, but this one just feels abnormal.

Arakawa: Can... we help you?

Officer: Ah, pardon me.
	We're with the police.
	Do you recognize this man?
	We believe he visited this cafe last night.
	Kota Komatsuzaki.  He's wanted for murder and assault.

Arakawa: ...umm, well... I ran into him for the first time in years...

 - Page 96 -

Arakawa: He was a classmate of mine in grade school, and I invited him to stop by the cafe...
	But he left right away.

Officer: Do you know what might have happened after that?

Arakawa: ...no idea.

Officer: ...I see.
	Well, that's all I have to ask about for today...
	But we'll be back to speak more, later.

 - Page 97 -

Higure: ...hmm?

Arakawa: Ummm...
	Could I stay at your place?

 - Page 98 -

Higure: Are you all right, Maki?

Arakawa: ...I'm sorry, sir.

Higure: Ha ha, no, it was my fault for giving you too much to drink.
	I took a look at your art while you were in there.  Hope you don't mind.  It's good!
	I don't know much about art, but I like what you've done.

Arakawa: Anyone can draw well if they practice.
	But my problem comes before that.  It's an emotional thing, I guess.

Higure: Hmmm...  Well...

 - Page 99 -

Higure: I always feel like there's another side to girls who act happy and nice like you.
	Like something deep down, that you can't tell to other people.
	...but I'll hear you out, if you want to talk...

Arakawa: ...when I was a little girl,
	I tried to kill one of my friends.
	...actually, it was all of the class, together...
	We pushed her down a well.
	She was a beautiful little girl, with pale skin and long hair...

 - Page 100 -

Arakawa: The "monster in the well" is going to "end the world,"
	she began to tell us.  For some reason she took it so seriously.
	Thinking back on it now, it was just our imaginations getting carried away,
	but at the time, we were all terrified of the story.
	...so we all got to thinking,
	"Maybe if we get rid of her,"
	"The world will be saved."
	...But I didn't think that way, at least.

 - Page 101 -

Arakawa: I was only jealous of her, because she was friends with the boy I liked.
	That's why *I* wanted her to die...

Higure: ...and that was the guy from yesterday?
	Maybe you've just never truly fallen in love with someone before.

Arakawa: ...gasp...!
	Oh my God!  What am I doing?!
	I'm sorry!!  I should be going home!!

 - Page 102 -

Arakawa: ...it's all right, Boss.  You don't have to walk me home.
	...please don't be too nice to me.
	It's going to spoil me...

Higure: I dunno... I'm a little worried about letting you go back on your own...
	Plus I want to apologize.  I think I made you say some things you might not have wanted to...

 - Page 103 -

Arakawa: It's all right.  That's all in the past, and I was a little drunk.
	It's just... I had forgotten all about that.  But seeing Komatsuzaki again made me remember.
	And after seeing how he's changed, and how I'm living carefree and trying to forget my past...
	I'm just feeling kind of disgusted with the way time passes.

Higure: ...that's how it goes.

Arakawa: Huh?

Higure: Hmm?

 - Pages 104 & 105 -

Arakawa: What... IS it...?

Higure: ...I don't know.  Some population explosion from the unseasonal weather?

Arakawa: ...but...
	Do you see how they're all faintly glowing?
	...it's so beautiful...

Higure: Ha ha, that can't be.
	It's probably just the moon reflecting off of them.
	...I've got it, Maki.
	Why don't you turn this sight into a painting?

 - Page 106 -

Arakawa: I can't.
	It's TOO beautiful.

 - Page 107 -

 - Page 108 -

 - Chapter 4 End -