Saishu-Heiki Kanojo
	 Volume 2
	  Part Four
	   Fuyumi (3)

 - Page 79 -

Shuji: Fuyu...  mi...?

PART FOUR
Fuyumi (3)

 - Page 80 -

Fuyumi: It IS you, Shuji!

Shuji: F...  Fuyumi, what are you doing here...?

Fuyumi: Oh my gosh, look how BIG you are!  You were this small in junior high!

Shuji: (no, not that small)

Fuyumi: I KNEW it was you.  When I saw you yesterday, I felt a little suspicious.

Shuji: So...  that was you...?

Fuyumi: Remember?  We saw each other in front of that park over there!
	Yep.
	(Actually) I was looking for you, hehehe.

 - Page 81 -

[My mind was completely jumbled up...  it went blank.]

Fuyumi: The world is such a violent place.
	Gas explosions in a normal residential neighborhood.
	I thought it was guerillas.

Shuji: Hmmm...

Fuyumi: We moved here because Tetsu said it would be safe.

Shuji: {No...}

Fuyumi: But it IS an SDF town, so at least the emergency forces come quick.
	I feel kind of high and mighty sometimes, being married to an SDF officer.

[No...  actually,]

 - Page 82 -

Shuji: {...sorry, Fuyumi.
	It's all...  my girlfriend's fault...}

Fuyumi: ...Shuji!
	...you're still the same, Shuji.
	Still just as quiet.

Shuji: Sigh...
	You haven't changed either.

Fuyumi: Oh, really?  Yay!

Shuji: I didn't mean that in a good way.

Fuyumi: Oh?  What?  Was that supposed to be CRITICISM?
	To say that I haven't grown up?

Shuji: ...sigh.

Fuyumi: You jerk!  When did you grow up to be such a rude little boy?
	You were so cute and polite in the past.

 - Page 83 -

Fuyumi: That was...
	Probably...  my fault...  wasn't it?
	Sorry, it's kind of messy.
	Don't hold back, come right inside.

Shuji: ...I AM inside.  (hahh)(hahh)(hahh)

Fuyumi: It's small and dirty, but don't worry, it's not my fault.  (SDF pays pretty well)
	Oh, over there.

Shuji: (glerk)

 - Page 84 -

Shuji: ...in here?

Fuyumi: Yep, just put me down on top of the bed.

Shuji: Bed?

Fuyumi: Hehehe...  this is our bed...
	Eeek!
	Ouch!  You could have put me down a little more gently.

Shuji: W-where's the first aid kit?
	{Shit...  what the hell?
	Why am I getting so nervous?  I feel like such a moron...
	That was far in the past!  Over four years ago.
	And now she's MARRIED, for God's sake!
	What's my problem?
	Just act normal, damn it...}
	...is this the disinfectant?

Fuyumi: Yes.

Shuji: All right.

 - Page 85 -

Fuyumi: Let's do it.

 - Page 86 -

Fuyumi: Huh?  Oh...  uh?

Shuji: Um...  yeah.
	Er...  okay.

Fuyumi: Oh my God!
	You're in high school now, why are you blushing from the sight of a woman's legs?!
	I can't believe you, now I'm blushing, too...

Shuji: I...  I'm sorry...
	{Oh, damn...}

 - Page 87 -

Fuyumi: Ow...

<<Fuyumi: I'm back at my alma mater for teaching practice, starting today.

Shuji: {What is with you, Fuyumi...?}

<<Fuyumi: You're much cooler, Shuji.

Shuji: {How can you be so carefree...?}

Fuyumi: Shuji...  that hurts.

Shuji: {She can just BE around me,
	exactly as before.}

Fuyumi: Mm...
	Ouch...

<<Fuyumi: It hurts, Shuji...
	I'll be waiting...

Shuji: {She can...  forgive me.
	Exactly as she did before...}

 - Page 88 -

Fuyumi: It's kind of...  hot in here, Shuji...

Shuji: ...err...

Fuyumi: Maybe...  I should open a...  OUCH!

Shuji: No...  I'll do it...

Fuyumi: Oh, ow ow ow!
	Oops...  sorry...
	Ehehe...  that wasn't on purpose, okay, Shuji?  (owww)

Shuji: ...Fuyumi...

 - Page 89 -

Shuji: WAS THAT ON PURPOSE?

Fuyumi: Yep.
	But I swear, it DOES hurt.

Shuji: Arg, you got them dirty again...
	...you know...  you REALLY haven't changed a bit...

Fuyumi: Sorry.  I just wanted to see you all flustered again.  (wasn't as much as before, though)
	...but...
	...doing this...  gets you kinda turned on, doesn't it...?

Shuji: NO, IT DOES NOT!

Fuyumi: Awwwww.

Shuji: Look...

 - Page 90 -

Shuji: I...!
	I have a girlfriend now...!

Fuyumi: I know that.  (yep)
	I saw you holding each other on the sidewalk yesterday.  Oh my God, talk about hot!
	Have you done the nasty yet?

Shuji: ...no...  (is she making fun of me?)

 - Page 91 -

Fuyumi: Huh?
	Oh...  so you haven't, then.

Shuji: ...no...

Fuyumi: Why not?

Shuji: No reason...

Fuyumi: Okay, let's have a go.  (lessee)

Shuji: ABSOLUTELY NOT!  (that is not "okay"...)

Fuyumi: You don't want to?  (a teenage boy?)

Shuji: That's not the issue!
	I couldn't do that to my girlfriend...  or to your husband Tetsu, either!

Fuyumi: This is Tetsu's fault in the first place!

 - Page 92 -

Fuyumi: He hasn't come back...
	in nearly two months.
	...I'm lonely.
	He was away for two months earlier.
	I was so worried, I'd thought he died.
	Then he showed up.
	But Chitose was attacked.
	Had to move again, in a hurry.

Shuji: {Right above the bed was Tetsu's uniform, untouched for two months,
	hanging.}

Fuyumi: ...well!  Anyways, that's fine.  (hahahaha)
	I'll just hold out on the sex.
	In exchange...  (oof)

 - Page 93 -

Fuyumi: I just...  want you to lie down
	...next to me for a while.  (is that ok?)

[I wonder what Tetsu is doing right now...  in the Self Defense Force...]
[I doubt Fuyumi has gotten a good night's sleep in months, either.]

Shuji: {Just like me.}
	...I'm leaving.

[Am I just cruel?]

 - Page 94 -

[To tell the truth,]
[I had forgotten about Chise...  for a short amount of time.]
[Me, after I spent every day thinking about her since the first incident.]
[To be truthful,]
[I really, honestly felt a little better when she was gone from my mind.]
[Am I just cruel?]

Shuji: {Oh wait,
	I forgot my bag...}
	...whatever.

 - Page 95 -

Chise: Wow, so this is what your room is like.

[The next day, I brought Chise over to my house after school for the first time.]

Chise: I feel kind of nervous.

Shuji: Really?  Just sit over there, I'll get some drinks.

[And it wasn't a reaction to make up for meeting Fuyumi,]

Shuji: {nor is it because my parents are going to be home late,
	nor do I have any unclean motives.
	No, none of that.}
	(Akemi told me to just talk to her.)

Chise: {Arrg, why am I getting so nervous?
	Maybe I'm just hoping for some action...  (after what Akemi was talking about...)
	I'm such a nasty girl...}

 - Page 96 -

[Ended up PLAYING VIDEOGAMES TOGETHER, after all...]

Shuji: {Fun...
	(uhhhhh) This isn't exactly what I wanted to do...  (I think)}

Chise: (yeah yeah)(oooh nice)

Shuji: {Well...  I guess it'll be okay.}
	(ah)
	Okay, you're next. (here)

Chise: Huh?  M...  me?!

 - Page 97 -

Shuji: Is there ANY game that you know how to play...?  (jesus)

Chise: Uhhhhhhm, uhhhhhhm.
	Like OTHELLO?

Shuji: Uh...  no Othello here...  (sorry...)

Chise: Oh, I know this game!  I played an older version of it once.

Shuji: Ah, an RPG! (whew)

Chise: I played it with Akemi in middle school a lot.

Shuji: Really.

Chise: I was pretty good at it.

Shuji: You don't say.

Chise: She would make me wander around the same area to gain experience for four or five hours. (while she took a nap)

Shuji: What a pal.

 - Page 98 -

Shuji: ...havin' fun?

Chise: Oh yeah.
	Lots of fun.

Shuji: {I don't really know...  (is it?  I can't tell)
	If this is a good way to spend time...  I guess it is...
	Yeah...
	If silly little events like this are what Chise treasures so much, maybe that's what she's looking for in a relationship.
	So I'll try to make things as much like this as possible.
	Even if it's a small amount of time...
	It's all that I can give to Chise.}

 - Page 99 -

Shuji: C-Chise, what's wrong?!  (you don't like it after all?!)

Chise: Huh?
	Oh...  what?
	What happened?  Why am I crying...?
	Oh gosh...  I'm sorry for startling you.
	Oh god...
	I...  I feel so stupid...  why is this...  happening...?
	Oh...  no...
	It seems like...

 - Page 100 -

Chise: ...this girl...
	...she's just like me...

Shuji: {Onscreen,
	the girl raising her experience through battle
	defeated another monster with one blow,
	became stronger,
	and hopped up and down
	with glee.}

 - Page 101 -

Shuji: {Chise's skin temperature
	was in fact
	tragically
	cold.
	Something within me began to palpitate faster.
	Something caused my back to slick with a cold sweat.
	"How human is Chise, right now?"}

 - Page 102 -

Shuji: {Even though her lips are so soft.
	Even though the nape of her neck is so delicate.
	Even though her hair smells so wonderful.
	Even though her breasts are...}

<<Chise: Don't...  look...

 - Page 103 -

Chise: Uh...
	Ah...
	Shu...  chan?

Shuji: Chise...

Chise: ...ah...

Shuji: Chise.

Chise: Mm.

Shuji: Chise...
	I love you, Chise...

Chise: Oo... h...

Shuji: I LOVE YOU.

Chise: Shu-chan...

 - Page 104 -

Pager: (beeping)

Chise: I...  (hahh)
	I have to go.
	Ah...
	Shu-cha...?
	N...  no!
	NO...

 - Page 105 -

Chise: Nooo.
	I have to go...
	So many people...
	are going to die...

Shuji: ...don't worry,
	...I'll walk you there.

 - Page 106 -

Chise: Ah...
	Sorry, Shu-chan, I think they're here to get me.
	It's okay...  my supervisor-type person is there, too.
	Ehehe, I guess it was because of what I did earlier.
	You know...  blowing up that house.  (...they were kinda mad...)
	...Shu-chan...  no!
	No.  You can't.  Just hold it in.  I...  I'm fine, okay?  See?

 - Page 107 -

Chise: S...
	See you later!

Shuji: (hahh)(hahh)(hahh)
	{There are many hills in this town.
	I ran blindly through this accursed place.
	It hadn't been that long since I quit the track team,
	but I lost my breath ridiculously fast, my throat was pounding,
	and my legs felt like heavy logs.
	...I felt so pathetic, I wanted to cry.}

 - Page 108 -

Shuji: What the hell is my problem...  (hahh)(hahh)
	WHAT THE HELL...?!  (hahh)
	(hahh)(hahh)(hahh)
	(hahh)(hahh)(hahh)(hahh)(hahh)

 - Page 109 -

Shuji: {I have to go back...
	...and get my bag...
	That's right.
	There are important things in there.
	My textbooks and notebooks.
	Tests are coming soon.
	And the tickets to the concert I was going to take Chise to, before the war started.
	No, something more important.
	The...
	The single picture of Chise
	that Akemi gave me, when I didn't even ask her for it.
	Yes, I have to go get that.
	That's why I need my bag...
	That's all.}

 - Page 110 -

Shuji: {Lonely Fuyumi
	clutched Tetsu's uniform in her hands, crying.
	She must spend every night
	alone and desolate,
	without another person to lie beside her in bed.
	The same tears she shed
	in that gym closet.}

 - Page 111 -

Fuyumi: Shuji?

Shuji: ...I'm only here...  to get my schoolbag...

Fuyumi: No, Shuji.
	Higher...  under the crick of my neck...
	Yeah...  if you don't, your arm will be numb when you wake up.
	Well?  How's that?

 - Page 112 -

Fuyumi: Hehehe, you're at an age where you can give a woman an arm pillow.  That's just great.

Shuji: ...sigh...

Fuyumi: ...goodnight.

 - Page 113 -

 - Page 114 -

 - Page 115 -

 - Page 116 -

Shuji: Uh...
	Nng.
	Kuh...

Fuyumi: Shuji...
	Shuji...
	What is it?
	Why are you crying?
	...I'm sorry...
	I shouldn't have...

Shuji: ...it's not that.
	It's not that.
	{Why it was...}
	Fuyumi...  why...

 - Page 117 -

Shuji: Why is it...
	{That so many tears came out, I'll never know.}
	that I can only do things that hurt Chise?!
	Why is it that I only make her cry, when I'm supposed to be her boyfriend...
	I became her boyfriend...  and we decided to fall in love together...
	So why can't I protect her from any of her problems...?

 - Page 118 -

Shuji: It's not Chise's fault...
	But...
	But, it's not my fault, either.
	I just...
	I, I don't know.
	I don't know what I'm supposed to do...!
	I...  I LOVE CHISE...!
	I LOVE CHISE!

 - Page 119 -

Shuji: {The words I uttered simply vanished into the blackness of the room.
	Am I just cruel?}

 - Page 120 -

Shuji: {Is Chise crying right now, too, wherever she is?}

Chise: {I can hear Shu-chan's heartbeat...}

 - Saishu-Heiki Kanojo / Part Four / To be continued -