Homunculus Volume 4 - Page 3 - Homunculus Hideo Yamamoto - Page 4 - Volume Four - Page 5 - - Pages 6 & 7 - - Page 8 - - Page 9 - 1775: You're pretty pushy. Ito: Pushy? How? 1775: Well, you just grabbed my hand and pulled me... Ito: I wasn't pulling you... You held your hand out to me, and I simply took it. - Page 10 - Ito: (sip...) 1775: (shhf)(shh...) - Page 11 - Ito: Pattern interruption. You know how people's actions fall into patterns. When something unexpected happens in the middle of patternized actions, your mind goes blank for a moment, and you hold out your hand to what's in front of you. - Page 12 - Ito: Even a creepy hand like this. - Page 13 - 1775: Did you set up that whole scene...? Is this blackmail? - Page 14 - Ito: Ha ha. Don't be silly. You stole those things when I was about to call out to you. I only used that to my advantage. I'm just picking up a pretty girl. Nakoshi: (flick) - Page 15 - - Page 16 - - Page 17 - Ito: The right side really is better at lying. 1775: Huh? Right...? Ito: The right side of your body, is the "conscious side"... The side that projects outward from you... society, public face, lies... The side that specializes in the manual. It feels almost robotic. And therefore your left side, is the "unconscious side"... - Page 18 - Ito: The side that projects inward, the truthful side... It's better at expressing emotions. In other words... The side you want to protect, to keep your heart from being invaded. The side that ISN'T a robot. 1775: I don't get it... Left and right are the same. - Page 19 - Ito: People have conscious and unconscious sides, and they separate the two without realizing it. At this very moment, your right bangs are open... While your left cover your face. 1775: That doesn't mean... - Page 20 - Ito: When you hold or put down your bag... It's on the left side, where you want to be protected. 1775: That's just... a coincidence... Ito: When I called out to you, you may have pretended to be calm, but the fingers of your left hand were shaking. - Page 21 - Ito: And have you noticed that the closer we get to the point of this conversation, the more your body begins turning to the left side? - Page 22 - 1775: You're imagining things... - Page 23 - 1775: (grab) - Page 24 - 1775: (shhf...)(shhhhh...) (shf...)(shhff...) - Page 25 - 1775: (trickle) (crumble) (twitch) - Page 26 - Ito: Look. Keep your eyes on it... Good. - Page 27 - Ito: (stop) Middle finger! (twitch) Not index finger... Not ring finger... - Page 28 - Ito: Look only at my middle finger... And answer my question. - Page 29 - - Page 30 - Who are you? - Page 31 - 1775: (spin) Huh? You mean my name? Ito: See? Your eyes immediately turned right, using the "conscious side" to answer. What's important is this. This finger... - Page 32 - Ito: Fix your left eyeball. The answer doesn't have to be simple... It can take some time. Don't search for the words like you're scanning your hard disk... I want you to answer what you feel. Who are you? - Page 33 - 1775: I don't want to say my name. Ito: Not your name. I'm not asking for the title your parents gave you, to distinguish you from other people. I mean, Who, are you? - Page 34 - 1775: (tw...)(twitch) (stare...) Ito: Who? 1775: ...a high school student. Ito: Tsk, tsk, tsk. When you remove the social status of "high school student," - Page 35 - Ito: Who are you? - Page 36 - 1775: ...a 17-year old, girl... Ito: Not the labels of age or gender... Those are labels that surround you yourself... 1775: (twitch) - Page 37 - Ito: Who? 1775: (twitch)(twitch) A... ...human... (crumble)(crumble) - Page 38 - Ito: And when all the labels are removed? - Page 39 - 1775: ...people, are all... labels. - Page 40 - Ito: If all the labels are removed from people like layers of an onion... does that mean they disappear in the end? 1775: (twitch) (crack) - Page 41 - Ito: If you take off all the labels that you surround your front with... Is there nothing left in the middle? 1775: (crack)(crack)(crack) - Page 42 - Ito: Are you something that was created and molded... by your parents, society, the world? 1775: No... Ito: Then who are you?! - Page 43 - 1775: (crack...)(snap) I am... ME! - Page 44 - Ito: Yes... You are you. 1775: Huh? - Page 45 - Ito: You already understand, don't you? You aren't your "true self"... - Page 46 - Ito: You're afraid of knowing your "true self"! - Page 47 - Nakoshi: Ah... - Page 48 - - Page 49 - 1775: (sprinkle)(trickle) (shfff) - Page 50 - - Page 51 - Nakoshi: (scratch)(scratch) Ito: Because you've lived that way your whole life, according to your parents' manual... - Page 52 - Ito: Even if you try to rebel against them, your rebellion still becomes a manual... and you know this. You've completely lost your true self, 1775: (shsshf) Ito: caught in the antlion trap of manuals and equations... - Page 53 - - Page 54 - 1775: (twitch) Nakoshi: (flick) - Page 55 - 1775: What... am I...? - Page 56 - 1775: How should I... Find my "true self"...? Ito: That's easy. Just interfere with the pattern, of your entire life. Destroy the pattern of your life. - Page 57 - Ito: Create something that cannot happen in your patternized life. 1775: Something impossible...? Ito: Try something that you've never done in your life so far. 1775: Never done... - Page 58 - Ito: Something you've suppressed without realizing it... 1775: I don't know... What should I do...? - Page 59 - Ito: Think for yourself. 1775: I don't know... Ito: Well then... For example... Today... you and I... have sex. - Page 60 - 1775: Sex...? - Page 61 - Ito: Do it with a guy... who simply picked you up? 1775: Th... - Page 62 - 1775: That's not... (clump)(clump) Ito: Not something that's possible in your manual. You can't even think of it. It's not in your parents' manual, either. - Page 63 - Ito: You'll shoplift, and sell your underwear without defacing your body... Isn't acting like a bad girl the most you can do? - Page 64 - Ito: You're a virgin, aren't you? The one manual your parents avoid pressing into you... "Sexuality"... The last stronghold, where you kept your many hopes and dreams safe... Sex. - Page 65 - 1775: (poke) ...but sex... is still... a manual, isn't it... - Page 66 - 1775: Huh? Ito: If that's what you think, you probably shouldn't do it. This was fun. - Page 67 - - Page 68 - - Page 69 - Ito: You've decided on your own, then? 1775: (nod) - Page 70 - - Page 71 - Ito: (blub)(blub) (blubbubblub) (sssss) - Page 72 - Ito: (blub)(blub)(blub) (blub)(blullb) - Page 73 - Ito: Got it. - Page 74 - - Page 75 - - Page 76 - - Page 77 - - Page 78 - Ito: (grab) Why don't you let go... of the bear? - Page 79 - 1775: (slip)(slip)(slip) - Page 80 - Ito: Now... We're really alone. - Page 81 - 1775: Why... Ito: Hmm? 1775: Why aren't we going... to a hotel? - Page 82 - Ito: You're going to have sex for the first time in your life, aren't you? You might as well enjoy the steps in order. - Page 83 - Ito: What's up? - Page 84 - 1775: ...I want you to look at my left side. Ito: You want me to look at the real you? - Page 85 - 1775: ...and I wanted to see... the real you, too... - Page 86 - Ito: (spurt) - Page 87 - Ito: What's wrong? 1775: ...nothing. Ito: It's OK. Tell me. 1775: I want to touch it... - Page 88 - Ito: You feel uneasy unless you have something to hold, don't you? 1775: Well... - Page 89 - 1775: You're not letting me touch it. Ito: (pyuuu) - Page 90 - Ito: Most of the tension in your left side is gone. - Page 91 - 1775: (clutch) - Page 92 - Both: (thump)(thump)(thump) - Page 93 - Nakoshi: Whoa... Ito: (tmp tmp tmp) Nakoshi: His right leg... Is shaking... - Page 94 - - Page 95 - Both: (thump)(thump)(thump) Ito: (bubble)(blublb) Nakoshi: It's devouring him... - Page 96 - 1775: Your... right side... it's so beautiful... Especially the neck... - Page 97 - 1775: I like how you don't smell... like a man. - Page 98 - Ito: You're desperate not to see me as a man. It's your first time, after all. You can't help it, can you? - Page 99 - Ito: Well? Am I worth being your first? - Page 100 - 1775: Wait. - Page 101 - 1775: Found it! Ito: What? 1775: This'll look good... - Page 102 - 1775: Stick out your lips... - Page 103 - 1775: Put this on, and kiss me. - Page 104 - Lipstick: (swik) - Page 105 - - Page 106 - - Page 107 - 1775: Yes. Very pretty. Nakoshi: Ah... - Page 108 - Nakoshi: It's her face...! 1775: I won't let a man's desire ruin my dreams. - Page 109 - Ito: Huh? - Pages 110 & 111 - - Page 112 - Nakoshi: Whoa... She'll totally swallow him...! - Page 113 - Ito: Time out. I've got to use the restroom first. 1775: Are you running? - Page 114 - Ito: Hardly! Nakoshi: (wink) - Page 115 - - Page 116 - 1775: You virgin! - Page 117 - - Page 118 - - Page 119 - - Page 120 - - Page 121 - Nakoshi: Who's... that?! - Page 122 - Nakoshi: Hey. Wait... - Page 123 - 1775: Huff, huff, huff, huff, huff... - Page 124 - 1775: Huff, huff, huff, huff, huff... Huff... Huff... Huff... Huff... - Page 125 - - Page 126 - Phone: (rrrrr) - Page 127 - Phone: (rrrrr) (rrrrr) (rrrrr) Nakoshi: Shit...! (beep) (wink) - Page 128 - Nakoshi: Shit... (whack) - Page 129 - Nakoshi: (tap tap tap) - Page 130 - Nakoshi: (squeeze) (squeeee...) - Page 131 - 1775: Hey... You were the one who made the shoplifting mess at the store, weren't you? Nakoshi: Yeah. That was me. - Page 132 - 1775: You're with him, aren't you? Nakoshi: That's right... More importantly... Just don't talk to me anymore. 1775: What are you guys plotting to do? Nakoshi: I'm really ticked off right now... - Page 133 - 1775: Hey, what's your big plan? Nakoshi: Lay off... 1775: (tap tap tap tap) I mean... - Page 134 - Nakoshi: Right... If you take off your left sock, I might tell you. - Page 135 - - Page 136 - 1775: Hmph. You're just like all those other old guys. Nakoshi: (poke) (stretch) - Page 137 - 1775: That's all you wanted... - Page 138 - 1775: (trickle) - Page 139 - 1775: What? Nakoshi: Don't move. 1775: What...? - Page 140 - Nakoshi: (shh...) - Page 141 - Nakoshi: That's not sand... - Page 142 - Bright Letters: I don't know myself Nakoshi: I don't... know... myself...? - Page 143 - Nakoshi: (fwip) (twitch)(twitch) - Page 144 - Messages: Shoplifting is the basic tenet of rebellion against parents My worth is not in my socks Will you keep me company even if I'm rotten inside? I like the sound of losing virginity at 17 Nakoshi: She's... - Page 145 - Nakoshi: A symbol monster... - Page 146 - 1775: What? - Page 147 - 1775: This is it. Car: (vrumm) - Page 148 - - Page 149 - Nakoshi: Get out of the car. 1775: Thank you. - Page 150 - Mother: Yukari! You're late! Yukari: I'm home... - Page 151 - Mother: You're always coming home late these days. Nakoshi: What kind of monster... is the symbol monster's mother? - Page 152 - Nakoshi: Oh... She's normal. Mother: Wait, Yukari. What's this stuffed animal you're carrying? How childish! - Page 153 - Mother: Give me that. Yukari: Ah... - Page 154 - Mother: I hope the neighbors didn't see... Sand: (shhh) Dog: (rowf)(rowf)(rowf) Mother: They pretend they're not, but I know they're always watching... - Page 155 - Mother: Please, get your act together. - Page 156 - - Page 157 - Mother: Oh, and look at your skirt, it's SHORTER THAN NORMAL. - Page 158 - Nakoshi: It's... putting her back together... - Page 159 - Mother: And be sure to CUt yOUr nAIls. - Page 160 - - Page 161 - - Page 162 - Yukari: (shhh...)(shhff...) - Page 163 - - Page 164 - Yukari: Mom, you're imagining things. You're such a worrywart. Mother: Oh, you're right. I'm so silly. Come on, let's eat dinner. - Page 165 - - Page 166 - Door: (patam) - Page 167 - - Page 168 - - Page 169 - - Page 170 - Sign: Nikkei Industrial Average Difference - Page 171 - - Page 172 - Nakoshi: Zero... - Page 173 - Nakoshi: Faceless ghosts - Page 174 - Nakoshi: Faceless ghosts - Page 175 - Nakoshi: Faceless ghosts, faceless ghosts - Page 176 - Nakoshi: You can laugh, you can cry, but you can't even draw a simple face Faceless ghosts - Page 177 - Nakoshi: You can never turn back... Turn back... - Page 178 - - Page 179 - Rail: Practice safe driving Driver: HEY, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOIN'?! - Page 180 - - Page 181 - Nakoshi: What... the hell... - Page 182 - Nakoshi: Is this place...?! - Page 183 - - Pages 184 & 185 - - Page 186 - Nakoshi: (tap)(tap tap) - Page 187 - - Page 188 - Nakoshi: 1.2 seconds... Wave: (zaa..) - Page 189 - Nakoshi: 0.8 seconds... - Page 190 - - Page 191 - - Page 192 - Nakoshi: (slip) - Page 193 - Nakoshi: What the hell is with this hand... Dammit. I ain' no robot, man... - Page 194 - - Page 195 - - Page 196 - - Page 197 - Homunculus Volume 4 : The End * The "trepanation" procedure described in this story is extremely dangerous. Whatever you do, don't try this at home. * This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to existing persons, places or events is entirely coincidental. * Serialized in Big Comic Spirits 2004, Issues 27-32, 35, 36 and 42. * Homunculus Official Homepage: http://www.yamapro.com - Pages 198 & 199 - The girl's forgotten cell phone lures Nakoshi into a labyrinth... Serialized in Weekly Big Comic Spirits!! Homunculus Volume 5 goes on sale February 2005!!!!